Disclosure: I received product coupons to sample this product. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Ah, summertime.  I long for these months all year but when they arrive I find myself completely off kilter for at least a couple of weeks.   I’m a teacher and have the same schedule as my kids, for the most part, so we’re home for supper together during the school year.  Being together 24 hours a day on summer break is always a bit of a shock to my system — and probably theirs, too.  Sometimes I feel like my day revolves around their stomachs.  This is definitely true for my younger child; my older child is now able to prepare snacks for herself which is a huge blessing.  My son is hungry in the instant that his eyelids flutter open and doesn’t stop until he falls asleep.  He has the metabolism of a hummingbird (trying not to be jealous here) and is constantly in motion, so he burns through a lot of calories in a day.   This week I avoided the grocery store since we’re fairly stocked from last week’s trip.   It’s been my goal to make a quick lunch out of the freezer or pantry each day so that I can clean those areas out for the summer. Last week I found Red’s All Natural Burritos at my local Ingle’s market and snatched up the last 4 chicken burritos.  I’ve been scouting for that particular brand for weeks now; it’s quite hard to find here.  I was thrilled to get some to try out; they made for a delicious lunch today!

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May is a busy month for our family.  All 4 of us are tied up with the end of school.  My husband and I are on the teacher side of things, while trying to make it to all the events taking place at our kids’ schools.  The evening practices, weekend activities, and other things we’re involved in don’t let up either.  As I cleaned out my purse a couple of days ago, it was a bit mortifying to find all of these fast-food receipts.

YIKES! [Read more…]

I should have only pierced one of my ears. Within just a few weeks of buying a new pair of earrings, one earring is inevitably lost.  In my jewelry drawer there is an assortment of earrings that pirates only dream of.   Because of this, I’m reluctant to be spendy on my earrings.  I do prefer sterling silver or 14K gold to avoid any allergic reactions.  So this steal on sterling silver studs from Darcus Tori caught my eye.  Free earrings that are actually pretty?  Yep, I’m on board.

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Just a few days ago, we celebrated Memorial Day. My daughter asked why Memorial Day is important and I tried to explain that freedom is never really free.
So many men and women sacrificed a great deal, even their lives, to ensure our freedom. One day is not really enough to say “Thank you” for that sacrifice, but it’s a start. I come from a military family; my parents even met at a military base during the Vietnam war. I received Daisies Are Forever to review and decided that this was a great time to read it. The book was a huge reminder of the cost of war. In this book by Liz Tolsma, young Gisela fights for her life while protecting her charges.

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Disclosure: I received these items to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.  The post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links, it will help support self-sponsored giveaways like this one.

Have you heard of the Wonderbag Portable Slow Cooker?

If not, you will! [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received these books to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Growing up is such an important time of a child’s development. It’s often the time of life that parents most dread because children are becoming young adults. The change occurs so gradually that you might not even notice when your child starts to need deodorant. The mood swings might have become so commonplace that you attribute it to personality rather than hormones. At any rate, you’ll probably want to think about a way to broach those uncomfortable subjects that are often referred to as “The Talk.” [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received this book to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

A place that shrivels the soul.
For some children, that’s what home is.
In All My Belongings by Cynthia Ruchti (pronounced “Rook-Tee”) we meet Becca, a little girl who survived but didn’t thrive. Until now.

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Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

So I got Wall Slicks. And now I have to redecorate.

Let me explain.

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