Five Questions for Five on Friday

Happy Friday Everyone! 

This Friday's Five on Friday is courtesy of April from Smidge of This!

I saw her blog post yesterday that was a set of 5 questions and thought it was fun so why not join in on the fun!

| one | Where do you live? Born and raised in Southern California!

| two | If married, how long and where did you + your spouse meet? We will be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary this March! We have been together for 8 years. My husband and I met when I was about 5 years old! His brother and my sister went to elementary school together!

| three | If you have kids, how many and how old?

We are the parents to two little girls Cailee (6) and Charlotte (almost 3)!

| four | Favorite trip you've ever taken? Honestly I have to say it was a Vegas trip the hubby and I took pre-kids! We had a blast and had no cares in the world! We drank too much and laughed even more! It is a trip we still talk about!

| five | Favorite meal? It isn't really a meal but burgers have to be my all time favorite food item! While I haven't really had a burger in quite some time they still hold a special place in my foodie heart!

Play along if you wish and share your answers in the comments below! Or join in on the link up fun by clicking the logo below!

Have a great weekend everyone!

xoxo

Jocelyn

Cars Gift Ideas

A certain little girl I know will be celebrating her third birthday in just a few weeks! 

Just like her Daddy she is quite the car enthusiast! She loves pretty much any kind of car but she gravitates more to Disney Cars!

It is no surprise that her birthday party will be Cars themed and of course all she wants is more cars of course!

I put together this little gift guide in case you find yourself needing to buy some cars gifts for a special someone in your life!

| one | The Mack Micro Racers Transporter Set is the perfect gift for the fan that has a fleet of cars and needs something fun to store them! Charlotte got this as a gift for Christmas and loves taking Mack around with all her prized possessions in suit! We may need another because well she has already run out of room for her cars!

| two | The Fabulous Lighting McQueen Die Cast Car is sure to be a hit with any little kiddo! This is by far the most sought out toy when ever we got to the Disney Store or Disneyland. These cars are $7.95 and so fun to collect! We have yet to find this model of Lighting McQueen but when we do it will be purchased!!

| three | The Gap Kids Cars sleep set is absolutely adorable! While I was Christmas shopping I spotted this gem in the little boys section of Gap Kids and knew I had to buy this for Charlotte! She loved it obviously and I am highly considering buying them in the next size up since they are on sale!

| four | The Cars Cozy Cone Alarm Playset from the Disney Store is just so freaking cute! So its like $60 and isn't actually an alarm clock. It is strictly a decorative item. I defiantly want to get this item for Charlotte's room but will be waiting for it to go on sale!!!

| five | The Disney Pixar Cars 3 Lighting McQueen 6V Battery Operated Ride On car is the splurge item on the list but I totally think its worth every penny! Its currently on sale at Walmart! We are thinking of getting this for Charlotte because she would be the happiest little girl with this gift!

Time for me to go and start party crafting!!

xoxo

Jocelyn

Favorite Lentil Recipes

I am a big fan of lentils and normally would only cook them from time to time as a side to our main dinner meals!The hubby and kids weren't real big fans of the bland taste of the lentils I would make. Thanks to the wonder that is Pinterest I have incorporated lentils into our main meals and have made my family lentil lovers too!

These three recipes have been a fan favorite at my house!

First up is the Slow Cooker Lentil and Quinoa Chili from Aggie's Kitchen! Anything that I can prep early in the morning and not have to worry about for hours is a lifesaver for me! This meal is delicious! I like topping it with cream cheese (no one else in my family cares for that topping)! and green onions.

Second up is the 6-Ingredient Easy Lentil Tacos from C it Nutritionally. I found this recipe on a whim when I was searching Pinterest based on the ingredients I had in the fridge and voila. This recipe turned up just in the knick of time! So easy and quick to make. This will be added to our dinner rotation for sure!!

Third up is the Vegan Lentil Loaf from Yummy Mummy Kitchen. This recipe was surprisingly so easy to whip up! Tasted just like meatloaf but obviously way healthier! We ate it with a side of salad and grilled asparagus. I'll be honest my kids did not want to eat this when they first saw it but after they took a bite they were hooked! 

I am already on the hunt for some more lentil recipes! If you have any good ones send them my way!

ps I always buy these lentils from Trader Joe's and used them in all the recipes above!

xoxo

Jocelyn

Words of Wisdom

xoxo

Jocelyn

Five on Friday

Happy Friday Everyone!

We have an exciting weekend of cleaning out the garage planned for ourselves!

Its not really how I want to spend my free time but it is something that has been on our to do list for months! So I will be very happy to finally check it off the list!

Before I start the day with full fledge cleaning lets have some Five on Friday fun!

| one | 

My youngest daughter Charlotte is turning 3 in just a few short weeks, so party planning has started. Albeit a little late but nonetheless it is under way! This years celebration will be a small one but will be filled with plenty of love and laughter. We are just inviting our immediate family and will serve some appetizers, pizza and of course CAKE! Oh and the party will be Cars themed because our little princess loves everything Cars. I've spent the week combing through Pinterest for some party inspiration and found these...how cute right?!!?

Both parties can be found at Catch My Party

               

| two |

This week I visited Aldi for the first time (see that here) and picked up a frozen fruit & veggie  smoothie blend!It had fruit I normally don't add to to smoothies but I was pleasantly surprised with how delicious it was! The package says makes 4 smoothies but I don't think I added enough orange juice/water so our package only made enough for 3 of us. I would would totally buy this again! Smoothies are a sure way to get my youngest to have veggies! 

| three |

I have seen letter boards all over Instagram and even saw them at Hobby Lobby! I knew I wanted to buy one but didn't care for any of the price tags I was seeing! So when I went into Target the other day for toothpaste and I saw this cute letter board for $5 in the "Dollar Spot" I quickly threw it into my cart! I even found an extra set of letters for only $1. The best part of this shopping trip was that I had a gift card for Target that I earned with Shopkick(what's shop kick?..see that here)...so the letter board was basically FREE!!!

| four |

I have been kicking butt lately in the making healthy meals department! The other day I threw these items together for a quick but healthy lunch for the hubby and myself! It was delicious, healthy and pretty darn filling! Everything for this lunch was purchased at Trader Joe's minus the diced prosciutto that was grabbed during my trip to Aldi! 

| five |

I love floral prints and got a little carried away the other day and ordered both of these tops online from LOFT with a gift card I got for Christmas! They currently have a great sale going on right now, so if your needing to update your wardrobe now is the time! 
LEFT TOP | RIGHT TOP

                  

Have a great weekend everyone!

xoxo

Jocelyn

Favorite Blogs

Rain rain go away come back another day!

Rain has hit our part of California for the last two days! Which means during nap time I get cozy with a nice cup of coffee, watch The Sound of Music and catch up on my favorite blogs! 

I love when my favorite bloggers share the blogs they keep up with so I decided to share with you all a few of my favorite blogs/bloggers!

Amanda from Dixie Delights is the first blog I ever started following and pretty much inspired me to start up my own blog! She is a blogging momma with incredible style! If your looking for party inspiration or home decor inspiration her blog is the one to check out!

Stephanie from Olive and Tate is also a blogging momma! She has the best sense of humor and blogs about how life with kiddos is really like! I can completely relate with her and love her home style! With her husband, she has renovated a few homes and shares the process! Always love checking her progress reports :)

Christina from Carolina Charm is just the sweetest! Her blog follows her life as a momma and wife! She is a working momma and honestly is awesome! She shares the best recipes that anyone can do!! She shares the ups and downs of her life and keeps it pretty darn real!

Do you follow any of these awesome ladies?!? Have a favorite blog I should check out?!

Please do share!!

xoxo

Jocelyn

A Trader Joe's Deliciously Easy Meal

Today is our first Monday back into our normal routine and I am definitely feeling it!
On days like this when I don't really feel like "adulting", I relay on easy meals to make it to bed time!
Trader Joe's is my go to for almost everything food related! Tonight's dinner will be an old time favorite of ours! A quick and ridiculously delicious meal that only has 4 items I throw together. Within minutes I have a delicious meal that everyone in my family loves!
So if your not feeling like being stuck in the kitchen all night long this recipe is for you!
The three items below are all found in the frozen food section of Trader Joe's!
The Penne Arrabbiata is delicious and super affordable I never leave with at least 2 bags of this stuff! The cooked medium Shrimp is $7.99 and comes with plenty! I never leave the store with out grabbing a few of the frozen cubed basil packets (ps they have a garlic pack too and its the best thing ever)!
I added all of these items plus two handfuls of spinach in a large skillet and cooked it for about 15 -20 minutes!!

The final product is a delicious meal that you will quickly add to your dinner rotation!

Do you have any delicious Trader Joe's meals you swear by??!! Please share in the comments below :) I am always on the hunt for great and easy meals!

xoxo

Jocelyn

Sisters Night Out {Paint Nite}

Last night I had a much needed night out with my sister and it was such a great start to the new year! Our night out was practically a year in the making! Not even kidding! 

Last year around this time Sister snagged a great Groupon deal for Paint Nite! We planned this night out last year to only have our event get cancelled and we were back to square one! 

It took us months to figure out what painting we wanted to paint and which date worked best for our busy mommy schedules! Earlier in December we finally booked our night out and last night was our much awaited for night out!

Our Paint Nite was at The Pizza Press in North Hollywood!

It was a night full of firsts for us! First time at a Paint Nite event and our first time at the pizza place!

We created our own pizzas and tried some delicious beers! I tried the Ace Berry Cider and loved it! If your wondering it was sweet but not too sweet! Great flavored beer I would definitely have it again! 

We had  no idea what to expect so for those wondering what a Paint Nite looks like I took plenty of pictures from start to finish! 

The restaurant was still open up for business and our Paint Nite only took up a portion of their dining area!

Here is the set up!

    

We picked our seats and set up our easels and grabbed our canvases! 

Then we got started and our instructor went step by step! He let us know which brush to use which color to use all while creating the art himself too!

The finished project!!! 

The Flight to Neverland!!

I was so intimidated when we first started but by the end of the night I was so happy with what I created! 

I can't wait to plan this as a date night for the hubby and I!

I checked out the website and saw that they have this promo code (ComePaint) right now for 35% off your Paint Nite event!

A little FYIs for Paint Nite...

1) Pick what painting you want to create and see what locations offer this!

2) Paint Nite price covers your paint, canvas, etc (food and drinks are not included)!

3) Get there an hour early if you want to eat before hand!

4) Bring cash if you want to tip your Artist!

Now excuse me while I go plan my next Paint Nite!!!

xoxo

Jocelyn 

Target Valentine's Day Goodies

I am a lover of holidays!

I love decorating our home for each holiday and I get giddy whenever I see new holiday decorations for sale! 

I should mention that I hate rushing the holidays! 

So when I walked into Target on New Years Eve and saw Valentine's Day decorations I was a little put off! I still made a few purchases because sad to say when the time comes to actually decorate for the holiday these items will most likely be sold out!

So I have to share with you all the cute Valentine's Day decorations now so in case you want to run out and buy them you'll still be able to find them!

From the "Dollar Section" 

These banners are so cute and are only $3 each!

Candy Dishes on the left range from $3-$5

Personally I really liked the bottom heart shape dishes :) 

The small plates to the right are "appetizer dishes" and they come in a pack of 4 for only $3

Found in the "Home Kitchen" department of Target:

I am a sucker for a festive tablecloth! I feel like it is the cheapest and yet super effective way of decoration my kitchen for a holiday!

The tablecloth on the left is $4.99 but online right now it is $4.49!

The table runner is cheaper in the store for $9.99 but online is $12.99 (so definitely get it in the store)!!!

Saved the best for last...this beautiful fabric tassel garland is only $9.99 (both in store and online)

What decoration is your favorite?!!?

xoxo

Jocelyn

Eighteen

Call me noisy but I love when fellow bloggers share fun or random facts about themselves. 

I did this last year to celebrate the new year and I enjoyed it so much I decided to do the same this year!

In no particular order 18 fun/random about me...

1) I can watch Friends, Last Man Standing, Hart of Dixie, and HIMYM multiple times without getting sick of it at all!

2) My sister and I use to quote Friends multiple times a day! Would always watch it before bed and my mom would get so annoyed that she paid for cable to only have us watch the same show over and over.

3) Once a fortune teller "psychic" stopped me at the mall and told me that I would have 3 children and marry someone I had already met a long time before. I ended up marrying someone I met when I was 5 yrs old and we have two little ones so far! 

4) Continuation of number 3 but I don't believe in psychics or horoscopes.

5) New Kids on the Block is one of my favorite bands ever! I have seen them twice in concert and even met them at a meet in greet this past summer! If your wondering my favorite New Kid is Danny Wood!

6) I know pretty much every dance routine from High School Musical.

7) I have been a Disneyland Annual Passholder since I was in High School! Before we had kids my sister and I would always go to Disneyland when it rain because it was like a ghost town! Best time to go just don't forget your rain boots and rain poncho.

8) I planned every detail of our wedding and did it in less than a couple of months. With the exception of booking our wedding venue right after we became engaged! Oh and we only toured one location and just knew it was where we would get married.

9) Even though I am a grown adult I still want to buy myself a Victorian style doll house! I found one at Hobby Lobby that you can build yourself and paint etc. Eventually when the girls get older I was thinking it could be a fun project we take on together.

10) I have made it a mission of mine to get into CLUB 33 at Disneyland oh and eat from every location at Disneyland sampling every popular item!

11) Calla Lilies are my favorite flowers. My grandma had them at her wedding and to honor her and my grandfather I included them in mine.

12) I wear sandals almost every day.

13)  My favorite candy is Almond Joy.

14) I have started trying vegan recipes in hopes that I can get everyone in my family to eat more veggies. I have made two recipes  Vegan Lentil Loaf  and Portobello Fajitas and have loved them both!

15) I really enjoy building legos with my daughter. So much so that even when she's at school I make some time for lego building. It is pretty therapeutic if I do say so myself.

16) One of my favorite places to shop for clothes is Loft! They have very modest but cute clothing and always have sales!

17) I have never eaten a turkey leg at Disneyland and don't care too.

18) Out of all the jobs I've had, working at a baby boutique was hands down my favorite!

And there you have it...eighteen random facts :)

xoxo

Jocelyn

Goals

Last year I jot down my goals for the new year on the second so why not do the same this year! Like I've said before I don't care for resolutions but I am all for setting goals!

Last year I set about seven goals for myself (see those here) and to be 100% honest I only successfully accomplished two of them! For those wondering, the two goals accomplished were keeping a plant alive for more than two weeks and throwing myself a Harry Potter themed birthday party!

My new goals for this year will definitely include those not accomplished last year because I'm no quitter ;)

So here they are...My new goals for 2018!

1) Go on at least one kid free date night each month!

- This was a goal I set last year that we let slip threw the cracks. I am happy to report that we have at least two dates officially planned! So we are definitely off to a great start.

2) Clean up every night.

- No matter how tired I may be, I am going to make it a point to not go to sleep with a messy house. I notice the difference when I wake up and have a messy kitchen my mornings always take longer and I become agitated. When I wake up to a clean kitchen everything seems to go flawlessly. Basically clean up every night before bed.

3) Get dressed!

- No more being lazy and throwing on a sweater over the shirt I slept in the night before. I put so much effort to make my kids look presentable but don't do the same for myself. I promise myself to put in the effort! I'm not saying I'll have a pin-worthy outfit on each day but at least look like I made the effort. I want my girls to see their mommy looking and feeling good!

4) Keep a tidy car. 

- My poor car doesn't get the love it deserves. I leave cups in there and leave sweater after sweater piled up on the empty seats. I know damn well this goal will be something my husband will appreciate too. A clean car will make for an easier school drop off thats for sure! 

5) Jot down important memories.

- Specifically the stories my grandma shares with me! My grandma is 96 years old and is the sharpest woman I know. She is so incredibly full of life and I love listening to her tell me stories of her and my grandfather. Stories of when they first met and when they traveled to the United States from Peru in the 60s. I never want to forget those stories so I purchased a notebook that I will jot down these stories she shares with me. 

6) Want vs Need

- I am quite the impulse shopper. Is it a terrible habit to have? I am sure there are worse habits I could have but lets be honest my wallet probably disagrees. Before I make a purchase I am going to ask myself if it is a want or a need. I hope I will see our savings account increase this year!

7) Go back to school!

- I have an AA in Visual Communications for FIDM. This year I want to return to school and get my BA in marketing or early childhood education. Heck maybe I'll get a degree in both! This year I want to challenge myself mentally. It will be a year of growth and purpose. Almost like I am discovering what I want to be when I grow up! 

8) Begin planning our Walt Disney World Vacation!!

- This might be a long shot but I want to throw it out into the universe! My daughter and heck even I have been wanting to travel down to Florida and visit Walt Disney World!! It comes up in conversation a lot in our home and although I think financially we aren't in a position to travel right at this moment...it is definitely something I am excited to save up for! 

2018 you are going to be an amazing year I can just feel it!

Goals prepared to be crushed!

xoxo

Jocelyn