Author: Cami Grace

Summer, Summer, Summertime!

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I’ve always been a summer girl. Over the past few years, when fall started to creep in, I had wondered if I had turned into a fall girl instead. This summer has proved that’s not the case. I am absolutely in love with summer! Shorts (I don’t even care that my legs are so white this year), sandals, and sunshine. It’s the best!

Anyway, since we are about half way-ish through the summer I thought it would be a good time to check-in and see how we’re doing on our Summer Bucket List.

Here’s what we have done so far that was on our actual list

~ Make Sun Tea

We found this glass jar on clearance at Walmart and I love it! I love that it’s not plastic and it works better than any jar we’ve had before.

After 3 times of making sun tea this summer the 3rd time was the charm for getting it perfect! It takes 4 tea bags and it needs to get up to at least 80-85 degrees for the best brew.

~ Go to a Splash Pad

Look at the joy on that little guy’s face! We actually went with cousins to this splash pad and they had a blast! Gryffin preferred to run around the splash pad rather than through it, but you know, whatever. We definitely plan on going back as it was a big hit!

~ Go to a Baseball Game

Since the game didn’t start until 6:30 pm we didn’t get to stay for the whole thing, but it was still fun!

Technically I could add blow bubbles and run through the sprinklers on this list too, but I don’t have pictures of those yet!

At first glance I was a little bummed we haven’t gotten too far, but then I realized how much we’ve done that wasn’t on our list!

We had some friends unexpectedly come visit over 4th of July weekend and found some fun things to do while they were here.

CDA

Here was our time in Coeur d’Alene. We arrived early in the afternoon and went straight to find some food. We found a small restaurant called Rustic. Gryffin and I both shared the Turkey & Avacado Panini and added a fruit cup to the side. It was delicious!

Don’t mind Gryffin’s face – he had just taken a big drink with ice and was about ready to spit it out!

Next up, we went to the lake to go swimming. Actually, I’m not a great swimmer, so I was happy to sit on the beach (or steps in this case) and soak up some sun. Poor Gryffin was not a fan of the water either, so he mostly sat on my lap. Towards the end he finally felt comfortable enough to dangle his feet and then he found it pretty fun to splash daddy in the water too. Overall it was a great day!

Lavender Festival

The next day we went to a lavender festival. I had no idea we even had anything like this in our area! I only found out because I read a local news article that shared ideas for your summer bucket list. I had never been to one, but it looked like it would be fun.

The views were beautiful out in the country and the lavender smelled amazing! They had music, food, and you could pick your own lavender. I’m not a huge fan of lavender in my drinks (it tastes like perfume to me), but the lavender ice cream was delicious! Mikey, who has the same opinion as me, tried a sip of the lavender lemonade and said it was really good.

Unfortunately, the way there was pretty rough with a kid who gets car sick, so we won’t be doing that again any time soon, but I’m so glad we visited!

We’re only half way through the summer but we still have some pretty exciting things planned. Tomorrow we are having a yard sale, so that should be fun and then in a couple weeks we’re coming up on our summer “staycation”, which of course I’ll be sharing as well.

Anyway, I hope you all are having a great summer so far! Thanks for reading and following along!

Have a great weekend!

Social Media Break Challenge

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I have been noticing more and more how much time I spend on my phone and it’s been nagging at me. The sad part is I feel like it’s truly becoming an addiction.

I mindlessly pick up my phone at any given second and start scrolling through Instagram and Facebook. It doesn’t matter that I scrolled through less than a minute ago.

If I purposefully leave my phone in my purse for 15 minutes I literally start thinking about it and feel pulled to take it back out. My thoughts and excuses range from I’m bored or stressed, to I need a break, and then to “what if I missed something”? I mean, how sad is that?!

What’s more sad is that I have an adorable little boy who picks up my phone and hands it to me when he sees me without it. This is just not okay.

While I don’t want to get rid of my Facebook and Instagram accounts permanently, I definitely need a good break from them…and my phone in general. One weekend just isn’t going to cut it, so I’m challenging myself to take a full week off from my social media apps.

Here’s my plan. And, yes, it’s taking a full blown plan, otherwise I know it’s not going to happen.

Who:

Just me. I’ve heard of couples who have done this together, but I’m the one with the phone problem, my husband doesn’t have the same issue, thankfully.

What:

As we just discussed – taking a one week break from my Facebook and Instagram accounts.

When:

Saturday, July 13 – Saturday, July 20

Where:

Ummm…everywhere – home, work, and while I’m out and about.

Why:

For the reasons explained above

How:

I’ve put a lot of thought into this so here are the steps I’ve come up with

1 – Identify triggers

Since I tend to pull out my phone at any given moment, identifying the areas that trigger my “need” for my phone helps me come up with a plan on how to combat my impulse to reach for it.

2 – Come up with alternative activities.

Obviously I need to come up something to do instead, especially when I’m bored or stressed. I don’t want to replace one addictive activity on my phone for another, such as playing games. I need to look for other alternatives. My ideas are…

  • Pick up a book
  • Chat with a friend or visit with someone in the office (aka invest in real friendships)
  • Pick up an actual camera
  • Simply be in the moment (look around and take it all in – sights, sounds, smells)

3 – Address worry/fears

Ok, this might sounds stupid at first, but what has kept me from taking a break before has boiled down to two reasons: 1 – I might miss important news, 2 – there is a little message when you go to delete the Facebook app that it will delete all its data.

~ A solution to the first worry is to make an announcement on Facebook and/or Instagram that you’re taking a break, so if something big does happen, people know to reach out to you another way.

Honestly, the fact it’s only a week makes it less likely that I’m going to miss something. Even if I do miss something it should be easy enough to catch up.

~ The solution to the second issue was to Google what the message meant. I read that it basically means if you delete the app it will erase any saved passwords and settings you have saved on your phone for that app. So not a big deal. I will make sure that I remember my password and I can always re-set my settings if I need to.

~ Also, if you’re worried about missing reminders for friends birthdays you can always search “Birthdays” in the search bar on Facebook and a list will come up. You can then wish them a happy birthday ahead of time! :)

4 – Delete the apps from my phone.

I know myself way too well, and if I leave the apps on my phone I’m going to “accidentally” click on them, and once I “accidentally” click on them, I’m going to say something like “just this one time”, which will turn into 10. Yeah, no, they’ve got to go.

5. Put my phone away and GO LIVE MY LIFE.

Obviously I still need to use my phone, but I plan on putting it away for much of the week.

While I work, I will keep my phone in my purse that is kept in a drawer. I’ll check for phone calls periodically, mostly because with daycare you just never know. I will open the drawer to take a peek and close it right back up after.

At home I will keep it on the kitchen counter plugged in and the volume turned on so I don’t miss a phone call or text (I don’t get many phone calls or texts, so it’s really not a big deal). If I’m really struggling, I will give it to my husband to hang on to. With the apps completely removed from my device, I don’t think it’s going to be an issue.

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Honestly, I’m looking forward to the break. I’m hoping that through this I will find myself more present in the moment and mindful of my surroundings and the people in my life.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Much Love,

Cami

Cookie Monster to the Rescue!

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I’m taking a break from my Summer themed posts to give a shout to…that’s right…Cookie Monster!

There is a lot of problem solving you have to do on a day-to-day basis with a toddler. A lot of times you have to get creative and think outside the box. On more than one occasion I have used Cookie Monster to help me out.

I would seriously love to know how you have gotten creative with your kids and helped make a frustrating situation better!

Here’s how Cookie Monster has come to the rescue!

Cookie Monster Saves Diaper Change Meltdown!

Like most toddlers, Gryffin does not enjoy diaper changes. Smelling Gryffin a mile away I knew he needed a diaper change and I really didn’t want to chase him all over our house and struggle to get him to cooperate.

I look over and there is Cookie Monster with his big excited face just sitting there on the couch.

“Look Gryffin!, Cookie Monster is going to get his diaper changed too!”. I took Cookie Monster by the hand, put him on the changing mat, and put a diaper on him. Gryffin stared at him with a smile on his face and laughed. Sure enough, seconds later and Gryffin comes running over to the mat to get his diaper on too.

Phew, it worked!

Cookie Monster Saves Bedtime!

Gryffin is still going through a hard phase where he is afraid to be by himself in his room and it makes bedtime really difficult. He usually has a hard time falling asleep, and tosses and turns. While I’m there he would rather sit up in bed and talk and play.

At some point in time we brought Cookie Monster down to Gryffin’s room where he stays most of the time. I was having a really hard time getting Gryffin to settle down one night. I saw Cookie Monster sitting at the end of the bed and I pick him up.

“Hey Gryffin! Cookie Monster is up past his bedtime. Can you put him to bed? He needs to be under the blanket.” Gryffin laughed (ok, so it was more like a snort) but he thought it was pretty silly putting him to bed under the blanket.

“See how Cookie Monster is in bed? You need to be in bed too”. Sure enough, he crawled under the blanket too. He still took some time to fall asleep, but it was enough to calm him down and get him to lay in his own bed. Ha!

Cookie Monster Saves Drive Time!

Ok, so this doesn’t exactly have to do with Cookie Monster himself, but, have you heard to the Waze app? (This is totally not sponsored by the way!) It’s a navigation application and it will tell you the quickest route to your destination based on current traffic and any incidents that may have occurred on your way.

The best part about this app, is that it just so happens to have Cookie Monster’s voice as an option. He even celebrates with a cookie once you reach your destination. Gryffin loves it!

So, Cookie Monster, this post was for you! Thanks for having my back dude.

Pintersting Pins of the Week

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I’ve said it before, but I love Pinterest! I love gathering inspiration and ideas from others.

I found some great pins for my summer board this week and wanted to share them!

So here we go!

~ DIY Summer Wreath by Sarah Joy

DIY Summer Wreath for Your Front Porch

This summer wreath is beautiful! Bonus – she actually shows you how to make it! Scrolling through Pinterest there are a ton of wreaths you can buy, but I was really looking for something that I could maybe do myself. Voila! This is definitely going on my list of projects.

~ This Really Good Pasta Salad by Inspired by Charm

Really Good Pasta Salad - the BEST pasta salad recipe

Everyone needs a great pasta salad, especially for all those summer barbecues! This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it!

I have actually been following Inspired by Charm for a while now on Facebook and I just recently started following his Pinterest boards. I love his style and his food always looks so good!

~ S’mores Rice Krispies Treat Pinwheels by Trish with Mom on Timeout

Say goodbye to boring squares and hello to these fun S'mores Rice Krispies Treats Pinwheels! All the flavor of s'mores wrapped up inside a sweet rice krispies treat package!

Oh. my. goodness. These look delicious!! It just so happens that S’mores are on our Summer Bucket List and I’ve been wondering how we’re going to do it since we don’t have a fire pit and we aren’t planning on going anywhere with a campfire. I think I may have found the perfect alternative!

~ This summer decor arrangement by Lauren with Bless’er House

The top 20 IKEA items that look high-end for a low price to decorate a home that is timeless and with a modern farmhouse style. #ikeadecor #budgetdecor #budgetdecorating #cheapdecor #ikea #modernfarmhouse #classicdecor #traditionaldecor

I don’t really use pitchers very often, but they’re great for displaying flowers. I love the pop of yellow from the sunflowers. I definitely need more sunflowers in my life…and apparently a white pitcher. ;)

~ Summer Berry Sangria by Olivia’s Cuisine

Summer Berry Sangria | www.oliviascuisine.com | A delicious summer sangria made with Moscato, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries! #MiddleSister #DropsofWisdom #Sp

I’ve had Sangria before (and it’s so good!), but I’ve never actually made it. I decided that I’m going to change that after finding this. With all those delicious berries, it makes for a perfect summer drink.

So there you have it! Leave a comment below and let me know what’s on your summer list!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Much Love,

Cami

Currently – June 2019

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What a month this has been! I know we still have a week to go, but here’s a little recap of the month so far.

This month held my husband’s 34th birthday. We went to a fun Junior Police Academy kids event with Gryffin. On our way home from that event we blew out a tire and had to replace a full set of wheels (ouch…but thankful it wasn’t worse!). My husband started a new work schedule (this is only temporary). And we had to replace the alternator on our second car. Needless to say, this has been one expensive month!

Here’s what else we’ve been up to.

Currently Watching

For Mikey’s birthday we went and saw “Dark Phoenix” at the movie theater. The original plan was to actually watch “Avengers: Endgame”, however, we accidentally purchased tickets online for the wrong date (oops!). Sooo, this was our plan B.

I have to say, this movie, which I knew nothing about aside from the fact it was an X-Men movie, was actually really good! I was pleasantly surprised and left feeling glad that I watched it.

This weekend we plan on watching “I Can Only Imagine” on Amazon Prime. It’s been on our watch list for a while, but after seeing a clip of it again recently we are determined to watch it this weekend. I can tell it’s a powerful story.

Currently Reading

The Book of Hygge.  Ummmm….I kinda dropped off the reading wagon again. I have gotten really bad at starting and not finishing books.

With that being said, we’ve been spending a lot of time outside taking care of our yard and playing – soooo…that’s a good excuse, right??

Currently Making/Baking

Ultimate Reese’s Cheesecake Brownies. I made these for Mikey’s birthday and they were soooo good! I am kicking myself, yet again, for not getting a picture!

For the link to the recipe and pictures you can click here.

Taste wise, this gets a 10! They were so delicious. Our only mistake was that we didn’t bake it long enough and we forgot to check the middle before putting it in the fridge to cool (oops! rookie mistake). To be fair, we made this the night before around 11:00 p.m., we were exhausted, and we automatically assumed 40 minutes would give it plenty of bake time.

Anyway, this was really easy to make. I highly recommend!

Current Obsession

Canva!! I am seriously a nerd and I like to make logos in my free time. I’m pretty sure I could do this all day long! I really enjoy making the title images for my blog too.

I had a friend tell me she was having a hard time creating a logo and label for the soaps that she and her mom make and I quickly offered to help.

This is what I came up with for them!

Since then they actually ended up changing their business name, so I created a different logo for them that they liked and are using.

Anyway, just throwing this out there – if you ever need a logo created or business cards designed, let me know! I would love to help!

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So there you have it!

Let me know what you’re currently up to in the comments below!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Much Love,

Cami