fall

Recipe: The Best Salad Ever

Abby H.

This salad is dead simple. And delicious. And I could probably eat it every day for the rest of my life. I had one last night, and this morning for breakfast.

YES- breakfast salad is a thing.

Let’s get this out of the way: This salad is vegetarian, but it is not vegan. To my knowledge, there is no goat cheese vegan substitute.

The Best Salad Ever

Ingredients:

  • 8 cups of greens (I like Romaine, arugula, endive, radicchio, and a fistful of spinach)
  • 1 cup strawberries, de-stemmed and sliced
  • 1 English cucumber, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 Granny Smith Apple, cut into bite-size pieces (leave the skin on)
  • 1/4 c candied pecans, roughly chopped
  • 4-ounces of goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1/8 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Directions:

  1. Toss all ingredients in a large chilled salad bowl- serve ASAP.

This recipe serves 4-6 as a side dish or 2-3 as a main dish. None of these ingredients are hard to find- I picked everything up at Target (I ordered on the app of course, and I did drive up pick up with the kids after school!).

It is really tasty with grilled chicken breast on top.

2022 Brick-or-Treat at Legoland California

Abby H.

It’s back!! My kids love Legoland and I’m so excited for Brick or Treat this year!

Park guests received an early Halloween “treat” as LEGO® Monsters began to arrive for LEGOLAND® California Resort’s Halloween celebration, Brick-or-Treat presents Monster Party. Witches, ghouls, and vampires made their way to the entrance of the family theme park to join LEGO® Zombie Cheerleader and Monster Rocker just in time to boogie down as the Park transforms into the ultimate children’s Halloween celebration. Beginning Sept. 17, families are encouraged to grab their festive costumes and join in on the fun!

In addition to the new LEGO® characters, Brick-or-Treat features the debut of the all-new 4D movie “The Great Monster Chase,” a kid-friendly scare trail, elaborate décor, LEGO building activities, new entertainment and treat stations. For even more electrifying excitement, the Park’s signature roller coaster has been transformed into the Disco Dragon Coaster with a groovy soundtrack and festive decorations.

Brick-or-Treat is included in a general admission ticket and select annual passes. The Halloween festivities begin Saturday, Sept. 17, and continue every Saturday through Oct. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 30. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.legoland.com/california.

Tryazon Sweet Chaos Fall Snacking Party

Abby H.

We’ve been participating in Tryazon events for three+ years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, and food.  You can learn more about Tryazon here.

Bring the sweet to life’s chaos, with this Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, from Sweet Chaos. Featuring delicious fall flavors like Vanilla Chai, Pumpkin Spice, and Candy Corn, Sweet Chaos is the perfect mix of your favorite sweet & salty snacks and a delightful break in your day. Just pour a popcorn bowl of your favorite fall flavor, take a breath, then a bite, and remember to enjoy the chaos!

Tryazon and Sweet Chaos has 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack with a variety of Sweet Chaos popcorn and other extras to share with friends and family! Learn more and apply here.

My Favorite Things and a $100 Gift Card Giveaway!

Abby H.15 Comments

I had respite last night, so I ran some errands and stopped to pick up a couple of my favorite things, and after my trip to CVS the other day, I knew I had to do this post. I posted about my trip here on Instagram.

I’ve shared my favorite things before, and this autumn I’ve got some new favs to share.

Note: This list is 100% pumpkin and pumpkin spice free. I know y’all love both, but I’m not a big gourd fan.

Gaiam Finger Massager Dual-Sided Hand Massage Roller Tool for Circulation, Stress, Arthritis and Hand Pain Relief- I picked one of these up at Target and it has done wonders for my stiff hands and fingers. And less than $10. I use it daily.

Tree Hut Sugar Scrubs. I like the Moroccan Rose (which I assure you does not smell like roses or old ladies), but the mango is good too. I usually buy it at Target, and it comes in 4 or 5 scents. Because it’s made with sugar, you can use it on freshly shaved skin!

I needed new sneakers for my job, so I picked up these New Balance Women’s Fresh Foam 1080 V11 Running Shoes and it’s like walking on a cloud! If you’ve seen my Instagram feed, you’ve seen my weekly posts of my step counts. I get a lot of walking in each weekday, and my feet needed something more supportive.

Speaking of support, I’m going to fully embrace my descent into becoming an old lady when I tell you compression socks are where it’s at. Seriously, they keep my legs warm, and they keep the soreness in my feet and legs at bay. This is super important when you are walking upwards of 15,000 steps a day.

How do I have the energy to do all that walking? I’ve recently come to appreciate the Espresso Con Panna. It’s two (or more) shots of espresso topped with whipped cream. Yup. so delicious.  And water. Lots of water. don’t forget to hydrate!

And possibly my most favorite items this fall are Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant and Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser. I have been in love with these products for like 10 years. Probably longer. Ever since I was introduced to Dermalogica in beauty school, I fell in love with their products, and for the longest time, I didn’t use them because I couldn’t afford them.

Now it’s sold at CVS. In the fancy/expensive product area. Where it’s all locked up. I had a 30% off my entire purchase coupon and I also had some extra care bucks, so I decided to splurge.

My skin has not felt this good in so long, I am frugal, and I always try to use quality skincare products, but I think I’m going back to Dermalogica 100% now.

Life has kicked up a notch, and I’ve been so busy. You’ve probably noticed fewer posts here and on Social Media.

I wanted to celebrate my new job and this awesome season by giving away a $100 gift card. The winner gets to choose either an Amazon.com GC, or a Target gift card to be delivered via email. More information and deets will be listed below.

Enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter here. Your first step is to leave a comment on this blog post. I want to know what you would buy yourself if you won. I want you to spend this gift card on yourself! New cozy sweaters, or some of the items on my Favorite Things list! I’ll choose a winner on 11/6/21- that gives you plenty of time to enter- there are entries you can do daily.

**Details, etc. Contest available to US residents only. The winner will select from $100 Amazon.com GC or $100 target GC to be delivered via email within 24 business hours of confirmation/certification of the winner. Failure to respond within 24 business hours to the winning email will result in forfeiture of the prize and a runner-up will be selected.

 

Legoland CA: Brick-Or-Treat is Back for 2021!!

Abby H.

Brick-or-treat is back at Legoland California for 2021! And if you buy your tickets before 8/16/2021, you’ll save some cash! Prices and packages can be seen here.

Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND® California Resort is back with even more Halloween excitement! The Park is open after dark at the only kid-focused Halloween event in Southern California, every Saturday in October. Enjoy rides open late, trick-or-treating, live entertainment, Halloween décor, and more! Eat, drink, and be scary with seasonal food and beverage options for the whole family.

SEA LIFE® aquarium joins in on the celebration with Halloween décor, live creatures, and spooky-fun exhibits. There’s so much to do, you’ll want to have a Halloween sleepover just steps away from the Park entrance at the amazing LEGOLAND Hotel and LEGOLAND Castle Hotel.

  • October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
  • Live entertainment + shows!
  • Character Meet and Greets
  • Costume Contest
  • Treat stations
  • Dance Parties
  • Plus, don’t miss candy, decorations, and your fishy friends at SEA LIFE® Aquarium!

Fall and Halloween Crafts at Dollar Tree!

Abby H.

Fall is right around the corner, and that means it’s time for Fall and Halloween crafts!

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen my post last week. Many of our local Dollar Tree stores are well stocked with Harvest, Halloween, and Dia de Los Muertos crafting supplies.

I love the paintable skulls, and the large wooden cutouts (I got a pumpkin).

If you are looking for some craft ideas, check out the Dollar Tree Blog. They have some cool ideas, I love their wreath ideas!

I’ll be posting pics when I get my wooden crafts painted. Make sure to check out my Instagram account for lots of crafts and other fun stuff!

 

 

 

Fun, Inexpensive Halloween and Harvest Crafts from Dollar Tree!

Abby H.1 Comment

** This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Y’all know I love crafts and crafting and saving money. Dollar Tree has recently started carrying some really nice craft supplies, and they have really stepped up their Halloween craft game this year.

Here is a really cute DIY/Crafts made with Dollar Tree supplies: DIY Witch Hat Wreath

There are all sorts of craft supplies for Autumn, Halloween, and Thanksgiving available online or in-store. And if you aren’t feeling crafty, Dollar Tree has all sorts of fun, freaky, and spooky pre-made decor. I love the skeleton mermaids- We painted them and made them bikini tops from scrap mask fabric.
If you are looking replenish your craft supplies after the extended time at home (if you are like us, you did so many crafts, and so much art, we are out of so many supplies), Dollar Tree has you covered. Glue, paint, washi tape, scrapbooking paper, stickers, decals, Mod Podge, beads- You name it, Dollar Tree has it.

Their store brand, Crafters Square has a lot of great wooden craftables: birdhouses, cubes, trays, boxes. All waiting for your creative touch!

If you love to share your crafts or need inspiration, I recommend the Facebook Group: Dollar Tree Craftoholics. There are some extremely creative folks posting daily.

I’d love to see what kind of crafts you do too! Feel free to share a pic or drop a link in the comments!

Fall Recipe Round-Up!

Abby H.

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Thanksgiving in the US is just a few days away, and for most of us, it means cooking a HUGE feast to share with family or friends.

I wanted to share with you some of my family’s favorite fall recipes- They are all pretty tasty, and easy to make. Some are great for Thanksgiving dinner, and some are just tasty fall recipes.

My Favorites: Fall Edition

Abby H.

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For some of us, fall means changing leaves, cool weather, and busting out sweaters. For those of us in the South West, it means nothing has changed. EXCEPT: Santa Ana Winds, and fire danger is LIEK WHOAH.

None the less, there are some things that to me mean that fall is here! And here are just a few of my favorites:

Torani Sugar Free Brown Sugar Cinnamon Syrup– I love this stuff, especially in hot coffee with a little half and half. It’s like a cinnamon dolce latte but without the big price tag.

This stuff is also pretty tasty in oatmeal too.

And a bottle this size will last a few months.

24oz_Cup_Plain_WM_IcelandicCreamSkyr-400x400.pngSiggi’s Plain Skyr Whole Milk (Yogurt)– This stuff is THE BEST yogurt I’ve ever had. I love Greek Yogurt, but it’s got nothing on Siggi’s. It’s thicker, richer, and creamier than any other yogurt. It’s a great substitute for sour cream, and when mixed with fruit and granola (Like this stuff from Bear Naked– which is another one of my new favorite things), it’s heaven.

Slow Cooker Liners– Fall usually means that your Slow Cooker/Crockpot gets a lot of use. Nothing sucks more than scrubbing crusty stuff off the bottom of a slow cooker.

Enter the Slow Cooker Liner- it makes clean up soooo much easier. It’s kinda like a baking bag, but less crinkly.

Santa Ana winds and fire danger. Not fun for the environment. Also, not fun for people. The hot dry air makes your skin dry, it makes your lips chapped and cracked. UGH.  My favorite product hands down to combat the dry weather shenanigans:

Bag Balm. It’s awesome for your hands, feet, and lips. Slather some on your feet, cover with some cotton socks, and hop into bed. The next morning, your feet will look and feel a million times better.

 

Talk Back: What are some of your favorite items this fall?

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Cents of Style Deal- The Perfect Joanna Shirt $10.95 (Free Shipping Too!)

Abby H.

Boyfriend Tee

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Cents of Style is at it again with a great deal! This time with a soft, comfy shirt perfect for cool fall evenings (It’s still hot here in So. Cal during the day).

Joanna Perfect Boyfriend Tee is on sale this week, regularly priced $24.95, this week on sale for  $10.95 & FREE SHIPPING! Make sure to use coupon code JOANNA at checkout.

The sale goes through 11/3/19, and the best part is that the shirts come in Sizes: S-3XL, and are available in 15 colors!

I love the grey and the plum colors, but there are so many incredible, rich colors, I may buy a few more.

Perfect to layering, or pairing with a light scarf.