Surviving Spring Break Essentials

It is officially Day 1 of our Spring Break vacation and I made sure to stock up on some fun goodies!

My ultimate goal was to save money this spring break by purchasing things we could do at home our at the park across the street! Sure I spent more than I wanted to but all these items will last us well into summer so it was a win in my book!

Here is our family Surviving Spring Break Essentials List:

| one |

Kites

My oldest has been asking us for a kite for some time now and while I was at Target I found them for under $3 so I bought both girls their own! 

| two |

Let's Go Fishin' Board Game

I bought this because I though it would be fun for us all to play! I am pretty sure its going to spark some competition between me and the hubby ;) So Ill let ya know who wins lol! I found it at Target for $4.99

| three |

Foam and Plastic Baseball Bats/Extra Foam Balls

Once upon a time my husband enjoyed playing baseball before he hurt his shoulder. When my oldest mentioned a little interest in the sport I just knew maybe it could be something fun for him to do with his girls! I bought Cailee a foam bat(this bat was $7.69 and came with a foam ball as well) and Charlotte a plastic bat($5.99 at Target). I bought extra foam balls (4 pack at Target for $9.99)because I knew one of the kiddos would try to just hoard them in her bag! 

| four |

Bubble Machine

It is amazing to me how entertaining bubbles are for kids! This was a no brainer when I saw  it and I made sure to buy the biggest bubble refill I could find! 

Bubble refill was $4.99 for 128fl oz!

| five |

The Take-Along 3 hole folding bean bag toss was something I had been eyeing for some time now so I decided might as well get it already! The kids and we enjoy it so its pretty much already paid for itself with one afternoon of nonstop play! I love that they fold up and we can easily take it anywhere!

Now Moms this essential isn't in the collage above but it is crucial...

I discovered these yummy drinks during my last Trader Joe's run!

Simpler Wines Italian Sparkling Wine comes in a  4-pack and only costs $3.99!

I've tried the Peach and Rose flavors. I like the Peach best!

Who else is on Spring break? How are you enjoying your week off?!?!

xoxo

Jocelyn

Trader Joe's Must Haves

Its no surprise that I love Trader Joe's and these posts are pretty common around these parts!

So I will dive into my recent Trader Joe's new finds that have quickly made their way onto my must have list!

First up is this little gem that I found in the frozen aisle and are $4.49! Its a great light lunch item! I made it the other day for the hubby and I but I added some shredded chicken on top and it was perfect! I would eat this on its own for sure!

 This Mushroom Fettuccine dish is so good! Cooks best on the stove top in my personal opinion! I add two garlic cubes to give it a little extra something. Perfect for two people with a side of salad! $5.99 and found near the pre-made meals/salads.

These vegetarian black bean and jack cheese burritos are great for lunches on the go!

They are super cheap ($2.99 each) and yet delicious!

These Crushed Garlic cubes are everything!! I add this to almost all my meals. I never leave the store without grabbing a couple of these bad boys.You can find them in the frozen section!

At my Trader Joe's these carrot spirals are right next to the garlic cubes! My kids gobble these "noodles" like it is nobodies business! I add the garlic cubes and a little bit of avocado oil and top it with Parmesan cheese!

I've tried cooking Okra before and it was a complete disaster! So when I saw these in the chips/cracker aisle I was hesitant but thought why not! Surprise they are yum and the kids actually eat them!

Share you TJ favorites!! I love trying new items :)

xoxo

Jocelyn

Trader Joe's must have Fall Edition

On our latest Trader Joe's trip I decided before hand that I wasn't going to go Pumpkin flavor crazy! So out of all the delicious goodies to be seen we came home with these treats!

First up is the Fall Zucchette Pasta! The pasta is made up from butternut squash and is delicious! I got it merely because it looked like tiny little pumpkins and I knew the girls would love it! And now I am going to go and stock up while I can because they were that good! The hubby and I ate it with regular marinara sauce and the girls ate it with olive oil and Parmesan cheese! 

Second up and my absolute favorite from the trip! Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread! Delicious on bread, bagel and pretty much anything else! I especially love dipping apple slices into this amazing spread.

Third up is the Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli! Now this might sound strange but I loved this with a little pesto sauce! Definitely not something I could eat over and over again but once in awhile!

I have a few items I want to get on our next trip:

- the Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce

- Harvest Spice Trek Mix 

- Pumpkin Spice cookies

Any recommendations are welcome!! Leave must have treats I need to try in the comments below!

xoxo

Jocelyn

Cate & Levi

Being a Mom has taught me that I am a jack of all trades but lately finding ways to entertain my little one when big sister is away at school has been difficult.

Sure a two year old is easily entertained but I was the one getting bored of the same play routine! 

Enter Cate & Levi to the rescue!

This amazing company is based in Canada and they create the cutest hand puppets and stuffed animals! 

All their handcrafted items are made with reclaimed materials!

Charlotte got the cutest little cow puppet and hasn't put it down since we took it out of the package! Its so funny how something so simple can be the best toy and help nurture her little imagination! 

The stories she tells me using her hand puppet are the cutest!

BTW her hand puppet is called "Baby coo" and he eats "beggtiables" and likes to talk to trees!

He goes with us to drop off sister and tells us everything he sees while we drive!

It has definitely made for interesting car rides ;)

And because we can't just have one we already have our eyes on this little cutie...because every cow needs his Moose bestie!

I am not trying to rush the holidays but I already know what our kids stocking stuffers will be come Christmas! Not only do they have the cutest items for littles they have these diy stuffed animal kits that older kids are sure to love!!

If you have a little one in your life that loves pretend play (and what little kid doesn't!?!) you need to snag these cuties! My readers get 15% off their order with code "ihelpmoms15" when you spend $30 or more!!

xoxo

Jocelyn

*This post is in partnership with Cate & Levi and IHelpMoms.com*

         
       

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mom approved one-pieces

Summer break is quickly approaching and that crazy summer heat has been gracing our presence these last few weeks! Summer is my favorite because well that means pool and beach trips are coming our way! It also means I have to find myself a new swimsuit! 

The reality is, I am still not 100% comfortable with my body! Surprise surprise I am still carrying belly weight from my last pregnancy and I have stretch marks on my sides that I don't care for. I know I shouldn't care what other people think but truth be told I could careless what they think! However I still don't want some of my insecurities exposed. Not sure if that makes any sense. 

I started looking for one-pieces because I feel like they hold "Everything" in and I actually feel good about myself when I wear them. 

I hate saying "mom approved" because obviously anyone can wear one-pieces not just moms. But for the sack that I am a mom and I love all these suits makes it "mom approved"!

All of these suits have great details in their design that don't make them feel like those boring one-pieces from back in the day! 

I found these three from Forever 21 and they are all under $25!

Left | Middle | Right

These three are from Old Navy and they are all on sale today!

Left | Middle | Right 

I love them all but honestly only need one! So the winner is the Old Navy swim suit with the ruffle!!!

Can't wait to head to the beach in this little number :)

xoxo

Jocelyn

Trader Joe's must haves update

Our Trader Joe's love still runs very deep!

I love the food and the girls love searching for Casey and Chloe! Win and Win!

Two kiddos at the grocery store isn't the most easiest task to accomplish but having the girls so excited to find those bears, has been a major game changer for us! 

On our most recent trip I decided to give some new products a shot!

The day we ventured into the store they were giving samples of this ravioli and despite that it was sprinkled with tomato and basil, my kids literally inhaled it! It definitely made its way into our cart and has been a fan favorite! Drizzle a little olive oil, diced tomato and basil and omg its delicious!

I have been on the search for a new cooking oil and came across this sunflower oil! I've tried cooking with coconut oil but the girls can't stand it and I don't blame them. This oil has been a great substitute for my normal go to olive oil!  

My daughter goes to a "peanut free" school so this sunflower seed spread has made it possible for her to have her much needed pb&j lunch time sandwich!

My kids and my husband are "snackers". I am asked for snacks to many times to count! When we stumbled upon these snacks I had a feeling they would be well received.

The cinnamon apple snack sticks taste just like churros!!!

The roasted plantain chips are an amazing substitute for those chip cravings!

The cranberries are nothing mind blowing but hey they are organic so there ya go ;)

I think the thing I really like about Trader Joe's is that every trip I find something new! It allows me to switch things up and yet is super affordable!

To see some of my old Trader Joe's must haves click here!

xoxo

Jocelyn

trader joe's must haves

I love reading about what goodies people find especially when its food related. I often find myself in a cooking rut and on those days I turn to my Trader Joe's must haves.

For lunch...

Most days my hubby works from home so I make us the same lunch. I am a big fan of the packaged ravioli. They have all sorts of flavors but my favorite is the Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato.We easily split one package between the two of us and the baby.  

But the days he goes into the office I pack him frozen pre-made meals that are both delicious and filling. His two favorites are the Bibimbap Bowl (a popular Korean dish) and the Chicken Tikka Masala (an Indian dish).

  

Goat Cheese & Sundried Tomato Ravioli $2.99 | Bibimbap Bowl $3.49 | Chicken Tikka Masala $3.49

For dinner...

The dinner time rush in our house is by far the most chaotic time of day. From helping Cailee with her homework to bath time. The last thing I want to do is spend the night slaving away making dinner when I much rather be spending the time with my family. These must haves really come in handy for me. 

The Organic Brown Rice (one box comes with 3 pouches) is a staple at our house, 3 minutes in the microwave and done! What I love most is I don't have to clean a rice cooker! The Orange Chicken is so delicious and is my 4 years old favorite! The Shiitake Mushroom Chicken is a newbie to our house but has been well received by all. I love that they are ridiculously delicious and take me less than 10 minutes to cook!  FYI one bag perfectly feeds our family of four!

Organic Brown Rice $3.49 | Orange Chicken $4.99 |Shiitake Mushroom Chicken $4.99 

For dessert...

The Cookie Butter sandwich cookies are a big hit in this house! The box lasts maybe 2 days and that's if I control myself. Oddly enough we have never tried their jar Cookie Butter but I hear its just as amazing. I just bought the Chocolate Dilemma Cheesecake and already have it on my grocery list for the next few months. Its that good! The cheesecake slices are small but incredibly filling. Last but not least are mommy's special dessert ;) The Blue Fin Pinot Noir is perfection and the Grifone Rose is a new favorite of mine!

Cookie Butter sandwich Cookies $3.99 | Cheesecake $7.99 | Grifone Rose $3.99 | Blue Fin $4.99

What are your Trader Joe's must haves? Please share in the comments below!

This is not a sponsored post! Simply products I've tried and loved!

xoxo

Jocelyn