Carolina Blogger | North Carolina Blog l Family Travel | Food Blogger

Best Birthday Chocolate Cake with No Sugar “The Younger We Get”

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 02:51:00 +0000

Dear Friends! We did it! Almost….this pandemic is in our rear view mirror! Praise God! This year, I got to celebrate my birthday doing things with family and friends! It was so great. (I know, all the exclamation points. We should be able to do that now, right.)

My “35th” birthday was a blast. The younger we get…. I know since I got your attention with the Best Birthday Chocolate Cake with No Sugar, I’ll get to that most important contribution to the internet in long time.

Seriously, y’all know we love cakes around here, all the cakes, homemade cakes. So, since it was my birthday and I was ready to try a ‘sugar free’ cake, I did. I figured if I messed it up, it’s just my cake not my husband or the boys. :) And you know what it was FANTASTIC and DELICIOUS!

The family had the best party! And missed our son who is serving as a worship leader this summer1

And my sweet Boulder Mt. Man and I made the cake together! Do you love our Food Blogger kitchen!

He grated a 1/3 of this baking bar for the top of the cake. It was perfect!

Another year younger and loved the cake and our little party! God is good all the time and I am so grateful for every moment of this life! May mine glorify Him. And May you love this cake as much as we did!

Best Birthday Chocolate Cake with No Sugar, No Gluten

1 1/2 cups Bob’s Mill Gluten Free Flour 1:1 ratio

1/4 c. + 2 T. Dark Hershey’s Cocoa

1/4 c. + 2 T. Chocolate Hershey’s Cocoa

1 3/4 c. Dates (by Date Lady powdered.) :)

2 t.. baking soda

1 t. Baking powder

1 t. Sea salt

2 t. Espresso coffee

1/2 c. Coconut oil - melted

2 Eggs at room temperature

1 T. Pure vanilla

1 c. Buttermilk at room temperature

1 c. Boiling water

* Buttercream Chocolate Icing with Monkfruit

1 1/2 c. Softened salted Land O’ Lakes Butter

3 1/2 c. Monkfruit with Erythirol *see note

3/4 c. Cocoa powder

1/4 c. Half and half (more or less to desired consistency)

1 T. Pure Vanilla

1 bar 60% Girhidellhi Cocoa Bar (grated 1/3 c.)

Preheat oven 350º. Line two 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper with baking spray. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and set aside. In mixer with paddle attachment, mix oil, eggs and vanilla until well incorporated. Add the buttermilk and mix to combine. Then, add the dry ingredients to the mixer with bowl of wet ingredients. Add hot waster and mix until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into cake pans and bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Then set on cooling rack. Once completely cool, remove from pan.

If time allows, freeze the cakes wrapped in Saran Wrap for 60 mins. - 2 hours. Then, unwrap and ice the layers. It should be delicious and more smooth icing the cake! Once iced and ready, sprinkle the grated Girhidellhi cocoa on top. Perfection! Enjoy!

*note: Monkfruit and Erythirol - this is healthy and keep blood sugars normal. Research it. Amazing! And delicious consistency and flavor!)

Warmly, Carolina Mama

2020 Happy Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Sun, 27 Sep 2020 01:48:00 +0000

"For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and

not to harm you to give you a future and hope." Jeremiah 29:11

This verse has been a bit of a North Star to our family from the early years. 2020 is certainly no different. In fact, it's been all the more comforting in these times!

We hope you and your family are well. We pray you all are. It seemed fitting to check in with a little visual Hello from Us.

First up, a Spring Concert our son was in for his Senior Chorus. Since we homeschool, we chose a Fine Arts for his final art credit. We have loved our home school journey and have been blessed by it. (If you need a hand or have questions, feel free to email me from my About page. We're happy to help. It's a rewarding journey.)

Quarantine afforded us more time with our love of biking! It was so great to be back out there more regularly and we continue to enjoy this as a family and as a couple. Spring was an amazing blessing. This year was particularly gorgeous.

The upside of all of this year has been time. We have loved the blessing of time as a family and with amazing friends.

Our guys having fun with their friends is always a bonus.

Our graduate!! 2020 was a blessing for our senior! He has worked so hard and yes, the twins were six months old when 9 / 11 happened and our senior was graduating during this 2020 global pandemic. Our other twin spent the second half of his freshman year of college navigating overnight online college. We trust the Lord and again He knows the plan He has for us.

Happy moments senior year for our Raleigh Hawks Senior! So any incredible games and emotions. For many of us, we stepped off of the basketball courts for the last time, not knowing we would compete inn our final games, our east coast championship. We made the best of it and our son showed incredible stamina. We are yet to see the strength of this generation.

More good work out time with my man, my Boulder Mt. Man.

4th of July! God Bless America!

We grew tomatoes during the pandemic! :) This was so rewarding. So many good meals homemade together and with homegrown tomatoes.

Breaking News: I taught myself (well the internet did) how to make Sour Dough Bread! With our own homegrown sour dough starter! It's been amazing and we have loved it! I enjoy it so much. It has been tricky and takes some work.

We have had a wonderful time as a family at the beach together. Talk about re-centered and refreshed!

Our church has blessedly been praying and walking through the pandemic leading us well.

We were moved by their thoughtfulness and this little ceremony and special moments for a senior night

at our church.

We love these young men and our sons' community.

Celebrate 2020!

We love vegetarian lasagna again.

Family! These times together are a little lagniappe!

Another epic lake ride with my love!

Family! We loved having our South Carolina now California family here!

We loved all being together again! So thankful and blessed by time well spent.

Summer Sunsets are the best!

When the boys dog sit, the girls meet them at the door after work! Our lifeguards worked so hard this summer keeping our community safe!

Neighbors share their produce, too! So it made for some more amazing shrimp creole!

This was delicious! A Emeril Lagasse Shrimp Creole is life!

Our dear neighbors helped surprise our senior with a socially distanced outdoor space for his Senior Party!

Brothers at the Beach! #thankful

The good stuff.

How are you this 2020! Now, that's a question. We do want to know how you are.

See y'all soon! God bless!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Chinese Lantern Festival at Koka Booth Amphitheatre #NCChineseLanternFestival

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:10:00 +0000

The Chinese Lantern Festival Koka Booth Amphitheatre is live through Friday, January 12th, 2020! you've got to go! If you follow my sons and me on Instagram, you saw all of our activity when we visited the NC Chinese Lantern Festival! Here's more!

NC Chinese Lantern Festival #KokaBooth

You've got a perfect way to kick off 2020 and enjoy Winter! The NC Chinese Lantern Festival at Koka Booth is one of our favorite Winter activities!

Take a look at some of this year's creativity because every year is different and so spectacular! They out do themselves each year! We fell in love with the different displays. The creativity of the displays is incredible.

We look forward to this every year. It has truly become a highly sought after Triangle tradition.

The Chinese Dancers acrobact acts are amazing - look at what he is doing! Adding these chairs himself in front of us! Children of from ages 2-92 will enjoy this talent!

Happy to be here with our family!

We all had fun with the color changing eagles wings!

Koka Booth Amphitheatre does a wonderful job of hosting and making you feel right at home enjoying the displays! Koka Booth has ample parking and attendants to guide you.

Carolina Mama and Family! #TerrelTribe #NCChineseLanterns

Love was in the air at the "Marry Me" Diamond Rings display! We loved it!

Fun for everyone especially those of us married many years. :)

Boulder Mt. Man sang I "I'm think I'm going to marry you...!"

Our son, Stant, found the exercise bike! Taking a water break! When the bike is activated, it

powers the elephant lights!! Super cool! He powered this up!

More beauty on the water! By the huge dragon!

Hilt found the light up swing rings! Happy place.

I liked the ring theme, lol. These were so cool!

The dragons are fiesty! :) Too fun!

We hope you get to visit and start your own tradition!

There is truly something special for everyone! Get tickets here: Chinese Lantern Festival Tickets!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Koka Booth Amphitheatre/NC Chinese Lantern Festival. All opinions are our own. Go see the Lanterns! You'll love it!

Breakfast Egg Sausage Protein Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 02:24:00 +0000

Introducing you to our favorite hot breakfast!

Most mornings are quick here! I like to make sure my men are well fed for their days. This is the most requested breakfast in our home. Seriously, they ask for the "Egg Bake" or the Egg Bake Muffins! :) Isn't that cute! I'm always happy to whip these up. They freeze well and they keep in the refrigerator - but never long.

These are really simple to make and your family will love them. We have added spinach and cheddar cheese to mix it up. I'll share my recipe here so you can enjoy!

Add a little Goat Cheese with Herbs. :)

Breakfast Egg Sausage Protein Muffins

12 eggs

1/2 cup half and half (or favorite milk)

Sea salt and black pepper

Cayenne (if desired, add a few dashes)

1 pound breakfast sausage

1 medium yellow onion

1 1/2 multi-colors bell peppers chopped

1 1/2 shredded cheddar cheese (or favorite cheese)

Preheat oven to 375

Line muffin tins with my favorite new silicone muffin cups

In grill pan on stove, sauté sausage, onion and peppers; set aside. In mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, half and half and salt and peppers.

Spoon the sausage mixture into the muffin cups evenly, usually covers the bottom of the muffin cups. Then, pour egg mixture into the muffin cups evenly, fill about 3/4 full; and then sprinkle cheese on top of each egg muffin.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes. They will be puffed up, they settle down when cooled in pan. Then, they can easily be removed from the silicone cups and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They can be frozen in a freezer bag and warmed up in the oven in the mornings.

Hope you enjoy and please let me know if you have questions! Bon appetite!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Best Vegetarian Lasagna Eggplant, Spinach, Keto, Paleo #glutenfree

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Sun, 08 Sep 2019 00:50:00 +0000

Hey, Y'all! It's been a while since we have talked about one of our favorite things - Recipes! Even though I share more real time over on my Instagram, I wanted you all to have this best recipe in a convenient place for you to make it as often as we do or will!

When we were newlyweds, I was vegetarian and this was one of our favorite Italian recipes! A vegetarian magazine that I likely got from Vegetarian Times magazine or some other cookbook. Recently, I remembered how much we loved it and decided to recreate it.

As most food bloggers do, I had it re-created in my head before I could get home to write it up! I did what I encourage you to do - get in the kitchen and try. Don't overthink it or question yourself.

*Remember My "Mixing with Mali" 3 Favorite Rules for Good Cooking:

1) Cook what you like!
2) Use ingredients you like; and
3) Don't be afraid to try and go with your own instincts!
Enjoy!

We call this the vegetarian lasagna, gluten free, pizza lasagna! :)

Best Vegetarian Lasagna!

1 Eggplant, sliced in circles (not lengthwise)
5 -6 .oz Spinach
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
28 .oz Glen Muir Marinara Sauce (our favorite)
12 .oz Mozzarella Cheese chredded
16 .oz Ricotta cheese
1 egg
3/4 c. Parmesean Cheese grated
parsley
Sea Salt
Pepper
Cayenne
Basil
Rosemary
Thyme

*Preheat Oven 375 degrees. Use an oblong pyrex dish.

First prepare items as stated above, slice, mince, grate, etc. :) For all of my spices, mix to taste. Whatever you like add it. I add a lot of cayenne and pepper. Add what you normally would and enjoy.

In small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, 1/2 c. parmesan (reserve 1/4 for the top) add parsley and mix evenly. Add spice, salt peppers, and herbs to taste. Stir well and reserve. In cast iron pan, grill/sautee eggplant in olive oil and add sea salt and pepper. Set aside. Then, sautee spinach and garlic in olive oil. Reserve in pan.

Basically, layer in the pyrex. Start with the eggplant, marinara sauce, ricotta mixture, marinara, spinach and garlic, marinara, top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered. Or, until hot and bubbly where the cheese has melted.

We love this! We hope you enjoy. If you have any questions, please let me know. And please let me know if you try this and how you like it!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Top MiniVan Toyota Sienna XLE Perfect for Family and Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 20:31:00 +0000

Introducing the Toyota Sienna XLE! This is the Toyota Sienna XLE in Predawn Gray Mica. Toyota has the most unique and beautiful colors for their stellar vehicles. We had a week to explore in this incredible luxury minivan. So, we hit the road to Washington, DC!

The drive to DC was so smooth and comfortable. Doesn't the Wahington Monument look fabulous against the Toyota Sienna Minivan!

Of course, I shared the fun on Instagram.

Here you can see the sleek new look of the Sienna. So modern, luxury and functional. You can see

we were loved using the sunroof! :)

Look how much we got into the trunk portion of the Sienna! We loved how super spacious this minivan is. We even have our cooler in here.

My sweet cousin, Sarah, posed with me the morning we left. So fun! Thanks for supporting the blog Sarah!

This represents the fabulous sound system. We loved a smarter drive due to the Entune 3.0 Audio App! This was so helpful and simple to download and activate. We loved the Apple CarPlay and the iPhone compatibility!

Check this out: Driver Easy Speak! The boys LOVED this feature when Dad was talking with them on their speakers! :) Very convenient and helpful actually.

This reminds me of the mirror technology to let us know when something is close! This is such a helpful feature! There are 8 airbags for safety. The Birds Eye View Camera with Perimeter Scan was incredible! This really helps you see your panoramic surroundings for a safer ride!

Carolina Mama happy and loving a beautiful ride in the Sienna with the sunroof open! :)

My Boulder Mt. Man enjoying driving his Terrell Tribe. So fun!

Here we all are comfortable and ready to head back to North Carolina! This reminds us of our happy and comfortable trip in the Toyota Sienna XLE!

Another fun cousin siteing! Cousin Matt seeing us off after our visit to their beautiful home.

Happy at home with this beautiful minivan in our drive.

There is also Wi-Fi Connect with Verison. So you can enjoy these tech benefits on the go!

The 5 USB ports were so very helpful for our Terrell Tribe parents and teen sons need a lot of USB ports! :)

Our trip was so relaxing and full and blessed with family and fun! This about sums it up.

If you follow on Instagram Stories, you saw our family selfie! This is a final snap I got upon our return. Both of the boys had so much room to lay down and relax - sleep! :)

I hope you loved our family update! We loved our time with the Toyota Sienna XLE. We hope this answers your questions and helps you make a decision to enjoy a Toyota Sienna!

Thank you Toyota for an amazing ride!

Warmly, Carolina

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Toyota. All opinions are our own.

REVIAN RED Scalp Care System: Renew Regrow and Regain Healthy Fuller Hair

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 20:42:00 +0000

Hey y'all! Let's talk about Fashion and Beauty this Friday! A little self-care! I am so excited to share with you my six-week trial experience with REVIAN Scalp-Care, healthy scalp care system.

As a Fashion Blogger, I love sharing the best beauty products so that you can enjoy not only fashionable products but attainable beauty.

"REVIAN RED is a company that is bringing together Light Science and Life Science to help re-activate your body’s natural renewal through the use of precise light. Our first light-based product is REVIAN RED indicated for androgenetic alopecia, or pattern baldness for men and women. This FDA-Cleared combination wireless cap and first-of-its-kind controller app deliver unprecedented hair growth. Our soon to be released clinical trial results will show that we have superior results to popular drugs and other hair growth devices for this hair loss problem. See more at revian.com or amazon.

Spoiler alert, I LOVE the REVIAN Scalp-Care system. It has been a wonderful experience from the first shampoo. I shared on Instagram, too. REVIAN RED is tagged there, too.

As a Mom of teenagers, I have experienced changes in my hair like most of us. Whether you have hair loss, postpartum hair changes or day to day damage. REVIAN Scalp-Care is fabulous and affordable hair care, self-care system.

Here are the steps I took with the REVIAN Scalp Care System:

1) Reviving Shampoo to cleanse and fortify my hair;
2) Repairing Conditioner which gave volume, fullness and much-needed moisture; and
3) Renewing Serum did nourish and stimulate growth for me! Yay!

*The steps were so easy to follow because I regularly use shampoo and conditioner. The serum step was super easy. When I brush my teeth in the morning and evening, I massage a few drops on my scalp.

For me, I added these to the front where my hair sees the most damage from ponytail holders, clips and brushing. It was simple.

What I love about REVIAN Scalp-Care:

One of my favorite things is that this amazing healthy scalp care is fragrance-free. Pretty amazing considering all of the science behind it. I LOVE that I don't have a strong fragrance scent when I walk into a room.

There is a science to healthy hair, REVIAN has perfected this in these great ways:

1) Naturally derived;
2) Dermatologist tested;
3) Paraben-Free, Fragrance-Free, Sulfate-Free, and Gluten-Free;
4) FDA approval and
5) Never testing animals

Here's what I shared on Instagram Stories: @CarolinaMama! You can follow REVIAN RED on Instagram @revianred

For those seeking more healthy scalp hair help from REVIAN RED with the scalp cap in 10 minutes a day and with their APP:

You can find this product at REVIAN RED! I hope you get to try it and see healthier hair, fuller hair and more beauty in your own self-care routines! #RevianScalpScience #beauty #healthyscalp

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by REVIAN Scalp-Care. All opinions are my own.

Rush Hour Fast Karting and Axe Throwing for Teen Birthday Parties

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 20:41:00 +0000

Teen Birthday Parties can be so much fun with Rush Hour Karting of Garner / Raleigh!

The cars are so fast and fun! They get up to 45 mph! So it is perfect for teenagers.

Fast and Furious! This is a great activity for summer fun!

The track is large enough to test out turns and pick up a good speed! A little too fast for some of us (adults)! lol

Here is the fun in action on the track. You get the idea. A good time for all!

We LOVE that the race track has stats and times of all of the racers!

Here's the latest: We LOVED the Rush Hour Axe Throwing! It was new for us and what fun!

This was a great activity between races and for lots of laughs. Y'all it is harder than it looks.

The Birthday Teens loved this sporting. They had a healthy competition.

Happy Birthday Teens! They picked up on this Axe Throwing natuarlly!

Rush Hour Axe Throwing is all about safety first so look at the lock box for the Axes! :) Makes this Mom happy to see.

Another great photo of the Axe Throwing set up! )

Boulder Mt. Man is a natural, as well!

Both Twins had fun time whielding his Axe!

Mom and Son!

Hey, hey, Carolina Mama is right on target, too! We got in on it, too! After I warmed up, I had a pretty good toss. So, if I can do this anyone can.

Look at my Boulder Mt. Man go!!! He's got the moves and got a bull's eye!

The Axe Throwing is a fun date night idea! We made it a mini date while the Birthday Party was rolling and our guys were out racing on the track! The Happy Couple and parents of 18 year old twin sons! :)

Summer is a perfect time to throw parties at Rush Hour Karting and Axe Throwing! Indoors, lots of action and great food at the restaurant on site! We hope you get to go soon!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Rush Hour Karting of Garner, NC. All opinions are our own!

Ugly Dolls Movie Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Fri, 03 May 2019 00:12:00 +0000

Guest Post: This post Ugly Dolls movie review is written by my amazing movie reviewer husband, Boulder Mt. Man

Enjoy!

During my early college days, a newly married man and a new father of twins, I struggled with procrastination. This can be a very detrimental imperfection that I learned to overcome to get through college. The biggest lesson I ever had with procrastination found to be in a computer lab working feverishly literally all night long to complete the end of semester project that was due. It probably wouldn’t have been as big a lesson learner had I not had to be at work at 7 am. It took me 3 days to get back on a regular schedule! I vowed then to make sure my time was very strictly scheduled so it would not happen again. Thankfully, it never did.

This memory makes the new movie, Ugly Dolls, have such an appealing plotline. None of us are perfect and we all have shortcomings that can make us better individuals (always improving, not perfect, of course). This looks to be a fun movie regarding overcoming our imperfections.

Here's the Ugly Dolls Official Trailer:

Check out this awesome YouTube preview link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjoomsFNgw

Love this Ugly Dolls synopsis, "In the adorably different town of Uglyville, weird is celebrated, strange is special and beauty is embraced as more than simply meets the eye. Here, the free-spirited Moxy and her UglyDoll friends live every day in a whirlwind of bliss, letting their freak flags fly in a celebration of life and its endless possibilities. The endearingly unique residents of Uglyville occasionally look to the sky above the town, where a new UglyDoll will appear and be embraced by the community.

Moxy (Kelly Clarkson) loves her square-peg life in this round-hole town, but her curiosity about all things leads her to wonder if there’s something – anything – on the other side of the mountain which nestles Uglyville. Moxy gathers a group of her closest friends and sets off to find what’s on the other side. They discover another world – Perfection – a town where more conventional dolls are trained in protocols before they graduate and are sent to the “real” world to find the love of a child."

So as the New York Times says: Ugly Dolls: Stay Ugly, Friends! :)

In Perfection, Moxy and her crew are subject to the manipulations of Lou (Nick Jonas), the perfect doll in charge of training recruits. Here, the UglyDolls will confront what it means to be different, struggle with their desire to be loved, and ultimately discover that you don’t have to be perfect to be amazing because who you truly are is what matters most. UGLYDOLLS releases in theaters this Friday, May, 3, what a great way to spend some family time this weekend!

Hope you get to see it soon!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Ugly Dolls. All opinions are my own.

2019 Mazda CX-9 "Always Elegant. Never Ordinary." #MazdaCX9

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Thu, 02 May 2019 22:09:00 +0000

"Always elegant. Never Ordinary." Mazda CX-9

Oh, happy day when this beautiful 2019 Mazda CX-9 arrived at our home! Immediately, I fell in love with the beautiful white exterior and the Nappa leather seating and genuine Santos Rosewood trim was gorgeous. It has Standard i-ACTIV AWD.

Look how beautifully it presents. Luxury and elegance all in one beautiful vehicle!

Here is the view from the front! There is a lot of space and the cup holders the boys needed for our road trip to the beach! Again, we love the chic red leather seats!

Here we are off to the beach in grand, 2019 Mazda CX-9 style! The guys in our family are six foot tall so it is wonderful to have lots of space.

The music and technology with fabulous GPS and Bluetooth were commendable!

We were very comfortable in this Mazda. Here we are all blissed out after the beach trip!

"This was a really awesome and new treat to work with, the HUD or Heads Up Display.

The latest and definitely one of the highlights of driving this SUV was the Heads up Display (HUD). You look straight ahead and it tells you a lot of different, very helpful information.

It tells you how fast you are going and what the speed limit is wherever it is that you are driving. It will also indicate the cars coming up behind you, in front of you if you have the collision avoidance set, and even shows you the next turn from the directions on the GPS. Unbelievable, and not distracting at all. This is a new, exciting feature I very much look forward to in the future of automobiles."

Boulder Mt. Man :)

We love time away and the beach makes it perfect! Love that my guys are checking out the waves for some body boarding! :)

A little family selfie on the beach! Love us together even if I have on 5 layers :) since my beach run was epic, I didn't realize I was perspiring and was freezing in the wind afterward. :)

Here, we wanted you all to see how spacious the trunk of the Mazda CX-9 is. My handsome Boulder Mt. Man is great at organizing our family travel and the Mazda makes it possible!

Beach Bound! :) Thre is also a 3rd row in the Mazda CX-9! How awesome is that. So, it seats 7 passengers or you can use the extra large trunk and seat 5! Or, a really spacious 4 like we did!

We had room for our colorful and generous beach umbrella! :)

Our son loves his hammock life and it worked extra well for him at the beach! It all fit in the Mazda!

We love the pier! And since he set up his hammock! This is a special spot and we have gone fishing on this exact pier in trips prior! :) Family travel memories are favorites!

Check out our live video here!

Another beautiful view of the Mazda in our town! I can't resist all the photos! :)

Lovely and beautiful! Motor Trend said, "Like its SUV of the Year-winning predecessor, this new family machine might reset the bar for fun-to-drive, efficient family transportation."

We agree!

The happy family rolling into Wrightsville Beach! Yes, "Hooked on a feeling...!" was a perfect intro!

Mazda won the auto IIHS Award for Top Safety Pick 2018:

“A 2018 IIHS Top Safety Pick (when equipped with available Smart City Brake Support and Adaptive Front-lighting System)."1

Are you a Mazda family?! Have you driven or purchased a Mazda CX-9? You'll love it, I'm sure! Just like we do!

Warmly,

Carolina Mama

PS: You know we love the sunroof life! So perfect at the beach! :)

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Mazda. All opinions are my own. We fell in love with the Mazda CX-9!

Easter Special: Jesus, His Life Series Finale on The History Channel Series Finale

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 00:58:00 +0000

Guest Blog Post: This post is written by my movie-loving expert reviewer

husband, Boulder Mt. Man. Enjoy!

"And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, 'Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done'. Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Luke 22:41-44

As Easter Sunday nears, Luke 22:41-44 is such a powerful reminder of what Jesus Christ gave up for all of mankind. This has always been one of my favorite passages of scripture because of the reminder that Jesus put Himself before us. He did not have to do this, He chose to do it of His own free will. He loved us that much. It is a challenge to me to attempt to put someone else before me even at half of that level.

The History Channel series, “Jesus: His Life” explores the story of Jesus Christ through a unique lens: the people in his life who were closest to him. Each of the eight chapters is told from the perspective of different biblical figures, all of whom played a pivotal role in Jesus’ life including Joseph, John the Baptist, Mary Mother of Jesus, Caiaphas, Judas Iscariot, Pontius Pilate, Mary Magdalene and Peter.

Each figure takes a turn guiding viewers through the emotional and epic story of the most famous man in history, through his birth, death and resurrection, all conveyed through a combination of scripted drama and interviews with prominent religious and historical experts. Utilizing some of the world’s most respected Biblical scholars, historians, faith leaders and theologians, the series weaves together the canonical Gospels, historical sources and cultural context to create a complete portrait of Jesus – the man and the Messiah. The series finale airs this Monday, April 15 on The History Channel at 8pm ET/PT.

This is a really exciting series on The History Channel that is probably long overdue.

Don't miss the epic series finale of: “Jesus: His Life”, this Monday, April 15 on The History Channel at 8pm ET/PT. Here's a quick glimpse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMKbNKH6mp0&feature=youtu.be

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Jesus His Life. All opinions are my own.

DoubleTree Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Views - Family Travel Review

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 16:03:00 +0000

DoubleTree by Hilton Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort

Spring in Myrtle Beach is beautiful. We loved partnering with DoubleTree by Hilton Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort in early March. This beautiful property has all of the amenities you'll need and plenty of space! We loved all of the opportunities right on the property. Come check it out!

We arrived to the most incredible welcoming staff with beautiful ocean views! From the moment we walked through the door, we were in our own private paradise. DoubleTree Myrtle Beach has its own private beach so you get a quieter experience with other guests only. It was nice to be spoiled.

We loved all of the decks with comfortable, pretty outdoor furniture to relax, outdoor seating at Ocean Blue restaurant and the patio seating all in the main resort building. DoubleTree Myrtle Beach is unique in that it has separate buildings and with those two buildings come with their own amenities. Convenient, clean and fun. Their private oceanfront beach was our favorite!

DoubleTree Myrtle Beach keeps the tradition of homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies which is their original recipe for the resort! So delicious. Our boys were happy to enjoy these.

Here is a Pro Tip for Families and Groups:

At DoubleTree you can get adjoining rooms with oceanfront balconies! The boys had their own bathroom and room and we had our separate room and bath making it a suite for our family. Here is the view from our room at sunset. So fun! I love the pink clouds peeking through the cloudy sunset.

We spent time relaxing in the community room with an ocean view. So fun! Bright and beautiful!

Here is the beautiful deck Oceanside. So mesmerizing to relax here!

We loved the Fitness Center! Our family enjoyed working out together after our drive down to Myrtle Beach. It was so wonderful. We all enjoyed the activity including weights, treadmill, and elliptical. You have key access anytime you'd like.

The Fitness Room had plenty of towels, headphones (disposable so helpful!) and filtered water! We were really set then! I needed the headphones since my headphones were still packed. It was great to just workout while there and not miss my music! Really thoughtful amenities there. There was plenty of equipment for all four of us to do our own favorite workouts.

The Fitness Center was locked and you just scan your DoubleTree Key Card to get in for easy access wheneve you want to workout. We enjoyed working out and having the equipment we needed for full workouts!

We enjoyed the treadmill! My favorite! :)

Then, it was on to the indoor pool! It was a little cool earlier in March so it was great the boys could still swim and enjoy the indoor heated pool. There are six pools and two lazy rivers on property!

Here was another great view from Ocean Blue Restaurant! I'll have a separate write up of the amazing breakfasts we had there! Here are the views - indoors and outdoors. The choice is yours and the service is exceptional. We loved the healthy omelet options and more.

Our rooms were modern and spacious! The beds were very comfortable! Our rooms were so spacious and we loved the oceanfront patios. Our boys' room connected for our own private suite. :) We all loved it.

The on-site Concierge was helpful in answering questions and making recommendations. We loved the Guest Services Texting. Every time we needed a thing, we texted and asked and they helped us quickly making our stay all the more pleasant.

We loved the Farm Fresh Omelettes. Made to order. The Chef was so accommodating.

We enjoyed choosing our vegetables, meats, and cheeses.

Here are a couple that we created! I tried the Low Country Omelet with crab and soft cheeses. It was delicious!

Here is my hot and fresh breakfast! I love grapefruit so I enjoyed this fresh grapefruit with my meal.

After the hearty breakfast, we walked on the beach! It as so refreshing.

The boys have always loved the beach. We're fortunate.

The DoubleTree pool by the restaurant, Ocean Blue, was inviting as well! We almost had breakfast poolside. :)

I was very happy doing a little photo editing in the Cabanas! These were vibrant, comfortable and private! The minifrigerators were cute, too.

I had a relaxing and beautiful view! The Cabanas are great for catching a nap, too!

Thank you DoubleTree Oceanfront Resort Myrtle Beach by Hilton for hosting our family! We loved our stay and hope to see you again soon. We hope you get to go!

Make your Reservations here: DoubleTree Oceanfront Resort Myrtle Beach Book a Room.

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by DoubleTree Myrtle Beach. All opinions are my own.

Eliza's Kitchen Elegant Dinner and Hearty Breakfast Charleston South Carolina

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 22:00:00 +0000

Eliza's Kitchen at Hotel Indigo Charleston

Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina

We loved working with Eliza's Kitchen on our recent trip to Charleston. This lovely mecca - "Life on the Water" - is over the Ravenel Bridge in Mt. Pleasant side of Charleston. We loved the convenience and regional flavors of this great spot.

The appetizers were teenager friendly with a homemade three cheese macaroni and cheese. The smoked barbecue sliders were a delicious regional choice.

Eliza's was the perfect setting for dinner out at Hotel Indigo after our full day in Charleston. No commute, just a great time right at our accommodations.

We loved this relaxed setting and the delicious choices.

With our decaf french press, we figured this could be a great date night spot. Dinner had a lovely ambiance and the pool was awaiting outside on the pavilion. Since you know we loved the Hotel Indigo, see this post, Eliza's is a perfect place to enjoy a night in with all of the elegance, fireplace included. A reservation at Eliza's after a full day in Charleston was just what we needed!

I dressed up a little - with my Sail to Sable lightweight corduroy in my preppy pink and green. Always a great option especially after getting a tan on our sailing excursion earlier in the day.

CarolinaMama in Sail to Sable

The relaxed atmosphere at Eliza's was refreshing and we liked the "beachy", modern style.

The menu has many options for everyone. Of course, the Tar Heel blue was beautiful. :)

They had delicious American fare with Grilled Cheeseburgers and some of the best fries said the teenagers. :)

We all know that's the best compliment. Look at the great presentation.

My Caesar Salad accompanied dinner well. Fresh and delicious with dressing on the side. Thought it was delicious, I didn't need much with the fresh greens and parmesan cheese.

Service is perfection at Eliza's. The manager was readily available to help out and he answered questions and even served our table with a smile.

One of ours tried Fish and Chips and said he was so glad he made this choice. Again, beautifully presented and delicious.

My husband and I called the Ahi Tuna our favorite. The fixings were amazing. The pickled slaw was delicious and a perfect accompaniment.

Desserts were delicious and almost too pretty to eat! The New York Strawberry Cheesecake was a favorite.

Decadant chocolate is a favorite we tried the Chocolate Lava Cake and it was worth a few bites to splurge.

Then, the beauty of Eliza's at Hotel Indigo is that our certified Lifeguard teens could pop out to the pool and chill while my Boulder Mt. Man and I had a little coffee to recap the evening. Perfection!

Then, our server spoiled our guys with their own Chocolate Lava Cake poolside! That's service!

Happy man right here! All focus on his dessert al fresco. Repas en plein air!

Eliza's Breakfast

Eliza's is an excellent spot for a hearty breakfast! I'm thinking of the Cooper River Bridge 10k Run in April! Hello, hot breakfast for racers' families while they run. The race begins on this side of the river! :) So, perfect set up! Make your reservations here. You may recall our family run of the Cooper River Bridge Run 2013! So fun, "Get Over It" the Ravenel Bridge, Charleston!

At any rate, check out Eliza's Breakfast with homemade and delicious hearty omelets, fresh fruits, juices, baked items for the carb lovers and the best coffee to start the day!

This dining room breakfast station is so beautiful by the pool.

The yogurts and fruit were popular and delicious.

We had all of the beauty with indoor dining.

The Chef at the omlette station was so accommodating and made excellent omlette's to your specific orders. We loved ours.

You can see we were blessed with the best Southern weather. South Carolina at its finest with the palm trees by the pool.

My favorite was a ready-made omelet with all veggies and cheese. I added an insane amount of perfect bacon. I know, I know! But sooooo good!

Since you're now ready to book your stay at Hotel Indigo, here's a reminder of the beautiful rooms from our hosted visit when they opened last year, post here. :)

We do hope you get to visit Charleston, Mt. Pleasant and specifically, Eliza's at Hotel Indigo really soon! You'll love it and a delicious meal!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Eliza's Kitchen. All opinions are my own.

The Schooner Pride, Best in Charleston Sailing, Dolphin Cruise

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 22:36:00 +0000

We love Charleston and the water. Also, we loved the opportunity to work with the Schooner Pride of Charleston to get the inside for you on how you can"Sail a Tall Ship." Trust me, now is the ideal time to book your Spring and Summer sails (ticket link). Schooner Pride offers daily afternoon dolphin sails, sunset sails, private charters, and special events!"

Schooner Pride, Charleston, SC

"Tour Charleston Harbor and experience the best in Charleston sailing, sightseeing and attractions on The Schooner Pride, a classic 84' tall ship.

Considered one of the top five things to do in Charleston, join Schooner Pride for exhilarating daily sails or romantic sunset sails to escape the crowded streets and sweltering heat of downtown Charleston, SC.

Here is our family on the Schooner Pride which equaled perfection. We were so happy to have a perfect day and this time together to relax and set sail. The water was beautiful and we loved seeing the Holy City of Charleston as we sailed looking for dolphins.

We relaxed and even got into some great conversations. Sailing on the Schooner Pride is so mesmerizing. We loved the warm sunshine and the lull of the water as we took it all in.

CarolinaMama and Sons on the Schooner Pride, Charleston, SC

My dear, Boulder Mt. Man was getting some of the best photos of our sail. It was beautiful to see the Ravenel Bridge from sailing below on the Cooper River.

As our family got closer, we reminisced the time we all ran the Cooper River Bridge 10k Run over the Ravenel Bridge. So fun!

The boys volunteered to help hoist the sails! That was fun!

Their strong arms were helpful!

The boys loved it! The crew was so fun and helpful. They encouraged our boys to enjoy the experience. It's nice to have such relaxed crew members on board.

Then, we needed a little 'girl power' and I was happy to offer my sailing expertise. :) Anyone was encouraged to participate so I loved getting to sail again.

What a view of the USS Yorktown. The USS Yorktown is a WWII aircraft carrier.

Look how beautiful this ship is! We loved all of the details. It was very stately.

That's the nice thing about my husband's photography skills, he got great photos and I love this one he captured of my absolute joy on the water.

The masts were gorgeous and we felt very secure on this vessel.

This paradise sums up our date on the Schooner Pride! Paradise! You have to go experience this adventure and see the Charleston skyline.

You can see the steeples of Charleston from the harbor. Isn't it lovely! Charleston is known for it's churches giving it the name, "Holy City!"

The battery, waterfront park, steeples, and pelicans were gorgeous additions to our sail.

The steady sail... "The Schooner Pride is an 84’ tall ship operating in Charleston Harbor. She invokes visions of when Charleston was a very prominent sailing harbor as our country developed. She is modeled after the 18th Century coastal trading schooners that once dotted our beautiful harbor. The Schooner Pride has all the charm and character of the great days of sail."

We loved our sail on the Schooner Pride. We hope you get a chance to sail along and see the dolphins, and experience your own adventure, too.

*Make your Reservation with Sales Manager, Drew Yochum at 843-722-1112 x 205 or email info@schoonerpride.com to plan your next outing on the only Tall Ship sailing daily in Charleston Harbor.

Thank you for hosting us on the Schooner Pride! We hope to see you all soon!
Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Schooner Pride and the Charleston CVB. All opinions are my own.

RedFin Fishing Charters Inshore Fishing Charleston's Best 2018

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 20:49:00 +0000

This post is sponsored by RedFin Fishing Charters Inshore Fishing and ExploreCharleston.

RedFin Fishing was named the #1 Fishing Charter

in Charleston, South Carolina 2018

We got to experience just what makes RedFin #1! We are delighted to introduce you to RedFin Fishing Charters Inshore Fishing "Best Fishing Charters in Charleston, South Carolina 2018!" Truly, the best family outdoor excursion trips are offered by RedFin Fishing Charters! We are a family that loves traveling and sporting together and we love Charleston so this was a perfect partnership. Charleston has it own accolades:

CHARLESTON VOTED #1 IN THE UNITED STATES BY

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER AND TRAVEL + LEISURE READERS

Here's are the reasons you to have fun and plan your own family travel with RedFin to Charleston. It's one of our favorite vacation adventures.

From the moment we connected with co-owner, Joel, and began planning our trip with RedFin, it was a true delight. RedFin listened and got to know our family. Then, they tailored an inshore fishing experience to our family's own wishes. It was a perfect day.

RedFin Charters gave us all the more reason to call the Holy City our favorite! From the first phone call, then the texts to prepare and on to Joel and Captain Ethan, also co-owner meeting us at the dock, every family member had an ideal fishing trip! We loved spending the day inshore fishing with Captain Ethan!

It was helpful that we had a picture perfect day. Truly, ideal fishing weather. You know fishermen, any day fishing is better than not fishing.

Captain Ethan RedFin Inshore Fishing Charleston, South Carolina

I'm going to let pictures speak the thousands of words throughout this post. You can enjoy the sheer pleasure of our excursion. My Boulder Mt. Man is as happy as can be at sea. He's handsome as ever, too. I think he's quite my catch! :) Here Ethan is teaching us how to catch our bait - the good stuff! Large shrimp!

Then, we relaxed and hit the "fishing holes" at Sullivan's Island. It was a short and exciting ride over. The teens chill pretty well.

RedFin had a cooler of water, sprite, cold drinks so we were all set. They are very accommodating to their guests. It was nice to have everything we needed.

Captain Ethan taught us all about "Deep holing" by demonstrating catching our own bait!

This was so fascinating! Look at that cast! He caught huge shrimp.

My Boulder Mt. Man was pretty fascinated by the process, too!

Here he is putting bait in the cooler that RedFin had ready and waiting on the boat.

My Handsome Boulder Mt. Man by CarolinaMama

Sunny Sullivan's Island was a perfect locale for our

son to catch his first fish of the day! Look how beautiful.

And another! It was so amazing!

Again, I had the best views!

I enjoy fishing! This was my best fishing day ever! RedFin Fishing Charters made sure we were comfortable and had all of the gear we needed! Including bait!

I relaxed and enjoyed so much of this perfect day!

We were all pretty mesmerized by this day!

Our Captain Ethan was such a great guide. He showed us how to fish successfully,

be patient and to reel them in!

The boys were first in their comfort zones, for sure. Okay, living their best lives! :)

Catch after catch! Look at this happy face! :)

Mama persisted! I really loved learning more about casting. I got the feel for it and loved trying again. Captain Ethan patiently coached me through it. Boulder Mt. Man captured the best photos! :)

Our boys loved it! Another catch!

Here I am working away to bait my line and cast away. Smiling all the way.

I'm in my happy place, too.

Our son fishing in the Low country reminded me of Louisiana's marshlands.

It's peaceful and beautiful.

Speaking of Louisiana, my sweet husband captured these Pelicans for me! And the Ravenel Bridge all in one!

Everything is gorgeous out here.

Captain Ethan tells us about local history and his stories. We loved his entertainment as well as

his coaching us along on fishing.

More beautiful bridges off of the waterway and marina. Thanks, Boulder Mt. Man.

Another great photo of deep holing. This is a beautiful process.

Our senior taking it all in. He's got this. RedFin took great care of us.

Boulder Mt. Man is back to it and ready to fish some more! :) He's the cutest fisherman.

Yes, I could do this all day! There is something magical about being on the water and not having a care in the world. Such a refreshing time.

Fishing spot off of Sullivan's Island.

The boating was stellar.

Captain Ethan with a great catch!

The fish were abundant as were the smiles!

Success! I loved having such a perfect day, a perfect charter company like RedFin to make

our family fishing vacation a dream come true.

Swimming happened! Hanging out!

The happy, southern, fishing family! :) #TerrellTribe

Thank you, RedFin, Joel and Ethan for loving and leading our family onto the best fishing adventure ever. Keep showing the dreams and keeping your award-winning customer service and fishing experience in the Holy City!
*Book a Charter with RedFin Fishing: 843-277-5255

Hope you book your RedFin Charter Fishing Trip now! Gone Fishing!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by RedFin Charters Fishing, Charleston, South Carolina. All opinions are my own. We fell in love with fishing more than ever with RedFin Charters Fishing and Captain Ethan.

CREED II an Inspirational Sports Movie #CreedII

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 23:18:00 +0000

Guest post by Boulder Mt. Man

One of our favorite sports inspirational movies is Facing the Giants. It is a great family movie. We love it because it makes you cry and laugh. It is based on a true story, which always makes for a more inspiring story.

The reason it's such a favorite is the against all odds spirit of the movie. It is about a struggling high school football coach who is really at the end of his rope. He doesn't know what to do, he is having another losing season and in danger of losing his job.

Part of the reason our family likes it is because a big part of the plot is this coach turning his life over to God, and how his faith becomes a big part of the comeback for his high school football team.

Through a lot of trial and error, challenging the team to be all they can be and to grow in their own faith, they turn the season around. To the point that they play for the state championship against a team, there should be no way they can win. Again, against all odds, they end up winning the championship game and go on to be the team to beat in years to come.

In this movie there is a lot of don't give up, stand for what is right. Faith and family come first, etc. It seems as if it is similar to Creed II in many respects. Our boys are very excited to see this movie, as they know it's going to be a very inspirational sports movie with a lot happening behind the scenes of the big fights...below is a synopsis of this new, exciting movie...Sylvester Stallone still at it! Can't wait to see him in action as a coach this time, not the boxer!

Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed. Between personal obligations and training for his next big fight, he is up against the challenge of his life. Facing an opponent with ties to his family's past only intensifies his impending battle in the ring. Rocky Balboa is there by his side through it all and, together, Rocky and Adonis will confront their shared legacy, question what's worth fighting for, and discover that nothing's more important than family. Creed II is about going back to basics to rediscover what made you a champion in the first place, and remembering that, no matter where you go, you can't escape your history.

The film releases in theaters on Wednesday, November 21. #CreedII

Click here for the preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPNVNqn4T9I

Do you enjoy inspirational sports movies?

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Creed II. All opinions are our own.

Fleet Landing Charleston's Best Waterfront Dining

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 20:09:00 +0000

We have a love of Charleston, seafood and Fleet Landing. It's true! Plus, Fleet Landing is Charleston's best seafood and waterfront dining!

Charleston's Best Waterfront Dining and "Official Winner of the Unofficial Title of Best Shrimp & Grits" thanks to the readers of CHSToday!

Some years ago, we loved discovering Fleet Landing and ever since, we make it a part of our visits to the Holy City. Fleet is a wonderful locale right off of City Market in downtown Charleston.

On our recent visit, I got to work with them and to share with you here my own Restaurant Review of our own opinions. All authentic. As soon as we parked the car, our sons started playing corn hole out front! So these teen parents took a selfie to commemorate!

It was a beautiful night! Look at our handsomes with the gorgeous sunset. This is from our table. We love dining al fresco. We were happy to be seated on the water with the ornate U.S. Customs building and the city of Charleston in the skyline.

We meant it when we said the restaurant is on the water! Here's the view! We were just about to challenge our teens to a game of corn hole and our name was called already! It's awesome at Fleet because they seat a lot of people between the indoor seating options and the outdoor.

The fried flounder was amazing. It was a lightly fried white fish, a nice mild flavor. The fried shrimp, of course, is always great. Our son really enjoyed the fries, he says they are some of his favorite.

We loved sitting on the deck and enjoying the water nad sail boats as they passed by! The sunset was gorgeous and relaxing. It was a perfect night reminiscent of Summertime!

While you eat delicious seafood, you will see all of the water activity! It's so fun!

We all agreed that some Peel N' Eat Shrimp were in order for an appetizer. Charleston fresh seafood perfection. We felt like we were home!

Our server recommended Fleet Landing Stuffed Hush Puppies - filled with veloute of Lobster, Rock Shrimp, Leeks, and Corn over an incredible Creole (my love language!) Tomato Sauce. Basically, just go to Charleston to get this! How creative is that! The flavor was so delicious, fresh and unique! We all four loved these.

Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Hush Puppies @ Fleet Landing, Charleston

My husband and I love seared scallops! He chose these delectable Seared Scallops! They were perfection. The flavor was amazingly rich, and the sides were a very nice compliment to the main meal.

I was thrilled with the fresh caught Red Snapper with an incredible Pimento Cheese Grits with Grilled Green Beans! Pretty much, mention Pimento Cheese and I'm in! We're in!

I'd love to just drive down to Charleston now and repeat this meal! I hope you get to try it soon.

One of our sons ordered the Fried Shimp plate, a favorite of his.

Our server, Landon, was awesome. He was very knowledgeable about the entire menu and was very helpful. You could tell he really enjoyed serving and interacting with us and his other tables.

It was such a lovely night, we needed to wrap up the wonderful evening with another round of cornhole.

This was our table and setting! We loved it! Indoors at Fleet Landing is beautiful and lively, however, we love the deck!

It was a fabulous evening! We highly recommend you enjoy seafood dining at Fleet Landing Charleston soon!

Enjoy!
Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Fleet Landing. This has been a favorite dining spot of our family for some time. All opinions are our own.

Hotel Indigo Mt. Pleasant Boutique Hotel Luxury

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 20:21:00 +0000

Hotel Indigo Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina

The Hotel Indigo Mt. Pleasant is conveniently is located in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Charleston, and only a bridge away from historic downtown, the newly opened boutique hotel offers modern conveniences in an inspiring atmosphere. Hotel Indigo Mount Pleasant is a place that inspires exploration with ties to its surrounding neighborhood. With fabulous new amenities including a resort-style pool area, updated fitness facility with private yoga rooms and upscale guest rooms. Remember to check out the incredible new restaurant Eliza's at Hotel Indigo.

Hotel Indigo Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina

Hotel Indigo Mt. Pleasant is rich in warmth, love and resort amenities waiting to welcome you to this resort boutique hotel in the Charleston area. We were delighted to work with Hotel Indigo on our recent Fall Break to this upscale hotel. All opinions are my family and mine. We are enthusiastic to share with your family travel. We love sharing how we do it: great places like Hotel Indigo and what we love best.

Personally speaking, Hotel Indigo cares. The staff made us feel like coming home. We left Raleigh in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. So we felt like we made it to the finish line checking into the luxurious Hotel Indigo. And we had!

Our rooms were elegant, relaxing and so comfortable. We loved the personal southern touch of the welcome from the Hotel Indigo staff. If we had any need - or wish! - they were there to answer meeting our needs.

Our King Master suite was spacious and had everything we needed. The bed was so very comfortable. That's the best. Being away from home and very comfortable makes the trip! I love the modern decor. Like this beautiful headboard, makes me want to start a new DIY!

Here you can see the cute pink desk on the right and the television station. There is a sitting char across the room. And a sofa love seat for visiting.

Here is a great view of the cute furniture for the desk station that is very tech up-to-date! That's so important with travel!

The coffee lovers that we are, we were thrilled to have Keurig's and supplies in our rooms.

There's just something beautiful about waking up on vacation to coffee in bed! Good coffee!

And even hot tea in the evening. Our family loves this ritual of having a nice herbal tea before bedtime.

Our restroom was spacious and had awesome Aveda toiletries. Again, feeling right at home here!

About the hotel, the artwork was beautiful and inspirational. We this one that is reminiscent

of the low country of Charleston with the fishing boats.

Look at this cute chandelier and table in the lobby! Every area of the hotel is so inviting and welcoming.

Now, our family is so outdoorsy! We love the beach and it's proximity to the Hotel Indigo. And we LOVED their luxury resort swimming pool! They had us with the lounge chairs and palm trees! Look how awesome this is!

You can see it was a huge hit with our teenagers! :) They fit right in for late night hangouts! Since our sons are both certified lifeguards, we loved it even more. Mainly, it was chill time for them! And a little tech time. :) #LifeIsGood

Here is the peaceful setting at the pool, the verandas made it multipurpose. It is a great area to work.

I'd work here! Talk about a great office space.

Food is served from Eliza's poolside if you order. We had pizza by the pool one night after watching the sunset at the beach. It was the cap to a perfect evening!

Hotel Indigo is a great place for conferences, meetings, and reunions.

There are areas throughout the hotel that are comfortable for seating and visiting.

Brainstorming.

Whatever you wish and all in an inspiring atmosphere like this one which is a personal favorite! Love this yellow sofa and sitting area.

The conference rooms inspire thinking and are sharp and crisp. Well lit. Meetings tailored to your needs.

We loved the comfortable work chairs and the marble tables.

On to the fitness center! I love a good hotel fitness center when traveling. This one had great equipment and lots of space! Granted, our weather was perfect and we walked all over Charleston and spent time on the water and at the beach so there was little time for a fitness center indoors. However, we were thrilled to know it was available. In fact, the boys went in for some weight lifting intermittently while at the pool.

I loved the stretching area overlooking the pool! :) I couldn't resist lightening the pool here! It's a beautiful and serene view.

Here, you see the extra space in the center which is so nice. And a water cooler to stay hydrated while working out.

Super cute furniture and comfortable makes for a relaxing and chic stay!

We even had my favorite blue chairs.... we had one in our room with a view! So I could enjoy watching the boys at the pool from our room! :)

We even got a cute couples photo in one of our favorite spots!

Carolina Mama Boulder Mt. Man Fall 2018
Mt. Pleasant, SC

Decor like this is so awesome! This longitude and latitude of Charleston, SC and Sullivan's Island, SC! Of course, both are just minutes from the hotel so love this!

Now, let's talk about food! Oh, my goodness, we were so thrilled to hear about Eliza's Kitchen! This restaurant new to the Charleston restaurant scene is incredible. Certainly, a best-kept secret as itis up and coming. We met the Food and Beverage Director John.

John surprised us at our suite with a delivery of an amazing Charcuterie Board! Look at this! Perfection after we settled in and got ready for dinner in Charleston. This was delicious!

The boys loved their room welcome! It was a tailgate party in their room. So fun! Warriors basketball and their tailgate set up. :)

Then, breakfast at Eliza's was fabulous! We loved the proximity of eating a great meal right in the hotel! These are made-to-order omelettes! We will share more about Eliza's breakfasts

and dinners in a separate post. Look forward to it!

We loved it! We just scrambled to the Omelette station! Fruit station, Pastries and more. First things first, we have coffee! And cranberry juice.

One of the boys said, "sadly, we are leaving." I just love that we have such a splendid time that he felt sad to leave all the fun in Charleston and the spoiling at Hotel Indigo.

He also had a sore knee and the manager at the front went and got him an ice bag for his knee! They will accommodate you with anything you need. We were made to feel very special. Then, they got to talk about a Lecrae concert! :)

Bye-bye fabulous swimming pool!

Pet lovers are welcome! You will love that Hotel Indigo accommodates pets! They more than accommodate for them, they have their own pet park ground on the property complete with baggies and share. Your pets can run and enjoy on the green grass!

Poolside is inviting day and night!

One more reminder of this paradise at Hotel Indigo Mt. Pleasant. Here is one of the boys relaxing under the cabanas at the pool on a gorgeous sunny day with palm trees. Life is good.

Remember to check out this locale - book your stay at Hotel Indigo Mt. Pleasant - for your Thanksgiving and Holiday travel to Charleston! You'll be glad you did! Let me know if you have any questions! We hope you get to visit.

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Hotel Indigo Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. All opinions are my own.

Kale Chicken Curry Soup It's Homemade Perfection

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 16:55:00 +0000

We love homemade soups! It has been one of my greatest cooking delights to discover how delicious, simple and nutritious homemade soups are to make! This Kale Chicken Curry Soup is the best!

Kale Chicken Curry Soup by CarolinaMama

My amazing mom cooked everything homemade. She made stews, meals :) soups, all of it. If you love soup, I want to challenge you to make your own and see how simple and delicious it is! You'll love it and I'll warn you, you'll never buy boxed or canned soups again!

When I fell in love with Kale, (Yes! I just said that!) I loved making simple Kale chips. Then, a friend taught me just how simple it is to make an incredible Kale salad. "Massaging Kale" is really true. It's fast and effective. Truly, it reminds me of good ole Southern cooking! Nothing replaces mixing with clean, bare hands. 😂

Look it is awesome on the go! Yes, this is my to-go mug some days. It works!

Seriously, I sip coffee in the car. So, yes, a delicious homemade Kale Chicken Curry Soup in a mug!

No microwave, please! We chose to be microwave free three years ago! I meant, if we can't stand near a microwave while pregnant, why do we any other day? :) We had already converted to air-popped popcorn. If you have questions, let me know! You can do it! It's so awesome!

Here's the soup! Yes, just heat on the stove and enjoy the next day or two. This doesn't last

long at our home.

CarolinaMama Carline To-Go Homemade Soup

Kale Chicken Curry Soup by Carolina Mama

2-3 T. Coconut Oil
1 onion diced
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 chicken breasts cooked and cubed
-OR-
3-4 chicken sausage (your fav-we like Italian or jalapeno breakfast)
4-5 red potatoes thinly sliced, cooked (baked or boiled and cooled)
2 T. Curry Powder
salt, pepper, cayenne, oregano to taste
3-5 c. Kale chopped (or Spinach if you've not fallen in love with Kale)

Over medium heat, saute´onion and garlic in coconut oil for a few minutes. Quick sear chicken or sausage. Stir in seasonings from the end of the ingredient list. Slowly pour chicken stock and coconut milk/cream. Stir gently a couple of times. Add potatoes and simmer for 30 minutes. Do not overcook or boil the soup. :) Finally, turn off the heat, drop the kale into the soup and let it wilt with a lid on for 10 minutes. Then, serve and enjoy!

Cooking is all about love and patience, low and slow. Put your heart into it. When you stop and listen, the food connects with you and lets you know what to do next. This is when you love cooking and enjoy the beauty and bounty of your reward.

Kale Chicken Curry Soup is perfect to share with friends or if someone is feeling under the weather. This is amazing left over, too! Fall, we are ready for you!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

NC Courage Women's Soccer Team is #1 National Champs #CourageCountry

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 03:27:00 +0000

Congratulations to our outstanding NC Courage Women's Soccer NWSL Championship tonight!

"In 2018 the NC Courage claimed a historic treble, winning the Women’s International Champions Cup, the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship, breaking multiple records along the way in the most dominant and most successful U.S. women’s professional soccer season to date."

We're a sports-loving family! Recently, our family was so delighted to be guests of North Carolina's Coastal Credit Union to support for a home game of the nation's #1 Women's Soccer team: the NC Courage Women's Soccer Team. We are all so proud of the NC Courage!

As you can see, it was a perfect evening at North Carolina's Wake Med Soccer Field! It was awesome to see this intense game up close and personal on the field!

We loved field seats for a great view. Wake Med Soccer Park is fabulous and pretty much every seat is awesome. My Boulder Mt. Man and I had the best time with the boys. NC Courage soccer is a perfect family night. We love all of the respect and discipline and focus of the athletes.

Our son in his new Kenya Soccer jersey. He loved wearing his new soccer jersey he got this summer in Kenya while there on a mission trip. Love a little mother-son photo opp.

Both sons really got into the game! Celebrating another goal!! NC Courage up by 3!

And he won an NC Courage official soccer jersey for guessing the 1st goal scored! :) Whooo! He was so excited. Their jerseys are so cool.

Then, the NC Courage WON!! NC Courage 5 - Houston Dash 0!

It was an exciting game! You can follow them on Instagram:

@TheNCCourage

The field access got real! We got to meet the players for photos and signatures. The athletes were so great about pictures - even selfies! Check out this one! :) Too fun! #9 Lynn Williams is so great

to take selfies with the fans on the field! Thanks, Lynn!

Or, letting the boys take selfies shown here is Cari Roccardo #16. It was a great time all around!

Fanning with the Courage!

Here is Lynn Williams #9 did a great interview and I caught a clip for you here!

We loved our evening with the NC Courage. It's a fabulous and exciting way to spend the evening with your family and friends. We loved connecting with the players after the game!

#9 Lynn Williams

NC Courage won! It was a fabulous game!

One of the players told us that they average 7 miles on a competitive game! We loved getting field access and photo and autograph opportunities with the team. They are such positive and vibrant athletes. They were so enthusiastic and answered all of their fan questions, took all the pictures, etc.

We had great BBQ by Backyard Bistro.

As a family, we love sports and attending sporting events together. Also, it is fun to support the hometown teams.

It was fun to connect with Liz and Joe from Coastal Credit Union. They offer "Better Banking for Every Stage of Life!"

Check out Coastal Credit Union on Twitter: @coastal24 Instagram: @coastal24

https://www.nccourage.com

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the NC Coastal Credit Union 24. All opinions are my own.

The Perfect Pant - the Ultimate Lifestyle Garment

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 01:09:00 +0000

The Perfect Pant San Francisco, California asked me to check out their pant - The Perfect Pant. I'm happy to say I'm glad this post is sponsored by them because I LOVE it! These pants are so comfortable and functional!

"From yoga to the boardroom, the cafe to simply lounging at home, The Perfect Pant is the ultimate lifestyle garment. From your flight to your Uber to your final destination, The Perfect Pant will get you there wrinkle–free.

Also super easy to care for - no dry cleaning required. Simply toss in the washer and dryer and enjoy re–wearing." the perfect pant

I love that they are nicely cut with a long style and a high waist so there is more fashion flexibility! The first thing I did was wear them to the Farmer's Market!

Here you can see the streamlined cut. They are fitted and yet they have a silhouette. These pants are a wonderful diversion from the legging look that is so casual and limiting.

I love how soft and comfortable The Perfect Pant's are. They are fun to relax in and fun to even dress up a little. They go from workout to office to dinner and shopping!

Here is another option they offer in style: The Cropped Pant. This is great for those summer nights and for the more petite frame.

If I had a chance to name The Perfect Pant, I would call them The Perfect Pant for Moms on the go! :) Of course, they are great for work and play. As a Mom into Mom Fashion, I have to say, I love how versatile they are. I hope you get to try them!

Also, here in the South, The Perfect Pant can go year round. I love when I have transitional pieces or pieces that go from season to season!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Perfect Pant, San Francisco, California. All opinions are my own. #momfashion

Raleigh's Rush Hour Karting Best Family Fun, Summer Camps, Team Building and more

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 16:00:00 +0000

Love working with Rush Hour Karting Raleigh's best family fun, summer camps, team building and more! It is that time of year, Summer Camps, Corporate event and Birthday parties! and Team Building. Rush Hour Karting has the option for you, your family or team!

Here's a look at all of the family fun we experienced. Teens love Rush Hour Karting!

Safety first at Rush Hour! They have all sizes of helmets to get you suited up and protected for your fun experience.

Ready, set, #TerrellTribe Win it!

The family that races together gets super competitive together! LOL Here we go! This is the layout of Rush Hour. Plenty of space to officially get in the race. They have a lot of staff on hand to flag you onto and off of the track.

We love karting together. We get pretty competitive so everyone is powering up for a great race!

Let's go! Can you see the big smiles on their faces! :)

Our twin sons love racing! They lasted a lot longer than their parents! :)

While the boys enjoyed extra races we loved just chilling. There is a great area to

relax and watch the races right off of the restaurant.

It was all thumbs up after their face!

Then, we had worked up an appetite and Rush Hour Karting has you in mind with a great kitchen of homemade items! Oh my goodness, we love their food. Here are the incredible Nachos! Boulder Mt. Man and I LOVE these. They pretty much have everything.

Check out the Corporate Lunch buffet! Any company would be happy with this fun activity,

team building and then this spread of delicious foods. Starting with Buffalo Wings / Nuggets.

All the chicken wings.

A little southern fried pickles and jalapenos!

Balanced with a great vegetable tray. Great vegetable options!

We're ready for lunch in the Cafe off of the race track.

They introduced us to their Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers! Life changed for us!

These were delicious and all that gluten free, keto, paleo, too! :)

Grilled chicken salads for our table!

This was a shell free Taco Salad! I try to be 'good!' LOL I really didn't miss the

taco shell since the chicken and the salad was amazing along! Pico de gallo and sour cream were dynamite!

All American AMAZING (said our teen!) Cheeseburgers and great handcut fries.

Bacon Burger was delicious as well - another teen approved and loved burger option!

Here's one happy family on the way home from an American great adventure

at Rush Hour Karting! Have you been! Check it out!

Rush Hour Karting hosts Summer Camps, Corporate event and Birthday parties! Connect with the Owner, Adam here. Remember to stay for a delicious meal, too!

We hope to see you on the track soon! Thank you Rush Hour!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Rush Hour Karting! All opinions are our own! We love it there! *One more happy face! :)

Our Amazing, Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 21:37:00 +0000

Our Amazing, Best Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

We LOVE chocolate chip cookies for a special occasion or for a family night. We perfected our recipe a while back and were set until we wanted to make it a gluten free version. We succeeded! We love this one even better! The nutty flavor of the almond flour makes it even more decadent! It gives it a little bit of a short bread texture with all of the richness of a classic chocolate chip cookie. We all liked it so much better.

It’s pretty simple and foolproof. Tonight, I am writing the recipe as I make the cookies again! :) So, we are using semi sweet chocolate chips and enjoy those. We do like to use Ghirardelli when I keep them on hand.

3 c. almond flour (or gluten free flour we like King Arthur’s)

Few dashes of salt

¾ t. Baking soda

1 c. Butter softened, salted (16 T.)

¾ c. brown sugar

½ c. white sugar

2 t. Vanilla extract

2 eggs room temperature

1 bag chocolate chips (we prefer semi sweet or dark chocolate Ghirardelli)

1/2 c. pecans (for those of us who can't do without southern pecans)

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

First, measure together flour, salt and baking soda ingredients. Sift with your clean mixer. :) Then, set aside in a bowl. In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and both sugars. Barely cream together and then add the vanilla and one egg at a time. Cream just until ingredients are mixed. Then add ⅓ of the flour mixture at a time while mixing. Once butter mixture and flour mixture are all mixed. Stir in, with a wooden spoon, the chocolate chips evenly.

*My sweet tip! Spray an ice cream coop with coconut oil and use to dip cookie mixture onto a silpat mat. Bake for about 11 minutes. Or, until brown on the edges. Enjoy! :)

I’m so thrilled I wrote this recipe up to share and now it is ready for my family any time we'll be mixing with Mali! :)

Let me know your favorite cookie recipe? It's fun to discover something new. Hope you enjoy this one!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

Rush Hour Karting, You can be a winner, too!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 19:30:00 +0000

Rush Hour Karting

You Can be a Winner, too!

Rush Hour Karting is a premiere go-karting experience where "you can be a winner, too!" Our boys had the BEST 17th Birthday party that Rush Hour Karting sponsored. We came away with the best experience! This is a perfect activity for teens, for birthdays, work - team building, company outings, etc. Rush Hour Karting is here in the Raleigh area.

Carolina Mama and Sons Rush Hour Karting 2018

We love the safety and instructional that Rush Hour Karting offers. They make safety first. Then, it's all fun! Here are our seventeen-year-olds! ready for some fast karting.

We are ready to ride. Underneath the helmet, we have a head sock for covering for cleanliness. Then, the helmet is safe and has the eye protection shield. This makes a Mom happy. Of course, we are buckled in the karts for common sense - safety. :) Here we go! :)

The boys were so fired up to take off and they did. :) I love that they all wanted momma to take the first ride with them. So, we all took to the track.

Rush Hour is very organized and there is a safe number of karts available on the track at a time. We were out there with a team that regularly rides. We were thrilled to hold our own in the Top 10 ... for a while.... momma was not as quick as the boys. It was a blast.

The first ride that we all took together was a blast. They run 8 minutes. You would be surprised how many laps you can make in 8 minutes. Then, it was the boys' time to get out there again and I took in the view.

Of course, I couldn't take enough photos of them. I love how excited and into it they were.

We found it to be even more fun than we imagined. :)

Take a look at all of the fun!

I love that the boys can have a blast riding fast and also know that they are safe.

The staff is always available and on site to keep drivers safe and informed. They gave us great directions. Here they are directing the drivers into the lane after the race.

Our son - one happy driver! :)

Our other son - another happy driver!

Then, it was break time for some great food right there on site at Rush Hour Sports Grill Restaurant!

Refreshment and sports television was much needed and enjoyed after a couple of races!

You would be amazed at how much work these are! It is awesome! You feel your muscles

working while you drive!

Okay, I'll admit it! I introduced the boys to the Jalapenos Poppers! These were pretty

amazing! Great jalapenos and cheddar cheese and great bacon!

The boys enjoyed the freshly grilled burgers with various toppings! And these hand cut potato

chips made in house. Light and delicious. We shared.

Our other son loved the fresh french fries with his burger. They were so hungry after

racing the afternoon away!

Then, it was one more race before we wrapped up our day.

Happy Racers again!

We couldn't take enough photos of the great memories and I just loved the happy and

contented faces of a perfect teen birthday party experience!

Memberships are available here:

"Adult or Junior Membership is only $45 (Includes: 2 races, a free race on your birthday,

a head sock, T-shirt and all daily member specials.)"

You can make it a repeat experience! You can make party reservations as well.

Mom was so happy to race with our teens. Now, it's time to take Dad out to the track!

Rush Hour Karting is phenomenal! :) We're fans of this best family fun fast experience! :)

Also, check out the Rush Hour Karting Academy Summer Camp Fun!!!

Summer Camp / Rush Hour Karting Academy!

Let me know if you get to experience Rush Hour Karting! Also, message us if you have questions. Thanks Adam, Rush Hour Owner, and team! We'll see you soon!

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Rush Hour. All opinions are my own and that of my teenage sons! :)

Ford Escape, the Perfect Family Escape Family Travel "Ford, Go Further!" #FordEscape2017

noreply@blogger.com (Carolina Mama) — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 16:10:00 +0000

Welcome to our happy place! On the road for family travel and enjoying working

with the amazing Ford Escape!

CarolinaMama and Family Ford Escape Jekyll Island, Georgia

Let's be honest, we LOVE the sunroofs in the Ford Escape!

The Ford Escape is a perfect family travel, everyday vehicle, and getaway vehicle. We loved driving the Ford Escape as a family travel and driving test drive review experience.

CarolinaMama and Family with Ford Escape Jekyll Island, Georgia

First of all, isn't she lovely! The new Ford Escape is a gorgeous car!

Look at the space and beauty exteriorly.

We've shared our Ford Escape reviews before and our experience was the same - we LOVE it!

Our family has grown to know, rely upon and trust Ford. So, naturally, we loved working with Ford again. having the extra space that a family can enjoy the Ford Escape.

We love having the extra space so our family can enjoy the Ford Escape.

We love the beauty and size of the Ford Escape! I'll be honest the beautiful Ruby Red is gorgeous, as well!

Let's look inside! Here we go! It's gorgeous!

Look at the space and how gorgeous the interior is. The black leather seats were so comfortable

and smooth.

This is my favorite view! The Ford Escape is spacious! It has all of the details to

make it so comfortable, functional and safe!

Even the seatbelts are simple and perfect. The boys like the console that lowers with extra

cup holders. This makes the whole care so convenient and comfortable.

I really liked the space in the front. The navigation is perfect.

The sound system is all wifi and Sony Sound System.

We love the user-friendly sound system! The screen is a great view and the system was simple to use.

We love the audio commands. GPS took us where we were going! "Going back to Georgia...!"

Admiring her in an ordinary parking lot....! :)

The gasoline mileage was terrific for travel!

Happily and comfortably, we arrived at our destination.

Look how nicely our gear for a family of (4) fit into the Ford Escape Trunk. We even brought our four boogie boards with us. You know we love to get ou on the water!

Parked in the shade of the beautiful Spanish Moss trees while my sweet Boulder Mt. Man

gets all the things we need!

She looked gorgeous on the shore and by the St. Simons Island Lighthouse!

We hope you experience a Ford Escape soon! Here's the latest on the Ford Escape 2018!

We highly recommend the Ford Escape, again! Being a Ford family for so long and having enjoyed each Ford Escape experience including our latest here, yes, you deserve a Ford Escape experience! :)

We were so happy when we arrived! :) It was a smooth ride and a great family road trip! #familytravel

Warmly, Carolina Mama

FTC Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Ford. All opinions are my own.