Five On Friday

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join along!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E

First and foremost, I think it's safe to say that so many of us were touched in one way or another by Leslie Sisti, blogger at A Blonde Ambition. I was shocked and saddened by her passing this week from a congenital heart condition. Leslie exuded charm and grace in everything she did. A mama to two sweet baby girls, a wife to her loving husband, a daughter, a friend. I loved reading her blog, following her sweet family in Instagram, and watching her video tutorials. A fund has been set up (here) to help with her baby girls' college tuitions and weddings. This just breaks my heart.

  

T W O
Last night I hosted Supper Club at our home. We keep it simple: the host cooks the entire meal (appetizer, main dishes, dessert) and attendees just bring a bottle of wine. Last night we had mushroom ravioli with chorizo, spinach, and cherry tomatoes. Oh, and parmesan ... lots of parmesan. It was delish and I have great leftovers to take to the office today. And the girl time was wonderful, as always!

T H R E E
Calling all fellow breakfast and brunch lovers: check out this recipe ... Maple Sausage French Toast Bake.

A huge plus for me? It doesn't contain too many ingredients: breakfast sausage, a loaf of French bread, milk, eggs, salt, brown sugar, and maple syrup. I can't wait to make this!

F O U R
Speaking of breakfast... I love a cup of coffee in the morning, and earlier this week I Amazon Primed (is that a verb? cool.) an assortment of Crazy Cups coffee to our front door. I love this assortment of wacky flavors. So far, my favorites have been Apple Pie a la Mode, Frosted Oatmeal Cookie, and Bananas Foster Flambe.

If you are looking for some fun K-cups to use with your Keurig, you can find them on Amazon here. They are great for having around if you are hosting houseguests, too!

F I V E
And lastly ... amen!

via

TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!

Recipe Repost: Refrigerator Oatmeal

Three years ago, I posted this recipe for overnight oats. This is still one of my very favorite breakfasts to whip up in bulk for the week! You can add in whatever you may have in your fridge or pantry: berries, coconut flakes, chia seeds, honey, a spoonful of peanut butter ... mix and match to your heart's content! Enjoy this repost from July 2012, and happy breakfasting!

- April

+++++++

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day ... but when it's time to run out of the door in the morning, it's sometimes all too tempting to just grab a quick cup of coffee and call it a meal.

I've always been a breakfast lover, but I am also a bit of a procrastinator.  In the morning, every minute counts when it comes to getting ready -- and I hate being late to work.  I want a breakfast that is simple, healthy, and quick to grab.

Refrigerator oatmeal is an easy concept that you prepare the night before, and the best part is, preparation only takes a minute or two.

While there are many variations out there, I choose a pretty simple mixture of 1/4 cup uncooked steel-cut oats and 1/2 cup vanilla-flavored almond milk.

I vary the add-ins based on what I have on hand.  Frozen banana slices are an easy add-in, and these diced apples were tasty.  Other favorites have been diced peaches and blueberries.  Tomorrow I'll try adding in strawberries that I picked up at the farmer's market on Saturday.

Cinnamon is always a good add-in for me, and sometimes I add in a half or full packet of a sweetener.  Honey would be a great substitute.

Top it with a lid and give it a good shake ... into the fridge it goes overnight!

The next morning, this can be enjoyed cold with a spoon right out of the jar.  It has a consistency like muesli -- very good for a warm summer morning.

Have you tried this recipe yet?  What quick weekday breakfast do you enjoy most?

An Evening With Kendra Scott

Last Thursday evening was our summer soiree at the Kendra Scott store in South Park mall. The evening featured beautiful jewelry, champagne and sweet treats, facial spray tans, giveaways, and of course, lots of great girl time. I was able to cohost this event with Sarah from Sarah Sofia Productions and the very talented Katlyn from Katlyn Marie Photography captured these photos. 

We had a wonderful turnout, and I am so thankful to my friends and blog friends who made it out!

This last photo is me with Katlyn ... Katlyn, thank you so much for capturing this evening and sharing your photos with us! I look forward to working with you again!

Picture Me Strollin'

I check out fellow mamas ALL the time, mostly for their BABY GEAR. 
Yep, the #1 way that I do product research is just by looking around me and taking notes.
It's the best way to learn!

Here are my favorites (and my wishlist items) of the stroller variety.

BOB Revolution SE: At Target here
We have this in navy and I sort of think I could take Camille anywhere in it. Mountains, desert, beach, you name it. The large wheels give it tons of power and shock-absorbancy. We LOVE our BOB. And I love the navy color.

BuggyButler: On Zulily now (search BuggyButler) and similar at Bed Bath and Beyond
Yesterday I ordered this BuggyButler to put on our BOB and I can't wait for it to arrive! It boasts two insulated cup holders, a built-in cooler, cellphone pocket and dry cargo area for diapers, keys or wallets. Cha-ching.

Alternate choice: I also love this 3 Sprouts version on Amazon.

 

Brica Phone Pod Mount: On Amazon here
Under $10 and Amazon Prime eligible
This is the NUMBER ONE gadget I get asked about on our stroller. Everyone wants to know where I found my fancy-shmancy cell phone holder! I love this thing, and it's adjustable to fit many phones.

Double duty: You can also use this phone mount on the treadmill to hold your phone in place while exercising.

Clip-on Fan: On Amazon here
My next purchase. I want this for my stroller, and I also think it'd be great for my backseat (my Honda does not have rear vents ... BOO). During really hot days, I would love to clip it to the backseat headrest bars to send more air Camille's way. Super inexpensive and worth every penny. Prime eligible, also!

Carrier Toys: On Amazon here and also in my Etsy shop :)
Gotta keep them stimulated and occupied! Bonus points for toys that aren't an eyesore!

 

The Mommy Hook: On Amazon here
I once thought these were uber-unnecessary, but I live by mine. I can fit my purse and a shopping bag or three on it as it hangs from the handle of the carseat. Love this inexpensive gadget. A great item for a baby shower, and only $6.99.

Do tell ... do you have any of these items?

Any other stroller-related recommendations?

Freebie Alert - Today Only!

Just had to share this great deal!

One of my favorite photo sites, Shutterfly, is currently offering a free placemat -- through today. Just enter code OHJOY at checkout. The placemats are usually $11.99-$14.99 each. You have to pay for shipping -- it cost me $7.99 plus tax. I went with the alphabet print below, too cute.

They also offer non-baby themed placemats ... they have some cute monogrammed ones and pet-themed ones for your furry friends.

The OHJOY code can also be used through today for a free luggage tag or two 8x10 prints.

Never used Shutterfly? Click here to sign up for a new account and they will gift you 101 free photo prints!

11x17 Placemat

Saturday Sip + Shop

Sip:

Kiwi Blueberry Mojito
Recipe here at Laylita's Recipes

Shop:




Lilly Pulitzer Neoprene Coozie
$6 with FREE shipping here
5 patterns available

Sidenote: I call the item above a coozie. What do you call it? Koozie? Can cooler? Drink hugger? 

Five On Friday

It's time for another edition of Five on Friday and I do hope you'll join along!

Remember, all you have to do is post about five things on your mind, add our logo (found at the bottom of this post), and join the party using the linky tools below. Easy, and a great way to find new blogs and be found. :)

O N E
Last night was our event at Kendra Scott, and it could not have gone better. Sarah from Sarah Sofia Productions was a joy to co-host with, and Kelsea at Kendra Scott had the store looking beautiful! We had an awesome turnout. I wore my new favorite dress, the black jersey swing dress from Old Navy. It kinda feels like you are wearing pajamas... hence why I love it.

T W O
I highly, highly recommend this recipe from The Novice Chef for garlic roasted tomatoes. We made these Tuesday night and they were divine! They would also be a great addition to a pasta dish ... gimme gimme.

T H R E E
I received my newest Rocksbox shipment this week, and I was really excited to see these earrings in the box. I actually decided to keep them. To keep an item, you can purchase on the site or you can just leave it out of the box when you return your Rocksbox in the mail. Plus, you get the piece at a reduced Rocksbox price!

Rocksbox is easy: 1) Take a fun online style survey, 2) Receive 3 designer jewelry pieces in the mail and wear them as much as you'd like, 3) Mail the jewelry back in a prepaid envelope (stick it right in your mailbox -- no trip to UPS or FedEx necessary) and prepare yourself for your next shipment of 3 items to arrive. If you want to keep the three items for one day, cool. If you want to keep them for two months, cool. Your choice!

If you'd like to try this fun service out, visit rocksbox.com and enter code ALIZADVENTURESxoxo for one free month!

Exact earrings HERE

Other colors on big sale HERE

F O U R

Cuteness overload. About to brush teeth. We use the Tom's silly strawberry toothpaste for her and it has real, natural strawberry flavoring in it!

F I V E
This week has been my first FULL week back in the office since before Camille was born. Mamas working from offices, CHEERS to you. It's not for the faint of heart. I am soooo excited for the weekend and some great times with friends and family, starting tonight with a picnic in the park between two baby besties!

TGIF y'all, and hope you will join in on Five on Friday this week! Cheers to the weekend!