Moms

Jennifer here to share with you about Lullaby Paints, amazing chalkboard paint that comes in all different kinds of colors. We were compensated to write this post and given a sample, however all opinions remain my own. My daughter is an artist. She loves to draw — on everything. I have to tell you that she is an amazing artist. She draws super heroes, people, animals, and more. When we were contacted about doing a review for Lullaby Paints, I knew this would be something that she would love in her room. I loved how versatile and easy this paint went on. My 15  year old daughter tackled this project all by herself — something that is not easy to do with a lot of other chalkboard paint products. About Chalk Board Paints There’s something undeniably fun about chalkboards (c’mon, admit it). They simply beckon for doodles and drawings. Go ahead and get your chalk on with Lullaby Paints hard, super-resilient Chalkboard paint made to the same baby-safe standards as other Lullaby Paints. Offered in sixteen colors to accent any room, Chalkboard Paints provide a wonderful canvas for children to express their creative instincts. The low-sheen finish is ideal for all kinds of chalks and is fully washable to make masterpiece after masterpiece after masterpiece. Chalkboard Paints are also available as a kit, including paint (sufficient for a board of thirty square feet with two coats) a roller, tray, chalk and edging tape. And, our safe formula means kids can paint their own chalkboard – perfect for artwork, poetry, or anything their imagination can dream up. Since her room is lime green, black, and aqua blue, she chose the blue shade to paint with. She marked off a section of her closet doors and went to down painting. The kit even comes with its own little bag of chalk, but like I said — my daughter is an artist, so she already had a ton of sidewalk chalk just waiting to be used so she decorated her board. The paint was dry and ready to draw on about an hour after she finished. Each day, she draws something new on her Aqua blue chalkboard. Her project was small, but if you are looking to tackle a bigger painting project, you can order some FREE samples of their designer-inspired colors. Enter to win One reader is going to get their chance to win a Chalkboard paint kit in their desired color. New to Rafflecopter? Watch this 45-second video on how to enter! a Rafflecopter giveaway So which color would you choose? What would you do with it?

A couple of Julia’s friends were here for a sleepover last weekend and I’m not sure anyone enjoyed it as much as my little guy. At one point, he was on my lap, surrounded by little girls smiling and cooing at him, their voices soft and lilting, and he had never seemed more pleased. The girls were celebrating the end of the softball season that never really ends because now Julia is playing for a 10 and Under team. And then in an 8 and Under tournament. And possibly a fall league. All the while Lucy is still playing t-ball. And BALL. BALL BALL BALL. BALL! All the time. Forever and ever. BALL. I’m contemplating Julia’s birthday cake. I’m planning to use homemade fondant, meaning I will be making it myself. I gave the recipe a test run on Father’s Day. It’s sort of messy to make, but it seems I can make fondant, you guys. Fondant cakes for everyone! We also tried some shaving cream painting, recently, which is pretty cool. This - - resulted in this: And this - - made a big freakin’ mess, which is kid code for FUN and mom code for LET’S DO THIS OUTSIDE NEXT TIME. Also THANK GOODNESS PHOEBE WAS NAPPING.

Here’s another entry in the Things to Do in Oregon With Kids category (previously: Crescent Lake), if I actually had blog categories, which I totally don’t because the last time I tried to mess with my WordPress theme everything blew up and I vowed to never ever ever touch it again. PHP WHUT. The Rogue River has a special place in my heart. It’s so gorgeous and wonderful and I’ll always remember hiking the trail in 2010 and writing afterwards, “What if home were closer to all of this? Thinking, planning, plotting. How to get from here to there.” We’ve camped in the area four years in a row now, and this past weekend was the second time we stayed at the Indian Mary campground with the boys. Where to go: Just past Merlin in southern Oregon, about 140 miles from Eugene. Why to go: The Rogue River is a must-see part of Oregon. Summers are hot and sunny and the scenery is unreal and you’ll never want to leave. What to do: If your ideal family vacation includes shopping and spa visits, this probably isn’t the place for you. But if you like outdoorsy stuff, the options are limitless: hiking, boating, whitewater rafting, fishing, camping, etc. You can bring (or rent) a raft and do a brief leisurely float, or you can hire a guide and spend several days on the wild section of the river. (I did this once with JB years ago and it was absolutely amazing. I wouldn’t do it with the kids yet, though, because I’d be too nervous about their safety.) Next time we go I want to do a jetboat ride again, because those are crazy fun. You can hike a short section of the the Rogue River trail or walk the whole damn thing. You can park your ass in a chair in the sun and watch your kids throw rocks in the water for like 15 hours. Where to stay: I can’t recommend the Indian Mary campground enough for families. It’s got great bathrooms, showers, a big playground, a disc-golf course, a basketball court, RV hookups, and so on. There’s a tent-only section that gets a little crowded, so here’s a tip: the very best spots are 54, 56, and 58. The camp is right on the river, and just a couple miles from the awesome Galice Resort where you can buy stuff at the little store or have lunch on their deck. What might suck: Nothing will suck, except coming home and dealing with the giant pile of camp laundry. All & Sundry

Currently on repeat:168. Passenger by: Emily WellsGGC

Lesley, 5 Minutes for Mom contributor, shares her insights on CleanItSupply.com. We were compensated, but all opinions remain her own. Keeping your home clean can be a struggle, especially for busy moms. But it’s a necessary evil and we all want our homes to be sparkling clean and germ free for our families! One of my main concerns when I am cleaning my home is what I’m using to clean with. So many products have harmful chemicals and I want to try to eliminate the risk of all those toxins coming in contact with my kids. I also want to make sure that the products I use are going to get the job done. There are so many different products out there I never know if I am choosing the right thing. It gets so confusing. Recently, I was introduced to a website that allows you to purchase all of your cleaning needs from one place. CleanItSupply.com has everything! From janitorial supplies, restaurant supplies … you can even find office supplies! But the only thing I was interested in was cleaning supplies for my home and while browsing I found the Elements All Surface Kit. The Elements All Surface Kit contains All Surface Cleaner, Non Ammoniated Glass Cleaner, and Organic Acid Restroom Cleaner. All natural green cleanser that will allow me to keep the most used areas of my home clean without harsh chemical fumes or chemical residue. Elements cleaning power comes from the most effective natural sources. I was so excited to see everything I would need in one handy kit. They don’t only carry all natural products, you can find cleaning supplies like Lysol and SOS. Everything is sold in bulk and you can be sure you will find excellent pricing. I can’t wait to look over the site more and find the products best suited to keeping my home clean and fresh! What are your favorite cleaning supplies? Lesley is mama to two kids,Gracie & Matthew. She’s married to her first and only love, Robby. Living a simple life in WV she is author of Life with Lesley. Her blog has a little of everything – life, books, reviews, giveaways, and more!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary stay at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa and access to their amenities.  All opinions are mine and mine alone. Most days won’t find me relaxing in style at a fancy hotel.  My normal day includes spending to much time on the computer, driving kids all over town, and trying to get the housework and yard work all taken care of in one day.  Every now and then, I do something different like traveling to Texas to attend BlogHer Food. Traveling to Texas for BlogHer Food was tons of fun but even more exciting was the fact that I got to visit the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa before heading to the conference. Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa The Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa is unlike any hotel I have stayed at before.  The 405 acre resort grounds adjoin 1,100 acres of nature park.  There are 491 rooms and many have their own balcony or patio. You really won’t be spending much time in your room while you’re there though.  I honestly could not believe how much there was to do at the resort.  There really is something for everyone. Since relaxation was high on my list of things to do while there, I was thrilled to be able to enjoy a Herb Garden Pedicure at Spa Django.  I got to choose my favorite herb for the salt scrub and the oil and it truly was an amazing experience.  If your goal is relaxation, you will definitely want to stop by their relaxation room and enjoy a cold glass of strawberry lime water as you relax in front of the fireplace.  Take a stroll through their herb garden and relax in their relaxation pool or sauna to complete your experience. If you’re more of an active type, never fear, you will find more than enough to keep you busy.  You can enjoy Hyatt trail rides (and pony rides for the kids) or take a kayak ride on the river.  Take a leisurely stroll through Butterfly Meadow or Hummingbird Garden. There are tennis courts, a driving range, hiking trails, and a fitness center.  If you’re traveling with kids, they will definitely want to visit the Crooked River Water Park that features a 1,00 foot Crooked River, water slide, hot tub, adult pool, beach area and more.  If you’d rather enjoy the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa without kids, you can drop them off at Camp Hyatt (ages 3-12) where they can enjoy crafts, games, sports and scavenger hunts.  While they’re entertained, you can relax to your heart’s content. When the day is done, make sure you visit one of their restaurants.  The Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa has everything from a latte and pastry at McDade’s Emporium, a burger and fries at Firewheel Cafe, or a fine dining experience at Stories Fine Dining. I had a chance to sample a variety of dishes at Stories Fine Dining and cannot recommend it enough.  If I had to choose a favorite, I would suggest you begin with the Prince Edward Island Mussels as a starter, then the Local Honey Brined Pheasant as an entree with the Chocolate Espresso Torte for dessert (it has 6 shots of espresso!). Whether your goal is relaxation or fun activities with the family, you will find everything you need at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa. Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa 575 Hyatt Lost Pines Road Lost Pines, Texas, USA, 78612 Tel: +1 512 308 1234 Fax: +1 512 308 4800 Disclosure: I received a complimentary stay at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa and access to their amenities.  All opinions are mine and mine alone. The post Relax In Style: Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa appeared first on Confessions of an Overworked Mom.

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Teresa shares with us today her insights on how to keep kids learning during the summer months. Here are her tips to keep those little minds working! Summer breezes are wafting in my windows these days and my children’s motivation toward their education is floating right out that same open window. Green grass and trees and shrubs are in full bloom. There is even a new robin’s nest with a couple of eggs sitting in a tree in our parkway. This entire activity outdoors is keeping my children from concentrating on schoolwork indoors. Instead of fighting for my children’s attention, I decided to head outdoors. I’m not sure if you are aware, but if you let your kids blow off some energy, they will actually focus better for you on their schoolwork. Hence, the let’s get outdoors, run around a bit, and have fun learning. The best ways for me to incorporate fun learning into their schedules is simple. It just takes a bit of planning and preparing ahead of time. Here are some ways I like to bring Geography, Math and English lessons outdoors with us. Geography I love that my children already love Geography. In the summer, they adore this subject because we participate in an activity known as Letterboxing. If you are not familiar with Letterboxing, it is a quest to search for a hidden box. The hider leaves clues to the location of the hidden box and you search for it. I have my children take the provided clues and create a map. We then use the map and get familiar with symbols, landmarks and landscapes of the areas we are searching. My children learn how to create and read maps, use a compass, use landmarks to hidden locations and generally have a fabulous afternoon of ‘learning fun’. Math I plan a picnic and let the children make grocery lists, create a budget, clip coupons and calculate the amount of money to spend per person. We have a grocery store field trip to purchase the food for the picnic. I have math problems written in sharpie on plastic baggies for the children to fill with the different food items they have chosen. Since I have three children in three different grades, I have to tailor the math problems to each of their abilities. Where else would one get to practice addition, subtraction, division, multiplication and algebra but at a picnic in the park. My kids have so much fun, they don’t’ even realize they are doing homework. English While we are walking {or driving} to a park for our picnic, I have the children look for specific things in nature on the way. If they happen to spot a bird, I ask them to tell me a short story about this bird and be as descriptive as possible. This strengthens their use of verbs and adjectives. Another task I might assign would be to play a rhyming game with them about the number of steps we are taking, how fast or how slow we are walking. This exercise gets my children paying attention to how they are pronouncing words. These exercises garner many giggles as my children love to create nonsense words. Another favorite is to play Onomatopoeia. “How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, In the icy air of night! “How they clang, and clash, and roar! What a horror they outpour ” ~ The Bells by Edgar Allan Poe I’m always trying to think of creative methods of learning for my children. Homeschooling affords me the opportunity to be creative. So when boredom hits or I am afraid that they are not going to remember things we talked about during the year, we have fun outdoors with Geography, Math, and English. What are some of your favorite methods for keeping your kids learning during the summer?

The beach and I are synced up like high school girls apparently because everytime I go, I have my period. The IUD has already caused enough interesting issues with that time of the month (said "ISSSSUUUUSEZ" like the British for full effect), but the sea water and sand well they just add to the overall discomfort that's almost as bad as the post-birth giant pad in mesh underpants. Actually, I was probably walking like that after two hours of sitting in the sand. All this wouldn't be so bad if I was lounging happily on a shaded chair with a...

I am a big believer in women supporting other women. As my career has developed over the last few years I have benefited a lot from the support and advice of other women in business and always try to give that back to others too. I will always try to answer questions, offer tips and meet up with local women for a coffee and a chat if I can. In the blogging world too I see how important this network is and the value of women offering both practical and emotional support to other women. We really can do and be anything we want. There is absolutely no shame in asking for help when you need it. I am very happy then to be supporting a new campaign from e-commerce specialists Alibaba, celebrating female entrepreneurs. They want to encourage women to realize their vision of creating a thriving and successful business so if you’re a female entrepreneur then submit your story and you could be in with the chance to win a mentorship from one of five successful businesswomen. It’s a unique opportunity to learn from experienced entrepreneurs who have turned their ideas into business acumen. You’ll learn from some of the best so you can expand your business and make it even greater, achieving more than you thought possible. Find out more and submit your own story here. The post Win a mentorship from a successful entrepreneur appeared first on Slummy single mummy.