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Boon High Chair Give-it-Away #SuperEvent

I’m so excited to bring you another #SuperEvent Giveaway! This week is all about YaySave! where you can save big dollars on all your household needs. {And if your household is anything like mine, you have a LOT of needs, lol.} This event is hosted by Full Price? Never! with contributing bloggers CuzinLogic and MyCraftyLife.


About YaySave!: At YaySave, you can finally get all your household essentials at one place, rest assured that you’re always getting a great deal, and best of all, do it all within the comfort of your own home! YaySave! Offers some unique options to help you save time and money:

  1. Certified Program: • All items with a YaySave Certified emblem are at least 25% less than any other Online Retailer. • We provide you with the prices and links to our competitor’s right there, so you can be sure that you’re getting the best price possible.
  2. Referral Appreciation Program • We’ve created a referral program unlike anything you’ve seen before, where you can earn up to $100 in YaySave credit for each referral!
  3. Premium Membership Program- Free shipping on any size order and 5% cash back on all orders along with access to Exclusive Weekly Deals for just for “Premium Members”!
  4. Swagbucks Partnership: I’m such a big fan of Swagbucks, and have been using it for years. So the total selling point for me here at YaySave! was that you earn Swagbucks with your purchases – some special promotions get you TONS of them! Love that. {Join Swagbucks here before joining YaySave! if you want to – to double your rewards.}

Ready to shop now? Here’s am exclusive $3 coupon code:3b3c8e506a76fc1f68df578bd2857fdd

You can learn more about YaySave! on their Website, Twitter, and Facebook page. You’ll love them – YaySave! is revolutionizing the way moms shop by helping us to save money and time. Love that, right? Let’s Celebrate YaySave! with a chance to win an awesome Boon Highchair….

About the Awesome Prize

BOON Flair Pedestal Highchair in Coconut Seat / Tangerine Pad {srv $369} No cracks, and no crevices means that there are no places for crumbs to get stuck! This one-piece seat is the sleekest, smoothest thing going and it makes cleanup unbelievably easy. Its dishwasher-safe tray cover actually fits in a dishwasher. {That’s what sold me on it!} And the continuous height positioning with pneumatic lift is just a fancy way of saying you can pick the exact height you want to fit your table.

Super Sweet Savings

YaySave! has so many deals running right now, but my favorite one is get $30 back when you spend $100 – I mean, that’s a major savings, right? This deal is for new customers only and is only for a limited time… so shop now before it’s over.

Why YaySave! Rocks for Moms

Heather from Full Price? Never! spent some time researching some great deals on YaySave! Here are her thoughts “YaySave! is a great site and features some real money saving opportunities. I was happy to find Huggies diapers for $5.99 a pack. I really don’t like paying full price for diapers and it’s not easy {or fun} to drag 3 kids to the store to buy diapers… Thank goodness for YaySave! Knowing that I can just go online and order them at a really good price makes life a whole lot easier! With their certified prices I know I’m always getting rock bottom online prices too. I’m looking forward to taking advantage of their $5 flat rate shipping although I’ll probably end up purchasing a premium membership. At only $19.99, the Premium membership would get me free shipping for the whole year!”

Ready for the giveaway and a chance to win the awesome highchair above? Great! Enter on the Rafflecopter form below!

[Read more…]

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What’s lurking under Your Kitchen Sink? The #GetClean Makeover!

As moms, our biggest job in life is keeping our kids safe. Yes – we want them to be so many things: funny as heck, star athletes, amazingly talented performers, creators of beautiful artwork, compassionate and kind individuals, and much more. But – the #1 job is keeping them safe, so that they can grow into those amazing people we imagine that they’ll become. And one of the ways that we keep our little ones safe is by keeping our home clean, and free from dangerous germs, right? Well – these facts may surprise the heck out of you:

Is your home dirtier after you clean it?

You totally get this great feeling when you’ve cleaned, scrubbed, and disinfected your whole house, right? But – you would NEVER let your little ones play with toxic chemicals, so why would you use them to clean up a spill on the floor that they play on??

  1. The EPA says that only a portion of the 81,00o registered chemicals in household cleaners, only a fraction have been tested for health concerns.
  2. More than 9 out of 10 accidental poisonings happen at home – many from household cleaners.
  3. Due to the use of air fresheners and cleaners, the levels of organic pollutants is 2 to 5 times higher INSIDE your home, then outside.

So what do you do? Well, you can learn about a new Smart Mom Solution I’m really excited about, that will help you clean your home with cleaners that don’t leave more toxins than the toxins their supposed to clean.

Safe household cleaners

A Healthier Life for Everyone and a Better Life for Anyone

I’m always looking for new household cleaning helpers that are cleaner, greener, safer – but still really WORK. I’m also all about living a frugal lifestyle, so I hate spending a ridiculous amount of money on cleaners with fancy package, that call themselves “Green”, with no real facts to back that up. But these have all been reviewed and endorsed for their safety by Healthy Child Healthy World, who I totally trust for good information. I am incredibly glad that I was introduced to Shaklee – this is now my new go-to brand, and can easily just about everything else I was using in my home!

Household cleaner makeover!

The #GetClean Under Sink Makeover!

This is my under-sink kitchen makeover – Notice how many LESS products I have under there by switching to the Shaklee products? I counted 17 different cleaners, sprays, wipes, and powders in my cupboard in the “Before” pic – but with the Shaklee Starter Kit, I only have 6 – plus some great reusable cleaning cloths which allow me to get rid of all those rolls of paper towels. I totally encourage you to take a look under your sink, and then check out the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources website, Household Products Database – and learn about the crazy-harmful chemicals that you are wiping onto your counters, scrubbing onto your dishes, and spraying into your air. It is insane – seriously.

Shaklee Corporation

Makeover YOUR Kitchen Sink!

I used the Shaklee Starter Kit to replace all of that super yucky toxic junk under my sink. It’s a bit of an upfront investment – Around $100 bucks for the set. BUT – when you make your cleaners, you fill each bottle with water, and less than a teaspoon of concentrate from a big full-size bottle. Can you even imagine how long that is going to last?? Here are a few great benefits:

  1. It’s Frugal: Frugal isn’t about spending less, it’s about spending smart. And you would spend $3400 for ready to use cleaners to get the same amount of clean found in the Get Clean Starter Kit! Can you say value?
  2. It’s Safe: No harmful fumes or hazardous chemicals. If you have kids with asthma, eczema, or any other sensitivities – imagine what a difference that could make for them?
  3. It Works: They say that it rivals or outperforms 20 national leading brands – I can tell you that every product that I have works just as well or better than any of the major brand products that I replaced. And I’m a clean freak, with pretty high standards on that stuff.
  4. Eco Friendly: Not only are they better on the earth due to the lack of gross chemicals that will end up polluting the air and water – But with their refillable packaging and concentrated products, you keep 108 pounds of packaging waste from landfills!

Awesome Fact: My favorite product, the Basic H2® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate – just 1/4 tsp. makes 16oz. of all-purpose cleaner for only 3 cents!!! Whaaaaat? Yep, it’s true.

You can learn more about the Shaklee line, including their healthy weight and nutrition products, other home items, and even a healthy beauty line – on their website. And be sure to follow Shaklee on Facebook and Twitter too, to stay updated on new products and promotions.

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary product kit from Mom Spark Media to facilitate this review. All photos and opinions are 100% my own – I love this stuff, and know you will too!}

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{Mildly Extreme} Master Bedroom & Playroom Makeover

Yes, by that headline, you’ve probably figured out what this post is about – The planning for my {Mildly Extreme} Master Bedroom & Playroom Makeover. We’re on a ridiculously tight budget, which is why it will be only mildly extreme, lol. But – There is SO much that you can do to totally transform a space without spending a ton, just by being super creative and resourceful. And creative is one skill that I do actually excel at! {Unlike cooking…. But that’s another story.}

master bedroom in shades of grey

This is an awesome room. This is not my room.

I found this amazing photo on Pinterest, but unfortunately, it doesn’t link up anywhere. {Pinterest tip: PLEASE make sure you pin to original sources when adding content!} So I have no idea who to credit, or how to get any of these materials. But – this is kind of my inspiration for my space – I’ll be painting our walls this color – {any suggestions of paint brands? I hated the last kind I used!} – and painting our trim white. Our room is already in shades of black and grey, but I love, love, love the use of textures and patterns here. Just perfect.

What I’m Workin’ With:

carousel designs baby girl crib bedding

Mommy and Me – Sharing a Room

This is the designer crib bedding set that Abby has right now – It’s from Carousel Designs, and it was so worth the cost. It was the most expensive purchase I made when shopping for baby stuff – but it’s as gorgeous today as it was when I bought it, even after 20 months of washing. Due to our big, crowded household of extended family, Abby and I have been sharing the Master Bedroom, and will be for about another year. {But that’s ok, since we both adore pink and polka dots.} Now that she’s become a toddler, I want to upgrade our space, and make more room for her to play. My office is also in the bedroom until the end of the year, so the big challenge in this makeover is to make separate areas for all of the uses in the room. Also – Speaking of challenges – This Master Bedroom was built without a closet! Whaaaat? There was clearly no woman involved in the planning on this, lol. So we’re building one in.

damask and polka dot bedding

This is what I sleep on – Keep, or Switch?

I chose this bedding set before Abby was born, because it matched so well to hers. The polka dot trim and damask type pattern tie them together really well. But, while I do still totally love it, I feel kind of ready for a change. I’m debating a few different options, and you can see them on my Master Bedroom & Playroom Makeover planning board on Pinterest. I’d LOVE some comments on this board, with your opinions as I add and decide.

The Makeover Plan

Over the next two months, I’ll share pics of our projects and progress, and of course a big reveal at the end! Here are a few of my plans and ideas:

  1. Build a closet. I wanted to go all-out, and build a really awesome customized closet… But, most of what I wanted was out of my price range. So, we’ll be building a smaller, but still cool, closet along one wall.
  2. Convert to a toddler bed. Abby’s crib has a few scratches from moving last year, but is still in really great shape. It’s the type of crib that converts to a toddler bed, and I think it’s about time to make the switch.
  3. Cover the carpet. I’d LOVE to add laminate floors, but that will be a year or two from now. Our carpets wasn’t in great shape when we moved in – and with a toddler and a puppy here, they are a mess. So, we’re going the more affordable route – We’ll be doing a thorough carpet cleaning, and ordered an awesome new rug from Mohawk Home, to cover the damage and really upgrade the room.
  4. Playroom Space. We just got the sling bookshelf from One Step Ahead, which is an adorable way to store and display Abby’s book collection. I also ordered a super cool toy chest, and we just set up the ClosetMaid 9-Cube Organizer, with some cute pink fabric bins, and it’s going to be an AWESOME new option for toy storage!
  5. Office Space. I will be moving my desk and shelves to a corner, with my rolling file cabinet and lamp, to make a great little office area. I need a rug, and will add the ClosetMaid Mini-Organizer to keep all of my smaller accessories neat and easy to access.
  6. Wall Art. We’ll be painting the walls and trim, and I’m in need of some cool wall art too. The room has really high vaulted ceilings, so the walls right now look very bare. I have a TON of cool ideas to choose from on my Creative Wall DIY board on Pinterest – Leave some comments to help me decide. There are so many amazing ideas there to be inspired by!

There’s a boat-load of work to do, but I’m super excited to get started! We had meant to get this rockin’ a month ago – but with my big computer crash, I really got pushed behind on all of my projects! My goal is to have our room ready by the end of May, for my birthday.

What do you think?

I’d love some comments on my Pinterest boards, to help me make some decisions. {I got some great feedback on Facebook from ya’all, with helping me to choose a rug!} And if you have cool DIY idea posts that can help inspire me, be sure to leave the link in a comment below! You guys rock.

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Simple Routines for Better Mornings!

“How does one become a butterfly?” she asked pensively. “You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.” – Trina Paulus

That is one of my favorite quotes. It reminds me that I each day, I should do things that bring me closer to the goals and dreams that make me happy, and work on eliminating the things that get in the way. Over the past year I’ve made lots of small changes to my life that help to brighten each day – Things that help me stay centered and balanced, so that I’m able to be the best me that I can be!

Coffee, Newspaper, Starbucks, Morning Routine

Building a Healthy & Happy Day!

Here are the two routines that have really helped give me a better start to my days. I had noticed that it was the same few spots that always challenged me – but a little tweak here and there, and those problems were so easy to fix. Use these as a launching point to figure out some easy solutions to your own busy mom challenges, and simplify your life too!

  • Starting the Day Better – I used to be stressed in the morning. I’d just get started on work, then the baby would get up and need to get dressed. Next I’d need to lasso the boys and drag them away from the Xbox long enough to get ready for school. Things always felt really hectic, and I was always so tired. So now, even though it’s a bit tough some mornings, I get up at 6 am before everyone else wakes up. I can enjoy my coffee and my newspaper, go over my blogging planner and household schedule to plan my day, and start things much more peacefully! By the time everyone else finally gets up, I’m bright and cheerful {and caffeinated!!} and ready to face the morning challenges with a smile.
  • Ending the Day Better – I hate messes. But, with extended family living with me and an busy blogging schedule, the house gets super messy! With so many people – including kids and too many dogs! – there’s really only so much I can do. I’ve learned to do my best, and forget the rest! But each evening I take 15 minutes to do a quick clean – A basket to pickup forgotten toys, dishes loaded to the dishwasher and counters wiped clean, throw pillows and blanket fluffed and straightened. It’s an easy task, but makes a big difference. You feel less stressed when you go to bed, and it’s nice waking up to a {mostly} clean house in the morning.

What do you do to live a healthy & happy life?

The small routines in my life help me reduce my stress a ton, which leads to a much happier and healthier mom of the house. I’d love to hear your own busy mom solution tips as part of this discussion sponsored by Quaker Instant Oatmeal – A great option that can help you get a great start every morning. Simple, and super delicious!

Join the Discussion and Share Your Best Tips!

“Small Wins, Big Rewards” Sweepstakes

You can join the discussion here – Share Your Small Wins! Other busy moms will get to benefit from your great ideas, and YOU will get a chance to win some amazing prizes, just for joining the fun!

  • At the end of each discussion one lucky participant will be chosen at random to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card, to purchase anything from your favorite Quaker Oatmeal products to exercise clothing to help them get off to a perfect start each day!
  • All of the participants of the 3 discussions will also be entered to win the Grand Prize – a $1000 Amazon Gift Card! So the more discussions you participate in, the better chance you have of winning!

Discussion Details

Remember, the more discussions you join, the more opportunities you’ll have to win – Can you imagine how much great stuff you could get to brighten your mornings with a $1,000 Amazon Gift Card?! Here are the dates of each discussion, and the topic for each one:

  • 2/9 – Small Wins: What small wins can you accomplish as part of your morning routine to help start your day right?
  •  2/23 – Future Wins: What morning small wins will help contribute to a successful future?
  • 3/8 – Healthy Rewards: What small steps in the morning do you take to keep healthy?

Share your ideas, join the fun, and good luck in the Sweepstakes!

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Glam Media Sponsored Post

{Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Quaker Instant Oatmeal through Glam Media. The content, ideas, tips and opinions are all 100% my own.}

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Smart & Stylish Kitchen Storage Solutions

Showroom Dispay traditional kitchen

Smart DIY Solutions

I am so in love with this new site that I found today – and I think you guys will love it too. It’s called Houzz.come, and it’s all about home remodels and cool DIY projects. You can browse by room, and find some totally amazing ideas. I’m cooking up some plans for a kitchen makeover –  {a remodel isn’t in the budget, but a reorganization and spruce up is!} –  and I got a ton of amazing ideas.

Oak Park Kitchen III traditional kitchen

How awesome would this pantry cupboard be?

I have a big blended household, as I’ve mentioned before, and it can be hard to keep things organized with such a big family. I have a pantry cupboard that’s just empty shelves, really deep – I’m wondering if we could convert them to cool storage doors like these above? Wouldn’t that be awesome?

Divine Kitchens LLC contemporary kitchen

What an awesome use of drawer space!

Love this – I hate counter-clutter. But there are so many things in the kitchen that you need easy access to. This is a very cool solution, and totally do-able in my house. I started meal-planning, two weeks at a time, to help keep dinnertime chaos to a minimum, and now it’s time to get the whole kitchen better organized so that I can make those meals without digging through jumbled up drawers and cupboards.

Painted kitchen with walnut contemporary kitchen

The Kitchen is the Heart of the Home – Make it Rock!

For more cool home ideas, follow me on Pinterest! {Love these ideas? Pin ’em to your own boards too!}

 

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Greased Lightning – Making Cleaning Awesome

What’s more fun than Greased Lightning?

Ok – I’m not really here to talk to you about this awesome musical scene from one of my all-time favorite movies. But the Greased Lightning that I want to tell you about is almost as cool – Just like John Travolta dances around in total exhilaration to be sprucing up his sweet ride, you can be grooving through your home knowing that this new Multipurpose Cleaner & Degreaser is going to spruce things up from kitchen to bath! Just like the musical scene above, this cleaning spray rocks! {What, don’t tell me I’m the only one who sings and dances and embarrasses the kids when they clean the house?} Greased Lightning gets my approval as a Busy Mom Solution product – read more….

Greased Lightening

“I hate housework! You make the beds, you do the dishes- and six months later you have to start all over again.” – Joan Rivers

Do you feel like you’re always cleaning up the house, one spill after another? It can be such a battle to keep up after a house of kiddo’s, animals, and guests. That’s why you need a few “secret weapons” – products that can quickly degrease the stove and counters in the kitchen, fixtures and shower walls in the bathroom, carpet stains in the hallway, and even baby stains! This one product can do it all – making for a happier and less stressed momma!

Great for surfaces in every part of your house and even for stain removal, Greased Lightning is a multi-purpose cleaner and degreaser that removes grease and grime, laundry and carpet stains, soap scum, and much more.

Greased Lightning is the BEST cleaner I’ve ever found for carpet stains – even on the old ones that have set in for quite some time. I’m a huge fan of the Bissell Stomp Pads I told you about a couple months ago, and they work wonders on new carpet stains. But we still have some old stubborn spots that I’ve tried everything on. This is the first product that actually lightened them all – and even totally got rid of many of them! Love it.

Cleaning Tips & Coupons

  • Get some great cleaning tips and learn how Greased Lightening can work on almost any mess in your house – Visit their website at www.Greased-Lightening.com.
  • You can also check them out on Facebook to grab some coupons for sweet savings. If you’ve used Greased Lightening and love it like I do – be sure to leave a comment to let them know. They’ll love it.
  • {Disclaimer: This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own – I really do love this stuff, and think you will too!}

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