As you may or may not know, the three of us spent the week after Thanksgiving in Cabo San Lucas Mexico! The time away from life was much needed.

So here’s the down and dirty recap.

We stayed at the Grand Fiesta Americana Los Cabos. The grounds were gorgeous, the views were priceless and the staff was beyond friendly. Oh, the food on site was pretty good too. They give you an option to do all inclusive or not. We opted not to do it.

While the resort had everything you could possibly need including an 18-hole golf course, a variety of pools, beach, and restaurants it was a little too remote for us. What I mean is it’s located between Cabo San Lucas and Cabo San Jose.  While both are a short taxi ride away fares can add up quickly at $25 a trip…

Needless to say, being with a toddler we didn’t leave the resort too much.

We took full advantage of all the fresh fish tacos!

We even managed to get out on the water via a sunset cruise on the SunRider! Of course, 10 minutes prior to spotting 5 whales Emerson fell asleep in the boat! Either way, I highly recommend a SunRider tour. They do it right everytime!

We spent mornings walking on the beach and feeding the fish. The resort had a reef right off the beach and you could walk ankle deep and be surrounded by fish. They also had snorkel equipment to use, but Emerson is just a tad too young for that.

We got semi-dressed up for dinner every night. Their Mexican Fiesta is one of the best we’ve been too!

We walked around the Marina, watched someone pull a 189lb yellowfin off their boat and ate ceviche. Of course, we couldn’t pass up a little shopping. The child had a blast with the vendors and the vendors were so good with her. She’s a tough customer.

Traveling to Mexico with a toddler means A LOT of pool time! I’m not mad about it. Honestly, it was nice to just slow down.

Em is an amazing traveler and I can’t wait for our next trip.

There you have it our relaxing week in Mexico. While I like to see the sites and be on the go sometimes it’s nice just sitting back and relaxing.

The post Cabo San Lucas Recap appeared first on a Happy Healthy Home.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

Hey, Mamas!

Anyone else ready for spring weather? Better yet summer?! Tahoe’s currently experiencing a Miricle March — aka all the rain and snow. Anyway, it’s not stopping me from buying Emerson all things spring and summer. Girlfriend loves a good dress that twirls. Mom gets major bonus points if there are pockets. She’s a girl after my own heart.

So I rounded up 9 dresses that are perfect for spring and summer.

Tell me, what’s your go-to shop for little girl dresses?

Happy shopping

The post 9 Toddler Dresses for Spring appeared first on a Happy Healthy Home.

For starters, the first two years of Emerson’s life we did not give her any sweets. Yes you read that correctly no chocolate, ice cream, cupcakes, etc. People looked at us like we were weird, mean, fill in the blank. Trust me I heard it all, even from family. I didn’t care because we were creating healthy eating habits.

Dress

How is it working out for us? So far so good! We’ve created a healthy eater for the most part. Emerson loves broccoli, salmon, chicken, eggs, etc. I chalk this up to starting to create healthy habits from the get go. Basically from the moment she had solid foods we gave her exactly what we were eating (obviously within reason).

Sorry but I wasn’t about to make two meals. Mama doesn’t have time for that nor did I want that to be a norm — but hey if it works for you that’s cool, but that wasn’t our jam. Fast forward to today. She does get options when it comes to breakfast or lunch, but dinner is whatever mom is making.

Also, I should mention we’ve slowly started to introduce sweets i.e., cookies, muffins, ice cream, etc. Usually a bite or two is all she needs and guess what, she’s not asking for more! Why because it’s a special treat not a meal. To be honest there have been a few times she’s taken a bit and said, “I don’t like it.” Sorry, but mom win!

5 Ways to Raise Kids with Healthy Eating Habits 

1. Feed your Kids what you are Eating (assuming you have healthy eating habits)
2. Don’t introduce sweet treats the first few years
3. Offer fruit or veggie snacks instead of proceed packaged items
4. Variety is the spice of life
5. Get them involved in cooking early on

Rain boots

There you have it. It worked for us and hopefully you’ll find these simple yet effective tips somewhat helpful to you. Good luck. Have any questions about what we eat drop a note below or email me directly.

Disclaimer: Remember all kids are different. I NEVER label foods as good vs. bad. Oh, and always do what works for you and your family. No judgement if you don’t agree with me. These are my opinions I not a RD, Nutritionist, healthcare provider, etc.

The post 5 Tips for Raising a Healthy Eater appeared first on a Happy Healthy Home.

Thank you Nature Valley and Walmart for inspiring and sponsoring today’s post. 

Life as a toddler mom is crazy and I only have one. I can only imagine what life would be like with more. Big props to those juggling life with two plus kids. Better yet the parents playing both mom and dad! I seriously don’t know how you do it.

We’re at the stage with Emerson where we count or give her options to make things happen. With that said, there are a few things I NEVER leave the house without – snacks, water and my phone for snapping all the cute photos.

Oh, snacks. This child loves her snacks and I’m always trying to mix it up because I never want to hear “I don’t like it.” Which we usually do after she’s eaten 75% of whatever it is. We’re working on the difference between “I don’t like it” and “all done.” Hey she’s not even three.

Earlier this summer Nature Valley came out with Granola Cups and Biscuit Sandwich products which I picked up with Nick and me in mind. Well, Emerson LOVED them too… big surprise. Fast forward to cruising Walmart the other weekend and I noticed they now have Biscuits with Cocoa Almond Butter. You better believe I bought a box…ok maybe two. I’ve been a fan of Nature Valley since my high school swim days and these new products didn’t let me down. Who would have thought 20 years later I would be passing on my love for Nature Valley products to Emerson.

It doesn’t hurt that they make the easiest snack for busy moms. Grab and go is the name of the game here. Plus, if you purchase the Almond Butter Granola Cups there’s two in every package making it perfect for sharing. And I’m all about sharing snacks

The Nature Valley Biscuits with Cocoa Almond Butter and Almond Butter Granola Cups have quickly become our fall go-to snack whether it’s running errands, hiking, or hanging out at home.

What’s your current go-to snack? I’m always on the hunt for new ideas.

The post Fall Snacking On the Go appeared first on a Happy Healthy Home.

Thinking about visiting Apple Hill? Here are my tips:

+ Keep it simple. Pick a few places to visit and plan your route ahead of time. This makes the world of difference. I would suggest only picking 2-3 apple farms to visit.

+ Go early. Traffic can be crazy so I suggest arriving at the first farm between 9 to 10 a.m.

+ Check the weather. It was 70-ish yesterday making jeans, sandals and a t-shirt perfect.

+Remember to have fun, eat apple pie and snap a ton of photos

Our 2017 route/farms we visited:

O’Halloran Ranch + Pumpkin Patch


We start here every year because it’s a tad off the beaten path. This means there are less crowds, but they have the best you pick pumpkin patch!

It makes for a picture prefect backdrop. Now if we could only all the kiddos to look at the camera at the same time. HAHA

…. and pulling a red wagon, like the one she has at home.

Apple Ridge Farms

This was a fairly quick stop for Apple Cider Donuts. We opted to skip the infamous Rainbow Orchards for donuts this year. The verdict… We’ll be back at Rainbow Orchards next year as they serve them to order meaning nice and warm and extremely fresh.

Delfino Farms
This place is the perfect stop for lunch with a big grassy area for picnics, BBQ and pies! World Famous pies to be exact. We grabbed a pie to go, along with a 10 lb box of apples and let the kids burn some energy running around lawn.

They also have a corn maze, face painting, etc.

Boeger Winery
We wrapped up our day here. The grounds are gorgeous, perfect for lunch, and letting the kids play. We grabbed a few bottles of wine, enjoyed lunch and relaxed before heading home. They even have a sand pit for the kiddos!

All in all, it was a successful trip. Now I just need to figure out what I’m going to make with 10 lbs of apples! I’m open for suggestions.

Shop this post + similar times:

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

The post Day Trip to Apple Hill appeared first on a Happy Healthy Home.

Tunic Set | Shoes

It’s also fitting to snap a photo with chalk all over our porch. Oh well. Anyway, last week we did a little back to school shopping and picked up a few new pieces. Personally I’ve loving the chambray tunic and leggings, but I know Emerson is more obsessed with her new Mini Melissa giraffe shoes. I mean, what toddler wouldn’t be. If you have a girl you need a pair of Mini Melissa shoes in your life.

I’m sorry, but this girl is just so stinking cute I can’t help it.

sorry for the burry-ish photo someone was wanting to jump around

Ok, so did you go back to school shopping for your toddler or maybe yourself?

Shop our favorite finds:

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

The post First Day of School 2017 appeared first on a Happy Healthy Home.

You’re probably thinking we’re crazy. I might agree with you, but it went way better than I expected. Especially considering we don’t have a pack, like one of  these, to carry her in. That’s right she walked or road on dad’s shoulders!

We tried to keep it fun and made sure to snap photos and stop for plenty of snacks along the way.

While we had an end destination we gaged whether to continue based on Emerson. Yes, I would have liked to hike further or faster, but our goal was to keep it fun and get her use to hiking. It’s something we enjoy doing and hope she will too.

Around an hour in we could tell she was getting tired and decided it was time to turn around. On the way back we saw goats! Yes, goats. To top it off they were pet goats. There was a woman walking 3 leashed goats! That was a first. It might have been the highlight of the hike.

Tips for hiking with a Toddler
– keep it fun
– pick a simple hike
– talk about hiking before you go
– pack lot of snacks
– sunscreen and a big hat are musts

This time around we picked a beginner hike to Lake Winnemuca. It’s mostly a covered hike, but offers gorgeous views and if you time it right you can catch the wildflowers blooming.

What type of adventures are you taking with your kids this summer?

Shop our favorite hiking gear:

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

The post Hiking with a Toddler appeared first on a Happy Healthy Home.

The Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale is now open to non-cardmembers! YAY! You better believe my cart is full with these and these! The NSALE is a great time to stock up on fall staples and those items you’ve been waiting to go on sale.

For Emerson I’m specifically looking for warmer items she can wear to school or running errands with mom. Honestly I think this kid is more stylish than her mom. No shame.

Here are a few items I’m digging for Emerson.

Shop My Toddler Picks:

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

What’s in your Nordstrom shopping cart?

The post #NSALE Top Toddler Picks appeared first on a Happy Healthy Home.

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

Happy Monday!

Life’s about to get crazy again… Yup, I’ve been a tad MIA because work and life. But I couldn’t pass up the chance to chat about Father’s day, fishing and on-the-go snacks. You know this girl and her toddler like to eat.

As you know we live in gorgeous Lake Tahoe where views and adventures are endless.  Well, we’re training Emerson to love all things Tahoe. She’s going to be one fun loving mountain kid. The key is to start early. While she might only been two and a half I think we’re introducing her to the right amount of adventure. So far she LOVES playing in snow/sledding, walking the dog in the forest, biking, beach days and fishing! I can’t wait to get her on skis next winter.

How to Adventure in Lake Tahoe with a Toddler


Step One 
Pick a location with killer views. Just think about how gorgeous the backdrop will be whether your kid is smiling or crying.

Step Two 
Pack plenty of snacks. I don’t know about you but I eat as often as my toddler…not kidding. When I’m looking for grab and go snacks/food I’ll usually grab a quick sandwich, Odwalla smoothie or protein shake (hello I’m trying to hit 100g of protein a day!), and fresh cut fruit package from our local Safeway store.

While I love making smoothies at home I don’t alway have time and Odwalla products are a great on-the-go solution when you’re trying to make smart choices. Plus, their smoothies are 100% juice, Non GMO verified with no added sugar.

DEAL ALERT: Save $1 on your next purchase of in-store fresh cut fruit when you buy any TWO (2) Odwalla 15.2 fl. oz. (You’ll receive a print out coupon at the register.). Offer ends 6/27/17.

Safeway’s fresh cut fruit cups are ideal for toddlers! As you can see Nick (in the background) is setting up the fishing poles and Emerson is checking out the views while enjoying berries. The cup is perfect for little toddler hands, especially if they’re always on the move like Emerson.

Step Three
This one is a twofer. Adventure with friends who have kids around the same age and pick something that will hold their attention — like fishing! These two were having a blast playing with their mini fishing poles…even if they weren’t really fishing.  

Dad + daughters celebrating Father’s Day. Because that’s an adventure in itself.

Well there you have it. Father’s Day and how we adventure with a Toddler! Now I should note step four is the ability to read your toddler’s cues and know when it’s time to head home Side note,  I love the Odwalla Chai Vanilla Protein Shake post workout. It’s just easy!

Just in case you shop at Safeway

What’s your  favorite on-the-go snack?

The post How to Adventure in Lake Tahoe with a Toddler appeared first on a Happy Healthy Home.

!function(d,s,id){var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? ‘http’ : ‘https’;if(!d.getElementById(id)) {e = d.createElement(s);e.id = id;e.src = p + ‘://’ + ‘widgets.rewardstyle.com’ + ‘/js/shopthepost.js’;d.body.appendChild(e);}if(typeof window.__stp === ‘object’) if(d.readyState === ‘complete’) {window.__stp.init();}}(document, ‘script’, ‘shopthepost-script’);

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

The post Mini Style Summer Edition appeared first on a Happy Healthy Home.