Food Fun Family

5 Skills Your Kids Can Build While Playing Outside

Lolli — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 01:19:17 +0000

The school year officially ends for us next Friday, but I know that a lot of my friends around the country are already enjoying summer break with their kids. The school year can be busy and not leave much time for free play when the kids are at home. I don’t know about you, but the kids are exhausted and hungry at the end of a school day, and all they want is to rest and have a snack before digging in to their homework. Then it’s dinner time and bed time, and the routine starts all over again.

Summer time means longer days, brighter nights, and temperatures that invite kids to be outside, whether it’s playing at the park, taking a cool, shaded nature walk, or swimming at our neighborhood pool.

My kids love the outdoors. They loved being outside when they were little, and they still love it now that they’re bigger. When they were little, and still today, I encourage as much outside play as possible. It keeps them off the electronics, the house stays cleaner, and they are more tired by the end of the day (believe me, that’s a huge plus during the summer!). Little do kids know that playing outdoors can be beneficial to their development. In fact, here are five skills that your child can build while playing outdoors.

Social Skills

While playing outside, especially at a park, your child will likely encounter other kids. This is a great time to help build social skills, as they make new friends. However, with every childhood friendship come arguments over whose turn it is. Learning to settle disagreements and learning to be fair is all part of building social skills that will help kids later in life.

Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is all about planning things in the moment and creating strategy. What better way to practice this than while playing sports? While running down the field and kicking a soccer ball, your little one will be using their brain to think about their next move.

Gross Motor Skills

Outdoor play can involve so much more movement than what your children may be able to do inside. While outside, children will have plenty of space for all sorts of activities from running across the yard, to skipping down the sidewalk. But there are so many more fun things that cannot take place indoors. For instance, climbing trees, or even using their legs to pump themselves on the swing set.

Fine Motor Skills

Fine motor skills can easily be tuned inside, however there are also many outdoor activities that help as well. Digging through a rock garden can provide excitement for little ones as they search for the shiniest or smoothest rock, but grasping those tiny pebbles is great for fine motor skills.

Self Confidence

Self confidence can easily be built while playing outside, whether at the park, or in your backyard. As children play on their own, they may find they are becoming more sure of themselves, as they step out of their comfort zone, and finally go down the slide alone or climb that perfect tree.

Playing outside is such an essential part of any childhood. Whether it’s free play or organized play, your child will benefit from playing outside. What’s better than building critical skills while having fun?

Care For Your School With Box Tops for Education

Lolli — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 16:30:28 +0000

This is a sponsored post with compensation received from General Mills. As always, all opinions are my own.

Mom confession time: I am the mom who will dig through the recycling bin to snip off any Box Tops for Education that my family has missed. I’ve even been known to sneak a few Box Tops out of the neighbors’ recycle bins before they’re taken away. We even have Grandma collect them for us out of state, and I’ll pack plastic baggies full of Box Tops in my luggage after visiting her.

Box Tops are pretty amazing, if you ask me! I shop for the stuff I would normally buy, and the kids’ school gets 10 cents per Box Tops. It couldn’t be easier!

Box Tops are kind of a big deal in our house.

I’m still in denial that Back to School season is almost here. Didn’t we just start summer break?? There’s no use denying it or trying to avoid the inevitable. School will be back in session before we know it, which means back to school shopping and preparation time is NOW. That means stocking up on school supplies and filling the snack drawers in the kitchen with plenty of goodies for the kids’ lunches.

The Power of Box Tops

What makes Box Tops so incredible? Box Tops for Education helps schools do more for the KIDS. They can help provide more books and academic resources for students; they can help kids be more active with additional gym or playground equipment; they can help fund field trips or field days at school. There are so many ways that Box Tops help parents care for their school and the children it serves.

Did you know that you can search for collection drives from your child’s school, a school in your area, or just find a drive that resonates with you? Check out all of the options here: https://www.boxtops4education.com/clipboard Even though my kids are in middle and high school, I found our kids’ elementary school on the list, and love that they’re gathering Box Tops to help kids attend field trips. But if you’re like us and have kids in middle school or high school, you can still collect Box Tops!

CVS Extra Bucks Offer

While you’re out back to school shopping with your kids this month, be sure to stop by your local CVS. CVS is making it easier than ever to care for your family AND your classroom with everything you need to keep your kids focused, active, and prepared for the new school year. When you shop Box Top items at CVS this back to school season, you help supply schools with the equipment and tools they need to support each and every student!

Special Offer! CVS Extra Bucks Offer (8/20-8/27): Spend $30 on participating Box Tops products, get $10 ExtraBucks reward. So not only are you getting valuable Box Tops for your kids’ school, but you’re saving money on items for your family, too. We like loading up on cereals (my kids eat a TON of cereal!) and lunch box snacks like Mott’s fruit snacks or Fiber One bars.

What are your favorite products to stock up on to collect Box Tops? Is your school listed on the Box Tops site?

Connect with CVS and Box Tops for Education

Be sure to stay connected with Box Tops for Education on the web and social media!

Website: https://www.cvssavingscentral.com/shop-assets/04_GMS_H9273_GenMillsBTS/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btfe/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoxTopsForEducation
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/boxtops/pins/

*Offer valid 8/20/17 – 8/27/17. $30 worth of participating General Mills BTFE products must be purchased in a single transaction with CVS card in order to receive 10 CVS ExtraBucks automatically at checkout. Net purchase determined after all discounts, offers and coupons. Each box top is worth 10 cents to redeeming school when clipped from box tops products and sent to the redeeming school. Only BTFE registered schools can redeem box tops. Limit $20,000 per school per year for box tops redeemed through the clip program. See www.boxtopsforeducation.com for program details.

How to Stay Connected as a Family: Tips for Families with Active Kids

Lolli — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 17:43:02 +0000

Many thanks to Fruit Shoot® for sponsoring today’s story and for reminding me to look at all of the amazing things about being a mom of teenagers. All thoughts are my own.

I’ve got four very active teens between the ages of 12 and 17 (plus one older daughter no longer a teen). They’re all involved in after school sports, music lessons, youth groups, clubs, competitions (including barbershop singing and competitive cubing!) and more. We’re on the go all the time. And by “all the time” I mean that I feel like I live in the car between the hours of 3:30 and 9:30 PM.

Forget weekends! We are usually double and triple scheduled. There’s never a dull moment at our house! Sometimes it’s difficult to find times when the whole family is together, but we try to squeeze in as much family time as possible. Here are just a few tips that we have used to keep our busy and active family connected.

How to Stay Connected as a Family: Tips for Families with Active Kids

Calendaring is key – With 6 different schedules to manage, the only way to make it work is to write everything down on a calendar. Luckily, we have three drivers in the house right now, because we often have to utilize all of them to get everyone where they need to be!

Take advantage of the car rides – I often wish I didn’t have to spend so much time driving kids to and fro, but I’ve come to appreciate those car rides. Whether there are two of us in the car or all six of us, we try to make the most of that time that we have together in a confined space. Car rides are great for conversations!

Don’t give up on the family dinner – Even though finding a time when all of us are home at the same time, the family dinner is still an important daily tradition in our house. I might not cook a gourmet meal every night, but we always sit together at the kitchen table to eat our food together.

Sunday is family day – With so many things going on during the week, I really look forward to Sunday, which is a family day. We don’t go sports or clubs or play dates or errands. It’s all about church and spending leisurely time together as a family. I love that we often migrate towards the family room and sit around reading or chatting together, unplanned.

Utilize multiple communication channels – Now that the kids are teenagers, there are so many new ways to communicate with them. I embraced the texting trend several years ago and have found texting a key element to keeping the lines of communication open with my teenagers. But as much as I love staying connected through phones, texts, and social media, nothing beats face to face time.

What are some of your best tips for staying connected as a family?

It’s My Thing

Lately, I feel like there is so much pressure for kids to do everything…and not enough time for them to just be kids. As my kids have gotten older – with one child married, one graduating high school in a few weeks, one learning how to drive, and two still in middle school – I’ve wished that they could stay young and carefree and innocent for just a little longer. I miss lazy Saturday mornings of sleeping in and watching cartoons.

Fruit Shoot® has recently launched their “It’s My Thing” campaign, which “champions individuality, celebrates self-expression and empowers kids to indulge their adventurous sides and let their personalities shine.” I appreciate this goal so much, especially as a mom of teenagers and one soon-to-be teen. My kids are each unique – so much so that it continues to surprise me – and I love to celebrate their individuality.

We recently discovered Fruit Shoot® – a delicious beverage made with real fruit juice and no high fructose corn syrup. The design of each bottle – with a re-sealable sports cap – makes Fruit Shoot® perfect for families like ours that are constantly on the go! It’s an added bonus that we LOVE the way they taste!

What Makes Fruit Shoot® so Amazing?

No artificial flavors
Made with real fruit juice
No high fructose corn syrup
Varieties made with real sugar, as well as no sugar added
Ergonomically designed for your child’s hand
Re-sealable sports cap

Fruit Shoot® comes in several delicious flavors:

Regular flavors made with real sugar (no high fructose corn syrup!): Strawberry & Raspberry, Berry Burst, Pink Lemonade, Orange & Mango
No sugar added flavors (no high fructose corn syrup here, either!): The NEWEST flavor: Fruit Punch, Wild Berry Grape, Apple

No Mess SWEEPSTAKES

Which flavor would your family want to try first? We LOVE Strawberry & Raspberry and Orange & Mango and can’t wait to try the newest flavor – Fruit Punch!

Connect with Fruit Shoot

Find out where to buy Fruit Shoot near you with the Store Locator.
Visit the Fruit Shoot Facebook page.
Learn more about Fruit Shoot HERE.

Win one of nine $100 gift cards!

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 5/31/17-6/30/17.

Be sure to visit the Fruit Shoot Campaign Page on SheKnows where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Fitness Tips for Seasoned Moms {Plus a Mother’s Day Fitness Special}

Lolli — Tue, 02 May 2017 14:37:25 +0000

This post is sponsored by Planet Fitness but all opinions are my own.

Disclaimer: The content provided by Planet Fitness is designed for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should consult your physician or other health care professional before following any fitness advice to determine if it is right for your needs.

It’s spring, which means that most of us have long forgotten New Year’s Resolutions to eat better and get in shape…but as the summer approaches and we start thinking about days spent at the pool or the beach with the kids (in swimming suits. Gasp!) some of us may be thinking about hitting the gym again.

I know one of the things that often holds me and other seasoned moms back from getting a gym membership is the fear of discomfort or embarrassment. (Note: by “Seasoned moms,” I mean middle aged women with a few kids and a decent leftover baby pooch).

I admit I’ve been one to think twice about heading to the gym because I very obviously NEED it (as compared to the women who are totally in shape and don’t look like they need it quite as much as I do). That’s why Planet Fitness is such a good fit for me. Each Planet Fitness gym is a Judgment Free Zone® – that means the gym is non-intimidating, hassle-free, and welcoming. Planet Fitness caters to “everyday people” – like the first timers or the every-once-in-a-while gym goers, rather than just the fitness fanatics and body builders.

Well, luckily for me (and moms like me), Planet Fitness is having a new membership sale starting today! Between May 1 and 12, new members can join any Planet Fitness location for just $5 down and then $10 a month with no commitment. That includes access to the Planet Fitness club near you, but also unlimited access to small-group fitness training.

Planet Fitness also provides members access to an online community called “Planet of Triumphs,” where members can celebrate accomplishments and share inspirational stories, encourage and support each other.

There are more than 1,300 locations all over the country, many of them staffed and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so there’s probably a club near you. To find the nearest Planet Fitness location, check out: https://planetfitness.com/local-clubs.

Fitness Tips for Seasoned Moms

Brian Zehetner, Director of Health & Fitness at Planet Fitness shared a few fitness tips for seasoned or more mature moms such as myself, and I’ve included a few of my own.
· Using the stationary bike and elliptical put less stress on the joints, making them a better option for cardio workouts.
· It’s important to remember to do weight-bearing exercises to combat osteopenia, osteoporosis (bone loss), and sarcopenia (muscle loss) as we age.
· The older we get, the longer it takes to recover between exercise sessions, so pace yourself and don’t take on too much at once.
· Focus on functional exercises which increase mobility, stability, and balance (which then reduce the risk of falls and injuries later on).
· Don’t forget to stay hydrated. Not only do I bring a water bottle to the gym, but I start off my workouts with plenty of water in my system.
· Exercising consistently is often more important than what you’re doing at the gym…but that doesn’t mean that you should skip the gym again simply because you’ve missed your last few workouts. Focus on the forward progress, not the past challenges.
· Accountability partners help so much in keeping your commitments to going to the gym. If you can, grab a friend to head to the gym with you. Even if you go alone, have a “virtual” partner that you tell about your successes.

What exercise tips would you add?

Connect with Planet Fitness:

• Website: https://www.planetfitness.com
• Facebook: @planetfitness
• Twitter: @PlanetFitness
• Instagram: @planetfitness

Ready to Experience the End of Dry Skin?

Lolli — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 15:48:54 +0000

This post is sponsored by Curél® but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I grew up in a pretty dry Western state, so I was accustomed to needing to apply lotion every day. Dry skin was a constant struggle for me, particularly my feet, hands, and elbows. When I moved to the East Coast, where we experience humid air about half of the year, I noticed that my skin wasn’t feeling as dry during the humid months. At the same time, though, I noticed that my skin felt DRIER than ever when winter came along and we no longer had the humid air.

During the winter months in particular, my elbows, hands, and feet get so dry that they are often painful. Have you ever had a similar problem?

This year, I started winter off with a new moisturizing routine, which included Curél® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER as part of my showering routine.

I was surprised that in my 42 years I had never considered the benefits of applying lotion right after showering or bathing. In my mind, my skin was already feeling moist (thanks to the warm water and shower gel I’d just used) but I’ve recently learned that after a shower is the BEST time to apply lotion.

Curious as to WHY it’s best to apply lotion right after showering? After taking a shower, your skin cells expand, providing an easy pathway for moisture into just-showered skin. Think of your skin like a sponge. When wet, your skin cells expand, providing an easy pathway for lotion to soak in. Curél® HYDRA THERAPY, with Advanced Ceramide Complex, penetrates deeply into the surface of the skin bringing moisture to the source of dryness.

So the next question is, what do ceramides do and why are they so good for your dry skin? Ceramides are found naturally in healthy skin, and are vital to maintaining your skin’s moisture barrier. When your skin loses ceramides, it becomes dry and damaged. Curél® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER, with Advanced Ceramide Complex, penetrates to the source of dryness, helping to replenish skin’s ceramide levels and repair the moisture barrier.

It’s easy to use Curél® HYDRA THERAPY WET SKIN MOISTURIZER. After finishing your shower or bath, apply Curél® HYDRA THERAPY to wet skin. It absorbs immediately and there’s no need to rinse off or wait for it to absorb. Remember that sponge analogy? Your wet skin actually helps it absorb faster!

Not only does it feel silky-smooth going on, but Curél® HYDRA THERAPY is totally greaseless and scent-free, so even my kids are ok with using it! I noticed a difference in my skin within just a few days of using Curél® HYDRA THERAPY. No longer do my hands feel dry or get cracked. I’ve even noticed that my feet are still feeling moisturized by the end of the day and I don’t feel a need to slather them with lotion before I put my feet under the covers at night (does anyone else hate the feeling of dry skin on sheets?).

I was interested to learn that, according to a survey that Curél® conducted with bloggers like me, 80% reported that they use a body moisturizer as part of their morning routine, but only 20% said that lotion was part of their bedtime routine. For as long as I can remember, my skin has been desperate for moisture at night, and the biggest difference I noticed while using Curél® HYDRA THERAPY was that my skin no longer felt so “thirsty” for moisture at night. That’s a huge thing for me to say!

Among the 40 bloggers surveyed (myself included!), 30% said that they experience dry skin everywhere, while 20% claimed arms and 43% claimed legs as their biggest problem spot. So where do you fall? Where are your skin’s trouble areas?

Enter to Win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

Let me know in the comments below what YOUR skin’s #1 problem spot and what your tips are for combating those tough spots. Each comment will automatically be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card. Good luck!

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#Sweeps” and “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 3/2-3/31

Be sure to visit the brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Three Things I Learned About Weight Loss from Jenny Craig

Lolli — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 01:54:35 +0000

Thank you Jenny Craig for sponsoring this post. — Get serious about losing weight with Jenny Craig!

Earlier this month, I wrote about my commitment to making a change for this new year. As I launch a new business this month – a business that requires me to get in front of the camera much more than I have ever done before – I am not only more conscious of the way I look.

But more importantly, I feel better about myself than I have in a long time, and that confidence is motivating me to take better care of myself, not only for how I look in pictures, but also for the way that I physically feel.

I was shocked that I dropped four pounds in two weeks on Jenny Craig – I felt great about it!

Jenny Craig members can expect to lose an average of 1-2 pounds per week, which is a healthy range of weight loss.

**Results not typical. Members following the Jenny Craig program, on average, lose 1-2 lbs. per week. I received promotional consideration.

Note: ALL of the foods pictured in this post are Jenny Craig meals, with “on-plan” veggies and fruits added by me. These are tasty meals!

I learned so much during my two weeks on Jenny Craig, but here are three things that stood out to me the most…

3 things I learned about weight loss from Jenny Craig

Be conscious of WHY you eat. So many of our eating habits are just that – HABITS. My Jenny Craig consultant helped me to identify some of the habits I had – almost all of which revolved around emotional eating. She taught me to give myself a chance to be satisfied. Eat the good things – like a big salad or a serving of veggies at dinner along with the meal – and recognize when I’ve had enough to feel full. I was in the bad habit of eating a bigger serving than I needed to, mostly because I craved that emotional response to food versus the actual physical need for food.

Maybe you eat because you’re uninformed – you’ve never been taught any better. Or you eat socially (I am certainly a victim of social OVEReating sometimes!). Other people may eat unconsciously, like the person who snacks at her desk all day.

When you’re able to recognize WHY you’re eating (or over-eating, or eating the wrong sorts of things) then it’s so much easier to change other habits that allow you to better control those bad eating habits.

Portions matter! I learned that I was not eating enough at breakfast, which caused me to get hungrier sooner, and I was eating more than I needed to at dinner. With Jenny Craig, I got pre-portioned, prepared meals and snacks that spread my eating out perfectly throughout the day. I loved that I was “allowed (ie, encouraged!) to eat snacks in between meals (from Jenny Craig) as well as allowed “unlimited free foods” from a list on the back of each weekly menu.

Those free foods include non-starchy vegetables, sugar free sweets like gum or sugar substitutes, a bunch of condiments, and several drink choices, too. I never felt like I was starving because I always had plenty to eat…I was just eating different things (ie, more veggies and less pasta and meat!).

When I’m off Jenny Craig, I can still stay on target with my dieting goals by applying the principles I learned to eat smaller portions of meats, grains, starchy vegetables, etc, and increasing my intake of the good vegetables.

I need support and hand-holding. I do better with a diet that is spelled out for me. I’ve tried counting calories and recording everything I eat on an app. I’ve tried low carb/high protein. And I’ve found that I don’t do well when I’m left on my own too much. Because I’m an emotional eater, I tend to get easily discouraged and make excuses for “cheating” on my diet. I found it very difficult to lose weight that way!

With Jenny Craig, not only did I have a menu that was already chosen for me, but I had a coach that was there to cheer me on, motivate me, and provide a TON of insight into how I could personally succeed. I loved having my meals laid out for me because it took the guess work away completely. That is exactly what I need!

With Jenny Craig, members develop a healthy relationship with food, build an active lifestyle and create a more balanced approach to living. They understand and overcome the internal/external challenges to healthy eating, identify enjoyable ways to move more, learn positive coping strategies and reframe their beliefs and attitudes to better support their weight management goals.

Have you tried Jenny Craig to lose weight? If so, what did you like most about it? If not, what appeals to you about the program?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Perhaps The Easiest Way Yet to Talk to Your Teens About Drug Use

CandyMan — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 21:39:55 +0000

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of National Institute on Drug Abuse for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you want a fun and effective way to talk about drugs with your teens, then the road has been paved for you. In just 12 clicks, you can have an engaging, thought-provoking discussion that is more like a trivia game challenge than a sit down discussion.

Have you heard about the “National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge”? No? Well, this is your silver bullet to get started. I took the 12-question quiz with my son, and we had a really good conversation that gave me a great peek into his surroundings. I got a 67 on the quiz. Now, in my own defense, there were 4 questions I missed, but I had most of the information correct on each question, so I still think I passed and did well.

Take the National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge

The National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge is a resource of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which is part of NIH (we live right down the road from NIH, so this is a local landmark). NIDA is holding its annual National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week^SM (NDAFW) from January 23-29, 2017. This event connects teens with scientists, so the dialogue and opportunity to ask real questions and get real answers far exceeds any other opportunities that address drug use.

How Can This Help Me and My Teens?

You may think that drugs will not impact your teens if you’re involved with their activities. But, there are two really good reasons to have a talk with your teens about drugs now.

First, even if you teach them good principles, you probably haven’t had a legitimate talk with them about the dangers and current trends.

Second, and equally important, teens are bombarded with false information about drug and alcohol use on TV, in the movies, on the internet and other places. So, your son or daughter may be the only person in their circle who has legitimate information. They may be the only person sitting at the lunch table who can chime in when one kid says something false, misleading and unknowingly dangerous about drug use. Not to mention, they will be that much better off by knowing the facts for themselves.

Talking to your teens about drugs and drug use is almost cliché at this point. But, what have you actually talked about openly?

Do you know how many kids age 12-17 actually used alcohol during the last month? Or, do you know the dangers of e-cigs and what we actually know about them? I don’t smoke, so e-cigs are a bit of a mystery to me, but rest assured, there are lots of myths about e-cigs.

Did you know that many prescription pain killers can cause your heart to beat dangerously faster?

How about this one: Do you know what “bath salts” are and how they are made? I’m not talking about taking a nice soak in a warm tub, I mean drugs that are made with compounds you can buy all over the place. Check out this link for more drug and alcohol facts.

If you’re not sure what you should be doing, here’s the “Family Checkup” which is a suggested checklist of questions to ask yourself. It has a number of good sample videos and ideas for dealing with drug related questions and situations you may find yourself in.

If your teen is using drugs and you need help, click here for videos and solid suggestions. One of the things I like about this link is that it explains why it may be hard for someone to quit using drugs.

NIDA’s website has numerous materials you can use or share with others about drug addiction and abuse. I found them to be very approachable and useful for simple discussions.

The bottom line is that National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week^SM can open doors and provide an easy way to regularly talk with your teen and check in with their friends as well. Try the quiz and see if you can beat my score. No cheating!

Tips for Organizing a Basement

Lolli — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 13:00:01 +0000

We live in a 3-level townhouse, so our basement (that 1st level) is a very important part of our living space. For the first few years that we lived here, it was a dark dungeon-like storage room (which is often what people think of when they hear the word “basement”). Luckily, we renovated the basement as our first big home project so that it could be useable space for toys and the TV along with needed storage and office space.

Our basement has gone through many stages over the last 18 years. Although we’ve continued to store games and books and toys for ALL ages (the kids have spent many hours playing down there!), we no longer need that kind of space with a house full of teenagers. We recently undertook a huge project to make our main basement room into the LuLaRoe boutique (you can join me in my Facebook group or send me a message if you want to learn more or shop!). No more couch, no more big entertainment center, and no more self full of picture books and toys. It’s a major transformation!

Your basement may have a different function than ours. Maybe you’re used to using basements simply for long-term storage. If your basement is out of control and full of stuff, then it is time to get it organized. Organizing your basement may not be at the top of your to-do list, but this is your year to get things organized. Here are a few tips for organizing a basement.

Note: Amazon affiliate links are used within this post.

Remove the junk

There is no possible way to organize a basement (or any other area of the house, for that matter) when it is full of junk. Your first step in gaining control of the basement is to spend some time getting rid of everything you are not using. While you may think you will need something later, keep in mind that the space is something you need now. You will be happy once you get the junk out and have room for space for the family. I always look at things we’ve been storing or holding on to and ask myself 1) does it have sentimental/historical value? and 2) is it replaceable?

Go through what you’ll be keeping

When organizing, I always do a second look of the things I plan on keeping. Do I really need to keep it? What am I saving this item for? A double check on the item can help determine if I really need it or not. I need all the space I can get, so this step is extra helpful.

Labeling is your best friend

When organizing a basement, especially when it’s a space you don’t go into as much as the rest of your house, labeling is a must. You can buy a labeling machine cheap, and I know you will get your money’s worth. It’s well worth it to stay organized! If you do not want to buy a label maker, paper labels from the Dollar Tree will do the trick.

Keep things off the floor

This is just a little trick I learned over the years. Keep everything in your basement off the floor as much as possible. Not only does it keep things more organized, but it helps protect your items. Since the basement is the lowest level of the house, you never know what can make its way indoors. Your best bet is to use shelves for items and to hang up as much as you can. I personally think it is much easier to keep things organized when you are not putting everything on the floor.

Everything in its place

This tip applies to any section of the house. When putting things away, make sure you’ve given everything a “home.” As you’re maintaining your organized space and cleaning up on a regular basis, it’s so much easier for the whole family to know where to put things away versus searching for an empty shelf or nook to stuff it. This step helps when looking for things, too. If you know where items belong, then finding things is as simple as walking downstairs and grabbing them off the shelf. It saves time in the long run!

What tips do you have for organizing a basement? Removing the junk and labeling items are two of my favorite tips. Don’t be shy about sharing your tips with me!

Tips for Organizing the Kitchen Cabinets

Lolli — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 14:36:04 +0000

The day after Christmas, we started a couple of major projects in our house – all in an effort to be more organized and have our house in better shape for the new year.

The first project we undertook was to get our kitchen ready to paint and to renovate the cabinets. Although we’re still in the middle of the project, the first step we took – to get the cabinets organized – has made a huge difference in how our kitchen both feels and functions.

Whether you’re planning a kitchen remodel or just wanting to get order back in the kitchen, here are a few tips to follow:

Note: Amazon links are used within this post to point you towards some products I love.

Remove all the old dishes and other items

I am a person that has a hard time saying goodbye to items, even if I do not use them. However, getting rid of the unused items is super important. You cannot be organized when the cabinets are full of junk- so to speak. By removing all the old “items” you are making room to keep things organized. We’ve gathered a mishmash collection of cups, mugs, plates, silverware, etc. over the years and although it feels nice to have “plenty,” we’ve found that the mismatched dishes don’t stack well and take up more space than if we had the same number of the same dish.

Have a game plan ready

Have you seen all the awesome ways to organize your kitchen cabinets on Pinterest? Using hooks (I love this system!), pot racks (we’ve got something like this), baskets (functional and gorgeous!), shelves, spice racks and anything else you can get your hands on will help you stay organized in the kitchen. One of my favorite organizational tools in the kitchen is a Lazy Susan.

Keep inventory low

I have found that it is easier to keep inventory low in my kitchen cabinet. When you don’t have a ton in your cabinets, it’s much easier to organize. This is especially true if you have a smaller kitchen – less is more! I get frustrated and annoyed when I have too much stuff in my cabinets and I have found that this tip really works. I keep at least one dish for each person in the family. For example, one plate per person…plus a few extra for guests. I mean, I don’t need 5 sets of unused dishes in my cabinets.

Utilize the unique space in your kitchen

When I look in my kitchen, I try to embrace the unique shelves and space I have. When organizing, I try to find those unique spaces in which I can store things. If you look close enough, you may just find these unique spaces in your kitchen.

Keep your kitchen organized

The last step seems like the most reasonable step, but it makes the most sense. Once you get your kitchen organized, make sure to take the time to keep it this way. I set aside time each week to spend time organizing my kitchen. It only takes about 15-30 minutes to get things organized correctly in your kitchen.

What tips do you have for organizing the kitchen cabinets?

Send Your Kids to College with a Gift that Gives You the Savings

CandyMan — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 20:49:25 +0000

No matter how you slice it, even with a scholarship, college costs a lot of money. Our second daughter is about to graduate from high school this year, meaning that we’ll have more college bills to pay soon. With 5 kids, we have to find ways to save wherever we can. Our oldest daughter daughter taught us several things about frugal college living, including getting as many textbooks as possible on Amazon. Want to know what we’d recommend? Here is the one thing you must get to cut down on college costs.

Prime Student – This is Amazon’s student version of Amazon Prime. It has ALL of the benefits of Amazon Prime, plus a few more that are catered toward saving you money on college purchases. The first six months are free when you sign up, and then it’s 50% of the cost of regular Amazon Prime. By my math, that makes it $49 per year. Not bad.

Now, having said that, let’s clear the air and see why your college bound kids should not miss out on becoming a Prime Student.

In addition to Amazon Prime Student benefits, Amazon can help students save time and money by skipping the bookstore line and visiting the Amazon Textbooks Store where you can rent textbooks for up to 80% less than buying them.

You get all of the two-day free shipping options that regular Amazon Prime offers, you get exclusive deals and Prime Early Access where they sell limited items only to prime members at really low prices.

On the non-shopping side, you get free access to Audible Channels which has tons of original series and material. When you need to expand your brain, relax, motivate yourself or just laugh out loud, you can find a channel that explores everything from spirituality to scientific theory.

If you prefer to read, you get Prime Reading which allows you to read thousands of books, magazine and other titles on any device you want. You don’t need a Kindle to use it, they have a Kindle App that is free. This is one of the best ways to escape the onslaught of junk information that comes across your news feed.

For gamers, you get Twitch Prime that gives you access to free games and discounts on new releases every month.

Lastly, if your kids like to take pictures, Prime Student let’s you tap into Amazon’s huge data storage facility at no cost. You get unlimited photo storage that is all organized and ready to use. So, go ahead, keep taking 432 pictures of the same thing. You can store all those pictures for free. Or, instead of that, refer a friend to use Prime Student and get a $10 Amazon store credit when they sign up.

Just take a look at any one of the features and you’ll see that this is the place to go for all kinds of resources to make college better. It will also save you money on tons of things you have to buy anyway.

If you are not an Amazon Prime member already, then you are either just plain missing out on life or perhaps you haven’t embraced the concept of not having to get our of your pajamas to do your shopping. Either way, get up and make a change for the new year!

How to sign up for Amazon Prime Student:

Go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup
Click on the button that says “Start Your 6-Month Trial”
Click on “Create your Amazon account”
Follow the instructions on the screen and provide your personal information

Note: When you sign up for Amazon Prime Student, there is no cost for the first six months, courtesy of Sprint and you can cancel at any time. After that, students receive 50 percent off of regular Amazon Prime Membership at only $49 annually.

Find more about Amazon Prime Student and sign up HERE. Find out about the latest deals and promotions by following Amazon Prime Student on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat (add ‘amazonstudent’).

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.