Family — Page 2

No Matter Where You Roam – These Tips Keep You Connected to Home

How do you stay connected to family and friends who are far away?… Friends and family are so super crazy-important to me. I’m lucky that the majority of my family lives right in here in the same city that I do, and at the farthest they’re just across the state of Washington, a few hours away. But my Mister has a big family – 11 brothers and sisters! – who all live over in Ohio. We were super lucky to be able to bring his dad and one of his brothers over to visit recently, to see Mike’s oldest daughter graduate from high school. It was so great to spend a week getting to know them – and Abby adored them both! I know we were all pretty darn bummed when it was time for them to leave, knowing that they would be so far away again.

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 24, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Parenting, Tech Tips | No Comments

Life is Better with a Boat….

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Discover Boating. I received collateral to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

I have so many great memories, throughout my whole life, that involve boating. When I was a little girl, I used to love fishing days with my dad. We’d load up the camper, hook up the trailer to bring the boat, and always – always – stop at 7-11 to get those raspberry-filled powdered sugar doughnuts. We might go out for just the day – or make a long weekend out of it. He would catch fish, I would throw them back when he wasn’t looking, he’d catch more to make up for it. But even when we didn’t catch any fish at all – it was great time to bond with him. He helped me learn an appreciation for the outdoors, that I’m excited to share with Abby as she grows up.

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 18, 2013 Filed Under: Outdoor Living | 3 Comments

10 Tips for Camping With Kids

It’s summertime, which means time to get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine!… I love camping, but haven’t gotten to go in a long time. 3 years ago I was pregnant, and the next summer Abby was still so little. Then last year the Mister decided he wanted nothing to do with sleeping in a tent – He said he was too old for that nonsense. {He’s no fun, lol.} So this year – I bought a camper! That way there are no more excuses, and we can have it stocked and ready to go whenever the mood strikes. I live here in Central Washington, and a quick 45 minute drive brings us right up into the mountains and trees and rivers, and I plan on taking advantage of it all as much as possible. So, I was super excited when Kelly wanted to write a guest post for me, sharing her top 10 tips for camping with kids. She’s pretty much a pro when it comes to camping, so I knew she’d have some good advice!

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 10, 2013 Filed Under: Travel | 3 Comments

Why I Filed for Bankruptcy at 25, and What I Learned

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Aflac, to share my personal experience with insurance and medical debt. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Can you afford a medical emergency?… The average cost of a heart attack and the care needed to recover is $65,427, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. A broken leg costs around $10,000. Some cancer medications can cost upwards of $10,000 per month. Add those up, and it’s no surprise that medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy is this country. I know from experience that even with insurance, the bills add up quickly, and can become overwhelming. Because it’s not even just the medical bills – it’s also the money you lose if you aren’t able to work for awhile. Many people believe that if they have health insurance, they’ll be ok if a health crisis hits – but do you have a real idea of what out of pocket costs will be if someone in your family gets sick or injured? I didn’t. And that’s what led to me filing for bankruptcy at the young age of just 25.

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 13, 2013 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Seattle Art Museum Summer Camp

If you’re in the Seattle area, then you know that the Seattle Art Museum is a must-see place for families. We’ve been several times when we visit that side of the state – {we’re about 2 1/2 hours from Seattle, but head over often, for Abby’s trips to Seattle Children’s Hospital or to visit grandpa.} And now, they’ve got some serious fun planned for your kiddos this summer – check it out:

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 17, 2013 Filed Under: Travel | No Comments

Family Travel Builds Great Memories…

“Because it’s summer, and the memories are just waiting to happen.” – Unknown… You want to hear something crazy about me? I never traveled out of my home state of Washington until I was 19 years old. And I was 23 the first time I finally boarded a plane! AND… Even though I live her near the coast, I’d never been to the beach until I visited the beautiful Oregon Coast 3 years ago while I was pregnant with Abby. I’d always yearned to travel, but never had much opportunity until about a year and a half ago… Last summer I flew to four different states, and will head to even more this year! What a change, right?

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 2, 2013 Filed Under: Parenting | No Comments

Super Hero Gadget Cleans the Sneaky Allergens in Your Air

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” – Leo Tolstoy… Boyohboy, does this totally describe my life these days! We’re in the middle of so darn many DIY projects around the house and property, it’s total chaos around here! But, at the same time – I am so excited to be celebrating spring with so many fun “refreshes” of our home and yard! But in the middle of all of the hustle and bustle, there’s one thing that has been a big challenge – the air. Yep, all three of us have terrible allergies, and the Mister has crazy-bad asthma. With so much going on – Trucks and tractors outside digging, dumping, pouring, and moving – plus the work inside – sanding, painting, moving, and building – it’s a wonder any of us can breath at all! And when you partner that with the regular allergy-inducers of spring, well, that’s a recipe for trouble, for sure. But, I have a very smart solution to share with ya’all – check it out…

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