What’s your daily skin care regimen?  Do you have one? I’ve spent years working on a skin care routine and due to aging, environment, and life stress, I change it up regularly based on what my skin needs at the time. I’m pretty low maintenance when it comes to how much I spend on makeup and skin care, but I’m serious about always using some kind of product to protect and help my skin.

Let’s talk about what I’m using in my routine right now, and what you can do rightthisminute to address the needs of your skin.

My go-to for skincare is Olay. I’ve been using Olay moisturizer for as long as I can remember, and have loved it just as long. I have sensitive skin, and Olay uses gentle ingredients that don’t cause allergic reactions for me. Which is a big deal for sensitive skin.

Anyway, let’s get to what I’m using to keep my face looking fresh.

Several years ago I bought an Olay face brush (it’s now called the Olay Advanced Cleansing System), which I love. A few times a week, after I’ve removed my daily makeup and while my face is still wet, I put about two pea sized dots of Olay Regenerating Cream Cleanser on both my cheeks and use the brush (aka ‘Cleansing System’) to scrub my face, before I rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry.

The brush feels amazing, and my skin is so. soft. when I’m done! I love how clean and fresh it feels after I use the brush on my face.

Then if it’s nighttime, I apply Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream.

It smells delicious and moisturizes my face while I sleep. I love, love, love it.

If it’s daytime I use my go-to, Olay Complete Daily Moisturizer. It has broad spectrum SPF and is so lightweight I don’t know I’m wearing it, which is one of my must-have’s in a moisturizer.

I must be doing something right with my daily skin care regimen because I used the Olay Skin Advisor tool and, based on a selfie, it guessed my skin age was 39.

I’ll take it!

I turned 40 last September so I’m thrilled my skin looks one year younger than my actual age.

The Skin Advisor is pretty cool. It only takes a minute to snap a selfie and get an evaluation on your skin and which areas to focus on to put your best face forward, (get it? ha!). It also offers product suggestions you can buy directly from Sam’s Club on the Skin Advisor tool, if you like, to help with your trouble spots.

I’m sure you don’t have any of those, your skin is beautiful, I can tell from here. But just in case you want to lower your skin age a bit, try it out!

I hope all of this helps you find a way to better your daily skin care regimen, so you can rock your life. I’d love to hear about your skin care regimen. What are your go-to products? What do you love so much you’d take with you to a desert island?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Olay at Sam’s Club. The opinions and text are all mine.

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m one of those people who love a new year. I love the clean slate of it, I love making resolutions, I love thinking about new possibilities.

I’m also a little ridiculous; I spent entire days dreaming about new businesses I’d like to build but probably never will. The real fact of the matter is that I’m ambitious and want to start a new business every single day, but mostly I’d love to spent the rest of my life being a TV reviewer for PBS’s Masterpiece Theater. I don’t think that’s actually a thing, but if it is, PBS, call me. (p.s. if you’re not watching ‘Victoria‘ you need to fix your life. Make it right, then get back to me.)

I digress.

I’m all about goals, resolutions, new ideas, blank slates, new exercise regimens, planners, calendars, and fresh journals.

I love the idea of a re-set every January, thinking about all the possibilities of a new year in the darkest part of winter. It makes it so much easier to make it to spring if I’ve got a journal full of hope.

Are you a goal-setter? A Life Lister? What are you putting on your list this year? I honestly have to whittle my goals down or I end up with 10 pages of resolutions, business ideas, and idealistic but unrealistic exercise ideas.

Here’s what’s on my to-do list this year:

• read more books

(I read like a fiend, but you can never ever go wrong with reading goals)

• get into yoga

(I keep trying, guys. I really do.)

• purge my closet and create a simple, stylish capsule wardrobe

(If you’re a brand who wants in on this action, call me!)

• clean out + organize my basement

(this one is waaaaay easier said than done but I got a huge jump-start last year thanks to IKEA! )

• get back to working regular office hours in my home office

(I used to be so good at this, but I got into the habit of working at the kitchen table a couple of years ago and haven’t gone back)

• travel somewhere new

(doesn’t have to be international, just someplace cool)

What about you? What are you planning on this year? I’d love to hear what you’re working on.

Happy New Year, friends. I’m so grateful for you.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Did you view any of the Golden Globes last night? Any red carpet Golden Globes style action or awards action or slay-girl-slay speech action? Even if you missed last night, you’ve probably come across a few prime sound bytes and fashion shots in your social media feeds. In a nutshell, it was a black-out black-tie affair, and it was anything but dull.

Most of the attendees opted to wear black, as a statement against gender inequality and mistreatment. They wore it well–from sleek black velvet, to voluminous ruffles, glitzy embellishments to ultra-chic pants and jumpsuits. Subtle statements, bold statements, statements all over the place with several edgy pant looks, and several elegant, modest looks that aren’t usual red-carpet fixtures. The women came, they saw, they spoke, they owned the evening in black.  Sure, the guys mostly wear black tuxes anyway, but many donned a Time’s Up lapel pin to show their support of the #timesup movement. Here are a few of our team favorites.

Mandy Moore looked positively regal in matte black, with a bold red statement sash, cut-out halter neckline, and elegant train. Gorgeous, with that killer red lip, too. She owns it.

Neilson Barnard/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Octavia Spencer just seems to radiate joy, doesn’t see? She rocked a tea length look–which was popular last night–in shimmering sequins. Short bell sleeves, a slightly plunging v-neck for just enough pizazz, and the semi-full skirt with nipped waist. Figure flattering and formal, but not so serious. She looks wonderful.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

This very handsome gent had quite a night, and he certainly dressed for it. That velvet jacket with the notched lapel is supremely debonaire.  There were several black tuxes with black shirts, but I think the white shirt always wins in the elegance department. Also, his speech? YES.

Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock

Ok, so I admit I’m not familiar with any of her films, but her look last night was definitive glamour. The sleek black column dress with sparkling buckle detail on the front, and amazing jewel detailing all down the back, with the train? Swoon. I loved her slender earrings and soft wispy undo, too.

Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

The ladies wore the pants at the Golden Globes. Literally and figuratively. How fabulous does Alexis Bledel look in this feminine-yet-boss-lady jumpsuit?  That delicate leaf detail one-shoulder neckline, those cigarette pant legs, and the dramatic sash are ultra-flattering.  It’s all accented perfectly with a sleek ‘do, red lips and more slender earrings. Love it all.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Alright, so I’m not a huge fan of the brocade tux–though it is nice to see the gents change it up a bit. (My husband actually digs this look). And I mentioned already I’m not crazy about black dress shirts, but the no-tie look is working for me. And, he is wearing the pin. And, he is Thor, so I’m putting him on the list, sultry scruff and all.

Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Allison Janney looks fierce and fabulous in this wild number. I love to see such a bold, body-conscious choice on a babe of the over-40 set. She is wearing this oh-so-well, and I have to say “well-done” on adding interest and panache to the all-black theme. Right down to her toenail polish.

Neilson Barnard/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

I had to do a quick search on google to learn more about Jamie Chung, because I loved her biker babe-meets-ballerina vibe on the red carpet. That leather bodice and ruffled flouncy skirt with just a hint of leg–perfection. It suggests femininity with a healthy dose of “I’m in charge, here.” Again with the sleek long hair and bold red lip. Perfect counterpoints to the black wardrobe.

Chelsea Lauren/BEI/REX/Shutterstock

The subtle sheen on this impeccable tux is made even better by it’s occupant. Liev Schreiber is dashing and smoldering, especially with the contrasting buttons and cuff links.  He’s another gent who can make scruffy 5-o-clock shadow look elegant.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Reese Witherspoon’s stylist gets an A+, just about every time. This sleek, flared hem column dress with the fold-over one shoulder neckline just works so well for Reese. The hemline and neckline add the perfect touch of drama and interest. I love how she paired it with glitzy oversized earrings and understated hair and makeup. She looks fantastic.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock

All we really need to say here to Viola Davis is “Work it, girl!” Wowza. That body-hugging fit, va-va-voom neckline, puddling hem, fabulous natural hair and sexy layered necklace are all kinds of awesome. And she is all over it.

Neilson Barnard/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Only Salma Hayek could wear something so modest and simple and make it look incredible. Some may call this borderline puritanical, which was sort of a Golden Globes style trend, but I find it a bit refreshing to see an elegant gown that isn’t all about the skin or the cleavage (there were several more modest looks last night), but still enhances a woman’s natural figure and enhances herbeauty.  It seems to say, “I’m beautiful but I’m not your prize.”

Neilson Barnard/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Let’s not forget about the Stranger Things kiddos. Gaten Matarazzo is not technically wearing black, but I think the navy tux is a very classy and age-appropriate look. Nice slim lapel, contrasting buttons, and the #timesup pin. Plus, he just seems so happy–dimples, curls and all.

Kevork Djansezian/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

A few more Golden Globe style favorites: Gal Gadot (the jacket, so so classy), Tracee Ellis Ross (the dramatic bow halter and the head wrap!) and Jessica Biel (pure Hollywood glamour).

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Guys, I’ve got gift ideas for you, no matter who’s on your Christmas list this year. The coolest Millenial in the family? No problem. The niece who lives across the country? Friend, I’ve got you covered. The parent who has everything? Don’t stress, there’s something for dad, too.

Let’s discuss.

First up is the Waterpik: Complete Care 5.0 Water Flosser and Sonic Toothbrush. There isn’t a single family member or friend on your list who couldn’t benefit from (and love) a Waterpik water flosser toothbrush. We love these toothbrushes at my house, and my dental bills love them even more. My kids straight up get fewer cavities when they brush with their Waterpik because it gets into those hard to reach places and cleans up like a champ.

Who needs this gift: Grandpa, dad, girlfriend, teenage son, spouse? This gift is universal.

1. Sandisk: iXpand Base

Next up is the Sandisk iXpand Base. Everyone with an iPhone needs this in their life. It’s a charging base and automatic backup for your iPhone.

Let me say that again in case you missed it: the SanDisk iXpand Base charges your phone and backs up all your stunning photos at the same time. As someone whose iPhone hasn’t been backed up since (UGH) April, I’m totally on board with this. It’s small enough to sit on a small nightstand or dresser but big enough to store up to 256GB (GUYS).

You will 100% be the favorite person on Christmas morning if you gift this to your: girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, parents, children, nieces, nephews, best friend, boss.

2 & 4. FUJIFILM instax® instant film & FUJIFILM instax® SHARE SP-3 SQ printer

I’ve been jonesing for a photo printer for years. The idea of printing my smartphone photos right into my hot hands is so appealing, I’ve wanted one forever. The FUJIFILM instax® printer is so convenient all you have to do is download the app to your phone and print your photos.

You can even print photos from your social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram – and get this: your Instagram photos with a hashtag? You can find and print those, too. Every time we travel as a family I use a specific hashtag, and I love the idea of using this printer to print up all the photos we took on our family vacation to Paris and Spain this summer right at my own kitchen table.

Friends, this is magnificent.

Get this FUJIFILM printer for the crafters in your life (parties with photos of a birthday kid plastered all over the place!), every parent you know (especially grandparents who can print up photos at their own convenience), and the college kid who loves decorating their dorm room with photos of their college buddies.

3. Sabon: Cheers to Rose Tea Kit

Sabon’s best-selling body scrub + lotion would make a delightful gift for the women in your life. I’m thinking of mother-in-laws (my own, in particular), grandmothers, and any other women of discerning taste who love smelling lightly of beautiful rose. And Dead Sea beauty products are always a hit for the beauty lovers in your life, me included.

5. Le Tote Fashion Subscription Box

Okay, surely you’ve heard of fashion subscription boxes. They’re the bees knees as far as I’m concerned. Basically, you choose a plan (my current plan is $59/month), pick out clothes from a variety of high fashion brands + styles (companies like French Connection, Vince Camuto, BCBGeneration, Sanctuary, Kate Spade, Rebecca Minkoff, and Cole Haan), and enjoy new gorgeous clothes and accessories for an entire month without any commitment. If you want to buy one of the items shipped to you, just pay Le Tote’s discounted price of 20-50% off retail and it’s yours.

I’m currently waiting on the items in the photo above (I’m dying about the Moto jacket!), and when I’m done wearing what’s in the box, (to a holiday party, maybe) I’ll send it all back and get another outfit. I can cancel at any time.

Give this holiday gift to the new professional in your life, with the hot job (but not a hot wardrobe) the friend who recently lost weight and doesn’t have anything to wear, or yourself.  It’s a great way to get out of a fashion rut without the commitment of adding bulk to your closet.

6.  Arctic Cool: Instant Cooling Shirt

I’ll tell you what: this Hydrofreeze t-shirt is going right on my Christmas list and straight into my summer swim meet gear bag.  Not for my kids, but for me. In fact, every single parent of an athlete I know needs this in their arsenal, asap. Activewear that cools my overheated swim parent self at summer swim meets? SOLD.

Arctic Cool uses something called HydroFreeze X, which is a fiber-based cooling system to move moisture (aka sweat) away from the skin so you can stay cool (um, 30 degrees cooler, whut.) while everyone else is hot.

If you are a sports parent, or know a sports parent, put a few of these in your shopping cart. Come July the thank you cards will come rolling in.

7. 23andMe: DNA Ancestry Kit

I’ve wanted to test my DNA for a really long time. A lot of my family members are getting in on the action, and it’s been so fun to see where my siblings genetic test results are coming from. An adopted family member of mine even connected with birth parents through their 23andMe DNA test. I think DNA testing is the absolute coolest.

The best part is how easy it is to get your DNA tested. Order your 23andMe kit, follow the super simple instructions, (i.e. spit into a tube, register your sample, and send it back to 23andMe in the provided prepaid package), and in 6-8 weeks you’ll have your results.

Who would love a DNA test for Christmas? Everyone you know. My grandparents would’ve gone bananas for genetic testing – they would’ve loved to have known exactly where they really came from, and all the surprises therein.

Who else? Your parents, your in-laws, your partner, your children, your siblings, aunts and uncles, and long lost cousins.

I cannot WAIT to get my results back. Grab some kits now; 23andMe has great holiday deals right now through December 26th, so hurry!

I hope you found all the Christmas gift ideas you need in this gift guide. There’s something for everyone, including yourself! Treat yourself, and have a very Merry Christmas.

// This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.  All opinions are, of course, my own.  Thank you for always being so kind + supportive of the sponsors that keep Petit Elefant running. //

It’s back-to-school time, the best time of the year! All the fresh school supplies and newly sharpened pencils make me swoon a little, and I’m not even joking. It’s just an added bonus that my kids head out of the house to be otherwise occupied for eight hours a day by the blessed teachers of the world.

(Teachers, thank you. We love you a lot.)

Today’s back-to-school lunch ideas are sponsored by Cache Valley® Creamery. Cache Valley is a company that believes good cheese comes from a good place, which is why they take their inspiration from the people, values, and beauty from the Cache Valley, Utah region. Which is, whoa, pretty (and Cache Valley Creamery cheese is delicious!)

Anyway, now that the kids are back at school, it’s time to talk about some fun, healthy + easy lunch ideas to make at home. These lunches are so simple, even your kids can get in on the action. (With the supervision of adults, especially when using the stove.)

I’ve come up with three lunch ideas to get you started, but there are so many fun lunch combinations; you can come up with as many ideas as your imagination can take (and it can take plenty).

I love the idea of compartmentalizing lunches, so I use plastic Tupperware to organize our lunches into categories: main dish, fruit, and veggie. Or: main dish + condiments or toppings. Mix and match one of these main entrees and a couple of sides for a well-balanced lunch for your sweet kids to eat in the cafeteria every day.

Easy Delicious Quesadilla

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Make super easy, delicious quesadillas for a busy weeknight dinner. You just need a few ingredients to whip up this simple meal!

Author: Allison - Czarnecki - Petit Elefant

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 T butter
• 2 cups Cache Valley® Mild Cheddar Cheese
• 4 flour tortillas (I love homemade tortillas)
• serve with salsa and sour cream (optional)

Instructions

1. In a flat pan, cook one side of a tortilla in ½ T of butter until lightly browned.
2. Repeat until all tortillas are browned in butter on one side.
3. Place one tortilla in pan (use more butter if needed) with the white side face up.
4. Sprinkle ½ cup cheese on non-browned side of tortilla.
5. Quickly top with another browned tortilla, brown side facing up.
6. Flatten tortillas down with a spatula and cook until cheese is melted (about a minute, maybe less).
7. Remove from heat and use pizza cutter to slice quesadilla into wedges.
8. Serve immediately.
9. Optional: serve with sour cream and your favorite salsa.

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Healthy Lunch #1 – Quesadillas / Sliced Cucumbers / Applesauce

Quesadillas are such a fun departure from the regular, boring peanut butter + jelly sandwich on white bread. And they’re so easy to make! In fact, I’ve included a recipe below for you to print up and have on hand the next time you need a lunch idea. Check it out.

I serve these quesadillas with a side of veggies and fruit, but it would also be fun to serve it with a side of salsa and sour cream. I’m having retroactive jealousy for my childhood self just thinking about the possibility that I could’ve had quesadillas for lunch. *sigh*

Healthy Lunch #2 – Cheese + Meat Bites / Apple Slices / Raspberries / Celery / Pretzels

My favorite part of this tasty lunch is the cheese + meat bites cut into tiny shapes. How darling are they? (Very darling.) They’re also the perfect size to fill up on protein, all while making the entire lunch table jealous. The sides of pretzels, celery, raspberries, and apple slices are great sides your kids can eat depending on how hungry they are.

I happen to be the mother of two competitive swimmers, so our lunches need all the sides they can get. If your kids eat less just include fewer sides, or include foods like pretzels which can be eaten for an after school snack.

(To make the cut out cheese + meat bites I just used small metal food shape cutters I found on the internet.)

Healthy Lunch #3 – Cheese + Meat Bites / Veggie Bites / Snap Peas / Cheese Crackers

For this lunch I made cheese + meat bites again, and added green pepper veggie bites. They’re so fun! I used a variety of different CacCache Valley® Creamery cheese: Cheddar, Havarti, Colby Jack, Gouda, and Muenster. Sides of snap peas and cheese crackers round out a tasty lunch with perfect portion sizes.

Plain slices of cheese and meat are also super easy to put into a lunch on an extra busy school morning; don’t stress about perfect presentation. Switch it up with your kid’s favorite foods, and you’ll have a couple dozen different combinations for healthy back-to-school lunch ideas.

Include your kids, and have fun making healthy back-to-school lunches all year long!

Will you share all your creative lunch ideas? I’d love to add them to my own.

Have a happy school year!

Did you have a beautiful summer? Did you travel far and wide making wonderful memories the whole way? I really hope so. I hope the summer of 2017 was one for the record books.

My summer was fantastic. It started out with a trip to Europe and ended with me making peach jam in my kitchen while I listened to audiobooks. I know the end sounds like lame, but making jam is actually pretty enjoyable to me.

EEEEENEEWEIGHS.

Speaking of jam (ha! ha! *sigh*) summer blogging is not mine. My kids are ever-present. We travel a lot as a family. It’s all swim meets and weekend travel and random activities to keep children busy (see: overworked and tired by the end of the day). Basically blogging is a mess in the summer. In about early July this year I asked a bunch of my fellow pro-blogging friends how they manage to blog in the summertime and every single one sent me gifs of people drowning, sobbing, pulling their hair out, and running away from home.

I mean, you get the gist. It’s a mess.

So here I am, doing my annual Fall ‘WELCOME BACK!’ post. We have a lot to talk about. I want to know how you are and how your summer went, or if you’re in the southern hemisphere (hello, Australia!) your fall. Let’s catch up. Tell me what’s new in your life, because I genuinely want to hear it.

Here, I’ll start. Like it’s the first day of 7th grade and you’re “getting to know me”:

• We went to Paris and Barcelona for the first three weeks of summer. It was, in a word, spectacular. I have a lot to share. Packing tips (3 weeks in a carry-on, WHUT), ideas for traveling on the cheap, fun places to stay in Barcelona and Paris, how to travel as a family, what to eat, etc. etc. I have so many of the tips.
• I went to approximately 1,204 swim meets. My summer was all pool, all the time. But not actually in the pool. I was on the sidelines volunteering in 101 degree weather. I was getting kids all snacked and hydrated and sun-screened. I was hot. I was tired. It was somewhat delightful. Sometimes. We ended the summer swim season at a 4-day swim meet at the end of July where we were at the pool from 7 am- 9 pm every day.  That was not delightful.
• I read a lot of books.
• I saw a few movies.
• I worked in the yard.
• I took a nap almost every day.
• I hauled kids all over the mothereffing state of Utah. I enjoyed that 30% of the time.
• I ate a lot of ice cream.

Now it’s your turn.  Tell me about your summer. The good, bad, the hideous.

xoxo

p.s. I missed you.

// This post is sponsored by Samsung for their FlexWash + FlexDry duo, a revolutionary new laundry system.  All opinions and naughty children are my own.  Thank you for always being so kind + supportive of the sponsors that keep Petit Elefant running. //

NORMAL LAUNDRY ROUTINE?

An average day at my house is never average. In fact, the only thing I can ever guarantee with my family life, day-to-day, is that we wake up in the morning, do what we need to do in our day, and at some point we go to bed. How, what, and where we eat varies. Where we are in the world at any given time varies. Which extracurricular and family activities we’re currently participating in varies.

Basically, what I’m saying is that no two days are ever alike for my family. There are so many cool things about that, like creating cool memories on the fly, and being involved with lots of interesting activities at school and in the community. Outside of a few things like work, swim and orchestra practices, we aren’t really tied to a specific schedule. We spend more time hanging out with each other, wherever we are, than we do working on specific household tasks.

I usually only worry about consistency when I need to catch up on everyday life, like hanging out to watch TV like normal people do on a weeknight. But I’m not even joking a little when I tell you sometimes I yearn for a consistent laundry routine done on: laundry day.

Do you know what I’m talking about when I say “laundry day”?

Let me explain.

When I was a kid growing up in Utah the 1970’s and 80’s there were a lot of stay-at-home moms in my neighborhood, and almost all of them had designated days for different household chores. Mondays were for grocery shopping and a specific, carefully orchestrated laundry routine, Tuesdays were for bathrooms and floors, Wednesdays for dusting, and on it went.  (By the way, Saturdays were always for lawn mowing and gardening in the warmer months, and household repairs in the winter.) Sports and extracurriculars were usually only on the weekend. There was such a consistency in household schedules, I could clock what any family in the neighborhood was doing by just looking at my watch. Noon? So-and-so was feeding her kids lunch. 1:00 pm? Bathroom cleaning number two was just finishing up two doors down. I never ever showed up at anyone’s house at 5:00 pm because no one could play in the late afternoon. At 5:00 pm moms were hurrying to get the house cleaned up and dinner on the stove, before the dads came home from work at 6:00 pm.

These homes operated with military precision, year in, year out.

MY LAUNDRY ROUTINE

Times have changed. My home for example, runs a litttttle bit differently than the homes of my neighbors growing up. I try to have family dinner together at home on a somewhat regular basis, when we’re under one roof at the same time, but that varies day-to-day. And other than a sometimes regular dinnertime my days are so different than the families I knew as a kid. I just don’t have time in my life to have a designated day to do laundry in the week. I wish I did but my life is bonkers, so my family and I do laundry as it comes at us.

If there’s a swim meet for one or both kids during the week, someone might be washing warm-up sweats, clean socks, and a swim parka on a Tuesday night. If there’s an orchestra performance, some variation of an all-black dress outfit will find its way to the laundry room before Friday. Add a high school dance to the mix? That’s at least two loads of random clothes in the laundry. Add a camping trip with the Scouts or a Saturday afternoon motorcycle ride, and that’s three more loads of laundry.

If we’re getting ready to head out for a big trip like the one we just took to Paris and Barcelona, or we’re just coming home from one, baskets of dirty laundry accumulate and multiply in the laundry room by the hour.

WHAT’S YOUR LAUNDRY ROUTINE?

If you’ve ever done laundry in your life, (of course you have) you know you’re never just washing all white socks or a a load of just dark t-shirts. There’s always a “line dry only” dress in the mix, or a swim backpack that can be washed but not tumble dried. Or your version of a swim backpack, anyway. We all have delicates that need to be hand washed, or washed separately in a small mesh bag without any other clothes in the machine at the same time. But who has time for that? A handful of times I’ve even been desperate enough to get everything done at the same time, (packing for a trip, anyone?) that I’ve hauled 8 loads of laundry to the laundromat down the street, just to save time. Which is bonkers, (just F.Y.I.) when I have my own washer and dryer at home, but sometimes we do what we’ve gotta do to get through the day and out the door.

NEW LAUNDRY ROUTINE

But here’s something that could change all this laundry ballet: Samsung has created a washer/dryer duo called the Samsung FlexWash + FlexDry. The FlexWash has two washers built in and the FlexDry has two dryers. What? No, seriously. Here’s how it works: if you need to wash two separate loads of laundry, you can do them both at the same time in the FlexWash.

Remember the delicates I talked about? If I needed to gently wash a swim backpack (it’s “delicate”) and also a load of t-shirts, I could do them at the same time. The swim backpack would go in the smaller top compartment of the FlexWash for a gentle wash, and the tees would go in the bigger front compartment to be washed like normal. Then, when it’s time to dry, I would put the swim backpack in the top of the FlexDry for a non-spin, gentle dry, and the tees would go in the bottom to dry like a regular laundry load. The difference is that two loads of washing and two loads of drying happen simultaneously, so you can do four loads at the same time instead of two.

MIND. BLOWN. right?

We have a really busy, active, full family life and these machines would change our laundry world. I can only imagine what my life would’ve been like during my children’s baby and toddler years if I’d had a FlexWash + FlexDry at home. I might’ve even had time for a shower once in awhile.

What would you do with a Samsung FlexWash + FlexDry? I really want to know. Who does the laundry at your house? Do you have a designated laundry day? Maybe you can teach me your beautiful laundry ways.

// This post is sponsored by Cache Valley® Creamery, a Utah company creating expertly crafted cheese for over 75 years.  All opinions, and recipes are my own.  Thank you for always being so kind + supportive of the sponsors that keep Petit Elefant running. //

I don’t know how you feel about it, but I am a huge BBQ fan.  I love the actual flavor of barbecued food, (who doesn’t? – YUM), I love gathering people I love around a delicious meal, and most of all, I love that most barbecues take place in warm, sunny summer weather. Toss it all together and you have the makings of some happy memories to carry into the (inevitably) beautiful sunset.

So, what do you love to serve at your barbecues? The menu options are endless, but once in awhile I really enjoy a classic barbecue with simple crowd-pleasing favorites, only … with a twist.

Today’s recipe is a classic BBQ chicken recipe, served on slider buns with cheese from Cache Valley Creamery. Cache Valley is a company that believes good cheese comes from a good place, which is why they take their inspiration from the people, values, and beauty from the Cache Valley, Utah region. Which is, whoa, pretty.

If you’re hosting a bunch of people, this chicken recipe is a really simple one made more fun in a smaller size, (also known as: sliders) like you’re hosting a, you know, legit party. People can eat smaller portions of the traditional, tasty grilled BBQ chicken they love, with plenty of room for a side salad or some fruit and veggies. (And please bless someone brings cake because I don’t even know you if you don’t serve cake at your barbecues.)

By the way, I really loved the idea of two versions of this recipe, so I included both. You can either actually grill chicken on a BBQ, or you can cook the chicken in a crock-pot, shred, and add BBQ sauce when it’s done. Both instructions are in the printable recipe below so you can have a couple of options at your fingertips. Or grill tips. Whatever.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this BBQ chicken sliders (with cheese, holla!) recipe. You can also whip it up really fast on a weeknight for a family dinner.

Yussssss! *fist bump*

Summer Dinner: BBQ Chicken Sliders With Cheese

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Make delicious BBQ chicken sliders, with shredded or grilled chicken and cheese. It's such an easy and crowd-pleasing main dish to serve at any BBQ or family meal.

Author: Allison Czarnecki - Petit Elefant

Recipe type: Main Dish

Cuisine: BBQ Chicken

Serves: 12 sliders

Ingredients

• 12 slider buns or soft dinner rolls
• 2-3 thawed chicken breasts
• garlic salt
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 2 cups BBQ sauce + more to use as a condiment
• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce or spinach
• sliced sweet or dill pickles
• 1½ cups shredded Cache Valley Cheddar Monterey Jack cheese
• 6 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

1. Make the BBQ chicken two ways: cook in a crock pot and shred OR grill chicken breasts on BBQ
2. FOR SHREDDED BBQ CHICKEN:
3. Put 2-3 chicken breasts in crock pot with enough water to cover breasts halfway
4. Add ½ cup chopped onions
5. Add 2 teaspoons garlic salt
6. Cook thawed chicken breasts in crock-pot for 3-4 hours, or until chicken falls apart when touched with a fork
7. Drain any remaining excess water and shred chicken with two forks
8. Preheat oven to 375 F
9. Add 1 cup BBQ sauce to shredded chicken and mix well.
10. Add 1 cup shredded cheese to chicken. Set aside.
11. Dress buns with BBQ sauce or other preferred condiments
12. Spoon shredded chicken onto buns
13. Sprinkle as much cheese as desired on buns with chicken
14. Spread sliders onto cookie sheet and brush with melted butter
15. Bake at 375 F for 8-10 minutes or until chicken is warm and cheese is melted
16. Remove sliders from oven and top with sliced pickles and chopped lettuce
17. Serve warm with a side salad, fruit, chips, or any favorite BBQ sides
18. FOR GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS:
19. Preheat BBQ grill
20. Slice 2-3 raw chicken breasts in half horizontally with kitchen knife
21. Brush breasts with BBQ sauce and place on grill
22. Flip chicken breast when cooked on one side and brush flipped side with BBQ sauce
23. Repeat until chicken is cooked
24. Cut cooked chicken in half or thirds - small enough to fit onto buns
25. Repeat dressing instructions for shredded BBQ sliders
26. Serve with favorite BBQ sides and enjoy!

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Hello, friends, hello! How’s your summer so far? Mine’s been great! But, kind of JK. For three weeks I’ve been trying and failing to get a blog post up, and it keeps not happening, and it’s stressing me out.  Between my kids, their summer jobs and extracurriculars, and 100 degree days in Utah, I’m getting nothing done.

Zilch.

Also, did I mention my kids are home all day, hanging out? I didn’t?  Oh.  Well.  My kids are home, and well. All day every day they’re home. With me.  I’m fielding about 100 million questions per day, and ‘look at me‘ and ‘check this out‘, and ‘I’m bored‘, and ‘can you take me to ____?’ and ‘I’m hungry‘ and ‘entertain me‘. And my kids are great and I l0ve them, a lot, really. But mama needs a little space.

I usually love summer, but whoa, this summer I’m getting nothing done at all. I’m trying to soak it all in, all this time with my kids and fun! fun! fun! but honestly, I’m pretty tired.

On Facebook I asked my fellow work-at-home friends if they were experiencing the same thing, and basically I got a lot of, ‘sister, I feel this‘ and ‘please kill me now‘, (I’m paraphrasing) and ‘forget it, my life is ruined‘ (again, paraphrasing). I even got a few parents who reported, exactly down to the hour, how many days they still have left trapped at home with their precious babies. And they’re precious, don’t get me wrong. But I’m considering making a paper chain, like we do to count down to Christmas, only it will be how long until I can go without being interrupted in the bathroom.  So far, it’s zero days this summer.

Anyway.  I’d love to hear what you’re doing and if you’re going on any cool adventures, or if you’re at home binge-watching Netflix. For the record, binge-watching Netflix sounds like heaven to me right now. There are so many good shows to catch up on right now. But that’s neither here nor there. We’ll get to Netflix another time.

Right now I want to talk travel to whet your appetite for the fun stuff I’m going to share (eventually). My family went to France and Spain for three weeks at the very beginning of the summer and I think it was our best family vacation yet.  My kids were much younger the last time we went to Europe 6 years ago, so I wasn’t sure what to expect this time with older kids.  I have to say, all the traveling we’ve done with our kids has paid off.  Family trips can sometimes be challenging with littles, but every trip we’ve ever taken up to this point prepared us for this trip and it was completely wonderful from takeoff in Salt Lake City to landing three weeks later, back in Utah.

I have a lot of details and funny stories and helpful travel advice to share, (I have no less than 7 blog posts in my drafts folder)  but my kids are eating my time in 10,000 calorie chunks.  As I type this I’m sitting poolside at a hot, humid, overly-chlorinated swim team practice. I’m sneaking in work in 20 minute increments and, I have to tell you, I’m not having much success. I mean I need to start with being able to hide in my bathroom for five minutes at a time, and work my way up to blog posts. So instead of digging in today, I’m just going to share some photos of my family in Paris and Barcelona. It’s been such a happy summer, and hope our travel creates some wanderlust in you so you book that trip you’ve always wanted to take.  Really.

Anyway.  I’d love to hear what you’re doing and if you’re going on any cool adventures, or if you’re at home binge-watching Netflix. (For the record, binge-watching Netflix sounds like heaven to me right now. There are so many good shows to catch up on this summer.) But that’s neither here nor there.

So, I want you to be having the best happy summer ever. I really want to hear what you’re up to, so drop a comment and let me know! Are you counting down the days to a fun trip, are you getting your hair done and it looks extra gorgeous? Do you spend your nights on your porch sipping cocktails and watching the sunset? Are you at the pool or beach or lake all day? I want to know.

FRANCE + SPAIN:

Have a happy summer, friends!

Netflix is jam-packed with great T.V. shows and movies, and sometimes it’s hard to know where to start, especially if you’re looking for shows appropriate for kids.  The great thing about Netflix is that there is so much to choose from for kids of every age, from preschoolers to high schoolers and everything in-between.  I have a kid in junior high school and one in high school, so I’ll tell you what my “older” kids are watching on Netflix this summer.  Maybe you’ll get some great ideas to add to your queue, so if nothing else you can have kids distracted long enough to pull dinner together.  Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything, *cough*. It’s just a random suggestion from the ether.

Anyway, I’ve lumped our top 20 most watched shows into categories of middle aged kids, and high school aged kids.  My 12-year-old is in the middle school kids category, and my 17-year-old is in the high school kids range.  As always, use your discretion as a parent to decide what’s appropriate for your own kids, regardless of age.

MIDDLE AGED KIDS

• Moana
• The Flash
• Supergirl
• (Marvel) Agents of Shield
• Bunk’d
• Zootopia
• Minions
• The Secret Life of Pets
• The B.F.G.
• Finding Dory

HIGH SCHOOL KIDS

• The Office
• Parks and Recreation
• Friends
• Call the Midwife
• Arrested Development (not appropriate for all high school kids – use your discretion)
• Sherlock
• Moonrise Kingdom
• 10 Things I Hate About You
• Mean Girls
• Gilmore Girls

I swear, I’d give anything to have had Netflix available during my long, hot summers as a teenager in Utah.  I could’ve watched my favorite shows, bingeing on one season after another while I canned whatever fruit was ripe on my parents trees at any given moment.  My summers were an endless, itchy, sweat-fest of canning whatever my parents grew on their one acre yard: peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, pears, and random spiky garden vegetables. It was the worst.

In fact, if I could go back in time, my Netflix summer picks would look something like this:

ANGSTY OLDER KID, circa 1989-1996

• The Wonder Years
• Beverly Hills 90210 (the original)
• Frasier
• Cheers
• My So Called Life
• The Cosby Show
• Perfect Strangers
• Can’t Buy Me Love
• The Breakfast Club
• Top Gun

What are your kids watching right now? I’d love to hear about it.  And seriously, do tell, what would you have watched if you’d had the choice back in the day of Netflix summer picks?

Here are some other shows to watch on Netflix this summer:

• Summer Movie Nights
• Have time to Binge?
• Family Friendly Shows
• The Turkish soap you never knew you always needed in your life

// P.S. This post is in partnership as a member of the Netflix Stream Team, which basically means I watch a lot of Netflix and find all the good stuff for you. You’re welcome //

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