Maine is a beautiful state full of rich history and natural sights to enjoy. If you’re planning a day trip or vacation this summer to the Northeastern state of Maine, then you’ll want to read on for the top 10 things to do while in this beautiful state.
I am not going to lie to you guys. These caramelized onion, cheddar, and potato pierogies are no joke. They are best attempted with at LEAST one other person helping you. Assembly line style is best. If you can tackle it though, the end result is really, really, really worth the extra effort. They are amazing. At the end of making these I was too exhausted to enjoy them properly. They certainly CAN be done alone. I’ll never do it again, by myself, but you might be tougher than I am. The magic happened when I left the boiled but not sautéed pierogies in the fridge for a few days, and then fried them up and topped them with the sour cream, bacon, and even MORE caramelized onions. Then ate them. That, my friends. That changed my mind. That made me think that the hours of work WAS worth it. No frozen, store-bought, mass produced product can compare to these. It isn’t possible. Maybe a restaurant version could, but I haven’t seen them on many menus.
First things first…get your large pot of water boiling and your potatoes peeled and ready to go in. Continue reading »
For years and years and years we’d see Sonic commercials here in Boston, but there were no Sonic’s to be found. And then one finally opened in Massachusetts – Only it was all the way up in Peabody, which is about an hour from where I live. It was kind of a bummer, but I did manage to make it up there a couple of times. But then a couple of years ago one finally opened near me, in Somerset and now there is one in Stoughton, too, so now I can have Sonic whenever I want since I can get to one in about 20 minutes. YAY.
One day recently I was at Walmart and came across Sonic Pudding and I was like woah….I knew I needed to get some and make something awesome out of it. Cue this ah-mazing Sonic Strawberry Shake Dip. It’s so easy to make and it’s super yummy.
Boston is a fun and interesting place to visit, there’s no doubt about it! This is especially true for history buffs. If you’re in search of free historic sites to visit in the city, you have tons of options to choose from. Here are a few to consider.
Boston Freedom Trail
The Boston Freedom Trail is the red brick walking trail that takes visitors to several themed sites across the city, important during the American Revolution.
Follow the trail to get a look at some of Boston’s most famous spots. This includes Paul Revere’s house, the site of the Boston Massacre, Granary Burial Ground and the Old North Church from which revolutionaries used those infamous lanterns to signal that the British were coming.
There are several (daily) 90-minute walking tours, which take you along the trail. Knowledgeable guides provide information about each site. Or, if you prefer to walk the trail at your own pace, audio players are available from the Freedom Trail Foundation. The players feature stories and information that you don’t get on the guided tour. Continue reading »
Here in New England, summer is way too short and my family really tries to make the most of the nice weather we do get. One thing we do every single year is head up to Portsmouth, NH to Water Country. There are several water parks in New England, but Water Country is by far our favorite.
For over 30 years, Water Country has been the go-to destination for family fun in southern New Hampshire. Water Country features family-friendly rides and attractions like Big Ollie, Dr. Von Dark’s Tunnel of Terror, and the lazy river. They have more slides, pools and attractions than any other water park in the area and there is definitely something for everyone there. A day at the water park is just that, a full day!
My family had a blast spending the day at Water Country this past weekend and I wanted to share a few tips with you for your trip: Continue reading »
I have been on a chicken salad kick lately. I used to love it when I was a kid and for some reason I got away from it for a while. But I am back on it now and I have been making tons of it lately. I usually eat it on bread, but I got this idea make lettuce wraps out of them recently and they came out awesome. Like, seriously awesome. I have eaten these Loaded Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps every day for a week straight. They are really easy to make and I love that I can make and serve them fairly quickly. If you like chicken salad, give these loaded chicken salad lettuce wraps a try.
The home of the Mark Twain House & Museum and capital of Connecticut, Hartford is a city that brings much entertainment and sights to see. This is the place to go to view some historical locations, artistic talents and enjoy the views of the city. Today I’m featuring 25 things to do in Hartford, CT so that you can plan your next Connecticut visit properly.
You know, sometimes a mama just wants a treat. I work hard and sometimes I want to reward myself for all that hard work with a little sweet treat. Of course, I am a good mom, so when I make sweets – I make enough to share. Well, sometimes. Anyhow, I made these absolutely ah-mazing Banana Split Bites recently and trust me when I tell you that they were a huge hit.
If you know me, you know that I love my desserts. But once in a blue moon I only want a little bit which is why I had the idea to make smaller portions of one of my favorites – a banana split. Wait, did I just say that? A little bit of a dessert? That’s crazy talk. I could down 6 of these in one sitting without batting an eye. But when I made these, I shared. I swear.
I love to travel. Unfortunately, my budget does not allow for expensive, elaborate getaways, so I have to be creative and frugal. I try to pick places that I can drive to and that I can do inexpensively. I recently returned from a week in Maine and had more fun than I ever imagined I would there. My son was on vacation with his father, so my best friend and I went on a girl’s road trip. We didn’t spend much, doing mostly free things, and I figured I would share with all of you.
We stayed in Bangor, as it was central to most of the things we wanted to do. No trip to Bangor is complete without a trip to Stephen King’s house. I’ve been a fan of his writing all my life, and his house is exactly what you would expect. Continue reading »
Growing up, my siblings and I waited all year long until my parents finally said we were going to “Edaville” to see the Christmas lights. It was one of highlights of my childhood and I have so many happy memories of going there year after year with my family. These days it’s known as Edaville Family Theme Park and I am so thankful that I have the chance to take my own kids there so they can have the same wonderful memories of Edaville as I do.
But why is it called Edaville? Ellis D. Atwood used his initials (E.D.A) to name the theme park back when it first opened. He started this railroad by purchasing most of the surviving equipment from Maine’s once expansive network of two-foot gauge rail’s and had them trucked south to Carver, Massachusetts – and it is now known as Edaville Railroad. Continue reading »
It’s summer vacation and if your kids are anything like mine, they are asking for a snack every five seconds. Like literally…my two eat constantly.
All. Day. Long!
I am always looking for easy snacks to make for them. Since my boys (and most other boys I know) are obsessed with poop – and the poop emoji, I made some Poop Emoji Rice Krispie Treats recently and they were a big hit!
I almost hate to jinx things, but I am just going to say it. We’ve been having some killer weather here in Boston this summer. It’s been so hot here (the way I like it) and knock on wood, we’ve had very little rain. Last year I feel like it rained for 80% of the month of July, so this nice sunny weather we’ve been having is so nice. With all the gorgeous weather, I decided that I wanted to plan a Boston staycation for my family. Sometimes it’s so fun to play tourist in your own city! I headed over to TripAdvisor because I needed help narrowing down what we should do. There is a lot to do in Boston, but since my boys aren’t always enthusiastic about doing things as they used to be (darn tweens/teens), I had to be sure to choose adventures that would keep everyone happy and entertained.
Did you know that you can book activities and experiences directly through TripAdvisor? It’s super convenient to be able to look through all the things they offer to do in the city you’re traveling to, read reviews while you’re there AND book whatever catches your eye – all in one spot. You are going to TripAdvisor to look at the reviews anyways, so why not just book your experiences while you are there on their site. Trust me, it makes life so much easier! Continue reading »
If you live in the Boston area, chances are you’ve heard of the Boston Burger Company. The BBC is well known in the area for their over-the-top burgers, gourmet fries, craft beers and their Freak Frappes. Yes, that says Freak Frappes. They also have apps, sandwiches, and salads, but it is named the Boston BURGER Company, so I think it’s pretty much against the law not to order a burger if you go there to eat. Just sayin’. They serve burgers with names such as porkasaurus, the kitchen sink and the hot mess…I mean, how can you not try one?
Christian and I had the chance to stop in to the Boston Burger Company for dinner a few weeks ago and because we are both super smart, we started with dessert. I wanted a Freak Frappe in the worst way and I was afraid if I didn’t order my frappe first, I wouldn’t have room for it at the end of my meal. Continue reading »
We’re right smack dab in the middle of summer vacation and other than “I’m bored”, the only other thing my kids are programmed to say is “I’m hungry”. They have a meal, tell me they’re full and then they are hungry again 10 minutes later. This mysterious hunger only seems to happen when they are out on school breaks, too. Weird, huh? Anyways, since my boys are literally always hungry, I make them a lot (and I do mean a lot) of snacks when they are home. These Pepperoni Pizza Bombs are a favorite in my house.
There are so many can’t miss things to do in Martha’s Vineyard. This beautiful island location is in Massachusetts just south of Cape Cod and can only access Martha’s Vineyard by boat or air. It features Gothic cottages as well as several ferry ports, depending on which end of the island you venture to. Today I am sharing 25 things to do in Martha’s Vineyard to assist you in planning your vacation itinerary.
Whenever I host a cookout, I always make some Old Fashioned Potato Salad to serve to my guests. It’s just like the potato salad that my mom used to make. Potato salad is a summer staple around our house and often times I will double the batch so that I am guaranteed to have some leftover.
If you believe in ghosts, chances are you love exploring haunted places. What follows is a short list of the most haunted places in New England. The question is this. Are you brave enough to go exploring?
The Kennebunk Inn (Kennebunk, Maine)
Originally built as a private residence, the Kennebunk Inn opened as a tavern in 1928. It is said to be haunted by Silas Perkins as well as various other apparitions. Perkins, the inn’s former auditor and watchmen, loves to play pranks on guests and employees alike. Most especially in room number 17.
Snedeker Demon House (Southington, Connecticut)
This funeral home turned private residence is the home that inspired the book (and movie) “The Haunting in Connecticut.” It’s where Ed and Lorrain Warren, both paranormal investigators, assisted the Snedeker family of ridding their ghosts in 1986. Continue reading »
Every year on July 4th, my family hosts a big cookout. We’re proud Americans and we love to celebrate the birthday our country. I love making festive foods and desserts for my cookout, but sometimes I just want something quick and easy. Especially for when the kids start nagging asking about when the food is going to be ready. These Patriotic Vanilla Frozen Pudding Pops are probably the easiest dessert treat I’ve ever made. Of course you can make them with homemade pudding in small disposable cups, but I’m lazy, so I took the easy way out.
With warmer weather comes more time spent outdoors for yard work. Getting your garden and flower beds prepped and even tackling your lawn. If you are looking for some lawn care tips to get your grass looking amazing check out these tips below. We all want the greenest and nicest grass on the block!
Early Summer Feeding
In the early summer, I recommend getting a feed for your lawn. This will give it nutrients and really help it grow better through the summer evenly. By feeding your lawn with a fertilizer it can help your grass spread and thicken up, kill out weeds and more.
Then every 8 weeks you can do another summer feeding on your lawn to keep giving it nutrients. This is very helpful if you live in a really hot area. There are many brands out there you can find to buy.
Mowing
Depending on the type of grass you have will depend on how high to set your mower blades. I suggest looking up your grass type online and see what mower blade setting is recommended. If you are unsure set your blades to a little bit taller setting. Allowing your mower blades to be set a little higher will let the grass develop deeper and stronger roots. You will mow more often but you will have a nicer looking yard. Continue reading »
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love anything that’s personalized with my kids names on it. Anything. I have all sorts of things with the boy’s names on them already – baby blankets, Christmas ornaments, plaques and a ton more that I can’t even think of right now. I just love it when something is not only beautiful, but has special meaning to it, too.
One thing has always been missing, though. A really nice piece of “mom” jewelry. You know what I’m talking about, the kind with your kids names engraved in it. I’ve been looking for that perfect piece of “mom” jewelry for years, but never really found anything that I thought would hold up to the high standards I had in my mind. Until recently.
I came across a website called Centime and I immediately fell in love. Centime is a small company started by two moms who totally get it when it comes to “mom” jewelry. Like me, they didn’t want a generic piece of jewelry that you can get just about anywhere – they wanted high quality hand crafted jewelry, so they decided to start making it themselves. And that’s how Centime was born. Continue reading »
