Visiting the Amalfi Coast with Teens

The plane tickets to Rome were purchased, but we knew we wanted to explore more of Italy with our two teens beyond the busy city. We considered Florence but ultimately decided to head to the Amalfi Coast a few hour drive from the Rome airport. We are beach lovers so we knew we wanted to go somewhere surrounded by water. The Amalfi Coast did not disappoint and while it's mostly thought of as a romantic location it made for the perfect area for our family to explore. There is plenty to do and more than enough to keep your teens entertained. Here are my top picks for things to do with teens when you are visiting the Alamfi Coast.

S'Mores Snack Mix Teacher Gift with Free Printable Gift Tag

The end of the school year is coming and it's time to honor those teachers with a sweet end of the year gift. For years I volunteered on PTA, PTO and in my three kids' schools, and every year, I worked at trying to find a fun end of the year gift I could make in bulk for the teachers that had poured into my kids during the school year. The teachers appreciate the recognition and giving them a sweet treat like this S'mores snack mix will keep them going until that very last day! The fun printable gift tag ties the whole thing together! Come check out how to make this sweet treat for a sweet teacher!

The Best Place to Stay on the Amalfi Coast in Italy

The Amalfi Coast is a gorgeous stretch of coastline in Southern Italy made up of 13 villages between Sorrento and Solerno. You might be wondering where you should stay when you visit this beautiful coastline, but look no further! We did a ton of research before our recent trip and were not disappointed in the location we chose to spend the bulk of our time in Italy. Our family loves the beach and being surrounded by water but we also longed for an authentic Italian experience that felt a little off-the-beaten-path. We succeed in finding that and then some by staying in Montepertuso, Italy. Hands down, this is one of the best places to stay when you come to the Amalfi Coast if you want something a little more authentic unspoiled from the droves of tourists.

5 Easy to Grow Veggies to Plant in Early Summer

I'm not much of a green thumb but I do like to garden and I've learned a thing or two by trial and error. Our spring weather is fairly mild here in Seattle, and I like to plant my vegetable garden mid to late April. I am a no-fuss kind of gal. I plant hardy plants that I know I can grow year after year. These 5 easy to grow veggies are the perfect plants to start in early summer or late spring to give you a jump start on the gardening season and help you get some freshly grown food on your plate before you know it!

The Best of Metropolitan Market-A Local PNW Favorite!

When I moved to the Pacific Northwest from Indiana nearly 20 years ago, one of the first grocery stores I became familiar with was Metropolitan Market. They opened a store not far from my home when my kids were small. Met Market offered these sweet little kids sized grocery carts my little ones begged to use, and seriously, what kid begs to go to a grocery store! But this wasn't any grocery store. Met Market {as it's fondly known to the locals} is the Pacific Northwest's favorite grocery store with organic, natural and locally sourced foods. After 45 years in the making, the local grocery is launching "Best of Met" items, a carefully curated collection of more than 100 items selected by the Metropolitan Market Culinary Council. That list can be overwhelming, so I'm sharing a list of my Best of Met products after shopping the store for nearly two decades. These are the tried and true top 10 Best of Met favorites that you will find me stocking up on!