Affordable and Fun Staycations

 

The weather has been crazy – some days it is freezing cold while others it is close to 60!  I love the warmer weather and I know many are thinking about Spring Break or those long weekends, right?

As a single mom, I didn’t have a lot of many for vacations and I wasn’t as creative as some of these ideas from the ThirtyOne blogger… We lived close to the shore so trips to the beach and boardwalk were always a easy and inexpensive way to take a break.  Check out some of these “staycation” ideas;

Spa day at home

Fully embrace the spring break spirit with a spa day in your very own home. First, gather the supplies. Fill a Double Duty Caddy with the scrubs, cleansers, mud masks and other items to make you feel relaxed and renewed. Make sure your Glamour Case has a variety of nail polishes so you can choose the hue which strikes you when it comes time for your do-it-yourself manicure and pedicure.

Light a candle, soak your feet and grab a refreshing beverage. Bonus: Now your caddy and case are ready and waiting, it will be easy to create your own at-home spa long after spring break ends, whenever you need a little pampering without the price tag.

Park and picnic lunch

Take in the great outdoors! You don’t need to visit a national park to stop and smell the roses. Head to your favorite local park or playground and relish a few hours under the sun. Hike the trails, spot some wildlife and make the outing a little more special by eating al fresco.

The Picnic Thermal Tote’s zip-around closure makes it easy for you and your companion to pack a picnic lunch, or choose the Fresh Market Thermal when you want to carry enough sandwiches, sides and drinks for the whole gang.

Swim outing (inside!)

Instead of a trip to the beach, stay closer to home! Find the closest indoor pool or water park and spend a day in your swimsuit, come rain or come shine. You might not be able to dig your toes into the sand, but you can enjoy the next best thing when your Essential Storage Tote is filled with snacks, goggles and water toys. Even better? No sunscreen required!

Movie under the moonlight

See the stars – on the big screen and in the sky. Planning an outdoor movie night add a little bit of pizzazz popcorn alone just can’t manage. Once you locate a projector (pro tip: check your local library), the rest is easy. A mobile movie screen (inflatable or otherwise) is great, but a white or cream-colored garage door or even a large blanket will do.

A Zip-Top Organizing Utility Tote is roomy enough to hold everyone’s favorite movies, snacks and drinks with space to spare for outdoor necessities. Keep the bug repellent close at hand in one of the tote’s exterior pockets. Or carry a Catch-All Bin outside, filled with enough candy, napkins and glow sticks to keep even the smallest movie buffs entertained.

Road Trip!

How far can you go on a tank of gas? Forget the overnight bag and instead explore some of those hidden treasures an hour or two from home. A Crossbody Organizing Tote can fit everything you need for a day on the road – books, toys, snacks, water bottles and even a few diapers for tiny travelers. Best of all, you can throw it over your shoulder and keep your supplies close at hand all day long!

What is your favorite type of staycation?  Share it with us…..

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Is Vacation Veronica Your Summer Persona?

Summer and the living is easy, at least here at the Jersey shore unless you are fighting traffic from all of the “shoobies”.  Pools, picnics, gardening, homemade ice cream, life at the beach, on the lake, and the lazy days of summer are what we want our lives to be full of, right?

Most adults have to work a JOB, so all of the fun summer things are squeezed into weekends or when you are on vacation.  For those who have their own business, there are BIG choices to make. Sometimes, it is hard to remember our “business is flexible, not optional”, especially if you want to get paid!

I know it is the end of July but for some, there are still 4 more weeks of summer vacation.  What are you going to do with your business?

Have you put your business on hold this month?  Are you going to do it again in August?Sure you can BUT how is it going to effect your customers, your team, and maybe even your company.

Are you in Vacation Veronica  mode, taking the entire sumer off?  We often talk about “vacations” during the holiday months, right?  I can’t be the only one who finds it hard to work between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We tend to take a “holimonth instead of a holiday”. Not good for your business then and certainly not good during the summer.

In a conversation last week with a friend, we were talking about the excuses everyone has about not working their business during the year:

• July/August – Summer time is vacation time, fun time. Who wants to work when everyone else is enjoying summer fun
• September/October – Back to School and sports
• November/December – holiday times.
• January – No one has any money because they spent it all on gifts
• April  – Easter or Spring Break
• June – Graduations, weddings, end of school year parties, etc.

Do you see the pattern?  So, if you don’t have a plan, you can end up working your business maybe two months out of the year.  I don’t know about you but I definitely would have to work 24/7 to make sure I made enough money to pay the bills all year long.  No one says you can’t enjoy lots of down/vacation time when you have your own business, you just need to have a plan.

Here are the 5W’s of Direct Sales which helped me keep “Vacation Veronica” away:

1. WHO will I share this with? Who will have my next show?
2. WHAT do I want my business to provide for me? What is my vision? What difference do I want to make in this world?
3. WHEN will I make time for my work and for my family?
4. WHERE will I be in one year? Where is my time best spent right now?
5. WHY am I really doing this? WHY does this bring me joy?

There are a lot more questions in each of the sections but these are MY personal favorites. When I keep these things in front of me, Vacation Veronica doesn’t have a chance to get me sidetracked. I am not saying we don’t all need a break but let’s put it in perspective. If you owned your own store-front and took a month off, don’t you think it would be hard to get back into the swing of things. What if you work a full-time job and took a month off? Would you want to go back to work and when you did, wouldn’t you still have vacation brain?

When you imagine the rest of your summer, think about what you want, and create an intentional plan.

Here’s to hoping Vacation Veronica doesn’t linger long at my house or yours.  Take a break and enjoy your family and friends but don’t neglect your business.  If you had a store front, you wouldn’t close for 2 weeks would you?  So why should you close your direct sales business for 2 weeks unless you are fully booked for the next 2 months – even then, I am not sure I would stop working my business.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Tasty Tuesday – AMAZING Slow-Cooker Chicken Dish

Thank you Hungry Girl for another AMAZING recipe….

Serving size: 1/8th of recipe (about 1 cup): 213 calories, 4g total fat (1.5g sat fat), 647mg sodium, 18g carbs, 5.5g fiber, 4.5g sugars, 26g protein — SmartPoints™ value 3*  Makes 8 servings.

Prep: 15 minutes   Cook: 3 – 4 hours on high or 7 – 8 hours on low, plus 55 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. raw boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped onion
One 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
One 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
One 4-oz. can diced green chiles, drained
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
5 cups roughly chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese
Optional seasonings: additional salt and black pepper

Directions:

• Place chicken in a slow cooker, and season with pepper and 1/4 tsp. salt. Top with onion, beans, tomatoes, and green chiles.
• Add broth and seasonings, including remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Gently stir.
• Cover and cook on high for 3 – 4 hours or on low for 7 – 8 hours, until chicken is fully cooked.
• Transfer chicken to a large bowl. Shred with two forks — one to hold the chicken in place and the other to scrape across and shred it. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker, and mix well.
• Pulse cauliflower in a blender until reduced to rice-sized pieces, working in batches as needed. Add cauliflower rice to the slow cooker, and stir to mix.
• If cooking on low heat, increase heat to high.
• Cover and cook for 55 minutes, or until cauliflower rice is tender.
• Serve with a slotted spoon, draining the liquid. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tbsp. cheese.

Here are some other ways to enjoy this Recipe:

On a salad: Spoon a serving over a pile of chopped romaine or shredded iceberg (or your lettuce of choice). So much flavor, you won’t even need dressing!

In a whole-wheat tortilla: Wrap it up, burrito style. Look for natural tortillas with low calorie counts, like La Tortilla Factory Whole Wheat Organic Tortillas.

In lettuce cups: Crisp lettuce leaves are the perfect vehicle for a shredded-chicken dish. Go for medium-large leaves from a round head of lettuce, like iceberg or butter lettuce.

Omelette style: Cook up an egg-white “pancake” in a skillet, and wrap it around your chicken goodies. Or just scramble your whites, and stir in the chicken. Now that’s how you get a burrito fix at breakfast…

Why not cook a batch up and portion it out for meals, then freeze it for lunches. OR make a batch and take it to your next “potluck dinner”.  Headed out to a tailgate or a potluck dinner, why not keep it hot in Thirty One’s Fresh Market Tote.  

This roomy thermal can fit up to two 9×13 pans inside or a crock pot, so it’s perfect for potlucks and family picnics! It also has expandable sides just the right size to fit 2-liter bottles inside. Plus, it comes with long handles so it’s super easy to carry! Approx. 10.5″H x 15.5″L x 10″D (snapped down); 15″H (when top is expanded)  Make sure you personalize it so you be sure to get it back.

Share your favorite recipe with us.  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

No-frills Date Ideas

Is this how you picture date night?

Is this what your date night actually looks like?

Kids, work, stress, health issues and just plain LIFE can sometimes get in the way, right? Every couple that I talk to tell me that date night is important but especially for a frazzled parent even if they struggle to fit it in.

It was easy pre-baby (or kids) days, right.  Now, it isn’t easy or even possible to go anywhere or do anything planned, sometimes you just have to have things ready for a moment’s notice to take advantage of the situation.  Date night can sometimes be “date lunch”.  Maybe it is some “afternoon delight” – just spending some time together while the kids are at school or at a play date.  The key is learning how to make the most of those down times and that doesn’t mean squeezing in more errands.

Check your calendar – schedule your date just like everything else.  When we write it, it will happen.  Here are some ideas for day or night that can actually coexist with parenting.

#1 – Lunch or Dinner at an Ethnic Restaurant that Neither of You Have Tried

Step out of your comfort zone, eat with your hands or sit on the floor, depending on the norms of that particular culture. Does spending money on food you have never tried scare you?  Have a lunch date.  Prices tend to be lower and with the kids busy at school or play dates or activities, no cost for a baby sitter.  Who knows you may like it and want to go back for dinner.

#2 Have A Picnic On the Beach or at the Lake

Picnics on sunny days are always a good idea, but even better when there’s a body of water close by. Being close to the water is not only calm and refreshing to your senses, but you can even go in for a dip afterwards if you want.  Is it a rainy day? You can always have an indoor picnic – remember the fun you used to have as a kid doing this?

#3 Play Tourist 

When we think of sightseeing, we think of fancy getaways, majestic natural wonders, and cultural sites in faraway lands. But the truth is, we may be missing out on some pretty awesome local landmarks.  “We Can See Them Anytime”, right?  The truth is that we seldom do and sometimes never get to them. Google local tourist spots and plan a day trip to experience them in your area.

#4 Go to a Local Comedy Club or Open Mike Night

There are lots of amateur comedians or artists that try out their skills on local stages.  They are usually nervous and unsure BUT they have a dream. Chances are that they are pretty good but lack confidence.  Your encouragement can put a smile on their face. This idea is also fun as a double date or maybe even a family night with your older kids.

#5 Volunteer at a local Charitable Organization 

Performing random acts of kindness for others can be a strong bonding experience. Spending a day helping others receive a meal, or assisting with building a home for the less fortunate will bring your own blessings into stark relief. Take pictures with the people you helped or with the other volunteers to show your kids. This is also a great family project.

#5 Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Have some cake, cupcakes, or anything that satisfies your sweet tooth at a bakery close by. After you’re done, take a relaxing stroll back home.

What are your favorite date ideas for couples and parents of children who need a day/night out?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!