MARVELous Superhero Lunch Ideas

September 16, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 2 Comments

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

I’ve been a MARVEL fan for as long as I can remember. Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow… I love them all. And as MARVEL fever has hit just about everyone, it has only made my passion for the characters and powerful themes even stronger. And, because I know it can be SO hard to think of great lunches now that it’s time for back-to-school, I came up with a few fun MARVEL themed lunch ideas that will help keep your rotation of delicious lunches fun and exciting for your children. I started by picking 3 superheroes I really love– the Hulk, Captain America, and Spiderman.

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.

Barbecue Chicken Skewers with Creamy Ranch Dip

August 18, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama 1 Comment

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

This snack hack is perfect for party entertaining or for upgrading your afterschool snack for your teen. These easy barbecue chicken skewers with a creamy ranch dip take only minutes to make and have so much flavor-- your teens will love it! It's the perfect back-to-school snack. Plus, the creamy ranch is so versatile that you can use it for tons of different treats! #BackYourSnack #Ad

I cannot believe Jeffrey is starting high school this year. While he’s still homeschooled, many of his friends, and our exchange student, are in public school, which means when school lets out around 3:00, our house becomes the social hub as all of his friends come over. It means we need snacks, LOTS of snacks, to satisfy the insatiable study group we have around our house these days. Luckily, I’ve come up with a foolproof snack that everyone loves. And, if you’ve got a Snack Hack using FarmRich and Walmart Fresh items, you could actually win $10,000, so keep reading and share YOUR back-to-school Snack Hack. Mine snack hack? Delicious barbecue chicken skewers with creamy ranch dip. With only 4 ingredients plus some herbs and spices you probably have on hand, it’s the perfect recipe for snack time.

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.

Beach Bag Mom Essentials!

June 19, 2015 - Mama Leave a comment

Packing your beach bag for summer fun? Don't forget to pack these essentials when you head to the beach on your summer travels! Vacation time is hectic and it's easy to forget-- but this list will help you out! #Sponsored #CleverGirls #OREOMultipack

Summer vacation is always a ton of fun, but for moms, it can be a ton of stress. It seems like before we go anywhere– the museum, the beach, the park– we have to make sure we’ve got everything for all of the kids. I’ve been prone to forget things again and again, so I’ve now got a tried-and-true list for what must go in my beach bag every time!

How to Get Your Car (And Family!) Road Trip Ready!

June 10, 2015June 12, 2015 - Mama 3 Comments

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

Are you road trip ready? It's more than just packing a few snacks-- it's total car re-organization! Don't miss these must-have checklist items to be sure your car AND your family have everything they need for a safe and fun road trip, whether you're traveling 3 hours or 18 hours! | travel | traveling with kids | #FuelTheLove | #Ad

Every year, we take several summer trips– some are close (an hour to the Kansas City), and some are far (18 hours to our favorite island destination). All of these require a little bit of planning to make sure our car, and the kids, will get there without breaking down or totally losing it on each other. After a few summers, I think we’ve got this down to an art, so I wanted to share my best road trip tips with you so you will be totally ready for your summer vacation!

Why Moms are Basically Superheroes

May 27, 2015 - Mama 2 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #V8EnergyBoost #CollectiveBias

Come on, moms, we do it all-- quick changes after baby spit up, mind control through redirection techniques, and the power of sonic hearing! Moms are essentially superheroes, with a whole list of incredible superpowers! What's your super power? #V8EnergyBoost #Ad

My son has gotten really into superheroes lately. Every time I ask what he wants to watch before bed, it’s always, always superheroes. And the other night when I was watching, I realized with all of the quick changes, invisibility, and super speed, Super Powers really aren’t that far removed from what being a mom is like. Moms, we’re basically superheroes, and I’m pretty sure our families don’t know our secret identity, but if you aren’t convinced, here are a few ways that moms are pretty much superheroes…

The $1 DIY Gift Box (And How to Create a Last-Minute Gift under $15!)

May 25, 2015May 28, 2015 - Mama 8 Comments

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

Did you forget a birthday until the last minute, and now there's no room in your budget? Trust me, you've got this-- try this awesome $1 reusable gift box idea that is personalized to the recipient, and see ideas for last-minute gift giving under $15. Don't let a forgotten birthday get you down! #SendSmiles #Ad

I am the worst when it comes to birthdays. A few years ago, I thought I’d get better– I made this great birthday calendar of everyone’s birthdays and thought “I’ll never forget a card again!” However, instead of helping me remember the birthdays, it just made me realize I’d forgotten to plan for them. And what usually happened on the rare occasion I did remember, was that I didn’t really have a ton of room in the budget anyway. Then, I realized that planning for birthdays didn’t have to be that hard or that expensive if I kept some great gear on hand for birthdays (and if I could find some really affordable go-to gift options!)

Coca-Cola, Cupcakes, and Crafting Party!

May 8, 2015January 13, 2017 - Mama Leave a comment

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

We’ve all either been to one, been invited to one, or seen one (or fifty) on our Facebook newsfeeds… I’m talking those “corks and canvases” or “pints and portraits” or… whatever the spin on a whine and painting class is in your area. But here’s the deal. There is a much better option this summer for you to share with your friends– and it involves Coke, Cupcakes, and Crafts.

Mama Plus One

Making Life Easy So You Can Get Back to What Matters Most

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