a continuing story about family life - parenting, cooking, gardening, DIY-ing, crafting, and living near Dallas, Texas
This post was brought to you by Hawaiian Falls. All opinions are mine.
It is hard for me to believe that July is almost over. Life seems to be flying by these days, but the kids still need things to do or else we all go nuts in the house. The hot Texas sun persuades us to stay inside, but outside at Hawaiian Falls is where the fun is at!
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This post was brought to you by Yoplait. All opinions are mine.
My husband’s busiest time of the year is summer and funny enough, it’s also when the kids are home from school. I am not going to pretend it is all sunshine and happiness around here, because being a mom is hard. Period. I have never actually heard a mom say “yeah, this mom thing is soooo easy.” Last week, two of my kids slept in my room because they were scared and honestly, I slept better with them there. That meant that I was physically with my children for 24 hours a day, all week, though. I work from home and while we took a trip to the zoo and I made time to devote to them, it is sometimes exhausting to be a work at home mom with kids who do not go to school or daycare during the summer, especially while Dad is gone on trips. How are we to do this mom thing when we are home alone with the kids all day?View Post
This post was sponsored by Tai Pei and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. Enjoy delicious, convenient Chinese food at home, anytime.
Sometimes deciding what to make is the hardest part of meal preparation. Then there’s the questions like will my kids eat it? How long does it take to prepare? Does it have to thaw? Do I have to preheat the oven? There is nothing quite like opening up the freezer and seeing an easy to make meal right in front of my eyes. Tai Pei single serve entrees are exactly what we need when we want a delicious, c0nvenient Chinese food. There’s something for everyone!
Tai Pei Asian-style frozen entrees are made with real, quality ingredients, and no preservatives or artificial ingredients. My favorite is the Chicken Fried Rice. Tai Pei uses infused rice for more flavor. The best part is that these delicious meals are cooked in the microwave and are ready after just a few minutes.
The boys love chow mein, and I love that Tai Pei’s Chicken Chow Mein is jam packed with lots of veggies and big pieces of white meat chicken.
Look for Tai Pei’s new convenient packaging at a store near you. Save $1.00 on ONE (1) Tai Pei® Entrée (7.9 oz. or larger) or Appetizer with this coupon. Tai Pei has many different options that we cannot wait to try. Beef & Broccoli, Orange Chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken, and General Tso’s Spicy Chicken single serve entrees, just to name a few. And you have to try Tai Pei’s appetizers – potstickers, egg rolls, and spring rolls to round out your meal!
This post was brought to you by Disney, contains affiliate links, and all opinions are mine.
Disney Junior’s latest DVD, Minnie’s Happy Helpers, comes out July 25, and I have some fun activity pages to celebrate! There is also a giveaway at the bottom, so make sure not to miss it!View Post
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While my kids like eating in their school cafeteria, I prefer them to take lunches from home. Let’s be honest though, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches get pretty boring after awhile, and some schools cannot even take peanut butter because of food allergies. My oldest LOVES pizza, and these mini pizzas are great for school lunches. You can add different toppings to jazz them up. You can make a batch the night before and just microwave at home before school (or at school if they can) and they’re good to go. They are an easy treat that kids will love!View Post
This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Tree Top.
Any parent of littles ones know that even though it is hot outside, kids cannot stay indoors all day. I really have to get motivated to go outside, but I know how much it benefits all of us. I have to make sure and plan well so we can have an enjoyable trip that does not end up being super expensive. I like to take lots of things to do for the car ride, as well as lots of water and portable, packable snacks that won’t spoil during the day.View Post
Paper Plate Party Masks contains affiliate links
Here we are in the middle of summer. It is HOT, the kids are BORED, and this mama needs to get on the ball and get some work done. The boys love making crafts and it is a way to keep them occupied and away from screens, so why not? Yes I will have a huge mess to help the boys clean up, but sometimes, an hour of them happily crafting away is worth it. Even if I have to assist and even if there is a mess, which there will be, it is worth it!
You can use paper plates for so many things. Fun colored party paper plates make fancy masks. Create these paper plate masks with your kids and make this summer day awesome!View Post
This post was sponsored by Cheddar’s. All opinions are mine.
It’s mid-July and the kids have been out of school for almost two months now. It is crazy that summer is halfway over and the dreaded “s” word will be starting before we know it. I have really enjoyed having the boys at home, believe it or not. Most days are actually fun and they bring joy to my day. However….I am looking forward to those few sweet vacations we have planned this summer, and some unplanned. No, we are not going to the beach, although I wish that we were. Vacations for this mama include anytime Daddy takes the boys outside so I can have some quiet, trips to the grocery store on a slow weekday morning, and those glorious times that we can go to places like Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. I don’t have to cook, I don’t have to listen to kids say “I don’t want that” when I serve a meal, and….we can get a taste of tropical islands in an air conditioned environment. 
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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hyland’s Earache Drops. The uses for Hyland’s products are based on traditional homeopathic practice. They have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration.
My family always looks forward to summer. There is nothing that my kids love more than swimming or playing in the water. They begin talking about going swimming in the early spring, and I long for those hot, carefree summer days. Then summer comes and I remember exactly why I do not like summer at times – it’s the fact that *I* am in charge of everything. From finding swimsuits, packing sunscreen, towels, life jackets, etc, to THEN putting it all away and washing everything, that is enough to make this mommy really grumpy.
My kids are finally old enough to take a little responsibility, so I had a great idea to make them their own swimming kit that they pack and carry into the pool or water park! This cuts down on me having to lug three huge bags into while my kids skip merrily along, with me having to yell for them to slow down and wait for me.
It all starts with a bag. Each kid has a waterproof bag to pack all of their stuff in for the water. They decide what they need, I look it over, and they pack it up. I held onto a couple of these bags from our cloth diapering days called wet bags. They are heavy duty, waterproof, zippered bags that are also washable. Here is just an example of what might go inside the waterproof bag:
Assuming the child is wearing their swimsuit, they will need a dry change of clothes, shoes, and socks to change into after swimming. Then, they can change and put their wet clothes into the bag. They can also pack their sunglasses, lotion, aloe vera, and sunscreen, and something else that I have found to be very, very valuable for after swimming – Hyland’s Earache Drops.
We love Hyland’s Earache Drops because ear pain sometimes comes after swimming and that is never fun. They are natural and homeopathic, and help to soothe earaches that we often get after swimming in non-chlorinated water. They also help relieve symptoms of earaches, including fever, pain, irritability and sleeplessness. We love that they’re a natural, homeopathically-prepared blend of botanicals and minerals.
The swimming kit is very easy for them to pack. You might want to make a checklist and look over their things before they pack it to make sure they will have everything they need.
There you have it – an easy way to lessen your load and get the kids to help out. The best part is, this gives them a sense of responsibility so you are actually less likely to lose things if they are put in charge!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hyland’s Earache Drops. The uses for Hyland’s products are based on traditional homeopathic practice. They have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration.
Getting outdoors has always been not only fun for our family over the years, but with three young boys, it is a necessity! During the summer, it is hard to get motivated to get out and face the heat. The rewards of riding bicycles together as a family are worth the work it takes to get everything prepared. Some of our best times have been on a family bike ride!View Post
