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Sunday, October 13, 2019

Tangled theme birthday party

When Celsey and I met years ago at church, we bonded over our love of all things cute and quickly found we have so much in common. We have planned quite a few parties over the years. Typically we believe the bigger the better. Now that her kids are getting old enough for friend parties where the parents don’t stay or even come in the door. We still want a cute party, but the little 5 year olds don’t seem to appreciate all the things quite like we do. We celebrated Mavi’s 5th birthday this weekend and decided to scale things back a bit. The party was still so much fun and so cute. It’s proof that a little extra effort goes a long way. 


Rapunzel and Flynn Rider 





Mummy wrap game-twist “hair” around partner for 20 seconds. See who can untangle their partner the fastest. It was a huge hit and although a big mess, the clean up was so fast. 

We made the piñata from a box and wrapped with a roll of paper perfect for a piñata. The kids had fun hitting it with the pan and swarmed to the candy when it broke/we broke it. If you use a box, make sure not to tape it too tight. 



The treat table was a little more scaled back than our usual parties. The kids has plenty of treats and we had a more appropriate amount of leftovers than our norm. 

Mother Gothel bowling

Each child picked 3 ducks. Ducks with a Rapunzel sticker got a prize. There may have been a little cheating, but there were plenty of prizes to accommodate the cheating:)

We added a few decorations to carry the theme. We used a large roll of plastic tablecloth and bunched it together and wrapped with a little tulle to create a table runner braid. 
All the kids had fun. The party was really cute. Mavi was happy. We were exhausted at the end so I would say it was a success. 

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Wear it Wednesday-hair extensions

For most of my life I’ve had pretty long hair. Every once in a while I cut it off for a while. Every single time I always wish I still had long hair. That’s the beauty of hair extensions. I can have the best of both worlds. I know a lot of people with more permanent extensions and they are so nice. I prefer the versatility of clip ins or even better a halo. I can take it in and out in minutes and go from short to long hair so fast. 

I have had clip in extensions for several years. They are fun to have, but I honestly don’t use them as much as I want to. I was excited to connect with Rubin extensions to try a halo instead. I really love it. It works well for me since I had a decent amount of my own hair. It’s easy to cover up the halo and all of a sudden I have long beautiful locks. 


Natural hair

With halo extensions from Rubin extensions 


I honestly cannot believe how well these blend. They perfectly matched my hair before I got my hair colored, and they perfectly matched after. They are easy to use and the quality is so nice. If you want to try them yourself, I partnered with Rubin extensions to offer a discount. Use code AUBREY for 10% off. Let me know if you try them. I would love to see them. 

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Canadian Re-do-Visit to Toronto

I went to Canada (the industrial part of Edmonton, in the winter, for work) about 10 years ago. Needless to say it wasn’t exactly my favorite. I hav wanted to go back and experience more of Canada ever since. 
I have been talking to Candace about coming to visit for a while. Plane tickets can be pretty pricey so when I found an amazing price I jumped on it. The amazing price came with a very long travel day each way but it was totally worth it. I had the best time with Candace, her family and friends, and it was a completely different experience this time. Although I planned this trip on my own, it is also nice to look for more affordable travel packages when traveling. 

We went to Niagara Falls the first day. We ate at the Rainforest Cafe, took a boat in the falls, and rode the Ferris wheel. 



We went to downtown Toronto on Saturday. We went up the CN tower, saw places Candace lived and worked, shopped a little and had dinner with her childhood friend Dorothy. 



We debated going up the tower and decided to do it. We saw parts of the city before the fog got very intense. 

We should be able to see all of Toronto with this photo. We laughed so hard at the total lack of visibility. 



We did a little shopping and ended up buying complete matching outfits. 

I loved meeting Dorothy and hearing stories from their childhood. 

I had a 12 hour layover in Chicago. Zach came over from Wisconsin and took me to dinner. It was good to escape the airport and especially good to see him and catch up. 

This trip to Canada was completely different than my last. I can’t wait to go back. 
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Niagara Falls-the Canadian Side

I have always wanted to go to Niagara Falls. All the pictures are beautiful and it seems like a bucket list item. I falsely assumed going to the Canadian or American side would be a similar experience. I was wrong. The Canadian side is much more lively. It is a tourist destination in every sense of the word. 
When Candace suggested Niagara Falls as part of my visit to Toronto I was pretty excited. I had no idea what I was in for. She told me there are quite a few fun things and attractions, but I was still very surprised when we turned onto the main street. It was very lively with all kinds of things to do. 

We started out with lunch at the rainforest cafe. We thought it would be a fun place for G, but Candace and I loved it just as much. We ate yummy food and loved all the animals and rainstorms. 

The actual falls are breath taking. The massive amount of water is unreal. 







We took the boat to see the falls. It was so cool to be so close to the falls. We definitely got wet but it was so worth it. We could really feel the rush of the falls being so close. 





We quickly figured out we had to tie our ponchos pretty tight or else we would be soaked. 





All of a sudden a rainbow appeared out of the mist. 







Ice cream treat after the falls 

Lots to do. We went on the Ferris wheel and had a good view of the whole street 

We did a little shopping before heading back to Toronto. 

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Tuesday, October 1, 2019

College/Anything Care Packages

Need a Study Break? Top Ideas for Your College Student’s Food Care Package

These ideas will be sure to help fuel any late night study sessions

*sponsored post

Even though it’s been a lot of years since I was in college, I am still away from home, family, and many friends. There is nothing better than a surprise care package. I love sending them just as much as I like receiving. It can be a little tricky to know exactly what to send.

Sometimes it’s tough being away from home. You’re in a new environment, making new friends, and studying all kinds of subjects. While all of this is exciting, it can sometimes be a little overwhelming! If you know a college student who is away from home, chances are they’d love to know that you’re thinking about them. A care package is a great way to send a little part of home their way, and is sure to put a smile on their face as well.


We’ve put together this list of some of the best food ideas for you to include in your next care package, and guaranteed to help fuel those long study sessions. So the next time your college student is gearing up to get some serious studying done, they won’t have to worry about where their snacks are going to come from!


Image courtesy of Money.com. Single serve meals are a great way to ensure your student is getting their meals, no matter what time of day!

Single Serving Portions of Their Favorite Foods

When putting together a care package for a college student, you may have to take a step back and remember what it’s like living in a dorm. You might not think single portion soups are all that incredible, but your college student sure does! Living in a dorm means they don’t have access to a stove top or an oven, and their primary means of heating up food and cooking is definitely going to be a microwave. 


So consider what kinds of foods your student enjoys, and see if it is available in a single portion size. There are all kinds of soups, noodle dishes, mac n’ cheese, and rice options-- all in a sealed container just waiting to be opened. Your student can then just heat up in their microwave and be on their way to enjoying a satisfying meal. When you’re hungry, it can be difficult to concentrate, so make sure to pack a couple of these in your care package.


These are great ideas for marathon study sessions, especially for those that go past the operating hours of the cafeteria. Your college student will appreciate the ease of use of these portions, and having access to it anytime they need it.


Image courtesy of Money.com. Sending baked goods to your college student will definitely put a smile on their face!

Homemade Baked Goods

When your student thinks of home, they might imagine all the good foods they enjoyed in your kitchen. Keep that memory alive and well for them, and consider adding some homemade baked goods into your food care package. If you love to bake, there are all kinds of options for cookies, brownies, and cupcakes. 


Opening up a package of some of these is like instantly being back at home, and sure to bring a smile. If cookies aren’t your thing, consider baking bread instead! You can customize the recipes to coincide with the seasons-- pumpkin bread in the fall, apple and walnut bread in the wintertime-- and their exam schedules. A fresh loaf of bread will help keep them focused during any study session, night or day!


Not a baker? That’s okay! See if there are any local bakeries around where your student is staying. Chances are they’ll be able to arrange a delivery, or if it is close enough, your student can pick it up instead. Fresh made baked goods are always a welcome addition to any dorm room or study session.

Snack Size Candy

Everyone likes a little something sweet once in a while, especially your college student! While they are hard at work, they might not have a lot of time to get to some much needed chocolate. Why not send them something for their sweet tooth in your next food care package? 


You don’t have to wait until Halloween to get your hands on some delicious candy either, and candy is greatly appreciated at any time of year. Pack a variety of candies, such as KitKats, Reese’s, Snickers, and Milky Ways-- which are sure to make your student’s room one of the most popular hang outs in the dorm.


Snack size candy is also extremely easy to pack into their bags as well. Just throwing a couple into their book bag will make for a nice study break treat no matter where they find themselves on campus!

Image courtesy of Food Network. Granola bars are packed with healthy ingredients for your college student, including fruit, grain, and nuts.

Something Healthy!

We’ve discussed a couple of snack food ideas sure to help out with study sessions, but this list should definitely include something healthy as well! Sometimes college students are too busy to stop at the cafeteria to get a hot breakfast, so make sure they have plenty of other options that they can easily store in their dorm room. Granola bars are a great option that will fill them up and keep them fueled for some serious studying. There are all kinds of options to choose from, so include a couple of flavors. That way, your student can mix it up a little, and not always find themselves eating the same thing. Consider including some herbal tea or healthy crackers to your package as well, as these are always appreciated especially at stressful times.


Although fresh fruit and vegetables don’t keep for that long, you can still send a healthy dried fruit and nut mix to your college student. Nuts are a great option to keep your college student focused on their work, and not worrying about where their next meal will come from.


Now that you’ve got a couple of ideas for food care packages to send to your favorite college student, it’s time to send some care packages! College students love to know that you’re thinking about them, and want them to succeed, no matter what they’re studying! What’s your favorite item to include in a food care package?