Cooking · Food · foodie

{20 trader joe’s products i’m obsessed with}

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My love for Trader Joe’s is so deep that I am willing to endure the most irritating parking lot situation in grocery store history.  Everyone’s shopped at Trader Joe’s at least once, right?  TJ’s features a wide array of foods at low prices.  It’s my go-to spot for everything from healthy (and not so healthy) snacks, pantry staples, cheese….just wait till you lay eyes on the massive selection.

Shopping here makes me feel healthy.  LOL.  Sounds so dumb, but I’m just being honest.  I feel good about myself when I walk through the doors.  The genuine workers, cleanliness and fab prices don’t hurt either.  Little does anyone know, I’m mainly there for the flowers, cheese and carbs….maybe something organic.  Sometimes.

I first hit the stems.  Aka gorgeous, I want to take them all, flower section.  They place this display, right smack dab in the center of the entrance.  Knowing B’s can’t contain themselves over all the beautiful varieties.  I probably spend the most time here.  Debating which ones will come home.  Even though they are a whopping $3.50, a lot of times, I even grab two and decide when it’s time to check out.

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Next, the produce aisle.  I have to admit – the pre-packaged shit isn’t that cool, but I buy it because it says “gluten-free,” “organic” or even “vegan”  Remember, I’m feeling pretty good about myself at this point.

Next up, the damn sample counter where a sweet old lady is slangin melt in yo mouth goodies.  And you’ve got to try it, or you’d be fucking rude.  Duh!  Next you scour the store, searching for a package of said free sample that you really don’t need at all.  Chances are, it’s going to sit in your freezer for the next two months before you even pop it in the oven.

Then you stumble upon the freezer section.  This is where the not-so-healthy comes into play.  Cookie butter ice cream.  Mac and Cheese Bites.  Mandarin Orange Chicken.   Chocolate Croissants.  It’s a lazy asses paradise.  Any and everything you can pop in the microwave.  I try to close my eyes as I make my way down this aisle.

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Before you know it you’re in the snacky stuff.  Lots of gems down these last two aisles.  Peanut butter stuffed pretzels.  21 Seasoning Salute.  Polenta.  Packages nuts.  Veggie straws.

Last, but definitely not least…the booze.  Two Buck Chuck might have been the wine that made Trader Joe’s famous, but it’s no longer the biggest draw.  Let’s cut the crap, Charles Shaw is just not that good.  Like at all.  Spend the extra five bucks and grab a bottle of Bogle and call it a day.  Your headache will thank you in the morning:)  They do carry lots of great bubbles + chards.  When in doubt, grab a cute bottle.  At least, that’s what I do.

 

20 Trader Joe’s Products I’m Obsessed With:

 

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Decor · home

{wednesday wish list}

I spent an entire lunch break at World Market last week.  I wanted EVERYTHING.  Don’t you hate it when that happens?  You have to remind yourself that you are not rich and you can not buy everything you see…lol.  I suggest you make a World Market trip in the new future to check out some of their new arrivals.  Lot’s of southwest flare + vintage pieces + jade (obsessed).  I’ve linked a few of the items currently on my wish list 🙂
{wednesday wish list}

 


Edison-Style String Lights // love the look of these vintage style string lights.  They would look great strung across the backyard.

 

White Punched Metal Lili Drum Stool // a very versatile piece that looks great in a living room or even an outdoor space.  And they come in tons of fun bright colors too.

 

Hello and Goodbye Doormat // greeting and farewell all in one.  BRILLIANT!!

 

Wood Edin Serving Tray // how could you not love the vintage-inspired delicate look of this tray.  I picture a beautiful cheese display or how about in the center of a coffee table topped with flowers:)  Check out the whole Edwin collection here.

 

Jade Colored Glass Pedestal Stand // although this is not classic jadeite, it’s truly beautiful in person.  You cant pass it up with that price tag.

 

Charcuterie Cutting Board // love the style of this rustic cutting board.  Perfect for entertaining.

 

Farmhouse Chalkboard // whitewashed farmhouse perfection.  Would make a darling addition to any kitchen to display a weekly menu.

 

Calypsa Upholstered Hairpin Bench  // the southwest flare of this bench has it at the top of my wish list.  It would be perfect in or master at the foot of the bed.

 

“Deer Departed” by Vivian Canbelle // I’ve been eyeing this hand-painted canvas for a long time.  Where would I put it?  I have NO idea, but I still want it, bad!!

 

What’s on your wish list for your home?  Spring always inspires me to freshen up our living space.  I just don’t know where to start.

xoxo stacyb

 

fitness · Kaia

{earth, wind + kaia}

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This cracked me up.  You have a great personality…lol.  This is 100% how I feel after the Holiday weekend.  Too much everything!!  I was back to Kaia Monday morning for a kick ass workout.  Literally.  It kicked my ass.

The new CORE Challenge – Keep On Truckin’ (K.O.T. Challenge)

Chase your pace…this is only YOUR race!!

I Love the message.  No matter how fast or slow…just keep on truckin’.

 

 

K.O.T. Challenge

WARM UP – 3 minutes of agility and strength –

High Knees, Lunges, Butt Kickers, Squats + Grapevine.

AMRAP – 20 reps of each

  1. Shoulder Thruster
  2. Plank Frogger
  3. Sit Up
  4. Tricep Push Up
  5. Squat Jump
  6. Run (to stop sign + back)

We have 15 minutes to get through this series as many times as possible.

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The Tricep Push Up kills me every time.  Clearly something I need to spend some time working on at home.

Below are my Week #1 + Week #2 Score Sheet results.  Week #1 I’m always a little unsure of what’s going on. Week #2 I was able to make it trough 2 more stop sign runs.  I was pumped.

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Cooking · diy · family · Food · foodie · Holidays · Kid Food · weekend

{weekend notes}

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“Morning” -minus the “good.”.  Pretty much sums up this morning.  I’m tired.  A yacht in the Caribbean drinking champagne sounds amazeballs right about now.  Anyone with me?

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Friday night we went to the Kings game.  Just the two of us.  And the Kings won.  I’m not a big sports fan, and I have to admit, it was a good game.  Best part – Tiffany!!  She sang I think we’re alone now!!!

And so we’re running just as fast as we can
Holdin’ onto one another’s hand
Tryin’ to get away into the night
And then you put your arms around me
And we tumble to the ground and then you say
I think we’re alone now
There doesn’t seem to be anyone around
I think we’re alone now
The beating of our hearts is the only sound

Peeps in the stands went crazy.  I may have been one of them…haha 🙂

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Then I got a beer-ga-rita.  It kinda made my night!!  For reals.

 

Saturday we celebrated Easter twice.  First with the Timothy family.  Check out GG + her great-grand kids.  This isn’t all of them either.

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We did the traditional BB gun + balloon shoot-out.  Followed with an egg hunt.

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Cooking · diy · family · Food · friday · gold · Holidays · Kaia · weekend · Wine

{friday 5}

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Lent is over in less than 48 hours peeps.  You know what that means right?  I will be reunited with my long lost best friend, Wine.  It’s been a looonnnnggg 40 days.  I may just drink it straight from the bottle.  Chardonnay is what I will be enjoying.  It’s been on my mind none stop…lol.  Now the big question?  What kind of chardonnay should I get??  I’m thinking that this is a celebration worthy of Rombauer.  What did you give up for lent?  Will you be indulging in what you gave up?  Or did you give it up for good?  Bailey and I will be cheersing with flavored water and chard, that’s just a given 🙂

Friday on xoxostacyb means one thing – 5 things on my mind…..

ONE Easter Brunch // Cory + I are hosting Easter brunch again this year.  Just our closest family.  I pulled out my parents wedding China.  Annnndddd did you take a peak at that gold flatware.  Thanks to my mama’s bestie Ronda 🙂  I mean, It’s so gorg I cant contain myself.  Rich heavy gold.  A table setting girls dream come true, really.   I found these bunny ear napkin holders in the $1 bin at Target.  Super bummed I could only find 1 package of 4.  You know Bailey is our house napkin folder so she decided she would try out the bunny fold from last years brunch.  Check it our here…..Super cute.

Our menu:

Honey Glazed Ham

Cheesy Potatoes

Spinach Orzo Salad

Mixed Fruit

Croissants + Berry Butter

Carrot Cake

Mimosas

WINE….Duh

It makes my mouth water…haha.  What’s on your Easter menu?

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diy · Holidays · kids

{easter eggs}

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Egg – a traditional symbol of fertility and rebirth.

Eggs are laid by female animals of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and fish, and have been eaten by humans for thousands of years.  Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen (egg white), and vitellus (egg yolk), contained within various thin membranes. The most popular choice for egg consumption are chicken eggs. Other popular choices for egg consumption are duck, quail, roe, and cavier.

Did you know the average American eats 250 eggs per year, which means on average, the U.S. eats more than 76.5 billion eggs?  Crazy right?  Luckily, egg farmers produce approximately 79 billion eggs each year.  I could easily eat an egg a day.  Hard boiled, fried or scrambled – I’ll take it.

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7 Things You Didn’t Know About Easter Eggs

1. Decorating eggs is an ancient tradition.  Fragments of carved ostrich eggs used as drinking vessels from 60,000 years ago in Africa.

2. In Germany, people dance with eggs. People put eggs on the floor and dance around them, trying not to break any.

3. The world’s biggest Easter egg was more than 34 feet tall.  According to Guinness World Records, the chocolate egg weighed 15,873 pounds. It was made in Italy.

4. Before plastic, Easter eggs were made with cardboard. During the 17th and 18th centuries, fillable eggs were made out of cardboard and covered with satin.

5. There’s a reason some chocolate eggs look like dinosaur eggs.The scaly, crocodile-skin texture you see on many chocolate Easter eggs was developed by German chocolatiers as an easy way to disguise any imperfections.

6. The most expensive chocolate Easter egg sold for more than $10,000. Weighing in at 110 pounds, the Venezuelan Amedei chocolate egg was decorated with gold flowers and chocolate pieces in unusual flavors like Japanese black vinegar and cassis.

7. The world’s largest Easter egg hunt consisted of 501,000 eggs.Nearly 10,000 children participated in the hunt, which was held in Cypress Gardens Adventure Park in Winter Haven, Florida.

Have you ever googled Hard Boiled Egg?  I have.  You get about 1,859,362 different versions all stating to be THE “fool proof method” or “easy peel.”  Check out my pinterest search here.  I boil eggs weekly.  Therefore, I’ve tried just about every recipe.  Boiling water, then adding eggs.  Bring to a boil, remove from heat and set for x amount of minutes.  Add baking powder.  Add salt.  Add vinegar.  Bake in the oven in muffin tin.  Older eggs peel best.

One of the best things Cory has taught me….How to Hard Boil Eggs.  lol.

  • place eggs in a pot
  • cover with 1 inch of cold water
  • place lid on pot
  • bring to a boil
  • boil for 20 minutes
  • drain + ice water bath

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Easy, huh?  And it works like a charm every time.

Now that we’ve got the basics down, let’s cut the shit and talk about Shaving Cream Dyed Easter eggs.  Subtle finished product, but wayyy more fun than the traditional store bought boxed kits.  Did I mention that it’s quick, inexpensive & easy too?

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Holidays · Kid Food · kids

{easter lunchbox love}

E A S T E R // E D I T I O N

Out of nowhere, I got a freakish amount of energy last night.  Like, I’ve been in bed by 8:30 pm since the time change.  Sleeping like a rock.  Has it effected anyone else like this?  I thought it was supposed to mess with kids sleeping schedules, not adults…lol.  Anyway, I got 25,000 fit bit steps – my flex hasn’t seen that much action in probably a month.  I finally pulled out all our Easter décor.  The week of, shocking right?  Planted flowers in the backyard.  If you follow me on Snapchat you saw the cute video of my gardening partner 🙂  Barbequed turkey burgers.  Finished Easter baskets.  Lots of laundry.  And whipped up a super cute lunch for Bailey, all with items in our fridge and pantry.  I was the energizer bunny.  I went to bed feeling accomplished.  I think I got my day light savings groove back.  It’s about time!!!

You know how I love a theme lunchbox, right?  Well, Easter is no exception.  I call it the Easter Egg Bento lunchbox.  I know Bailey is going to FLIP when she opens her lunchbox today:)

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California · family · friends · Holidays · kids · travel · weekend

{weekend notes}

Guess who’s back in the mother f’n house.  With a fat post for your mother f’n……you know the rest.

So I took a week off.  It was weird.  I only clicked on my blog 1 time in that whole week.  Just to make sure it was still there…lol.  It was much needed.  Although I absolutely LOVE writing this blog, it is very time consuming.  I felt as though there were too many things that I was not giving my 100% too that are far more important.

Let’s cut to the chase……

How was your weekend?  Do anything fun?  Relax?  Enjoy the gorgeous weather Saturday?  Wasn’t it phenomenal?

Friday night the Plainfield PTA threw yet another successful Silent Auction Dinner.

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I didn’t take ANY pictures the whole night.  This one here was sent to me….all these girls here put in a lot of time to make this event happen.  Contacting local vendors for wine + beer donations.  Local restaurants + stores for auction donations.  Some don’t realize that all those long tables FULL of baskets stuffed with goodies are donations.  Everything is donated.  It’s pretty amazing to see what our little community can do.  We raised close to $18,000.  BIG thank you to all the Plainfield families that came and showed their support.

Saturday morning we loaded up bright and early for our annual Stinson Beach trip.   Overnight bags + bikes in tow.

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The windy drive on HWY 1 is well worth it. This is what we saw out our window.

Stinson Beach is a three mile stretch of beautiful, flat beach with a nice backdrop of coast range.  This charming little beach town is located in Marin County near Muir Woods.   The seaside town has great restaurants + bars + coffee shops all within 1 block.  Once you park your car, there is no need to drive again.

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We chose the Sandpiper Inn to lay our heads.  This gem is so cozy and welcoming.  Best part – it’s about a 2 minute walk to the sandy Stinson beach.  We also stayed here last year, but in a much smaller room.  This time, we chose their Cottage.  The largest room they offer.  A 2 bedroom/1 bath.  Full kitchen.  Gas fireplace.  Sleeps 8 peeps.

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I love the beachy decor throughout the cottage.  The Dutch front door was the kids favorite.

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California · fitness · friends · travel · weekend

{friday 5}

 

Hello + Happy Friday from sunny San Diego.  Touched down last night and ready to shake a tail feather.  Hurry up and get here maestra Stover!!

 

 

ONE – When your girlfriend knows your day is going to suck balls and sends you the most gorgeous flower arrangement you’ve ever laid eyes on.  Yep, that happened.  I love you FOREVER Nicole.  Thanks for making me smile:)  I’d never heard of Farmgirl Flowers  till now.

 

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Food · foodie · Healthy · Kaia · Pumpkin

{overnight oats}

Never in my lifetime would I think overnight oats sounded good.  Until now.  Finally got sick of my go-to protein smoothie.  I’ve only had it for the last 8 weeks, almost every single morning.  Egg whites, ehh.  Still enjoy them, but I really just needed something new + healthy to throw in the rotation.  Grab + go is a HUGE plus.  And the fact that I can pre-make a few of these bad boys on the weekend to store in the fridge.  I caved and decided to give it a try.  Long story short.  Much to my surprise….I LOVED it!!

Kaia Friendly, gluten-free, clean, low fat, low cal, high protein.  What more can a girl ask for?

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Banana Bread Overnight Protein Oats

Here’s what you’ll need:

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