Hawaii Trip 2023: Maui Trip Recommendations

Our Maui trip was unforgettable. From the family time, to the breathtaking views and delicious foods – I wouldn’t change a thing! Here are some my Maui trip recommendations for you guys. Make sure to check out these spots when in Maui!

Restaurants:

Monkeypod Kitchen, Wailea

Monkeypod Kitchen is a fun and laidback atmosphere with great service and a large menu selection. Great for a family dinner!

Morimoto Maui @Andaz Hotel

Morimoto is a beautiful restaurant with a contemporary Japanese menu. Make sure to book a table by the beach-front view! This is a go-to place when you want fresh seafood, fantastic atmosphere, and first-class table service.

Ferraro’s Maui @fourseasonsmauiresort

The best part of this restaurant is that it is located in the resort right next to the Grand Wailea. Ferraro’s has a spectacular beach view and a delish Italian menu. This was our family’s favorite restaurant atmosphere.

Tommy Bahama Wailea

Scooter’s favorite Happy Hour in Maui! The atmosphere is fun, lively and relaxed. This a great spot for a casual yet delicious meal.

Manoli’s Wailea

Some of the best pizza in Maui! We also loved the open air setting over looking the golf course.

Humuhumunukunukuapuaa Grand Wailea

Located right at the Grand Wailea, this Hawaiian-inspired restaurant was just stunning. The property is absolutely beautiful, and the food is high-end and delicious. NOTE: Reservations Required.

Hotels:

Grand Wailea

I have so many wonderful things to say about this hotel. Not only is the property stunning, but the staff and stay was overall amazing. The Grand Wailea is a must-visit!

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2 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cube Hack

This is a sweet hack you are going to want to try. Thanks to my 2 ingredient ice cube chocolate hack, my family now thinks I’m a chocolatier! With Mother’s Day coming up, this is the perfect fun and easy recipe for anyone to whip up for mom.

2 Ingredient Chocolates:
1 Cup Chocolate, any kind (I used a mix of what I had on hand, all 72% dark or higher)
1/4 Coconut Oil
*Optional add-ins: sprinkles, candies, nuts.

Microwave chocolate and coconut oil in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until melted and smooth. If using, place approximately 1/2-1 tsp. of add-ins in tray first. Pour melted chocolate into ice cube tray. Freeze for at least 30 minutes. Store in refrigerator.

Note: You can keep these low carb & keto by using 70% (or higher) sugar free dark chocolate and using zero sugar add-ins, if desired. Macadamia nuts would be a great keto/low carb add-in.

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LORAfied On-the-Go: McDonald’s Copycat Shamrock Shake

Did you grow up drinking the famous McDonald’s Shamrock Shake? I couldn’t wait for this item to show up on their menu and I’m not even a mint flavor fan 😂 To me, this shake is more than a St. Patrick’s Day treat, it’s a sign of spring🌷and it still makes me happy when I see it. But here’s the thing, it’s now over $4 bucks a pop 😳 The good news is, we can make them at home for a fraction of the cost and without the weird ingredients found in what they call Shamrock Shake Syrup ☘️

🍀🥤MCDONALD’S COPYCAT: SHAMROCK SHAKE 👯‍♀️💚
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups vanilla ice cream
1 cup whole milk or DF milk
1/4 tsp. Mint extract (not peppermint)
10-12 drops green food coloring
*top with whipped cream, if desired.

DIRECTIONS:
Place everything (except whipped cream) in a blender and blend until smooth.
Makes 2 shakes 🍀

Thoughts on the Oreo Shamrock Shake? Comment and LMK if you like the addition of the cookies or if it was fine the way it was. My kids think it’s genius, while I like it plain 🤗

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Testing Out the Viral Frozen Pancakes: Hack or Hype?

I’ve seen ice cube pancakes all over the internet lately and honestly, I’m intrigued. Today I am trying them out for you guys and sharing my honest review to see if these are worth it!

What are Ice Cube Pancakes?

If you haven’t seen these guys, here’s the rundown. Basically, you add pancake batter to an ice cub tray and freeze until you want to make your pancakes. To make the pancakes, just pop the little ice cubes out and cook like any regular pancake. But… does this work? Let’s get to the bottom of this together.

My Review

What they don’t tell you is that these guys take about 10-12 minutes to cook, and you really have to put in the work. While the taste was there, the texture wasn’t my favorite. Doughy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, it was nearly impossible to get a consistent cook all the way through.

My Verdict

With the time it takes to make the ice cube pancakes, you can whip up a batch of batter and cook regular pancakes in the same amount of time. I’m going with regular!🤗🥞

Let me know what you think of these, and follow along for more viral hack reviews!

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Quick and Easy Hack to Clean Dirty Shoes

Here’s an easy hack to clean dirty shoes! It’s a quick DIY paste you can make at right at home.

LORAfied Dirty Shoe Cleaning Paste

Ingredients:

½ cup baking soda

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp hydrogen peroxide

1 cup white vinegar

Directions:

Mix ingredients together until you get a thick paste. Using a Silicone Spatula, apply a thick coating directly on the stains. Let it completely dry (in the sun if possible.) Scrub with soap and hot water (I use Dr. Bronner’s castile soap.) The paste doesn’t remove the stains but it does loosen them. Making them much easier to scrub off! See the before and after here!

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Where to Find the Best Grocery Store Roses

Raise your hand if you’re a fresh flower person 🙋‍♀️ My husband Scooter isn’t a fan of sending flowers because he just can’t stomach the price, so my roses always come from our local grocery store. Honestly, I rarely pick up roses because they’re so expensive in general. But this time of the year, they are hard to resist, so let’s start with the good news: the prices of roses are down about 5% this year, the bad news, they’re still really expensive! This Valentine’s Day the national average for a dozen roses is just over $80 😳 Here’s how to show your love and save your money!

Costco: $19 for 24 roses

Trader Joe’s: $20 for 24 roses

Safeway: $30 for 24 roses

After shopping at Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Safeway, I was able to tell which roses are good, better, and the best! While they are all individually beautiful, I found some key differences when put next to each other.

Good: Trader Joe’s gets my good rating because of the short stems.

Better: Super tight buds makes Costco a better choice.

Best: Best in show goes to Safeway, which is also Scooter’s choice!

How do you feel about receiving grocery store flowers? Are you a fan or would you rather receive a florist delivery? Comment and LMK! 🤗

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How to Make My Adorable Valentine’s Day Love Shack

I’m still seeing clearance Christmas decorations everywhere, are you? Micheals crafts store had a ton of gingerbread houses marked down to a dollar this week! Makes me wish I had space to store them for next year 😂 Go grab one and make your own Love Shacks ❤️🏠 they’re so cute and fun to make!

This Valentine’s Day hack is SO easy and adorable! Start by picking up a gingerbread house. Most are on major sale right now! The decorating part is totally up to you – I suggest sticking to pink, red, and white frostings and candies. There are a ton of Valentine’s Day candies to choose from.

Make sure to follow along for more Valentine’s Day hacks!

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My Easy Eyelash Hack for Longer and Fuller Lashes

Do you wish you had longer or fuller lashes? Me, too! But I’m weird about things glued near my eyes, are you like that? False eyelashes and extensions wreak havoc on your natural ones and can leave you with less lashes than when you started. So how do you get the WOW look without damaging your natural ones? I’ve spent a crazy amount of time and thought on this over the years and today I’m sharing my fail-proof combo!

Step 1: Lash Primer

I specifically use the L’Oreal lash primer. Make sure to bend the wand before use to ensure fuller coverage on your eyelashes!

Step 2: Benefit Cosmetic’s Roller Lash Mascara

The best part about this product is that the wand already comes curved to ensure volume and coverage. The difference that the Roller Lash Mascara makes is insane!

Before and After

NOTE: I have no affiliation with either brand, these are the brands I truly love! Find both the primer, mascara and more of my beauty favorites here! 🤗

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How to Make My Copycat Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake

Are you a cheesecake fan? When I went to pick up a slice at The Cheesecake Factory this week, I almost passed out! With tax, it was nearly 11 bucks! CRAZY, right? We can do better for our wallet and tastebuds! Here is my delicious Cheesecake Factory copycat cheesecake. Click here for Kid 3’s review on this one! 😉

Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake Crust (*Make First*)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup almond crumbs

1/4 cup walnuts crumbs

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 stick melted butter (save the wrapper)

DIRECTIONS:
Start by covering the bottom of your pan with foil. For this crust, the nut crumbs make all the difference! After making your crumbs in a food processor, add all of the remaining ingredients and mix together. Take your leftover butter wrapper and use to grease the pan. Finally, press crumb mixture into pan. Put in refrigerator or freezer while making filing.

Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake Filling

INGREDIENTS:

6 pkg cream cheese (8 oz. each at room temperature)

2 cups sugar

5 large eggs (room temperature)

16 ounces sour cream (room temperature)

1/4 cup flour

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
This incredible filling starts ton of cream cheese! The good news is that opening the six bricks of cream cheese is the most difficult part of the recipe. After fluffing your cream cheese, add in the sugar and those eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and sour cream, followed by a little bit of flour. It is just so simple!

Now it’s time to put this masterpiece together! After pouring your filling on top of your crush, place pan in baking dish. Fill outside with water to create a water bath.

The baking and cooling portion is time consuming but super easy. Bake your cheesecake for 1 hr 15 mins at 325F. Turn off the oven, crack the door open and let it set for 1 more hour while the oven cools (it will still be a little jiggly when you take it out). Sit on counter for another 2 hours to completely cool and set. Finally, refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Thanks to Catalina @sweetnsavorymeals for the inspo! Let me know if you try this recipe, and stay tuned for more copycat recipes.

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Viral Baked Burger Hack You Need to Try

This baked burger hack is one of my most requested meals! It is low carb, easy to make, and a meal the whole family will love!

LORAfied Baked Burger Hack

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. Ground Beef (ground turkey or chicken works too)
1 Medium Onion, thinly sliced
Sprinkling of Magic Seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

Grab a baking dish and add sliced onions to the bottom. Stamp the meat over with hands, then sprinkle on your Magic Seasoning. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes, top with cheese of choice, then pop it back into the oven to melt.

These baked burgers are a hit! Let me know if you try them 🤗

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Part 2 of My Helpful Car Hacks

Welcome to part 2 of my helpful car hacks! Do you ever wish your car came with a little trash can? Despite my nagging, my kids still leaving little “gifts” in the car for me! Now, we not only have a car-can, I’ve created a car-cornhole game which encourages trash to land there instead of the cup holders! Plus a new car hack for your socks and how to keep your drink cold in the car all day🧋

This car hack starts in your kitchen! Pour your cereal into another container and you have yourself a trash can. Tell the kids it’s the car version of cornhole. They are going to love it!

Next, grab some socks. Put these on your wipers to keep them sticking from a frosty windshield in the morning!

Keep your drink colder with this car hack! Did you know that the Stanley tumbler can actually fit a large starbucks drink? It’ll keep it cold for longer and that cup holder will stay clean.

Make sure to let me know which car hack is your favorite!

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Part 1 of My Helpful Car Hacks

Who drops their phone in between car seats at least once a day? 🙋‍♀️ 🤦‍♀️ Here’s how to stop that problem forever! Plus, an easy DIY paper towel holder for your trunk! These car hacks are so easy but make a huge difference.

The WORST feeling is dropping your phone… even if you can see it, you can’t quite reach it! Stop this problem forever with a simple pluming installation from your local hardware store. All you need is a pool noodle! After cutting it to your desired length, simply slip it in the crack! How easy is that!?

Having a paper towel roll handy is a game changer! Placing a bungee cord through some paper towels is the perfect car hack to make sure you’re prepared for any mess on the go. Attach that bad boy in your trunk and you are all set!

How much time do you spend in your car? Living in Los Angeles, we spend a crazy amount of time in our cars and are on the road everyday. These car hacks help me get through a busy day!

If you liked these car hacks, check out Part 2!

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Hawaii Trip 2023: Maui Trip Recommendations

2 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cube Hack

LORAfied On-the-Go: McDonald’s Copycat Shamrock Shake

Testing Out the Viral Frozen Pancakes: Hack or Hype?

Quick and Easy Hack to Clean Dirty Shoes

Where to Find the Best Grocery Store Roses

How to Make My Adorable Valentine’s Day Love Shack

My Easy Eyelash Hack for Longer and Fuller Lashes

How to Make My Copycat Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake

Viral Baked Burger Hack You Need to Try

LORAfied Baked Burger Hack

Part 2 of My Helpful Car Hacks

Part 1 of My Helpful Car Hacks

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