Life With 4 Boys

The Search for the Elusive Perfect Night's Sleep with #Serta

2013-05-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

Our mattress is old. As in, it was given to me by someone who owned it before and there is really no telling how long it has been around. By the time it came to me, complete with mystery spots and pre-made body impressions, there wasn't much chance of that famous "perfect night's sleep" happening. That is why I was jump up and down and scream like a banshee happy when Serta approached me

Holding Steady

2013-05-23T12:17:00.001-04:00

This is my third month as a blogger in the Shaklee 180 program. I realize that I have failed to be the inspirational role model that I had hoped to be so far. However, I am pleased to say that I am at least holding steady. That is something the Shaklee program has taught me. How to maintain my current weight. So while, I have only lost two pounds in the last month to take me back to what I was

Homemade Fire Starters

2013-05-22T12:51:00.000-04:00

There are officially 9 more days until we leave on our massive family camping trip. Unfortunately, building a good campfire is not one of my strong suits, so it is usually left to my oldest to do. He does a great job, but building a good campfire requires good fire starters. In a lot of the state and national parks we will stay at, collecting downed wood is a big no no, and fire starting

5 DIY Projects to Help Beautify Your Backyard

2013-05-21T09:54:00.000-04:00

This is a partner post brought to you in cooperation with RONA.ca. If your backyard looks anything like mine right now, it probably resembles a scene out of Jumanji. Ours comes complete with the pool that need to be cleaned out from the winter months, overgrown azalea and jasmine bushes and tall grass with all manner of insects lurking in its blades. We have a fenced in acre for a yard and

Thank-you Brandcation Sponsors!

2013-05-20T10:16:00.001-04:00

I can't believe it has been a week since I came back from my trip to Brandcation in Destin, FL. where I was able to recharge my batteries and get some "me" time while forming some great relationships with both other bloggers and brands. While there, we were introduced to some amazing new products that were sponsors of Brandcation in one way or another. Trisha, Lynsey, Kim and Blondie all did a

Organize Your Family Life with LivingTree

2013-05-19T11:19:00.000-04:00

This post is brought to you in cooperation with LivingTree.com. As parents we know too well the daily chaos of coordinating our family’s schedules. Coordinating our own schedules between spouses, among all of the events in our kids’ lives (class schedules, school events, practice/games schedules, Sunday school, ballet, swim meets- It can get a bit hectic. For those of us needing a

How To Humiliate Your Cat

2013-05-17T07:18:00.003-04:00

No, this post is not really about how to torture your cat. Well, at least it's not about how to torture them for no reason. See, we had one of our cats fixed on Wednesday. She is a complete indoor cat, so just the ride to the vet plus waking up with part of her insides missing kind of freaked her out anyway. When we went to pick Izzy up, the vet did not mention having a cone. In fact, a cat

Help Make Dreams Come True with Huggies®

2013-05-16T20:00:00.001-04:00

This post brought to you by Huggies®. All opinions are 100% mine. I can remember each time I was pregnant with one of my boys, thinking about what they would look like, what they would be like when they grew up, but mostly, what they would accomplish and become. Ultimately, my dream for my boys is that they grow up to be happy and healthy, doing something that they truly love. Not exactly

Destin Family Resort - Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village

2013-05-15T22:02:00.002-04:00

Destin is only a few hours from me and is home to some of the most beautiful beaches on the East coast. With its crystal clear water and sugar sand beaches, you won't want to leave once you visit. I was lucky enough visit here once again this year for Brandcation. Since I usually travel with the boys, I am always on the lookout for places that are very family friendly. If you are searching for

10 Ways to Fill That Blank Spot on Your Wall

2013-05-15T11:47:00.000-04:00

This post created in cooperation with ASHanging.com. We all have one, a blank spot on a lonely wall that stands out like a sore thumb in some room of our house. For me, it is the living room. I have a blank spot right on the wall by the entryway. It is barren and I have been going back and forth with ideas of what to put there for a while. That of course, got me searching and I found some

Sailing to Fun in Destin with the Buccaneer Pirate Cruise

2013-05-14T11:18:00.000-04:00

Photo from the Buccaneer Pirate Cruise site. When I heard that we were going to be going on a pirate cruise at Brandcation in Destin, FL., I was a little worried. I hardly ever dress up and was unsure of how the experience would go. I was even more unsure when I heard it was going to be the adult only version. My worrying was all for nothing though. From the moment I set foot onto the

Snorkeling and Snuba Diving with Destin Snorkel

2013-05-13T10:36:00.001-04:00

I've been gone for the last few days hanging out with some amazing ladies in Destin, FL. at Brandcation. It has been a blast and I wanted my first post to be about the experience I enjoyed the most. For me, that experience was snorkeling and Snuba diving with Destin Snorkel! I had never done either of these activities before going on this trip and the idea of taking my glasses off and

Plug In to What Really Matters This Mother's Day #SocialBlackout

2013-05-10T21:00:00.000-04:00

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for MetLife. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating. At any given time, you could look around my home and likely find someone using an electronic device of some sort. Matt and I are fond of our laptops and the boys love the iPad, computer games, video games, TV, Blackberry Playbook.... You get the picture

What Would You Do? - The Playground Version

2013-05-10T07:27:00.002-04:00

A week or so ago, something happened at the playground of our local park and it has honestly been bothering me ever since. I thought I would see what others though of the situation. I am the first to admit when I am wrong, but in this case it really doesn't feel like I am, but you know how some people have a way of making you think you are in the wrong when you aren't? Yeah, it's like that. So

Summer Shopping is a Snap with Sears

2013-05-09T05:00:00.001-04:00

This post brought to you by Sears. All opinions are 100% mine. Wow, that was a mouthful. With summer, comes warmer weather and a need for some new clothes to help make the rising temperatures bearable. Plus, a girl has to look cute right? I hate shopping in general. The lines, the shuffling through endless racks of clothes, only to find that an item I like is not even available in my size.

Make a Difference and Change the World with #SocialPower!

2013-05-08T22:00:00.001-04:00

This post brought to you by Social Power. All opinions are 100% mine. Have you ever wanted to see something change, but didn't know how to go about making it happen? A new online portal called Social Power is trying to help make those changes a reality. They take suggested issues submitted by consumers like you and share them using the power of social media. These issues can build support and

Join in the World's Largest Words with Friends Game with Crystal Light!

2013-05-08T12:48:00.001-04:00

Do you love Words with Friends? Would you like to win a mini iPad, Words with Friends swag and other great prizes? Do you love Crystal Light? If your answer to any of the above was yes, then you need to join in tonight May 8th from 8-10 p.m. EST as the Crystal Light Liquid team presents the worlds' largest group game of Words with Friends! {Crystal Light Liquid} We have long been fans of

Sushine Sweet Grilled Cheese Corn Recipe

2013-05-07T19:57:00.000-04:00

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Sunshine Sweet Corn. I received a gift card to purchase a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating. When summer rolls around, we love to cook on the grill as much as possible. We also know it is prime time eating for one of our most favorite vegetables, corn! I must have

10 Perfect Summer Family Activities in the Great Outdoors

2013-05-06T22:29:00.000-04:00

I love being outdoors with the boys. Soaking up nature, history and good clean air. Unfortunately, kids can often think the outdoors are boring and that leads many families to only concentrate on summer activities like seeing a movie or hitting a local arcade. There is so much to do in the great outdoors though and so much to learn as well. With summer activities like the ones listed below,

Shaklee 180 Month 2 Update - Admitting Failure

2013-05-06T11:25:00.001-04:00

Okay, so this was not the easiest thing to admit. In fact, I wrote a post a few weeks ago about how I had lost my motivation and had strayed from the Shaklee 180 plan. Unfortunately, I did not get my act together and get back on the straight and narrow. So, basically, I had to do a vlog to create some accountability and admit my failure in the weight loss department this month. Check it out

Flight of the Bumble Bee App Review

2013-05-04T11:15:00.002-04:00

Music has always been a love of mine. Unfortunately, it seems that children are exposed to it less and less often and when they are, the classical tones are far less appealing than the energetic music and lyrics of the songs found on the radio. So, when I heard of the Flight of the Bumble Bee App and how it introduces children to classical music in a fun and engaging way, I couldn't wait to

The Death of the First Place Ribbon

2013-05-03T06:42:00.002-04:00

He's gone folks. The shiny blue first place ribbon that used to mean something. His time of death was called many years ago, but never fear, he has been replaced by an equally shiny participation ribbon and there are plenty to go around! Why? Why was it so evil to give children ribbons or awards that patted them on the back for actual achievements. Now, everyone remains the same and ribbons

Make Brushing Teeth Painless and Fun with #Firefly4Kids

2013-05-01T18:36:00.001-04:00

Some of my boys will do almost anything to avoid brushing their teeth, including actually going into the bathroom and wetting their toothbrush to say they did it. Um, like the rancid breath coming from their mouth isn't a dead giveaway that they clearly didn't brush their teeth. This is an ironic situation, since they would actually beg me to let them brush their teeth more often when

Computer Gaming and Couponing

2013-04-30T17:46:00.000-04:00

Guest Post By: Sara Stringer Technology today has changed the dynamics of family and the time we spend together or apart. We spend a great deal of time on our computers or technology driven devices and we tend to communicate with each other on them more then through any other medium. One way to be able to do something together as a family and still use the technology we love it through

12 Delicious Foil Packet Recipes

2013-04-30T11:32:00.002-04:00

When I was growing up, my dad used to make a meal he called Hobo Pies, which was a foil packet meal with meat, potatoes, mixed vegetables and seasonings, all rolling into a neat foil packet and placed in the oven. So, when I was trying to think of a meal to make on our propane grill for our practice camping trip, that was the first meal that came to mind. It worked so well and was so mess free