Traveling for the holidays is something my family always looks forward to. There's no better way to close out the year than by hitting the road, singing holiday songs at the top of our lungs, spending time with family and friends, and eating delicious food.
 
But if you're anything like me, whenever you travel, a little voice in the back of your mind says, "Is my home safe? What if a fire breaks out? Could a pipe burst? Could a thief break in while I'm away?" So even though I love holiday travel, I'm never able to completely relax.
 
So I breathed a sigh of relief when I was contacted by Ooma—a leading internet home communications hub—with the opportunity to deliver 4 tips for keeping your home safe and secure when you're on the road this holiday. Before you lock your doors and hop in the car, make sure you follow these steps to ensure your home is safe.
 
TIP #1: DON'T TURN YOUR THERMOSTAT OFF
Before leaving for an extended trip, it's important to lock in a safe temperature in your central heating system. If you live somewhere with cold winters, don't turn your thermostat off! To prevent your pipes from freezing, set the temperature lower than usual—ideally between 40 and 55 Fahrenheit. Live in a warmer climate? Leave the thermostat at about 69 Fahrenheit. Alternatively, you can completely avoid worry by controlling your thermostat remotely. Ooma detects when your thermostat is on "Away" mode and will automatically forward any home calls to your mobile device.
 
TIP #2: SHUT OFF THE GAS AND UNPLUG ALL APPLIANCES
Always turn off gas-powered devices such as stoves, ovens, and fireplaces, and unplug all appliances. This can prevent any accidental fires and potentially hazardous carbon monoxide leaks into your home, as well as save energy. This is especially important if you have pets at home who can't defend themselves against unforeseen hazards. For an added layer of protection, be in the know—Ooma can warn you via text and direct you to call 911 when your Nest Protect smoke/carbon monoxide detector has been triggered.
 
TIP #3: DON'T KEEP YOUR TRAVEL A SECRET
When leaving home for several days, tell someone you trust where you'll be in case of emergency, such as a fire, burglary, or carbon monoxide leak. Friends staying in town or a thoughtful neighbor could be options. They can keep an eye out for suspicious activity and notify you of any out-of-the-ordinary occurrences. Ooma allows you to be notified immediately when 911 is dialed and you can call them or call police to investigate.

​TIP #4: LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO MONITOR YOUR HOME
Thanks to technology, our homes are getting smarter and smarter. Did you know there are countless apps that can connect to systems in our homes—from central temperature to security systems, light bulbs to the Amazon Echo? The Ooma Telo seamlessly interacts with your favorite smart home products and services to make your home safer and more convenient than ever before. Whether it be increased levels of carbon monoxide or a home break-in, Ooma can be the first to alert you of any danger. 
  
You can learn more about Ooma's home monitoring system and buy an Ooma Telo at http://www.ooma.com. 
 
Has an emergency ever happened at your home while you were away? Tell me about it in the comments below! 

Do I have any friends out there who plan to focus on clean, healthy eating this coming New Year? Maybe you're interested in learning more about the Paleo Diet (Certified Paleo), the Zone Diet, or  the Mediterranean Diet? 

I know I sure plan to get back on track this coming year, since this Holiday season has definitely caused me to stray away from my ideal diet on more than one occasion. I simply couldn't resist all of the delicious, seasonal treats. 

Kasandrinos International proudly offers a single source organic extra virgin olive oil and other high quality food and skin care products. Kasandrinos International only offers this year's harvest of olive oil. Their products are sourced from South Eastern Greece in the valleys and mountains of Laconia. I've always wanted to visit Greece, but that's a different post entirely....

My 6 year old, Sophie, is one special little lady. She's fierce, she's passionate, and she's kind. She is the type of gal that laughs at limits, and will go out of her way to fight against any injustice she sees. In fact, her goal in life, other than becoming a rock star, is to help end discrimination in any form and protect our environment. Yep. I'm raising a good little activist! 

She even helped her Mommy with volunteering for a couple of Presidential campaigns this year. She proudly cheered, waved signs, and even got featured in a local news story, holding a sign that, coincidentally reads "Girl Power." You can check it out HERE. Her absolutely powerful picture is in the photo slideshow at the top of the article. 

Sophie is all about Girl Power, so she was absolutely thrilled to gave discovered SpacePOP. 

SpacePOP is an animated YouTube entertainment series focusing on girl empowerment, friendship and adventure. The show includes five teenage princesses who disguise themselves as musicians and form a band while they secretly plot to a rebellion against the evil Empress Geela. 

Serialized episodes, each about 3 minutes long and featuring a 90-second music video, are release twice per week. New episodes are getting an amazing 250K and 300K new views.  You can check out these episodes on the SpacePOP YouTube Channel. 

It's that time of year, everyone! The Holiday shopping season is upon us! (At least it is if you're like me and get an early start to avoid the mad rush of frazzled, last-minute shoppers in December!) 

For the 2016 Holiday season, I will be featuring tons of great gift ideas for babies, kids, men, women, pets, and even for the person who has everything. We all have some of those on our gift lists, don't we? There will even be loads and loads of chances to win many of the gifts I am featuring. How cool is that?! You can check out my 2016 Holiday Gift Guide at any time from now till Christmas. Make sure to check often, as it will be growing by the day! 

Today, I want to talk about something that's sure to delight any Peppa Pig fans out there! 

With Christmas right around the corner, we're gearing up for some oinktastic fun here in NE Ohio. On Christmas morning, my kids are in for a huge surprise.....They will be opening up some absolutely fantastic Peppa Pig presents! 

We recently received an awesome package loaded with Peppa Pig fun. I'd love to share these products with you! 

It's that time of year, everyone! The Holiday shopping season is upon us! (At least it is if you're like me and get an early start to avoid the mad rush of frazzled, last-minute shoppers in December!) 

For the 2016 Holiday season, I will be featuring tons of great gift ideas for babies, kids, men, women, pets, and even for the person who has everything. We all have some of those on our gift lists, don't we? There will even be loads and loads of chances to win many of the gifts I am featuring. How cool is that?! You can check out my 2016 Holiday Gift Guide at any time from now till Christmas. Make sure to check often, as it will be growing by the day! 

Today, my kids, Sophie and Xander, want to share their favorite toys this Holiday season. They thought long and hard, and came up with their top 5 most loved gift ideas. Included are some fun new toys like the coveted Wet Head game, 3D pens, and more! Without further ado, here are the kids' top Holiday picks. 

15% OFF ALL PRI products
Blogger Viewers Receive 15% Discount Code on www.ShopPRI: Stocking15 
​Plus, FREE Shipping! 

With the Holiday season upon us, many of us are scrambling to find the perfect gifts and stocking stuffers. Rather than rely on processed candies, why not give a healthier, yet still delicious, brand of treats a try! 

Pacific Resources International has been delivering Manuka Honey beauty and health products to Americans for over 25 years. (This includes candy and treats!) Manuka is the gold standard for honey and is produced exclusively in New Zealand from bees and flowers that are environmentally protected. Enjoy these safe and soothing products every day and feel great using them!

I am a HUGE fan of PRI, and of Manuka Honey in general. Domestic honey has been in the news lately, and not for very good reasons. Thankfully, I don't have to worry about my Manuka Honey, since it comes directly from beautiful New Zealand, and is completely pure and clean. 

Recently, I was sent a fabulous assortment of PRI products that will help me celebrate the Holiday season, with a special, New Zealand flair. There make the perfect, healthy stocking stuffers! 

-FREE Vitamin B-12 –60-Day Supply–1,000 mcg (only pay $3.95 S&H)
-FREE Vitamin D–Any D product (baby, child, adult) (only pay $4.95 S&H)
-BOGO–FREE Vitamin C (Sour Cherry or Tangy Orange)–500 mg–Buy One Get One Free

Give the Gift of Health— December is a festive month to exchange gifts and to enjoy family and friends. Give the Gift of Health with Microlingual® tablets from Superior Source—they make great stocking stuffers! Now it’s FUN to take vitamins with NO PILLS to SWALLOW! With over 180 vitamins, there are vitamins for everyone, young old and every need.

​Best of all, Superior Source Vitamins are MicroLingual® with “Under the Tongue Technology”
that works fast, and are quickly absorbed into the body, dissolving in seconds. Did you know that...by swallowing supplements, as much as 50% of the potency is lost in the high acid environment of the stomach.

It's that time of year, everyone! The Holiday shopping season is upon us! (At least it is if you're like me and get an early start to avoid the mad rush of frazzled, last-minute shoppers in December!) 

For the 2016 Holiday season, I will be featuring tons of great gift ideas for babies, kids, men, women, pets, and even for the person who has everything. We all have some of those on our gift lists, don't we? There will even be loads and loads of chances to win many of the gifts I am featuring. How cool is that?! You can check out my 2016 Holiday Gift Guide at any time from now till Christmas. Make sure to check often, as it will be growing by the day! 

Today, I want to talk about something that's sure to delight the gamers out there, young and old! 

I have to admit, my entire family is basically obsessed with gaming. The hubby likes the more grown-up, "man games". My kids, however, are absolutely addicted to their Nintendo games. We have an original Wii, and several games for it, and the kiddos all have Nintendo 3DS XLs. 

Anyway, my kiddos absolutely love classic Nintendo games like Mario Bros. and all of the related games, Donkey Kong, Pokemon, and more. One thing I've always appreciated about Nintendo is that they offer games that are "tame enough" for younger kids, but that are still tons of fun for adults. We've even played Mario Party games at adult parties and get-togethers. (Try it! It's a blast!) 

So I think it's safe to say, we're definitely a family of gamers here. 

Recently, we got the amazing opportunity to check out Mario Party Star Rush, for the NEW Nintendo 3DS XL. This game is awesome, and takes Mario Party to a whole new, interactive level, thanks to multi-player options and the adorable amiibo characters. (These are sold separately.)