Finding Our Next Adventure

One of our absolute favorite Christmas traditions is to come up to Chetola Resort for a few days and soak in the magic. You may remember seeing my blog from a few years past, but I felt like with Margot being a new addition to our family this year, we needed to update our Chetola blog. We have come up to Blowing Rock for the last 4 years and gone tubing every year, and it has become quite the tradition for us....

Holidays at Chetola Resort! One of our absolute favorite Christmas traditions is to come up to Chetola Resort for a few days and soak in the magic. You may remember seeing my blog from a few years past, but I felt like with M…

we are in FULL Christmas mode over here thanks to ! They came out and got all our lights up super quick and they look amazing!! If you’re local to the Raleigh/Wake Forest area call or message them to get a quote today! Check out their flyer on the next slide! :)

Winter is coming so I ran to to replenish our supply of trusted and effective products from & . Among our favorites are Vivvi & Bloom's 2-in-1 Wash & Shampoo Cleansing Gel (fragrance-free) and their 2-in-1 Face & Body Whip Lotion (fragrance-free) – known for their clinically proven gentle and safe qualities. With the colder weather on the rise, it has been so great at keeping my kid's sensitive skin soft and hydrated. Zarbee's Soothing Saline Nasal Mist is another winter favorite because it's enriched with soothing aloe, which keeps their nasal passages moisturized. We also love Zarbee's Elderberry Immune Support gummies to provide additional immune support for us parents this time of year. It's important to be prepared for the winter season so click the link in my bio to earn a $10 reward when you purchase at least $30 of these participating products from 10/22 - 12/2. . *use products only as directed*

12 years of travels together, scaring our kids, signing up for way too many sports, dancing in the kitchen with the babies, having a whole heard of babies, our nightly rituals of Fresca and Seinfeld, growing older day by day and forging our path together has been the best with you ! 🤍 cheers to a million more ya old fart!

And just like that…. Summer is over, and we’ve got a 4th, 2nd and KINDERGARTNER! They were all so ready for today, but I was not! I wish I could just freeze time right in its tracks! Be safe little ones, be kind, and have the best day ever. We love you babies!

| Getting everyone what they need before school starts is a task that brings a whole new level of anxiety even to the most seasoned of parents out there! My game plan this year is to simplify as much as possible, which is why we shop ! We can get all the things we need for the kids, and get myself some self-care items to keep stocked in the car and at home for myself! PLUS get a $10 Reward when you spend $30 (excluding tax) on participating products from 7/16 - 9/02. Click the link in my bio to get started on your Back to School shopping!

Enter show stopper probiotic drops! They put an end to that fussy GI discomfort that babies get, and they even have drops that include vitamin d, which is perfect for breastfed babies since that’s one vitamin they aren’t getting from breastmilk! I love having it all in one place… probiotic and vitamin d! Checks all the marks for me! 🙌🏼

The thing about being a mom is that in all the wishing for time to go faster, it actually does. We then find ourselves wishing that time would freeze in its tracts and absorb every single detail. The sound of the kids laughter, the smudges on the glass, the early mornings getting ready for school and the late night baseball games. The magic moments of their childhood, which are also the magic moments of our motherhood.

I saw a quote today that said everytime a child is born, a mother is born. And through every one of my child’s births, a new version of my motherhood journey has emerged into a new phase. I’m a different mother today than I was 9.5 years ago when i first became a mom, and I hear the tick of time passing all too quickly. I know that before I know it, I’ll have kids driving and dating, graduating high school and going off on their own. The thought is almost unbearable right now. So soak it in. Capture the moments. Find the magic in the ordinary. These days are fleeting, and not guaranteed! I feel so deeply grateful this Mother’s Day for the mothers in my life that have shaped mine and my children’s lives and helped us become what we are today! I love you all! Happy Mother’s Day! 🤍🌷

[Swipe for the after]

Whether we’re out for a walk, heading to gymnastics, or baseball... we are always toting along with our new FUNtainer Water Bottles from !

They are the perfect size, have tons of cute colors, insulated to keep drinks cool, and the kids love the flip top!
Be sure to check them out!!

10 days with our best surprise, and total lucky charm. Exhausting, but I want to soak in every single ounce of this stage. She is so perfect in every way, and makes those many late night feedings 100% worth it.

So grateful for you sweet Margot Beth! 🤍

Pics of course done by the amazing

3•17•2023 - welcome to the world little Margot Beth! We are so excited that you’re finally here. And now, it’s birth story time!!

We got checked into the hospital at 6:00 am and got started on the iv and soon after they slowly started the Pitocin! I was up walking around, we played a game of nerts, i bounced on the ball, and did all the things to get this labor moving. Gratefully my doctor let me eat, so i got some lunch in between everything! I wanted to wait to get the epidural till I was at a 7 or so for fear of it stalling the labor, but when 8pm rolled around and I was only at a 5cm, I started to question it all so I got the epidural. And it was the best decision! My body responds so well to it, and I was able to relax, rest and prepare for the grand finale! By 11:30pm I was ready to go, but we had to wait for the doctor to come. We got so close to midnight that they asked if I wanted to wait a little longer or give her a St Patrick’s Day birthday. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity so we started pushing and within 2 contractions she was here! Born at 11:57 pm at 6lb 11.8oz and 19” long. Perfect in every single way!

And huge shout out to for coming to the hospital and waiting for hours to capture these moments that I will cherish forever!! 🤍🤍🤍

It’s official…. we have an induction date set, so we now only have 12 days to go till we meet this little babe, and it’s all feeling a bit surreal! For the longest time I didn’t feel like I was really pregnant. It just felt like the finish line was so far away, but now that the end is in sight, I get giddy thinking about how life will be with our fourth and final babe, and i cannot wait!!

Also so insanely grateful for a best friend like who takes the most stunning of photos, even when you’ve decided to put on an extra 40 lbs. I will cherish these forever. 🥰

Things have been so fast paced lately between volunteering at the school, getting a handle on all things Christmas (the gifts, the experiences, the everything), maintaining our regular family schedule, etc etc... as busy parents, you get it. So often when things get this way, things fall from our plates. Most of the time they are things that can absolutely fall off, and it's fine, but sometimes they are things that we shouldn't let fall off our plates....

https://findingournextadventure.com/2022/12/19/happi-foodi-review/

Happi Foodi Review Things have been so fast paced lately between volunteering at the school, getting a handle on all things Christmas (the gifts, the experiences, the everything), maintaining our regular family sched…

Being able to grab all my essentials in one stop is 100% a must do for me, and never fails for me! And to make the deal even sweeter, right now they’re doing a promotion on where you get a $10 Reward when you spend $25 (excluding tax) on participating products! What a massive win! Be sure to click the link in my bio to get info and visit Wegmans to pick up your winter wellness essentials! . . . . , *Use products only as directed

Believe it or not, but this was my first time baking a puff pastry and you guys!! It was so easy! I will forever be a girl because this made me feel like a major winner in the kitchen! Look how beautiful my first ever apple turnovers turned out!!

Am I being too excited?? What’s your favorite thing to make with puff pastry dough… I need a running list!

When I’m trying to do something fun and new in the kitchen, I have a few non negotiables. 1) it has to be easy and convenient 2) I want good quality food, and 3) it obviously has to taste good! We did homemade pizzas for the first time in forever using Round and Thin Pizza dough, and oh man! It was delicious! We made a white pizza and pepperoni because we are traditionally a pretty divided house on the topic, but we’d love to know where y’all land…

White pizza or pepperoni??

The boys had their first day of school! Hip hip hooray! They had such a good day and loved seeing so many familiar faces! Cheers to a new school, and new school year! Well worth the wait. 🇺🇸🤍

Hallie’s first day 4’s preschool! I can’t believe this is it for her, and next year she will be going to school with the boys! She’s our favorite little spicy sweetheart. We love you Hallie!!

Back to school shopping ! Not only do they have such cute items that both me and my kids like, but they are having awesome sales now, which is making everything so affordable! Check them out for all your back to school needs before the sale ends on August 21st!

http://gofyi.ly/0CDDD3E6

Back-to-school season can be hectic! That's why it's so important to get the whole family prepped and prepared before the new school year start. Get in some self-care time AND take care of the whole house when you stop at Wegmans and pick up your back-to-school and household essentials! I just snagged my make up wipes and hydro boost water gel, and I’m feeling so good about it!!

Get a $10 Reward when you spend $25 (excluding tax) on participating products from 7/15 - 9/05

🇺🇸Happy Fourth! 🇺🇸 hope you had an amazing day holding loved ones close! So grateful for our freedoms!

As many of you are aware, I have been renovating our half bathroom for the last month, and thanks to your patience, I now get the pleasure to reveal her in all her glory, and walk you through some of the process so you could do it too! First lets really sit and appreciate that we sat with this bathroom for 4 years. ...

https://findingournextadventure.com/2022/06/14/half-bathroom-remodel/

Half Bathroom Remodel As many of you are aware, I have been renovating our half bathroom for the last month, and thanks to your patience, I now get the pleasure to reveal her in all her glory, and walk you through some …

Do you live in an area with an obscene amount of mosquitoes?? We do! And with this forest of trees behind us, it has felt like an uphill battle to try and get rid of them…. Until now!

We finally had come out and treat the yard! A couple years ago we went to a movie night at Joyner park and they had treated the space! it wasn’t until they announced that had treated it that we realized we hadn’t been bit at all! It sold us on how legit they were, and despite my best efforts to diy it myself, we needed them this year!!

So excited for long summer nights in the yard WITHOUT being bit!! 🙌🏼 bring on the fun!

We love being outside, and typically that means being eaten by mosquitos… 😳 well no more! STEM Bug Repellent Spray’s plant-based formula will keep your mind at ease since it’s safe to use for your kids and pets (when used as directed). It is made with botanical extracts with no added dye, fragrance, or a harsh chemical odor and proven effective!

On your next run, check them out and swipe up in my stories to learn more!

Here’s to the moments you want to always remember, but may not be those perfectly put together Instagram moments! We had our fair share on our trip to Greece, and I had to quickly make our book about the trip so I didn’t forget them. You know I love my photo books, so of course that’s who we used.

Favorite non-insta worthy moment was for sure when we randomly ran into my mother and sisters in law, and they told us about how my sister in law lost her walking stick in the ocean! Tensions were elevated, but thankfully still in comedic spirits about it all. We went on, and ended up in the same area where the stick had been taken away by sea. Curiously, we looked to see if we could find it and miraculously we did! My husband fashioned a knot in a nearby rope and after a few attempts, pulled it to safety and saved the day!! 🤣 it was a highlight for us all!

Cheers to the regular life moments, and cheers to capturing it all! The app can be downloaded from App Store/Google Play! And when you checkout, use my discount code trista25 and that it gives 25% off for one week!

It's spring, and only a few weeks left of school, so naturally I'm thinking about all the things I want to get done before the kiddos get out for the summer. Of course a massive part of that list a million diy projects that I want to do around the house, then it got me thinking about all the DIYs that we've done, and how none of them have been documented....

https://findingournextadventure.com/2022/05/09/our-favorite-diy-bunk-bed-tips/

Our favorite DIY + bunk bed tips! It’s spring, and only a few weeks left of school, so naturally I’m thinking about all the things I want to get done before the kiddos get out for the summer. Of course a massive part of…

Being out and about so much calls for packed lunches! We love our new Kids Freestyle Kit and Premium Camo 12 Can Cooler to keep us all from getting hangry! Phew! Day saved!!!

Between hikes and walks outside, to packing up for baseball games, we are easily ready for whatever comes!

🖤Don’t miss out🖤
🖤We have teamed up with some friends to gift one lucky follower a Sunjoylife Gazebo and a Firepit to enjoy your spring days, nights and soon to be summers!
|$1800 💰 Gift card| HOW TO ENTER :
•SAVE and LIKE this post.
•Comment below with what you would do!
•Head over to for entry rules!
✔️Closes 4/22 at 8pm est. Not endorsed or affiliated with with Instagram. Must be 18 + years or older and release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagrams terms of use. Winner must not be private at end of giveaway and will be notified by 4/23 8 pm est at the latest and will have 24 hours to claim. 📷.athome

🖤Win a Gazebo and Firepit 🖤
🖤We have teamed up with some friends to gift one lucky follower a Sunjoylife Gazebo and a Firepit to enjoy your summer nights and crisp fall days!
|$1800 💰 Gift card| HOW TO ENTER :
•SAVE and LIKE this post.
•Comment below with what you would do!
•Head over to for entry rules!
✔️Closes 4/22 at 8pm est. Not endorsed or affiliated with with Instagram. Must be 18 + years or older and release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagrams terms of use. Winner must not be private at end of giveaway and will be notified by 4/23 8 pm est at the latest and will have 24 hours to claim.