Summer Favorites- On the Go Snacks

So i failed and didn't post my Motivate Me Monday yesterday, but i was busy being an awesome mom! Yesterday I took the girls to Saint George to play at the Tabernacle Square splash pad and needless to say, they were in love! So i am just going to skip this week and post an epic MMM next Monday. So stay tuned.

Since i wrote about trying to explore and experience things more with the girls we have spent a good amount of our time outside. It has been great to be out of the house, in the sun and just playing. One thing we do quite a bit is head to the park or pool or even lounge in the back yard all day. I tend to pack our lunches and snack in a cooler bag so we are prepared to be away from the house all day and not eat fast food. It is really important to me that we eat healthy, I go in and out of feeling a need to be organic and all sorts of crunchy. I am back at it now. Our home is stocked with fruits and vegetables (all organic) and lots of other meal ingredients that are actually good for us. So anyways here is what the girls are loving, especially Leighton and they are semi healthy choices for on the go families. 

You can find all of these at Amazon, Target, Smiths and sometimes Costco.

We also eat a lot of apples, mandarin oranges, grapes and steamed carrots and broccoli.

What are your families favorite on the go snacks?

One Year and Beyond- Keeping your marriage alive

This weeks link up is about keeping your marriage alive with a toddler. I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Kaden and I have an awesome relationship but I have wondered what exactly we do to keep it that way. After two babies we seem to still be as lovey as ever. After paying attention to the two of us the past week I have came up with a few of the ways we keep our marriage alive. 

- We take interest in each others dreams. Kaden and I are huge dreamers and we talk about our ideas all the time. Our best talking time is in the car. It seems like we get a little one on one time when we drive. Basically we just tune out the two babies behind us and drift back to the time before they weren't around.

- We flirt. When Kaden walks in the door from work he is almost always greeted with a kiss. When i make dinner Kaden bugs me as he walks through the kitchen. We tease each other, call each other babe and laugh a lot. 

- We share the responsibility of putting Leighton to bed. This takes a lot of stress off of me and helps us to both be in good moods before we go to sleep. 

- We date. This is a big one. We love our children. Leighton and Emersyn are the best part of the our little family but time away is good for all of us. Dating after having the girls didn't come easy for us. We tend to do everything with the girls and we love it so we never even thought we needed more time alone. Then one day I wanted a break, we went to a movie and our lives were changed forever. Dating is the best thing you can do for your marriage. 

When you are chasing crazy stressful children around all day. Making time for one another doesn't always seem realistic. If you want to keep your marriage going strong, stay intimate with one another and have a fulfilling relationship, you have to develop a plan. For most couples i know that a loving relationship doesn't come as naturally as it did before children entered the picture. Being open with each other and deciding how you are going to stay close is the best way to start. When you are on the same page it is so much easier to know what will help you to get past the fact that your world is being rocked by a 2 year old. The four simple things we do help us to continue to grow closer and feel loved. 

One Year and Beyond is back!!  We just couldn't stay away from this awesome toddler series.  We've gotten so much positive response so far.  Motherhood can be difficult especially with a toddler at home.  So we're here to talk toddler issues, mom to mom.  We've got a great group of mamas who are offering their advice on getting through those challenging times with their child.  Be sure to check out their blogs and then link up your own post on the topic with us below!

Like a Morning Cup of Coffee// From Here to Eternity// The Not Quite Military Wife//

A Cowboy's Life// My Delicious Adventure// Sadie Sky Boutique// Meet the Sullivan's//

Love and Life//  Foxy's Domestic Side// Everyday Love// Life of Faith

July 10:  Keeping your marriage alive with a toddler

July 17:  Favorite summer toddler activities

July 24:  Helping Your Toddler to Communicate (Words, emotions, etc.)

July 31:  Dealing with Separation Anxiety

Aug 7:    Car Trip Necessities

Aug 14:  Deciding when the time is right for baby #2 (and/or how to handle these questions)

Aug 21:  Tricks for eating out with your toddler

Aug 28:  Feeling confident as a mom (How to feel this way, Your struggle with, etc.)

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Favorites- Traveling Must haves

We are heading out of town first thing in the morning for Salt Lake. Anyone else going to bright night on Thursday? I am so excited. But anyways since we travel sooo much I have just a few things that i feel like are must haves right now. 

Backpack- Forever21. Amazingly comfy pants- Anthropologie. Wrap- Solly Wrap. Polaroid camera- Amazon.

Motivate Me Monday- Some Perspective

Last week was kind of a dream. We played so much as a family and it was perfect. Spending time together having fun was exactly what i needed. During our stress free time together i realized that i have been taking advantage of the days i get to spend with my girls. I worry too much about making things be just so and i expect way too much out  of Leighton. Both of my girls are just babies. Even though Leighton is a crazy toddler, she is supposed to be. She is two and I catch myself telling her not to cry that she isn't a baby. Just because Emersyn is a much smaller baby doesn't mean Leighton isn't one. Since i have started treating her more like i should not expecting her to listen to every thing i ask her to do, we have been able to enjoy each other so much more. I only have so long with these two and i plan to see each day with them as blessed. 

"Its not what you look at that matters, its what you see." 

- Thoreau

Sweet Summer Days, Our June Review

I know i talk about summer in basically every post. Clearly our winter/ spring thing we had going on was not good to me. This June summer has been perfect though. I obsessed over getting away and planning a luxurious vacation for the longest time and right now I am glad it never happened. I have been learning to appreciate the simple life and it is oh so sweet. We have spent most of our days at the park or lounging around the house. We have made a couple visits to Logandale but besides that we have been experiencing all that Cedar summers have to offer.

We filled our yard with flowers.

Spent some time in Logandale.

Leighton started swim lessons and Emersyn watched.

Jess and I tried to teach the kids their letters in a fun way.

We braved the heat and spent most of our days at the park.

The girls spent lots of time with Grandma Nancy.

 All four of us enjoyed the summer games ceremony.

I ran the summer games 5k with Courtney.

We got to be VIPs (didnt mean anything) at the Iron County rodeo and Leighton chased the cash cow.

The girls spent an entire week being sick.

Road tripped to the valley again.

Kaden visited the aquatic center for the first time.

We tried out groovefest. Leighton discovered bounce houses and Emersyn chilled like this all night.

We clearly found ways to be busy and enjoyed all of it. I can't wait to see what July has in store for us!

Summer Favorites- Hot Days

We live in pretty high elevation and in Southern Utah so i know that some of you are going to laugh when you read this but some days here are hot. Not like the heat of Nevada where i truly believe the Lizards go to die, but hot enough that the kids don't want to be outside with out shade, or water. Since my goal this week is to work on being outside and exploring rather than inside and melting our brains with telivision i figured i would round up our favorite things for hot days. Which is kind of perfect since Friday is the 4th and who doesn't want to spend it outside?

 Sun Tent and Coconut Water- Amazon, Sandals and Dress- Old Navy, Sunscreen and Pool- Target

We Have an awesome pop up tent, not this exact one, i actually can't find it anywhere online. I grabbed it at target one day during one of my random shopping sprees and almost took it back because of buyers remorse. I am sooo glad i didn't. I keep it in the car and take it everywhere, the park, friends homes, on Sunday drives and I am even considering setting it up at the 4th of July parade. It isn't too big or small and if it had a brand or i had anyway of finding it i would buy like 10 of them so if i can always have one. 

Do any of you use the Honest company products? We love them! Leighton has the worst skin ever (poor girl) and I found their balm cleared her right up and she has zero break outs with this sun screen. Not as high of spf as i would like but it does the job. 

Old Navy is clearly our go to for so many reasons but you can't beat their prices on sandals for the kids. 

Most important thing while your in the sun? Staying hydrated. I am not a huge fan of coconut water. I think it is bitter and gross, but Leighton has always liked it which is great because it is so good for you. It is packed with electrolytes and vitamins and is totally natural. These pouches are convenient and way better than a juice box.

Hope you enjoy and I would love to hear your hot day go tos!

Motivate Me Monday- Lets Play

Where has this summer gone? I honestly can't believe that June is already over. At the first of the month i made a goal to work on pre-school type activities with the girls everyday. Well that hasn't worked out like i planned. We kind of fell into a funk of lounging a lot and watching too many movies when we are at home. Last week I watched Leighton play with her cousins and she was so involved in everything. She wants to be exploring and making messes and just learning. So we are going to play. We are going to run through the water, dig in the dirt, and paint with our fingers.  

Heres to being motivated to get out and play!