By Brigette Danielle

Hey y'all!
Looking for some healthy snack ideas for the kids? Then look no further. These healthy snacks are perfect for kids and their busy bodies. Summer has arrived and those kiddies are probably even more hungry now than ever since they are playing more, swimming more and of course lounging around doing nothing lol.
I don't know about your kids, but if they are anything like mine then they would rather snack all day than have an actual meal. The only time they really want to sit and eat is around dinner time. Probably because my husband is an amazing cook. My kids thrive off snacking.
Recently, my husband became a permanent work from home employee and while I am only part time, my days are very busy and can be very long. So, in an effort to make sure they are still eating healthy snacks and not cause disruption during our "business hours", I decided to take snacking to a whole new level for the kids.
A snack cart!
Having a snack cart will give the kids options throughout they day, me peace of mind knowing it's not all junk (which we rarely buy) and ensuring that they are taken care of while daddy and I are busy at work.
But what all should go on a healthy snack cart?
Well that really depends on you and your family's preference and needs. For our family, fruity snacks, plenty of water and fulfilling items are a must. So, I made sure to include as many of those types of things as possible.
To start your snack cart off right, make sure you have something that is sturdy, easily moveable and spacious enough to host a variety of things. I picked up this utility cart from Target for only $35 ( yay gift cards!) My SIL has one that is similar from Ikea and she said it is roughly the same price.

Next I stocked up on some spring water and flavor enhancers so they can shake it up a bit. We have been trying to cut out excess sugar by switching to flavored water or enhancers. This way- they will still get plenty of water but it won't be so boring.

After that, I grabbed their favorite fruity snacks. Apple sauce, fruit strips and of course some fruit snacks. I tend to alternate some of these from time to time but I was already at Target so I just grabbed everything from there.
Finally, I picked up the fulfilling items. Carbs and healthy fats! Thai loves pistachios so I grabbed a big container of those. Then I headed to the bulk section and grabbed Cliff bars, pop corn, gold fish and pretzels. The kiddos love all of these healthy snacks!

I also grabbed some party bowls from Dollar Tree to make sure that they had something to pour their snacks in and two storage containers to keep the things that are not packaged stored securely.
Overall, I am pretty pleased with this healthy snack cart idea for the kids. My goal is to keep it fully stocked at all times for them to enjoy the things they love without going overboard or sacrificing healthy options for junk.
What do you think of this snack cart idea? Would this be something you would implement in your home? What would you add/take away? Let me know in the comments below.

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Hey y'all

Happy March! It's hard to believe that spring break is practically here with summer quick to follow. During this time, you may be dreaming of a fun filled vacation for two or a vacation for the whole family. I know I am already planning our next trip lol.

Going on vacation doesn't have to break the bank- you can actually vacation on a budget and still have a great time.

But how? How do you vacation on a budget and still have a great time?

Well it's simple tbh... you plan for it.

Taking a vacation on a budget is something you should plan for for about 5-12 months depending on how tight your budget is, how many people are going and what you expect to do. Obviously the tighter the budget and the more people, the longer it may take to plan that vacation.

Over the years, I have learned a few tips to make our family trips enjoyable and loaded with fun. So, obviously I had to share what I have learned with y'all. :)

So, just how do you plan a vacation on a budget?

#1 Pick a place- When picking a vacation spot you want to pick a place that has something for everyone. If you are wanting to go to a theme park you will want to be near a city that has exciting ones. Same with water parks or unique places you will want to visit. A lot of these cities know that and tend to charge more. So when planning your vacation, book a place a little ways out from the city and you will see that most of the rentals are cheaper.

#2. Ditch the Hotel- A lot of people tend to go straight to hotels when planning a vacation. Do yourself a favor and ditch the hotels. Find amazing rentals on sites like VRBO.com or Airbnb.com. You will more than triple your space, and save when it comes to groceries. Staying in a hotel you will eventually have to spend extra money at restaurants or try to stock a mini fridge less than ideal foods. When you book a house, you can cook full meals and cut your grocery bill significantly by having leftovers. If you are planning a one night trip I would definitely calculate the costs beforehand. If you are staying for one day and there is only 2-4 of you, a hotel might be better.

#3. Negotiate- When booking a house, owners are usually willing to negotiate prices for extended stays. My most recent trip with friends forced us to have to relocate to a new house on our 2nd day. We found an amazing house but it was a little out of our budget. So, I sent a message to the property manager and explained the situation. I kindly asked them if they were willing to take our rental down from $275 a night to right around $200 a night for so many nights. They were more than kind and offered it to us at that price. Since we were staying for 8 nights, they were willing to knock off a few bucks to lock in a solid week.

#4. Split It- If you are planning a family vacation, couples vacation.. whatever, split the overall costs by pairing up with another family or couple. Having a big space and extra people to split it with will definitely make for more fun at a budget friendly cost. You can also vacation on a budget by splitting the cost of food, gas and more when splitting the costs.

#5. Do the FREE stuff- Every city has free attractions. Another way to have a budget friendly vacation is to find out about all the free things your area has to offer and pack them in your itinerary. Vacationing on the coast? Visit a different beach every day? Heading to the Midwest? Check out historical landmarks and hidden gems around town. Visiting a big city? Check out all the hot areas around town and take a stroll to take in the sights. You can always find something free to do no matter where you vacation.

#6. Shop for discount tickets- There are a lot of travel agents and places that offer tickets sales during the year. Some theme parks have huge end of summer sales. Grab some tickets for a later trip and save. Make sure you read the fine print for blackout dates and expiration dates. You can also stop by a travel center for special rates on tickets and attractions as well.

Are you planning a trip with your family any time soon? Where is your dream vacation? Favorite vacation place? Let me know in the comments below.

*Check out these two video tours from two of our most recent trips*

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Hey y'all!
Can you believe it is 2021? We are officially out of 2020 and to be honest- I feel like 2020 barely existed lol. Don't get me wrong... the days still dragged and there were plenty of wonderful moments. But most of it was a blur.
One thing I was able to see clearly was that my role in my household had changed. I was officially transitioning from a stay at home mom to a working mom. While my husband works on a new career path it was decided that I would head back to the working world and get a full time job. Thankfully- God provided me with a job that would allow me to work from home and make a decent amount with my little work experience.
During my transition from a stay at home mom to a working mom, the first few months were HARD. And by hard I mean cry on my break, sleep in until noon on my day off hard. I was so stressed out and tired that my body literally started to break down. I was over my head and out of my league. Thankfully I had awesome friends to encourage me and my husband to stand beside me.

Through out this whole transition to working mom, I was able to reflect on a lot of things AND come to terms with things about myself that I may have not realized.
The first thing I realized was my husband is AWESOME! He has always been a hard working guy. When he was able- he always worked over time. When he was off work, he found side things to do to make money, grow spiritually and help me around the house. He truly carried our family on his back and for years. And for that I am beyond thankful.
The second thing I realized was that my kids are growing up faster than I thought. Being at a desk all day was taking me away from them and it hurt. I was missing our time together and so were they. Plus- they began to struggle in school and that was hard for everyone.
The stay at home mom to working mom transition period stinks- but it can get better.
Here is how you can transition from being a stay at home mom to a working mom.
1. Set a clear expectation- When going back into the work force you have to have a clear idea of what you will and won't be able to do. Understand that you are human and can only do so much. Talk about schedules with your husband so you both can refrain from burn out. When we talked about me going back, I didn't think about the cooking and cleaning so much (I should have). I just thought I would work and do business as usual. Boy was I wrong lol. Having a clear understanding that pretty much everything will change will make this transition much easier.
2. Pace yourself- If you are able, pace yourself back to work. Being a stay at home mom and going to work full time right away feels like a shock to the body. Try finding a part time job instead of going full time right away or find a "side job" that you can create your own schedule like driving for a rideshare company or doing freelance work.

3. Step out of the Momdrobe- Another way to transition from stay at home mom to working mom is investing into your wardrobe. As moms, we tend to stick to what we are comfortable in. Especially when we are a stay at home mom. When you get ready to enter the workforce, grad some new clothes that you will love to wear to work. New clothes will definitely help you prepare for this new chapter.
4. Find a job you love- We all know that a job is just that- a job. In most cases you are just working to ensure that you can provide for your family. And that is a wonderful thing! However, when making the transition from stay at home mom to working mom, finding a job you love will definitely make it easier. If you are like me then staying home with the kids is the DREAM job- so leaving it to work elsewhere is extremely hard.

I have now been working at my job for 6 months. When I first started this post, I was full time. I decided I needed to scale back to reduce my stress and make sure that I was more present to homeschool my children. Every family is different, so please consider this a mere guide to help make it a little easier when changing your family dynamic.
I hope these few tips help you and your transition to being a working mom a little easier.
Are you a working mom? What do you find to be the biggest challenge? Let me know in the comments below.

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