I remember when I was a Blog Her newbie a few years back and I want to share what I learned for the newbies this year! I read the guides but nothing beats experience. Here are a few things I wish I had known and advice I wish I had taken for my first first conference. These tips are from my experience with BlogHer but will work with any blogging conference! What Should I Wear? What do you wear? Think of the conference as a business meeting. Even the parties! Dress in business clothes. When in the expo hall, and at parties you are connecting with brands and companies. Who do you think they will want to work with? The professionally dressed person or the one who looks like they have been out clubbing all night and has "things" hanging out no one wants … [Read more...]
Watermelon Cupcakes
The heat is here, kids are getting out of school that means summer time has arrived! With summer time that brings one of my favorite things... watermelons! I love just about anything watermelon flavored! I LOVE watermelon slushies and those chewy watermelon candies and a favorite is these Watermelon flavored cupcakes. Watermelon Cupcakes These are yummy how cute are these? My kids love them and they are always a big hit wherever I take them! INGREDIENTS Cake: 1 box white cake mix 1 (3 oz.) box of watermelon Jell-O powder (reserve 2 teaspoons for frosting) 1/2 cup watermelon puree 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup oil 4 eggs 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional) red food coloring Frosting: 1 cup softened Butter 3 cup Powdered Sugar 3 tbsp Milk 1 tsp Vanilla Green … [Read more...]
What to Stock Up on in June
When June rolls around, most of us spend a lot of time outdoors, at the beach or traveling on vacation. Warmer weather means that we can not only spend more time in the sun, but also that it’s time to start stocking up for certain things. June is a great month for stocking up a lot of fantastic items and you’ll want to make sure you do. Once these sales are off cycle, it will be several months before they’re back on. What to Stock Up on in June June is National Dairy Month and at the same time, we also celebrate Father’s Day. That means there are a plethora of dairy and grilling items to stock up on! Groceries: • Butter • Milk • Cheese • Cream Cheese • Ice Cream • Whipped Topping and Whipped Cream • Eggs (Did you know you can preserve eggs for up to 9 months with no … [Read more...]
Teach My – Women Owned! + Teach My Kit Giveaway!
As a homeschool mom I am always looking for ways to get my kids involved, learning and to make it fun! I was introduced to Teach My line of products a while ago and fell in love with them! They are available at your local Walmart in the learning toy aisle and they have 3 to choose from! Teach My Baby - Is for 6 months and up and helps teach first words, numbers, sounds and touch. They will learn animals and all while playing! Teach My Toddler - Your toddler will learn the alphabet, numbers to 10, shapes and colors. People are always amazed that my 2 year old can tell you what a letter is when you point to it. While she has trouble counting to 10 (she goes 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 LOL!) she also has her shapes and colors down. Teach My Toddler also has a section to teach … [Read more...]
Spread the Love With Huggies! #UltraHug
Having 4 kids we have gone through quite a bit of diapers. As a first time mom we used the diapers the hospital sent home with our son and couldnt' figure out why when he was fed changed and put down for a nap with a clean diaper he would wake up 3 hours later and have leaked out of his diaper EVERY TIME! So off we went to the store with our 3 day old to buy new diapers. Many friends told me to try out Huggies and we have been a huggies family since day 3 of baby #1! I have always loved the Huggies Snug and Dry diapers. They fit my kids and didn't leak, other then my few super pee-ers that needed night time diapers. Now they have Huggies Snug and Dry Ultra Diapers. I admit they have my attention! What ARE the new Huggies Snug and Dry Ultra Diapers? Huggies Snug & Dry ULTRA … [Read more...]
Preparing for a Hurricane on a Budget
It's the start of hurricane season. June - November is hurricane season here in the USA with it's peak being around August. Being born and raised in FL I know a thing or 2 about hurricanes, in fact I was in FL during Hurricane Charley, and I stood in the eye of Hurricane Charley in August 2004. Hurricane Charley was named one of the top 15 Most Costly Natural Disasters in History. Now is the time to start preparing for a hurricane! This CAN be done on a tight budgettoo! Preparing for a Hurricane on a Budget I went digging for hurricane pictures and while I can't find the ones of my house, I did came across these of my grandfather's house. The one below is of the side that got a brunt of the damage, and keep in mind his house was one of the house with the least damage in the area. … [Read more...]
Sweet Potato, Kale and Shrimp Skillet
So this past weekend we went and visited Conklin Farms. They are a Certified Organic Farm in Central, Pa. The kids had a BLAST! We got to pet their baby chickens, feed the older ones and the kids learned so much about the veggies they had growing and got to see them in action! While they we got some kale and this recipe immediately popped into my head. My oldest daughter had 3 helpings my other two, who are very texture oriented, said it was good finished their first helping and asked for a sandwich. *sigh* such is my life! Of course the baby will have to wait a year or two to try it out and give me her opinion but she liked the sweet potatoes! This recipe is a favorite of mine because it's a one pot meal. Everything is cooked in the same pan and that means less clean up! This meal is … [Read more...]
Tips for Stressed Out Homeschooling Parents
Stress brings out the worst in parents. When we feel stressed, we can’t think straight, or do what needs to be done. That’s why feeling stressed out and homeschooling our kids, just does not work. There has to be a solution for stressed out homeschooling parents or else your child’s education could be in jeopardy. #1. Cut Yourself Some Slack Most adults wake up with a list a mile long of things that need accomplished before the sun goes down. If there is one way to reduce the amount of stress you feel while homeschooling your children, it is to cut yourself some slack. Everything you want to teach your child in those few precious hours of homeschooling might not get done. Do what you can and move on. #2. Join a CO-OP A lot of stress from homeschooling stems from trying to … [Read more...]
Summer Vacation Discounts for Military
I love that so many places offer a Military Discount, or even military freebies! So before you head out on a summer vacation, or family trip make sure to take full advantage of you military discounts! Check out some of the big ones this summer! Summer Vacation Discounts for Military One of the best discounts for military in my opinion is the Disney discounts and deals! You can score a 4 day park hopper pass from Disney for just $177 per person per day. That is $44 a day. Being that Magic Kingdom tickets start at over $100 a person this is a HUGE savings! Add to the huge savings Disney has a military resort located at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Shades of Green. This resort is exclusive to military families, including active duty, Reserve, Guard, retirees and families of … [Read more...]
Be a Military Spouse Advocate #ChevySalutes
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Chevrolet via MSB New Media. The opinions and text are all mine. With it being Military Appreciation Month I think we need to celebrate the Military Spouse Advocates in our community. Military spouses are strong, because they have to be! Not only do they raise their kids during deployment, keep the homefront going taking on all the responsibilities of their spouse, they have to find their new road to the everyday normal with their spouse gone but they have to be their spouse's biggest cheerleader while he is overseas as well. All while not falling apart like we feel like we are on the inside. This strength produces some of the most amazing Military Spouse Advocates. These women give their time and their resources to … [Read more...]