Fast approaching summer brings about family travels, mini vacations and day trips. Keep your family out of sticky situations:
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Learn How To Keep Your Family Out of Sticky Situations
Summer Staycation: Space Pack Water Blaster
Summer Staycation Pick: Astronaut Space Pack – Super Soaking Water Blaster… Many of us are cutting back on spending this summer, which cutting back on vacation spending. But – no vacation doesn’t have to mean no fun! Create your own “Staycation” worthy outdoor space this summer – filled with the coolest new toys for kids and adults, pretty patio furnishings, and other fun additions to make your home the best place to spend time this summer!
Astronaut Spacepack Super Soaking Water Blaster
This little gadget totally takes water guns to the next level! It’s designed to look like an astronaut backpack, with the “laser gun” being the water blaster. Seriously fun. It has two different shooting styles: Traditional water stream, or a multi-direction spray that blasts water to both sides simultaneously. The pack that the kids wear on their back is filled with water, which is used to power water blasts to over 30′!! It’s meant for kids ages 5 and up – but all of the kids here love it, from Abby who is almost 2, to Uncle James, who’s in his late 20’s, lol. I have GOT to get another one of these to make it fair when they’re out in the yard water blast battling…
Become the master of the water blaster…
This blaster lives up to it’s name… It is seriously a BLAST for the kids to play with outside, and it’s one of those rare toys that is still as popular now after a few weeks of constant use as it was the day that we got it. But here’s what’s even BETTER – it’s got a ton of super adorable accessories you can get to go with it, to really boost that Astronaut theme. You can get the Astronaut Helmet with sounds
Blast into Summer Fun!
If you want to grab a Space Pack Water Blaster to add to your own Summer Staycation stock, you can get one on Amazon for only $15.99 – Astronaut Space Pack
What is YOUR favorite Summer Staycation tip? Great product, fun game, decorating tip? Leave me some comments!
Learn the 5 Most Important Sun Safety Tips for Toddlers
“Keep your face to the sunshine and you will never see the shadow.” – Helen Keller… Ah, summertime. I live up in Washington State – which makes most people picture rainy Seattle type weather. But we’re here in Central Washington – Yakima, Washington to be exact – which is totally different. We have a super serious set of four solid seasons, so summertime gets HOT here. Like, tons of 100+ degree days. My dad was diagnosed with Melanoma a few years back, {recovered great} – but it gave me a serious dose of reality when it comes to sun safety. Last year Abby was still awfully little, and didn’t spend too much time outside. But now that she’s almost 2, and ready to play in the pool, the sprinklers, and just run wild around the yard and patio all day – I knew it was time to get serious about Toddler Sun Safety. Ready to learn some great new tips to help you keep YOUR little one safe while they enjoy the summer sun this year too?
“Anyone’s life truly lived consists of work, sunshine, exercise, soap, plenty of fresh air, and a happy contented spirit.” – Lillie Langtry
Last year was our first summer in this new house, with a big in-ground pool, patio, shop, nice yard, and a great big field out in the back for the kids to play. All that outdoor space is an amazing happiness to me – I love being able to have enough room for the kids to spend all day exploring and playing outside in the summer. {Plus, it makes it easier to keep up with housework when the spend most of their time not in it, lol.} But it means I’ve had to learn some new tips for keeping Abby safe when she’s spending so much time getting those bright sun rays on her all day. Here are a few of my fave tips:
- Know the Sun:The sun’s rays are strongest from 10am – 4pm each day – meaning that’s when the majority of the harmful UVA and UVB rays are getting to your kids. But, that’s also the main playtime hours of the day too! So – you can do your best to spend time outside before or after those hours – but since that’s not really all that practical a lot of the time, just make sure you take a few extra sun-safety steps during those hours
- Sunscreen: I’m a Coppertone Water Mom, which means we’ve learned a TON about why a great sunscreen is important. There are so many great varieties to choose from, so that you can find the perfect potion for your needs. Coppertone has everything from water resistant lotions to my fave – the Wet ‘n Clear spray that cuts right through water, giving kids protection as they move in and out of the water. Awesome. {Get a Coppertone coupon on their site!
- Protective Eyewear: According to KidsHealth.com, “Sun exposure damages the eyes as well as the skin. Even 1 day in the sun can result in a burned cornea (the outermost, clear membrane layer of the eye). Cumulative exposure can lead to cataracts (clouding of the eye lens, which leads to blurred vision) later in life. The best way to protect eyes is to wear sunglasses.” I didn’t realize how important this was – I only bought Abby cheap-o sunglasses, because they were cute. This year we invested in better protection.
- Drink Water: Kids get dehydrated a lot quicker than we do outside in the sun. Make sure to keep sippy cups or water bottles nearby at all times. {use the Koverz to keep kids drinks cold!} I make homemade ice pops too – with fresh fruit and lots of water- so the kids can eat ’em all afternoon. Whatever keeps ’em hydrated!
- Block the Sun, Not the Fun: When you can’t keep the kids indoors, and can’t keep them in the shade – Take advantage of the great protection they can get from fun products from SwimZip.This is a must-have summer brand for us – Seriously cute styles, and the material in the kids swimwear is UV 50+ – which is as good as you can get. Kids get extreme sun protection, look adorable, and you enjoy the ease of full zippers that make the swimwear super easy to take on and off!
The effects of sun exposure during childhood last a lifetime – so it’s incredibly important that as moms, we do the best we can now to protect that sensitive skin from damage. More and more people every year are diagnosed with skin cancer – let’s help ensure that our kiddos do NOT grow up to one of them.
“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you’re looking for some sweet new summertime fashions for your little ones – styles that will keep them safe while helping them look stylish – you have to check out SwimZip. {Get the super cute style that Abby is wearing here – SwimZip
“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” – James Matthew Barrie
If you want to learn more about this fun summer-safety line of fashions, visit SwimZip online to see all of the newest styles, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on the newest products and promotions. And – if you’d like a chance to WIN your own favorite style, check out my great Summer Must-Haves Giveaway Package too! If you’re looking for more info on how to stay safe in the sun, check out these great sun-safety printables and kids activities, perfect for making learning sun safety tips fun.
SwimZip’s Mission:
SwimZip’s mission is to develop stylish, fashionable, and functional sun protective products that allow people to enjoy life in the sun. We design, manufacture, and market a range of quality sun protection products including sun protective clothes, SPF clothing, sun hats, sun protection swimwear, and rash guards.
“In summer, the song sings itself.” – William Carlos Williams
{Disclaimer: This review is part of the Summer Must-Haves Promotion from Mompact.com – I received a complimentary SwimZip for Abby to try out, so that I could give you guys my honest view on the quality, style, and function. I only share products here that have passed our set of standards – I love the SwimZip, and know you will too! Photos are a combination of my own personal shots and shots from SwimZip’s shoots – used with permission.}
Has a Nurse Ever Saved the Day for You?
“You know you’re a nurse if… you triage the laundry when at home: This pile needs immediate attention, the pile can wait, this pile, with a little stain stick will be OK until you get back to it.” – Donna Wilk Cardillo… If you’ve ever spent any time at all in a hospital, you know that the quality of the nurses who attend to you can truly a difference in your experience. I mean, doctors are great, but honestly – whether it’s at your doctor’s office for a basic check-up, a hospital emergency room, or an in-patient stay at the hospital – you spend a heck of a lot more time with your nurses than you ever do with your doctor. Which is why I want to give a little shout out to an amazing nurse that made a difference in my life, and give you all a chance to recognize a great nurse who’s made a difference in your life too…
“When you’re a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours.” – Author Unknown
I’d originally planned to use this article to finally tell you all the story of Abby’s birth. Until recently, that was THE scariest day I’d ever faced in my entire life. But then last week I endured scariest thing I’ve ever been through, ever – My Toddler Had a Seizure: What I Learned Might Help You Too – And while things have recovered and calmed down amazingly well, the whole situation is still so vivid in my mind. And, it reminded me of what a difference the right set of medical professionals can make, especially nurses… I hate to have to say bad things about anyone, but I would be lying if I said that I felt ok about the way that the Emergency Room staff treated us during our ordeal… Abby had already suffered through two very mini seizures at home before we got to the ER. They were only around 5 seconds each, but they were horrible. So when the full one hit after being in the ER for an hour – I thought we would get some help. I was wrong…
“When you’re a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours.” – Author Unknown
Abby’s full seizure hit in the middle of a blood draw, for testing. The Phlebotomist continued taking blood, although we were yelling that Abby was seizing. Mike tried to hold Abby’s arms steady, so she wouldn’t fall off of the big hospital bed – since no one had pulled the safety rails up. I held her feet, then let go to run and open up our curtains, and shout for help. I came back to hold Abby… And looked back to see a whole counter of ER staff looking at us, not taking action. After I screamed for someone to help us – finally, a couple people wandered in, then finally started helping – grabbing an oxygen mask for Abby, hooking her up to monitors, and making sure she was breathing and safe. I understand that in the ER a seizure is probably an everyday type occurance. But for us, this was the scariest thing that had ever happened in either of our lives.
“A nurse will always give us hope, an angel with a stethoscope.” – Terri Guillemets
After getting Abby stabilized, we were moved upstairs, and admitted to Pediatrics for the night. There, we were welcomed into an atmosphere that was a complete 180 from the ER… The nurses were so amazingly compassionate, caring, and involved. When we arrived to our family room there, Abby still didn’t really know who we were. She was hooked up to lots of wires and monitors, very scared, and extremely confused. The nurses who got us settled in asked us if she had any type of favorite “lovey” at home – a doll, blanket, toy, anything – that made her feel secure and calm. Mike told the nurses that we didn’t have anything particular, Abby just loved all of her 27 baby dolls she’d carry around the house…. We were just joking. But within 5 minutes the nurses had returned with a baby doll for Abby to hold and cuddle, as she settled into her strange new surroundings at the hospital. The care and consideration that they showed to us then, and over the course of the next day as we monitored Abby, was more appreciated than I can ever say. We KNEW that those ladies cared for us, and were truly invested in Abby’s recovery. The doctor was amazing too – but since 90% of our day was attended to by the nurses, they were the ones who made the biggest impact on us.
“Nurses – one of the few blessings of being ill.” – Sara Moss-Wolfe
Did you know: the healthcare field is experiencing a severe shortage of nurses; there is currently a nationwide vacancy of over 100,000 positions, and that number is expected to grow to 800,000 by the year 2020? It’s amazing to me that a job that makes such a dramatic impact on the lives of so many people could be going unfulfilled. The positive side to this? The career outlook is excellent for the nursing field. And nursing is a highly regarded profession: a 2011 Gallup Poll announced that the public voted nurses number one for “honesty and ethical standards of various professions” for the eighth consecutive year. Nurses offer patients comfort, care and skill that is desperately needed in patient care. The time is now to encourage and celebrate this important role in our healthcare system. If you know an amazingly wonderful nurse too, then you’ll definitely want to make sure to enter them into the Amazing Nurses Contest, from J&J…
Nominate an Amazing Nurse
If there’s a special nurse that has made a difference in your life that you’d like to honor, visit the Amazing Nurses Contest site before June 29, 2012, to share their story, and give them the chance to be recognized for their amazing compassion and skill. The form is pretty simple to complete – it took me less than 3 minutes to totally fill in the info to nominate the amazing nurse we had during our stay at the hospital with Abby. {By the way, she had totally recovered. They are hoping that what she had was called a Febrile Seizure – meaning it wasn’t too dangerous, but it’s very common in kids under 5, and odds are high it will happen again.} *A few details: The winning Amazing Nurse and his/her guest will attend the 2012 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute show in Los Angeles, courtesy of CNN. He or she will also be honored in a video profile which will be screened before the live audience at the show, and featured on the Nursing Notes by Johnson & Johnson Facebook page. (*Eligible Nominees for the Amazing Nurses contest must be a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) who currently administers direct patient care.)*
Share your favorite story of a nurse who’s made a difference in your life – I love reading your comments…
{I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.}
How To Host a Frozen Yogurt & Cupcakes Party – #TCBYGrocery
Celebrate Summer during National Yogurt Month – with TCBY Frozen Yogurt! #TCBYGrocery – As soon as the weather gets warm around here, we start entertaining a few nights a week. I love putting together a good party – creative decorations, fun games, and good food. Since this month is National Yogurt Month, I wanted to celebrate it with a little Frozen Yogurt and Cupcakes party, and what better frozen treat to use then then everyone’s favorite, TCBY!
“Summer afternoon – Summer afternoon… the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James
We’ve had mostly beautiful weather lately, and are so anxious to get our pool opened up for the season. I had planned a few parties already, and have had people over several times over the past two weeks – but unfortunately, the summer grand opening of the pool keeps hitting big ol’ road blocks. Ugh. First, we were told that we needed a new pool pump, which is a big expense. We ordered one in, waited to have it installed… Only to find out that wasn’t even really the problem. Double ugh. The next week we had several repair companies here, lots of work done, and still no luck. Hopefully by this weekend we’ll finally be able to enjoy the pool at our next party! Definitely looking forward to it – it’s getting darn hot, super quickly around here. A dip in the pool sounds glorious…
Celebrate Summer with TCBY Frozen Yogurt!
I wanted to put together a fun little shindig for the kiddos, so we headed out to Walmart to pick up the new TCBY Frozen Yogurt – and as you can see, it must have been on everyone else’s list too. The selection was almost sold out – crazy, right? But, there were enough choices for me to pick out a good selection of flavors to please everyone. {Because of course, every kiddo in my house has a different favorite that the MUST have, lol.} I’m a sucker for great packaging, and I just adore the bright, clean, cheerfully designed cartons for TCBY. I also picked up a few extra goodies – candy, cupcake mix, sprinkles, and cones. I wanted to bump things up a notch, make it more fun than a typical after-dinner bowl of ice cream. So I grabbed up a bunch of good stuff, and planned out some super fun ideas.
“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” – St. Francis of Assisi
Seriously – can’t you almost taste how good this stuff is, just by looking at the picture? I love ice cream, but to be honest, I’m not too picky about the type. One thing that I do appreciate is a frozen dessert that has big pieces of chocolate or fruit in it – big enough to really taste it. And that’s hard to find. Well – take a look at those deliciously juicy fruit chunks in the Tropical Mango Peach, and the giant bites of toffee and chocolate in the other blends – Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough and English Toffee Crunch. We took a quick bite to sample each one, then I got to work on setting up a fun set of treats for the kids to enjoy after a fun day in the sun, and a simple dinner on the patio – {Salad, baked chicken, and pasta salad.} Lovely.
“Celebrate summer: sun-drenched days and starlit nights.” – Gooseberry Patch
I started by making dipped sugar cones – I melted down some Wilton Candy Melts in the microwave, and tinted them pink. I rolled the edges of the sugar cones in the melted white chocolate, then rolled ’em in sprinkles. Super simple, but super fun! Then I set them up in dessert glasses to cool, so the candy could harden.
“Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun.” – Kahlil Gibran
Next, I created these fun little cupcakes… I just used some small plastic party cups, filled them halfway with jelly beans {one of our favorite family candies} and set my vanilla bean cupcakes inside each one. Then I topped the cupcakes with the Wilton Pearl Sprinkles, and a few more jelly beans to match the holders. It was a random idea, but I think it came out really fun!! I’ll definitely be using variations on this for other summer parties – I’m thinking some ribbon around the cups next time would be a great touch…
“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” – James Dent
The kids and I enjoyed our treats out in the yard next to the patio, where we’d been playing in the kiddie pool and slip n’ slide all day. {It’s a good time, but tough to enjoy quite as much when you have a big in-ground pool in view, that you’re just dying to get to use!} See little mister’s messy frozen yogurt face? Yep, he LOVED the TCBY Frozen Yogurts!!! I wanted the total deliciousness of the ice cream to come through, so I kept them simple – a couple big scoops of TCBY in the dipped sugar cones, topped only with a few fun sprinkles. Partnered with the jelly beans and cupcakes – and of course, a big glass of ice cold milk for each of us – I have to say it was pretty much the perfect end to a summer day.
“Be intent upon the perfection of the present day.” – William Law
Aren’t these so fun? I can tell ya, it’s honestly not that often that we all agree on something around here… Due to a series of crazy life changes, we ended up with a big household – Me, Mike, and Abby. My brother and my two little nephews. And Grandma too… Plus SIX little dogs! So no matter how great I think an idea is for dinner, dessert, snacks, anything – there’s SOMEONE who’s not happy. But these TCBY Frozen Yogurts were a hit with every.single.one of us. Epic, right? {And yes, when I say EVERYONE, I mean it. The dogs were all dying for a bite, and most of ’em got at least a lick or two that dropped to the ground…. And I saw a lot of little wagging tails :)
For more updates on cool products and promotions – follow TCBY on Twitter – @TCBYGrocery. You can also find them on Facebook too. And for more summer fun ideas like these, check out the TCBY Grocery Pinterest page – {and of course, feel free to pin any of my pics to your own Pinterest idea boards too!}
How do YOU celebrate on family night during summertime with your family? Leave me some comments!
{Disclaimer: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and TCBY. #CBias #SocialFabric #TCBYGrocery.}
Fluffy Fourth Cloth Diaper Giveaway – $415 Value!
Welcome to the Fluffy Fourth of July sponsored by Gnome’s Naturals and hosted by Life With Levi! Whether you’re just starting out using cloth diapers or already a fluffy pro, this giveaway prize offers something for everyone.
One lucky winner will receive the ULTIMATE cloth diaper stash starter pack, valued at over $415!!!
This amazing prize prize pack includes:
- THREE ones & twos All In One Diapers
- ONE AppleCheeks Bamboo Little Bundle
- ONE AppleCheeks Microterry Little Bundle
- TWO Tots Bots Easy Fit or Tini Fit Diapers
- TWO Rumparooz G2 Pocket Diapers or Little Joey Newborn All In Ones
- ONE Bummis Beautiful BASIC Kit
- SIX Organic Cotton Prefold Diapers
- ONE Bummis Super Snap Wrap
- ONE Bummis Super Lite Wrap
- TWO Snappis
- ONE AppleCheeks Storage Sac Pail Liner
- ONE M Monkey Foot Designs Wet Bag for when you’re on the go.
- ONE KalmSkin Travel Size Cloth Diaper Safe Rash Stick
- ONE Bag of Rockin’ Green Laundry Detergent
- ONE Clean Cheeks Wipes Concentrate
- ONE 6 Pack of AppleCheeks Cloth Wipes
- ONE Mini Shower Diaper Sprayer
- ONE Pack of AppleCheeks Flushable Diaper Liners
That’s all the diapers AND accessories you need for 18 diaper changes!! And as all busy mommas know, you have got to be prepared when you’ve got a baby in diapers, right? Gnome’s Naturals is a cloth diaper and natural parenting store owned & operated by Lori Whitlock. As a mom of a toddler, Lori is always searching for great natural products for herself and her family. When she finds products that she loves, she sticks with them. Lori created Gnome’s Naturals to share those products with you. As a cloth diaper blogger, Lori has tried almost every cloth diaper on the market and strives to carry only the best of the best.
Supporting WAHM’s
In addition to some well known brands that Lori loves, Gnome’s Naturals also carries work at home mom (WAHM) made items in the store. Make sure you check out the WAHM Spotlight section for products that are handmade by moms in North America. Lori is a huge proponent of moms supporting moms and she hopes that by retailing some mom-made items, she can help support them financially as well. If you’re new to cloth diapering, Gnome’s Naturals offers several different cloth diaper trial packages. Beyond cloth diapers, Gnome’s Naturals also carries a great selection of baby carriers, baltic amber teething necklaces, breastfeeding products, and more.
Ready To Win?
Just enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below. All entries are optional – be sure to come back often to complete the daily entries, since the more entries you have, the more chances you have to win! {Feelin’ lucky? Check out the big list of other prizes you can win from me this month too, over in the sidebar!}
Giveaway open to residents of the US & Canada. Contest ends Friday, July 6th. Good Luck!
How Strategic Grocery Shopping Earns You FREE Ice Age Movie Tickets #JuneDairyMovies
So… Last week I told you about our super fun Tacos and Floats summer party that we had. I set up a big ol’ taco bar, filled with a ton of toppings {including super yummy dairy must-haves like shredded Tillamook cheese and Dairygold sour cream} – and we topped that off with super cool root beer floats for dessert. It was a great night with the family – and it was made even greater by the fact that shopping for those dinner ingredients gave me a free set of movie tickets to take my family to see Ice Age, Continental Drift next month! How cool is that, right?
June Dairy Month at Safeway = Free Family Movie Tickets!
Pretty much all of us are moms on a tight budget, right? The economy is not-so-hot, incomes are not-as-high, and prices on just about everything are ever increasing. That makes it tough on us moms to keep up. But – some meal planning and smart shopping can help any busy mom save some big bucks. And this month, the must-have deal to grab is the free movie ticket promotion at Safeway. Here’s how it works:
- Head to your nearest Safeway, {or affiliate store like Vons, Dominick’s, Genuardi’s, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Pavillions or Carrs} – and look for the June Dairy Month tags all over the store. #JuneDairyMovies.
- Use your Safeway Club Card each time you shop during June, and it will automatically add up all of your participating dairy purchases.
- Once you’ve purchased at least $40 worth of family dairy must-haves like cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and milk, the register will print out a Catalina coupon good for two free movie tickets! Sweet, I know.
The movie tickets can be printed and redeemed online, and will be valid until 8/31/12. It does mention on the ticket that you can use it for a different movie of your choice – but since Abby looooves the “funny guys” in the previous Ice Age movies, that’s what we’ll be heading out to see when it opens locally.
Our Family Night Celebration was a Hit!
Since movie nights at the theater are often a luxury around here, I knew that I did NOT want to miss out on the chance to get free tickets. So I went out shopping for our favorite taco night ingredients – and partnered with the new Just for U rewards program, I was able to save enough on all of the great goods that I bought that I could really stock up on cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and more. We go through a TON of dairy products here – {Abby loooves her string cheese!} – so these were all items I would have purchased anyway. Getting that great free movie ticket coupon at check out was a much-appreciated bonus.
How to get free Ice Age Movie Tickets at Safeway
You probably remember reading about my Safeway shopping trip, and our super fun Tacos and Floats party – if so, you’ll probably also remember seeing a pic of the Catalina coupon that printed out at check out. So – once you get yours too, here’s how it works – easy peasy. Just visit the online rewards site, click the store you shopped at, then fill in your info and add the code found on your Catalina coupon. Then you’re ready to print out your free tickets – and take your family on a great summer night out. Awesome, I know.
Tell me – are YOU planning to take advantage of this smart shopping strategy too?
{I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Safeway. #CBias #SocialFabric” (Feel free to add any additional wording you would like such as “all opinions are my own.}
