Memorial Day BBQ - Recipes & Cocktails for a Crowd

My husband and I were tasked with hosting a Memorial Day Weekend BBQ for my father-in-law and his extended family. We were happy to take on the duties of hosting. We love a good party, especially a BBQ. Grilling means shared cooking duties for Ross and I and keeps the house cool on warm days (no oven!). And after all..happy wife, happy life. I love to cook, but I do enjoy taking a break, handing Ross the reigns and sharing the responsibility (especially when its his family critiquing). We will be having ourselves plus 10 guests at our home, including grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, some of which have yet to see our new house. We are excited to show it off a little, even after a year.

#ComeClean with Seventh Generation

I received a coupon to try Seventh Generation laundry detergent, which is free of artificial brighteners, dyes and scents, through their online community Generation Good. I started out very skeptical of this brand, especially when it came to some of the heavy duty laundry loads that come through my washing machine...like dog blankets and bedding, rags, towels and workout clothes.  Anything the dogs touch becomes engulfed in a cloud of fur, and this time of year, dirt.

Better Late Than Never - Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

2 years ago, Ross and I made a trip out to Las Vegas. On May 5th, we drove out to see the Grand Canyon. At this point, we had been dating for about 3 and 1/2 years and were getting ready to break ground on our house together. The plans were set, our variance was approved by the town and permits were being filed and pulled. The next logical step was getting married and low and behold, Ross had been secretly working on this for months. He proposed at the Grand Canyon and the rest is history. Although we haven't been big partiers, Cinco de Mayo holds a special place in our hearts so it was a reason to fiesta this year.

Join the Perdue Crew - $10 Gift Card (Freebie Alert!)

Join the Perdue Crew and earn 10,000 points to get yourself a $10 American Express gift card.

Pinch Me! (Freebie Alert!)

Pinch Me is a website that sends out monthly sample boxes...FOR FREE! Just sign up, fill out a member survey (to get matched with the best samples) and give honest feedback a few weeks later (how would you rate it, would you recommend it, have you purchased it, etc.) No strings attached.

Snuggle Bear Den (Freebie Alert!)

Come Join Me at the Snuggle Bear Den!

DIY Mother's Day Cards

I got a Cricut Explore for Valentine's Day last year. It came in super handy for doing a lot of custom DIY things for our wedding (table numbers, menus, favors, etc.). Since the wedding, I have taken to making DIY cards for holiday's and birthdays.

DIY Air Plant Terrariums

My new teardrop terrariums hanging in our kitchen window.

I've always loved having plants around my various homes, dorm rooms and apartments, but life always seems to take over and the plants never survive. I have had success throughout the years with various succulents and cacti, since they are tolerant of my usually deadly droughts. Air plants have always fascinated me, with their low (basically no) maintenance and resiliency. They seem to have skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years, especially in small terrariums.

Pact App: Tips & Tricks

I signed up for Pact back at the end of February. I was enticed by the thought of earning money for activities that I was already doing (exercising, eating healthy, eating fruits and veggies). What freaked me out and still freaks me out is the thought of paying the big bucks if I don't live up to my commitment. Even worse is the thought that my biggest pact, the fruits and veggies, is at the mercy and votes of the rest of the community. My bank account is basically in their hands.