Unicorn Yogurt Pops

These magical Unicorn Yogurt Pops are the perfect frosty & healthy treat for back to school...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon, Silk, & So Delicious. The opinions and text are all mine.

We are in full-on back to school mode over here. My son starts his senior year of high school in less than a week, and my youngest will start her first day of Pre-K the week after. To say I have my hands full over here getting them both ready for the new school year would be an understatement. ;) 

The biggest challenge for me right now is making sure that they both get a healthy start to the year. It is trying to find that balance between making sure they have healthier, more real food snacks on hand to enjoy after school while still making sure that those same snacks are also fun for the kiddos. I think I successfully accomplished both of those goals with these magical Unicorn Yogurt Pops.

These frosty pops are a creamy blend of bananas, protein-packed Greek yogurt, and our favorite almondmilk. But what makes them magical for the kids are the swirls of bright colors and the fun star-shaped sprinkles... ;)

How To Easily Get a Teenager to Pack a Healthier School Lunch...

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Del Monte, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #DelMonteBTS  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Today my oldest baby starts his first full week as a high school sophomore.

Today my oldest baby also turns sixteen.

Sixteen, folks!

Seriously all, where has the time gone??

One day he is my little buddy who spends hours putting together his latest Lego set (and he is shorter than me!), and the next day he is my young man who is into cars and sports (and also very much taller than me now ;) ).

Did I also mention that he is also old enough to now obtain a driver's license?? Faint.

While I am excited for all the new adventures he is embarking on as he grows into such a wonderful young man, I also get a little teary-eyed when I think that we literally just have three years of high school left until he is college bound.

Sometimes one of the hardest things to accept about having a child headed towards adulthood is that you cannot be there for every decision that they need to make, every choice that they are faced with.  You can pray that you have instilled enough of your wisdom and values in them that they will just get what they need to do when the time comes.  

Fingers crossed!

Chunky Monkey Snack Mix

This Chunky Monkey Snack Mix is a crunchy mix of whole wheat chocolate grahams, organic banana chips, & satisfying walnuts. It is sure to quickly become a lunchbox & after school snack favorite...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Horizon Organic. The opinions and text are all mine.

I think that the start of a new school year gives us all the chance to do a little reset. We switch from our laid back summertime mode into a more structured back to school routine. My family & I also start to focus on getting back to eating healthier. I mean, I have to keep the kiddos (& myself!) ready to go & fueled for each school day. 

To help make this reset back to healthier eating more fun & a whole lot easier, I have enlisted the help of some of our favorite brands from the Natural Foods Department at our local Kroger. On my last shopping trip to Kroger, I picked up a box of Horizon Chocolate Snack Grahams, a package of Simple Truth Organic Banana Chips, & a bag of Simple Truth Walnut Halves & Pieces to whip up this super easy to make & 100% kid approved Chunky Monkey Snack Mix...

12 Fun & Healthy On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas

These 12 Fun & Healthy On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas are perfect for back to school & busy mornings...

I think by now we are all waist deep into all things back to school- am I right? ;) My kiddos have both been in school for over 2 weeks now, so we are finally starting to find our groove each weekday morning. 

Most mornings everyone gets up & dressed with lunches packed and backpacks ready to roll and with enough time to spare to sit down and enjoy a bowl of cereal before heading out the door for school. But then there are those mornings... I know that you all have to know what I am talking about here.

The mornings when the oldest hits the snooze button one too many times or "accidentally" turns his alarm off and now he is running behind.

The mornings when the youngest has a total meltdown because I wouldn't let her to go to school in her mismatched (and often outgrown) outfit that she picked out all by herself. I mean, I can deal with mismatched every now & again as long as it is at least the right size clothing, okay? ;)

Or how about the mornings when your high school senior forgets that he has an assignment for AP English due that day, and he is frantically doing it at the kitchen table 10 minutes before he has to leave for school? Or when mom (oops!) forgets that she is supposed to provide snacks for the youngest's Pre-K class that day?

10 Fun & Creative Lunchbox Ideas

Need some fun lunch ideas for back to school? Then you are going to love these school lunches that think out of the lunchbox...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Food Lion via Burst Media. The opinions and text are all mine.

It is already that time of the year, folks. Back-to-school is here!
And back-to-school always means packing lunches each school night in this house.






Did you know that packing a healthy, fun, and creative lunch for your kiddos could also mean helping out your children's school with obtaining school supplies, equipment, and funding educational and extra-curricular activities?

It can when you are purchasing products with Box Tops® on their packaging for your children's lunchboxes from your local Food Lion®! :)






Now we all know that sometimes the kids school lunches can be a little blah. I mean, you can only send them to school with so many PB&J's each week. Need some fun ideas? You are going to love these school lunches that think out of the lunchbox! ;) Plus, there are a few fun lunchbox free printables included too...

Strawberry Papaya Tofu Smoothie

This Strawberry Papaya Tofu Smoothie is a thick & creamy blend of tofu, sweet strawberries, fresh papaya, frozen mango, & banana- a perfect quick & easy after school snack!

Thank you House Foods for sponsoring this post.

My daughter is enjoying her last few days of summer break, and I am thinking ahead to next week when school starts back up for the year. Even though we do not know quite yet what her second grade year will bring, one thing is for certain- she will come through the door just about every afternoon after school proclaiming how hungry she is. So I am making a mental list now of fun & easy snacks that she can help me make when her after school munchies hit.

Inspired by her recent reading of The Tales of Tofu from House Foods ebook, my daughter asked if we could try one of the recipes from the ebook. My daughter loves any & all smoothies, so she of course requested that we whip up the Strawberry Papaya Tofu Smoothie in preparation for all that upcoming back to school snacking. 

Lunchbox Pizza Rollups

These quick & tasty Lunchbox Pizza Rollups are not only kid approved, but they also get the mom seal of approval for being healthy & filling too...

This delicious recipe was created in partnership with the ADA Mideast. As always, all thoughts & opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

This recipe is also appearing on the Drink-Milk site.

I know it is still July & I am in no way trying to rush summer break here, but school starts back for my son in less than a month, folks. In about 3 weeks to be exact. And my youngest? She is starting Pre-K a week after him. 

Did I mention that this coming school year will also be my son's senior year of high school? Yep. I am fully prepared to be a hot mess for most of this upcoming school year. 

I still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that my youngest will be starting school and my oldest will be embarking on his last year of school. Hold me for the next 10 months, k?





While I may not be emotionally and mentally prepared just yet to tackle the 2016/2017 school year, I am already thinking ahead to those school lunches I will be packing up for the kiddos in less than a month. 

The challenge is to come up with delicious & easy lunch ideas that are not only fun & kid approved, but that also get the mom seal of approval for being healthy & filling. These quick & tasty Lunchbox Pizza Rollups are sure to receive a double thumbs up from both the kiddos and the parents... :)

Double Blueberry Greek Yogurt Waffles

These fluffy & protein-packed Double Blueberry Greek Yogurt Waffles are a tasty & filling way to start your day...

This dairy packed recipe was created in partnership with the ADA Mideast. As always, all thoughts & opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

Back to school is just around the corner, & I am sure that most of you all are in full-on prep for the new school year. I know that we are. 

We have been picking up school supplies at the store, doing a little clothes shopping, & making sure all the paperwork is in order for my daughter to start second grade. We have been checking off our back to school to-do list & then checking it twice. 

But did you know that one of the single most important things that we, as parents, can do to make sure our kiddos are ready for school each morning is to ensure that they are eating a healthy, filling breakfast? And one of the best (& easiest!) ways to do that is to make sure to include dairy in their daily breakfast.

In fact, dairy foods happen to be one of the most budget friendly ways to add more protein to your kiddo's breakfast. And more protein means your child will stay feeling fuller longer, which in turn improves their concentration during class. 

Just one serving of milk, yogurt, or cheese includes 8 grams of high quality protein & 9 essential nutrients.

One of my daughter's favorite breakfast foods happens to waffles. This girl would eat waffles every single morning if she could. 

So, I decided to take her most requested breakfast dish & give it a dairy & protein boost by using Greek yogurt instead of oil in the waffle batter. The results? Perfectly fluffy waffles bursting with fresh blueberry flavor! (And also a very happy & full second grader... )

$400 Back to School Cash Giveaway!

Alright, alright. I know just last Friday I was griping about how short this summer seems and how I wish my son were starting back to school in September and not in like two weeks...

But I figured what could make having to go back to school just a little less painful for all of you out there? 

$400 in cold hard cash could certainly help, right?? ;)

Whether you decide to use that for back to school supplies and clothing or possibly for a last hoorah getaway for the family is entirely up to you. 

But I would think that $400 would certainly make it just a tad easier to ease back into the school year for both the parents and the kiddos...

A Fresh Start for the School Year With Box Tops For Education & Food Lion®

It seems like every single year after my oldest's holiday break, it is a slight struggle to get him back into school mode. After almost two weeks off from the daily school grind, I get it. I feel the same after we return home from a week at the beach in the summer.  

But the return to school once the New Year has arrived is also an opportunity for a fresh start for the rest of the school year.  Given the right tools and motivation, it is a chance for him to start off the second half of his school year on the right foot and with a better mindset. 

Box Tops for Education® and Food Lion® understand this struggle, and this year they want to help our schools start off on the right (and properly equipped) foot as well this month. That is why between 1/7/15 - 1/13/15 you can get 20 Bonus Box Tops® ($2.00 value to BTFE eligible school) when you buy ANY 5 participating General Mills® products in a single shopping visit using your personal MVP Food Lion® card AND be automatically entered for a chance to win 100,000 Bonus Box Tops ($10,000 value to BTFE eligible school).

And purchasing participating General Mills® products from your local Food Lion® can not only help you earn more Box Tops for Education® for your child's school, but you can also help you get creative with the after school snacks for the kiddos. I gathered up a few of my favorites to share with you all...

How Do You Treat Yourself To More?

Making time for yourself can be hard during the busy school year. See how I am treating myself to more during back to school with a little help from Target. Post Sponsored by Lunchbox. All opinions are 100% my own.

I know that for most stay-at-home moms that when the school year starts back up they battle with some mixed emotions. They are glad for a little alone time and some peace & quiet during the day, but also are sad that the summer fun with the kiddos has come to an end. In fact, the house can sometimes become painfully silent during the 7-8 hours that the kids are in school each day. But at this point in my SAHM journey, I am not battling with that predicament just yet. In fact, with a little one at home (all day, 24/7) and my teenage son back in school and running cross country, any alone time or peace & quiet that I somehow managed to enjoy here and there during the summer months comes to an abrupt end. I have to make those moments to treat myself to a little peace and relaxation happen.

Last week I headed to my local Target to treat myself to some end of summer/back to school goodies. This mama hasn't purchased new make-up for herself in a good while, so I decided it was about time for a pretty new blush and a perfect-for-fall eye shadow palette. And for those rare days when I would be able to sneak away for a few moments of me time, a relaxing lavender facial mask and some Magnum Double Caramel Ice Cream Bars... ;)

Rice Krispies® Melon Bowls

These delicious Rice Krispies Melon Bowls are filled with vanilla yogurt, our favorite fresh fruits, and the snap, crackle, and pop of one of our favorite cereals...

Kellogg Company sponsored this blog post. The opinions and text are all mine.

With the summer ending and back to school almost here, I think we are all in the in-between place where we are excited for a new school year, but not yet quite ready to let go of summer break. So, I am on a mission to gently transition us all from summer mode to back to school mode. One easy and tasty way to do that? With the breakfasts and snacks that we enjoy like these easy to make and fresh Rice Krispies Melon Bowls! :)

These delicious melon bowls are filled with vanilla yogurt, our favorite fresh fruits, and the snap, crackle, and pop of Rice Krispies. Not only do I love that the "bowls" are edible themselves, but each member of the family can customize their melon bowls with their favorite fruits and toppings and the Rice Krispies cereal that we all love. Just set out bowls of fresh blueberries, sweet sliced strawberries, crunchy almonds, banana slices, and any other tasty toppings you would like, and let the kiddos go crazy creating their very own Rice Krispies Melon Bowls...

Strawberry Muffin Breakfast Cookies

You only need 4 simple ingredients & just 25 minutes to whip up these filling & budget friendly Strawberry Muffin Breakfast Cookies...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Save-A-Lot. The opinions and text are all mine.

With back to school season in full swing over here, I am always looking for quick & budget friendly breakfast ideas for those busy school mornings. 

My daughter needs something quick and filling that she can enjoy before we head out the door to drop her off at Pre-K. And my high school senior son needs a filling breakfast that he can grab and take on the go since he rarely has the time in the mornings to have a sit-down breakfast. These easy to make Strawberry Muffin Breakfast Cookies fill the bill for both of my kiddos! :)

Not only are these breakfast cookies quick & easy (think just 4 ingredients & 25 minutes of your time), but they are also crazy budget friendly too. 

Would you believe me if I told you it cost me less than $2.50 at my local Save-A-Lot (prices may vary by location) to bake up this batch of kid-approved muffin cookies? With savings of up to 40% from conventional grocery stores, Save-A-Lot is the perfect headquarters for your family's back to school breakfast, snacks, & lunch shopping...

Frozen Lemonade Colada

This Frozen Lemonade Colada is what happens when you blend a lemonade stand with the beach- a perfect frosty sip of summer...

Am I the only one who feels like summer is being rushed away already?

At a visit to my local crafts store last week, I was bombarded with fake leaves in the deep shades of autumn and the scent of cinnamon spiced pine cones.

Just step inside any local department store and you will find back-to-school supplies already being shoved into our faces.  

They all seem to be jeering at me... Tick-tock, tick-tock. Your summer is almost up!

And granted, my son starts back to school on August 14th (August 14th, you all) so maybe I shouldn't be so bitter about the whole back-to-school supplies displays.

But come on!  What ever happened to school starting back in September? Do you all remember that? 

And technically speaking, I have to point out that we actually have until September 22nd before summer officially gives way to fall.

So can we just all slow our roll here for a second?

This Frozen Lemonade Colada is the perfectly frosty way to savor summer a little longer... with tart lemon and creamy coconut, every sip is like prolonging those summer days for just one more minute. And I will take every extra sun kissed, summery minute that I can get my hands on (or lips on, in this case)... ;)

Easy Chicken Puttanesca Penne

You only need 30 minutes & 5 simple ingredients to whip up this family-pleasing Easy Chicken Puttanesca Sauce on a busy weeknight...

This recipe was created in partnership with Barilla, Walmart, & No Kid Hungry. All opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own.

Is anyone else's head spinning from the fact that back to school is just a few short weeks away? And for some of you all, the first day of school has already come and gone! (<<My mind is still blown over that one.) 

While I am definitely looking forward to reclaiming my 6 hours of kid-free time on the weekdays, I am also a little sad that summer break is almost over. We had all these grand plans for this summer, but a few things (like that promised weekend camping trip in a tent) didn't get crossed off the family checklist this time around. That seems to happen just about every summer, right?

But now I am getting ready to switch gears from a summer break bucket list to all of those checklists that come with the beginning of a new school year. The school supply list, checking off all that required paperwork that has been signed in and turned in for kindergarten registration, shopping for the necessary back to school clothes, dorm room essentials, and last but certainly not least- weeknight meal planning. 

6 Hands-On History Museums to Visit in Anderson County, TN

These 6 Hands-On History Museums in Anderson County, Tennessee really bring the history of this southern Appalachian region & its people to life...

This post was created in partnership with Adventure Anderson County. As always, all opinions & thoughts expressed below are 100% my own.

The Anderson County area in eastern Tennessee is a region with a rich & diverse local history. From the early days of Appalachian living to the coal mining disasters & wars to it's place in history as one of only 3 secretive & heavily guarded locations of the Manhattan Project during World War II, Anderson County is a history buff's dream come true. Drawing on its role as a pivotal player in the country's & the region's history, this area is home to many amazing museums & historical locations.

During our visit to Tennessee earlier this summer, my family & I got to experience 6 hands-on history museums that really brought the history of Anderson County & its people to life. These museums encouraged its patrons to touch, to explore, to ask questions, & to really immerse themselves in the historical narrative of eastern Tennessee. 

I firmly believe that now more than ever it is important for families to visit places of historical significance and to explore our nation's past & to have these pivotal conversations about where we have been as a country, where we are as a country, & in which direction we would like to head in as a nation now.

Strawberry Explosion French Toast Roll-Ups

Packed with not just one but two types of yogurt, these Strawberry Explosion French Toast Roll-Ups are sure to keep the kiddos fueled & focused right up until that lunch bell rings...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Dannon® Oikos® Greek Yogurt and Danimals® Kids Smoothies. The opinions and text are all mine.

Well, folks... it's that time of the year again! The kiddos are heading back to school soon or maybe have already started back like my youngest has this past week. And while there are definitely crazy busy school mornings where I end up sending my daughter out the door to catch the bus with a breakfast bar in hand, most mornings I try to whip up something that will keep her full & fueled until lunch time.

One of my favorite ways to do this is by incorporating calcium rich yogurt into her back to school breakfasts. Yogurt, especially Greek yogurt, is packed with protein that stays with my daughter right through until the lunch bell rings.