Simply Everthing I Love...

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

2018-03-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

This was a big hit at our house. The best part is it was super simple to make! This Parmesan Crusted Chicken is what you should make for dinner tonight. Here is how you make it.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken
1 cup Best Foods Mayo
1/2 cup of cheese (Parmesan is the better choice but you can use Mexican blend as well)
Italian Bread crumbs
4 chicken breasts cut down the middle
Green onion to garnish
Bake at 425* for 25-30 mins
First you want to mix the Mayo and cheese together. Spread mixture all over the top of the chicken breasts in a 9x13 pan

Sprinkle bread crumbs on top

Bake at 425* for 25-30 mins

My kids and husband cleaned their plates with this dish. So delicious! I will be adding this to my keep pile in my recipes for sure. Enjoy!

Greek Pasta Salad

2018-02-28T17:11:00.001-08:00

Greek pasta salad:

We love this recipe at my house! So healthy and yummy at the same time!
Supplies you need:

2 cups penne pasta
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 cherry tomatoes halved
1 small red onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cucumber
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne pasta, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain well in a colander set in the sink.
Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Set aside. Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, green and red peppers, cucumber, olives, and feta cheese in a large bowl. Pour vinaigrette over the pasta and mix together. Cover and chill for 3 hours before serving.
Serve to your family or guest! This is so Delish. We love it at my house. Enjoy

Pull Apart Appetizer

2018-02-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

This was a BIG hit at our house super yummy! Very quick to make. Here is what you need:

6 thawed dinner rolls cut into 4ths shape into balls set aside and let it double in size
8oz refried beans mix 4 tsps of taco seasoning mix
4oz of green chilies
1/2 cup of Mexican cheese blend
3 oz of green enchilada sauce
1/2 cup of Queso Fresco
3 green onions chopped

Put all of the above ingredients in the center of the rolls in the order listed. Brush all the rolls with olive oil and sprinkle rolls with garlic salt.
Bake at 375* for 20 mins.

Put some diced tomatoes in the middle to garnish and DIG IN!!!

Family Valentines Day Dinner

2018-02-15T08:19:00.000-08:00

Love day! We love Valentines Day at our house. We like to celebrate with the whole family as well as a couple on Valentines Day. Each year we have a Valentines Day dinner with our whole family. I try to keep most of the stuff red, pink or white. This is what we did this year.

Appetizer- Bread with tomato paste sprinkled with garlic salt followed by goat cheese topped off with dill. Put under broiler for about 4 mins or until a little crispy and cheese is melted. It is so easy and simple but yet so delicious.
Side dishes- Green salad with cucumbers cut out as hearts and cheese cut out as xo's (CLICK HERE for cookie cutters I used) with a strawberry vinaigrette, strawberry banana jello.
Main dish- Spaghetti shaped on plates as a heart with sauce and sausage.
Drink- Raspberry Lemonade
Again this is something fun but it is simple as well and it makes for great memories each year with my kiddos. My kids also get a little chocolate Valentine we give them on their plates which they always look forward to. You can do any version you like when it comes to this so have fun with it and enjoy ! :)

Shine Cosmetics Review

2018-02-12T23:05:00.001-08:00

Hello! Today I want to share a bunch of new beauty products that I have been loving lately Shine Cosmetics. You all know that my blog is all about "Simply Everything I Love!" So I can not share this one with you :) I love getting and giving recommendations for things that I love and that I have a passion for. Here is my honest review after using these products for a full year. All of their makeup is free of all the junk you don't want in your makeup. SCORE!

Lets get started! First off I love their sleek packaging and the colors they use (black, pink and silver).

Here is what some of the packaging and products look like:

I first tried the BB Cream....OMGosh let me tell you.....being a Cosmetologist and Makeup gal, THIS IS WHAT I HAD BEEN WANTING FOR IN A FOUNDATION FOREVER! I tried it and fell in LOVE within a few hours after application.

(nice natural "shine" glow)
I went to a booth last year and tried on the BB cream and some lip-gloss on. I told the lady that I would have to wear it for a few hours to know if it was something I would love before I bought any and if my skin would have any reaction (I have super sensitive skin) Within those few hours after putting it all on I kept feeling my face and I couldn't believe that I didn't feel like I was wearing ANY foundation at all! It gave me such a nice natural glow with full coverage. I always hated foundation and how cakey it would feel on my face, and that my pores couldn't breath with it on. I always had a hard time finding the right color, either it would be too orange or yellow on me or it would feel to thick. I thought... THIS IS A GAME CHANGER! I am in my mid 30's and I needed to start wearing something to smooth out my complexion but, I hated every foundation I had used up to this point. I have tried them all at Ulta & Sephora and I was about to give up hope on all foundations. Shine Cosmetics came to the rescue and I am so happy I tried it. What does BB cream do for your skin?

I can be outside in the 100+ degree weather and it NEVER beads up or melts off my skin. It is super long lasting. Full coverage that feels velvety soft on your skin. This seriously gets the label of High Designer Quality but yet at an affordable price. SCORE!!

Next lets talk Lip Gloss!!! I'm a gloss girl I have lip gloss everywhere I go. Again a product I am super picky with. What was different from Shines Lip gloss then others that I have tried? Well, it is never sticky or tacky. It lasts on your lips longer than the typical glosses out there. When I first tried it my lips were dry. I couldn't help but keep rubbing my lips together with the Shine Lip gloss on! It made my lips feel like silk and so luscious. I'm a HUGE fan of their Lip gloss. Admired is my favorite color.

After I tried these two products I did a little research on the company. Not only did I just fall in love with these two products I tried, but when I found out what this company stood for and what their mission was all about! My goodness this was an amazing company with a powerful message to be shared. READ ABOUT THEIR STORY HERE

WOW! Right?! A company that is empowering women to see their own inner beauty without needing to feel like they need to be this way or that way to be beautiful. A company that doesn't have ANY sleaze or sex related names on ANY of their products. You may be thinking...."I don't have any sleazy or sex related names on any of your makeup" go pull out your makeup and see for yourselves. I didn't think I did either until I payed attention. Wow there are so many names out there I don't want to be supporting in the beauty industry.

I have a daughter and knowing when she is old enough to wear makeup, she will have a company that has great products along with a powerful message for her to wear. It makes me excited! This makeup line is for all the young girls who dance, all the way up to us Mom's and Grandmothers. Makeup with a message, products with a purpose. How cool is that!

Then I got a few more products after the BB Cream and Lip Gloss. The next one I want to tell you about is the Eyeliner! This one NEEDS to be in everyone of your makeup bags. Why?! NO more raccoon eyes ladies! It stays put ALL day. No running, smearing or smudging. You have 5 mins to apply it and work with it. Then when it is all set you can rub it go swimming and guess what?! It stays in place! These go on like butter. Super high pigment colors. One swipe application. You can watch this short video HERE to see what I mean...... you're welcome ;)

Next I would like to tell you about their brow kits. If you do not fill in your brows, you need too. You don't realize how filling in your brows makes everything look lifted and more put together. If you haven't and you start doing it, it will take some getting use too. But don't ever underestimate the power of shaping your brows. They have a light kit and a dark kit.

I hope you have all enjoyed my review and I hope you will give some of them a try. They have so many other amazing products you can't go wrong with any of them. These are just my top 4 I use every day. You can look at their website HERE Also if you use this Discount code: Tawnya10 at checkout you can save 10% off your whole order. It never expires and can be used unlimited times. They offer a 30 day money back guarantee but I promise you wont need it. Once you get your hands on this makeup you will LOVE it! If you have any questions please leave a comment and I will get back to you ASAP. Have a fabulous day!

Cajun Sausage and Corn

2018-02-02T21:30:00.001-08:00

Cajun Sausage and Corn over rice is so yummy! Super easy to cook and put together (my favorite way to cook) ;) I always like to sprinkle more Cajun seasoning after it is all cooked for more flavor. Add to your liking

Ingredients:
1-2 Sausage links
1-2 cans diced tomatoes
1 pkg of frozen peas and carrots
1 pkg of frozen corn
1 pkg of frozen green peppers
1 T garlic
2 T Cajun seasoning PLUS extra after cooked
Salt & Pepper
Serve over Rice
Head over to my Facebook page for a live video of step by step instructions

Contour & Highlight

2018-02-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

Contour and Highlighting can make all the difference in your application of your Make-up. A great way to do this is by contouring the parts of the face that you want to appear slimmer and highlight the places you want to accentuate. Remember this my dear: light colors (highlight) bring forward and dark colors (contour) recede.

Here is how I like to put the highlight, blush and contour on my cheeks. It gives you a nice natural glow :)

The colors I love to use for these steps are:
Contour (CLICK HERE) color Power
Highlight (CLICK HERE) color Faith
Blush (CLICK HERE) color Enough
Here is a link to my youtube video of step by step :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgPBjCLHSwU

52 Girls Night Ideas

2018-02-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

A happy mom is a good mom! So, I recently decided that I need to start planning to have a girls’ night once a month. Who doesn't like Girls Night Out?!? I have compiled a list of things that I think are fun but yet frugal as well. Often it is fun enough to just invite the girls over, have a few snacks around, and talk with each other!
Here is a list of a bunch of easy, frugal Girls Night Out ideas…
Spa Treatments:

Do each others fingernails and toenails with cute nail art ( I like these CLICK HERE CLICK HERE)
Put on face masks and put cucumbers on your eyes sit back and relax
Try Makeovers on each other with tutorials you have found on You Tube
Experiment with hairstyles on each other
Go to a pedicure place and relax while you all get a pedicure (sometimes Cosmetology schools have great deals under $15)
Make sugar or body scrubs
Play the game where you are blindfolded while you do makeovers for a more fun and goofy time.
Go out for a Massage - every Mom needs one of these at least once a year ( Message Envy only charge $35 for an hour, not bad)
Hit the makeup counter at a department store and get your makeup done for free

FOOD:

Have a Fondue Party everyone bring something to share
Get a group together and cook a bunch of freezer ready meals (each person in charge of one meal for everyone that attends)
Have a recipe swap
Pot luck dinner
Gingerbread contest
Cook off challenge- have a blindfold test to see who's wins
Smoothie making party
Bring a new recipe you always wanted to try on Pinterest to share with everyone
Make gifts in a jar
Make your own pizzas
Go to a restaurant for an appetizer or dessert
Have a progressive dinner at each others houses or at different Restaurants

Just Hanging Out:

Watch a Chick Flick and have popcorn
Sit around and talk with a bunch of junk food
Play cards
Play some board games
Have a my favorite things party
Have a clothing swap
White elephant swap
Homemade gift exchange
Go out for frozen yogurt
Treat yourselves to a gourmet cupcake
Go to a movie
Go Bowling
Try a fitness class together at the local rec. center
Mini Golf
Of course last but not least go shopping! Retail therapy is always fun with your girls even if you just window shop.

Games:

Just Dance competition
Scattergories (CLICK HERE)
The Game of Things (CLICK HERE)
Cards Gamess ( CLICK HERE, CLICK HERE, CLICK HERE) for my favorites
Guestures ( CLICK HERE)
Clue (CLICK HERE)
Catch Phrase ( CLICK HERE)
MadGab (CLICK HERE)

Crafts:

Make a wood sign with a cute vinyl saying
Make headbands or clips for your daughters hair
Make greeting cards or thank you cards
Make jewelry
Scrap-booking night
Make homemade cleaners
Make homemade food items
Sewing party

This is just to scratch the surface of ideas on some fun girls nights. I would love to hear some of your ideas as well that I haven't come up with. Comment some of yours to share with everyone. Enjoy!

Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu

2018-01-27T09:28:00.001-08:00

This is a VERY quick and easy recipe which I had to put on the menu. This is a keeper at our house, everyone LOVES it! Here is my version of Chicken Cordon Bleu. Here is what you need to do.

Ingredients:
4-6 Chicken breasts cut in half length wise
1 cube of Cream Cheese (put block in microwave for 20 seconds to get it spreadable)
1T Parsley (add some in cream cheese then sprinkle more on top)
Salt to your liking
Ham slices on each Chicken Breast
Provolone Cheese on each Chicken Breast
Sprinkle all over some Bread crumbs, I like to use Garlic herb
13x9 pan sprayed with Pam
Foil to cover while cooking

Spray pan with Pam and cut your chicken breast in half long ways. Here is my FAVORITE knife I like to use CLICK HERE. Spread cream cheese and parsley all over each chicken breast. Top with ham and cheese on each. Top with bread crumbs. Put in oven at 400* for 30-40 mins. Uncover the last 5-10 mins to crisp up the bread crumbs.

Right out of the oven, perfect and tender

Sauce Recipe:

2T butter

1.5 cups of milk

2T flour

2T Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

Easy Meal Planning

2018-01-25T14:14:00.003-08:00

As a Mom of little ones I love my easy meal planning system. This is my favorite way to plan our food for the month. I color code every day for our breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and, dinner. This helps me save money every month on our food spending which is a big bonus. If you plan you never have to have the dreaded "Whats for Dinner" etc.. talk.
I love the BLUE SKY calendars to plan because there is enough space and the calendars have nice lines, they are spiral bound plus they are cute. You can hang them up too. CLICK HERE TO BUY. I love sharpie ultra fine markers to write everything down. I love lists and something about just writing stuff down makes me happy. CLICK HERE to buy markers.

ACTION PLAN:
I start off with brainstorming ideas I want for the month on regular notebook paper. I make columns with Breakfast/snacks/lunch/dinner.

Browse cookbooks and Pinterest for meal time inspiration.
Keep a Legend at the bottom of the calendar to know what each color stands for each day.
Then I plan out each month.(I try to plan for at least 2 months at a time) We allow for eating out 2 times a month. The rest of the time we try to keep to the plan and eat home as a family.

When we plan out our meals it really does save A TON OF MONEY! I will be having a post about my time saving tips and tricks on how I plan and prepare all of our snacks for the month as well. Enjoy!

Brazilian Lemonade

2018-01-25T14:01:00.002-08:00

Don’t be fooled by the name, it is called Brazilian Lemonade and it is made with limes no lemons. It is so refreshing, sweet, citrusy, & creamy! We have a tradition at our house and we make this every 4th of July (and throughout the year as well). You can make this 2 ways. I will tell you how we make it at my house because we don’t like pulp. So here is what you need to make this great refreshing drink the whole family will love.

Ingredients

6 cups cold water

1 cup sugar

4 juicy limes (thin, smooth skins are juiciest)

6 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk

Add water, sugar, the juice of 4 limes and sweetened condensed milk into a blender. If you want a nice smooth refreshing drink add all water but if you like a little slush add some ice in place of some of the water. We like it both ways at my house just depends on what we are in the mood for. Blend all the ingredients slightly and serve.

I use this lime squeezer to get the most of the lime juice out CLICK HERE

You can add half the water and wash the limes and pulse them in the blender and strain the peels out just make sure you wash the limes before hand. This will give it more flavor. Play around with both ways and see what you like best

Enjoy and feel free to leave a comment with some of your favorite summer drinks.

To Homeschool or Not?

2018-01-25T13:49:00.001-08:00

Homeschool, I have been wanting to write a post like this for some time now. I have been homeschooling my kids from the very beginning (5 years now) I was so scared and nervous if I could do it or handle it! I went back and forth with the idea multiple times. Can I really teach my kids?! While this is normal, and even appropriate at times (we should self-examine), please know that yes…you are enough. And not just enough, but here are a few compelling reasons why you…yes, you can teach your child the best.

Why do I homeschool? Not because I want to hide my children away from the world. Not because I don’t have any dreams or goals of my own. Just the opposite. I sacrifice a lot to spend this time and effort on my kids. This post is not to prove anything if Homeschool is better then public school. Homeschooling is just what works best for my family and could work for yours also if you choose.

Kids should love LEARNING and have a say in what they would like to learn along with what books they would like to read. Of course along with what they should be learning as well (Grade Standards) School doesn’t need to be all about; sit down, shut up, pay attention, take notes, do assignments, homework, get report cards – take a test, pass a test.

In time, kids learn to hate learning. I did many times and I went to public school all through my school years. My 4th grade teacher made me hate reading with how strict she was and how I had to read books I had absolutely no interest in. I ALWAYS froze up on tests no matter how well I knew the material I was going to be tested on. Sure, school taught me some things, but nothing of much value on tests, and certainly nothing I couldn’t have learned better, faster, and in my home.

So here are some Pros and Cons of Homeschooling for those of you weighing the options.

=Pros=

More Family Time: You don’t miss a thing! I don’t get to just see my kids in the afternoons and evenings, competing with friends and homework and bedtime. Instead, I get to spend all day with my kids, filled with discussion and exploration as a family. I love that my kids’ best friends are their brother and sister. I want time with my children: learning, playing, laughing, disagreeing and forgiving. Friends will come and go through life, but our children will have their family forever, and I want these relationships to matter most.

Freedom & Great Flexibility: I can put so much info just in this section! I get to build a curriculum and create a schedule around our life and our needs. I can change and adapt what I need. When I see that something is not working and needs to be changed, I can adapt. Because my kids don’t have to wait for a class of 20-30 other kids to finish or ask questions or stop goofing off, lessons are WAY faster! When you homeschool you have the ability to teach what you want to teach, to follow their interests or what is relevant to them. You are not bound to read “that particular book” but can choose what your child is passionate about. You also have the freedom to take as long as you need to ensure your child understands. You are not rushing to beat the clock. Now why would you want flexibility? With homeschooling you can choose books, lessons, and methods that suit your child. My children are getting one-on-one tailored education instead of being just one in a crowd. We can gently work on the areas they struggle in, approach it differently, we can skip things that are boring to them or too easy. We can take vacation days when everyone else is in school without reporting to someone.

Sleeping in: This one is so nice! My kids can get the sleep their bodies need without being sleep deprived! I don’t HAVE to get up and get dressed and take the kids to the 7am bus stop. I don’t have to pack all the kids in the car to take them to school.(this is extra nice in the winter months with snow) I don’t have to pack school lunches the night before. Our mornings are not as hectic as they would be to rush them out the door. My kids sleep in between 8:00-8:30 we don’t start school until 9:30 in the morning. We have time to eat together and have a morning devotional.

Real Life Experiences: We visit city parks, museums, libraries and my kids are always active in sports. We meet friends for events and play dates. My children aren’t confined to one room all day, they experience the real life in the real world around them. They help in the kitchen with making lunches and even dinners. We are able to explore the world around us.

Save Money on Clothes: No special brand of clothing, uniform, shoes, or accessories to meet dress codes. No pricey back to school clothes shopping. I do take my kids to get a new outfit for the first day but they can just wear whatever on other days. You can even have school in your PJ’S some days and just relax without worrying about being the best dressed.

=Cons=

You can be the odd Mom out: Judgment from those around you that don’t understand your choice. ***It happens but so what*** You have to just face that there will be people who think you are weird for choosing to homeschool your kids. Of course you will still need to do things to fill your tank and you will be able to do some things you love, but your life will be greatly focused on being a homeschool parent, (teacher, homemaker and wife all at once). Make sure that you are ok with that. This can be especially hard when your friends have kids in school and all kinds of free time ask you to go places like go get a pedicure or go out to lunch kid free. Most of the time I have my kids with me 24 hours a day Monday-Friday with no free time. Adult conversations (besides with my husband) can be far few in between but so needed at times!

Here are some of the responses I have had when people find out I homeschool. You’re so brave. I could never do that. Home all day with your kids? Do you think you’re a better teacher than real teachers? Do you not trust schools? Are you teaching everything? What makes you qualified to do that? Are you going to do this forever? Are you completely insane?

Not having a clean house ALL the time: This is a hard one for me. I have little ones in my house all day so you can imagine my house isn’t as clean as I would like it to be. You have to serve three meals a day, which means that your house has three sets of dirty dishes every day you get to clean. Children actually get to spend time playing with their toys every.single.day. Which means every day, there is a mess of toys to pick up. Some weeks I get super behind on my housework. If I am teaching my 2 year old will be out destroying something, somewhere. I wish I could just sing a song and snap my fingers like Mary Poppins and poof everything would be clean. One of these days when we can afford it I am going to hire a house cleaner to come once a week….I can dream right?! Since I made my daily cleaning chart it has helped for sure you can download it for free CLICK HERE

Paying for Curriculum: We have to pay for our own curriculum, but we also still pay taxes for our county’s public schools and can’t write off any of it on taxes. It doesn’t have to be expensive but often when you are starting out and want all the planning done for you, you choose programs that are all laid out and they are pricey.

In the end and still to this day I am SUPER glad that I chose to Homeschool!! It has been the best thing for our family in more ways than one. There are still days I want to pull my hair out BUT I wouldn’t change it for anything! I love that my kids are chasing dreams, not test scores.

Know this: there is no other teacher in the world that loves your child as much as you, understands your child like you, has the freedom to adapt the curriculum for your child according to their needs, or will teach your children the values and principles and faith that you strive to live by day after day. You are the best teacher for your child.

5 habits to do every day

2018-01-25T13:48:00.001-08:00

Here are 5 habits I do every day that make my day better. There are days when I wake up feeling overwhelmed. When I feel tired and behind before my feet even hit the floor. When I just want to roll over and go back to sleep because my to-do list is too long and the night was too short!

Some days, some months, and some years, life is just very exhausting and stretching. Sometimes, you just wish you could find a way to run away to a very quiet, CLEAN place where you don’t have to worry about cleaning.

If you’re in a season of life where you are feeling overwhelmed or if you would just love to find a way to have a little more order and structure in your life, I encourage you to develop the habit of doing these 5 things every single day. Commit to trying these 5 things for the next 4 weeks and see what a difference this can make each day.

#1 Wake up before your kids and get YOU ready for the day:

Some days this is a hard one and I don’t always stick to it. I homeschool my kids so we don’t get up as early as most and there are days where we have a PJ day and stay more relaxed and some days I don’t get my shower in until 2:00. BUT when I stick to this rule I feel SO much better throughout the day. I like to get up at least 30 mins earlier than my kids and make sure I am all put together for the day (quick shower, hair, makeup, cute clothes) When you put a little effort into how you dress, it can impact your entire day. When I have my hair done, makeup on and something cute on it makes me feel so much better all day knowing I had time to “get ready”.

#2 Make your Bed:

Before you leave the house in the morning (or better yet, before you leave the bedroom), make your bed. If you’re in a rush, pull the comforter up to the pillows, and smooth it out to create the semblance of a made bed. This simple act creates a sense of order in your bedroom and sets your day off on a productive note that’s likely to carry through. Teach your kids to make their own beds as well. It makes the bedrooms more put together even if there is a little mess here and there.

#3 Do a load of Laundry from start to finish:

This is a NEVER ending chore. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just snap our fingers and all the Laundry would be done for us?!? I wish I could have a laundry fairy in my house!

Washing clothes on a regular schedule keeps the dirty pile from becoming overwhelming (not to mention, ensures that no one runs out of clean underpants). Those with big families prefer doing it every morning, but if you live alone, doing laundry a couple of predetermined days a week should suffice. Doing this will cut back on the long days of playing catch up on Laundry. It makes life so much easier!

#4 Keep your Kitchen clean:

When my kitchen is clean, it feels like my whole house is pretty much clean. When my kitchen is messy, the rest of my house can be clean, but it will feel like the whole thing is a wreck.

Maybe I’m the only person who is this way, but I can’t encourage you enough to develop a system for keeping your kitchen clean. What works for us is to make sure the kitchen is completely clean twice a day. At night before bed and in the morning after breakfast.

I HATE, HATE dirty dishes in the sink. Get the dishwasher emptied and ready to go for the day. Doing this in the morning lays the groundwork for an easy dinner cleanup at night and keeps dishes from stacking up in the sink throughout the day.

At night and in the morning I will wipe down/clean up anything that needs to be cleaned. Throughout the day, as we use plates/cups, we rinse and stick them in the dishwasher. Each night we run the dishwasher and each morning we unload it. If you have granite counter tops CLICK HERE for my FAVORITE homemade cleaner to make your counters shine!

#5 Never leave a room empty handed:

First and foremost is keeping the clutter under control. Piles of stuff scattered here, there and everywhere can be suffocating and chaotic. If you don’t have time to de-clutter your home all at once, start with the areas that guests congregate first. Remember the golden rule: if you don’t love it or use it, get rid of it!

I’ve gotten into the habit of always taking a look around before leaving a space in anticipation of putting it away in the space that I’m going. Is there a toy that needs to be returned to a bedroom, a cup to the kitchen? If you happen to be going there, take it with you. It saves time in the long run because you aren’t leaving it all to clean up at one time. You’re on top of it.

BONUS: Take 15 mins and do something for YOU

Whatever it is, take time to refuel and refresh yourself so that your tank is not depleted.:)

The last time you visited someone else’s home did you spend the entire time thinking about their dust bunnies? Nope, chances are you didn’t and neither are the guests in your home. So cut yourself some slack for goodness sake.

Above all, remember it’s all about keeping it simple and not sweating the small stuff.

Here is a link to my FREE weekly cleaning schedule that has helped me out a TON as well CLICK HERE

Why I LOVE Shine Cosmetics Eye Liners

2017-03-12T23:03:00.000-07:00

Ok here is a video to show you why I LOVE the Shine Cosmetics Eye Liners! Check it out and if you want some go HERE

No more Squash Bugs!

2017-02-16T16:41:00.001-08:00

Whoever has had a garden knows all about these pesty squash bugs! Well I can officially say I have finally found the solution. This was my first year in my garden I didn’t have ONE…..YES!!!! I don’t like to use chemicals in my garden I try to do everything all organic. So any harsh chemicals was a given no go for me.

I tried this same recipe I am going to share with you today the end of last year. I started to see the yucky squash bugs and it killed them and didn’t see any more.

This year I wanted to make sure I never got them, (once you get them they are hard to get rid of, in the past I would just pull my plants because I didn’t even want to deal with them) so I sprayed my leafs with my recipe a few times a month. I only sprayed it on plants where these little guys like to show up such as cucumbers, any squash or zucchini, and pumpkin plants. This really worked like a charm and I am SUPER DUPER excited!!!

Only 5 ingredients:

Get a spray bottle and fill it 3/4 full of warm water. Add 2 drops of dawn dish soap, 30 drops of Lemongrass Essential Oil, 40 drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil, and 40 drops of Cedarwood Essential Oil. That’s it!

I am still in shock it worked!

Take it from someone who has gone to great lengths to keep chemicals out of the garden Give it a try and let me know how it goes for you

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2017-02-16T16:36:00.002-08:00

Let me just say this Chocolate Zucchini Cake is AMAZING! It has a vegetable in it so it counts to say it is “healthy” LOL (wink, wink)

Have you ever had a chocolate sheet cake or Texas sheet cake? This zucchini cake is just like that, but with the addition of zucchini. It’s dense, moist, rich and very chocolaty. You can’t even tell there is zucchini in it.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs
1/2 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. shredded zucchini, peeled or unpeeled

Chocolate Frosting
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook for 17-18 mins

For the Cake: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter; add the cocoa powder and stir until smooth and combined. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and add to the dry ingredients along with the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and shredded zucchini. Mix until well combined. Pour into a greased baking sheet and spread out evenly. When it comes out of the oven pour he frosting right on

For the Chocolate Frosting: Add powdered sugar to a large bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter; add the cocoa powder and buttermilk and stir until smooth and combined. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and pour over the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla and whisk together until smooth and creamy. Pour over hot cake and spread out evenly. Allow to cool, slice and serve.

***NOTE:***I peel half of my zucchini and pulse it all in my blender a few times, but make sure you have it all measured after you grate it before you pulse it. In my oven it is perfectly done at 17 mins just stick a tooth pick in the middle it can take 17-20 mins to cook every oven is different.

Now go make you some of this YUMMY cake and enjoy!

SHINE Cosmetics

2017-02-15T23:51:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness! This is my FAVORITE new makeup that just launch last month! Everything I have tried I LOVE. My skin feels so soft and lushes when I have it on. Have you heard of this stuff yet?? GLUTEN FREE & PARABEN FREE www.shinecosmetics.com/tawnya

I love the companies motto as well. It is Makeup with a message, products with a purpose! Nothing is more beautiful than a woman who believes in herself. YOU are beautiful! The world defines beautiful as sexy. We believe that beauty is defined by so much more! SHINE with us!

Moms, Grandmas, Aunts ANYONE! Have you ever payed attention to some of the names in makeup lines?? There are so many names out there that I wouldn’t want my daughter to wear or me for that matter! Here are just a few I found (lipgasm, please me, nymph, seductive, hot gossip) just to name a few. No names like these with Shine Cosmetics.
Here is a video to watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEyw1HwbbR0

I am going to share a few pictures with you of some of what they have along with a few pictures of my own results.

I have tried 3 other companies Fiber Lash Mascara and I hated them they were either to dry to clumpy and couldn't get the results you always saw pictures of so I was skeptical on this one BUT ladies this is REAL results AND the fibers stay in place and don't flake off on my skin....WHAT?! I KNOW!! LOOK at my results!!! I also have the Fiber Brow on one side as well & I am really liking it too along with the BB cream.

If you have eyelash extensions guess what? The eye liner isn't oil based and safe to use with your extensions. Pretty cool huh?! They go on like butter and the colors are so pretty.

Eye Shadows stay in place ALL day without ceasing or loosing pigment and again LOVE the colors!

Their BB cream is so silky and soft. When I first used it I couldn't help but feel my skin throughout the day! The 2nd day I wore it I got 3 different compliments at the store from complete strangers asking what I used for makeup because my skin was so pretty and had a nice natural glow to it.

You can check out everything else they have at this website www.shinecosmetics.com/tawnya

They offer a 30 day money back guarantee.

Yardsale Clothes Racks

2017-02-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

I have a Yard Sale every Summer. I got tired of stringing rope on my garage to hang up clothes and using my husbands ladders. This year I wanted him to build me something for all my clothes I will be selling. I can't stand it when you go to a yard sale and they just have all the clothes in big piles on the ground. No one likes having to dig through clothes. (I am guilty of this as well) BUT NO MORE! My awesome hubby made me these yard sale clothes racks and I can't WAIT to use them. As usual my handy man didn't disappoint. ;)

First he made the 2x4's 5 feet tall and all the 4 base pieces are all 18 inches long they are also 2x4's

He just screwed the base pieces on the bottom to make a leg base for support.

After both sides were made he drilled a hole in each post and he put a wood round rod through. I am having him make 3 of these :) They are going to be easy to store as well. We will just take the rod out when we are not using them. I am so excited to have these!

TA DA!! Yes I love them!

Ditch the Wax...Tinkle instead!

2017-02-06T16:03:00.000-08:00

Oh my GOODNESS this is my new favorite thing ever right now! Do you Tinkle? Why did I not know about these sooner. Do you wax your face, lip or eyebrows?? Ditch the wax and Tinkle instead! I am a Cosmetologist and I have waxed people over and over and no matter how many times you get waxed it always still hurts EVERY time. I have waxed my eyebrows and upper lip for years. But I will not be going back to waxing them ever again because I have discovered these awesome little tools.

I have only used it on my upper lip and eyebrows since Christmas of 2015 to make sure I would like the results. I do have some peach fuzz by my temples I am going to "Tinkle" soon. I have NEVER had my upper lip or eyebrows grow back darker or stubbly AT ALL. I seriously LOVE these and the best part is there is NO PAIN like there is with waxing! When you wax you are pulling out the whole hair root so you can have it grow back a little different texture then before you waxed. With these you are just scrapping the surface so there is no change in texture at all. I’ve never nicked my skin with a Tinkle nor do I experience any discomfort while shaving or after shaving. This is a must-DO NOT SHAVE YOUR FACE WITH A REGULAR RAZOR. Trust me. The blade on a regular razor is made completely different then the Tinkle blades.

Here’s What You Need To Know:

Only shave your face after you’ve cleansed your skin.
If you are sensitive or very dry, apply a thin layer of moisturizer or coconut oil before you shave your face.
Always use tiny downward movements. Keep your skin taunt in the area you will be working on.
Don’t shave your forehead-You probably don’t need to and it’s hard.
You can shave your sideburns and cheeks and upper and lower lip.
Not only will you remove hair, you will also remove dead skin!! Yippee!
Always use a toner and moisturize afterwards.
I shave about 2x a month but you could shave weekly if needed.
Hair will not grow back stubbly or dark. First off, it’s impossible to grow back darker and this razor is so gentle that it doesn’t chop the hair off like a normal razor would so it grows back soft! I’ve never had stubble.
Your skin will feel smoother and your makeup will go on and look smoother as well!

So if you want to ditch the wax and Tinkle instead like me CLICK HERE to buy some, they are on sale and under $7.00 for a pack of them! They will last awhile I am still using the same one I got for Christmas and it isn't dull yet.

20 Winter Kid Activities

2016-01-30T22:48:00.003-08:00

Winter months where I live have lots of snow! My kids get board since they don't get to do as many things because it gets too cold to be outside all the time. Here is a list of 20 fun Winter activities for kids during the cold Winter months to help make it a little more enjoyable.

Build a snowman
Go ice skating
Drink hot chocolate
Make paper snowflakes
Bundle up and go on a walk
Drive around and look at lights
Bake cookies for the neighbors
Build a snow fort
Dance to holiday music
Make a gingerbread house
Have a snowball fight
Roast marshmallows
Go sledding
Make snow ice cream
Make ice bubbles
Paint in the snow with water and food coloring
Play a game of freeze tag
Snow obstacle course
Scavenger hunt with toys hidden in the snow
Pull each other in the sled

5 Great Hair Tips

2016-01-23T13:57:00.000-08:00

It is a never ending battle with hair! Some days we have great hair days and others days we hate our hair and no matter what we do things don't work out how we want. I hear this over and over with hair clients. Even I have bad hair days. If I follow these 5 tips though I can have awesome hair all the time as long as I have a good haircut as well. Here are a few ways to revitalize your hair.

Change Up Your Products

When you find the product that makes your hair look and feel amazing, you are pretty sure that you have found your life-long love of hair products. That feeling will go away at some point and your hair will start to plateau if you continue to use the same product day in and day out. Change up your shampoo and conditioner every 4-6 weeks and your hair will stay soft, and manageable. I keep 2 different Shampoos and Conditioner in my shower that I alternate all the time. After 6 weeks I will rotate to 2 others and so on.

Shampoo Twice

If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. When you first shampoo your hair you are washing out dirt and grease, but what about the cleansing part? That’s when washing your hair twice comes in. First wash out dirt/grease, second cleanse, third moisturize. This will help out so much, it is amazing how this works.

Lukewarm Showers

Hot water can damage your hair, just like curling irons and blow dryers. Limiting the heat is not exclusive to just flat irons and hot air. Your hair is more sensitive than you think. Washing your hair with extreme hot water can strip away those amazing oils and damage your hair cuticle. Those natural oils keep hair shiny and help control frizz. Start washing your hair with warm/cool water instead.

Don’t Dry With a Towel

Rubbing your hair with a towel makes your hair look dull. Instead, squeeze dry or allow your hair to air dry or use a low heat blow dryer. I like to only blow dry my hair with high heat once a week.

Don’t Wash Your Hair Everyday

If your hair is hard to manage, getting too static-y and limp, it is most definitely because you’re washing it to often. Girl, lay off the shampoo! You are taking away nutrients and natural oils that help give you gorgeous hair. Wash only a few times a week, and if you start to get a little greasy use dry shampoo to help absorb the oils. Your hair will be much easier to style. You will see great results with this tip.

How To Make Slime

2016-01-22T09:50:00.001-08:00

This is my boys first You Tube video, they wanted to make one so bad! Check it out and learn a fun and easy way to make slime for your kiddos :) The ingredients are in the description down below in the video. ENJOY!

Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole

2016-01-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

This is one of our top 5 dinners that we have at our house. WE ALL LOVE this one. If you want an easy dinner choice that tastes super yummy then make this tonight! You wont be sorry :)

What you need:
4-6 cooked chicken breasts (I cut my chicken into bite size pieces)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup of sour cream
desired amount of poppy seeds
1 to 1 1/2 packages of Ritz crackers
1 cup melted butter

Cook chicken in skillet. Then mix the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and poppy seeds in a bowl. When chicken is cooked mix it into the mixture. Spread it all in a 9x13 pan. Melt the butter and crumble the Ritz crackers into it, spread on top. Bake in oven at 400* for 25-30 mins. Serve it over rice. That's it, super simple which is my kind of dinner. Enjoy!!

How to Change a Flat Tire

2016-01-13T17:36:00.002-08:00

Another item that is good to know in case you ever get a flat tire. I found this picture online at an insurance place years ago. This is something I didn't know how to do but, lucky me my hubby showed me how to do this just recently. I have this printed and laminated also in my glove compartment along with my How to Jump a Car cheat sheet as well. CLICK HERE FOR THE HOW TO JUMP A CAR SHEET

Master Bath Makeover

2016-01-08T22:21:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone! I just got an account for my blog on Facebook! I decided I better join Social Media like all the other bloggers out there :) I would love you to follow me on Facebook so you don't miss a thing. I will be having give aways once I hit 300 likes or more. My link is in the upper right hand of my blog.

Here is my progress in getting our Master Bath just how I wanted. When we first bought our house it was just plain Jane to me. BEFORE

Look at that ugly hook for a towel.....

I painted all the walls a light grey to warm it up a little along with some decorations

I also added some floating shelves on the wall with all new towel hooks that are a lot more appealing

My favorite part of it all is this HUGE adorable rug I have. It pulls everything all together.