PEOPLE magazine (sponsored) This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of InStyle®, PEOPLE®, and StyleWatch®. The opinions and text are all mine. How to find some " Me Time"! Something a lot of us don't get nearly enough of, but that is so important to our health, well-being, and of course, our sanity to give yourself a break. I personally don't get a lot of me time. I work full time, and I raise three kids full time. So between running kids to school, activities, playdates, working, housework, cooking meals, running errands, and volunteering in class, there's not a whole lot of time left over. And when there is I'm normally asleep ... or resting one eye while making lists in my head of the next day's to-do list, or trying to remember what that song was from last year … [Read more...]
Sweet Meets Spicy
I love having a large family. I love spending days getting my five kids to and from school, chasing after my toddler all day long, and then making sure everyone gets a full belly before the nighttime routine begins. The days are long, that's for sure. But, I truly wouldn't have it any other way. At the end of every day, I wholeheartedly look forward to a few minutes of "me time." I slip into my pajamas, go to the kitchen, prepare a warm mug of TAZO® Chai Latte K-Cup® pods in my Keurig®, and sit down for a nice quiet evening with The Bachelorette or a good book. There’s something about the rich, creamy taste of an authentic TAZO® Chai Latte, with every sip providing a spicy and sweet escape. And, goodness knows, I'm looking for an escape at the end of each and every day. What is a … [Read more...]
Get Cozy with Starbucks Hot Cocoa Keurig K-Cups
(Sponsored) This post was sponsored by Starbucks as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received compensation and complimentary products to facilitate my review. Living in Florida, it honestly doesn't get too terribly cold here. I know you all in the north get super low temps, and you'll probably laugh when I tell you what "cold" is to me. Yesterday we woke up to a frigid 40 degrees, and it didn't get any warmer than 65 degrees all day. When it's that cold in Florida you'll see everyone in scarves, down jackets and fur-lined boots. Folks who have retired from the north, or who didn't grow up here, will probably be wearing shorts and flip flops in our "cold" weather. I'm not kidding. On days like this my kids enjoy coming home from school and fixing a nice … [Read more...]
Mom’s Dream Kitchen Makeover
(Sponsored) This post is sponsored by Sears. All opinions are my own. When I was growing up, I was an only child. Well, I have half siblings, but, unfortunately, we didn't become close until I was an adult. So, when I got married, I knew I wanted a large family. Three to four kids was what I dreamed of. The overachiever that I am had FIVE kids. I have a very modest sized kitchen. I don't know the exact square footage, but I will say that when I'm cooking dinner I would prefer for the kids to NOT be in the kitchen. If one of the kids is getting a drink from the refrigerator and I need to grab the butter, they're in my way. If one of the kids is coming inside from playing outside and needs to wash their hands and I need to rinse the veggies, they're in my way. You can only imagine … [Read more...]
8 Easy Kitchen Hacks for Busy Moms
This post is sponsored by Sears. All opinions are my own. It's the holidays, it's the end of the year, and the kids are home for Winter Break. What will all of us busy moms do to stay merry and bright?? How will we remain sane until they go back to school in 2016?? I have 8 Kitchen Hacks that will, at least, keep our kitchen more organized and tidy while the kids are home non-stop for two weeks. /1/ Want to make a quick and easy breakfast using only your waffle maker?? Try making cinnamon rolls or hash browns in your waffle maker! Easy clean and no piles of dirty dishes. /2/ Next time you bake brownies, use a plastic knife to cut brownies and never have a gooey-gooey, crumby mess again. It works, I promise. image via /3/ The kids will surely be in and out of the … [Read more...]
Must See One-Woman Show: MotherStruck!
(Disclosure) I participated in the MotherStruck! blog program as a member of the One2One Network. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own. Recently a dear friend of mine invited me to join her to see the one-woman show MotherStruck! written and performed by poet and LBGT Activist, Staceyann Chin, directed by Cynthia Nixon and produced by Rosie O'Donnell with NYC Culture Project. Having never attended a one-woman/person show, I was unsure what to expect. The show sets forth Staceyann Chin’s personal journey to motherhood as a single woman, lesbian, and activist who does not have health insurance or a “serious, stable financial setup,” but wants to have a child. Told through Chin’s uniquely personal and poetic lens, this solo show explores how the process changed her life and … [Read more...]
