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Thankful Thursday

Did you miss me?  I certainly missed you all while I was away at the Conversations With Coca-Cola Blogger Conference in Atlanta earlier this week.  I’m so thankful that I was given the opportunity to go.  The knowledge and experience I gained can only be described as life changing and eye opening.  I have a new sense of self-pride, motivation and inspiration.
I’m thankful to have met some great fellow mom bloggers like @lifeofrylie, @onemomsworld, @mommasgonecity and @beccasara to name a few.  The people from Coca-Cola were amazing.  They really made us feel at home and did their best to accommodate us and our families.  Speaking of family, I’m extremely thankful that my mom and younger sister were able to tag along and keep Moo and JJ entertained during the day.
It was great being able to take my kids on their first road trip.  And this was JJ’s first major out of state trip and Moo’s second.  Now that I think they’ve gotten the hang of traveling, I’m ready to put more stamps on our travel map.  On a sad note, I didn’t get to meet up with my cousin. Let’s just say that I’ll be investing in a car charger and a mini address book.  However, we’re connecting via Skype and are going to meet up in October!
We decided that 4 hours and 2 states will not keep us from meeting face to face.  I’m so anxious to know more about my father’s family outside of my aunts and uncles.  I’m thankful that we made it home safe.  We overcame rain, bad traffic and multiple stops to get back to the Queen City.  I was so happy to see my bed.
What are you thankful for?

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Thankful Thursday

Did you miss me?  I certainly missed you all while I was away at the Conversations With Coca-Cola Blogger Conference in Atlanta earlier this week.  I’m so thankful that I was given the opportunity to go.  The knowledge and experience I gained can only be described as life changing and eye opening.  I have a new sense of self-pride, motivation and inspiration.
I’m thankful to have met some great fellow mom bloggers like @lifeofrylie, @onemomsworld, @mommasgonecity and @beccasara to name a few.  The people from Coca-Cola were amazing.  They really made us feel at home and did their best to accommodate us and our families.  Speaking of family, I’m extremely thankful that my mom and younger sister were able to tag along and keep Moo and JJ entertained during the day.
It was great being able to take my kids on their first road trip.  And this was JJ’s first major out of state trip and Moo’s second.  Now that I think they’ve gotten the hang of traveling, I’m ready to put more stamps on our travel map.  On a sad note, I didn’t get to meet up with my cousin. Let’s just say that I’ll be investing in a car charger and a mini address book.  However, we’re connecting via Skype and are going to meet up in October!
We decided that 4 hours and 2 states will not keep us from meeting face to face.  I’m so anxious to know more about my father’s family outside of my aunts and uncles.  I’m thankful that we made it home safe.  We overcame rain, bad traffic and multiple stops to get back to the Queen City.  I was so happy to see my bed.
What are you thankful for?

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Counting Calories With Coca-Cola

Coming 2013, counting calories will be a little bit easier thanks to the folks over at Coca-Cola.  A few weeks ago, I was checking out their new blog, Unbottled, and read about how they are teaming up with the American Beverage Association and the cities of San Antonio and Chicago to roll out their new Calories Count™ Vending Program to assist with the cities’ “wellness challenge.”   The purpose of this challenge is to encourage city employees and their families to get healthier and shed a few pounds by being both active and cautious of the calories they in-take.
To do their part in helping Coca-Cola will display the number calories in each beverage selection offered in their vending machines.  By doing so, employees can choose the beverage that is just right for them.  These vending machines will be rolled out in San Antonio and Chicago first and will roll out through the US later next year.
See the calories displayed right there on the front of each drink selection

I for one am super excited about this.  My family and I try to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.  However, I don’t go around memorizing all the calories that are in my favorite drinks and foods.  Having the calories displayed right there in front of me while I’m making my selection will help to me make better drink selections not just for myself but for children as well.  So, keep your eyes peeled for these next year!

Do you think more beverage companies should follow suit?

Disclaimer:  I was not compensated in any way for this post.  I just love Coca-Cola and thought this was great info to pass on!

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Counting Calories With Coca-Cola

Coming 2013, counting calories will be a little bit easier thanks to the folks over at Coca-Cola.  A few weeks ago, I was checking out their new blog, Unbottled, and read about how they are teaming up with the American Beverage Association and the cities of San Antonio and Chicago to roll out their new Calories Count™ Vending Program to assist with the cities’ “wellness challenge.”   The purpose of this challenge is to encourage city employees and their families to get healthier and shed a few pounds by being both active and cautious of the calories they in-take.
To do their part in helping Coca-Cola will display the number calories in each beverage selection offered in their vending machines.  By doing so, employees can choose the beverage that is just right for them.  These vending machines will be rolled out in San Antonio and Chicago first and will roll out through the US later next year.
See the calories displayed right there on the front of each drink selection

I for one am super excited about this.  My family and I try to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.  However, I don’t go around memorizing all the calories that are in my favorite drinks and foods.  Having the calories displayed right there in front of me while I’m making my selection will help to me make better drink selections not just for myself but for children as well.  So, keep your eyes peeled for these next year!

Do you think more beverage companies should follow suit?

Disclaimer:  I was not compensated in any way for this post.  I just love Coca-Cola and thought this was great info to pass on!

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Show Your Heart

So February isn’t just Black History Month.  It’s also Women’s Heart Health Month as well.  And so today I just wanted to take the time out to talk a little bit about the number 1 killer of women in America- heart disease.  Yes, contrary to popular belief, breast cancer is not the number 1 killer of women.
1 in 3 women dies from complications related to heart disease.  I decided to write about this because as I’ve mentioned on here before I loss both of my maternal grandparents to complications related to heart disease.  And that’s something that’s bothered me my whole life because I was just a baby when they passed away.  Although, I got to meet them and they got to meet me, I didn’t get the chance to make and create memories like my friends did with their grandparents.
Being that I have three sisters, it’s pretty likely that one of us may very well suffer from this horrible disease.  And that scares me more than anything in this world.  I’ve heard this disease is worst than cancer because it’s quick and sometimes silent killer!  My grandparents died in mere months of being diagnosed.
However, there are preventive measures you can take to lower your risk like knowing your family’s healthy history, eating right, exercising and shedding excessive weight.  Even more important is the research that is being done to help combat this disease.  And one of my favorite companies-Coca Cola- has paired up with The Heart Truth campaign to help raise money for to fund more research for better treatment and hopefully a cure in the future.
During the entire month of February, for every Diet Coke/Coca Cola fan who tweets or instagrams a heart inspired picture using the hashtag #ShowYourHeart, Diet Coke will donate $1 (up to $100,000) to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health to help fund more research and programs specifically related to heart health.  I definitely encourage you to do your part and get to tweeting and instagramming.  
That $100,000 donation could very well help doctors discover a cure or medicine that could very well save your life or your daughter’s life!  I know that I wish doctors knew half of what they know now when my grandparents were alive.  Who knows how different my life would have been.  Don’t let this opportunity to give back to such a wonderful cause pass you by.  Help fight heart disease today!!
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post.  I truly believe in giving back to great causes, especially those that I or a loved one has been affected by personally.
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Show Your Heart

So February isn’t just Black History Month.  It’s also Women’s Heart Health Month as well.  And so today I just wanted to take the time out to talk a little bit about the number 1 killer of women in America- heart disease.  Yes, contrary to popular belief, breast cancer is not the number 1 killer of women.
1 in 3 women dies from complications related to heart disease.  I decided to write about this because as I’ve mentioned on here before I loss both of my maternal grandparents to complications related to heart disease.  And that’s something that’s bothered me my whole life because I was just a baby when they passed away.  Although, I got to meet them and they got to meet me, I didn’t get the chance to make and create memories like my friends did with their grandparents.
Being that I have three sisters, it’s pretty likely that one of us may very well suffer from this horrible disease.  And that scares me more than anything in this world.  I’ve heard this disease is worst than cancer because it’s quick and sometimes silent killer!  My grandparents died in mere months of being diagnosed.
However, there are preventive measures you can take to lower your risk like knowing your family’s healthy history, eating right, exercising and shedding excessive weight.  Even more important is the research that is being done to help combat this disease.  And one of my favorite companies-Coca Cola- has paired up with The Heart Truth campaign to help raise money for to fund more research for better treatment and hopefully a cure in the future.
During the entire month of February, for every Diet Coke/Coca Cola fan who tweets or instagrams a heart inspired picture using the hashtag #ShowYourHeart, Diet Coke will donate $1 (up to $100,000) to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health to help fund more research and programs specifically related to heart health.  I definitely encourage you to do your part and get to tweeting and instagramming.  
That $100,000 donation could very well help doctors discover a cure or medicine that could very well save your life or your daughter’s life!  I know that I wish doctors knew half of what they know now when my grandparents were alive.  Who knows how different my life would have been.  Don’t let this opportunity to give back to such a wonderful cause pass you by.  Help fight heart disease today!!
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post.  I truly believe in giving back to great causes, especially those that I or a loved one has been affected by personally.
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Light And Refreshing With Minute Maid

Disclaimer: This giveaway is sponsored by Minute Maid.  All opinions written below are 100% my own!

If there’s one thing about my family that I take seriously it is their health and nutrition.  I come from a family history of obesity, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and heart issues.  The best way to keep these diseases at bay is by eating and drinking healthy.  This can be hard for me because I struggle with the selecting healthier drink options part.  I love fruit juices, but the problem is that most of them are loaded down with added sugars and way too many calories than my body would care to burn off.

Being the juice addict that I am, I was excited when I opened the big box above and discovered that my friends over at Minute Maid had sent me some goodies in the form of fruit juice to try out.  Like me, they are concerned about the lifestyles of their consumers and now offer a variety of drink options to suit everyone’s nutritional need.  Included in that variety is their line of Minute Maid Light juice beverages.  They recently added 3 new flavors-Light Raspberry with Tea, Light Peach with Tea and Light Mango Passion- to their lineup as well as a No Pulp Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Light Orange Juice joining their Low Pulp Light Pure Squeezed Orange Juice with calcium and Vitamin D.
I got a chance to try the Light Raspberry with Tea, No Pulp Light Pure Squeezed Orange Juice and picked up some of their Light Pink Lemonade (not pictured below).  Let that all of the juices tasted yummy.  Healthy doesn’t have to mean flavorless.

The Light Raspberry with Tea and Light Pink Lemonade both have only 15 calories per 8 fl oz serving which is 85% less calories than other fruit drinks.  The Light Raspberry with Tea was very light and refreshing.  Kind of gave a spa like vibe.  I will definitely be using it as a liquid base for my berry smoothies in the future also.  The Light Pink Lemonade really has some kick to it.  That was perfect for Moo because she’s crazy about lemons and love their tangy taste.
I enjoyed the Light Pure Squeezed No Pulp Orange Juice too.  I’m not a pulp drinker at all when it comes to juice!  It has 50% fewer calories and 50% less sugar than most orange juices.  And you get 50 calories for every 8 fl oz you drink.  Pretty easy to work off compared to those orange juices with 100 or more calories. It’s also not made from concentrate.  So, you can rest assured that you’re getting mostly pure squeezed orange juice and a pin drop of orange juice with tons of artificial flavoring.
Well, I’ve given the new Minute Maid Light juices my two thumbs up, I would love to give you guys a chance to try it out for yourselves.  So, I’m giving away 3 coupons for a FREE (up to $3.99) One 59 fl oz Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Light Orange Juice Beverage (any variety).  Use the Rafflecopter widget below on how to enter.  You can also check out Minute Maid on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products releases and coupon savings!
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Light And Refreshing With Minute Maid

Disclaimer: This giveaway is sponsored by Minute Maid.  All opinions written below are 100% my own!

If there’s one thing about my family that I take seriously it is their health and nutrition.  I come from a family history of obesity, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and heart issues.  The best way to keep these diseases at bay is by eating and drinking healthy.  This can be hard for me because I struggle with the selecting healthier drink options part.  I love fruit juices, but the problem is that most of them are loaded down with added sugars and way too many calories than my body would care to burn off.

Being the juice addict that I am, I was excited when I opened the big box above and discovered that my friends over at Minute Maid had sent me some goodies in the form of fruit juice to try out.  Like me, they are concerned about the lifestyles of their consumers and now offer a variety of drink options to suit everyone’s nutritional need.  Included in that variety is their line of Minute Maid Light juice beverages.  They recently added 3 new flavors-Light Raspberry with Tea, Light Peach with Tea and Light Mango Passion- to their lineup as well as a No Pulp Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Light Orange Juice joining their Low Pulp Light Pure Squeezed Orange Juice with calcium and Vitamin D.
I got a chance to try the Light Raspberry with Tea, No Pulp Light Pure Squeezed Orange Juice and picked up some of their Light Pink Lemonade (not pictured below).  Let that all of the juices tasted yummy.  Healthy doesn’t have to mean flavorless.

The Light Raspberry with Tea and Light Pink Lemonade both have only 15 calories per 8 fl oz serving which is 85% less calories than other fruit drinks.  The Light Raspberry with Tea was very light and refreshing.  Kind of gave a spa like vibe.  I will definitely be using it as a liquid base for my berry smoothies in the future also.  The Light Pink Lemonade really has some kick to it.  That was perfect for Moo because she’s crazy about lemons and love their tangy taste.
I enjoyed the Light Pure Squeezed No Pulp Orange Juice too.  I’m not a pulp drinker at all when it comes to juice!  It has 50% fewer calories and 50% less sugar than most orange juices.  And you get 50 calories for every 8 fl oz you drink.  Pretty easy to work off compared to those orange juices with 100 or more calories. It’s also not made from concentrate.  So, you can rest assured that you’re getting mostly pure squeezed orange juice and a pin drop of orange juice with tons of artificial flavoring.
Well, I’ve given the new Minute Maid Light juices my two thumbs up, I would love to give you guys a chance to try it out for yourselves.  So, I’m giving away 3 coupons for a FREE (up to $3.99) One 59 fl oz Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Light Orange Juice Beverage (any variety).  Use the Rafflecopter widget below on how to enter.  You can also check out Minute Maid on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products releases and coupon savings!
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Take It To The Park

Disclaimer:  This post is sponsored by Coca-Cola.  I was not compensated for this post.  All opinions are 100% my own.

We’re in the thick of summer and there’s only one place that my kids want to be-the park!  For JJ, the park is a place he can go and attempt to feast on sand candy. (Oh the anxiety I get with that kid.)  Moo on the other hand knows that the sand is not for eating and prefers to enjoy the challenges of the jungle gym like the monkey bars, going down the tall slide (she doesn’t like heights) and climbing wall.

For me going to the park as a family is a magical experience.  JJ magically doesn’t run the camera when I try snap pictures of him.  Moo magically transforms into this budding social butterfly.  And the fact that I’m usually able to better keep up with my two kids than some of the other parent are able to keep up with their one magically makes me feel less mommy guilt about other areas of motherhood that still need improvements on my part.
Most importantly what I love about the park is that we’re out doing something that’s healthy.  The kids and I are being active instead of just sitting on a couch watching tv all day or getting sucked into social media.  We’re laughing, smiling, running around, swinging, making sand castles, throwing balls and bonding.  We’re making memories and relishing just being able to be with each other.
Source
And living in the Queen City, we get a chance to explore several different parks.  We have two parks less than a 2 miles from our front door that we like to enjoy when it’s not too hot or rainy out.  If we’re looking for more of nature park to take in duck sightings or look for butterflies, there’s always the beloved Freedom Park.  We don’t get out there much because it’s a bit of drive from our end of the city, but I would say that it’s our favorite park to go to.  
It was the first park we took Moo to here.  I can still remember watching her as tried to take in the sights.  The dogs (she loves them even though she’s allergic), the ducks and geese in the pond, the people fishing, the other kids…  And although the playground is always overcrowded and there’s hardly room to move around, it’s the one place she doesn’t mind being around a lot of people.  I guess the excitement of having fun outweighs her dislike for large crowds.  She loves to walk over the bridge sometimes.
JJ’s been a couple of times but I can’t wait until he’s older.  He’ll really appreciate it then.  I already love it for him because there’s hardly any sand.  Lots of grass, some concrete walkways and a mulch covered playground.  No fears of him eating any sand pies or cookies. LOL.
Enjoying the nature trail
I know that we often times feel like if we’re not spending money on entertainment our kids won’t enjoy it as much, but that’s just not true.  Taking advantage of your local parks whenever possible is the best free fun you’ll ever have as a family.  You’ll have even more fun if you get out there and be active with them.  Don’t just hold down the bench with the other parents.  

Some goodies from Coca-Cola that we enjoyed at the park

Get there and remember what it was like to be there age.  Rediscover that rush you felt knowing there was nothing but space for you to run around in and you could use your outside voice.  Make those memories now while you still can.  Cherish these moments while they’re still happening.  Turn off the tvs and take it to the park people!

Need more of an incentive to get out and get active with the kiddies?  Well, I’m giving away a $20 Subway gift card and red &white beach ball thanks to my friends at Coca-Cola to one you lucky readers as of the America Is Your Park campaign.  All you have to do is snap and post a picture of you and/or your family being active at the park on Twitter or Instagram using hashtage #TakeItToThePark and tagging @yummommies!  Use the Rafflecopter widget below to record your entries.
I can’t wait to see all of your pics!  You can also help your park win $100,000 for help rebuild and enhance its features by voting for your favorite park here.  And don’t forget to spread the word so that your park can win.
What’s your and/or you’re family’s favorite thing about going to the park?
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Take It To The Park

Disclaimer:  This post is sponsored by Coca-Cola.  I was not compensated for this post.  All opinions are 100% my own.

We’re in the thick of summer and there’s only one place that my kids want to be-the park!  For JJ, the park is a place he can go and attempt to feast on sand candy. (Oh the anxiety I get with that kid.)  Moo on the other hand knows that the sand is not for eating and prefers to enjoy the challenges of the jungle gym like the monkey bars, going down the tall slide (she doesn’t like heights) and climbing wall.

For me going to the park as a family is a magical experience.  JJ magically doesn’t run the camera when I try snap pictures of him.  Moo magically transforms into this budding social butterfly.  And the fact that I’m usually able to better keep up with my two kids than some of the other parent are able to keep up with their one magically makes me feel less mommy guilt about other areas of motherhood that still need improvements on my part.
Most importantly what I love about the park is that we’re out doing something that’s healthy.  The kids and I are being active instead of just sitting on a couch watching tv all day or getting sucked into social media.  We’re laughing, smiling, running around, swinging, making sand castles, throwing balls and bonding.  We’re making memories and relishing just being able to be with each other.
Source
And living in the Queen City, we get a chance to explore several different parks.  We have two parks less than a 2 miles from our front door that we like to enjoy when it’s not too hot or rainy out.  If we’re looking for more of nature park to take in duck sightings or look for butterflies, there’s always the beloved Freedom Park.  We don’t get out there much because it’s a bit of drive from our end of the city, but I would say that it’s our favorite park to go to.  
It was the first park we took Moo to here.  I can still remember watching her as tried to take in the sights.  The dogs (she loves them even though she’s allergic), the ducks and geese in the pond, the people fishing, the other kids…  And although the playground is always overcrowded and there’s hardly room to move around, it’s the one place she doesn’t mind being around a lot of people.  I guess the excitement of having fun outweighs her dislike for large crowds.  She loves to walk over the bridge sometimes.
JJ’s been a couple of times but I can’t wait until he’s older.  He’ll really appreciate it then.  I already love it for him because there’s hardly any sand.  Lots of grass, some concrete walkways and a mulch covered playground.  No fears of him eating any sand pies or cookies. LOL.
Enjoying the nature trail
I know that we often times feel like if we’re not spending money on entertainment our kids won’t enjoy it as much, but that’s just not true.  Taking advantage of your local parks whenever possible is the best free fun you’ll ever have as a family.  You’ll have even more fun if you get out there and be active with them.  Don’t just hold down the bench with the other parents.  

Some goodies from Coca-Cola that we enjoyed at the park

Get there and remember what it was like to be there age.  Rediscover that rush you felt knowing there was nothing but space for you to run around in and you could use your outside voice.  Make those memories now while you still can.  Cherish these moments while they’re still happening.  Turn off the tvs and take it to the park people!

Need more of an incentive to get out and get active with the kiddies?  Well, I’m giving away a $20 Subway gift card and red &white beach ball thanks to my friends at Coca-Cola to one you lucky readers as of the America Is Your Park campaign.  All you have to do is snap and post a picture of you and/or your family being active at the park on Twitter or Instagram using hashtage #TakeItToThePark and tagging @yummommies!  Use the Rafflecopter widget below to record your entries.
I can’t wait to see all of your pics!  You can also help your park win $100,000 for help rebuild and enhance its features by voting for your favorite park here.  And don’t forget to spread the word so that your park can win.
What’s your and/or you’re family’s favorite thing about going to the park?