Benefits of Music Lessons for Kids

June 22, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

School of Rock provides us complimentary lessons so we can fully review this program. All opinions are mine alone.

I grew up taking piano lessons, and for a long time I was so frustrated that my mom wouldn’t let me quit. Now that I’m a parent, I look back and realize all that I gained from that – not just learning more piano, but also real life skills. Now that two of my boys are taking lessons for guitar and drums, I enjoy watching their growth and excitement each week. Many parents don’t realize how valuable taking lessons can be for their children – so today I’m sharing 5 Benefits of Music Lessons for Kids!

When I say music lessons, I’m not talking necessarily just guitar and drums (that’s just what my kids are doing right now) – I mean any instrument, vocal lessons, or even just learning how to read or write music! They all have these same benefits, just with varying methods. Here’s some of the benefits of music for kids – and just some of the reasons I’m thrilled my boys are taking lessons at School of Rock!

Learning Hard Work to Reach Their Goals

In real life, things don’t come easy to most of us. If we have goals we want, we need to make hard work towards them, sticking to it even when it gets hard or frustrating. It’s best for kids to learn this when they’re younger, so it’s not a ‘rude awakening’. By working towards mastering a certain song on their instrument, or having a goal to play drums at a certain tempo with no mistakes, they’re learning this process at a younger age so that when it’s the ‘big things’, they’re ready.

Time Management Skills

Just like with any skill, it takes practice – which means making time regularly to work on the music, practice their instrument, and really build up those skills. Just like when they’re adults needing to manage their time with tasks at work, they’re learning to do so not only with something they’re passionate about, but also how to overcome those slump days when they just don’t feel like making it a priority – but doing it anyway!

Improving Their Music Skills

Who knows if my boys will grow up to be in a world-famous band, write record-breaking tracks or just simply enjoy breaking out their guitar or drums for some fun time with friends. Perhaps they’ll teach lessons to others when they’re grown, passing on the skills they acquired from their own amazing instructors at School or Rock. Whatever they choose to do with these specific talents and knowledge of music and their instruments, they’ll have plenty options and enjoyment!

Building Friendships/Relationships

Not only do they build respectful relationships in their teacher-student situations, but with their group band lessons they’re making friends, learning to work and grow together, and acquiring great teamwork skills. They get to see the results when everyone puts in the hard work, and how all the parts fit together for a rockin’ good time!

Improve Memory & Cognitive Skills

I loved this article that School of Rock shared about how important it can be for children. Not only does learning the music, the parts and workings of their instrument, and the parts to various songs help their memory skills, but it makes strong connections in different parts of their brain. This development can keep their mind sharper for longer, and make it easier to learn other information or skills because their brains already have experience building those networks.

BONUS: Build Confidence

Confidence is something that’s of high importance to many parents, since it can be the foundation for a happy, healthy life for their kids. It’s one of my favorite benefits of music lessons! With all of the hard work, managing their time, working together, sticking with it even when they want to quit – then seeing the amazing results at the end, they can help strengthen their confidence because THEY did that. They put in the work. They progressed in their skills. They took the steps to go further and further, and now can look back to see how far they’ve come since the start – and how far they can go if they continue.

I love seeing the growth my boys have had already, both with the music AND the life skills. I can’t wait to see how much more will happen as they continue their music lessons with school of rock, and where these important life skills will take them in their lives!

Show Your Love for Toy Story 4

June 21, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

This post featuring incredible Toy Story 4 themed items sponsored by shopDisney. All opinions are mine alone.

Call me crazy, but I’m a HUGE fan of Toy Story characters – they’re fun, spunky, and always full of surprises. I mean, how likely is it that you can go anywhere and say ‘to infinity, and beyond’ and people won’t know exactly what you’re quoting? With the latest movie hitting theaters NOW, it’s the best time to Show Your Love for Toy Story 4 with awesome clothes, toys, games, accessories and much more! And seriously, who could resist stuff that has that adorable, derpy spork “Forky” on it?

A talking forky toy, I mean come on – that should be top of most kids’ birthday lists, right? Ok, maybe I’m just dorky (like forky – hah, get it? Ok, I’ll stop), but I really love this little guy in the new movie. But this toy is super cute and fun, plus unique. Plus the pjs saying ‘get me outta here!’ are totally adorable! I have to say that despite the many options of cool Toy Story 4 clothes, though, the one I want the most is this Forky flannel shirt – I’d wear it on all my Disney trips. And for any baby showers, totally getting them this sweet Rex outfit.

Now there’s not JUST clothes at shopDisney featuring your favorite toys – there’s tons of other items, too! I wonder if I could convince hubby to let me get this Forky MagicBand for our upcoming trip to Walt Disney World…

For the kiddos, it’d be really fun to take in not just a regular ol’ pencil case to school – but a Pizza Planet Claw one! Man, school stuff sure is more cool now than when I was a kid.

The whole family can enjoy plenty of Toy Story 4 themed games – but the one that stands out to me the most is their version of Kerplunk. This old favorite has a whole new twist inspired by Toy Story 4 – you’ve gotta try not to let Bunny and Ducky (once you see the movie, you’ll know why people love this dynamic, slightly crazy duo) fall down the tower – themed after the carnival!

One of my girls has a birthday coming up, and since she collects Pop! Vinyl Figures by Funko, I know she’d absolutely love getting this Forky one to add! Ok, I admit that I would want this as well – but I could still enjoy seeing it on her shelf in my house 🙂

These are just my top picks from the HUGE assortment of Toy Story 4 stuff at shopDisney. After you see the movie (which you should do asap – it’s hilarious, plus so sweet with some real life lessons), see which character you liked the most then go online to shopDisney.com to pick out something to show your love for this childhood favorite film!

Boston Market Lunch Date You Won’t Want to Miss!

June 20, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Boston Market

We’re only a few weeks into summer break, and already the lunch routine is getting stagnant at our house – but luckily, the other day I got to surprise the kiddos with a special trip to try the NEW Boston Market Lunch menu! Trust me, this is one lunch date you won’t want to miss out on. Plus, it was a fun bonding time for my kiddos and I to just have fun together!

And guess what – you can try it FREE with their ‘Sandwich Throwdown’ happening Friday, June 21st! From 11am – 2pm, Boston Market wants everyone to really put it to the test pitting their sandwiches against the regular corner cafe or bakery. Stop by your nearby Boston Market during those hours on June 21st for a FREE SANDWICH – just bring in your current favorite sandwich, then you can taste the difference of Boston Market’s fresh, never frozen rotisserie chicken. You’ll be hooked! After you try it out, guests are invited to vote for the superior sandwich and ‘throwdown winner’ with an online survey. *Free sandwich upgrades offered while supplies last.

As busy moms, y’all know how hard it is to find something the whole crew will enjoy. Varying tastes (and attitudes!) make it a challenge, but I love that Boston Market’s brand new lunch menu has the same quality proteins that we all love and that made them a go-to dinner destination. Life’s busy, so as moms we’re looking for healthy, quality meals for our family – but that are QUICK! That’s one great thing that sets Boston Market apart from other lunch places.

With several new, tasty and fresh sandwiches (on a really delish ciabatta bread) plus some flavorful salads, there was something for everyone on our lunch date! The girls’ favorites were the Caesar Salad with romaine lettuce, 3-cheese blend, croutons and Caesar dressing (with chicken, of course) – as well as the Chicken Avocado Club on ciabatta with bacon, avocado, Tillamook cheddar cheese, lettuce, red onion and herbed mayo. That herbed mayo, by the way, is phenomenal!

The boys had different favorites – one loved the Southwest Chicken BLT on ciabatta with Cholula bacon, avocado, Tillamook pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion and chipotle aioli. The other two enjoyed the more simple (yet still amazing) Turkey on ciabatta with smoked cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion and that same tasty herbed mayo (you can also get this with chicken instead of turkey).

With our varying favorites, we were able to try several of the new Boston Market lunch options, but two I still want to try are the Chicken Salad on multi-grain hoagie roll with sliced tomato, lettuce and mayo. My salad-loving girl can’t wait to try the Southwest Cobb Salad with romaine and leaf lettuce blend, bacon, avocado, corn relish, pico de gallo, red onion and chipotle ranch dressing. Yum!!!

This is like THE place for us busy moms to take our families for a lunch date, not only because Boston Market lunches are super quick and convenient when we’re in a hurry (which seems to be too often!) – but because of the amazing quality. Their lunch options feature the same rotisserie chicken and meats we’ve come to know (and totally love), making Boston Market a healthier lunchtime option than other places! It’s like their home style rotisserie meals that we expect at dinner are now available even at lunch.

Be sure to enjoy $3 off any sandwich, salad (or choose two) using Promo Code: 39175 so you can give Boston Market’s new lunch menu a try for yourself!

Fun Summer Learning

May 31, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

This post was sponsored by Carson Dellosa Education as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. #CarsonDellosaEducation #IC

Summer break is finally here – woot woot! The kids are excited for days full of swimming and sunshine, and I’m eager for some breaks from our homeschooling, as well as a more relaxed schedule when we do fit some in during the summer months. One thing I’m not stressed about is keeping their minds sharp, not letting all they learned during the school year fade out – because they actually enjoy some fun summer learning with these amazing Summer Bridge Activities workbooks!

My favorite thing about adding these learning books into our summer schedule is that it’s just a quick 15 minute learning session – not a ton of time, but it keeps them sharp and completely prepared when the next school year begins. Instead of spending a few weeks re-adjusting, they can jump right in where they left off and keep on running!

Despite all the crazy activities, pool days and more during summer vacation, it’s super simple to include 15 minutes of learning with these fun daily activities to help fight off the learning loss that can occur during the long break. Let your kids change things up by allowing them to do their activities in somewhere new – the park, by the pool, in a comfy bean bag chair, or wherever makes it seem extra special. Sometimes my boys even sport their superhero costumes while tackling the activities!

My kids really enjoy the Carson Dellosa Education workbooks, with my younger ones often not even considering it ‘school work’ because it’s just fun! They also have a great variety inside, from math to language arts, even some bonus science experiments – because we all know how much fun learning kids have while doing interactive activities.

Helping my mom with her in-home daycare while a teen and a young adult, each summer she’d include these Summer Bridge Activities Workbooks. She could see how well they helped the kids keep their minds ready for the upcoming school year, while still having a fun time. Even I could see the difference they made for those kids as opposed to their fellow classmates (since I subbed at the school often), so have kept it up with my own kids once they each hit their school years!

As a parent, we want our kids to have amazing summers playing, getting outside and just being free – and know that 15 minutes a day of a creative activity from their workbooks will also ensure their summers are complete with learning. I love that we can trust Carson Dellosa Education as a top resource outside of the classroom for continued education, even during the long and exciting summer vacation!

Grab Summer Bridge Activity workbooks for your kids in K-5 for fun summer learning!

Pet Owner Life Hacks

May 13, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

This post is sponsored by our friends at Swiffer & Febreze. All opinions are mine alone. #SwifferFanatic #DontSweatYourPet

We all love our pets – they make our families complete! Since it’s National Pet Month, it’s time to show some extra appreciation for our fur-ever friends, as well as pet owners, by sharing some Pet Owner Life Hacks. Along with all the benefits to having a furry pet in your life, there do come some challenges – but thankfully there are some great tricks and tools to make it much easier and so you don’t have to sweat your pet!

#1: Make Clean-up Easier

Especially with the Springtime rain, muddy paw prints have become a regular occurrence – especially on pretty wood floors! It used to frustrate me to no end, having those little prints all over – but not anymore thanks to the Swiffer Sweeper Dry & Wet Pet Refills with Febreze Odor Defense that Trap + Lock! I love how easy it is to put on one of the wet pads, wipe across the muddied floor a bit, and then my floors are back to looking beautiful. Plus, that Febreze Odor Defense really helps with the muddy (or wet dog – ugh) smell! Just grab some of the refills next time you’re shopping at Kroger.

#2: Easy Storage for Pet Supplies

Nobody wants a bunch of dog toys or leashes and such laying all around the house, right? Especially at night, I don’t want the dogs to be playing with their squeaky toys or leaving a ball at the top of the stairs in the dark. We use a couple of different storage options – a big tote for items that we only get out occasionally (like dog nail clippers, or ‘special’ toys) and also a cute basket tower where we store their daytime toys during the night, and also leashes so we can grab them easily for a walk. It keeps them out of the way, so the pups can’t get them, and looks nice in the house which is a great bonus!

#3: Bathtime Fun

If your dogs are like mine, they do NOT like bath time. Even my kids, when they were younger, didn’t put up as much of a struggle! I heard this trick, and it’s actually helped quite a bit – smear some peanut butter on the far wall of the bathtub to keep your dog occupied while you wash them. Easy, rewarding for them, and hopefully less of a battle for you.

#4: No More Bad Pet Smell

While we all love our dogs so much, sometimes their smell makes us less eager for those warm snuggles. Especially when guests who aren’t use to dogs come over, I want my home smelling fresh – which is why I keep my Febreze Air Heavy Duty Pet Odor Eliminator handy in that storage basket I was telling you about! Just a few sprays around where my dogs have been the most, and that dog smell is gone.

#5: Protect The Furniture

Our dogs nap a lot during the day, but at night they’re spending extra time lounging on our couches. To help protect the fabric a bit more, we have some cheap bed sheets that we use to cover our couches at bedtime, then fold them up and put them away in the morning. It provides a little layer between the dogs and the couch, helping a bit with the odor and the shedding. You can also help keep your couches smelling fresh with the Febreze Fabric Pet Odor Eliminator – especially great when you have company coming over that may be seating on the couches!

#6: Tackle Shedding

For carpets, did you know that you can use a regular squeegee rubbed along it to lift up all that pet hair? It works like a charm! For the tile or wood floors (I love my wood floors!), use your handy Swiffer Sweeper Dry & Wet Pet Refills with Febreze Odor Defense again, but this time start with the dry refills to sweep up and trap all that shedded hair easily. My kids have a lot of fun using our Swiffer Sweeper, which makes it nice for me not having to battle to get the floors clean! After all, we don’t want to ‘sweat our pet’, right?

What are your best pet owner hacks?

Why Moms May Need an Iron Supplement

May 2, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

Thanks to Active Iron for sponsoring this post. All opinions are mine alone.

Where are my soul sisters at – the fellow ladies and mamas who struggle so hard with energy each day? With all we have to tackle – from meals to budgets, cleaning to raising our kiddos, plus hopefully somewhere in there take care of ourselves, how the heck can we manage it while feeling so tired and fatigued?! That’s just one of several reasons Why Moms May Need an Iron Supplement. And this is coming from someone who was very unsure about supplements – now I know that sometimes they can make a HUGE difference in my health and my life, especially as a busy mom. Check out these other reasons you may want to consider Active Iron, as well…

Helps Reduce Tiredness & Fatigue

This is probably my favorite thing about getting enough iron – I don’t feel nearly as tired throughout the day, despite the busyness and crazy schedules! Years of talking with my friends and other moms, it seems exhaustion and just feeling worn out all of the time is one of our biggest struggles. Why not give NEW Active Iron a try to see if it can help your energy levels? We need every bit of energy we can get to keep up with our kiddos, no matter the age 🙂

Most of Your Iron From Food Doesn’t Get Absorbed

I didn’t know this, but for most people only about 10% of their daily iron is absorbed from their diet. That means that even if we are very focused on what we eat, choose all the best foods, avoid all the additives (who has time for that, honestly) then we would be lucky to get even close to our total recommended amount each day. Taking Active Iron, which gives 2X the absorption rate versus other iron supplements*, can help ensure that you’re getting what your body really needs, giving you the energy you need for your busy mom life! Plus, each Active Iron tablet has 25mg of iron, about 138% of the recommended daily amount (keep in mind yours may vary depending on your body).

**offers twice the absorption of standard ferrous sulfate Wang et al Acta Haematologica 201;138:223-232

Healthier Muscles

Whether you’re big into exercise and working out – or your workout is an exhausting day full of chasing a 3-year-old around the house – getting enough iron helps your body transport oxygen to the muscles, keeping them healthy and working. I wish I’d known that when I was lugging around my baby twins many years ago, as my arm muscles needed all the help they could get!

Healthier Organs

Not only does it help carry oxygen to your muscles, but also to your other vital organs – which, as we know, take a beating from pregnancy and motherhood.

Helps with the Many Moments of Womanhood

As women, we have some extra needs for iron – such as when our ‘friend’ visits every month (I know I’m not the only one who feels extra low-energy at these times), or when pregnant. I remember with all my pregnancies, my OB kept recommending iron supplements – but I just couldn’t stomach them! I wish Active Iron was around then, because it probably would’ve helped in so many ways. Nowadays, it’s helping me keep up with my kiddos and all of the demands of parenting life – and I know it’ll help as I start making exercising a priority again because my muscles will need all the assistance they can!

So why choose NEW Active Iron?

I’ve tried other iron supplements, but they were just too harsh on my stomach. I’m the type of person that needs food in my stomach to take medicines and such anyway, but even if I had recently eaten a good meal, they left my stomach feeling pretty gross. That’s one reason I was nervous to try Active Iron – but it’s incredible! It can be taken on an empty stomach – even for me who has never been able to do that with a supplement, vitamin or meds!

So what makes Active Iron so different? Well, they use a unique technology that actually binds iron to a whey-protein complex. This makes it so that the iron doesn’t get released until the small intestine – where it’s absorbed better and has less side effects – instead of releasing in the stomach like most iron supplements. I also love that it features a high potency iron, but in a non-constipating, sugar-free AND gluten-free (for my gluten sensitive friends) protein formula. Plus, no artificial preservatives, of course.

Learn more about NEW Active Iron

Or try it for yourself – buy it on Amazon HERE!

Connect with Active Iron on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Youtube

Spring Means Muddy Paws

April 19, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

This post brought to you by our friends at Swiffer. All opinions are ours alone. #SwifferFanatic #DontSweatYourPet

Y’all know how much we love our pets – but I will say that Springtime can be one of the most frustrating parts of the year with them. Why, you may ask? Because Spring means muddy paws – which then get tracked in all over my floors! Add to that the fact that they’re bringing in all that pollen or other plant stuff as things begin to grow, just adding to the mess. Luckily it’s not really a big deal, because I can clean it up super easy with my arsenal of supplies.

I like to call it my ‘arsenal’ because it practically ‘attacks’ the mess, cleaning it up super quickly and with hardly any effort. Heck, my kids even ENJOY using our Swiffer products for their chores, meaning less fights getting them to check them off! All I need to do is make sure I stay stocked up on everything – if we run low, I just nab some during our next trip to Kroger – and the mess almost takes care of itself (so to speak). For those muddy paws all over our dark wood floors, we’re loving the Swiffer Sweeper Dry and Wet Pet Refills with Febreze Odor Defense that Trap + Lock all that yuck. A quick swipe across the floors and they’re clean once again! I also like that they smell so fresh, thanks to the Febreze Odor Defense, so our house smells great – without smelling like cleaner 😉

Some of my dogs get the ‘what ME?’ look when I jokingly ask who left all the muddy paw prints – but some of them couldn’t care less! At least I don’t have to stress about it, and can just ask one of my kiddos to nab our Swiffer Sweeper to wipe it up quickly.

And who here has pets that LOVE laying in the window areas in the springtime when the sun shines in nice and warm? I have a few that will hang out in the sunny spots constantly – meaning more of their shedding gets left behind. Another fun tool in our cleaning arsenal is our Swiffer Dusters Heavy Duty Pet Refills – which is probably my family’s FAVORITE cleaning tool!

I mean, they get a ‘wand’ of fluffy cleaning-ness to go ‘trap’ all that hair and dirt left behind. Swipe it around on the ledges or wherever your pet tends to chill out, and it grabs all the fur up quickly. Check out everything it got up from just ONE swipe along this window seat ledge that my Leia girl loves laying in during the sunshine!

Even though Spring means muddy paws, shedding and all sorts of other pet frustrations, you don’t have to worry about anything other than loving your pet thanks to a trusted supply of Swiffer products to help clean up the mess quickly, easily and even enjoyably!

Check out items for your Swiffer cleaning arsenal!

Fly with Toothless at iFly

March 2, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

We received a complimentary visit to try this flying adventure. All opinions are mine alone.

We’ve all dreamed of flying with dragons – and now you can really experience the adventure and Fly with Toothless at iFly! Dreamworks and iFly have teamed up for the release of How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World to offer you an unforgettable experience that the whole family will be talking about for a long time to come. Our family had the opportunity to try out this unbelieve Virtual Reality experience, and we’re still on cloud 9!

Our family was a mix of excitement and nervousness, as we had no clue what to expect from our exciting evening. Despite a few fears, even the littles couldn’t wait to try it out and were talking about it for many days leading up to our appointment! We went to the Dallas location, but the How to Train Your Dragon virtual reality experience is available nationwide (there’s over 30 locations in the U.S.) exclusively at iFly.

First of all, the basics: While you can enjoy iFly indoor skydiving as young as 3 years old, the Virtual Reality (VR) experiences are for ages 6 and up and for weights up to 260 pounds. As first time flyers (but now definite repeats!), our package included a short training to start – so they could explain how it works and the various hand signals used in the wind tunnel – as well as two 1-minute flights each before the VR.

They provide the jumpsuits (can fit over regular clothes, just don’t wear something bulky), helmets, goggles and foam ear plugs. You do need to wear closed-toe shoes that won’t slip off.

I knew they worked with younger kids, but was still nervous if they’d have something that fit my littles – but they had quite the variety and had the right thing for all 7 of us! Don’t we look adorable in our gear? 😉

I’m so glad we got to try out the regular flight before, because you can really get a feel for the wind blowing and the instructor guiding your body around as you fly. Especially for the kiddos, I don’t know how they would’ve done having a VR set on without knowing their ‘real’ surroundings first. Plus we could experience the VR better as we weren’t as ‘flingy’ as the first flight!

If your kiddos are a bit unsure like some of mine were, don’t worry – the instructors are incredible, preparing us with all the information beforehand and guiding us every step of the way. Ashley was with our crew, and I can’t speak highly enough of her. She kept it extremely fun, safe and was super patient with some of my littles that were more CLINGY….

If you’re wondering – after this first flight of his, he had his arms fully out for the second, so we were thrilled at his progress and feeling more at ease! Just from the flights, the kiddos were begging to come back again soon – and we hadn’t even done the awesome VR, yet!

Now it was time for the BIG event – flying like a dragon! We raced Toothless and Astrid, but you can also pick Hiccup if you’d rather him. They get you all equipped with the VR headset outside of the tunnel, making sure it’s working and you can see. Then you begin your race in a fully-immersive and exhilarating adventure through the world of Berk from the new film How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World!

The instructor has you the entire time, moving you around so your flight is totally life-like. They have a screen so the instructor can see exactly what you see, so they can move you perfectly around the mountains, hills or other obstacles you may encounter.

Feel free to look around as much as you’d like, because there’s stuff to see ALL AROUND YOU, not just in front! It was so incredible to soar right along our beloved dragon Toothless, and really feel what it’s like to fly. This breathtaking journey is unforgettable, and it’s truly a family experience I recommend for everyone that’s able. My kids are STILL talking about it, and can’t to go back as soon as we can. Be sure to ask them about return pass deals when you’re there, because that’s when you can get the best prices!

Of all the exciting things I’ve had the privilege of doing for this site, I can honestly say that this was definitely in my top 10 favorites! Hurry and schedule your time to try out this incredible VR experience to feel and see for yourself what it really is like to fly like a dragon!

Who’s YOUR favorite from How to Train Your Dragon?

Love and Pet Messes

February 18, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

Thanks to Swiffer + Febreze for sponsoring this post. All opinions are mine alone. #DontSweatYourPet

With Valentine’s Day so recently, I loved seeing all of the local shelters and rescues posting their holiday specials so you could adopt your new furry Valentine. Sweet dogs and cats holding little signs such as ‘Be My Valentine’ or snuggling heart-shaped pillows? Melt my heart! For those of you still stuck at the thinking stage – whether or not you should adopt a new furry friend – here’s some of my thoughts about how to tackle at least some of the things that may be causing hesitation. Because really, adopting comes with Love and Pet Messes – but we can help with that last one!

We’re long past the thinking stage, but I still remember that amongst the excitement and desire to get a pet, there were concerns. Will we have enough time to pay adequate attention to our new pet? What are the costs involved? Are we going to be able to keep and care for her long-term? And of course – what about the PET MESSES?! I know animals shed, and it can be super frustrating – but the great news is that it doesn’t actually have to be a hassle! If the messes are the last thing keeping you from enjoying the amazing friendship and love of a new pet, you can rest assured that Swiffer + Febreze can save the day with a swish and a spray. You can nab both during your next trip to Kroger!

I was thrilled to learn that my favorite cleaning helper – Swiffer – now has special pet-specific products to really give us pet-owners some help. I’m talking about the awesome Swiffer Dusters Heavy Duty Pet Refills, as well as the Sweeper Dry and Wet Pet Refills with Febreze Odor Defense that Trap+Lock all that pet hair and dirt. I’ve always loved how easily I can sweep up all the dead grass and yuck on my floors, then making them fully clean and shiny. Plus the Swiffer Dusters are AMAZING for getting all the nooks and crannies around the house where my dogs’ shedding seems to come to rest.

Along with the ‘pet messes’ is the smell – we all know that dogs and cats don’t always smell like roses (despite rolling around in them often, it seems!). But that ones even easier, because Febreze AIR Heavy Duty Pet Odor Eliminator can freshen up all around your home with a quick spray. If you’re worried about your couches – my pups LOVE laying around on our couches – then never fear, because there’s also Febreze Fabric Pet Odor Eliminator that helps to quickly freshen those up, which is particularly great before having guests over.

While there may be other reasons you’re not ready to commit to a pet, if you’re at the point where you ARE ready, it’s truly an incredible bond between pet and owner. We love our pups so much – they truly complete our family! There’s ups and downs in all love stories, but Swiffer + Febreze can help make sure you don’t sweat your pet because of the mess or odor. No matter what stage you’re at – thinking, plunging, or loving (that’s us!) – you can enjoy the fact that Swiffer + Febreze help clean and freshen up pet messes quickly AND efficiently. That means you can spend more time with your new fur-ever friend!

What pet would YOU most enjoy?

7 Things to NEVER Bring on a Cruise Ship, plus 10 You MUST!

February 8, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

I received this Carnival cruise complimentary to help facilitate this post. All opinions are mine alone. #CruisingCarnival

During all the excitement leading of to you cruise vacation, it may be hard to focus on packing. I’m a bit of an obsessive packing-list-maker, but even I was struggling with what I’d need for our Carnival Cruise last month! I decided to ask the staff onboard what they thought were the have to or definitely don’t brings, from their own experiences working there. We heard some entertaining stories, that’s for sure, and they all helped us compile a list of 10 Things to NEVER Bring on a Cruise Ship, plus 7 You MUST! Some of these may seem like no-brainers, but if it’s on the list it means somebody at some point has tried it!

Contains affiliate links that give us a small commission at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure for more info.

Now, this is definitely not an all-inclusive packing list – do NOT only take what we tell you are ‘have to bring’ items. I’m not putting clothes on here because, really, if you can’t remember clothing then perhaps you’re already too drunk to go on a cruise. This are just some things that many people may not think to take – or may consider taking that really aren’t allowed, or even safe!

Things to NEVER Bring on a Cruise Ship

Towels
- Guys, there are plenty of towels on the ship – and you can even take it with you to port (just be sure to bring it back!), so there’s no need taking up precious suitcase space with bulky towels.
Bottled Drinks/Alcohol
- They do allow a limited amount of canned drinks – like soda – per person brought on board. Bottled drinks (like the 16/20 oz. bottles), bottled waters and any alcohol are not allowed and will be either discarded or confiscated, to be returned to you at the end of the cruise. See your cruise line for their specific rules on this.
Too Many Clothes
- One crew member told of a couple that brought FIVE huge suitcases for the two of them on just a week-long cruise. They wanted multiple outfits each day, several swimsuits, lots of shoes and everything. Every time he saw them – even on the same day – they were wearing something different. The problem was there was no free space in their room and they kept complaining about it – but it was simply because their luggage took it all up! So I guess this one is more of a ‘highly recommend not doing’, but it’s your call.
Candles/Fireworks/Fire Hazards
- Fire is one of the most dangerous things that can occur on a cruise ship, so they are VERY strict on any fire hazards. Don’t bring anything like candles, cooktops (yes, people have tried this), or especially fireworks. Instead of candles, if you’re looking for a special scent to your room, just get one of those plug-in scents.
Bad Attitude
- This will ruin not only YOUR entire trip, but risks affecting others on the ship as well – both guests and crew. The people on cruise ships are amazing, and if you have a good attitude, it’s nearly impossible to have a crappy vacation. And you never know what a good attitude may get you!
Lots of Snacks
- Yes, you may need a few for before getting on the ship, but that’s about it. There’s SO MANY places to eat at any point in the day, and room service is just a call away. From the main dining rooms, to the buffet, to other spots like a pizza or burger spot, specialty restaurants and more – you will not have a shortage of food or snacks!
Drone
- I can see the temptation, as this would be really fun – but it also causes risks so drones aren’t allowed on cruise ships. Not only can it be seen as a risk of spying into other people’s rooms, but it’s a distraction and could affect the navigation of the cruise ship. Drones are just another thing you should never bring on a cruise, or you may loose it!

Now that we’ve got those out of the way, check out this ten things that are SUPER great to bring on a cruise, that you may not have thought of to include in your packing list! We make sure to bring all of them for every cruise, since they make a huge difference for the trip.

10 Things You MUST Bring on a Cruise Ship

Power Strip
- There’s not many plugs in a cruise cabin, and since most people have multiple things needing to be plugged in (phones, tablets, etc.), it’s a good idea to have a strip with more outlets so you can utilize it better. NOTE: I’ve heard from some that while power strips are fine, be sure it’s not a surge protector type because some ships/cruise lines may not allow those.
Ziplock Baggies
- These come in handy for so many things – taking along random little things (hair elastics, seashells, etc.), packing some snacks for a shore excursion or to take back to your room, bigger ones can hold wet clothing instead of dripping it all down the hall, and to store liquids that may leak into your suitcase.
Overdoor Hanger
- While most people think these are only good for shoes (they’re great for shoes, but that’s not all), this is handy so you can put your ‘need to grab easily’ items like sunscreen, chargers, notebooks, maps, etc. You can also organize it so the next day’s outfit/shoes are there ready to grab first thing!
Waterproof Lanyards
- I first used mine in Hawaii, and now LOVE taking it on vacations with me! It was great for our excursion to Atlantis, and since many people tend to spend a lot of time at the pools on the ship, this allows you to keep your phone (and room key/cards) handy, but still safe from the water.
Clips for Towels
- It can get really windy up on the decks at sea, and you don’t want your towel or swim cover-up to blow off your chair, so bringing clips to fasten them as you lounge or swim is a great idea.
Highlighter
- Each day you’ll get the pamphlets with all the happenings and schedules for the ship, and since there’s SO MUCH to choose from, having a highlighter so you can mark things makes it much easier. You can even do different colors – like pink for ‘have to do’, yellow for ‘maybe’ or green for ‘the kids and blue for ‘the adults’.
Flat Shoes
- Crew members said how often people, particularly women, bring just fancy or nice shoes with heels, then hate how bad their feet are hurting or have a hard time walking on a moving ship. It’s a good idea to bring a pair of flats, just in case.
Clock
- There are no clocks in the cruise cabins, so if you’re like me and practically HAVE to be able to see what time it is during the night (or day), bring your own. I recommend a small, cheap one that’s easy to pack/transport.
Conditioner/Lotion/Etc.
- Our previous cruises had shampoo and body wash in the showers, but no conditioner or body lotion. If you may need those, bring your own just in case there isn’t some supplies. Also bring your own shampoo and other personal products if you’re very picky as to the brand.
Blanket/Shawl/Jacket
- In the theater, and up on deck, it can get a bit chilly at times, so it’s a good idea to have something you can wrap around yourself. I love taking one of my soft, fluffy blankets with me – especially if we plan to watch one of the movies on the big screen by the pool!

What would YOU add to this list for a cruise vacation?

Check out our other posts from our Carnival Cruise fun!

Why Shorter Cruises are Totally Worth It

5 Common Cruising Myths Debunked!

Atlantis Resort Bahamas: Our Aquaventure Day

How to Date on a Cruise Vacation

Thin Mint Pudding Cookies

January 25, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

Thank you Girl Scouts of North Texas for the complimentary cookies to assist this recipe!

It’s that time of year again, when troops of young ladies and their leaders await, table full of delicious goodness, for you to exit the grocery store or drive by, hoping that you’ll stop and buy a box (or a dozen). I love seeing the girls get excited as they work hard to sell their cookies, not just to raise money but also to learn great leadership and entrepreneurship skills. If you’re looking to do something a little different with your box of tastiness this year, try a new twist to one of the favorite Girl Scout Cookies with this amazing and super easy to make Thin Mint Pudding Cookies recipe!

The Girl Scout Cookie Program runs January 11th – February 24th, so be on the lookout for your local troop so you can nab some boxes (or check out TexasCookieTime.org to order some) and give this new recipe a try. And I totally won’t judge if you eat a Thin Mint or two while these bake, because life’s about enjoyment, right? 😉

Yield: about 3 dozen Thin Mint Pudding Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks Butter, softened
3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 cup Sugar
1 small pack INSTANT Vanilla Pudding (3.4 oz)
2 Large Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2-1 tsp. Mint Extract
2 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
1 cup (about 1 sleeve) Thin Mints, crushed

Note: to really get my Thin Mints crushed, I put them into my blender.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Spray or line 2-3 baking sheets, set aside.
Mix the butter, eggs, light brown sugar, regular sugar and pudding mix until smooth. Add in the vanilla, baking soda, and mint extract and mix again until smooth.
Mix in the flour until everything is well combined, then gently fold in the crushed Thin Mints until evenly incorporated.
Roll into 1″ balls, then place on cookie sheet, flattening just a bit.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to cooling rack. Do not overbake.

These taste amazing – soft and chewy, with a great flavor just like Thin Mints! Now, I had my Thin Mints crushed to a fine powder (because the blender), but you can do larger pieces if you want it more like chunks instead of all throughout your cookie.

Next to Samoa’s, Thin Mints are my absolute favorite Girl Scout Cookie – and I love enjoying them as-is and also in these delish pudding cookies. Plus, it makes them go further, so you can take them to a party or get-together without having to use ALL your Thin Mints!

What’s your favorite Girl Scout Cookie?

Pet Clean Up Made Easy

January 18, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

This awesome pet cleaning post is sponsored by Swiffer. All opinions are mine alone. #DontSweatYourPet #SwifferFanatic

Y’all know how much we love our dogs, all four of them. They complete our family, and provide plenty of snuggles, loves and goofy moments – that being said, they also provide quite the mess in our home! All that shedding and the paw-prints really can be frustrating, but luckily it doesn’t prevent us from enjoying our furry pups! Here’s some ways Pet Clean Up is Made Easy so you can focus on the GREAT things about pet ownership.

If you’re like us, you’re among the 59% of pet owners who feel that their pets help make their house feel like a home. It just wouldn’t be the same without them, so it’s a bit sad that 70% of Americans (and 75% of pet-less parents) say that their concerns over pet messes may prevent them from adopting a pet. Now, I know there are some really great reasons out there that pet ownership may not be for you, but I hope I can show you how the messes shouldn’t be a large factor in that important decision!

Having had dogs for over 5 years now, we’ve learned how to make the clean up not only easy, but QUICK – because busy parents like us just don’t have a lot of time to be cleaning – but even the savviest pet owners may need help to see why they shouldn’t sweat it when it comes to their furry friends.

Since we’re making a pledge to stress less about the pet hair all over our floors this year, and handling it quickly and easily instead of making it a huge hassle, the first thing we’re doing is dividing up the work. Each week is someone else’s turn in our home to do the floors, while we also rotate dusting (especially the stairs – because boy does the dog hair like to collect on there!). For the stairs, ledges and baseboard-type spots we love how quick (and fun, according to my kids) the Swiffer Dusters Heavy Duty Pet Refills work.

Just grab a duster, fluff it up, then swipe it away at those pet hairs – it picks them up so well, and leaves your edges looking wonderful! Even the pets kind of like these fluffy yellow things, though I don’t think they appreciate it as much as we do 🙂

The floors were the biggest stress, but luckily we tackle that easily now. Whoever is in charge of the floors for the week just pulls out our Sweeper Dry and Wet and the Pet Dry Refills with Febreze Odor Defense (that are amazing, and Trap + Lock all that dirt and pet hair – you can find them at Kroger) and sweep away. It’s actually kind of fun to watch them do the swishing, back-and-forth motion with it!

After that, for the dirty pup prints, the Wet Pet Refill works amazing at wiping those up in a jiffy, leaving our pretty floors shining. Plus, the tough green strip is perfect when there’s a spot that needs a little extra scrubbing. I love it!

Being a pet owner, I know there will always be a mess (plus kids – so there’s that!). When we first got a dog we had to spend a ton of time cleaning all the dog hair and paw prints, but we don’t mind at all now because with Swiffer it’s so quick and simple!

Now that we spend less time cleaning up after our pets, we can enjoy a lot more time with our family – including our furry friends!