Top Camping Gear At Walmart For Under $100 - Under $50 - Under $20

If you are anything like me, you want an affordable camping product while still having a product that will last for many years. We find basically everything we need at our local Walmart and here are some of my favorite items so far:

The Coleman 6 Person Clip and Camp Dome Tent, Only $79.00.

CAMPING GEAR UNDER $10.00

This adorable mint headlamp by Ozark Trail is just adorable for under $2.00, it is sure to be a handy addition to your camping gear. It is so important to have several flashlights with you when camping and this one is perfect as a backup light. It would also be just perfect for children or for a great gift.

Mint Headlamp - ONLY $1.88 at Walmart.

We also got ourselves the below two headlamps so far they have been great. Top headlamp is the Ozark Trail 100 Lumens Headlamp for only $3.98 with also comes with batteries. The bottom headlamp is the Ozark Trail 500 Lumens Headlamp which was almost too bright and still only $8.97, but great if you will be in complete dark or just prefer to be able to see further ahead.

Below, this sweet Kids’ Camping Chair is so adorable in Mint!! Great choice for only $9.88 at Walmart.

Kids Camping Chair in Mint. Only $9.88 at Walmart, Ozark Trail.

Lightweight Day Pack Backpack for Only $4.98! I got myself one of these and use it almost every day now. This bag is great for waking the dogs to hold water bottles, or for running everyday errands. It is just perfect.

CAMPING GEAR UNDER $50.00

We have weighed the options with every single portable camping air pump and always come back to this one. It is the only one that plugs into your car AC adapter (aka the lighter thingie), and works well to blow up our giant air mattress pretty quickly. Find this at Walmart for only $13.88. This has been our most useful piece of camping equipment because it also blows up our inner tubes!!!

Below is a camping chair that I have always wanted!! It has a cooler bag on the side and I just LOVE the color of these lime green colored Adult Camping Chairs. Find them at Walmart for only $24.98.

Lime Green Camping Chair With Cooler - ONLY $24.98 at Walmart.

The below set of reusable camping cook wear is also something I never leave home without for a camping trip. These are also good for road trips and other adventures too. The utensils are very strong, and won’t bend and the collapsible bowls make the perfect addition to any campfire dinner. Find it at Walmart for only $17.97, which beats having to buy a package of single use products for each item provided here. Don’t forget the biodegradable soap!

CAMPING GEAR UNDER $100.00

We just purchased THIS TENT from Ozark Trail and WE LOVE IT SO MUCH! I love how tall it is, so I can stand up and change clothes easily. This will be easy to setup now that we had some practice. Our Queen Air Mattress fit perfectly inside of it (thankfully it fits THROUGH the door, because our smaller tent had a very small door and the mattress did not fit like it does in this one. The pups still had tons of room at the foot of the air mattress to be able to sleep comfortable. We had a fantastic night’s sleep in this tent and would recommend it to anyone! It fit two us adults and two dogs just perfectly.

Ozark Trail 6-Man Clip and Camp Dome Tent at Walmart - $79.

Get yourself a good night’s rest with THIS Coleman 22” Tritech Queen Air Mattress, shown below. DO NOT FORGET YOUR AIR PUMP (we use this one here)! You will not believe how difficult it is to find the ONE AND ONLY style of air mattress that does not require DD batteries OR does not plug in for a power source. We found this one worked with our handheld air pump that has the car charger included. This one is a winner.

Below, this Coleman Triton 2 Burner Camping Stove has also been wonderful. It’s nice to use when it is either too wet or too hot to make a campfire. The new model of the Coleman camping stove is also super easy to clean. ON SALE NOW FOR $104.51 at Walmart. Don’t forget your Propane Gas for the stove, found here.

What are YOUR all time fave camping items you can’t leave home without?

Top Jumpsuits for Late Summer and Early Fall - Under $20 - Comfortable Travel Outfits

If you are anything like me, you like to be comroftable yet feel put together while traveling. Now that the weather is getting a bot cooler at the end of summer, I wanted to share some of my fave new fashion obsessions, these glorious jumpsuits on TEMU.

You may ask yourself, what should I wear with a romper or jumpsuit outfit? Well, you should have some adorable sandals or flat white tennis shoes, leave your hair down straight, natural, or curled, and add a few bracelets and a stylish statement necklace. Always bring a cute denim jacket or similar for layering if your shoulders get chilly. You do not really have to do much to make these look stylish and the best thing of all is that they fit a wide variety of sizes!!!

I have been obsessed with these flowy, comfortable-as-can-be jumpsuits for a while now, and I am finally happy to be able to share a few with you here! Let ms know what you think! Most of these shown are under $25.00 on TEMU.

Black Jumpsuit Shown Below - ONLY $13.73

Light Blue Ruffle Layer Jumpsuit / Romper - ONLY $23.49 - Shown Below.

Black Drawstring Jumpsuit - shown below. $36.49

Blue Belle Tank Top Romper - ONLY $13.47 - Shown Below.

Pretty Tan Stretch Jumpsuit - ONLY $14.19.

Black Long Sleeve Jumpsuit - $19.99.

Textured Button Crew Jumpsuit in Blue, shown below. ONLY $15.99.

And lastly, this Cute Floral Jumpsuit - ONLY $14.27.

Below, this brown sleeveless jumper would be perfect with so many outfit ideas and accessories. $15.27.

Best Women's Hiking and Adventure Shoes & Boots from Zappos 2024

You may be asking yourself what a good pair of women’s hiking boots really looks like. You may take a look at your own outdoor adventure and hiking needs and read the list below to find a few of my favorite hiking boots found on Zappos.com.

Hiking at Pinnicle Mountain in Arkansas.

I have hiked at least a thousand or more miles in the past decade across many parts of the United States. I have experience in hiking on almost every type of trail imaginable, and often times, we bushwack through the woods with NO TRAIL AT ALL. These boots should hold up to even the toughest environments.

And remember, always make sure you keep your shoes in a dry place and ensure you set them in the sun after they have been soaked, to insure both the interior and exterior stay mold free, etc. Keeping hiking boots dry also helps the glues and materials to stay in tact rather than deteriorating from being wet and stored improperly.

All boots and shoes listed below are under $200.00. Yes that may sound like a lot but in reality, these boots should last you 5-10 years, so a good investment now enable syou to get out, get active, and get HEALTHY and not have to worry about spraining your ankle, stepping into unsavory terrain, or getting your feet soaked because your shoes are not waterproof. Yes, I have experienced every one of these situatins in the middle of the deep woods where you cannot just go change your shoes.

Some of the styles shown here are good for a more rugged hike, and some are better for general adventuring and light hiking on concrete or gravel. Most are still all waterproof AND BREATHABLE though, which is still recommended no matter what. So, head over to Zappos.com to see all their Women’s Hiking Boots here.

LOOK FOR THESE FEATURES WHEN SHOPPING FOR WOMEN’S HIKING SHOES OR BOOTS:

  • Good ankle support. Good laces.

  • High ankle features ar preferred for uneven terrain, wet terrain, and unknown terrain.

  • Select low top hiking boots for flat, smooth, even terrain that would be dry like concrete, gravel, and pavement.

  • WATERPROOF GTX (GORTEX) is breathable and a good choice for both wet and dry terrains.

  • Vibram soles are a plus.

  • Luckily, companies like Free People are considering these SUPER fashionable and finally catching onto the fact that people actually want to be able to use the goods and that they can promote healthy lifestyles.

AWESOME HIKING BOOTS FOR WOMEN:

La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX Boot - Women's

I have personally purchased three pairs of these amazing hiking boots - see image of me in them above. I finally decided on these after ordering then returning 5 other pairs some years ago. So, these have been great in so many rugged terrains, and they don’t have to be broken in, even. They are comfortable and super supportive right off the bat. I had their blue/grey color way before, but not that I have had the tan/black/red design shown here for a couple years, I believe it matches more outfits since it has black. The first pair below is from backcountry.com, but the other shoes featured here are all from Zappos.com.

The Original Muck Boot Company Muckster Ii Mid (Blue/Quilted Floral) Women's Shoes

To be honest, in addition to my hiking boots, I never leave home without some rubber boots too. I have hiked more miles in my rubber boots than I have in any other pair of boots ever. I went through TWO pair of Hinter Rubber Boots, and yes some models re comfortable, but they are not really intended for deep woods hiking or creek crossings like a more rugged rubber boot would provide for you.

Teva Grandview GTX (Thyme) Women's Shoes

I almost purchased these, but opted to go for the ones above instead. It was a VERY difficult choice, since I just adore the design below more because it is lower scale and matched way more outfits. TEVA is still an excellent choice for cute hiking boots.

That wraps up sharing a few of my favorite hiking boots for women for 2024. There are endless options, but if you purchase a cheap pair of hiking and adventuring boots instead of investing in a decent pair, you may miss out on experiencing the joy of what a nice pair of hiking boots can truly do for you and your health. When your shoes feel great, it encourages you to want to go outside more often! ENJOY, FRIENDS!!

Apple MacBook Air ON SUPER SALE

I have MANY Apple devices and love them all. I got my first Mac Laptop back when I started college and it lasted me about 7 years. I wound up gifting it to a friend who was going to college and had zero money to spend on a computer. I then purchased my second and current MacBook Pro about ten years ago and have been extremely happy with it ever since.

When I recently came across this particular deal, I was blown away. apple products are finally much more affordable than a few years ago. NOW, they are finally attainable for so many more families due to deals like the one I found here on the Apple MacBook Air 13.3 inch laptop, from Walmart.

I have seen SO many students get behind simply because their computers are JUNK. This is a great chance at a better start. PLUS, I would 110% recommend you get the 3 year apple care plan just because they will replace your laptop if anything major happens. BIG PLUS!

Last year, when Travis’ oldest niece went off to college, he purchased her a MacBook to send her off on a great start for college. It was VERY expensive, but the exact thing a young woman needed to start her life living away from home, and basically being an adult.

This year his other niece graduated and is heading off to college in August, so we together bought her a MacBook too. Both girls lost their parents about seven years ago, so Travis does his best to help any way he can. We decided both girls HAD to have the same computer or it just wouldn’t be fair, so they are both happy college students who have the BEST start they can possibly get! It is just so important to help these girls off to a great start when living away from home for their first times ever.

Check out this awesome deal at Walmart on this awesome MacBook Air 13.3” Laptop here!

Gunner Pool, Arkansas *wild & free*

We fell in love with Gunner Pool over July 4th Weekend and this has easily become our favorite local swimming spot in the Ozarks of Arkansas. We closed the place down LOL! So happy we brought our new Ozark Trails inner tubes, because we just floated the deeper parts of the creek and just walked the more shallow ones with our tubes floating behind. What a fun way to enjoy the outdoors.

 

Late March 2024 Garden Updates

We started this garden for practically nothing (only the price of seeds and one bag of dirt). The cups have been working out so wonderfully. I jst wanted to keep track of our garden as it grows…I shared a photo of the dirt I am loving lately, below.

Cave City Yellow Watermelon Planted 2/28/24, pic from 3/21/24. We saved seeds from famous melons last year.

Below, you will see how incredibly fast the green beans are growing! WOW.

Garden Green Beans, planted 3/8/24, pic from 3/17/24.

Garden Green Beans, pic from 3/21/24

DIll and Sugar Daddy Peas, planted 3/8/24, pic from 3/21/24.

Sugar Daddy Peas, planted 3/8/24, pic from 3/21/24.

Velvet Queen Sunflowers, planted 3/8/24, pic from 3/21/24.

Brandywine Tomatoes and “Tomato Mix”. Our sandy soil here in Arkansas will be perfect for them. Planted 3/8/24, pic from 3/21/24 - these took a while to show but I am sure they’re going to be great.

My fave view right now… :) I am going to put together a tutorial of how we started our little seeds soon.

Organic Sugar Daddy Peas - transplanted into a 5 gallon bucket on 3/20/24. Just realizing we may need two 5 gal buckets total for the amount of these pease we actually started.

Autumn Sunflower - planted 3/8/24 - pic from 3/21/24.

Lastly, our awesome Cave City Yellow Watermelons again, which we are most proud of, planted on 2/23/24 (pic from 3/21/24). Last year, we bought one yellow and one red Cave City Watermelon, and saved the seeds very carefully. Well that was a great idea, because soon watermelon vines will be trailing ALL over our fence!

Shawnee Cave Revival - June 7-9, 2024

Yesterday, our tickets went live and on sale for our next festival, Shawnee Cave Revival! I am most excited for Greensky Bluegrass too - I remember seeing them back in Carbondale, IL at Tres Hombres when only 30 folks attended and NOW, look at them - headlining HUGE festivals and selling out large venues.

I created all the artwork for the festival, which I am so very proud of. Abive is the 18x24 poster and below is our schedule!

Below, you can check out all the Artist Frames I created using the same style as the poster. I am thrilled with this and all the bands approved them right away. So happy to be an integral part of this amazing place.

Additionally, I am in charge of working with Etix to re-design our new website, www.shawneecave.fun. Etix Rockhouse did such a fantastic job of making our venue shine. Below, is a photo of Travis and I last June at the Shawnee Cave Weekend At The Cave Festival 2023. We had the best weekend EVER.

Here is a photo of the venue at night. They have such high quality sound and light production, and I am happy to say this is somewhere we can be proud to help grow and flourish!!! If you want to learn more about the venue, please visit our website for details on Shawnee Cave Revival (June 7-9, 2024) and our incredible Shawnee Cave Total Solar Eclipse Festival (April 5-8, 2024), visit our website here, the Shawnee Cave Instagram page and Facebook page here!

Plus, they are now offering event rentals and wedding venue rentals, so stay tuned as that progresses!

Garden Progress + DIY Palette Garden Bed - Mid March 2024

We are in year tow of our garden here in central Arkansas, zones 7a-8b,. Last year, we started some of our garden via seed, but we started all seeds outdoors. We built our amazing DIY palette garden beds (one of which we rebuilt this year), and cannot wait to plant our little seedlings in our new garden beds once they are a bit stronger.

HERE’S WHAT WE PLANTED ON MARCH 8, 2024

Notes from the garden: 2/25 and 2/28/2024

Planted basil seeds from our garden then planted organic basil seeds from store. Also planted Cave City Yellow Watermelon (one cup grew wonderful and one did not grow at all).

3/8/2024

Planted seeds of the following: Sunflowers, Bell Peppers, Cilantro, Dill, tomatoes, peas.

3/14/2024

Seeing growth on the following: Peppers, sunflowers, and peas, cilantro.

Below, you can see some of my most cherished seedlings! Last year we went on a fun adventure near Cave City, AR. The watermelons from that city are famous so we decided to wash/dry/preserve some of those seeds from last summer. We saved both yellow watermelon, shown below, and I just started some of the red Cave City watermelons a few days ago, and I am already seeing growth on them!

Above, Cave City Watermelon Seedlings after one week, and below, after two weeks and transplanted into a larger pot.

Below, you will see one misfortune in the seedling game we are playing. Before I thought to use my plastic cups for seedlings,we purchased two type of Spinach seeds online and the Giant Noble spinach seeds from a farm in Columbus, OH barely had any growth since 2/28/24, and the American Spinach seeds I ordered elsewhere has shown less than half germination. So, perhaps it was the seeds, but maybe I over watered, or something? So, I will try these same sets of seeds in my clear plastic cups and let you all know if it is the tray or what. You never know what you are going to get!

I am wondering if it is honestly these trays or what, because most everything else I started in my cups, has been germinating within 5-7 days! Below, you can see a cup I planted our Sugar Daddy Peas in on 3/8/24 and wow they are taking OFF!

DIY Palette Garden Bed Instructions:

Materials Needed:

4 Palettes, 2 1/2” wood screws, drill, saw.

Tools We Use:

Instructions:

We cut/sawed apart a total of 4 palettes length wise, and used them to create the four sides. We used 2 1/2” wood screws to attach all the sides together. Next, we used smaller boards which were still attached to the extra pallet pieces as sides, in lieu of using weed barrier fabric like we did last year on the blue bed.

After you have reinforced the sides and made sure there is nowhere for dirst to fall out, then fill the bed with as many sticks as you can. This helps us save because we use less bags of dirt

Lastly, fill the remaining space in with bags of dirt. We like using the Miracle Grow soil if we can!

Once our seedlings are strong enough and there is no more cold weather snaps forecasted, our seedlings wil be plated outside in these beds, in an efort to have an even bigger and more varied garden than year one, last year!

I wish I had known about these exact DEWAT Tools being on sale but I provided some links to the deals below for our handheld saw and our amazing cordless handheld drill from DEWALT. They have lasted a long time.

BELOW, OUR GARDEN FROM LAST YEAR (2023)

We got tons of tomatoes and tons of basil (which grew nestled beneath all of our tomatoes, shown here.

Below, out first palette garden bed built last year, then the awesome GardenWerx bag and gardening tools Travis got me as a surprise last year. I could not find a link for them, but I included a few cute ideas below.

Can’t wait to see how the garden performs this season!

Volunteer Work Days at Fults Nature Preserve

Lately I’ve been spending my time outdoors a little differently. I am honored to be helping Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves, a non-profit organization that spends its time helping to maintain nature preserves in Illinois. While the organization is still relatively new, and mostly based in northern IL, we have been making great strides to help in areas of southern Illinois. Fults is a stunning state-owned IDNR property, and while there have been certain challenges in navigating that system, I believe the rewards have outweighed any hurdles.

Below are photos from our Winter Solstice Work Day (12-21-21). We had a large group of amazing volunteers from around the state helping to clear bush honeysuckle and woody species from one of the sections of the Hill Prairies. We had a lot of fun, and WOW - that view is fantastic!

Additionally, I helped to facilitate Friends of IL Nature Preserves as this quarter’s Wooden Nickel recipients at the Neighborhood Co-op where I work! Donations have exceeded $1,500.00, way more than most other organizations have ever received in the Co-op’s history of the program.

Squish Global Grand Opening

Saturday, August 22, Squish Global in Marion, IL held their Grand Opening. It was so great to get out, meet some new folks, enjoy delicious CBD-infused food, and learn more bout the future of CBD. In attendance was most everyone in the wonderful Lawler family, two SIUC professors, the Marion Mayor, and other local officials in our community.

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony
Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony

Below, CBD plants grow in an aeroponic system from aerosourceH, a high-performance, client-centered cannabidiol (CBD) wholesale, extraction laboratory and processing facility located in Kevil, Kentucky.

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony CBD plants

Below, the Chicken Satay Skewers, Potstickers, from Thai-D in Marion, IL. The peanut sauce that was infused with Squish’s CBD Avocado Oil!

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony (Thai-D Marion, IL)

Everything tasted absolutely delicious!

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony (Thai-D Marion, IL)

Powerful and impactful speeches were given by so many people.

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony

Before the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony!

Squish Global Grand Opening Ceremony

I love Squish products and that’s why I am so happy to stand behind them. I use the CBD-infused avocado oil on my skin every single day! I have always had dry lips and skin and this product works miracles. Below, we shot a few photos of a couple of their products while out on the lake. So happy to have a southern Illinois-based company I am SO happy to rep!

Next, a product that is new to me is the Squish CBD Muscle Freeze, a topical rub made with organically grown, high resin hemp flowers, arnica flower, shea butter, mango butter camphor essential, peppermint oil, and cooling menthol crystals to provide pain relief and a soothing, cooling effect. Shown below on the kayak on Little Grassy Lake.

I am so happy to help share these incredible products with the world! If you have any questions, comment below! Check out Squish on Facebook, Instagram, or their website!

Roots Run Deep Street Food

We are so happy for our friends, they recently set out to live their dream of offering some of the most delicious and local street food to folks in southern Illinois! We were so happy they invited us to photograph their first ever event at a local country club and this week, they begin Food Truck Fridays in Marion, IL!

Learn more about Roots Run Deep Street Food on Facebook here!

Roots Run Deep Street Food
Roots Run Deep
Food Truck Fridays in Marion, IL! Learn more on their Facebook Event Page.

Food Truck Fridays in Marion, IL! Learn more on their Facebook Event Page.

Roots Run Deep Street Food
Roots Run Deep Street Food
Roots Run Deep Street Food
Roots Run Deep Street Food
Roots Run Deep Street Food

Comfy At Home with Plush Necessities Robes

Now, more than ever, is a great time to Treat Yo Self! These Plush Necessities Robes are out of this world amazing. Great for men and women, these would also make a delightful Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gifts. They are roomy, ultra-soft, and washed up great. Absolute LUXURY, in your own home. I have never owned a robe THIS nice, and now I get to appreciate some of the finer things in life. YAY!

Things have been so crazy lately, that when Plush Necessities sent me two robes, and I slipped them on, the worries actually melted away…thank you SO much!!!!

Last month, we spent a little time at our friends’ cabin in the woods and had such a great time! The robe made our time there EVEN better! Just look at how relaxing that fireplace makes things…

I have honestly taken a little step back from the crazy business of life, blogging, and travel, and have been focusing more time on doing meaningful things at home than I ever have before. I have been aiming to make a few more considered meals compared to quick bites for dinner, incorporating more local ingredients thank in years past. Luckily, too, foraging for local morels, wildflowers, hiking, and getting on the lake a bit have been extremely good therapy.

Also, I have been doing deep cleaning and organization of all my clothing, craft, and sewing supplies, as well as helped clean up our yard a bit. It’s sometimes hard though, with the current situation at hand to be able to push aside the thoughts of worry and uncertainty for the future, and focus on these sorts of things. Perhaps they are just distractions…but productive distractions to say the least.

I was trying to honestly hoping to avoid mentioning the stay at home / shelter in place / pandemic on my blog at all, perhaps in hopes of it just “going away”. Our society has really had to adjust to a major change in lifestyle, and people are all handling the social distancing thing in their own ways, making me wonder how we will all have adjusted and how these changes will stick to our social interactions from here on out, even after the COVID is “over”.

We can’t even go to bars and restaurants like we used to. We can’t have friends and family over for dinners or parties, or go to others’ homes to do the same. It’s been rough. We never really went out to eat or drink THAT regularly, since I believe the best food and drinks around here come from our home here in southern Ilinois.

BUT, with no live music to attend, and with the Makanda Mushroom Fest postponed until late September, I have to now re-focus energy back on myself, on mental health, and relaxing. None of which I have ever been THAT good at. I love focusing energy on making others happy and making life beautiful for others, and that in turn makes ME happy.

So, this is the moment to TREAT YO SELF, and I am loving this new way of thinking. Little special treats like this robe and a few delicious recipes, and some delish beer are getting me through…

Now, instead of going out to a live show, I can even more appreciate a night at home, watching a movie, enjoying a delicious beverage…

Our friends did such an incredible job with the remodel on their rental cabin, and soon, it will be available to rent again! It’s such a retreat in the woods, but not too far from town. Such a relaxing oasis.

Cranberry Juice For A Better Life

This post is sponsored by Ocean Spray® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.

This year, health became more of a focus for me. I have always lived a pretty healthy and active lifestyle, but this year, when we upgraded our kayak, it got us outside, getting fit, and overall appreciating the benefits of treating our bodies better than ever. 

I am always looking for new things to incorporate into my mission of living a healthy lifestyle. This year, I was able to spend so much time outside doing fun activities like hiking and boating, and now that the weather is a bit chillier, I tend to do more activities inside like yoga and light weights.

Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice has no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, and is Non-GMO. This is a big incentive for me to purchase this juice over others, because I love to find new ways better myself through what I am drinking!

You can get Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice at Target, Walmart or Kroger. I got my juice at Kroger, in the juice aisle, near the other 100% juices. It’s towards the very beginning of the aisle. The juice is 100% pure cranberry juice, and there’s NO added sugar. The only sugar in this juice is 9g per serving, which occurs naturally in the cranberries themselves. This is an excellent option compared to traditional juices that may contain 23g of sugar or more.

Cranberries have been referred to as a superfood, and they are known for their high levels of nutrients and antioxidants. Each bottle of Ocean Spray(R) Pure Cranberry juice is made from the juice of 850+ cranberries.

Throughout this post, I will share some of the simple ways I adapted to a healthier lifestyle, share the health benefits and nutritional information of cranberries, and share how you can easily incorporate cranberries into a more health conscious lifestyle. Plant based wellness is such an easy way to take our health into our own hands and help our bodies prosper any way possible!

MY HEALTH JOURNEY

Years ago, I decided to completely give up fast food and most convenience foods. By eliminating fried foods and gave up drinking soft drinks almost completely. That one was so difficult, but once you don’t give into certain temptations like excessive sugar, then your body does begin to crave it less and less. By finding alternative ways to indulge in those sugar cravings is so always have bananas, apples, and oranges on hand. And, feel free to of course keep a bit of chocolate around, but I recommend getting a bag of dark chocolate chips and eating a small handful of them, instead of keeping bags of processed candies around.

Also, through food photography, I was able to start learning more about eating plant based foods, incorporating new ingredients into my meals, and to consider what I ate and drank SO much more than ever. In addition to that new kayak we got this year, which allowed us to get outside, get fresh air, and get more active, we have been on an upward slope to being overall in better health. Cranberries are so fun to cook and bake with as well, and their all natural color makes for some gorgeous food.

CRANBERRIES FOR A BETTER LIFE

The Ocean Spray website has a lot of great recipe ideas, and some of them include smoothies and a variety of Cranberry Mocktails like these. The holidays are a fun time to try new drinks and ingredients, so here are some ideas. 

Cranberry Moscow Mule Mocktail

Muddle ice and mint leaves in glass, then add all other ingredients. Enjoy this refreshing drink.

1 C. Gingerale

1 C. Ocean Spray® Pure Cranberry Juice

¼ Lime wedge

2 Mint leaves

1/4 C. Cranberries to garnish drink

Ice

Cranberry Martini Mocktail

Pour all ingredients over ice together, garnish with fresh cranberries.

·    4 tbsp of Ocean Spray(R) Pure Cranberry Juice

·    1/2 Can Cranberry sparkling water

·    4 tbsp of freshly squeezed orange juice

·    1 tsp lemon juice

·    Cranberry and mint for garnish

·       2 Cups crushed ice

It’s so easy to incorporate cranberry juice into your life, making your journey towards health even more rewarding and achievable!

Makanda Mushroom Festival - April 17-19, 2020

Join us for the first annual Makanda Mushroom Festival held in the gorgeous Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. During the weekend of April 17-19, 2020, Camp Manitowa at Cedar Point in Makanda, IL boasts a gorgeous backdrop for mushroom foraging hikes, food and fermentation workshops, a mushroom dinner with chef Anne Millard, live music from incredible local talent, art, vendors, camping, cabins, and much more. Stay tuned for more details. Perfect for families and people of all ages! Enjoy spring with us here in the Shawnee, we cannot wait to see you in April!

Find us on Facebook here!

I recently took on a fun, new project. I am helping to coordinate a new, local festival here in southern Illinois. Myself and the two owners of Flyway Family Farm have embarked on a journey towards something they have dreamt of for years and years. I’m thrilled with the community that has some out of everywhere to support the Mush Love movement, so I can only imagine how incredible this will be.

Below, you can check out a few photos of the camp. It’s going to be so amazing!

Early Bird Tickets NOW AVAILABLE!!

Gates open at 3pm on Friday, April 17, 2020.

Festivities run Friday - Sunday.

Checkout Monday, April 20, 2020 12:00pm.

Purchase Tickets Here!
http://bit.ly/Makanda-Mushroom-Fest-Tix

Adult tent camping:
$80.00

Child 12 and under tent camping:
$40.00

4 person hogan cabin - includes festival ticket
(only 20 available):
$150.00

I’m excited that we will be offering guided hikes, and with the foraged edible mushrooms and other wild edibles we find, we will then be hosting a Forage and Fermentation Mushroom Dinner. This will be so wonderful, and I am going to be very excited to get to use my love of food photography to likely capture the event!

Festival Decor will also be so fun!!! I cannot wait to create a whimsical and elegant look for the camp.

The Camp also offers free kayaks and canoes to camp attendees for the festival, which is one of the best ways to enjoy this area, boating around on Little Grassy Lake!

See you in April!!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

What an exceptional birthday! I turned 34 last weekend, and we celebrated at a cute pavilion on Devil’s Kitchen Lake. The weather was just perfect, and the full moon that started on Friday the 13th and carried into my birthday things even more special. Wow, I am so thankful for all the wonderful people in our lives!

Big Muddy Monster Homebrew Competition + Brew Fest 2019

We love craft beer! We went to the Big Muddy Homebrew Competition in Murphysboro, IL, and it was so fun sampling craft homebrews from all over Illinois and Missouri. This competition leads up to the Big Muddy Monster Brew Fest, in Murphysboro, IL on Saturday, October 5, 2019 (noon - 4pm). Excited to frequent the homebrew tent at the event next weekend!

I’m so happy we had the opportunity to stop by and check out the 100+ Homebrew recipes that were submitted.

Check out the poster I created for the homebrew competition, below. The winner will have their beer recipe brewed at a larger scale, and is a huge honor! **NOTE - Contest has ended.

Simple and Indulgent Moments with Oikos Oh! Double Cream Yogurt

This post is sponsored by Oikos but all opinions are my own. #OhMGMoments

Time to de-stress and indulge in the simple pleasures of the NEW Oikos Oh! Double Cream Yogurts. There are four indulgent flavors to choose from, can you imagine how good the Salt Dusted Caramel Crème tasted?! This new yogurt is unlike any yogurt you’ve ever had. Made with double the cream versus Oikos whole milk yogurt, to create a one of a kind thick and luscious texture that you won’t be able to get enough of.

Delight your mouth with a spoonful of yogurt, no toppings are needed, That’s because The Salt-Dusted Double Creme Yogurt was such a treat! Enjoy this as a simple treat after a long day, during a movie or TV show, or even as dessert after a yummy home cooked meal.

The anticipation of that next bite is an indulgence in and of itself. As someone who works from home, I am always on the move. I find it hard sometimes to simply let myself relax and enjoy the simple pleasures in life because I know that something or other can be checked off the to-do list.

But, rewarding myself with a tasty snack like this one really helps me stay grounded and enjoy something to myself, time to take a deep breath, and time to indulge.

Learn more about Oikos Oh! Flavors Here!

Double Cream Yogurt Honey Drizzled Blueberry, Magnificent Mixed Berry Rhubarb, Lemon Sweet Cream Delight, and my favorite, Salt-Dusted Caramel  Crème. So many incredible flavors to choose from! I would recommend trying one of each to see what you like best.

What flavor would you choose? What are some of your favorite indulgences?

Our Montana Road Trip with Expedia Add-On Advantage

Thank you Expedia for sponsoring this post. Book your travel on Expedia.com to save with the Add-On Advantage!

We just got back home from an amazing adventure out west in Montana! We have a soft spot in our hearts for Montana and cannot seem to stay away! Travel fuels our creativity, inspires our work, and helps us bond in ways words cannot describe!

We love driving around the mountains and small towns of Montana, and renting a car from the new Expedia Advantage Add-On program is an excellent choice for a fun road trip like this, through southwestern Montana! 

When you book a flight, you can get awesome deals on add-ons like car rentals and hotels. Keep reading to learn more about their awesome deals AND see lots of photos from our recent vacation out west!

Downtown Virginia City, MT.

Montana is a magical place. "Keep Montana Majestic" is a fitting slogan I thought of as we were leaving this time, because it's such a gorgeous and majestic place that has only 1 million residents - one . We spent a lot of time in southwestern Montana this past month, visiting the areas around Yellowstone including Big Sky, Bozeman, Hebgen Lake, and Ennis, MT. We also spent time in the Missoula area for an awesome rafting trip on the Clark Fork River Gorge. Keep reading to learn more about some of our favorite places in Montana and get insights on these awesome travel deals.

BOOK A FLIGHT, CAR, OR PACKAGE AND UNLOCK UP TO 43% OFF SELECTED HOTELS!

So, if you already have a trip planned, and want to access a SUPER GREAT price on a hotel, this is a great opportunity! 

I checked on car rental prices around Missoula, which also unlocked deals on hotels! There were some awesome cars available, and all of the hotels in the screenshot below (with a yellow stripe above their name) offer additional discounts to those who use Expedia Add-On Advantage! I just love saving on travel, so I can use that part of the travel budget for something more fun. Like a rafting trip, which you will see below. We had SO much fun!!

Below, we spent one particularly fun Sunday on the water with a river guide. As a team, we worked together to get the inflatable raft through rapids. We had no clue how much fun we would have, since we generally never plan trips with any sort of guide or service - we love just driving and exploring places that way.

See the car rental deals I found, below, plus more suggestions of awesome places in and around Missoula to visit. 

If you ever have the chance to visit downtown Missoula, you will love it! I would even suggest 2-3 days to fully experience a couple of days of shopping plus being able to eat and drink at the MANY bars and restaurants is so much fun. The city is walking friendly but a little spread out, and luckily parking is super easy here in the summer, so feel free to use that rental car to get around town.

We have been so fortunate to visit Ennis, MT several times in the past couple of years. We love the gorgeous mountain vistas in the Madison Valley and I absolutely love how free you feel when you're in such a beautiful place. It's a very small town, but the Madison River runs right through town, as well as being one way people get to Yellowstone, the town's rather small population gets over a million visitors. It's very popular to fly fish in this area, and we love finding a place to let the dogs swim too. 

When you're in Ennis, you must check out the Gravel Bar (aka G Bar - see beers in the image below), which has lots of local MT beers and spirits, and their food is really pretty good. They are also opening a brewery next year, which should be really neat. Across the street from G Bar is Willie's Distillery. Deemo's Meats is a place to stop and grab groceries (they specialize in amazing meats and cheeses), and make sure to grab some of their frozen brats near the register - the green onion ones are AMAZING)! Perfect for roasting over a campfire too. 

Below, I thought this was so funny. Your typical Monday, with a Side By Side just leisurely driving through town! Some of our other favorite places to visit in Ennis include Plain Jane's (clothing, shoes, and the best Montana gifts ever), Nacho Mama, and Shedhorn, which sells outdoor gear, really nice quality women's shoes and clothing and also hunting and camping gear.

A historic gold mining town situated high above the Madison Valley. This is always a fun place to stop and shop or stroll through the wooden boardwalks that used to be hustling and bustling. 

Sure, since Big Sky, Montana sits at around 7200 feet in elevation, it's a great place to ski, snowboard, and snow mobile But, it's an amazingly vibrant and fun place to be in the summer as well. We spent several different days in Big Sky, and saw local music at their free Thursday Night Concert Series, drank a few local Montana beers at their bars, and visited the Big Sky Farmer's Market. The shopping in this area is really wonderful, if you like that sort of thing! There are also amazing restaurants in almost every style of food, so you can please everyone with something delicious!

These Thursday Night concerts are packed - especially this one weekend when the rodeo was also in town. If the line for the beer vendor is too long for your liking, just run into the Hungry Moose grocery store and grab something to drink - you can have open containers in the unincorporated town of Big Sky during these events. Grizzly Outfitters also has the most impressive selection of the latest women's clothing from the best outdoors brands. Yay! During the summer, people also love to mountain bike here, as well as fish the surrounding rivers. The Gallatin River runs through and all around town and is surrounded by huge pine trees.

The Big Sy Farmer's Market was really impressive. While around 90% of the vendors had art, I felt that the quality of most everything was nearly art gallery quality jewelry and decor, made with antlers, beads, and other local materials. This flower vendor was also incredible - I wanted to bring home a huge, rainbow colored array of Montana grown flowers, but that was a bit unrealistic :) There was live music which was also super great, and then you could walk to grab some food in a nearby restaurant or food vendor after walking around. This Montana Alpaca at the Farmer's Market was rather cute too! 

Montana Flathead Cherries are in season during the summer, so grab up as many of these as you can if you are in Montana! They're SO sweet and delicious and I would love to bake a cherry pie from them. Huckleberries are also in season, but way, way harder to find than these cherries.

Hebgen Lake was formed in 1959 when an earthquake occurred, causing part of the mountainside to fall into the water, creating a rather amazing lake that is unlike any other place we have ever been. Our friend has a boat slipped on this lake, so we drove out and spent time over several different days in the sunshine! The water is absolutely gorgeous and great for tubing and water skiing too.

This lake is situated along the drive from Ennis to Big Sky. You can also drive through Bozeman instead, but this drive avoids the traffic altogether and it absolutely stunning! You even drive partially through the western part of Yellowstone. making this one of the most scenic cruises you can do in this part of southwestern Montana.

There are so many rivers in Montana, and we loved fishing various places to pull over and get in the water. Below, the Ruby River.

We loved driving around Montana this summer, and if you want any more travel advice, please leave questions or comments in the section below!

I hope you enjoyed this recap of our recent vacation to Montana! Have you ever been to any of these towns pr places in Montana? Comment below to let me know!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.