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Family & Budget Friendly Ways to Have Fun this Summer!

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiantEagleSlashedPrices #CollectiveBias

It’s no secret that our lives will be turned upside this Summer. Between welcoming baby number 3 in June, and prepping Ari for kindergarten this Fall, I’m trying to keep our lives as sane as possible. Oh, and did I mention that I’ll be taking unpaid leave from my job, too? Yeah, so sanity-, and budget-friendly activities are a must for this family of (almost) five!

Here’s how we plan to stay on budget and STILL make the most of our Summer!

1. Find community sponsored events for kids.

I did a simple google search of events going on in our area this Summer and the results were amazing. Not only does the city of Cuyahoga Falls offer Tot Time in the Park every day of the week (hellooooo, free arts, crafts, and playtime!); but there’s also a free Touch a Truck event in July that my kids will simply EAT UP.

We’ll also be taking full advantage of the Regal Cinemas Dollar Movies all Summer long (more here). Because the best way to try and see if a kid is ready to sit through a movie is to only spend a single dollar on that movie! 😛

2. Research free admission days.

Our local art museum, the Akron Art Museum, does free admission on every single Thursday — which is an awesome way to introduce children to art! There are always some hands-on exhibits, which the kids obviously love; but I’m forever amazed at how much they actually like to walk through the galleries!

Other museums, such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, are always free of admission! How cool is that!? I love knowing that any day of the week I can just load the kids up and head to see world renowned art — at zero cost!

Additionally, the Akron Zoo offers several free admission days throughout the Summer. The first of which is on June 17th! In honor of Father’s Day, all dads and grandpas will receive free admission!

Many of the big-box hardware and craft stores also do free build and crafting events on the weekends, so be sure to check those out (and sign up!), too! We’re already on the schedule for a build workshop and a LEGO workshop in the month of May!

3. Keeping our groceries on-budget with Giant Eagle’s slashed prices.

We have been keeping our family grocery budget in check with the competitive NON-sale, slashed pricing, at Giant Eagle! For us, this means we can still get all of the good stuff — the fruits, the veggies, and the meat — without breaking the bank. Even frozen goods and dairy have seen slashed pricing!

Giant Eagle stores across Akron, Canton, and the Cleveland area have slashed prices on over 5,000 items. Considering how frequently we grocery shop at Giant Eagle (I’m notorious for poorly meal-planning so we shop about 2-3 times a week), I’m happy to know that these items are not on sale and are permanent price reductions.

I’m able to fill up my cart without breaking the bank — and get more of the cereal and snacks my children always beg for! Also, the convenience of having frozen and dairy items along with cuts to produce means that I can spend less time cutting coupons for items and spend even more time with my family this Summer!*

4. Expect the unexpected. 

I had visions of how life would be as a mom. I thought “Oh, for sure if I plan this extravagant party my son will adore me forever.” Friends I’m here to tell you that this is not the case. Often times it seems that the more time and energy that goes into something, the more lackluster the response I will get from my children (insert eyeroll).

So instead of thinking of ‘amazing,’ pinterest-worthy ways I will keep my children occupied this Summer, I’m going the realistic route.

I’m keeping a heaping amount of chalk and bubbles in our shed. That’s right. When in doubt, chalk and bubbles come out. Why are these two simple items both the bane of my existence and the highlight of my childrens lives? One may never know. But I keep them in excess for when I’m mommy’d out. And they don’t even seem to notice that it’s me taking the easy way out because, guess what!?, they are enjoying every second of it.

So do yourself a favor this Summer — keep it simple. Keep the planning simple; Keep the playing simple; and keep your grocery budget simple with slashed prices at Giant Eagle.

 

What’s your favorite budget-friendly activity for Summer??
And how are you taking advantage of price cuts at Giant Eagle?!

*Price cuts available at select locations. Check with your local Giant Eagle for more details!

Preparing for a new baby with meals, support, and CBR.

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Whether it’s your first baby or your 7th baby, adding a new child into your family can be stressful. There are a million things to consider, before, during, and after welcoming your new bundle of joy.

When we decided to try for baby number three, we knew that our family dynamic would forever change. There are certain things that would be nearly impossible to do with three young children — like our occasional dining out at restaurants with the kids. We knew we would have to be a takeout family, at least until all three children get a bit older.

But there are a host of other things that a person thinks about. Namely, how to properly prepare for bringing home a new baby.

And as a seasoned mom (wow, that’s still weird to say), I thought I’d share the list of things I’m doing to prepare for our new family member this time around.

1. Prepare your freezer with meals.

I made this mistake before baby number 2 — I failed to properly prep with freezer meals — and I felt it in the weeks after. This time around I’m stocking up my freezer with ready-to-bake casseroles and thaw-and-eat sandwiches that will make those first couple of weeks with a new baby run a bit more smoothly.

We’re currently 9 weeks out and I’m in full-on meal prep mode. Freezer space has been made and I’m using Pinterest to search for meals that will make a transition from 2 to 3 kids easy (just kidding – it won’t be easy — but it will be easier-ish?).

2. Consider cord blood banking. 

As a first time mom, I was clueless about the benefits of cord blood banking and the peace of mind that comes with it. I learned that cord blood banking and Cord Blood Registry (CBR) have been around for over 20 years. Today, many conditions may be treatable with cord blood as a part of a stem cell transplant, including various cancers and blood, immune and metabolic disorders.* And a lot of research is being conducted to explore potential uses in the future. Most recently, a CBR funded study in partnership with researchers at Sutter Medical Center showed that a child’s own cord blood is even safe for children with autism! If you’re interested in learning more about the study and its findings click here and watch this video.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsXeBScRCSs&]
It’s advancements with trials like these that have made me confident in deciding that we will be using CBR once baby number three arrives. After realizing how potentially life-saving preserving your child’s newborn  stem cells can be, it was really a no-brainer — Especially when I understood that other family members could potentially be use this resource.

After learning about the awesome potential in newborn stem cells, we have finally started the process of getting set-up with CBR (we’re only 3 months out from delivery, y’all!). If you’re interested in doing the same you just visit cordblood.com/enroll or call 888-240-1996 and CBR will ship you a collection kit. Be sure to take the kit with you to the hospital on your big day and then you call a medical courier after your baby is born. That’s it! Easy peasy!

The video also helps explain the process.

Cord blood: studying a potential treatment for children with autism

#AutismAwarenessMonth A prominent neurologist and autism researcher from Sutter Medical Center, recently published results from a CBR-funded clinical trial studying cord blood as a potential treatment for autism. Watch as Dr. Michael Chez discusses the trial and learn how CBR clients are helping to advance newborn stem cell science!

Posted by Cord Blood Registry on Wednesday, April 11, 2018

 

 

3. Have a pre-set support group you can reach out to when you need them. 

Know who you’ll call if you need someone to run to the store for you; know who you can call with a question about nursing; know who you can call to take your other kid(s) for an hour or two; know who you can call to help you clean your house; and, most importantly, check with them because they will assure you that you can use them.

One of the things new moms (and seasoned moms) often forget is that it truly does take a village. And any mom knows this. If they offer you help, they mean it. I promise. So take them up on it because trying to prove you can ‘do it all’ will only leave you to suffer.

4. Load your Netflix queue!

I remember how naive I was before my first child was born 5.5 years ago. I didn’t fully understand how many hours I would spend half-awake in a 24-hour period. But I learned quickly that life with a newborn operates in a haze. And you will keep the TV on half-watching, half-feeding a tiny human, for far more hours than you can fully grasp.

I watched everything those first few months — Gossip Girl, Dexter, you name it. I went from shows I’d never even cared to watch to rewatching series I’d already finished. So for our second baby I spent a couple of hours just loading up my queue with things I really wanted to watch, to things I’d be content watching half asleep.

And I’m doing that again this time around. It’s inevitable that there will be a lot of late nights. And my good friend Netflix will be there through all of those late night feedings.

5. Grace.

Our third child is months away and I’m already prepared with grace. Grace in the sense that I’ll be giving it to myself by the boatload. I want all new mothers to understand that even though giving ourselves grace is one of the hardest things to do, it’s also one of the most important.

Having babies makes us realize, quickly, how little we truly have control of. I know that I will struggle with adjusting to life after giving birth again. And I know that the only way to recover and heal is by giving myself plenty of grace.

Learn more about CBR and cord blood banking by visiting here.

 

 

*See source here.

New Year, New Me // Simplifying in 2018 with Curbside Delivery

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiantEagleDelivers #CollectiveBias

Welcome, 2018! This year brings lots of changes for my growing family! And I’m happy to report that, thanks to some serious growth and self-reflection, there are some things I’m just leaving in 2017. For instance, having too much on my plate.

My one “Goal” for 2018 is to Simplify. Simplifying doesn’t have to mean becoming a minimalist or refraining for doing anything fun. There are so many other ways to simplify your life, so I’m going to share some creative, no-nonsense ways you can simplify to be more present in 2018!

1.  Keep track of time spent doing all things. 

One of the major ways I keep my life on track is by using Google Calendar. Not only is it simple, but it syncs to my iPhone calendar automatically and I can keep my husband in the loop by sending him Google Calendar invites to things we have scheduled (because, let’s face it — he isn’t going to remember unless he sees it pop up on his phone).

But besides the obvious “doctor appointment” notifications, I also schedule time for laundry, cleaning the house, and — here comes the kicker — downtime.

You read that right — I purposefully block off downtime in my Google Calendar and it is non-negotiable! So what if sends me someone an invite? Sorry, I’m busy.

That’s right. Give yourself some time to breathe and make it non-negotiable!

2.  Unsubscribe, unsubscribe, unsubscribe!

I cannot even begin to tell you how many “Hurry! Super Sale!” emails I received this holiday season. Truthfully? Very few of them were ‘super’ in any way; and most of them were from the same handful of retailers. It’s… daunting. And totally and completely unnecessary.

Do yourself a favor and take a few minutes today to unsubscribe from the junk. Do you really need to know everytime that retailer has a 15% off sale? Probably not. And if you don’t want to miss their sales, subscribe to their Facebook notifications instead.

Simplify by cleaning out that inbox and I promise you’ll feel so much better about checking your emails! 

3.  Get comfortable saying “No.” 

If you’re like me, the times I feel most overwhelmed are the times I’m most over-committed. It took me the last 5 years to become comfortable enough saying “no” to things that just don’t serve me or my family.

But a few years ago, I read something that really struck me — that when we say “I’m too busy…” for something, we’re really saying “It’s not a priority.”

So I’ve turned that around to suit me — if I say yes to too many things, I won’t have time for the things that really serve me and my family. And, honestly, learning to say no has been a godsend. However, there is still a learning curve for my friends and extended family. It takes a bit more understanding on their part to see why we’re unable to commit to everything.

Try to simplify your schedule by saying ‘no’ more often.

4.  Take advantage of Giant Eagle Curbside Express Delivery Service.

One of the things I found most difficult with two children is running errands. Grocery shopping became the bane of my existence. The lugging of children out of the car, into the shopping cart, dealing with tantrums, and navigating other shoppers. It’s exhausting.

The allure of having a personal shopper select the freshest, best products for me, based on my online shopping cart, was too much to contain! I first tried out Curbside Express last year and have since hopped on the bandwagon for Curbside Express Delivery! Yes, delivery! As in they deliver your groceries to your home! Squeeee!

It’s so easy to use. I use my Giant Eagle card to log in to an online account where I’m able to personally shop for items ranging from fresh fruits, to frozen foods, to paper products, to deli meats and cheeses. I can even use my preloaded e-coupons and and other sale items!

From there, a Personal Shopper does the shopping for me and I wait for the scheduled delivery (yep, I even get to choose the time and date of delivery!).

I loved that I was able to try it for free the first time and that I was able to add to my shopping cart online during my spare time (which, let’s face it, is when the kids are napping). And delivery was a breeze! Remy was eager to check out what goodies had been delivered and I couldn’t help but bask in the happiness that we didn’t even have to get out of pajamas to get groceries!

Do yourself a favor and simplify your shopping routine by using Giant Eagle Curbside Express Delivery Service.

5.  Save time cooking by using a pressure cooker.

Look, my husband has been “team pressure cooker” for the last 5 years, and I’m on a recent convert (hello, popular electric pressure cooker!). But anything that cuts down on the time it takes to prepare a healthy meal for my family is a win.

Some of the pressure cookers also have a slow cook feature as well, so if you’re looking to toss something in the crock pot in the morning and have it ready by the time you arrive home from work, this would be perfect at helping you simplify your meals.

6.  Take 5 minutes out of your evening to plan your day tomorrow.

Take 5 minutes out of your evening routine and sit down with a pen and paper. Nope, don’t open your email and create a task (you’ll get too distracted from your inbox).

Keep it simple and short. Write down a few must-do’s followed by a couple of action items. You’ll go to sleep with a plan to attack the next day and less stress in the morning. Simplify by planning ahead.

7.  Purge items that no longer serve a purpose to your family.

This is a big one. Like any family, we’ve accumulated ‘stuff’ over the years. Kids stuff, kitchen stuff, other stuff… and it rarely continues to serve a purpose, right? So get rid of it!

I’m not suggesting you do this all in one day. But if you come across something and you realize you no longer need/use it, toss it. Or donate it. But don’t sit and wait for it to become useful again. Simplify by minimizing.

So cheers, 2018. Let’s do this. I’m ready to live more simply and enjoy my family and time for myself!

3 Winter Hacks for Staying Healthy //

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Winter is always tough on my family — and I know we’re not alone. Between the crazy cold, negative temperatures here in the Northeast, and the piling inches of snow, it can be hard to remember the importance of taking care of myself and my family.

So I’m sharing my list of Simple Winter Self-Care Hacks that will keep you healthy and feeling your best all season long!

1.  Stay hydrated!

I know it sounds silly, because it’s cold outside, right?! Why would you worry about staying hydrated? Well, maintaining hydration is a key in prevention of the flu and seasonal colds*. Plus, it helps regulate your body temperature — yes, even in the cold.

2.  Wash, wash, wash your hands!

We sing this little song in our house. Technically, it was a teeth-brushing song Ari learned in preschool last year; but he messed it up and started singing “Wash, wash, wash your hands, morning, clean, and white!” And so we sing that all day, everyday. Because I’ve learned the hard way that no amount of hand sanitizer can truly keep away the germs. We are team HOT WATER AND SOAP.

3.  Tackle dry skin with Lubriderm.

The harsh weather and the hand washing can do some serious damage to our skin. My kids have both really struggled with dry spots this winter and after trying remedy after remedy after remedy, we finally found a solution to our dry skin woes — Lubriderm.

For my five year old, Ari, I’ve been using Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Extra Dry Skin lotion. He definitely has the worst issues with dry skin, but this lotion has been a lifesaver for my little man! Remy and I have both been using the Lubriderm Daily Moisture, for Normal to Dry skin, and it has been perfect for the two of us.

In the meantime, my husband, who frequently works outdoors — yes, even in the Winter — has been using the Lubriderm Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen, that way he is moisturized and also protected from the elements (because, did you know you can still get a pretty severe sunburn in the Winter!? We’ve learned the hard way!). But besides the obvious health benefits, the fact that it’s available at a budget-friendly price at our local Walmart is a huge bonus!

Need more ideas on how to incorporate some #LubridermHacks into your existing daily routine? Try mixing their unscented lotion in with your liquid concealer; give yourself an at-home pedicure with Lubriderm; or find a few minutes to just lather up with some Lubriderm post-shower for an all-day skin moisturizer!

What are some of the ways your family is staying healthy this Winter??

 

 

 

* see Harvard research here

7 Tips for Safe Car Travel with Kids

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored from Car Junk Yards Near Me. 

With Summer nearing it’s end our vacation season is officially starting. That’s right — we’ve had several trips (one day trip, one weekend trip, and one week-long beach vacation) planned for quite some time. And with that comes quite a bit of travel anxiety. Well, atleast for me it does. I wasn’t always this anxious about travelling, but having children has certainly increased my level of nervousness. Like, tenfold.

In addition to making sure that we have all of the necessary equipment for our trip, road snacks, drinks, the right clothes, and everything else that comes with travelling with kids, I also worry that we won’t be safe enough.

We’ve all seen it — the awful mommy-shaming on Facebook for not having the proper chest strap alignment for a carseat; or the decision to move your three year old from rear-facing to forward-facing; or, God forbid, the choice to give your child a screen on a 9-hour drive. The shaming is ridiculous, yes. But in all seriousness, there’s a lot of truth in these safety concerns — we all wonder if we’re really ‘doing it right.’

So when it came to finding the perfect family car, we turned to Cars.com. At Cars.com we were able to do the proper research on safety ratings and reviews from real people — from real parents — just like us! With so many different makes, models, and vehicle-types, it could have been totally overwhelming. But I swear to you, it wasn’t. Before even choosing a dealership, we knew what we wanted. We knew the safety rating and that it would be the perfect vehicle for our growing family.

Armed with user reviews, average pricing, and all of the vehicle safety information a girl could want, we chose our dealership and picked out the perfect crossover SUV.

So besides getting the right car for your family, I’ve rounded up a list of other ways to travel safely through this vacation season!

Subscribe to AAA. A membership to AAA not only gets you discounts on all kinds of things (like hotels and outings), but it also ensures that if something does happen on your road trip, you will be ‘rescued’ by someone!

Pack a potty seat for your little ones. This may seem silly; but if you have more than one child and/or if you’re travelling without your partner, you may find yourself in a situation where you’re trying to shuffle 2+ tiny children through a busy rest area. That can be dangerous not only because of other vehicles, but also because of human trafficking. I’ve taken to just bringing along a potty seat to make potty pit stops a bit… ‘easier.’

Get your vehicle maintenance done at least two weeks before your trip. This will give you time in case something unexpected arises during your visit. For instance, what if you find that you have a damaged tie rod during the appointment? It’s best to know these things well enough in advance of your road trip that you have proper time for repairs.

Plan your route ahead of time. There will likely be construction or traffic jams to slow you down. Map out a list of potential stops or breaks, both for your childrens sanity and for your safety (frequent breaks are good for your body and your mind — and can help you refocus for the drive ahead!). Perhaps you won’t need to stop at that nifty roadside attraction; but at least you’ll know where they are just in case.

Check your spare tire kit and pack a first aid kit. Because who the heck knows what could happen! I keep a first aid kit in my trunk, right next to the jack. You really just don’t know what might arise (kids, ya’ll).

Hydrate and have plenty of water on hand. As moms we often think of the ‘worst case’ scenario. Well, what if you were stranded. Just, what if?? As inconvenient as it may be to make potty stops, make sure you and your family are remaining hydrated. Also, keep a jug of distilled water in the trunk of your car in case of an emergent situation. If all goes well, it will remain there. But you will have it for peace of mind if nothing else.

Drive safe and steady. There is no race. You will not win a prize for arriving at your destination 10 minutes earlier. Just drive safe. Remain aware of your surroundings. Don’t text and drive. Assign your co-pilot as your navigator. Slow down for stopped vehicles. Stay buckled. Just, please. Please.

With these tips in mind, I hope you spend the rest of your Summer days travelling the world, the country, or, heck!, even just your backyard!

And tell me — what is your best tried and true travel tip!?

5 tips for an Easy Toddler Bedtime Routine //

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Neither of my children were good sleepers as babies. It’s one of those things that I was alwasy really resentful of. A new mom needs a lot of rest, and I was hardly getting any rest, let alone “lots.” Hearing about other moms experiences with their kdis sleeping through the night as soon as they were home from the hospital or, heck, anytime in that first year?? It felt like a slap in the face.

But if there’s one thing that can be said about life with kids, it’s that nothing is constant. Thank goodness, am I right?!

We’ve had a bit of luck in the toddler sleep department, that’s for sure. But I know that not everyone has toddlers that are good sleepers. So I’m sharing the 5 tips that have really worked for us.

1. Establish a regular evening meal time. It may seem silly, but we’ve been incredibly consistent about the time of day our kiddos eat their last meal and this beginning of the ‘wind down’ hours has helped to create some stability at the end of crazy days. It really sets the initial boundary and start of ‘bedtime’ when they recognize that

2. Create a way to get the sillies out. For us, it’s a game of ‘attack daddy’ or tickle the kiddos. They love it and it gets that last bit of any pent up energy out of their systems. Also? It’s super fun for everyone.

3. Connect with your kids. I’m with my kids all day long, but it’s hard to truly be present all of the time. So my husband and I find a way to connect with each of our kids for at least a half hour every night, whether it be by talking about our day and what we did, or by doing an activity with them. It gives them what they crave — attention — and it helps to recenter us for the evening as well. It’s a win-win for everyone!

4. Limit television in the evenings. Children can be so overstimulated with the bright lights of a giant television screen, so after 6:30 PM, we really limit the use of TV. Luckily both of our kids are huge fans of reading books, so we generally settle in with a book and some snuggles.

5. Do not let them get overtired. One would think that completely wearing a child out means that bedtime will be easy peasy, right? Wrong. Ohhh, so wrong. Learn to sense when your child has had enough and make the move for bed right then. Do not wait. Do not give it more time. I’ve learned that toddlers easily go from tired to overtired, and they become restless. And bedtime will become increasingly difficult.

Bottom line — it won’t always be easy to stick to this kind of routine, but it will be worth it. I promise. I’ve come to terms that I’m not always the popular friend because my evening routine is dictated by two tiny (and very demanding, very cute,) humans; but this is the best way to make it through the tough sleep stuff of the toddler years.

What are your thoughts?? What else would you suggest to ease the pain of toddler bedtime routines?! 

For more on sleep and parenting, visit Parenting the Principal!