Monthly Archives: June 2018

6 posts

Frugal Meal: Recipe for Taco Chicken Rice Casserole

Recipe for Taco Chicken Rice Casserole

When I welcomed our third daughter into the world, our dear friends brought over this most amazing casserole. It was Taco Seasoned chicken with rice, black beans, and some other ingredients. I’m pretty sure I ate most of the pan by myself!  Since I loved the recipe so much, I decided to re-create a similar casserole. In my version of this recipe, we use fewer ingredients in the casserole and serve more things on the side.

Recipe Ingredients

The ingredients for this casserole are simple, and can most often be found in my kitchen.

  1. Boneless Chicken*
  2. Taco Seasoning
  3. Rice (we like Brown Rice)
  4. Olive Oil
  5. 1 Can Black Beans
  6. Cheddar Cheese

* You can also use ground chicken, turkey or beef for this recipe. The only difference is, instead of using a slow cooker you will want to cook it in a pan as you would if preparing tacos.

Recipe Instructions

  1. First Cook the Rice. We like to use a rice cooker but it isn’t necessary. You can cook it on the stovetop if you prefer.
  2. Add Taco Seasoning, onions and water to Chicken. Cook in the slow cooker on high for about 4 hours.
  3. Once the Rice is done, add 1 cup cheddar cheese and black beans. 
  4. After the Chicken is done, shred and add to the bowl of rice.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees until done.

WATCH THE VIDEO

This recipe is so easy my 3-year old is able to help me put it together! – Be sure to subscribe to our Youtube Channel! 

This recipe pairs great with Corn, Tortillas and all the ingredients you’d find on a taco bar.  My favorite way to eat this meal is with tortillas and sour cream with a few tomatoes. What items do you like to include on your Tacos?

 

Favorite Kitchen Products

I will be the first to tell you that I am not really into kitchen gadgets. In fact, I prefer to have as little as possible. I guess the kitchen is the one area I’ve mastered Minimalism?

These next few products are affiliate links. It costs nothing extra for you if you decide to make a purchase, but it does help our family and we appreciate your support.

This is an upgrade from the slow-cooker that I have. It doesn’t have anything fancy, but it gets the job done. I’ve had mine for a few years and I really like it.

Rice Cooker! This is the one product that I didn’t know I needed until I had one. Mine was given to me by my mother in law when she got a larger one. I love it and use it almost every day.

Glass Baking Dishes

I love glass baking dishes so much. I think they are perfect for all occasions and are easy to clean.

The Question of the Day:

What are your must-have products for the kitchen?

 

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I let my Toddler do my Makeup Challenge!

Makeup Challenge

I’ve seen the challenge where you allow your children to do your makeup floating around Youtube for a while now. Since my three-year-old is really into makeup I thought it’d be the ideal challenge to do with her. As a mom of multiple children who are close in age, I really try my best to find ways to connect with each of the girls. This challenge was an absolute blast, and I literally had tears in my eyes as I watched her excitement.

Makeup Challenge Video

I was inspired by my friend Bethany from The Pintastic Girls to do this challenge, and I’m so glad that I did! Watch the video here, be here to leave a thumbs up or comment! If you like following our family, we’d l love it if you’d hit that subscribe button!

Makeup Products Used

Here are a couple of the products used. I allowed her to use my actual makeup products and felt she did a great job being careful with them. As much as I love these products, I am always curious to find new great and affordable products. Leave me a comment with some of your favorite products below!

These links are affiliate links. If you decide to buy, it costs nothing extra for you but my family does receive a small commision off of the sale.

Milani Conceal and Perfect

I was introduced to this product by my friend Julie – Follow her on Instagram for hilarious makeup tutorials, and encouragement! I do love this product, but it feels a little thick going on so just be sure to have some really good brushes or a damp beauty blender for the application. It wears really nice throughout the day and I have found that I don’t use concealer when I use this product.

 

Wet and Wild Mega Glow Highlight

This product is amazing. It has become my favorite product for doing my makeup in a hurry because I can use darker pink shade for an eyeshadow, and also the highlight for that Instagram worthy glow!

Real Techniques Brushes

Several years ago Real Techniques sent me some brushes to test, and I’ve been in love ever since.

Mascara

I usually stick with wet n wild mascara, I find it to be easy to apply and long wearing.

As mentioned before, I am in the market for some more makeup so be sure to leave me a comment below on your favorite makeup products!

StorybookErin.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

10 Things to Love about Zoo Tampa

Zoo Tampa History

When I was growing up, my mom was quite active with various mom-groups and educational groups. As a result, we went on a lot of trips to the Zoo. Zoo Tampa (formerly Lowry Park Zoo) has been around since the 1930’s and has continued to grow ever since. Opening up new sections of the zoo, and providing more opportunities for education. You can read a full history on their website.  The newest section of Zoo Tampa, Roaring Springs recently opened and we had the opportunity to explore the section before it opened to the public. Take a look at what it has to offer (including a new ride) on this post.

Zoo Tampa, Exhibits

There are 8 sections in Zoo Tampa with enough activities for your family to spend several hours or even a couple of days exploring!

  1. Main Entrance
  2. Florida Wildlife
  3. Asian Gardens
  4. Primate World
  5. Carousel Circle
  6. Wallaroo Station
  7. Safari Africa
  8. NEW Roaring Springs  – Read all about it here! 

Our family walked most of the zoo but were not able to see everything Zoo Tampa had to offer.

10 Things to Love about Zoo Tampa

Educational

You knew that was coming right? As a mom with a background in Early Childhood Education, I like to ensure my children are having positive educational experiences. I want them to have a love of learning from an early age. One way I like to instill that love for learning in them is by fun activities such as the Zoo!

Theme Park Vibes

Zoo Tampa totally gives me “Theme Park Vibes”  when I walk through. Perhaps it is that all the rides are included with your park admission (yes, even the new Roaring Springs Water Coaster). Perhaps it’s the signage throughout the park. The reality is, when I walk through Zoo Tampa I feel as though it is an extension of Busch Gardens. It is worth the cost of admission to visit Zoo Tampa!

Be sure to check Groupon* for discounts on tickets!

Splash Pad

If you are an outdoor facility in Florida, it’s almost expected that you have a Splash pad. The one thing I loved about the Splash Pad at Zoo Tampa, was that during the majority of the day there is an employee sitting at the splash pad helping keep kids and families safe.

Instagram-able Walls

Zoo Tampa had so many adorable walls. All of them worthy and perfect for your next family photo or selfie!

Quality Customer Service

While visiting Zoo Tampa we spoke with so many employees, each of them was so helpful and kind. Any question I had was answered. We even reported an issue of safety concern in the new Roaring Springs section, and it was handled immediately!

Security

Before entering the cue to purchase your tickets, you must go through a bag check. I love this! I understand it can be a hassle when you have several bags and a stroller, but the added level of security is worth every ounce of hassle.

Churro Ice Cream Sandwiches

Let’s be real for a second. Churro’s are amazing – but when you add a heaping scoop of Vanilla Ice cream between two churros… DELICIOUS!

Family Rest-Zone

Inside the Children’s Zoo is a little area for parents to take small children from out of the crowds. On the wall is some yoga poses you can do with your children, and there is enough privacy to nurse your baby.

Plenty of Picnic Tables

Bring a lunch and plenty of snacks. There are lots of places to take a little rest and eat!

Free Rides

I know I mentioned this, but all the rides are included with the price of your admission. We could hardly get our girls out of the children’s section of the zoo. It was worth every penny to see them ride the rides over and over again, and listen to the giggles as they enjoyed the ride!

Admission

There are a lot of options when buying admission into Zoo Tampa. 

You can also check Groupon* for deals on admission. 

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*Affiliate Link.

 

The Florida Aquarium, Tampa FL

What to Expect at The Florida Aquarium

Florida Aquarium - Tips for your visit

Opening in 1995, the Florida Aquarium has been fulfilling their mission by educating and inspiring guests to be good stewards of the natural environment. I first visited the Florida Aquarium in my middle school days and have fond memories of the facility. My sister and her family are members of the aquarium and were kind enough to show our family around.

* This post may contain affiliate links, I appreciate your support of StorybookErin.com *

 Pricing

Children 0-2 years old can enter the aquarium free of charge.

Individual Tickets can be purchased through Groupon* online for 24.95

Memberships are available starting at $70.00 – $225.00 for one to eight guests.

Location and Parking

The Florida Aquarium
701 Channelside Drive
Tampa, Florida 33602

Parking for non-members is $6.00. If you are a member of the Aquarium, your parking is included.

Can I bring in Food and Snacks?

The aquarium does not allow guest to bring lunch inside. The only exception is food for infants or guests with food allergies or other needs. The full policy can be read on this page of their website. 

Know before you go…

The parking for the facility is actually quite a distance to the front door. You will want to plan accordingly and make sure everything you need before entering the aquarium. We forgot to bring our girls swimsuits when we arrived, and my husband had to walk back out to the car to grab them.

Even though the walk is quite far, once inside the stroller became cumbersome and I wished I’d opted for just a baby carrier instead.  The Lille baby airflow is my favorite baby carrier for!

The Splash pad at The Florida Aquarium is the best I’d ever seen. Included with the cost of your ticket is access to the Splash Pad. There is plenty of seating areas around for parents to keep an eye on their family. The splash pad does have some shade, but most of the shade covered the playground.

The ground was a very soft and squishy material and almost felt as though it had cooling elements included. Overall, we loved this splash pad and were quite disappointed when the thunderstorm closed the attraction.

Best Splash pad in Tampa

Take some time to look around and see what offerings the aquarium has while you are there. We got to participate in a ladybug release and play with the river otters before their feeding.

STORYBOOKERIN - The Florida Aquarium Attractions

There are lots of things to do in Tampa. Including Zoo Tampa and the newest section of the zoo, Roaring Springs. Click here for a full review and video of the new attraction! 

The question of the day: What is your favorite sea creature?

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Sneak Peak of the NEW Roaring Springs at Zoo Tampa

Roaring Springs at Zoo Tampa

The Roaring Springs Boat ride is scheduled to open on Saturday, June 9th and thanks to Zoo Member preview, I got a chance to ride it! Here are a few things to keep in mind and expect as you plan your day at Zoo Tampa.

What is Roaring Springs

Roaring Springs is the newest section of Zoo Tampa. Located just to the left of the Carousel is Roaring Springs. As you walk in you can see the new water coaster and plenty of activities for families. There is a small schoolhouse with desks and a wooden house with swings and rocking chairs for children to play with. You can also quench your thirst with both spirited and non-spirited beverages and grab a snack at one of the food trucks.

Roaring Springs makes you feel as though you’ve stepped back in time to a simple time. We didn’t take the time to shop, but there was an adorable general store with several items to purchase.

My favorite instagram worthy wall is located just beside the food truck. The phrase “Hey Y’all” is perfect for the vibes this section of the zoo gives.

Roaring Springs Ride Restrictions

The boat ride is fast moving and sure to cool guests off in a hurry – perfect for a summer day! Guests must be at least 36 inches to ride this ride. Guests between 36 and 42 inches must be accompanied by an adult. Although this is a water attraction you will need to wear a shirt and shoes.

Things to Consider about the Roaring Springs attraction

Will guests get wet? 

Yes.

Can I watch my family on the ride?

Yes.

If you want to get wet, you can watch from Lookout Landing.

In order to stay dry, you can watch from either the stairs or right next to the exit of the ride has excellent viewing area.

Where can I store my phone or other items I want to keep dry? 

There are lockers and also small cubbies at the exit of the ride, ask an employee for assistance.

Roaring Springs, Food Recommendations

There are a couple of options for food inside the newly opened Roaring Springs. My personal favorite was the fish tacos and the Churro Ice Cream Sandwich!

The Fish Tacos were quite flavorful and I loved the crunch of the coleslaw.

The Churro ice cream sandwich was so good, we actually had to order a second for our family to share!

View the Ride on our Youtube Channel

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Join me in June – Insanity Max 30!

June Fitness Goals

June 1st?! I can hardly believe 2018 is almost halfway over – it’s so crazy how fast time flies when you have young children. If you watched my instastories back in April, you know that I was doing Insanity Max 30. I was loving the program, but when I got bronchitis I had to stop the program.

Now that I am healthy again, I have teamed up with my new blogger pal, Bethany from The Pintastic Girls to do the Insanity Max 30 program!

I will be sharing real-time updates on my Instagram page, so be sure that you are following me!

About Insanity Max 30

Insanity Max 30 is a Beach Body program with fitness trainer Shawn T. I am not a beach body coach, but I do enjoy the programs. If you would like to start with Beach Body, I can point you to a few really good trainers – just let me know!

The goal of Insanity is to push yourself a little farther than the day before. Each workout is about 30 minutes, and no equipment is needed. That’s right, just you!

What’s needed for Insanity Max 30

  1. The Program
  2. Yoga Mat
  3. Water Bottle
  4. Pen & Paper
  5. Big Goals & Dedication!

Shop for the basics on Amazon! 

StorybookErin, is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Getting Started with Insanity Max 30

Before starting an exercise program, it is always important to have proper clearance from your doctor. Once you have proper clearance, take your measurements and before photos.

When I first started my weight loss journey in 2012, I did not take any measurements. Honestly, I don’t even know exactly how much I weighed. I have a rough estimate, but that’s it. If I could start again, I’d take the time to properly weigh myself and take my measurements.

About a year ago I did a Live Video on my FB page about how and why I track my measurements. So be sure to watch the replay if you are interested in learning more!

Once you are in the BB on-demand application, take a look at the Program Material Tab. This will provide you with the calendar of workouts. I like to write them down in my planner, but do what is comfortable for you.

Accountability

Accountability is so important when starting an exercise program! I am so excited to be working with Bethany from The Pintastic Girls during the month of June as we chase our goals! We’d love to have you join us!

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