Category: Family

The Toyota Highlander Is Worth The Hype

Hello Everyone!  So, I just got back from the DFW Auto Show this past week and it was AMAZING!  I was super excited to be covering Toyota this year and check out all the new and upcoming models.  Terence and I have talked a lot about what our next car will be and we’ve decided on an SUV or a truck.  Just this weekend he had to pick up some shelves from the home improvement store and he said “Man…if we only had a truck to pick up those shelves I ordered”.  I get so excited when we get to drive new cars and try them out.  It definitely helps narrow down what we like and don’t like.

Late last fall we were able to drive a Toyota Highlander SE model.  I think someone was a little bit excited about this car???  Ya think???

The Toyota Highlander was basically the perfect vehicle….if it were up to ME!  We have gone back and forth between the Toyota Highlander and a Lexus RX.  They both have great qualities, but the Highlander price point fits more in our family budget.
I really enjoy being a bit higher up off the road in an SUV.  For some reason this makes me feel more “large and in charge” while driving.   The automatic trunk opens and closes with a push of a button.  You know those days when it’s raining outside and you have your hands full of 20 things and can’t dig through your purse for the keys?  Just press the button on the trunk and “viola” it opens for you!   Of course Connor’s favorite thing was the TV.  Oh my goodness I’ve never had a more quiet car than when I was driving this Highlander! LOL!  It comes fully equipped with headphones and a remote.  Roadtrips would definitely be much more smooth with these fun extras.

I’m sure a lot of Mom’s have heard this before….“Mommy…Mommy…the sun is in my eyes!!!”  The built in sunscreens are a life saver on those hot, sunny Texas days. The dashboard and command station have everything at the press of a button.  This car was sooooo COMFY y’all!  I didn’t find myself reaching and extending for things or pressing certain buttons because they were all within an arms reach. That third row seating is a definite bonus too.   I could car pool ALL the kiddos in this Highlander!  The third row also folds down for extra storage, so the next time we need to pick up a bulky item…like shelves for the garage…just pop that seat down.
Do you ever find the smallest things to be your favorite as well?  This little shelve that was in the front dash was my FAVORITE thing!  My phone is usually sliding all around my car, but I found it so easy to just pop the things I needed right there on this little shelf.  
The Highlander is definitely one of my most favorite Toyota vehicles. It’s got just about everything you could ever want and need for any adventure.

Until our next adventure…..xo Becky

Kid’s Eat Free at McAlister’s Deli on Valentine’s Day + Enter to WIN!!!

This post is sponsored by McAlister’s Deli.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Valentine’s day is next week y’all….NEXT WEEK!  You know Terence and I are pretty low-key on Valentine’s day.  When you have kids in the picture it’s just as important to make them feel loved too!  Not that it’s not nice to go out with just your hubby…but you know what I’m saying.  Sometimes life gets busy and things get put on the back burner.  Especially if Valentine’s day falls in the middle of the week.

And please don’t make your Valentine COOK…give them a night off….soooooo…..

Next week Kids eat FREE on Valentine’s Day at McAlister’s Deli!!!  I love a free meal and a good deal y’all!  (Adult entrée purchase is required. Up to two free kids meals with the purchase of an adult entrée. Dine-in only.)

Now let me just say McAlister’s has always been near and dear to my heart.  My very first job 20 years ago was at McAlister’s Deli and I worked there for 2 years with my twin sister.  It’s nice to see how much it’s changed, but I’m also glad my favorite things have remained the same over the years- like the chocolate spoon cake, the TEA, and the potato salad.

Let’s throw it back for a minute…

Oh the days of working at McAlister’s and eating spooncake and not gaining any weight!  I remember them fondly! LOL!

Tea…tea…tea…or ME…ME…ME!!! Everyone loves McAlister’s tea.  It’s always been so good and it still is…I can testify to that because I made it for many years.  I love how you can now add flavors like peach or mango to your tea as well.  I’m a mango girl myself.

The cookies are the best too!  They have these premade treat bags ready to go.

I think someone is hinting at something….

Nothing can come between me and my mango tea!!!

Ter-Bear eating his sandwich and mac n’ cheese.  My forever Valentine….oh how I love this guy!

Connor is our little joker.  Is that a cookie or a mustache?

McAlister’s has something for everyone, whether it’s the enormous spuds, a sandwich creation, or a yummy bread bowl full of soup…you won’t leave until your tummy is happy!

Oh and you better believe I brought home a chocolate spoon cake!  Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

I have a great giveaway for you and your family from McAlister’s Deli! 

Enter to win a $25 gift card, just enter using the form below.

VALENTINES DAY DETAILS: 

Where: McAlister’s Deli

When: Wednesday, February 14th 10:30 AM – 10 PM

Kids Menu Entrées:

INCLUDES CHOICE OF SIDE

Turkey & Cheese • Ham & Cheese • PB&J • Toasted Cheese • Mac & Cheese

ENTRÉE ONLY

Kids Spud • Kids Garden Salad • Kids Nacho Basket • Cheese Pita Pizza

Promotion Details: Up to two free kid’s meals per adult entrée purchase. Dine-in only. Kids 12 and under. Drink not included.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Lil LoveBug!

This post is sponsored by LoveBug Probiotics.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Keeping your little ones and YOURSELF well during this season is sometimes hard to do…or even think about.  I have been taking a probiotic for years now and it’s the easiest part of my morning routine.  Probiotics promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria and can help promote weight loss, digestive health, immune function.  If you haven’t been adding a probiotic to your daily diet, then maybe it’s time to start!  What have you got to lose besides feeling your best right?

Here’s my little love bug…gosh I would do anything for this kiddo!

I take LoveBug Probiotics and here’s why:

  • LoveBug® Probiotics is a premium line of award-winning probiotics for the whole family
  • With a patented delivery technology, LoveBug® Probiotics are 15x more effective in delivering the microorganisms to the digestive tract than other leading probiotics
  • LoveBug® Probiotics were developed by a mom for moms
  • Rooted in science, LoveBug Probiotics were developed in partnership with internationally recognized doctors and scientists
  • LoveBug® created the first staged probiotic for babies specifically designed to support their developing microbiomes

I’ve been adding The Skinny probiotic to my breakfast every day. It has a proprietary blend of eight probiotic strains, Here’s the Skinny repopulates your microbiome to streamline digestive function, quell sensitive stomachs, improve energy levels and elevate mood.

I also give Connor the Little Ones probiotic and it’s super easy for him to take.  This kid has a gag reflex like something terrible…and he has NO problems swallowing these!  Amen!  Little Ones probiotic is formulated to populate kids’ guts with beneficial bacteria which is critical for their lifelong physical health and mental well-being.

So, I’m curious…do you take a probiotic?  What benefits have you seen while taking one?  I’ve been taking LoveBug probiotics for the last couple of weeks, I always try to really TRY products out before I recommend them to y’all and I can honestly say I’ve felt good and my gut is doing great!

For more information on LoveBug visit their website,  Facebook, Instagram, & Pinterest

I’m so excited for Valentine’s day coming up!  It’s one of my favorite holidays 🙂  This “Be Mine” sweater from Target is a favorite find this season.  Muah!

xo – Becky with the good coffee

Christmas, Camrys, & the Ultimate Catch Up…Oh My!

Shame…shame…you know your name.  That would be MEEEEEE!!!

I have seriously been slacking on the bloggity blog so let’s catch up again shall we?  I have so much to recap and write about before 2019!  Ha!

Starting with Christmas 2017.  We had a lovely visit back home to Arkansas and to the farm.  We stayed with my twin sister Bonnie and her family.  I finally got to meet my new niece Ella, who seriously is the sweetest, most calm baby in the entire world.  She’s absolutely precious!  My sister and I always have a good time catching up and of course the boys (Connor & Jarrett) are pretty much inseparable.  They are exactly like their Mamas, they love hard…but they fight hard too. Lol!

My poor Mom at the flu.  We finally got to see her on the last day we were in town.  Thanks goodness for technology, we were able to face time during Christmas so she could see the kids open presents.  Still, it wasn’t the same at the farm without her there.  The flu has just run rampant this season and so far we’ve been lucky not to catch it.  Everyone I know that has had it has said it’s THE WORST EVER!

So, if you’ve been following my on Instagram you may have seen some of these pictures, but I like how I can go into more detail here on the blog.

We were super excited to drive a brand NEW 2018 Camry to Arkansas for the holiday and it was sooooooo nice!  It was a hybrid model, so we got great gas mileage and it was so smooth up and down the hill country of Arkansas.

 

The 2018 Camry was super sporty looking and we really enjoyed the drive.

I’m just a little excited to drive this baby!  I had an Avalon for 11 years and I loved that car so much…I still miss it to this very day.  Terence works for Toyota Headquarters and he sent me pictures of the new Avalon design and OH.MY.WORD.  It looks on the sporty side too and just as luxurious as I remember.

I absolutely love the “command center” which included a backup camera, audio, USB ports, and heated seats for the win!

It was a little different driving a hybrid, but overall I really like the gas mileage aspect of it.  Also, you couldn’t even tell the engine was running when the car was turned on.  Talk about STEALTH mode 🙂

I also really liked the clean and metallic looking details of the interior.

It was a comfortable ride indeed.  We were all three able to “plug in” with our phones, iPad, and my Kindle.  

The middle console displays the battery and engine charge.

 

Once we got into Arkansas we headed to my sister’s house and Larry’s Pizza buffet…we officially made it HOME! LOL!

Me and my sweet Ella girl 🙂

The boys were reunited and had a great time at Dave & Busters! They love gaming together and talking about the most RANDOM things…

Bonnie and I had a great time drinking Starbies, watching Hallmark movies, and shopping a bit.

Then we headed up to Nannie’s house on the farm and had so much good food to eat and opened presents.  The boys each got a Nintendo Switch, something they both have been wanting for quite some time!  The farm is beautiful during Christmas, and for some reason we all just take the best naps up there.  It’s like you don’t have a care in the world when you step into Nannie’s house…I guess that’s part of what makes it so special, well, besides Nannie herself that is!

On the road again! We just loved the blue Camry so much! It was the best Christmas sleigh ever!

After Nannie’s house we all headed back to Bonnie & Vinny’s and my Mom was feeling well enough we got to see her and my Daddy for breakfast the morning we left. I love me some Cracker Barrel…


OH! And I got together with my besties from highschool for the best meal EVER at Ya Ya’s! If you saw my Instastories then you saw how they made this dish- in a huge hollowed out bowl of parmesan cheese. They light it on fire so the cheese melts and then add the pasta and some herbs. BEST. EVER. I’m still dreaming about this pasta!

We made it back home to Texas and now I’m homesick to go back again! We had the best Christmas…until next year…it’s been real 2017!

Some of my FAVORITE CHRISTMAS GIFTS!!!

Let’s Cuddle…

Well, when winter finally gets to Texas it comes with a brutal force!  I put away all the Christmas decorations this past weekend and now I’m just chilling out watching all the Hallmark movies I might have missed.  I love the days where you can just sit by the fire and read a good book or watch a movie.  I’m also loving my new ClimateRight by Cuddl Duds from Walmart!  They are suuuuuper soft and for this price I can afford to stay cozy for a good while!

I know a lot of us visit family or friends over the holidays and you can’t just go running around someone else’s house in your skimpies!  That’s why it’s good to have a set of lounge wear that you are comfortable in and stylish too!  I really like how ClimateRight offers the perfect layering and sleepwear separates for warmth and comfort at an affordable price, & they are from the makers of Cuddl Duds®… one of my favorite brands!

The plush velour makes this sleep set extra cozy. I got the black set, which comes with a long sleeve crew-neck pullover top and coordinating velour pant.  There are several different patterns, so you can mix and match if you want to.  After eating all that yummy food over the Christmas season I love putting on a good pair of stretchy pants 🙂

I also really like how they mixed the fabrics to give it a more stylish feel.

ClimateRight by Cuddl Duds are amazing quality, a great deal, and exclusively available at Walmart or Walmart.com.  Choose from the Warm Base-layer collection or the Sleepwear Separates collection.

Celebrating the Holidays at Outback Steakhouse

This post is sponsored by Outback.  All opinions are my own.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and I’m excited to start 2018!  I’ll do a Christmas re-cap soon 🙂

Today let’s talk about FOOD!!!  During the holidays food is a subject I like to indulge in myself.  If you ask my husband where his favorite place to eat is he will say Outback Steakhouse every time.  We’ve been married over 16 years now and the one thing that hasn’t change is his love for Outback, specifically the steaks and ranch dressing.

I was super excited to learn that a shiny brand new Outback Steakhouse was opening in Euless, TX so close to us!  We visited for the first time with our Grana and Pop and it was sooooooo good y’all!

The lobby is modern and stylish (I love the hanging light fixtures).  It also offers mates who are waiting a refreshing beverage.

The new Outback Steakhouse® is located at 2601 State Highway 121.

It is part of the huge new development going in near Glade Parks, so you have great shopping and dining all in one place!

We sure did enjoy our time with Grana and Pop!

We got a gift card to an escape room.  I’ve always wanted to do one of those and I’m excited to see if we can ESCAPE!

The Outback has a ton of new menu items right now, as well as some seasonal favorites.  That BIG Chocolate Cake…oh my!

Great cozy atmosphere

I tried the Gingerbread Martini and it was SOOOO good!  I’ll definitely be coming back for that one.

Okay, so I love the Outback Onion Blossom….and now they have the Onion Petals.  They are just as good if you have that craving, but don’t want the entire onion.  We love to dip ours in ranch.  The Outback’s ranch dressing is AMAZING y’all!

Nothing fills you up better than a steak and baked potato.

I took pictures of all of our meals and the veggies on my Mother-in-Law’s plate were delicious.

I ordered a side of the skillet mac n’ cheese.  Anything with cheese and spiral noodles….mmmmkay!!!!

My delicious chicken.  Outback seriously has the BEST chicken ever!

This was really cool.  If you have a big party of people and need extra seating these tables can join together to accommodate a ton of people.  You can basically create your own table size because the entire thing is on rails.  That is GENIUS!  

There is plenty of seating without feeling too crowded.  I loved the low lighting and the rustic atmosphere.  I’m so happy this is now in our home town and we can’t wait to go back for more Outback!  I’ve loved seeing out Outback has evolved over the years, as well as keeping our favorites in mind.

Guests at the new Outback will be able to enjoy signature grilled steaks, chicken and seafood entrees, and the Bloomin’ Onion in a restaurant boasting the chain’s new “Modern Australia” design, with decor that mirrors the indigenous flora and fauna, adventure, geography and leisure of modern-day Australia. 

The bar area.  Great for happy hour or watching a big game.

Being an Army brat and then marrying into the Air Force I was so happy to see this on our table.  The Outback Steakhouse is partnering with Operation Homefront to help our military and veterans.  You can add $1 to your check after your meal or a $5 donation goes to help a military family by providing a meal this holiday season!


For more information on Outback visit them on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram!

– Earn up to 50% off every fourth visit by joining DineRewards™.

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas & have a Happy New Year!

The Outback Steakhouse would be a great place to ring in 2018!  Another Gingerbread Martini might be in order 😉

Christmas Home Tour

Well, we are officially 4 days until Christmas 2017.  Today has been a doozy…not to mention a child I know *CONNOR BRANCH* spilled chocolate milk in the back seat of my car this morning, so that’s just great.

This holiday season has been so busy I can barely keep my head on straight.  It seems like December always moves at warp speed.  Have y’all heard the song with DMX singing “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”?  If you haven’t listened to it yet….YOU MUST!

A long time ago there used to be a link up of everyone’s homes decorated at Christmas time and I loved it!  So, now that we’ve been in this home for a little over a year I thought I would share our Christmas decorations.  Over the past year we’ve worked really hard remodeling and decorating our new home….we still have a ton to do…but Rome wasn’t built in a day, or so they say!

First off…check out our awesome Christmas jammies from Lazy One.  I looooove them and we have so many fun jammies from this company!  They aren’t just for Christmas folks!

Christmas mantle

Living room

I’m not going to show my office, but it was recently painted a pretty gray!  It’s full of photography gear though 🙂

The Dining room

Kitchen

The hutch has all of Connor’s pictures with Santa since he was 10 months old….

This is a quilt I got at Steinmart for our bedroom.  It was $29.99 and I just LOVE it!  It’s supposed to get cold tomorrow (FINALLY) so we can use the extra quilt.

Oh Christmas tree!

Our cousin Adrianne sent this ADORABLE pillow from England and I just LOVE it so much!  I love all things British really….and the Kinder chocolate isn’t too bad either.

Cute little festive soaps from World Market.

This is the extra bedroom.  We also had the walls in here re-textured and painted.  There isn’t much decor except for the “OH DEER” pillow cases, also from World Market.

Connor’s room hasn’t changed much since I posted his before and after pictures.  He does have his little Christmas tree full of Star Wars ornaments.  We are so excited to see the new Star Wars movie on Christmas break!!!!  Who has seen it yet?

And finally y’all go enter my INSTAGRAM FAVORITE THINGS GIVEAWAY!!!

My favorite candle “The Smell of Christmas” from Aromatique.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I’m giving away a lot of really fun things this Christmas…including….