Simply Tasheena: September 2017

As I’m writing this post. I’m on a plane returning back from my vacation to London. I will say that I love vacations. However, bouncing back from them especially can be extremely difficult Below I’m sharing a few tips on how I get back on track from a vacation. Whether it’s three days and two nights or when you start to lose count of how many days you were away. These tips are perfect as well to work on prior to going on vacation.

To-Do List

Create a “to-do” list prior to leaving and add it to the list while you’re on vacation. This list is not meant to make you wish that you can stay on vacation longer. Because let's be honest, you have the stuff to take care of whether you like to or not. You can create several lists if you see that your original list is starting to get too long. I like to create a list on the notes section on my iPhone of stuff I have to immediately take care of upon my arrival and other items that can wait. Make sure to double-check your list to ensure that you have your “to-do’s” are on the right list. The worst feeling in the world is spending days trying to figure out what you have to do.

Spa Day

I know, you just came back from vacation. But sometimes you just need a spa day to transition back to reality. I would suggest having a reservation the next full day your back if possible. You can also create your own spa day at home. You can set up your spa day prior to leaving for your trip with your nonperishable items set up so you’re not rushing when you arrive back home to pick up the items needed to make your spa day perfect. Have your bubble bath and candles etc. waiting for you in a basket upon your arrival. I also love the idea of putting together a gift basket for yourself. Everyone loves gifts right? If you have a new book or even leave your favorite chocolate in the fridge so you can have it ready for your spa day. Make the day special!

No Break

For some people, depending on where you're visiting. Not having a break between vacation and reality is just better for you. You have to decide if you need to transition and take a planned day off from work or if you literally need to hit the ground running to be more productive. Everyone is different, and if you’ve said to yourself in the past that you should have to take a planned day off from work. Then honestly, maybe you should take the day off to be more productive.

Vacation

Okay, I know this might sound a little crazy. However, planning another vacation can honestly get the spark back with getting back on track. Think about it, if you have another vacation to look forward to. You have no choice but to take care of business to make this dream a reality. Now, you may be thinking “I just spent all of this money…I can’t think of another vacation.” The best part about this is that you don’t have to have money. I love creating a bucket list and brainstorming dates that I can take my next vacation. Creating a list of various resorts that I would like to visit and how many days that I would like to go for and what time of the year I would like to go. It doesn’t take money to dream, plan, and make it to reality. You can do this on your phone or if you have wifi complete all of the searches during your travels. It makes it a lot easier to transition to reality when you have another trip to look forward to no matter how far away it is.

Do you have any tips for getting back on track after taking a vacation?

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Prior to visiting London, I was researching various stores and how much food cost in the UK. I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon a couple of YouTube videos with people doing a $20 a week food budget. As many of you know, I mostly eat a plant-based diet. However, I consider myself a pescatarian because I occasionally eat seafood. 

Even though I have a monthly grocery budget for my family. I tend to go off track when it comes to shopping for myself. Also, since I’ve started to eat a lot healthier. My family and I typically eat different meals each night. Prior to my healthy eating journey. I would make one of two meals a week that we all could enjoy.

Since October is right around the corner. I started the challenge in September. I want to challenge myself to only spend $20 a week on groceries or a total of $80 for the month. I’m hoping that this challenge for myself will turn into a lifestyle change. Below are some of the things that I plan to do to be successful with this challenge. Also, I haven’t decided if I will roll over the money each month that I don’t spend. Still deciding on that aspect. I will say that my goal is to create more meals based off of what I already have at home. 

Grocery List

I plane to create a grocery list weekly and stick to it. I’ve learned that when I have a list I spend less time in the grocery stores.

Meal Plan

I’ve learned that my eating habits and grocery bill are a lot better when I meal plan. My ultimate goal is to plan for myself and family for the entire month. I will start off continuing to do weekly meal plans though.  

Buy What I Need

I’m horrible at this. I’m a bulk shopper by heart which means that Costco and Bj’s will not see a lot of me. I plan to only buy what I need and use what I have prior to running to the grocery store. This also means that I have to start and be a little bit more creative of what I eat in a day and plan for the week. 

Food Tracker

Half of the time I forget what I have in my deep freezer and refrigerator. I plane to keep a list of the items that I have and check the items off the list once they're used. From this list, I hope to accomplish gaining a sense of what we actually buy, eat and use. I have a really picky palate but also like to try new foods. I’m hoping to keep at a list of foods to not buy again to avoid wasting money. 

Do you currently have a grocery budget? Do you stick to it?

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We are still in the mist of Blogger conference season with Mom2.0, Blogalicous, and so many others coming up. These tips are coming at perfect timing. I wanted to share with you a few tips for the four items that you’ll need for your next conference. I know one of the biggest questions is what do I actually need and shouldn’t leave home without from conference newbies and I wanted to combine a list of items that I just can't leave the house without.

Power Bank

Say it with me "Bring a power bank" between tweeting, Instagram, Facebook and/or Snapchat. Don't leave home without a power bank. I made the mistake this year forgetting my power bank in my suitcase at the hotel. Well, guess what. Within an hour or so, my phone was about to die and I had to use someone's power bank. Not every conference will have charging stations. Some won't even have power strips at the tables. Come prepared and invest in a great power bank. Upon arriving back home from Blogger bash I immediately invested in a high-quality power bank. Trust me, you’ll be asking yourself “why didn’t I buy this sooner".

Business Card

This is a no-brainer. However, you’re human and will forget stuff. If you plan on attending a blogger conference. Make sure that your business cards are up to date with your current information and also make sure that you don’t forget to pack them. In the event that you run out or are about to run out allow people requesting a business card to take pictures of yours and I highly suggest getting the contact information of the brand if you run out of business cards.

Water/Snacks

I always suggest having snacks on hand. When I arrived back from Blogher’17 and Blogger Bash I was exhausted. I made sure that I stayed hydrated and had plenty of snacks with me. You’re not going to like all of the food offered at the blogger conference. Plus, you really don’t want your stomach growling while speaking with a brand rep. Carry a water bottle and a small snack to assist you with getting through the day.

Paper/Pen

This might sound really simple. However, in the event that your phone dies, or you lose it and/or it starts to malfunction. Have good ole trusty pen and paper with you. Nothing sucks more than needing to write a quick mental note or someone’s contact information. You can decide what your preference size is. From a legal size notebook to a pocket notebook. Carry one with you for those just in case moments. You may prefer to hand write everything. Do what works for you and bring enough for the conference.

The list can go on and on. I would highly suggest you check out my other blogger conference tips posted here. However, these are the four items that come to mind if you have to grab what you can and go to a conference.

Do you have any must-have tips for a blogger conference?

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Sponsored Post: This is a sponsored post but the content and opinions expressed here are of my own.

Halloween is right around the corner and I couldn't wait to share with you guys a super easy no-bake party mix recipe. I love this recipe because it's super easy to make and you can make it in advance or on a whim if needed. When I'm invited to a Halloween party or fall themed get together. The hardest thing for me to decide on is something that everyone can enjoy. As a busy mom, I really don't have time to spend all day in the kitchen on a beautiful fall day. So I'm always developing recipes that take with me to a party and doesn't require all day to make. If you follow my blog. You know I love creating recipes with items that I already have on hand.

My family is obsessed with The New Oreo O's Cereal from Post and I knew this would be the perfect addition to our party mixes.

What I also love about this recipe is that you don't have to just make it for a party. It's the perfect Back to School Snack! You can make a batch for your family for movie night at home. Or even adding it to the kiddos lunch box to snack on. This recipe is also perfect for family road trips. Yes! It's one of those recipes that you will find yourself making time and time again because it's perfect for any occasion. Let's not forget football season!

As prior stated all of the ingredients you can find at your local grocery store. I was able to find the Oreo O's cereal using the store locator at my local Shop-Rite in the cereal aisle. The New Oreo O's cereal. It's so yummy and it the perfect snacking treat. It's so good that I have to keep on running to the store to grab another box to have on hand. My son loves snacking on this cereal after school prior to football practice. My son says it tastes like cookies!

I love that this recipe has the perfect balance of sweet and salty. It's such a party pleaser! Thank me later!

Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups Oreo O's Cereal
2 cups mini marshmallow
2 cups mini twist pretzels
2 cups of popped popcorn
1 bag Halloween or fall themed candy

Directions

Mix all items in a bowl.
Serve or store in an airtight container

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I recently visited London for the first time and wanted to share a few tips from a newbie to a newbie. By no means do I consider myself a pro traveler. However, I spent a lot of time researching this trip and I wanted to share with my readers a few tips to save them time and money.

Oyster Card

I was little confused about the Oyster card. The Oyster card is used for Hopper buses and trains. Be very mindful of the different zones and the charges that are associated with them.
I found myself using the hopper bus most of the time. It was a lot cheaper 1.50 gbp. I would typically sit on the second floor. It was nice to just enjoy the bus ride without worrying about transferring buses. Also, pay attention to that you’re on the right side. I got on the right bus number on the wrong side. I wasn’t in any rush and it was nice to explore the varies neighborhoods. Lesson learned!

GPS

I used the city mapper app most for most of my travels. I was able to see the cheapest route and fastest route for my destinations. I will say that I was little confirmed at how the app worked offline. You pretty much have to set your destination prior to not being connected to wifi. Research how to get back prior to leaving and screenshot the information on your phone. If I was returning in the same direction in which I came from. I would back track my steps with the app. I also had the good app downloaded and learned that you can preset restaurants on app to let you know when you’re in the area of them if you know before hand of places or restaurants you would like to visit

Food

I searched around prior to the visit of places that I wanted to eat at. I will have the places I ate at listed below. I did notice that the Yelp app wasn’t updated, one of the places that visited was closed. Try checking their social media accounts a and/or website prior to heading to the location. I noticed that most of the time the prices varied if you’re in a tourist area. However, a lot of places have pretty good lunch and happy hour specials.
I also learned prior to embarking on my trip that Tesco and ASAD marked down food after 6 pm each day. If you plan on grabbing snacks or cooking. I was pretty surprised at their prices. They also sell premade sandwiches and snack bowls. Not all of the restaurants accept credit cards. Most do though.

London is such a beautiful place to visit. The weather was perfect and it only rained one day our entire trip.