Beach Days and Pizza Nights - Dig Into Something Different with Tombstone!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FlavorYourSummer #CollectiveBias

Now that sunny, super warm weather has descended on Florida yet again I'm understandably spending a little bit more time at the beach. It's a beautiful place to reflect on life and it's safe to say that I'm in love with hearing the sound of waves rolling in while I read a book.

The days are long and hot but the water is gorgeous and the fun to be had is endless. I will confess, after a day at the beach, the last thing I feel like doing is cooking though. I'm sure you all can relate. That's where these delicious, new, limited edition Tombstone Pizzas come into play. These aren't your typical Italian pizzas, these little babies are full of unique and totally unexpected toppings that will blow your mind and delight your taste buds.

The Bratwurst Pizza is a family favorite after a long day in the sun with premium bratwurst, green peppers, onions, real Wisconsin cheddar & mozzarella cheeses, and a tasty tomato sauce with a spicy brown mustard kick. I like to refer to this pizza as a "picnic pizza"; once you try it, you'll see why! Simply put: it's the definition of summer and the perfect way to quickly get dinner on the table after a long day.

The Diablo pizza is my personal favorite with a delicious fiery sriracha tomato sauce that surprised me but delighted my taste buds! The flavorful chorizo, jalapenos, sweet red pepper, and real Wisonson mozzarella cheese are the perfect compliments for this amazingly easy, inexpensive, and delicious dinner. The spice in this pizza is just right and not overwhelming, allowing everyone in your family to enjoy a slice or two!

Whether your family is just about to head out on an adventure or just getting home from a day of exploring, pizza is always a family favorite and these surprising pizzas will win your family over right away! Be sure to grab both of these tasty summer-inspired pizzas next time you are shopping at Walmart!

So... tell me, what kind of summer activities do you have planned? Which pizza do you think your family will enjoy the most? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!

Connect with Tombstone & stay up-to-date on the deliciousness:
Facebook | Twitter

Travel Adventures in The Midwest - Making Memories and Sharing a Coke with My Favorites!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShareAtSchnucks #CollectiveBias

This last week has been a whirlwind of fun, with three family parties and so many fits of laughter induced by good times I can say that my family is the best. My family is kind of a cluster of people, with in-laws galore, so many step (and half) siblings it's hard to explain who is related to who, and even friends that are so close to us all that they are considered family. It's a pretty special blend of people so when hubs and I have the chance to go home we like to have a good time, every time!

Our trip back to the Midwest this time around included flying into my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Our first stop on the trip was a run to Schnucks to grab Coca-Cola to share with all of our family. After all, nothing is better than a cold Coke and some good ol' family time!

After hubs and I grabbed some road trip essentials and enough Coke to share with everyone we made a bee-line for Tulsa, Oklahoma so we could see my in-laws; the sweetest group of people you'll ever meet! I'm in love with my husband's family and knew that we had to squeeze in a visit to Oklahoma to see them.

The short time we were with my mother-in-law was nothing less than amazing. She had all of our family favorites prepared, including a soup that I ask for her to make every single time I see her! She also made sure everyone got a good laugh in while we played board games and with all the kids in the family on that side, we were provided with so much entertainment we didn't know what to do with ourselves!

Seeing our closest friends and family at her house is always so much fun, but this time being able to giggle over a Coca-Cola made it that much better. With so much to talk about and so little time, I wish we could have stayed longer but I'm thankful for the time we were able to spend at her home.

Next we went to go see my father-in-law and the other side of our wonderful Oklahoma family, they catered delicious Mexican food and we had a blast chatting over the dinner table while sharing a Coke. Spending time at their house is always a joy and they make us feel so comfortable, it's hard to leave every time.

But alas, we had my niece's 2nd birthday to attend so we took the road trip back to St. Louis and made another Schnucks run for balloons and of course, even more Coca-Cola for the party! Her "two-odles" party turned out adorable and I'm so glad we were able to attend.

I'm so blessed with so many incredible family members, from my "sisters" who aren't even actually related to me but are the best sisters a girl could ask for to my in-laws who love me like I'm one of their own... I love my family and I'm pretty lucky that they love me like they do. This trip I came to the realization that sitting around the table with family, having a little bit too much fun, and giggling more than imaginable while sipping a delicious, cold Coke from Schnucks is really what life is all about. I love making memories with these people and hope each and every member of our family knows how much I cherish spending time with them.

Now that I've shared our most recent travel adventures and how I shared a coke with everyone in my family, I'd love to know... Who do you want to Share a Coke with? You can see all the options and names available here, I'm sure they have the perfect label for everyone from your dad to a new grad!

My Passion for Yoga! #InternationalYogaDay #GoCommando

Yoga has always been my favorite way to get active, there's just something about that moment when you finally feel the relief from your day in the deep stretch of a backbend or the second when you can feel your body relaxing, while also feeling the intense rush from a headstand. Yoga is my way of letting my mind unwind while allowing my body to stretch, the perfect way to chill out after a long day.

Another reason that I love yoga so much is a bit silly, but who doesn't love the attire involved in yoga practice! Nothing could be more comfortable than yoga pants and a lose fitting tank top... without anything else on! I'm all about going commando while in my favorite yoga pants, but that also means I need to feel clean - that's why I choose to use Cottonelle. Maybe you haven't tried Cottonelle's wet+dry system yet? You can get a FREE personalized sample kit right now, don't miss your chance!

I'm super excited that International Yoga Day is quickly approaching, just another fun reason to practice yoga regularly and share my passion with the world! Most recently I shared my love for yoga with my niece while visiting for her birthday party, she just turned two and loves learning new poses and keeps asking to learn more. She's got a bit of a wild streak but loves yoga, just like me... I think I may have found myself a new best friend and yoga buddy.

With summer approaching quickly as well, it's time to start working on beach bodies and yoga is the answer! After my most recent visit home and being asked a handful of times about my yoga routine from siblings and friends, I feel confident in saying that I think I've finally found my "sport". Yoga isn't just a sport or activity for fitness in my life though; Yoga is a way of life, a daily routine, and my safe place a lot of days. If you don't have that in your life, I think now is the time to check out how yoga practice can help you transform in so many different ways.

Now that I've shared my passion for yoga and my love for Cottonelle, I'd love to hear how you find peace in the madness? Are you into yoga or more into the idea of yoga while wearing yoga pants and drinking a glass of wine? Either way, let's be friends! (Just a reminder, since we are friends after all: don't forget to grab your free personalized kit here!)

Capturing Travel Memories with Walmart Family Mobile

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #MobileMemories #CollectiveBias

As you probably already know I live in Florida and I love where I live, most of the time. The only thing I really don’t like about the Sunshine State is the lack of family in the area. I’ve always said if I could just pick up the beach and move it and all the beautiful tropical weather to the Midwest or pack up all my family and convince them to move to Florida that my home would literally be paradise at that point, it would be complete in every sense… but alas, that can’t happen.

While I can’t change the shape of the continent or convince my family to move, I can buy a couple of plane tickets and visit as often as possible. We actually have family sprinkled all over the Midwest, so this week we are heading back to our roots so we can both see our families and we are so excited! With a plane ride with a long layover and a six hour car ride, I’ll have plenty of time to get friendly with my phone on the way home. I may have downloaded a handful of apps and started making all kinds of stuff on our way here, like this time lapse video with our airport adventures and a little bit of the road trip fun.

A video posted by Lauren Paints (@sunkissed_sweetheart) on May 13, 2015 at 12:08pm PDT

Like most kids, my nieces and nephews are growing up faster than I can blink. It is so important to embrace all the time with them and teaching them things as often as I can while I’m around... The funny thing is, I often learn from all of them. They all are so smart and so cute, my family is pretty blessed.

Sharing little “happies” is another one of my many joys of being an Aunt, little happies are what my MamMaw-in-Law refers to when she hands us a little something that will make us smile. She’s the sweetest broad you’ll ever meet and I think she’s on to something with these “happies”, this will definitely be a tradition that I carry on. My most favorite part of being an aunt is documenting our time together though, I’m the oddball in the family and I constantly have my camera and/or my cell phone ready for pictures. I guess since I don’t live nearby I feel the need to capture as many memories as I can and with such kooky little characters in the family, there are a lot of memories to capture.

I’ve been trying to find a phone that will do everything I need it to while traveling. You know I obviously blog, so I need a phone that can handle all of my picture taking and post editing while on the go. I also need a phone capable of helping me navigate in our rental car, a phone that can serve as my e-ticket while boarding the plane, and a phone that can make calls to my dog sitter to make sure my babies are okay back home. My phone has to be capable of doing pretty much anything at any time.

My phone has a heavy-duty job to do all the time, so I’m pleased to say after years with a not-so-satisfactory provider I’ve found one that I love at Walmart! Did you know Walmart Family Mobile offers phone service at the lowest price for unlimited service; at just $29.88 a month (for the first line)! This includes Unlimited Talk, Text & a pretty rockin’ data service plan which includes up to 1G of 4G LTE data!

Walmart Family Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy Avant is the perfect phone for me. I can capture memories in seconds, blog about them, and then share on Instagram while making a phone call… It does everything I need and more. Plus, it’s so easy to use that the kids loving stealing it from me and playing games! It’s a toy, it’s a way to stay connected, it’s a way to capture memories, it does everything.

Since it is so easy to navigate I think this phone would be perfect for any one, from a young kid receiving his first phone to an aging grandmother learning to text! So who will you treat to a new phone this summer? Which Walmart Family Mobile phone suits you the best? Maybe it’s time to start capturing memories and sharing them on Walmart Family Mobile with the entire family and at these prices, that’s totally an affordable option.


Disclaimer: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to http://cbi.as/8e03 or your local Walmart for current pricing.

Live Simply Well with Chocolate + Caramel Rice Pudding: The Bikini-Friendly Dessert

You may remember when I told you about one of my favorite better-for-you desserts using KozyShack Simply Well Tapioca? While that's still a go-to recipe, I've now discovered their Simply Well Rice Pudding and made a dessert that's perfect for the caramel lover in you.

We all know bikini season is coming soon and I'm taking some huge measures to get rid of this extra weight I've been carrying around. One of the many decisions I've made is to try and not indulge my sweet tooth too much, that means the days of ice cream and cheesecake are long gone. I live in a world of green smoothies, protein shakes, and delicious pudding instead and I'm happy here. I plan on sharing more about how I'm losing but for now, I'm sharing how I treat my sweet tooth on occasion...

This rice pudding has no gluten, has no sugar added, and contains only 90 calories and 1.5 grams of fat, the perfect better-for-you treat to help you relax on the days when you just need something sweet!

All you'll need to make this easy dessert recipe is caramel, a pinch of cocoa powder, fat free whipped cream (if you please), and Simply Well Rice Pudding - just sprinkle a pinch of cocoa powder into the pudding and stir, adding caramel, and lastly topping it off with a whirl of whipped cream.

This recipe may look decadent but it's really not, I'm obsessed and so are my taste buds! Are you interested in trying KozyShack? Leave a comment below letting me know which Kozy Shack Pudding you want to try first and one person will be randomly selected to win 2 free product coupons!

Do Your Part to Create a Bright Future and Win: Rinse, Recycle, Reimagine!

The “Rinse. Recycle. Reimagine” program is part of the Unilever Sustainability plan and aims to increase its positive social impact while reducing its environmental impact, a big thanks to the program for sponsoring today's discussion and hopefully influencing you to recycle your produtcts!

This may surprise you but Americans are more inclined to walk farther distances to get a drink when thirsty, charge their phone, or answer a phone call, than walk an empty plastic bottle from the bathroom to the recycle bin. As a result, these easily recyclable bathroom products are contributing to nearly 29 million tons of plastics in landfills each year! That's a lot of plastic that could be reused but that is instead going to just sit there for many, many years - what a waste of good material!

Unilever has teamed up with Keep America Beautiful, the Ad Council, and me and my little blog to help spread the word about recycling in the bathroom! Think that empty shampoo bottle is worthless and unusable? You are sorely mistaken, rinse and recycle it and you could end up using that same shampoo bottle again, it'll just be recycled into a hairbrush, backpack, or even a swing set in your backyard! It's pretty amazing that we are able to reuse so much and we need to start embracing this fact if we are going to continue growing as a society.

If you are like me and twenty percent of American's, you probably have a collection of bathroom products that seems a bit unhealthy. A range of shampoo and conditioner, a collection of body wash, a handful of perfume bottles, a couple of lotion bottles, and the list can go on!

You may be thinking, but I can't recycle this or that, and while I understand the confusion on what can and can't be recycled, did you know that there's a website that can help you figure all of that out; to find out what qualifies items for recycling in your area and to find out what your plastic bottles could become, go to iwanttoberecycled.org/bathroom!

Want to win something for helping to create a bright future? Unilever is hosting a pretty awesome sweepstakes and you have the chance to win all kinds of prizes daily or win the $500 grand prize! The sweeps is going on through June 9th and you can enter via Twitter.com or Instagram by uploading a photo showing off how you recycle in your bathroom with the hashtags #ReimagineThat and #sweeps and tagging @UnileverUSA!

My Mani - Pedi Routine with Vaseline® Intensive Care Advanced Relief Healing Serum

Today's discussion is sponsored by Vaseline® Intensive CareTM Advanced Relief Healing Serum,
regardless all opinions are my own.

It's finally SUMMER for this girl, which means I've officially earned my associates degree! Can I get a woohoo?! I'm so incredibly excited about the fact that I no longer have classes to attend or homework to complete, at least for a few months anyways...

I'm also excited about how amazing my nails look now that I have a little bit of free time! While sharing my manicures isn't something I've been able to make time for lately, you better believe after I completed my last final for the semester I took the time to paint my nails all pretty and now I'm taking the time to share with you! I look forward to getting to share more of what I love with my readers over the next few months, more free time means more fun on the blog!

I used a nude shade as my base color in this manicure, a gorgeous shimmery special addition golden glitter, and of course, my trusted Vaseline® Intensive CareTM Advanced Relief Healing Serum to make sure my hands are super hydrated and beautiful.

I'm obsessed with the soft scent of rose and amber, blended with the refined aroma of vanilla - it's like a day at the spa, every single time I apply, especially because this serum goes beyond what lotion can. It actually heals and moisturizes skin, where as lotion masks your dry skin problem temporarily.

I think I may paint my toes like this next time I treat myself to a mani-pedi. The combination of nude color with golden accents will make the perfect matching mani-pedi! Making sure my feet and legs are hydrated with this Vaseline® Healing Serum will be the perfect way to make sure my skin is smooth, beautiful, and moisturized when I slip into my summer wardrobe - a bikini and/or a sundress!

What kind of fun stuff do you have palnned for this summer? I can't wait to share all of my fun adventures with you over the next few months!

Get #CookingwithGuyFieri: Tex-Mex Scramble AND Quesadilla Pizza Recipe

I participated in a Influencer Activation for Guy Fieri Sausage. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

I'm pretty much the definition of a foodie, I love good food (like most people) and I'm always willing to try something new. I love watching food related shows and I often crave what I watch afterward, one show that always gets me is Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. He's always discussing some off-the-wall food combination or trying something so drool-worthy I almost decide to road trip across country to eat, daily. I’m a bit of a fan, I suppose you could say.

So when I heard Guy Fieri, one of my foodie idols, came out with a new line of sausages I knew that I needed to try them ASAP. I'm all about a good meat and knowing that he loves all food just as much I do, I knew he wouldn't disappoint me.

I decided to include the Guy Fieri Seasoned Fajita Chicken Sausages and the Mozzarella and Parmesan Pork Sausages in two of my favorite dishes to throw together in a hurry and these meals definitely are a ticket straight to "flavortown"! I love that they're made with fresh ingredients, natural hickory smoked, and available at Walmart!

I made the Guy Fieri Fajita Chicken Sausages in a rice, pepper, and sausage scramble and the dish is the bomb. I like to refer to it as a Tex-Mex Scramble but I'm not really sure what to call it other than delicious! With roasted red and green bell peppers, garlic, sauteed onions, and natural pork casing making the sausage have just the right flavors to season my sauteed onions and peppers, I literally am craving this again and I just made it.

Quick and Easy Tex Mex Scramble Recipe

Ingredients:

White and Jasmine Rice Blend

Guy Fieri Fajita Chicken Sausage

Diced Onions

Diced Peppers

To prepare this recipe, simply make rice as instructed and slice the chicken sausage, place in a large sauce pan, and saute with diced peppers and onions.Once the peppers and onions start to absorb some of the heat, they'll soften making the perfect compliment to this scramble.

Remove from heat once the mixture is prepped to your liking, I tend to like my peppers super soft so I leave my pan on for a bit while I prepare a salad to eat on the side!

Serving this dish up is simple! Place the rice on plate and add the delicious sausage, onion, and pepper scramble over the top of a bed of rice. I also like to add a little bit of spicy mayo to mine, just because I'm a saucy foodie and the kick to the mayo adds a nice twist to the recipe!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The other dish I made is one of the easiest dishes you can make, ever! Using the Guy Fieri Mozzarella and Parmesan Pork Sausage as a star ingredient I made little stuffed pizza quesadillas - the perfect treat for a busy, chaotic night when you still want something tasty! I love making these little pizzas whenever I get the chance, but with this double cheese and italian sausage added in as the main ingredient, it really takes these quesadilla pizzas to another level!

Quick and Easy Quesadilla Pizzas

Ingredients:

2 Tortillas

Pizza Sauce

Guy Fieri Mozzarella and Parmesan Pork Sausage

Pizza Toppings of all kinds

Cheese

To make this dish, just grab all of your favorite pizza ingredients and a counter top grill or even just a pan!

I like to break up my sausage and saute it in a pan so that it has a tastier texture inside the pizza, but this is totally optional since the Guy Fieri sausages are pre-cooked and delicious as they are!

You'll want to place one tortilla on the grill (making your bottom crust), coat the tortilla with a thin layer of pizza sauce, and add toppings until your heart is content, I loaded the works with peppers, spinach, and this delicious pork sausage on mine! Next you'll add your other tortilla over the top and close your counter top grill and allow it to brown on both sides.

That's it, your pizza is ready to serve! Just slice into fours with a pizza cutter and get ready to see smiles all around the dinner table!

Now that I've shared two of my favorite ways to get #CookingwithGuyFieri, I'd love to know how you plan to use this new, delicious sausage as an ingredient in your recipes?

Connect with Guy Fieri: Twitter | Facebook