HOW TO SPEND TIME NOT MONEY

by with 4 Comments adventurefamilygiveawaysinspirationlifestylemobile applicationstechnologytravel

If there’s one thing I would go back and tell my younger self, it’d be to invest in time not things. As a single mom – not only was I unable to save money each month due to my strained budget, but even if I had, no one had ever taught me what to do with it … or at least I don’t remember that part.

However, I do remember that each holiday no matter how dreary my bank account was, I made sure Corrine had gifts under the tree and a pumpkin to carve. Looking back, I can tell you exactly where my money was going . . .  child care, credit cards, and bills. Even now, many years later, I find myself in awe of how much I spent on things like fancy baby formula and phone bills! From one mama to another, from one human to another, we don’t have to be doing it all wrong.

I recently tried AT&T GoPhone prepaid service on a monthly plan with Unlimited Data, Talk & Text. We wanted to see how much saving on a common everyday service can lead to investments in our family that we’re able to make with the money we’re saving. Since I’m also a girl on the go- signing up for AutoPay and saving $5 a month on my GoPhone service is just a little icing on the cake. Who doesn’t like cake! Just having the financial control and pliable spending, has made all the difference. And, AT&T GoPhone has the nation’s best data network making the switch to GoPhone even more sweeter!

Always capturing our adventures on the go! Explore explore explore!

Luna is a super model. And also an adventure pup!

I try to capture all the memories I can with my phone and now they hang on my wall. 

Why yes, that IS 2 cameras you see, and the one taking this photo, AND the 3 phones we toted around lol 

What’s in my purse? Oh, just the essentials 😉 

Isn’t she a beaute!

We now actually have savings set aside especially for family vacations, adventures with our pup Luna, weekend travels with our friends, and most importantly – as of recently, for our upcoming wedding. Money isn’t everything but it sure does fund your options, and when you’re a parent who’s also planning a wedding, money goes away when all you want it to do is flow.

To pay it forward to you, my fellow adventure seekers and dream weavers (quick what’s the next line of that song?) we’re spreading the abundance and giving away a pair of tickets to the San Diego County Fair which we’re attending, and I’ll also have a giveaway for you on social media, where you’ll get to win a little something from AT&T GoPhone!

I love the work we do but I particularly enjoy when we get to team up with a premium brand that has an ethos that falls in line with what we’re already doing. As a mom, it’s important to me to save money because every penny counts, and with extra money you realize all the things you used to have to say no to. Let’s start saying yes, and you can say yes to this opportunity and enter our giveaway 😉

We’ll be at the San Diego County Fair on Saturday June 10th and we’d love to see you if you’re in the area! You can find us at the AT&T GoPhone booth from 2pm-4pm so I hope we get to say hello and bring it in for a hug! Plus you can play skeeball, ring toss or wiffle ball toss for free with a chance to win a prize at the AT&T GoPhone booth! You can enter our giveaway by sharing with us what you’ll do with all that extra money you’ll be saving and TAG me on Instagram. Use the hashtag #ATTGoPhone and #Giveaway. You can read all about it at https://www.att.com/gophone/ and we’ll announce the winners on my Instagram before the fair! 

Okay, don’t forget to call your mom, it was just Mother’s Day and she’ll appreciate it. I hope this post inspires you to do more, save more, and connect more!

So, what would you do with extra money each month? Each year?! Share with us your bucket list, your big dreams, and even some frivolous aspirations that you have! 

This post is proudly brought to you in partnership with AT&T GoPhone. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own as always.

HOW TO BEAT THE SUMMER BREAK BOREDOM!

by with No Comment adventureartback to schoolfamilywellness

Have you ever felt pressure to have plans made for your time off, that ‘breaks’ during the year feel more like time on and less like time off? First it was Spring break, now we have Summer break approaching, and if you have little ones at home I almost feel like it’s easier for you to occupy your time. With my little one in college she isn’t little any more, so now Summer breaks just feel like really long weekends! ha

So today I’ve compiled my favorite things to do to beat the summer break boredom! Lets face it, you’ve probably already hiked that hike 893 times and visited that secret getaway spot enough times to know that it isn’t secret any more.

  1. Explore more – instead of googling the best places to visit, just pull up Groupon or Living Social and explore their many travel and ‘things to do’ tabs! You’ll be surprised by how spontaneous you are to go indoor sky diving on a Tuesday 😉
  2. Blaze new trails– try playing “hike roulette”, or ‘blind picnic picking’ which require only an app on your phone and a packed lunch! The way we do it is we pull up Yelp on our phones, we pick an area we want to explore and a number! Whatever number of whatever hiking trail or park corresponds with one another, we go for it! Love or hate it, you’ll be outside and enjoying new views! *Pro-tip: Geocache while you’re at it, just don’t forget to bring an item you can leave behind
  3. Take some you time – it’s totally okay to do nothing with your time off and reinvest in your own health, especially your mental health, after all it IS your time off. Take some time to be still in the morning, light some incense, do some yoga, and before you know it your routing will not only refill your personal well, but it’ll prepare you for that long awaited yoga retreat!
  4. Vacation, staycation, shmaycation – oldie but goodie, getaways are the quickest ways to put a long lasting smile on your face. You’ll reflect on what the sand felt like and what the air smelled like wherever you went to just get away. You’ll remember what your favorite meal of the trip was and how it brought you and your family closer, and you closer to feeling more positive and less weighed down by the every day mook. Shmaycation … I’m all for it
  5. Feed your inner kid – literally and figuratively! If that means pizza and movie night, paint night at home or at your favorite art shop, popcorn making and Jenga, rolling down a hill and then jumping into a strangers pool (don’t get arrested I can’t bail you out), or building a fort in your living room equipped with flashlights and finger foods, DO IT! Do all of it! It’s incredible how freeing and FREE it is to just be silly, and laugh, and be you

Summer break is only a few weeks away, what do you have planned to beat the summer boredom blues?!

 

 

 

 

COACHELLA ESSENTIAL MAKEUP SKINCARE PACKING LIST!

by with 2 Comments adventurebeautyfestivalsget the lookhealthlifestylemakeupreviewsskin caretravel

We’re in the final weekend of Coachella 2017 so I thought today I’d hook you up with my top 5 makeup and skincare essentials for your Coachella packing list! You’re not only going to be dancing in the desert, swinging under the sun and sky, and walking for miles each day, but NOW you’re gonna be prepared for all of it!

PURPLE TALE MASKS

You’re only 5 simple steps away from absolutely LOVING the skin you’re in! With the wind, the dirt, the dust, and the sun weathering you all day this weekend, you’ll definitely need this 5 step system to bring your face back to life! *you’ll get 10% off your next order if you sign up for their email list

K&K SEA SALT TEXTURE SPRAY

This sea salt spray is making a come back because I use it ALL the time! It smells like a vacation and will give your locks some body and movement! Extra point for it’s coconut sexy scent that will refresh your do after a day of struttin in the sand!

LAURA MERCIER LIGHT STRUCK

This festival season we’ve seen a lot of highlighter, glitter, and glittered highlighter! 😉 We’re obsessed with this Laura Mercier lightstruck prismatic glow palette. This cream highlighter is super light, blendable, and highly pigmented to give you that fresh Coachillin soul glow baby!

HANALEI LIP TREATMENT 

Don’t neglect your pout it’ll be lip syncing all through the weekend! With kukui oil and grape seed oil, this lip balm adds sheen while moisturizing! Yes please!

PROPLENISH COLLAGEN SATCHETS

Hydrate from the inside out why dontcha! Proplenish is my favorite collagen supplement, a powder that you can pour into any drink (I put it in my tea with fresh lemon!) and it will restore and replenish your skin from within! Do it, you’ll see the difference within a week!

Did you go to Coachella this year? What was your favorite performance?! What was your number one favorite product to pack?! Share! 

 

 

 

 

Antelope Valley Poppy Blooms! Travel California

by with 5 Comments adventurecommunityinspirationlifestyletravel

It’s kind of a big deal here in California when things actually bloom! So you can imagine how we straight F L O C K to sights like these poppy blooms in Antelope Valley. Fields of rolling hills and open spaces just covered in vibrant flowers –  it was an Instagram dream!

There’s distinct trails that you’ll want to trek along when visiting the blooms and if you detour off path not to worry, a park ranger will be sure to kindly redirect you LOL


How marvelous are these meadows! Pro tip: stay on track to avoid snakes (or so we hear?) and please be careful not to step on or disturb the flower beds. We saw a lot of spectators running around in them and I cringed at the thought of a crawly critter jumping up BUT also them stomping the beautiful blooms away! As our camp director once said, “leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures” lol

Leaving you with some hill-hiking fashion courtesy David, Corrine’s boyfriend who helped her capture all of these beautiful images! I hope you make your way to find some flowers and fun adventures for yourself this summer! Picnics out in nature are one of the best things ever given to us by the world, do it!

Do you have trails of blooms where you live? Does it cause quite the commotion like our breathtaking poppy fields do? Share pictures! 

 

 

 

 

STAYCATION – TRAVEL MORE!

by with No Comment adventurefamilyinspirationleisuretravelwellness

When most people think of vacations they conjure up far away islands, flights to new places, and luggage for a week long adventure. I’ll be the first to tell you that vacations are incredible and necessary these days to unplug, reset, and reconnect with the people you love. But it doesn’t always mean that you have to hop on a flight to be able to enjoy a lil R&R, staycations are the new vacation y’all!

A little getaway that’s far enough away from home to feel like a vacation yet close enough to home that you don’t have to fuss over big plans. For us, our staycation took us close to the beach one day and pool side the next. With Joe working away from home, my head stuck in a planner navigating the five weddings we have this summer (our own included), and Corrine busy with school, work, and an internship . . . we were ready to get outta dodge.

I don’t think you should ever feel guilty for wanting to escape your life for a moment. The reality is that we’re all cranking away at work, at life, and working at life! So take some time to get away and refill your well, even if that means you simply drive to another town to try out that new lunch spot, or hike an unfamiliar trail to picnic at the top. Whatever relaxation looks like to you, trust me it looks a lot like paradise! Routine is never fun, switch it up buttercup!

We happily enjoyed our little paradise away from home for the weekend, soaked up the sun poolside and then sticking our toes in the sand beachside. So of course I have to share some of my absolute must have for any daycation getaway-vacation: my sandals, my bikini cover up, my TIU sea salt spray, and of course SPF for my face, lips, and body <3

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter than you know we also packed some champs, champagne gummies, and a ton of snacks for this staycation of ours! See the running theme here? #champs The delicious and colorful cocktails with cranberry and fig goodness was courtesy one of our favorites, Figenza! We added in some lemon wedges, a splash of bubbly, sparkling water and called it a day(cation) … see what I did there 😉 best.time.ever.

Do you go on staycation adventures? Where would you love to vacation next and when is a staycation far enough from home that you consider it a vacation? 

 

 

 

 

LOCAL EATS L.A. – VOODOO DONUTS!

by with No Comment adventurecommunityfoodreviewstravel

It’s about time I thank Portland for its sole contribution to my expanding waist line LOL Anyone else? No, just me mkayyy. Well if you’ve ever savored the flavors of Salt & Straw, relished in a creamy cheese by Tillamook , or basked in the light of the combined ice cream + Tillamook’s brand, than you too can send this post to Portland as a thank you.

A lot of Portland’s local sensations have made their way out of the big city into some of our own towns, and have I mentioned Salt & Straw yet?! Okay if that name sounds unfamiliar to you, please locate one asap, go overindulge and thank me later. In the meantime, we have our friends Karissa and Sebastian to thank for hand delivering us to this deliciousness this past weekend!

A recent addition to Los Angeles from the great city of Portland is Voodoo Donuts. I have to say, there’ve been a lot of conflicting verdicts when it comes to if the donuts are delicious or not. Can I just emphasize here . . . they’re DONUTS! I personally don’t have a palette advanced enough to turn down a donut, even if it were on the floor of a subway station. Oh I’d take a second glance! 😉

So we gave it a go after seeing a ton of Instagram photos showing off their picks at their newest location in Universal City Walk.  After a half hour wait we were there, at the front door, aroma and all! Lots of photo ops, they know what they’re doing!

And what was our ruling? Well our group was elbow deep in fried fluffy pastry bread, milk, and there were a lot of happy dances happening lol Again, they’re just donuts, who doesn’t love donuts?! But I get it, if I’m comparing Voodoo donuts to places like Dunkin Donuts, Yum Yum’s, or any other donut place, there really isn’t one.

Sorry if that’s disappointing, but honestly if you placed two donuts in front of me, one from Voodoo and one from Yum Yum’s, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Wrapping this up I’ll say this, Voodoo Donuts may be pricey, they may be all fancy looking with their fancy toppings, but I’ll give ’em this, they’re yummy. They make a signature donut called the Voodoo Doll and it’s damn delicious!

I suggest you make a trip over there and try a box of donuts for yourself, see how you feel about them! And don’t be alarmed but this was the only photo I got of said Voodoo Doll person, it was too delicious to wait haha

Any newness in your hood? I hear we have a new coffee shop opening much like Philz Coffee and I couldn’t be happier about it! I love coffee! I love dessert! I love food! 

 

 

 

 

FESTIVAL FASHION AND ACCESSORIES!

by with 2 Comments adventurefashionfestivalsget the looklifestylelook bookmusicstyle

Ultra Music Festival, Spring Craft Fest, C O A C H E L L A!!! Yes it’s festival season! So with festival season approaching, Spring a springin’, and new fashion trends, I thought today I’d share with you my favorite festival fashion and accessories!


Fringe is IN! And in a big way from fringe capped booties, layered fringe cross body bags, to stunning tassel key rings from Led To Believe. Swoon! There’s something playful and fun about fringe that I want to put them on everything. And don’t get me started on these gorgeous tassel earrings, the bright red adds a pop of color and will elevate any look <3 Double swoon.

But is it really a festival if you aren’t draped in floral chiffon? Maxis are all the rage and this one is dreamy, flowy, and allows for a breeze to make it’s way through all of that dessert dancing you’ll be doing!


Trendy and purposeful, a wide brimmed hat and some cute sunnies will keep the sun out of your eyes and off your face. #teamnosquinting Pro tip: don’t forget to charge your camera batteries and bring extra SD cards if you’re toting it along for the duration of the festivities. I’ve lost many a great memories due to dead batteries lol

Ahhh yes, and the shoes. Saved the best for last with these Billy Ella celestial booties! I mean, how stellar are they, just look at em! Granted, a great pair of comfortable shoes are essential for any festival trekking- but oh HEY THERE magical constellations … on my feet!


Every boot, pump, and wedge deserves to be given a chance with some good insoles, so pick you up a pair and go ahead- dance for hours baby!

I hope this inspires you to run out and grab the first tasseled-trinket, fringed n’ frolicked look and then buy yourself some festival tickets!

 

What are your current favorite festival fashion pieces?! 

 

 

TOP 10 FREE THINGS TO DO WITH THE FAMILY!

by with One Comment adventureartDIYfamilymommy diariesparenting

I had a really nostalgic moment today, I was remembering that as a kid, each weekend my family and I would drive over to the local Blockbuster to hand-pick movies for the weekend. If you’re lucky enough to remember those good ol’ days than this will spark some fun memories, and if you were born after Blockbuster and MC Hammer pants, than just imagine this: My sister, brother, and I would walk up and down the aisles reading the synopsis on the backs of each VHS (yes VHS days) or DVD, beg our parents for popcorn and candy, and then we’d decide which movies we’d rent . . . as a family. I mean, it DID depend on if it were a $2.99 or $4.99 rental and IF you could have it for two days or FOUR, but it really was just some good ol’ clean family bonding times. Gahhh can we bring back some of that!

I thought today I’d share with you my favorite things to do with my Corriney and Joe, not to mention they’re practically free! So here are my top 10 free (almost) things to do with the family!

PAINT NIGHT – places like Color Me Mine can be a bit pricey especially if you have more than 1 child, so why not head over to Michael’s (or the DOLLAR STORE woot!) pick up some paints and craft paper and boom, paint night at home! Ahem for you parents out there, this is also a wonderful time to bust out a bottle of wine and crank up some paint night tunes!

PICNIC – best thing is eating your favorite food, outside, on a blanket, listening to the birds chirp. Picnics are easy I promise! For this particular day we went to Trader Joe’s and spent under $10 for a baguette and cheese, threw some fruit and drinks into our picnic basket and enjoyed our fancy shmancy picnic outside. Pro tip: when you’ve forgotten to pack cutlery just simply eat with your hands! Also, watermelon eaten with your hands will get sticky. Also also, farmers markets make for the best treats and have home made PIE (featured below is caramel pecan for your viewing pleasure)!




HIKE – get out and get movin’! Pointing things out in nature, identifying plants and animals while you’re with the kiddos, and then picnicking at the end of it . . . leads straight into my next favorite thing!

HIKE ANNND PICNIC – okay okay this is me cheating by combining my two faves but for realizies! If you hike to the top of that mountain or stroll to the other side of that park and then add in a PICNIC, it’s the best thing ever! Go ahead, enjoy that refreshing sticky watermelon with your hands!

BOARD GAMES – you guys my family and I used to play Dungeons And Dragons, like the board game version! Oh yes, we were supes popular in school LOL I legit think a wonderful team building activity is a board game or arts and crafts. You learn how to NOT be a sore loser *me* and how to appreciate a night in with board games and crafting. And remember when crafting, “God don’t make no junk”- 100 points to whomever can guess where that’s from! LOL

MUSEUMS – or art exhibits even! These are fun, free (mostly), AND you’ll all learn something along the way. Fun fact, I got really into the stars and constellations as a child and even wanted to be an astronaut. Visiting museums absolutely contributed to that dream! Can you tell from this list so far that I’m a HUGE nerd?! I love nerds <3

COOK TOGETHER – how fun to teach the kids (and your significant other) how to cook! The stirring, the spices, the creativity of it all, it’s one of my favorite things to do even when we do nothing but make mac n cheese together while noshing on snacks in the kitchen. It’s fun to ‘Pinterest pluck’ and just make a recipe you wouldn’t usually make, get cookin!

MOVIE NIGHT – reminiscent of Blockbuster night, movie night is the best way to snuggle up with your babes and make popcorn the old fashioned way! Toss all of the pillows and blankets onto the floor and just have one big ol’ slumber party – onesies highly encouraged!

TALENT SHOW – how fun right? Lets put on a talent show for one another! Sing, dance, put on a play, it’s just so fun to be silly and encouraging. Also, this is how those blooper reels from America’s Got Talent are created so lets also be real with one another mkayyy! 😉

GO FOR A DRIVE – alright, so this is gonna sound super cheesy but one of my favorite things in life ever, is to just pack up the car, my family, and puppy Luna and drive. Drive to another city, explore another town, anything, but ya gotta do it! The open road is full of new adventures … and new places to eat teehee 😀

 

I hope you enjoyed this list of fun and almost free things to do with your loved ones, you could even refer to this for fun date night ideas!

Are there any other things that you love to do that we can add to this list? Share! <333

 

 

 

 

 

BEIJING CHINA AND OUR PERSONAL TCM TOUR!!!

by with One Comment adventurehealthinspirationlifestyletravelwellness

The longest flight I’ve ever been on was 5 hours on a trip to Mexico for our wedding venue vacation, and here I was this time last week gearing up for a 12 hour flight to China! C H I N A! Talk about traveling, it was a full day of flights, transportation, time adjustments, and language barriers. I had nothing to complain about though, one of my closest friends, Miya, and I were headed into a week of Beijing explorations, new adventures, and a personal experience in Traditional Chinese Medicine (aka TCM)!

I have so many stories to share I don’t even know where to begin, so I’ll start with how it all began. Miya and I were invited by Juicertrip to join their Ctrip group of travel enthusiasts to journey around Beijing learning all about Traditional Chinese Medicine. Miya is 100% holistic by belief and lifestyle and I love submerging myself into new ideas and cultures, so there we were! We found ourselves among 8 other bloggers and journalists, and two of the writers were from one of our favorite blogs, our friends, Local Adventurer! First on the agenda was a traditional Chinese cuisine served family style, where we got to know one other and learn more about what we were to embark on in the coming days.

Among our days of visiting China’s famous landmarks, were first hand experiences in acupuncture, healing massages, medicinal herbs, natural hot springs, and stress fighting Tai Chi moves!


This was us at the Beijing University Of Chinese Medicine. So much was happening here I had to capture all of the things going on in this one moment. From left to right: Dan laughing at the situation before snapping a photo, as our professor instructs us on how to make flu prevention sachets. Caroline, Franka, and Erin smiling over Franka’s interpretation of the featured herbs, while Amanda and Miya got started. Not pictured, Josh, Lena, and Jackson who were taking awesome photos. Also not pictured, each of us deeply inhaling each bowl of herbs to guess what each contained 😉



From these 6 herbs, of which we could easily identify cinnamon and eucalyptus, we created these beautiful scented “flu sachets” that you smell daily and is believed to ward off the flu. There are so many plants, herbs, and medicinal substances used in TCM that an entire museum is dedicated to the history of Chinese medicine and it’s materials. It was pretty fascinating to learn about what goes into different medicines and powders, and the powers each has to heal from within. The idea of internal related to external really settles in when you get to see what 657 acupuncture points actually looks like on the human body. I’m captivated by the idea of healing the way China views medicine and not ‘numbing’ the way we do here. I’m the girl who even thinks I’m about to maybe get a headache and I pop a pill. I don’t like being uncomfortable I’m the first to admit it. I learned so many different ways to heal ailments naturally on this trip.



A very exciting moment for the group was when we got to share our enthusiasm with local officials and members of the press during the opening ceremony. Check us out following along in some traditional Tai Chi moves directly following the speeches. Our Sifu instructed us on how to relieve stress and pains simply by moving our bodies. It was like a beautiful dance, reminiscent of yoga meets martial arts. Tai Chi has been performed for centuries in China to lower stress and anxiety, and enhance balance, flexibility, and mood. Big thanks to Dan for capturing this moment, if you spot me you’ll see how focused I was!


Once we got back to our hotel, the Beijing Jinyufengshan Spa Resort, we took a dip in their renowned natural hot springs! A few times we all looked at each other to remind ourselves that we were sitting in a hot spring, in the middle of winter, in CHINA!  These 39+ degrees Celsius pools of water are rich in minerals which get absorbed through the skin and were the perfect addition to our trip. Our evenings of hot tea and hot springs.

I can’t thank everyone enough for this incredible trip and the memories our group created along the way.This post was just a glimpse into our 3 days in Beijing with one of the coolest group of people and I can’t wait to share what Miya and I did with our remaining 3 days ! David and Hash of Juicertrip, our friends on the Ctrip team, the Beijing Tourism Development Committee, and our gracious hosts, thank you all so much for having us and we can’t wait to visit again!


And more picture time! Dan once again with his photography skills! Here we are doing our own version of ‘Forbidden City Tai Chi’, “Still Got Juice” style! Ha! From exploring the Great Wall, wandering the Forbidden City, going temple trekking, and experiencing Beijing the way we did, it couldn’t have been a more memorable trip. I’ll leave you with this fun video Miya created while we were at the Forbidden city, spinning in circles the way we do when we find the perfect center point.

 

You can follow along in our adventures from this trip using the hashtags #juicertrip #ctrip #visitbeijing and #TCM_Beijing! If you’d like to learn more about Beijing, TCM, and the trip we took you can check out these links!

Beijing China Official on FaceBook
Visit Beijing on YouTube 
Visit Beijing on Instagram
Visit Beijing on Pinterest

 

Have you ever heard of TCM? Do you practice different forms of holistic approaches in your own lifestyle? Ever been to China! Hen gaoxing jian dao ni!