A Lifestyle Blog about Marriage, Parenting, Fashion and Fitness
Be sure to check out GraphicStock and make your own printables, invitations and whatever else your heart desires!
Thank you to GraphicStock for sponsoring today’s post. Opinions are 100% my own.
Ryan and I have been making some lifestyle adjustments over the last few months in order to prepare for Sophie-Rae’s arrival. We have been trying to save money any where we can. When it came time to make SR’s birth announcements, I wanted something simple and cheap. That’s where GraphicStock comes in. They have over 250,000 stock photos to choose from. It is so simple to use! All you do is sign up and stat downloading photos! That easy.
I found an adorable baby announcement design and simply used picmonkey to add the wording in there. I love the way it turned out, and best of all? It was totally free! You can’t beat free!
I can’t wait to continue using GraphicStock for other blogging purposes in the future as well. I have a feeling it will really come in handy. I’m so thankful I discovered this great site!
Giveaway Time!
One lucky reader who signs up for the 7-day free trial and shares their GraphicStock project will be selected to win a free 1-year account with GraphicStock ($88 value). All you have to do is:
1. Sign up for the 7-day free trial
2. Visit GraphicStock website and locate an image they would like to use on an innovative project of their own.
3. Comment on my blog, sharing a link to the image that you would like to base your project around if you received the 1-year account.
That’s it!
If you don’t want to use it past the free trial, please cancel your subscription so you won’t have to pay for the membership.
Good Luck!
I seriously forgot how breastfeeding makes you so hungry and thirsty all the time. It is crazy. I thought I was hungry during my pregnancy? It doesn’t even compare! I quickly gathered all of my favorite snacks that keep me full without sacrificing my health. Here are some of my favorite breastfeeding snacks:
Almonds
String Cheese
Yogurt
Granola Bars
Energy Bites
Fruit
Trail Mix
Smoothies
Kind Bars
Raw veggies and Hummus
Kozy Shack Rice Pudding
Kozy Shack Rice Pudding is only 90 calories and is gluten free! I absolutely love eating this as a quick snack especially when I am craving something sweet! My son also loves these. It is great bonding time when we are able to sit down and enjoy our pudding together.
Giveaway Time! Leave me a comment below telling me what fun fact you learned about Kozy Shack from visiting their site HERE. I will randomly choose one winner and Kozy Shack will send you 2 VIP coupons as well as a Kozy Shack Simply Well package! Enter in the rafflecopter below:
Don’t forget to check out Kozy Shack on Instagram!
Today’s post is sponsored by Poise, but my love for their LBL products is all my own! #RecycleYourPeriodPad
Get your Poise Free Samples here!
I just got home from the hospital a couple of days ago after having my second child. While the recovery has seemed to be a little easier this time around, I have definitely been reminded of the importance of a few things I would not have made it without:
–Pads
After two pregnancies, LBL is a real thing in my life. Just ask Ryan. He can make me laugh so hard sometimes that I pee. Literally. It’s not something I’m proud of, but it happens. It’s just part of life after babies, I suppose. Did you know 1 in 3 women experience LBL? It’s true. I love the new Poise Thin-Shaped liners because they are light and perfect for women who struggle with light bladder leakage.
-Compression Tanks
These have been wonderful for postpartum. They really hold everything into place and feel so great. I bought a couple of them from Motherhood Maternity and I am so thankful for them.
-Help
My mom and sister have been amazing help this week. They have helped me do laundry, clean and have really helped with the kiddos. It has been so nice to have the extra hands around here while I am still recovering and it has made life so much easier.
-Easy Snacks
I forgot how breastfeeding makes you feel SO hungry all the time. It has been really nice to have easy snacks that I can just grab and eat while I’m feeding Sophie-Rae.
-Rest
Getting plenty of rest has been easier this time around with all of my mom and sister’s help around here. It has been so nice to be able to really rest so that I can be alert for Hampton and SR!
Get your Free Samples of Poise Thin-Shaped Pads HERE!
What would you add to my list of Postpartum Essentials?
Check out the Huggies contest here!
Growing up, our city was pretty safe and very family friendly. While it still is in some parts of our town, our downtown area became pretty rough for a few years. Luckily, our government leaders have been trying to revamp our downtown area and make it more “family friendly.” We now have a minor league baseball stadium downtown, and a splash pad for children to play however, we still have a long way to go. While our community has made leaps and bounds to revitalize our city, there is still a lot of work to be done.
This weekend, we spent some time downtown walking around a.k.a. trying to walk out this baby. We enjoyed time at the Farmer’s Market and stocked up on veggies and enjoyed lots of conversation with some of our local farmers. They are seriously the sweetest people. I love supporting them by buying as many of our groceries from them as possible. Needless to say, it was a great way to spend our last weekend as a family of three.
Baby update: Despite 4 1/2 hours of false labor Sunday night, I am still very pregnant. Please pray that she comes before this weekend because I have 2 special family members who will not be here for her birth if she waits until Friday. 🙁
My mornings are about to drastically change around here. Soon, I won’t know my mornings from nights again, but for the last few months, this has been my morning routine:
Wake up
Make Coffee
Read my bible/pray
Check emails
Eat breakfast
Shower (if I have time before Hamp wakes up)
Promote Blog Posts
Go on a walk/exercise
Pretty simple, right? It doesn’t always go in that order and some days I don’t have time to shower until lunch or even right before bed, but hey, that’s part of motherhood! Last time I tried to take a shower with Hampton in there with me, he shattered our (glass) scale, threw all of our toilet paper rolls in the toilet and basically destroyed our bathroom. Not doing that again any time soon.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote on the benefits of eating breakfast and how I am trying to improve my habits. Some mornings, all I crave is coffee. I don’t even want to think about eating. That’s where Liberte Mediterranee cappuccino saved me. A cappuccino flavored yogurt! And, it is delicious! I’m seriously addicted. So much so, that I noticed Publix was having a deal on them (10 for $10) and so guess how many I bought? Yeah.
Print your Cheerios Publix coupon and Florida OJ Publix coupon today!
As a WAHM I totally get how hard it is to make time to eat breakfast every morning. It is so easy to get caught up in getting ready for the day, starting on your daily tasks and chasing a 16 month old around the house. Honestly, I am usually so worried about making sure Hampton eats his Cheerios for breakfast that I forget to eat myself. Do you know the benefits of eating breakfast? After you read these, you will not want to skip any more. I know I don’t. After all, it truly is the most important meal of the day.
Here are some benefits of eating breakfast:
-Improved concentration and performance
-weight control
-lower BMI
-lower cholesterol
-increased energy
-kick-starts your metabolism
-improved mood
With all of these amazing benefits, why is it that most Americans are skipping breakfast? Is it our busy lifestyle?
I’m not sure why I skip breakfast so often. Breakfast foods are my favorite. There is nothing better than eating a big ole bowl of Cheerios with my favorite Florida Orange Juice first thing in the morning. I’m trying to do a much better job of eating breakfast every morning, especially now that I am pregnant. I know my body (and baby) needs those extra healthy calories.
Did you know that Cheerios are made from whole grain oats and have only one gram of sugar per serving? Also, Florida Orange Juice is so full of vitamins – like Vitamin C, B, and potassium – which helps support a healthy heart.
Get excited, because I am giving away $15 paypal cash to one lucky winner to buy your own Cheerios and Florida OJ! Just enter in the rafflecopter below. I will choose a winner around April 5th. Disclosure: This giveaway is not conducted my General Mills.
Good luck! Also, don’t forget to print your coupons from Publix!
The month of February is Heart Health Month. Appropriate enough, right? We celebrate love and all things heart, so why not heart health as well? I’ve mentioned before that I have been trying to gain a healthy amount of weight during this pregnancy as opposed to my last. I have applied a few tips that I have learned through the years to keep my weight down, energy up and keeping my heart pumping strong. I’m so excited to introduce you to some of my latest favorite heart healthy snacks from General Mills!
Walking has been HUGE for me this time around. I ran for the first half of my pregnancy but had to stop because it became really uncomfortable. Walking has been a great alternative to keep me moving and raise my heartbeat to a safe level.
Heart healthy snacks such as Gluten Free Chex Granola, Cherrios Ancient Grains and Nature Valley Nut Crisp Bars have been wonderful choices to keep me full throughout the day but not compromising my diet. The Nature Valley Bars are so easy to take with me when I am on the go. They have bailed me out of blood sugar crashes and they taste great! I mean, anything with dark chocolate that contains healthy fats and nutrients that support my heart are definitely a good idea in my book. Be sure to get your coupon to buy 2 boxes of bars for $5 at Publix! This deal only lasts through the 11th, so hurry!
My tone it up workouts have also kept me energized and feeling strong. Most of them work so many muscle groups at the same time that it makes the workouts cardio as well as strength training.
Giveaway time! Stop by here, here and here and tell me what you think of these new products from General Mills in a comment or enter in the rafflecopter! I will announce the winner of $15 paypal cash on February 20th!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Also, don’t forget to print your coupons!
I want to encourage you to get your heart healthy this month! How do you keep your heart pumping?
Tomorrow night we are hosting a super bowl party for our life group friends at church. We are so excited to watch the game, but I’m most looking forward to the commercials. For the party I made my mom’s Mexican Layered Dip using avocados from Mexico. I’m a big fan of guacamole. It contains healthy fat and is a great meal or snack. Because I’ve been craving Mexican food for the last couple of weeks now, I knew I wanted to make this dip for my friends…and myself. 😉
Are you attending or throwing a Super Bowl Party? Do you enjoy the game, commercials or halftime show more?
It is officially a new year and with every new year comes resolutions and goals. I love to set goals for myself each year. The number one New Years Resolution is to lose weight. It is basically on everyone’s list of to-dos. I know it will definitely be on mine after I have my baby girl. In the meantime, I have dedicated this year and the rest of this pregnancy to being healthy. That means eating healthy and exercising regularly. I am trying to gain as little excess weight as possible with this pregnancy. Weight Watchers endorsed products like Yoplait Greek 100 calorie yogurt or Green Giant canned and frozen vegetables are perfect for a healthy snack or, with the right pairings, a meal.
General Mills is giving away an amazing gift basket to one of my luck readers! All you have to do is visit Yoplait, Progresso or Green Giant and leave me a comment telling me which healthy recipe you will make with Weight Watchers endorsed products. Super easy!
I will announce the winner on January 24th! General Mills will be sending you the gift basket directly.
Don’t forget to print your coupons here!
