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Back to school with an Ohio 529 Plan

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Back to school season is in full swing across the country. Things may look a little different this year, but some things will always stay the same. One of those things that is always the same is this: we can prepare our children for the future starting now. This back to school season I’m doing what we always do — investing in an Ohio 529 Plan.

Back to school with an Ohio 529 Plan

What is an Ohio 529 Plan?

A 529 Savings Plan is a lot like a 401k. It’s an easy, tax-friendly way to save for your children’s higher education. Ohio’s 529 Plan can be used across the country for 2-year and 4-year programs as well as technical schools. Fun fact: Ohio’s 529 Plans can be used to fund your education nationwide — not just in the state of Ohio. And withdrawals from your plan are tax free when used for eligible education expenses.

Why now?

I used to be one of those people who would only (and could only) think about the here and now. But having kids changes a person. Now I can barely make it through a day without thinking about their futures and how I want to do everything in my power to set them up for success.

Back to school with an Ohio 529 Plan

Whether your child is sixteen or 1, you can take steps today to prepare for their future education — even if you have no idea what that higher education may look like! By using this, you can calculate see how inaction can negatively impact your higher education finances. You don’t need to have a massive amount of money to get yourself started, so why wait?

How to get started

It’s honestly super easy to get started to open an Ohio 529 Plan. Here’s what you’ll need:

  1. Your ID, social security number, telephone number, address, your date of birth, and your mothers maiden name.
  2. The telephone number, social security number, address, and date of birth of your successor (someone to take over the account should something happen to you).
  3. And lastly, the date of birth, telephone number, address, and social security number of the person you’re saving for.
Back to school with an Ohio 529 Plan

So why not take this change in season to reevaluate the future of your children’s education. Open an Ohio 529 Plan today!

PIN FOR LATER

Back to school with an Ohio 529 Plan

Making the most of Quarantine Halloween

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Twenty-twenty will forever go down as the worst phrase of our generation. As a mom of young kids, one of the worst things ever is knowing that my kids know that something is going on. I mean, my 7 year old and my 4 year old both keep saying “…when COVID-19 is over, can we….?” And it absolutely breaks my heart. But we’re all doing the absolute best that we can given the circumstances. So I have made it my personal mission to let my kids know that Covid doesn’t have to stop the fun. And that’s why I’m making the most of quarantine Halloween!

trick or treat

Trick-or-no-treat?

Our city is still very much on the fence regarding trick-or-treating. But I am not. Our neighborhood gets really busy — which we have always welcomed. But this year I am less than thrilled about the potential for kids coming and going and pushing around. With a heavy heart we decided against traditional trick-or-treating this year. And, honestly, I think that’s what’s best. My kids will have another Halloween and trick-or-treat. But, Covid is a wildcard. And I couldn’t live with myself if something happened.

So what should we do?!

There are so many ways to make the most of Halloween. Kids don’t really care about trick-or-treating. Heck! My kids usually only last 15 minutes! But they do love celebrations — and candy! So that’s what we will do.

Making the most of Quarantine Halloween

How we’re celebrating

We will still dress up. I will admit — I don’t like how much adults ‘love’ Halloween. I’ve always hated the idea of adult Halloween parties. But I will dress up this year for my kids. We will have a big at-home party! My kids and I will be setting up the most perfect candy charcuterie board for Halloween.

Making the most of Quarantine Halloween

What you need for a candy charcuterie board

Assorted candies
Small containers
Large cutting board or platter

Charcuterie Board

Candies may include:

Twizzlers
M&Ms
Candy Corn
Candy Pumpkins
Jelly Slugs
Halloween Pez
Bloody Bites
Spooky Lips Lollipops
Assorted snack size candies, wrapped or unwrapped

  1. Choose a board or serving dishes for the charcuterie board.
  2. Place loose ingredients (small candies, loose candies, etc.) into bowls or individual dishes. Place those bowls on the board or buffet first.
  3. Arrange other candies around the bowls.
  4. Add assorted tongs or Halloween decorations.

Tell me this…

How are you planning on making this the BEST Halloween ever for your kids?!

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PIN ME - MAKING THE MOST OF QUARANTINE HALLOWEEN
PIN ME - MAKING THE MOST OF QUARANTINE HALLOWEEN

Self-Care Routine with Post Dunkin’ Cereals

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Thank you Post for sponsoring this post. Post Dunkin’ cereals are rolling out nationwide now. To find a retailer carrying the cereal, check the store locator at dunkincereal.com

Fewer things are more precious to a mom than coffee. Kids are obviously more precious, but they are also the reason we need so much coffee. Am I right? I would love to say that I getting enough sleep at night. But I’m not. As a mom of three, there just isn’t enough time in the day for adequate sleep. But there is enough time in the mornings for me to squeeze in a little self-care routine with Post Dunkin’ Caramel Macchiato cereals — which pairs perfectly with my Dunkin’ Coffee.

Self-Care routine with Post Dunkin'

Need some tips for a successful morning routine? Well look no further! Here are my tried and true tips for getting a little morning boost to get you through another busy day!

But first, Post Dunkin’ Cereal … and coffee

In a perfect world, I would be waking up at dawn — before the kids groggily arise from their slumbers. But? This isn’t a perfect world. In reality, the kids are the first awake and I am the last. I try and stay in bed for those precious extra few minutes of almost sleep, but it’s never long enough. Instead, I roll out of bed and get the kids some breakfast. Once they are settled, I pour a giant mug of Dunkin’ coffee — and then a giant bowl of Post Dunkin’ Caramel Macchiato or Post Dunkin’ Mocha Latte cereal.

dunkin cereals

My kids know not to ask too many questions before I have my morning coffee. But now I have to remind them that I need to eat my coffee, too! The new Post Dunkin’ cereals are TO DIE FOR — especially if you are coffee-obsessed like me! Savoring those few moments where the kids are quiet and I’m enjoying my coffee and Post Dunkin’ Cereal is sacred for me. Because after the coffee comes the chaos!

Self-Care = Home-Care

My main job as a mom is to keep my kids alive. And I consider the day a success if I’ve done so. But I also have to clean this house, because children are tiny little tornadoes of destruction. So most of my post-coffee morning routine consists of picking up toys, gathering up laundry, and doing an endless amount of dishes. Can that be considered self-care? I sure hope so. I mean, sometimes I’ll throw on some NPR or Kidz Bop while I’m cleaning. So it totally counts.

If I’m being honest, I really do try and get in a few moments to myself. Usually it’s by reading a chapter in my Book of the Month book or catching up on some social media scrolling. But, of course, it’s between still doing all of those other mom things.

More (cold) coffee

After the self-care portion of your morning is complete, sit back down for a second cup of coffee. By this point, it’s likely cold. And, heck, why not a second bowl of Post Dunkin’ Caramel Macchiato Cereal. A second bowl is the perfect way to round out the morning.

Self-Care routine with Post Dunkin'

Do all of the things

The rest of our mornings are a blur of coloring, PlayDoh, screentime, and Disney Princess movies. The days as a mom are super long. And, oftentimes, I find myself at the end of a long day thinking “What the heck happened today?!” But we have survived 100% of these days. My kids know how much I love them. And, even if I don’t sleep for the next 18 years, at least I’ll always have coffee — and Post Dunkin’ Cereal.

PIN ME - Mom Morning Self-Care Routine with Post Dunkin' Cereal

Learn more about how you can incorporate Post Dunkin’ Cereals into your morning routine.

Freshful Tips for Mom Life!

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This post is sponsored by Gerber. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I found out I was pregnant with my first child nearly 8 years ago to this day. In that moment, I had a crystal clear version of the type of parent I would be.

My husband and I knew how we would parent. I was sure of how I would ‘make’ my children behave and I certainly knew what kind of disciplinary style I would use. I was dead set on breastfeeding and then making my own baby food with my top-of-the-market blender.

But then real-life happened. Parenting wasn’t as easy as it appeared to be. By some sort of miracle, I quickly understood that we are all just doing our best.

Making your life easier as a busy mom is crucial.

Accepting that certain concessions need to be made, as a mother, for the sake of you and your children, is crucial.

Real-Life Tips to Help You With Your Baby

I’m sharing some of my go-to tips and tricks for both new and seasoned moms.

Fed is Best

You’ve heard it over and over again — “Breast is best.” Heck, I heard it nonstop from doctors, nurses, and strangers, throughout each of my three pregnancies.

Gerber-dontstressmama

But the truth is, so much more than breastfeeding goes into breastfeeding. And it may just be that breastfeeding is testing your sanity. So don’t stress about something so trivial. Whether your child is breastfed, bottle-fed, or formula-fed, says nothing about you as a parent.

Babies Need Very Little

Based on ads and marketing, you would think you’re going to need to double the size of your house when welcoming in a new baby. That narrative is completely false.

Babies need so little. Know what they need? They need food (see above), love, diapers, and a safe space. Everything else is unnecessary.

Sure, other items can be helpful, but they really just take up space. I can count on two hands the amount of ‘bonus items’ that I used over and over again (even my first didn’t make it into his own crib or room for nearly a year).

Don’t stress if you don’t ‘have it all.’ Your baby will get everything they truly need.

Gerber baby Freshful

Give yourself a break

This is something a new mom hears time and time again. And it’s easier said than done. But there are things that you can control and give yourself a little break.

First and foremost, you’re doing a good job. Sleep is minimal and the crying just won’t stop, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t doing a good job. Just survive this stage and know you’re a great parent.

Second, recognize now that everyone has been in this exact same position. Every one of us has felt like they are struggling to get by. Remember that every day for the rest of your parenting ‘career.’

Third, remove all expectations of what you expected to be like as a parent. Things are different now.

Perfect Moms Are Fake

Louder for the people in the back — Perfect moms are not real!

Sure, it would be awesome to have all of this time to make Pinterest-worthy pretty bento box lunches for our school-aged children and to puree our own baby food, but that’s just not realistic.

Gerber-freshful

The reality is that our lives are much more chaotic. Stop focusing on the things you can do ‘from scratch,’ be it cookies for the preschool party, Valentine’s Day cards, and even baby food. These entrees are SO from Gerber are so convenient. 

Look for trusted products like Gerber® Freshful Start™ to reduce the stress of mealtime

Mealtime equals chaos in my life. The school-aged kids are picky and the baby demands food now. Instead of making my own baby food, I looked to Gerber® Freshful Start™.

Gerber - Freshful food

Gerber® Freshful Start™ offers high-quality, fresh tasting, cooked with love foods that are free of preservatives and GMOs! These always-organic baby and toddler foods are so fresh tasting they need to remain refrigerated.

This product line ranges from Homestyle Purees for the Sitter Stage to Veggie Entrees for toddlers. Both are prepared in minutes and make it easy for me when I’m dealing with the chaos of feeding a family of 5.

Gerber-Mila

You can pick up the Gerber® Freshful Start™ line at your local Meijer store in the refrigerated section of the baby food aisle!

Gerber-Mila8

Because being the perfect mom is totally overrated. Be the mom that has happy, healthy, and well-fed children. Most of all remember this: We’re all just doing our best.

Freshful Tips for Feeding Your Baby

Looking Back + Moving Forward: 2020

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What. a. year! I keep seeing posts from friends regarding how 2019 was awful. I have to say, while we had some rough times, the good far outweighed the bad times.

Professional Life

2019 Summed Up

My professional life blossomed this year. It took a lot of hard work, including long hours and late nights. But I set big goals and surpassed my own expectations!

2020 Goals

I’m going to push it even harder this upcoming year. I’m going to work smarter and harder. I may even hire some help (whether it be a VA or someone to help watch the kids one day a week while I work), which is huge for me!

I’m really excited to continue several partnerships and to take on a major undertaking with a local brand! It’s going to push me beyond my comfort zone, but I’m ready for it. Speaking of comfort zones, I really stayed out of photos this year. I featured mostly food, spaces, and my kids. But in 2020 I vow to be IN my content more! Stay tuned!

Personal Life

2019 Summed Up

Old House Stress

This year was a really stressful year for our little family. Chad spent most of his ‘spare’ time at our old house, getting it ready to be put on the market. This largely meant that we rarely saw him. The kids craved his attention in the moments where he was home and, well, he was just plain ol’ exhausted.

Travel Time

The good news is that when he was around, we made the most of our time together. We took trips to Great Wolf Lodge, went camping at Jellystone Park in Pennsylvania, and even snuck in a trip to Kalahari!

We also (somehow) made it to Columbus several times as well as a trip to Kentucky! It was a crazy travel year, for sure.

Celebrations

We celebrated our final babies first birthday by throwing a big birthday bash at our forever home — our first real time hosting! It was a lot of work, but we were finally able to show our family and friends this incredible space.

The kids had so much fun playing in the yard and jumping on the trampoline.

2020 Goals

This year offers a fairly blank slate. I’d like to do some local travel ahead of our big trip to Hilton Head Island late this Summer. But other than that, we have no official plans.

I’ll be taking my kids on new adventures here in Ohio and exploring new neighborhoods in an effort to connect more with my community and to help nurture their curiosity.

Health

2019 Summed Up

Guys, I mildly failed at all things ‘health’ related this year. The stress of life and a serious time-management issue on my part resulted in very poor year of health and fitness for me. The one and only thing I did that is deserving of any credit is running the Pittsburgh Half Marathon.

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2020 Goals

Things are changing. In fact, I’ve already started making changes. I’m being MUCH more conscious of my food choices and making MY health a top priority this year.

As cliché as it sounds, I am going to get back to my regular weight this year. For those of you who haven’t been following along since before this year, you’ll know that I used to be workout fanatic. I’ve lost some of my mojo thanks to pregnancy and kids, but I think I’ve figured out what I need to get my excitement back.

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Don’t let the fear of not being “good enough” hold you back from achieving your goals! . Today I finished my first postpartum race after having Mila and my second half marathon, the @pghmarathon . I was underprepared. Crazy, crazy underprepared. The days and hours where I should have been running were spent tending to sick children. . But I still got out there today. I still showed up. I realized in the wee hours of this morning that I CAN DO VERY HARD THINGS. HECK, I birthed three babies on very little sleep (and one without an epidural). So I knew my body was (and is) capable for more than I think. . So if you think “I could never do ___,” take a step back and give yourself some darn credit! YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS! . Thank you to @brooksrunning for helping me remember how strong my body truly is. . . #sponsored #runhappy #brooksrunning #2run6 #clevelandblogger #clevelandbloggers #midwestbloggers #MOVEpittsburgh #pittsburghhalfmarathon #pittsburghmarathon #ohioblogger #womensrunningcommunity #instarunners #runnersofinstagram #runningmom #runtoinspire #sweatpink #this_is_postpartum

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Try new things

As a previous obsessive yogi, it has been years since I was ‘active’ in the community. I’ve tried the at-home practice, but it just wasn’t my thing. A new studio opened in my town and I’m going to try their hot power classes!

I’m also signed up for an OrangeTheory Fitness class trial. Now, if only I could get my hands on a Peleton 😛

Get back on track

Having babies and adjusting to being a work-from-home mom four years ago really did a number on my nutrition. I was no longer tied to a desk. You would think working from home would offer more balance, right? For me it did not. I have struggled with the freedom and my diet has suffered.

Now that we are officially finished with having babies (and now that we’re through the newborn phase entirely), I’m able to get a bit of my life back. And, for me, that means getting back in control.

For me, it’s less about weight than it is about comfort. And I just haven’t felt comfortable in my own skin for the last few years. I do have a goal-weight, but it is not unrealistic. I’ve set an attainable goal for myself as a ‘big picture’ thought.

Writing it all out feels surreal. I cannot believe what this last year has brought our family (and I can’t believe we made it through). But I’m infinitely excited for what’s to come.

What goals do you have for 2020?

woman with wine glass in hotel

Gift Giving Ideas for Teachers (and more!)

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This post has been sponsored by Big Lots. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Think you’re set for the holidays? But did you forget anyone? Perhaps THE MOST important person (or people) of all time?? Whatever you do, do not forget your childrens’ teachers, babysitters, and daycare workers!

It wasn’t until my son started kindergarten last year that I realized just how selfless these teachers are. They take care of our babies, day in and day out. They’re underpaid and under appreciated. So I have made it a point to show my outpouring of love and gratitude at any chance I get.

But what do you buy for the person who has likely gotten every apple-themed, pencil-holding, knick knack under the sun?

Big Lots has us covered.

Teacher and Administration Gift Ideas

Yes, the teachers! But don’t forget about the administration and other necessary school staff!

Gift Ideas for the Foodies

Everyone gets cookies, right? But what about the foodie-teachers? I’m sure they’re cookied-out by Christmas break. Big Lots has a large selection of foodie items that will be perfect for your teachers.

Some notable favorites of ours (and our teachers) are the meat and cheese sets, lobster spread, smoked salmon, and spicy jalapeno hot sauce.

Christmas gifts

If you know the teacher is a drinkie (like a foodie, but with adult beverages!), you can also buy fun mixers and glasses!

Gift Ideas for the Caffeine-Obsessed

Like I said before, teachers are cookied-out. But is there really a limit on caffeine? I think not!

Big Lots has a large variety of coffee, tea, and even cocoa gifts for your favorite caffeine-obsessed teacher. There’s the 12-cocoa’s of Christmas, exotic teas from around the world, and more!

Kid in big lots

Practical Gifts with Fun Flare

Everyone loves a plush blanket for those cold winter nights, so pick one up from Big Lots! I can tell you from experience that the cozy blankets pair perfectly with the Dearfoam slippers!

bath products

Or perhaps an oil diffuser and some relaxing bath bombs to give your teacher an opportunity to treat herself (or himself!). Regardless of the type of practical gift you choose, I’m certain that the teacher will be forever grateful.

Other Hard-to-Shop-For People in Your Life

School staff aren’t the only ones who are difficult to shop for. Stop by Big Lots for all of your gifting needs!

Stocking Stuffers

I’m completely ready for Christmas morning thanks to the stocking stuffers I picked up at Big Lots. My kids are obsessed with lip gloss and bath stuff, so I grabbed a few character themed sets for them.

kid shopping in big lots

White Elephant Gifts

My extended family hosts an annual Christmas party two weeks before the holiday. This year I’m bringing my A-Game for our white elephant exchange thanks to the super fun gifts I picked up at Big Lots.

Someone in my family is going to end up with a huge gummy bear and someone else is definitely going home with a beer bottle belt (you’re welcome, family).

hatchimal toy

Spreading holiday cheer

Regardless of who you are shopping for, be sure to pick up all of the things you need for spreading holiday cheer at Big Lots!

Tell me — what are you going to pick up for the teachers this year?

cocktail mixers at christmas