If there is one side dish that always gets devoured, it's rice  It's such a good filler and it's very versatile, so I always keep some in the pantry.  This Instant Pot Fried Rice is SO good.  Serve it alongside orange chicken, Crispy Ginger Beef, beef & broccoli, or even Instant Pot Korean Beef.  I …

We all know that sleep is important for survival, but did you know that the quality of your sleep and the mattress you sleep on can improve your mood, health and life?  Read on to see why I am saying that the gift of sleep is the best idea this holiday season, brought to you …

BBQ Chicken Queso is sponsored.  All opinions are mine. Being from Texas, queso is basically considered a food group!  Queso is made in many different ways with many different delicious cheeses.  I wanted to change up the game with this delicious BBQ Chicken Queso!  It's perfect for tailgating or watching football games at home!  The …

As children grow up and go through different phases, we parents have to adjust our approach to just about everything.  Read on to see how I've simplified shopping with kids, while encouraging them to be independent with this simple trick and a little planning, with help from our sponsor, Stonyfield® Organic YoKids®.   When we had our first son, …

I was given the opportunity to take this Ford Transit Connect on a road trip with all three boys this summer.  Thanks to Ford for giving me this fun ride at no cost as we explored the area of Texas where I was born and raised! For the longest time, I was nervous about traveling …

Dinnertime is something that we hold sacred in our house.  That means that sometimes we are sitting down to eat dinner at 4:30 PM, but if that's what it takes, then we make it happen.  It is the one time of the day that all of us can get together and talk about our day, …

Create a Fun I Spy Bottle for Sick Days! There is nothing that I dislike more than when my kids are sick. The only good things that come out of sicknesses are lots of snuggles and also, lots of joy when they are finally better!  It is funny how grateful I become after my children get well from their …

Growing up, my mom would always make the best smoked sausage. Every one of us loved nights when it was on the menu. I remember her carefully turning each piece of cut smoked sausage in the pan and the delicious smell that filled the house. Funny how little things like that can make such great …

I, along with many other Americans, have an obsession with pumpkins. The colors are just amazing and I love how they add so much to the front porch or a picture with the family.  Fall is the absolute best and pumpkins are what make it so awesome!

How To Upgrade Your Front Door For A More Elegant Look was brought to you by Zabitat. All opinions are mine. When we moved into our home over six years ago, the door looked great.  It's amazing how three kids and six years have taken a toll on it.  There were scratches, black spots, and …

This chocolate covered strawberry Mickey Mouse cereal bars was brought to you by Post cereals.  All opinions are mine. As a child, I always loved it when my mom made peanut butter cereal balls.  They were SO good and would disappear very quickly.  While these ARE delicious (especially with Malt O Meal Peanut Butter Cups!), …

What top tech gift does mom want this year?  The Roomba has been brought to you by Best Buy.  All opinions are mine. Believe it or not, the holiday season is quickly approaching.  I know, I know, you probably don't want to even think about it, but Christmas came early for this mom and I …

Make This Fun DIY Soccer Keychain And Soccer Snacks For The Game has been sponsored. The end of summer means a lot of different things to different people.  School, football season, and band have all begun.  For our family, it means one thing:  soccer. Hubby has been the assistant coach for our 8 year old for eight …

How To Quickly Identify Plants And Trees was brought to you by PlantSnap App.  All opinions are mine. Having three active kids  means lots of outdoor time!  We love to ride bikes, go for walks, go camping, go geocaching, have scavenger hunts, and just go to the park and enjoy the outdoors.  Our youngest, especially, …

Roasted Chipotle Steak Tacos and Steak Kabobs has been brought to you by Seeds of Change.  All opinions are mine. If there is one thing in this world that my husband loves to eat, it's steak.  Likewise, if there is one thing I love to eat the most, it's tacos.  I have always tried to …

15 Minute Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice contains affiliate links   We have Mexican food at least once a week.  While I do love  making Instant Pot Mexican Rice, I like to change it up a bit sometimes and make a different side dish.  Same rice, some of the same ingredients, but SUCH a different flavor! …

Yes, here I am again with a craft using these adorable yogurt jars!  They really are the perfect size for so many crafts!  The first thought I had when I bought Oui yogurt is that they look like little cauldrons.  They come with a foil lid so they're technically not jars, but pots, but they …

Some of my favorite memories from my childhood include the playground and the fun recess games that we played.  I remember swinging, riding on the merry-go-round, and flying up and down on the see-saws, but the times that we all were laughing and having fun was when we were playing recess games. Recess time was …

contains affiliate links Being a blogger is pretty awesome. I get to try new products that sometimes are not even in the stores yet. I get paid to try these new products and tell everyone about them.  Sometimes, these products are not good.  If that's the case, I tell the company I cannot proceed. I …

When I think back to my favorite Disney movies of all time, The Lion King always comes to mind.  It seems like just yesterday that I saw the tale of Simba the lion cub for the first time, but it was actually released in 1994!  Crazy!  Our kids love this movie and I am not even …

I had heard about this word - geocaching - many times.  I had seen people post about it online, but I never really looked into it.  Was it hard?  How do you get started?  What I found out that it is VERY easy and FUN and the best part is....it is a great way to …

This post was sponsored by the Texas Peanut Board.  All opinions are mine.  Enjoy this peanut butter pudding pie! If you read about my trip to Lubbock, Texas for the Peanut Tour, you will know that I am obsessed with peanuts and peanut butter right now!  If you have followed this blog for long, you …

This post, all about peanuts, has been sponsored by the Texas Peanut Board.  All opinions are mine.   I grew up in rural west Texas, near Abilene.  Which.  Isn't really west Texas, but if you haven't noticed, Texans sometimes have a weird way of describing where they are from.  (North Texas isn't the panhandle, in case …

Pulled Pork Smashed Potato Bites was sponsored by Curly's.  All opinions are mine.   Sometimes half of the dinnertime battle is time.  Unless I plan, which let's be honest, is very rare, I am scrambling at 4:30, trying to find the ingredients needed for a meal that I am throwing together at the last minute. …

  Some of my favorite memories with friends and family are centered around a delicious meal.  I can recall some of those meals, and they are often pasta!  I can remember the delicious pasta recipes my mom used to make, the meals at Italian restaurants, and even meals I have made in my own home for friends and …

How To Take The Best Back to School Pictures Every year I feel like I have things together for the first day of school, but in reality, it is always chaotic, no matter what!  I am scrambling to take that perfect "first day of school" picture and my kids just want to be done with …

Mickey And The Roadster Racers Juice Bottle Racers was brought to you by Disney Junior.  All opinions are mine.  contains affiliate links We have been enjoying the new shows from Disney Junior, this summer especially!  The three year old really loves "Mickey And The Roadster Racers."  It is Mickey and friends racing around in cars....what …

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Disney Junior.  DIY Disney FRiYAY Party! Being the mother of three boys, we haven't attended many Disney princess parties.  I am here to tell you, though, that all three of my boys and I LOVE to watch Disney Junior shows together.  Some of our favorites …

The state of Texas is known for quite a few things.  We love our Mexican food, sweet tea, and big, Texas-sized meals with family and friends.  Texans are full of pride for their state and they are also some of the friendliest folks you will ever meet. How to Create A Texas Sized Meal Whether you …

This post was brought to you by Hawaiian Falls.  All opinions are mine. It is hard for me to believe that July is almost over.  Life seems to be flying by these days, but the kids still need things to do or else we all go nuts in the house.  The hot Texas sun persuades …

This post was brought to you by Yoplait.  All opinions are mine. My husband's busiest time of the year is summer and funny enough, it's also when the kids are home from school.  I am not going to pretend it is all sunshine and happiness around here, because being a mom is hard.  Period.  I …

This post was sponsored by Tai Pei and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.  Enjoy delicious, convenient Chinese food at home, anytime. Sometimes deciding what to make is the hardest part of meal preparation.  Then there's the questions like will my kids eat it?  How long does it take to prepare?  Does …

 Disney Junior's latest DVD, Minnie's Happy Helpers, is out and I have some fun activity pages to celebrate!  There is also a giveaway at the bottom, so make sure not to miss it!

contains affiliate links While my kids like eating in their school cafeteria, I prefer them to take lunches from home.  Let's be honest though, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches get pretty boring after awhile, and some schools cannot even take peanut butter because of food allergies.  My oldest LOVES pizza, and these mini pizzas are …

Any parent of littles ones know that even though it is hot outside, kids cannot stay indoors all day.  I really have to get motivated to go outside, but I know how much it benefits all of us.  I have to make sure and plan well so we can have an enjoyable trip that does …

Paper Plate Party Masks contains affiliate links Here we are in the middle of summer.  It is HOT, the kids are BORED, and this mama needs to get on the ball and get some work done.  The boys love making crafts and it is a way to keep them occupied and away from screens, so …

<br /> <iframe src="https://5223490.fls.doubleclick.net/activityi;src=5223490;type=chedd0;cat=julyp0;dc_lat=;dc_rdid=;tag_for_child_directed_treatment=;ord=1?" width="1" height="1" frameborder="0" style="display:none"></iframe><br /> This post was sponsored by Cheddar's.  All opinions are mine. It's mid-July and the kids have been out of school for almost two months now.  It is crazy that summer is halfway over and the dreaded "s" word will be starting before we know it.  I …

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hyland’s Earache Drops.  The uses for Hyland’s products are based on traditional homeopathic practice. They have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration. My family always looks forward to summer.  There is nothing that my kids love more than swimming or playing …

How to take a family bike ride has been sponsored.  All opinions are mine. Getting outdoors has always been not only fun for our family over the years, but with three young boys, it is a necessity!  During the summer, it is hard to get motivated to get out and face the heat.  The rewards …