My Motherhood Blog | A Day in Motherhood

Are you Moving this Summer? Compare Moving Companies and More on Unpakt.com + Discount Code

May 17, 2013 By Lori 2 Comments

**This is a sponsored post in partnership with Unpakt.com. See Disclosure information below.**

Summer is almost here! And so are some of the busiest moving months. With kids out of school, it is the perfect time to relocate for work, a new house or to be closer to family!

In the past, when I have moved, it has been a painstaking process to find the right movers, packers, truck rentals and more. I have spent many an hour on the phone or going from one website to another asking for estimates. And most companies got the job because I got tired of it!

Well – FINALLY – there is a website that can help anyone moving simplify the process by comparing prices all in one!

Receive 5% instant cash back on your next move! Enter promo code: SPRING5 on Unpakt.com when booking and save. Must book by 6/30/13.

Unpakt.com is the FIRST web app/digital marketplace/price comparison site for moving services! And it is about time! Available coast to coast, the site was recently featured in The NY Times, Forbes, TechCrunch, Real Simple, The Huffington Post and so many more.

With Unpakt.com, you can compare moving companies, see customer reviews and get it all done in under an hour! No wonder it was named one of the Next Web’s Top 10 Apps for Home & Work.

All you do to get your perfect mover is enter your move information on the site. The site will give your your options. You can save your move information for later use or your can book your move right from the website! So easy!

Save time, money and your sanity by using Unpakt.com to plan and book your next move with a reputable moving company that others have given their opinion on!

**This is a sponsored post in partnership with Unpakt. All writings are my own. Please see my Disclosure Statement for more information.**

Filed Under: My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings, Promo Writings Tagged With: compare moving companies, moving this summer, top 10 apps, unpakt, unpakt.com

Women & Your Future: What You Need to Know Before Moving in with Someone

May 17, 2013 By Lori 2 Comments

**This is a Guest Post by Genworth Financial. All writings and opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure statement for more information.**

As I slowly rebuild my financial picture to the healthy, reliable level I need to support me and my three daughters, I often think back to what I could have done differently in my marriage to protect myself in the first place.

Before I met my ex-husband, I had money in the back, a retirement plan, no debt and a secure financial future. Well, relationships can do funny things to a bank account and it all starts with the line, ‘Sure, you can move in with me!”

I owned my house when I let my ex-husband move in so my first mistake was not asking him to help with the mortgage. So while I paid for everything, he learned that his financial responsibility was null. And by the time I got up the courage to ask him to contribute to the household, he was already used to the current status and getting help out of him was difficult. In retrospect, I should have never let him move in without a solid financial plan! I wish I had read 8 Tips for Protecting Your Finances Before You Move In With Someone.

I sure would have done things differently! I would have had a solid budget before he moved in, kept separate checking accounts that my money would be secure in, required that he contribute a certain amount to the household from day 1 and never wavered on it. I would have even created a lease agreement for him to sign that would legally stand up in court if he did not comply. All very unromantic, but I am SOO in love, things that we women need to do to take care of us. All of the things that would have protected me from myself and my assets that I had at that time. Instead, I slowly depleted my assets to support him even though I knew better!

Now, as I recover and am happy to say – recovering faster than I thought I would – I am determined not to fall in that trap again – not that I am anywhere near even ready to date! But I have children and their future expenses to save for, pets and life to pay for and a nest egg to build for myself. I even watched this awesome video about Overcoming Planning Anxiety to help me think of things in the future that I might need to deal with as my parents age.

Life has a way of throwing curve balls when you least expect it. In my opinion, at least, protecting yourself now against the possible financial pitfalls of a new relationship, the “oh but he is the love of my life” lackluster financial decisions that can ruin your financial nest egg – like mine did – and planning for a future that you can not see just yet, are all ways to be at bat when that curve ball comes!

Get the help you need at Genworth.com and make your financial future more important than his clothes in your closet!

**This is a Guest Post by Genworth Financial. All writings and opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure statement for more information.**

Filed Under: My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings Tagged With: genworth, how do I protect my finances when moving in with someone?, moving in with someone, woman and money

Saturday, May 18, 2013 is National Learn to Swim Day! Sign Up for Lessons NOW!

May 17, 2013 By Lori 1 Comment

A few weeks back I told you about the awesome website, TeachMetoSwim.com! Now it is time to really get into it because Memorial Day is FAST approaching and we need to teach our kids to SWIM!

Saturday, May 18, 2013 is National Learn to Swim Day!

What does that mean to you? On Saturday, May 18^th, Swimways encourages families around the country to participate in National Learn to Swim Day by signing children up for swimming lessons, hosting a National Learn to Swim Day event or committing to learning to swim this summer.

Swimways started National Learn to Swim Day in 2012 with the goal of educating families about the importance and benefits of learning to swim before Memorial Day Weekend and the start of summer.

I, for one, could not be more excited! My kids are with their dad tomorrow- he is taking them to the beach – but our neighborhood pool is now open and I will be taking them next week to help them along this year! Luckily, I have all of the AWESOME swim gear from Swimways to help me teach my kids to be better swimmers!

And I LOVE the TeachMetoSwim.com website fro helpful tips, ideas and more! All summer long, Swimways will be working with Mario Vittone, former Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer and instructor and water safety expert, to bring expert water safety tips to Swim Steps’ dedicated website TeachMeToSwim.com. In addition to these tips, families can download free materials and resources on the site, including a swimming certificate, National Learn to Swim Day party invitation, coloring sheets and more.

It is not too late to gather your neighbors, friends and family to get everyone excited about pool safety this summer! Are you doing something special on National Learn to Swim Day? Tell me about it! I want to see pictures too!

**I am a SwimWays Ambassador. I will receive products for review, information and special materials in order to share with you. All opinions and writings are my own. Please see my Disclosure Statement for more information.**

Filed Under: My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings, Promo Writings Tagged With: national learn to swim day, pool safety tips, swimways, teach your kids to swim

Scott Bath Tissue & Scott Paper Towels Gave Me a FREE $4 Coupon for a Movie on vudu.com

May 15, 2013 By Lori 1 Comment

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Scott Shared Values #cbias #SocialFabric #ScottValues

I LOVE when a product I use anyway gives me a freebie for another product that I love as well! And since Scott Bath Tissue and Paper Towels are a stock up staple anyway, I am doubling my freebie and getting my $4 Vudu coupon that will let me get FREE – or low cost – movies on Vudu.com!

Now – can I be frank? – I don’t have a ton of money to be flushing down the toilet. And as summer fast approaches and I have to budget for summer camps, fun activities and then back to school clothing for my kids, I am even less enthused to pay an arm and a leg for needed paper products in the home.

Scott has always been on my list of ‘affordable’ buys. The fact that it is a brand I can trust that works is a bonus that my wallet can handle! So when I heard I could also get a $4 vudu.com code on specially marked packages of Scott Extra Soft Bath Tissue and Scott Paper Towels, I was out the door ready to get my freebies!

Check out my trip and how I got my FREE Monsters, Inc. movie! We have not seen it and with Monster’s, University coming soon, I want to catch my kids up. Plus I need a fun move for a road trip later this month!

This was so, so easy guys. And since you probably buy Scott paper products anyway, it is just a little thank you they have added to the packages!

So, basically, you go to Walmart and buy the Scott’s brand paper towels and bath tissue that have the $4 vudu coupon on it. Then you pat yourself on the back for scoring this awesome freebie and head home to refill your toilet paper rolls and paper towel holder with high quality products that you got at an awesome price!

And then, once home, head to the Walmart and Scott Shared Values website to redeem your Vudu.com code. You can redeem as many as you want. I redeemed both of mine and instantly got $8 towards the movie I wanted to rent or own.

While you are on the site, be sure to sign up for the Scott Shared Value newsletter and get coupons and deals and special news just for you! I love it and even earn rewards that are handy too!

After you have entered your codes, you can choose how you want to view your movie. I downloaded Monsters, Inc. to my computer to later transfer to a tablet. But you can watch movies using Vudu.com on your XBox, Playstation, Internet TV and so much more!

It really is so easy to use and when you get movies free, it is even better!

Head to Walmart and pick up your Scott Bath Tissue and paper Towels. Be sure to get the packages with the $4 Vudu Coupon and enjoy some family time on Scott!

CONNECT WITH SCOTT

Follow more posts about this deal on Twitter at #ScottValues

WEBSITE FACEBOOK

**I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Scott Shared Values #cbias #SocialFabric #ScottValues. All opinions and writings are my own. Please see my Disclosure Statement for more information.**

Filed Under: My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings Tagged With: Scott, Scott Bath Tissue, Scott Paper towels, Scott Shared Values, Vudu, Walmart

My Perfectly ‘Imperfect’ Mother’s Day

May 14, 2013 By Lori 2 Comments

This year marks the first official Mother’s Day I have had as a single mom. Although, as most moms can attest, sometimes Mother’s Day – even married – feels the same as any other day. Except maybe you get a card.

But as a newly thrilled single mom, I wanted to make this day as special as I could for my kids. And for me in the process.

The kids gave me one of the best gifts and slept late. Like 9am late. That never happens here. Like… EVER, so the fact that I got to sleep in too was just amazing! I then opened the awesome gifts the kids made me at school. A precious handprint from my Megan, a cookbook with lots of yummies from Sarah and a hand print jar from Katie!

I had tears in my eyes as I drank in their perfection and smiles and listened to the ‘Happy Mother’s Day’s’ that escaped their lips.

The girls wanted to take me to breakfast so we slowly got up, got ready and headed out. We had a looooooong wait but eventually ate. I gave the girls each money and they announced to the waitress that they were “Taking Mommy out to Breakfast!” It was the most special I had ever felt on Mother’s Day!

And then it was time for Mother’s Day to continue by taking my girls shopping for summer clothes! Yep, that is how I roll! They needed clothes, I wanted to spend time with them, so off we went.

But as we headed into the store I heard an “Ouch” and then a blood curdling scream. My 6 year old, Katie, had gotten her toe caught under the metal door and sliced two of her toes open. And they were bleeding… a lot!

I picked her up and calmly – you know that calm, moms – walked to the register where people were turning to see me holding a little girl, screaming at the top of her lungs, blood running from her foot, down her flip flop and onto the floor.

“Does anyone have a bandaid?”, I ask. The employees just kept checking out, shaking their head’s no.

“Can you tell me where the bathroom is?”

Still no response from employees.

A mom who was in line checking out handed me a bandaid and told me that the bathroom was around the corner.

Grateful, I carried my still bleeding daughter down the longest hallway in the world and watched as my other two girls followed the trail of blood we were leaving. I would have smiled at their amazement at how each splotch on the floor got bigger and bigger but I was preoccupied.

We got to the bathroom, Katie screaming, her blue flip flop now red and put her foot, shoe and all under the water. As i rinsed and tried to calm her there was a knock at the door.

It opened and the manager of the store poked her head in and said… I KID YOU NOT, “I was trying to find you to help you before you dripped blood all through the store!”

No “How is your daughter.” ”How did this happen?” ”Anything we can do to help?”

Nope – Just frustration because she could not find me to so I would not soil her floors. And, to the point, we left a trail… so it was not like we were hiding.

I responded, “I didn’t see you and my daughter needed attention.”

Clearly frustrated, she closed the door to the bathroom and I never saw her again. I was, later, dumbfounded and a little peeved.

As we got Katie cleaned up, stopped the bleeding and assessed that, other than some nasty cuts, she was fine, I got paper towels and cleaned the blood off of me and then headed out to spot clean the floors. I ran into a woman mopping and was at least grateful that I did not have to clean every spot back to the front of the store.

And then we went shopping as if nothing had ever happened.

Later as I relived the day, relishing in the perfect imperfection of it, I smiled ear to ear. Because with the trauma of bleeding through a store, the joy of listening to my girls ‘buy me breakfast’ or the laughter as they watched me open their gifts, I realized that it was just another day in motherhood. And I will take all the days like that that I can get!

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Filed Under: My Motherhood Blog, My Recent Writings Tagged With: childhood, how to handle injury to a child, motherhood, mothers day

How Much Could Supplemental Insurance from Aflac Save You?

May 14, 2013 By Lori 1 Comment

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Aflac. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

I am now a single mom with no major medical insurance. That happens in a divorce when the mom works from home. It is a scary place to be. Especially when an unexpected doctor’s visit for my yesterday cost $172. For a 15 minute appointment. And if I had needed a follow up, it would be just as much.

But until I can afford the major medical I need, I will be forced to pay the ridiculous costs of healthcare.

Recently, however, I have found out that even without major medical, I can get supplemental insurance through Aflac! For a fraction of what major medical costs. We are talking paying $31 a month as opposed to $300 or more. Now, this insurance won’t replace major medical at all, but it will help with the bill if I have to go in again.

And when I get my major medical, I will be able to use it to offset the out of pocket costs that I will have to pay as well.

My other interest in the supplemental insurance from Aflac is the out of pocket expenses for my kids. They have major medical through their dad but the out of pocket is still taxing on my budget. And if they have an accident or something that takes them to the emergency room, my out of pocket might just eat the grocery budget for the month.

With Aflac, I could get the cash I need to cover out of pocket expenses. And a policy for mom covers the kids too! So, basically, in addition to your major medical, you can pay a small amount per month and get cash you need to help offset out of pocket expenses! And we all need help with emergencies sometimes!

Check out how much this insurance can save you with the REAL COST CALCULATOR.

Check out all of Aflac’s supplemental plans- like the Cancer rider, accident rider and more. I know you will, as I have, see the benefits of supplemental insurance no matter what your medical coverage is!

Learn more about Aflac and the plans they offer on the Aflac Website today!

**I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Aflac. I received a promotional item to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating. All writings are my own. Please see my Disclosure Statement for more information.**

Filed Under: My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings

Getting Zesty in the Kitchen with Kraft’s Zesty Italian Anything Dressing & Giveaway #GetZesty

May 13, 2013 By Lori 25 Comments

Below is a sponsored post in partnership with Mom It Forward and Kraft. Kraft sent me a bottle of the product to review, but they haven’t reviewed or approved what I wrote below. All opinions and writings are my own. Please see below for further Disclosure information.

If you have had the television on at all then you have seen the hunka hunka burning Zest coming from the spokesmodel for Kraft’s Zesty Italian Anything Dressing. In know it has made me want to eat my vegetables with a side of some Zest!

Broccoli, anyone?

I think I’ll be following him on Twitter at @theZestyGuy. See you there? LOL

Ok, I promise I’l move off the Zesty Hot Guy….. well, right after I check out this video below:

Alright, I’ll move on….

Right after I tell you that you can make your friends day and send a ZestyGram to them right from the Zesty guy Website! Yep – send them a Thank You, a Happy Birthday and even an “I’m thinking of you” message right from the page. They will love you forever. And ever. And ever.

Kraft has always been a go-to name in my house. And now that they are zesting up my kitchen, I am even more excited to add a little zest to my everyday meals. From veggies to chicken, Kraft’s Zesty Italian Dressing adds a kick that makes everything just a little more intense!

Check out some awesome recipes with the Zesty Guy on Facebook!

Like Zesty Italian Chicken Salad or Primavera Pasta Toss. Get more awesome recipes on Kraft’s Website too! Perfect for those summer parties we are all planning! I am having a memorial Day fiesta and I will be using some of these recipes to impress my guests, fro sure!

Now, I wanted to do some fancy recipe for you. Like toss some chicken, veggies and Zesty Italian Dressing in a pot and grill it up. But I am on a serious veggie kick. And in an effort not to get bored with that, I have been using this tangy, delicious, oh so awesome dressing to keep me entertained.

I mean, come on…. a little Zesty to veggies helps the healthiness go down, right?

Make sure you check out the Zesty Guy and create some of the awesome recipes, send your pal a ZestyGram, or just screen shot for your new favorite screen saver!

To help you get a little Zest into your kitchen, (1) one of my readers will WIN their very own bottle of Kraft’s Zesty Italian Anything Dressing. I’m sorry, but the Zesty Guy won’t be the one delivering it.

Just enter below and GOOD LUCK!

review disclaimer

Lactaid Makes Lactose Free Easy + Melissa d’Arabian’s Lactose-Free Blueberry Muffin Recipe & FREE Coupon Giveaway #Lactaid

May 10, 2013 By Lori 17 Comments

This is a sponsored post in partnership with Lactaid® and The Motherhood. Please see below for more disclaimer information.

Years ago I say in a doctor’s office, describing symptoms of terrible stomach cramping, untimely gas and other indigestion issues that seemed to gradually be showing up more and more. My doctor listened and then told me that he thought I might be lactose intolerant. Basically, it meant that my body did not have enough lactase in it to break down the dairy I was consuming. He told me that it generally happens gradually and in people who are getting older, but more and more of the population was having this intolerance.

Well, I was not giving up my ice cream, milk and cheese. And I was adamant about it. So my doctor told me about an over the counter pill I could take called Lactaid® that would help me digest my dairy a little better. Basically, Lactaid gives your body the amount of lactase you need so you can enjoy dairy without the discomforts that I experience.

From that day on I have taken it when I need it. And I am always so excited when new Lactaid® products hit the shelves! Like Lactaid® Ice Cream, Cottage Cheese, Milks and even EggNog, now readily available in my grocer’s freezer and refrigerated section.

Find out about all if the amazing Lactaid® products – including their 5 flavors of ice cream – and put them on your grocery list!

In fact, now you can even get whole milk and 2% milk in half gallons and gallons making life just that much easier! I can use it to make mac and cheese, blend smoothies and more! Just like I would with regular milk. And I can enjoy ice cream and cottage cheese without feeling the pain of my indulgence later!

But even more exciting, I can create fun and delicious recipes with Lactaid® too!

Melisssa d’Arabian is a mom of 4 and Lactaid® Spokesperson. She is also a celebrity chef and NY Times best selling author of Ten Dollar Dinners. Melissa is making appearances on the Today Show to show off some awesome lactose free recipes that we all will love!

Below is her first appearance where she is creating some scrumptious lactose free Blueberry Muffins and Almond Mocha Iced Coffee!

Catch Melissa again on June 25, 2013 when she shares some delicious Entree’s that are lactose free! Set your DVR’s or just come back here to see the clip!

While you are waiting on her second appearance, check out these recipe videos available that can help you create awesome lactose free recipes for your family! I am watching and can not wait to create these recipes. Maybe I’ll even create one on my own and share it with you soon!

Here are some great tips from Melissa for cooking with Lactaid®!

Cooking with LACTAID:
* LACTAID does have a slightly sweeter taste, but typically no one notices when
adding it in a recipe
* Melissa likes to put in in her coffee instead of flavored creamer or sugar
* Melissa finds that her kids prefer smoothies with LACTAID compared
other milks, probably due to the slight sweetness
* Melissa says she simply swaps LACTAID for regular milk in recipes, cup for cup
*When substituting LACTAID for cream in recipes, work in a teaspoon of corn
starch (this would be the same for any milk)
* Substitute lactose-free milk for buttermilk by adding vinegar

Have you had issues with dairy digestion? Have you tried Lactaid® products in the past? Have you seen the expanded line of products that can help you make your favorite recipes without the pain later? Tell me about your experience! I want to hear!

And as a great way to get you started with Lactaid® in your home, (1) of my readers will WIN a free product coupon! Just enter below and GOOD LUCK!

review disclaimer

Hey America! What’s your ID? Instant Sweepstakes & Hershey’s® Chocolate Caramel Blueberry, Banana Smoothie Recipe

May 8, 2013 By Lori

The other day I went to the International Delight ‘What’s your ID’ Instant Win sweepstakes and won a pack of Silly Straws! I was SO excited! So, of course, I have to share this fun with you!

I am an International Delight Fan through and through. From their rich, creamy creamers to their awesome ready to drink Iced Coffee’s, they never fail to make my morning and ‘break’ times special!

Right now, I am IN LOVE with the International Delight Hershey’s® Chocolate Caramel flavor. Yea. Uh huh. You read that right. Hershey’s® Chocolate Caramel coffee creamer.

I’ll pause for the proper delicious sigh that we all have when we read that.

With the hot, Texas summer right around the corner, I am trying to create healthier treats for me and my children. And though my favorite way to use International Delight creamer is in my coffee, I have also found it to be a great flavor addition to smoothies as well!

So, in the spirit of making a great smoothies even better, I add a quarter of a cup to some delicious fruits and we drink away!

Here is the ‘recipe’ – and I use that term soooo loosley, for my soon to be famous, Hershey’s® Chocolate Caramel Blueberry Banana Smoothie!

8 ounces of Skim Milk
1/4 Cup of International Delight Hershey’s® Chocolate Caramel creamer
1/2 banana
1/4 cup blueberries
Ice to blend
Lite whipped cream
Chocolate to drizzle
Caramel sprinkles

I blended everything in the blender, added the whipped cream, chocolate syrup and sprinkles and tasted it before I let my kids go wild. It was SOOOOO good.

I could taste, along with hints of the fruits, the deep, velvety taste of the sweet creamer. My kids drank it up – well, part of it – and now I think I have a great recipe for some fruit cubes too!

Looks good, right? Looks sooooooo good!

See more Awesome recipes using all of the International Delight products on their Pinterest Board!

Now that I have you all excited to create fun recipes, let’s get back to contests that you can win with!

So this is really super easy! All you do is Create Your ID and then it will PIN to the US map, where ever you are. When it pins, you will get a chance to ‘spin the bottle’, so to speak, and if it matches up, you win something! Like I said, I won silly straws! You could win the Grand Prize: A Trip to DISNEY WORLD for 4!! Plus, there are a ton of other prizes! It ends June 12, 2013 so pin and spin away!

Seriously, this takes no time at all! Come back a tell me what you won!! A free bottle? A coffee tumbler? Whatever it is, it will be super cool!

CONNECT WITH #WhatsYourID

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The other day I went to the International Delight ‘What’s your ID’ Instant Win sweepstakes and won a pack of Silly Straws! I was SO excited! So I have to share this fun with you! YouTube

What’s Your ID? International Delight is looking for their most passionate flavor fans. Put your ID on the map to enter to win a Magical Trip, play games and discover more unexpected delight. Share your ID flavor at http://whatsyourid.com.

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

Filed Under: My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings

Is Being a “Stay At Home Mom’ a Job or a Luxury?

May 7, 2013 By Lori 7 Comments

In my scouring of the vast internet this week, I found a post by a woman in response to a question a friend asked. The question had something to do with stay at home moms vs work away from home moms.

Her response was something like this – I did not take it word for word – but this is the jist:

“I dislike when women put stay at home mom as their occupation. No. That’s not a job. That’s a luxury. Is it hard? Yeah, sometimes it’s really hard. But you are lucky that you are in a position to do that.”

Initially when I read this, I hit the roof. Staying at home with kids IS a job! And just because we don’t get a standard paycheck does not mean that it is a luxury.

I wrote a post on the stay at home mom vs. the work away from the home mom a while ago. I felt we needed to form a united front and support each other in the raising of our kids, not tear each other down. And I still feel that way. To me, the readers comment was exactly the opposite.

And then I took a deep breath and read it again. Granted, there are a lot of stay at home mom’s who are lucky enough to stay home. And there are a lot of working moms who want to stay home. But is staying home a luxury?

I decided to ask some of my own readers if they thought staying at home was a luxury and what – if any – sacrifices – they have to make in order to stay home. I, myself, have done it all. I have worked and been a mom, stayed home and been and mom and now I work from home as a single mom. I can honestly say that ALL of it has it’s drawbacks and all has it’s benefits.

Here are some of the comments I received:

Ah, the sacrifices for the “luxury” of staying home. It means driving my car until it can’t be driven anymore. Getting my hair cut every 4 months instead of every 6 weeks. It means cutting my kids’ and husband’s hair. It means telling my kids no *gasp* at overpriced museum gift shops and in the toy aisle at Target. It means not vacationing every year. It means having a “dumb” phone until it dies and shopping for the best price on everything we need. It means no sick days. No “vacation” days away from work. It means having a financial planner look at your income vs expenses and ask how you are able to eat.

But it’s a luxury, no doubt. It means I saw my boys’ first steps, heard their first words. Watched them learn to swim, ride a bike, practice piano, bounce on the trampoline. I was able to go to every school function- hear every school song, watch every school play, participate in every science fair. I kiss my kids goodbye when they get on the bus and am there to greet them when the come home. I get to hear every detail of their day and watch them play as they wind down from a long school day. So, sacrifices. Yup. Worth every one. Yup. – Kerrie

*****

Spending more time with me!!!! )) lol – Kristen

*****

I am using coupons and we have switched to more store brands then name brands. We shop at Aldi’s a lot. Kroger’s still doubles on coupons up to .50 here. – Jennifer

*****

We sacrifice everything from vacations to buying new clothes. But the cost of daycare does not allow me to work and actually make $. Hopefully when kids r all in school it will be better. – Christa

*****

I work from home caring for my mother but we are also strict on the budget. Preplanned meals, veggies only from our garden we can, couponing and earning amazon credits for extra stuff. Also..homemade cleaning supplies – Samantha

*****

I hate it when people have that kind of attitude. I have worked part time and been a SAHM and honestly I found working to be easier! Just because I would get a break three days a week and some adult interaction, it was the best of both worlds for me. But I’ve never worked full time while I had kids so I can’t speak for that. I do feel fortunate to have the opportunity to stay home with my kids and I guess in that way you could call it a luxury, but it’s certainly not easy and it’s definitely not without sacrifice as others have said. I also don’t look down upon women who work though, I know they have it hard too! Having kids is a lot of work, period. That being said, I also have to go work in the 1st grade this morning for free. – Cara

*****

For more comments from real moms, see this thread on my Facebook Page.

Most of the comments I received revolved around money and the lack of health insurance, which I don’t have now. Families living on single paychecks that don’t always stretch to fit the basics in, much less the extras. But not one said that they wished they were not stay at home moms.

So, yes… if you mean emotional luxury, then I suppose being a stay at home mom is one. But the sacrifices are there as well.

But just because a family unit finds a way to allow a parent – because there are a lot more stay at home dad’s now – to stay home and witness every thing their kids do all day, does that mean that that stay at home parent can not call that a ‘job’?

Years ago there was an article about how much stay at home moms would earn if they were paid for all of the chores they did all day. Notwithstanding “babysitting’ – because none of us babysit our kids – but cooking, cleaning, managing the household budget, driving everywhere, shopping, handling household maintenance, and so on, would earn a stay at home mom something like $130,000 a year.

I’d say that is a pretty good salary that is not being paid, no matter how much a stay at home mom does.

Now, I know the argument can be made that a stay at home mom should not expect payment because she is home and gets to be there. And because many see it as a choice. But, the reality is that what the stay at home parent does IS work. All day, every day, no matter what. They are on duty overnight, on vacation and every moment in between. And though it may be a ‘luxury’ to do it, it is, in fact, a JOB!

So when we are thinking of the families that have two working, one working, none working. One kid, two kids, seven kids. Financial freedom, financial strain, financial devastation. Special needs children, adopted children, birth children. Stress, pain and uncertainty…. let us also think of the sacrifices and benefits of each situation.

Because being a stay at home mom is both a luxury AND a job. And though we all feel very, VERY lucky to do it, we also have a right to be appreciated for all we do while in that working environment.

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Filed Under: My Motherhood Blog, My Recent Writings

AdoptAClassroom.org & Office Depot Let’s You Celebrate the Teacher’s In Your Life

May 6, 2013 By Lori 1 Comment

I am the very first one to admit that if it were not for teachers, my life path could have been very, very different! In fact, I can honestly say that if it were not for one particular teacher/ school administrator, I might not even be here today.

When I was growing up, a new Junior High School opened in my area. So after elementary school, where a man named Charlie Wiser first entered my life, I went to one school for 7th grade and another for 8th grade. Mr. Wiser seemed to follow. Or was I following him?

In High School, due to some behavioral problems on my end, I went to one school but then was transferred to another. Ironically, Dr. Charlie Wiser also seemed to follow my path.

When I was in high school, I decided living on my own was so much better than living at home – hey teens, is it sooo not – and moved in with my boyfriend and his parents after a quick jaunt to live with my birth father. By the way, all of these ideas in my ‘I know everything’ teen brain, were just wrong!

But as I journeyed through the selfish acts I chose, I always had Charlie Wiser over my shoulder in school. He checked on me, pulled me aside when I started skipping school to work and pay for my little apartment – because I was no better at my boyfriend’s parents – and when I stopped going to school all together, he came to my apartment. To this day, I credit God above for how he knew where I lived.

As we stood outside of my little efficiency apartment and he pleaded with me not to throw my life away and told me about a home study program I could do that would get me to my high school diploma, I remember actually thinking, ‘This man has just changed my life.’

He stood by me every step of the way, watching me take the wrong steps, never judging me for them but guiding me back to the path that I needed to be on. To this very day, it brings tears to my eyes to think about how this teacher, this administrator over 1000′s of students, picked me to help. I give all of the credit in the world to God for making teachers so selfless and caring that even a defiant, know it all, rebellious teen like me can excel in life.

Year’s later, after I was a college graduate with a job at one of the largest brokerage firms out there, I wrote Dr. Wiser a letter. I poured my gratitude into it and told him how much he impacted my life and future. He called me when he got it and I think I heard a crack in his voice when I poured my gracious heart into his hands.

Teacher’s and administrator’s in school are so much more than the ABC’s. They are our educators, believers is us and sometimes even our lifeline.

Office Depot understands the impact a teacher can have on a child. And that they can impact us on so many levels. They are helping YOU reward them so that teacher’s everywhere have the chance to stop paying for supplies in the classroom to educate your kids. Did you know the vast majority of teacher’s pay for their own supplies?

Well, let’s help the out! Register your classroom today with Office Depot’s charity partner AdoptAClassroom.org to participate in the REAL Change Project and be eligible for funding from donors nationwide. 100% of AdoptAClassroom.org donations goes directly to teachers, so they don’t have to spend their own money on supplies!

Office Depot recognizes the contributions teachers make every day to support students:

$1,000: Out-of-pocket amount spent by the average teacher each year on essential classroom supplies
92%: Percentage of teachers who report spending their own money on classroom supplies
$1.3 billion: Total out-of-pocket amount spent nationally by teachers on classroom supplies each year

So enter your teacher or classroom to participate in the AdoptaClassroom.org program and help Office Depot help them out!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Filed Under: My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings

Why There is Freedom in Motherhood

May 2, 2013 By Lori 2 Comments

I have heard it and said it. ‘Mother’s get no time to themselves.” and “A mother’s work is never done.” And yes, it is fact.

I, personally, feel like I am ‘On-Duty” from 6am most mornings to 12pm at night. And sometimes overnight as well. Now, my children are not up those long hours. They sleep until 7am and sometimes will actually be asleep by 9pm. But I am up. And I am not sitting on the couch watching the coolest show on TV.

I am folding laundry, picking up toys, paying bills, working and even laying out my children’s clothes for the next day and prepping their lunches.

So, though the children are not up and asking for something 15 times in a row, I am still mothering and not getting time for myself.

But despite the frustrated posts on Facebook, the funny jokes I come across and agree with – many having to do with the fact that none of us ever get to pee alone – there is freedom in motherhood. You just have to really pay attention to see it.

To me, anyway, freedom in motherhood comes from being able to help a child move from one stage of life to another.

I remember the infant days. And I loved them but often wonder if I could do them again. I remember having these sweet babies attached to me most of the day. Either nursing or snuggling or being carried here and everywhere. And though I LOVED it – oh how I loved it – I recall wishing they would walk faster so that I could just put them down.

The day that they could hold their heads up gave me the freedom to trust other people to hold them – you moms know what I mean on that one – and watching their little bodies roll over for the first time marked the freedom from helping them do just that. Sitting up was freedom from sitting on the floor holding them so they did not faceplant.

Crawling was freedom from carrying them all day and walking, well – at first walking is so not freedom – but, eventually, it was. And as sad as it was to see them growing up so fast, is was a mark of motherhood freedom to not have to hover over them. I could let them walk and play and explore and enjoy the phase of discovery.

As my children have grown, so have my freedoms. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still have them in my sites every moment that they are with me. And I am an attentive – most of the time - loving mom all day and all night with very little time to just sit. I even still have an issue taking a shower with them up lest something happens while I am belting out ’Gangham Style’ in my perfect shower voice. But as they have learned to fend a little more for themselves, my freedom from the responsibilities of teaching them those skills has gone away too.

I shed tears when my last little one learned to walk and I cheered heartily when my middle daughter learned to swing on her own.
I cried when my oldest graduated from preschool and I rejoiced when she took the training wheels off of her bike.

I was also relieved when my middle daughter stopped twisting her hair into knots and when my oldest one stopped eating her toe nails. Those annoying phases and habits could not end fast enough!

Every step they make toward the dreaded day when they leave my home is a mix of sadness and regret that I did not savor it more and a beam of pride that I got them to that point. I can’t wait to see what they are like as teenagers and grown women but I also want to squish them back to the earlier days when playing with mommy was better than any friend they had.

One day, I will wake up and have real freedom. My house will be empty of all but precious memories. Photos of their childhood decorating every spare space on my walls, monogrammed baby blankets still hanging on the end of their beds, reminders of when they were small enough to fit in them.

My lone feet will replace the pitter patter engrained in my memory and I will wish daily for “Mommy” to be screamed at me 20 times in a row.

But until then, I will continue to be mom 24/7, happily complaining that everything I do in my life is for my children. Anxiously, I will watch for the next achievement, the next phase and the next sign of growth.

And I will drink it all in as if their accomplishments are mine. Freely loving that I have this time and that it is precious.

For me, at least, That is the only kind of freedom I need.

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Filed Under: My Motherhood Blog, My Recent Writings Tagged With: freedom, i need a break, moms, motherhood, motherhood freedom, raising kids

Country Crock Makes My Casseroles Delicious + the ‘Country Crock Stars’ Contest #CountryCrockStars

April 30, 2013 By Lori 1 Comment

There is nothing easier to me than throwing a bunch of stuff in one casserole dish and cooking it up for dinner. Casseroles – at least in my house – come in all shapes and flavors. From chicken and rice to beef and noodles to veggies, cheese and yumminess!

But one thing I ALWAYS have in my house that gives any casserole I make that extra layer of delicious flavor is Country Crock Spread. In fact, I use Country Crock for everything from buttering bread to casseroles to delicious baking recipes. It spreads easily, has amazing flavor and never lets me down!

And casseroles are PERFECT in a pinch. One of my favorite ways to ‘cheat’ on casseroles is to add a can of cream of mushroom or celery to some noodles and chicken, add a little water so everything cooks well, top with some cheese and bread crumbs towards the end and bake (I used a prepackaged mix with bacon bits… yum yum)! It is so delicious and my kids LOVE it. Plus it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare.

The other night, we had tumbling so I needed something FAST! I created my masterpiece, being sure to use creamy and flavorful Country Crock instead of butter, and we all ate really well in no time. All I do is mix my ingredients, add salt and pepper and then dab the top with Country Crock!

About 5 minutes before the casserole is done, I add breadcrumbs and cheese! Easy, delicious and a family favorite for sure!

Country Crock thinks that the cooks of America are casserole crazy too! So they have baked up a contest just for those of us who understand the magic of one dish cooking!

All you do to enter the COUNTRY CROCK STARS CONTEST is upload a photo of your favorite casserole – or the one you are making tonight -and then add in 100 words or less how you came up with your awesome dish! THREE will WIN $5000 and 12 will WIN Cookware!

The contest ends May 31, 2013 and you can enter anytime you want until it is over! Winner will be announced and you will come back and tell me how much you love me because I made you enter!

See? Easy! LOL

What are some of your favorite casserole recipes? I’d love to hear your tricks and tips for an easy dish as well!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. Please see my Disclosure Statement for more information.

Filed Under: Deals, My Motherhood Blog, Promo Writings, Recipes, Sweeps, Sweeps

How to Create a Springtime Flower Pot with Delicious Tyson Chicken Nuggets

April 30, 2013 By Lori 2 Comments

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Tyson. #cbias #SocialFabric #SpringtimeNuggets

I don’t think there is a mother out there that does not know that letting your kids get creative with their food adds to the success of them actually eating it! I have two out of three kids that are picky. I learned a long time ago that letting them play with their food and have fun with it increased the likelihood of them actually consuming it!

One of the rare foods that I can make that will be eaten every time without fail is Tyson Chicken Nuggets. Seriously, even I help myself to a plate! These are the most flavorful, juiciest, more delicious nuggets on the market! And I am stocked at all times in my house. But I want them to try other things with them too. Like different dips and veggies and letting them create something fun can help me with my goals of all around healthier eating!

So, in the spirit of being so GRATEFUL that Spring has finally sprung, the girls and I headed to Walmart to find a fun way to play with our food. I, personally, wanted to try to get them to like some more ‘green’ things so I was on a secret mission. But they did not know this, of course!

As we walked in we noticed a tasting booth. I looked on the paperwork sitting there and realized it was for Tyson Chicken Nuggets! Right as I was leaving that area the woman who was running the booth said it would be set up in about an hour, And then she told me my kids could decorate nuggets right there in the store!! I was definitely sticking around for that one!

So my kids and I lazily shopped Walmart, picking up great deals on cute clothing and more. And then we headed to the gardening section to get flower pot inspiration!

We found the cutest pot and then added baking sticks and stickers to the cart! We also added Thousand Island dressing (which I have been trying to get them to eat for ever!) and two bags of Tyson Chicken Nuggets! The picking were slim in the Tyson area so it seems it is catching on that they are awesome!

See my entire shop and food art in my Google + Story below:

By the time we were finished, the Tyson Nugget tasting event was on! My kids ate a nugget quickly and then got to decorate one right there in the store! It was so fun!

In the spirit of springtime we headed home to create our own springtime fun!

How to make a Tyson Chicken Nuggets Flower Pot

First, line the interior of the pot with plastic wrap. We want the nuggets to be eatable after we are done with our masterpiece!

Load the flower put with nuggets to make ‘dirt’. Once that is done, you can stick the bakers sticks into them. Cut them into different sizes to make the flowers multi dimentional. I cut sticks even shorter for the pickle ‘greenery’.

When decorating the nuggets, I used ketchup, mustard, honey mustard and Thousand Island dressing for color. We squirted it on and let them sit for a little while to ‘dry’ so we could minimize the dripping effect!

While we worked, Sarah made the cutest ladybug to sit in our pot! She used one of the baker sticks to draw his face on! Very creative, I thought!

Once the toppings on the nuggets were somewhat dry, we gently stuck them to the sticks. We put the little pickles on the smaller sticks, added Sarah’s ladybug and we were done!

How did we do?

What are your ideas to make fun springtime Tyson Chicken Nuggets for your kids? I am always looking for new ideas! Get more fun ideas doe decorating on the Tyson Springtime website as well!

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**I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Tyson. #cbias #SocialFabric #SpringtimeNuggets. All opinions and writings are my own. Please see my Disclosure Statement for more information.**