Top 10 Day Trips from Sacramento - Northern California Road Trips Under 2 Hours of Drive Time!

Sacramento is centrally located in Northern California, making it the perfect basecamp for exploring all that the region has to offer. My husband and I have lived in Sacramento for over 5 years now and we quickly discovered how incredibly convenient this prime location is for road-trips.

Within a 2-hour drive of the city, you'll find plenty of scenic places to visit, including top destinations like Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, and San Francisco. So whether you're looking to enjoy the great outdoors, experience some of the best wine and dining in the country, or want to explore a big urban city, Sacramento is the perfect starting point for your road-trip.

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Top 10 Ways to Make Your Kitchen More Eco-Friendly

All around the world, many people are trying to go green or live eco-friendly lives to reduce their impact on the environment. As well as helping out the natural world, going green can also provide some personal benefits, such as saving you money and making certain aspects of your day-to-day life easier and more convenient.

There are lots of ways to become more eco-friendly at home, starting off in the kitchen. And it’s not just about eating organic food or cutting down on the amount of waste you create; there are lots of creative and clever ways to minimize your carbon footprint through kitchen cleaning, organization, and general usage. Let’s take a look at some super easy ways to get started.

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A Weekend Guide to Half Moon Bay – Top Things to See and Do on the Coast

Dramatic nature sites and breathtaking ocean scenery – it is not difficult to see the allure of Half Moon Bay. If you wish to discover this unspoiled stretch of the Northern California coast, I've handpicked the best things to do and see in the area.

Thanks to its small-town charm combined with incredible vistas, Half Moon Bay has become a loved weekend escape from the hustle and bustle of the nearby cities, San Francisco and San Jose. From excellent surfing opportunities to great hiking spots – Half Moon Bay offers its visitors a wide range of experiences.

Half Moon Bay is my hometown, I was born and grew up here up until I moved away for college. This guide is composed from the perspective of a local with many revealed hidden gems. My blog post is also filled with many of my favorite photos taken over the last several years. Keep scrolling to find all kinds of inspiration for your trip.

Whether you wish to have a romantic laidback weekend with your loved one or a fun-filled getaway with the whole family, Half Moon Bay won't disappoint. But don't just take my word for it – book a trip and see the magic for yourself!

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How to Go Platinum Blonde: 7 Tips to Dyeing Your Hair Without Damaging It

This blog post documents my hair journey from my natural color of strawberry blonde to platinum blonde, silver gray and then rose gold. While I do like my natural shade of red, I definitely got bored after having the same hair color my entire life and I wanted to mix it up. There's a thrill you get when going platinum, like you've got a new spring in your step!

I will admit that I was very naive about this process before I got started and I learned a lot of lessons along the way. Hopefully you’re doing a bit research so that you’ll find yourself better prepared than I did.

Read on to see my top tips on how to dye your hair platinum blonde while minimizing the damage to your hair. I also go into detail about how to care for platinum hair and using platinum as a base for other trendy pastel colors.

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Guide to the First 48 Hours with a New Puppy

Getting a new puppy is one of the most exciting things you’ll ever experience as a pet owner. After all, nothing beats finally getting to pick up your pup and bring them home for the very first time. My family has owned dogs my entire life, and we've welcomed many puppies into our homes. The adorable puppy you see in this blog is Mia, my parent's newest fur baby.

Because puppies are essentially babies, you need to make sufficient preparations to help your pup get acclimated to their new home. To help you give them a warm welcome, this guide has a few tips on how to best spend the first 48 hours with your new pup.

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Top 10 Natural Home Remedies for Postpartum Hair Loss

Pregnancy beauty is the stuff of legend. Before you pop, your skin is glowing from the extra blood circulating through your body and your hair is lush from those pregnancy hormones.

After the baby comes? Not so much. Between a lack of sleep, adjusting to your new post pregnancy body, and the postpartum hair loss that affects up to 90% of all women after they give birth, it can be easy to feel out of control.

Fortunately because postpartum hair loss is so common, over the years women have come up with a host of natural remedies that can help you regrow those lost strands. Here are some of my favorites to help you get your groove, and your hair, back, naturally.

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Sparkling Blood Orange and Lavender Cocktail (Plus a Mocktail Version!)

This light and aromatic cocktail recipe is a delight for the senses. The blood orange adds a sweet and tart zing, while the lavender and vanilla are fresh and botanical. For the for the piest de resistance, we used fresh lavender that cut ourselves on a California lavender farm.

This summer cocktail is perfect for any warm weather gathering such as the 4th of July or a grown-up birthday party. Your guests will love this smooth and refreshing cocktail which you can serve with a small food bites on a charcuterie board.

For this cocktail recipe we partnered with the expert mixologists from The Mixer who helped us deliver this elegant and elevated cocktail (and mocktail) recipe.

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The Best Things to Do in North Park, San Diego

The adorable little neighborhood of North Park, San Diego has been blowing up all over Instagram lately and it's not hard to see why. The streets are painted those pastel colors we love, the walls are filled with urban succulent gardens and the matcha is oh-so-trendy. Not to mention the foodie scene is really happening with cuisine from all over the world, and of course plenty of fusions. Forbes named it one of America’s best neighborhoods for hipsters, which really sums it up.

My husband and I lived in San Diego and North Park was one of my favorite hangout spots. Our perfect afternoon out-and-about in North Park would be eating tacos à la lucha libre style and then sipping green matcha latte while window shopping boutiques. Read on to see North Park's top spots and begin planning your visit to one of San Diego's favorite neighborhoods.

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40 Bucket List Things To Do Before You Turn 40

So, your 40th birthday is on the horizon. Congrats! You might feel a little bewildered about this next chapter, wondering whether you’re still considered young (or over the hill). Is it time for your mid-life crisis yet? Hint - you’re as young as you feel!

Regardless, turning 40 is a remarkable milestone. It is time to reflect on your life, the past as well as the future. If you’ve been living all footloose and fancy-free, maybe it’s time to finally start “adulting” and working towards big goals and building a sustainable future. 

Where your 30th birthday was about saying goodbye to the wild days of your 20s and entering the “30, flirty and thriving era”, your 40th birthday is going to be more about creating the ideal life for yourself with all the life experiences and wisdom you’ve gained.

I myself am turning 37 years old on my next upcoming birthday. I will admit that the second half of my 30’s really snuck up on me, but I’m doing my best to embrace this new era of womanhood. This blog post is not only things to do on your 40th birthday, but also how to approach midlife with gusto and zest for life.

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25 Baby Bump Friendly Boho Dresses

Flowy boho style dresses are a pregnant woman’s best friend during the spring and summers of pregnancy. They are so easy to wear when you’ve got a big baby bump and you can continue to wear them for postpartum and beyond. These dresses are so versatile and a closet staple for sure, you can wear them to all kinds of events or just around the house. Not to mention that you’ll feel like a Greek goddess in all her glory.

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Non-Maternity Dresses to Wear During and After Pregnancy

When you’re pregnant getting dressed can be a daily challenge. Your body is growing and changing every few weeks, and you’re probably feeling pretty uncomfortable as well. Maternity clothes can be pretty expensive and you may not want to spend a bundle on maternity pieces you’re only planning to wear for 9 months.

Most of the dress styles in this blog post you can wear throughout pregnancy, during postpartum, and even into your new years of motherhood. The cuts are very forgiving around the waist and hips, giving you plenty of room for your baby bump.

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10 Easy Ways to Sunday Reset to Start Your Week Right

After a long week, your brain can feel frazzled and your body may feel physically exhausted. Once you get to Sunday, the idea of doing it all again next week might overwhelm you. Take a pause, and let’s reset.

Tackling a big week might seem daunting, but using Sunday to reset your body, space, and mind might just be the answer. A Sunday reset routine can help set you up for a successful upcoming week. This article will help you reset your body, mind, and spirit. Use this list to help you get started on a successful Sunday reset!

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La Jolla Travel Guide - Best Family-Friendly Things to Do

La Jolla is the crown jewel of San Diego, known for its luxurious atmosphere and pristine beaches, which are consistently voted as some of the best beach destinations in the world. The immaculate city blocks in this coastal suburb of San Diego offers visitors delightful and family-friendly experiences.

In La Jolla there are so many water-related sports activities to partake in, from walks on the long stretches of sandy beaches to kayaking and surfing, as well as arrays of coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques to spend your vacation days at. The gorgeous beaches, stunning cliffs, and natural wonders of this coastal inlet provide endless opportunities to explore the outdoors.

La Jolla's charming community vibe is also what makes it so family-friendly. On that same note, a lot of restaurants and stores in La Jolla are fancy and geared for adults and not necessarily appropriate for children. This is particularly true if you have a baby and a toddler like we do. In this guide I provide plenty of options for families with babies, toddlers and older children.

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Top 15 Ways to Organize, Store and Display Your Printed Photos

Many of us enjoy actively documenting our lives, using all kinds of photography to create photo memories that last forever. We often seek the services from professional photographers for life milestone portraits such as weddings and elopements, maternity and newborn photo sessions. We also have easy access to high quality cameras to photograph the everyday moments that fill our days.

With photography being such a a popular pastime, so many of us have taken thousands of photos of family, friends and pets. Not to mention all the inherited family photos from the generations before us. Now the question is, what do we do with all these photos?

Just like with all of the belongings in our life, we need to develop an organizational and storage system for our photos. Developing this system works double duty: keeping our memories safe and secure, while also preserving our sanity and avoiding a home filled with chaos and untidiness.

And finally, we share unique ways to display your favorite photo memories so that you can admire them as often as you’d like.

In this guide you will gain valuable insight from a professional photo organizer on how to get started with your own photo organizing project. We cover the entire process from start to finish, giving you the confidence to tackle the ambitious project of organizing your photo archives and creating a streamlined process for future photos. If you’re ready to get started, then roll up your sleeves and let’s dive in together!

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