Archives for June 2015

Father’s Day gift guide.

June 7, 2015 / By Courtney / 24 Comments

Let’s hear it for Dad! I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a pretty great one, and M totally follows suit. I can’t tell you how many times I tell friends ‘he’s such a great dad.’ He’s that diaper changing, take them golfing at age 2, coach the baseball team, handled the 3AM feeding (sometimes), runs them in the yard while mom gets a pedicure, joins in for school conferences Dad. Couldn’t ask for anything more for my boys.

So, it’s time to spoil him! Here are a few things that caught my eye for Father’s Day…

1. This card made me laugh.

2. Because his sandals from last summer are oh so gross.

3. A super manly and practical way to jazz up the bar cart.

4. Because his love for the Cubs never ends. And he always seems to need a pen.

5. Whiskey spheres are all the rage right now.

6. This tie strikes the perfect balance between summery and festive, but not cheesy.

7. Because he loves to grill.

8. You can’t go wrong with this polo, which M has in a few colors. Please note he also calls it his ‘skinny’ shirt since whenever he wears it he gets asked if he’s been working out. That would a no. When would he have the time?

What do YOU have planned for the special dads in your life this year? I’d love to know your ideas – leave a comment below!

*The fine print: this post contains affiliate links which means that if you use these links to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make your purchase but please know that when you do, it supports my blog and for that I thank you.

Shaking things up.

June 5, 2015 / By Courtney / 24 Comments

Last week we got the news that a dear friend of L’s was having a rough few days. Typical routine kid surgery that went a bit off; she was stable and OK (thank goodness!), but needed a little cheering up and cozy comfort for her recovery.

My mom had the oh so wonderful idea of making her a DIY no sew blanket. Normally, I would run from something like this at lighting speed. I don’t have the patience for the exact precision that these types of events need, but, my mom assured me we could do it and the video guiding us through made it look like a piece of cake.

And it was.

Like, so easy I barely needed my mom’s expertise… although she did help me a lot by hunting down the adorable fabric and getting it all started. Isn’t it darling? I have to say, this was the exact perfect thing to do to shake up my usual routine. I was feeling a bit lost without the ability to be creative in the kitchen. Major bonus that there was a shot of hot pink in my home!

Even if it was for only a day.

Feel better O, we love you!

The best grilled eggplant.

June 3, 2015 / By Courtney / 15 Comments

There is this quaint little Italian place in our town, Frantonias, that how do I put this… well, I’m obsessed. It’s my go-to spot when I’m abandoning the boys for dinner (homemade gnoochi, Italian sausage, and red sauce for them), or when I’m simply starving for lunch and have no kitchen (Mediterranean tuna salad), or when we have about 17.5 minutes to eat in between a football outing and a baseball game (fresh slice of pizza, shoveled down). Basically, it’s the answer to every dining scenario including how to make the best grilled eggplant. Like ever.

Guys, this stuff no joke. Don’t like eggplant? That doesn’t matter. You will like this.

I got accustomed to buying it so often, like awkwardly often, that I finally asked the friendly older gentleman behind the counter what the secret was. Because when I grill eggplant it tastes not that great.

‘Oh it’s easy!’ He exclaims in his thick accent. ‘After you’re done grilling your seasoned eggplant, simply submerge them in balsamic and olive oil to marinate. That’s what gives it that flavor.’

Jackpot. This stuff has been in rotation ever since. Laid out with crispy baguettes as appetizers, given to friends a hostess gift (they are that good), and center stage at Ravinia picnics.

Stunning, right?

Grilled Eggplant

2015-06-02 09:47:35

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Ingredients

egg plant, thinly sliced
fresh oregano, minced
olive oil
salt
pepper
balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Season up your eggplant generously with olive, salt, pepper, and oregano. Grill over medium heat for a few minutes a side, until you get the nice char marks.
Remove and place in a bowl. Cover with a few more glugs of olive oil and a generous helping of balsamic vinegar. Let them marinade a bit before serving.

Adapted from Frantonio's

A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Goddess Garden Sunscreen Giveaway!

June 1, 2015 / By Courtney / 38 Comments

Heck yeah! It’s June 1st. And you know what that means? The upcoming months are filled with pool dates and boating and baseball and vacay and, you guessed it, sunshine! Yippee my friends. Summer has arrived!

So, here’s a thought. Is your family’s sunscreen ready to go? This is a great time of year to check and make sure it isn’t expired and to possibly even try out a new brand.

To be honest, I’ve always gotten a bit weirded out spraying God knows what on my boys. I figured none of it could really be all that great when I couldn’t even pronounce the ingredients. Then I stumbled upon this Goddess Garden brand. Look at this list of ingredients. Stunning really.

Now this is a sunscreen I can wrap my mind around spraying on my boys all summer long. Safe, natural, organic, and immediately effective for wonderful protection. Sign me up.

Interested? You can find this sunscreen on Amazon (affiliate link), for your convenience. And as a gift to you, we’re also offering a giveaway package that includes one kids sport spray (SPF 30 – 3.4 ounces), one adult everyday cream (SPF 30 – 6 oz), and one adult sport (SPF 30 – 3.4 ounces). Total worth is $40 and will keep your family safe and protected all summer long. Woohoo!

Want to get entered to win? Of course you do! Simply subscribe to the ALFS newsletter! That’s all you have to do! Well, that and make sure you confirm your email address! Then come back here and enter it in the Rafflecopter widget below!

Want additional entries to increase your chances of winning? Just check out the Rafflecopter widget and remember, the more you enter, the better your chances of winning this awesome giveaway!

Just be sure to get entered by next Sunday night, June 7th, at 11:59pm EST. I’ll randomly select a winner whose name will be announced Monday, June 8th on the ALFS Facebook page, so be sure you’re following us there so you don’t miss out! Good luck to you, my friends, and happy summer!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The fine print: No purchase necessary. Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only, except where prohibited by law. Giveaway will run from June 1, 2015 through June 7, 2015 at 11:59pm EST. One winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter (powered by Random.org) and once verified, the winner will be notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize; failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize. Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest do not sponsor, administer, or endorse this promotion. Participants must read and agree to Rafflecopter’s Privacy Policy before entering and participating in this promotion. By taking part in this giveaway, entrants give consent for their email address to be added to the A Life From Scratch newsletter list.