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Back-to-School Must-Haves

September 4, 2019 by Rachel 15 Comments

With both of my big kids successfully transitioned back into the school-year routine, I’m taking a peek at what makes our days (and weeks!) run smoothly.

For the home.

Grocery delivery.

The great thing about raising a family during this digital age we live in is taking full advantage of the conveniences our own mothers didn’t have, such as grocery delivery.

I use two services — Shipt, which delivers from Target and Meijer; and Curbside Express, which delivers for Giant Eagle. Both are extremely convenient in their own way.

grocery delivery services

Shipt is a subscription service that I am billed for annually but allows me to have my items delivered in as little as an hour. As long as the order is over $35, my items are delivered by the driver for free. Curbside Express, on the other hand, charges a small delivery fee but is convenient because I can shop using my ad and coupons directly on the Giant Eagle site.

The Instant Pot.

I am terrible at meal-planning. Luckily, the Instant Pot allows me to throw together last-minute meals in a pinch.

Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

If you’re looking for a few easy Instant Pot recipe ideas, check out my library of recipes.

Snack-and-go station.

My least favorite job as a parent (besides laundry) is playing snack-fetcher. I despise it. From the time my children come home from school and activities, they are full of ‘want.’ And I have zero desire to fetch their snacks for hours on end.

An easily accessible snack station is a must-have for every parent of school-aged children. Load the bin (or bins) up with snacks they are allowed to have and then let them be. I’ve found these bins to be super handy.

For the kids.

An easy-to-read after school schedule.

I am someone who thrives on a schedule, so it should come as no surprise that my children are as well. I’ve created a printable schedule/checklist to help them manage their time after school.

Having a set(ish) ‘schedule’ allows them to feel like they are in control of their afternoon. There are certain things that might not be fun (such as homework), but they also have time for lots of play once school work is completed!

This printable schedule checklist has been really helpful.

after school checklist printable

Headphones.

Most kids school supply lists include headphones to keep at school, but do yourself a favor and grab a second pair for home. Between tablet time and online homework, having a pair of headphones handy is the key to everyone’s sanity. This pair has been tried and tested by both my three-year-old and 7-year-old.

An Umbrella.

During my sons first year of school, I completely underestimated how many times he would need his own umbrella. The poor kid had to run home, half-soaked from being only half-under my umbrella.

These are a few of my favorite umbrellas. They are cute, stylish, and work very well!

For the mom.

I wish I could offer you sanity and a weekend of sleep. Alas, that is not possible. Instead, I offer you a few of my favorite back-to-school mommy must-haves.

A paper planner.

I know we all use our phones as a means to keep our lives organized. But there’s just something permanent about a paper planner and calendar. I use my Google Calendar, a paper planner, and I have a giant wall calendar in our kitchen so that the family schedule is displayed for my husband as well.

My favorite paper planner is the Day Designer. Not only is it visually appealing, but it has the perfect weekly set-up to keep our obligations organized. I also use the Day Designer Wall Calendar.

Just for fun — the wine lover edition.

A good bottle opener, a stemless wine glass, and a couple of bottle stoppers are all you need!

A Pair of Running shoes.

Whether or not you are a runner, you will be running… around — if nothing else! Truly, nothing prepares you for all of the running around you’re doing like sending your children off to various schools and activities.

My go-to running shoes are from Brooks Running. They offer a variety of styles and fits for every foot.

If you do happen to find yourself actually running, you’ll be pleasantly surprised that they’re quite helpful for that as well!

Travel Mug and Bottle.

Travel mugs that keep your hot coffee hot and your cold coffee cold are everything that is perfect about this world. Whether it’s a YETI or another brand, you will be happy when your hot coffee is still hot after school pickup!

What is your must-have back-to-school item?

Filed Under: #MomLife, back-to-school, family, parenthood, printables, school, shop my favorites, tips + tricks, wine Tagged With: back-to-school, family, motherhood, parenthood, school, shop my favorites, tips + tricks

Bonefish Grill — 3-Course Date Night for Two!

April 1, 2019 by Rachel 10 Comments

Chad and I are rapidly approaching our 7th wedding anniversary. It’s hard to believe that nearly seven years have passed. And in the last seven years, we’ve only had a handful of evenings completely to ourselves. In fact, the last time we actually relaxed at a dinner out was probably two years ago.

Last week Mimi was in town to watch all three kids, so we were able to sneak out for a proper date night at Bonefish Grill. Chad and I were greeted by the friendliest staff at the North Canton location and promptly seated.

We were really excited to try Bonefish Grill’s O M G (Ocean Mixed Grill) 3-course dinner for two! Here’s what’s included in this special offer:

Course 1 // Bang Bang Shrimp

Course 2 // House or Caesar Salad

Course 3 // Potatoes Au Gratin, Seasonal Vegetables, and Jasmine Rice

Course 4 // Caribbean Cobia, Shrimp & Scallop Skewer, Atlantic Salmon and the Local Catch

All four courses for 49.00 with a bonus of select bottles of wine for $25.

I have to admit something, I’ve never had Bang Bang Shrimp before (I know, I know — pure craziness!). Well, friends, I am in love. I could eat Bang Bang Shrimp all day, every day!

You certainly can’t beat the cost of $49 for three courses for two people. It was more than enough food, for sure.

Recommended Add-Ons //

I highly recommend pairing your meal with a bottle of their $25 wines. With options of reds, whites, and rosé, there’s something for everyone!

I also cannot say enough about the Crispy Brussel Sprouts! They were flavored perfectly with the bacon and mayo. So, so, delicious!

And then we were greeted with dessert! First, it was the Molten Lava Carrot Cake (holy smokes — warm and gooey cream cheese in the middle!) followed by the Crème Brûlée

Not only was the food delicious and the service spectacular, but we were actually able to sit and enjoy one another’s company without the distraction of children talking at us for a change.

Hurry up and get a sitter because this special is only good through April 30th! Find your closest Bonefish Grill location here and be sure to sign up to become a Bonefish Insider!

What’s your favorite menu item

from Bonefish Grill?

Disclaimer: I was given a gift card to cover the cost of our meal in exchange for this post.
As always, all opinions herein are my own.

Filed Under: brews + food, date night, deals, desserts, Explore Ohio, money saving tips, parenthood, restaurants + bars, review, wine Tagged With: brews + food, date night ideas, deals, desserts, explore Ohio, money saving tips, parenthood, restaurants + bars, review, wine

Red & White on Thursday Night // Recap

February 2, 2017 by Rachel 14 Comments

Last week Chad and I legit skipped our way out the front door to attend the 20th anniversary of Red and White on Thursday Night — a food and wine event to benefit The Arthritis Foundation.

I’ve said before that this event is truly our favorite event of the whole year. It’s something we continuously look forward to, year after year. In prior years, Chad and I have entered together, but split up and gone in different directions.

This year was so different. It was clear — more than ever — that we truly needed this night to reconnect with each other, at one of our most favorite places. So we made it a point to stick together nearly the entire time!

We headed straight to the VIP Lounge when we arrived, which was more glorious than ever! Dante Boccuzzi and his team were serving up the most delicious sweet potato and shrimp skewers!


I’m honestly not even a big fan of shrimp, generally speaking. But these were beyond amazing, ya’ll. Chef Dante is just amazing.

After eating several of the shrimp and sweet potato skewers, we refilled our wine glasses with red wine and headed over to the VIP dessert table, which featured this incredible creme brûlée from West Side Bakery.


Here’s my moment of truth: It had dairy. AND I ATE IT! Honestly? It was absolutely worth the cheat. Truthfully, one of the only reasons I ‘cheated’ with dairy at this event was because it’s hard to tell if something has a bit of dairy in it or not. That being said, I totally passed up cheese and pizza and other just plain ol’ cheesy things. (Le sigh…)

The rest of the event was spent meandering around, trying new-to-us wines and sampling foods from some of our favorite local restaurants!

Some of my personal faves from the night were the tacos and guacamole from BOMBA Tacos & Rum, the bacon-wrapped-dates from The Twisted Olive, and the goat-cheese and berry donut from Hudson’s Restaurant!

And my all-time favorite wines from the night came courtesy of Filia Cellars in Wadsworth, Ohio! This local winery stood out amongst it’s competition!

All in all, it was another perfect event. We ate, we drank, and we reconnected in a way that we truly needed to do. Thank you, again, to the Arthritis Foundation for inviting us to attend this event!

Filed Under: #MomLife, Akron, bloggers, charity, cleveland, date night, desserts, drinks, events, explore locally, food, friends, fun, fundraiser, life, live happy, marriage, mommyhood, NEO, Ohio, pictures, review, sponsor, wine Tagged With: #MomLife, akron, bloggers, celebration, cleveland, events, explore locally, food, foodie, friends, fundraiser, life, Live Happy, marriage, NEO, ohio, pictures, review, wine

Giveaway // Red + White on Thursday Night

January 4, 2017 by Rachel 8 Comments

Chad and I have had the pleasure and honor of attending one of Akron’s most anticipated events, Red and White on Thursday Night, for the last 5+ years in a row!

In fact, it’s the one event of the year that I absolutely refuse to miss. We went just 5 days after Remy Bea was born last year! I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

Thankfully, this year I won’t be wearing Miss Bea! But last year she came with us — and she was a HIT!

The 20th Anniversary of Red and White on Thursday Night is being held on Thursday, January 26th, at Quaker Station at the University of Akron.

We will indulge in an incredible evening of fine wines from around the world and amazing local cuisine from top chefs and the best restaurants in the region — including a personal appearance from local celebrity chef and James Beard nominee, Dante Boccuzzi!

The event, voted one of the best in Akron by AkronLife Magazine, is expected to raise more than $82,000. All proceeds support critical local Arthritis Foundation initiatives including advocacy and access, help and support, and research.

Arthritis is the nation’s leading cause of disability and affects more than 50 million Americans and nearly 300,000 children. In Northeastern Ohio, nearly 1.3 million people of all ages have been diagnosed with arthritis. More than 108,000 of those are Summit County residents, according to 2013 figures.

Participating restaurants include: Chef Dante Boccuzzi of DBA, BOMBA Tacos and Rum, Chowder House Cafe, Nuevo Modern Mexican & Tequila Bar, Melt Bar and Grilled, and more!

The silent auction is incredible. Wine baskets, tickets to local events, and memberships to everything under the sun! Last year I was so busy running from table to table that I didn’t have any time to bid on any auction items, but this year I’m absolutely ready for it! I have big plans to bid on one of the kid-friendly items!

I hope that you can join me in supporting the Arthritis Foundation at this incredible event. General Admission tickets are $85 and VIP tickets are $125. VIP tickets include exclusive tastings from Chef Dante Boccuzzi, sweet treats from The West Side Bakery, spa services, high-end wines. All tickets can be purchased here.

In the meantime, you can enter to win TWO GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS using the Rafflecopter widget below! Please only enter if you’re local and able to attend on 1/26/17 from 5:30 – 9:00 PM.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I received 2 VIP tickets in exchange for this post. As usual, all opinions herein are my own. I just really love supporting this local event!

 

 

Filed Under: Akron, cleveland, events, explore locally, food, giveaway, Ohio, wine Tagged With: akron, cleveland, events, explore locally, food, giveaway, ohio, wine

Life Lately + A Last Minute Gift Guide //

December 22, 2016 by Rachel Leave a Comment

I’ve had grand plans of all of these amazing things I want to share with you before the holidays. But, realistically, my time management has not been great lately. Combine that with a sleep regression (thanks, Remy Bea) and the stomach bug? Well, that’s a recipe for dirty dishes and takeout every night.

So many-a posts have gone neglected.

That being said, there are a few things I want to share with you before we all get completely overwhelmed with the holidays.

  • Ari had his first Christmas program at school and it was every bit as adorable as you might imagine. He knew we were taking video and photos, so instead of singing, he was saying “cheese!”
    Melt my cold as stone heart!

fullsizerender-23
 

  • If you’re frantically looking for last-minute gift ideas, I leave you with these:
    • Book of the Month. A subscription book service that ships amazing hardcover books straight to your door.
      screen-shot-2016-12-19-at-8-46-57-pm
    • Wine of the Month club subscription — or, a few bottles for the wine-lover in your life.
    • ABC Mouse. Ari used this over the Summer and it was the perfect learning tool!
  • We were given a #JustBecauseCard at Chick-fil-A the other day. It was an awesome experience. And I still have butterflies from the whole experience! It turns out the movement was started by a local church. Even though we are not church people (at all), I’ve already had mega respect for this church. And this just elevated them even more.

 

After Ari’s Christmas program at preschool, Chad + I took the kiddos to lunch at Chick-fil-A. When we sat down and got the kids all settled, an employee hesitantly walked over to us and said “Someone asked me to come give this to you.” #justbecausecard • • It says “I hope this random act of kindness reminds you that someone notices and cares about you. It’s not because of anything you did or didn’t do, it’s just because you were created with incredible value and worth.” • • What an amazing message. ❤️

A photo posted by Rachel (@itsahero) on Dec 20, 2016 at 11:01am PST

  • For those of you trying to find the perfect wine to bring to your upcoming holiday party, run — fast — to Aldi. You heard me right. Aldi. Grab a bottle of their Flirty Bird Red Blend. It is incredible. No joke. And it’s less than $6 a bottle. Yep. You read that right. Less than $6 a bottle and an amazing wine!
    flirtybird

 

  • I’m still totally okay with cancelling Christmas obligations. Right now the only thing on my radar is getting through the next two work days, shopping for last minute gifts, and taking Ari to the movies Saturday morning. From there? We’re staying in. That’s it. Nothing else. Nada.

Filed Under: #MomLife, busy mom, children, Christmas, deals, gift, gifts for kids, goodies, mommyhood, money, money saving tips, parenthood, wine Tagged With: #MomLife, being a mom, busy mom, celebration, children, Christmas, gifts, gifts for kids, goodies, holidays, life, mommyhood, money saving tips, parenthood, pictures, wine

Easy Gift-Giving with #GrouponGoods

October 30, 2016 by Rachel 18 Comments

groupon

Back before having children I felt like my gift-giving game was on-point! I mean, I had energy to plan and prepare for birthdays, Christmas, and everything in between. Now? Now my life is full of uncertainty. I was barely able to plan and prep for my own kids birthday this year, let alone anyone else’s!

And nowadays I have countless nieces and nephews to buy for, but, quite frankly, little clue what to actually get for them! (Having kids that are four and under means I’m totally and utterly clueless what is fun and popular for older kids!).

Over the last year I’ve purchased nearly every birthday gift from Groupon.

screen-shot-2016-10-30-at-12-01-32-pm
The options for gift-giving are endless on the Groupon Goods section of the site! From books, to dolls, to baby gates! And don’t you worry, there are plenty of gifts for adults, too! The ever-so-popular adult coloring books and, my personal favorite, wine shipments!

screen-shot-2016-10-30-at-12-11-45-pm
It’s a great way to shop for all of the special people in your life, from babies to adults! Even my very hard to buy for husband has enjoyed goodies courtesy of my purchases on Groupon Goods, especially on the electronics section!

So for once I’m not concerned about the holidays coming up. My gift-giving needs are completely covered — and I don’t even have to leave the house while I’m saving money! I call that a major win.

What’s your favorite thing to shop for on Groupon?

Filed Under: busy mom, Christmas, coupon, gift, gifts for kids, groupon, holidays, money saving tips, review, sponsor, wine Tagged With: busy mom, coupon, gifts, gifts for kids, holidays, money saving tips, review, sponsor, wine

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