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Nothing quite says coastal living like crab cakes. These are simple and full of crab, not filler! They pair well with fresh corn and butter beans for the perfect summer supper!

I love cooking and dining outdoors in the summer! My husband loves to grill so we often just go grill to table right on the porch! I have rounded up some of my favorite summertime suppers and recipes for you! I am absolutely loving my new hydrangea melamine dinnerware! Perfect for al fresco dining! I've rounded up some more of my favorite melamine dinnerware HERE Here are a few of our summertime suppers: Blue Cheese Burgers with Potato Salad Low Country Boil with shrimp and crabs caught right off the dock! Grilled Pork Chops with Feta Tomatoes and Butter Beans A Charcuterie Tray Caprese Chicken Black Bean and Avocado Salsa over seared Tuna Spicy Tomato and Sausage Pie with a side salad Egg Salad Sandwiches with a side fresh tomatoes and cucumbers Shrimp-n-Grits Plus perfect summer desserts: Key Lime Cheesecake Peach Crisp Coconut Pound Cake This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Looking for a decadent summer dessert that has a light and tangy twist? This is the perfect one and it is so easy! I prefer to make it in a muffin pan and then freeze the mini cheesecakes! They are amazing frozen!

Get ready for the 4th of July with some great recipes and easy family time! I want the weekend to be relaxing and fun so I am planning to keep it very low key. A simple table of fresh cut hydrangeas from the yard and plenty of coastal rattan serving pieces and melamine dinnerware plus a few festive red, white, and blue accents. Our 4th of July plans are to start the day with a relaxing family brunch and take some time to reflect on how blessed we are by our freedom. A light fare of blueberry pound cake muffins, deviled eggs, ham biscuits, and fresh fruit. Then, we will head out on the boat for the afternoon and meet up with friends at the sand bar. We are going to grill out blue cheese burgers and I will probably make a batch of chocolate chip cookies as well. We always seem to have the most fun the simpler we keep holidays! This menu allows for a lot of make ahead food so that we can truly enjoy the day as a family! Happy 4th! This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Father's Day is right around the corner and it's time to show dad some love with a fun and functional gift! You can find my full round up of ideas HERE For the dad that likes to fish, a cleaning table is a great idea! For the dad that likes power tools, a wall mounted organizer is a great idea! For the dad that loves to cook, a Blackstone grill and accessories is a great idea! For the dad that is on the go, a Yeti cooler or bucket is a great idea! For the dad that likes his ride, a detail kit is a great idea! For the dad that wants to chill, a Tote floating chair for beach or pool is a great idea! I have rounded up all sorts of options all in one place HERE! Dad is going to have a great day! This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Orange margaritas on the rocks are the perfect summertime treat to share with friends. This recipe makes a large batch so invite your friends over and enjoy the sunshine! Ingredients: 4 cups freshly squeezed orange juice 1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lime juice 4 cups Patron silver tequila 1 1/2 cups Cointreau salt if desired lime wedges for garnish Mix juices, tequila, and cointreau thoroughly. Salt rim of glass if desired. Pour over ice and garnish with a lime wedge, Enjoy!!

This salsa is not only delicious but so versatile! Serve it with chips, over a salad, or top fresh fish or grilled chicken with it. If you want to kick it up a notch, use 2 jalapenos instead of just 1! Ingredients: 1 15 ounce can black beans, well drained 1 15 ounce can sweet corn, drained 1 tomato diced 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime) 2 tbsp cilantro (freshly chopped) 2 avocados, cut up Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately!

School is out for summer! Bring on sunshine, salt water, and sandy feet! I like to enjoy every season but summer is definitely my favorite! I love going out on the boat to our favorite sand bar and spending time with my family and friends! I am always in charge of packing the cooler and the bag. I like to to pack lightly (less to carry LOL) but we always have everything we need. First, we are going to need drinks and food while we are out there. We keep a boat grill that attaches via a rod holder so we usually take hot dogs or I prep some Blue Cheese Burgers! Don't miss Cooler Packing without Ice! It's a game changer! I like a large, open top tote for the boat because it is easy to access. It just needs to have a waterproof and sturdy bottom. A cosmetic bag with sunscreen, absorbent towels, a book, waterproof speaker, dry snacks like nuts and chips, and an extra cover-up just in case one gets wet. I've rounded up my go to items HERE! Any utensils, paper plates, etc we need go in the bag too. Last but not least: SUN HAT! If I am using one without a velcro opening, I attach it to the bag strap with a chip or binder clip for the ride out. I am past the days of needing beach toys but I do like to have a bucket handy for picking up shells when we go walk the beach. As for swimwear and cute cover-ups, I have rounded up my favorites for this summer HERE! Be sure to always boat safely! Have fun and enjoy the sunshine! P.S. The first aid kit lives on the boat so I don't worry about packing those kinds of supplies. This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

For years people have asked me "how do you get so much done?" The bottom line is: I am a planner. There is an old Benjamin Franklin quote: "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." I guess you could say that is my life quote. I still use pen and paper to plan things out. I put reminders in my phone and things of that sort but my calendar is still on paper. I have always loved nice pens and quality paper (it's known around our house not to touch my pens LOL). The visual of creating my color coded calendar on paper helps my mindset and it gets my head around what I have to get done. That visual in my mind helps keep me focused. As you may know, I am big on meal planning and prepping. I believe it saves time, saves money, and keeps you on a healthy diet. The few minutes it takes each week to make my meal plan and curbside grocery order more than "pays" for itself each week. I feel the same way about the few minutes I spend each week planning out my calendar for the week ahead. I actually use that calendar to guide my meal plan. Busy game day and won't be home until 7:00? Slow cooker meal! A slower evening without much going on? Homemade lasagna! My planner has monthly calendars where I note appointments and things like that. I usually spend a few minutes on Saturday mornings planning out the week ahead and making my meal plan. I use a "week at a glance" during this process and time block my week. I categorize things into have to-do, need to-do, and want to-do. Sometimes weeks are so busy that the wants don't make the calendar. That's okay. The stress and anxiety arises when we don't get the have to-dos complete. I begin the time-blocking process with my have to-dos that consist of things like the class I teach, meetings, and appointments. I also include time for getting ready, packing lunch boxes, etc in this process. Then, I add in my need to-dos that consist of things like workout classes, projects that are in process, yardwork, etc. Lastly, I add in my want to-dos such as lunch with friends, a massage, sewing time, etc. Once I have the weekly mapped out, I put it in my detailed daily agenda for the week. The key to making time-blocking work is being realistic with how much time things take. For example, if an 8:00 workout class is scheduled, we just put it on our calendar for that hour from 8:00-9:00. This is where we begin setting ourselves up for failure from a time management perspective. I go to an 8:00 hour long barre class a few mornings a week. I need to get there a few minutes early to set up my mat, it takes about 12-15 minutes to drive there and since it is downtown I need to find somewhere to park. The class usually runs a few minutes over then I need to clean up, get to my car, and drive home. Therefore, I block out 7:30-9:30 on my calendar because it truly takes 2 hours for the entire process, not just 1. The class I am teaching this semester is from 2:00-3:00 each day so I block out 1:30-3:30 to give me drive time, set up, and pack up time. And if I have a meeting or doctor's appointment that I have no idea how long it will take, I always overestimate the time needed when I block out my calendar. The worst thing that is going to happen is that you end up having a free few minutes. Some white space on the calendar is a good thing. Face it, life happens and something is going to come up. When you leave a little white space, you create space so that the pop up things don't overwhelm and cause stress. Your kids or spouse may have something come up or something may break and you have to wait for a repair person. When you leave some white space you can easily say "I got this!" If you are like me, you get a lot of satisfaction from checking things off the to-do list. Have you ever added something to the to-do list that wasn't originally on it but you did it so you added it to the list just so you could check it off? Guilty as charged! The problem with that to-do list though is that if we don't get it all done then we get stressed out about it. The truth is, there is only so much we can physically do each day and also get proper sleep. The key is creating a realistic to-do list each day so that when you lay your head down on the pillow you are content with what you accomplished and you know you have a plan to tackle tomorrow. When you time-block and prioritize your to-do list, you are able to put needs and wants on days where they fit. The wants are often more fun than the haves and our natural nature is to procrastinate the things we don't want to do and the cycle of stress and overwhelm begins as soon as we prioritize a want to-do over a have to-do. Plus, when you get the have to-dos done first, the stress of them isn't weighing on your mind while you are enjoying the want to-dos! If you are looking to revamp your planning, I highly recommend the planner I use. It is by Levenger and comes in a lot of great colors. It is clean and customizable. (I tried the cutesy planners but they just didn't have adequate planning space.) The disc system down the spine allows you to change out papers easily and add anything you need. (I add my meal planner template into it) I use their monthly and daily agenda papers and created a weekly one for my time-block planning. I also use several of their other papers so that I have meeting notes in my planner as well as space for jotting down ideas when I am out and about. I started using this system over 15 years ago when I began my CPA career and still find it to be the most thorough for planning. My days are different now than they were then but now that I serve on multiple boards, teach, have clients, and a family, I actually have much more planning to do to make my days work and get it all done! If you have any planning questions, I'd be happy to help answer them! Just comment below or send me an email at bsp@boothparker.com Be sure to also watch my You Tube video HERE Last, but not least, here are links to my freebies and favorite products: Week at a glance and meal planning templates HERE Planners Agenda Papers Notebooks and Dividers Hole Punch Accessories This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

These are addictive y'all! I seriously had to "step away" LOL! Not too sweet but very savory, this no bake treat is quick and easy! Plus, it's a great option for gifting food! Spread the almond mixture evenly on the parchment paper. Pour the melted dark chocolate evenly over the almond mixture.

Mother's Day is right around the corner! If you are blessed to have a wonderful and loving mom then you want to celebrate her! A champagne brunch and fabulous gift are a great way to create a wonderful day for her! Let mom sleep in and wake up to brunch! Create a simple menu the whole family will love! Sample Menu: Mimosas Coffee with assorted syrups and creamers Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins Deviled Eggs Brown Sugar Ham Biscuits Chicken Salad served on croissants or over mixed greens Spinach Quiche Pound Cake with strawberries and fresh whipped cream A cute tote bag ready for summer with a fun beach towel, a great read, and a sun hat! Outdoor dining essentials for summer! A pretty Vase with fresh flowers A fun bracelet and earrings! Table linens in fresh colors for summer! Make it a wonderful and memorable day! This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

I've been in a little bit of a "funk" lately. Something was just a little off but I wasn't sure what. We spent a quiet weekend at our new cottage and I found myself almost dreading coming back home. But why? When I thought about it, my schedule (and thus my days) had become lackluster. Don't get me wrong, they were plenty busy but I realized I was just going through the (expected) motions and was right back in the rat race. The very place I didn't want to go back to. My personality of people-pleasing tends to trap me into things I don't want to do but feel obligated to do. My "NO" boundary fence had fallen down. Or at least the gate was open. So, I decided to audit how I had been spending my time and thus my days. Fortunately, I keep a very detailed planner and use time blocking for a lot of my planning. I went back a few weeks and categorized the tasks I had been spending my time on and totaled up the hours spent on them. After reviewing the prior few weeks, I quickly found that I was spending over 35% of my waking hours on things I didn't enjoy and weren't aligned with my goals and growth plan. The majority of these tasks stemmed from my inability to say no and my dependability of fulfilling obligations and expectations. To make matters worse I was only spending about 25% of my time on things that I really enjoy, such as cooking and creating recipes. Worse yet, I was spending less than 5% of my time on activities that were part of my growth plan and long term goals. Recognizing this was frustrating but it also got me excited. All I needed to do was to reclaim my schedule and my days. Of course that's easier said than done because I'm not the type to walk away from things I have committed to. So, I started by time blocking for the joyful things and growth activities so I could commit to them with greater intention. Then, I time blocked for the unfulfilling tasks that were taking up so much time and I would limit the amount of time dedicated to them. I would push back completion dates on non-pressing things and I wouldn't accept anything additional until I had tasks at hand completed. My next step was to literally sit down with my planner and my colorful markers and map out the coming week. My mindset was immediately in a better place just by visually seeing the changes I had made to my days. Taking the time to pause, assess, and reflect was all I needed to change my focus and re-align my priorities with the number of hours in the day. Intentional planning is what it's all about. I love the satisfaction of checking off a to-do list but intentional planning is much more than just a to-do list. The to-do list is comprised of the tasks you need to get done in your block of time for a specific activity. If you don't plan time for the activities then the to-do list can never get completed. My planner looks different than it did a month ago. I made changes to my daily schedule and allocation of time and it has completely changed my mindset. It's hard to know the change we need if we don't take the time to figure out the problem. You can't know the effect without knowing the cause. If you need a change, start with what's not working for you and find a way to reduce or eliminate those parts, make more intentional time towards your goals and joyful activities. We all have things we don't want to do but have to do. The key is not letting those things become overwhelming to your schedule and your days. Intentional planning is a great way to try new things because you commit to them when you put them on the calendar. For example, I usually do a 3 mile walk every morning but when it was cold in January and February I wasn't putting it on the calendar and I could tell a difference in how I felt by not getting exercise. So, I stepped out of my comfort zone and booked a spin and barre class. I loved it and am now going 2-3 times per week. When you sit down to plan your week, start by time blocking your priorities. The class I teach is the first thing that goes in, followed by my workout classes and cooking and family time. When a client contacts me and needs to meet, I can easily look in my planner and know my availability. Block out your calendar with the priorities that will accomplish your goals. The rest will fall into place as time allows. Pick a time each week when you can sit down and thoughtfully plan out your week. I personally like Saturday mornings with coffee while my boys are sleeping in. Happy Planning! And, remember to be intentional!

This pasta is delicious and creates a very balanced one dish meal. I recommend having everything fully prepped before cooking because it all cooks quickly and at the same time.

A great way to use up leftover ham after a holiday dinner!

It has been a running joke with my family and friends for years that I am "the world's lightest packer." Even for a week long trip I can manage to only pack a duffle or a carry-on sized suitcase. (Sidenote: I am not a skier so I don't need to pack bulky coats. When I vacay, it's warm.) If you don't have to check your luggage, then the airline can't lose your luggage! Plus, no baggage fees! I have been giving out packing tips for years on how I manage to fit it all into one bag! So, I thought I would share some with you just in time for Spring Break vacations! Make a packing list. I have created two versions of a simple packing list that you can download HERE. Once you know all the outfits you need, then you can choose just enough. No need to pack a bunch of things not knowing what you will wear. This is the most critical part so that you don't overpack! When making your packing list of outfits, only pack outfits that you absolutely LOVE every time you put them on. Lay the outfits on the bed as you are deciding; your favorites will always say "Pick Me!" Pack versatile pieces that can do double duty. Think a pair of white jeans and multiple tops. Dresses than can be cover-ups and dresses that go from day to dinner with just an accessory spruce up. Pack shoes and accessories that easily go with several outfits. Shoes take up a lot of space in your bag, especially wedges, so consider wearing them while traveling. If you are taking workout clothes, roll them up into your sneakers to save space and have them all together once you get there. Roll the clothes! It really does save space and it cuts down on wrinkles! If you are packing a sun hat, pack one that can be rolled up. They don't take up much space at all and your dermatologist will be glad you did. Carry a tote as your purse. Use a clutch for your wallet, lipstick, etc that you can also use as your dinner clutch while on vacay. Put your cosmetic bag in the tote as well. If you are flying it will be easy access for security. Then toss in any other items such as a book, journal, etc that you may need en route. Plus, your tote can be your beach bag if you are going somewhere tropical. Fewer heavy bags just make life easier when traveling so take a load off and plan ahead and pack lightly! Plus, that is less to unpack when you get home (one of my least favorite things to do). Happy traveling!! Want to check out some of the items I like to pack (plus my favorite duffle and tote)? I have rounded them up for you HERE! This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.