Have a holiday pot luck coming up and can't decide what to make?  This brown sugar cinnamon pear dump cake has all the festive flavors you need for a delicious fall/winter dessert. Plus, its incredibly easy to make. Things you'll need 2 cans of sliced pears in heavy syrup Brown Sugar Cinnamon Vanilla cake mix 1 Stick of butter Empty the entire contents of...

    This delicious coconut, lychee ice cream is incredibly easy to make. It's just the right amount of sweet and creamy.  Plus, it's a great vegan option. All you need is one can of coconut milk and one can of lychee in syrup. The two cans should be the same size so that there will be more coconut milk than syrup once the fruit is removed....

Sometimes dinner and a movie just gets a little old. Whether it's your 2nd date or 200th date, it's always fun to mix it up a little. Step out of your routine and try some of these date ideas to keep things interesting! 1. Environmental tours Be an enlightened explorer and take your date on an eco tour.  Bike, hike, and kayak to new places. Learn about plants and...

I'm always on the hunt for healthy treats to feed my crew. We do our best to stick with wholesome options that use quality ingredients. Instead of buying bags of pricey, processed snacks, I've been making chicken jerky at home.  Not only do my dogs go crazy for them, they're also ridiculously easy to make. Ingredients: Chicken Breast Start by partially freezing the chicken breast for...

I'm going to be honest with you.  I am a lazy cook who hates measuring.  Attention to detail is not one of my strong suits.  You know how people write "Great attention to detail!" on their resumes? I can't write that. It doesn't apply to me.  And yet, somehow, I've managed to get by okay.   Anything I post on this blog that...

Happy Monday! We're at the start of the week once again.  Whether you have school or work, chances are you've got things to get done.  Being able to focus has always been a challenge for me and it greatly affects my ability to be productive. Here are a few things that help me sit still and get through my work. 1.  Take care of...

Sometimes it's nice to just get away from it all and go somewhere a little different.  Recharge and get inspired with these surreal retreat spots across the US.   This beautiful, grown up tree house in New England, Vermont   An aesthetically pleasing and pet friendly safari tent in Warner Springs, California     Or a romantic, luxury safari tent in Wimberley, Texas A fully equipped, pet friendly...

I had been looking for a spacious, modern design dog bed that matched the rest of my furniture.  Unfortunately, nothing I saw fit my specific expectations. I'm not super handy but I managed to put together this upholstered dog bed. My pups are a little spoiled but they love this bed! Materials: Wood Plank Suede Fabric (Frame) Super Suede Fabric (Pillow) Polyester Filling - I used...

   The hubs and I took a four day trip to Sequoia National Forest and Kings Canyon over Labor Day weekend.  Before we made plans, I checked the NPS website for the rules on bringing dogs.  The site  states that dogs are allowed on all trails in Sequoia National Forest.  What I didn't realize was that the National Forest is not the same as the National Park. Silly me. We...

Minimalism is beautiful in theory.  When my room is decluttered and bright, I get the feeling that I've really got my life together.  It's usually followed by a sudden need to accomplish every goal I've ever set for myself.. In practice, it's not easy to be ever vigilant of the endless piles of clutter that seem to add up.  Where does all this stuff even come from?   Tips for...

If you follow any design Instagram accounts, you've probably seen at least a little bit of marble.  It's a trend I'm absolutely in love with and also absolutely unable to afford. But who needs to shell out big bucks when you can just fake it? Shh.. No one needs to know it isn't real!  Make marble contact paper your new best friend.  I just bought myself...