29 May 2015

Find Out What Your State Is Doing Today For 529 College Savings Day

http://www.collegesavings.org
Photo Credit: CollegeSavings.org

Today is May 29th, which means it is also 529 College Savings Day!  It is a day to educate about 529 plans and how they can help prepare you when it comes to saving for college.  What's great is that today every state has their own individual activities planned to drive awareness and educate others on ways to save with 529 plans.  Many states are even offering promotions today for opening a 529 college savings plan to celebrate, such as waived enrollment fees and discount zoo tickets!  When it comes to saving for college the earlier you can start is going to help you out in the long run, so what better day than today to head on over by clicking the photo above to see what activities and promotions your state is offering today for opening up a 529 college savings plan!

28 May 2015

Top List of College Dorm Room Essentials



Preparing for your child's departure from the nest onto college life can be an emotional and hectic time. Trying to get everything together that your child will need while away can seem like a big chore to accomplish, but that's where this handy list comes in to help! Here you will find some great ideas for the perfect dorm room essentials, along with a checklist of items to make the job easier! You'll be able to send your son or daughter off with the peace of mind that they have everything they need to succeed.

Storage


I thought it would be a good idea to start off talking about storage, since this will be one of the most, if not THE most important thing to remember when moving into a college dorm. The lack of space for your belongings calls for some creative tactics as far as organization. The good news is with the right key storage pieces, you can maximize your space to it's full potential! 

Bedding


Your son or daughter will want to get a good night's rest as much as possible to stay on top of those grades! Choose a comfortable bed set that offers the most bang for your buck. For that, I recommend the good old bed in a bag! 

Kitchen


Here are some ideas for kitchen necessities! A coffee pot and a mini fridge are two top recommendations. I also like the idea of sending your child with some meal ideas. Whether it's their favorite homemade recipes written down for them to make themselves, or some handy cookbooks, your child will appreciate it!

Bathroom


For the bathroom there is nothing more handy than a shower tote to store your towel, washcloth, and toiletries! Make sure you have enough towels and washcloths to bring with you, along with enough toiletries to give you a good start!


Dorm Room Checklist

  1. Bedside Lamp
  2. Alarm Clock
  3. Storage Items
  4. Waste Basket
  5. Desk Lamp
  6. Dry Erase and/or Cork Board for keeping track of dates and displaying photos
  7. Computer or Laptop and Printer
  8. USB Flash Drive
  9. Surge Protector
  10. Digital Camera
  11. MP3 Player
  12. Bedding and Pillow(s)
  13. Towels and Washcloths
  14. Laundry Bag or Basket
  15. Hangers (Space Saver Hangers Work Wonders To Optimize Space!)
  16. Laundry Detergent, Dryer Sheets, etc.
  17. First Aid Kit
  18. Toiletries such as Shampoo & Conditioner, Bar Soap, Razors, Deodorant, Toothpaste & Toothbrush, Floss, etc.
  19. Hair Brush and/or Comb
  20. Backpack and/or Messenger Bag
  21. School Supplies including paper, notebooks, folders, stapler, ruler, calculator, binder, report folders, pencils, pens, markers, scissors, note cards, etc.
  22. Dictionary & Thesaurus
  23. Coffee Maker
  24. Small Refrigerator
  25. Posters and/or Wall Decals For Decor



26 May 2015

Seven Tips To Help You Get The Sleep You Deserve


When doing what you're supposed to do each night, which is early to bed, early to rise, and not drinking alcohol for starters, you're going to notice that your internal clock consistently wakes you up at the same time. In a perfect world, that sounds great, but no one is perfect and all kinds of other situations arise to deny people sleep. If you fall into that category, as most people do, then here are seven tips to help you get the sleep you deserve. 

Charge Phone In Another Room 
Technology in a room doesn't promote relaxation, and your phone is your worst enemy when trying to go to sleep. Your brain must register that your bed is for sleep, and on the flip side, technology promotes an idea of productivity, causing you to act or at least for your brain to stay active. If you're not willing to charge your phone in another room, at least keep it in silent mode. Texts and other types of notifications can wait until morning. 

Keep It Cool
When two people sleep in a room, one person is typically going to think a certain temperature is too hot, while the other person feels it is too cold. Whoever is too cold can always use a blanket, but whoever thinks it's too hot needs to get to the ideal temperature. People have a harder time cooling off than warming up, and this way, everything works out for both people trying to get a good night's sleep. You can always buy some really comfortable blankets or comforters to further accommodate the person required to use them. 

The Mattress
Certain mattress sets may seem quite expensive, but a good mattress earns its keep. According to certain studies, almost half of the entire population loses sleep to the tune of an average of three hours each week, often caused by tossing about, insomnia, the snoring of a partner and much more. Especially if a partner's restless sleep prevents you from getting the sleep you need, a new mattress or bed could be the answer. You also want a large bed, so that you have stability while you're sleeping, even when your partner is tossing and turning. 

Sideways Sleeping
If your partner wants to cuddle, you can still get the sleep you need. Do so by sleeping on your side, which gives your partner the contact and you the sleep you need each night. Your pillow is also important when it comes to sleep quality, and all these factors combined help reduce stress and mentally productive activity so that you can fall asleep on the first try, and soundly. There are also certain natural supplements that can help with sleep as well. 

If you’re the sort of person that snores then there are all sorts of ways to improve sleep. From eating lighter foods, to getting medical advice to looking at stop snoring mouthpiece reviews and deciding on a device that can help – there’s all sorts of ways to stop. 

The Alarm Clock
A digital clock glows bright and tells you the minutes in an easy fashion. There is a reason why those old school clanging alarm clocks work so great. Not to mention, the alarm on these clocks just isn't as efficient as an old school alarm clock, whether you're talking sound or the simple fact you can hit snooze on a digital clock. You want hands on your clock, not a digital display, which is just another piece of electronics in the room to get your attention, like your phone. If you don't feel like getting a clock with an old-fashioned clanger, then at least turn your digital clock away from your view while you're sleeping. 

No Television
Many people like to fall asleep watching television. This isn't good because of the rule about electronics, but it's more than that. You have to position yourself in a position that is not optimal for sleep in order to watch the television. It's better to turn it off so that you can get in a comfortable position, relax and get a good night's sleep. 

You Snooze You Lose
While you're supposed to have an old-fashioned alarm clock now, people are known to snooze once these are shut off, too. Naturally, you don't have a follow-up alarm, which isn't going to help you out at all. Nevertheless, the idea is that you shouldn't be snoozing because it's not quality sleep that it allows. Get up because if you snooze, you lose, as the saying goes.

25 May 2015

Immortalizing Your Child’s Early Years



Many parents with young children feel that they never want their little rascals to grow up, no matter how messy, dirty and loud they are. We never want the gorgeous soft skin on their faces or chubby little hands to change. Even some days when we can’t wait for them to be able to entertain themselves just for an hour, or sort their potty training out themselves, we dread the days when they’ll be able to coherently argue back (rather than just cry in protest), head out into the unknown world and suddenly don’t need you anymore. The young years are the ones to cherish and they fly by so fast that many parents want to do as much as they can to preserve this special time (not matter how exhausting it can be!) Whether this be through photos, videos, saving nursery and school drawings or hoarding their baby clothes, we all have our way of keeping these experiences close to our heart.

Although everyone has their own personal ideas of how to immortalize their child’s early years, I have come up with a list of ideas that I think everyone can do!

  1. Create an email address for your child
    In the modern day of technology, it would seem silly not to utilize it. So, create an email address for your child and send over photos, images etc until they get to 18 or 21 then give them the password! They’ll have two decades of memories all in one place! (Also, this won’t get lost or damaged)

  2. Start a list of all their first words and phrases
    Electronically or physically, start a long list of all your child’s first words, phrases and then all the funny things they say as they get older. You can send copies of these lists to grandparents to keep too as well as using it to embarrass them when they get to their teens!

  3. Have a memories box
    Although you will have thousands of lovely memories with your child in the early years, a memory box is a great way to keep the main ones in one place. This can be their milk teeth (that the tooth fairy has given back, obviously), hair form their first haircut, one photo from each of their birthdays, christening messages from relatives, first pair of shoes and anything else personal and important to you.

  4. Quiz them
    Ask them questions every birthday such as “Who’s your best friend?” “What’s your favorite food?” “Who’s your best friend?” “What’s your favorite thing to play?” etc. Write down the answers and give them the answer sheet when they get old enough!

  5. Store all of their drawings and paintings
    Buying a big folder and hole punching them in is a good idea. 

  6. Get molds of their hands and feet
    In some schools and nurseries, they clay mold your child’s foot or hand for you to hang on your wall at home. However, sometimes, these don’t look great and it also means they are static to one place when you may want to keep them closer to you. There’s a fantastic online store I’ve discovered called Hold Upon Heart, who specialist in taking the molds of your child’s hands, feet and fingerprints and turning them into jewelry. Either in leather for Daddies or silver necklaces for Mummies, the company sends you a mold kit then shrinks the mold down to fit onto a piece of jewelry.


So there are just a few of my ideas for ways to easily and effectively immortalize your lovely child’s early years. I hope you try them out & enjoy the results!

20 May 2015

Take a Course Through Udemy - All Courses on Sale Now!

Pay $19 for any course!

Right now for a limited time Udemy is having an exciting sale on all of their courses!  You can pick any course for just $19!  If you have never checked out Udemy before it is an online education hub where adults of all ages can take courses on a wide variety of subjects (I'm talking over 25,000 courses) so that anyone can take their career to the next level, learn a new language, or simply learn a new hobby.  Some courses offered at Udemy include writing, Excel, photography, test prep and more!  You can even sign up through Udemy to teach a course for those interested in making some extra money while sharing your knowledge with others.  Course prices normally vary on a sliding scale depending on the instructor's fee, so this limited sale is a steal you won't want to miss!

Use 'BELIEVE1991' at checkout. Valid until 5/22/15 11:59 PST

13 May 2015

Blossom VoxBox Review #Influenster


I have another exciting VoxBox review from Influenster to share with you all!  This time Influenster sent me their Spring Blossom VoxBox to review, filled with a bunch of items that had a health and beauty focus.  Now I know I've talked about how to join up with Influenster before in my previous blog reviews, but once again if you are interested in reviewing some fantastic products for free that you get to keep, and if you also love sharing your opinions, you can sign up to get great VoxBox's like this one at Influenster.com!


Now for what was inside the Blossom VoxBox!  This box contained the following items:

* Bear Naked Granola in their two new flavors Coconut Almond Curry and Sea Salt Caramel Apple

* Hair Food Root Cleansing Shampoo

* Beanitos Chips in Original Black Bean and Chipotle BBQ flavor

* Nasoya Pasta Zero Noodles - Shirataki Spaghetti

* NYC New York Color City Proof 24hr Eye Shadow in Brooklyn Mocha

* Australian Gold Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30

* Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs in Medium


The first product I couldn't resist digging into was the Beanitos Chips.  I was skeptical of how chips made from black beans would taste but overall I was pretty impressed! The Original Black Bean flavor I have to admit would be best with salsa or dip, but the Chipotle BBQ flavor was amazing all on it's own!  I will definitely be looking out for these on my next shopping trip.  I also like that these are preservative free and contain non-GMO ingredients.

The next product I reviewed was the Hair Food Root Cleansing Shampoo.  I use a lot of products in my hair so I was interested to see how well this product would deliver on it's promise to help remove product build up.  It has a strawberry and ginger scent to it which was very pleasant and I have to say that it did well with removing all the product from my hair.  I would definitely recommend this one!

I have also been adding the NYC Eyeshadow and Australian Gold Sunscreen Lotion to my daily beauty routine for review.  I have used several NYC makeup products in the past with good results so I was expecting the same with this eyeshadow, and so far it has been great!  While it promises up to 24 hr wear I have not tested that, but I can say that it does last without smudging or creasing, which I appreciate.  As far as the Australian Gold Sunscreen I have had similar good results.  It has nice coverage without a greasy texture and it keeps my skin feeling hydrated while preventing burns. A+

If you are health conscious when it comes to tanning, which you definitely should be, then you should check out Sally Hansen's Airbrush Legs.  For this review I just patch tested because I was afraid the sample wasn't large enough to do my whole body, but I can tell you that the color does look natural and just as good as what you're gonna get at a tanning salon (this is just way safer!).  It comes in five shades to match any skin tone and it won't rub off on your clothes, so no worries about stains!

Speaking of health conscious, do you love pasta but hate all the carbs that come along with it?  I recently tried the Nasoya Shirataki Spaghetti noodles that came in my VoxBox to make some spaghetti and to find out how these noodles would stack up with only 15 calories and 4 grams of carbs per serving.  Unlike regular spaghetti noodles, Nasoya spaghetti noodles are ready to eat after draning, just heat up (which I loved)!  I just combined the noodles to my spaghetti sauce after draining them and heated everything up, then I dug in!  Overall I couldn't tell a huge difference from regular spaghetti noodles and I liked that I was eating a healthier version, so I would eat them again for sure!  

My last product I am actually finishing reviewing as I type this!  It is for Bear Naked Granola and their two new flavors which are Coconut Almond Curry and Sea Salt Caramel Apple.  I love snacking while blogging, so reaching for a healthier option like granola just makes sense!  My first impression of the Coconut Almond Curry is that I'm not sure I would eat this as a stand alone.  I'm a little caught off guard by the spice of the curry mixed with the hint of sweet coconut.  I could definitely see this as an addition to a recipe though.  Now I have to say that I really enjoyed the Sea Salt Caramel Apple flavor.  I could see this going well on top of yogurt or vanilla ice cream.  Yum!  A special thanks to Influenster and all the brands in this Blossom VoxBox for all the products I had the chance to review!

* Disclosure:  I received the above mentioned products from Influenster in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own and are not a result of any outside influence.


$50 Frog in My Box Giveaway


I wanted to tell you about a fantastic giveaway going on over at Frog in My Box right now where you can enter to win one of two $50 frog cash gift cards to spend on their website!  If you have never had the pleasure of visiting Frog in My Box before it is a website offering new and nearly new infants, children's and maternity clothing at deep discounts!  I'm talking up to 90% off retail!  This giveaway ends May 23, 2015 so you will want to head on over and get your entries in (which are super easy by the way!).  Just head here to enter the giveaway and check out the great deals while you're there!

11 May 2015

Why Every Precious Little Girl Deserves Beautiful Baby Hair Clips

 

Why Every Precious Little Girl Deserves Beautiful Baby Hair Clips

 

Whether you want to buy baby hair clips to make a fashion statement, to accessorize for a photo shoot, to help hold down cowlicks, or even to help distinguish your baby girl's gender, there are certainly plenty from which you can choose. Baby clips, hair bows, and headbands all serve several awesome purposes, and they work whether your baby has a head full of hair or fine, wispy strands.

Baby Headbands

 

Baby headband accessories are quite fashionable as they come in many different colors, styles, textures, and materials. If your baby girl has a lot of hair that you are trying to grow out, then a headband comes in very handy for holding it back from her face. What's more, it adds a touch of style to any outfit, whether you choose to dress your infant in a gorgeous dress or even a pair of jeans and a cute top. There are several styles available, including the cute "bunny ear" bowtie that is incredibly trendy as of late.

Baby Hair Bow and Clip Accessories

 

Baby hair bow and baby clip accessories come in very handy for holding down cowlicks, and they make a great addition to any cute outfit – particularly when it comes to photo shoots. Although many babies are born with a head full of hair, making it easy to find and attach baby clips and similar accessories, some babies have hardly any hair at all. In this case, you can find clips that attach to even just a few strands of hair, all without causing your precious little girl any pain whatsoever. They stay firmly in place throughout the day, and they only come out when you remove them.

Plenty of Baby Hair Bow Choices

 

If you are interested in a baby hair bow, you have many choices available to you. In fact, they come in all sizes, so whether you want a mini clip to accentuate an outfit or a very large bow that often becomes the center of attention (and an amazing conversation piece), you can find either in a variety of colors and styles. Whether you prefer solid colors, pastels, glitter, rainbow, animal print, or something unique, you are sure to find it with ease. Never again will your baby have to go without due to a lack of choice – or even a lack of hair.

The Right Accessory for Your Baby

 

Sometimes, choosing an accessory is difficult – especially if you have a baby who likes to pull and grab or put small objects in her mouth. Large baby hair bows are perfect for this, as are baby headband accessories. For babies who do not fuss, tiny baby clips are always an option as these are more likely to stay put throughout the day, even in very fine hair. They make the perfect accessory for pictures or for everyday wear.

Baby hair bows, headbands, clips, and more are versatile, beautiful, and functional. Weather your baby girl has a head filled with gorgeous locks or barely has any hair at all, finding the right baby hair clips and other hair accessory has never been simpler.

07 May 2015

Give to Charity: Top Ways for the Average Person to Donate



If you’re comfortable in your life and doing well, you’re likely quite thankful for all of the blessings you receive. Even if you work hard for everything that comes into your life, you know that there’s a little bit of luck involved, and that you could be doing considerably worse.

That’s one reason so many people like to give to charitable organizations. In addition to helping those in need you will also receive some tax benefits that can make a big difference in how much you pay.

Use our guide to help you figure out how and what to donate this year.

Give Clothing

A lot of times we buy new clothing and stop wearing certain items, even if they’re still in decent shape. When you have money and are comfortable, you can afford to do that.

You don’t have to just let those clothes sit though. Instead, donate them to a charity that will give them away to people in need or sell them for charitable purposes. You’ll get a tax break for this too.

Offer Household Items

When things stop working or you replace them because you want more efficient devices, what do you do with the old stuff? If you’re like a lot of people around the country you simply throw it away. However there is a better alternative, especially for items that are working fine.

Give them to a charitable organization that will donate them to people who need them, or sell the items to raise money for worthy causes. Many of these charitable organizations will even come to your home and pick the items up, so moving bulky things like office furniture, televisions or stereo systems isn’t something you have to do on your own.

Donate Cash

If you’re doing well for yourself you’re going to need to pay income taxes. What if you could get a break on how much you pay while helping other people out? When you donate cash to organizations like the Sing for Hope organization that’s exactly what you’ll be able to do.

Just make sure you get a receipt for your donation. If you’re not sure how tax deductions for charitable gifts work, have your accountant or a representative from the charity explain it to you.

Not all donations are the same, so understanding is key to properly preparing your taxes.

06 May 2015

Smart Toys Are No Substitute For Traditional Toys



Everyone wants a brainy baby, and many translate that into giving their children a plethora of learning apps on a tablet and a bunch of newfangled smart-toys. While smart toys are exciting and interesting innovations, there is really no substitute for the traditional toys of yesteryear. 

For one, let’s look at what a baby needs to learn from playing. Some major skills that playing teaches children are socialization, cause and effect, problem solving, imaginative play, and creativity. Enter a smart toy. It takes so many of things out of the playing equation. Let’s take a tablet for example. Baby is playing a learning app about the alphabet, for instance. Sounds great right? But let’s look at it closer. 

Is it teaching socialization? No, it doesn’t encourage the child to interact with others. How about cause and effect? It may hit on this a little, but not in the same way as building a tower of blocks and watching it fall to the ground. Are they learning problem solving? Not really, there are no problems to solve. How about imaginative play? Not really, there is only one way to play. Are they being allowed creativity? No the activity is structured and doesn’t really allow for creativity or imaginative play.

Now let’s take a look at an old standard toy, building blocks. Playing with blocks children develop social skills as they work together cooperatively to build. They are learning problem solving by seeing how they need to stack them to make a sturdy tower. They learn problem solving when a tower isn’t sturdy and they add another block. They learn imaginative play as they make houses, cars, animals, trees, literally ANYTHING out of the blocks. Simple building blocks teach all of these skills, not to mention the hand eye coordination developed in physically stacking the blocks with their hands. 

While smart toys seem engaging and educational, when push comes to shove, traditional toys teach our children in a hands-on, fully engaged way that technology just can’t touch. Blocks, cars, dolls, shape stackers, and other traditional toys are popular for a reason, they have stood the test of time teaching a plethora of skills during play. So, maybe, smart toys aren’t really the smartest toys on the block after all.

Things You Should Know Before Starting a Mom Blog


Starting your own mom blog can be a very rewarding outlet to share your journey as a mom and also a way to earn an extra or even full time income for many moms out there.  Before you get started on your new blog there are some things you should consider that will help make the process both easier on you and will help you gain more insight into the world of mom blogging moving forward.

The first thing you need to consider is what your blog's name is going to be and how that is going to play into how you want the design of your blog to look.  Keep in mind that you want the web design of your blog to be reader friendly and not too loud design wise or busy with ads and pop ups if you are planning on monetizing your blog. There are many free pre-made templates for blogs out there, as well as how-tomom blog design tutorials that can help you along the way.  If you would rather invest some money there are web design professionals out there who will take care of the design and installation for you.

Set yourself up with some social media outlets of your choice for your blog such as a Twitter, a Facebook fan page, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and Google+ to start.  You may prefer all or only some of these.  It is completely up to you.  One thing to remember is to not stress out over numbers when you first start blogging.  I like to say that if you be authentic with your writing and be engaging with your audience, the followers will come naturally.

Networking is going to be important, not only when you first start your mom blog, but as you continue to blog over time.  Joining some mom blog groups such as Mom Bloggers Club and Social Moms are great places to meet other moms and network.  You will also find there are a variety of different Facebook groups just for mom bloggers you can join to network with.  These groups usually help each other out by sharing posts and visiting each others blogs to read and leave comments.

Last but not least keep your blog updated regularly.  This is one I have struggled with in the past when I was in college trying to manage school, kids, and the house while figuring out how to fit in time to post.  One piece of advice I recently came across that I found helpful was to plan your posts out for the week ahead of time.  This helps to ensure you will stay on track updating regularly while keeping last minute writer's block at bay.  I hope you found these tips helpful and if you have any other advice for a mom blogger just starting out feel free to leave a comment below!      
 

ShareThis