And, well, you can just imagine how happy I was to hear my dear crush had released a new album. Just in time for Summer and evenings spent on the deck, drinking a nice glass of wine!

His newest album, To Be Loved, features both some of his renditions of classic songs that I’ve always loved and some originals.

Listening to his music makes me want to transport back in time when kids would giggle in the hallway as they watched their mom and dad dance around the living room. I’m such a sap. And Bublé does a great Frank Sinatra! But I also love his originals on this album. Written from inspiration from his own life, they are amazing!

Seriously, To Love Somebody and Young At Heart? LOVE!

You can download your own copy of To Be Loved on iTunes or Amazon today!

Ok, just one more picture…

I  participated in this campaign for One2One Network. I received a free copy of the album to facilitate my review. By posting, I am eligible for incentives. All opinions stated are my own.

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Today is my preschooler’s last day of school for the year. My older daughter will be finishing up just 2 weeks later. Then we are officially on Summer Vacation. Ahh, sweet Summer Vacation. Sleeping in until late morning. Lounging around in our pjs until noon. Peacefully reading a book in my lawn chair while the kids play so wonderfully together in the yard…..

Hahahahahahaha! Oh, wait, let me snap back into reality! I have three kids under the age of 7. There is no sleeping in. If anything, they are up even earlier during the Summer months. So, our days will begin no later than 7am and from that point on I will be continually questioned as to what we’re going to do today, when are we going, what will we do next!

And, so, survival mode kicks in. And the coffee.

I’ve written before about how I’ve never been a big coffee drinker, despite my family’s deep love for the drink. But then, somewhere around the third kid, it happened. And I haven’t turned back.

But I’m just a one cup-a-day person. Late morning or early afternoon as a little pick-me-up. A delicious, five or ten minutes to myself, pick-me-up.

I recently was asked to try out the New Maxwell House Single Serve Cups to see how I liked it or how it compared to my regular cup of joe. Maxwell House? As in the same blue can of coffee I remember seeing growing up sitting on my grandparents’ and parents’ kitchen counters? Hmm…interesting. Let’s do this!

So off to Walmart I went to find the New Maxwell House Cafe Collection Single Serve Cups. I opted for the House Blend, a medium roast. And I quickly realized why it was a staple in my family’s homes. It has a classic, honest taste to it. It’s just a good cup of coffee. Perfect.

I love that the coffee compliments whatever delicious treats I’m pairing with it. And, while I don’t often make it through an entire cup of coffee, it definitely is good to the last drop! Or at least the last drop that hits my lips before being pulled away by some sort of kid-centric crisis. You know, like when your toddler decides it’ll be fun to jump into the bath with his sisters while still fully clothed. Yeah, never a dull moment.

What fuels you through Summer Vacation?

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Dykhuis Farms

It all started with one man, a few pigs, and a very dedicated family 35 years ago. Now they are the biggest pig farm in the state of Michigan! And still family owned and operated!!!

With around 16,000 sows (those are the lady pigs) located in six Sow Farms around West Michigan, Dykhuis Farms is a well-oiled machine. Because that doesn’t even begin to touch their operation. They also have 48 locations around Michigan and Indiana where their pigs are kept and cared for until they are ready for market (240-280 lbs). They have their own trucking system to transport the pigs. Mechanics. Managers. And another whole team that takes care of the crops they grow to help feed their pigs. And they would all tell you that they feel like family.

But then there is the operation of running a farm like this. Again, well-oiled! Everyone has their job. And they take pride in their job. And they can’t effectively complete their job if everyone else isn’t doing their’s to their best ability either. Hello, accountability.

While at Dykhuis Farms we got to see the pigs at every stage — from just a few hours old to full grown. When I say every stage, I mean pretty darn close to every stage…even the artificial insemination. And that’s all I’m going to say on that…

I was struck at how much attention is spent on each stage of the pigs’ life. Their care is specifically tailored to the stage they are in — where they are housed, how many and what stage pigs they are housed with, how much food they get, and the nutritional make-up of that food. Just like when we are pregnant, a sow who they are hoping to get pregnant will receive a certain nutritional make-up and a sow who is nursing her litter of piggies will receive another. They are making sure these pigs are getting the best nutrition possible to create healthy litters and great meat for us.

The only disappointing thing I learned is that we do not have a pork processing plant (say that 5 times fast) in Michigan. So, the pigs from Dykuis are shipped down to a Tyson plant in Indiana and then the food is shipped back here to your local stores. I would LOVE to see a processing plant like that open here in Michigan in an effort to create more local jobs and lessen that carbon footprint!

It was obvious after spending a few hours with the team from Dykuis Farms that they truly love what they do. They really must if they can stand that smell every day!

Zeeland Farm Services

Another “family business” story, Zeeland Farm Services, Inc. started out in 1950 as Meeuwsen Produce and Grain by Bob Meeuwsen. In 1977, it was reorganized as Zeeland Farm Services to truly incorporate all it was doing and, 15 years later, Bob’s three sons took over ZFS.

Today ZFS does more things that you can imagine. From providing farmers with a variety of grains and specialty seeds for planting to creating feed for livestock and poultry to storage and freight services.

And then there is the Zeeland Farm Soya, Inc. and Zeeland Food Services, Inc. divisions. As the largest soybean processing plant in Michigan, ZFS creates soybean meal and hulls are used in animal feed, soy biodiesel, and an entire line of soybean cooking oils called Zoye.

Again, just like at Dykhuis Farms, ZFS is a well-oiled machine {no pun intended}. Still operating in their original location in Zeeland, they have round amazing ways to utilize the by products of different processes. Oh, this area is producing a high amount of steam? Well, let’s pipe that over to this section of the campus and use it to help “fuel” things over here. And, hey, there’s a landfill just 6 miles down the road? Let’s create a pipe and pipe in that methane gas to help fuel things here!

They are finding ways to truly utilize everything to run as efficiently as possible and are constantly looking at ways to “change with the times” to provide their customers and the community with the best products possible.

Way to go West Michigan! I know we are in a time where agriculture and farming are often under scrutiny and questioned for the materials and methods they are using, but I’m happy to see two amazing companies and families truly doing it right!

Thanks again to Pure MI Agriculture for this great experience!

As an invited member of the press to this tour, I was not required to share this information or my experience here but did receive a lovely gift bag as a “thank-you” for taking the time to learn more about Pure MI Agriculture and these two businesses. All opinions are my own. Some photos included here are compliments of Pure MI Agriculture and ZFS, Inc.

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Brave's Queen Elinor

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Embrace *who* your child is and know that, when the time comes, they will remember all the stuff you've been painstakingly trying to teach them!

*images courtesy of Disney*

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So, color me happy when I had the chance to try out Pillsbury’s Artisan Pizza Crust!

Not only does this mean that I can make us pizza whenever we want and make it a little healthier, but it also means everyone gets what they want!

The Artisan Pizza Crust rolls right out and then you can add your sauce and toppings. Or no sauce, if you’re Zoe. And, as Summer arrives and the Farmer’s Market opens, I can get fresh ingredients for our pizzas. Peppers. Tomatoes. Mushrooms. YUM! And, because the Artisan Pizza Crust is made with whole grain, I don’t feel so bad about eating pizza every day. No, really.

I was really surprised at how great the Artisan Pizza Crust tasted! I mean, let’s face it, homemade pizza never tastes quite the same as those amazing pizza joints. But this crust hit it! It was the perfect thickness and really yummy!  This is going to make for some really fun pizza creations this Summer!

You can try out Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust for yourself with this coupon that will save you $1.50 on any one Artisan Pizza Crust!

GIVEAWAY!
And you can enter to win this super fun Ultimate Pizza Kit to get you started on all of your pizza making fun! Just use the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

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This post is part of a sponsored campaign. All opinions are my own. The prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills and Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark. 

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Unless you’ve been avoiding all forms of media this week, you’ve already heard the uproar around Abercrombie & Fitch, a clothing store that has been known for the racy ads, seductive store images, and obscene amounts of cologne & music oozing from their store fronts. If not, let me give you the quick & dirty version — In 2006 (that’s 7 years ago, mind you), the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch was quoted as saying stuff like A&F targets the “cool kids” and not everyone should be wearing their clothes (i.e. “fat chicks”). {I paraphrased. But you can read the 2006 Saloon.com article for yourself.}

A lot of people have had reactions about this article and you can read them all over Facebook and the blog world. But here’s mine. Who gives a shit! Who gives a shit about what one clothing company says or the audience they are targeting? Honestly, there is SO much wrong with that clothing store and their CEO. A grown man who thinks it’s “cute” to put a 12 year old in a thong that says “Eye Candy” obviously has some issues.

But all this press is doing exactly what the company & CEO wants — they are getting pushed to the forefront of the press and people’s thoughts. I have to wonder…why is it that an article that was published 7 years ago is being talked about now?

I’m not excusing A&F’s actions or the CEO’s words and I’m not trying to push aside the ever-important discussion of body-image. I’m just trying to figure out why this is causing such an uproar now. A&F has never marketed to to the average size person. Just look at their ads. They store images. The half-dressed (and sometimes not-at-all-dressed) models are size 2 or below. It sucks but that is totally their right. They have a right to create the clothes the way they do and market the way they do.

This is true with any store. My husband can’t shop stores like Express Men. Despite that he’s a pretty average size guy (a bit tall), the clothes just don’t fit him. So he chooses to move on and find other stores that do cater to his size and style. I can’t regularly join my friends in enjoying a big dish of ice cream from that delicious ice cream shop downtown because of my lactose-intollerance. Does that mean that the ice cream shop should change their menu and offer lactose-free options? No. It’s their right to serve the food options they want.

A&F has the right to offer the clothing styles and sizes they do. But we have the right to not support them. Don’t go into their stores. Explain to your kids why you don’t shop there (besides the fact that are grotesquely over priced). Stop giving them press. Because, guess what, even negative press can be good for a company.

Instead of spending the energy and efforts complaining about this one company and this bat-shit crazy CEO, use that energy to spread positive campaigns that teach young girls and guys to be healthy. Love their bodies. Embrace their flaws. Love themselves. This is why I love companies like Dove! They are doing great things to support natural beauty and encourage girls!

Let’s search out the companies that are making an effort to support young (and old) men and women. Who are making an effort to teach kids it’s about being healthy, not skinny. About loving yourself, not idolizing an image in a magazine. That a beautiful character and attitude is so much more valuable than a sexy body.

And then let’s all hope that Disney joins this movement and does not move forward with their rumored make-over of the lovable, unruly, wild-haired Merida.

Left: rumored Merida make-over. Right: original Merida.

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Awe! So you can’t have ice cream? Or cereal? How sad!

Here’s my secret: I eat ice cream. Mostly chocolate or some vanilla infused with some sort of chocolate. Lots of chocolate. I love me a cold glass of milk for dunking my Oreos. A bowl of cereal is my favorite mid-night snack. I practically lived off cereal during all three of my pregnancies!

See, I’m not milk-intolerant. I’m lactose intolerant. There’s a difference. And, thanks to Lactaid, celebrity chef Melissa d’Arabian and registered dietitian Michelle Harrington, I’m going to try to debunk some of the misconceptions around lactose intolerance.

*courtesy of LACTAID.com

In the simplest terms, Lactose is the major carbohydrate/sugar in milk (and other dairy foods) and it must be broken down into glucose and galactose by those wonderful enzymes in your stomach (aka. lactase) before it can be absorbed into your body. Those who don’t produce enough lactase have trouble breaking lactose down (obviously) and it can cause them some issues.

Here’s the crazy thing….everyone is lactose intolerant. To a degree. Those who have lower levels of lactase are the ones we really consider intolerant and those with higher levels of lactase are considered “normal”. Did I just blow your mind? And…did you know that your level of intolerance can increase as you grow older? That’s what happened to me! I don’t ever remember having a problem with dairy growing up. But as I went through college and after, that’s when the intolerance increased.

Also? Not all dairy products are created equal in the lactose intolerant world! Many lactose-intolerant people don’t seem to be bothered by dairy products like yogurt. All those splendid little live and active cultures in yogurt actually help you digest the lactose. I know! This is huge for us because my kids, who also have a big sensitivity to lactose, love yogurt! As in they will actually dip their food into yogurt. You say ketchup, my kids say yogurt.

But back to milk. Through my ugh-lactose years I’ve pretty much tried all the “it’s milk but not really milk” substitutes. Sadly, there’s not much out there that can pass for milk. At least not to me. Then I saw this in the dairy cooler…

*courtesy of LACTAID.com

It’s milk just without the lactose. What? Awesome! Lactaid is 100% milk that has had the lactase enzyme added to it, breaking down the lactose my body can’t. It still tastes like the milk you’re drinking, just a little bit sweeter. And, because Lactaid Milk comes in whole, 2%, 1%, and fat free, I was able to use it when transitioning Talon from his bottle and we avoided a lot of the stomach discomfort and congestion that my girls experienced.

Lactaid doesn’t just make lactose free milk. They also make lactose-free chocolate milk, egg nog, cottage cheese, and ice cream!

*courtesy of LACTAID.com

So, I hope I’ve intrigued you a little about this whole lactose-free stuff. And, if you are intrigued, you have the chance to try out LACTAID for yourself! I’m giving away a coupon for a free Lactaid product to one reader! Simply use the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

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I’m working on this information sponsored campaign with LACTAID and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own. Please consult a doctor if you should have any questions regarding nutrition, etc.

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Zoe loves to watch me. It’s kind of creepy at times but then, in her 5 year old sweet voice, she’ll tell me she’s watching me so she can learn how to be a grown up. You know, for when she’s “18 and needs to learn to make my own macaroni and cheese or put on make-up.”

Sometimes we forget that these little humans are watching our every move. Learning, absorbing, taking our cues on how to navigate this very large world. That is, until they repeat one of our less-than-stellar moments and we’re all “where on earth did you learn that? Darn those neighbor kids!” Oh, wait, they learned that from me. Ouch!

This totally hit home for me when I was sitting at the Drive It Home event in last week.

Drive It Home, a free event developed by the Allstate Foundation and the National Safety Council, was created to help inform and remind parents about their roll in keeping their teen drivers (and those they encounter) safe on the road. Facts and safety tips were woven in between funny skits featuring comedians from Second City Communications, words shared by Council and Foundations members, and an emotional story from a mom who lost her daughter in a car accident caused by texting.

I know, I know, I have a good number of years yet before any of my kids get behind the wheel of a car. But here’s the part that got me: One of the speakers reminded us that drivers training does not start at 15 or 16. It starts now. When they are 4 or 5 or 6 or 7. My kids are in the car 90% of my driving time. And we spend a lot of time in the car! Each time I get in that driver’s seat, my kids are watching. Learning. Observing. They see me drive too fast when we’re running late to school. They hear me tell a lady to learn how to drive because, really? 35 in a 55? They see me pick up my phone to make a phone call while driving. I’m a big “No Texting While Driving” supporter but I do make phone calls while driving.

No big deal, right? Wrong! Making a phone call while driving isn’t a big deal for you, a seasoned driver who can operate a car and evaluate the situations going on around them and make a phone call. But teens can’t. They have yet to learn or gain the experience of being able to assess the world around them as they drive. But they’ve seen you make phone calls while driving a hundred times so it should be no big deal for them, too. But it is. This totally convicted me!

I was also surprised to learn that, while texting is a big problem when it comes to teen driving, it is not the number one factor of teen auto accidents. According to the Drive It Home event, the number one cause is lack of experience. In Michigan, teens must log 50 hours of driving practice before they can get their license (way more than when I was 16). If you don’t feel your child is ready to drive alone, then don’t let them. Spend more time driving with them. Drive with them in as many different situations as possible!

Drive It Home is a great event for any parent who has a child getting behind the wheel soon or ever! And did you catch that it’s FREE? Yup! Oh, and you can enter to win some pretty cool stuff like gas cards or a new car while you’re there! Check out their website for upcoming event dates and locations! And, while you’re checking out upcoming dates/locations, take a look around the site for some great information and resources!

What’s a driving habit you’re really hoping your kids don’t pick up from you?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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We’re waiting on a person from a bank to decide whether or not we’re a good investment. Whether we can afford the payment on a loan to buy the house we want. A loan payment equal to the one we’re already paying in our current situation.

We’re waiting, hoping someone else does not swing in and purchase the house we want.

Waiting.

I’m not good at waiting.

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One of the many reasons being those awkward childhood pictures. Oh, and did I have some awkward ones! Sure, a few of those photos have made their way onto Facebook from time to time but, for the most part, those photos are tucked inside photo albums hidden in a closet or there weren’t any photos taken and those embarrassing memories are nothing more than stories told at family gatherings that I can continue to deny ever happened!

The years I had no front teeth because they had to pull my baby teeth. Or the time someone thought it would be fun to give my sister and me a can of shaving cream in the bathtub. Or my “Dirty Dancing” phase and my obsession with having my hair permed to look just like Jennifer Grey’s. Not a pretty sight.

Despite all my awkward moments, my mom was there. Indulging me. Supporting me. Even during my bodysuit and tight-rolled jeans phase or the phase where I would rat my bangs and unleash an entire bottle of hairspray on them to get them nice and high! She must have been rolling her eyes so many times!

In honor of Mother’s Day this weekend, Zales has created a “Friend Your Mom” Movement on Facebook. Give your mama a little love on Facebook this week and enter to win a little shiny bling-bling from Zales. I’ll leave it up to you on whether or not you keep your winnings for yourself or give it to your mom. Or you can give it to your favorite blogger…just sayin’.

And, to kick off this fun Mother’s Day campaign, Zales has put together this “Awkward Moments” video. Keep your eyes peeled because yours truly is in there somewhere.

What’s your favorite Awkward Childhood Moment? And is there photo proof floating around somewhere that you’re hoping does not surface on social media someday?

I am working with Zales and MomSelect on this sponsored campaign to help spread the word about the Friend Your Mom Movement and further embarrass myself with the video. All opinions are my own.

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Tonight as I was getting Talon ready for bed we decided to skip the changing table routine and just get ready on his bedroom floor. I held out his Huggies Slip-On, he stepped in and I pulled it up over his freshly bathed butt. Then he stepped into his pajama pants and patted the top of his head to tell me his shirt goes on next. Over his head, arms in.

As I pulled it down over his belly, I said, “Oh, Tal, you’re getting so big. Are you mama’s big boy?”

“Ut-uh,” he replied and crossed his arms across his chest.

“Awe,” and I began to give him a fake pout. “You’re not mama’s baby?”

He gave me his best scowl (something he’s perfected by now) and said, “Baby.”

“Baby?” It’s one of his more clearly spoken words but I didn’t understand why he was using that word.

“Baby!”

“Oh!” and it hit me, “Are you mama’s baby?”

“YEAH!” and he threw his arms up in the air, as though he had been waiting forever for me to figure that out, and then threw himself into my body.

He’s ready to be a big boy in so many ways but, when it comes to his mama, he’s still a baby.

And I’m ok with that.

I’m thrilled with that.

And, after planting a quick kiss on his cheek, he was off. Running downstairs to put his big sisters to bed.

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Don’t get me wrong. My mom did a bang-up job raising me. But handing over keys to my own car when I turned 16? Awesome! And, yet, so crazy!

See, when I went through drivers training it was very different than it is now. My instructor was our high school gym teacher and wrestling coach (and pretty awesome guy). He knew what he was doing but our classroom instruction time was “read the book & watch the movies & try not to fall asleep” and our in-car instruction time was “good God, kids, just don’t crash us!”. 

Somehow I managed to turn out as pretty good driver, aside from my disdain for parallel parking and my lead foot.

I digress. Back to the topic of my mom giving me that auto-freedom. What would you (will you) do? Would you hand car keys over to your teen and say “have fun!”? In my mom’s defense, we did live in a very small town and I’m sure she did get word every time I was seen speeding through town, cruising Main Street too many times, or out driving past curfew. Those of you who grew up in a small town are totally nodding your head right now! Even when you got away with something, you knew you didn’t really get away with it.

Sure, it was frustrating growing-up knowing Mr. or Mrs. So-and-so would be ratting me out for doing whatever it was I probably shouldn’t have been doing, but kids today have it quite a bit harder…don’t you think? Aside from all the new hoops you have to jump through to get your license, parents today have almost constant contact with their teens. Hello, cell phones.

Walk in to any teen-populated event or area and you’ll see nearly every teen with a cell phone (yes, I realize this isn’t true for every teen). Gone are the days of “Sorry, Mom, I couldn’t get to a phone to tell you I’d be late.” And, with family-connection apps like Family by Sygic, you can actually keep tabs on your pre-teen out with his friends or your newly-driving teen who said she was headed to the library.

The “Safe Zones” feature on Family by Sygic allows you to set-up areas, like school, friend’s house, work, and, when your child enters or leaves those areas, you’ll get a notification on your phone. Likewise, you can also set up  ”Unsafe Zones” that virtually do the same thing, sending you notifications if your child enters or leaves those zones.

While my kids aren’t quite ready to drive yet (praise the Lord!), I do like the idea that you can use these “Safe” and “Unsafe” Zone features with your pre-driving teens. Heading out to a big park or amusement park with the kids this Spring? Set-up Zones for areas you do or do not want your child in while there. Or, use the Augmented Reality feature to pinpoint where your child is in the park or amusement park crowd.

Of course responsibility and safety doesn’t begin or end with an app on a smartphone. Somewhere along the way, we need to help teach our kids these things. How do we do that as parents?

Here’s what we’re doing. It starts at home. Before they’re running (or driving) off with friends. When my girls want to ride their bikes around the neighborhood, it is their responsibility to make sure they are wearing appropriate clothes and helmet (safety!), to stick together (safety!) and put their bikes and helmets away when they are finished. Does it happen that way every time? Nope. I find helmets in the yard and bikes left in the driveway quite often. But we’re working on it. And, who knows, maybe by the time they are ready to drive, they’ll have the “put away your helmet & bike” idea down!

So, how do you help teach your kids responsibility and safety? What about when it comes to driving?

Share your ideas and use the Rafflecopter form below and be entered to win my giveaway for a $100 Amazon Gift Card!

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And don’t forget to check out the Family by Sygic app (free download) for your iPhone/iPod or Android.

I am currently working on an ongoing sponsored campaign with PTPA and Sygic. All opinions are my own.

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I always thought that saying was a little silly. Something we parents can chuckle at. Then, I had Talon.

As much as I love my moments of silence throughout the day, when it comes to Talon, silence is scary. Silence means he has concocted some sort of tower that he is trying to traverse in the effort to reach whatever toy his sister has placed on the counter in hopes of keeping it out of his hands. Silence means he is making my walls his personal art pallet because, apparently, paper stifles his creativity.

Worse yet, silence means he is stripping out of his clothes and his diaper and quietly giggling as he pees on the floor or his sister. Yes, his sister.

This boy loves “naked time”. At least that’s what we call it now since he insists on taking off his diaper nearly every day. It’s not so bad during the day, when we’re playing and I can keep an eye on him (trying to catch him before he pees). It’s bad when he does this during nap time. Or bed time. Naked baby in the crib is not a good thing!

This resulted in mission: Keep the Diaper on Talon!

I do believe the Navy Seals have seen easier missions than this! I’ve pretty much tried every humane way of keeping that diaper on him. Everything from adding extra tape to the tabs to putting the diaper on backwards. He is the Houdini of diaper removal!

Then Huggies asked me if I’d like to give their new Little Movers® Slip-On® Diapers.

Honestly, I wasn’t too optimistic. I mean, I’m sure they’d be great diapers but I wasn’t too optimistic that this would solve our de-diapering issue. But I was willing to try.

After a few weeks of Talon putting the Slip-Ons through the their paces, I must say, I’m pretty impressed! The Little Movers® Slip-On® Diapers still feature Huggie’s Little Movers® design and trusted Leak Lock® Protection. Which means that Talon can still do all his running, jumping and climbing in comfort. A boy can’t let a thing like a diaper get in his way!

The Slip-On® Diapers also have the same absorbency as a regular diaper. This was something I was concerned about because I really didn’t want to move to a training pant that are, typically, a thinner, less absorbent option. I still wanted a diaper but one that he couldn’t or wouldn’t take off so easily. Yet they are super easy for me to slip on and off of him! Which is a big bonus when you have a squirmy  toddler who doesn’t want to waste time while I adjust a diaper on him.

So, the big question…Does he still de-diaper himself with the Slip-On® Diaper?

So far, so good! I’m not sure if it’s the fit or the design or maybe the tabs are a little harder for him to grasp, but he seems to keep these ones on! Yes, he still gets his “naked time” but now I’m not worried about “naked time” happening during nap time or bedtime!

If you’re interested in trying out Huggies Little Movers® Slip-On® diapers, be sure to grab this coupon and save $2 on your next package.

Did you have a streaking baby in your house? Have you tried Little Movers® Slip-On® diapers yet?

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for HUGGIES. I received product samples to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

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I cannot parallel park.

Well, “cannot” might be too strong of a word. I probably can but I chose not to. I know, basically, how to do it but I refuse to do it. I will drive around looking for an alternate parking option before I’ll parallel park. This drives my husband crazy!

At some point, before my kids get behind the wheel, I’m going to need to master that skill. Ugh!

And since I’m sure there are many other things I need to learn before handing the keys over to my kids, I will be joining the National Safety Council and The Allstate Foundation next week for the Drive It Home Show!

Interested in coming? Here are the details…

If you have tween, teen, or are concerned about teen driving safety, it will be an informative (and entertaining!) event. Please feel free to share this post with anyone who might like to attend. Details are as follows:

What: Drive it Home Show, presented by the National Safety Council and Allstate Foundation

When: Wednesday, May 1 from 7pm – 8:15pm

Where: The Salvation Army Kroc Center (2500 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids, MI 49507)

Price: FREE!; no tickets required

Parking: Parking lot is available

BONUS: You can enter in the sweepstakes at the event for a chance to win gas cards and a brand new car!

If you’d like to attend, click here to register and when checking in, let them know that Clever Girls Collective and StaceySays.com sent you.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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We have 9 weeks until we close on our condo and it will officially no longer be ours. That means we have 9 weeks to find a new house. Sixty-three days.

That might seem like a long time. But it’s not. Every day that ticks by is one day closer to moving our family into our camper if we don’t find something. Do you sense the panic here?

The tough thing is that the pickins’ are pretty slim right now. At least the houses we want. We don’t want to find ourselves moving again soon so we want this to be our “stay awhile” house. And with that comes a long list of Must-Haves and Sure Would Be Nices.

As we page through listing after listing, I keep asking myself the same question — Old or new? 

We’ve looked at number of older houses. Everything from a few decades old to 100+ years old. Some of them have such amazing charm and character and I just can’t help but fall in love with them. But they also scare me. When we start updating them to fit our style and design choices, what secrets will we uncover? When I move that wall or replace that shower, what surprises are in store? Here’s the thing…surprises usually come attached to dollar signs.

Let me say, I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty and do some remodeling. We’ve personally remodeled two houses in the past 7 years. The problem is that we have to take these potential surprises into account when comparing our budget with the cost of the house. And, with three little kids in the house, do I really want to be remodeling? Living in the midst of a construction zone?

This pushes me toward the other end — The Newly Built House. So pretty. So updated. So move-in ready. Sure, a newly built home isn’t necessarily surprise free but the chances of those surprises goes down quite a bit.

We purchased our condo when it was just being built (almost 12 years ago). We worked with the builder to alter the layout and got to pick out everything from trim to cabinet style/finish to paint on the walls. It fit us from the moment we walked in. I guess I just really want that with our next house, too.

The nice thing about buying a newly built home is that my “to-do” list changes. I get to use that time (and money) that I would have spent remodeling, repainting, and repairing elsewhere. No need to alter floor plans because mostly newly built homes already have that open floor plan that we want and the optimized storage that we need. And Tim appreciates that those newly built homes are more energy efficient. He thinks about those kinds of details, that’s why I keep him around.

You can find more about the benefits of buying newer at http://clvr.li/XqTRfR. Some of the ways you can save are mind blowing!

*image courtesy of http://clvr.li/XqTRfR

While you’re there checking out these great tips, don’t forget to enter the Start Fresh Buy New contest! Just answer 3 new home trivia questions for a chance to win a $25 gift card and enter their $10,000 Grand Prize Giveaway!

When you purchased your last home, did you build, buy new, or find an oldie but a goodie? 

Oh, and be sure to follow me over on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates on our house hunt!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Driving around with Talon (age 2) in the car is always exciting.

Ooohhh! Goooo! Mom!!! Ohhhhh!

Semi-trucks. Construction vehicles. Tractors. Fire trucks. Police cars.  He loves them all!

Race cars. Boats. Monster Trucks. Trains. The boy does not play favorites. If it moves, he loves it!

It’s a new venture for us. This vehicle thing. But it’s so fun! The girls like all those vehicles, too, but they are more excited about the people driving them — the firefighter, police officer, construction worker, train conductor.

That’s the next stage I’m looking forward to with Talon — heroes. Yes, watching him play with all his little Matchbox vehicles is pretty cool {what is with the lining up of the vehicles all the time?} but I can’t wait for him to realize how cool the people behind the wheels are. Especially those firefighters, police officers, EMTs, etc.

Here’s Abbi dressed up as one of her favorite heroes — a “rescue” nurse.

Matchbox has been sparking the imaginations of kids for 60 years and to celebrate {and celebrate they should!} they are calling all Heroes!

Now through May 13, parents are invited to share pictures of their little hero-in-training dressed as their favorite real-life hero and they will be showcased on the Matchbox Heroes Wanted Facebook gallery. Your photo will then be entered to win the grand prize of a $60,000 college scholarship! You also have the chance to win one of the 60 prize packs given away weekly! You can find all the details at Matchbox.com/Heroes.

In a week where the news has been grim and so many real-life heroes have had to take action and some have even lost their lives, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to celebrate those heroes around you. Mythical heroes and super heroes are fun but real-life heroes are amazing!

This is sponsored campaign with MomSelect and Matchbox. All opinions are my own.

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1. Blown Away – Carrie Underwood

2. I Sure Can Smell The Rain – BlackHawk

3. Bring On The Rain – JoDee Messina & Tim McGraw

4. Flood – Jars of Clay

5. It’s Raining Men – Weather Girls

6. No Rain – Blind Melon

7. The Thunder Rolls – Garth Brooks

8. Singin’ In The Rain – Gene Kelly

9. November Rain – Guns N’ Roses

10. Blame It On The Rain – Milli Vanilli

Your turn! What’s your favorite “rain” song?

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I don’t like to sugarcoat motherhood. It’s just not who I am. Some days my kids are amazing and completely blow me away. Other days I can be found locked in the bathroom with my head buried in a stack of towels sobbing because I just can’t take another sassy mouth or toddler tantrum. Parenthood is fabulous and messy and rewarding and horrible all mixed up in the same package.

This is when moms should be banning together. Digging through the mess together. Instead, we don’t. We like to bury each other in that mess and say, “So long, sucker! Pin that one on your Pinterest board!”

I joke but it’s a very sad reality. Our strongest allies become our biggest enemies.

But part of that is our own doing. We unjustly compare ourselves to the image of others. Then we try to tear those people down to make ourselves feel better.

Well, of course SHE has time to make those cute birthday treats for school. SHE doesn’t have a teething toddler at home! I bet SHE wouldn’t be so perfect if SHE had to deal with that all day!

When the reality is, SHE probably has her own set of problems to deal with. Just because SHE likes to make homemade treats does not make her life any easier. It does not make ME less of a mom. Our lives our different. See, she may have spent 2 hours making those treats with her kids. That was a priority, for her. My priority is to buy some treats at the store and then spend the other hour and 45 minutes playing at the park or having a living room dance party. Choosing either of those does not make one mom better than the other. It just makes us moms.

What I’m trying to say is that we need to stop making other moms feel badly . We can do that all on our own. As moms we’re constantly second guessing ourselves. Wondering if we could do things better. Differently. Even those moms who seem to have it all together…Yup, they second guess themselves, too.

So let’s stop beating ourselves up. Let’s stop beating each other down. Here’s the crazy thing, at the end of the day, your kids do not care if you wore your yoga pants and sweatshirt when taking them to school today (even though you had no intention of actually doing yoga today). They don’t care if you wear that same outfit tomorrow. If that’s what it takes for you to get everyone up, dressed, fed, and out the door in time for school, then so be it! And you rock those yoga pants!!!

Your kids are exactly that — your kids. They don’t need a perfect mom. They just need you. My kids do not need a perfect mom. They just need me. Me, with my cellulite and my store-bought birthday cakes. Me, with impromptu pizza & movie nights in mom and dad’s bed and me, needing to lock myself in the bathroom while I have my mommy-tantrum. Me, the mom who spent months planning the perfect Disney trip and me, the mom who lost her cool when yet another bowl of spaghetti was dumped on the floor. Me. All of me.

I love this quote from Jill Churchill:

So, the next time you see that mom in the grocery store handing her tantrum-throwing toddler a bag of M&Ms, hold off on those judgmental looks. Chances are, she’s doing everything in her power to just hold it together. She’s in survival mode. The mom with her eyes on her iPhone rather than on her kid at gymnastics practice? This might be her chance to catch up on work emails because she’s spent the rest of the day taking care of another sick child. You don’t know.

Instead, let’s join together and be an encouragement for each other and the moms to come. Go to Strong Moms Empower and take the pledge!

I am participating in a blog campaign with One2One Network. I have not received any payment. All opinions are my own.

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I’m so ready for Spring and Summer. Warm weather. Sunshine. Bring it!

So, while the rain is washing away the dingy greyness of Winter, I’m hoping to use these rainy days to clean out the dingy greyness of Winter inside!

This year, especially, I’m feeling the need (or maybe desire) to do a major clean-out of my closet, my nailpolish bag, and my makeup. Everything just seems so “blah” and I’m really wanting some new colors/shades!

It looks like I’m not the only one who is adding a few new shades to her collection! IMAN Cosmetics has recently launched a new addition to their ever growing product line. The new IMAN Skin Tone Evener BB Crème!

IMAN Skin Tone Evener BB Crème is a “beauty balm” and color all in one, with focus on women of color. BB Crème evens skin tones, protects with SPF 15 and comes in 5 perfect-match color shades. Want to try out BB Crème for yourself? You can! IMAN Cosmetics is having a variety of In-Store Events throughout April!

After trying out the BB Crème for a few days, I am loving how smooth it feels. Honestly, I’m not a big makeup person but I do like a clean, fresh, even look. I like that  BB Crème gives me that! I’m excited to see how it works for me as the weather gets warmer!

Giveaway!

Interested in trying BB Crème for yourself? Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter to win some BB Crème goodies of your own! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*I received complimentary products from IMAN Cosmetics as a part of this campaign. All opinions are my own.*

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Unfortunately, in the age of computers and Social Media, letter writing seems to be a lost art. We send emails instead of letters and texts or Facebook messages instead of cards. I know. I do all of that, too. It saves time. It’s just easier. But something is lost in the exchange of those digital words.

My grandma is the exception to all this. I don’t even know if she has a computer in her house because she still handwrites every letter and sends actual cards with handwritten notes to the kids at every birthday. Sure, her letters talk mostly about the weather and their health (she’s well into her 80s, after all), but I love them. I soak in every word. More so than I would any typed letter, email, or text.

It’s a lost art.

There is just something magical that happens when a pen meets paper. The scratched out misspelled words. The small blotches of ink where the pen sat too long on the paper. The slant of letters as they dance across the page. The jagged edges after being torn from a notebook or pad of paper. The creases in the paper from being placed in the envelope. It’s beautiful.

Handwritten letters are personal. Emotional. Romantic. Lovely.

Do you find it sad to think that our kids could grow up never sending or receiving handwritten letters? Me, too! That’s why I’m creating the “Letter Project” with my kids!

Each week throughout the Summer, they will handwrite a letter. Once a month we’ll send a letter to Great-Grandma and the rest of the weeks will be letters to various family and friends. I’m also hoping to connect the girls with one or two pen pals, as well!

In the weeks leading up to Summer and the kick off of the “Letter Project”, I’m going to stock up on all of our letter-writing goodies — stationary, envelopes, stamps, personalized return address labels for the girls!

I hope the girls love this project because I’m all sorts of giddy just thinking about sitting down with them and helping them put their thoughts down on paper. To watch as they create this word art as their pencils dance across the paper. Giddy.

Doesn’t this get you excited?

If you want to join in with our “Letter Project”, we’d love to have you join us! Want to get a letter from the girls? Email me your address and we’ll put you on the list! Or you can create your own “Letter Project” with your kids!

Oh…and if you think your child might be interested in having a Pen Pal this Summer, let me know! Abbi is 7 and Zoe is 5 and it would be great to connect them with kids around their same age!

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