Month: February 2015

Dreaming of a Vacation in Puerto Rico

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Puerto Rico, The All-Star Island. All opinions are 100% mine.

dreaming of Puerto Rico

We love to travel with our family, and when winter weather hits my travel dreams turn to warm water and sandy beaches. I’ve long dreamed of a vacation in Puerto Rico and we’re hoping to make it happen soon. Why is Puerto Rico so high on my travel life list? It is easily accessible from the U.S., family friendly, and has something for everyone. Read on to find out why I’m dreaming of the crystal waters and sand in my toes right now. Live your own 5-star vacation story in Puerto Rico.

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The One Baby Product We Use the Most

Tracking PixelAfter almost 4 years of parenthood, we’ve come to know exactly what products we love and don’t love. When I had the sponsored opportunity to share the Graco® Pack ‘n Play® Playard Portable Napper & Changer™ with y’all I knew I had to. Why? Because our  Pack ‘n Play® is the #1 baby product we’ve used with our kids, and will continue to use.
The One Baby Product We Use the Most #AtHomewithGraco Playard

We’ve used it with both kids from birth through toddlerhood, and are still using it with our daughter (almost 2). It is so practical, functional, and affordable for use on the go and at home. Find out more about why we love it and all the great features below. Bonus: We’re hosting a Graco® giveaway here valued at $105!

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Graco® Baby Giveaway ~ Win the Graco® Simple Sway Swing + an Organic Onesie {$105 Value}

Graco Simple Sway Swing and Onesie Giveaway $105 Value Ends 317If you have a new baby or one on the way, we’ve got the giveaway for you. In our Graco® Baby Giveaway I’m sharing the love by sending one of you the awesome gear Graco® sent to me. Get ready for pure baby bliss when your little is gently swaying in this awesome swing. A baby swing will help soothe your little one, become the perfect place for naps, and allow you to eat dinner with BOTH hands. That, my friends, is a luxury when a new baby comes along. I promise you, I would not have been able to feed myself if it hadn’t been for this swing when my kids were babies. My second child would nap in the swing in the living room while her big brother ran circles around her. This thing is AWESOME. Be sure to visit our sponsored post from Graco® here featuring the Graco® Pack ‘n Play® Playard Portable Napper & Changer™ here, then enter to win below.

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Family Travel: Hiking Craggy Pinnacle near Asheville, North Carolina

Family Travel Hiking Craggy Pinnacle near Asheville, North Carolina with KidsOne of my all time favorite short hikes, Craggy Pinnacle is just 1.4 miles with a 250 foot gain in elevation. The view from the top is incredible on a clear day, and the hike through the rhododendrons feels like you stepped in to a magical fairy land. We took our kids this summer, and the Bear was able to hike it on his own at age 3. If you are in the Asheville area, hiking Craggy Pinnacle is a can’t miss hike. Be sure to read our post about hiking with toddlers here, and more hikes we love here.

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Mommies Don’t Get Sick Days

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Chloraseptic®. All opinions are 100% mine.

Mommies Don't Get Sick Days - Tools for Coping & Caring for Others When You Don't Feel GoodRemember back when sick days really meant something? In my B.C. years (Before Kids),  whenever I would start to feel yucky I would take to my bed and embrace a movie marathon and get all the rest I needed. Then my precious children came along, and sick days are a thing of the past. Motherhood is a wonderful calling that comes with amazing benefits, but a sick and vacation day package is not part of the deal. These days, the illness usually starts with one of my little ones and quickly makes it’s way around the whole house. I know it is only a matter of time before I get whatever nasty virus because I can’t resist little snot covered sweeties who want to snuggle. My kids don’t often slow down to snuggle, so I take it when I can get it.

When mama gets sick, she has to push through. After 6 weeks of various ailments making their way around our house this winter I’ve got some tools up my sleeve to help me survive and care for my babies (and their daddy), as well as myself. We fought sore throats and coughs that lingered forever. The Warming Sore Throat Lozenges from Chloraseptic were lifesavers. Did you know that Chloraseptic is the #1 pharmacist recommended brand for sore throat relief? It’s true. Check out our tips for surviving a mommy sick day.

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Tips for Surviving a Mommy Sick Day:

  • Take it easy. You may not be able to stay in bed all day, but it is totally fine to feel like a success if your kids stay fed and alive all day. No need to expend the energy to do anything extra when you feel like crap.
  • Treat yourself to take out. My go to is wonton soup from my favorite Chinese restaurant. My dad would always get it for me when I was sick as a kid, so it is my ultimate comfort food.
  • Have the right tools in your arsenal. You can’t knock yourself out with cold medicine because you have to be functional enough to care for those kiddos. We keep Chloraseptic Sore Throat Lozenges and Sore Throat Spray stocked in our medicine cabinet because they bring sweet relief but allow me to still function.
  • Call for back up if you can. Every time I get sick I wish I had family that lived close by. I do have a great group of friends I can call on for help, for which I’m super thankful. If you are feeling terrible, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You won’t want to pass on germs to others, but you could ask a neighbor to make a grocery store run, or put the laundry off until you feel better.
  • Use the Cold & Flu Tracker to find out what illnesses are going around in your area.

Cloraseptic

How do cope when you need a mommy sick day? Visit the Chloraseptic® Facebook page for more great tips and deals, plus grab a $1 Chloraseptic® Coupon to help you stock your medicine cabinet. 

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Five Free Field Trips for Kids Under 5 + Fabulously Frugal

5 fun free field trips for kids under 5Sometimes you just need to get the kids out of the house, right?! With 2 little ones, cabin fever set in with this winter weather and our usual neighborhood walks and nature hikes become slightly less appealing. We have to get creative to get the kids out and doing something fun without the budget taking a hit. Here are five of our favorite free field trips for kids under 5 to give you some inspiration and get you out of the house. Bonus: If you are a blogger, link up your latest frugal post to the Fabulously Frugal Link Party at the bottom of this page. You can find more of our frugal living ideas here, and our fun for preschool kids here.

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Taste Safe Chocolate Cinnamon Scented Sensory Dough

Taste Safe Chocolate Cinnamon Scented Sensory DoughWe love sensory play at our house, and we’ve been experimenting with new ideas for sensory dough. My daughter puts everything she plays with in her mouth, so I love making taste safe sensory dough so I don’t have to worry about her. Today I’m sharing a fun recipe for taste safe chocolate cinnamon scented sensory dough perfect for toddlers and up to engage your kids’ senses. This recipe is perfect for pretend play and sensory exploration. Find more fabulous Sensory Dough ideas at 12 Months of Sensory Dough.

Making Pretend Cupcakes with Taste Safe Chocolate Cinnamon Scented Sensory Dough

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Why We Don’t Use Credit Cards… EVER

Why we don't use credit cards... EVER. Our story of financial freedom.

Why we don't use credit cards... EVER. Our story of financial freedom.We don’t have a single credit card, and don’t plan to every have one again. Why? So many reasons. We cut up our cards over five years ago and haven’t looked back. Today I’m sharing my story with credit cards, how I got in to BIG trouble, got out of it, got in to even BIGGER trouble, got out of it again, and found freedom from the plastic cards that were ruining my life.

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Indoor Play Ideas: 10 Bad Weather Boredom Busters


Indoor Play Ideas 10 Bad Weather Boredom BustersWe are blessed to have a few glorious sunshiny days during the winter here in Texas, but we still have our fair share of nasty weather that makes it impossible to play outside. With two very active kids I’ve had to get creative to keep us (me) from going stir crazy. Today I’m sharing 10 ideas we use as bad weather boredom busters. Hopefully they will help you keep your sanity, avoid cabin fever, and have fun with your kids.

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Create a DIY Play Tent and Reading Nook

DIY Play Tent and Reading Nook that is easy to store and set up.Kids love a tent to play in, and curling up in a reading nook is so much fun. For those reasons we decided to give our kids a sweet little play tent for Christmas this year. We had two requirements. It needed to be cute and easily stored. I didn’t want something huge and ugly in my living room, and I wanted to be able to take it down and set it up in seconds. Today we’re sharing how we created our DIY play tent and reading nook as part of the Fort Building Challenge from Building Blocks and Acorns. Be sure to check out all the other inspiring forts all month long here as well as our recent pillow fort here.

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