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  • Everyday Essentials: Popsugar September #MustHaveBox Reveal

    Disclosure:  This post is sponsored by POPSUGAR Beauty and contains affiliate links.  All opinions expressed are my own.

    This past summer I partnered with POPSUGAR and tried out their June Must Have Box (see here).  Now I’m partnering with them again for their September box.  And let me tell you guys, their September box is currently my fave to date.  It’s filled with an awesome array of products that will come in handy for everyday or almost everyday usage.  Let’s take a look inside this month’s Must Have Box, shall we?

    What I Got

    Why haven’t I invested in/owned a wide brim hat before now?!  Seriously, I’m in love this hat y’all.  We’ve officially entered into our Autumn rainy season here in the Carolinas and this hat has already come in handy during a surprise rain shower.  Aside from loving the everyday functionality and the way this hat looks on me, I appreciate the fact that it has drawstrings inside the hat to allow you tighten the hat for a more custom fit.

    Don’t you hate getting a nail snag or realizing that your cuticles are looking a little raggedy when you’re on the go?  I do.  Thankfully, NCLA is here to rescue our manicures with this super cute and compact MANI-ER Tool Kit that comes with pretty much all the basic tools we’ll need to keep our nails looking good.  I was excited to see another NCLA product in this month’s Must Have Box since I enjoyed their Born On The 4th nail lacquer from my June box.  And I don’t know about y’all, but this read and white color combo will forever give me Baywatch vibes.

    Right off the bat I loved the smell of this deep conditioning mask.  It has a note of honey/nectar and reminds me of vintage perfume.  Also, being a naturalista I appreciated that this product is sulfate-free, silicon-free, paraben-free, DEA-free and free of artificial colors.  Those things can be harsh on and/or harmful for certain natural hair textures.  The more I learn about beauty and styling products and what’s good and not good for my hair and skin, I try to seek alternative brands.  So, I’m grateful that this was in this month’s Must Have Box.  It’s been a great addition to my wash routine.

    If you don’t care about parabens, then hopefully the fact that this deep conditioning mask reduces hair breakage by 81% after just 3 uses will be a key selling point for you.  It was me because I’m all about length retention.  You can check other Briogeo products below.

    !function(doc,s,id){ var e, p, cb; if(!doc.getElementById(id)) { e = doc.createElement(s); e.id = id; cb = new Date().getTime().toString(); p = ‘//shopsensewidget.shopstyle.com/widget-script.js?cb=1475262383819?cb=’ + cb; e.src = p; doc.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.ss_shopsense === ‘object’){ if(doc.readyState === ‘complete’){ window.ss_shopsense.init(); } } }(document, ‘script’, ‘shopsensewidget-script’);

      This the sleekest, chicest and most glam lint roller I’ve ever seen or owned.  Seriously, it’s no surprise that this lint roller won a RedDot Award.  Plus, I finally have travel lint roller that I can actually carry in my purse without it sticking to everything!  Flint™ is the real MVP y’all.
      !function(doc,s,id){ var e, p, cb; if(!doc.getElementById(id)) { e = doc.createElement(s); e.id = id; cb = new Date().getTime().toString(); p = ‘//shopsensewidget.shopstyle.com/widget-script.js?cb=1475262383819?cb=’ + cb; e.src = p; doc.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.ss_shopsense === ‘object’){ if(doc.readyState === ‘complete’){ window.ss_shopsense.init(); } } }(document, ‘script’, ‘shopsensewidget-script’);

      A lippie that’s pareben-free and gluten-free?  Yes, please!  Before I opened my Must Have Box, I was hoping that they’d put a lip product in it since I had nail lacquer in my last one.  When I saw this I knew my prayers had been answered!  And the color, The Warning, is perfect!  I’ve mentioned on here before that red is my power color.

      Lately I’ve been wearing a lot of red/redish plum lip colors and now I get to add this shimmery red lip lacquer into my rotation.  I will say that this formula is thick, which is okay if you’re only putting on one or two coats.  You can add more to help build up the color, but I’d just recommend putting your favorite red lipstick underneath or filling in your lips with your favorite red lip liner and doing one coat of The Warning over top.

      !function(doc,s,id){ var e, p, cb; if(!doc.getElementById(id)) { e = doc.createElement(s); e.id = id; cb = new Date().getTime().toString(); p = ‘//shopsensewidget.shopstyle.com/widget-script.js?cb=1475262383819?cb=’ + cb; e.src = p; doc.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.ss_shopsense === ‘object’){ if(doc.readyState === ‘complete’){ window.ss_shopsense.init(); } } }(document, ‘script’, ‘shopsensewidget-script’);

      Talk about deliciousness!  I can’t wait to get my hands on more of these because they just became one of my top 3 favorite snacks.  Even better is the fact that everyone in the YUMMommy household can eat these because they’re non-GMO, certified vegan, soy-free, dairy-free as well as gluten-free.  Also, I thought it was sweet that The Gluten Free Bar was started by two brothers, Marshall and Elliott, who have food allergies like my kids do.  These days I find myself drifting towards buying products that are family owned.

      Overall I’m definitely loving this month’s box more than my June box.  All together the products in this month’s Must Have Box is worth $146.98!  A monthly subscription through POPSUGAR is $39.95 + FREE shipping.  So, this was definitely a steal!  These boxes pretty much more than pay for themselves.  The products in my June box was worth over $100 as well.

      If you’re interested in starting a POPSUGAR Must Have Box subscription, be sure to use the coupoon code SHOP5 for $5 off your FIRST box!  With each box getting better, you don’t want to miss out on the chance to discover an array of new luxury products and brands.  I can’t wait until the October boxes roll out!

      What are your favorite everyday essentials?  Which item would you most like to try from this month’s Must Have Box?

    • Welcome To Monster High

      This post is sponsored by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

      One of the main reasons the YUMMommy household proudly supports the Monster High brand and series is because each movie (and book) always seems to have a positive message or lesson for kids.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:  These aren’t your average ghouls!  As a parent, I find it comforting that Moo is learning about more than being fashionable from her favorite ghoulfriends.   In their latest movie, Welcome To Monster High, Draculaura, Clawdeen, Cleo and the gang tackle the tough subjects of fighting for acceptance and how to celebrate the things that make us each unique.

      Giving all of the recent happenings in our country these past few months, many of us could use a lesson in learning not only how to accept our own differences, but the differences of others around us, too!  After all it’s our uniqueness that makes each of us great.  In Welcome To Monster High, Draculaura sets out to create a school where everyone will be accepted and welcomed as they are.  No hiding their uniqueness or differences to fit in with society, but instead creating a society where their uniqueness is embraced and celebrated instead.

      It’s really cool to have a movie completely dedicated to showing Monster High lovers how and why Monster High came to be.  However, it’s not all smooth sailing and drama free as a villainess zombie tries to stir up trouble.  Will her antics expose Monster High to still unaccepting human world and force everyone back into hiding?  Or will Draculaura and our favorite ghoulfriends save Monster High before everyone’s secret is revealed?  You’ll have to watch the movie (available Tuesday, September 27th) to find out.

      Speaking of watching the movie, I’m delighted to announce that I am giving away 3 Welcome To Monster High Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Packs.  Thanks Universal!  Entering is easy.  Just use the widget below.  Remember, you have to be 18 years or older and live in the US to enter.  Good luck!

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    • Adventures In Homeschooling

      This Summer we really enjoyed spending long days at the pool and our month long vacation at my mom’s in July.  However, as the start of the school year got closer and closer, I couldn’t help the waves of anxiety that washed over me.  I had a choice to make.  For a while I had been praying as well as weighing the pros and cons of whether to enroll JJ into traditional school with his sister or to put on my teachers hat and teach him at home (homeschool).

      Like most parents, I take my children’s education and emotional well-being seriously.  So after much consideration, some research and a slightly passionate conversation with the Mr, I finally decided that homeschooling was the right the move for JJ.  Since making my decision, I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders and I sleep much better at night now.  When it comes to homeschooling, there are several reasons/factors that make families choose this option over traditional school.  I can’t speak for every homeschooling parent, but I can share with y’all why homeschooling is the right fit for us.

      Why Homeschool Works For Us

      • One-On-One Learning

      My biggest concern about enrolling my little guy into a traditional kindergarten class was that he wasn’t going to get the one-on-one attention he’d need to be able to keep up with the rest of the class.  JJ is a slow learner.  He’s also a special needs child.  At the school he would have been going to with his sister, each teacher usually has 15 to 20 students, usually closer to the 20 students range.  It just wouldn’t be possible or feasible for his teacher to be able to pull him aside to work one-on-one with him all day.

      Also, JJ can be easily distracted.  We did a trial run of homeschooling for about a week during Summer Break and he kept getting distracted by his sister.  This is why I made the decision to let her continue with traditional school and not to join us at homeschool.  I can see my little guy’s focused being pulled into a million directions inside of a regular classroom.  He’d be overwhelmed in no time.  And when he gets overwhelmed he shuts down.

      Lesson  Plan and Schedule Flexibility

        Slow learners often times get frustrated easier and more often than the rest of us when they can’t get a concept.  This frustration can get more intense in situations where everyone else around them seems to be getting this concepts.  I’ve seen this time and time again with JJ when he’s observed his sister, cousin or a friend do something that looks easy but proves to be a challenge with him.  His frustration is more heightened when he’s around his peers compared to when he’s frustrated about the same thing when it’s just him and I.  This is where having a flexible time schedule comes in handy.

        In homeschool if he gets more frustrated than usual about something, I back off that concept for while until he cools down.  Then I can take as much time as needed to break the concept into even more smaller aspects and approach it that way so that he doesn’t get overwhelmed.  Furthermore, I have the flexibility to throw in subjects like Spanish, STEM and even a little Home Economics.  I’ll go more into detail about schedule and lessons in my weekly updates throughout the school year.

        More Hands On Learning

          Moo’s biggest complaint about school is that all she does is sit at her desk while working on worksheets, copying work from the whiteboard or reading.  Sure she gets a few minutes of carpet time to listen to a story, but she’s still sitting.  She’s her happiest on the days when her class goes to art, music and P. E.  Her kindergarten year, she got to do science and is bummed that they she hasn’t had science yet at her new school.  Long story short, she’s not getting enough hands on learning.

          JJ is very much a hands on learner.  He learns more and better by doing and through dramatic play.  Sitting down for hours at a time doing worksheets is not his speed.  Trust me, I’ve found that out in these three short weeks of us homeschooling.  So now I’m incorporating more out of the box learning activities and am finalizing the plans for our first of many field trips.

          Lunch

            I’m sure parents of children with school allergies can relate to how stressful it can be to get a school to fix your child’s lunch properly.  Moo’s first year of school, I had to rope in a little help from her teacher and the school nurse to get the cafeteria manager to stop playing games with me and fix her lunch as outlined in her diet order from her Dr.  Once they knew I had witnesses and wasn’t afraid to take the matter to the superintendent, it was smooth sailing and Moo had a blast telling me what she ate everyday.  Fast forward to last year when she got rezoned to a new school and the shenanigans have started up again.

            If I can’t trust her school to get her lunch right and she only has food allergies, how can trust them with JJ who has more food allergies than Moo as well as sensory issues with certain food textures?  I can’t.  Cafe Mom it is for the win!

            Family Time

              Have you seen those spoofs of parents praise dancing and jigging for joy on the first day of school after their kids hop on the school bus and it drives away?  Yeah, I’m not that mom.  Growing up my mom worked three jobs and we didn’t get to spend as much time together just enjoying being a family as we should have.  The bills had to get paid and we had to eat.  On the list of things I would change about my childhood, spending more time with my mom and siblings is at the top of my list.

              My mom, aunts, cousins, great cousins are educators.  So, I don’t have anything against schools in general.  I appreciate and admire how hard teachers and all the school staff works, but what I don’t appreciate is how much time it takes away from our family time.  School starts for Moo around 9 AM.  They have to be in the classroom by 9:15.  They’re supposed to get out at 4:15 PM, but they way that car rider line is setup, she doesn’t get in the car until 4:30 or 4:40 PM.

              Listen, if you live in a city be it Charlotte, Atlanta, NYC or wherever, I don’t have to tell you that certain times during the day you just don’t want to get caught in traffic.  Moo’s school lets out right at the start of rush hour traffic.  We make it home at 5 PM or a little later usually.  Then, we have to do homework, study, chores, dinner, and bath time to do it all over again the next day.  We have very little time Monday through Friday to just enjoy being a family.

              Honestly, if JJ wasn’t so easily distracted, Moo would have be homeschooling right along with us.  But I want him to really get the basics down.  However, next school year, I’m pretty positive that I’ll be pulling her out of her current school to join us at home.  There’s so much I want us to experience and explore and I don’t want to feel forced to squeeze everything in over a weekend or just during Summer Break.

              Again I can’t speak for every parent, but these are my reasons for taking control of my son’s education and homeschooling.  We’re three weeks in and it’s been challenging, but more rewarding than anything.  All the worrying, praying and convincing his dad that this was the right move has been worth it.  Join us every week starting Monday, September 19th for our Adventures In Homeschooling series as we chronicle our journey in homeschooling as well as a linkup.

              Do you homeschool?  If so, what has been your biggest challenge?

            • Thankful Thursday

              Happy Thankful Thursday!  I never get tired of typing or saying this out loud.  I don’t know about you but I get excited when Thursdays roll around.  Reflecting on all of our victories, no matter how small or big, from the week gives me a weekly reminder of how blessed my family and I truly are.  Thankful Thursdays are my reminder that I’m not doing this thing called life on my own.  There’s a greater and higher power at work in my life and the lives of my loved ones.

              This week I am giving thanks for my baby brother seeing another birthday!  Sadly, we aren’t able to celebrate it with him, but we’ve scheduled a weekend trip next month to go visit him.  I have no doubt that we will celebrate.  The kids are beyond excited to see him and spend time at the beach since we didn’t get to make it during Summer Break.

              I’m thankful that the Mr is on board with me homeschooling JJ.  I really prayed on it and asked God for guidance and just felt in my heart that he would benefit better from learning in a one-on-one setting right now.  Kindergarten is really where the major foundations of grasping certain skills starts.  I don’t want him to get be lost in the shuffle or a sea of other students.

              We decided that Moo would continue going to traditional school for now because I NEED to make sure JJ doesn’t have any distractions.  Speaking of Moo, I’m thankful that we got to meet her second grade teacher today.  She seemed nice and very personable.  We’ll see how the school year goes though.  We found out Moo’s teacher from last year went back to teaching 5th grade.  Thankfully though she’s still at Moo’s school and I can always go to her for advice and to get the scoop on Moo’s current teacher.  I’m forever grateful that she taught Moo last year and that they bonded so well because I know if I ever need someone to lookout for her, she would do it.

              Lastly, I’m grateful that my niece had a great first week back to school.  She started school last week and so far things are going well.  I feel so old because she’s almost a teenager y’all!!  For reason I just don’t feel like I should have a niece (or nephew) anywhere near teenage years.  I’m definitely proud of her though because she’s smart as a whip and overall a great a kid.

              She’s so chill, laid back and a book nerd just like the rest of our family.  I’m thankful that I’ve been able to see her grow from a baby to a preteen.  Knowing Moo has such a great role model in her older cousin makes my heart happier than words can express because those two are like sisters and inseparable whenever they’re together.

              What are you giving thanks for this week?

            • #52BooksIn2016 | June Reads & Faves

              Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.

              52 Books June

              OMG y’all, I can’t believe I forgot to recap our June reads and faves.  This post has been sitting in my drafts.  Being down at my mom’s last month without any internet really threw off my blogging schedule.  Better late than never, right?  Anyways, we set a goal of reading 100 books for Summer (June – August) and didn’t do too shabby thus far.

              We read a total of 49 books in June.  We almost knocked out half of our Summer reading goal.  A full list of the books we read and which ones were our faves are below.  Don’t forget you can find our May recap here.

              May Reads

              Click on the book covers for book summaries.

              June Faves

              1

              Moo is all about books related to animals, princesses and dance.  So this book combined of her three favorite subjects in a slightly funny story about Cat and her friend Bear, who is scared to leap because she doesn’t want to see the underpants under her tutu.  Aside from being a fun and easy read, this book fave me the opportunity to talk to Moo about always finding the courage to tackle her fears, especially if they stand in the way of your dreams or prevent you from doing whatever you love.   We also talked about how it’s important to encourage those we love to overcome their fears as well.

              2

              This was JJ’s fave.  I wasn’t the least bit surprised that he wanted to read this book a million times.  He’s very much your typical boy.  Mud and cars are definitely a few of his favorite things.  Combine them both in a book and he’s instantly hooked.  This story was super cute!  Can y’all keep a secret?  I picked up a copy of this book for him for Christmas!

              3

              I don’t even know where to start.  Why didn’t anyone tell me how awesome Sarah J. Maas was/is?  Seriously, ACOTAR has made me fall back in love with the Young Adult Fantasy/Romance genre, specifically fairy tale retellings.  I absolutely loved Feyre and Tamlin’s story.  This isn’t your typical Beauty & the Beast love story.

              The characters and Maas’s writing style had me sucked in by the end of the first chapter.  I’m really struggling NOT to give y’all ALL the details.  So I’m going to just say READ IT!

              What We’re Reading This Month

              1

              I love Giada’s Everyday Italian show on the Food Network.  It’s so cool that she branched out and started writing a children’s book series about food as well.  I can’t believe I didn’t know this already.  Anyways, I we picked up the first book from our library and can’t wait to get started on it.

              2

              It’s important for me to read books to Moo and JJ that feature main characters of colors and not just during Black History Month.  Sometimes though those books aren’t always written by authors of color which is the case with this Liberty Porter series.  Nevertheless this book seems to be a fun read so far.  I would go as far to say that this series may have been inspired the Obamas.

              3

              You guys already know that I’m obsessed with the BFF writing duo that is Christina Lauren and their Beautiful series.  I’ve read all of the main books and now I’m currently going back to catch up on the novellas.

              Well we’ve officially broken the 300 mark with 314 books read thus far.  Originally our family reading goal for the #52BooksIn2016 Reading Challenge was 150 books.  I moved our goal to 600 books last month and now we’ve passed the half way mark!  I’ve been loving this whole reading challenge and think we’ll pick another reading challenge for 2017 to do as a family.

              What’s been the best book you’ve read so far this Summer?

            • Thankful Thursday

              Happy Thankful Thursday everyone!  Can you believe it’s August already?!  Dear Summer Break, where did you go?  Please come back because I’m not ready for the school year to start yet.  I mean I’m positively prepared for the first day and all, but I just want a little bit more time of sleeping in and being able to jet off to my mom’s on a whim.   Seriously though can we push school back to like the middle of September?

              Enough lamenting over the end of Summer Break, this week I’m thankful for that Moo had a great visit at the dentist.  It had been a while since she had been thanks to our busy schedules.  Therefore, she was a little nervous.  We had been praying about her upcoming visit for a few days and she did very well.  She did have a cavity or two, but nothing to stress over.  The dentist said her teeth were very clean and was a little stumped about why she was getting cavities.

              Sensitive teeth run in my family on both sides, plus due to food allergies she doesn’t get quite as much calcium and Vitamin D.  I’m going to see what else I can do on my end to fix that.  Otherwise her mouth got a clean bill of health.  She was super excited that she got a token for the prize/game room and a new toothbrush kit.  She hasn’t let that toothbrush kit out of her sight yet.  Can’t mad that the girl is obsessed with taking care of her teeth!

              I’m also thankful that we’ll be having a mini family reunion next month!  One of my favorite cousins is getting married and I couldn’t be happier for him.  We’ve been waiting on him to settle down for a while and he’s finally found his true love.  I’m looking forward to dancing, celebrating their love and partying the night away with my other cousins, aunts, uncles and our soon-to-be new extended family members!  The best part is we’ll be at the beach!!

              Can you say mini vacation?!  The kids are already over the moon about because we’ll be staying with my brother and they just adore him.  We seriously don’t get to see him enough during the year because of the distance and he’s a law student now!  I’m stoked that we’ll have a lawyer in the family soon.

              Lastly, I’m excited that the Mr got a new job!!  I’ve been really hush hush about him leaving his old job here on the blog because I wanted to respect his privacy and I really couldn’t say too much.  I’m not ashamed to admit that things have been a bit tight money-wise but as the scripture says God never forsakes us.  He is our shepherd and we shall not want for anything. {Psalm 23}   All I can say about his new job is that is that it’s still in the law enforcement field.

              What are you giving thanks for this week?

            • How To Be Positively Prepared For Back To School

              I have received information and materials from JOHNSON & JOHNSON CONSUMER, Inc., McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division, LLC.  The opinions stated are my own.  This is a sponsored post.  #PositivelyPrepared #BacktoSchool #CollectiveBias

              Back to school season is upon us.  The last few days of summer vacation are flying by.  For some of us getting our children ready to head back into the classroom can be both a cause for celebration and a bit of a headache.  No worries moms (and dads), I have you covered.  Keep reading because I’m going to teach you how to be positively prepared for the first day of school and rock out the school year like a pro.  I even created a few printables to help out even more and make these steps easier to remember.

              How To Be Positively Prepared For Back To School

              Set A Routine/Schedule

              I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a big fan of routines.  It’s part of the reason why I love Summer Break so much.  However, not having detailed routine or structure time schedules during the school year would be a headache waiting to happen.  Maybe even a migraine.  It’s important to set routines for morning time, after school and bedtime.  The easiest way to create a customized back to school routine with your family is to sit down and list out all of the tasks you all have to do in the mornings, afternoons and evenings like breakfast, homework,  bath time, football practice, etc.

              Next you want to set what time your days will start (wake up alarm) and end (lights out alarm).  Then from there you can start pencil in which tasks can/need to be during a certain part of day (morning, after school or bedtime).  Take it a step further and add specific times during which those tasks are done if needed.  For example, we’re in the house from school by 4:30 PM.  Moo knows that first thing we thing we do after school is snack time. (Click on the image above to download your printable)

              Remember being consistent and committing to these routines is equally if not more important than setting them.  I recommend starting/practicing your back to school routines two weeks before school actually starts to get your family adjusted to your new schedule and to also work out any kinks.  Don’t forget if things change like your child signing up an additional extracurricular activity, just go back and adjust your routine/schedules as needed.

              Prepare Ahead

              I’m NOT a morning person, but of one of the things that helps me to function to better when I have to get up early during the school year is being prepared ahead of time.  I get a jump start on the next week of school by washing, ironing and hanging Moo’s uniforms up on the weekends.  Then the night before each day I hang a fresh uniform on the rack behind the bathroom door.  After she brushes her teeth, this makes it easier to for her to then get dressed for school without the stress and fuss of trying to find uniform pieces and ironing them the morning of.  It also keeps us on schedule and allows for a little bit more time of sleeping in.

              So anything that you can prepare ahead, do it.  Work smarter, not harder y’all!

              Keep Necessary Medicines On Hand

              You guys know that school is Germ City.  It’s just a fact of life.  Moo stayed catching germs from school her kindergarten year, getting sick and then spreading those germs to us at home, mainly me.  She caught the flu and almost ended up in the hospital.  She wasn’t back at school a month before she was home again after catching Strep Throat from a classmate.

              The kids and I both survived those sick moments and more not only with the help of antibiotics, but also with a little help from our favorite OTC medicines.
              Children’s MOTRIN® has been a staple in our household for years.  It tackles and relieves a fever and pain like no other pain relievers we’ve tried with the kids.  It’s long lasting (up to 8 hours), is recommended for kids 2 to 11 years old and comes in a variety of yummy flavors- Bubble Gum, Grape and Berry.

              At the end of last school year, I got sidelined when I suffered a severe back, shoulder and neck muscle sprain.  Not fun or convenient at all when you have little kids to chase after and take to school.  I was still in pain after I finished my prescription meds until the Mr introduced me to TYLENOL® 8 HR Muscle Aches & Pain.  It was perfect for me because I really didn’t want to start on prescription meds again (they can be addictive), but I didn’t want to deal with muscle aches either.  Recommended for children 12 years and older, TYLENOL® 8 HR Muscle Aches & Pain acts fast and lasts all day up to 8 hours!  Did you know TYLENOL® is the #1 brand of pain reliever recommended by doctors?

              I’m no stranger to BENGAY® and was super excited to find that my Target carries Ultra Strength BENGAY® Cream (recommended for children age 12 and older).  This perfect for me to use on days when I’ve worked my back too much and need to soothe my muscles or in case I sprain something else.  What can I say taking care of kids and everyday life activities can be tough on our bodies.  Spend a day volunteering to lift boxes of books and supplies at your child’s school and you’ll be reaching for your Ultra Strength BENGAY® Cream too!

              I purchased up all of these products from one of my local Target stores.

              Here’s the quickest and easiest tutorial you’ll probably see this year.

               How to be Prepared When Sickness Hits at Home, On the go and at School

              Step 1: Head to your local Target and pickup the following:

              – 3 Children’s MOTRIN®

              – 2 TYLENOL® 8 HR Muscle Aches & Pain

              – 2 Ultra Strength BENGAY® Cream

              – 1 box gallon zipper sandwich bags

              – 1 pack of permanent markers

              Step 2: (For Home) Store one of each product in your medicine cabinet or a cool,

              dry place that is hard to reach for children, but easy for you.

              Step 3: (For On The Go)  Use tape to secure measuring cup(s) to medicine bottle(s).

              Then place one of each product in sandwich bag and close.  Drop bag in your purse or

              diaper bag.  Store out of reach of children.

              Step 4: (For School)  Use tape to secure measuring cup(s) to medicine bottle(s).

              Then place one of each product in sandwich bag and close.  Drop bag off to school

              nurse and/or front office.  Pick up leftover medicine at end of school year

              ~ Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON OTC Products to Consider ~

              – Extra Strength TYLENOL® TYLEONAL® PM

              – Children’s TYLENOL ®

              – MOTRIN® IB

              – MOTRIN® PM

              Seriously who has time to deal with the flu and body aches?  We sure don’t and neither do you or your family!  Get positively prepared with the right pain relief for you and your family at Target.  Pick up your printable below so you can have this tutorial handy for many years to come.

              As a parent of two and having worked in the classroom, I know that it is very important to start the school year off right and headache free.  Therefore, I sincerely hope these tips, printables and tutorial will help you and your family have a smooth start to the school year.  Here’s to more laughs, no tardies and enjoying the 2016-2017 school year with your children!

              How to you make going back to school easier for your family?

            • Thankful Thursday

              Thankful Thursday

               

              Oh July, where have your days gone?  It’s hard to believe that we have slightly over a week left in this month.  Summer Break came to a close quicker than I expected.  I feel like I’m in the minority, but I’m NOT looking forward to school starting back up.  If anything all the recent tragedies have made me cherish this uninterrupted time with my family even more.  So much so that I think we’re going to give homeschooling a try, but that’s another post for another time.

              This week I am giving thanks for time spend with my loved ones.  For the last almost three weeks we’ve been enjoying the comforts of staying with my mom back in my hometown.  We came down for my niece’s 11th birthday and ended up pretty much staying, going home for clothes and to visit with the Mr twice.  I feel a little sad that his job isn’t as flexible and he hasn’t been able to come with us.

              Nevertheless, this stay is important.  Now that I’m in my thirties, I’m realizing just how older my mom is and how much older her siblings are.  For the first time in a long time, I’m reminded that life is fleeting and can be taken in an instant.  Before this trip it had been well over two years since Moo and JJ had seen my aunts or any of their cousins outside of my niece!  I didn’t want to the next time they spend time with them to be at a funeral.  I want them to get to know and love my aunts like I do.

              I’m thankful that I got to run to in one of my cousins and his family at the library.  He’s in the military and we haven’t seen each other in over five years.  Unfortunately, he hasn’t ever been stationed anywhere close to home.  I’m so grateful that he’s in good health and has been blessed enough to return home safe and without any injuries from every mission that he’s been on.  I’m even more grateful for his sacrifice that he makes everyday in serving our country.

              Before our trip to my mom’s Moo almost had a hospital stay.  Long story short she was having a severe allergic reaction to something and we couldn’t get her hives under control.  She had been taking Benadryl for two days and by day three the hives had gotten worst.  Her whole body was almost covered.  So we called the pediatrician and she said to take her to the emergency room ASAP.  I’m so grateful that when all was said and done, she only needed a few days worth of steroids.

              Thank God it wasn’t something worse.  However, I did have a brief meltdown after everyone went to bed that night.  I felt (and still feel) guilty that I have passed my kids bad genes.  While I didn’t have food or pet allergies as child, I was definitely sick often and saw the inside of my pediatrician’s office and the hospital ER more than my siblings.  I know that I can only do so much in terms of controlling my kids’ health, but that doesn’t the stop the mommy guilt during moments like this.  I hate seeing my children suffer, but what mom doesn’t?

              Lastly, I’m so thankful for everyone who has used their voices whether on social media or their blogs to come together to support the Black community (and other minorities) after all of these recent senseless shootings.  Police violence against people with brown skin has gotten out of control.  Or as a few people pointed out, maybe it’s always been out of control but we’re just now broadcasting it through live video and this is the first time we’re actually seeing it.   At the same time I am thankful for those in law enforcement (my husband and cousins included) who are working hard to make sure that we know a few bad cops/law enforcement officials don’t speak/stand for all of them.

              We are in trying time folks.  There’s no better way to say it.  We have to continue to be vocal about our frustrations, demand answers and try to build a bridge law enforcement in our area.  We have to get out here in the trenches and get our hands dirty.  That means if you see someone getting pulled over and you’re not in hurry, why not pull off to side of the road and be a witness.  Get to know your police chief and a few of your local police officers.  You will find that they are NO different than us.  I’m heartbroken over the recent killings of innocent police officers.

              That does not help the cause, but distracts from it as so many people have attached those killings to the Black Lives Matter movement, which in itself is very peaceful and against violence.  Instead express and channel your frustration by writing letters to and calling your town and state representatives as well as  being active in your community overall.  You’d be amazed at all the volunteer needs you can find in your communities.  Be smart, be safe and spread love y’all!

              What are you giving thanks for this week?

            • Summer Essentials: POPSUGAR June #MustHaveBox Reveal

              Disclosure: This post is sponsored by POPSUGAR and may contain affiliate links.  All opinions expressed are my own.

              Let’s talk Summer essentials.  Earlier last month I decided to partner with POPSUGAR and try out their June Must Have Box.  After all what better way to celebrate Summer than with a box full of goodies handpicked and created specifically for Summer?  Well my June box has arrived and I can’t wait to show you guys all the essentials that were inside!

              What I Got

              Sarongs are the perfect cover-ups for pool and beach days.  Made of 100% cotton, this sarong is long and wide enough that you can experiment with tying it different styles.  So you could opt to wear your sarong in a skirt-like style or transform it into a lightweight halter dress over your bathing suit!

              1.
              !function(doc,s,id){ var e, p, cb; if(!doc.getElementById(id)) { e = doc.createElement(s); e.id = id; cb = new Date().getTime().toString(); p = ‘//shopsensewidget.shopstyle.com/widget-script.js?cb=1477158886340?cb=’ + cb; e.src = p; doc.body.appendChild(e); } if(typeof window.ss_shopsense === ‘object’){ if(doc.readyState === ‘complete’){ window.ss_shopsense.init(); } } }(document, ‘script’, ‘shopsensewidget-script’);

              Have you ever been a cookout and found yourself struggling to open your drink?  I have.  Here in the Carolinas Blenheim Ginger Ale is a stable at BBQs and pool parties.  This ginger ale doesn’t come in a pop top can either.  You’ll need a trusty and sturdy bottle opener to pop off the cap of your Blenheim.   This can opener works well on pop top cans as well for those of us who just don’t want to risk breaking a nail.

              BBQs and pool parties in my family aren’t complete without food, music and GAMES!  This “Who Am I?” game is small enough to toss in your purse so that you can take it with you to all off your summer gatherings to test your celebrity knowledge.  Who doesn’t love a good trivia game?

              Flawless nails are a must if you’re going to be hitting up the town.  With the 4th of July coming up, your nails will be the talk of the town with this red, white and blue patriotic polish.  I’ll be adding a layer of hot pink polish underneath mine for a little extra pop of color!  Also, this polish is cruelty-free.

              I know they say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but so is a good compact mirror.  The Are You Ready compact from Knock Knock is amazing.  On the bottom there’s a regular mirror for quick fixes and on top is a magnifying mirror for more detailed touch-ups that require a little zoom-in.

              Who knew these even existed?  Vegan-friendly and aluminium-free these deodorant wipes will forever be in my purse and I’ve already ordered some to live in our pool/beach bag.  I can’t be the only one who’s run out of the house in hurry and forgot to put on deodorant.  And what about the pool/beach?  I haven’t discovered waterproof deodorant on the shelves of Target or Walmart yet.  Now I can rest easy when I get out of the water and not have to worry about getting a little smelly because my deodorant’s washed off.

              You guys know that I am all about living a healthy lifestyle.  That includes snacking as well which can be hard when you love carbs and starches.  However, with no artificial flavors or food colors, no MSG, cholesterol, chemical preservatives and 0 grams of trans fat, these crispy and thin Sriracha flavored pretzel chips can be my guilt-free summer snack.  My only complaint about these is they will make your mouth more than a bit dry.  So I recommend eating them some dip and keeping a nice glass of flavored water handy.

              Overall, POPSUGAR did a great job of curating products that scream Summer and will make your life a little bit easier whether you’re hanging with family and friends enjoying some outdoor festivities or rolling solo at pool catching up your TBR list.  This is probably one of the best box subscriptions that I’ve seen in a while.  Nothing in this box will go waste.

              You can rest easy investing in a subscription or paying as you go with the POPSUGAR Must Have Box.  They even have a mini and limited edition version.  So there’s a little something to fit every budget.  Other box subscription services could definitely take a few notes on this.  I can’t wait to find out what goodies will be in the next box!

              What are your go-to Summer Essentials?

            • Thankful Thursday

              Thankful Thursday

               

              It’s Thankful Thursday!  For some reason I feel like this week went by extra fast.  It feels weird considering it’s been rainy this week and usually when it’s rainy time seems to drag on, but this not this week.  Thankful Thursday got here again sooner than I was expecting it to.  Nevertheless, I am grateful that it’s here.

              This week I am giving thanks for the lost things that become found.  A few years ago I decided to switch back to Team Android after not being so impressed by Team iPhone.  Well, I had no clue that when you switched phone brands only your number and carrier account information switched with you.  I’d switched to Team iPhone during my pregnancy with JJ and it wasn’t until he was almost two years old that I switched to a Samsung Galaxy.  My iPhone with filled with over one thousand photos and videos of my kids.

              I’m taking JJ’s first Christmas and Moo’s first Southern snow day.  Well, I thought I had lost all of those photos until I was filming a video for my YouTube channel and needed a bigger memory card.  I put the memory card into my computer just to check to make sure I didn’t have anything on it and low and behold it did.  I got comfortable, preparing to just delete whatever was on the card, but then I clicked on one of the folders and there were all the photos and videos I thought that I had lost.

              I have no clue how they got on there since iPhones don’t have memory card slots.  It’s a miracle for sure.  Maybe, I was able to get the photos through my iCloud or something and forgot that I put them on a memory card, but I’m glad that stumbled across this memory card.  One of the videos that I had mourned the loss of was of JJ taking his first steps at the library.

              I cried watching rewatching those clips today.  Unfortunately, I did lose the video of Moo’s first steps.  I transferred from my phone to my computer and the file got corrupted, but to think that history was almost repeating itself a second time, I was heartbroken.  Words can’t explain how thankful I am to have these documented memories restored to me.  Moments like:

              ThankfulThursday June 30th (5)

              This was JJ’s first day home from the hospital.  I (we) was so tired because my milk came in late while we were in the hospital which meant that he was nursing around the clock trying to get every last bit of colostrum he could.  To make matters worst his weight dropped and they were threatening to keep us both another day.  The Mr caved and gave him one bottle of formula which made me turn into a crazed mama bear.  My heart was set on having a second successful breastfeeding experience and a part of me just knew he was going to end up having a dairy allergy.

              ThankfulThursday June 30th (3)

              This was Moo’s first ride on the light rail.  Can you tell that she’s excited.  It was also one of those rare days that Daddy was able to tag along with us because he didn’t have to go to work.  She was over the moon to have him sit with her and listen to her chatter about all the sights outside her window.  My heart was so full this day.

              ThankfulThursday June 30th (4)

              While Moo has always been her brother’s biggest fan, the same couldn’t be said about him.  It was hard getting these two in a picture together because JJ did not like sharing his spotlight.  That sucks when you’re like me and just want to capture the simple everyday moments.  But this is one of my fave photos of my two heartbeats.  I was taking a break from folding laundry to hang out on the bed and watch TV.

              ThankfulThursday June 30th (2)

              I absolutely love this picture of Moo!  Her smile is just so adorable.  Seriously, could you resist this sweet face?!  Looking at how small she was here only makes me want to try harder to appreciate these years before she goes off to college.  Times flies.

              ThankfulThursday June 30th

              I feel like JJ’s first flew by.  He was just beginning to start teething (hence the drool) when I took this picture and he’s been growing full speed ever since.   He was such a low maintenance baby and is that way for the most part.  Such sweet memories!  I can’t wait to print these pictures out and put them in photo albums.  I didn’t capture these moments to have them waste away on a memory card.

              Lastly, this week I’m thanks for my siblings!  Hands down they are best and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.  They always know the right words to say and are constantly doing what they can to be supportive of YUMMommy.  I love you guys!

              What’s on your gratitude list this week?  Let me know in the comments below.