I've always wanted to visit Southampton, New York with my family but I never felt that such a vacation would be within our financial means. After all, everything you see about the Hamptons on television features rich socialites spending the warm weather months in their summer homes. When the opportunity arose to stay at the Southampton Inn this spring, I was thrilled to be able to cross this experience off my bucket list. It was a wonderful escape from city life and I was extremely surprised to find out that the experience was not only family-friendly, but it was extremely affordable. We will definitely be returning this summer! The Southampton Inn is located on Long Island's East End. It is a quaint boutique hotel and within walking distance are a variety of enchanting restaurants, celebrated boutiques, unique galleries, and cultural opportunities. Guests at this Hamptons East End hotel enjoy wine tasting, garden tours, food events, and recreational … [Read more...]
The Ultimate Beach Trip Packing List
Is your family beach bound soon? If so, you want to make sure you are well prepared! Packing for the beach can be tricky, because you might be in such a hurry to get out and go that you forget some essentials. To make sure you are well prepared for your next trip of sun and sand, look below at the ultimate beach trip packing list. This list will help you arrive to the beach well stocked and well prepared for anything you are likely to encounter! 1. Mini first aid kit. Cuts, scratches, and other minor injuries can occur when at the beach. Save yourself a trip to the life guard stand or searching for a band aid when you bring your own mini first aid kit. It is an easy way to deal with minor injuries fast. 2. Inflatables. Don’t forget water wings or vests for kids as well as any inflatables adults may wish to use. Carry an air pump in your trunk so you can easily inflate your items without having to blow them up by mouth. 3. Baby wipes or wet wipes. Hands can get dirty at the … [Read more...]
Vegan Double Chocolate Black Bean Brownies
Many people are going vegan these days for a variety of reasons. Some people do it because they are animal rights activists, others do it because they are concerned about our planet and taking care of our natural resources, and still others do it because they think it is a healthier diet option. Whatever your reason is for following a vegan diet, I have been curious for a long time about how good some of these vegan recipes actually are. I figured what better way to try a vegan dish than to make a vegan dessert?!?! A vegan diet is also known as a "plant-based" diet and it consists of giving up all meat, dairy, egg and animal products from everything you eat. As a Survivor, I am always looking for ways to take better care of my body but I'm not sure if I could fully commit to giving up dairy and egg from my diet. Although I currently drink only almond milk, I love eating cheese and I've always been a big fan of eggs. I think I could eat more vegan dessert treats if … [Read more...]
Caramel Coconut And Fudge Truffles
This past week, my husband and sons have been munching on caramel coconut and fudge cookies every single day. I promise that I did not indulge but I definitely wanted to, if I'm being honest. They taste delicious and are hard to resist. I really wanted to have an excuse to buy even more of this cookie variety regularly so I thought it would be a good idea to include them in a fun and delicious recipe. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did! Caramel Coconut and Fudge Truffles Yields: 1 dozen INGREDIENTS: 1 box caramel coconut and fudge cookies 4 oz. (1/2 brick) cream cheese - softened 1/4 cup caramel sauce (I used ice cream topping) 12 oz dark cocoa candy melts Optional - 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract DIRECTIONS: 1. Line a large cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper and set aside. 2. Place the cookies in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Reserve 1/4 cup of the crumbs for later use and pour the remaining … [Read more...]
DIY Cardinal Craft
Lately I have been up to my ears in projects for my sons' classes. It seems like every week there is some new assignment to complete that requires some creativity or forces us to purchase expensive art supplies. This has gotten me to thinking that there is a real need out there for DIY activities that don't cost a lot of money to make and that you can use inexpensive materials to create. As you guys all know, red is my favorite color so it stands to reason that I would come up with a project that includes it. So what better way to get imaginative and experiment with the color red than by making a DIY Cardinal Craft? Not only are these a ton of fun to make, but they also don't cost a lot of money in terms of supplies. I hope you will love making them as much as we did and that you will share photos of the finished products on our social media channels. DIY Cardinal Craft Materials: Red cupcake liners … [Read more...]
DIY Easy Spring Snow Globe
I'm pretty sure that I am trying to will Spring to arrive sooner, especially since we had snow today here in New York City. Mother Nature has really been temperamental lately and it really makes you wonder how some people can say that global warming does not exist with all the fluctuating temperatures. Since I'm starting to get cabin here on the weekends, I have been keeping myself busy with some arts and crafts. I've always been a huge fan of snow globes so I fell in love with the idea of making one at home using some household items and art supplies. It turned out adorable and I plan on making more to give as gifts for Easter! DIY Easy Spring Snow Globe Supplies needed: Mason jar Mini white pebbles or fairy garden filler Mini chenille chicks Spring themed bottle brush trees (sold at Michael’s Craft Store) Ribbon of choice Directions: 1. Begin by filling the mason jar with about 1 inch of filler. You … [Read more...]
Watermelon And Blueberry Infused Water
Many of you have been hearing about the benefits of drinking infused water on a daily basis. Since giving up drinking soft drinks last August, I have been experimenting with some refreshing ways of enjoying my daily recommended water intake. You might be surprised to find out that there are some great reasons why consuming infused water is a good idea. Infused water is basically cold water that contains a mixture of herbs, fruits, or vegetables. Many people swear by it because they claim that it helps them to stay full so they don't have as much of an appetite for eating junk food. The fact of the matter is that drinking water is necessary for staying hydrated and maintaining all of our life functions. It helps to flush toxins from your body and it assists in digestion. Many people also use infused water recipes to assist in reaching their weight loss goals. The reason for this is that it … [Read more...]
Coffee Rubbed Pot Roast @Folgers #Folgers #Ad
It's no secret that I love Folgers coffee. Over the years, I have gotten very creative and infused its rich flavors into many recipes. After all, why should I limit myself to enjoying the smooth and bold taste of my favorite coffee only in the morning when I am having my breakfast? Folgers Coffeehouse Blend has been my perfect muse for trying out all of these dynamic recipes because its taste is rich and strong from beginning to end. I’ve used it before to create my Salted Caramel Iced Coffee recipe and it turned out delicious! This time, I wanted to really see how this coffee blend would stand up when paired with one of my favorite meats, pot roast. Yes, you read that correctly, I used Folgers Coffeehouse Blend to prepare Coffee Rubbed Pot Roast! This was the best way to take my brew to the next level by pairing this recipe with the smooth, bold flavor of this coffee. You can add anything to this blend and still … [Read more...]
Hashtag Soaps
I've been blogging since 2009 and my children have always been a part of my blog and have listened to me talking about blogging over the years. One day, my mother was explaining to my younger son what the pound symbol is on the telephone keypad when he quickly corrected her and told her she was wrong because that was a "hashtag." That pretty much opened my eyes to the fact that my kids were paying a lot of attention to my blogging than I gave them credit for. Not only did my mother and I have a good laugh about it, but my son thought it was incredibly funny too when I explained to him that both he and grandma were right! This funny encounter was the inspiration for these hashtag soaps. Hashtag Soaps 1 Cup white melt and pour soap block Yellow and blue soap colorant 1/2 teaspoon soap scent 1/2 teaspoon sweet almond oil Clear glass measuring cup Craft stick Small spray bottle of rubbing … [Read more...]
How Valentine’s Day Changed My Life…
This Valentine's Day will make eighteen years since I met my husband for the first time. I can still remember that day like it was yesterday... He was stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina at the time and we met in a chat room online. Neither one of us had ever done that before but we really seemed to connect and had so many things in common. That weekend, he had called me to tell me that he would be unable to take leave and drive up to New York with his roommate because he had been assigned guard duty. Of course, I was extremely disappointed that I would not be able to see him but I resigned myself to the fact and just tried to keep busy. Sometime in the evening, I received a call from Ben telling me that his roommate would be stopping off at my house on his way to Jersey to drop off my Valentine's Day present. I could hear a lot of noise in the background during the call and he assured me that they were just running drills on base. Shortly after, his cousin, who … [Read more...]
