Food Fun Family

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 Find The Perfect Home

Lolli — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 14:31:34 +0000

At SunTrust Mortgage, we make it a priority to learn all about your unique circumstances. Confidence starts with a conversation.

Talk with a SunTrust Mortgage expert today.

This post was sponsored, and paid for, by SunTrust Mortgage. All opinions are my own.

When my husband and I were shopping for our first house, our “must-have” list was fairly short. At the time that we were buying our first home, we had a toddler (yes, just one toddler!). We hardly gave a second thought to the quality of the schools. Three bedrooms seemed like plenty for our little family. Our number one criteria was an open kitchen with plenty of space. Oh, how things have changed! Today, our home buying must-have list looks slightly different than it did 20 years ago. We still value a spacious and open kitchen, but with 4 teenagers at home instead of one toddler, our criteria have changed quite a bit.

Our Home Buying Must-Haves

Open, spacious kitchen with room for a crowd and a big table
Minimum 4 bedrooms and 2 ½ baths
Office space for both me and my husband
Space for my LuLaRoe boutique
Four walls that are all our own (and preferably plenty of space between our house and the next!)
Space for a backyard garden
Good schools

What must-haves are on your list for a new home, whether you’re in the market for a new house or not? We outgrew our little townhouse a while ago, and I love to imagine the home of our dreams. Of course, there are plenty of other items that are on my “ideal home” list, and the more I look at homes the more I realize that finding the “perfect” home that meets all our criteria is a challenge.

How to find your ideal home

Shopping for a new home is an exciting adventure. I love to imagine myself in each home that we look at – where we would put furniture, which kids would fit in which rooms, where I would run my at-home businesses. Here are a couple of tips for finding the ideal home for you and your family:

Set your expectations for a new home before you start shopping – make a list of things that are most important in a new home.
Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves – Which items on your list are deal-breakers and which items are things that you’d really like to have or that you may be able to add or fix once you’ve moved in?
Visit each prospective home with a checklist – keeping a list of the things you’re looking for will help you see new homes more realistically versus seeing them emotionally.
Get creative about spaces – you don’t have to use spaces for their traditional or intended uses. Because my husband and I both operate businesses from home, we often have to be creative and a little unconventional about our use of space.
Think about how you’ll be using the spaces in your new home – what things do you like to do? Do you need space for hobbies or entertaining? Or are you like us and need work-from-home space?
Look beyond the staging – don’t worry about things like wallpaper, paint, carpet…or even walls. Those things can be changed after the fact and shouldn’t be deal-breakers.
Talk to the neighbors and walk around the neighborhood – the space outside your home is often even more important than the space inside your home, and while you can renovate rooms inside, the neighborhood (and neighbors) are often impossible to change. Sometimes finding the right home takes a leap of faith. It takes looking beyond the obvious and seeing the potential beneath the surface.

Check out “Your Guide to Home Buying,” where Suntrust Mortgage describes the home buying process from A to Z so that you can leave the worry behind and enjoy the process of buying a home. Visit Suntrust Mortgage for more information.

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!

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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!

Outdoor and Indoor is Not the Same – Says Me (and the Laws of Physics)

CandyMan — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 03:15:05 +0000

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

If you’re like me, you have often switched to a roll of those plain black outdoor garbage bags for your kitchen garbage – not realizing the seemingly innocuous trade off you just made.

What is that “seemingly innocuous” trade off you ask? Parenthetically, I love the word “innocuous”, mainly because of a line from a very funny Will Ferrell movie. Ah yes, the trade off. Well, when you switch over to a big black outdoor trash bag, you are falling into the common trap and misconception that bigger is better and that outdoor is stronger than indoor. Wrong on both accounts.

Now, come with me as we explore the seemingly pedestrian and monotonous world of kitchen garbage bags.

Our kitchen garbage can is named “Ralphie,” like the boy who shoots his eye out with a BB-gun. Ralphie is pretty plain; he is brown, made of plastic and has the little foot pedal that lifts the lid. The lid often gets messed up and we end up lifting the lid with our hands, but you get the picture. We have to spray him with disinfectant all the time to suppress the toxicity of his inner fumes. Woo boy!

For many years, we have used these huge outdoor bags that are supposedly stronger and tougher (at least in my mind that was the idea). But, the issue is that these outdoor bags are not designed to handle anything but outdoor garbage, like paper, leaves, grass trimmings, etc. Those things aren’t the same as indoor garbage.

And that is exactly the point! Outdoor bags are made for things that don’t stink, don’t leak and don’t spill all over the kitchen floor. You wouldn’t carry a bowling ball in a lunchbox or pour a serving of soup into a napkin, so why would you put your stinky kitchen garbage into an outdoor garbage bag?

Enter the Glad KitchenPro “truly made for kitchen” garbage bag.

The Glad KitchenPro addresses several key deal breakers for those of us who produce more than their fair share of garbage.

First, Glad KitchenPro bags are bigger, so they can handle larger messes. I can’t deal with those tiny kitchen bags that you have to change every day. What a waste of time.

Second, they have 5-day odor control. The bags actually have Febreze odor neutralization built in. The KitchenPro keeps the whole smell thing quiet while it’s in the kitchen and then holds in the smell outside until garbage day. Once you put your garbage outside, it’s usually like ringing the dinner bell for critters. Think about that the next time you see that some critter has ripped into your plain black outdoor garbage bags and you have to go pick it up. With Glad KitchenPro the critters only smell the Febreze.

Lastly, who doesn’t love wiping up those leak trails from the kitchen garbage can to the back door or better yet, when you drip across the living room carpet. Oh yes, that’s a joy. When you see the leak protection in the KitchenPro, you’ll ask yourself who the village idiot is that sold you on those enormous outdoor bags that provide no more protection from leaks that a spaghetti strainer. (Oh, that idiot would be you).

It’s time to get on board. It’s time to rise up and refuse to believe the fake news that surrounds the world of garbage and garbage bags. Bigger is not better and outdoor is not stronger than indoor. It’s just the opposite. You can get the Glad KitchenPro at Target and save yourself from a continuing saga of stink and stench.

Picture yourself, your kids, your dog or cat, your iguana (if you have one) enjoying a nice luncheon and not a hint of kitchen garbage. Just the sweet aroma of cucumber sandwiches and fresh lemonade. Yes, that is what your life will be like when you make the switch to the Glad KitchenPro.

Glad KitchenPro is available at Target so head over there and stock up. Your nose will thank you.

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 Getting & Staying Organized in the New Year

Lolli — Thu, 29 Dec 2016 13:00:49 +0000

2017 is right on our heels. We’ll blink and it will be here. A New Year gets me excited and scares me a little bit, too! Getting organized has never been hard for me, it’s the part of STAYING organized that seems to be the challenge. With some experience under my belt, I wanted to share how you can get organized and stay organized in the coming year.

Pick your battles

There is no way you are going to have your entire house organized at the same time. The way I get organized and stay organized is to pick my battles. What are my “main” areas I want to stay organized? For me, it’s my main living areas. Keeping those areas organized is super important.

You will notice that it is a lot easier to be organized whenever you don’t have the pressure to keep every single nook and cranny organized.
Checklists are your friend (whether you want them to be or not)

Listen, I know checklists are so pre-internet and smart phone, but they work! When I make a checklist, it is so much easier for me to stay organized. I will admit that checklists help me to stay organized with my kids, grocery shopping, and extracurricular things. Plus, I love having a list to “check off” when I get things done, don’t you?!

Keep the kids accountable in the organization department

If you are anything like me, you can get organized, no problem. It is the staying organized that is hard. Part of the problem, at least in my house, is that the kids seem to have a natural ability to destroy any sort of organization I’ve created.

If you want to stay organized this year, then you need to keep your kids accountable. They need to help YOU stay as organized as possible. I write my kids little notes to help them stay organized. I’m sure you can find a way that works for you!

Keep ongoing appointments

One area that I have been working on in the organizational department has been with appointments. I have found something that works and helps me stay organized. Instead of picking a “new time and date” every time I need an appointment, I keep a standing date. For example – hair appointments are every 6 weeks at the same date/time/place. Grocery shopping same date/time/place. Date night with the hubby — same date/time/place (it’s ok to pick a different restaurant or activity each time, but having that set date helps so much!). When you have repetition in your life, it’s harder to be disorganized because you know what to expect. In fact, this will make you look so organized that people are going to stay wondering who you are.

I hope some of these tips help you get more organized {and stay organized} this year! We can all use a new tip here and there, so share your tips with me. I’d love to hear them.

My 23andMe DNA Test #My23andMeStory

Lolli — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 17:42:07 +0000

This post about my experience using 23andMe health + ancestry test to find out more about my ancestry is sponsored by 23andMe. All thoughts and experiences are my own.

My mom and adopted dad (ie, he’s the dad who raised me, but we’re not related by blood) recently took DNA tests and sent the results around to me and my siblings. We were all interested to see what a genetic test said about our ancestry, particularly since our family has done years and years of family history research. How did our physical research compare with the scientific results of a DNA test?

The second question everyone in the family had was what differences I would see in my results since I have a different biological dad than my four other siblings.

According to the genealogical research my family has done, we can follow both my maternal and paternal lines for many generations back to England and Ireland. I love looking as far back as I can on my family tree and finding Counts and Dukes and Ladies and even a Master of the Mint (it just sounds cool!) sprinkled through my family tree. I’ve found an ancestor who was one of the original Jamestown Colonists.

Every story fascinates me and I want to learn more.

My mom and dad have been urging me to take a DNA test to see how my results compared to theirs, so when I received a 23andMe collection kit in a Babblebox kit last month, I was eager to spit in the tube and send the kit back in to be tested.

As luck would have it, I got sick right after I got my collection kit, so I delayed sending in my saliva until it was looking a little more normal, if you know what I mean. Collecting the required amount of saliva for the test was not difficult but it did take a little while. I just kept the collection tube on the counter next to me as I cooked dinner and spit as often as I could. Honestly, it sounds worse than it is!

The kit came with detailed and easy-to-follow instructions for collecting a sample to send in. Perhaps the most important part of the sample collecting process was registering the kit BEFORE sending it off in the mail. You just create your 23andMe account on their website and tell them the numbers on your box.

While I waited for my test results to be processed, I answered a bunch of health related questions to give the system a better understanding of who I am and where I’m coming from. The extra questions are voluntary and not necessary for 23andMe to process your results, but they help paint a bigger picture, not only for you, but for others who have taken and will take the DNA test.

I was excited when I got the email that my results were in! I clicked over to my account and found this, among many other things:

Here’s what I learned from the website about how they determine the numbers above:

To determine your Ancestry Composition, we use an algorithm that looks at short, non-overlapping segments of your DNA. We compare each segment of your DNA to reference DNA sequences. We have defined 31 ancestry populations from around the world using reference datasets that include over 10,000 individuals with known ancestry. When a segment of your DNA matches the reference DNA from a specific population with a high degree of certainty, the segment is assigned to that population. Sometimes the segment matches reference DNA from several populations, in which case it is assigned to a broad ancestry (e.g. Northwestern European). The results of all of these assignments are then tallied across your genome to determine your Ancestry Composition.

I was secretly hoping that I’d find some cool, mysterious result, but instead the DNA test showed me exactly what I’ve discovered through family history research. I love it!

Also included in my results were dozens of wellness and carrier reports. For instance, my DNA can actually tell me that a diet high in saturated fats is likely to make me gain weight (more than the average person).

The report also told me genetic traits that I was likely or unlikely to possess. It’s not a far stretch to predict that I will have fair skin and freckles, based on my ancestry!

I loved seeing the picture my DNA painted of me, and would highly recommend doing it for yourself! Get your kit HERE! In fact, the 23AndMe DNA Collection Kit *may* just be the perfect last-minute gift for the holidays (or birthdays, or just any day).

More About the 23andMe DNA Test

How it works: Provide your saliva sample from home. Mail it back to the 23andMe lab in the same kit it came in; the postage is prepaid.

Receive 65+ personalized genetic reports in four key areas:

1. Ancestry reports: Your DNA can tell you about your family history. 3 Reports: Ancestry Composition, Maternal & Paternal Lineage, Neanderthal.

2. Wellness reports. Your genetics can help you make more informed choices about your diet and exercise. 5+ Reports: Caffeine Consumption, Lactose Intolerance, Muscle Composition, Alcohol Flush Reaction, Deep Sleep and Sleep Movement.

3. Traits Reports. Explore what makes you unique, from food preferences to physical features. 19+ Reports. Example reports: Hair Loss, Sweet vs. Salty Preference, Unibrow.

4. Carrier Status: If you are planning to start a family, find out if you are a carrier for an inherited condition. 35+ Reports. See 23andme.com/beforeyou-buy important information about these reports.

Connect with 23andMe:

Website: https://www.23andme.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/23andMe/
Twitter: @23andMe

Your Kid Has Guts: SmartyPants Kids Probiotic Complete #YourKidHasGuts

Lolli — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 15:26:22 +0000

This post is sponsored by SmartyPants, but all thoughts and opinions about the product are my own.

As a parent, you want the best for your kids. You pack a healthy lunch for them every day. You encourage them to be active, explore, and have fun. You support them in their education and help them understand their homework.

So it just makes sense to support their gut health, too.

What are probiotics, and why are they important?

Your body is full of bacteria – both good and bad. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts – the good or helpful kind – that help to keep your gut healthy. Probiotics can help balance the good and bad bacterias in your body so that your body works the way it should. Probiotics are especially helpful after taking antibiotics to restore the balance of bacteria within the body, but they are beneficial to take as a supplement regularly, regardless of sicknesses or medications.

Here’s something I’ve learned in my nearly 20 years as a mom: as much as I want my kids to eat well, sleep enough, and take their vitamins and supplements, and no matter how good I know something is for my kids, if it’s something they don’t enjoy, it will be a constant fight for me to get them to do whatever it is I want them to do.

This past month, we’ve been taking SmartyPants Kids Probiotic Complete Strawberry Creme (also available: SmartyPants Kids Probiotic Complete Grape). They taste SO GOOD that I’ve found myself wanting to take them, too, and there’s literally no complaints when I remind the kids to take their SmartyPants. Luckily, SmartyPants has a line of probiotics for adults (available in blueberry and lemon creme!) so I’m totally covered.

SmartyPants probiotcs are sweet (with no artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup, of course), incredibly soft (think melt-in-your-mouth!) and they are allergy-friendly. My kids are hooked on the taste, even if they don’t understand the overall health value of why they’re taking them. That’s ok, though. That’s why I’m here.

I know you (and your kids) are going to love them, too! Here are a few reasons why SmartyPants Kids Probiotics are so amazing for your family’s gut health:

What SmartyPants is NOT:

• No Synthetic Colors
• No Artificial Sweeteners
• No Artificial Flavors
• No Artificial Preservatives
• No High Fructose Corn Syrup
• No GMOs
• No Gluten
• No Tree Nuts
• No Peanuts
• No Dairy

What SmartyPants IS:

In each serving of SmartyPants Kids Probiotic you’ll appreciate:

• 4 billion CFUs (that’s 4x more CFUs than the leading gummy probiotics per serving. The SmartyPants Adult & Kids Probiotic Complete products offer 7x more CFUs!)
• Probiotic strains DE111® and IS2*
• Proven 99% survivability in stomach acid
• Promotes good gut bacteria and digestive health*
• Contains clinically-proven Wellmune® prebiotic immune support*
• Vegetarian and Non-GMO
• Each batch is 3rd party lab tested for purity and potency.

And here’s more technical stuff that makes me love SmartyPants even more:

Natural microencapsulation ensures that 99% of SmartyPants probiotics reach all the way to your large intestine alive, where they can flourish, multiply, and help you and your kids thrive. They specifically chose to include Bacillus subtilis DE111® and Bacillus coagulansIS2 because they are two of the most researched strains available.

Their multi-strain probiotics are reinforced by Wellmune®, 3rd party pre-biotic fiber that strengthens your immune system, and acts as an ideal food to feed the probiotic bacteria in SmartyPants Probiotic Complete products. Wellmune® does not artificially stimulate the immune system, or put immune cells into overdrive, it just prepares them to be ready for a challenge.

SmartyPants multi-strain probiotics are in spore form — the form of probiotics that can survive the test of time, changing temperature, and harsh stomach acid.

Bringing more health to more people: for every bottle sold, SmartyPants makes a one-for-one nutrient grant to Vitamin Angels. Each grant provides a child in need with life changing vitamin A supplementation for one year. So far, they’ve helped over 2 million children, and they’re hoping to make 10 million grants by 2018!

How cool is that?

Learn more about SmartyPants kids probiotics here.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Connect with SmartyPants:

Instagram (@SmartyHealth)
Twitter (@SmartyHealth)
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SmartyPants.Vitamins)
Hashtag: #YourKidHasGuts

The Importance of Preparing for the Unexpected

Lolli — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 15:11:29 +0000

Prepare for the unexpected. You never know what’s going to happen down the road. This was a concept that was emphasized regularly as I was growing up.
When you’re growing up, you make plans for your future. Go to college. Get married. Have a family. Buy a house.

But have you noticed that life rarely goes exactly as you had planned or envisioned it?

My mom had a pretty intense personal experience that taught her the importance of preparing for the unexpected when, at 24, she found out that her husband – my dad – was dying of cancer.

They met when they were 15. Married when they were 20. I came along when they were both 22. They had a long life ahead of them. She hadn’t planned on being a young widow. A young single mom without a career to fall back on. But there she was.

When I was an older teenager, getting ready to graduate high school and head off to college in a different state, my mom started sharing things with me. Letters from my dad. Details about his sickness.

When I was a young married soon-to-be-first-time-mom, I recalled one of the things she told me about those last few months of my dad’s life. She said that one of the main things that helped her financially during that time was their Aflac policy.

Not only did their Aflac supplemental insurance help pay for many of the hospital expenses, but it provided peace of mind at a time when the last thing either of them wanted to think about was money and bills.

The fact is, illnesses, accidents, and other unexpected things could happen at any moment, but the more prepared you are for the “what-ifs,” the easier they will be to manage and get through.

We’re no longer in that new-family, new-job stage of life. Now we’re somewhere mid-career. Kids are more expensive, house payments are more expensive, and any sort of accident or illness would hit even harder at this stage.

What is supplemental insurance like Aflac?

Aflac offers supplemental insurance, which is designed to complement your major medical insurance to help fill the holes in your health care coverage. Aflac knows that major medical insurance may not cover every expense related to a serious health event – an accident or a hospital stay or an illness like cancer. Aflac is there to help cover expenses that major medical may not cover, such as deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. Aflac pays cash directly to the insured (unless assigned), who can decide how to best use the benefits. The goal? To help policyholders maintain their current lifestyle as they recover and move on from those unexpected life events.

No matter what your life stage – whether you’re just starting a family, a middle-career family with kids and a house, or whether you’re approaching retirement, Aflac can help give you peace of mind.

Is cancer insurance right for you? Most people today know someone – a family member or a close friend – who has been touched by cancer. Even when they’re covered by major medical insurance, a cancer diagnosis can be a difficult financial challenge. A study at Duke University Medical Center found that the average monthly out-of-pocket expenses for cancer patients is $1266. And that’s for insured patients!

For more information, visit aflac.com or check out Aflac’s Benefits Estimator to calculate the amount Aflac can provide to help with out-of-pocket costs that may not be covered by your major medical insurance: aflac.com/benefitsestimator.

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

Policies may not be available in all states. Limitations and exclusions may apply. Benefits are determined by state and plan level selected. Coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York. WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999.

1 Clear Health Care Costs, “By the numbers: Out-of-pocket costs for cancer treatment,” accessed Oct. 4, 2016 – https://clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2011/08/by-the-numbers-out-of-pocket-costs-for-cancer-treatment/

Z161056E 10/16

Who Are Your Hometown Heroes? #ShareYourHero

Lolli — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 01:05:59 +0000

This post is sponsored by Mrs. Fields to introduce you to the 2nd annual #ShareYourHero campaign, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have had many heroes in my life.

Everyday heroes tend to get overlooked, unrecognized, and lost in the shuffle of everyday living. But I truly believe that it’s the everyday heroes – the people doing amazing things on a small scale – that make the biggest difference.

Me, my mom, and one of my sisters in August

My mom has always been one of my heroes. When I was just 2 years old, my dad died. My mom was suddenly and unexpectedly a young single mom with a 2 year old daughter. I have always admired her strength to go through such a difficult trial so early in life. She was fortunate to meet an awesome man who became my second dad, who I simply call “dad” because that’s who he is. And, yes, we have lived happily ever after. My mom has shown strength through tough times throughout the last 40 years as I’ve grown up, moved away, and raised a family of my own (fun fact: it’s my mom and dad’s 39th anniversary this weekend!).

You’d better believe that I’ve called her countless times over the years so that she could share her wisdom with me.

My mom, me and my oldest daughter in April

My mom is the ultimate example of dedicated, tireless service. Doing things for other people – driving a neighbor to doctor’s appointments, picking up mail for a friend in the hospital, serving in church, and so much more – is second nature for her. I wish I could be more like her, and I still hope that I’ll grow up to be like my mom.

It’s Your Turn to Share Your Hero! #SHAREYOURHERO

Now that I’ve shared one of my heroes, it’s your turn! Mrs. Fields® wants to recognize the heroes everywhere. Yes, even the everyday heroes doing ordinary (and extraordinary) things.

Share your hero’s story HERE, and a donation of $5,000 could be contributed to a charity of your choosing along with an honorary Hometown Hero event. Bonus: EVERYONE who shares their hero story will receive a coupon for $1 off two boxes of Mrs. Fields® Cookies. How SWEET is that??

Heroes (like cookies) come in all shapes and sizes. Sharing your hero is easy. Just visit MrsFieldsMoments.com and share your hero story. Hurry to get your nominations in; the #ShareYourHero campaign ends October 31, 2016!

Don’t forget to grab your $1 off coupon. Now the only question is…

Which flavor of Mrs. Fields® Cookies is your favorite?

White fudge brownie
Chocolate chip
Oatmeal raisin with walnuts
Red velvet
Butter pecan praline
White chunk macadamia
Dark chocolate oatmeal

I’m partial to white chunk macadamia, myself, although I have never been known to turn down a good, classic chocolate chip cookie!

Connect with Mrs. Fields® Cookies

Website: https://mrsfieldsmoments.com
Instagram: @cookiemoments