The Blog

You Could Win $500 in the BMO Harris Bank Scavenger Hunt Sweepstakes!

This post is brought to you by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Things have been heating up a little bit around here lately. There’s been talk, multiple talks about having another baby. I’m done. I swear, I am. But my husband seems to think it would be nice to have just one more. Now me, I’m logical. We have two already, ages 12 and 14. We also have my two teenage brothers and my father in law here. I think our house is full enough and I am in no rush to add to our family again since in just a few years, our kids will be grown.

This whole talk has taken me back to a time when we were preparing for our first baby. Now I was excited, don’t get me wrong; but we were young and I had plans that had to be put on hold. Over the years, some of those plans went on hold indefinitely. A new baby required a lot of money – oodles of it. There were so many things we had to buy for the baby, that I stopped shopping for myself. Even now that the kids are older, I feel a twinge of guilt if I spend just twenty dollars on a shirt or something for myself. Long gone are the days of mall shopping – I hit the big box stores instead.

Had I been older and able to plan for my first child, I would have made sure that I had a savings built up so that we would never have had to struggle for those first few years. So if you’re in a similar boat, you might want to check out the BMO Harris Bank Scavenger Hunt Sweepstakes on Facebook.

The Scavenger Hunt will go on for 5 weeks, each week having its own theme. This weeks theme is “A New Baby”, so you’ll have to explore the dots on the map and locate all of the tokens. Then you’ll be able to enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win $500!

The first little dot that appeared asked me the question “In your baby’s first year, you’ll spend almost $10,000 on diapers, food, clothes, toys, childcare, healthcare and unexpected expenses” and I had to answer true or false. Once that had been answered I just moved along to the other red dots, completing the tasks as asked. It’s really simple to do and you have until 2/24/14 at 11:59 am CT to enter for your chance to win this weeks scavenger hunt!

Then after that of course, you’ll have 4 more weeks to enter for a chance to win even more great prizes! But don’t forget, first you’ve got to “Like” BMO Harris Bank on Facebook!
So now that I’ve shared some of my story, I’ve got to ask, what was it like when your family was expecting your first baby?

Try New TruMoo Chocolate Marshmallow Milk Before it’s Gone!

Blog

My boys are big fans of chocolate milk. What am I talking about – we all are! There’s just something about the delicious goodness that we can’t resist!

Now, just imagine, a delicious glass of chocolate milk, with a hint of marshmallow. Well it’s possible, but only for a limited time. So make sure you grab a carton or jug of New TruMoo Chocolate Marshmallow Milk!

The thing I like best about the TruMoo Chocolate Marshmallow Milk is that there are no Artificial Growth Hormones and it doesn’t contain High Fructose Corn Syrup. That makes me feel much better about serving it to my family!

Now could you image heating this stuff up and serving it hot? It would be amazing! You could even make a S’more mocktail by adding crushed graham crackers to the rim of your cup! Now that’s declicious!

What about some hot cocoa with TruMoo Chocolate Marshmallow Milk in place of regular milk. Or if you’re tired of the cold and wishing warmer weather was near, brave it up with a Rocky Road shake! Add some chocolate ice cream, marshmallows, chocolate chips and TruMoo Chocolate Marshmallow Milk into a blender and you’ve got instant deliciousness!

TruMoo Chocolate Marshmallow Milk is only available for a limited time and you should be able to find a carton in any Target store. So be sure to get it before it’s gone!

Connect:

You can connect with TruMoo on Facebook and/or @TruMooMilk on Twitter!

Florastor Probiotics Promote Overall Body Health

Blog· Review

The last year I have started to feel my age. Not to say that 32 is old but I am definitely not in my mid-twenties which is where my heart still is. I am starting to see wrinkles and grey hairs and I no longer find myself being carded when buying a bottle of wine. So I have started trying to eat better and exercise regularly. Part of having overall body health for me means healthy insides too. That’s where yeast-based Florastor comes in. It is a probiotic promoting intestinal health for more than 60 years now. Florastor actually helps promote the body’s own natural intestinal flora when it’s potentially vulnerable, from travel, stress, change in diet?or the negative effects of antibiotics.

Florastor is different because:

1-It isn?t compromised when using antibiotics; (Yogurt and bacteria-based pills are often compromised.)
2-It doesn?t require refrigeration like yogurt and many bacteria-based probiotics, as it contains 250 mg of Saccharomyces boulardii lyo, found naturally on the skin of lychees and mangosteens (tropical fruits). No refrigeration makes it popular choice with travelers.

For more about how Florastor can help you check out the PRWeb press release. Here is an excerpt from the link:

Top Tips to Help Optimize Your Health

Consider these healthy tips to help you feeling your best in 2014:

Eat Balanced Meals: People who eat regular, balanced meals are more likely to be in a normal weight range and have healthier dietary and eating patterns.

Drink More Water: Unlike sugary sodas, sports drinks and fruit juices, water has zero calories and doesn’t put stress on the insulin system. Water is the ultimate health drink, helping with digestion and brain and muscle performance.

Get Up and Move: Physical activity not only promotes digestive health, but also can help control weight, builds muscles, reduces fat and promotes strong bone and joint development.

Revel in “Nothing”: Shuttling from one event to another can become a source of family stress. Allow some unstructured “nothing time” to promote healthy balance and improve overall well-being.

Take Probiotics Daily: When the body is stressed from work, school, travel, diet or the effects of medication, probiotics can help maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Probiotics are not just for adults either. It can be important for children to have a healthy gut too. Florastor also has one for children ages 2 months and up. I put it in my preschooler’s drink every morning. She now asks me to give it to her when I forget. I personally think it helps to keep her bowels regular. She has a tendency to hold it in and then gets constipation. After using this for several weeks she has not had any constipation problems and goes every day now. Much easier on her and me!

Florastor and Florastor?Kids are vegetarian and gluten-free, are generally tolerated by people who are lactose intolerant and DO NOT include corn, meat, egg protein, milk protein, fish, nuts, gluten, or shellfish.

No matter what your age or health status is most people can probably benefit from taking a daily probiotic. I need to stay as healthy as I can be and this is an easy way to try and help achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Connect:

You can connect with Florastor on their website and Facebook and @Florastor on Twitter.

Buy It:

You can purchase from Drugstore.com Florastor for adults for $34.87 and Florastor for kids for $17.24.

Rev Up Your Morning with Honey Bunches of Oats Morning Energy

Blog· Review

This post brought to you by Honey Bunches of Oats. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m a cereal girl – have been since I was a kid. It’s a quick and simple meal or snack to grab when I’m hungry, so I just go for it. I also prefer some of the healthier types as opposed to the ones chocked full of sugar and other junk. I’m happy to say that often my kids do too, especially Lil Man.

Honey Bunches of Oats has been one of our favorites for all of time. I’m lucky if I get one bowl out of the entire box before the rest of these boys just eat it all – even if there’s a sugary, not so good for you version right next to it. If I want a bowl, I need to grab one the instant I put it in the cupboard; or better yet, just hide it until I’m ready to have a bowl. Afterward, I can put it out to share!

Honey Bunches of Oats recently came out with Honey Bunches of Oats Morning Energy. There are two new Morning Energy cereal flavors – Cinnamon Crunch and Chocolatey Almond Crunch. My family was able to sample each variety and I have to say, I am impressed! It’s the same great taste that I’ve always loved with a boost of energy along with chocolately or cinnamon goodness. A favorite was hard to choose, but I’m a total chocoholic, so the Chocolatey Almond Crunch had to win in the end!

Of course I had to get a shot of Lil Man trying it too. Just like his mama, he loved he Chocolatey Almond Crunch the best! He said it tasted much like the original, which is his favorite – and he loved the chunks of delicious chocolate inside!

You can connect with Honey Bunches of Oats on Facebook and @HBOats on Twitter.

Which flavor would you like to try the most? Why do you think it would be your favorite?

6 Kinds of Footwear You Should Have in Your Wardrobe

Blog

This is a featured guest post by Alex. Material connection involved.

A woman knows the basic clothing staples in her wardrobe: from a white button down shirt to her little black dress. But do you know that you should also have your footwear staples? Get those pumps, sneakers, gladiator sandals and the rest of your footwear essentials ready as you complete your closet with these 6 staples.

1. Flip-flops. Flip-flops are your go-to footwear during the summer season. They?re usually cheap (depending on the brand you?re getting), made of rubber and they come in thousands of different designs and colors to match your every outfit. They?re easy to clean, very comfortable to your feet and you can flaunt your pedis wearing this type of footwear. Nowadays, flip-flops can be embellished with laces, ribbons and Swarovski crystals to make it more stylish. The Havaianas brand from Brazil is one of the most popular flip-flop brands in the world.

2. Flats. Women’s flats are your go-to footwear for a refined look. They are perfect for casual and semi-formal ensemble if you?re going after comfortable yet chic style. Flats come in different colors, designs and materials and they never run out of style. Pair it with a pair of jeans, a pantsuit, skirt, dress, shorts ? anything! Flats are also synonymous with ballet flats, doll shoes and Mary Janes. They now come in foldable ones so you can easily slip them when your feet are hurting from your usual pumps.

3. Gladiator sandals. Flip-flops give a more casual look for a spring or summer day but if you?re aiming for a little bit of style and class, wear gladiator sandals for your every outfit. The multiple straps are gladiators? trademark style, which make them really great head-turners. They come in flat ones, high-heels, knee-high and in wedge style. You can even find your favorite celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian and Gwyneth Paltrow rocking these stylish and sexy footwear. To emulate a celebrity’s fashion, you can get a more affordable version by checking out cheap gladiator sandals from www.makemechic.com.

4. Black pumps. They say that when women wear heels, their legs look longer, butt bigger and back straighter. Wearing heels seem to help you achieve good posture and at the same time, they?re the sexiest thing next to your lace lingerie. Pumps come in different colors but if you?re not into wearing heels that much, a black pair should be your staple. It’s perfect for any outfit ensemble: a button down shirt paired with a pencil skirt, pantsuit and cocktail dress. If you?ve got all the money in the world, own just even one pair of Louboutins.

5. Sneakers. A footwear that can last for years, sneakers are definitely the coolest ones you should keep in your coolest. From Nike to Converse to Skechers, a pair of sneakers will be your finishing touch to your laidback shorts, mini skirt and jeans ensemble. They?re great for casual wear and at the same time, they?re comfortable. Nowadays, sneakers get much attention because they come in vivid colors, unexpected materials like leather and suede combination, neon laces, zipper designs and even in heels.

6. Rubber shoes. Everybody needs exercise and when you have a running or training shoes in your closet, you will feel the need to use this pair to burn calories when you run or when you play sports. Some use it as often as they could, some very seldom but keeping a pair is still essential.

Which of these 6 footwear staples do you have in your wardrobe?

« Previous Page