Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Fun Fitness Gift for Mamas: Tough Mudder Events!

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If I might make a humble suggestion about the selection of Mother’s Day gifts, it would be this: most mamas want a day off from running the house and overseeing the kids, first and foremost. After that, most mothers would especially enjoy getting to have a fun experience; something that they very rarely (or even never) get to do. That’s much more appealing than getting a new tea towel, book to read, or even a bouquet of flowers. We want peace and quiet, followed by great memories!

If the mama on your gift list happens to be interested in fitness, then I’ve got the PERFECT gift idea for her this year: pay her entry fee for a Tough Mudder event! These super fun events are taking place nationwide and they are so unique! To me it feels like part Ninja Warrior, part color run, and part traditional running event. It’s most definitely something that participants will remember for a lifetime!

AND…there’s a code available right now for 25% off the entry fee (use MAY25 at checkout, good through May 16). You can save money while ensuring that you give an unexpected gift that will really wow the mom who already likes to go running.

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Check out the full list of upcoming dates for this really fun obstacle course/run and note the different categories, including the Tough Mudder, (10-12 mile event), the Tough Mudder Half (a 5 mile course challenge designed to test teamwork and grit) and of course, the Tough Mudder 5K (it’s coming to Nashville in August, which is within easy striking distance of me here in Chattanooga!). I counted 59 events in 26 different cities between May and November! This looks like so much fun so get yourself or a mama you know would love this registered today for a great price!

11 Award-Winning Magazine Subscriptions for Kids Worth Exploring

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Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you. I only promote what I love! 
I remember getting my very first magazine subscription as a tween: I got Tiger Beat in the mail and couldn’t wait for it to show up every month so I could check out the latest interviews and photo shoots with New Kids on the Block.
Those are some fun memories, but it’s not exactly how I want to introduce my kids to the world of magazines. We’ve already gotten off to a more interesting start with subscriptions to Highlights, Zootles and the great British magazine, Storytime (full review here). But today I want to highlight a suite of offerings from Cricket Media because they just won 11 different Parents’ Choice Awards for their fantastic magazines, and if you are like me (until recently) you aren’t personally familiar with them. Let’s change that right now!
BABYBUG is for the pre-reader in the family (recommended for ages 6 months – 3 years). Great images and fun reading in a baby book format. 9 issues/year.
LADYBUGis a great pick for the 3-6 range and is designed as a great introduction to the world of reading. Contents include short stories, poems and songs, great artwork and cut-out crafts, games and puzzles. 9 issues/year.
Another great pick for the 3-6 year range is the science magazine Click. Each issue is focused on a single subject and explores it in-depth through real-life photographs, cartoon art, fact-based storytelling, experiments and activities. I am particularly drawn to this magazine as a Montessori mom; I love how a topic of interest is examined in so many ways!
Spider is a great pick for the young independent reader (ages 6-9) who simply loves to read. It’s got it all: fiction, non-fiction, poetry and artwork! 9 issues/year.
We have recently been enjoying our subscription to Ask, which is also designed for the young independent reader (ages 6-9) but has more of an arts and sciences focus as opposed to literature. The title, itself, is an acronym for Arts & Sciences for Kids. It’s loaded with fantastic content (my girls really loved an article on how to speak cat, for example!). I also love that there are no ads in the magazine! 9 issues/year. 
If you have a tween or young teen (9-14), then Cricket Media has a wide variety of award-winning magazines to offer based on interests. I can’t wait for my girls to get old enough for these titles!
Cobblestone is a history focused magazine, and specifically it focuses on American history. It is noted for its thoughtful take on America’s past and the ability to make history come alive! 9 issues/year.
The literary pick for the 9-14 set is Cricket, and it is noted for offering a wide range of story focuses. It has been well-loved by this age group sine the 1970s! 9 issues/year.
For the budding ancient history buffs, go for Dig. This is totally the magazine I would have devoured when I was in the 6th grade! 9 issues/year.
Now for the kid who wants to travel the world: Faces. Love that this magazine aims to help kids better understand other countries and other cultures, helping tomorrow’s world changers better understand the world and their place in it. 9 issues/year.
Muse is a great pick for a blend of arts and sciences for tweens. Check out this high praise from Parents’ Choice about this publication: “If your kids think outside of the box, and are spellbound by what most students their age go blank-eyed over, then Muse might be an important magazine in their lives.  This slick, compact, exceptional, publication challenges its young readers with smart, brain-nudging stories that require serious thinking and advanced-placement perception to understand. Subject matter doesn’t matter much here because, whatever the topic, all of Muse’s features dive into the deep end. ..Cricket Media is behind today’s foremost and most far-reaching educational publications for kids. And Muse is by far its most blow-away magazine for inquisitive kids who embrace wondering about the world and look for ongoing educational challenges. To those youngsters, this magazine is gray-matter gold.” 9 issues/year
 For the high school set (ages 15 and up) go for Cicada. Parents’ Choice says, “Cicada feels like The New Yorker of the teen set.  It’s an intelligent quality magazine with a thirty year history, and has managed to stay familiar without ever seeming dated or stale…The content is a fine blend of astute humor (think “Shouts & Murmurs”), quirky fun and gravitas. The graphic art is superb. The writing, both fiction and non, is adept and fresh.” Sounds terrific! 6 issues/year.
If you are looking for a truly fantastic magazine subscription for your child, I hope I’ve helped you find something you can feel confident about trying out. I’d love to hear about which one (or ones) you choose for your kids in the comments!

What to Pack in the Carry-On for Kids (5-8) on Long Flights

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Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you. I only promote what I use and personally can recommend! 

As we gear up for our big summer trip to Switzerland, one of the things I’m trying to plan ahead for is what to pack in the kids’ carry-on bags. What I remember to pack can honestly be make-or-break during the stressful period of time that starts when we lock the doors to our house and doesn’t end until we open the door at our family’s home. Yes, that includes a very long plane ride (2, actually), but the carry-on bag is on hand to help with the entire trip, start to finish.

So here’s what we’re packing!

best carry on items for long flights

  1. Quality carry-on bags. You can check out my previous blog post on this topic. So many parents forget that every seat you pay for also comes with a free carry-on bag and free “personal item” allowance. You’ve paid for that space, so use it! Involve your child in the packing of the bag and help them get familiar with what’s inside, and where to find it. It will make life easier when it’s time to look through the bag later!

2. Loaded iPads. This is actually something we are hoping to not use at all on the flight, because we are going to try very hard to get the girls to sleep on the plane because that will work much better for jet lag (more on that, later). But again, I want to stress that you are packing for the ENTIRE travel experience, and being on the plane is just one piece of what you need to be prepared for, friends. Netflix now allows for quite a large number of streaming shows to be downloaded and you are definitely going to want to take advantage of that, so that regardless of whether or not you have internet access, you’ve got some entertaining shows on hand for the kids. You will want to download these shows only a day or so before you leave (or else you’ll risk downloading content that your kids have already watched). If you don’t already have a tablet, there are a lot of reasonably priced options out there (just read the descriptions to understand how much space they have for video downloads).

3. Portable charger. Don’t count on being able to find an outlet when you need to recharge your devices. Have your portable battery source with you! They don’t take up much space and they will save your life (a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea).

4. The right earphones. I love that there are many companies out there making earphones that are safe for kids, volume-wise. But there’s one problem: when you are on a jet plane and seated near those engines (as we often seem to be) the “safe” volume settings on those earphones is just too quiet. I love that BuddyPhones has an in-flight option to go a little bit louder during those times while still not allowing for ear-damaging decibels. This feature, along with the fact that it has an extra port so that a second child can listen to the same content, makes this our choice for earphones on the trip.

5. A change of clothes. I don’t advise packing a change of clothes in the carry-on out of fear that checked luggage will be lost (although that can happen!). Rather, it’s good to have a change of clothes because kids spill things and also throw up with little to no warning at the worst possible times. Just sayin’! After having to purchase a very expensive shirt inside a theme park for one of my kids, and have another have to spend all day in the heat with a chocolate milk stain on her pants, I’ve learned my lesson. Throw in some extra clothes. Put them in gallon-sized plastic bags and that way, if you need to use them, you can put the soiled clothes in a bag that will keep them separated from everything else.

6. Whatever helps your kid sleep. If you are taking a long-haul flight, at some point in your travels you are going to need your child to try to sleep. Even if that’s not the case, you will want to help your child be able to sleep well once you reach your destination. So in our case, that means that each child will have 1 stuffed animal that she normally sleeps with on hand, not as a toy but as a sleep buddy. We are also going to pack a soft blanket, which takes up quite a bit of space, I know, but getting the kids to sleep is just that critical, so we need to allocate space for what really matters. We also use lavender essential oil so I’ll have a tiny bottle of that on hand, too. Some parents try out Benadryl and that’s not for me to recommend or not, but I will just say that after getting the green light from your doctor on it, be sure to give it a trial run BEFORE your travels, because it does have the opposite effect on some kids.

7. Medicine/resource bag. I’m using the term loosely here to describe a quart-size ziploc bag I’ll have with some helpful products: antibacterial wet wipes to wipe down our airplane seats and trays (the last thing I want is for my kids to get sick at the beginning of our vacation, so I’m taking extra precautions), a handful of tissues, 2 extra empty quart size bags simply because they are so useful, a few rubber bands (another surprisingly useful item to always have with you), nasal spray and lip balm (to counter the super dry air in planes), small amounts of child-friendly medicine for a variety of ailments (cold, allergies, nausea). If space allows I’ll also include their multivitamins for the trip in here.

8. Activity bags. Each child is going to have a bag of activities. Inside will be one deck of cards, a dot-to-dot book, 8 crayons, a book of mazes, 5 or 6 sheets of blank paper, a sheet of stickers, a pencil, a package of wikki stix, a small container of play-doh, and a few blind bags just for fun. Again, my hope will be to not have to break this out on the flight, itself, but to have on hand for other parts of the trip. Depending on the ages of your kids, you would need to modify this list for their preferences, but try to keep the items light, engaging, and somewhat disposable so that when the fun is over, you can let the pages/packages go and lighten your load!

9. Special treats. This is the time to really go big on your snack game. Make great use of those snack size or sandwich size ziploc bags and load them up with more snacks than you could possibly need, because that is actually going to be the exact amount you DO need. 🙂 I’ll have goldfish, yogurt covered cranberries, some chocolate, those cheese and cracker sets that are so gross but that my kids rarely get and ADORE, squeeze pouches, gummy fruits, a few bananas if I can get them packed without squishing them, and whatever else I can find at the store that is portable. I can guarantee you that your kids will ask for snacks about 10 minutes after you leave your house and won’t really stop asking unless they are asleep. They’ll also ask for snacks during the entirety of your trip, as well as the entire way back home, so however much you pack, it’s not too much!

10. Refillable water bottles. The last thing you want to have to do is to wait for the in-flight beverage service for your kids to get something to drink. It will take 1,000 years and they will spill it 30 seconds after they get it. Be sure that they have their own water bottles (that you know they won’t spill!). You can fill them before the flight once you are past security with no problem.

Bonus: Dramamine for Kids. We just discovered this fabulous motion sickness relief product specially formulated for the 2-12 set. I love that it comes in a petite set of 8 chewables, which means it takes up a negligible amount of room, but the benefit if you need it is HUGE!

I hope this list helps you pack smartly for your upcoming long-haul flight with kids. A well-packed bag doesn’t guarantee happiness during the trip, but it can sure help prevent a lot of misery! Safe travels!

Do It Yourself Pest Control: How We Are Keeping Mosquitoes out of Our Home Without Chemicals

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Thanks to Zevo for partnering with Stuff Parents Need for today’s post, and for making a product that is enormously helpful!

I am one of the not-so-fortunate people in the world that mosquitoes seem to especially love. If I’m outside and a mosquito is within 100 feet of me, it will almost certainly find me. I live in the South, where mosquitoes are quite prevalent, and that means that I get lots and lots of bites every single spring and summer. It’s one of the reasons that, despite living in a gorgeous part of the country, filled with hills, rivers, hiking trails and waterfalls, I refer to myself as someone with “outdoor adventure reluctance.”

My daughter has inherited this bit of bad luck and then some, as she seems to be allergic to the bites. Each one turns into a painful welt. I hate it for her, and do everything I can to keep non-toxic bug repellent on her when we spend time outside, but I can’t seem to figure out how to keep her from falling victim to those pesky mosquitoes who get into our house when we are entering and exiting. They seem to find a good hiding spot and not come out until we are sleeping. My poor little girl frequently wakes up in the morning with bites. It’s terrible!

zevo flying insect trap 1

And this is why I am super excited about Zevo. It is the product I’ve been wishing for, quite honestly, because it provides a worry-free, toxic-free way to address flying insect control at home. I absolutely love that this is a chemical insecticide-free option that really works, as I have kids and pets in the home, so toxic products, even if they are effective, just aren’t welcome.

Zevo doesn’t repel flying insects, but rather uses UV and blue light bio-attractants to continuously attract and trap insects in a super flying insect with a super sticky adhesive backing that they can easily get to, but that you never have to touch. It’s odor and mess-free, and flying insects simply cannot resist it.

zevo flying insect trap 3

We installed our Zevo in an out of reach place in our daughter’s room since she is the #1 mosquito bite victim. We explained what the device is and that it is not to be touched or played with, since it is not a toy. It is important to plug it in somewhere that is unobstructed (so behind curtains and behind furniture are not good….basically if you can’t see it, neither can the flying insects).

zevo flying insect trap 2

Once the device is plugged into a wall outlet, you are all done messing with it for the next month or so (the adhesive pad inside can stay sticky for a few months, but it is recommended to replace it every 14-30 days, so just play around with the time frame to see what’s ideal for your situation). When the cartridge is full, you just toss it (again, never having to touch the bugs or the sticky part) and replace the cartridge.

Mosquitoes have definitely started to make an appearance outside again, but since plugging in our Zevo, we’ve been bite-free in the house, which is a pretty big deal. If you struggle with flying insects making themselves feel at home in your home, you might want to check out Zevo. You can purchase the product online in various quantities, starting at just $12.99 (and there’s a 10% off offer for folks who sign up for their email list, so don’t miss that!).

Traveling to the Dominican Republic with Kids: Educational Activities to Do Before You Go

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In just over 2 weeks I am going to be traveling to the Dominican Republic with my 7 1/2 year old daughter, Darah, to have a relaxing, joyful 4 days in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Leading up to this trip, Darah and I have been preparing for our adventure in a new country by getting more educated on where we are going! The Dominican Republic is a beautiful country with a rich, vibrant culture and history. I’m not sure how much of the island we are going to have the opportunity to see since we will only be there 4 days, but I am certain that we will be interacting with folks who call the Dominican  Republic home, and I know we will enjoy our interactions so much more if we learn a little bit more about the place we are visiting.

traveling to dominican republic with kids

First Stop: The Library! 

Your nearest public library is the very first place I would suggest that you visit to get some resources on the Dominican Republic. Make use of the children’s librarian and ask for some help locating books that talk about the country, or even that are set in that country. We were able to pull 4 different books and are enjoying them immensely. If your library seems to be a bit lacking in materials, I’ve also got a list of children’s books on the Domincan Republic on Amazon, so check that out and see if anything catches your eye.

Crafts and Enrichment Activities

I’ve also found quite a few activities online that are great fun and really help educate the child on the Dominican Republic. Thanks goodness for crowd sourcing these types of ideas, because I was a little lost trying to come up with ideas on my own!

I recommend the following activities:

Get in the Kitchen!

Perhaps one of the best ways to prepare for a trip to the Dominican Republic is to get a jump start on enjoying the cuisine! Here are some popular dishes in the region to get you started:

I hope these ideas can help you make your upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic even more fun by starting the fun and learning right now. Please leave a comment below if you have any additional suggestions or resource ideas to share with others!

Netflix Took Away My Star Ratings: What’s Up (or Down) with That?!?!

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I’m a Netflix Stream Team member and receive complimentary streaming service. I’m also a die-hard fan of the brand and love sharing the latest and greatest with fellow subscribers! As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Last month I got to hang with some great folks from Netflix and learned a bit more about some super exciting developments, included a forthcoming original show I can’t tell you anything about (except that it is REALLY good!), and the switch from a star rating system for things you watch to a simple thumbs up/thumbs down model.

I’m a human, and therefore, am not super big on change. My knee-jerk reaction to the news was, “NOOOOOOO!!!!!” Followed by, “WHY????????”.

Fortunately, Netflix had an answer for me, and what I quickly realized is that the goal is 100% to make the Netflix user experience even better. Netflix has absolutely no desire to make you a less satisfied customer and only make changes when they will result in something better for you as a member.

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So let’s dig into the new rating system and why it happened. And to do that, we need to back up a little bit and look at the star rating system. This system was always designed to give users very personalized feedback. The ratings weren’t intended to be viewed as “across the board” ratings (in other words, Netflix never intended users to assume that a 1 star picture was a dud for EVERYONE…it actually meant that Netflix predicts it will be a dud for YOU).

After looking at the discrepancy between the intention of the star ratings and the way users interpreted them, and after collecting feedback from users on ease of use, the thumbs up/down system was born. And while it is going to make it more difficult for you to rate something that you liked “just ok”, by getting you to commit one way or the other, Netflix is actually going to get even better at serving up recommended content, as well as letting you know when a program is more likely to miss the mark for you.

Here’s a brief video that breaks down the change a bit more.

I’d love to hear what you think about the thumbs rating system now that you understand the rationale behind it a bit better. Any questions you have about it that you’d like me to pass on to the folks at Netflix? Just leave a comment below!

My #1 Tip for Overcoming “Outdoor Adventure Reluctance”

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Thanks to Duluth Trading Company for partnering with me on today’s post, and for making such thoughtfully designed pieces of clothing! 

I grew up in southeast Alabama, a place full of heat, humidity, large bugs, and flat, rather uninteresting terrain. It’s proximity to the beach was a plus, but in my day-to-day life as a child, I never saw all that much reason to spend a lot of time outside. All I ever had to show for it was a sweaty face, sunburn and insect bites.

My husband, on the other hand, spent most of his growing up years in the Pacific Northwest, in a lush, green part of the country, and always within striking distance of beautiful hiking trails, snow-capped mountains, and breathtaking views. Getting outside was a joy for him, rather than a chore like it was for me.

We moved to Chattanooga for many reasons shortly after we started our family, and one of those reasons is that my husband longed to be back in a place that offered plenty of outdoor opportunities for his own enjoyment, but also for his children’s. Since being “outdoorsy” is something I had never identified with at all, I didn’t really see why it mattered, but I was up for it. Even I had to acknowledge that the landscape of this area was quite lovely.

We’ve been on countless hikes in the 6 years we have lived here, and while I still haven’t agreed to give overnight camping a try, my attitude about spending time in the great outdoors has come a long way.

And the #1 trick I have learned to help me feel comfortable is to be very intentional about what I’m wearing. I think most people figure out the importance of quality footwear after their first hike with blisters, but the clothing on your body is just as important, yet is often overlooked. But in my experience, getting outfitted in clothing that shines best in an outdoor environment will significantly add to your comfort level and overall happiness on whatever adventure you are taking.

A few weeks ago, for example, my family decided to do a brief hike on Lookout Mountain. We intended to be on the mountain for an hour, but our journey turned into 2 1/2 hours of climbing all over that beautiful terrain, and not once did any one of us feel too tired or uncomfortable to keep going (aside from my youngest needing to use the restroom out in nature, but that’s another story…).

duluth clothing company

Darah had on her beloved Keen sandals, and she wore her brand new Free Swingin’ Flannel shirt and Firehose overalls from Duluth Trading Company. When she first tried on the overalls, she wasn’t too sure about them, having never before owned a pair. But once she got on that mountain, she felt so comfortable and free that she turned into a little adventurer, and she climbed rocks, and played and just had a great time. I really love that these are built with features that make is super easy to do fun things kids want to do, like climb trees, crouch down to inspect something in the dirt, and to withstand scruffing up in the knees (these have a double layer there so they won’t wear out as fast!). The shirt has been pre-washed to limit shrinkage, and has arm gussets that make it all the more comfortable to reach up high. It’s also super soft! This ensemble has definitely made the cut for our very limited packing list for Switzerland. When we play in those mountain streams and go on beautiful hikes in the Alps, Darah will be dressed in Duluth clothing.

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Layah also had on some awesome overalls from Duluth Trading Company. These are the Hickory Stripe Overalls and they have the same great features as Darah’s pair. And isn’t that stripe so cute? Underneath is a Longtail T Shirt bearing the Duluth Trading Company name. It is very soft and yet it also has features designed for durability, like double-stitched seams. This outfit, too, will be spending the summer in Switzerland!

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Now let’s take a closer look at me, the member of the family with “outdoor adventure reluctance.” In a scenario where a 1 hour hike becomes 2 1/2 times as long as expected, I’m the person in our crew most likely to start complaining. The same goes for if the degree of difficulty of a hike becomes greater than I anticipated. Both were true on this hike, as we navigated switchbacks and climbed up, up, up when I imagined our hike would be relatively flat (think of going around a mountain rather than going up it…that was my plan).

But I did it, and my clothing was of critical importance. If I had been wearing jeans I would have probably started experiencing that awful chafing. Instead, I was wearing Duluth’s Dry on the Fly Capris and they just might be the best pants I’ve owned in several years. They are certainly the best pants I’ve ever owned for being outdoors. These pants offer UPF 30 protection for your skin, which is of critical importance when you will be outside all day, and the wicking element is fabulous. I put it to the test with all those steep climbs and I felt very, very comfortable the entire time. This company knows how to design with the woman in mind, friends!

The top I’m wearing also gets top honors for being the very best outdoor shirt I’ve ever owned. This is called the Sidewinder shirt and it feels SOOOO comfortable! Every element of this shirt’s construction surprised and delighted me. I was particularly excited to see hidden buttons around the chest area, as button-up shirts rarely will stay buttoned on me and almost always have large gaps (#largechestproblems). This shirt stayed put, yet at the same time had a nice, tailored look and wasn’t too big. The top even has a pocket sewn in to the front and a breathable mesh along the back collar. And it’s got that UPF 30 protection. Underneath the Sidewinder shirt is the No Yank Tank and it lives up to it’s name. I never once had to readjust or tug on my undershirt to behave and stay in place. It was fantastic, as well it should be since the team at Duluth spent a year on this design to perfect it and make it the tank you’ve always dreamed of owning. Best believe all 3 pieces are going to Switzerland! I am most likely going to buy myself a few other pieces from Duluth Trading Company for the trip, in fact.

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Tim is the member of our crew who has the most experience owning clothes designed for wear outdoors, so he’s the toughest critic. And he had only great things to say about the 2 pieces he wore on our hike.  The pants are the Dry on the Fly Nylon Cargos and just like my pants, they are adept at wicking away moisture and drying quickly once wet. These are going to be absolutely amazing when it’s time to play in the mountain streams. Tim can get right in there with the girls and not worry about being wet for the rest of the day! He commented on how comfortable they were throughout the hike, too. And all those pockets came in handy for holding treasures that the girls collected along the way. Underneath the sweater seen in the photo he’s also wearing a Dry on the Fly Wicking Polo Shirt. Take a second to watch the fun 1 minute video about just how awesome this particular fabric is!

I’m so glad I’ve had the opportunity to interface with Duluth Trading Company and to take a closer look at their very intentional designs. Every element of their clothing line is made with your comfort and enjoyment in mind. These pieces are designed to work for you and with you so that you can spend less time thinking about your clothes and more time enjoying whatever it is you want to be doing, be it a fun DIY project, a hike, or even a little splashing around in a Swiss stream. And if the great outdoors isn’t really your thing, that’s all the more reason to get yourself a few pieces that will help you relax and feel comfortable. I can tell you first-hand that it can make all the difference in the world between having to suffer through a hike and actually getting to enjoy it and reach the summit!

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Morning Me Time: 3 Things I Set Aside for Myself That Make a Big Difference in My Day

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This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group®  and The J.M. Smucker Company, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #DunkinDonutsPublix  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

How many times have you gone through the day without taking the time to actually get yourself physically ready for it? You skipped the shower, you threw your hair in a bun or ponytail without even brushing it, and when it comes to putting on makeup, that seems downright laughable. Who has time for that?! You also highly suspect that you hold the world record for most consecutive days using dry shampoo.

Sound familiar? I feel you, sister. Some days it feels like an accomplishment to have on a bra and clothes that aren’t stained. Anything else feels extravagant. This is part of what this season of life with young kids looks like, and it’s ok that it needs to be this way sometimes.

But it doesn’t have to be this way all the time. Over the years one trick I have learned is that giving yourself a solid 15 minutes in the morning can pay huge dividends throughout the rest of the day. Here are 3 things I do on the regular in the mornings that make me feel so good and that help me have more energy and confidence for the rest of the day’s battles as a busy mom.

  1. Special Treats

    dunkin donuts me time pic 1

I imagine that like me, you often find special treats for your kids at the grocery store (or perhaps you even make them yourself! Rock on, baking mama!). But I want to encourage you to keep an eye open for a little something just for you. It could be cupcakes like the ones I snagged at Publix last week, or perhaps some fresh flowers, or even a fun, exotic piece fruit. And maybe, just maybe, it might be one of those sequin pillows (don’t judge!). During your morning coffee break, enjoy eating or admiring this little treat that’s just for you. It will put a smile on your face, I promise!

2. Special Coffee

dunkin donuts me time coffee

To go along with your special treat, I very highly recommend having a special coffee. You can find some incredible varieties of Dunkin’ Donuts® coffees at your nearest Publix. Select something indulgent (I went for Vanilla Cupcake!) and save it for this special morning time that is just for you. The flavor is rich and creamy and perfectly sweet, and just the act of brewing it will send a signal to your brain that it is time to focus on you for a few minutes. Light a candle and take a few deep breaths while it is brewing to help kick your body and mind into relaxation mode. Trust me, it really helps! On your next trip to Publix be sure to pick up one of the many great varieties of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and be sure to use this $1 off coupon (now through 5/6/17 at Publix, while supplies last). It’s good for the K-cups or for grounds, so get whatever works for you!

3. Special Attention

dunkin donuts me time makeup

Now that you’ve gotten into the “chill” zone with your DD coffee, your candle and your little treat, it’s time to give yourself a few minutes of special attention. Some days this is going to mean that you get a shower (woo hoo!). Some days it is going to mean that you can style your hair. And some days it is going to mean that you get to put on some makeup. And occasionally, it might even mean that you get to put on a “put together” outfit. For me, choosing an outfit means lighting that candle needs to happen for sure. I keep thinking, “Serenity now!” while I search for something that isn’t faded, more than 3 years old, or actually designed to wear at the gym (anyone feel me on that one???). Maybe in a future post we need to talk about taking some me time to shop for new threads!

dunkin donuts me time candle

I completely understand that rarely, if ever, will you be able to have enough time for all 4 “special attention” steps when you are looking after little ones, but if you can manage 2 out of 4, you are pretty much winning at life. If you can only do 1, that’s ok, but please do at least 1. And this next part is important so read it twice: don’t do this for anyone else but yourself. This isn’t about adhering to what the magazines tell you looks good, this is strictly about doing what makes YOU feel great. And you know as well as I do that some days getting to use that fancy bar of soap (and a shot of caffeine!) is all you needed to feel like a million bucks, or at least to not feel like a deer in the headlights all day.  dunkin donuts me time pic 4

I find that my morning “me time” break can really help set the tone for the rest of my day. If I skip over it due to a perceived lack of time, I tend to pay the price by feeling burned out earlier in the day. Taking time just for you gives you a good ROI (return on investment) far more often than not, so make time and space for it, fellow moms!

3 Easy Tips to Help Allergy-Proof Your Vehicle

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FRAMFreshBreeze #CollectiveBias

Last week I took my oldest on a short car ride to our nearest McDonald’s for a special weekend treat (iced coffee for yours truly and a yogurt parfait for my mini-me). We were having a fabulously fun time on our little adventure until the moment when I rolled down my window to place my order.

The lady on the other end of the intercom asked to take my order and all I could respond with was a barrage of sneezes! I was instantly attacked by all of the pollen in the air. I finally got my order out, but I sneezed all the way through the rest of the drive-thru, including as I was paying for my food and as I was picking up my order. I’m sure I grossed out the people I came in contact with along the way!

It’s allergy season where I live, and between the large amounts of pollen in the spring and all the mold from decaying leaves in the fall, close to half the year is what I consider to be”allergy season”. Therefore, for half of the year the air is more of less debilitating for me. Much of the time I’m just heading to my car, but it doesn’t take long for the air inside the car to be just as awful as the air outside.

If you suffer from allergies, too, there are 3 things you can do to help keep the air inside your car as free from allergens as possible, and stay sneeze-free on your daily commute or while running errands.

how to keep pollen out of your vehicle

  1. Open Windows are Off Limits

I know, I know. Rolling down the windows on a gorgeous day is SO fun and refreshing. Except that it isn’t, because the price you will pay for that breezy feeling could last for weeks. All that pollen in the air is going to come right into your car, sticking to every surface to torment you for as long as possible. For the sake of your allergies, keep your windows rolled up and run the a/c unit instead, ideally on the recirculate setting so that you aren’t continuously pulling in outside, pollen-ridden air. You want to feel the fresh breeze on your face? Go get a box fan.

2. Commit to a Weekly Wipe Down

At least once this spring, and ideally more frequently, you need to do some serious vacuuming in your car. This will get rid of pollen that is sitting on your seats, but it will also help with other allergens, such as dust mites. Additionally, at least once a week you should take a wet cloth or paper towel into your car and wipe down the console, the steering wheel, and basically any hard surface that you have a tendency to touch while in the car. This will help keep the air inside the car from having pollen and other allergens stirring up again and again. By the way, this is a really fun chore for kids, so don’t be shy about asking them to be your wipe down warriors!

3. Change Your Cabin Air Filter for Maximum Benefits

Some people don’t even realize that their vehicles have cabin air filters.  I only learned about it a few years ago when I was first researching how to keep myself from sneezing constantly for the entire month of April. We now use the FRAM Fresh Breeze® cabin air filters, replacing it every spring, and it makes a really big difference in the air quality inside the car. It’s no wonder we can tell a difference, because it turns out that the air inside your vehicle can be up to 6 times dirtier than the air outside. During allergy season, to risk having even worse air quality in my car is something I can’t do. I would sneeze so much that I would likely get myself into an accident! That’s why now that I’ve discovered this often overlooked part of routine car maintenance and I make sure to take care of it every year (or if you put a lot of miles on your car, change it every 12,000 miles, and also follow recommended change intervals as noted in your vehicle owner’s manual).

The FRAM Fresh Breeze® cabin air filter can keep up to 98% of dust, dirt and allergens from entering your vehicle (though remember the wipe down rule…you’ve got to tackle what enters your vehicle when you open the doors!). I also like that it uses the natural deodorizing capabilities of ARM & HAMMER® baking soda. My allergies can’t hang with artificial air fresheners, and I like that FRAM Fresh Breeze® cabin air filter doesn’t try to mask anything, but rather to neutralize it.

FRAM Fresh Breeze at Walmart

You can determine the exact cabin air filter you need by going to the FRAM Walmart page and entering the year, make and model of your vehicle. Then write down the cabin air filter number, and head to your nearest Walmart. Or you can can use the texting feature on the website that allows your search results (including installation videos and part number) to be sent to your phone so you can easily pull up that info while in Walmart, and also while changing out your filter. And as for installation, you’ll have the pardon the pun but it honestly is a breeze!

Every vehicle is going to be somewhat different, but in the case of my car (a 2007 Toyota Corolla) all I had to do was remove the glove box (sounds tricky, but it’s only a few simple screws to remove!).

FRAM fresh breeze 1

Then I removed the cabin air filter.

FRAM fresh breeze 2

Then thanked my lucky stars that all of this junk was kept from my lungs and eyes!
FRAM fresh breeze 3

Then I replaced the old filter with the new FRAM Fresh Breeze® cabin air filter.

FRAM fresh breeze 4

Then I screwed back in the glove compartment. The entire process took less than 10 minutes, and I’m good to go for another year!

If your allergies give you fits this time of year, try out all 3 of the tips I have and I think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised by how much easier it becomes to breathe while in your vehicle. Take a moment to find out if your vehicle has a cabin air filter and which one is right for you. It’s a very simple fix that makes such a big difference! And check out this site for even more great tips to keep your vehicle in tip top shape this spring!