Disney Cruise 2019

We embarked on our 6th annual Disney cruise girl’s trip this year ( see our 2018 recap here) ! It’s such a treat to sneak away with Nana and the girls for the week. Disney cruising is our absolute favorite way to cruise. It just never disappoints. The food is amazing, the staff is beyond fun and friendly, and the whole ship exudes pure Disney magic. Our itinerary consisted of 4 day cruise visiting Atlantis and Castaway Cay leaving from Florida on the Disney Dream. On our 2018 trip we met the sweetest family from Ohio and the girls became inseparable. They talked all year on the phone and FaceTime and sent letters back and forth. Us moms plotted and they jumped on our same trip for 2019 and gave the kids the biggest surprise! They were beside themselves! Talk about the tightest hugs and endless squealing! Pure magic! We feel like we have made lifelong friends with them and it all started with this trip!

We get ourselves all decked out in our cute Disney gear to embark the ship. They have a super cool model of the ship right at check in which is our favorite spot to get a quick snap of the four of us before the cruise starts.

As you enter the ship, they really roll out the red carpet for each family and announce your arrival like royalty! We always get such a kick out of that. At this point the girls know their besties are the ship and are in a mad dash to find them! The Bonvoyage party is one of our favorite events on the ship. It’s a super fun dance party complete with Mickey and Minnie and confetti cannons as the horn blasts. We are off!

Since we are regulars on this trip we have our favorite activities pretty dialed in. Each year, we decide on a special event that the girls will do that year. We have done Royal Tea Party, swimming with Dolphins at Atlantis and this year we decided to revisit Bippity Boppity Boutique.

Bippity on the ships is the most precious! The “fairy god mothers” are in full character and it really is everything little girl special. Even 10 year old Capri was super into the whole thing. They picked out special dresses, shoes and accessories and then plopped down for beautifying. They get the works! Nails, hair styles of choice and makeup. It’s the cutest thing ever! They leave feeling so fancy and ready for dinner. Nana and I were having a field day with Capri’s red hair!

Our first dinner of the trip was at Animator’s Palette which is so fun! The walls are full of sketches and screens that come to life with Crush and the gang from Finding Nemo. Crush interacts with the tables and cracks us all up as we eat. After dinner we grabbed our popcorn and snuggled in for the first show of the trip. These shows are so incredible! Broadway worthy hands down!

We woke up in Nassau on day two. We have explored Nassau in the past and visited Atlantis for the dolphins but this year stuck around the ship and took full advantage of the short water slide lines. The girls partied with their friends all morning!

Mom and I snuck away for a martini tasting! Yes please!!! I’m a fruity martini sort of gal but actually found out I like a dirty martini. We learned so much about the different types of martinis and ingredients that make each one unique. I wish I had taken more detailed notes because the class was fantastic!

That night after a full day of pool and sun, the girls got back in their princess costumes ( obviously) and we met our friends at the Silent Disco. This party was hilarious! You get your synced up headphones and hit the dance floor. You can change to the same channel as your friends or groove to your own music. We danced our booties off! When you take your headphones off it’s literally silent and everyone is still dancing! So funny!

Our favorite day has arrived! We are off to adventure on Disney’s private island Castaway Cay. We absolutely love our Cataway days. We snorkeled to find the hidden treasure and golden Mickey, Nana and Capri rode bikes around the whole island, we gobbled down at the beach bbq, rode the shipwreck waterslide and played on the sunken ropes course.

There are just a million things to do and we have the best time! I’m putting together a video recap of our super fun day! Stay tuned for that and my discovery of the golden Mickey!

After we were full of sand and sun we made our way back to the ship for another amazing dinner, show and Mickey’s Pirate party! You guys!!! Pirate party is the best! The kids danced with Mickey while we waited for the fireworks. Yep! Fireworks off the ship! We have seen the show many times but it never ever disappoints! It’s set to music and is incredible!

Our first official day at sea and the ship is jam packed full of activities! Because the Dream is a pretty good size ship this day can feel a little bit busy. With that said, we found lounge chairs easily and had no issues. Just more swimmers and people out an about.

The kids decided that they were hard core into a ship wide scavenger hunt which they learned from the adorable “You Tube Family”. Some of the finds were things like Cast members from 5 different countries ( my fave- again Disney cast members are the cutest and always up for this fun stuff) smash an ice cream cone on your forehead, and take a pic on a stage, etc. The kids broke up into teams and scoured the ship for their finds. So fun!

Mom and I snuck away fro a liquor and chocolate tasting which was hosted in Pop Champagne bar and was the absolute cutest pink confection ever! With bubbles everywhere we were giddy! We again learned so much about the pairings of different liquors and chocolates. My most favorite was learning that champagne is actually a pallet cleanser. Into it!

Our last day was just the saddest! We had to say goodbye to our bestie! A few tears shed as the girls squeezed eachother! We had the BEST time! We couldn’t believe how fast it went this year so we booked a 7 day for next year! We can’t wait! Til next year Mickey!

Southern California Camping faves 2019

It’s been almost a year since we got our trailer and we have sure made the most of it! We love trying new places and have found some really great spots! I’ve rounded up some of our trips so far including our favorite features and day trips to our notes on what to expect when visiting.

Chula Vista KOA

San Diego

We really like the Chula Vista KOA! It was packed with fun amenities like a blob ( huge bouncy pad), beautiful brand new showers, bathrooms and pool, rock climbing wall, restaurant and tons of kids activities. It super close to the USS Midway which was a fascinating day trip for all of us. We also stumbled into the absolute best mexican restaurant we have ever eaten at called La Puerta. Don’t pass up the best margarita ever called “ Whole Lotta Love”. We visited it in the winter so it was chilly but I can imagine how packed with fun it would be in the summer months. Never the less we had a great time and would absolutely visit again

Rancho Oso

Santa Barbara

This ranch style campground was a fun departure for us from our regular type of camping. If you are looking for a super simple, no fluff, ranch style camping trip this is your place. We were excited to try out some horse back riding and live on the ranch. The website is bit misleading on this place though. While we did have a good time we found some things that we learned quickly to pay attention too. Everything is very relaxed and simple. The grounds are great with teepees, horses and farm animal friends. The restaurant is open only by reservation the day before at 3:00 so make sure you are on the ball otherwise there is no food available outside of a small very simple ranch store or what you packed. We happened to get the memo right as we pulled in about dinner that night so we got lucky with a huge bbq dinner. There is no fluff at this place! Also, they will say there is wifi but there really isn’t. Not a big deal but worth knowing. The facilities are a bit older but still did the trick. The main take away was to ask a lot of questions when you can because there aren’t a lot of staff around and not a lot of info. Once you get the details you are good to go though for a fun cowboy time. If you want to take a break from the horses you can take a fun day trip in to Solvang. We visited Ostrich land, had some breakfast and shopping in town and checked out the Motorcycle Museum for daddy.

Bass Lake

at Yosemite

If you want a little of everything Bass Lake is a great option! We loved this trip! The campground is simple but has everything you would need. We chose a spot nearest to the little trail to the lake. We hiked back and fished one day and it was a fun little adventure. The facilities are super clean and updated. The huge pine trees make for a perfect backdrop to your trip! So gorgeous! We ventured into the little town ( 2 minute drive) to grab our boat rentals. We rented a speed boat one day and then a pontoon another. We loved our lake days. We found a little cove where the girls could rock jump and swing from a giant rope swing into the water. We added a tube both days onto our rentals and whipped them around the lake. For lunch, we highly recommend Ducey’s! The food was amazing and they had a great selection! You can also hang out at the marina restaurant with live music, food and cocktails. We were disappointed by the food but the vibe was fun and laid back. The lake is within 30 minutes of Yosemite National Park. The park is super busy in the summer time so be prepared for some crowds. There is nothing more specatular then the waterfalls and natural beauty of Yosemite. We visited the park a couple years back and documented the fun with a fun recap video!A note that we made for last time is to make sure we where or bring our swim suits to take a dip in the river. Also, we were bummed to miss the window for tube rentals to float the river. Next time, we will bring our own and get our float on. Also, make sure to bring snacks or lunch with you when visiting the park. It’s soooo busy that getting into any restaurant is crazy hard. A riverside snack, with toes in the water would have been divine! Overall this was a super fun trip that we would for sure take again!

Newport Dunes

Newport, Beach

Newport Dunes never disappoints! We have visited many times and always have a blast! Regardless of it being pretty pricey to stay it really is worth it for a quick trip! The pool is great and always clean. They have tons of daily kids activities for all ages including nightly Movie nights under the stars. The store is fully stocked with anything you could ever need including super cute sweats and swimsuits if needed. Our girls lose their mind for the inflatable water park. For a cost of $18 for 2 hours, the kids can party out in the lagoon on massive inflatables and jungle gym. They love it so much! We also love how accessible this campground is to yummy OC restaurants and fun things to do. You can bike really anywhere, grab a mouth water piece of pizza from St. Pepperoni’s, a Balboa Bar from Marine on Balboa Island, catch some chic shopping in Lido Village or just stay on the grounds for some relaxation!

Disney Cruise 2018

If you have been here for a while you know that my mom, myself and the girls head off to our annual girls trip each fall! We have made a tradition out of it and it really is one of our most favorite trips. 2018 made for our 5th Disney cruise but this year we tried a new ship, the Disney Dream. We have traveled on the smaller ship Disney Magic for our last handful of trips but wanted to try something a bit different.

We head into Florida a day early to get settled and be ready to board the ship the next morning. My mama is a master travel wizard and always plans our trips to perfection. I get to be a kid again with my kidlets and literally follow along like a baby duckling. The girls sported their new cruise Minnie ears the whole travel day and were so spoiled by our flight crew! They got a special invite to the cockpit to sit in the Captain’s chair and push all the buttons. I was so giddy for them!

The next morning we get in our nautical gear and head over to board The Dream. In true Disney magic, the sweetest crew makes special announcements when each family arrives on the ship. It never gets old! We have our routine of hitting the buffet first, obvi! Then we are off the explore! Since this ship was twice as big as the Magic we wanted to get our lay of the land. Vanelope’s Candy store, check! Pool, check! Waterslide, check! Kids club, check! Scavenger Hunt, check! Ice cream cone, check! After an hour or so, our bags arrived and we were able decorate with our door magnets and check out our room and look at the itinerary for the rest of the day!

First up was Mickey’s Bon Voyage party! This party is so fun! Mickey and whole gang come out for a super fun dance party full of confetti canons! We absolutely love this party! All the cruise vibes and we can never resist a good dance party. This is also when Capri locked in to her new friend! She introduced herself to an adorable little 9 year old Jolie. Jolie and her family were cruising from Ohio and the girls were immediate besties. They were the cutest little clones in every way! Jolie’s family (daddy Donnie, little sister Maylynn, and little brother Kempton) were just as precious as she was and me and Jolie’s mama Amy became friends right away too!

That night we were super excited to meet our dinner crew. These guys are our buds for the whole trip and follow us from dinner to dinner. We love making friends with them right away! In true Disney fashion the wait staff are the most fun! Each night they make dinner special with treats for the girls, magic tricks and jokes. They are simply the best! Capri was on a mission each night to show off her magic skills.

We hit the Bahamas for our yearly cruise and have to be honest only get off the ship once the whole time! Our first morning, we sleep in and then head for breakfast and pool time. The Dream has a super fun waterslide that the girls were so excited to try out. With Jolie in tow, the girls danced their booties off at the Deck the Halls dance party, hit the AquaDuck waterslide on repeat, ate endless ice cream cones and were fishies all day. Mom always treats them to something super special each year. Last year was the Royal Tea party, the year before that was swimming with Dolphins in Nassau and the year before that was Bippity Boppity Boutique. This year it was braids on deck. Very fancy! They were feeling themselves to say the least!

Our second day we woke up at our favorite stop Castaway Cay which is Disney’s private island. This is our must stop port! We LOVE it so much! We jump on the trolley and find our favorite spot on the beach by the shipwreck floating waterslide. The girls partied all day on the beach with Jolie, Maylynn and Kempton. We had the best ever beach bbq complete with our favorite characters and soaked up the most fun day!

That night was the Pirate Party! This is a DO NOT miss party! Everyone gets in full pirate costume and hits the deck for music, Mickey zip lining from the smoke stacks and fireworks off the ship! It blows our minds every year! The Disney Magic had their party all in one show but the Dream breaks it up into two. One early show for a younger kids crowd and then a later party for older ones and adults. Both are super fun no matter the age!

On our last day, we did more pool fun and endless waterslide runs. I got down it a couple times and it was a blast. That afternoon, I took Jolie and Capri to see the ship’s magician. The shows on Disney cruises are unreal! Full Broadway style productions with the most incredible music, costumes, stage design and stories. They are some of our favorites! Outside of the musical based shows is an amazing magic show that we never miss! We hurried over to see the magician show us some sneak peaks into how he performs some of his magic tricks from the night before. We left with some super good tricks to try out on nana and Jolie’s family.

After another super fun day of pool fun, we gathered up our trading pins for the Officer’s Pin trading event. Last year the girls were chosen to be Honorary Officers Pin traders which was a super big deal! They got to stand in line with the Officers of the ship and trade pins to the crowd. This year we were on a mission for some super special edition pins.

For dinner, we headed to Animator’s Pallette which is a totally different design and theme as the one on the Magic. This is one of our favorite dinner nights! Crush from Finding Nemo interacts with the crowd and really took a liking to Peyton who was right next to him. They chatted it up for about 5 minutes! Disney is just too good!

We were sad to be heading home! We had full bellies, another trip packed with awesome memories and family of new friends to keep in contact with when we come home. We had already planned for a Disneyland trip with them in the near future!

10 must have Disney Cruise essentials

We are Disney Cruise bound tomorrow sailing to the Bahamas for our annual girl’s trip. My mom, the girls and I are cruising for our 5th time and can’t wait! We are packing our last minute essentials and wanted to share our must haves to take full advantage of all the Disney fun on the ship!

1. Ears! You can’t go on a Disney vacay without a little Disney swag! Last year we did personalized pajamas for Pluto’s PJ party. This year we got cruise themed ears! These are fun to wear as you board the ship, at the Bon voyage party or just to dinner!

2. A cute coordinated family outfit for boarding the ship. There is a handful of cute photo ops as you board the ship. We always go with a nautical look of stripes. The characters are roaming around all in their nautical gear too.

3. Door magnets are a fun kid’s activity. We got personalized door magnets a couple years back and the kids get such a kick out of labeling our board room ours for the week with their cute mini ears and nautical outfit magnets. A big percentage of the staterooms have decorated doors from other guests so it’s fun to add your own flair to your door.

5. Princess dresses for a night you want to be fancy or for a princess activity. We always have our dresses ready for a fancy night. It’s so cute to see the girls in all their glory.

6. Warm layers are something we have found the most helpful. The ships can be chilly so having a pair of pants or a sweater is really helpful. We always make sure to pack cozy sweats for the girls for when they come in from the pool with wet hair and are chilly for their afternoon activities.

7. Comfy cruise clothes that you can relax in. We have learned that Disney is so relaxed and so easy breezy with it’s dress code. We love that we can wear sundresses and a sweater for most any of the dinners or shows and feel comfy. Having loose comfy clothing let’s you make belly room for all the yummy treats.

8. Trading pins have become a must have. We started our lanyards on our second cruise and it’s become a great evening activity. We gather up some good pins we are willing to part with ( aka buy a handful fo to trade with the best collector pins on the ship. They even host a Captain’s pin trading night where all the officers of the ship gather with their pins to trade. The girl’s were honored with special Officer Pin awards last year. It was a huge highlight!

9. You want to be ready for Mickey’s Pirate Party. It’s a total blast! The ship provides themed bandanas but it’s fun to go the extra mile for the party with some easy costumes.

10. We find that we don’t get off the ship much outside of exploring Castaway Cay. There are lots of fun picture ops on this special island. The characters venture off the ship in their island gear and are so fun to mingle with. We plan for our cute swimsuits and cover ups this day. We have our annual picture of the girls over the years next to the big Cay anchor and it’s such a fun memory.

We are off to sail on the Disney Dream this year and couldn’t be more excited! We have had the best time each year and it just never disappoints. Between gormet food, Broadway worthy shows, character meetings and a million other activities it’s virtually impossible to not have the greatest time.

Fourth of July at Monarch Beach Resort

We love Fourth of July and always make a point to explore new resorts and experiences each year.  This year we tried Monarch Beach Resort having heard such fun things about their Fourth of July festivities.  

We checked in on the 3rd and bee lined it for the beach.  Beach access is by jumping on a cute little trolley that winds you through the resort to the beach.  They have the sweetest set up including loungers, anoraks and The Monarch Bay Club with yummy cocktails and local menu. I had big plans of parking my booty under an umbrella with a glass of rose, but the girls were ready to party.  

After getting properly sandy, I snuck away to the spa for a facial.  To say I was giddy was a massive understatement!!!!  I was welcomed with a Detoxifying Ginger Elixir shot made with lemon and ginger juice, black pepper and raw honey. To follow the ginger shot, I sipped a Soothing Green Elixir made from celery, cucumber, pineapple, apple and kale juice.  So refreshing!  The Miraval Spa is pretty legit!  With full service treatments including Diamond facials and Hydrafacials, massages , yoga and endless fitness classes.  It even has a DryBar to keep your tresses looking perfect! 

I had a Hydrafacial and it was the dreamiest!  I would say one of the most luxurious facial experiences I have ever had!  My skin was left decongested and glowing and the scalp massage was beyond divine!  

The next day was the fourth and we hit the ground running with pool time!  What I loved about the resort is how easy access everything is from morning coffee and healthy snacks at the Part & Parcel market to super attentive pool staff.  This mama was so happy!  The girls right away made some new friends.  We split our time with festive waterslides, snow cones, the pool and endless fun in the kids club.  They got crafty with USA Sand art and Patriotic glitter tattoos.  That evening we got ourselves cleaned up for a magic show.  The kids were mesmerized!  After our minds were blown with the magic, we headed up to enjoy a massive, delicious Fourth of July BBQ buffet and fireworks show!  There is nothing like sitting under the stars with your people watching fireworks. My heart is so full watching the girl's faces as the fireworks explode.  

The next morning, my mom and I tired Aerial Yoga. We were both a little intimidated but have always wanted to try it.  How bad could we be right?!  We had the best time!  The funny thing was that we surprised ourselves with what we could do.  Everything is very mind over matter and once we got over the little fear that came we were able to conquer a couple really cool poses and stretches.  There was even a handstand involved.  So to say we are submitting our applications to Cirque de Solei....game on! 

Overall, we had the best trip!  The hotel is beautifully styled, has impeccable service, yummy food and a million activities to keep all ages busy and excited!  We will definitely be back!

How to pack a capsule wardrobe for vacation

We are off to a couple big trips this year and I am the self proclaimed queen of packing practical and light.  I am a firm believer in a capsule wardrobe and think this premise is super helpful when it comes to packing for a getaway. Let's be real ladies we don't need all the options! Save your sanity and keep it light.  Here is my go to method and some tips and tricks I've found tried and true when it comes to packing with the capsule mindset.

Tips to get you started: 

1.  Plan your itinerary.  Will you be walking all day, everyday? Lounging at the beach? Enjoying dinners out?  What will be filling your days up? 

2.  Check your destination's weather for when you will be there.  Rainy? Don't pack your leather shoes or jackets that aren't waterproof.  Gloomy? Layers will be key.  Windy? Plan on no hats and chic hair situations to not look crazy windblown  Hot? Think loose fitting and light fabrics. 

3.  Check out your destination's color pallet.  This may seem odd but if you dress with the pallet of your location in mind you will always look perfectly chic in every photo.  This will also help you keep on track with a cohesive packing color pallet to allow to mixing and rewearing items. 

4.  This is always something I think about too... I like to eat and enjoy myself on vacation so I purposely avoid tight fitting outfits so I can be as full and comfy as needed.  I may add a belt to cinch in my waist for some shape or a fitted jacket but I keep my outfits loose fitting for the most part for my eating!  

5.  Decide on hair looks.  I wash my hair about once a week so I plan accordingly.  I usually start my trip with fresh hair then plan for hats and accessories like headbands and clips for the rest of the trip so I can avoid traveling with a million styling products.  Dry shampoo is the best and plan for wash and wear styles like cute braids.  If you must, plan on one curling iron to touchup any simple styles.   

I have sort of a fool proof science when it comes to my packing.  I go day by day and pack for the whole day each day at a time so I don't forget something.  I visualize the day from start to finish and pack literally each item as I would envision using it per day. 

With this structure, I rewear a lot of items. I pack two pairs at maximum, one jacket in a neutral color, one pair of sunglasses and one hat. One beach tote that I use as my carry on and one crossbody bag to keep hands free. I also try and pack my swimsuit cover to double as a shawl for chillier evenings. 

This is how my packing would look for a beachy vacation with mulitple different additional outings: 

Swimsuits can be worn under denim shorts, green shirt or sarong for beach days.  Breezy sundresses and rompers for exploring local areas or dinners out.  White blouse and denim cut offs or crisp white jeans for more comfy options.  

Westin Mission Hills, Palm Springs - Spring Break 2018

Palm Springs is always our favorite go to when it comes to spring break.  We love that if feels like a real getaway but is still close to home.  We stayed at the Westin Mission Hills this year and were so excited to explore.  

First off, we made a b-line for the pool!  It was a mad house but we hit the water like no one's business. I booked this resort solely for it's waterslide to be honest.  The girls swam for about 3 hours and took turns on the waterslide a million times.  We had a hankering for Mexican food and drove a couple blocks for some yummy tacos and chips.   We decided to tuck in early that night and continue our Star Wars marathon we had started earlier in the week.  Us girls had never seen Star Wars so Erik thought it would be fun to watch all of them over the break.  

Day Two, we hit the pool super early.  This pool seating situation was no joke.  I set my alarm and off we went at 7:45 for our spots.  Once our mission was accomplished, we grabbed a nice easy breakfast at the Mission Hills Market Cafe.  I love the ease of this sort of breakfast.  They offered fresh pastries and Starbucks coffee along with toiletries and snacks for the rest of the day.  Cereal for the girls and coffee for mommy and we were set.  We also had the option of fresh pancakes by the pool too which smelled delish.  That was definately a perk of getting to the pool early was  yummy breakfast options and quiet pool.  The Westin hosted super fun kids activities all throughout the day. From family fishing to waterslide lifeguard games to watermelon eating contests there was always something fun to do.  Capri decided to participate in the watermelon eating and won!  Girl can take a watermelon down!  

That night we ordered Dilberts pizza in for more Star Wars.  They were playing a fun movie that night by the pool but we were all sun kissed and exhasted from the pool all day.  

Day Three greeted us again with a simple cafe breakfast and comfy spot at the pool first thing.  My idea of a vacation is parking myself by the water and absorbing myself in a book all day.  I got my wish!  I literally barely moved and was so happy about it!  For lunch the girls noshed on freshly grilled burgers and mommy got a fresh watermelon salad while Erik hit the gym.  The girls swam all day and when we had our fill, we hit the road reluctantly.  

Tips for your stay: 

- Get to the pool no later than 7:55 am to get a spot.

-Take advantage of poolside breakfast and cafe.  They will save you money and time getting a whole family breakfast situation at a restaurant. 

-Plan to keep an eye on little ones, the pool does not have lifeguards.

-Take advantage of the kids activities and kids club for a nice adult free couple hours. 

-Bring fun pool floats and balls.  There are a million kiddos around and the floats were a hit. The pool also has a volleyball net to play with. 

Overall, another great family Spring break vacation for the books.  

Weekend in Palm Springs

You all know I've been itching for a getaway with my hunny.  I cashed in on my Christmas gift and we booked a quick overnighter to Palm Springs.  I had never stayed at The Saguaro and it looked like the perfect spot for some fun and sun!  Erik and I haven't been out of town just us two in three years.  This mama was EXCITED!  I had outfits all situated and checked out all the yummy eats around the area.  I was ready!   

This lemony outfit felt so perfect for Palm Springs.  I wanted something fun and a little retro.  I paired the tie front top with a flowy, pleated yellow midi skirt.  So fun!  To add some extra, I paired the look with a bright orange clutch, pink and white striped bauble earrings and white slides.  

At check in, we were welcomed with our choice of Hibiscus Margaritas or Bloody Mary's.  YEP!  First things first, we ventured out to catch the last of the sunshine at the pool and sip our drinks.  They were featuring a "Valley of the Dolls" on the lawn for a fun movie night.  I love a movie night!   We planted ourselves next to the fire pits and had the best time under the stars.  

The next morning we made our way over the Norma's at The Parker for brunch. I had heard their Lemon Ricotta pancakes were beyond delish so I was on a mission.  If you follow my stories you saw this adorable jumpsuit before our trip.  I love the ease of a jumpsuit.  I paired my straw hat, striped bauble earrings and white sunglasses with the pinstriped suit.  The tie front makes it a little extra feminine. I later topped the casual look with a denim jacket. 

The pancakes were the best I've ever had!  Erik got the egg and bacon quesadilla.  The portion was huge but I never wanted to stop eating them. They were just the slightest bit lemony and so fluffy! 

After finishing up our amazing breakfast we plopped ourselves by the pool for the rest of the day. I chose my favorite bright pink off the shoulder suit and wrapped a scarf   around my waist for some coverage. I love the retro feel of white sunglasses, pom pom tote and an oversized hat to add fun to my pool outfit.  

Palm Springs vacay packing list

    I am so giddy to be heading to Palm Springs with my guy next month!  We used to make this our annual trip and haven't been able to make it happen for a couple years now.  I booked us at The Saguaro which I have never stayed at before.  I love the bright, retro vibe of the hotel and can't wait to lounge poolside all day!  So excited!  Of course, my outfit situation is in full force!  I can't take a mini vacay without an outfit!!

     Here's what my overnight bag will be holding!  I like to keep my packing really simple when we travel.  I wash and wear my hair on most days or blast it with dry shampoo.  Throw on sunnies add a little color to my cheeks and hit the pool.  I have officially embraced my one piece life and love a good bright swimsuit for a day at the pool.  Erik and I like to keep our dinners out simple.  We like to walk to a new restaurant or explore after eating.  A comfy sundress and slides makes for the perfect evening outfit.  

Oak Glen Apple Picking

September is in full swing and we are plotting our Fall bucket list.  I love apple picking and last week we had perfect weather for it!  We were a little early in the season but still had a great time! We are lucky to be so close to apple country and love the sweet country feel of the area.  Our favorite Riley's farm was closed , so we visited Riley's Apple Farm to pick our apples.  We had such a great lazy day.  The girls found some fun activities.  Capri decided she was very into archery.  Little Peyton was to young but was just as happy to watch.  After our Merida moment we went on the hunt for apple pie.  We ventured up the hill further to Los Rios farm and picked up a slice of apple pie.  The fresh air, bbq smells and families frolicking on the large grass lawn made for the perfect kick off to Fall.  

Magnolia Market recap

Outfit details: Hat, Bag, Dress on sale now, Sandals

My mom and I have always loved traveling together and like everyone in America we are big Fixer Upper fans!  Who doesn't adore Chip and Joanna and an eyeful of shiplap? NO ONE!!!  We decided on a little spur of the moment trip to Waco to visit Magnolia Market and see the Silos. We did a bunch of asking around on what tips and tricks we could put to good use on our visit. Our last trip just the two of us, without the kiddos, was 8 years ago.   We thought we would leave the babes at home and make it a mother/daughter trip. Capri and Peyton are actually really big fans of the show too and were bummed to miss out!  Taking into account that we were making our visit during June, we know the weather was going to be HOT and lines could be long.  Although, it would have been great to have them there we decided for our first trip we better be safe than sorry.  When asking around, we found out that the best days to visit are Wednesdays and early in the day.  We knew that the trip would only take about 3 hours max for us to go through the market and bakery and explore a bit.   My mom did some researching on accommodations and we decided to stay at the Lake Austin Resort and Spa.  More on that delightful place in a later post!  The resort was about 2 hours away from Waco but an easy drive.  We decided to go on Wednesday and be there as it opened.

 The bakery opened at 9:00 and we rolled in at 10:00. The lines were a piece of cake!  ( pun intended)   There were maybe 5 people ahead of us.  We were offered a menu and ordering card at the door.  We weren't really sure what to get so we got a variety of goodies.  We decided on a Elderberry soda, Cranberry Orange biscuits, Oatmeal Chocolate chip cookies, Lemon Lavender cupcake and a Classic cupcake which is chocolate cake with vanilla icing.  Piglets party of 2!  We both have major sweet tooths and are cupcake consesuers.  We both decided that the desserts were some of the best sweets we have ever tried!  Beyond delish!  That Joanna knows how to whip up a treat!  Not only was the bakery precious but the staff was lovely and got us in and out.  

We mozied over to the market for some shopping. It's huge!  The whole place is a renovated grain warehouse.  Every piece is handpicked by Joanna.  We asked if she ever comes in to visit guests. The lovely staffer said she comes in later in the evenings before closing mostly.  She will come for her meetings and then the whole market will be rearranged in the morning. The market is full of pure Joanna goodness.  Sweet tablescapes, soft textiles, kitchen goodies and endless floral displays for oversized vases.  I recommend keeping a very tight list of what you are wanting to take home because you can easily swept away but all the pretty things. I  picked up a beautiful salt and pepper caddy and my mom grabbed the cutest wooden recipe cards.  If you do pick up large pieces for your home they have a really convienent shipping station to send your finds home.  Chip has a cute little area of items with his "chip-isms" on them, fun shirts and trinkets for the guys in your life. I was also on the hunt for treats for the girls.  I really wanted to bring them home these sweet egg collecting aprons I had seen on Magnolia's website.  We found them in the adorable Seed shop. The shop in surrounded by the sweetest herb and veggie garden and is full of items to build your own dream garden.  They had cute seed packets, gardening tools, fairy garden accessories and watering buckets.  We weren't hungry after our sugar fest but peeked through the food trucks.  They had a smoothie truck that served smoothies out of hollowed out watermelons and another truck serving sweet tea out of mason jars.  Just adorable!.  The silos weren't open but we hear that they are being worked on as a "his and her" duo and  that Chip sneaks into his when the big Baylor games are on. I'm predicting a home and furniture store in hers. What do you think? 

We can't wait to go back and do another tour of the Silos once they are done and take a tour with Waco-Tours.   The tours include trip through a handful of the Fixer Upper homes, Harp Design, local shopping tips etc. in a party bus atmosphere! Girls trip, Bachelorette you name it they do it!  So fun right?!!  

Summer Plans

via Pinterest

I've taken a hard pause on blogging for a couple months.  I was finding myself getting sucked out of the moments of my life and only capturing "blog worthy" content.  It was becoming not as fun as it was before.  After some time away, I've refreshed my perspective on what I want this blog to be.  I want to capture our life as it comes.  I want to share our adventures organically even if that means not perfectly edited.  I hope to help other women find their joy, balance and inspiration in their own lives as I aim to find all of those things in mine!  With that said, I'm so excited to be back!  I can't wait to share what we have been up to and what we have on the horizon! 

If you have been following along on my Instagram you know that our life  has been swamped lately with the kitchen reno and wrapping up the school year. I am getting into the season of a crazy schedule of kid's activities and am loving it!  We have been doing ballet for about 4 years and now jazz since Fall.  We just this week added on swim team that will run through summer and I am contemplating competition team for Capri with her jazz studio this coming season.  

We have travel plans on the horizon including a trip with my mom to Waco!!  I have been a big fan of Fixer Upper for years now and can't to see the Silos, shop in Magnolia and taste some yummy treats in the bakery.  I hit up a couple of the weekend holiday sales to get some cute outfits together for our trip!  Around Father's day we are going to try and squeeze in a camping trip either to the mountains or the beach.  We love to play at Hotel Del Coronado over Fourth of July.  Then later in the summer, my mom, the girls and I take our annual girl's trips which will include our favorite repeat Omni La Costa and new this year is Disney's Grand Californian.  Am I a spoiled girl or what?!  I love to travel and creating these special memories with the girls.  So priceless!  I can't wait to fill our summer days with homemade ice-cream, swimming and beach days!  

Yosemite family trip 2016

Erik had a random week off from work  and we decided to take a last minute to getaway for some family time.  We always love our camping trips but thought we would maximize our time and head to Yosemite. We had never been and only heard incredible things about it.  We rented a last minute Airbnb and packed up the car.  We landed in Oakhurst, which is about 40 minutes from the gates of Yosemite.  Everywhere we went it we were overwhelmed by nature's beauty.  Just unreal colors!  Our cabin was about 1 mile from Bass Lake.  We made our way into town for some groceries and essentials.  Everything was so easy! I am the queen of getting us into "great" locations and it not being what we hoped for.  I botch more travel plans than I get right! And we have learned over the years to never give me the map!  We were pleasantly surprised that mommy got it right this time!  Our cabin was nothing fancy but had more than we needed and was so well equipped! And had a hot tub!  Sold!!!

On our first morning, we drove into Yosemite to visit some of the hotspots.  We started with Half Dome and Glacier Point.  The views were spectacular!  We could see views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite’s high country, 

Don't miss our video recap at the bottom!!

After Half Dome, we headed down to the valley to check out Vernal Falls.  The trees looked like they had been painted bright red and yellow!  We stopped in the valley to see more waterfalls and check out the river.  Beyond dreamy!  

We didn't really know what what we were in for with hiking Vernal Falls.  We knew it was 1 mile at 1000 ft climb which was a little rough.  I really wanted to take advantage of us being there so we tried it.  I thought Capri and daddy would beat us lazy girls me and Peyton  but I was so wrong!  I was totally left in the dust but Peyton and daddy flew past me and Capri.  Peyton literally ran up the hill half of the time.  We made it to the top and the view was beautiful!  I loved seeing the bright yellow  trees amongst the lower parts of the hike.  So gorgeous and totally worth the workout!  

After our hike we all were starving and thought we'd splurge on Mexican food in the local Bass Lake town.  So yummy after a long day.  

On our last day we visited Sugar Pine Railroad and learned all about the steam train locomotives and history of the railroad.  The railroad was opened in 1874 to transport lumber to the bottom of the mountain.  Due to the Great Depression and lack of trees it was closed in 193.  The kids had a great time and we learned a lot about the trains history.  

Erik loves to fish and so we really wanted to make a point of getting some fishing in on this trip. I've grown up around fishing and really like to fly fish myself so it was fun to teach the girls.  We found a great little spot on the river next to the Wawona Golf Course and tried our luck.  Erik caught one right off the bat but no luck for us girls.  It was such a gorgeous setting we could have tried all day.  We fished until the rain came in and then headed back to play board games and watch movies for the rest of the day while it rained.  

We can't wait to head back in another season.  We hear that summer and spring are breathtaking as well. We can't imagine anything prettier than the fall colors though at the time we were there.  

I put together a fun video from our Snapchat ( @LifewLipstick)  of the trip!  

Newport Dunes Camping

We snuck away for some beach camping this summer at Newport Dunes.  Not only is camping one of our most favorite family activities it's the best way for us to unplug!  We grilled, swam, fished, worked endlessly on our 1000 piece puzzle.  If looking for a super fun and super easy family vacation in Southern California, you must try Newport Dunes!  We are already planning our next trip!

Disclaimer...Capri lost her two top teeth and was pretty excited about it!  Look at the big cheesy grin in every shot!  

Riley's farm

Nestled in the hills of Yucaipa are the sweetest apple orchards.  Riley's Farm is our favorite and always our kick off to the fall season.  It's colonial charm and beautiful setting keep us coming back.  Not to mention their mouthwatering apple pie! Peyton and I visited the farm while Capri was at school and had the best afternoon adventure.  

We picked up some treats to take home from their adorable shop.  We sipped fresh apple cider, read a little about the history of the farm and grabbed our favorite homemade jam. 

We learned that Granny Smith apples were great for making pies with and can't wait to try to make our own with the apples we picked.  

Photos: Corey Morgan

Pins of the week

So at the end of each night, I grab my glass of wine after dinner and start my little personal pin party of prettiness.  I pin all sorts of things from home inspo, diy, to recipes to man candy.  The best part of this time for me is that it is completely indulgent of all things gorgeous.  It's the most gorgeous places in the world to travel to, the most succulent meals and swoon worth soirees to the most down in the trenches cleaning regimes.  I love it all!  I hope you follow along on my pin craziness. To follow along with my fun nightly parties visit my Pinterest page.

This week's top picks:

Bathroom, Notebook quote, Cream Cashmere and denim, Sailboat ride and  Watermelon Coconut cocktail

Travel: Top 5 eats at Hotel Del

We just returned from the most fun little mini vacay to San Diego's  Hotel Del Coronado on Corona Island.  We spent five days over the holiday weekend swimming, beaching and eating our body weight in delicious treats. Not only is Hotel Del so uber romantic it's a fabulous family resort full of fun extras for the kiddos. For all our fun check out my Instagram feed for all the goods.  As we arrived, the kids were greeted with fun backpacks full of goodies and sent on a great scavenger hunt around the resort.  Among all the fun activities and the gorgeous amenities, we had some of the yummies dinners, cocktails and treats.  Below is a round up of some of my faves...

1. Waffle cone from Mootime Creamery

Fresh off the press is the best waffle cone ever at Mootime Creamery.  With endless customizable flavors you can build your own decadence.  The girls loved Silly Vanilly which is bubble gum blue and I went crazy for the Chocolate Mint.

2.  Marilyn Martini

The resort is known for it's celeb guests one being the one and only Marilyn Monroe.  One of my all time faves Some Like it Hot was filmed at Hotel Del and so the drink was coined the Marilyn.  I am a sweeter martini drinker but Erik really liked this one.  The Marilyn is made with Nolet's Gin, dry vermouth, orange bitters, lemon twist.  Cheers!

3.  Chilean Sea Bass at SheerWater restaurant

I am a big seafood fan and one of my all time faves is Chilean Sea Bass. At Sheerwater they pan roast the bass in a Lobster sauce and served with butternut squash risotto and oyster mushrooms.  OMG!!!  So decadent!  The rich sauce and risotto are the yummiest compliment to the gorgeous fish.  A must try for fish lovers.

4.  Hibiscus Lemonade Adult Shaved Ice

The temps were starting to rise on the beach and after a morning of boogie boarding and shell collecting it was time for some shaved ice.  Capri opted for a Berrylicious with Monin Wildberry syrup and fresh lemonade.  Erik and I opted for the adult ice. I got the Hibiscus Lemonade  which was made with Bacardi Limon, Lemonade and Monin Hibiscus.  Yum!!  The perfect treat for a hot afternoon of beaching.

5. Chocolate Pecan Crumble

It's gooey and chocolatey and basically what dreams are made of.   Baked in a caste iron boat, the decadent chocolate sauce oozes all over the pecans and creates a rich creamy cake like texture.  The crispy crumble on top ads the perfect amount of texture to balance out the yumminess.

Summer vacation planning

We are so hot on summer vacations at the moment and are trying to narrow down our game plan.  We are rustling around with a road trip up the coast, a Disney vacay or a beach camping trip. I am notorious for coming up with fantastic family vacay ideas and then not researching enough to make for a perfectly seamless trip. One year, we were going to drive up the coast and make a ton of great planned stops.  Capri was about one and half  at that point and I figureded it would be totally fine since we had rented an obnoxiously large RV. We ended up driving for 10 hours straight because I hadn't made camp site reservations and we slept in an empty parking lot.  It wasn't my best work.  Since then, I've gotten more efficient!   I am in for a beach camping trip and am working feverishly on finding the perfect place to meet our criteria.  I jumped on  Bing to help me on my hunt. My must have list is major…camp on the sand, bonfire option and beautiful surroundings.  We are circling around Monterey, Santa Barbara or Orange County.  Using Bing new Rewards program, I am able to search all the options of our trip and earn spending points to all of my favorite places.  I plan on buying all the snacks, entertainment and gear for the trip with my Bing Rewards points.  Literally you get rewarded for searching!  #winning!!!  

To get on the awesome bandwagon,check  into your iPhone IOS settings and switch your search engine to Bing. Then, create a Bing rewards account and you can get points (good for gift cards) for doing internet searches on your iphone too. Pop on Bing rewards for details, but if you do a lot on surfing on your phone, it’s worth signing up.

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Suits and coverups

With our sexy Mexico getaway on the horizon this weekend, I'm on the hunt for fabulous suits and the cutest coverups.  In the past, I've needed to be pretty practical with my suit options.  With the little ones being little, they pull and yank all over me when we are swimming.  This trip is different being just my hubby and I!  I get to reclaim what once was, the sexy swimsuit!  Oh it's on!  

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Big 30: Imata, Punta Mita

I have to admit, I'm totally stoked for the big 30! I am married to my handsome hubby with two gorgeous girls and life couldn't get better.  30 looks good for me and I'm ready to tackle my years starting in 3.   My birthday is in July but my hubby and I are taking a little early birthday wiskaway to celebrate my birthday sans kids.  We try and do this at least once a year to get back to " just us" and enjoy our time together.  In three weeks we are off to the incredible Imata resort in Punta Mita. I'm over the top giddy!  I wanted  a sexy and adult vacay that merited a celebration. Of course I turned to honeymoon and travel extrodinairre Katie  of Ever After Honeymoons.  Katie didn't disappoint and sent me the most amazing options.  We couldn't be more excited for our upcoming trip and I will make sure to share all the gorgeousness !

We are nestled right in the jungle of Punta Mita.  The rooftop bar pretty much sold us.  We love catching an early evening drink together and this seemed like the most perfect setting for a romantic drink rooftop style before dinner.

Now let's talk private plunge pool in our suite.  Amazing!  I am planning on a full agenda of good book, margarita and comfy bed all trip long!

To say we are excited is an understatement! In the next couple weeks, I will share my plans for looking fabulous on this amazing trip!