Pronghorn Resort (Bend, OR)

Key Travel Notes:

-Golfing

-Great pool

-Great spa

-Healthy food options

-Great for family

-Romantic

-Relaxing

-Great for being active (gym, tennis courts, trails)

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I have been having some major withdrawals from our mini-vacation! I honestly can’t even remember the last time I was able to relax as much as I did the other week at Pronghorn .

Although we only spent two nights there, it felt like a true, week-long vacation. The obvious is that the setting and location of the resort is just beautiful. It’s the type of place you go to and don’t really venture anywhere else. We had big plans to go other places around Bend, but we had so much to do there and we really didn’t want to do anything else but stay and play.

We basically lived at the pool. If you have a kiddo that isn’t quite swimming yet, their pool is ideal. Parker won’t spend very long at a pool because he doesn’t love using floaties yet. They have a walk-in, shallow area, that was perfect for him to play around in. They also have a small waterslide and a ton of fun pool toys. The setup there makes it really easy to hang around a pool (for both adults and the kiddos). Not to mention, they have some really tasty (and healthy!) food and drink options.

I would say that the other major highlight, is the driving range. Obviously, their golf course is one of the best in the U.S. (which my husband was able to play), but they also have a beautiful driving range that you can walk up to and hit balls at, anytime. This was a real hit! Especially for Parker and Tyson.

The other part I loved about staying there, was the room we were in. We had one of their townhouse type rooms that included a master bedroom and a loft. You also have a full kitchen, living room and outdoor patio with a fire pit. I linked the video to our room above because as you will see, it was awesome. I love having a kitchen when we travel because it makes you feel a little more at home. It also makes it so much easier if you are traveling with a kiddo.

Anyway, I could go on and on, but like I said, this was just such a relaxing place! I have been working my butt off lately, putting in some really long days, so I really needed something like this. Every time we take a vacation, especially a relaxing, family one, I’m reminded of how important it is.

We can’t wait to be back soon, Pronghorn!

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Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

I meant to post this recipe back when it was sweet potato season, but better late than never, right?? It’s safe to say, I’ve been a little busy (life update post coming soon).

This recipe however, is one that we are pretty obsessed with in our house because it tastes so indulgent, yet it is packed with nutrients. You know those meals that just satisfy basically any and all cravings? That’s this one. Which is why it is always a go-to meal to make if we are having friends over.

I also love that it is easy to make. I’m definitely not the complicated cooking type. These days it’s all about quick, thoughtless, healthy, yummy, and QUANTITY. My husband eats for about 4 people at every meal (this is not even an exaggeration), so I have to make a lot of food.

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

serves 4-6

3 chicken breasts

4-6 sweet potatoes (medium size)

1 bag of spinach (or other leafy green)

1/3 cup Franks Red Hot

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (or almond, no sugar, plain yogurt for DF option)

Dairy Free Ranch:

1 cup vegan/soy free mayonnaise

1 1⁄2 teaspoons lemon juice

6 tablespoons water or plain, unsweetened almond milk

1⁄2 teaspoon dried chives

1⁄2 teaspoon dried parsley

1⁄2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder

1⁄4 teaspoon onion powder

1⁄8 teaspoon salt

1⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Place chicken breasts into a large crock-pot.

Turn to crock-pot to high and cook chicken for 2 hours until fully cooked.

With and hour remaining, cook sweet potatoes in oven at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour (make sure they are poked with a fork, making plenty of little holes at the top) until soft.

Meanwhile, assemble ranch dressing by combining all ingredients in a bowl and whisking until full mixed. Set aside.

With about 10 minutes remaining for the potatoes and chicken, do a quick sauté on some spinach.

Take out sweet potatoes when done and set aside.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove and use 2 forks to shred.

Transfer shredded chicken to a mixing bowl and add in hot sauce and yogurt, mix well.

How to assemble:

Cut each sweet potato in half (leaving the bottom skin attached).

Add a small serving of the sautéed spinach to each potato.

On top of that, scoop out a generous serving of the shredded chicken.

Drizzle with ranch and serve!

Hope you enjoy this one as much as we do!!

Lindsay

Getaway: Coeur d’Alene, ID

We had the best trip to Coeur d’Alene! It’s such an easy trip from where we live in Portland. We left in the morning, got there by lunch and had just enough time to settle into our rental for the few days and head to the grocery store.

We had debated whether or not to stay lakeside on the outskirts of town or stay in the middle of town, walking distance to everything. We opted to stay right in town and we loved being there! I will say however, now that I’ve been there, you can’t really go wrong with either. Next time we go we will probably try and do a lakefront property.

Coeur d’Alene is the type of place you want to go to if you don’t feel like doing much. When I think of the town, I think of: family time, relaxation, biking, bbqing, lake time, drinks and board games at night. It’s your typical relaxing lake vacation.

Coeur d’Alene To-Do:

-Rent a house. We used VRBO to rent ours and really, this is the best way to get relaxed and make yourself at home in this town.

-Rent a boat! This is WELL worth it, I promise you! Nothing compares to seeing the beautiful lake by boat. We rented a pontoon boat from KJ Watersports.

-Have lunch at the CDA resort. We all loved our food at Dockside. They have a really great variety of food and drinks. Make sure to order a Huckleberry Crush cocktail : )

-Bike the Hiawatha trail. There are some great guided tours you can do on this trail.

-Grab food at Crafted. This little gastropub is one of the trendier spots in CDA. It’s a great, casual spot to eat.

-Golf. Obviously the CDA resorts golf course is world famous for it’s floating hole. There are some great courses all over however, if golfing is your thing.

-Hike any of the trails. Tubbs Hill is a nice little hike close to town.

-Don’t leave town without a famous, Hudson’s hamburger.

Until next time, CDA! Thanks for the great memories.

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It’s Been a Little While

I guess it’s time I do a life update! So much has changed in the last two months and I’ve really been reminded over and over again that when you feel that nudge for a change, you’ve got to listen.

When I wrote this post in February, I was ready to dabble into a bunch of things. I was working part time (remotely) at the talent agency in San Diego, then working for my friend that is an Interior Designer, then taking freelance creative jobs on the side as well, all while watching Parker most days. I was excited because I finally had a chance to try a bunch of new things and see what I liked best, but fast forward to the end of February and I was feeling scatter brained and overwhelmed.

Here’s what I realized… I like a lot of things. I’ve always been that way! However, being extremely Type A, feeling pulled in too many directions drove me nuts. I’ve also learned that as a Type A person, you can’t really be doing a bunch of things while trying to figure out what you want to do next. So, I ended up leaving the job in San Diego, stopped taking on any new projects and I took two weeks to not do anything. Financially this maybe wasn’t the smartest idea, but truthfully, in the end it was well worth it. I realized that I really needed a second to slow down and stop worrying about what was next, so I did just that.

One thing that I just couldn’t get out of my head, was the fact that I’ve wanted to start my own business for a long time and the talent world was definitely where I felt like I would thrive the most in. For those two weeks, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. One day I would want to start my own agency, and then the next day I was remembering what a weird world digital media is and how sometimes, I really hate it. I kept going back and forth on the idea.

I have always loved the actual job. Managing talent, negotiating rates, helping brands find the right people- I love it. The problem I have, is with everything else around it. The superficial part, the competition and the overall industry at times. I knew that if I were going to stay doing the job I love to do, I had to change it up. For me, I didn’t want to only see someone posing in every single picture on their social media feed anymore. (And please let me just say, if that’s your thing, do it. I also get that if you are a style blogger, it’s part of the game!) I just personally feel like there needs to be more. More substance, more to offer, less self-concerned, and more honest and inspiring.

That’s how Parker Management was born.

Parker Management thrives in the wellness, travel and lifestyle realm. And honestly, it feels so dang good. I went from feeling frustrated with social media, to feeling so inspired by these people. To know that the talent I get to work with truly do what they love and have a platform for that where they can have an audience and make money from it, is incredible. It’s less about “look at me” and a need a for fame, but more about truly showing the world what they are passionate about, and that makes running this business more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined.

So, that’s what I’ve been up to : )

Oh, and now we are trying to find a new house to live in. We having been renting for a few years, but they are going to sell our place. We can’t decide whether to buy (although what I want is way out of our price range) or keep renting in a new place for another year. Blaaaah! So yep, that’s life, currently.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I’ll be soaking up as much of this Portland sunshine as I possibly can and of course working a bit (insert smiling/sweat emoji).

Jumpsuit Season

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a great weekend. I feel super cheesy putting outfit posts up, but I had a bunch of compliments on my outfit yesterday and I just wanted to show that you don’t always need to break the bank for cute clothes. I go to Old Navy often to get Parker clothes and their stuff is always so cute and affordable. I honestly hadn’t been to an Old Navy since high school, but since Parker was born, I’ve been amazed every time I go in there at how many cute things they have!

Anyway, if you know me well, you know I LOVE a good jumpsuit. Especially a casual one. If I don’t have to think of a full outfit (top and bottoms), I’m a happy gal!

Jumpsuit: Old Navy
Scarf: Target
Necklace: Target

Have a GREAT week!! xx

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Northwest Spring Travel Spots

It’s that time to come alive again!

Spring is one of my favorite times to road trip in the Northwest. Everything is green again, the flowers are blooming and you feel like a new person because you know that consecutive days of sunshine and good times are just around the corner.

So, pack your bags and take a trip to one of these great towns:

1. Bend, OR: Bend is one of my favorite spots because it is warmer weather and sunshine in the spring, but you still get to see the snow covered mountains in the background. This is a perfect spot for some hiking, biking and great food.

2. Bellingham, WA: You will not be disappointed with Bellingham in the spring. It’s as colorful and beautiful as ever. Breaks of sunshine combined with mild temps make this an ideal getaway this time of year. Live music, whale watching, biking, or island hopping- Bellingham pretty much has it all.

3. Ashland, OR: I always love a trip to Ashland. The laid back town is full of arts, music and great food. If you are looking for a quaint town with a great community feel, this is your place. And If you can, take the long way to Ashland (coming from the North) and see Crater Lake on your way down. It’s well worth the added miles!

4. Diablo Lake, WA: If you are looking for a great day trip from Seattle or to go somewhere and camp, the turquoise waters of Diablo Lake is a must. If you are like me and like cooler temps when hiking, catching this on a sunny day in the spring is the way to go. If you are also into fishing, May is a great time to head there.

5. Boise, ID: Mild temps and beautiful blooms this time of year make Boise a great spot to visit. Boise is a great spot for a small city feel. Anything from stand up paddle boarding to hiking and biking, this city really has it all.

6. Cannon Beach, OR: I feel like this just a go-to anytime we head to the coast, but it’s for good reason! This charming town is a great place to visit in the spring when you aren’t dealing with the summer crowds. For a small town, there is no shortage of stuff to do. Hike Ecola State Park, stroll the shops, and take a nice drive up and down the coast… enjoy all the beauty of the Oregon Coast.

Brightening Up Your Home with Spring Flowers

One of my favorite things about springtime are the beautiful flowers in bloom. You can finally open up those windows for some warmer, fresh air and let the aroma from outside seep into your home; it really is just the best feeling after a long winter.

In our home, I love to bring plenty of that beauty indoors as well. I tend to prefer arrangements that aren’t too busy. I usually opt for all of the same flower, or I’ll go for a similar color tone if I’m using different flowers. Here are a few of my favorite springtime arrangements:

images via pinterest

Stock (on the left) is one of my favorites because not only is it simple and pretty, but I love the fragrance of stock. This is also my go-to budget flower. They usually run around $3.99 for 5 stems. I also love simple greenery (right). You can either grab greens from the flower shop or better yet, walk outside your front door and see what you can find!

image via designsponge

And then of course, I love flowering branches (like cherry blossoms). These are perfect for a dinner table or a console table.

Spring brings so many great flowers! See a list of some in-season flowers here:

Tulip
Ranuncula
Hyacinth
Calla Lilly
Pink Rose
Hydrangea
Lilac
Sweet Pea
Peony
Iris
Delphinium

What are your favorite springtime flowers? How do you like to decorate with them in your home?

Lindsay xx

Changing Up My Workouts

I used to be religious about working out. I worked out 5 days a week, usually at a gym, and I rarely skipped a workout. Each month I tried a new “plan” so I could stay consistent and see progress. But let me be honest, nothing really ever stuck; I felt torn. I would bounce around from more body weight exercises to heavy lifting and then to extra cardio. I was kind of all over the place.

After having Parker, my own body perception changed tremendously. I stopped comparing myself to these other women and their thin/toned bodies and I started to focus more on just feeling good. When I move, what feels best? Which form of exercise makes me the happiest? Do I really need to be that disciplined with my workouts, or can I sometimes just workout twice a week? These were the thoughts I had to work through and over time, I’ve realized a lot.

For once (in a very long time), I had finally learned to relax about my body and start listening. My hips were ridiculously tight after giving birth, I had no core whatsoever, and I was (and still am) extremely inflexible. So, I decided to try a class (I usually hated classes). My plan was to try out this class and see how I liked it and then start to walk/jog more outside. The class was Barre3. I went to my first class with the mindset of already hating it (so positive of me, I know). But I truly, really disliked group classes. So, long story short, I ended up loving it. I felt strong, I felt focused, I felt energized and overall, I just felt good. I remember thinking, YES, this is what I want to feel out of a workout. Then the next I went for a jog outside. It wasn’t even the best weather, but I did it anyway. I ended up walking almost halfway through, but I didn’t even sweat it (literally). I just jammed out to my music, had a lot of chats with myself in my head (lol), and loved it. Again, I felt good.

Top: Topshop | Leggings: Forever21 | Sports Bra: Gap

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Fast forward to where I’m at now and I’ve basically kept up the same workouts. Either an online or in-studio Barre3 class a few times a week, lots of walks and half-ass runs, and I will lift some heavier weights here and there in my living room while watching tv. Most importantly, the pressure is off and I’ve become more concerned about how I feel in my body rather than how my body appears.

I appreciate all of the tools we have out there. There are a plethora of program guides, workout studios, philosophies, etc; we really have no excuse! But if we could all just focus more on what felt good and felt right and to just MOVE in general every day (even if it is a walk with your dog or some good stretching), I think we would be doing quite well. Understanding that we are all unique- a hard workout might provide great results for one person, but could actually be doing more harm than good to someone else. Finding what feels best to you is key.

I always thought that I HAD to workout hard to get good results. And yes, depending on the results you want, you might have to! But to be honest, once I started listening to my body a bit more, I’m now in better shape than I was during those crazy workout days. I also eat a lot more too!

Sometimes, and this doesn’t pertain to all of us, but sometimes some of us just need to slow down and do less, to accomplish more.

Lots of love,
Lindsay

Getaway: Mission Beach

Happy Tuesday! We have been soaking up all of the sunshine down here in San Diego and dang it feels so, so good. We have been spending time all over Southern California, but last week we spent a few days in Mission Bay at the Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa on Mission Bay. Let me just say, this place was exactly what I was hoping for.

First of all, the location is possibly the best in San Diego. The resort is situated right on the bay; a few minutes from Old Town and Sea World and just outside of downtown, so you really get to experience the beauty of San Diego. We had all of these things we wanted to do in the area, but once we got there, we honestly didn’t want to leave!

Jumpsuit: Asos | Earrings: Nordstrom Rack

From great food and poolside cocktails to bayside morning runs and stand up paddle boarding, why would you leave?? When traveling kiddo, this exactly the type of place you want to go to. You have everything you need.

I’m sure many parents can relate, but coordinating a bunch of plans with a toddler can get a little tricky. Lately when we travel, we’ve been opting to get room service for dinner and we go somewhere for lunch when Parker’s mood is a better bet! Room service for dinner is obviously a pricey way to go, but I’m convinced that it is SO worth it.

The Hilton’s room service was amazing. We were able to sit on the patio and eat our dinner while watching the sunset, drinking a bottle of wine and snacking on a cheese plate. Take me back!!

Traveling with a kiddo is definitely not the easiest thing to do. It takes a LOT of teamwork, a lot of coordination and a lot of patience. I will say though, the more we have traveled, the easier it has become. And I strongly stand by the importance of taking family trips! It’s good for the soul and great for the memories.

Until next time, Mission Bay. You were so much fun and we can’t wait to get back there. x

Dockside in Seattle

Happy Wednesday! Hope you are having a great week so far. This past weekend we headed up to Seattle for the night and can I just tell you how great it felt to get out of the house!? I’ve been sick with flu and then got another virus right after that turned to a sinus infection. Parker had a virus and THEN Tyson had some sort of stomach bug. It has just been the pits, so getting some sunshine and fresh air felt as nourishing as ever.

Tyson had a photo shoot on Sunday up there, so we packed up the car and convinced Oma (Tyson’s mom) to come up with us to enjoy the weekend. My favorite hotel was booked, so we decided to try another hotel outside of downtown in Kirkland. We stayed at the Woodmark Hotel and Still Spa and absolutely loved it. We were greeted with clear skies, champagne at check in, and a room overlooking Lake Washington. We are already planning a summer trip back up there so we can enjoy the lake and stand up paddle board when it is warmer!

Speaking of warmer- I’m so ready, Spring! I just did a big ASOS haul and I’m dying to wear everything. I also did my quarterly shopping for Parker and I can’t wait to dress him! Oh, and also get him a haircut… LOL. I’ve been putting off cutting his crazy daily bed head to see how it grows out, but we officially have to cut it. See my wild hair man below for reference ; )

Jeans: Asos | Hat: Urban Outfitters (old) | Jean Jacket: Old Navy | Shoes: H&M (old) | Neck Scarf: Urban Outfitters

Until next time, Seattle. As always, you were a blast!

Have a great week, everyone! x