***Disclosure: As a Nature's Sleep Ambassador, I receive product samples to facilitate reviews. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** Wow, this summer has really flown by, hasn't it? Or maybe I have just been that busy! I have had a lot of great experiences. First, I saw my brother get married. (Yes, I cried at the ceremony. Don't judge me!) Then I got to see my other husband, Bruno, perform in Cleveland the day before my birthday. My hubby's birthday was a week later as well. Then we had our very first family vacation, a family reunion, tons of cookouts, and even some backyard glamping. Time really does fly when you're having fun!
Sadly, summer is winding down and pretty soon, my oldest son will be heading back to school. He will be in high school this year. I don't even know how that's possible. I still see him as my little boy in a lot of ways. But in 4 short days, he will be a freshman. Wow. Still letting that sink in here.
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Summer may be coming to a close, but we are still enjoying spending tons of time basking together in the sunshine. Hey, can you blame us? We DO live in NE Ohio, which just happens to turn into an Arctic hell come winter time. (No, really. It gets COLD!) So of course, we want to take full advantage of any nice weather we have while we can. Plus, now that we're homeowners, we really love finally having a yard of our own. We still have quite a bit of work to do on the yard, but so far, I've been getting loads of inspiration from sites like YardEnvy.com. We've put up a playground for the kids, planted some flowers and veggies, and even found some whimsical yard decor like a "tree face" and of course, my Garden Buddhas. School starts in less than a week, so we plan on going all-out this weekend to get a final summer time fix. We will be setting up our little pool from Backyard Ocean. It's not the biggest, but it is the perfect size for my little ones! We will also be breaking out the "bad boy". (That's what my 3 year old calls our Little Tikes Slam N' Curve Slide.) This should give the kids hours and hours of enjoyment. They love climbing, sliding, and even shooting some hoops. The fact that I can set this up in under 5 minutes is a bonus. And of course, we will be cooking out. We grill a lot, whether it's summer or not. However, we love entertaining and sitting out on the deck on a nice summer evening. I think we will have to invite some of my oldest son's friends over and make a real occasion of it. An end of summer party, perhaps! While I am not eager for cooler temperatures to set in, I can definitely say I am looking forward to spending the last few weeks of summer soaking up the sun with my family. There's just nothing better than having our own little corner of the world to relax together in.
Are you planning anything special to celebrate the end of the summer season? I'd love to hear about it! ***Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored campaign with Global Influence. As always, all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** Many of my favorite childhood memories involved ice cream. More importantly, they involved my Grandma. You see, I have the most amazing Grandma in the universe, and we always loved going to see her. She's the kind of Grandma that would let us stay up till 3:00AM playing board games, and we were even allowed to watch MTV whenever we felt like it. You know...Back when MTV actually played music.
Every time we would go to Grandma's house, she would have some Cookies & Cream Ice Cream waiting for us, as well as soft drinks and her almost-famous chicken burgers. Those chicken burgers are amazing, since she gets her meat specially ground at a local butcher. Thankfully, my Grandma is still around, and now my babies get to enjoy these magical trips to visit their Great-Grandma. And of course, she still offers plenty of goodies, including loads and loads of ice cream! ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples and promotional items to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** You may recall that about a month ago, my Yorkie, Trouble, and I accepted the PurinaONE 28 Day Challenge. For the past 4 weeks, we have been feeding our precious pup PurinaONE dog food, which is nutritionally balanced and ideal for dogs of all breeds and sizes. (Of course Trouble refuses and small breed dog foods, since she is a picky, picky eater.)
The original challenge took place in Asheville, North Carolina. 300 dog owners switched their dogs' diets to Purina ONE for a 28 day period, and the results were pretty amazing. Pet owners saw shiner coats, brighter eyes, increased energy and healthier teeth and gums. All in just 28 short days! This is because Purina ONE dog foods offer complete and balanced nutrition dogs need to thrive. ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation has been provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** Anyone who has been around for awhile is probably pretty aware that I don't have any problem discussing sensitive subjects. Whether it's poop, being the parent of a gay teen, or even maintaining a healthy sex life with 2 kids under the age of 5 constantly underfoot, I am not at all shy. Hey, these things, while they may be uncomfortable for some to talk about, are just a part of life. Someone needs to talk about them, right?
Another fact of life that may make some squeamish is menstruation. You know, your period. Aunt Flow. That "time of the month". Personally, I wish Mother Nature could just send a monthly text that says "Hey Girl, you're not pregnant. See you next month!" Sadly, that's not the case, so women have to deal with their periods, month after month. Now I have to be honest. I have not used a tampon in...wow...almost 4 years. I had a very scary experience with them, which turned me off to them completely. I had just had Xander, and was completely exhausted. Taking care of a newborn and a 1 year old on very little sleep was pretty challenging. Well, the first month my period returned, I somehow left a tampon in and forgot about it....For a week. What clued me in? Well, let's just say that if you accidentally leave a tampon in, you will experience a very rancid odor and a nasty, almost black discharge. This absolutely terrified me, especially considering the risk of TSS. (Toxic Shock Syndrome) Thankfully, I didn't get ill from this sleep-deprived mishap, but it did cause me to give up tampons once and for all. Sea Band Mama Offers Natural Morning Sickness Relief #SeaBandMamaMorningSicknessRelief #Sponsored8/19/2014
I spent almost 2 straight years of my life pregnant and absolutely miserable. You see, Sophie and Xander are only 12 months apart in age. As soon as we were blessed with our daughter and I was finally able to walk upright again after my c-section, we found out that we were pregnant, once again. This was a HUGE shock, to say the least. After all, it took us a few years of actively trying and a diagnosis of secondary infertility to have Sophie. We were definitely doubly-blessed, even if it did take a lot of tears and a few heartbreaking losses to get there. I have to be honest...As much as I wanted my babies, I didn't really enjoy being pregnant. You see, I was terribly, terribly ill ALL 9 months of both pregnancies. It was worse with Sophie by far, though. It seemed that no matter what I ate or drank, I ended up vomiting. Sometimes, I didn't even make it to the bathroom. My poor husband must be a saint. He cleaned up after me every single time, and never really even complained. Now THAT, my friends, is love! My morning sickness was absolutely awful. It wasn't even morning sickness. It was more like 24/7 sickness. I don't like taking medications of any kind unless it's absolutely 100% necessary. If there's a natural remedy for a problem, I am more likely to choose that route. I actually have a very impressive stockpile of herbal and natural products to cover most any common ailment.
How I wish I knew about Sea-Band Mama products when I was expecting! These products are natural and provide amazing relief for nausea and other tummy troubles commonly experienced during pregnancy. Sea-Band Mama offers a couple of different products that can help tackle morning sickness woes. Sea-Bands are a wrist-band that can be worn any time. They rely on using pressure points by placing a little ball on the inside of the wrist. While I haven't actually tried this product myself, I know others who have, and have experienced great results. Sea-Band Mama also offers some wonderful lozenges that are formulated with Ginger, an herb known for its ability to help ease a sour stomach. Ginger is something I have used to battle morning sickness, and it really does help quite a great deal. Another added bonus that Ginger provides? It tastes great, and can help get rid of that nasty, almost metallic taste that pregnant women something experience. (Or was that just me?) Check out this brief video, "Pregnancy Morning Sickness? Drug Free Ways to Reduce Nausea During Pregnancy ", that shows how Sea-Band Mama can help expecting mamas: You can check out all that Sea-Band Mama has to offer on their website. These products are available at Target and CVS stores. Check out their handy retail locator to find Sea-Band products near you! Right now, you can head on over to Sea-Band on Facebook and Sea-Band Mama New Mommy Sweeps for the chance to win around $500 in prizes. These prizes include a $250 gift card to CVS for new baby essentials, an adorable Petunia Pickle Bottom designer diaper bag, and the top-selling Mommy MD Guide books "The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy & Birth" and "The Mommy MD Guide to Your Baby's First Year." For more information about Sea-Band® Mama and to learn more about morning sickness visit http://www.sea-band.com/mamaThis is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sea-Band Mama. The opinions and text are all mine. Welcome to the MPM BTS Transportation Sweepstakes Organized by: Mom to Bed by 8 - Special thank you to our supporting co-host bloggers: A Medic's World, My So Called Balanced Life, Life with 5 monkies, Reviews 411, Monica's Rants, Raves & Reviews, Michigan Saving and More and Plum Crazy About Coupons. One winner will receive a $500 Southwest Gift Card.Giveaway ends September 19th at 11:59pm, open to US and Canadian residents, ages 18+. Excludes Quebec. Only one entrant per household, per address. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Enter using the giveaway form below. Good luck! Disclaimer: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this sweepstakes. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com if you have any additional questions or comments. Gray hair is a reality that most women have to deal with. Touching up roots every few weeks can get expensive and time consuming if you already have a busy schedule. It's summer and much more fun to spend time at the beach and the park rather than wasting time getting your hair professionally colored. Gray Away by EVERPRO Beauty is the new, inexpensive and quick solution to touching up those pesky grays. You can cover your gray roots in just ten seconds. Did you know that 70 – 80% of women over 40 color their gray hair, but that 75% of women are not using a temporary root touch-up between colorings because they are not satisfied with what is on the market?Gray roots can pop up as soon as two weeks after coloring your hair. 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Good luck!!***Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Kaplan Test Prep. I received compensation to write this post, and any opinions expressed are my own, and reflect my actual experience.*** In about a week, it will be official. My baby will be in high school. Yes, this makes me feel horribly old, even though I am only 33. It also brings tons of anticipation and of course pride. My son Kyle, who will be a freshman, is a great kid and I cannot wait to see what career path he becomes interested in and how it will shape his future. I am willing to bet that he will ultimately do something with art. I mean, this kid is talented! Check out this picture of Princess Anna from Frozen he drew me a few weeks ago:
Check Out the Newest Muppets Adventure With Muppets Most Wanted on Blu-Ray Combo Pack Today8/18/2014 ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** The Muppets have been around making folks laugh longer than I have been alive. Literally! The first muppet movie, "The Muppet Movie" was released in 1979, followed by "The Great Muppet Caper" in 1981, which happens to be the year of my birth. Since then, we have enjoyed these colorful characters in "Muppets In Space" as well as on numerous television programs and specials. I think it's pretty safe to say that The Muppets are here to stay.
Recently, we got to check out the newest Muppets feature, "Muppets Most Wanted", on blu-ray. This release offered 3 different versions of the film along with tons of fun-filled bonus features. (My kids absolutely LOVED all of the extras!) |
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I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
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