This past weekend was a long weekend for our kids and we spent Saturday soaking in the sun at the Florida State Fair on behalf of Magic 94.9 (they provided us with media passes to the fair). It was the final weekend of the fair and I was sure it was going to be busy so we went early in the day to try and avoid some of those crowds. The morning was overcast and hazy but the sun broke through pretty quickly leaving us all with a slightly reddish glow to our noses and shoulders. While it was a little hotter than we expected, it was a perfect day to spend outside with the family. When we arrived to the Fair we were greeting my some helpful employees (or volunteers) who signed our kids up for the Safe Kids program. We had allowed our youngest to bring a friend with her so it felt extra safe knowing that there was a program in place to help us keep an eye on them. Each child gets a Safe Kids pin with your phone number on the back. If they are separate from you, they know where ... [ Read More ]
Florida Prepaid Enrollment Ends Soon + a Webinar
This post is in partnership with Florida Prepaid College Plans as part of their Starting is Believing campaign. All opinions are my own and may not reflect those of the company. The month is almost over and another open enrollment period with Florida Prepaid is coming to an end. The enrollment period will be closed again until the Fall so don't miss out on your chance to start saving for your child's future. The deadline to enroll is February 28th, 2018. So let's taco 'bout saving for college! Are you still confused? Not sure which plan to start with? Scared to take the first step and enroll? The team at Florida Prepaid are there to help you along the way with a webinar and Facebook Live Q & A session. Tuesday, February 20th you can join the Florida Prepaid team and Florida Prepaid advocate, Cristy Clavijo-Kish to learn how families have been using Florida Prepaid for over 25 years to send their children to college. Connect with a Florida mom who has Prepaid Plans for her ... [ Read More ]
February Painted Rock Challenge
I feel like I need a theme song for the Painted Rock Challenge!! Something that you can all chant while you wait for me to post the new challenge each month??? What would you recommend??? Without further ado.... I present to you.... The Original Painted Rock Challenge for February!!! It's February, so love is certainly in the air! I've also included some interesting themes that may be a little challenging or open to interpretation. My only request is that on President's Day (19th), PLEASE be kind to your fellow rockers.....even if they don't share the same political views and opinions as you!! Don't let the current political moods spoil the love that fills the rock community!! ...and with that, I step off my soapbox!! There are no rules in rock painting, so just have fun! If you decide to skip a day (or two), no one is grading you or kicking you out of the club. Life gets busy and many of us can’t complete the entire challenge, the ideas are just to keep you ... [ Read More ]
It’s a New Year, are you saving for college yet?
January is a great time to look at your spending and make plans for the future! This post is in partnership with Florida Prepaid College Plans as part of their Starting is Believing campaign. All opinions are my own and may not reflect those of the company. *Blink* another Christmas has passed and we're settling into the new year. It's a great time to assess where you are spending your money and making saving for the future a priority. Student loan debt is one of the biggest debts that Americans face. Student loans are now the #2 source of debt in America, behind mortgages! While the cost of goods always go up year after year, the cost of college has increased 538% since 1985. To put that into perspective, the cost of gas has only increased 200% in the same time frame. It's even more important for students to obtain their bachelor's degree too. The average student will make $23,700 more a year compared to the same person with just a high school diploma. I keep trying ... [ Read More ]
January Painted Rock Challenge
Happy New Year!! Are you ringing in the New Year with the Painted Rock Challenge? Looking for a new hobby to start? Each month I post new daily rock painting ideas in a monthly calender to inspire your rock painting. Below you'll find 31 new themes or ideas to paint for January. There are no rules in rock painting, so just have fun! If you decide to skip a day (or two), no one is grading you or kicking you out of the club. Life gets busy and many of us can't complete the entire challenge, the ideas are just to keep you motivated and inspired. If you want to share your creations,the Painted Rock Challenge group is a fun place to share your rocks and get inspired by other rockers. It's a private group on Facebook and easy (and free) to join! January Painted Rock Challenge Ideas: About some of the special days on the calendar: January 1st - Rose Bowl!! Let's go Georgia Dawgs!!! January 2nd - Donate - It's National Blood Donor Month! January 4th - Cake - Have a ... [ Read More ]
Creative Last Minute Gift Ideas
...and the countdown to Christmas continues! Did you forget someone on your Christmas list? Still stumped on what to get someone? It's practically too late to order an actual gift from Amazon or any online store (unless you pay through the nose for shipping). This post is in partnership with Florida Prepaid College Plans as part of their Starting is Believing campaign. All opinions are my own and may not reflect those of the company. Creative Last Minute Gift Ideas Homemade Anything: I tend to be on the crafty DIY side and I truly enjoy making gifts for people. I don't have a ton of time to be crafty but I try to make at least a few gifts each year. This year my daughter and I made some homemade bath bombs! My first batch was a total fail, but second time is a charm! Bath bombs! Cross your fingers they stay firm and don’t crumble upon drying! #bathbombs A post shared by Calley Pate (@backtocalley) on Dec 17, 2017 at 10:11am PST Experiences: Let's admit ... [ Read More ]
Candy Cane Pie with Stonyfield Yogurt
Candy Cane Pie with Stonyfield Yogurt (Recipe) This post is sponsored by Stonyfield Yogurt. All recipes and opinions are my own. We're right at one week away from Christmas and the spirit is flowing in our home. Cookies have been made (and mostly already eaten) and the candy canes are taunting us to create something yummy. What better way to use candy canes than in a festive candy cane pie! This is a very simple recipe and one that doesn't require too much planning or prep time. The only ingredients are Stonyfield Organic Greek yogurt (vanilla bean of course), cream cheese, whipped cream, and a pie crust! Oh, and don't forget the candy canes!! For a smooth consistency I used my electric mixer (referral link to Amazon for the mixer I use) to mix the whipped cream, cream cheese and yogurt. I added a few drops of peppermint extract to make the peppermint flavor more noticeable. Once the mixture is creamy and blended then you can stir in the crushed candy canes. Then you ... [ Read More ]
10 Reasons to Shop at Westfield Mall’s this Holiday
It's starting to feel like Christmas (finally)!!!! This post is sponsored by Westfield Malls; all opinions are my own and may not reflect those of Westfield Mall. It always take me awhile to get in the holiday spirit; mostly because I'm in the retail world and Black Friday drains all of the life out of me. To be completely honest....it turns me into a bit of a grinch! I spend several weeks getting ready for the Black Friday weekend planning cool promotions and sales for work. It's exhausting and there are several days with scattered sleep which just makes me a big lump of grump! It usually takes me a good 1-2 weeks to get out of my grinchy mood and back into the spirit of Christmas. Usually about a week after Black Friday I start finding my way online window shopping and planning out a few gift ideas for the kids. As easy as online shopping has become, I still enjoy a good trip to the mall and stores to do my Christmas shopping. There's just something about it that puts ... [ Read More ]
Warm Gifts to Give (or Keep) with prAna
Happy Holidays and thank you for visiting Back to Calley blog. This post is sponsored by prAna in exchange for the outfit shown here. All opinions are my own. Use coupon code CMWL17 at prAna to save 15% off through 12/20/17 plus free shipping through 12/15/17. #giftedprAna It's getting chilly around the country this week and it's FINALLY starting to feel like the holidays are coming here in Florida. Our cold front is almost here and I'm excited to pull out my sweaters; for a few days at least. I've seen rumors or white stuff (snow) in colder parts around the US too. What's on your shopping list? Who do you still have to shop for? If you're shopping for an outdoor lover or someone who is athletic they may like some of the items you can find with prAna. They have some super comfortable athletic apparel that is perfect for the yogi or runner. I'm a huge fan of their Kara Jean (shown above in Indigo) for everyday wear. I love that they are long enough to wear cuffed or ... [ Read More ]
Girl Scouts Rock – A Painted Rock Challenge
Welcome to the home of the original painted rock challenges! The very first time I painted on rocks was about a year ago with my daughter's Brownie troop. We were working on a project for World Thinking Day and all of the girls painted Girl Scout themed rocks and hid them around our town. Each rock had information on the back that would lead the finder to the Girl Scout website to learn about Thinking Day. It was also where my addiction to painting on rocks began! This would be a fun project that Troop Leaders could incorporate into some badge lessons. Brownie leaders can look at the Painting and the Outdoor Art Creator badges. Some of the words on the list would be fun to introduce new girls to Girl Scouting traditions and history. You could also incorporate rock hiding (kindness rocks) into a community service project. Be creative and have fun! Let the girls help decide what to do with their rocks once they are painted. Have a fun idea you want to share, leave a comment to ... [ Read More ]
