Easy Holiday Entertaining (and a yummy Christmas cocktail recipe!)

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. 
All opinions are mine alone. #HolidayMadeSimple #CollectiveBias 

I'm a bit of a "go all out-er" when it comes to parties and holidays. I love entertaining and I love to go theme crazy. I also really love when I can do all of those things very easily, with easy recipes and a small amount of clean up. Yesterday, I got exactly what I wanted. 

We had some friends over and I wanted to make it Christmas-y without too much work. I created a colorful winter wonderland in our dining room in about an hour. A simple snack menu included a snowman cheese ball, toffee fudge, a hot cocoa bar for the kids and a yummy "blue Christmas" cocktail for the grown ups. 

The cocktail was pretty delicious, if I do say so myself. I crushed up Wonka®  Sweetarts®  candy canes and mixed it with sugar. After dipping the glasses in some simple syrup, I rolled them around in the candy cane mix for a festive look. 

The drink itself is 1 part vodka, 1 part sour mix, 1 part blue curacao and 2 parts pineapple juice. I think they looked so cute and festive with the bright candy canes!

I had 3 types of cocoa for the kids, 2 types of marshmallows and some whipped cream. Although, I did catch Cooper shooting whipped cream into his mouth, straight from the container.

My friend asked if I made the fudge and was shocked when I said yes and how easy it was! I used the Nestle®  Carnation Famous Fudge Kit for my very first attempt at fudge making and it was SO easy. It's a box that has everything you need to easily make fudge, then I made it my own by mixing in 3/4 cup of toffee chips, right before I spread it in the pan. I used another 1/4 cup of the chips to press on the top. After chilling a couple hours, I sliced it and put it out. All 1.5lbs was gone in the day. Seriously so good. I think I'm going to make more in little packages for friends and teachers this year! 

Snowman cheeseball needed some mini chocolate chip eyes, but no one seemed to mind. 

I used some more of the candy canes to decorate and was glad I snapped a pic before the kids ate them all! 

A couple of my sweet friends. The boys were too busy watching football to get in on the cocktail pictures. 

Pretty much everything I used for the party can be found at Walmart. From the delicious fudge kit and candy canes, right down to the cute little containers and stir sticks. Talk about #HolidayMadeSimple. PS, the fudge is right in with the baking mixes, so when you're in there trying to decide what to bring to your next party, grab a box. You won't be sorry! 

Nestle is giving away $1,600 in gift baskets! Use the widget below to enter! 
Nestlé Holiday Sweepstakes

Tips for Staying Active in Winter with C9

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Target® C9 through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Target® C9 all opinions are my own.

We're coming into the toughest season for me, and I'm assuming many others, to keep active and healthy. We're no longer motivated to look good in our shorts and bathing suits, the cold weather is making us crave comfort food and there are holiday parties filled with sweets and cocktails. Not to mention we're all super busy traveling, Christmas shopping and prepping for guest, that it cuts down on our time to do the things we really need to do. 

I've learned that I don't have to commit hours to my day, or make huge changes in my life to stay active. I rarely work out for more than 30 minutes, but that's enough for me to feel good, be positive and accomplish my goals. There are a few no fail things that help me stay on track during this time of year.

Schedule - The number one thing for me is a schedule. At the end of summer, I found myself slipping into the comfort zone, skipping workouts like it was my job. I decided that to get my mojo back, I needed it in my face. I printed a blank calendar and it's on my bathroom counter. Does it look great? Not really, but I will look a whole lot better if I stick to it! 


Convenient workouts - I'm a mom and always have a child with me. If I'm going to stick to my workout plan, I need convenience. I spend about 30 minutes a day on whatever workout it is that I'm doing. I usually run early in the morning, or during naptime on the treadmill. That treadmill? Well, it's in the garage. Whatever works, right? If the hubs would get me a TV out there, it would be perfect! Hehe. (Have you ever had your picture taken while running? Not as easy as I thought it would be!)

I do P90X3 workouts with the hubs a couple times a week and Callan usually joins us. My pull up bar is in the guest bedroom door way and the hubs is right across in the playroom. I love working out together because we motivate each other. I'm also a hard core squat advocate. I added a 30 day squat challenge to my calendar this month, just so I made sure I got them done! I get those squats in during a phone call, while browsing social media, or while watching TV. Momma has to multi task!
 

Cute workout clothes - Cute clothes make any event better and a workout is no exception! I have a very colorful drawer of gear that makes any sweat session more fun. One of my absolute favorite brands, is the C9 line from Target®. I can find all the current trends and colors that I see in more expensive stores at much lower prices. I love that it's easy shop for, too. I'm already regularly at Target® and don't need to make a separate trip to find exactly what works for me. I often wear C9 pieces on the weekends because of the comfort, and they're also great for casual walks with my boys around the neighborhood, or a little hike. 

Dry Shampoo - While you're at Target® grabbing your cute C9 athletic gear, grab some dry shampoo. I only wash my hair every 2-3 days because it takes forever to dry and I definitely don't have time for that. Instead of skipping a workout because of sweaty hair, I use a little dry shampoo after a workout to save me massive amounts of time! 

Meal Planning - I don't know what I did before meal planning. It takes so much stress away from my evenings and gives me more time to be with my family. It also helps me make better food choices, instead of eating something quick and not as good for me. 



The reality is, that if I get lazy now, I will seriously regret it come spring. I want to set goals for myself and feel accomplished in reaching them. I love setting a good example for my boys, that being active and healthy is a way of life that is attainable! 

Getting active with lucy {Fashion}

This post was sponsored by lucy through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about lucy, all opinions are my own. 

Nothing makes a sweat sesh better than good workout clothes. I love when I feel in style in my workout wear and when it's versatile enough to wear for other happenings. It probably comes as no surprise that I'm incorporating my love of stripes into all areas of my wardrobe.


This is my first and definitely not my last bit of lucy activewear. Beyond being very happy with the look, the performance is fantastic, too. No riding up or sliding down on my runs!

A pair of workout pants that don't drag the ground? Yes and amen. Coming in at a grand 5'2" means all pants are long on me. Thank goodness for the perfectly sized petite pants from lucy. These are the Hatha Pant in asphalt heather.

I love thumb holes while I'm running. It keeps my sleeves down and is one less thing to have to worry about while I'm trying to focus on my form. And what form wouldn't look better covered in stripes?! This Track Goddess Half Zip top has already been worn several times over the course of 2 weeks.

Spending a weekend afternoon hiking or walking lakeside trails allows me to spend time with my boys and still get in a good workout. Cooper's idea of a good workout, includes massive amounts of karate moves. 
Cute outfits like this one from lucy, lets me go from football practice, grocery shopping or anything else on my to-do list, right to a workout. 

And speaking of to-do list, could you use a little help with yours? I mean, what woman couldn't? Each week, lucy is giving away your choice of year long help. This could be housecleaning, babysitting or meal delivery. One grand prize winner will win all three things! I'm entering asap. I could use more time for me, my workouts and to spend more time with my family! Enter to win before December 16!

Delicious, Healthy and Right To Your Door

With the start of school, snacking around here is at an all time high. There are snacks for the lunch box, snacks for the pickup line and snacks when we're rushing from school to football practice, errands and more. When I'm home all day, I usually don't snack much. Now that I am heading out to school pickup, I find myself rushing out last minute and grabbing easy snacks. I try to go for healthy ones, but lets face it. That isn't always easy. 

When I got my first NatureBox in the mail, I was hooked. You get carefully sourced and nutritionist approved foods right to your door. 

NatureBox has over 100 different snacks to choose from, all made with no artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors. 

I loved every one of the 5 items I got this month. But, there were 2 major winners. The Salted Caramel Pretzel Pops are little balls of goodness. Crunchy, sweet and salty at the same time. I just have to take a handful and walk away! They're addicting! 

And then my absolute favorite...Praline Pumpkin Seeds. I love Pumpkin Seeds and have tried all sorts of recipes to make them tasty. No more. I'll just buy these! They are amazing. 

When you join NatureBox, you'll get 5 different snacks each month. You can choose yourself, or be surprised! (But seriously, get the praline pumpkin seeds!)

Interested in getting some delicious and healthy snacks right to your door? Click here to get 50% off your first month’s NatureBox delivery! ($10 value) using promo code: SNACKTOSCHOOL

Fine Crumbs: Promotion is good for 50% off your first month to month box or $10 off your first box in your first prepaid subscription. New and US subscribers only. Not valid on gift subscriptions and may not be combined with any other offers.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Vacation Entertainment and Beyond: LeapPad3

This post is part of a sponsored campaign with LeapFrog and MomSelect. All opinions are my own.

Anyone else have electronic loving kids like I do? They love playing games on our phones and iPads, but it's always scary to me what they can quickly find online that isn't good for them. Before we went on our cruise a couple weeks ago, I got this LeapPad3. I knew we would need some distractions since we would be traveling in the car, eating in a restaurant every meal and waiting in some lines. The LeapPad3 did the trick!

First, there are personalized profiles for every child. That means they can both play the same games, but keep track of their own progress and learning within their profile. And my is this nice when you have a 6 and 2 year old. The 6 year old cares about every score and level, where the 2 year old just wants to undo it all.

If you have any of the LeapFrog DVD's, you'll recognize some of the learning songs. Our favorite? Punc, punc, punctuation. 

There are several built in apps for music, games and learning. There is also an app store, where you can buy eBooks, videos, games and 800+ educational apps fit for your child's learning level. The parent settings allow you to control what is bought as well as what is seen over wi-fi. Yes, it is wi-fi compatible and only allows age appropriate videos from the web. 

One of my favorite features, is the built in camera. You can take photos and video, as well as selfies while relaxing in the Caribbean. 

And pictures of your little brother right out of bed. These pictures can then be decorated and edited to make them their own!

As you can see, the LeapPad3 was very handy on our vacation. I love that it wasn't just entertainment, but that my boys are learning math, reading, writing and more from it!

If you have a little electronic lover, the LeapPad3 is sure to make them and you both happy. With LeapFrog's durability, we were able to carry (and drop) this thing all over our vacation without a problem. The LeapFrog3 5" touchscreen tablet has a retail value of $99 and is available in 3 colors. I would definitely recommend it to those of you with young kids!

Summer Beauty: Coconut Oil Sugar Scrub

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WalgreensBeauty #CollectiveBias

Today, I'm talking all about summer beauty for your hair and skin! One of my favorite was to care for my skin is one of my most recent finds. When I was in Georgia visiting my family, my sister convinced me to try her shaving cream concoction. A blend of sugar and coconut oil that she uses it for shaving her legs. I've since whipped it up for myself at home and am using it as not just shaving cream, but a really awesome sugar scrub, too. 

I love using sugar scrubs to combat dry skin. It really helps to buff away those dry flakes and when you use it for shaving, you're just scraping even more away. 

Here's how it works: 

1 cup of coconut oil 
3/4 cup white sugar

Mix together in a container with a lid. A mason jar works perfectly! After a little time in the shower to let your pores open up, rub a small handful in between your palms to melt the oil a bit, then scrub away. When using as a shaving cream, you will have to rinse your razor every few passes from all the dry skin being removed. Just make sure you rinse the shower out well after you're done since it can get a little greasy! 

Now there are some other products I swear by in the summer time! 

Banana Boat Summer Color Self-Tanning Mist

This one isn't just for summer time. I use it all winter long and then just a little in the summer for areas that didn't get so much tan. Like my back. I really need to work on laying on my stomach sometime! 

Mark Hill Fabulous Finish Hair Spray

Y'all, this stuff smells amazing! It keeps a curl in my hair (not easy to do!) but doesn't get it crunchy at all. 

Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch Ultra Radiance Lotion

Sunscreen? Shimmer? Lotion? Sold! This sunscreen gives you a little shimmer, while moisturizing, yet not making you look greasy. Win! 

Walgreens has a fantastic assortment of beauty products, perfect for completing your summer beauty collection. Right now, if you spend $20 or more on a beauty or personal care purchase at Walgreens, you'll get a Free travel-size make-up brush set! Visit here before you shop to try some of my summer beauty favorites for yourself! 

The new way of shopping: #AmazonCart

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias. #cbias

Have y'all heard of the new #AmazonCart collaboration between Amazon and Twitter? In a nutshell, it allows you to reply to any tweet that contains an Amazon link and the product ends up in your cart. Cool, huh? 

Now you may be thinking, why not just go to amazon and shop for what I want? Well, you can. And you, of course, still have that option. But, I love Amazon's flash deals and I'm constantly missing them. (Probably because I'm busy on Twitter.) I love that I can see a tweet, reply with #AmazonCart and the item is ready for purchase. I don't have to go searching for the item, it's already in my cart and all I have to do is checkout! And on top of that, it's just plain fun! 

Honestly, when I tried it for the first time, I was confused. Tried to add a cool phone charger to my cart and ended up with a nice tweet back from Amazon saying my account wasn't set up. This video cleared things right up for me to easily link my accounts and get to shopping! 

Over the past few days, I've bought Rubbermaid containers (huge deal on a flash sale!), baby wipes, socks for the hubs and packaging for my boutique. It's so nice to have the reminder of things you need, while you're on social media.

Here's a look at how it worked for me. 

Isn't that tweet back to you so cool? A little reminder to go buy your goods! 

This was a little different situation. I replied #AmazonCart for a flash deal on a Rubbermaid storage set. Amazon replied back that the item was no longer available, which happens sometimes for flash deals. BUT. When I went to buy the diapers, it was in my cart! Wahoo!!! 

After the tweet, all you have to do is go to Amazon and checkout. Of course, I used my Amazon Prime account! I can literally get things I need delivered to my door before I can schedule in a run to the store. It's amazing. 

You can share on Twitter about your purchases, making it possible for your friends to buy the same things you do. Something you love on an Amazon deal? Tweet the link to share it with your friends! 

There are several Twitter handles you can follow for Amazon, including @amazon, @amazondeals, @amazonfashion and @amazontechdeals. 

Happy Shopping!