Mommy Kudos

What Moms Love Weekly

2012-05-25T21:16:21Z

Mommy Kudos - The Latest & Greatest For Moms, Babies & kids

I love it when Fridays come quickly! This has been a fun week jumping on our new Springfree trampoline {did you enter to win one?}. The kids have gone to bed worn out every night {smile}. This week I am loving “I love you mommy” whispered from a toddler who makes it her favorite phrase of the week. I am also loving teaching tweens life lessons that I know will help them long after they leave home, eating strawberries by the bowlful, yummy new smoothie recipes {recipe to come}, and a fresh haircut for a little boy that makes him look a little bigger {this one is bitter-sweet}.

How about you? What are you loving this week in your mom life?

Here are some favorite finds this week and the theme is baby. Even though my youngest is 3, I cannot seem to get over baby things. Love ‘Em!

1. phil&teds Nest Sleep System- Have ever wanted to leave the baby with Grandma for a bit or not have to take a big & bulky bed with you when you travel? I sure have and I love the idea of this portable bed. It has it’s won bag that you can bring along baby’s stuff in too and travels easily. Sure wish I had one for all of our travels with baby in the past!!

2. aden + anais dribble bibs/burp clothes- I heart aden + anais swaddling blankets and now these dribble bibs. These are great for the dribbliest of droolers. They are so soft and snap around baby to cover them fully. They also double as shields for moms shoulder when carrying around a bound-to-spit-up-when-you-least-expect-it baby. They come in a sweet assortment of baby friendly designs and colors.

3. Skip Hop ABC Zoo Activity Gym- I love Skip Hop products and this ABC Zoo Gym is too cute! There is so much for baby to look at and play with and this would be perfect for tummy time to build up those little baby muscles.

4. Jones Design Company Name Prints- Go ahead and ooh and ahh! These name prints are ADORABLE and so stylish for a modern baby nursery too. I want one for each of my kids and I absolutely LOVE the damask cat print! So sweet!

5. Bella Tunno Laminated Bib in Miss Thing- Baby bibs have come a long way from “I love my aunt” painted across the front. Bella Tunno makes some of the cutest laminated baby bibs with ribbon velcro neck closures. The bibs have a pocket to catch stray peas that little ones might drop {they eat their peas right? Wink}. I love this Miss Things bib but it’s a hard choice. Since these bibs are so cute you won’t be so anxious to get it off baby to reveal the cute outfit underneath.

Unjunk Your Junk Food- Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Snacks

2012-05-24T02:33:20Z

Mommy Kudos - The Latest & Greatest For Moms, Babies & kids

If you are a mom with the goal of eating healthy and feeding your family healthy foods then I have discovered a book that you will enjoy. I recently read Unjunk Your Junk Food: Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Snacks and thought it was fantastic. It it such a handy little book that informs you on the better choices to make when it comes to eating packaged foods.

We all want to pick the right foods but sometimes we just aren’t sure which ones are okay and which ones should be avoided. You may have questions like “which oil is a healthier choice?” or “I know I should cut out white sugar but are other sugars okay?” This handy little book will show you how to decide what to eat and feed your family.

It is a very quick read and also a guide that you will want to keep to reference again and again. The book is small enough for you to fit in your purse to take with you when you shop.

My family and I have been on a journey toward healthy, organic eating for the past 5 years and I was a little skeptical that I was going to agree with Unjunk Your Junk Food completely. After all of my personal research I agree with the ideas that full fat dairy and meats are good for you and eating low fat is not necessarily healthy. I tend to expect that many still believe that low (or no) fat diets are the way to go. But this book actually shares research that I agree with on this topic. They also explain sugars and which options are healthier.

If you ever spend time (precious time) standing in the grocery isles comparing labels to see which food might be a healthy choice then this book is for you. If you want a quick guide to specific foods to look for when you shop then this book is for you.

I happily recommend you read this book. Even if you know a good bit about nutrition you may discover some new things you never knew (I did). You can read more at Naturally Savvy (even read a sniplet of the book). There’s lots of other great info on the site as well.

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of Unjunk Your Junk Food for free to review. The opinions shared are my own and I only recommend what I use and love.

Old School Blogging: What it is & Why I’m Doing It

2012-05-23T15:12:59Z

Mommy Kudos - The Latest & Greatest For Moms, Babies & kids

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I’ve been blogging for a little over two years now. In that time I have learned a lot {and still have a lot to learn}. Recently I’ve made a decision though to go back to Old School Blogging. What is old school blogging, you ask? Let me give you my definition:

old school blogging= blogging about what you love and enjoy just because you love and enjoy it, and doing it to serve others by sharing your knowledge and expertise.

Blogging has become this game of likes and follows. Anyone can set up a blog, which is great, but what people used to have to work hard for, there are now many ways to cheat the system and I don’t really see how it’s helping anyone.

It used to be that a person started a blog with an idea and shared the blog with their friends and family. If their friends and family really liked what was on said blog they would share it with their friends and so on. And that’s how a blog’s readership would grow. As an added benefit the blog naturally used key words that would begin to show up on Google searches and drive even more traffic from those looking for that specific type of content.

Now days a blogger has so many ways to cheat the system to get likes and follows. Recently I have seen bloggers hosting giveaways with multiple bloggers for a large prize and the whole purpose is to boost their numbers. And it works. They get lots of followers very quickly. Which is great but they aren’t real followers in my opinion. I know this because I have done plenty of giveaways in the past {and I love to do giveaways for my followers} and I always gain new followers with them. I even advertise these giveaways because I feel it is my job to get the company I am working with as much exposure as possible and I really enjoy sharing a company or product I believe in. However, many of the new likes and follows I get from giveaways aren’t true followers. In other words they didn’t “like” me because they really liked Mommy Kudos or sign up for emails because they can’t wait to read the next post. Lot’s of them aren’t even in the demographic for Mommy Kudos. When I did a giveaway for moms to do something nice that is taking care of themselves I had plenty of men commenting because the giveaway was in the form of an Amazon.com gift certificate. I’m pretty sure these guys aren’t becoming loyal Mommy Kudos Fans {smile}.

I understand the appeal for bloggers to boost their numbers with joint giveaways or blog hops or asking other bloggers to follow you for return follows, however I’ve decided that for me and Mommy Kudos that I am going to refrain from these things from now on. So what am I going to do? And what ways will I choose to get more exposure for Mommy Kudos so that the right people know that I’m here and what I’m about? Let me share:

Giveaways

I’ve decided to limit the giveaways I do on Mommy Kudos. I’ve been doing a lot {too many} and they are a lot of work. They take up a bunch of time that I feel could be better spent on great content {this mom of 6 has quite a lot to share}. I will do giveaways when I feel like it is a really great product that I don’t want you to miss.

Joint Giveaways for Followers

I simply will not do these unless it’s for a company that I am working with in conjunction with other bloggers that I really believe in and want you to be aware of. I will not do one just to get a bunch of quick likes and follows.

SEO

I am loving learning about SEO {Search Engine Optimization} and am thrilled that there are ways to get key words about the things I write about to show up closer to the top on search engines. I will pursue this method of gaining readers because I feel it is a great way to bring my content to those who are truly looking for it.

Community

I am so thrilled at how blogging and social media has allowed me to meet some incredible people that I have developed relationships with and now consider friends. I will continue to build my community and reach out to other bloggers and online friends. I feel that any platform I have is so that I can serve others with the knowledge and abilities that I have been given. I want to serve others by promoting other bloggers and companies that I believe in.

Content

Like I said above, I believe my platform and blogging is a way for me to serve you and because of that I want to share what is on my heart, what I have learned that may help you and resources that you may want/need to have. This is pretty much my mission for Mommy Kudos. To serve you.

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So how about you? I know it can seem like a sloooowwww climb when you are a smaller blogger and it’s really tempting to work the system to get followers quickly. What are your standards for yourself in gaining a readership?

If you want to learn from some great bloggers about building your readership {most of them did it the old school way} then check out some of my favorites:

Blogging With Amy – her site will will help you start your own blog or website. She also shares tips, tools and tutorials that will help you improve the one you’ve got.

ProBlogger – Ways to make money blogging

SavvyBlogging – Lots of tips and advice

SITS Girls – Tons of tips and support for bloggers {great place to make friends too!}

Taking Care of Yourself Tuesday: Learning to Say No & Priorities

2012-05-22T14:55:28Z

Mommy Kudos - The Latest & Greatest For Moms, Babies & kids

Welcome to Taking Care of Yourself Tuesdays! Today we are discussing learning to say no to people and having priorities:

Sometimes you just need to say NO. But saying no can be hard when you are a mom and worse if you are a people pleaser. The reality is, though, that you can only do a few things well in this life and the rest you will have to give whatever you have left over, which might not be much. There are good things in life and then there are great things. If we really want to live meaningful lives we should focus on doing the great things.

Photo Source

Now, don’t get me wrong, doing laundry and cleaning toilets can be a part of a the great things. I am not saying that the mundane things in life aren’t worth the effort. I am really hoping to encourage you to examine your life, what you spend your time on, and eliminate those things that are stealing your time from the truly worth while things. If you are a mom, then the mundane things are part of your great things!

Think about it. Your children are watching you. They see your no’s and your yes’s. They are learning from you what is important and what time should be spent on.

So how do you manage your yeses and noes? We’ll let me give you an example:

My kids like to ask for things on the spur of the moment (heading to a movie with a friend, a new pair of shoes, a toy they can’t resist) but there’s something we have in our family called a budget (perhaps you have one too?). I learned a neat little trick once from an older, wiser woman and that is to say something like “I’d love to honey but let’s see what Mr. budget says.” This way “Mr. budget” can say yes or no according to what is true about what is in our budget. Mr. budget gets to be the bad guy sometimes.

The same thing can be applied to your time. You can budget your time with your priorities. Make a list of your top priorities in life. Mine is something like this:

God
Marriage
Kids
A Healthy Lifestyle for Myself & My Family
Taking Care of Our Home {Making it a place of beauty and peace}
My Calling
Friends/Family

I can then insert into each category the ways I will spend my time to keep these things priorities. Anything else can only be added and done if these things have been done. This helps you to focus on the great things and when someone asks you to do something you can assess whether or not it fits into your priorities and if it is going to hinder you from getting the things higher up on your list done. You can say “My priority list doesn’t have room for that right now.”

Sometimes you have to say no to yourself and not just to others.

Don’t let spur of the moment ideas take you off on tangents unless they are part of your priorities. If you make an effort to do this then you will find yourself doing the really great things in life and it will get easier and easier to say no to things, even the seemingly good things.

Do you ever struggle with saying no? How do you manage your yeses and noes?

We Love Springfree Trampoline & A {HUGE} Giveaway {$1,899 value}!

2012-05-20T23:51:50Z

Mommy Kudos - The Latest & Greatest For Moms, Babies & kids

What kid doesn’t love a trampoline? I know I enjoyed jumping on a trampoline as a kid (still do). But moms have all kinds of things to worry about with trampolines right? They have springs that can pinch you or that you can fall through. The nets that are made to keep you inside the trampoline can have hard metal bars that if you jump into them it could really hurt. And those are just a few of the safety hazards.

I had all of those excuses for not getting a trampoline even though I knew a trampoline would be a lot of fun for our family. I knew my kids would love to jump on a trampoline and share it with friends but the idea of them getting hurt kept us from making the investment. Then I heard about Springfree Trampolines. This changes everything!

We visited the Springfree showroom here locally in Texas and were amazed from the moment we saw these very different looking trampolines. There are absolutely no springs! The mat that you jump on goes all the way to the edge and, just as amazing, the net that keeps you on the trampoline will hold you in if you fall into it. There is nothing hard on it to injure yourself. So as long as you are being smart about how you jump the risk of injury is almost none.

My kids were thrilled to spend about an hour and a half trying out each of the different sizes of trampolines (there’s one for just about every sized backyard). They had so much fun and got in some great exercise!

When our trampoline was delivered to our house (the S113 square) the kids wanted it set up right away. We probably should have paid for the installation because we couldn’t get it up soon enough for them and it was a lot of work. It did take a good bit of time to get it set up. My wonderful husband worked on it and got a kind neighbor to help (thank you!).

We got the trampoline set up just 5 days ago and my kids have been jumping on it every free moment they have had. We had to have them jump one at a time and count to 100 jumps or 3 minutes max each just so they wouldn’t argue over who’s turn it was. The first night I didn’t get to go on the trampoline until the little kids had gone to bed but then I went out, just as the sun was setting, and I got a great workout jumping for only 15 minutes. I was winded and tired after that and am excited to use the trampoline as a way to workout from now on.

If you’ve ever thought about purchasing a trampoline but hesitated because they aren’t safe then you will want to consider the safest trampoline available: a Springfree Trampoline. You can learn more about them by watching some quick videos on Youtube and by following Springfree on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

And… I have great news! Springfree is giving away the same trampoline we have!! You could win a Large Square Springfree trampoline worth $1,899 by entering with the Rafflecopter entry form below (if you are reading this in email click over to the site to enter). Enter and share with your friends!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dislosure: Springfree provided my family with a trampoline for free to review in exchange for this post. The opinions shared in this post are my my own and are honest. I love to share with you what me and my family enjoy!

What Moms Love Weekly

2012-05-18T17:46:21Z

Mommy Kudos - The Latest & Greatest For Moms, Babies & kids

What a busy week I’ve had. We had something at our kids school just about every day/night this week! Whew. I am SO glad the weekend is coming. Oh, and we got our Springfree Trampoline set up yesterday. My kids have not. stopped. jumping! I had to wait until they went to bed to have a turn. It’s so much fun!!

This week I’ve been loving seeing hard work pay off, big brother loving on little sister, watching my kids make new friends, making cookies together, and FINALLY getting this potty training thing mostly done (can I get an amen?)!

How about you? What are you loving this week as a mom?

Here are some fun finds this week that are worth checking out:

1. Shutter Huggers- What mom couldn’t use some help getting the kids to look at you while you are taking pictures? These Shutter Huggers and a great innovation to get little ones attention. They even have a black and white dalmatian that would work well for the tiniest babies since they love to look at black, white and red.

2. Kidorable Rain Gear- Kidorable makes rain gear that is… well, adorable. Boys will love this Dragon Knight raincoat, umbrella and boots and girls will twirl for the ballet themed rain gear. My 3 year old is begging me to get the whole ballet set for her. I’m thinking this will be a perfect birthday gift. It’s one part practical rain gear and one part dress up. So fun!!

3. Oogaa Mealtime Set- Who hasn’t played airplane coming in for a landing with their baby while feeding them? This cute set of a train spoon, a plane spoon and a bowl are all made of silicone. That is genius for little ones because it is soft, won’t corrode or deteriorate like plastic, and will not support the growth of fungus, mold or bacteria. Little boys and girls alike will enjoy using these playful sets at mealtime.

4. Crocheted Key Ring Toy by Your Mom Designs (aka my super creative & talented sis)- I’m loving the bright colors on these and think they’re great for babies. They would make a perfect shower or baby gift! These key ring toys are easy to hold, a unique texture, safe for chewing and easy to care for. Each disc/key is about two inches across and perfect for little grasping hands. Also check out her colorful nesting bowls that are loads of fun for little ones!

Have a WONDERFUL week!

$15 Girls Dresses & $10 Boys Tops from Tea Collection

2012-05-18T03:04:13Z

Mommy Kudos - The Latest & Greatest For Moms, Babies & kids

How does $15 dresses and $10 boys tops from Tea Collection sound? Be sure to check out Tea Collection’s Facebook page and vote for your favorite girl dresses and/or boys tops. Once an item has received 1,000 Facebook Likes, it will go on sale–$15 dresses and $10 boys tops! I voted for some of my favorite ones like the Painted Vines Dress for girls and the Agung Polo for boys. Vote for your favorite girls dresses and boys tops to be sure that your favorites go on sale. Have fun Liking and don’t forget to check back for the sale!!

Taking Care of Yourself Tuesday: Feed Yourself Well

2012-05-15T17:16:36Z

Mommy Kudos - The Latest & Greatest For Moms, Babies & kids

This week’s idea is pretty simple. Feed yourself well.

I was the queen of seeing to my family’s needs and neglecting my own and that included eating. I would get up before everyone else in the morning and get laundry going and breakfast ready for my family to sit down and enjoy it. Then I would get busy making lunches or cleaning up and wouldn’t actually sit down to eat until 9 or 10. Lunch would be the same story. I ate last and would eat whatever was quick and easy.

Big mistake!

I started having health issues (adrenal fatigue, hormone issues and handling stress very poorly) and one of the first things I found out was effecting me was not eating well and eating to support my body. This meant eating within an hour of waking, eating lots of protein and eating every few hours. My poor eating was largely contributing to my poor health which took me months to overcome.

It can seem like just another thing to add to your busy schedule to plan healthy meals for yourself and to make sure you always have snacks ready but it is worth it! You will feel better, probably look better, and have energy to do what you need to get done in a day.

Do you have experience with the difference of eating healthy vs. unhealthy as a mom? Care to share your story in the comments? What’s your favorite healthy snack tip?

P.S. If you need some help on what to eat I came across this eBook recently and am planning to purchase it myself. It’s called Real {Fast} Food and it’s all about eating healthy without spending too much time on it.

What Moms Love {Weekly}

2012-05-12T00:43:47Z

Mommy Kudos - The Latest & Greatest For Moms, Babies & kids

Can you believe the school year is almost over? We are counting the days in my home! Today was a taste of that for me since my older 3 kids had orthodontist appointments and I decided to surprise them by keeping them out of school the rest of the day (shhh…don’t tell on us). I am really enjoying the tween/teen years in spite of the hormones. It can be rocky but it’s also a lot of fun.

This week I am loving a toddler that is giddy as she rolls in the grass, the last cool breezes before it get’s really hot, random hugs from momma’s boy, seeing results from a workout and taking care of myself, and Mother’s Day celebration secrets whispered between children.

How about you? What makes your list of loves this week? I’d love to hear them!!

Here are a few finds this week that I am excited about:

1. Din Din Smart™ Stainless Bus Platter- by InnoBaby- This fun platter is made of stainless steel is great for toddlers and kids! You won’t find any BPA here and, with 5 compartments, there’s plenty of room for lots of healthy options.

2. Ele Patemm Pad in Storm White Twill (a Sprout San Fransisco Exclusive)- I think this design is super cute and I’ve heard really good things about the Patemn Pad. If you’ve ever tried to open a diaper bag, get out a diaper, wipes and unfold a changing pad all one handed, then you will appreciate the Patemn Pad that has no zippers, buttons, or straps. It unfolds easily and holds your diapers, wipes and a change of clothes. I love the large round shape that is perfect for the squirmiest of little ones.

3. Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips- A friend told me about these nail polish strips and they are great! If you want a quick manicure with some really cool designs then you should try these. You can find them at Target or order them online. They are easy to put on and last for up to 10 days with no drying time.

4. Springfree Trampolines- My family is getting one of these trampolines this coming week. We went last week to their store in Plano Texas and my kids had a BLAST jumping on these SAFE trampolines. It sounds strange to call a trampoline safe because of all of the ways there are to get hurt on a trampoline but Springfree trampolines have eliminated the major ways you can get hurt on traditional trampolines. First of all there are no springs and the sides flex with you if you jump into them. Want to see more? Watch the video here of the safety features. If your interested in learning more about Springfree trampolines visit their website here. Check back with Mommy Kudos next week for a more detailed review and to enter to win a Springfree Trampoline for yourself!

Enjoy your weekend and have a Happy Mother’s Day!

Taking Care of Yourself Tuesdays: Make Yourself Up

2012-05-08T17:17:19Z

Mommy Kudos - The Latest & Greatest For Moms, Babies & kids

Today I want to challenge you to make yourself up. No, I’m not talking about pretending to be someone you are not but rather emphasizing your best features so that you feel good about yourself.

When was the last time that you got a new shade of eye color or lip gloss? How about the last time you put it on in a different way to try something new? Sometimes us moms need to shake things up a bit and take some time to do things that make us feel special. If you aren’t putting much thought into your makeup then I’d like to challenge you to do just that…this week!

Go ahead, call a makeup counter at your favorite department store or a store like Sephora or Ulta and make an appointment (perhaps on the weekend when you can leave the kids at home or go ahead and get a babysitter. It’s worth it!). These places will do make overs for free (they do hope that you purchase something and I encourage you to purchase an item or two that you like). Let them make you over in a new way. Tell them which feature you want to emphasize. Ever tried a smokey eye? Go for it! Want to wear red lipstick. Give it a shot! Just try something new that makes you feel good about the way you look. Make sure you ask the person to show you the techniques.

Don’t have the opportunity to go to a makeup counter for a makeover? Ask a friend that you are always admiring her look to show you how she does it. Or grab a magazine, search online or get a makeup book (I really like Making Faces) and follow the instructions on your own to get the desired look. It can take practice to get it right so don’t give up if you don’t get it right the first time!

I really want to encourage you to do this this week and keep doing it on a regular basis. Yes it will take time and energy on your part but I promise you will be glad you did once you are done! I’m taking my own advise and working on a new look this week. I’ll be sure to post a picture soon!

Mommy Kudos

What Moms Love Weekly

Unjunk Your Junk Food- Healthy Alternatives to Conventional Snacks

Old School Blogging: What it is & Why I’m Doing It

old school blogging= blogging about what you love and enjoy just because you love and enjoy it, and doing it to serve others by sharing your knowledge and expertise.

Giveaways

Joint Giveaways for Followers

SEO

Community

Content

So how about you? I know it can seem like a sloooowwww climb when you are a smaller blogger and it’s really tempting to work the system to get followers quickly. What are your standards for yourself in gaining a readership?

Taking Care of Yourself Tuesday: Learning to Say No & Priorities

Think about it. Your children are watching you. They see your no’s and your yes’s. They are learning from you what is important and what time should be spent on.

Sometimes you have to say no to yourself and not just to others.

Do you ever struggle with saying no? How do you manage your yeses and noes?

We Love Springfree Trampoline & A {HUGE} Giveaway {$1,899 value}!

What Moms Love Weekly

How about you? What are you loving this week as a mom?

$15 Girls Dresses & $10 Boys Tops from Tea Collection

Taking Care of Yourself Tuesday: Feed Yourself Well

What Moms Love {Weekly}

Enjoy your weekend and have a Happy Mother’s Day!

Taking Care of Yourself Tuesdays: Make Yourself Up

I’d love to hear from you! How are you going to Make yourself up this week?