With two children in our house, we fight the good fight every winter to keep our immune systems healthy. It's so easy for those little stinkers to sneak in germs from playdates, bounce houses, and school! I like to be on top of things to keep us as healthy as possible so we can fight the bugs that come our way. Keeping our family functioning starts with keeping myself in top shape so I can take care of anyone else who ends up getting sick! Today I'm partnering with Zicam® to tell you all about how I'm adding Zicam® Total Immune products to my arsenal to keep our family Keep Reading
The One Thing I Do Every Day to Maintain My 35+ Lb Weight Loss
You may not know this about me, but 3 years ago, I embarked on a fitness journey that led me to lose 50 lbs after having my third baby. Since I lost that weight, I have been on an unending journey to keep the weight off. Honestly, I thought it was a bit easier to lose it initially than keep it off. Once you give yourself permission to eat like a normal person again, it's easy to go a little too far. I’ve slipped here and there, ending overall about 15 lbs above my lowest weight. So I guess you could say I lost 35 net pounds after having my third baby. Thirty-five pounds is still Keep Reading
How to Make Saving Money & Making Money Fun!
I often find myself worrying about money. Do you? Do you wish you could have a life where you weren’t under financial strain? I can go weeks without really worrying about our family finances, but then I realize that I’m spending too much in one area or find myself wishing I could go on a trip I can’t really afford. That’s when I realize that we’re sometimes cruising along for the ride, not really having a full picture of our finances. And then I start to get stressed about it. This stress spills over into my relationship with my husband and taints the time I spend with my kids. My Keep Reading
Most Adorable Gift for Kids – CloudPets™ A Message You Can Hug™
This week I got a shipment from one of my sponsors, CloudPets™. I thought I was going to be able to test out my puppy dog, then wrap it up as a gift under the tree for my 5-year-old. I think I was a bit ambitious – as soon as she saw his fluffy ear out of the corner of her eye sticking out of the box, she knew what he was! Foiled again! That’s what I get for trying to be frugal with Christmas gifts. :) CloudPets™ is A Message You Can Hug™ Ever since my kids saw their first commercial, they were smitten. It’s such a cute idea and they’re surprisingly simple to use. All you need Keep Reading
Cute Redbox Neighbor Christmas Gift Idea
This post was sponsored by Redbox as part of a program with Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review. Happy holidays everyone! This year I’m taking a different approach to the holidays. Instead of stressing myself out by rushing around to create & mail Christmas cards and do other things I don’t necessarily want to do, I am focusing on the things that make me happiest. So that means I’m inviting people over for potluck dinners, visiting with friends, and giving gifts to people I care about. Normally, I only give gifts to family, but this Keep Reading
The Stomach Bug Survival Guide – 6-Point Tactical Plan for Moms
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nauzene Kids for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. Ever since my kids were tiny, I have been concerned with giving them remedies that are natural. It was almost out of necessity at first because I noticed most children’s medicines aren’t recommended for children under 6. Six years is a long time to wait to treat a child for something when you are sure there must be a remedy out there! I was excited when Nauzene® Kids contacted me because I have been looking for a gentle, homeopathic product like theirs for quite some time! Nauzene® Kids Keep Reading
Tips for Having a Healthy Holiday & 5 Healthy Side Dishes
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sam's Club. The opinions and text are all mine. With the holidays upon us, I’m excited about spending time with family we don’t see very often, but I’m also a little nervous as usual about the potential for holiday weight gain! I don’t have the best track record when it comes to keeping off the pounds around the holidays. I think I average 7 lbs between Thanksgiving and Christmas and depend on getting back to my regularly planned diet & exercise schedule in January. So many sweets, so many savory dishes, so much time Keep Reading
How We Make Tooth Brushing Time Fun – No More Fighting to Get Them to Brush!
Today I am excited to share something that has revolutionized my life as a mom to a three year old. And I want to thank Orajel™ Kids for sponsoring this post which reminded me to share this epiphany I had this year when it comes to tooth brushing in our house! As someone who has been in charge of my own oral health for the last 35 years, I know how important it is to take proactive steps in keeping my mouth healthy. Now that I’m a mom of three, I’m concerned with kids’ oral health as well. I've not been 100% responsible in caring for my own teeth in the past (not flossing consistently, Keep Reading
3 Things I Wish I Had Known About Infants Before Becoming a Mom
I received product and compensation from Mead Johnson Nutrition to create this post written by me. All experiences and opinions expressed in this post are my own and not those of Mead Johnson Nutrition. Consult your pediatrician before making changes to your baby's diet or if you have concerns related to your baby's digestive health. Please see the product label/website for acceptable use and benefits. You can contact Mead Johnson Nutrition with product related questions or comments toll free at 1-800-BABY 123 or through the Contact Us link on . or Enfamil.com. When I had my first child Keep Reading
3 Evening Routines to Get Kids to Bed Without Whining
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sleep Number for the Mom It Forward blogger network. All opinions are 100% my own. Sleep. As a mom to three little ones and a blogger to boot, I don’t often get enough sleep. But it’s one thing I always make sure my kids get plenty of. So many decisions I make as a mom are made with my kids’ sleep needs in mind. From deciding which extracurricular activities to participate in and at what time, to what temperature to set our thermostat (too hot or too cold can be uncomfortable)! I try my best not to overschedule my kids, and I also Keep Reading
Delicious Snacks for On-the-Go Toddlers
Yesterday I wrote about my simple 3-snack approach to getting my kids to eat wholesome, organic snacks even on our busiest days. Today I had the opportunity to let my 3-year-old try the Sprout® Organic Toddler Puree I got for him. I chose the Plum, Apple & Blueberry Superfood flavor because he loves berries, and I like introducing new foods using a winning taste. :) This guy is 100% 3-year-old; he has has two modes – play and eat. He’s on the go with lots of things to do, everything to see, and an appetite you wouldn’t believe. Friends warned me that boys eat more than Keep Reading
3 Easy Wholesome Snack Ideas for Busy Families
Are you a busy mom? Did I even need to ask? As a busy mom, I know you can relate to this daily struggle – figuring out what to feed your kids that's quick and healthy. Countless snack options exist if you don't care about nutrition or wholesomeness. But making sure you have wholesome snacks available when you're kids are hungry takes a little bit of work. I've found the key to making sure we eat wholesome foods is planning. Well, planning, and not trying to serve a huge variety of foods. Let me explain. A Busy Mom Day Doesn't Leave Much Time For Making A Big Meals Our busiest day Keep Reading
Bladder Leakage After Pregnancy & Childbirth
I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Depend. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation. Today I have something personal in nature to talk to you about, mom to mom. As many of you know, I have three little kids, ages 3, 5, and 7. I had them practically back to back (or at least it seems that way!). There are many things I didn’t know about having children 8 years ago. One thing I was particularly surprised at was the bladder issues I would find myself experiencing. I remember Keep Reading
Get Ready for Fall Road Trips with Cooper Tires
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cooper Tire for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. Today I’m excited to bring you another great deal. If you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to stretch your budget, from household products to larger purchases. We recently paid off the 2nd of our two vehicles, so we are extra conscious about keeping our well-loved used vehicles in top condition. We want those suckers to last as long as possible! It will be a sad day when we have to get another vehicle and possibly take on a car payment. In our efforts to keep our vehicles in Keep Reading
Prepaid Debit Card Budgeting System (with 1% Cash Back) – Part 1
I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for American Express Serve. I applied for the Serve Cash Back card to facilitate my review and received a promotional item to thank me for my participation. As many of my readers know, I love writing about family finances. I’m a busy parent just like you, and I’m all about finding simple ways to save money, make money, and stretch our monthly budget so we can afford to splurge. I know I’m not alone in saying that the day-to-day money decisions I make as our household’s money manager is what makes or breaks our Keep Reading