Queso & Questions

I realized over the weekend that I never shared my recipe for

Loaded Queso with you!  Whoops!  It's too good to forget about.

QUESO:

It was so easy to throw together and we loved it.  

You'll just need a crock pot, a skillet

 and this list of yummy ingredients to make it happen:

1 jar of your favorite salsa

1 jar of your favorite nacho cheese

1 can black beans

1 can regular rotel

1/2 c frozen corn

1 lb seasoned ground beef (I used Ortega taco seasoning)

1/2 yellow pepper finely chopped

1/2 red pepper finely chopped

1/4 purple onion finely chopped

1/4 c chopped jalapenos

Top with sour cream, guac and chips to dip

Cook the ground beef, drain and add seasoning.  Drain the black beans.  Dump all of the ingredients into our crockpot and stir until well combined.  Let it all warm up and then serve with chips.  I served ours in little bowls.

It was perfect for our Super Bowl dinner and we will definitely enjoy it for game days since it's such a yummy, filling appetizer.

QUESTIONS:

I also have a bunch of RANDOM QUESTIONS I've been trying to answer lately.  I figured you all would be able to help me and would know the answer to lots of them.

1. We are flying with the kids in March and I'd love to hear all of your tips for flying with an 11 month old and almost 4 year old.  Olive has flown before, but is too young to remember it.  I'm really wondering about strollers, car seats, what to check, what to rent, what to leave at home, carry ons, in flight entertainment and anything else related to flying with kids.

2. We are in the market for a new car seat for Olive.  She'll be 4 in May.  What type of car seat do you have for your big kids?  We're looking for something super safe that won't break the bank.

3. All finger nail polish seems to be peeling off my nails lately.  Clear coats, colorful polish, etc.  It all just peels right off after a day or two.  What can I do to stop this from happening?

4. What are the best overnight diapers you've used?  A certain someone tends to have leaky diapers overnight and I've tried everything.  We've sized up, tried a few different ones and haven't quite figured it out.  We love Pampers Swaddlers diapers for the day time.

5.  I'm wanting to get Olive a puddle jumper to wear in the pool this summer.  What is the best one or one that you've loved with your kids?  It seems like there are so many options.

6. I'd love to buy some beautiful succulents, but don't want to pay a lot for them.  Where is the best place to find affordable plants??


7. We are going to be visiting Chattanooga, TN in a few weeks and we have never been there before.  It sounds like a really family friendly place, but I'd love some recommendations for food, activities and kid fun while we are there.

8. Are the Living Proof hair products worth the investment?  Do they live up to the hype?  It seems like everyone is talking about how amazing they are and using them right now.

THANKS a million for your help with all of my questions

 and I hope you get a chance to try out my Loaded Queso recipe!!

Linking up with Erika &

It's time to link up with my favorite Tuesday Talk ladies!!
Be sure to join us with your favorite post from the week.

Beth at Our Pretty Little Girls | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Crystal at Hall Around Texas | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram  

Jessica at Sweet Little Ones | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram
Stefanie at Lexie Loo, Lily, Liam, & Dylan Too | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Stephanie at Wife Mommy Me | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Becky at BYBMG | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram
Lindsay at Lindsay's Sweet World | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram
Sarah at Sarah E. Frazer | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Justine at Full Hands, Full Heart
Christina at Waltzing In Beauty | Pinterest | Instagram
Meghan at The Adventure Starts Here | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Tina at Go Big or Go Home | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Whitney at Polka-Dotty Place | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

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Types of Moms

Before I became a mom, I had grand plans for what kind of mom I'd be.  It seemed pretty clear cut and I just knew my plan would play out nicely.  Reality hit and two kids later some of those ideas just seem ridiculous now.  I do my best every day and some days are easier than others.  Motherhood really is a wild ride and I think we are all just doing our best :) 

So What Type of Mom are YOU or What Type of Mom do You Hope to be??

1. Healthy snacks always or fix snacks you know your kids will eat?

Ideally we do a mix of favorites + healthy snacks.  Sometimes it's fun to have fruit snacks along with our apple slices, carrots and cucumbers.

2. No food in the car or meals on wheels in your car?

Never leave home without snacks.  Snack on the go, snack in the car, etc. because hangry children make life hard.  I also keep a granola bar or two in my bag for myself.

3. Diaper bag packed and prepared for ANYTHING or just the necessities?

We could live off the content of my diaper bag for at least a day.  We've got outfit changes, diapers, wipes, treats, snacks, drinks, bandaids, toys, a book, wallet, pens, etc.  Everything I could ever need is in there :)

4. Wake up hours before the kids for some productive quiet time 

or stay up late to have some alone time?

I am not sure that I will ever be able to be a morning person.  I like the idea of it, but I just LOVE working hard after everyone goes to bed.  I get so much stuff done and it's lovely to have a quiet house for a few hours.  I wake up with the kids, but everything is ready to go for the day thanks to my preparation the night before.

5. Bows, dresses and all the fun shoes

or just happy your kids are wearing clothes?

Pre-kids Whitney had grand plans of playing dress up with her children and picking out fancy clothes for every day.  Real life Whitney has kids who have big opinions about their wardrobe.  So we stick with soft, comfy, cute clothes and no big bows.

6. DVD player in the car or no screen time?

Both.  We have a DVD player for long road trips, but never take it with us when we're just driving around town.  We have a basket of car books, some car toys and silly music to keep us occupied around town.  

7. Always try on clothes in store before you buy them or

 on-line because the though of trying on clothes with your kids as an audience sounds awful??

Never try on clothes when shopping with the kids.  Try to avoid shopping in store for clothing with kids and shop almost exclusively on-line.  Order a few sizes and return what doesn't work or leave your kids with your hubby and try things on in peace.

8. Kids must sleep in their own beds or

please just go to bed somewhere so we can all get some sleep??

Ideally, kids would all be sleeping in their own beds, but it doesn't always happen.  Fletcher slept in our room for a long time, Olive ends up in our bed after scary dreams and we just make it work in the name of please let us get some sleep!!

9. My way or the highway or

compromising is the name of the game?

Before I had kids I had much more of a rule oriented, my way or the highway idea to parenting.  Now that I've lived it I realize we do a lot of compromising or deal making so that our days work well for everyone.  I'm not a pushover, but our days seem to work better when we all have opinions and compromise.

10. Kids should use tissues if they have colds or

every item you are wearing will become a tissue at some point?

My clothes always end up with all kinds of traces of kids on them.  I had envisioned us being great tissue users.  However, I'm thinking that comes with age and one day my scarves won't double as face and nose wipers.

Can you relate??

What mom things have you had to change your mind about??

Happy Friday!!

Happy Friday!!  I hope y'all had a wonderful, love filled week.  We did lots of fun things for Valentine's Day, but didn't get out of the house much.  I'm still trying to get over a sinus infection and got an eye infection on top of that.  Shouldn't there be a rule that mom's can't get sick??  That would be nice!  Anyways, we are looking forward to a fun weekend and are excited to share the best parts of our week with you.

// 1 //

Festive Food

I love baking for the holidays and planning fun meals.  We got donuts earlier in the week and then ate lots of heart shaped food on Valentine's Day.  We also added some sprinkles to our chocolate chip cookies.  Did you bake anything festive this week?  We also ended up snacking on lots of veggies and eating salads for lunch to balance out all the treats.

// 2 //

Valentine's Day Cuties

It was Fletcher's First Valentine's Day and we had a lot of fun doing things to celebrate.  He got TONS of hugs and kisses and I think he was a little over it by the end of the day.  We didn't end up with Valentine's Day clothes to wear so we opted for Valentine colors instead.

 // 3 //

NYX Butter Lipstick

After talking about my love for the NYX lipgloss a few weeks ago, a sweet reader recommended the Butter Lipstick to me.  I picked up a beautiful shade of pink called Little Susie and it's gorgeous!  The lip butter is $6 a tub and the gloss is $5.  I love the more matte finish of the lipstick and am hoping to stock up on a few new colors for spring the next time I see it on sale.  Have you tried this Butter Lipstick before??

// 4 //

Preschool

We visited our first preschool this week to check out options for Olive for the Fall.  It was so sweet and we really enjoyed seeing options for her.  She was feeling a little nervous about our visit and so was I.  It's hard to believe we're already talking about schools and schedules for her when she was just born the other day!!  Time sure flies and I'm glad our whole family could go and tour the preschool together.  PS I'm wearing my new lipstick in this photo!

// 5 //

Reading

We have all been reading fun books lately.  I've been trying to do book club time with the kids most days and it's been really successful.  I'll have to write about our routine and what's working well for us sometime soon.  We loved these Valentine's Day books!!  You'll have to pick these up on clearance to save for next year if you spot them!   

Kevin and I have been reading this devotional together and have been enjoying it.

It's called A Spectacle of Glory: God's Light Shining Through Me Every Day

by Joni Eareckson Tada

My husband is a big fan of Eareckson Tada's books so I figured this would be the perfect devotional for us to do together.  I love the format of a page a day devotional.  It includes an inspirational message, a prayer and a Bible passage to look up for deeper study.  We take turns reading the passage, talk about application to our lives and then we investigate the Bible passage on days when time allows.  I love the built in bookmark in the book and the message of God's light shining through us.  The messages are all so uplifting and encouraging with easy application to our daily lives.  We look forward to doing this devotional every day and think it'll be easy to stick with for the whole year.

*I was gifted this book by BookLook in exchange for an honest review of it.

Polka-Dotty Place Week in Review:

My favorite GOLD find of the week... from Wal-Mart!!

Monday: Last Minute Valentine

Tuesday: What I Love About You

Wednesday: Snow Much Fun

Thursday: Save or Splurge at Wal-Mart

What was your FAVORITE part of the week??

I hope you have a really great weekend!!

Linking up with ThoughtsforThursday, Oh Hey Friday!

HighFiveforFriday, FiveonFriday, and Momfessionals

Save or Splurge at WalMart

I am loving all the fun things people are finding at Wal-Mart lately!!  It seems like WalMart is really working hard to stay competitive with stores like Meijer and Target with their trendy home decor, great selection and amazing prices.  Let me show you the wonderful things I've found at Wal-Mart:

GOLD WIRE BASKETS:

I'd heard about these from several people and found them in my store last week.  They come in several colors, but the metallics seem to fly off the shelf.  I picked up for gold ones at $1.98 a basket.  They're sturdy, super cute and fit perfectly in my pantry.  I'm thinking about picking up a few more for my linen closet.

Similar Baskets at higher end stores were anywhere from $12-20 each!

TUFTED BENCH:

I knew I wanted a tufted bench to go in front of our big window so I started looking on-line.  I found a really pretty option from World Market for around $250.  I didn't want to spend that kind of money on a bench so I kept searching.  Wal-Mart has a really amazing on-line furniture department.  We actually purchased Olive's nursery furniture that way and were really happy with it.  So back to my bench hunting, I found the pretty tufted bench for $70!!  It was just a few inches smaller than the World Market one, but still fit perfectly in my space.  I was so happy to save hundreds of dollars and purchase the WalMart one.

Walmart Novogratz Vintage Tufted Ottoman

The price ranges depending on the color you pick and it's eligible for FREE SHIPPING.  There are 5 color options and I went with the green.  It's lovely in person and I adore the spindle legs.  It was very easy to put together so says my husband :)

It's an amazing deal!  It is pretty comfy, love the colors and makes the perfect accent bench.

World Market Tufted Bench:

Have you found any great deals at Wal-Mart lately??

Snow Much Fun

We finally got some more snow!  We had a little snow before Christmas and zero in January.  So we were really hopeful that we'd get some snow this month.  I just wanted enough for Olive to build a snowman and it happened last week!  We got several inches in the late afternoon and it hung around for a couple of days.  It was beautiful, the roads weren't bad and we got to play in it.  I guess that means it was the perfect kind of snow day :)

We had snowmen for breakfast :)

I had a stash of tiny pancakes in my freezer so this meal came together really quickly!

Spent a lot of time just watching it snow.

Fletcher just kept banging on the windows and smiling.

I think he likes winter as much as we do.

Kevin hurried home to play in the snow with us.  A perk of living in an area on Eastern Time is that it doesn't get dark until so late.  So right now it's about 6:30 when it gets really dark.

 This was Fletcher's first time playing in the snow.  He LOVED it and would shriek with delight while we were outside.  He hates wearing shoes, but didn't mind wearing his snow bear suit.  I held him most of the time we were outside, but it was fun to let him sit in the snow for a couple of pictures.

Olive finally agreed to wear snow gear from head to toe this year and stayed so warm!  Her overalls were great, loved her gloves and her coat fits for the third winter.  Target has great snow gear!!

Olive requested a carrot nose and button eyes.  We had carrots, but no giant buttons.  She was displeased and had to be convinced that circle carrots were appropriate substitutes.

 Olive's first snowman!  It lasted a couple of days and she was sad to see him melt.

Tiny snowman or Giant baby??

Have you gotten much snow this year??

I know the ground hog said six more weeks of winter, 

but it's definitely starting to feel like SPRING here.

What I Love About You

Happy Valentine's Day to you!!  I hope you have some fun plans to celebrate with your family, your kids, your parents or your friends!  I'm looking forward to a special dinner at home tonight.  We're going on a date to Sams and picking up Qdoba for a fun dinner at home.  I might even make some chocolate covered strawberries for dessert!!  They're my favorite.

I thought I'd dedicate this post today to telling my people what I LOVE about them.

Dear Kevin,

1. I appreciate how hard you work for our family.  You're always taking on new projects and responsibilities at your job and it's fun to see you pursuing the career you've always dreamed of.

2. I love that you're such a great deal finder.  You save us lots of money while planning fun adventures for us.  You're the perfect road trip driver.  Where should we go next?

3. Thank you for always working on things around the house.  So far you've fixed our wifi, our dryer, our ice maker, replaced our dishwasher, the camera on my car and our printer.  It's fun to watch you learn new things and become so handy as we get older.

I love you-- Whit

Dear Olive,

1. I love when you help me in the kitchen.  It's so much fun to fix dinner with you or to bake with you.  You are the best food sampler, ingredient counter around.

2. It's so fun to have conversations with you.  Your favorite phrase right now is, "Let's talk about it, Mama." where you recount a situation in all the details and ask lots of questions.

3. I love watching you become a great big sister and friend.  It's sweet to see you growing up.  You make your brother laugh harder than anyone else and you call him "rascally".  Your friends always have fun with you and you've started telling me that you're texting your friends to make plans.

I love ya -- Mama

Dear Fletcher,

1. I love how your wrinkle up your nose, stick out your tongue and roar like a little dinosaur.  Your 4 toothed smile is the cutest!

2. You are the fastest crawler and can find me no matter where I am in the house.  You are happiest
riding around on my left hip.

3. You are learning things so quickly and I'm honored to be your first teacher.  Watching you wave, high five, nod your head, knock down towers and practice walking is such a pleasure.

I love you -- Mama

It's time to link up with my favorite Tuesday Talk ladies!!

Join us with a current post and be sure to find some new friends.

Beth at Our Pretty Little Girls | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Crystal at Hall Around Texas | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram  

Jessica at Sweet Little Ones | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram
Stefanie at Lexie Loo, Lily, Liam, & Dylan Too | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Stephanie at Wife Mommy Me | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Becky at BYBMG | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram
Lindsay at Lindsay's Sweet World | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram
Sarah at Sarah E. Frazer | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Justine at Full Hands, Full Heart
Christina at Waltzing In Beauty | Pinterest | Instagram
Meghan at The Adventure Starts Here | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Tina at Go Big or Go Home | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

Whitney at Polka-Dotty Place | Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram

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An InLinkz Link-up

Last Minute Valentine

Happy Monday!  Hope you had a great weekend.  The weather was mostly lovely in Indiana, but I didn't feel good all weekend.  I guess taking care of sick kids all last week means that I had to spend a few days taking care of my sick self by the weekend.  Thankfully, we are all on the mend and looking forward to a fun week.

I have a few last minute valentine ideas to share with you today.  They're all simple to pull of and you could definitely make them happen in time for tomorrow.

VALENTINE CORN

Pick up some Valentine Corn - but don't eat any yuck!! - and print off some Valentine printables from Totschooling.  Then your kids or students can practice their letters, counting, sorting and more!  We've been playing these candy games on repeat this month.  

HEARTY MEALS

Turn any food you're eating into heart shaped foods!

Your family will LOVE it!!

 DONUTS

Pick up some Valentine donuts for your family.  Our local donut shop makes heart shaped donuts and they take preorders to make sure people get them.  Olive looks at the case of donuts and requests the donut with the most icing.

READ

Gather your Valentine's Day books and read them a few more times.  Our library still had lots of them on the shelves so we picked a few new ones to check out this week.  Fletcher was very interested in this Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! book.

 ADD SPRINKLES

Just add some festive sprinkles to anything you're doing - pancakes, cookies, muffins, ice cream, etc.

LOVE NOTES

I've been doing a love note a day for my family this month, but you could easily write out all the things you love about your spouse, boyfriend, kids and post them somewhere fun.  Maybe decorate their steering wheel, bathroom mirror or hide some in their coat pockets.

PRETEND BAKE

I realize there are plenty of you out there who are trying to eat healthy or whole30ing it right now.  Good for you!  Don't feel left out with all of the sweets - just bake pretend ones with your kids!  It's super entertaining and calorie free :)

MAKE PLANS

Take charge and make the plans for your family for Valentine's Day.  Take advantage of local dinner specials, grocery store deals and make a delicious dinner for your family.  Qdoba is offering a BOGO dinner special in our city tomorrow so I think we may be getting some Qdoba take out for dinner.  It doesn't have to be super expensive or fancy to be special.

Happy (almost) Valentine's Day!