Patriotic Fashion - How To Wear Red, White & Blue

This weekend is the unofficial summer kickoff - Memorial Day. It's a weekend to remember and honor all of those brave men and women and their families that have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice.

It is also a weekend filled with family and fun actives, and the chance for you to wear your red, white and blue. Anyone with good fashion sense knows you don't want to look like a flag. . .but there are plenty of timeless pieces in red, white and blue that makes it easy to pull together a stylish look for any event.

I pulled together a casual picnic look - simple white shorts (whatever length is flattering to your body and age), a classic red polo shirt and some fun patriotic flip flops. Add a straw bag and maybe a baseball hat, and you are ready.

This look is more of a party or evening look - a feminine styled navy and white striped dress with a straw hat, silver link necklace and classic red wedges. A red clutch would finish this off perfectly.

We have a parade that passes right by our house for Memorial Day every year, and we invite friends over and hang out on the front lawn to enjoy. It's very casual, so depending on the temperatures, you can typically find me in jeans, white shorts or cropped pants, and a red t-shirt. The kids and even John get patriotic with navy shorts and red polos too.

Each year I put a bucket out with sunglasses and red, white and blue beads in it, in case anyone feels extra festive. I have been known to sport a headband with "boinkers" on it. . .

Patriotic colors are always in style, and with great basics it's easy to incorporate them into your Memorial Day look. Think jeans and a white shirt, paired with red sandals and a red belt. Easy, classic and stylish too.

How will you wear your red, white and blue this weekend?

catch you soon -

Why I Vlog | #vlogmom

This week's #vlogmom prompt comes from the #vlogmom group:

" Why do you Vlog? What are some of your tips for vlogging? "

This one was very easy for me - and at the end, I share two tips in case you want to get started in vlogging yourself.



So - do you vlog? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll subscribe to your channel!

I'd love it if you subscribed to my YouTube channel, then you won't miss a thing.

catch you soon -

Bird In Hand Family Inn: Our Stay in Lancaster County

Our stay was part of a press trip, and we were provided a free night at the Inn, including vouchers for dinner and breakfast. As always, all opinions are my very own.

When you say "Lancaster County",  a picturesque Amish setting comes to mind, and that's just what you see when you drive past the main office into the heart of the Bird In Hand Family Inn. They take Family Travel seriously, and have something for everyone.

The Rooms
Our room was a great size for four people. It was clean and equipped with a coffee maker, hair dryer, iron and ironing board. A couple things that bumped it up a notch for me, were the extra hooks on the back of the bathroom door (enough room for 4+ towels) and a heat lamp. The vanity was separate from the toilet and tub, so it was easy for multiple people to be getting ready at the same time. There are 125 rooms, including Family Suites and King Rooms. WiFi is complimentary, and cable television is available in all rooms.

Amenities and Extras
The Inn has three pools, a hot tub and a restaurant on site. If swimming isn't your thing, you can take advantage of the playground, tennis courts, mini golf courses or petting zoo. The Inn itself is situated on 10 acres of picturesque land, and you can even rent a scooter to take it all in. The grounds are beautiful, with rolling hills, green grasses, a pond filled with hungry fish and a pretty gazebo and picnic area.

One of the most well-known features is the Bird-In-Hand Family Restaurant and Smorgasbord. The restaurant features both menu-ordering or an amazing assortment of Lancaster County inspired recipes arranged in an expansive buffet. There is even a separate buffet for the kids, that includes all their favorites. And let's not forget the ice cream bar and homemade desserts!
 

Some things to Know Before You Go:

• You check in at the office and then drive to where your room is located.
• There is a fee to play mini golf.
• Food is available for $.25 to feed the animals and fish.
• The office has a small supply of necessities and is staffed with some super friendly and helpful people.
• There is a computer for guests to borrow in the main office.
• Room rates vary according to location and size, as well as the time of year.

We would definitely stay at this location again when visiting Lancaster, it was clean, comfortable and very family-friendly. Have you been to Lancaster County, PA? Where is your favorite place to stay?

catch you soon  -

Disclosure - we were guests of Girls Lunch Out and Bird In Hand Family Inn, as part of a Lancaster Press Trip.  We received one night's stay, as well as vouchers for dinner and breakfast. I was not compensated for this post, and as always, all opinions are my very own.

Fruit2O Review and Dial It Back App {sponsored}

This is a sponsored post, and I received free product in order to facilitate the review. As always, all opinions are my very own.

Does drinking water bore you? As you may know from reading this blog, I am making an attempt to get healthier this year, and my family is along for the ride. One of the ways I am trying to accomplish that goal is to DRINK MORE WATER.

I'm using my FitBit to track my water consumption. I'm adding some lemons and limes. . .but after a while, water can get boring and I find myself longing for something else.

Enter a few bottles of Fruit2O to review. . .here's what I thought about it:



The Dial It Back App (www.dialitback.com) is definitely worth checking out . . .we all want to show a little restraint. . .(well mostly) but it's hard to know where to start. If you check out the App, leave me a comment and let me know where it says you need to Dial It Back =)

catch you soon -

Menu Plan Monday - 2013 Week 21

I don't know about you, but in the last week or so, the time between school and bed has gotten CRAZY around here! I must admit, I am looking forward to school being over, and our more relaxed summer camp schedule.  In the meantime, for the most part, I am still planning meals made with real foods that can be put together ahead or thrown together quickly for busy nights. My goal is to keep servings to 400-500 calories each.

Here's how my menu is shaping up for this week:

Monday - Shrimp and Rice
Tuesday - Skillet chicken and Ravioli
Wednesday - Grab-n-Go Chicken Nuggets & Mac-n-Cheese
Thursday - Dumpling Soup with Bacon and Snow Peas
Friday - Pizza Night
Saturday and Sunday - TBD - grilling if the weather looks good.

This weekend is also the unofficial kick-off to summer, Memorial Day Weekend. What will you be making this week?

catch you soon -

I've linked up to I'm An Organizing Junkie - check it out for more inspiration or to link your own meal plan.