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Virginia’s New Car Seat Law 2018

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The State of Virginia voted on new car seat laws on March 6, 2018. If signed into law by the governor, the law would take effect on July 1, 2019. Virginia’s New Car Seat Laws will be updated to ensure maximum safety for children.

virginia's new car seat laws

BACKGROUND ON VIRGINIA’S NEW CAR SEAT LAWS

The AAP and other organizations have stated that rear facing is the safest and children should remain rear facing in their car seat until at least age 2. One study shows rearfacing between 12-24 months is 532% safer than forward facing.  Finally, Virginia has passed a law making sure that more children will remain rearfacing until at least two years old. On March 6, 2018, both the House and Senate in Virginia passed bill HB-708. The bill is now headed to Governor Northam’s desk, where he is expected to sign the bill into law. If signed, it will go into effect come July 1, 2019.

The previous law stated that all children under 7 years old must be in a child seat and in a rear seat of the car if available. Children 8-17 must wear seat belts.

What Virginia’s New Car Seat Law Says

The new bill amends that law and makes the following specifications:

What the new law says – Section 1A –  Any person who drives on the highways of Virginia any motor vehicle manufactured after January 1, 1968, shall ensure that any child, up to age eight, whom he transports therein is provided with and properly secured in a child restraint device of a type which meets the standards adopted by the United States Department of Transportation.

Such child restraint device shall not be forward-facing until at least (i) the child reaches two years of age or (ii) the child reaches the minimum weight limit for a forward-facing child restraint device as prescribed by the manufacturer of the device. Further, child restraint devices shall be placed in the back seat of a vehicle. In the event the vehicle does not have a back seat, the child restraint device may be placed in the front passenger seat only if the vehicle is either not equipped with a passenger side airbag or the passenger side airbag has been deactivated.

What this means –

  • All children up to age eight must be in a properly secured car seat
  • Children must remain rear-facing until the age of two or they reach the minimum weight for their car seat.
    • For example, if you have a car seat that has a minimum forward facing weight of 25 lbs and you have a 22lb 21 month old, you need to leave them rear facing.
    • If you have a 26lb 18 month old, you could legally turn them around.
  • All car seat devices must be placed in the back seat of the car.
  • If your vehicle does not have a back seat (pick up truck, older model car), you can only place the car seat in the front passenger side and the passenger airbags must be deactivated.

What the new law says – Section 1B- Any person transporting another person less than 18 years old, except for those required pursuant to subsection A to be secured in a child restraint device, shall ensure that such person is provided with and properly secured by an appropriate safety belt system when driving on the highways of Virginia in any motor vehicle manufactured after January 1, 1968, equipped or required by the provisions of this title to be equipped with a safety belt system, consisting of lap belts, shoulder harnesses, combinations thereof or similar devices.

What this means

If you are traveling with someone under the age of 18, they need to be secured in a car seat or safety belt system.

What the new law says – Section§ 46.2-1096 – Whenever any physician licensed to practice medicine in the Commonwealth or any other state determines, through accepted medical procedures, that use of a child restraint system by a particular child would be impractical by reason of the child’s weight or height, physical unfitness, or other medical reason, the child shall be exempt from the provisions of this article. Any person transporting a child so exempted shall carry on his or her person or in the vehicle a signed written statement of the physician identifying the child so exempted and stating the grounds therefor.

What this means

If for any reason, a medical professional determines that a person under the age of 18 needs to be exempt, you must carry a signed written statement with you and it must state why the passenger is exempt.

Please note that you should be striving for maximums, not minimums. Leave your child rearfacing and in secured car seats as long as you possibly can. 

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF VIRGINIA’S NEW CAR SEAT LAWS

  • A violation of this section may be charged on the uniform traffic summons form.
  • Nothing in this law applies to taxicabs, school buses, executive sedans, or limousines.
  • If you are traveling to the state of Virginia you are to adhere to these laws.
  • It is unclear how much a fine would be under the new law. However, the current fine is $50, so we predict at least that amount.

More Resources

Disclosure: I am not a lawyer. The above information is not legal advice. 

10 Healthy Changes to Make Starting Today

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10 Healthy Changes to Make Starting Today is about living your best life small changes at a time.

healthy changes to make today
This post is sponsored by FAGE; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

New Year, New You doesn’t have to start in January. It doesn’t have to start on a Monday. It doesn’t have to start the next morning.  Literally, it can start today. Right this second. Whether you are reading this at 8am or 8pm, you can literally start to implement some of these changes into your life. Healthy changes to make starting today is all about doing small, baby steps to reach your goal.

The back story – about a year before we had kids, I was in the best shape of my life. Andrew, however, had recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure.  We researched and researched about how to eventually get him off medication and with small simple changes to his own life, he’s now off medication and he’s in the best shape of his life. Me now, not so much.

A lot has changed since having two kids and I’m not as fit as I once was. Despite that though, I’ve determined that this year is going to be my year. But, it’s hard y’all. Really, really hard. Some days, I do great. Other days, not so much. One thing I’ve learned though is it’s not always about the way the day starts or the slip up you have in the middle but it’s about one small mind shift.

Right this moment, I can start doing better.

For many of us though, we have no idea where to start. What is the best way to become healthier again. No matter what your goals may be there is one simple solution for everyone. You must take baby steps instead of running a race. Doing things slowly, even one thing at a time can help. Today, I’m sharing with you a few ideas I have to make it possible.

10 Healthy Changes to Make Starting Today

1- Get Outside More.

Whether you sit outside a have drink or you engage in some outdoor activity like cleaning up your gardening bed, being outside boosts you happiness levels.

healthy changes to make as an adult

2- Do something that makes you feel like a kid again

This one is for boosting your energy.  When you doing something like swinging or roller skating it brings you back to a happier time.  A less stressful time and when that happens your endorphins swell up and you can have a great time

3- Talk a walk

Once you get comfortable just spending more time outside, now is the time to kick it up. Take a walk.  Remember this isn’t a race. Start by doing walk about the block, then down a few streets, then a larger section of the neighborhood or city you live.

ways to live healthier as an adult

4- Drink more water

One of the single best things you can do is drink half your body weight throughout the day. I love waking up in the morning before I even start eating breakfast and have a glass of water. It starts my day off on the right track and keeps me inspired to keep going

5 – Eat Less & Slower

I saw a documentary one time that we are just eating because it’s an expectation (and obviously our mood swings on empty stomach aren’t great). We don’t really take the time to enjoy our food. One way we can fix this it to eat slower and really enjoy the food. Doing this also helps you eat less good.

One great way to do this is to try FAGE Total Split Cup. Their fruit varieties are quick and easy for on-the-go use, however, they pack a protein rich breakfast that allows you to keep going. The fruit combination really allows you to sit and taste the amazing combination of sweet fruit and tangy yogurt. The 11g of protein in each cup really helps to boost your appetite and not have you hungry five minutes form now.

fage total split cups

6- Go to bed at the same time every day

I thought this suggestion was crazy.  Seriously, I mean how could this change anything.  I started going to bed after hearing this advice between 10 and 10:30 pm. Within 2 weeks, I could tell so much difference in how I was waking up.  Not only was I not as grumpy, but I was really to tackle my day.

healthy changes to live better

7 – Laugh

Laughter really is the best medicine.  There’s not much that a really good belly laugh can’t cure in the moment. However, some people believe laughter is the key to aging slower.

8- Eat More Fruit

Fruit is the easiest way for me to get in nutritional benefits. I could eat most fruits all day long. They help with energy, are convenient (usually) when you are on the run, and pack nutritional vitamins.

The FAGE Total fruit cups with all-natural Greek strained yogurt is the most delicious mid-day snack when you are trying to make some changes but still want something fun. It’s such a run and satisfying treat to have when you really need one.

how to live better as an adult

9- Read more books

You have to exercise your mind at the same time. Reading is the easiest way to do this.  Don’t worry if you have small children.  They also need to read, so set up a quiet time in the same where everywhere has to be reading for 30 minutes until a timer goes off.

changes you should make in adulthood

10- Read your labels

You should be able to read almost everything that on your nutritional label.  I’m not just talking about the amount of calories or protein are in your found, but the actual ingredients should be easy to read and things you can pronounce (for the most part).

FAGE Total comes in three fat varieties – whole milk, 2% and 0% and a variety of fruit flavors like Cherry, Raspberry, and Apricot. For the FAGE Total (whole milk) there are 8 varieties. Use the FAGE store locator to see where you can purchase today!

fage logo

I Don’t Sleep With My Husband

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I don’t sleep with my husband is a look into the lives of real parenthood. This post is about the truths of parenting and how if may not be ideal, but parents do everything to find a working solution for their family.

I don't sleep with my husband

Spoiler Alert: First off, we aren’t even married so technically he’s not my husband.

Secondly, get your mind out of the gutter. We’re talking about shutting my eyes and sleeping. Trust me, my sexual needs are being taken care of. TMI????

Now that you have that imagery in your head, let’s get started.

I don’t sleep with my husband.

We sleep in separate rooms which means separate beds. He sleeps in our master bedroom and I sleep in our girls’ room with our girls. Most of the time…it’s complicated.

I remember the first time I told a friend that she looked at me like I had 35 heads. What did I mean we didn’t sleep in the same bed? What kind of nonsense was this? We weren’t 80, why was this happening? I laughed, but she was genuinely confused. And this is typically how the conversation goes every single time it comes up with a friend.

How did we get here?

Let’s go wayyyyy back. It wasn’t always like this. A little over 5 years ago we had our first child. We swore she would never end up in our bed. After not even a week, we were both exhausted. No one was sleeping. The baby ended up falling asleep on my chest one night and all three of us had the best sleep since becoming a family of three. Our journey into attachment parenting kicked up a notch after that night. Soon, she was in our bed all the time. We figured out the safest way to bedshare (co-sleep) and never looked back after that.

cosleeping best for family

We slept this way for over 2 years until baby #2 came into our lives. Things got a little more complicated at this point. Andrew has extremely long days at work outside of the house, so it was important to both of us that he got sleep. We tried transitioning our first into her own room, but ultimately, it was a lot of back and forth for me.

I’m not the type of person that can function on little sleep so something had to change and change fast. Our home was miserable. Everyone was grumpy. And everyone was being affected. The solution….sleep in separate beds. Him in our own master bed and me with our girls in their room. Most nights, I will fall asleep with him in our room and then when one of the girls wakes up, I will go in their room for the rest of the night.

bed sharing better for family

“This is why we don’t co-sleep. Life is not functionable like this.”
“I would have done cry-it-out. There’s no way I’m not sleeping with my husband in our bed.”
“Your sex life must be miserable.”
“The kids would have to go.”

We’ve heard all these things, but what these people fail to realize is that this is a temporary solution. The way we’ve chosen to live our lives isn’t the end of the world, nor is it a permanent solution. Our goal when having kids was to fit ourselves into their lives, not them into ours. But seriously. This isn’t the end all be all. The world is this cruel and evil place. Now, more than ever. Right now, our girls need closeness and comfort that they get from laying with their mother for a few hours every night.

Also, this works for us! Everyone is happy. Our girls sleep (mostly). I sleep. Andrew sleeps. That was our goal and we are succeeding at it even if it’s not a traditional method that everyone has. Our girls are the most important thing we’ve even done and we know that only a few more weekends are going to go by before they are moving out of our house. Truthfully, think about it. We have 18 summers with our children. We all know how fast summers come and go, so for us, we are going to savor the few nights that seem like a drop in the bucket until they no longer need me. Until then…I don’t sleep with my husband. 

PS. Why do people assume that because you don’t sleep for 7 hours in a bed together at night means you aren’t having a sex life?  Y’all realize that sex does not have to happen in the bed at night after the lights are out and you are supposed to be going to bed right? Okay then. 

PPS.  We’re still happy and in love and thriving in our relationship!

why I don't sleep with my husband

Dad Tips for Staying Home with Kids

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Dad Tips for Staying Home with Kids is all about practical and real life tips by a dad for dads. Because we aren’t the experts and this isn’t easy.

This post was sponsored Tai Pei, all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

dad tips for staying home with kids
It was approximately three weeks after we had our first daughter, Serenity. Larisha said she was running to the store to grab a few things. The store was literally 5 minutes away.

“Nah, it’s cool, I’m happy to run to the store for you.”
She glanced at me.
“I’d actually like out of the house for a few minutes, it won’t take me long”, she said.
“But you’re going to have to take the baby.”
She laughed hysterically.
“No, I don’t. You will be fine for 15 minutes.”

via GIPHY

What did she just say? I was dreaming right? She was leaving me with the baby? What if the baby pooped? Or needed breastmilk? Or started crying? You get the idea.

Okay, okay, so maybe we did survive. But barely. At the time it was the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Fast forward, she did the same thing when our second one was little. And for some reason, even though they are now 5 and 2.5 years old, she still does it. And I’d be lying if I said it still wasn’t just as scary.

But, somehow we survive (some days more than others).

Today, I wanted to share with you a few Dad Tips for Staying Home with Kids.

1- Snacks

I’m not going to lie.  This is my go to. Lollipops, chocolate, chips, whatever is stuff they normally can’t have, it’s free game when I’m running solo. The whole idea is to get me to the finish line and nothing stops a crying baby than the promise of a lollipop. Don’t worry, Larisha, figure out that I do this quite quickly. 

2- Favorite Activities 

My kids love two things – going outside and getting in our big bathtub. If you put color tabs, bubbles, or food coloring in the tub, they go bananas. They will also spend almost endless time outside.  I love combining these two – outside then bath – while running the show. It can easily buying me a few hours.

tricks for dads to stay at home with kids

3- Play With Them

Confession – I haven’t met a parent that truly LOVES playing with their kids. We do it because they are our kids. And they love it. That’s why I do it. Playdoh, babies, barbie dolls, whatever…if they ask to play it, I do. It seems to make the time go by faster.

easy way for dads to cook meals

4- Have Easy Meals Planned

I try to have meals that take 5 minutes or left.  For some reason Larisha doesn’t think she has to have everything laid out or already. My kids are adventurous eaters, so luckily that makes my life easier. They will eat anything from classic American food, to Jamaican food, to Asian food and everything in between. I personally love having easy meals like Tai Pei’s frozen fried rice that I just have to pop in the microwave. Tai Pei entrees are made with real, pure ingredients, with no preservatives or artificial ingredients. Just deliciousness.

Use the store locator to find where Tai Pei single serve is available near you (in the frozen food section).

5- Be Confident

This is my biggest piece of advice.  Just have confidence in yourself. And try to build yourself up if you are scared like I was. Do 15 minutes, then 30, then an hour, until you have the confidence to do a few hours or half a day by yourself.

Parenting isn’t easy, but having a game plan and some helpful tricks always help!

tai pei frozen dinner options

Giveaway!

I-C will randomly select 13 winners from all program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes.

10 lucky winners will each get a $100 Walmart gift card and 3 Grand Prize winner will get $500 Walmart gift cards. Giveaway ends Monday, March 5, 2018.

Tai Pei Sweepstakes (Phase 3)

easy dad tips for staying home with kids

365 Daily Quotes of Encouragement

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Everyone needs a little pick me up sometimes.  Start your day off right with this 365 Daily Quotes of Encouragement Free Printable! 

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BigelowTea #TeaProudly #CollectiveBias

365 daily encouragement

Three years ago, I walked into our bedroom to see what appeared to be some sort of explosion.  There was stuff everywhere.  Papers and scissors, craft boards that I haven’t seen since high school social studies class project days, and some bottle of stuff called Mod Podge. I had no idea what was going on at the time. Larisha could sense my confusion and said, “Don’t worry, just making a vision board.” A-do-what?

365 daily motivation

Since then, I’ve seen the effects on how having something that is in your face to read every morning can change your mind set and help you reach your goals. Waking up and reading, “You are awesome” or “You’ve totally got this” when you aren’t in such a great mood to start can absolutely change the mindset of anyone. If you’re willing that is. 

motherhood moments

Larisha and I also realized that this type of encouragement helped our girls as well, mainly our older girl right now. You see, she’s at this awesome, but vulnerable age currently.  Telling her to pick a paper out of the jar that says “You are beautiful” or “Today’s going to be amazing” lights her up so much.

While the visions boards are old news for us, the encouragement jar is something new. For us, we try to pick one of the 365 Daily Quotes of Encouragement out of the jar as a family. Every morning, our new tradition starts by making a cup of Bigelow tea- we’ve really been loving the Green tea with pomegranate. Then, whatever that piece of paper says, we try to stick to that as our mantra for the day.

bigelow tea

January is actually Hot Tea Month, so it’s the perfect time to pick up a new tradition of a cup of tea and daily quotes of encouragement jar. You can hover over the image below to see how you can easily purchase Bigelow tea at Walmart.

 

We truly believe in the power of encouragement. Because of that we wanted to make this as simple as possible.  We have (almost) every thing done for you. The supplies you need are:

  • Scissors
  • Quart size Mason Jar or other container
  • Bigelow cup of tea (favorite flavor up to you! Hint: Try the Orange & Spice)

All you need to do is make your favorite cup of tea. Then, enjoy while you are waiting for the printable to print out. Next, cut out all the phrases of encouragement while you drink your tea. Finally, place in a jar and pull one out each day.

daily motivation for dads

 

 

What are your New Year New You goals or plans for the year? Leave a comment below and let me know! Make sure the next time you are out shopping, you can a box of Bigelow tea from Walmart.

Check out more from Bigelow on social!
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#TeaProudly #Sweepstakes (1/16 to 2/28)

daily encouragement for kids

I Gave Them Life

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I gave them life is a conversation around the thought that strangers feel they can try to silence children from simply being themselves.

i gave them life

I gave them life.

Funny.
Outgoing.
Animated.
Vibrant.
Roaring.
Silly.

All adjectives that would definitely describe my girls. Especially when they are happy and having fun together. They love attention and they know exactly how to get it. I’ve learned to let them live and be themselves because

  1. I don’t want to squash their spirit and
  2. *most* people immediately smile when they see them singing or joking around

Emphasis on most. There always has to be that one person to try to squash people back down.

Especially children. The incessant need to silence children is absurd.

let kids be kids

Recently, the girls and I were at the grocery store (Aldi of course) and as we are walking through the store the girls are singing Jingle Bells (so what it’s mid-January), making jokes, and saying hello to everyone that will look in their direction.  As most kids, they have the need to narrate their shopping trip, ask for everything they can, and hit each other once or twice as soon as I turn my back…because….siblings.

They stop and ask people their names. Delight when people ask them theirs or how old they are right now. And love when someone will listen long enough for a knock-knock joke or other random part of their day (usually it’s that I’m not letting them get a treat).

things strangers should stop doing

So, we get through the store. All my groceries have been scanned and I’m bagging my own groceries. (If you’ve been to an Aldi before you know that there’s a long table opposite the registers where you bag your own stuff). The girls are still playfully joking around and being silly. Not obnoxious, just kids. A lady comes up beside us and is bagging her own things. The lady and I catch eyes and I smile. The girls are tickling each other at this point. The lady says “what did you give them”?

The look of disdain on her face says it all. She didn’t want my kids to be having fun and free. She didn’t want them to be children in that moment. What she wanted was for them to be robotic and sit still and not say a word. She wanted them to fit into this cookie cutter mold that behaved children are quiet.

Without hesitation I answered, “life”.

A few months ago, I wouldn’t have answered this way. I’ve been asked this question before in different ways. “How much candy did they have today?” “What did you feed them for breakfast?” “Think it’s time to cut back the sugar?” All comments from strangers met with an awkward glare from me because we don’t even have sweets that often. This is just them.

Free.
Bold.
Unreserved.
Demonstrative.
Sociable.

I simply gave them life. Life where they get to be independent and make their own choices often (within reason, I’m not crazy). Where they get to learn to be themselves and never let others dim their lights. A life where they get to decide what makes them happy and how they are going to shine a light into others with their big personalities. A life where no one tells them to be less of who they are.

So the next time that someone asks you a similar question about your happy, outgoing child, I encourage you to answer the same way.

I Gave Them Life.

happy kids

25 Ways to Practice Self-Care After Kids Go To Bed

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25 Ways to Practice Self-Care After Kids Go To Bed are simple, lost cost solutions to get more self-care back into your life. 

ways to practice self-care Affiliate links contained in this post help us to earn a commission to keep this site running. Thank you for your support.

I remember when I first got pregnant, I swore nothing would be different.  It’s just a little baby, how much could life really change.  Fast forward, five years, and life has determined that to be a lie. Parenting has been the most challenging, yet most rewarding experience I’ve ever had in my life.  I wouldn’t change it for the world. However, within the last year or so, I’ve pushing for me more.

I struggled with undiagnosed postpartum depression and anxiety with my first and diagnosed, but worse the second time around. One thing that didn’t click with me for the longest time was that I was doing nothing for self-care. Before having kids, there was so many little things that I would do that there no longer seemed to be time for. Thankfully, with the help of some amazing people who came into my life over the last two years, I’m prioritizing self-care.

My friend Alice said it best when she said that prioritizing herself is important “so that I can be my best self for others too.” That includes our family, friends, co-workers and anyone that we come in contact with throughout the day.

Today, I wanted to share with you 25 Ways to Practice Self-Care After Kids Go To Bed

ways to practice self-care after kids go to bed

We asked some of our favorite mom friends for their self-care ideas that help them the most. All of these ideas are low-cost or free things that you can do in your own home after the kids go to bed. I’m fully aware that for many, leaving the house isn’t an option. But there’s still plenty of ways to practice self-care.

  1. Make Homemade Hot Chocolate, make sure to add extra marshmallows (and maybe some Baileys)
  2. Take A Bubble Bath (add in some DIY Bath Bombs for even more relaxation)
  3. Doodle
  4. Try a DIY Exfoliating Salt Scrub
  5. Put Earbuds in and listen to your favorite podcast or music while blocking out all other noise
  6. Do your nails with a simple polish or get a gel look
  7. Take class on YouTube – like yoga, learn how to cook something new, crocheting tutorial, etc)
  8. Binge your favorite show or classic favorite teenage movie
  9. Rearrange a Space to give it a new look and new feel
  10. Color Under a Fort (it still makes you just as happy as it did when you were 10)
  11. Declutter a Space
  12. Meditate
  13. Re-learn how to breathe using a breathing app
  14. Journal your thoughts
  15. Read a book you’ve been wanting to for the longest time
  16. “Window-shop” on Amazon and make a wishlist of cool things you find
  17. Bake Something that makes you happy to eat
  18. Make something that brings our your artistic side (painting, needlework, sewing)
  19. Enhance the smell of your house by using essential oils in a diffuser or burning incense
  20. Play music that takes you back to a fun and happy time
  21. Do a 10-20 minute workout from a YouTube video (Zumba is a fun one)
  22. Deep condition your hair or do a mud mask facial
  23. Listen to a motivational speaker
  24. Garden
  25. Just sit for a few minutes in silence (this is paired well with #13)

Just find a way to get a few minutes in every day.

I get it.  Taking time for yourself isn’t easy.  But you owe it to yourself to attempt to take a few minutes each day and do something for yourself.  These are all ways that you can practice self-care without ever leaving your house and that cost little to nothing.

how to practice self-care

 Special thanks the following friends for help with this 25 Ways to Practice Self-Care After Kids Go To Bed post: 

A Whole Story, Ok Dani, BernettaStyle, Bianca Dottin, Hustle or Hyde, And Starring As Herself….MrsRKFJ, Anointed Heels, Mia Cupcake, The Shirley Journey, Give An Eff, and Courtney’s Sweets

5 Tips For a Great Date Night at Home

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EmbraceEssentialOils #StimulateTheSenses #CollectiveBias

I remember before we had kids that we thought dating was hard. Andrew worked really long hours during the week and I typically worked every weekend, mostly at night. Still, it wasn’t really that difficult to find time to go out on a date before kids. After having kids, our dating essentially ceased to exist. Neither of us were comfortable leaving our baby alone with anyone. Once she was finally old enough that we were comfortable, we found out we were expecting again.  Repeat process. Then, add in the fact that dating with kids is NOT cheap.  I mean dating before kids wasn’t cheap. $60 for dinner +  $50 for the movies or another activity = $110 and that was a cheap night. Add in paying for a babysitter and it’s like WHOA, NELLY. I just dropped $250.

We got smart.

Somewhere in the midst of the hard times, we realized that we could just date at home and have as much fun (sometimes more) than if we were paying to go out. It was less cost, less stress, and more bonding for us. With our at-home date night, we’ve grown closer to each other. It’s a win-win for our relationship and our wallet.

5 Tips For a Great Date Night at Home

  1. Clean Up Your Dating Space
    • Having a clean house actually relaxes your stress levels and allows you to enjoy your time together without worrying that you could be doing other things (like cleaning the house).  You don’t have to spend hours cleaning up, but just make sure that the general area that you will be using is straightened up.
  2. Aroma in the Air with Nature’s Truth®
    • A few hours before we are set to have a date night, I make sure that the smell of our dating space is on point. The aroma can really set the mood. Calming scents, like lavender, can ease your mind and allow you to enjoy each others company while setting the mood for dating. I am loving the Nature’s Truth® wax warmer with unscented wax melts that allows me to scent as desired.*
  3. Have an Agenda
    • This isn’t set to put added stress into your night.  Rather just having a laxed scheduled by which to go by for the evening so you are focused solely on the date.  Without an agenda, we sometimes found that we would just be like, “uhh, what’s next and then end up on our phones.”
  4. Put Electronics Away
    • Speaking of phones.  Put them away.  We prefer to leave all our electronics upstairs if you are dating downstairs or vice versa. You’re dating. You don’t need added distractions from things that don’t matter.  Bond together.
  5. Dress Up
    • This may sound silly, but seriously, dress up! Especially if you are a stay-at-home parent, there’s not likely many opportunities you have to dress up or for your partner to see you dressed up. Dressing up boosts your confidence. Do it!

**Bonus: Have a minute to unwind and just talk. **

When’s the last time you just put everything down, sat on the couch and just talked to your partner?  Take five minutes and just talk.  Reminisce about a fun time in your life or something really cool that you recently learned about. Take this time to really reconnect with each other.

*More about Nature’s Truth® and setting the Aroma

Nature’s Truth® guarantees that each of their essential oils are derived from 100% all-natural plant sources by using optimal and honest extraction methods. Their unscented wax melts allows their aromatherapy products to be used in a versatile way by uniquely scenting your own aroma naturally. This allows for a soothing end of your day, but especially on date night. Grab your own wax melt warmer and unscented wax melts at select CVS and Walgreen stores. Then follow the 5 Tips For a Great Date Night at Home above and ensure you have a wonderful evening together!

Save $1 when you print off this coupon today!

I Realized Kids Are Expensive

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Carter’s; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Ok, I’ll admit it. I wasn’t over joyous the first time Larisha showed me a pregnancy test.  I mean it was scary.  It wasn’t unplanned, but it wasn’t fully planned either. But it happened. It happened a lot faster than either of us thought it was going to happen and it was a bit of an “oh, man, this is really for real.”  Hearing our baby’s heartbeat for the first time though, was life changing. I couldn’t believe I was going to be a father.  It was all so surreal.

It got so real in that moment.

I was ready to start buying stuff and preparing to welcome in this little baby that was going to forever change our lives.  We went to one of our favorite stores to register for our baby shower together. Larisha had a full list of things that we actually needed.  I was just there for moral support and I liked scanning all the stuff.  It was like an Oprah moment, “You get a crib, and You get a car seat. You get a bath tub, and breast pump.” There I was just scanning everything and enjoying the moment.

Then, I happened to look at the price of that car seat. 

$300!? Okay, okay. I get it.  It’s a life-saving device. But the more I looked at the prices of clothes and diapers and everything else we “needed” it added up fast and she wasn’t even here yet. I mentioned it to Larisha and being the researcher she is, she said she read an article that it costs almost $250,000 to raise a kid from birth ’til they move out.  ::Faints::

It was then I realized kids are expensive.

I picked myself back up and realized kids are expensive. Really…really…really expensive. Fast forward, we now have a four and a two year old and it seems to be adding up faster now than it did then. What I’ve learned is to accept gifts when offered and work my best to give my girls everything they could imagine they want (within reason).

Today, we’re spreading the love! 

Carter’s Win Every Day Sweepstakes is your chance to win some amazing prizes! We’ve teamed up with some of our (and your) favorite brands for a super fun sweepstakes this week! You can enter everyday between 9/25 and 10/2/2017.

Prizes include:

  • Carter’s Bodysuits for a Year
  • Huggies Diapers, Wipes and Little Swimmers for a Year
  •  $200 to spend at Tiny Prints
  • Skip Hop Tuo High Chair
  • Skip Hop Explore & More Baby’s View 3-Stage Activity Center
  • and more!

Enter to Win HERE! www.carters.com/wineverydaysweepstakes

The Fine Print: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Win Every Day Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 U.S.,DC, U.S. territories and PR, 18 yrs. and older. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes begins 9/25/17 on or about 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”), and ends on 10/2/17 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. For a copy of Official Rules visit www.carters.com/wineverydaysweepstakes. Sweepstakes is sponsored by The William Carter Company, 3438 Peachtree Rd. NE, Ste. 1800, Atlanta, GA 30326.

Shop Carter’s TODAY!

You can use their store locator to find a store convenient to you.

When all else fails, shopping at least makes you feel better.

 

Detecting Signs of Scoliosis in Your Child

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Disclosure: Detecting Signs of Scoliosis In Your Child is a sponsored post on behalf of Shriners Hospitals for Children®. Thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. 

I remember when I was growing up that my aunt’s back always looked differently than anyone else that I knew. As a kid it was funny that her one shoulder blade stuck out more than another. It wasn’t until I was a bit older, that I really understood why. She had scoliosis.  It was one of the first times in my life that I realized that even though people may look different than others, we should still love them unconditionally.

I didn’t realize at the time that scoliosis can run in the family.  It was something that my mom monitored and always mentioned to doctors. My aunt’s daughter also was diagnosed and my sister has a very slight scoliosis diagnosis. Fortunately, no one else in our family has been diagnosed with scoliosis. As a parent myself now, I also look for the signs in my girls and today I want to share with you more about scoliosis in your child and how you can work to learn more.

What is scoliosis?

It’s an abnormal curvature of one’s spine that affects 6-9 millions people in the U.S. alone. Scoliosis can limit mobility and also potentially lead to more serious health problem. There is no known cause and it can easily go undetected. Early detection can mean more treatment options so it’s important to get a diagnosis as young as possible. Currently, detection is most common when kids are rapidly growing between 10-15 years old.

What can you do?

We’re so excited to announce that Shriners Hospitals for Children® has launched a new app called ! Shriners Hospitals wants to make sure and encourage parents to routinely check their child’s spine for possible signs.  Since it’s the beginning of the school year, it’s the perfect time.  You can make sure that you check at least once a year, and the start of the school year is a great time.  The SpineScreen app is FREE and available from App Store or Google Play NOW!  It allows you to quickly check on your child’s spine by detecting curves when you move your phone alongside your child’s spine.

What SpineScreen is Not

is not an app that gives you a diagnosis.  It simply detects possible signs that there may be a diagnosis of scoliosis in your child.  That mean that SpineScreen doesn’t take the place of a doctor’s visit.  If the app detects abnormal curves in your child’s spine, it’s important that you make a doctor’s appointment as soon as you can.

How Shriners Hospitals for Children is helping 

is at the forefront of scoliosis care, including surgical procedures, exercise programs, bracing, and physical therapy. has 20 hospitals in the U.s., Canada and Mexico that provide scoliosis treatment, regardless of the families’ ability to pay.  They provide pediatric speciality care and realize that there’s no one-size-fits all treatment to scoliosis in your child.

What Now?

  • Download SpineScreen today to do an initial at home check of your child’s spine.
  • Visit Shriner’s Hospitals for children to learn more about scoliosis and available treatment options.
  • If you know a child with scoliosis, Shriners Hospitals for Children may be able to help. Have their parent or guardian call 800-237-5055.

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