9 Awesome Staycation Ideas for Summer

Every summer my parents would take us on a week-long family vacation to Orlando. It was the perfect opportunity for us to spend quality time together and escape the daily chaos! There were also parts of my childhood summer filled with super fun staycations. A staycation is a mini local vacation at or near home. This is the perfect opportunity to learn about your local area’s attractions. Forget your usual routine, reconnect and spend quality time with your whole family. Have fun, relax and create new family memories. Check out my list of awesome summer staycation ideas!

16 Easy Low Carb Recipes for Weight Loss

Recently I lost 23 lbs by increasing my daily water intake and sticking to a low-carb high-fat diet. For years I felt defeated because I could not lose weight, but I had no problem gaining weight. Go figure?! I made every excuse in the world for why I was not losing weight, but to be honest, it was me. Several years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS and hypothyroidism. Both conditions make weight loss difficult, but definitely not impossible. My doctor suggested that I change my diet to low carb high-fat. In search of support, I joined a few low carb and keto Facebook groups. I read several stories of women with PCOS lost weight by changing their diets to low carb. If those women could do it, then so could I! Eating this way wasn't the easiest, but thanks to all the Pinterest meals I found, it made my life a lot easier. Today I want to share with you 16 of my favorite easy low carb recipes!

5 Ways to Make Yourself A Priority

It is so easy to fill our schedules with to-do list and tasks that we often forget to make ourselves a priority in life. I am going to share five ways to make yourself a priority in the fast paced world we live in! This year I am on the journey of self-discovery. A lot of us moms can benefit from making time to simply relax and breathe for a moment or two. As a mother, it is easy to get completely wrapped up in taking care of your children. Being a stay at home mom is so rewarding but it can also be exhausting, and that is why I am working hard to make time for myself, as you should do the same.

6 Tips to Drink More Water

Last week on Instagram I posted a full body picture of myself since I started my weight loss journey. I was extremely nervous to share that picture, but I quickly got over that! Several people asked how was I able to lose 23 lbs since March and my answers are always the same, diet and exercise. I changed my diet to low-carb high fat and I drink a GALLON (128 oz) of water every day, yes a gallon. In the beginning upping my water intake was not the easiest, but after few weeks I got it figured out. Remember that there are so many benefits to drinking water. Our bodies are made up of about 50-75% water so we must always take the time to properly hydrate. If you are looking for a few ways to increase your water intake, follow my 6 easy tips!

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Overcoming Grief After Losing a Parent

     Yesterday I glanced in the mirror and I saw my mother's beautiful face staring back at me. The same round face, deep dimples, almond shaped eyes and scattered moles are all physical traits I inherited from her. Growing up, I never thought I looked much like her. When I graduated from high school, I began wearing contacts and a hair style similar to hers and everyone would tell me how much I looked just like a mini Rose. I always denied it and laughed it off, not realizing how true is was. Later that year, a few days before Christmas, my mother passed away from cancer.

 

Fourth of July Traditions

Growing up, the 4th of July was one of my family's favorite holiday. Every year my family would gather at our church for a HUGE community cookout and a baseball game. My cousins and I would run around grabbing candy and spicy pickles from the different vendors until dark and we were covered in mosquito bites.  After the game was over, we would all head over to the baseball field for an amazing firework show. Ah, those were the days!  A few times during my childhood, my parents took us on a week-long family vacation to Orlando, which of course included Disney World! I swear Disney World has the BEST fireworks show in the world! 

Now that I am a mom, it is very important for me to keep my childhood 4th of July traditions going for my little family, and incorporate a few new ones. I want to make sure that my daughter understands that the 4th of July is a very special day for America and that when she becomes a mom, she will have memories of family traditions to pass down to her children.

Five Adoption Books for Kids

At the beginning of our adoption journey, several things intimidated us (some things still do). Like straight up scared us! The biggest fear worry was how would we explain adoption to Harper and how she became a special member of our family. We wanted to make sure that she always felt loved and that we also respected her birth mother's privacy. I reached out to my go-to adoption support group for ideas and the moms gave me several suggestions. My favorite idea was to buy her several adoption books for kids and occasionally read them to her. With a list of book titles, off to Amazon I went! There is a huge variety of books to choose from, but I only bought the books that were similar to our adoption journey. (Warning: If you are a cry baby sensitive person like me, I would advise you to read the books alone and get your first, possibly second ugly shower cry out. Don't say I didn't warn you!) 

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Every night before she goes to sleep, a kangaroo prays under the stars for a baby to love and hold. One day, as she rests under a tree, a baby bird falls out of its crowded nest—plop!—right into her pouch! Now, every night before they fall asleep, Momma-Roo and Little One thank God for all their Blessing From Above. . . but especially for each other.