Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Workout Wednesday!


Or wife...Or mom right?! I think this is funny but so true at the same time! We all want to be the best we can be right? I've devoted my lifestyle change to my family. I want to be the best wife, mom, friend, sister, and daughter I can be. I want to be healthy, be a good example, and live a long life for my family. That's why I work out every day and that's why I eat healthy and prepare healthy meals for my family! 

So anyways, my workout week has been sort of mellow. It's recovery week during Insanity so the workout is a little less intense, although it is still pretty hard and will definitely have you sweating! The first two days of the week I was out of town so I just ran and did yoga. Then I got home and started the insanity recovery and yikes! I couldn't believe how tired I was from just not doing it for two days! I was still tired from the trip too, I'm sure, but it took me until about yesterday to feel like I was back on track!

This week is the beginning of month 2 of Insanity and I am nervous! I start my first day today! I haven't done it yet, but next week I'm sure you'll hear all about how brutal it is! My main struggle this week has seriously been eating! I feel like I'm always hungry and I struggle to say no to that late night snack! I've been trying to make sure everything I eat is at least somewhat healthy and clean, but it's still hard to stay away from some of the sugary things. I'm doing better though. I haven't had a brownie or cookie or even cake since June! That's really good for me!!

How has your week been? Are you struggling or are things going great? Link up your Workout Wednesday blog post or comment below to let us know how you're doing!


Monday, July 29, 2013

Chubby Elephant Diapers Review & Giveaway!

Disclosure: I was sent this diaper for review purposes. I was not compensated in any other way. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 
If you follow my blog regularly you'll know I love cloth diapers and I prefer pocket diapers over all the rest! But I am always up for trying new kinds of diapers so I was really excited to try this gorgeous handmade one-size AI2 cloth diaper from Chubby Elephant Diapers

Laura is the creator and owner of Chubby Elephant Diapers! Here is a bit about her and about Chubby Elephant Diapers in her own words:


I'm Laura, owner and creator of Chubby Elephant Diapers. I have been cloth diapering my son since he was born in October 2010. I developed my cloth diaper pattern in February 2012 and started sewing diapers for my son. I opened up a shop on facebook selling double sided cotton velour cloth wipes and decided to put my diapers through testing. I found out I was pregnant last June so I took a break from sewing. In November, I wanted to get back into making diapers so I started working on setting up my shop on Hyena Cart. My little girl was born at home in February and we moved into a new house in April so I recently started to pick things up again with sewing diapers. It's a fun hobby; I love being able to cut up pieces of fabric and sew them into something functional for my kids! Plus they're cute! I love fabric shopping! There are so many amazing prints out there and I love putting them on babies' bottoms! My goal is to provide adorable/fun prints and a fit people will love along with excellent customer service! Thanks for taking the time to look through my shop! 

Laura creates adorable hybrid fitted and AI2 diapers in so many cute prints! I was given the opportunity to review the adorable whale print AI2 pictured above! The diaper is an AI2, made with a hidden layer of PUL, so it is waterproof and doesn't need a cover. I love to let Isaac wear this diaper with no pants or shorts on so he can show off his cute fluffy bum! It is also Isaac's current favorite diaper because of the "fishy" on it! He always runs to get it when it's time for a diaper change if it's clean!

Besides how cute it is, I'm sure you are wondering if it works well. Since it's an AI2 and made with waterproof materials it shouldn't leak at all,right?! Well, for us it hasn't! I've tried this diaper on Isaac for a few hours at a time and we have had no leaks at all! He even took a three hour nap in this diaper and woke up with a dry bed and dry clothes! I was very impressed! The soaker is made of bamboo fleece and cotton velour and is super soft and absorbent and even comes with an extra snap-in liner to add absorbency if needed.   We also get a great fit and Isaac is 20 months old and almost 24 pounds. Chubby Elephant Diapers come in a size small and large. Large is typically stocked and fits 17-35 pounds. Small can be made as a custom diaper upon request. For Isaac the diaper has a snug fit around the waist and legs without being too tight. I can still overlap the wings on the waist on Isaac so I know he'll be able to wear it for quite a while! 


Overall, I am really enjoying the Chubby Elephants AI2 cloth diaper! It is well made and I love supporting a fellow work-at-home mom!  It is super cute, absorbent, and fits great! Even Isaac likes it! 



Buy It!
Win It!
One lucky reader will win their own Chubby Elephant Diaper in winner's choice of boy or girl print! 
Giveaway is open to US or Canada only. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Only one entrant per household allowed. The winner will be chosen at random and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. 

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Upcoming Giveaway Events!


I have some fun upcoming giveaway events that I am participating in that I wanted to share with you! 

The first one is the Fruity Fluff Applecheeks and Blueberry Giveaway Event hosted by The Parenting Patch! This event runs August 1st through August 22nd and there will be an awesome prize pack of fun and colorful Applecheeks and Blueberry cloth diapers and accessories!  


The next giveaway is the Pretty Mommies Giveaway hosted by The Blogging Mamas Network! This giveaway will take place August 14-25. The prize will be a skin care giveaway specifically formulated for pregnant mother's changing bodies! But this skin care line is great for even women who aren't pregnant! This is a FREE blogger event and you can sign up HERE! When filling out the form, please tell them I referred you!  

The next upcoming event is the second annual Traveling with Baby event, also hosted by the Blogging Mamas Network! This event is a giveaway hop where each blog participating will have their own individual giveaway but all will be giveaways featuring items that are necessary for traveling with baby or make traveling with baby a little easier! It is taking place October 7th through October 21st!

The last event I am currently signed up for is the Treat Yourself Giveaway Hop, also hosted by the Blogging Mamas Network! This event is an opened themed giveaway hop so all participating bloggers will have their own individual giveaways for you to enter to win! This event is taking place October 17th through October 31st!

If you are a sponsor or business that feel your products would be good for one of these events and want to give your website and social media a boost of new followers please contact me for sponsorship details! My email is mommyferg02 at gmail dot com. 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Workout Wednesday!



Welcome to Workout Wednesday- A weekly link-up for those of us who are working to be healthy and active! All you have to do is write a blog post and link up or comment below on how your week has been as far as working out and eating healthy goes!! We're here to encourage and support each other so please use kind words! 

So this week I finished month one of Insanity! It doesn't even feel like it has been a month already! I am in love with these workouts and in love with the results I am already seeing! Insanity is pretty much the hardest workout I've ever done and during at least one point of every workout I feel like I might just die, but when I finish I feel so strong and accomplished! It's a great feeling! I've also been pretty good as far as eating is going! I've been staying away from the junk food and preparing healthier meals as much as possible! Eating is one thing I definitely struggle with! I love junk food! 

So here are month one of Insanity's final stats and just because I'm so excited with my results I'm also posting a picture of Day 1 vs. End of Month 1! 

End of Month One of Insanity Stats:

Thighs 1.5" lost
Waist/Hips 1" lost
Belly 1" lost
I lost two pounds around week 3 of the month but gained it back. I'm hoping since I lost inches that what happened was I gained muscle! 


How have things been going for you this week? What workouts did you do? Did you eat well this week? Or was it a struggle this week? Feel free to either write a blog post and link up or comment! 







Evenflo Symphony 65 DLX Car Seat Giveaway! {US Only}


Welcome to the Evenflo Symphony 65 DLX Giveaway

Choosing a car seat for your little one is always a big deal and also a very important investment! The Evenflo Symphone 65 DLX is an All-In-One car seat that grows with children.  It accommodates children from 5 - 100lbs and is adjustable to rear facing, forward facing harnessed and forward facing booster without harness modes.  The Symphony 65 keeps car travel safe throughout childhood and may be the only car seat your child will ever need.  The Symphony 65 with e3 joins the DLX and the Symphony 65 e3 with TruTether, providing a full range of options for safe car travel.

Here are the features of the Symphony 65 DLX:
  • #1 Rated Car Seat by a leading consumer magazine!
  • IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) Best Bet - Provides good lap and shoulder belt fit for typical 4 to 8 year-olds in almost any car, minivan or SUV.
  • National Parenting Publication Awards Gold Prize Winner for its innovation, usefulness to consumers, and high quality
  • SureLATCH Connectors Just Click, Click, Push for super-fast, super-snug installation in less than 60 seconds!
  • e3 Side Impact Protection significantly reduces the forces in side impact crashes through advanced energy absorption and an expanded zone of protection.
  • All-In-One Car Seat - The only car seat you will ever need!
  • Infinite Slide™ Harness easily slides for an accurate fit every time. No reworking the harness as child grows!
  • Up-front multi-position recline for child’s comfort while asleep or awake
  • 65 lb. harness weight rating accommodates growing children longer
  • Removable head and body pillow for additional comfort and support
  • Accommodates children 5 to 100 lbs and features One-hand Adjustable Headrest
  • Fold-down cup holder for easy access to drinks and folds out of the way when not in use
  • Easy-off, machine-washable car seat pad requires no harness rethreading 
  • Energy absorbing foam liner provides added safety & comfort
  • New CrumpleSafe™ base counteracts the forces of a severe crash
  • Designed, Engineered, Tested, Molded and Assembled in the USA
  • Available at Burlington and Babies ‘R’ Us for $199.99
Evenflo is now embarking on a “Made in the USA” initiative to let consumers know that its car seats and ExerSaucer® activity centers are designed, engineered, molded, assembled and safety tested in the USA, with U.S. and global components!  To give consumers a behind-the-scenes look at their manufacturing facility, Evenflo has also created a “Proudly Made in the USA” video.  You can check out their video on the Evenflo website HERE.

One lucky person is going to win an Evenflo Symphony 65 DLX Car Seat! 


Open to the US only.  Ends 8/7/13 at 11:59 PM EST.
Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below.  Good Luck!


Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation for hosting this giveaway.  The participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. 

Monday, July 22, 2013

Meet Malanda!


I have a big announcement to share! Starting next month, my good friend Malanda is going to be a part-time contributor for The Not-So-Secret Confessions of a Second Time Mom!

Malanda is one of my closest online friends! We "met" four years ago when our first sons were born on the Babycenter website! We instantly became friends! Malanda is also a breastfeeding, cloth diapering, babywearing mommy of two boys, just like me!  I'll let her tell you about herself in her  own words! 

About Malanda!

Hi guys! I am absolutely thrilled to be a contributor on Michelle's blog.  My name is Malanda and I am a married mother of two little boys (April '12 & April '09). I blog over at Outnumbered By Little Boys about parenting, crafts, and living a more "green" fulfilled life. As a family we love spending time outdoors and are pretty much always on the go! In my spare time, I love to catch up on blogs, workout , read, and work on my etsy shop.





I am so excited to have Malanda on as a part-time contributor! She's going to be doing some reviews and writing some of her own personal posts as well! She's super crafty too so I'm hoping she'll share with us some crafty posts also!

I hope you'll join me in giving Malanda a warm welcome ! 


Friday, July 19, 2013

Road Trippin' It with the 2013 Kia Rio SX! #KiaReview

Disclosure: I was sent the 2013 Kia Rio SX to review and test drive for one week. I was not compensated in any other way. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. 

I was very excited to be given the opportunity to be able to review the 2013 Kia Rio SX! I was able to drive it around for one week to see what I thought about it. Let me first tell you a little bit about it before I tell you my opinions on the car! 

The 2013 Kia Rio SX is a four door sedan that seats up to 5. It gets an average of 31 miles per gallon in gas mileage. It has power windows and door locks, AM/FM/CD/MP3 radio along with Sirius Satellite Radio availability. It has Bluetooth Wireless Technology and USB and Auxillary input jacks. This particular Rio had leather seats as well as heated seats! Also this Kia has key-less entry and start up! 


I was really excited to try out the 2013 Kia Rio because both my sister and my mother-in-law have Kia's that they both enjoy. Plus, we have an older model Honda Accord so it doesn't have any of the features that newer cars have. It took the gentleman who dropped it off nearly a half an hour to explain to me all the features this car had! And he was going fast! There are so many neat features on this car, it's incredible! Some of my favorites were the Bluetooth and the navigation system. I was able to sync up my iPhone 4 to the car and listen to my music, as well as make phone calls through the car's speakers. There is  a little microphone on the top of the car which makes it possible to have a phone conversation without ever taking your hands off the wheel! The navigation system was also built right in and I was able to plugin exactly where I needed to go and get turn by turn directions right through the speakers of the car. It was very convenient! 

A few of my husband's favorite features included the key-less start up and the good gas mileage! The key-less start up and entry was very nice.  As long as your were within a few feet of the car with the lock and unlock control you could lock and unlock the car just by pressing a button on the door. Then once you are in, as long as you have your foot on the break, you can start it up just by pressing a button. The gas mileage was pretty nice too! The average miles per gallon for this car is 31. But when I was driving it I usually got around 33 mpgs. We took two longer rides (about an hour each there and back) and on the interstate it got up to 38 mpgs! 



One thing I didn't love about the Kia Rio was that it was a little bit cramped in the back for the kids, especially with Isaac still rear facing in his carseat. There was plenty of room for them, just not much room for anything else. Plus they were a lot closer than they are in our car, so they kept bothering and touching each other! They were just a little bit closer than I would have preferred. Not a huge deal, but still something to think about. 


I could go on and on about all the cool features of this car but the ones above are the ones we liked best! It drove good and was the perfect size for me as far as driving it went.The 2013 Kia Rio SX is a great car for small families or individuals!  I really enjoyed being able to test drive it for a week and the kids were even sad to see it go! 



Thursday, July 18, 2013

Introducing Workout Wednesday!


Yes, I know, it's not Wednesday. But Workout Wednesday is going to start next Wednesday, July 31st! 

I'm on a journey. A lifestyle change is what I like to call it. I want to be healthy. I want to be fit. This journey started earlier in the year with running and has now progressed to even more. I work out at least 6 days a week, sometimes 7. I run, do yoga, and right now I am on week four of Insanity, created by the well known Shaun T.  I love the changes I've seen and I love feeling healthy and happy! 

I find I do my best when I have encouragement and support from others who are working out and making healthy changes as well! It's just great to have that positive energy and support around me! Without that support I sometimes struggle to do my workouts or don't skip out on that big piece of cake that I know I don't need! 

So I thought I'd create a weekly blog link up for others who are working to be healthy and fit so we can support and encourage each other! Each Wednesday you can create a blog post or just comment here on how your week of working out and eating better has been. Whether it has been a great one or a horrible one, feel free to share! We can help each other through it all! Whether you just walk or are training hard as your form of working out, it is all great! I love the idea of supporting and encouraging each other! I also find that when I share my happiness and changes it motivates others to get up and get active as well! 

Starting next Wednesday I'll post how my workout week has been and also have a linky at the bottom of the post so you can link up as well! What do ya say, will you join me in this journey of being healthy, fit and happy?!   

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Summer Fluffing Cloth Diaper Giveaway Hop! #summerfluffing



We're Summer Fluffing and having a blast… with this Giveaway Hop, hosted by the So Easy Being Green and According to Jenny.
I love cloth diaper giveaway hops and I'm sure you will too! Each blogger in this Event has a Fluff Prize Package worth at least $25! Enter to win here and then hop along to all the other blogs to enter to win even more fluffy prizes!

Here at The Not-So-Secret Confessions you have a chance to win your very own TushMate Ultimate One-Fits-All cloth diaper starter kit! (RV $26)

Check out my review of the TushMate Ultimate One-Fits-All starter kit HERE

Enter below in the Rafflecopter entry form. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Only one entrant per household allowed. The winner will be chosen at random and emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Maxwell Designs Ultimate Fan Giveaway!


Welcome to Maxwell Design's Ultimate Fan Giveaway! 


Show us your creative side and submit an original video, photo, or review telling us why YOU are Maxwell Designs Ultimate Fan!
To be eligible to win the ultimate Maxwell Designs Prize Pack worth over $80 in Maxwell Designs products, you need to submit a review, photo, or video highlighting a Maxwell Designs product you own and love OR how owning a Maxwell Designs product would help you organize, reduce waste, etc.  One Ultimate Fan will be selected from eligible submissions by Maggie and Mindy, so be creative! 2 Runners up will also be picked at random from the Rafflecopter form and will win a cosmetic case in the fabric of their choosing. So you don't have to  necessarily own a Maxwell Designs product yet to win! 
To enter: Please send photo/review and youtube submissions to maggie@maxwelldesigns.ca OR post a video on Instagram using the tags @maxwelldesigns, #maxwelldesignsultimatefan, and #maxwelldesigns OR if you don't currently own any Maxwell Designs products - any of the above telling us what products you would like to own and why. Be sure to enter using the Rafflecopter form below .
To earn more optional entries, share your photos and videos throughout the month of July! We will be sharing your submissions on FacebookInstagram, and Pinterest, so be sure to follow us!

TushMate Ultimate One-Fits-All Cloth Diaper Review! #summerfluffing

Disclosure: I was sent this product for review purposes. I was not compensated in any other way. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

I love using pocket cloth diapers most of the time but every now and then I want to use an AI2 or a just a cover and flat. Sometimes for different reasons, and other times just for a change. With the Tushmate Ultimate One-Fits-All Cloth Diaper system I can use one diaper in a number of different ways!


I was sent a Tushmate Ultimate One-Fits-All cloth diaper system to review in the orange color. You can use the Tushmate diaper system as a pocket diaper, AI2, or as just a cover and add your own prefold or fitted diaper inside! It is designed to be possible for almost any situation, such as overnight or out and about. It is designed to fit most infants through toddlers with it's snap down rise adjustments.  The insert is made with 100% natural fabrics that are safe on baby's skin and the pocket liner is made with a stay dry fabric that is also safe for baby's skin. Both simply snap into the cover to be used as either an AI2 or a pocket diaper. 

I really love the concept of this diaper. It's convenient and that's what busy moms like me need. It comes with it's own inserts to use but I can also snap in the pocket liner and stuff it with my own inserts if I want to. I can also just use the cover with my flats or fitteds if I want. It's all up to me. 

The diaper is really well made and thought out too. I get a very similar fit with this cover that I do with my BumGenius diapers and they are one of my best fitting diapers. The insert is really trim yet really absorbent. I've put Isaac down for a nap in this diaper with the insert it comes with and he's had no leaks whatsoever. Plus if I needed more absorbency I could just add the pocket liner in and add more inserts. 

Overall I think the TushMate Ultimate One-Fits-All Cloth Diaper is a great diaper! It's versatile for almost any parent's needs and at a great price! Not only is it convenient, but it works well too, and that is what is most important! 

What's your favorite feature of this diaper system?

Buy It!

Win It!
Come back tomorrow, July 17th, to enter to win your very own TushMate Ultimate One-Fits-All Cloth Diaper Starter Kit in the Summer Fluffing Giveaway Hop! 



Friday, July 12, 2013

Four Signs Your Toddler May Be Ready for Potty Training!


My little guy will be 20 months old this month and has started to show some interest in what his big 4 year old brother does when he goes in to the bathroom. So I started thinking about when his older brother potty trained and what signs he showed to let us know he was ready. Just because Isaac is curious about the potty, does that mean he's ready to learn how to use it? How do I know if he's ready?  These are some questions a lot of parents wonder about when their baby becomes a toddler. So I thought I'd share a few signs I remember my oldest showing when he was ready to learn to use the potty!

Dry Diapers after Longer Periods of Time- One thing I noticed as Noah got older was that his diapers would be dry after a long nap or two to three hours in the same diaper. This meant his bladder could hold more and he may even be holding it somewhat. 

Showing Interest- Just like Isaac is now, Noah started to show interest when I would use the bathroom and would even ask questions about it. He wanted to watch, as strange as it was, and was very curious as to why I used the toilet and he was still going in his diapers!

Hiding- Noah would do this and other moms have told me their toddlers would do the same thing. Noah would hide anytime he was going poopy in his diaper. He didn't want anyone to know he was going poopy in his diaper! It was almost something embarrassing for him. If a toddler can be embarrassed I suppose pooping in your diaper while everyone else goes in the toilet will do it. 

Asking to be changed as soon as they soil their diaper- After Noah would go hide and soil his diaper he wanted to be changed right away. In earlier months he could sit in a dirty diaper and give me no signs that he was even dirty! I'd have to check him constantly! When he started to be ready to potty train he would come tell me he was dirty and want to be changed! 

Has your toddler shown any of these signs yet? If you have an older child are there any other signs that showed you your child is ready to potty train? 




Thursday, July 11, 2013

World Breastfeeding Week is August 1-7! Share your Story!


World Breastfeeding Week is an exciting time for breastfeeding mothers! It's a time when we can celebrate the great thing that we do and raise awareness of how great breastfeeding really is for our baby and ourselves! 

I am looking for some breastfeeding mothers to share their stories for World Breastfeeding Week! I want to hear all about your trials and triumphs while breastfeeding! I'm no longer breastfeeding but I have my own story to tell, but that definitely won't take a whole week! So I'd love to have some guest blog posts for the week of August 1st-7th from mother's who are breastfeeding or have breastfed and would like to share their story! 

If you are interested in sharing your story please email me at mommyferg02(at)gmail(dot)com. Please also share with your fellow breastfeeding friends so they can share their story as well! 

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Nikon Coolpix L28 Digital Camera Review!

Disclosure: Staples.com sent me this camera for review. I was not compensated in any other way. The opinions expressed below are my own. 

A camera is a must when you have kids! I absolutely love taking pictures of my kids! They get sick of me taking pictures I do it so much! But I am by no means a photographer. Some of my pictures aren't the greatest which is why I love to have a camera that takes quality pictures even if they aren't from a pro with all the right angles and lighting and details! When I was given the opportunity to review the Nikon Coolpix L28 digital camera from Staples I was really curious and excited to see how well this worked for such an amateur photographer like myself! 


The Nikon Coolpix L28 creates pictures with 20.1 megapixels, 5x optical zoom, and 4x digital zoom. It carriers SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards and is powered by two AA batteries. There are 18 scene modes and a smart portrait system to get the best pictures in the setting you are in. 
I received the Nikon Coolpix L28 the day before we were leaving for vacation to Panama City Beach! I was so excited to give it a try while we were at the beach! I was able to put my current SD card right into the camera to save the pictures I took right to the card. The camera is nice and small and fits great in my hand. When I was first trying out the camera it took me a while to figure out which scene setting was the best for taking the pictures I wanted to take. At first there were lines going straight across every picture I took and I was honestly getting frustrated. But then after letting my hubby play with it for a bit, he got it all figured out and in the right scene mode and I started taking beautiful pictures!  Some of the features I love about this camera is how simple it is to use. I can literally just point the camera where I want to take a picture and press the button and I have a beautiful picture! I love the zoom feature on it as well as the video feature! Other than the scene settings, I was able to figure out the camera completely on my own with no help. This camera is definitely simple enough for amateurs like me! 

So when we  got home from the beach I plugged my SD card into my computer to see how the pictures really turned out! I was so pleasantly surprised! They were gorgeous! 


None of these pictures above have been edited other than me adding the watermark to them! Aren't they great pictures?! They all came from the Nikon Coolpix L28! 

Overall I am so pleased with the Nikon Coolpix L28! It is easy to use and works great! The pictures come out gorgeous every time! It's perfect for someone who isn't very familiar with cameras or who is a beginner at photography like myself. At Staples.com you can get it for a great price too! If you are on the lookout for a simple, yet durable camera for yourself or as a gift I definitely recommend you check out the Nikon Coolpix L28 digital camera!


Buy It!
To purchase the Nikon Coolpix L28 or check out their entire line of cameras visit http://www.staples.com/cameras-digital-cameras-camcorders-accessories/cat_CG43!





Monday, July 8, 2013

Making Time for Me- Why it is So Important!


When Isaac turned a year old he hit toddler hood full force! I was hoping I'd have a few months of my little baby still but he started walking the day after his birthday and it all went downhill from there! Suddenly I had TWO walking and talking little ones! Noah was three and a half and was coming on strong with the attitude and it just seemed like all I was doing all day long was catering to two whiny little boys. One was always awake, even through the night! They even began fighting over toys already! I was beyond overwhelmed. 

After much anxiety and feeling overwhelmed for a month or so I began running. A friend of mine was running and said it was such a stress relief so I thought I would try it. Running soon became a daily routine along with eating healthier and it also became a stress relief for me. Now I don't just run but I work out 5-6 days a week. I work out hard too. I sweat. I feel tired. And it feels great! It's my ME time. It's my way to let all the stress of the day go and start fresh. 


As a mom, making time for yourself is so important. There's no denying that raising kids can be hard. You lose sleep and you wipe noses and you drive them around and entertain them all day long. But we can't lose track of ourselves and who we are. Here's why:


  1. If we want to be the best for our kids we have to feel good. You love your kids right? You want to be there for them. You want to be happy for them. You don't want to be an anxious, grumpy, wound up mess all the time do you? That's how I felt for a while after Isaac hit a year old. And I still feel that way sometimes, but my daily time with the Lord and my ME time is what helps me to get through the day now and helps me to be happy and rejuvenated every day. 
  2. Me Time gives you time to rest. When I work out I'm not really resting but I do take time every now and then to go take a nap or take a long hot bath when I can. It is good to rest, especially when you've been going all day (and sometimes night) long! Give yourself that time to rest!
  3. Me Time helps relieve stress. It really does! Especially, in my opinion, time completely alone to just breathe and sit quietly and get lost in my own thoughts. That really helps to relieve stress. If I'm having a rough day and I finally get a moment all to myself I feel so much better after that!
  4. Me Time gives you time to reconnect with friends. I don't get to do it often but I love to get together with friends and work out or go shopping or get pedicures together! Just me and my friends with no kiddos! It's so nice to connect with other moms and be reminded that we aren't alone and we aren't the only ones with little toddlers and babies keeping us up all night! It's great to get encouragement and advice from friends! 
  5. Me Time is good for your relationships. When we are stressed and overwhelmed it not only affects our kids but it affects other relationships as well, especially with our spouses. You don't want to be grumpy and irritated at your spouse because your just tired from the busy, stressful day but sometimes that's what happens. When we get that me time to de-stress and rejuvenate it will help us to not be as stressed out and grumpy towards our spouse as well. 
Now I know it's not always possible to have Me Time every day. I try to work out every day but sometimes it just doesn't happen. Or it doesn't happen until after the kids go to bed. But I think it is really important to try to get just a few minutes a day to yourself. Even if you have to lock yourself in the bathroom! But really, it is good to try to get those few minutes to just breathe. Also, if possible try to get some extended Me Time at least once every couple of weeks. If you can get your spouse to watch the kids while you take a hot bath or go to coffee with friends. With a little me time your day, week, and months can be a lot more pleasant for you! 

What things do you do for Me Time? How often do you get to have some Me Time?



Friday, July 5, 2013

The Snugg- Google Nexus 7 Case Review!

Disclosure: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for a review. I was not compensated in any other way. 
I have a Google Nexus 7 and I love it. My boys love it too. Noah is always asking to play a game on my tablet and even Isaac will play along with him sometimes. So I want to keep my tablet protected when they play with it as well as when I use it! When I was given the opportunity to review The Snugg case for the Nexus 7 I was really excited to give it a try and to see how well it protected my tablet! 

The Snugg began in 2010 when one of the directors got a new iPad but couldn't find a good quality case they liked. They then created a quality case and grew from there! They now create and sell cases for the iPad, iPhone, other smartphones, and other tablets! 



The case for the Google Nexus 7 I received is made with black PU leather. It fits around the tablet perfectly and snuggly. The top of the case flips around for convenient viewing.  There is also a handle on the inside of the case to use to hold the tablet while using it. 

It also stands up for easy use on a table or with a keyboard! I really like this feature for when the kids are using it! 



I am really enjoying having the Snugg case for my Google Nexus 7. I feel like it is a lot more protected with this case on, plus it looks really nice with the case on it! It's easy to use for carrying along with me on trips and I love the reading handle and the option to stand it up on a table also! The only complaint I have about the Snugg case for my Nexus 7 is that occasionally if I put my arm or hand on the side of the case it will turn the screen off in the middle of using it. It's not a big deal but it can get annoying when I'm in the middle of something. The kids love the case because they can set it up on the table and play their games or watch a show on it without having to carry it anywhere. It's very convenient and protective! 

Like I said before, the Snugg carries cases and covers for the iPad and iPhones as well as many other tablets and smartphones! They come in a variety of colors and are all made with the same great quality!



Buy It!
You can purchase a quality and stylish case for your tablet or smartphone at www.thesnugg.com.


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