Moms Can’t Get Sick!

January 29, 2016February 1, 2016 - Mama Leave a comment

As a mom, it’s important that I stay TotallyIn, and focus on immune health so I can stay at my best. Today’s post is sponsored by Zicam® Total Immune. All opinions are my own.

I could feel the tickle forming in the back of my throat. There was nothing I could do to stop it– I knew I was going to be under the weather for a day or two. I thought through the schedule. Dance practice, soccer practice, volunteering at my son’s preschool, fixing dinners, work commitments. I didn’t have time for a cold!

5 Steps to Having the BEST Morning Ever!

January 13, 2016January 3, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StartWithJifPowder #CollectiveBias

I am NOT a morning person, but I'm quickly becoming one by following these rules that help make my mornings a little bit better. Are you struggling with mornings, or having those mad mama moments because mornings never go your way? These tips will make mornings easier, so you can have a better day. You'll love these free printables that help you have a better morning, too. #StartWithJifPowder #ad

Ugh. Mornings. Am I right? I’ve never, ever been a morning person– as a child, my mom would wake me up again and again just to get me up for school because no alarm made mornings easier. As a mom myself, I no longer have the luxury of staying in bed as long as humanly possible, because I have another human to actually get up, get dressed, and get on with the day with… and that sometimes leads to a very, very grumpy mama. But I’ve found a few tricks, like eating breakfast made with Jif Peanut Powder, that help me have a flawless morning… or at least a slightly less rocky one… making every morning my best morning ever.

5 Ways to Break Phone Addiction and Be a More Responsive Parent

January 8, 2016January 6, 2016 - Mama Leave a comment

I was checking my emails. The phone had just buzzed, and I switched from Instagram over to my Gmail to check an email from a work contact. It seemed innocent enough. And then I heard my son say “Mom. Look. Please look.” What started as a momentary distraction to post a cute photo of him turned into a much longer journey through posting the photo, crafting a perfect caption, adding hashtags, liking friends’ recent photos, and then switching over to read emails. It wasn’t intentional– I wasn’t trying to give up attention to focus on my phone. But I had unintentionally stopped watching my son’s craft project because I had stopped to post “just one photo” and gotten lost in my phone again.

How to Set a Resolution You’ll Actually Keep!

December 31, 2015 - Mama Leave a comment

This year, I’m quitting resolutions altogether. I know that’s an odd statement to make in the very beginning of a post all about making resolutions you’ll keep, but stick with me here… the best way to set resolutions you’ll actually keep is to STOP MAKING RESOLUTIONS. That doesn’t mean not to resolve to do anything… but it means changing your mindset and your tactics so you can experience resolution success.

How To Give the Gift of Relaxation for Christmas

December 14, 2015December 14, 2015 - Mama 2 Comments

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Prismacolor, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #relaxandcolor http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Feeling stressed? Have a friend who needs to relax? Give the gift of relaxation this Christmas-- this is the perfect gift or care package that really works perfectly for helping someone cheer up. With an adult coloring book, perfect colored pencils, and other really great ideas for the perfect Relaxation gift basket! #relaxandcolor #coloringwithMichaels #Pmedia #ad

Relaxation is getting harder and harder to come by, isn’t it? I wouldn’t trade the life I have for the world, but sometimes at the end of the day, before I can close my eyes to sleep, I just need to take some time to… well, unwind. That’s a lot of why I’ve wholeheartedly jumped onto the adult coloring book craze– for me, it’s about a creative outlet where I just take a few minutes each night to color, relax, and breathe before I doze off. At first it started with colored pencils and a coloring book, but now I’ve added warm fuzzy socks, some nice chocolate, lit candles, and sipped some tea, and I have to say, it’s made for a much calmer me. But here’s the deal– it’s Christmastime, the season of giving, and I knew that I couldn’t keep this relaxation to myself. I had to put together the perfect gift of relaxation for my best friend.

How to Create a Winter Preparedness Box for Home or School

November 13, 2015 - Mama 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PreparedWithCVS #CollectiveBias

Winter is upon us, and with all the

Winter really hasn’t even started yet, and already, the kiddo and I have had to take a little time off of work and school because we weren’t feeling our best. It seems like anytime you’re at school, work, or even home, when winter hits, it seems like it’s the season to feel a little more… under the weather. Sometimes it’s all of the warm air circulating inside closed windows that just keeps the germs in, and sometimes it’s the number of hugs you’re exchanging at those family holiday parties, but because of all of that, it helps to have a plan to keep you at your best, and to help you bounce back fast when you aren’t. That’s why I’m all for a winter preparedness kit that will help keep things going this winter!

Why I Realized an End-of-Life Plan is Perfect (At Any Age!)

September 15, 2015September 17, 2015 - Mama Leave a comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #iamprotective #CollectiveBias

So, today, I want to share a little bit about how I made my decision to get life insurance and why I made sure to have a plan in place in case the worst happened, and it’s something that is really important to me, so I hope you’ll keep reading to see why it is on my heart so much right now. I’ve also shared some great resources from Protective Insurance that help you choose what life insurance may be the right fit for you.

Have you planned for the worst? Even though it's scary and sad to think about losing a loved one-- or even passing away yourself-- it's important to have a plan in place in case the worst happens. Do you have a will? Life insurance? A plan? You should-- even if you're young. #iamprotective #ad

We were at a stoplight, going to the store. It was a normal day, a little cloudy, but not raining or anything. And all of a sudden, I heard a screech of tires. I glanced in my rear-view mirror, but there was nothing I could do. I tensed up as a car… hit a car… hit a car… hit me. A random, freak, four car chain reaction that could have been so much worse than it was. I was in a little pain, and while Zach’s 5 point harness car seat protected him, we both saw the doctor anyway. And then, as I met with her, she started asking me questions… “have you thought about a living will? An end of life directive?” As I stared, a little bit in shock (I was only 26, why did I need these things?!) she said “It might be something to think about. Medical plans, a will, maybe some life insurance.”

5 Things Every Mom On The Go Desperately Needs

August 24, 2015August 27, 2015 - Mama Leave a comment

Because sometimes when you're on the go, life doesn't go according to plan, and sometimes that means mom becomes a little bit of a momster, here are my 5 absolute must-haves for being an on-the-go mom, so you can stay a little more sane. #HelloSummer #ChobaniCG #ad

I swear, every day, it seems like I only have one speed– go, go, go. Between soccer practice and school stuff and my own work, it seems like many days, I don’t even get two seconds to breathe. While everyone who knows me would argue that I love a hectic pace, which is true (I can’t seem to sit still for long when it comes to getting things done), it doesn’t leave a lot of room for “me time.” That’s why most of my life requires an on-the-go attitude… and all of the “stuff” that goes with it. Because sometimes when you’re on the go, life doesn’t go according to plan, and sometimes that means mom becomes a little bit of a momster, here are my 5 absolute must-haves for being an on-the-go mom, so you can stay a little more sane.

Tips for Avoiding Heat Stroke (With Water Infusion Recipes)!

August 7, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

Worried about heat exhaustion or heat stroke? Here's how to avoid it and stay healthy for the rest of summer.

I was at the drive in with my son, having a really great time. And then, suddenly… I just felt weird. As soon as the movie was over, we opted not to stay for the second one, and the more I drove, the worse I felt. I felt dizzy. I had a horrible headache. I was a little confused, struggling to find my turns. I was nauseated. And it was getting worse. As I struggled to continue driving, I pulled into a nearby restaurant, and made a call to my mom. 3 IV bags later, I found out I was suffering from heat exhaustion, which, if left to get any worse, would progress to heat stroke, had I remained for the second movie. Don’t make the same mistake… here are some ways to protect yourself against heat stroke.

The Power and Insanity of a Multi-Tasking Mom (Plus, Orange Dream Cooler Recipe)

July 31, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WaterOnlyBetter #CollectiveBias

What is it with moms and multitasking? It seems like we can never get a spare minute to ourselves anymore! Do you find yourself doing your face mask while you clean the bathroom? You might be suffering from not enough mom time... so read this, and relate. #WaterOnlyBetter #ad

It started after Zach was born. I had never really noticed it before, but when he was born, it really did start. Late nights spent breastfeeding meant late nights where I’d just be… awake. So, I did something I swore I would never do. I got hooked on reality TV. See, my mind wasn’t awake enough for reading, and it really couldn’t handle TV with actual plot, either, so there I’d be, lying there awake after Zach had drifted off to sleep, realizing I needed to be doing…. well, something. Anything. if I wasn’t sleeping.

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