*Disclosure: We received the product(s) discussed in this post free of charge, as well as compensation. Thoughts and opinions are 100% ours. Affiliate links may be contained in this post. We receive a small commission for purchases and thank you for helping us continue to run our site. 

Skibbles is absolutely obsessed with balls and while her small little hands usually can’t hold more than her tiny basketball or soccer ball, she tries so hard.  One of her favorites is my yoga ball.  The problem with that she can only roll the ball, otherwise she needs help from Andrew or I to assist her with it.  Insert the Wubble Bubble Ball.

I saw a live demo of this product a few months ago and knew that Skibbles would absolutely love it.  And I was absolutely right.  When blown up to it’s full capacity it’s the size of her, which makes it even bigger than our yoga ball.  The best part is that it’s squishy, like a bubble, so she can actually grab it and thrown it around.  She doesn’t even need two hands even though she typically uses both.  She has literally played with it for hours.  We leave it out a lot so she frequently just grabs it and runs around the house with it.  Because the ball is so large, she looses control frequently, so it has provided Andrew and I with hysterical laughs as well.

 Buy In Blue            Buy In Red

It’s during these months that most illnesses happen and sometimes despite our best efforts as parents to make certain that nothing happens to our children, it still happens.  Viruses can often spread rapidly through both schools and daycares and then kids bring those germs home to other siblings and parents.  It’s a vicious cycle sometimes. 

• Persistent coughing or wheezing
• Bluish color around mouth or fingernails
• Rapid, Difficult, or gasping breaths
• Fever (especially over 100.4 F in infant under 3 months)

*Disclosure: We received the product(s) discussed in this post free of charge. Thoughts and opinions are 100% ours. Affiliate links may be contained in this post. We receive a small commission for purchases and thank you for helping us continue to run our site.

We were recently invited to Sahara Sam’s Indoor WaterPark.  I have been wanting to go here since we moved to New Jersey a few years ago, but never had the opportunity.  Now that Skibbles is old enough to go, we thought it would be the perfect time. She’s still small for most of the activities, but there was enough for her to do without it being overwhelming too.  I love that as she grows up this will be a fun place for us to experience together throughout the years.  

When we first got to Sahara Sam’s, we looked around the awesome arcade and I was immediately taken back to my childhood with SkeeBall, air hockey, and basketball shoot off competitions.  We got inside the actual waterpark area and I decided to take a look around and figure out where everything was before we started.

Because of her height, Skibbles was really only allowed in three areas of the indoor waterpark, but it was perfect for us!We spent a majority of our time in The Lizard Lagoon, a shallow water pool with swings for the tiniest of guests, and two slides, making it the perfect area for toddlers.  We had an absolute blast.  We also spent time on the slides at Tim-buk-tu playland, and the rest of our time was spent on CongoBongo, a large river where you relax while floating in a tube.  There are strategically placed waterfalls throughout the river and Skibbles had an absolute blast going under them.

Lastly, we spent some time in the arcade.  Skibbles has never been on one of these motorized vehicles and she thought it was so cool.  The best part about the arcade is that you can come here anytime to play, there’s no admission to just play at the arcade, making for really fun rainy day play if you have older kids and just looking for a day away.  There’s also prizes to be won.

You can also eat at the cafe that serves cheesesteaks, pizza, burgers, chicken tenders, and more.  We found this to be a bit on the pricey side, even for an amusement park.  Also, if you want some peace and quiet, you can rent your own cabana inside the waterpark (or outside if the outside is open) that gives you private access to your own secluded area with chairs. Don’t need that much space?  There’s also lockers available to store your things while you play.

We had an absolute blast at Sahara Sams and plan to continue to spend time here as Skibbles grows up.

*Disclosure: This is a guest post.  Thoughts and opinions may differ from ours. Affiliate links may be contained in this post. We receive a small commission for purchases and thank you for helping us continue to run our site.

I am always looking for ways to save money. I coupon, and it only goes so far in an area that doesn’t double, so I am constantly looking for other ways that I can save our family money. Here are 10 out of the box tips I use to see how far I can stretch a dollar!

1. Cut products in half.

I do this for wipes and paper towels, among other products.

For wipes, you will need:
Bulk pack of wipes
Wipes container

Step 1. Tear wipes in half
Step 2. Place both halves in reused container
Step 3. Stagger each half for ease of use later
Step 4. Fill container

We run though wipes in my house and a lot end up wasted! Now when I use ‘6’ wipes to change a diaper, I’m really only using 3!! I usually prep multiple containers and put them in various rooms for whenever I need them.

For paper towels, you will need:
Roll of paper towels
Napkin holder

Step 1. Buy rolls that are not ‘select a size’
Step 2. Tear in half
Step 3. Fold and keep in napkin holder

For this tip I also keep a full roll on the paper towel holder. This is more of a replacement for the times you have a small mess, or when setting the dinner table. IMO, napkins are flimsy, but paper towels can be pricey! With this tip, I can buy I keep both of these items on my short ‘only buy name brand list’ and still save money.

2. Wash Baggies.

Ok you’re probably like, ‘umm what…?’ This tip is a two banger. Money saver, and planet friendly!
My Great Aunt Bernice lived through the depression and had an old school ‘save everything’ mentality. I used to think she was crazy when she would wash her baggies, that is, until I had to pay for my own. Now granted my washes top off around 10 per bag, she had baggies she would reuse for YEARS! Any kind from sandwich to freezer bags! If you don’t want to ‘wash’, you can also soak in a full sink and add a cap of bleach!

3. Check best by dates on meat.

“Use or freeze by’ does not mean bad. In reality, you hit the JACKPOT! Granted, I would like to eat grain free, free range, grass fed all the time, but the fact is we don’t. And when I can save a buck, I do. Most stores put their meats on sale a day or so before the sell by date. Don’t buy it if it looks strange. Super lean, high quality meat can be upwards of 25% off retail! With this tip, every 4th meal is free!  Every time I go to a big box store I check the meat section. I will buy a roast to take home and freeze when I only came to buy dish soap.

4. Use ‘refill packs’ and small bottles to cut down cleaning supply use.

I keep a mini bottle of dish soap for the counter filled to less than half full. I only refill it to less than half each time. It seems I am more aware of how much I use when the bottle is ‘almost gone.’ You can apply this idea to all of your cleaning products!

5. Buy in bulk, and split in smaller portions.

Simple. Split bulk packages into meal size portions and freeze that way. (in your rewashed baggies if you dare!!) If we are having chicken, I make enough for everyone and no extras. We rarely have left overs, and let’s face it, no one eats them anyway! (also makes for a cleaner fridge!) I take it a step further and split the ‘extras’ we buy into snack size baggies. (crackers, pretzels & etc) It removes the boxes, and saves space in my cupboards.

6. Recycle!

I’m not talking separating your trash. We save all of our plastic bottles and aluminum cans and take them directly to the scrap yard ourselves. If you pay for trash service, and set your soda cans by the street, in reality you’re paying someone to haul off your money!

7. Buy different brands and shop at different stores.

I used to shop at the same stores over and over. Quality differs across the board. I buy generic and name brand. I found that ‘one stop shopping’ wasn’t saving me money. Most stores price match, just do your homework!

8. Ditch your contract cell phone.

Two years ago we switched to a monthly plan. I had to buy the phone (that I LOVE) upfront and prepay my plan. Right now I have a plan with TRUE unlimited talk, text, and 4g WEB for $80/mo! My phone tethers and also becomes a hot spot so my entire house uses the WiFi. I can even use streaming video services on my smart TV without buffering!

9. Make a meal plan and stick to it!

Whether you plan out a week or a month in advance, time saved = money earned. Knowing what’s on the menu makes life much easier. When I combine making a monthly meal plan and buying/freezing beforehand, I see the greatest savings!

10. Sell Online.

Who has the time to set up, run, and clean up a yard sale?? Not me! I started selling the things we no longer use on social media. I joined local for sale groups in my area on Facebook and thousands of eyes see my items instantly. No more hoping people show up! No more hassle!! I have made hundreds of dollars with my old junk!

These tips have saved my family so much money, and some have made us money! Please share your money saving tips on this post by commenting below!!

About the Author: Megann resides in California with her husband and their two daughters.

While there aren’t a ton of “bells and whistles” that most new 2015 model vehicles has, the Mitsubishi Mirage has a great set of features for itself.  There’s still the Start/Stop push button engine, and upgraded CD/Radio station with temperature controls, and three cup holders. There is one outlet plug by the center console also.  What surprised me was that even with such a small vehicle, there is a standard spare tire under the trunk still. 

There is a decent size trunk space and both of the back seats fold down for more storage.  The front passenger seat, with our rear facing car seat, had to be up all the way, but there was still plenty of room to rear face just her seat.

I was doubly surprised when I saw there were three tethers for the backseat for car seats.  This was definitely one of the biggest surprises for us with this little car.  It’s a huge feature for parental safety and very welcomed.

The #1 feature, but far is the mileage.  The Mitsubishi Mirage gets 40MPG.  We drove over 4 hours and didn’t use a full half a tank of gas. That’s insane!

Some our Top Mitubishi Mirage ES features are: 

• ECO status indicator light
• Split folding high-back rear seats
• Rear Shelf 
• Space Saver Temporary Spare Tire
• Bluetooth hands free phone system
• Fast-Key passive entry system
• Push Button Start
• Latch Child Restraint System

And so much more!

We think this would be a great first car for a teenager or as a spare car for a family.  With the amazing gas milage, there’s a huge benefit to savings. 

What it will cost you-

*Disclosure: This is a guest posts.  Thoughts may differ from our own. Affiliate links may be contained in this post. We receive a small commission for purchases and thank you for helping us continue to run our site.

Insert a delicious Apple Cinnamon Bread.

1/2 cup of packed Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons of ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon of Nutmeg
1/2 cup of pure cane sugar
1/2 cup of butter, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 cup of almond milk
2 cups of organic apples, peeled and diced

About the Author:  Lori resides in South Jersey, just outside of Philadelphia, with her husband of three years and a 2-year-old son.  They are a semi-crunchy family that cloth diapers, breastfeeds, and babywears. 

Welcome to Time for Mom, the best parenting link up around!

Time for Mom is a place for mom bloggers to link up and connect with other mom bloggers!  You do not have to link up a post about parenting only, your post can be about anything as long as you’re a mom!  We only ask that it is today’s post or a recent one, and that you don’t link up the same post each week.  Please remember to check out a few others in the hop!  It’s no fun to link and run!

Please be sure to take a moment to follow your host and co-hosts in some way!

Rachel @ Can’t Google Everything

Larisha @ We’re Parents

Brie @ {…a breezy life}

Big news everyone!  We are so excited to announce our first ever Time for Mom Challenge!  Do you have an awesome holiday kids craft idea you can’t wait to share?  This contest is for you!  Read on for more details!

We hope everyone is as excited about this as we are! Please read below for the guidelines on how to enter!

Rules & Guidelines:

• Craft should be kid friendly (you can do it together with your kids, or kids can do it on their own) and holiday themed (winter holidays)
• Write a post about your craft and link up on December 2nd, post should be recent within a week before the contest and must be your own, original post.  Post should include at least one photo of your craft.
• Encouarge your friends and followers to come vote for your link up during the week of December 2nd – 8th!  Voting ends December 8th at noon EST.
• The top 3 post based on votes will be featured in our Time for Mom post on the 9th!
• The Time for Mom hostesses will select one winner to win the $50 giftcard!
• All valid entries will be pinned to our holiday kids craft board.
• One entry per person, household or blog.

Start brainstorming now and then show off your awesome holiday craft on December 2nd!   Whose in for the challenge?

Let us know if you have any questions!

 

And if you didn’t get enough of us on our blogs, check out our Time for Mom Superstars Pinterest Board!  Each week we will pin some of our favorites from the link up to the board! Check it out and see who was pinned!

 

We have each picked a blog post from last week to feature!  This may be a fun recipe or kids activity, or a post that really inspired us or that we related with.  Be sure to check them out if you didn’t already last week!

Check these great post from last week out!

• Pull Apart Cinnamon Apple Loaf
• Caramel Popcorn Balls

Please add our button to your page to help spread the word about Time for Mom!

</p>
<div align="center"><a href="http://cantgoogleeverything.blogspot.com/search/label/Time%20for%20Mom" title="Time for Mom"><img src="https://wereparents.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/14384285982_55c6998fef_m.jpg" alt="Time for Mom" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
<p>

Thanks for linking up!  By linking up with us you are opting in to our weekly email reminder for this hop and giving us permission to use an image from your blog if chosen for our weekly featured posts.  We will always link back to your post when we use your image when we feature you!

Country roads take us home! #drivesti #kia #sorento #carreview #blogger #wptravels #wproadtrip #almostheaven #countryroads #fall

A photo posted by Larisha (@wereparents) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:47am PDT

Some our Top 10 Kia Sorento’s amazing standard features of the SX AWD that we tested and love: 

• Remote Keyless Entry(as long as key is on you it will unlock/lock)
• Power heated outside mirrors with Turn Signal Indicators and Blind Spot Detection System
• Dual Front Advanced Airbags, Front Seat-Mounted Side Airbags, AND Side Curtain Airbags on 1st and 2nd rows

• Navigation w/ 8″ Screen
• Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
• Panoramic Sunroof w/Power Sunshade
• Push Button Start w/Smart Key
• Heated and Ventilated Front Seats
• Rear Air Conditioning
• 40/20/40 Split Folding 2nd Row Seats and 50/50 Split Folding 3rd Row Seats

And so much more!

Also, Just like the Kia Soul we reviewed, The sunroof is by far one of our favorite features.  It essentially takes up the entire roof of the car.  It’s absolutely incredible and Skibbles absolutely loved it.  Because we extended rear face her carseat, she typically only sees out my back window, so she really enjoyed this.

What it will cost you-

*Disclosure: This is a guest post.  Thoughts and opinions may differ from ours. Affiliate links may be contained in this post. We receive a small commission for purchases and thank you for helping us continue to run our site.

Having one child and trying to get out of the house is difficult, but two under two, is almost impossible.  Here’s our Step by Step Guide of attempting to do this should you be up for the challenge. 

1. Determine Importance of Leaving the House- if it can be put off until you can go alone stop reading and relax. If necessary take a deep breath, meditate if possible and prepare for the inevitable headache.

2. Write out a detailed agenda to be sure you are efficient during your time out of the house.

3. Look in the mirror and decide if a shower is necessary (if not spray some perfume, brush your teeth and skip to step 6)

4. Time to attempt to shower: leave children with dad if possible and try to enjoy your shower. (If  this is not possible good luck and keep reading)

5. How to shower when Dad isn’t around: to obtain a shower you must either attempt before the kids wake up, while they nap, bring them in with you or bribe them with a favorite television show. That is if you can get them to sit still for longer than 5 minutes. (Warning this tactic only has a 20% success rate- the shower is usually interrupted several times and the house turns to chaos)

6. Attempt to get dressed. This usually means, changing into “cleaner” yoga pants, a t-shirt that isn’t a wrinkled mess that you pulled from the dirty hamper and a pair of mismatched socks.

7. You have already taken to much time on yourself. The two month old is crying and needs to be fed. Stop what you are doing to breast feed the baby. While doing so you realize there are more things to add to the errand list. Your toddler begins screaming that his wants a snack. Pull the hidden snack bag of goldfish from the couch and give to said toddler.

8. You notice that while nursing you leaked through your shirt and need to change. Go to your room and find another semi-clean shirt.

9. Now it is time to start packing the diaper bag. (Items needed: extra clothes because the toddler will get sticky and the infant will puke on himself, a snack for toddler that will lead to him being sticky, diapers, toys, and drinks)

10. Change and dress the toddler.

11. Change and dress the infant.

12. Your toddler spills his drink all over his shirt and pants and needs to be changed.

About the author: Melanie resides just south of Pittsburgh with her fiancé Jon and their two sons: Jace (who will be two in December) and Jaedyn (who was born in July). They are a cloth diapering, baby-wearing, breastfeeding, semi-crunchy family. 

Welcome to Time for Mom, the best parenting link up around!

Time for Mom is a place for mom bloggers to link up and connect with other mom bloggers!  You do not have to link up a post about parenting only, your post can be about anything as long as you’re a mom!  We only ask that it is today’s post or a recent one, and that you don’t link up the same post each week.  Please remember to check out a few others in the hop!  It’s no fun to link and run!

Please be sure to take a moment to follow your host and co-hosts in some way!

Rachel @ Can’t Google Everything

Larisha @ We’re Parents

Brie @ {…a breezy life}

And if you didn’t get enough of us on our blogs, check out our Time for Mom Superstars Pinterest Board!  Each week we will pin some of our favorites from the link up to the board! Check it out and see who was pinned!

 

 

We have each picked a blog post from last week to feature!  This may be a fun recipe or kids activity, or a post that really inspired us or that we related with.  Be sure to check them out if you didn’t already last week!

Check these great post from last week out!

• Scary Cheap Halloween Decorations
• Un-Crafty Halloween Craft

Please add our button to your page to help spread the word about Time for Mom!

<div align="center"><br /><a href="http://cantgoogleeverything.blogspot.com/search/label/Time%20for%20Mom" title="Time for Mom"><img src="https://wereparents.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/14384285982_55c6998fef_m.jpg" alt="Time for Mom" style="border:none;" /></a></div><br />

Thanks for linking up!  By linking up with us you are opting in to our weekly email reminder for this hop and giving us permission to use an image from your blog if chosen for our weekly featured posts.  We will always link back to your post when we use your image when we feature you!

We are constantly looking for great educational programs for Skibbles to watch.  She watches more TV than I care to admit, simply because usually it’s one of the only ways for me to get anything done; however, I try to make it as educational as possible, so I at least feel like she’s learning at the same time.  Unfortunately, TV today is the same quality, pure fun that we grew up with and I’m finding myself constantly making sure that certain shows are never even seen (insert extremely whiny kid or yellow sponge under the sea).  It drives me crazy that I have to censor so much.  We primarily watch streaming shows since I know I get to choose everything.  So when I heard about a new show, Creative Galaxy, available on Amazon Prime, I was excited.

I turned on some of the newest episodes and Skibbles was transformed!  She started repeating words from the show after the said them, which she’s never done before, so I was really excited about that.  I love the main characters, Arty and Epiphany, and how fun and entertaining they are, all while being extremely educational, teaching problem solving, and being great role models.

One of my favorite things about each episode is that they are presented with fun, art projects and teach children about art being all around us.  But the actual art projects are presented in each episode and teach the parent how to help the child recreate the project.  We really loved the bath soap project and plan to do that one soon.  With Andrew having a degree in Art, we have been getting Skibbles more and more into art projects and she loves it.  (I love her excitement, but not the mess!)

As a side note:  I caught the mom wearing her baby in one episode and the dad in another episode and absolutely love that Skibbles sees these things as normal since many shows don’t show attachment parenting traits.  The main message I get from the show is that: Whether we think of our world as art or not – it is! Everywhere we go we can teach and inspire our children about art and this show really gets their creative minds going.

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