Date Night Every Night with HQ

I am huge believer in always dating your partner. It can get hard with kids & life, but for me it is a must for maintaining a healthy relationship with my husband.

Thankfully there is a new trivia app that brings us together every night. At 8pm we stop what we are doing around the house (The little one is usually already in bed) & come together for some good old fashion fun.

We are not the only ones doing this, millions of people around the world log in to compete for the cash prize. A host (last week Jimmy Kimmel hosted) reads you 12 questions. You have 10 seconds to chose from the 3 mutliple choices. When you get a question wrong you’re out. 

Can you get through all 12 questions? 

Now we still haven’t won any money, but we sure are having fun together. 

So start playing HQ, you don’t want to miss out. Use my code ‘seashellmccall‘ to sign up https://get.hqtrivia.com

Instant Pot

Life is crazy, it never stops, things constantly keep popping up. You would think with 2 weeks off from work (Amen, for school jobs) I would of got more done around the house over winter break. I wanted to go through all of our closets, organize the basement, deep clean … “start” 2018 off right. 

Well needless to say 2018 still started even if I wasn’t ready. Thankfully though this Christmas I got every Moms new best friend, the holy grail of kitchen gadgets, the Instant Pot.  

Dinner is done in a fraction of the time, in 1 pot. No more scrambling around to pull together a meal. (Okay, I will always be scrambling, but at least it is way less often) 

Not to mention you can cook frozen meat. That’s right. For the mom who always forgets to pull something out of the freezer before work, the Instant Pot is your sercet weapon to doing it all. 

There are a ton of recipes out there. Check out pinterest for inspiration or 1 of the 100’s of Facebook groups for Instant Pots. 

My latest meal was Tuscan Chicken, check out the recipe here. 

Hangovers & Toddlers … How to Survive

With Holiday season here that means tons of parties & more drinking. Wether your drinking to make it through Christmas dinner or just celebrating being reunited with family, one thing is the same … we are not 21 anymore & hangovers suck. Exspecially with a little human dependent on you, a.k.a. your toddler.

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Sweater: A.New.Day, from Target Clearance for $16, Shirt: Express, from 10 years ago, Jeans: Frame, from Opitz for $60, Shoes: Mossimo, from Target for $40, Necklace: Thrift Store for $5

Here are my go to’s for suriving the dreeded hangover with tots …

1. Water – tons of it & that electrolyte water like Smart or Fuji, but honestly the best stuff is your kids Pedialyte … chug that stuff!!! 
2. New Toys – I am not saying you need to go out & buy a new toy (that works though) but if you rotate toys (which is awesome BTW) take out a toy they haven’t had in a while that they love. Obviously not any of those loud-crazy-noise-making toys that everyone hates.
3. T.V. – let them watch what they want, this also goes for personal electronic 
4. Ibproufen – self explantory 
5. Dilevery – because we all know I am not cooking, also make sure you have tons of snacks for those hungry little monsters 
6. Bribery – literally this is all motherhood is. “You can have candy as long as you …” No shame here.

So go out, make the best of this holiday season, because you deserve it. Cheers! 🥂🍻🥂🍻🥂

Winter Bachelorette Party

Last weekend I got the oppurtunity to help plan a Winter Bachelorette Party for my dear friend Tanya.

Tanya & I met at work. She was the new 1st grade teacher & I was lucky enough to work with a student in her class. We became quick friends. Sharing many laughs through out the day & the occassional drink at happy hour.

 Tanya & I spent a ton of time at school together, but not a ton outside of school. (We live in different areas & lets be honest, it can be hard making time for friends with kids.) We made it work though, we became such good friends that she asked me to be apart of her wedding as her personal assistant. 

I was honored to say the least & so excitied that she had met her Prince Charming. (+ maybe she would start pushing out babies too, I could hope at least.)

One of my jobs as being personal assistant was helping plan the bachelorette party. This part made me a bit nervous. For one, we didn’t hang out much outside of school. Would she like what I planned? Thankfully it wasn’t just me planning.

I took on a couple of rolls, helping find the hotel, booking the restaurant, keeping track of who is & isn’t coming, & lastely the appiterziers. 

This I knew I would rock & on a budget too. Since the party was themed Winter Wonderland in downtown St. Paul, I wanted to do a charcuterie board. (My new go to for everything.) 

So I headed to my favorite grocery store ever … Aldi. I spent $210 on food, I know that may sound like a lot, but we had 24 girls coming & I did go a bit overboard, we had plenty of leftovers. (Okay alot, but I loved how it turned out)

The night was great, the drinks were flowing, & I was pretending I was 21 again. (I am definetlty NOT 21 … toddlers & hangovers don’t mix) But I couldn’t have asked for a better night. I met some great people, got to get all dolled up, & most of all the bride LOVED IT. 

Overalls

Overalls … you hear the word & you may think of a farmer, train conductor, or if you live in Minnesota you may think of every man sporting their Carhartt bibs all winter long, but to me they are my new go to. Overalls are simply the best, easy & comfortable. 

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Shirt: (actually a dress) Bar III, from Opitz for $25, Overalls: Forever 21 for $35, Socks: Free People, from Hope Chest for $6, Shoes: Mossimo, from Target for $35

Not only are they comfortable, but they are so flattering. When your not feeling your best they hide the buldge or a big meal. I wore a pair to Friendsgiving & was able to eat the night away without worrying about a food baby.

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Overalls: BDG, from Urban Outfitters for $30, Shirt: LOFT on clearance for $5

So go get yourself some overalls. I love pairing them with turtlenecks & stripes, but really you can pair them with anything. 

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Shirt: Mossimo, from Target for $10, Overalls: Forever 21 for $35, Boots: Mossimo, from Target for $35

My New Favorite Party

Life is always crazy, but the second Thanksgiving comes around it becomes a whole new ball game. The holidays are literally just insane. We have the Christmas shopping, wrapping, parties, decorating, baking, parties …. oh so many parties.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good classic party, sipping drinks, catching up with family & friends, laughing, dancing the night away. I live for getting all dressed up, wearing heels. BUT …

My new favorite party is … a party with good old Saint Nick. I am talking about breakfast with Santa. Thankfully for us our local Boys & Girls club throws the best Santa Breakfast.

For just $25 or a gift valued at $25 per family (& all proceeds go to the Boys & Girls Club, bonus!) you get to eat an amazing breakfast, decorate cookies, make ornaments, leather bracelets, & meet holiday unicorns & Santa, plus take in breath taking views at the Voyageur Environmental Center. It seriously everything you could ask for!

The kids got to run around, it wasn’t over crowded, the staff was friendly & all dressed up for the occasion. They were super helpful with the crafts, but really allowed people to do it on their own. My favorite was the leather bracelet.

A real treat was meeting the Holiday unicorn & horse. The kids loved running around outside & feeding the animals. Unicorns are real!

But truly the best part about it all was being with friends & family. Making new traditions & experience the magic of Christmas all over again. This is definitely my kind of party.

Upstairs Circus

When my friend suggested checking out Upstairs Circus all she had to say was bottomless mimosas & I was in, the awesome craft I created was just an added bonus. 

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Sweater: Bow & Drape, from Opitz for $20, Jeans: Mossimo, from Target for $14, Shoes: Timberlands, from DSW for $60, Jacket: Columbia, husbands hand-me-down from his grandpa

This place is seriously the best for a day out with the girls, bachelorette party, or any crafter who loves to sip on drinks while creating. 

We entered Upstairs Circus & were greeted by the nicest staff. We checked in, showed them our IDs & handed them a credit card for any drinks we may have wanted above the mimosas that were included. They handed as tiny little plastic animals & showed us to our table. 

We brought in our own treats, some cupcakes. It turned out we were indeed celebrating something. It was one of my friends first time ever hanging with the girls without her son who was born 2 & half years ago. That’s right first time! We were going to need all of the momsas we could get our hands on.

After we got settled we headed to the back where all of the crafts were on display. There were so many options from house decor, signs, jewelry, & much more. I chose a marble serving tray, I turned my little plastic tiger in & received all the materials I would need along with the directions.

We headed back to our table & got started on our projects. The directions were easy to follow & the staff was great with any questions we may have had.

Not only was the staff nice, but the decor & style of the place was on point. Most DIY studios I feel can be a bit messy & lacking in decor, not Upstairs Circus. 

The floors were black & white tiles, from the ceiling hung upside down umbrellas, our chairs were modern & clear, & everything was clean. The bar was so cute with fun coloring books on it & an adorable popcorn machine in the corner.

I really couldn’t have asked for a better Sunday-funday. It took about 3 hours for as all to finish. I would say it was an hour of work & 2 hours of laughing with friends & getting a bit tipsy. All of this was just $40. A steal of a deal I thought!

I was so happy with my final product. It is actually something I like & would use. Those DIY painting classes are fun, but usually it is never a painting I enjoy or would hang in my house. 

I really just can’t say enough good things about Upstairs Circus. I highly recommend it. They have many locations around the country. So get the girls together or the hubby & head to your nearest Upstairs Circus. You won’t be disappointed! 

Mom Style …say Yes to new trends

Sometimes I feel that just because I am a mom that I should dress a certain way. That there are these unspoken rules about what is & isn’t exceptable to wear. That you need to cut your long locks & have a “mom” haircut.

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Shirt: Free People, from Opitz for $10, Bandana: from Goodwill for $1.50

Obviously, I think this is ridiculous. Just because you’re a mother or older doesn’t mean you have to stop following fashion trends.

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Jacket: Bagetelle, from Opitz for $32, Body Suit: Xhiliration, from Target for $12, Jeans: Frame, from Opitz $60, Shirt: Velvet, borrowed from husband, Shoes: Splendid, from Opitz for $32

Don’t get me wrong, I still can get a bit self-conscious about trying new things. Thinking “Do I look like I am 12?” “Can I really pull this off? “I did wear this when I was 12.” The truth is I need to shut down those thoughts. Every single time I try out a new style, step out of my comfort zone, I am always complimented. If that’s not saying keep doing you, I don’t know what is.

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Sweater: Bishop + Young, from Hope Chest for $12, Tank Top: H by Borefaux, from Opitz for $6, Jeans: Mossimo, from Goodwill for $4, Shoes: Jessica Simpson, from Opitz for $30, Hat: Target, from Goodwill for $5

The key to trying new trends is really just to try it. If you want to wear something new, do it. Find what you love about that style or outfit & chose the main thing & implement into your daily look.

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Jacket: Bagatelle, from Opitz for $32, Shirt: Guess, from Opitz for $16, Jeans: J Crew, from Goodwill for $8, Shoes: Splendid, from Opitz for $32

For example I was LOVING the choker trend with a tight bodysuit. I was a little nervous about trying both. So I decided to first try the choker. I was a little nervous, because I definitely was wearing a choker in my 5th grade yearbook photo. I didn’t want to look like I was trying to be in elementary school again. I really did love it though. So I bought one. (& since then I have bought 5 more) I tried it with a simple outfit that I felt confident in. Then the next time I tried it with a bodysuit. Baby steps.

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Body Suit: Xhiliration, from Target $12, Sweater: Kensie, from Goodwill for $5, Jeans: Mossimo, from Goodwill for $6, Shoes: Rebel, from Goodwill for $5

So next time your thinking that I can’t wear that. Stop. Put it back on. & Rock it. 

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Jacket: Gap, from Goodwill $5, Tank Top: Free People, from Opitz for $10, Jeans: Frame, from Opitz $60, Shoes: Mossimo, from thrift store $5, Bandana: from Goodwill for $1.50

Zenni Optical … the place to get glasses

When this little blue package arrives in my mail box I can hardly contain my excitment. I love my glasses & the ONLY place I buy glasses & sunglasses is from Zenni Optical. They are affordable & so stylish that I can get many pairs to match my many outfits.

I ordered 3 pairs of glasses this time, the total for all 3 glasses was $81.65. I just really can’t get over the price & quality. The best part is I don’t feel guilty at all.

The first pair I wanted was a fun neutral color. I already own a pink pair that matches my skin really well, but wanted something to stand out a bit more. I went with this purple pair, they are exactly what I wanted. The total for these glasses was $30.90.

Glasses: Zenni Optical #7810017

The next pair I wanted was classic nerd glasses. This pair was the cheapest & my favorite by far at $14.90.

Glasses: Zenni Optical #125525

The last pair I wanted was just a classic pair of glasses. I wanted something that would match anything & not hide my face. I loved this pair for $30.90.

Glasses: Zenni Optical #324114

If your in the need of glasses, I highly recommend Zenni Optical. You can’t beat the price & trends.

I also love that you can upload your own picture & try on the glasses that way. I personally don’t use this feature, but my husband has.

All you need to do is click on the try on button, it will bring you to this page. From here you click on the person icon & upload your own picture!

So get shopping, all you need is your perscription.

Change of Plans …

This Saturday I had plans to go the Sever’s Corn Maze with my dearest college friend, but of course it rained & we had to change plans. Melissa suggested going to Mall of America, I shot that down right away.

Glasses: Zenni Optical, Sweater: Bishop + Young, from Hope Chest for $12, Tank Top: H by Borefaux, from Opitz for $6, Jeans: Mossimo, from Goodwill for $4, Shoes: Jessica Simpson, from Opitz for $30, Hat: Target, from Goodwill for $5

“Hell NO! I don’t go to the MOA.” I stated. I hated it, the amount of people there literally scares me. I get super anxious just thinking about the MOA, but after trying to think up other places to go, I knew Melissa was right. This way we could eat & hang out for awhile.

We jumped right in the car & I could feel my stress level raising & it got to an all time high when it took FOREVER to find a parking spot. I expressed my fear to Tyler, & he reassured me that we got this. He told me he would be in charge of Rowan & he wouldn’t keep his eyes off of him so I could relax.

We found Melissa, Brady, & their adorable son Camden & headed to Cowboy Jacks for dinner. Going out to dinner in its self can be a disaster. We have found that we have turned into the parents we would never be. The parents that give their child an electronic so they can enjoy their dinner. Yep I do it! Thankfully this is the only time he uses it, this or long road trips.

So I knew dinner would be okay, but Cowboy Jacks went above & beyond. They sat us in our own private room with a couch/lounge area, a TV, it was perfect. We really got to enjoy each others company & a few drinks!

We then headed to Lego Land since it’s free. Rowan was having a great time until he noticed all the rides. He was no longer willing to sit & play with legos, he had to be on those rides.

Thankfully as we entered the park a man gave us his unused tickets, 57 tickets. That was the nicest thing ever, it really just made our night. We took turn going on rides with the boys. Camden even experienced his 1st rollercoaster. It was the perfect way to end the evening!

I couldn’t of asked for a better night. It was so great see my friend, relax, & have fun. I am so glad that I over came my fear, & didn’t allow my anxiety to hold me back. I am even more thankful for my husband, who reassured me. I need to do this more often, be spontaneous.