SOCIAL MEDIA

Monday, May 11, 2020

Cucumber Watermelon Refresher

* This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

As I said on Friday, I have been playing around with different drink recipes. I love everything watermelon. I don't know what it is, but watermelon flavored things are refreshing. I bought some cubed watermelon at the store about a week ago and made a recipe from Pinterest. We thought it was pretty good, but definitely too strong and too sugary. It has you make a simple syrup and I feel like you can cut the sugar down and use a sparkling water instead. And add in lime. Anyways, I started playing around with the flavors a bit and created this Cucumber Watermelon Refresher. You could definitely make this without alcohol and I believe it would be just as amazing!

CUCUMBER WATERMELON REFRESHER
serves 2
Cucumber Watermelon Refresher Cocktail

Ingredients
Seedless watermelon (about 5 one inch chunks)
Lime
Cucumber (about 5 slices with the peel cut off)
Watermelon Sparkling Water (I love the Bubly brand)
Ice
Vodka
Cucumber Watermelon Refresher

Directions

1. Add in your watermelon, cucumber and fresh squeezed lime juice (I use a whole lime) to a cocktail shaker. Muddle it until the watermelon is all broken up.
Cucumber Watermelon Refresher Cocktail

2. Add in ice to your cocktail shaker. Add in 4 oz. vodka to your cocktail shaker (4 shots). Cover and shake.
Cucumber Watermelon Refresher Cocktail

3. Add ice to your glass and pour your cocktail mix over the ice. Make sure you either have a cover on your shaker so you only get the liquid or use a small strainer.

4. Fill the rest of your glass with the watermelon sparkling water.

5. Enjoy!
Cucumber Watermelon Refresher Cocktail
Friday, May 8, 2020

Friday Favorites

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

Week #8 of quarantine is in the books. I can't believe we have been doing this for 8 weeks now. I feel like I am sort of used to working from home, eating at home all the time and in this new routine. I will be glad to be out of it, but I know I will miss the family time and sleeping in. We don't have much planned this weekend. We were supposed to be going out to brunch on Sunday for Mother's Day, but since we can only do take-out (still), we will not be doing that. This Mother's Day is going to look a whole lot different.

Onto Friday Favorites and Happenings.

ONE. for Mother's Day I treated myself to a new fitness watch. I don't know what happened to my current Fitbit Versa, but part of the screen broke. The glass didn't shatter, but there is a huge black gap that covers up part of my step count, my heart rate and my calories burned. And it keeps getting bigger and bigger. I had this watch for about two years, so I would say I got my use out of it. I was going to get the new Fitbit Versa 2, but I have been eyeing the Garmin Vivomove for awhile now. Since each company is doing $50 off right now, I went with the Garmin Vivomove.
Garmin Vivomove

I was going to get an Apple iWatch, but the fact that you have to charge it each night made me go against it. I love seeing my sleep patterns and I don't want to charge something every single day. I already do that with my phone (or every other day).

TWO. I have been on the hunt for more shorts. I have a few pairs of jean shorts, but I want the comfy shorts. And I don't want booty shorts either. I bought a pair from Abercrombie recently and they were amazing. Now I am waiting for another pair to go on sale and have free shipping and then I will scoop those up. But I have been searching everywhere online. Where do you get your shorts from? I recently grabbed these from Nordstrom online and I hope they fit well.

THREE. I did take a chance on some American Eagle shorts during a mega sale this week (still going on) and got two pairs of shorts and a tank for about $45.

FOUR. Last weekend we went up to Lake Tahoe to do the Sand Harbor trail walk again. It was so beautiful outside and we made it the whole way. About 6 miles round trip. The girls got a bit tired towards the end, but snacks along the way helped. After walking the trail, we went back to T's Mesquite for tri-tip burritos again. I definitely could get used to doing that weekly. Picnic and all!

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe



Lake Tahoe

T's Mesquite Tri-Tip Burrito


FIVE. On Monday, I am posting a yummy cocktail that I have been recently making. I took a recipe off of pinterest and made that one and we thought it was ok. So I started making changes to it and perfected it. I can't wait to share it with you.

I am linking up with A Little Bit of Everything and Becky.

Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, May 5, 2020

April Amazon Prime Purchases

* This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

I bought a lot more this month than last month because I just need things fast that I can't just pick up at the store. Birthday gifts for a drive-by parade, clothes, kitchen tools, etc. And I feel like online shopping has gotten a lot of my money lately. I am buying all the things. Ha. I do try to get most of the stuff on sale other than Amazon.

So what did we buy from Prime this last month?

Prime Purchases
linking up with Tanya

Highlights Kindergarten Big Fun Workbook

I mentioned this in a Friday Favorites post, but I bought the girls these books to help prep them for Kindergarten since we don't know when they can go back to preschool and I want them to be ready for the school year next year. These have been amazing. I do have to sit down and help the girls with them, but they are learning and it is great!


I loved the first Magnolia Table book and this one is even better. This one has way more recipes in it. I didn't have flour for a long time, so I had to hold off on making some of the recipes, but so far it is really good. I need to break it out again and make more.

Cosori Air Fryer

I had been wanting an air fryer for a long time. I did some research on Amazon and bought this one. It had better reviews than the newer version, so I bought this one. And I got it on sale. I have used it to make french fries, onion rings, artichoke hearts and bacon. It is awesome and I need more recipes for it.

BosenKitchen Milk Frother

Since we are stuck at home, I needed a milk frother here as well. I have one at work that I love, but that one wouldn't ship until the end of April and I couldn't wait. I found this one with just as amazing reviews and bought it. I have used it every single day in my coffee.

Shark Steam Mop

I have been wanting a steam mop for awhile now. And once we got the wood floors, I wanted one even more. This one came recommended to me. I used it and it has a small learning curve to it, but once I got going, I did my whole house. It was amazing how dirty the pad got. And you can use both sides of the pad. So worth it!

Hunter Douglas Cord Replacement Kit

This is a random purchase, but the cord on our Hunter Douglas blinds broke and we needed to replace it.

Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser and Sponge

I wanted something that would clean my sink and my stainless steel products without leaving a residue all over it. I think this worked better in my sink than anywhere else, but it still did a great job on all of my kitchen appliances.

Daily Ritual Black Sleeveless Dress

I have this dress now in black and the dusty pink color. I just bought the dusty pink color since I love this dress so much. It is comfy, long enough and doesn't show any cleavage. Perfect for lounging around in during the pandemic and for the Summer.

Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler

I really needed a muddler since I thought I had one, but I did not. This one works great since it is long and you still have room to muddle in a cocktail shaker.

Oxo Salad Dressing Shaker

I wrote about this salad dressing shaker last Friday and it seems like everyone's mom had the old style one I mentioned and more people are using this one now. It works really well and the dressing only comes out when you push the topper open.

What did you buy this month on Amazon?
Monday, May 4, 2020

Unpopular Opinion

I have seen this unpopular opinion thing going around Facebook and Instagram. Sometimes I am shaking my head yes, like everyone gets me and then my eyes go wide when someone doesn't like sushi. Ha. So what are my unpopular opinions?

Animal Print. Both Bri and Dara said they don't like animal print and I am right there with you. I have tried to buy and like animal print, but I just can't. I like it on others, but not on me.

Game of Thrones. I am sure that makes a lot of you surprised, but I just can't get into it. I am not sure if it is the time period or what, but I don't like GOT at all.

Taylor Swift. So many people love her and her music, but I just don't get the appeal. She was on my banned list of music not to play at my wedding.

Tuna. And I am not talking about raw tuna in sushi. I am talking about tuna fish sandwiches, tuna melts or just the tuna in a pouch. I swear every one of my co-workers loves tuna and it makes the office stink to high heck. I am sooooo grossed out by tuna mixed with mayo.

Mayo. Speaking of mayo, I hate it. I will NEVER have it slathered on my sandwiches. I can only have it mixed in with something else like mustard or in a sauce. I think what did me in was my childhood friend used to make mayo and cheese sandwiches after school all the time. Ugh.

Chicken. I used to love chicken so much and then I got pregnant. Now I can eat it, but I can't prep it at all. The smell, the texture and everything about it makes me gag.

Tik Tok Videos. I have seen way too many Tik Tok videos and I would say 90% of them are dumb. The weird dances, the mocking your husband videos, etc. I just don't get it.

Not Washing My Hair. I have no idea how people can go a week without washing their hair and be proud of that. I just find it gross. I get going a few days between washes to help protect your color and your hair, but a week, just no. I have gotten two extra days on my hair and it was gross on that day 3. Even with dry shampoo. So I wash my hair daily or every other day. That is the most I can go.

High Waisted Jeans. I really wish I could get on that trend, but I feel like on me, it makes me look like I have the longest crotch ever. I love the look on others, but I just feel like it squeezes everything out the top and bottom and I look awful.

Mushrooms on Pizza. I have a love/hate relationship with mushrooms. I love stuffed mushrooms and enjoy them in a salad, but on a pizza, is just revolting.

What are some of your unpopular opinions?
Friday, May 1, 2020

Friday Favorites

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

We survived week 7 of quarantine. And yesterday our stay-at-home order just got extended to mid-May. Complete bs. Our state is ready to slowly start opening. I have a friend who works in the testing facilities for Covid-19 here in Nevada and she said the rates are going down and more people are being tested. That is what the governor said needed to happen to reopen by May 4th (almost 2 weeks since his last announcement). But noooooo, he is going to drag this on. And we have high temperatures around here, so more people are outside and I feel like they are going to stop listening to what he has to say. Ugh. 

I am looking forward to it being the weekend and maybe getting back up to Tahoe for a hike and another T's Mesquite picnic.

Anyways, onto Friday Favorites and Happenings and more happy things.

ONE. I was browsing online for a new pair of sandals or flip-flops since I have been living in them the last week or two and needed an upgrade. I wanted the OluKai Upena sandals, but $89.95 is just a bit high right now. Maybe for Mother's Day? Hint, hint.

Anyways, I did find a killer deal on some Steve Madden sandals which I got for $28, normally $62. I had a few pairs of SM sandals in the past and loved them. These are already very comfy sandals.
Steve Madden League Quarter Strap Sandal

TWO. About 2 weeks ago, Target was having a sale on their dresses with 30% off. I bought a dress from there that is tie dye blue and it is really pretty, comfy and perfect for Summer. I have worn it twice already. And Target is doing another 30% off dresses sale (ends tomorrow night), so you can grab this dress for $14. I am getting the pink tie dye one too!
Women's Sleeveless Tie Dye Midi Dress

THREE. So if you remember my Summery Cocktail recipe, then you know that I didn't have a muddler. I seriously searched my house as I thought we had one, but we did not. So I went online to Amazon and bought one. This one works really well and cleans easily.
Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler

FOUR. Another item that I grabbed recently was a salad dressing shaker. I used to have one of the glass bottles with a plastic white top and I have no idea where it went. I am not even sure it lasted through our kitchen remodel a few years ago. I was using a mason jar as my salad dressing maker than then I lost the top piece. I guess the moral of the story here is: I keep losing kitchen items. Ha. Anyways, my mother-in-law uses this salad dressing shaker and it works so well. So I grabbed one for myself.
Oxo Salad Dressing Shaker

FIVE. Last weekend we got to meet my littlest cousin. My cousin had her little guy the week I was in North Carolina (right before this pandemic went crazy). We have been anxiously awaiting to meet him. We get daily photos and videos of him, but last weekend, we made some plans to come and visit him for the first time. Plus we brought his parents some lunch. Don't worry, we all kept our distance, but just had to meet this little guy. The girls were enamored with him and definitely want a brother or sister again. Ha.


I am linking up with A Little Bit of Everything and Becky.

Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, April 29, 2020

What's Up Wednesday

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

I feel this like month's What's Up Wednesday post is going to look a lot different for people. I am sure we will all have very similar what we have been up to's. I am really hoping to get out of this stay-at-home order soon so we can slowly acclimate back to "normal" life.


Onto this month's What's Up Wednesday...What's Up Wednesday

WHAT WE ARE EATING THIS WEEK...
Sunday: Weeknight Spaghetti by Ina Garten
Monday: Turkey burgers with fries (from the air fryer)
Tuesday: Carne asada tacos with guac and fruit
Wednesday: Sausages and steamed artichokes
Thursday: Take-out pizza
Friday: Not sure. We are running out of ideas on what to make at home.
Saturday: Ditto to the above.

WHAT I'M REMINISCING ABOUT... Going to restaurants, going to playgrounds, going to the bowling alley, going to the beach....just about everything that isn't at home.


WHAT I'M LOVING... Being able to sleep in each day. My typical work day, I would get up at 5:30 am. Now I get up about 5 minutes before 7. 

I am also loving all the walks we take each day.

Family time.

Playing basketball and getting little workouts in.

Saving money. I usually fill up with gas about 4 times per month. Sometimes more if we go to the beach or somewhere more than an hour away. Also, we haven't been getting take-out that much, so that has saved us too. But our grocery bill is insane.

WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO...Pretty much what the rest of America is up to...we have been hanging out at home, spending time with family and cooking a lot more.

WHAT I'M DREADING... That we won't get back to a normal for a long time. That we will miss out on a lot of the Summer activities because we can't get out of this stay-at-home order.

WHAT I'M WORKING ON... Keeping up with my blog, working out way through some tv series and working from home.

WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT... We rebooked our trip to Mexico for October, so I am excited about that. I am also excited about our upcoming Graeagle trip as long as we can still go in June.

WHAT I'M WATCHING/READING... I recently read 
Room 553 - Britney KingThe Housekeeper - Natalie Barelli and Open Book - Jessica Simpson. Now I am reading The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell.

I am watching all of my usual favorites like:  Good Girls, Botched, Top Chef and Riverdale. And we finally started watching the last season of True Detective. We quickly binged Ozark and are awaiting Working Moms and Dead to Me to come out next month.

WHAT I'M LISTENING TO... The TV in the background.

WHAT I'M WEARING... We finally have temperatures in the 70s and 80s, so I have been wearing comfy dresses and shorts. I have been wearing this dress that I bought last year and I recently bought another one.

Daily Ritual Black Sleeveless Dress

I have been wearing these shorts on repeat as well.

These tanks from Nordstrom are getting a lot of wear as well.
Chelsea28 Jersey Tank Top

WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEKEND... I am sure we will be taking walks and being outside.

WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH... I am hoping that May brings the end to the stay-at-home order and we can start to get back to normal. That means going to restaurants and taking the kids to play places like the playgrounds, trampoline parks, etc.

WHAT ELSE IS NEW...Not much
Monday, April 27, 2020

Show Me Your Books

* This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

I had every intention on reading book after book during this quarantine, but that did not happen. I am not sure why. When I did read books, I flew through them in a day to two days. I think I need to read more books because it helps break up the work day, gives me a break from my kids, and a break from everything else.

So what have I read recently?

Room 553 - Britney King
Room 553 - Britney King

After I read Britney King's book Her, I was hooked by her writing. Her books are easy to read, captivate you right away and are just really good. Room 553 is about a two people who engage in an affair. After someone ends up dead in Room 553, everything leads back to Max, one of the people in the affair. Max is trying to prove his innocence and figure out how he was set up. But was he set up? Did he commit the murder? 

I had no idea of the twist that was coming, but I definitely liked the twist and finding out what really happened. This book is really good. Bottom line: read it.

Here is Amazon's synopsis:

"She felt no remorse for drawing blood. In the context of their relationship, it had its place." 

For Max and Laurel, nothing is off limits when they meet in room 553. Their illicit affair is exhilarating, passionate--and dangerous. 

Driven as much by compulsion as pleasure, Max can't stop. His mistress is Jesus on the streets, and Satan in the sack. But when things take a sharp and sudden turn for the worse, he finds himself ensnared in a trap of his own making. 

Under heavy scrutiny by the police and the media, Max is hailed as a cold and evasive womanizer. He made mistakes, to be sure. But does that make him a killer?

Unnerving and addictive, Room 553 is a vivid and sensual psychological thriller that weaves a story of cruelty, reckless desire, and blind, bloody justice. 


The Housekeeper - Natalie Barelli

After I purchased this book on Amazon, I saw a friend on Instagram post about it. She said it was so good and to read it. Luckily, I already had it. This books grips you from the very beginning. Claire is obsessive. She stalks people on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. She pretends that their lavish lives are her life. All she does is lie to her one friend and her life is basically a big mess.

Claire finds someone from her past that she absolutely hates and makes a plan to become their housekeeper. She thinks they won't notice her since she doesn't look the same as she did 10 years ago. Will Claire's obsession get the best of her?

This book was really good. I just can't believe there are really people out there that are like Claire. Bottom line: read this!

Here is Amazon's synopsis:


When Claire sees Hannah Wilson at an exclusive Manhattan hair salon, it's like a knife slicing through barely healed scars. It may have been ten years since Claire last saw Hannah, but she has thought of her every day, and not in a good way. So Claire does what anyone would do in her position—she stalks her.
Hannah is now Mrs. Carter, living the charmed life that should have been Claire's. It's the life Claire used to have, before Hannah came along and took it all away from her.
Back then, Claire was a happy teenager with porcelain skin and long, wavy blond hair. Now she's an overweight, lazy drunk with hair the color of compost and skin to match. Which is why when Hannah advertises for a housekeeper, Claire is confident she can apply and not be recognized. And since she has time on her hands, revenge on her mind, and a talent for acting…
Because what better way to seek retribution—and redress—than from within the beautiful Mrs. Hannah Carter's own home?
Except that it's not just Claire who has secrets. Everyone in that house seems to have something to hide.
And now, there's no way out.
Open Book - Jessica Simpson
Open Book - Jessica Simpson

I had been wanting to read this book for a long time and it finally became available in my queue. I loved reading about her life, the struggles she went through, people thinking she was just a dumb blonde and her family life. I found this book to be very interesting and well worth the read.

Here is Amazon's synopsis:

This was supposed to be a very different book. Five years ago, Jessica Simpson was approached to write a motivational guide to living your best life. She walked away from the offer, and nobody understood why. The truth is that she didn’t want to lie.
Jessica couldn’t be authentic with her readers if she wasn’t fully honest with herself first.
Now America’s Sweetheart, preacher’s daughter, pop phenomenon, reality tv pioneer, and the billion-dollar fashion mogul invites readers on a remarkable journey, examining a life that blessed her with the compassion to help others, but also burdened her with an almost crippling need to please. Open Book is Jessica Simpson using her voice, heart, soul, and humor to share things she’s never shared before.
First celebrated for her voice, she became one of the most talked-about women in the world, whether for music and fashion, her relationship struggles, or as a walking blonde joke. But now, instead of being talked about, Jessica is doing the talking. Her book shares the wisdom and inspirations she’s learned and shows the real woman behind all the pop-culture cliché’s — “chicken or fish,” “Daisy Duke,” "football jinx," “mom jeans,” “sexual napalm…” and more. Open Book is an opportunity to laugh and cry with a close friend, one that will inspire you to live your best, most authentic life, now that she is finally living hers.