I am honored to bring this message to you on behalf of Mattress Firm and as a part of the Mom It Forward Blogger Network. There are a lot of children in need of good homes in this world. There are more than 400 thousand children in the U.S. foster system. Many of these children only own what clothing they are wearing at the time they are relocated. With the cost of raising a child through the age of 17, ranges to nearly $250K, so it's no wonder that those taking on an additional child might need a little assistance. Mattress Firm Foster Kids May is National Foster Care Month, and Mattress Keep Reading
5 Ways to Save on Utilities When Money is Tight – Practical Money Saving Tips
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of IGS Energy for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. At some point or another most of us have had money issues. Either we spend more than we make from poor budgeting decisions or we don't make enough to cover life expenses. Things happen. When those things happen to you, there are some things you can do to keep finances under control and get you back on track. One thing I like to do is focus on big ticket household expense like utilities. 5 Ways to Save Money on Utilities To begin, take a deep breath and remember... These do not have to Keep Reading
A Way to Pay for College When You Haven’t Saved Up Enough
If you have children, then odds are you've thought of the future expense of college. My kids are 10 and under, and it seems like I have plenty of time, but in reality I need to come up with a LOT of money starting in just 8 short years! In 8 years, my oldest will head off to college, and then 6 years after that this guy will be ready to go. Say it isn't so! He's my BABY!!! :( He still sleeps with dinosaurs, for goodness sake! But I have to be practical. So I've been thinking a lot lately about the best way to save up for college because I know the days are long, but the years truly Keep Reading
How We Get Protein & Vitamins in Our Kids’ Diets
Today we have a unique spin on a subject that plagues every mom out there - the task of fitting nutrients into your kid's diets. Last week, I asked my sister, Cecilia, to join me on a quest to come up with lots of different ways to fit protein and vitamins into our kid's diets. Her kids are 10 and 3, and mine are 8, 5, and 3. We have quite the task facing us every day! Cecilia will share her ideas first, then I will go. We are very different, so I am interested to see everything we come up with! We decided that protein would be the focus of this post. Take it away Cecilia! Keep Reading
4 Fun Outdoor Projects to Do with Your Kids This Spring
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro Gro-ables for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. Winter is almost over thank goodness, and I cannot wait to get outside and in the dirt. It's not that I actually know anything about gardening; I just like to be outside and it feels good the get dirty. I like to shovel it, make mud with it, plant in it, throw it - whatever really! I guess it reminds me of being a kid and running free outdoors all day long, and it brings back such wonderful memories. I love the stuff, and I want my kids to love it too. With all the shiny Keep Reading
What Did NOT Work for Potty Training – 4 Things I Tried That Were Complete Fails
When I brought my son home from the hospital I was terrified. Not of him, but of the many things I was now responsible for. I was in charge of feeding him on time. I was in charge of keeping him clothed and learning how to read, and I was in charge of potty training him. How could that hospital let me leave with him when I didn't know the first thing about any of these? All those scary things turned out just fine with a bunch of mistakes made along the way, especially potty training! After teaching the first one the ropes I figured it would be easy with the second Keep Reading
4 Bath Time Tips for Children with Sensitive Skin
Thank you Dove for partnering with me on this post. Visit your local retailer to pick up the Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar today! My little guy is a dinosaur. I mean he thinks he's a dinosaur. He takes his dinosaurs everywhere he goes. To the park, to his brother's hockey practice, to bed with him, and to the dinner table (they eat without using their hands, and so does he). They even take a bath with him at night. Bath time is supposed to be fun for kids, and he makes it fun by bringing his best friends. But sometimes bath time leads to rashes and itching it makes the Keep Reading
3 Easy Ways to Boost Immunity
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
