Sharing my top 10 Disney cruise tips and tips if it’s your first cruise!

Hi hi friends! How are you? I hope that you’re having an amazing morning. We’re in part 1 of Harneys take Europe for the summer, and we’re starting the party with our 6th Disney cruise. I’ll share all of the details when we’re back, but for today’s post, I wanted to share some of my all-time best Disney cruise tips, especially if you’re a first-timer.

My top 10 Disney cruise tips and tricks

So this is Disney cruise #6 for a reason; the entire family loooooooves them. TBH, I was always a little meh about the idea of cruising. Something about a bunch of party college kids on spring break and casino vibes didn’t sound like an ideal family vacation, especially when the girls were really young. I’m also a little freaked out about being out in the ocean.

Our friends told us how much they loved Disney, especially because of the cleanliness, food, and entertainment, so we decided to give it a try. Needless to say, we were blown away, and have done at least one Disney cruise per year since then.

Now that we have some experience under our belt, I feel confident sharing some tips that were helpful to us as newbies, or that we’ve learned along the way. I feel like I could write an entire series at this point, but here are my top tips!

Pack a separate pool bag with a change of clothes when you check in.

They take your luggage upon arrival, and it magically appears in your room within a few hours. In the meantime, take your pool bag with you and head to the pool! It’s the least crowded it will be the entire trip, and all of the casual pool deck eats are open, too. It’s so much fun to watch the kids do the slide and hang out in the pool while enjoying a buffet lunch or some tacos + drink of the day.

Order your coffe the night before

If you like to have coffee in the morning, order it through room service at night. It arrives in a carafe and stays warm all night. They also have a little fridge where you can store creamer. Room service is inlcuded —  you simply have to tip. I’ll usually bring some cash for room service tips.

Dining rotation

Each ship has about three main restaurants and you’ll rotate each night. You’ll be assigned early dining (usually 5:45) or late dining (8:15) and you’ll have the same server and assistant each night. If you’re not dining in the main restaurants, there’s a Broadway-quality show that you can attend during the opposite time (for example, late diners attend the early show and then head to dinner). OR,

Sharing some of the things I’ve packed for our Spain trip and Europe adventures this summer.

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re having an amazing day so far. Cue the Mariah Carey *it’s tiiiiiiiiiiime* because we’re escaping the scorching Tucson oven before it begins and are off on some adventures. (To be honest, it’s been the mildest spring and beginning of summer ever. It’s been suprisingly gorgeous in Tucson – usually it’s super hot by now!)

I’ll be sure to share all of the fun, what we’re up to, and what we’ve been eating. 😉 Definitely follow along on IG stories, too!

We’re gone for quite a while and have someone staying at our house while we’re away. I also had to haul the guinea pig’s cage to madre’s house (sorry madre lol) because after 7 years Donut is still very much alive.

We’re going to be in a few different places: Barcelona, Rome, Pisa, Provence, and Sevilla, and possibly some other stops along the way. I’ve always wanted to do something like this, and feel so so thankful that we’re going for it. The girls’ schedules are just going to get busier, especially since P is in competitive basketball and summer is typically tournament season, so I figured it was our chance.

Packing took at lot of strategy because I didn’t want to overpack but also wanted to make sure we have everything we needed! Of course, I need to save a little room for shopping finds while we’re out there. 😉

Here’s the great list of things I’m bringing with me:

Spain packing list

Clothes:

The plan is to wear dresses with sandals or sneakers, dressier sandals for evening, and a cute sweater/jacket to layer on top.

Dresses:

Maxi dress

Pink shirtdress (it’s sold out in pink but SO MANY cute colors available)

Polo dress

I got a few cute dresses from RTR that I’m excited to bring <— you can use my link to try it free! I l

Sharing a roundup of meal prep ideas you can make on the cheap.

Hi friends! How are you? I hope you’re having a great day so far! I have a morning packed full of appointments and am looking forward to family dinner tonight.

Today, I wanted to chat a bit about meal prep, because it’s been savin’ my bacon lately.

Meal prepping is one of my favorite ways to stay on track with healthy eating goals but also save money at the same time. When life gets hectic (which it always does), having budget friendly meals ready to go is a total gamechanger. I feel like whether you’re feeding a family, trying to eat healthier, or just want to spend less at the grocery store, meal prep can seriously simplify your routine.

Today, I wanted to share a roundup of cheap meal prep ideas that are delicious, super easy and quick to make, and won’t break the bank. I love that meal prepping helps eliminate the “what’s for dinner?” stress and keeps us away from pricey takeout. Most of these meals use pantry staples or affordable ingredients, and they make enough for leftovers.

Cheap Meal Prep Ideas

These recipes are perfect for weekly planning, batch cooking, and making sure you always have a friendly meal ready to go.

Whether you’re new to meal planning or a seasoned pro, I hope this post gives you fresh inspiration (and saves you a few bucks! Let’s be real, groceries are a million dollars right now.)

What Is Meal Prepping

Meal prepping is the practice of preparing meals or ingredients in advance to save time and money throughout the week. It could mean chopping veggies, cooking proteins, or assembling full meals in containers. The idea is to have meals ready to eat or cook quickly, so you’re less tempted to grab something unhealthy or expensive.

Meal prepping can help reduce food waste, streamline your grocery shopping, and make your week smoother overall. Plus, it often leads to healthier choices since you’re planning meals in advance.

Is Meal Prepping Cheaper?

Absolutely! When you plan ahead and prep your meals, you can make the most of grocery sales, buy ingredients in bulk, and avoid impulse purchases or last-minute takeout. By cooking in batches, you also use your ingredients more efficiently and waste less food.

Some people think healthy eating is expensive, but meal prepping shows that you can eat well without spending a fortune.

How To Meal Prep On A Budget

Shop Your Pantry First

Before you plan your meals, take inventory of what you already have. It’s easy to overlook canned goods, grains, or frozen items that can make great foundations for a meal.

Choose Budget Friendly Proteins

Think beans, lentils, eggs, canned tuna, organic sprouted tofu, organic ground beef, and chicken thighs. These are nutritious and often cheaper than other protein sources.

Buy Seasonal Produce

Fruits and vegetables that are in season are usually cheaper and taste better. Bonus points if you can find them at local farmers m

Sharing my review of the BEST blue light blocking glasses after doing a ton of research. You can order your Vivarays 4-in-1 glasses here and use the code FITNESSISTA for a discount!

Hi friends! Happy Monday! I hope that you’re having a wonderful morning! We spent the weekend in Phoenix for Liv’s last convention of the season, and now we’re back at home and getting ready for Spain. I’m sharing my packing list in tomorrow’s post!

Something that I’m absolutely bringing with me? My Vivarays! I am OBSESSED with these glasses, especially the nighttime lenses. I put them on, and within 30 minutes I’m drowsy and ready to sleep. I’m excited to give them a whirl on the plane 😉 In today’s post, I wanted to talk a bit about light, how it impacts our health, and share more details about the best blue light blocking glasses.

In our tech-filled world, blue light exposure is nearly impossible to avoid. We’re constantly surrounded by screens – phones, laptops, TVs – and even our indoor lighting emits high levels of artificial blue light. While some blue light is natural (and even beneficial during the day), overexposure, especially at the wrong times, can wreak havoc on our health, mood, and sleep quality.

If you’ve ever found yourself tossing and turning at night after scrolling your phone, or feeling drained despite 8 hours of sleep, blue light could be to blame. Fortunately, blue light blocking glasses are one of the simplest and most effective tools to support your circadian rhythm and your overall well-being.

the best blue light blocking glasses

Why Blue Light Can Be Harmful (and What Kind of Light We Actually Need)

Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum and is naturally emitted by the sun. During the day, blue light helps us feel awake, alert, and energized. The problem? Most of us are now exposed to blue light all day—and well into the night.

Here’s how chronic blue light exposure can disrupt our health:

Melatonin Suppression: Blue light blocks melatonin production, the hormone that signals your body it’s time to sleep. Even small amounts of blue light at night (from your phone, TV, or overhead lights) can reduce melatonin and delay your ability to fall and stay asleep.

Hormonal Disruption: Melatonin isn’t just about sleep. It’s intricately tied to other hormone pathways, including cortisol, insulin, estrogen, and testosterone. Disrupting melatonin can create a ripple effect that throws off your hormonal balance.

Mood & Mental Health: Poor sleep caused by blue light exposure can contribute to anxiety, depression, and brain fog. Blue light can also disrupt dopamine pathways and contribute to mood instability.

Eye Strain & Headaches: Blue light contributes to digital eye strain, dry eyes, and tension headaches—especially for those who spend hours in front of screens.

Read more

Hi friends! Happy Friday! What’s going on this weekend? Liv has her last dance convention of the year, P has a couple of basketball games, and we’re getting ready for our European adventures. I.can’t.even.wait.

I feel like I’ve been majorly slacking on everything and my goal is to record a bunch of podcast interviews before we head out and kind of get my life together. I feel like this year we’ve had to roll with the punches with school stuff and everything has felt even more chaotic than usual. I’m definitely ready for a reset.

I’d love to hear what you have going on this weekend! Any fun plans this summer that you’re looking forward to? I also hope that my friends who are celebrating Mother’s Day have a beautiful weekend.

(Liv’s bling and my road trip snacks from last week’s dance competition)

5.9 Friday Faves

Fashion + beauty + random:

April faves! It’s always fun to go back through analytics and see what products you loved the most that I’ve shared here on the blog and IG.

Here are the top picks from April – lots of them were from my Mother’s Day gift guide.

Lumebox. So many of you took advantage of the Lumebox sale. The good news is that you can still use FITNESSISTA here for $260 off! I use it every day and am obsessed with it. I’ve been using it this week on my scar – I had a mole removed from my chin last week – and also on my neck when I woke up Tuesday and couldn’