Nanny to Mommy

We didn't get a chance to make it to theaters to see Disney•Pixar’s “Coco”, but I had heard wonderful things and of course wanted to see it ever since I saw the first preview. We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to host an "Unforgettable Family Reunion" right in our own home.

I received complimentary products to feature in my Baby Shower Gift Guide. All opinions are my own.

My cousin has a new baby. He was unplanned and she had already sold or donated all of her baby stuff. So when I saw her over Christmas, I knew I needed to help her out. Her little man likes to sit up and look at the world, but he is a chunk and it isn't practical to carry him around all the time. That's why I decided to reach out to KidCo. I had seen their GoPod Travel Activity Seat before and just knew it would be perfect for her needs.

My cousin is a busy mom to three kiddos aged four and younger, so she needed something that was light weight and could easily travel on the go. The GoPod Travel Activity Seat is perfect for her because it only weighs 7 pounds and is designed to fold and go. The attached floor pad keeps baby’s feet on a clean surface whether at the camp fire, on a picnic, watching the big kids play sports, or outside in a muddy area like we were.

I received complimentary products to provide this post. All opinions are my own.

Did you know National Engineers Week is February 18 through 24 this year?

Ellie loves to build. She’s always engineering new creations with the help of her imagination and her best friend Kit. Unfortunately, with Kit’s birthday just around the corner, the French-braiding machine Ellie built turns out to be more of a hair-knotting machine. What’s Ellie going to do? Luckily, the girls overhear Kit’s mom talking about Kit’s surprise – it must be the dog she’s always wanted! Ellie is struck with inspiration: she’ll build Kit the best doghouse ever! The project quickly becomes more than just a present for Kit – it builds a bridge between Ellie and those bothersome neighbor boys, as well as the other handy girls in her class.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pinnacle Foods & Boulder Brands. All opinions are my own.

One of my tips I tell people to help save money on their grocery meals is to have one night that is meatless. So when we are creating our meal plan we have what we like to call “Meatless Mondays.” And what you may find surprising is that you can choose plant-based foods without giving up taste, convenience, or quality.

I have been trying new things this year. Although we haven't been able to travel as much as we did last year, this has given us a chance to explore more local opportunities. I have even stepped out of my box and attended my first Zumba class at my gym!

prAna designs clothes that I can confidently wear all day, no matter what the day brings. I wore my outfit while I was at home working, to my son's school, I changed my top and went to the gym, and I have wore it out to dinner with friends. But I am also excited to wear it whether we go hiking or on more of our spontaneous traveling adventures because prAna is so versatile.

Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.

In celebration of Marvel’s BLACK PANTHER opening, check out this awesome clip from the film:

My mother has a fixed upper of a house. But she wants to make it more energy efficient for a number of reasons. The main reason being to save money. My concern with her older house is how to make it more sellable. By making it more energy efficient, I feel we can accomplish both of our goals. Here are a few reasons to consider making your home more energy efficient.


Reasons to Consider Making Your Home Energy Efficient

Disney's Lady and the Tramp Wags Its Way into the Walt Disney Signature Collection on Digital Feb. 20 and Blu-ray Feb. 27! In celebration we're sharing some fun crafts and free coloring sheet printables! Make sure to enter to win a copy for your own collection.


Disney’s cherished animated classic, “Lady and the Tramp,” will join the highly celebrated Walt Disney Signature Collection! As one of the greatest love stories ever told, “Lady and the Tramp” is sure to melt the hearts of generations with its beloved characters, brilliant animation, memorable music and sweet sentiment. Every member of the family will treasure this timeless tale—loaded with three versions of the film, classic bonus material and three all-new features—when it heads home on Digital and on Movies Anywhere Feb. 20 and on Blu-ray on Feb. 27!

My son was diagnosed borderline anemic when he was about a year old. You would have never guessed it because he was such a chunky baby, but he was actually always in the 25 percentile for baby boys the same age. When my daughter was a baby, she was in the same percentile, but was never diagnosed with any issues. They both had lip tie.

My son was always so hungry. I had to start supplementing with formula when he was about eight months old. He had no interest in baby food and he would choke on many table foods we offered, so nursing was his main source of nutrition. My doctor's advice to combat his anemia was to just feed him whenever/whatever he wanted (which of course I was already doing) and then he was prescribed iron supplements. His anemia was an issue for a while and so I started keeping track of his weight to make sure he wasn't losing any.

People ask me all the time "how did I get into product reviewing and making money blogging". My journey into this job (that I love) is unconventional. I started just keeping track of my pregnancy with my daughter. While on bed rest, I had heard that you could make money blogging, but it was a penny a word type stuff and I didn't feel that was worth it for me. I took a break for a while from my blog because it was hard to keep up with it and a newborn. I picked it up again when my daughter was almost two. But since I was a stay-at-home mom (with no car for 6 months), I started trying to connect with other bloggers, so I could feel a sense of community and for some adult interaction. And I noticed other bloggers getting products to review. So I pitched one. I pitched a lot actually, but the first company that took a chance on me was Buddy Fruits. And since then this wonderful endeavor has opened up so many opportunities for me.


There are a few things you should note if you are going to try to get into this business:
1. You have to be able to meet personal deadlines.
2. You have to be able to follow through on any commitments you make.
3. You have to understand that this isn't just about "getting free stuff". It's a LOT of work.

So how do you become a product review blogger?

I received complimentary products to provide this post. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Who do you show you love them this time of year? I try and show it all year long, but I love the sappy-ness of Valentine's Day. It may be cheesy as heck, but it is a great reminder to take the time out of your day and really think about those around you that you love. My mother-in-law is one of those people. We have a really unique relationship. I have known her since I was 18 and although I thought I was grown up, she has helped me so much in the process of becoming the adult I am today and I like to show her how much she is appreciated whenever I can. Precious Moments makes quality decorations that will be cherished for years to come.

 

The Original PlasmaCar is a ride-on toy that does not have pedals, gears or a motor. Instead the rider uses their body to wiggle their way around.

By using their own natural forces of inertia, centrifugal force, friction, and the PlasmaCar is naturally kid powered!

Did you watch the Super Bowl on Sunday? I just watched for Justin Timberlake and the commercials. Real life. One of my favorite commercials? SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY! Check out the trailer below to see what you might have missed:

Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo befriends his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and meets the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes.

Car Seat Safety is very important. The misuse of car seats is a common occurrence, unfortunately. Many people look at them as another product they have to buy in order for their child to be "legal" in a car, but the reality is - they are a necessity to save a child's life and when misused they can't do their job properly.

For over 50 years, Britax has been producing some of the best car seats on the market! Essentials™ by Britax® is a new everyday value brand that brings Britax levels of protection to families who make safety a top priority. Born from a leader in child passenger safety, Essentials™ by Britax® is a value brand built upon the primary focus that every family deserves the peace of mind that comes with over 50 years of Britax safety heritage. Each innovative safety feature is designed with your family in mind, because “Safe Enough” is not “Good Enough.” Miranda from Thrifty Nifty Mommy recently shared her Britax Emblem car seat review and a Britax Allegiance car seat review. These are the first two convertible car seats from Essentials by Britax. Make sure you head over and read her full reviews of these seats!

This post contains affiliate links.

Amazon is offering sample boxes for Prime Members – and you get the cost of the box back in credit (for a purchase of similar products) a week after the box ships! so what does that mean? Lots of free boxes if you are planning to buy from these categories anyway!

(If you are not already a Prime Member, start a Free 30-day trial).

Make sure to grab the available box quickly as they do sell out fast. Right now they have an awesome household box available. Past boxes have included:

If you haven't purchased a Degustabox yet, maybe this month's will change your mind. I have been reviewing this foodie subscription box for over a year now and I love all of the products I have discovered along the way. This month had some awesome new products that's all about the big game and don't forget new subscribers can get their first box for only $9.99 which includes a free gift and free shipping.

First, what is Degustabox? Degustabox is an on-line food subscription service that delivers a monthly surprise box containing the latest and best products, from small and big brands alike, to the homes of the consumer: saving time and money. You can cancel anytime.

So what was in the box?

This is a sponsored guest post by CheckPregnancy.com.

Parenting can be exciting, but it can be challenging as well. Parents influence most of the things their young ones do. When it comes to behavior with your children - whether we would like it to be or not - it usually is a "monkey see, monkey do" type situation. The same applies with speech. Some babies may speak earlier while it may take time for others to start speaking. We did some research and here are some of the ways to help your child to start talking.

From the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes ANT-MAN AND THE WASP, a new chapter featuring heroes with the astonishing ability to shrink. In the aftermath of CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, Scott Lang grapples with the consequences of his choices as both a Super Hero and a father. As he struggles to rebalance his home life with his responsibilities as Ant-Man, he’s confronted by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym with an urgent new mission. Scott must once again put on the suit and learn to fight alongside the Wasp as the team works together to uncover secrets from the past.

I received complimentary products from Universal Entertainment to provide this post. All opinions are my own.
Woody Woodpecker is a legendary icon created by Walter Lantz in 1940. Woody Woodpecker & Friends have entertained kids for more than 75 years! Woody Woodpecker cartoons appeared in theaters until they debuted on television in 1957. Woody’s popularity resulted in new shows airing across several decades. “The Woody Woodpecker Show” has been broadcast in over 155 territories and 105 languages worldwide. He is one of the most memorable cartoon characters in animation history, featuring the little red –headed bird with the unforgettable laugh, who’s forever pecking his way out of trouble. Woody has evolved from a cartoon TV character to a Pop Culture Icon with his fearlessness, crazy antics and smarts.


Making his live action debut, Woody Woodpecker arrives on DVD, Digital and On Demand on February 6, 2018 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Blending a mix of live action and CGI, Woody must find a way to stop a greedy lawyer from destroying his forest home. Packed with fun special features that showcase the illustrious history of the animated character, Woody Woodpecker is a great title to start the year off right.

I received complimentary products to provide this post. All opinions are my own.

If you have seen our Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Kids post yet (I highly suggest checking it out), then you may have seen some super cute gifts ideas from ZURU toys. And one adorable item that has been brought back are the ultra-cute, plush Shnooks.

ZURU is bringing the Shnooks back from Shnook Brook for a whole new generation of young girls! A previous top seller, Shnooks are an ultra-cute feature plush that combines hair-play with a unique shnubble-bubble pack, which means Shnooks magically grow 8x their size when opened. There are 6 new characters to collect, all with their own unique way of shnooking after you.