Health & Fitness Archives - Page 3 of 5

Why You Should Do a Triathlon

October 14, 2016 by Nikki Cole

Want to start getting in shape and feel like you have accomplished something? I’ve ran half marathons and 5k’s and while they’re rewarding I still feel like I didn’t accomplish anything too great until I did my first Triathlon and this is Why You Should do a Triathlon, plus some helpful tips.

Running has never been real fun for me but after running my first half marathon I was so excited for my next. Sadly after hearing how many people ran the half marathon I didn’t feel like it was all too impressive or rewarding. I thought maybe I needed to do a full marathon, but sadly my knees are not capable right now to do that. After searching and doing a couple more half marathons I decided I was going to do my first Triathlon and I was scared about all of it.

Now there’s different styles of Triathlons, there’s a sprint which is what I did which is only a 500 meter swim, 12.5 mile bike, and a 5K. So still quite a bit distance but not as much as a full or Olympic Triathlon which is double everything. You can also do a relay with friends or family if that’s more your style. I did the Sprint Triathlon and after completing it in 5^th place in my age group I couldn’t wait to do my next one or an Olympic triathlon and this is Why You Should do a Triathlon too.

No I did not train like crazy for this event but I was in decent shape because I have been doing half marathons and such, still not super fast or anything but had a good exercising program. The hardest part was swimming, the event was going to be in a pool swimming laps so I found a pool that did lap swimming and went a few times. Check out your event and see if it is going to be in a lake, ocean, or a pool. Mine we swam in the pool which also offered lap swimming most mornings. Luckily I was able to go to a few times and found out that I am definitely not a swimmer, I sank pretty easily. I just tried making it to each end without stopping and did a total of 10 laps each time, which was the number of laps I would have to do in the Triathlon. If you can’t make it to a pool just focus some of your training on high cardio, elliptical is great because it is low impact but still gets your heart pumping. Also get some goggles, nothing fancy just something you can find at Walmart.

Biking, ok train for this! I didn’t bike hardly at all before the event because biking is so simple right? Wrong! My butt hurt so badly afterwards that I could barely get off my bike to start running, I felt like I was waddling the whole time and looked like a penguin. So practice biking just to save yourself from an extremely sore behind. I used an actual road bike, the ones you see with thinner tires, they coast better but several people went with just cheap bikes they already had. Make sure your bike also has a good water bottle holder because this is where you will want the most water.

Running! I ran quite a bit before the race and I would run a 5K about 3-4 times a week so I thought I was really prepared. No I was not really fast at running but I could run it pretty easily. This is where training from biking 12+ miles right into running needs to happen. It was extremely awkward getting off my bike and starting to run. Like I said my bottom hurt and my legs were so confused at what motion they should be doing, so practice these two together so it’s not completely new to you the day of the event.

Clothing is very important for a triathlon. I ordered a tri suit from swimoutlet.com that was perfect, sadly though it did cost a little bit but came in great. If you don’t want to order a tri suit you can also just wear a swimming suit, something that works well swimming, and slipping on shorts and a t-shirt during transition of events.

Some tips to make your event successful. Most triathlons have orientations of how to proceed through the event the night before, if it is your first time go! There was a lot of useful information and great encouragement. Practice going through transitions, from swim to bike to run so you don’t get all confused the day of the event. Also make sure you don’t spend too long drying off after swimming because the clock continues on so real quick dry your feet, throw on your shoes and go. At your bike have a t-shirt or something with your bib on it so you can just throw that on and not have to worry about trying to pin it on while hurrying through the transition.

Why You Should do a Triathlon? Because it wasn’t as exhausting as a half marathon and you’ll feel like you accomplished something bigger, like three events not just one running event. Most triathlons only have a few hundred people but half marathons and marathons sometimes have over a thousand participants. Why not be one of the few than one of the many? Triathlons will also hold your attention span better because you don’t do just one event you move between different activities which made it go a lot faster than I thought. And if you are anything like me running isn’t so nice on your knees, (not that that stops me) but if long distance running hurts triathlons, especially sprint triathlons, are shorter distances of running but still can achieve that gratification of finishing something people think of as extremely strenuous

Completing a triathlon made me feel like I accomplished a goal, not one I knew I had but something that after completing it realized that that is what I would have regretted if I had not participated. A quote I read that got me inspired to do a triathlon says “Why be bad at one sport, when you can be bad at three?” kind of a weird inspirational quote to get you started but it worked for me and I hope you can accomplish your goals, if it isn’t doing physical activities even just get out there and work everyday to accomplish it. Just remember, I would rather say ‘I did it than I gave up’.

5 Tips for Healthy Kids

September 3, 2016 by Danielle

This post was sponsored by Nature Made® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

As parents, our main goal is to have happy, healthy kids, right? Sometimes that sure can be easier said than done with how busy life can be, especially with back to school season upon us. While we can’t always control things that affect them, there ARE some simple things we can incorporate into our daily lives that will help our kids be as healthy as possible. Here are 5 Tips for Healthy Kids that are easy, quick and can become just another daily habit to a happy life!

With school back in session, it seems more crucial than ever that my kids be healthy, and their immune systems as strong as possible. You know how it is – germs all over the classrooms, plenty of sickies being shared among students from coughs to strep to the flu. It’s not fun, but it also can’t be avoided completely. This tips for healthier kids can be quickly added to your new back-to-school routine – because I know you don’t need a ton of extra things to worry about!

Tip #1: Give Them The Nutrition They Need

Feeding them healthy foods helps, but even the best diets can sometimes lack ALL of the nutrients your kids’ growing bodies need. With Nature Made® KIDS FIRST® Multivitamin Gummies from Target, your kids can enjoy getting the essential daily nutritional support they may be lacking. These chewy gummies even come in tasty ALL-NATURAL fruit flavors like orange, cherry and mixed berry.

The Nature Made® KIDS FIRST® Multivitamin Gummies help fill many of the key nutrient gaps from your kiddos’ daily diet and support overall health.† They contain 12 essential nutrients for age-specific nutritional support, including vitamins A, C, D and E – as well as B vitamins, and minerals like iodine and zinc. No synthetic dyes in these gummies, no preservatives or yeast AND they’re gluten free!

Tip #2: Exercise

This may be super simple, as most kids are always on-the-go and highly active anyway – but do make sure they’re getting plenty of exercise for their growing bodies. Whether it’s in activities like sports, walking around the zoo, swimming, or even playing tag and spending time on the playground, keep them strong and active.

Tip #3: Teach Them the Importance of Washing Hands

There’s no way to avoid ALL the germs around schools, and it probably wouldn’t be good to have zero contact with germs anyway. But help your kids avoid a lot of it by teaching them how to properly wash their hands, and why it’s important. Some kids don’t bother washing their hands when they’re not being supervised, because they don’t know WHY they’re told to do so. Make up a fun song they can sing while they wash, or have a fun soap!

Tip #4: Rest is Key

With school starting so early (at least for us) it’s super important during the school year to get them back to an appropriate bedtime so they can get the rest their growing bodies desperately need. Even their minds need a break from the day! Try to stick with a regular bedtime as much as possible, and that will help them get use to falling asleep at that time – after all, bedtime fights are on fun!

Tip #5: If They’re Sick, Keep Them Home

I know, it’s important for them to attend school as much as possible – plus some parents have to work – but it’s crucial that if they’re sick enough to be home, that that’s where they are. A lot of sicknesses that are ‘going around’ are because those carrying it are exposing others unnecessarily. Yes, sometimes the disease isn’t known until after it’s already been shared, and sometimes they look fully recovered but aren’t. There are plenty of times, though, when kids are sent to school when they clearly shouldn’t be there. They then pass it around, others get sick, and it can turn into an awful, miserable cycle. Use your best judgement and remember – if you wouldn’t want someone else’s kid to expose yours, why expose them?

Check out these other Nature Made® KIDS FIRST® varieties here!

†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

My Favorite Tips for Surviving Pregnancy

August 31, 2016 by Danielle

I was fairly young when we started our family, and we sure got our three pregnancies done quick! Our youngest was born when we were just 25 years old. Whether you’re a first-time mom, or really experienced, I’m sure you either know or have heard that every pregnancy is different. That is SO TRUE! Luckily there’s some tips and helpful resources that can get you through. Here’s My Favorite Tips for Surviving Pregnancy, plus a few funny stories!

Let me start by being blunt – I don’t like being pregnant. I know there’s women who really enjoy the whole experience – and while yes I loved feeling my babies move and kick, watching them on ultrasounds and hearing their heartbeat, and of course was THRILLED to have my babies – I really hated the actual pregnancies. Maybe I’m a wimp, but I’m okay with that! I wouldn’t trade those miserable months for anything, though. We got pregnant with my girl when I was just 20 years old, and living on the other side of the state than my mom. I had so many questions and concerns that I was kind of a wreck the first couple of months! Luckily a friend gave me the most trusted pregnancy book: What to Expect^® When You’re Expecting. I think I pretty much wore that book out, reading everything I could so I could be as prepared as possible.

Story Time: The night I went into labor with my girl, we were over at my grandparents. By the time we got home we were positive it was real, time-able contractions. I told Clayton to get some sleep while he could, and I grabbed my copy of What to Expect^® When You’re Expecting and devoured the Labor & Delivery section while enduring the contractions as long as I could! He slept, I studied and went through contractions – seems fair, right? 😉

I can’t tell you how much this book helped me with my first pregnancy – answer so many questions that I didn’t even know to ask or wonder about! I was even able to advocate for myself more with the nurses, who acted like I was too young to know anything.

Then guess what? A few years later we decided to expand our family, and when we got an ultrasound to see why I was so extremely sick at the beginning…..they found two heartbeats! Needless to say, I had a whole list of new questions and worries – and this book again got me through a lot of it. When I ended up having early labor and got put on bedrest for the last 3 months before the boys made their appearance, I read that book plenty. I was really glad I’d read more about C-sections, despite insisting I didn’t want one, when my 2nd twin suddenly needed an emergency one!

Story Time: Clayton was in the OR with me when we went in to deliver the twins. After Thor was born just fine, he walked over to the little incubator to check on him. He turned to start walking back to me – I looked at his face go white and I told the nurses ‘I think he’s going to pass out’! Sure enough, he suddenly fell to the floor unconscious! He didn’t hurt himself, thank goodness – but the nurses helped him by fanning his face and feeding him some crackers so he could feel okay enough to get up and leave the OR (since obviously he couldn’t handle it). I’m there on the table in LABOR and he’s getting pampered by several cute nurses, then has to leave the room before all the drama of the emergency C-section situation. Nope – he’s never living that down!

For all you who are pregnant or may be in the future, you’re going to be SO GLAD to hear that What to Expect^® When You’re Expecting is now in it’s brand new 5th Edition! That means a fresh perspective, up-to-the-minute information and advice – but the same friendly, reassuring voice that made it a bestseller (and my permanent bedside book for 6 years) for decades! Not only have they brought DAD into the book all throughout, but it answers every imaginable questions expecting parents could ask – and offers solutions for every pregnancy and postpartum symptom.

I love that the medical coverage is completely updated, including everything expectant moms need to know about the Zika virus. While I have no plans for another baby, my sister-in-law is currently expecting her first! Guess what I got her as a gift? Yup – this amazing book that truly helped me survive my pregnancies 🙂

Tips for Surviving Pregnancy

#1: Don’t Overdo It: you’re building a human being – that’s no small task! Take this time to rest, and don’t be afraid to take on less tasks than normal. People will completely understand – if they don’t, smack them (and blame it on the baby brain). Kidding! Well, sort of 😉

#2: Ask for Help: Like I said above – you’re BUILDING A HUMAN! That’s pretty much the toughest job around, so don’t hesitate to ask for help. There’s so many times I wouldn’t, and regretted it later. Friends, family and even neighbors will be thrilled to help you out, but you won’t know unless you ask!

#3: Keep Food by the Bed: I had horrible morning sickness ALL DAY for all of my pregnancies, the whole time. I learned that if I kept crackers or something simple by my bed and ate before getting up, it didn’t start off as harsh. Whether you get sick or not, it’s likely you’ll also have times when you wake up needing just a little bite to eat – so this makes it much more convenient.

#4: Read What to Expect^® When You’re Expecting: You saw this one coming, right? But it is honestly and truly SO HELPFUL, and can answer tons of questions to help you get through the nine months, then the big finish at the end. Even after my first two pregnancies, I still learned new things and had different experiences with my last.

#5: Get a Good Doctor: This doesn’t mean he’s THE BEST or anything, but you need a Doctor who you get along with and trust. You don’t want someone you feel awkward around, feel that they don’t really care or give you enough time, doesn’t answer your questions or that doesn’t listen to you. A good relationship with your Doctor is super important!

#6: Have a Support System: Whether it’s your significant other, mom, sister, or friend – make sure you have some good people who you trust and that truly care for you to give you support. Not just at the end, but all through the pregnancy, too.

#7: Find a Comfort Food: If you’re sick and/or dealing with crazy cravings, try to find a comfort food that sits well in your stomach. There were days I couldn’t keep anything down EXCEPT pickles, or chocolate. You’ll do better if there’s something you can keep down.

#8: Finally – TAKE NAPS! Your body will be exhausted and sore, your emotions will be a roller-coaster, and even your brain will be like ‘what the heck?!’ – taking time for a nap can work wonders. Lots of people advised naps to me with my first, but I was ‘too busy’ to listen. I definitely wished I had after the fact!

What pregnancy questions were (or are) foremost on YOUR mind? I bet What to Expect^® When You’re Expecting has an answer!

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

7 Things to Know BEFORE an ER Visit

August 20, 2016 by Danielle

With four kids, three of them being boys, it’s a miracle we never had to take them to the ER before. Until this past January, that is! It’s bad enough when you have to take your child to an ER, but because we didn’t know a few things in advance, we’re still dealing with some headaches with that ER. To help you avoid the nightmare we’ve been dealing with all these months later, here are 7 Things to Know BEFORE an ER Visit. Trust me – we learned the hard way!

A little of what happened: Our little Hulk was acting fine all day long, but around 6:30pm said he was tired and wanted to go to bed. Anyone that knows him knows that was a big red flag. We took his temperature and it was about 99.5 – okay, give him ibuprofen and let him go to bed. Around 9:30pm he suddenly starts screaming in pain at the top of his lungs! We hurry into his room, and he’s grabbing his stomach and just screaming. His fever is super high, so I race him to the nearest ER we could find on the GPS. Luckily it ended up being pnemonia and by the time we left the ER (the SECOND ER we had to go to that night – I’ll explain all that in a minute) it was about 5am and he was feeling just fine, smiling and hardly any fever with the meds.

#1: What’s the nearest ER that HELPS CHILDREN?

I’d never given much thought to taking my kids to the ER before – we never had to, and I just assumed all ERs were fine. When Hulk got that sick, I just searched our GPS for the nearest ER and that’s where we went. Big mistake! We found out – after we’d been there for several hours and they’d already ran a bunch of tests on him – that they don’t really help children so he had to be taken to a children’s hospital. Wait – WHAT?! They’d just spent hours testing my child, giving him X-rays and medicine and an IV, just to tell me ‘we think he has pneumonia, but we don’t treat children so he needs to go to this other hospital that treats children to make sure’. Turns out this other hospital was only 5 more minutes driving from our house than this one, so if I’d done my research BEFORE we needed to make an ER visit, I would’ve known to take him there in the first place.

#2: Are the ER facilities clean, safe and suitable for children?

This kind of goes along with the first one – but even if they say they treat children, make sure the facilities are SUITABLE for children. The X-ray machine and protective gear was all adult-sized, so I know he wasn’t fully protected and it’s no shock they didn’t get appropriate X-rays the first time. They didn’t know the best way to do an IV in a little 4-year-olds arm, and had to search for quite awhile to even find the right size. The room was blank, boring, and suited for adults – and there were no TV channels that even I was okay watching, much less a child, so he just lay there miserable and in pain with nothing to help him be comfortable except his blankie and Optimus Prime stuffed animal we brought from home.

#3: What are your rights – can you say ‘no’?

Again, I was in a panic and in completely unfamiliar territory when we rushed to the ER. All I could think about was my sick baby, which made my already exhausted (no sleep until we got home about 5ish in the morning) mind unclear. The doctor barely spoke English, and what he did had such a strong accent that I couldn’t really understand. I asked the nurses for help, but they just shrugged and said they couldn’t really understand him either. WHAT?!?! I should’ve made it clear that I wanted a Dr. that could be understood. When he said he wanted X-rays on Hulk (they still didn’t tell me they didn’t really treat kids so he’d have to be transferred later anyway), I said I didn’t feel comfortable with that – after asking him to repeat several times because I couldn’t understand him. He said something like ‘well we’re taking X-rays’ and didn’t give me a choice. I should’ve resisted – especially when they brought in adult X-ray stuff and adult-sized protective gear. I should’ve checked what my rights were – and made sure they knew I meant it when I said no X-rays, because he didn’t seem to think they were too important (and they certainly weren’t in a hurry for anything) when he mentioned X-rays in the first place.

#4: What is the average wait time?

If I’d looked into this hospital earlier, before we rushed their in a panic, I would’ve learned that they weren’t very quick. They weren’t slow because they were careful – they were just slow. After experiencing their care, I now believe it’s because they just don’t really care to hurry. The longer we’re there, the more tests they can do, the more they can charge. It took forever just to check in (even though there wasn’t anybody else there – I asked), then to just get info and vitals, then of the 4ish hours we were at this hospital, only maybe 1 full hours was with active testing/healing going on. The rest was us waiting there wondering. Luckily Hulk was able to sleep a little while more medicine kicked in and brought his fever down – because between being sick but not getting it fixed, mixed with the NOTHING comfortable/entertaining to do, it was awful. I’d ask a nurse for an update, she’d say she was busy – then go back to chatting with her other nurse friend.

#5: What are their policies on transfers?

After all those hours and the X-rays, the Dr. told us he ‘thinks’ he has pneumonia – but remember, they don’t really treat children so we had to go to this other hospital for a final diagnosis. So WHY did they expose my son to X-rays and other medicines (they never were clear on what they were giving him, either) when they knew he’d have to be transferred regardless. I asked the nurses (because I couldn’t understand the Dr.) and they said they have to transfer all children. They could’ve done that at the beginning – but then they wouldn’t have been able to charge as much money. Yup, at this point I was FURIOUS! They told me they were getting an ambulance to transfer us, because Hulk had an IV in so I couldn’t drive him myself, even though his fever was currently pretty low. I said I couldn’t pay for an ambulance, which they then told me they covered the ambulance cost because of an arrangement with the other hospital. When the bill from this hospital of OVER $30,000 came, I’m pretty sure they put the ambulance fee in there!

#6: What do other people say about the ERs near you?

I should’ve read reviews ahead of time – as soon as we moved into this new home – so I could know which hospital ER to take my family to if something ever happened. If I had, I would’ve read that this hospital I first went to was awful – they were slow, they were rude and didn’t care, wasted time, did unnecessary tests and medicines – then charge ridiculous amounts that are much higher than the average costs. Like LOTS higher! That’s bad enough, but the unnecessary tests (like the X-rays they gave Hulk, even though they weren’t as safe because they were made for adults – and he had to redo them at the children’s hospital anyway) really pisses me off! (this pic of Hulk is at the children’s hospital – watching cartoons and comfortable, with nurses keeping us updated and checking that everything was ok)

#7: Which ER accepts your insurance? Are they honest with their costs/bills?

Again, research would’ve saved us here. Turns out this hospital doesn’t accept hardly any insurances – they provide ‘discounts’ with some that they have deals with. But when I checked in and gave them my insurance, all they said was ‘this is fine’ – even when I asked if they took it, they said it was fine. Panicked mom brain holding my crying, overheating child didn’t think to get a straight answer. Turns out they have a discount deal with OUR insurance – so they billed our insurance company about $16,000. OUCH! So our insurance company told us our remaining deductible that we owe the hospital was about $3,000 – and insurance paid the rest. It’s now August, several months later, and we’re still fighting with the hospital because they’re trying to charge us $20,000 – that’s even more than they billed insurance! They’re trying to charge us the TOTAL NON-DISCOUNTED BILL, less what insurance paid!!! Yup, still fighting with this dishonest hospital.

If I’d done my research, I would’ve KNOWN this wasn’t the place to take my child to! We wouldn’t have had unnecessary (and I believe unsafe the way they did it) tests, awful experience, transfers, and a RIDICULOUS BILL! We would’ve gone to the children’s hospital, which was wonderful, quick (even though they were busy), truly cared, and they only did X-rays because they really had to with properly-sized protective stuff for Hulk. We were only in that hospital for about 2 hours. It was like night and day between the hospitals! In the end, I’m just super relieved and grateful Hulk is fine, but the fact that he may have been exposed to more X-ray than needed, had awful care, and that we’re still fighting with the hospital over bills is insane.

Protect your family and be prepared BEFORE an ER visit!

Don’t Let Motion Sickness Interfere with Your Life

August 17, 2016 by Danielle

This post was sponsored by Dramamine® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions are mine alone. #AdventuresInMotion #IC

If you’ve ever dealt with motion sickness, you know what a struggle it is. It can really prevent you from doing things you want, whether it’s a road trip or a fun theme park ride. Growing up, it was a nightmare for me – and as I’ll share with you, it caused some rather embarrassing moments! When we learned some of our kids suffer from it pretty badly, I was nervous for how it would affect things they enjoyed. Luckily we found a great solution – so Don’t Let Motion Sickness Interfere with Your Life anymore!

I can’t tell you what a life saver it was when we tried Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals for the first time last year. It was SUCH a difference! My Black Widow gets motion sickness the worst out of all my kids, and it was so bad we could hardly drive to dance lessons without her needing a baggy. What should have been a 20-hour drive to Disneyland one year took us almost 30 hours because we kept having to stop because she got sick so much. We use to dread plane trips because we ALWAYS had her throwing-up (and sometimes me, too), but now we’ve done several flights with no issue at all.

Black Widow wouldn’t want to go anywhere because it was so bad, and my thrill-ride-loving girl was miserable when she couldn’t really enjoy our trips to Six Flags or Disneyland. Now she very rarely has an episode of motion sickness – even on really long road trips or a day filled with roller coasters! Guys, I seriously LOVE Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals, and we stay plenty stocked up for her sake and mine. We can even do the ‘big rides’ and end smiling, instead of nauseous!

I promised you some of MY embarrassing moments from when motion sickness interfered with my life, so here we go. In 5th grade – which is a hard enough grade anyway – we were driving up the canyon for a school ski trip. About half-way there, I couldn’t hide my turning stomach and threw up all over. In front of my whole 5th grade class. I wanted to drop out of school it was so embarrassing! The same thing happened the summer after I graduated high school when I was on a Europe tour – those winding roads were awful, and I ended up at the Palace of Versailles with a now garbage-worthy shirt.

Now I take Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals and hardly get motion sickness at all! So how does it work so well? Unlike many other sources of ginger that people try for motion sickness (like ginger ale or candies), Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals contains the CLINICALLY-TESTED ginger dosage required for preventing and treatnig motion sickness. I love that it’s formulated with natural ingredients like ginger so that I feel safe taking it (or giving it to Black Widow) every day we need to travel.

You know those products you swear by, recommend to any friends/family, and keep in every bag and first aide kit? This is that for us because it works so well, and has made such a huge difference for our family. You can even grab this Digital Coupon to save $1.00, so you can try it out for yourself!

What are YOUR embarrassing motion sickness stories? Share below, then be sure to grab some Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals so they don’t happen again!

Join me at The Pinners Conference

July 8, 2016 by Danielle

I’ll be presenting a class during The Pinners Conference – as such, I receive an affiliate rate when you use my code to purchase a class/ticket. You also receive a 10% discount using it, so it’s a win-win situation!

Do you love Pinterest? Have you always wanted to sit down in a class to learn some of the amazing crafts, recipes, finance tips, shopping ideas, style tutorials and more? Then you’ve GOT to Join me at The Pinners Conference on September 9th & 10th in Arlington, Texas!

There’s SO MANY great classes being offered – you can check them out here. I’ll be teaching on Easy Meal Plans on a Budget! Check out my little bio on the site…..I feel all ‘professional’ looking at it 😉

Be sure to use Promo Code: BUSYMOM for 10% off your ticket!

Some other great ones are:

Natural Beauty From the Kitchen – by Amy Greene
Simple Science Experiments for Kids – by Rachel Miller
How To Create A Family Budget – by Carrie Elle Lindsey
Get Ready for your Trip to Disney – by Shannon Schmid & Autumn Reo
Watercolor Techniques with Markers – by Jennie Garcia
Creating Really Awesome, Free, Kids Crafts – by Jamie Dorobek
Upcycled DIY Succulent & Herb Terrariums – by Randi Dukes
#HASHTAG Tote Bags – by Samantha Conner
Crafting with Crap LIVE (and Interactive)! – by Holly Homer & Jamie Harrington
Kid Cooking Made Easy – by Toria & Juian Frederick
Easy Recipes for Busy Families – by Crystal Van Tassel-Lopez

And so many more!!! Party planning, home decor, money saving, hair styles, fun crafts, yummy and easy recipes, parenting or kid activities – seriously, there’s something (or a FEW somethings) for everyone! I can’t wait!!!

Head over HERE and use Promo Code: BUSYMOM to save 10% on your ticket – then join in the fun with us September 9th & 10th at The Pinners Conference!

Getting Older Doesn’t Have to Mean Looking Older

June 28, 2016 by Danielle

Did you know that just because you’re getting older doesn’t have to mean LOOKING older? Thanks to The Women Bloggers and Kendal King Group for sponsoring this post!

I’m 30. That’s not a complaint – perhaps a little shock – but I’m happy to have reached 30 and excited for all the years to come! That being said, I’ve been noticing more and more changes to my appearance – aging can do that. However, as I’ve learned from my amazing mom who looks more like my sister than the 50-something year old she is, getting older doesn’t have to mean looking older. Here’s some tips on how to help yourself looking younger – after all, age is just a number! Oh – and we’re giving away a $100 Prepaid Credit Card!

Tip #1: Have Great Anti-Aging Products

It’s very true – there’s products out there that are FAR superior to others. It’s just a fact. From facial cleanser to moisturizer, creams and boosters – you need the right type of thing going onto your skin. I didn’t really use more than the basics (cleanse and moisturize) until recently, I’m LOVING that I can tell a big difference now with Jouviance RestructivSRD and Collagen Boost creams.

The RestructivSRD fights the 8 clinical signs of aging with 2x the concentration of pure retinol. Talk about giving your skin some assistance with fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores, uneven skin texture, dull complexion, dehydration and age spots. I haven’t gotten the age spots quite yet, but I was noticing uneven tone and texture, my pores were bothering me and there were definitely the start of fine lines and wrinkles. Now I can kick that in the butt – err, face!

The Collagen Boost really helps with hydration and skin firmness/elasticity. No time like now to get that taken care of, right? Plus, prevention is the best medicine! In case you’re curious – this comes after cleansing your face, followed by the RestructivSRD 🙂 I’m loving it! They’re available at CVS stores, so be sure to grab them next time you’re running errands there.

Tip #2: Hydrate

We’ve all heard the old ‘drink 8 glasses of water a day’, right? Well, there’s a reason for that – it’s TRUE! Our bodies are mostly water – about 50-65% – so that should tell you how important it is to stay well hydrated. If we’re low on water, it’ll first go to the most important functions and organs – our skin is probably one of the last. So if we don’t drink enough, the dehydration will show plenty in our skin. Keep it moist and firm!

Tip #3: Exercise

The last thing you want me to tell you to do is exercise, right? Too bad – because it’s not only good for keeping you STRONG and HEALTHY, but it keeps you looking younger longer! Plus, ones the fat stores start building up, it becomes even harder to KEEP the weight loss off. So why not just prevent it to save yourself even more work later? And trust me, I’m struggling with this big time, too!

Tip #4: Smile and Laugh

Okay, this may seem really random and strange – but imagine a few people in your mind of different ages. Don’t they ALL look younger when they’re smiling and laughing? In my opinion, a scowl or frown makes people look older – don’t let that work against you. Instead, enjoy life! Be happy, smile a lot and laugh as often as you can – I’m sure this not only makes you look and feel younger at the time, but the happy hormones released MAY just assist with keeping you looking younger longer! Win-win!

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Skinny Girls Have it Hard Too

May 20, 2016 by Danielle

In a society striving to change the old ways of ‘ideal body image’, they often focus on ‘larger’ girls. Which is great and wonderful – but some need to realize that Skinny Girls Have it Hard, Too. They get teased. They struggle with body image. They often get defined by their ‘skinniness’ that people sadly admire, causing them to build their self-confidence on a foundation of their physical appearance. And if that changes later in life? What then?

There’s been a lot of media hype about ‘fat shaming’ for a long while now. Women protesting against photo-shopped magazines or commercials. People are saying ‘ENOUGH’ to an unrealistic or ‘ideal’ image. Meghan Trainor recently got angry that her music video was published without permission with her waist photo-shopped, and made them take it down and use the correct, unaltered one. Such a great role model! I’m glad progress is being made, although we have a long way to go, and am trying hard to teach my kids the same – especially my girl. But what do I do when a ‘friend’ says ‘your daughter can’t look up to her (Meghan Trainor), she needs a role model her own size”.

Yes, that was an actual conversation that happened, as we were standing casually waiting for our kids to be released from school. A car driving by had one of Meghan Trainor’s songs playing, and I mentioned how I like her music and that she’s showing to be a great role model for my girl. The ‘friend’ replied just as I said above – and I was speechless for moment! I asked her, guardedly, why it mattered and she replied with something like “oh, I just mean that skinny girls need to model after skinny girls, so she can’t look up to her. If she (my daughter) tries to relate to fat (her word, not mine) ladies, she’ll just make it worse for classmates that aren’t skinny. You have to be kind to the ‘fat’ girls.”

Guys – WHAT?!?! Luckily my kids came out of class right then so I had a perfect excuse to leave the conversation, because I’m sure I would’ve replied rather harshly. I thought the whole point is to be happy in the body you have, the HEALTHY body you have – whether it’s skinny or not. Or did I miss something? And since when is it just the ‘fat’ girls (or boys) that need to be shown kindness? No skinny people get bullied or have issues because of THEIR size? Then it got me thinking – I WAS the skinny girl growing up, and it’s actually the reason for a lot of the hardships I now face in life.

Being skinny got me teased

I was called names like ‘Dani Long Legs’ or ‘Pencil Legs’. Adults would say it was a compliment because of how skinny I was, but that’s not how the kids meant it. It was teasing.

I Got Praised for My Physical Appearance

The most common ‘compliment’ I got was how skinny I was. Adults would say ‘oh, you’re so lucky to be skinny’ and focus on that physical trait. Something I had little control over (at the time), and that had nothing to with my personality. This made me build my foundation for self-confidence on something that could very likely (and did) change in life. Something not valuable, that meant very little. When I was no longer ‘skinny’ the compliments stopped, so then I felt my worth was gone, too. I still struggle with that, still feel like I’m not pretty because of my weight – but I’m working on that.

I was Skinny, not Strong or Healthy

There’s a difference between being skinny and being healthy, or strong. I was pretty weak when I was super skinny. There were plenty of friends who weren’t necessarily ‘skinny’ but were plenty strong and healthy. I always thought they looked better, anyway, because they looked REAL. But society was teaching me that skinny was better.

I Got to ‘Normal’ Weight, and felt ‘Fat’

I was underweight, wearing a size 0 jeans. That’s not me bragging, just stating facts. After I had Black Widow, I was what was considered a ‘normal’ weight, fitting right smack in the middle of the perfect BMI. But I hated it – I’d been skinny so long, had grown up having that my ‘best quality’ pointed out by people, that I felt ‘fat’. I hated the way I looked, despite being healthier and stronger than I’d ever been. Despite being able to wear clothes that fit comfortably or shopping in my own department instead of hoping to find girl pants that were long enough because women’s jeans fell around my waist.

It Should Be About a Healthy Body Image

This post is NOT to downplay how hard girls (or boys, doesn’t matter) that are seen as ‘fat’ have it. I’m just addressing the fact that ANY size can have image issues and struggles. But we can help fix that, by teaching our kids to value MORE than their body image or size. Don’t just compliment saying ‘oh, you’re so skinny’ or ‘your’e such a beautiful girl’. Don’t avoid those always, because of course I tell my girl she’s beautiful! But don’t make that the focus – don’t let that be the only thing she hears complimented.

Focus on their talents, their gifts, their minds and imaginations, their kindness or courage, their sense of humor or willingness to help others.

Remind them the importance of the qualities that they have control over, the things that REALLY make them a good person or not – because size has nothing to do with the value of a person. NOTHING. And kids need to know that.

My daughter’s turning 10 this year, and already has some image issues because people are commenting on her skinniness so often. I’m trying to fix that, and hope that society can do the same. For the skinny girls, the ‘normal’ girls, the ‘fat’ girls. Those terms really don’t mean much anyway – they’re a matter of opinion, some are just fact. Right now, I’m technically overweight – so according to definition I am fat. But what I need to focus on is if I’m healthy – currently, I’m not, but am working on that. Not to get skinny, but to be healthy. To be strong and have energy to keep up with my kids. Yes, I’d love to fit in a size 3 jeans again, but that’s not my focus or my goal.

Don’t Fat Shame, But Don’t Skinny Shame Either

Don’t Miss Another Girl’s Night Out

May 1, 2016 by Danielle

This is a sponsored post. I received product samples to facilitate my review. #CulturelleNightOut

Raise your hand if you’re busy! I’m imagining EVERYONE with their hand in the air, waving it around like a mad woman. Okay, probably not ‘everyone’ was doing that, but you wanted to, right? Because life IS busy! As I’ve gotten older, it’s become much more difficult to get nights out, especially just fun nights out with my girls. Don’t Miss Another Girl’s Night Out – because you deserve a break!

Yes, I’ve had that happen before. One of my best gals was in town visiting from Utah, and only here for 2 days. I was so excited, and was even going to take her back to the airport so we’d have time to catch up. Guess what happened? Yup – got a miserable cold, and didn’t want to share with her so missed out on even seeing her once on that trip. I was ticked! I’m so glad I didn’t miss out on my girl’s night out last month, though, and took extra precautions to boost my immune system with Culturelle Advanced Immune Defense.

So what IS it? It’s a triple-action dietary supplement that has tons of live active cultures (2.5 billion of that probiotic awesomeness) as well as Epicor, Vitamin C and Zinc so your body’s natural defenses are more activated. You start taking it about 3-4 days before your event, like my mani-pedi girl’s night out last month, then continue for the full 10 days (1 capsule a day). It’s been a long while since my toes got a cute color on them – so glad I didn’t miss this!

Since you want to have a blast during your girl’s night, and not stress about the cost, here’s a little help: a $2 off coupon for your own Culturelle Advanced Immune Defense! Get that extra drink or upgrade your nail polish color – or tip your waiter a little more!

It was SUCH a stress relief to just take some time with the girls – and a big THANK YOU to Jeni and Tasha for coming with me for a little pampering! As much as we love our hubby’s and kiddos, it’s really nice to get a break and spend some time for ourselves every now and then.

What do you think of my pretty purples? I’ve never had the gel nail polish stuff before, but am loving how durable it is – because you know it gets tested when you’re handling kiddos and dishes all day!

More great fun…

Star Wars Half Marathon

February 3, 2016 by Nikki Cole

Star Wars is already amazing; running a Star Wars themed Half Marathon through Disneyland? EPIC!

Contains affiliate links that support this blog at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy for more info.

Now I know what you’re thinking ‘there’s no way I could run a half marathon’, well good news there’s a simple 10k or even a 5k you can do as well! Disney has several fun events throughout the year and some of them are different themed runs that take place through the park. I got the great opportunity to run the Disneyland Star Wars Half Marathon this year with my husband.

So yes running is hard and no I am not a huge runner. I have had ACL replacement surgery, torn my MCL, and several other injuries to my knees so no I am not a huge runner because it is hard and it gets boring. I never thought I would run a half marathon because of my injuries and because I don’t enjoy just plain running, but these events are way exciting and it’s satisfying to be able to say I have ran three now.

I have run three half marathons now and every single one of them was hard yes but the amazing memories and the accomplishment from finishing them is amazing. This last one was my absolute favorite, not only did I get another half marathon under my belt, but I got to run with characters in Disneyland and enjoy the celebration of the new Star Wars movie.

If you ever get a chance run in a Disney race, they are so fun and with all the excitement going on you won’t realize how tired you are, you will just know how much fun you are having. Now with that said it does take some training. No you don’t have to go run every day. My training consisted of elliptical, biking, running, strength training, and stretching. Like I said earlier, I have bad knees and continuous running is not recommended at all for them. I am not giving up my races so therefore when I am not racing I need to take care of my knees, so I don’t run hardly at all in training. I train on the elliptical to train my lungs and get really good cardio. I ride a stationary bike to help stretch out my legs and get a little bit of cardio and strength in. No I do not do squats or lunges, if you have bad knees these can cause damage if repetitively done. I do however do leg curls, leg raises (backward and forward), inner outer leg lift/press, and calf raises. I also do walk to help train my feet to be able to stand for that long on concrete without bruising or blistering. So I don’t run all the time; I will run about 1 to 3 times a month but just 2 to 3 miles, not very far at all.

Some tips if you’re thinking of a Disney run:

Plan early! Look up upcoming events (where, when) and mark the registration date. You will need to sign up usually within an hour if you want something other than the half marathon, the half usually fills up within a couple days. So planning is critical otherwise it books up, so look ahead and plan.
Train! Don’t expect it to be really easy, it’s not super hard either but how great your trip is will be determined greatly by the amount of training you do before. Of course you’ll want to go to the park after so if you don’t train you will be so sore and tired you won’t get to enjoy your trip.
Find a buddy! Mine was my amazing husband who pushes me along and supports me the whole way. We talk through the whole thing and he makes the run so much easier knowing I have that help and support.
Enjoy! Take in everything that’s going on! Enjoy your run, don’t just focus on it being a race focus on having a great time and doing something amazing.

Think it will still be way too boring for you? What if I said there were storm troopers, Darth Vadors, and several other characters and decorations from the show throughout the whole race you could take pictures with? We had tons of characters from the movie cheering us on the whole way, along with bands playing music to get us pumped. There were plenty of stops with bathrooms, drinks, and snacks to help us get through it as well.

No I did not get a record time with this half, but it was way exciting and memorable. After the race I also got to spend time in the park which is always an adventure. One of my favorite parts through the race was going through this kind of tunnel and through the tunnel they played Darth Vador’s voice of him breathing and saying ‘come to the dark side’, it was way cool. Another part I really liked was being able to not only run through the park but go through behind the scenes areas. And of course I loved having hundreds of people cheering me on. Like dressing up? Perfect, pick your favorite theme and dress up! Don’t go too overboard because you still have to run. Through my race I saw Darth Vadors, storm troopers, Leia’s, and all sorts of characters from star wars. If you like running or not, but want to get in shape and have a memorable vacation, sign up for one of these runs and I promise you will not regret it, even though I was sore after, the memories from this trip are amazing and are going to stay with me forever.

Other fun from Disneyland…

Watch for the next Disney Half Marathon, and book your Disneyland vacation today! Use promo code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

Best Tips for Cold Season

January 25, 2016 by Danielle

This post was sponsored by Vicks VapoRub as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

Who else has been getting hit with the cold hard this winter? It’s been non-stop at our house since before Christmas, going from one person to the next. The kids are so sick (literally!) of coughing! I know they need their rest to help them recover more quickly, but it’s so hard when they’re miserable. Luckily we’ve got some of the Best Tips for Cold Season to share!

#1: Get Enough Rest

Your body gets exhausted fighting off the cold, so help it along by making sure you (or your kids) get plenty of sleep and rest. Even a little nap can do wonders – I know, easier said than done! Just remember, the sooner you get over your cold the quicker you’re back to being fully functional and productive. So as challenging as it is, SLEEP!

#2: Get Cough Relief with Vicks VapoRub

It’s really hard to get enough sleep when you’re hacking up a lung, and since our boys share a room – if one of them is coughing all night, none of them sleep well! I grew up using Vicks VapoRub, so trust it with my own kiddos now. It’s a cough suppressant for the whole family (I use it plenty, too!) – intended for 2+ years of age. It’s a topical cough medicine with medicated vapors, so it’s not likely to cause drowsiness or jittery side effects when you use it as directed. I love how it starts working instantly, giving them soothing cough relief for their cold. I rub a bit on their chest and throat so they can get those vapors of camphor, eucalyptus oil and menthol.

#3: Use a Humidifier

Whenever the common cold hits our house, we pull out our humidifier (we had two, but one’s been missing since the move – need to replace it asap!). Think of how dry your throat gets when you’re coughing – keep the air moist and it’s much easier to sleep. Another aspect I love of it is that it helps the air stay cool – your body gets heated up when you have a coughing fit, so it’s a nice relief.

#4: Drink Plenty of Liquids

Staying hydrated is always important, but more so when you’re fighting off a cold. For a dry, scratching and/or sore throat you can especially enjoy warm liquids – try heating up some orange juice, apple cider or even hot cocoa! It feels so nice on your throat, and your sick kids will appreciate a little ‘treat’!

Head out and grab a tub of Vicks VapoRub now so you’re fully prepared for WHEN the cold hits your household! It’s not fun, but at least you can be ready and now know great ways to help treat a cold for kiddos and yourself!

Healthy Orange Julius

January 15, 2016 by Chellie Schmitz

Healthy Orange Julius

I have a thing for smoothies. Me and smoothies go together like, Laverne & Shirley. I think I’m dating myself here, anyone remember Laverne & Shirley? I love making smoothies with fresh berries in the summer, fresh apples in the fall, and this time of year? Citrus. This Healthy Orange Julius will knock your socks off! Get you dancing!

A long long time ago, way back before I was married or had kids, I was a hairdresser. And I had this one client that always brought me an Orange Julius. If you’ve never had one or you don’t know what I’m talking about, just make this smoothie and you’ll be caught up. I never really frequented the place where you can buy them. As a matter of fact, this client was the one that introduced me to them. And she was a faithful client. She was in every four weeks for a cut and color. So every four weeks, I got to enjoy an Orange Julius with her. She was a sweetie.

One of the things that I love about Smoothies is it doesn’t take much to be fantastic. Just a few simple ingredients and Ta-da! You have scrumptiousness.

So for my Healthy Orange Julius, you’ll need oranges, orange zest, a banana, vanilla greek yogurt and some almonds. You’ve got it all here folks, protein, vitamin C blah blah blah.

Toss it all in the blender and you’re good to go!

Helpful Hints

If you like a thinner smoothie, add some milk.
Dairy Free? Use a soy yogurt, or other substitute
I always add ice, about 5 or 6 cubes, to keep it nice and cold. The blender motor can warm it a bit.
If you’re using frozen bananas (or other fruit), there’s no need for the ice.

Print Recipe

Healthy Orange Julius

Ingredients

3/4 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt
Zest from 1 orange
2 oranges peeled and separated
1 banana in large pieces
2 Tbs whole almonds
5-6 ice cubes

Instructions

Place all ingredients in the blender.
Blend on high until smooth.

Looking for more healthy recipes?

Tropical Green Smoothie

Fig Smoothie

Guilt-Free Gingersnap Steamer

Tip #1: Give Them The Nutrition They Need

Tip #2: Exercise

Tip #3: Teach Them the Importance of Washing Hands

Tip #4: Rest is Key

Tip #5: If They’re Sick, Keep Them Home

Check out these other Nature Made® KIDS FIRST® varieties here!

Tips for Surviving Pregnancy

What pregnancy questions were (or are) foremost on YOUR mind? I bet What to Expect® When You’re Expecting has an answer!

#1: What’s the nearest ER that HELPS CHILDREN?

#2: Are the ER facilities clean, safe and suitable for children?

#3: What are your rights – can you say ‘no’?

#4: What is the average wait time?

#5: What are their policies on transfers?

#6: What do other people say about the ERs near you?

#7: Which ER accepts your insurance? Are they honest with their costs/bills?

Protect your family and be prepared BEFORE an ER visit!

What are YOUR embarrassing motion sickness stories? Share below, then be sure to grab some Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals so they don’t happen again!

Be sure to use Promo Code: BUSYMOM for 10% off your ticket!

Tip #1: Have Great Anti-Aging Products

Tip #2: Hydrate

Tip #3: Exercise

Tip #4: Smile and Laugh

It Should Be About a Healthy Body Image

Don’t Fat Shame, But Don’t Skinny Shame Either

More great fun…

Some tips if you’re thinking of a Disney run:

Other fun from Disneyland…

Watch for the next Disney Half Marathon, and book your Disneyland vacation today! Use promo code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off your vacation package!

#1: Get Enough Rest

#2: Get Cough Relief with Vicks VapoRub

#3: Use a Humidifier

#4: Drink Plenty of Liquids

Healthy Orange Julius

Helpful Hints

Healthy Orange Julius

Ingredients

Instructions

What pregnancy questions were (or are) foremost on YOUR mind? I bet What to Expect^® When You’re Expecting has an answer!