Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Mom

Put On Purple for Lupus Awareness!

2013-05-16T14:02:00.006-04:00

CSHM Community Member Jeanene has something she'd like to share

"Howdy all!

Tomorrow is POP: PUT ON PURPLE.

The reason? LUPUS AWARENESS!!! Lupus is an auto-immune disease which effects mostly women and tomorrow is the day you can show support and awareness by wearing PURPLE!"

She explains more about Lupus and her story in this video:

I first "met" Jeanene when she started popping up on the CSHM Facebook page over a year ago. I loved her passion, her humor and her creativity. She's become a true friend, despite the fact we've never actually met (details, details). Over time I learned more about Jeanene's life: her beautiful little girl, her husband's Car-B-Que, and finally her struggle with Lupus.

Jeanene, a 31 year old active member of CSHM, has been dealing with the effects of Lupus since her diagnosis 14 years ago at age 18. She did a guest post a few months ago about her life as a mom living with Lupus. And we have a great opportunity to support her.

How?

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to WEAR PURPLE TOMORROW: a t-shirt, an old prom dress, a wig. Then snap a pic and share your photos (with an optional message) on the CSHM facebook page!

Let's show our support for her and the rest of those affected by lupus - Put on your PURPLE!

Who's in?!

Streaming on Netflix {To Whom It May Concern}

2013-05-15T12:05:00.001-04:00

Dear Powers-that-Be at Netflix:

Ever since you introduced streaming a few years back, I've gladly used your services to enjoy past and present screen entertainment. Netflix streaming has allowed me to reconnect with My So-Called Life (bestill my heart, Jordan Catalano!), Dawson's Creek and Wonder Years, as well as catch up on new loves such as Community and Mad Men.

But there are glaring holes in your television show selection. Now, I know this is not your fault. I know there is, like, a legislative process and legal mumbo-jumbo and blah blah blah that has to happen before a TV show can be released on DVD and then streaming.

But seriously?

There are some shows that people need to reconnect with.

Like.

Need.

Here is my running list of Shows That Need To Be Streaming on Netflix (To Complete My Life), in no particular order:

Ed

A bowling alley. A "will they, won't they?" love story. And Michael Ian Black. And hello, let's not forget to mention stars like Julie Bowen, Ginnfer Goodwin and John Slattery (you mad, Mad Man). I'm not sure if you could create a better TV show if you tried. My friend Heather got me into this show a few seasons after it started. I was immediately smitten and couldn't miss an episode. There are groups rallying to have the show released on DVD (and, of course, subsequently to streaming. ::Fingers and toes crossed::). The problem appears that since it ended in 2004, the show has not been off the air long enough to be released?

I call BS and will choose to believe there is a greater conspiracy.

Judging Amy

Seeing as my first job out of college was as a social worker who worked with the juvenile probation court system, Judging Amy was an easy win for me. Amy Brenneman was the perfect mix of commanding judge in the courtroom and beautiful mess in her personal life. Tyne Daily as Amy's mom Maxine always seemed to be a bit bumbling yet confident. I loved Maxine's strength and, of course, her social worker's bleeding heart.

In the course of it's reign, Judging Amy had several very compelling story lines, including the foster child Eric who protects the family from a stalker (by killing him) as well as the imprisoned gang member Graciela who Amy connects deeply with but eventually loses. Mixed in with the court cases and family issues are Amy's love interests (which can get pretty interesting).

I watched Judging Amy on syndication faithfully for several years during my lunch break. Then one day I came home on my lunch break and it was gone. I've been waiting for it's return ever since.

ER

I'm pretty sure this is the landmark show that spawned my current favorite medical show Grey's Anatomy. ER rocked our television airwaves for 15 years. 15 years of medical maladies, interoffice drama and steamy love scenes in medicine closets. Who didn't cry when Mark Greene passed away? I was riveted by this show once a week for many years. I would take any of the seasons if Netflix could only release one. So intense. SO GOOD.

Pete & Pete

Do we even need to rehash the awesomeness that is Pete & Pete? My heart still skips a beat when I randomly catch the Pete & Pete theme song (Ay ya ya yaaaaai). From Pete's mermaid tattoo named Petunia to Artie the Strongest Man in the World challenging a bee, there is no shortage of intriguing entertainment. I never failed to laugh at least once during each episode, including the time I almost peed my pants where the got that kid to spit milk out of his ears in the lunch room.

The writing was genius, people.

(And let's be honest. If we are going to rally for Pete & Pete, let's also throw in Salute Your Shorts and Hey Dude, right? Especially when you can stream Hey Arnold and Dinosaurs. Seriously, Netflix? Not da Mama?)

~~~~~

I'm sure there are even more I am missing, but I'm prioritizing here.

So Netflix, can you help a sister out and get on that?

Thanks.

And Camp Anawana?

We'll always hold you in our hearts...

LYLAS,

Steph

UPDATE: As per the AMAZING suggestions of my AMAZING readers/fans, here are a few more that need to be added to The List:

Friends

Gilmore Girls

Sisters

Gymagogo {Motivation Monday}

2013-05-13T09:21:00.001-04:00

When it comes to fitness and health, it is really easy to be unmotivated.

Once we set a goal - drinking more water each day, being active several days per week, joining a gym or running a 5k - whatever the goal is, the obstacles immediately move in. We make excuses as to why we cannot complete this newly-formed goal.

"I hate the taste of water. SHHHH. I know it's tasteless."

"I'm too busy to commit to being active 5 days a week! What was I thinking!"

"3.2 miles? Ha! I can't even run one! Why even try?"

"It's nice to have a gym membership, I just never seem to find time to go!"

"I'm intimidated by everyone who will watch me flounder and fail as I try to be fit."

Sound familiar?

These are all goals I've made at various times over the past few years. I've continued my commitment to my Water Challenge of drinking 8 glasses of water per day. It is hard some days, but I've gotten into a great routine, and I feel much better when I hydrate properly. Being active several days per week and running 5k's actually go hand in hand. Despite facing some running injuries this year, I've overcome them and started running again. I aim to run 3-5 times per week. And after a long injury-laden hiatus, I ran my first 5k since September this past Saturday.

And I totally PR'd!

But joining a gym?

Joining a gym still totally unmotivates me.

I have plenty of reasons why: the cost, the hours not syncing with my schedule, laziness (ie: actually getting into a car and getting to the gym), and the Intimidation Factor. This might be the biggest one. Whether it is taking a class or using the fitness room, I am very self-conscious of my ability (or lack thereof). Even though it's silly, I hate feeling like the dope who does all the wrong moves in an aerobics class or the poser who stands there scratching her head because she has no idea how to use a particular exercise machine.

Heaven help me if I am ever that person who falls off the treadmill.

Well, then I met Gymagogo.

And I'm pretty sure my life has been changed forever. I was
recently introduced to this online service. They contacted me and asked if I'd like to check out a class and give them my honest opinion. I will be completely honest: when I was first contacted I was like, "Ehhh, ok." I couldn't imagine how it would be any different than using a fitness DVD (which have never really worked for me in the past). So I had pretty low expectations. I said yes, though, and signed up for my class. The night my class rolled around, I made sure my computer was all ready, and then?

And then my expectations were totally blown out of the water.

You see, until I took the class I didn't really grasp how revolutionary Gymagogo was. It's the best aspects of a gym, fitness class, personal trainer and Skype, all wrapped into one pretty package. Think Video Conference meets Pilates Class. The idea of Gymagogo is that you are connected to a live class run by a certified teacher (I happen to take a Pilates class). The teacher is able to see all of the class members, but you are only about to see the teacher. So you have all the amazing benefits of being at a class (real interaction and feedback) without the intimidation (ie: no one can see you), all in the comfort of your home.

And the best part?

It's totally free right now.

FREE.

I chose a Pilates Class for 8:30pm on a Tuesday night (yes, I had to DVR New Girl, but it was totes worth it). I love that Gymagogo offers a variety of times, so you are sure to find something within your scheduling ability. This is especially awesome for busy moms. So while you might not be able to keep your eyes open at 8:30 at night, you could possibly squeeze in a class before preschool pick up at 10:30am. See? CHOICES.

Before the class, I was sent several email reminders, as well as a personal introduction to the certified teacher, Lauren. If I wanted to learn more about Lauren, I could click over to her bio. Gymagogo also sent me an easy-to-use guide to downloading the video plug-in (which was no problem to download), as well as a step-by-step system check to make sure I was actually able to connect to the video service (I was).

T-30 minutes before class started, I got one last email reminding me to get ready. So I gathered my yoga mat, put on my workout clothes, and set myself up in my enclosed porch for privacy and comfort. Lauren greeted us all as we logged on. She helped me get positioned just right so she could assess my moves throughout the class. As the class started, we were all put on mute, so we could only hear Lauren and her directions. Lauren did an amazing job of verbally directing us, and she was in a room with a mirror so we could really see her body positioning through each move. I had NEVER done Pilates before, so it was so awesome to get individual feedback throughout the class.

"Stephanie, push your right hand back a little bit so it's under your shoulder."

"Ok Steph, that looks good!"

"Steph, make sure your ankles are touching."

"Hold that position, Steph, and try to keep your head down."

It was truly a personal experience, and I almost forgot that she wasn't in the room with me. I felt like I got a great workout (I was actually "good sore" the next day!), and I was super glad I didn't have to jump in a car and drive home afterwards (because, hello, I was already home).

If committing to or getting to the gym is filled with obstacles for you, but you still want to focus on your health and fitness, I cannot praise Gymagogo enough. I was seriously impressed. They'll be adding more classes in the future (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Zumba and Abdominal Workouts!), so check back to see what other workouts are available!

So the only question left is:

Who wants to join me this Tuesday for Pilates at 8:30pm?!

Let's get MOTIVATED!

To learn more about Gymagogo, check out their website or connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

~~~~~

LINK UP YOUR MOTIVATION
MONDAY POSTS

Whether it's a healthified recipe or fitness tip as your motivation toward a healthier lifestyle, parenting advice or encouragement on your journey as a better parent, thoughts on marriage as you better yourself as a spouse, we want to hear about it! Share YOUR posts about motivating yourself to be BETTER below.

Hey Philly: Welcome Wink Frozen Desserts!

2013-05-09T13:29:00.000-04:00

It is no secret that I have a bit of a sweet tooth.

Between my well-documented obsession with Nutella or the claim that Ice Cream is my kryptonite (guilty as charged), I just can't get around the sweet stuff. Which is...directly opposed to my continued Journey toward Healthfied (which includes doing my best to be more aware of refined foods and sugar intake).

A conflict, to be sure.

While I have come up with some suitable "healthified" dessert options, there is nothing that compares to a nice creamy bowl of ice cream. AMIRIGHT?

So what's a girl to do?

Well, a girl discovers Wink Frozen Desserts.

A dessert that claims to be a healthier option for health-conscious and allergy-suffering people. No dairy. No nuts. No gluten. No eggs. No soy. No GMO's. No sugar. On their webpage, they share that, "Wink's goal is to provide dieters, diabetics, celiacs and those intolerant to lactose, nuts, eggs and soy the pleasure of a ice cream filled life."

They had my attention.

(YAY! MUCH REJOICING!)

Said girl then initially learns that said desserts are not available in her area.

(SADNESS AND DESPAIR)

Then said girl finds a few months later that that said dessert is suddenly available in the Philadelphia area.

Ok, enough of "the girl."

I recently had a chance to try out Wink Frozen Desserts, since finding their products are available in Philly. One afternoon I arrived home to find the delivery box on my doorstep. The desserts came packed in a cooled box, so there was no worry about meltage.

But enough about the packaging.

On to the DESSERT!

For me, there are 2 important factors in a good dessert: TASTE and TEXTURE. Wink Frozen Desserts are spot on. Somehow without the use of milk (this is a dairy-free dessert, people), they find a good balance of cold and creamy. For those from Philly, they are remniscent of a cream ice from Rita's Water Ice (but without the sugar and articfical colors and flavors). Wink desserts are naturally sweetened with a combination of stevia and monk fruit extract, so while they may not be overwhelmingly sweet, they hit your sweet spot just right.

Also?

They come in fun flavors such as Cake Batter, Iced Latte, Cocoa Dough and Cinnamon Bun.

Sometimes at the end of the day, I need something sweet. And by "sometimes" I mean "all the time." Wink Frozen Desserts are an indulgence I don't have to feel bad about. I don't feel I'm totally undoing my good eating habits. And as someone who has close friends and family who cannot eat gluten, dairy or nuts, I cannot express enough what an amazing option this is for them. Can you imagine growing up as a child watching all the other kids enjoying a dessert that your body just would not tolerate?

Well, now they can enjoy yumminess with the rest of the kids!

The great thing about Wink Frozen Desserts is that they are perfectly delish all by themselves. But, if you want to get a little crazy, you can MIX IT UP. Since I don't have a nut allergy, and I DO like to indulge a bit (especially after a nice long run), this is my little combo:

Are you even surprised?!?

So go ahead and indulge tonight!

Find Wink Frozen Desserts in a store near you or order online through May 31st (when their online store will close). If you order online, use code MONTHOFMAY to get a 5th pint free if you buy 4!

You can follow Wink Frozen Desserts for fun dessert-y updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Why I Appreciate Teachers #ThankATeacher

2013-05-06T21:24:00.000-04:00

It wasn't my aim to grow up and be a blogger.

Well, let's be honest. The internet was invented sometime when I was little. So email, online streaming and blogs were nothing but mere dreams of science fiction fans. No one dreamed of being a blogger back then. Or someone who had the ability to telecommute via the internet. Or living on the moon. Because such things didn't exist.

But I digress.

Let me rephrase: I never thought I'd grow up to be a writer.

Perhaps I am taking liberties here, calling myself a writer and all. You might not see me as a writer. Heck. I don't really see myself as a writer. But it's kind of what I do, isn't it? Write stuff? On this blog? With reasonable grammar and maybe even a little bit of witty banter?

I've always liked writing, and if I had to choose a subject that I excelled in more than others, it was English. And while I enjoyed creating stories, I was never compelled to take it any further. I never actually thought I had any writing ability.

Until my junior year of high school.

During 11th grade (and half of 12th), I had an amazing English teacher. We didn't just read books, we analyzed. We discussed. We debated. It was during this year of English that I learned to think, truly think about what I was reading and writing. I started understanding the complexities of writing, the beauty in meaning. And this teacher, she really read our writing. Her hang ups were never on spelling (although she pushed us to have proper spelling and grammar); rather, it was on being better. She would point out a phrase or a paragraph and give feedback such as, "I can see the idea you are trying to convey, and I know you can develop this better." I received countless papers back without a grade, because she knew I was so close to grasping the tone or the style the project called for. She knew I could be better, and she never let me settle for less.

I got straight A's in her class.

I appreciate teachers because my 11th grade English teacher, Ms. Masar, always called me to be better.

I appreciate teachers because my 5th grade teacher, Mr. Poskitt, saw my drive and potential. Even as a ten year old. So he allowed me to create a class newspaper and run it as the editor. I managed my fellow students, and we created several issues of a very humble 5th grade class paper, complete with articles, reviews, recipes and comics. I learned a lot about leadership, conflict resolution and the frustrations of the editorial process that year.

I appreciate teachers because my elementary school Phys Ed teacher, Ms. Pequnia, never made me feel bad for being nonathletic. She never called me out or embarrassed me. I was never belittled in front of my peers. Rather, I was spurred on. And after years of trying to accomplish a pull up for the Presidential Physical Fitness test and failing, I finally completed one. Actually, I completed two. It took until 4th grade. But she was right there, celebrating my accomplishment.

I appreciate teachers because I had a social studies teacher named Doc Spadoni. And he taught me the word "peruse" and found ways to work humor into what would have been an otherwise very boring year of Western World. Doc managed to make the subject fun.

I appreciate teachers because I had an elementary school art teacher who knew that creativity started in the mind. Mr. Barney didn't just stick paint brushes in our hand and expect us to create a picture. He first gave us pictures by telling us folktales from other cultures. He was an amazing story teller. And the words that left his lips wove detailed pictures in our young minds. The art from our hands followed.

I appreciate teachers because my husband wakes up every day with the mission to educate high school students. And he loves it. He loves watching his students make connections, the camaraderie with his coworkers, and the impact he is having on his community.

It humbles me that there are people whose chosen profession is simply to mold the minds of tomorrow. These teachers spend their days making sure that our future communities are filled with well-educated mothers, fathers, artists, architects, doctors, park rangers, writers, engineers, butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers.

Yet, they've been made the enemy.

Everyone has an opinion about their performance. As public servants, teacher contracts and incomes come under community scrutiny. Instead of having the opportunity to inspire and motivate, they are harangued for test scores and curriculum mapping. I am disheartened that the very district that gave me my education has a school board in place that villianizes teachers to the public. In a time when we could be focusing on how to best teach our children, teachers are being paraded in the media as money-hungry, lazy and greedy. The very same teachers who opt to stay in a job that has had a pay freeze for 3 years due to "budgetary restrictions," yet administrators get raises.

It takes an honorable person to choose the profession of teaching.

And I am the who I am today because of the education I received from 13 years of giving, inspiring and challenging teachers.

So today, Teacher Appreciation Day, I applaud you, teachers.

I know how difficult your job is. I know the criticism you face in spite of the passion you have. I know the long hours outside of your contract that you work for the benefit of your students, for your school. I know that you continue to educate yourself so you are better at your job. I know that most people would balk at the idea of having their work contract and income a publicly-decided commodity.

And I know that, despite the obstacles you encounter, you love what you do.

Because every day?

Every day you show up.

You show up amidst the challenges and criticism and chaos, and you teach.

You have chosen the better thing, friends.

And I could not be more in awe of the amazing work you do.

Thank you.

~~~~~

I'd love to hear from you:

Who are the teachers that have impacted your life?

Take a moment and leave a comment to appreciate the teachers inspired you, challenged you and pushed you to be better. Thank the teachers who helped you become who you are today.

#ThankATeacher

How to Handle Night Terrors {Motivation Monday}

2013-05-05T20:50:00.001-04:00

::I am not a medical professional. I am just sharing what I've learned in my experience dealing with a child who has night terrors::

It starts with an unexpected whimper a few hours after you've put your child too bed. Soon the whimper turns into a cry, then a scream. The unsuspecting parents race up to their child's room, convinced something awful is happening. Instead they find their child is having a night terror. Night terrors are a somewhat common phenomenon in children ages 3-7 (more often boys than girls). Many find the terrors peak at age 4 and dissipate slowly over time, although some kids struggle with them consistently through the early childhood years.

Sometimes, as a parent, our motivation to be better is equipping ourselves with the right tools and knowledge to address the needs in our children's lives. When night terrors first started with Chica, I had no idea what was going on and, to be quite honest, it scared the living crap out of me. Now that she is almost 5 years old, the night terrors are few and far between, unless a trigger causes one. I've been asked several times how I've handled Chica's night terrors. I've done a TON of research, asked a LOT of questions and learned through trial and error. I'd like to share what I've learned so that other parents kind find the resources they need to cope with night terrors in their families.

What is a night terror?

Many people mistake night terrors for nightmares, but they are distinctly different. Night terrors happen in a non-REM cycle of sleep, a deeper cycle of sleep. Nightmares happen during the lighter REM sleep, which is when we dream. Night terrors most often occur in the first 2-3 hours after a child falls asleep, whereas nightmares happen usually in the second half of a night or closer to morning. Chica's night terrors almost always happen between 9:30pm and 11pm, and she falls asleep sometime around 7:30pm.

What does a night terror look like?

When Chica has a night terror, she screams or crys. Sometimes it seems like she is in pain or very, very frightened. She will kick and flail. If we try to interact with her, she gets more agitated. Sometimes her eyes are wide open and it seems as though she is awake when, in fact, she is in a very deep cycle of sleep. Chica will say things like, "NO!" Some children who have night terrors also sleepwalk. A night terror can look different in different kids.

What is the difference between a night terror and a nightmare?

As stated earlier, the occurrences happen during different cycles of sleep as well as different times of night. You will find that a child having a nightmare can "wake up" from the nightmare, while a child having a night terror stays stuck in their deep sleep cycle. How you handle a night terror (which I'll talk about in a minute) is different how you might handle a nightmare. Because of the sleep cycles they occur in, kids can remember details of nightmares or continue to feel the fear long after they've woken up (much like dreams). The good thing about night terrors is that once kids go abck to sleep, they usually wake up not able to recall even having had an episode.

What causes night terrors?

There are different triggers for different kids. Some kids don't have any recognizable triggers. Some triggers are similar to those of nightmares (fears, scary movies, etc). Big triggers for night terrors include: stress, being overtired, fever or needing to go to the bathroom. Chica sometimes has night terrors if she is very overtired going to bed. Some nights, after a particualrly rigorous day, I know a night terror might come on. There are other times when she is stressed about something and it manifests itself in a night terror. While she was potty-training, we found that if she had to go to the bathroom at night, it would disrupt her sleep and she would have a nightmare before wetting or soiling her bed.

How do you handle a night terror?

Every parent handles this differently, but after my research we've have adjusted how we handle Chica's night terrors. Many parents treat night terrors like nightmares, by going in and trying to help their child wake up and comfort them. While this sentiment is nice, these actions often work to make night terrors worse for the child. Due to the deep non-REM sleep cycle, it is VERY difficult to wake the child who is having a night terror. So every touch or spoken word actually becomes part of their night terror, serving to further agitate the child. We've found this to be true of Chica. We used to go in and try to wake and comfort her. She would get more upset, scream and kick. If her eyes were open, she would look at us wildly as though she did not recognize us. In reality, she was not awake. She was not seeing us.

We've found the best way to handle night terrors is to go in, check that she is safe, that she hasn't wet the bed (which is sometimes a trigger), and that she wasn't sick. If all of those are in check, we quietly leave the room and shut the door. I usually sit out in the hallway just to make sure she gets through the night terror (because it does break my heart to hear her so upset!). Even though it seems like an eternity, if we let her just work out the night terror, the spell only lasts about 10-15 minutes. Then she goes back to sleep and is usually fine until morning.

Tips on overcoming night terrors

Generally, night terrors are a season in your child's life, and you will just have to work through them until they stop occurring. You can work to identify the triggers of your child's night terrors, and try to avoid or eliminate them:

1) If your child is stressed or fearful, talk through the stress or fear. Help him identify what is bothering him and process ways to address it. Working with a child therapist can be very helpful.

2) If your child is overtired, you can put her to bed earlier. Or keep the hour before bedtime calm (no TV or no overly-stimulating activities).

3) Make sure your child has gone to the bathroom before getting into bed.

4) Try to stay on a regular daily schedule.

I hope this helps! In the end, I stick by my parenting mantra for all things: do what works best for YOU and YOUR CHILD. Over time, your child will overcome his or her night terrors. If you are concerned or what medical advice, I strongly recommend talking with your pediatrician.

Does your child have night terrors?
How do you handle them?
What tips/advice can you give to other parents?

~~~~~

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

Cilantro-Avocado Dressing: Recipe AND Giveaway! #AmazingAvoCinco {Sponsored}

2013-05-01T15:19:00.002-04:00

This post and giveaway is sponsored by Avocados from Mexico and The Motherhood.

Avocados.

They're so in right now.

They're like the new pink.

Except...they are green.

AND AWESOME.

The general public is starting to get wise on the godsend that is AVOCADOS. You see pictures all over Instagram of people throwing a few slices on their sandwich, mixing them with their eggs or chopping them atop a salad. Pinterest is exploding with Avocado recipes, everything from savory to sweet (he-llo! Avocado brownies).

The secret is out:

Avocados are a mad storehouse of healthy goodness.

Did you know:

Avocados are chock-full of "good fats?"

One ounce (ie: 3 slices) is only 50 calories, and offer 20 vitamins and minerals?

They are versatile, so you can add them to so many dishes and snacks to boost their nutritional value (shh! Don't tell the kids!)

They are a fruit?

And?

They are available all year round.

WHERE CAN I SIGN UP?

The good people of Avocados from Mexico asked me and a few of my bloggy friends to whip up some yummy avocado recipes and then sponsored a little Avocado get together so we could share them. The end result was pure amazingness.

Sarah from Genesis Moments kindly hosted us (and totally let us tear apart her kitchen). Here's the crew:

Sarah, Kelly from The Centsible Life, Me (of COURSE I wore a sombrero. Duh)
and Hillary from My Scraps.

Except it was a little less like that ^ , and a little more like:

Ole!

There was much rejoicing (yay!) and a little sadness (boo!) because this gal:

Julie from Juliverse

Couldn't make it.

But she sent along the most delectable Avocado Banana Cream Pie (see below), so we forgave her.

Hilary brought these ZOMG Avocado-Watermelon Skewers:

Photo courtesy Kelly from TheCentsiblelife.com

Sarah whipped up the most amazing Avo-Apple Smoothies:

Mid-way through the party, we enjoyed a little bit of this (of course):

Photo courtesy of Hillary of My Scraps

Then we dug into the desserts.

YES.

Desserts.

Did you even know you could make desserts from Avocado?

I know. I just blew your mind.

Kelly brought the most SCRUMPTIOUS Choco-Banana Avocado Pie and Julie sent along her MOUTHWATERING Avocado Banana Cream Pie:

Holy Avocado Desserts, Batman!

I was skeptical at first.

But then I couldn't stop eating them. HOLY AVOCADO.

My contribution was my Cilantro-Avocado Dressing. It is meant to be drizzled over beef tacos, but I happened to have a sick kid that day, so the beef was never taco'd. If you keep the dressing thick, it can be used as a tasty dip as well!

Here's the recipe:

2 Avocados
2-4 limes
1/4 cup of Cilantro
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Juice the limes. If you are looking to make the dressing, use 4 limes (or more if you find they aren't very juicy). If you are looking to make the dip, use 2 limes.

Mash the avocados and add the lime juice and cilantro. With a immersion blender (or in a food processor), blend/pulse until creamy and thin. If you find the dressing is still too thick, add the juice from 1 more lime.

Season with salt and pepper and serve drizzled over your favorite taco recipe!

~~~~~

If you are on the prowl for more recipes, check out all the recipes on Avocados from Mexico.

Do YOU have a great recipe for avocados, or a favorite way you like to enjoy them? Then you could win a $100 giftcard!

How to Enter (Mandatory entry):

Leave a comment sharing your favorite avocado recipe, along with your email, and you will be entered to win!

Bonus Entries (leave an extra comment for each):

1. Follow me on Twitter (@DonnaReedSteph) and leave a comment with your twitter handle.

2. Follow me on Instagram (@DonnaReedSteph) and leave a comment with your Instagram handle.

3. Tweet: Hey @DonnaReedSteph I want to win a $100 gift card from Amazing Avocado http://bit.ly/10W15N3 #AmazingAvoCinco

Giveaway ends on Friday May 10th at midnight, so get your entries in! Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, check out these opportunities for more Avocado fun:

“Most Amazing Cinco Fiesta” Pinterest Contest: Tuesday, April 16 – Friday, May 3

The contest invites pinners to create “Most Amazing Cinco Fiesta” boards to highlight all the key elements that make for the ultimate Cinco de Mayo celebration. The grand prize winner for the best board will receive a $500 gift card, while two weekly winners receive a $50 gift card and authentic molcajete.

“Cinco Style: Discover Your Inner Avo” Facebook Quiz: Friday, April 26 – Sunday, May 5

The quiz on Facebook provides Avocados from Mexico fans with a quirky and interactive way to identify with the Amazing Avocado by taking a quiz that links their personality traits to avocado-based recipes with similar characteristics. Possible avocado personalities: Rocker Guac-er, Classically Cool, Sweetheart Style and Globe Trotter.

You can connect with Avocados from Mexico on Facebook and Pinterest as well as their website.

Disclosure: This post and giveaway is sponsored by Avocados from Mexico and The Motherhood. All opinions are, as always, my own. I like to keep it real, y'all.

Octonauts Under-the-Sea Toys {Review}

2013-04-29T15:50:00.003-04:00

*Disclosure: I was provided the toys in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own*

Everything I know about sea creatures, I learned from Octonauts.

And I'm not even kidding.

We went without cable for a long time. Not long ago, we decided to reinstate our cable subscription. The girls discovered fun and new channels, including Disney Junior. Disney Junior is now the ONLY channel that ever graces our TV screen while the children are awake. They love all of the shows. But there is one that trumps them all in Chica's eyes.

And that is Octonauts.

Several times a day I hear the alert for "Creature report! Creature report!" And I know that something fun and educational will be following. Octonauts, in case you are unfamiliar, follows the adventures of a team of underwater explorers (there are 8 of them - get it? 'Octo?'). This team, made up of various animals from cats and dogs to bears and penguins, explore the world's oceans. During their explorations they rescue sea creatures and protect sea habitats.

And they are so stinkin' cute.

Cute, do-gooding animals.

I LOVE IT.

And believe me when I say this is an educational show. I'm convinced Chica is becoming a budding marine biologist. She throws out facts about some of the most obscure sea creatures you may never have heard of! In the short time we've been watching Octonauts, we've learned about:

At first, I thought these were creatures Octonaut's made up. BUT THEY ARE REAL. All the marine life facts my daughter is learning are real.

So imagine her joy when we received the opportunity to check out the new Octonauts toys from Fisher-Price!

Bath time has become our favorite time of day because Chica and Bug get to become part of the Octonaut team with their water-friendly toys.

Chica usually maneuvers the Gup-C (complete with color-changing creatures and a rescue tool), while Bug propels the Gup-D (Captain Barnacles included!). We've also got various rescue missions sets involving Tunip and a clamshell, as well as Kwazii and the Slime Eel.

The package also included this awesome Octonaut's interactive magazine. Chica takes it to bed to "read" every night!

For a more "hands on" experience, Chica kindly gives us a video review of the Octonaut Toys:

If your kids are as crazy for Octonauts as mine are, you can now find the Octonaut toys at Toys R Us.

Octonauts airs on Disney Junior at 6:30 AM EST/5:30 AM CT.

Follow Octonauts on Facebook and Twitter.

* Disclosure: I was provided the toys in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own*

Running After an Injury {Motivation Monday}

2013-04-29T09:12:00.001-04:00

Running is such an amazing feeling. As I've shared, I've taken up running in the past few years. I was slow to start, but I've made great progress over time. I had set backs with my 2 pregnancies over the years as well as minor injuries. Recently, I was sidelined with a running injury. Since it is not wise to continue running with an injury, I was advised to take 8 weeks off.

8 weeks of not feeling the pavement fly beneath my feet.

8 weeks of not conquering hills and feeling the freedom of flat ground.

8 weeks of not lacing up my shoes, preparing my iPod and starting the stopwatch

8 weeks is nothing short of an eternity for runners, people.

But, I knew if I wanted to run again, it was best to nurse the injury and take care to heal properly. Otherwise, I'd be left re-injuring myself over and over, leading to an end to running all together. So I got my mind around the mantra that short term difficulties leads to long term rewards. In the short term, I was not running for a few weeks. But those few weeks of healing would lead to (hopefully) many months and years of more running.

I'd say that's worth it.

I didn't love it, but I was motivated to heal so I could continue running.

During the first few weeks of being "benched," I thought the injury would never get better. I had done something to inflame the tendons in my left foot. So even the simple act of walking from the family room to the kitchen was painful. I didn't have access to swimming, which meant that any and all exercise was off limits. I followed the doctor's orders: wear a compression sleeve on my foot and rub a special apothecary anti-inflammatory ointment on my foot twice a day. Yet I felt very little progress.

Healing happens when you aren't paying attention. I kept at my prescribed protocol and tried not to think too much about it. One day my foot hurt a little less. Soon I found that I was able to wear certain shoes again without pain. And a month-and-a-half into my recovery, I felt hardly any pain or discomfort at all. I was making progress!

After a follow up appointment at the 7-week mark, the doctor gave me some physical therapy exercises I could do at home (tracing the alphabet with my foot, flexing my foot and stretching it in certain ways). I decided to give myself 2 more weeks of these exercises along with the compression sleeve and ointment before I would tackle learning how to start running after injury.

With some consultation, I started back up running again. And although it's been a slow journey, it's been safe and successful. I'm almost back to where I was before I injured my foot. And let me tell you: IT FEELS GOOD!

Important tips on running after injury

(Please note: I am not a doctor. This is advice given to me that I have followed.)

Consult your doctor first

If my doctor was the least bit hesitant about having me start running again, I would have postponed it. Yes, it would have driven me crazy. Like my second visit around Week 4 of recovery, when I was hoping to get the green light, and he told me it be at least another month. I cried. But I listened. And that extra month made a huge difference. I went to a orthopedic specialist who had a bit of knowledge about sports medicine. If I was only seeing an orthopedic, I would have also made an appointment with a sports medicine specialist to get a better training plan in place.

Re-evaluate your running gear

Before your injury, were your shoes starting to get old and unsupportive? Does your doctor recommend an insert or compression socks? Check our your gear and get recommendations on any gear your should purchase before starting on your new running regime. Bad gear = injuries. Believe me. I KNOW.

Take it slow

This can be a bit of a downer, but important. You were training before the injury. So whatever progress you'd made before injury did not come over night. It came with time and work. Don't expect to go out on your first run after weeks of no activity and try to run 10 miles. Or 5. Or 3. No, start with 1 mile. Or, 10 minutes of easy running. Avoid hills. Avoid pavement if you can help it. Start small and easy. It may seem like a "baby step," but you need that baby step to rebuild your muscles, lungs and stamina. Starting off too fast and too hard is the best way to land yourself in Injury Land. Like. Immediately. Add 10% every few runs to ensure you are making progress safely.

Listen to your body

You've probably become very aware of your body during this recovery process. I was paying a lot of attention to my foot, hoping to see progress and questioning every little ache. During your first few runs, continue to stay in tune with your body, particularly the injured parts. Is there discomfort? Tension? Pain? If so, stop immediately. Head home, call your doctor and get a consult. He or she may tell you it's normal and to try again after a day or so of rest. They may have advice on what you can be doing differently. Or they may tell you that you are not ready to start running and to wait another week or 2 before attempting another run (they may even want to see you in the office). You also have let your other muscles atrophy while you were healing. So you may more easily find yourself with shin splints, knee pain or achilles tendonitis if you are not careful to go slow and stretch well after runs.

Again, I'm not a doctor, but this was the medical advice I was given. I found it pretty darn sound! Since I am not looking to injure myself again anytime soon, I'm following it as closely as possible. I may try to make an appointment with a sports medicine specialist for a better training plan. But until then, I will continue to listen to my body, take it as slow as my body needs, and ENJOY THE WIND RUSHING THROUGH MY HAIR!

What running/exercise injuries have you endured?

How did you overcome them to start running/exercising again?

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

How to Grill Pizza: Video Tutorial

2013-04-24T22:04:00.001-04:00

After sharing my #GrilledPizzaWednesday creations, many of you have asked, "How do you GRILL pizza?"

Well, friends.

Today is your lucky day.

Check out my video which takes you through the entire pizza grilling process in under 3 1/2 minutes. In this video, I made a Thai Chicken Grilled Pizza. But you can go simple your first time by using jarred pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella and assorted toppings.

If you are brave, you can try a few of the Grilled Pizza recipes I've shared below:

Greek Grilled Pizza
Bacon, Apple and Gorgonzola Grilled Pizza

I can't wait to hear how YOUR grilled pizza turns out for you! Hope you find this video helpful!

Rack Room Shoes Grand Opening Celebration - Exton, PA

2013-04-24T19:19:00.000-04:00

Hey locals!

Do you live in Chester County?

Do you like shoes?

GOOD.

Then this post is for YOU.

I wanted to give you a heads up about some FUN THINGS happening THIS Saturday morning in Exton, PA!

Rack Room Shoes is having a GRAND OPENING celebration in the Fairfield Shopping Center in Exton, PA on Saturday April 27. If you aren't familiar, Fairfield Shopping Center is across Swedesford Road from my fave place to shop, Exton Square Mall. And if you aren't familiar with Rack Room Shoes?

Well, then, you should be.

They sell SHOES, people.

At good prices.

The Grand Opening festivities start at 10:00am with a ribbon cutting. There will be other fun activities and exclusive discounts to shoppers. And *hint hint* there will be special giveaways to the first 100 shoppers *cough cough* get there *cough cough.*

Best part?

One Grand Prize winner will get free shoes for a year.

Did ya hear me?

FREE.

SHOES.

For a YEAR.

::be still my heart::

I'll be there festivizing and whatnot (see what I did there? I made up a word).

Will I see you there?

The Most Beautiful Sight In the World

2013-04-23T10:18:00.000-04:00

Do you know what this is a picture of my friends?

VICTORY.

The kind of victory where trumpets sound and angels sing and world implodes on itself.

Five, count 'em FIVE, empty laundry baskets. Five baskets which previously contained mountains and mountains of impossible, insurmountable unfolded clothes. Five baskets which I painstakingly sifted through, right-side-outing shirts and folding pants. Five baskets that may now be used as cars, boats, doll houses, pet shops, helmets or whatever creative ideas my children's minds may come up with.

Five baskets which are now empty because their contents are happily residing in drawers where they belong.

This might be a first.

And, let's be honest, a last.

But today I revel in victory of the most beautiful sight in the world.

Bacon Apple and Gorgonzola Grilled Pizza {RECIPE}

2013-04-21T20:48:00.002-04:00

What is it about Spring that makes us want to eat healthier, fresher meals?

Warm weather, longer quantities of sunshine and the realization of the "winter coat" your body has maintained to "keep warm" through the cold months is still sticking around.

Yep.

Recently, we discovered the awesomeness that is GRILLED PIZZA.

ZOMG, people.

It's my FAVE.

I love it because you use half the dough, which cuts a nice amount of calories. You can dress it up as healthy (or unhealthy) as you want. We aim to use low-fat cheese in sparing amounts and load up with veggies. Regardless of the toppings, there is something so fresh about it.

We started doing this on a random Wednesday, concocting the infamous Grilled Greek Pizza. We were so inspired, that we've been challenging ourselves to create a new grilled pizza each Wednesday. The next Wednesday we did a Buffalo Chicken Grilled Pizza (look for this recipe in the future!). And this past week, we put together what might be the tastiest pizza I've ever eaten in my whole life.

I'm not even joking.

Ready for this?

Bacon. Apple. Gorgonza.

On the GRILL, yo!

This pizza is a little heavier than the other pizza's we've been making. But you can lighten it up by using turkey bacon. We also couldn't find reduced-fat gorgonzola - but we would use it if we could! It is tangy and savory and just NOMNOMNOM.

I urge you to try it immediately.

1/2 lb of pizza dough (I get the 1 lb pre made dough from the grocery store and halve it - usually found in the deli section OR you can make your own)

1/2 cup of reduced fat mozzarella cheese
2-3 slices of bacon, cooked and diced
1 small granny smith apple, diced

1/2 cup of gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup of skim milk

In small saucepan, melt the gorgonzola cheese into the skim milk on medium heat. Do not let it boil. Once it is well-combined and thick, take off heat.

Preheat grill to medium heat.

On a floured surface, roll out your pizza dough. If you find it is not elastic enough (ie: it keeps snapping back after you roll it), let it sit out for 10 minutes. Roll the dough until it is very thin, about 1/8-1/4 of an inch (as thin as you can get it before it tears).

Spray the grill with non-stick cooking spray. Spray the top of the dough with non-stick cooking spray (or brush lightly with olive oil). Place oiled side DOWN on the grill. Close the grill and let cook for 3-5 minutes. The dough will puff up. Keep an eye on the dough so it doesn't burn. With a spatula, check the bottom of the dough. When it is firm and golden brown, spray the top of the dough and flip over. Let cook for another 3-5 minutes until the bottom is browned.

While the second side is cooking, spread the gorgonzola sauce over the cooked crust. Top with mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle bacon and apples over the cheese. Close the lid to your grill for 2-3 minutes and let the cheese melt.

Once the pizza crust is finished cooking, remove from grill and put on a serving plate. Top with extra gorgonzola if you are a big fan ;)

~~~~~

I'd love to hear how this turns out for you! So leave a comment with your experience - or your grilled pizza ideas! I'd love to try 'em!

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

Choose Love, Not Hate: #DayOfSilence

2013-04-17T20:14:00.003-04:00

I hate hate.

I don't believe in hating. But I think it's okay to hate hate.

Unfortunately we see it everywhere. We saw it Monday at the Boston Marathon. We see it in other countries. We see it in our neighborhoods. We see it at our play dates. We see it in our schools. Hate manifests itself in ugly ways.

Bombings.

Shootings.

Violence.

Injustice.

Bullying.

I was not the coolest kid growing up. And while I may not have been bullied mercilessly, I was certainly picked on. Harrassed. Because I dressed a certain way, liked certain things. And it had a profound effect on my self-esteem and the way I thought about myself.

Bullying is not for adults, friends. No. We are seeing it in younger and younger kids. Kids who take out their own hurt on others. With Chica starting Kindergarten in the Fall (::hold me::) I am all the more aware of what she will face during her school years. That she will understand hurt, embarrassment, belittlement - at the mercy of her peers.

What I hate most about hate? It is an equal opportunity employer. (Ironic, right?) Think about it: It touches race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or the color shoes you are wearing that day. No aspect of humanity is safe.

The GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. Their 2009 National School Climate Survey found that nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school and more than 30% report missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their personal safety.

This is an outrage.

Now, I detest bullying of every kind. But I'm becoming more and more concerned at the hurt and violence being displayed toward the LGBT community. Because here's the deal, folks: it doesn't matter if you agree with homosexuality. Or different races. Or different religions. Or what color my shoes are today.

Hate is hate.

And it's wrong.

We need to love our fellow man (and woman).

Choose love.

Hate is not the answer.

This Friday, April 19th, I am going to participate in the GLSEN Day of Silence. I'm going to sign the pledge. I'm going to let it manifest itself on the CSHM Facebook page.

And I am asking you to join me.

Starting Friday morning, I will not be having our normal Chat Day. I won't be posting smart status updates (although they are rather witty, no?) or sharing intriguing posts. Instead, I'm going to share pictures.

Here is where you will get involved.

In the same fashion as our I'm Mom Enough response to last May's Time Magazine cover, I'm asking you to take out a blank sheet of paper. On that piece of paper, I'm going to ask you to write a message of love using the hashtag #DayOfSilence. Need some ideas? Here are a few:

Choose Love.

Hate is not the answer.

Love > Hate.

I accept and love all people.

Write your own creative message as to why you will NOT stay silent any longer around anti-LGBT bullying and harassment. Share why this message is close to YOUR heart. Make sure to use the hashtag #DayOfSilence.

If you aren't comfortable making that statement, share your message about why you will not longer stay silent about HATE and BULLYING.

Then I want you to come on the CSHM Facebook page and post it on the wall (or share it in a private message or email me).

I will share the pictures throughout the day.

Help me spread the message of love.

One Woman's Story #DayOfSilence

2013-04-16T13:41:00.000-04:00

On this #DayOfSilence, one reader has chosen to share her message by bravely sharing her story.

~~~~~

I've sat to write this story a hundred times...with it being the Day of Silence to end LGBT Bullying, I felt the time to let this story see it's light.

**Name has been changed to protect identities

Chuck and I began dating our Junior year of high school...everything was great. We shared a first kiss, first dance, fell hard for each other and I thought I had found my high school sweetheart, and possibly the one I could go through life with. Halfway through our Senior year, after dating for about a year and a half, Chuck admitted to being bi - he said he had had a boyfriend in the past, but it wasn't his "thing", just something he had been curious about, experimented, and moved on. We talked at great length about his past while time and time again I was re-assured that I was his future. Months later, we were engaged with plans to enjoy years-long engagement before actually walking down the aisle.

In the 6+ years between our engagement and wedding day, we survived a lot. I moved out of state to college, Chuck followed shortly after. While we were in college, we broke up so that Chuck could experience dating men. He did meet up with a guy, spent some time with him but things didn't work out so we moved back home to our parents and slowly began repairing our relationship.

We married in Fall 2009 when I was unexpectedly pregnant but since children had been discussed, we set our sights to a future of parenthood and nowhere near as much time as we had wanted before we started adding to our family.

Enter this past Christmas, when I found (unintentionally) gay hook-up sites on Chuck's phone. I was furious, sad, hurt. So many feelings all at once. I confronted him and demanded counseling. We were not getting divorced.

We entered marriage counseling with the outlook that it was going to help. I set down an ultimatum in counseling that if I found him on a hook-up site again, we were done. I didn't mind him looking at gay porn, if that's what was needed for him to "quench his urge", as he put it. But I drew the line at hook-up sites...it toed a line I was not comfortable with.

Chuck moved out in February to give me some space to contemplate our future while we went through counseling. But on March 2nd, he was at our apartment and had left when I found the laptop on and browsers opened to the hook-up sites I had given my ultimatum on. I called him and told him to stay out permanently. Through our marriage counselor, he was referred to a LGBT counselor who has worked with him to discover that he is not bi, he is in fact gay. He has slowly started to come out to his friends.

The fact that he's gay does not change the love I have for him. I spent over a decade with him and had started a family with him. I want the same rights he was allowed as a "straight" man for him as a gay man. I want him to be able to be open and out, and happy. I fear for our child that when she starts school in a few years that she will be bullied if she has 2 or 3 "daddies". If you were to ask Chuck, being gay is not a choice. He would choose to stay with me and share in the life we had. He wants to be able to experience the joys, trials, and tribulations of marriage with his future partner without concern for their safety or rights.

~~~~~

Feel free to leave a comment and share your messages of encouragement with this writer.

Share your messages of love to all those who are marginalized - who know the hurt of hate.

Share YOUR story.

On Being an Extremophile

2013-04-16T08:19:00.002-04:00

A lot of bloggers, writers and people in the media are spending today sharing thoughts on yet another tragedy. Yesterday it was the horrific bombings at the Boston Marathon. 4 months ago, it was the horrific shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary. In 2007 it was the Virginia Tech Massacre. In 2001 it was 9/11.

It seems these life-altering events are gaining momentum and coming closer and closer together. On Facebook my newsfeed is filled with posts and articles analyzing the tragedy, rehashing the moments. Writers share their thoughts and opinions on the world we live in, how to approach grief, how to talk to your children about this tragedy.

Or the one before it.

Or the one before that.

There were many conversations yesterday among bloggers and those in social media about how to approach today: Do you post and share as usual? Lay low? How are you going to write about the tragedy?

My thoughts?

I have no social commentary on what happened yesterday in Boston.

Not because I'm heartless. Not because I don't care. Maybe it's because I don't have kids old enough to process this with yet, so I haven't come up with a "conversation plan." Or perhaps it's because I don't have a resource guide regarding how to handle tragedies or grief. I can't go around telling others how to think and feel on this because...well....I don't know how I feel about it.

And in the end?

I have nothing left to say.

My voice is one of thousands, and somehow everything I want to say about what happened in Boston - and in Sandy Hook, and in Blacksburg, to the World Trade Centers - seems trite. What do you say to people dealing with everything from the loss of limbs to the loss of lives due to these explosions? How do you make sense of the slaughtering of young, innocent children? How do you begin to understand the kind of mental illness that provokes someone to take another's life? How do you come to terms with not being safe on your home soil?

I'm facing the truth that our world is complicated. And dark. And cruel and evil. That there are people who are complicated and dark and cruel and evil. I mourn over the loss of life. The hatred of others. How long can I watch the news footage looping over gory scenes of blood-covered streets? Of crying children walking in a line away from the nightmare that is their school? Of two tall and formidable towers crumbling to the ground in dust? If I think about it too much, the panic starts to rise and I wonder, "Are we ever safe?" How do I accept that my life goes on while others do not? At the rate things are going, how can we survive this life?

Well, friends?

We rise up.

We become extremophiles.

An extremophile "is an organism that thrives in physically or geochemically extreme conditions that are detrimental to most life on Earth." They live in the hottest, coldest, most uninhabitable conditions on the planet. The extreme conditions that are detrimental to most life on earth.

Hurricanes.

Tornados.

Shootings.

Bombings.

Violence.

Hate.

And they rise up.

The winds howl, the waves crash, and the world huffs and and it puffs, but those extremophiles don't fall down. There are small parts of human race that create extreme conditions that are detrimental to most life on Earth. But we are part of a greater population. A race of extremophiles. We face the uninhabitable, the unimaginable, the unthinkable.

And we rise up.

Today, I will focus on being an extremophile.

Rock Yo' Body CHALLENGE

2013-04-15T10:54:00.001-04:00

I can still remember the first time I became self-conscious about my body. It was the summer before 10th grade and I was at band camp (insert "One Time, at Band Camp..." joke here). For any of you who were in Marching Band, you know that a lot of the work is done in the Summer as you learn drill, music, color guard routines. A lot of time is spent outside in the hot sun. It's fun but somewhat grueling.

This particular day, I was in athletic shorts and a sleeveless top. Nothing special. Just trying to stay cool (as in temperature-wise. Not popularity-wise). I was talking to a few friends when one of my guy friends popped over (it's always a boy, isn't it?!), and jiggled the underside of my arm in passing, saying, "Cellulite! Cellulite!"

Awesome, right?

Looking back, I'm sure I had a great body in high school. I'd definitely take it now! I've always been an average/athletic build, and even though I was most likely slender by society's standards in high school, I was aware that many of my friends were SLIM. They were buying size 00's, 0's and 2's, while I was in a higher range by several sizes.

I think all women have experiences like mine, where they were made painfully aware of their body in some way (even if it was far from truth). To this day, I hate baring my arms. I hate wearing tank tops and sleeveless dresses unless I can wear a cardigan over it.

Then I was killing time at the Mall last week with Bug, and saw this top at a new store called Francesca's:

Love, love, LOVED it.

I loved the cut, the pattern, the fabric. I started making new outfits in my head using this as the piece de resistance.

But.

I didn't buy it.

Why? Because the cap sleeves had ruffles on them. So how could I wear it with a cardigan? How could I possibly bear my arms? All I could hear over and over in my head was the voice of a high school boy taunting me:

Cellulite, cellulite.

I posted a picture of the shirt on the CSHM Facebook page. And the overwhelming response was to buy that shirt and to embrace it, arms bared and all.

So I'm going to.

And I'm going to challenge YOU too.

I think that we need to get over being self-conscious of our bodies. Women come in all shapes and sizes. We all have parts of our bodies that we are painfully aware of; those parts that our eyes are immediately drawn to in pictures and make us cringe. Even if in all reality your body is amazing, those parts are still very real to you.

I think it's high time we stop obsessing and hiding our bodies.

And start celebrating them.

Hubby reminded me that it's not someones body shape that makes them attractive or sexy. It's the confidence in which they carry that body.

So friends, can I challenge us?

Let's rock our bodies.

The Challenge: To go out and buy a new article of clothing (or shop your closet). This article of clothing needs to be "out of your comfort zone." Maybe it's a sleeveless top that bares your arms or a pair of shorts that accentuates your legs. Something you would normally opt NOT to wear because you are too self-conscious.

I want you to find that article of clothing and ROCK IT THIS WEEK. Bare those arms! Free those legs! Embrace that tummy!

Then I want you to snap a picture of the piece of clothing you are ROCKING YOUR BODY with and share it on the CSHM Facebook Page. If you are brave enough, share it on your personal page (make sure to tag CSHM!) or tweet it with hashtag #RockYourBody and tag @DonnaReedSteph.

This week, we are celebrating that we are BEAUTIFUL WOMEN with BEAUTIFUL BODIES. And that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

Rock that body, girl!

YOLO.

Now I'm going to head out and GET THAT SLEEVELESS SHIRT.

~~~~~

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

Best Baby Shower Gifts

2013-04-10T20:25:00.000-04:00

This year I find myself helping with the preparations for yet another baby shower! Last year it was my middle sister Melissa who is now the proud momma of my adorable nephew. Just a year later, and we are now celebrating my youngest sister, Jessica! She'll be the new mommy of a baby girl this June. So many babies!

When I was pregnant with chica, I knew NOTHING about babies. I had only a small handful of friends who had babies (and by "small handful" I mean "one"), so I registered for what I was told to register for. I had no idea what was important and necessary, what was fluff and superfluous.

Last year I shared all of my best Baby Shower Tips and Ideas after Melissa's shower. I covered decorating, food, and shower games. Often when I am invited to a shower, I gift a "What You Didn't Know You Needed" Pail. Generally, it's a cheap diaper pail or basket that I fill with all the items first-time moms don't realize they need....until they REALLY need it: Tylenol, Motrin, gas drops, Destin, pacifiers, pacifier clips, burp cloths, baby wash, etc. It's the little things that you need on a regular basis, but often don't think to register for.

To give you an idea of some of the fun items to throw into the pail, I made a quick SunnyBump collection (if you haven't checked it out, SunnyBump is like Pinterest for parents. I LOVE IT):

Baby Shower: "You Didn't Know You Need It" Pail by stephmarieanderson

Browse on SunnyBump →

But let's face it: What moms really NEED is the "Big Stuff." It's why they register. This is the stuff that comes to play in a big way: strollers, car seats, monitors. Helping soon-to-be parents to collect these items (so they don't have to go to debt by purchasing it all themselves) is a super great way to celebrate the new baby.

What products are the "Must Have" on a baby registry? Here are a few of my top Baby Registry items:

Best Baby Shower Gifts by stephmarieanderson

Browse on SunnyBump →

What are your favorite gifts to give at showers? What are/were your must-have registry items for new moms?

Disclosure: this is a sponsored post.

This Is What Happens....

2013-04-10T14:02:00.001-04:00

...when a certain 2-year old figures out that, despite being locked, she can still open the camera on Momma's iPhone:

A whole.

Lotta.

This.

Like. This is about 1/10 of the photos she's taken just this week.

The Phantom Hair Nemesis

2013-04-09T09:13:00.002-04:00

I am haunted by a nemesis.

I'm not sure where she came from; one day she was just there. And let me tell you, she is sassy thing. I never know when she's going to pop up, which gives her the element of surprise in a battle. And battle we must, because while one lives, the other....flounders.

Who is this nemesis?

The Hair.

Let me introduce you:

The Hair makes me scowl.

Let's get a little closer. Can you see it yet?

A little closer still. There she is, taking shape.

For better viewing purposes, I have circled the afflicted area.

Hair enhanced for research purposes

The Hair resides on my right cheek. It is a rogue warrior that doesn't even bother trying to blend in to it's surroundings. Unlike the fine barely-there hair that covers most of our skin (with the exception of the moustache that periodically attacks my upper lip, which is a story for another day), The Hair is darker and longer. It is often mistaken for an eye lash. It's like a hair that was invited to the Eyebrow Party but somewhere got lost along the way and decided to just party somewhere else.

Dang partying hairs.

Like I said earlier, she wasn't always there. One day she just was. Very poetic, don't you think? One day I was doing my make up in the mirror, and I saw The Hair. Mistaking it for an eyelash, I tried to brush it away. I brushed.

And brushed.

And brushed.

And she did not budge.

And then I was horrified that 1) my face could create such monstrosities without my knowledge and 2) I had no idea how long I'd been walking around with this fishing line hanging off my cheek. Were people talking?!

I immediately tweezed the heck out of it, assuming that was the end of her.

Oh friends. It was only the beginning.

A few months later, in a similar moment, I was about to add blush to my cheeks and there she was. Taunting me from my right cheek (which, in a mirror, actually looks like my left cheek. But I disgress). The anger rose in me and we battled. I won. This time.

Fast forward. I'm having a conversation with my friend and I noticed her eyes drift toward my cheek.

"Oh! You have an eyelash on your cheek. Here let me get it for you. Make a wish!" she cheerfully informed me.

I couldn't get the "NOOOOOOO!" out fast enough. Her hand was already to my cheek, where she brushed. And brushed. And brushed.

But that hair did not fall away.

I saw the moment her realization settled in that it was, in fact, an intact hair. That her futile efforts were useless without weaponry of tweezers, scissors or laser hair removal.

I wish I could have verbalized that I was embarrassed enough for the both of us.

So we continue to battle, me and The Hair. She uses her element of surprise to catch me off guard. And I keep my tweezers sharp for the sweet moments of removal. It may be a war that lasts the rest of my life.

But I will go down fighting.

Do you have a Rogue Hair Nemesis? How do you fight the battles?

Grilled Greek Pizza {Recipe}

2013-04-07T14:10:00.000-04:00

We're still motivated to keep things "light" here in the casa de Anderson. I shared that we put our house on the market (yes, friends. THE REAL ESTATE MARKET ::hold me::), so planning meals has been a little more complicated than usual. It's easy to plan out my weekly meals if I know, in fact, that I will be home to make said meals (or account for grabbing meals out). But when you could potentially have house showings at any time (please? Come see my house and love it and buy it?!), how do you account for a meal that might need an hour to bake in the oven or simmer in the slow cooker for a few hours on the counter top.

See my predicament?

Well, we recently started making a fun recipe that is not only easy AND healthy, but is quick and portable (ie: can be taken and quickly made at one of our parents houses if we need to be out of the house). Are you ready for it?

GRILLED PIZZA.

Let me say it again so it really soaks in:

Grilled.

Pizza.

Is your mind blown?

Up until I saw some pin on Pinterest, I had no idea one could throw some dough on a hot grill and voila! A pizza is born. Well, guess what. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS.

And can I tell you, it's way better than making it in the oven. The crust comes out so crispy and the grill gives the pizza a brick-oven taste.

nom.nom.nom.

So, Pinterest has plenty of recipes floating around, and a Greek Salad Pizza recipe caught my eye. I like dthe general idea of using only half the dough regularly used when making pizza and only a fraction of the cheese (read: healthy, people). But I had some other ideas on how to "dress" and top it, so I kind of went rogue and whipped up my own.

Can I tell you?

BRILLIANCE.

Not that I'm one to pat my own back but...I'm totes patting my own back.

Since my recipe uses pre-marinated items, no dressing is needed. The marinated artichoke hearts create enough of a dressing and tons of flavor.

And the taste?

Divine.

Ok, ok. Without further ado, here is the recipe.

1/2 lb of pizza dough (I get the 1 lb pre made dough from the grocery store and halve it - usually found in the deli section OR you can make your own)

1/2 cup of pitted kalamata olives, chopped (plain or marinated - your choice. Sometimes I just grab a container of marinated olives from the salad bar)

1/2 cup of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped (you can use the jarred kind, but I made my own using this recipe - only using 2-3 TBS of oil)

1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (NOT packed in oil)

1/2 cup of reduced fat feta cheese, divided

1/2 cup of reduced fat mozzarella cheese

1-1/2 cups of arugula

In mixing bowl, combine the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts and 1/4 cup of feta cheese. Mix until well combined and let it marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat grill to medium heat.

On a floured surface, roll out your pizza dough. If you find it is not elastic enough (ie: it keeps snapping back after you roll it), let it sit out for 10 minutes. Roll the dough until it is very thin, about 1/8-1/4 of an inch (as thin as you can get it before it tears).

Spray the grill with non-stick cooking spray. Spray the top of the dough with non-stick cooking spray (or brush lightly with olive oil). Place oiled side DOWN on the grill. Close the grill and let cook for 3-5 minutes. The dough will puff up. Keep an eye on the dough so it doesn't burn. With a spatula, check the bottom of the dough. When it is firm and golden brown, spray the top of the dough and flip over. Let cook for another 3-5 minutes until the bottom is browned. While the second side is cooking, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the cooked side. Let it melt.

An example of how "golden brown"
I allowed the bottom to get before
flipping and spreading with cheese.

Once the pizza crust is finished cooking, remove from grill and put on a serving plate. Top the crust with arugula. Top the arugula with the marinated artichoke heart mixture. Sprinkle with remaining feta cheese.

Makes 8 servings.

Yum-tastic, no?

We're wild about grilling our pizza. Next week we are going to attempt a Buffalo Chicken Pizza. One of the best parts about grilling THIN CRUST pizza is that 1lb of dough now makes 2 pizzas. So we make a gourmet fancy-pants one for me and Hubby, and then make a regular cheese and sauce pizza for the girls.

Win-Win-Win.

Now go grill thee some pizza!

~~~~~

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

HelloFresh Delivery Subscription {REVIEW}

2013-04-04T10:36:00.003-04:00

It’s important to me to have homemade meals on the table each week. Notice I didn’t say each night. That’d be crazy talk. With the pace of life moving ever faster, ever busier, I just can’t make a from-scratch meal on a daily basis. PUH-LESE. Do you know what homemade meals require? Let’s break it down:

Finding a recipe

Making a grocery list of ingredients

Going to grocery store, possibly with 2 children

Navigating the grocery store while fending off the crazed beasts that are your kids who may be freaking out, crying, whining, begging for food, stealing items off the shelves, and avoiding stares from curious (scared?) onlookers

Unloading the groceries

Prepping the meal, which may include (but is not limited to): measuring, peeling, chopping, slicing, dicing and marinating

Cooking the meal

When you break it down that way, it seems almost insurmountable, no?

Despite the intimidating amount of work homemade meals may be, it is important to me that I make meals for my family a few times a week. Sure, we grab dinner out once in a while or throw something together at the last minute (ie: pancakes and cereal for supper). But being able to create a meal that is healthy and made from fresh ingredients gives me a comfort that we’re eating healthy and eating together as a family. So what do you do when life is too busy to do all that a homemade meal entails?

I had the chance to learn more about HelloFresh recently, and I was duly impressed with this new service. How does HelloFresh work? You sign up for the subscription service, and HelloFresh sends you a weeks worth of meals. In a box. RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR. When you open the box, you’ll find 3 recipe cards and all the ingredients required (some of which are already prepped - meaning cleaned, chopped, etc).

That’s right: they do the recipe curation, shopping and some of the prep for you.

*Cue angels singing and trumpets...trumpeting*

Or, whatever it is trumpets do.

I know there are many services out there that allow you to come to a location, prepare a bunch of meals for the freezer, and take them home. This is fantastic, assuming you have the 1) time to go to location to do prep, 2) have freezer space and 3) remember in advance to thaw said frozen meals.

3 things I wish I had but, alas, do not.

Now, with HelloFresh, customers have the ability to simply open a box filled with recipes and fresh food. No scouring the internet or cookbooks for recipes. No braving the grocery store. No remembering to defrost meals. The only requirement? 30 minutes of time to cook the meal. Each recipe that is created by the HelloFresh chefs are meant to come together in 30 minutes. I can definitely spare that!

I got to try out the HelloFresh subscription service for a week so I could tell you (in a knowledgable fashion) about the experience. After signing up, I was sent an email confirming that my box would arrive on Wednesday between 1pm and 8pm. Perfect - I could be home for that window!

Next, the box arrived.

Hello, new friend.

We opened it.

And the glory of fresh food poured out.

Glory, glory, fresh food.

Hubby and I drooled over the 3 recipe cards included, and decided when we would make the meals. We set aside one meal for my in-laws to try, and scheduled the rest. We put away the food and looked forward to our first HelloFresh meal!

Dost my eyes see the words "goat cheese?"
Why yes, yes they do.

5 steps? Easy Peasy 1-2-3sy.
Er. 5sy.

Hubby, in-laws and I agree: it was awesome! We loved the meal we made. It was simple, tasty and came together very quickly and easily. My in-laws raved about theirs as well!

HelloFresh subscriptions come in “Classic” (including poultry, meat and fish) starting at $69/week and “Veggie” (no meat) starting at $59/week.

For more information, you can visit their FAQ page.

I believe this is a fantastic opportunity for busy families/couples/individuals to eat healthy and homemade!

What about HelloFresh Box Subsciptions appeal to YOU?

Leave a comment - I’d love your thoughts!

Disclosure: I was provided 1 week of meals from HelloFresh so I could conduct this review. All opinions are, as always, my own. I like to keep it real, y’all!

Can I Be Orange?

2013-04-03T07:49:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I hate conviction.

Conviction is born as a subconscious nagging, a whisper in the back of your mind (or, perhaps, bottom of your heart?), rallying change. Usually the change is something not easy. It's something that is bred deep, ingrained in your being, the requires a push. A leap. A commitment to altering parts of yourself that had never imagined anything different.

We hush Conviction, convincing ourselves that we are "going through a season "or that we'll "work on it tomorrow." We find comfort that "everyone struggles with it." But our worst response? "That's just who I am, so deal with it."

But when who we are affects are character, our parenting, our children, there are no excuses good enough to quiet Conviction. Instead we stare, unblinking, in a silent standoff. And what we don't know is that our greatest gift is when we blink first and Conviction wins. Our greatest gift is becoming so weak that we give in and entertain the notion that we can be molded, that we can change, that we can, in fact, be better.

A Conviction has been nagging on my heart for a while. It's come out in my writing from time to time, like this post. There have been times I've made the attempts to work on it, with some success. But it is so easy to fall back into old ways and patterns, grooves that have been deeply cut from years and decades of living. Our instincts know these grooves and it is familiar to journey along them.

I want to make new grooves.

I've been under a lot of stress recently. Despite the fact that it's been my blog's moniker for a few years, the name Confessions of a "Stay-at-Home Mom" has become some what of a misnomer. Yes, I am still home, but I've taken on a lot of work - work I LOVE. This work rivals a full-time job, when pieced all together. And it can be a ton of (good) pressure at times. Add to that the decision to list our house, consider a move while also raising 2 kids and making sure to focus on our marriage?

Yes. Stress.

Stress is not a bad thing. But how it manifests itself is. And in my life, it manifests itself in yelling. As I shared in a post some time ago, yelling is something my family has just always done. It's how we talk, how we communicate, how we feel in control. Hubby's family is quite opposite, and being married to him has tempered me quite a bit.

For this, I am grateful.

I have been finding myself in recent months (years?) too easily defaulting to yelling as a means to communicate, particularly with my kids. And I hate it. HATE it. Hate myself for it. When I yell, it festers deep inside me. I sit in a puddle of guilt. I picture the wide-eyed looks of my girls as I raise my voice, and only imagine the image they see of me: a red-faced, teeth bared, wild-eyed monster.

I cringe just picturing myself through their eyes.

Since we listed the house as of today, my stress has been heightened. And I was snapping at the girls all day. With every incident, I scolded myself internally, only to be undone at a whine, an indignation, a temper tantrum. I felt like I was trying to grasp a fraying rope. It is the most frustrating, helpless feeling - the feeling that you are an ineffective parent whose grooves are so deep that cannot change course.

Meanwhile, in the past two days, I noticed my friend Mychal of My Life in Mommyland sharing her victories at not yelling at her boys. I know she has struggled with yelling like I have, and with each Facebook post I became more intrigued. Earlier tonight I commented on her status, "I need to learn to do this. I'm awful recently." She responded by asking, "Did you read the post from Orange Rhino?" And she posted the link.

So I read it.

And cried.

The Orange Rhino started a blog when she challenged herself to not yell at her 4 boys for 365 days. In the post I read tonight, she shared the 10 things she learned when she stopped yelling at her kids. And it was like looking through a lens at what I wanted my life, my person, to be like. It was like the post was written for me, showing me what I could be like, if only I was willing to change.

Have you ever read something that spoke to your soul at just the right time?

Conviction begins to whisper.

Or, rather, shake you until you can no longer ignore her.

By the end of the post, as scared as I was to admit it, I wanted to take the challenge. At least, I wanted to take a small challenge. So I read her post: 12 Steps to Stop Yelling At Your Kids.

So I am taking her advice at creating accountability.

I'm writing this here, I'm telling you.

Because maybe I'm not the only person in the CSHM community who struggles with this. Maybe there are a few of you who hear Conviction when you read about the Orange Rhino Challenge. Maybe there are a few of you out there who might want to take on the challenge with me. Together.

I'm sharing this here, because if I write it, it's real. And I need to go forward with it. For me. But most of all, for my girls.

I'm sharing here: I want to take the Orange Rhino Challenge of not yelling at my kids. To be Orange. For 1 week. I'm starting small. Small victories.

Who wants to journey with me?

I start the challenge tomorrow (although I am, of course, doing my best to restrain myself today). If you'd like to be tackle a 1 week No Yelling Challenge with me, leave a comment, email me, message me.

We'll do it together!

Thanks again to Orange Rhino and to Mychal for sharing :)

Shake It Up {Motivation Monday}

2013-03-24T23:22:00.001-04:00

We all hit ruts from time to time.

You know. Those times when you hit a wall in some area of your life. Maybe it's your job, your friendships, your marriage, your eating habits. In life we so easily go into Auto Pilot, falling into a routine of doing the same thing over and over. It's not intentional. It's what we do naturally to keep things flowing.

But sometimes flowing gets boring. And we need to spice things up.

I hit ruts all the time. In the Winter I hit the "I'm tired of cold and grey and snow" rut, and I long for Spring. Even though I try to keep things interesting, I hit meal planning ruts. I'll end up making the same meals over and over until I'm bored of them and find myself are completely uninspired. Or, as I shared recently, I hit hair ruts. My hair finally gets to a place where it is manageable and I don't hate it. So I just let it grow and don't do much with it so I don't shake the boat, and then one day I wake up and suddenly I just feel BLAH about my hair.

Do you ever wake up and just feel BLAH about some things?

I've recently decided that the next time I hit a rut, I will take Florence's advice:

Florence and her Machine know what's up.

Shake.

It.

Out.

Or, rather, shake it up.

You need to stop the flowing monotony in it's tracks and break through that wall of a rut. How does one shake it up or shake it out?

Try something new!

Are you in a meal planning rut? Take to Pinterest! They have so many stinkin' recipes on there you couldn't be uninspired if you tried. Take a cooking class. Buy a new cookbook. Make an open call on Facebook for everyone's favorite recipes. And try something new.

I've been in a rut with my hair. I'm kind of at an impasse: I haven't decided just what to do with my hair, so I don't make an appointment at the salon. But not doing something with my hair is making me hate it as t just continues to grow, grow, grow and hang, hang, hang.

So you know what I did, right?

I SHOOK IT UP.

The other day I simply parted it on the opposite side.

Ground-breaking, right?

I don't know why that small little change has made a difference, but for some reason it helped me break through the wall. It let me enjoy my hair a little more. And it gave me permission to dream about new and different hairstyles.

Get out of the doldrums, friends! Shake it up, try something new and inspire yourself!

So what about you?

What ruts are you facing right now?

And how can you shake it up?

~~~~~

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

CityPASS Review and Giveaway

2013-03-24T13:48:00.000-04:00

We haven't gotten to travel a lot as a family.

Partly, I admit, we're kind of wimps about trekking with the kids. I don't know why: schedules, potential tantrums and generally too many variables. I have tons of friends (ie: most of them) who bravely take their kids everywhere. And I am jealous. There are so many places, near and far, I dream of taking my kids. I want to have adventures and make memories. But I've found it difficult to get around naps and the travel.

Another glitch we've hit (until recently) is lack of funds. Travel can be expensive - even the shortest most local of trips. You want to go on a Disney Vacation? Get ready to shell out thousands. You want to visit your nearest city for a day of museums and other fun attractions (including meals)? It all adds up.

So how can a family make the most of travel without breaking the bank?

CityPASS

CityPASS is a ticket booklet of 5-6 popular attractions in a particular city (there are 1 1 destinations available around North America). CityPASS booklets contain prepaid admission to the must-see attractions of these Big Cities and travelers can enjoy significant savings of up to 48 percent. Plus, skipping most main-entrance ticket lines. That is huge when you are planning a trip! Upon first use of the booklets, you have 9 days to visit the attractions before it expires. The creators of CityPASS wanted people to "experience a destination: without a lot of fuss and at significant savings."

I LOVE THAT.

As a family of 4 in the Philadelphia area, CityPASS gives us access to family-friendly attractions such as The Franklin Institute, Please Touch Museum, Adventure Aquarium and the Philadelphia Zoo. For our family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids) to visit each of these attractions, it would cost roughly $280. If we bought 2 adult and 2 child Philadelphia CityPASS's, it would only cost $196. Plus there are several other attractions that you can visit on the CityPASS that I didn't account for, such as Phila Trolley & Big Bus Company (which would have cost another $75).

That's a lot of savings when you are planning a big trip!

The great thing about CityPASS is that it allows you to travel (and save) near and far. If you live near one of the 11 Big Cities covered by CityPASS, you can easily do a Staycation and visit the attractions over the course of a week. CityPASS booklets are valid for 9 days after initial use, which gives you more than a week of fun day trips (or use the savings to stay overnight!). If you are travelling far and visiting one of the CityPASS Big Cities, you can explore a new place without breaking the bank.

When we finally adventure on our first Big Family Trip, I will absolutely look into utilizing a CityPASS booklet. I can't think of a better way to explore a new city! Until then, purchasing a CityPASS will be a fantastic way to make the most of school breaks (Spring and Winter) or doing a local Staycation during the Summer.

If you or your family has Spring Break this week, jump on the chance to have some fun adventures by purchasing a CityPASS for your local city. What a fun way to spend your time off!

In honor of Spring Break, the great people of CityPASS will be giving one of my lucky (and fantabulous) readers 2 adult CityPASS ticket booklets! Here is more info:

Winners will receive two adult CityPASS ticket booklets to their destination of choice: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hollywood, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle or Toronto. Each CityPASS contains actual admission tickets to a destination's top five or six attractions. At many sights, CityPASS provides VIP access, allowing travelers to bypass an attraction's main-entrance ticket line. CityPASS ticket booklets are valid for nine consecutive days, beginning with the first day of use. Booklets may be activated (first used) anytime between today's date and Feb. 28, 2015.

HOLLA!

Giveaway will run until Friday, March 29 at noon. I will contact the winner thereafter, and the winner will have 24 hours to respond and accept! Just enter with the Rafflecopter widget below!

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Connect with CityPASS on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: I was provided 2 adult CityPASS booklets in order to facilitate this review and giveaway.

Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Mom

Put On Purple for Lupus Awareness!

Streaming on Netflix {To Whom It May Concern}

Dear Powers-that-Be at Netflix:

Ed

Judging Amy

ER

Pete & Pete

Gymagogo {Motivation Monday}

LINK UP YOUR MOTIVATIONMONDAY POSTS

Hey Philly: Welcome Wink Frozen Desserts!

Why I Appreciate Teachers #ThankATeacher

Who are the teachers that have impacted your life?

How to Handle Night Terrors {Motivation Monday}

What is a night terror?

What does a night terror look like?

What is the difference between a night terror and a nightmare?

What causes night terrors?

How do you handle a night terror?

Tips on overcoming night terrors

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

Cilantro-Avocado Dressing: Recipe AND Giveaway! #AmazingAvoCinco {Sponsored}

Octonauts Under-the-Sea Toys {Review}

Running After an Injury {Motivation Monday}

Important tips on running after injury

Consult your doctor first

Re-evaluate your running gear

Take it slow

Listen to your body

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

How to Grill Pizza: Video Tutorial

Rack Room Shoes Grand Opening Celebration - Exton, PA

The Most Beautiful Sight In the World

Bacon Apple and Gorgonzola Grilled Pizza {RECIPE}

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

Choose Love, Not Hate: #DayOfSilence

One Woman's Story #DayOfSilence

On Being an Extremophile

Rock Yo' Body CHALLENGE

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

Best Baby Shower Gifts

Baby Shower: "You Didn't Know You Need It" Pail by stephmarieanderson

Best Baby Shower Gifts by stephmarieanderson

This Is What Happens....

The Phantom Hair Nemesis

Grilled Greek Pizza {Recipe}

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

HelloFresh Delivery Subscription {REVIEW}

Can I Be Orange?

Shake It Up {Motivation Monday}

Link up YOUR Motivation Monday posts

CityPASS Review and Giveaway

LINK UP YOUR MOTIVATION
MONDAY POSTS