FabFitFun Summer Edition Box Review!

*Sponsored

Summertime is all about letting loose. Schedules aren't quite as tight, curfews run a bit later. The laid back vibe of the season invites a carefree attitude. Which is why I was ecstatic to find out I was selected to review FabFitFun's Summer 2015 Edition box! 

Once upon a time in a land far far away, I had all the time in the world (pre-kids of course). I would browse the aisles looking for the latest and greatest in products as if it were a sport. You can afford to do that when you only have your own dinner routine/bedtime to worry about. Freedom can do wonders for your "trial and error" spirit. As a mom of two young boys however... that's another story for another time! Subscription boxes have become the latest craze, especially among moms who no longer subscribe to the motto: "Shopping Is My Cardio." These fun boxes make it feel like Christmas (in this case) seasonally when you unwrap all these goodies for you to try. It's a great way to discover new products and learn what you absolutely can no longer live without! I'm absolutely addicted to the fragrance oil in this box!

#FabFitFun boxes are all about keeping you fabulous while having fun and staying fit every season!

I'm addicted to this scent!

 I usually worry when ordering "grab bags" because it seems there aren't enough all natural options offered with most subscriptions. I love how this edition touched on keeping mind and body balanced. Unlike most subscription boxes, I was pleased to discover FabFitFun provided full sized beauty, fashion, fitness and lifestyle products.

They sure fit a lot into this box!

It came with a lovely Description Card listing each individual item, as well as the full retail price. Here’s a full list of what was in the FabFitFun Box – Summer 2015 Edition:

• Everyday Wireless Speaker by FabFitFun - $30
• FabFitFun x Cosmo Body Jump Rope - $14
• Inkling Scents Sultry roll-on fragrance essential oil - $25
• WREN Studio 14k rose gold necklace - $100
• Hello Konjac Exfoliating Sponge - $12
• Three month online subscription to Headspace.com - $38.85
• Vaseline Aloe Spray Moisturizer - $7.99
• GORGE"I'll Make You Look Amazing Daily Spray" - $25
• TARTE Lipsurgence Lipgloss - $19
• SCRATCH Nail Wraps - $12

The FabFitFun Speaker is perfect for poolside partying!

I can't wait to see what the Fall Edition has to offer! If you'd like to order in time for the next FabFitFun box you can register by visiting their website. Enter coupon code "ERIKA" for $10 off your first box! You can keep up with FabFitFun for all the latest on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter.

I received this product for free to review as part of a campaign with FabFitFun and Bloggin' Mamas. As always all opinions expressed are my own!
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter for a full report on how and when I get to use all these goodies!

Essentially yours,

Erika

Simple Banana Bread Muffins!

There's a saying in my house, "If Mom's baking her Buttermilk Blueberry Banana Bread, then look out!" It doesn't always mean that I'm super stressed, or have given up, so I decided to bake the day away. Sometimes it just means Mom is frugal, and wasted fruits / veggies are not an option in this household! So I guess, yea you should still look out. Kidding, sort of.

So when I lay my eyes on spotty bananas, I know it's time to get to work! I actually get a little excited at this point, it means I get to indulge with a yummy homemade treat. Nothing beats the smell of banana bread when you walk in the door, it always gets a smile.

While I'm a fan of mixing fruits and nuts with my banana bread, I also enjoy the simplicity of plain ol' banana bread. I decided it would taste great as muffins for the boys to easily snack on or take on-the-go.

The darker the banana,
the sweeter the bread!

Ingredients:

8 Tbsp of butter
1 Cup of Sugar or 1/2 cup of Truvia Baking Blend
1 Tsp of Baking Soda
1 1/2 cups of Flour
2 Eggs (beaten)
2 Insanely Ripe Bananas 

Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream softened butter and sugar, I use the lovely "Darla," my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. I couldn't live without her. Yes, I named my mixer. Don't be all Judgy McJudgerson. 

Add eggs and mashed bananas, keep mixing. Combine Flour, baking soda with wet mixture and keep mixing until smooth. Add to muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Great in a lunchtime snack!

*Makes a dozen muffins

You can serve these warm or freeze for another day. Or you can serve warm with vanilla ice cream, just sayin..

Refreshing Summertime Berry "Melon-ade" Cocktail

Summertime is for enjoying the great outdoors. Family BBQ's & and pool play dates. Each summer I try to find a new recipe for a refreshing beverage the adults can enjoy while sweating in the relentless hot Florida sun.

This year I decided to create my own recipe. Scouring Pinterest boards, I realized that most watermelon drinks were some variation of a mojito. I'm not a huge fan of rum personally, so I wasn't too thrilled with everything I'd found. Well, necessity is certainly the mother of invention because I have just concocted my new favorite drink on the planet!

Ingredients:

16 oz of Lemonade, use your favorite!
1 cup of fresh cut Watermelon
1 1/2 cups of Ice
Your favorite Berry flavored Vodka to taste (we used about 10 oz)
Toss everything in the blender at once (vodka last), and blend to perfection!

It should come out with a slight slush factor with a little foam on top.

*You can easily omit the vodka for a "mock-tini," this is a very refreshing drink for all to enjoy!

Hope you love it as much as we do, it's our "go-to" summertime refreshment this year.

Easy Peasy Summertime Egg Salad Recipe

Some days I draw a blank when it comes to creative lunch ideas. It seems there are only so many different kinds of salads, soups or sandwiches! I like to keep things fresh and exciting in hopes of introducing the boys to a wide range of flavors and encouraging them to try new tastes. My boys are excellent eaters, ask anyone around I don't have to beg them to eat their lunch. They also happen to be great about eating all of their greens, partly because whether they participated or not vegetables have always been a staple on our plates.

Today I realized I hadn't made one of the classic sandwiches I grew up loving in a long while. So simple, so easy, and full of protein! The timeless Egg Salad Sandwich is always a hit in our home, so I decided to share it with you! There are many different takes on this sandwich, they can get pretty fancy or elaborate. This isn't anything like that.

Summertime Lunch

This is my mom's old fashioned classic Egg Salad Sandwich, perfect for picky little eaters who are funny with different tastes or textures. The "No Muss, No Fuss" of Egg Salad Sandwiches, if you will.

All you will need:

About 6 Eggs, hard boiled and diced w/ yolk (this will last two days in the fridge)
1/2 a cup of your favorite Mayonnaise or Vegenaise
1 Tbsp of Mustard (spicy or honey - whichever you prefer)
A dash of Salt & Pepper (or not, I don't use any for the kid's batch)
1/2 tsp of relish (optional for all my pickle lovers)

Fold together in a bowl and enjoy on your favorite bread, I love Ciabatta!

Hope you enjoy this classic as much as we do!


What's your favorite go-to sandwich? Tell me all about it in the comments section below!

Follow me on Pinterest for more yummy recipe's!


Essentially yours,

Erika

Playing-It-Cool at your Family Photo Shoot - Spotlight on Courtney Studios!

*Sponsored 

As a family we've tried all kinds of different photo shoots. We try to plan at least one a year in hopes of documenting our growth as a family and preserving lasting memories. Like a lot of other families, we hope to schedule these shoots around the holidays and add them to our annual holiday cards.

No Smiling Allowed
Photo courtesy of Courtney Ortiz Studios

Usually, this means suffering in the South Florida heat during the Fall and trying to coax sweaty toddlers to give you a smile. It's about as easy as bathing a cat! If you keep up with my blog, you know I'm not a fan of rewards. On these days, I'm usually not above bribes (hey, it's all about the 80/20 rule). Luckily, the contributors for Modern Boca Mom were invited to enjoy a photo session with the uber talented photographer, Courtney Ortiz.

Courtney, a mom of three and former elementary school teacher, has been a successful freelance photographer for the past eight years. Last year she opened up her own boutique studio in Hollywood Florida, this place is REALLY cool. An all white studio that works only in natural lighting is the perfect backdrop for capturing the colorful personalities of each family. It's no wonder Courtney has been named Best Family Photographer by South Florida Parenting two years in a row! The "cool" space provided a freedom we wouldn't have outdoors. Pair that with Courtney's incredible "teacher skills" and ability to get my boys to giggle, and we had a delicious recipe for a wonderful family experience.

Have Lego? Will Smile!
Photos Courtesy of: Courtney Ortiz Studios

Brotherly Love
 Photso Courtesy of: Courtney Ortiz Photography

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I have a pretty well documented obsession with vintage cameras. Stepping into Courtney's studio I was immediately welcomed with vintage cameras as far as the eye can see! This adorable space is nestled in the heart of the Art Deco district of Hollywood Beach. The neighborhood providing plenty of creative inspiration for our own impromptu photo shoot on the way to catch a bite to eat.

Remember that bribery I mentioned?

Thanks for the Lolly's Courtney!

In parenting the days may be long, but the years are short. Mom is always behind the camera it seems. It's rare I make it into any of the millions of pictures I take day to day, leaving it to the professionals guarantees I make it into the shot and I'm free to enjoy myself. This family shoot was the "coolest" thus far and we ALL enjoyed ourselves.

I'm grateful to Courtney Studios for this awesome experience, these photos will be treasured for years to come.

Courtney Studios offers a variety of different services / sessions to suit your needs. Her package pricing and lists of printing services are endless (her wrap-around canvas portraits are my favorite).

Christmas in July!

Courtney Studios is offering Holiday Mini-Sessions this July 21st, 22nd & 23rd!

Call (954) 367-6821 or contact Courtney@CourtneyStudios.com to book a session.

Pre-School Portraits!

Yep, this one's getting framed..
Photo courtesy of Courtney Ortiz Studios

Essentially yours,

Erika

Disclosure: Essentially Erika was provided with complimentary services featured in this article. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own and not influenced in any way by the sponsor.

Five Things Former New Yorker's Should NOT Do While Visiting New York

I Love New York.

There, I said it. It's no secret.

I will ALWAYS love this city of mine.. I've yet to come across another city where all of it's ex-pats cannot refer to themselves as an "Ex." Anywhere you go, you can ask a former New Yorker and they will proudly tell you they are still a "New Yawkah." They love it so much there are Meet Up groups devoted to this special breed.

If you've visited Gotham, then you understand the obsession with arguably one of the BEST cities in the world. If you've never been, first off... My condolences. Secondly, you are probably sick and tired of hearing about this melting pot and wish everyone from there would just go back already (don't worry, we want to).

However, upon my most recent visit to the Big Apple I had a different set of eyes. It being my first trip away from my boys it was especially tough (more on how to survive the first trip away later). I found myself wanting to do things I would have never done while living in "The City," that's what us "Queens girls" call Manhattan. So I decided to poke fun at it all and put together a list of the things we all should stop doing while visiting, before we get our New York card revoked!



Tip #1: Stop Looking Up

Yes the buildings are tall, that's why they are called "sky scrapers." No they haven't gotten taller since you left. Yes you are in the way, so stop bumping into people. They're trying to get to work ovah here! The easiest way to spot a tourist in Manhattan is to look for the people staring at all the tall structures, this is usually how they "lose" their wallet. Spoiler alert!

Tip #2: Do Not Ride The Subway

Don't set yourself up for disaster. Yes it's especially crowded, yes it's always been this crowded. Yes, there are new trains and no they haven't added more stops to your usual line. It has always been this hot. Chances are that is urine you smell. No that is not a dog on the tracks. Carrying a subway map with you is always a bad idea.

Tip # 3: Give Us Liberty, Give Us Freedom From... Selfies!
Let's spare the good folks of Facebook our Lady Liberty selfies shall we? Or the Empire State Building, or the Chrysler Buiding, or any other New York monument that every New York kid has seen year in and year out on classroom field trips.

Tip # 4: Reminisce From Afar
Try not to cram the entire NYC experience into a three day weekend. You know who you are, forcing all of your current NY friends to tag along on your tourist's adventure. Reliving every childhood memory. Skating in Central Park, sitting up top on the NY Sightseeing Bus, Gray's Papaya hot dogs AND a trip to Rockefeller Center for a little tree lighting anyone? Your friends still live there, they are not impressed. Do not drag them throughout every borough trying to regain a bit of your childhood (we're all a bit guilty of this one).

Tip #5: Don't Shop Til' You Drop
Try not to spend your 401k on the latest fashions at all the trendy hot spots. It's understandable you want to stock up while you can, "The City That Never Sleeps" is the fashion mecca of the world. A little restraint will keep you in the "green."

Bonus Tip:  Spare The State Envy
  Upon returning home there's no need to complain about everything NOT New York. You know, the humidity in October (thanks South Florida), scoff at the pizza (even in Chicago) and groan about the "service." Chances are they are not interested you were once able to get the best pastrami sandwich in the world at 2am, or the best haircut of your life. No need to torture everyone back at home, let's keep this wonderful city our little secret!

Until next time Empire City..


Essentially yours,

Erika

Summer's Best Grilling Tips and Recipe's! Stubb's Legendary BBQ Gift Pack Giveaway!

Now that the warmer weather is upon us, it’s prime time to get out and barbecue!

 Stubb’s Legendary Bar-B-Q brand ambassador and grandson of founder C.B. “Stubb” Stubblefield, offers a few tips and recipes he’s picked up over the years to make you the grilling hero of any barbecue, family gathering or even weeknight dinner. Stubb’s is the maker of authentic, premium, BBQ sauces, rubs and marinades and was founded by C.B. “Stubb” Stubblefield in 1968.

Rocky Stubblefield Stubb didn’t just make barbecue, he made friends, serving up his slow-smoked brisket, cole slaw and beans, all with his wide, trademark smile at his restaurant in Lubbock, Texas. It was during this time that Stubb first began bottling his now famous sauces at the request of his friends.

Rocky’s Grilling Tips

Today, Stubb’s heritage lives on in his legendary sauces, marinades and rubs, continuing to make people feel good all over the world.

• Use indirect cooking for larger meats (indirect is cooking away from the fire), and direct cooking for smaller meats (direct is cooking over the fire).
• When marinating, beef chicken and pork can be marinated up to two days in a refrigerator. You should only marinate seafood for a few hours.
• When using charcoal, allow coals to ash over before adding meat to the grill.
• When cooking burgers, make a thumbprint in the middle of the patty before putting it on the grill. This will help the patty come out nice and flat (not puffy in the middle) and the meat will be cooked evenly throughout.

 

Stubb’s Toasted Pecan Burger

 

• Soak vegetables in cold water before grilling – it keeps them from burning or drying out too fast.
• For a juicier steak, let your meat rest for at least 10 minutes after it is done to allow the juices that were forced into the center of the meat when cooking to distribute throughout the steak.

Grilled Ribeye Steak, Stubb-Style

• Don’t cook ribs ‘til they are falling off the bone – ribs should be grilled until they begin to pull away from the bone, but you should be able to bite into and leave a bite mark as you eat it off the bone. Overcooked ribs become dried out and less flavorful – even a little bit mushy.

Sweet Baby Back Ribs

Clean grill after every use. You can use a ball of foil or an onion – just cut the onion in half, and while the grill is heating up, rubs the onion across it. The juices from the onion clean the grill and get it ready for use.

Now for the fun part! Head below for your chance to enter the giveaway below to win a personalized grilling set, Stubb’s branded spatula Stubb’s heavy duty, hand-carved cedar wood cutting board, Stubb’s hat, bag, T-shirt and $30 in Stubb’s coupons this fantastic set is worth $150! Perfect for making your Fourth of July celebration Legendary!! Giveaway is open to US Resident only and ends on 6/26 at 11:59pm EST.  

Entry-Form

Disclosure:All opinions are 100% mine. This giveaway is in no way associated with, sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or any other social media network.. Open US only must be 18+. Confirmed Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be drawn. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The sponsor will be responsible for product fulfillment to winner(s) of the giveaway. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. For questions or to see your product featured in an Event you can contact Elia At Conservamom.

Essentially yours,


Erika