We love our wooden cutting boards. They’re classic, durable, and beautiful on the counter. But when it comes to cutting raw meat, wood can be high-maintenance and harder to sanitize properly. For a while, we switched to plastic cutting boards because they’re easy to clean and dishwasher-safe — but the growing concerns around microplastics made us rethink that choice.

So we started looking for non-plastic cutting boards for meat that are easier to clean than wood but don’t rely on traditional plastic surfaces.

Continue reading 6 Best Non-Plastic Cutting Boards for Meat (Safer Kitchen Alternatives) at Patticake Wagner.

We had an amazing spring break and per your requests, I put together a guide on family-friendly things to do in San Diego based on our trip! It was our first time to America’s Finest City and it definitely did not disappoint! So many fun things to do as a family. I’m sharing our Airbnb, theme parks we visited, leisure activities and restaurants we dined in. Along with what I recommend and one thing we wished we did if we could go back.

Continue reading Our Spring Break Trip: My Guide On Family-Friendly Things to Do When Visiting San Diego at Patticake Wagner.

Sharing my holiday movie list for your viewing pleasure.

(Click here for this year’s holiday shop)

Last month, I watched Father of the Bride for the very first time! I didn’t grow up watching movies and never really got into movies as an adult. “I’m not a movie person,” I declared to Brian. But after watching FOTB and LOVING it, something clicked.  Perhaps, I haven’t been watching the right movies!

Continue reading Holiday Movie List at Patticake Wagner.

Our kids’ current favorite show is Bluey.  It’s also my favorite to watch with them.  And I know I’m not the only parent that enjoys this lovable family-friendly cartoon. On my last girls’ trip, my mom friends all declared their adoration for Bluey. Moose Toys just released their brand-new Bluey Hammerbarn Shopping Playset and it’s the perfect kid’s gift for the little Bluey fans in your life. But basically, it’s also a gift of quiet time for you!

Continue reading The Perfect Kid’s Gift Idea for Bluey Fans at Patticake Wagner.

Who is Patticake Wagner? Patticake Wagner emerged publicly in 2015 on Instagram sharing glimpses of motherhood and our home. In 2019, I launched my blog after leaving my Sr. Product Designer role and wrote my first post ever which you can read here. It was a new chapter after 13 years in the industry. I left something that was comfortable to pursue the unknown. The decision was rooted in craving more time with my children so I felt it was the right move.

Continue reading A New Year, A New Website Look at Patticake Wagner.

I don’t normally go out to physically shop Black Friday Deals but I will definitely browse my favorite shops (both big and small and local ones) online. I may stop in to local shops on the weekends, depending on my schedule.

I mostly like to look for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals and sales for our home but will keep my eyes out for some cute apparel for the whole family, too!

Continue reading Best Black Friday Week Deals and Sales at Patticake Wagner.

For our ten year wedding anniversary, we were in disbelief that we’d actually be able to take a two week trip anywhere, let alone to Italy! Brian connected with his sister and niece who volunteered to nanny our three kids and that was the start of our epic vacation planning.

We planned the entire Italy trip ourselves and by popular requests, I’m detailing all of our tips and recommendations here.

I understand.

Continue reading Italy Travel Tips and Recommendations from our Two Week Stay at Patticake Wagner.

Our family loves to take road trips. The longest destination was to Austin, TX which was about 17 hours. We made one stop each way to rest. This break-up is nice because we get to explore other cities in between.

We have three young kiddos. Ages 3, 5 and 7 years old. It may seem daunting to travel with young children but we’ve learned that planning is key. Don’t worry, these tips don’t involve bribery items!

Continue reading My Top Road Trip Planning Tips with Small Children at Patticake Wagner.

What a year 2021 has been. There were challenging moments but overall, I’m filled with gratitude. From filming my own HGTV digital show, Rentfluencer (so fun bringing you along with me on that journey!), to purchasing our latest rental property, to being able to travel again as a family to almost wrapping up with one of our biggest projects yet – and of course so many wonderful things in between!

It’s now time to slow down and relax.

Continue reading Follower Favorites for 2021 at Patticake Wagner.

Every year we have our annual hot chocolate night! It’s something our family looks forward to, especially the kids. It’s a great way for our family to connect and feel warm + cozy during the cold MN winters.

Hot chocolate night is always more fun with festive mugs so I rounded up some of my favorites for the entire family. And if you’re looking for a new spin on your hot chocolate nights, I included four amazing recipes that you should try out!

Continue reading Holiday Mugs and Hot Chocolate Night Ideas at Patticake Wagner.