How To Avoid The “Summer Slide” With @walmartgiving and @micheleborba #ad

I was so thankful when TheMotherhood.com reached out to me to see if I’d be interested in learning from Michele Borba and the Walmart Foundation about the “summer slide”. That time of the year when kids eat less nutritional food and aren’t as active. I also knew that by agreeing to work with them I’d want to share about my own experiences.

As a single mom who worked part time in retail, I know what it’s like to be worried about where your next meal might come from. We had one time where we hadn’t had meat in several days and I wasn’t sure when we’d have it again. My best friend brought some ground beef over to us. I was so very thankful. My boys have been on the free/reduced food program at school which means they get breakfast and lunch!

Last spring for the first time, we were sent home information about a lunch program during the summer. I wasn’t quite sure how it worked and at the time, pride got in the way and we ended up not using it. I would have, if it came down to it. I’d never let my boys go hungry. Good nutrition is vital to their growth and mental power.

Walmart is kicking off the summer to make sure kids still eat healthy this summer. So many low income children go hungry because they don’t have access to the free lunches in the summer like they do during the school year. And if they’re going hungry, that means they’re missing out on much needed food like fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole-grain foods!

I mean, sure, that can happen in any home during the summer, but the things is, these children, these families, don’t have access to this healthy food. Have you seen the price of fruit lately? Everything is going up in price which means less that people can afford.

Walmart will be giving $14M in grants to 5 nonprofits to help provide 1.7M children and families in need! They’ll receive free meals and nutritional education. Thankfully this all part of the Walmart Foundations $2 billion commitment through 2015 to fight hunger in America.

I think it was 2012 when Walmart would come into our little town, bring a full size truck into a church parking lot and volunteers would pass out food to families that showed up. They never turned anyone away. I will admit to having gone 2-3 times and they filled the gap! Employees from the store, the church and the neighborhood would organize the food and distribute it as each person went by with their basket. Such a blessing, I can’t even tell you.

I had a good friend who worked at Walmart and she only vaguely knew about the program. She, at the time, had terminal cancer. I brought her daughter one time with me because I knew times were tough for them as well, but as soon as the daughter realized Walmart was supplying everything and she knew people from her mom’s work, she asked to go sit in my car and didn’t want anything. Being in need can be embarrassing and humbling.

So, what are some ways you can be proactive in YOUR own child’s eating habits this summer and keeping them physically and mentally active? Here are a few ideas:

• Help them create a grocery list for the family
• Get them into the kitchen having them help prepare meals
• Bring them to farmer’s market and let them pick out items
• Start your own vegetable garden and let the kids plant their own choices
• Make meal time a time where the whole family unplugs
• Find reading programs at the library
• Join activities at the community center
• Go on family bike rides
• At meal time have a routine like sharing the best part of everyone’s day, telling someone at the table something you love about them, answer a special ‘question of the day’, or have a family devotion
• Have your child try a new food before any of the other meal, but don’t force them. Make it a relaxed situation

There are numerous ways to be involved in keeping kids healthy and active during the summer! We just need to make sure we, as parents, put the effort in to get them on their way and help them (and ourselves) to stay the course! What could be better than happy, healthy children?

*This is a sponsored post from TheMotherhood and their partnership with the Walmart Foundation. The opinions are my own.

Medieval Times: An Adventure in Baltimore, MD #ad

Last year I heard numerous people talking about Medieval Times. I’d heard about it and saw pictures, but really had no clue what it was about. I mean, I knew you saw knights and had a “feast”, but other than that, I was oblivious. My sister-in-law had been to the one in Chicago and loved it. An 8 hour drive to that on was the closest location for us.

Then we moved to VA! Got us to within 3 hours of the Medieval Times for Baltimore/Washington, D.C. I thought this would be a fun way to drive up to Baltimore and check out the area for the first time as well. So, I contacted Medieval Times and asked if they would work with me! They were absolutely fantastic to partner with! Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see much of the area, because our drive was two hours and it was another hour up to Baltimore after we met up with Fred and his kids.

We got to the mall and the first thing we see is the huge castle! I was shocked that it was going to be at a mall. I thought it would be in a castle on it’s own plot of land. I found this intriguing. We got there with enough time to spare to walk around the mall and then check out the gift section of the castle. The boys and I got a magnet for our fridge.

We were seated in the blue section, which meant we were to cheer for the blue knight. At first we were seated in the wrong section and then the seats we got weren’t the right seats, but then it sounded like we had the right seats and the other people who had been sitting in our seats got different ones. It was a little confusing, but it all worked out, thankfully! =) We met our server and I have to tell you, he was awesome and hysterical. Every time the crowd would cheer he would act like it was for him! He’d bow or put his hands in the air, thank the crowd, etc! He actually added to the show!

Now, I did go as a blogger and I took a ton of pictures, so I feel like I’ll have to go back again just to take in the entire scope of the show without a camera in my face. I mean, part of me was the blogger, the other part was the person who didn’t want to lose a second of what was happening so I had to take photos! lol

As the show was happening and the food was being served, I kept watching the kids. I wasn’t sure how my boys would feel about the show. Would they be bored, unimpressed, or who knows what. They were watching pretty closely, but nothing to give away what was going through their minds.

I was enthralled. I have always had a deep love for horses and grew up reading about knights in shining armor. This was sheer bliss for me. Watching the knights compete and the horses perform, I was honestly in heaven. There was one point when a gal came out with a hawk and it was such a beautiful display of majesty, I actually welled up with tears. I’m telling you, I was meant to have lived in that time period.

The ending battle was well fought. Our blue knight didn’t win, but I believe green did. Works for me since green is my favorite color, but I definitely wondered how they decide who will win each week. Do they flip a coin, go in a pattern, who knows, but these are the kinds of things I think about.

The dinner was absolutely filling! It was delicious and it was THE first time Buddy and I have found a place to eat out at that served Pepsi! As soon as we heard what was offered we looked at each other with extremely pleased faces! I asked the boys to try each of everything, including the soup, and they did.

I was absolutely excited when we were leaving and Buddy, yes, my 13 yr old asked if we could go back and watch the show again. Listen, this is my oldest son who doesn’t get excited about anything or ever ask to go back to anything more than once unless it’s Iron Man 3! This was the highest praise one could expect from my son! The kids all enjoyed themselves.

Unfortunately, Fred has allergies and he was a complete mess with the show and the horses! I felt horrible knowing he went to be with everyone and was hit hard with his allergies. Now, to be fair, he knows he’s allergic and should’ve taken his allergy meds ahead of time! I know next time it’ll just be me and the kids because I can’t watch him suffer like that again! lol

After the show was over, the kids took a photo with our server, who really made our meal and show enjoyable.

If you ever have guests in town or are looking to have an amazing experience, I would highly suggest enjoying a show at Medieval Times! I can absolutely guarantee you that you won’t be disappointed!

Bike Riding In A New Community With A Night Headlight #LightMyWay #shop #cbias

At our old house, we lived on a country road that basically only had people who lived there driving on it. I taught my boys the basics about riding their bikes, but we never went to any bike safety classes. Needless to say, we never had any issues other than having to remind the boys each spring to watch out for cars. There was never a need for a beam headlight, and if the boys played with their friends at night, they always ran around with a work flashlight!

Spring ahead to a new neighborhood, a somewhat busier road and, no streetlights and it makes this mom a lot more nervous about them riding bikes during the day and even more so at night.

Neither of my boys has ever had brand new bikes. They’ve always been passed down or found at garage sales. June is when both of my boys birthdays are so I bought them both bikes. Mostly to give them something to do outside and together because there aren’t really any kids their age here.

When I surprised my boys with a trip to Williamsburg this week, we brought the bicycles with us so they could ride around with their cousin. Their aunt and uncle live in a gorgeous, wooded community, but it’s extremely populated. I was really nervous about letting the boys go riding, well, Doodle mostly, because he’s at that age where he’s not thinking about “rules” he’s just having fun. I reminded him to grab his helmet out of the back of the car and off they went.

About 10 minutes later I headed out to get some Starbucks. As I drove I thought to myself, “I hope Buddy and his cousin don’t ditch Doodle to be ‘funny’.” I came to a bend in the road and here comes Buddy and his cousin, but not Doodle! Ugh! Thankfully I was looking where they had just come from because here comes Doodle blazing a trail around the corner trying to catch up. I was going super slow, but he was going fast and coming tight around the corner towards ME! He slammed on his breaks, his back tire went up in the air, and he hopped off his bike sideways as it started to fall!

You should’ve seen his face when he saw my car before he hit his breaks. He was pretty scared, and so was I! I could’ve just hit my son! Now, to my other son’s credit, he and his cousin weren’t riding fast or trying to ditch Doodle, he was just lagging behind. I explained to both of them how dangerous that encounter was, even though I think we all knew already.

I knew that as soon as we got home I needed to research where some bike safety classes would be and get them signed up for one. I don’t know all the rules of the road and haven’t really needed to up until this point, but clearly, there needs to be some instruction.

I also wanted to make sure the boys were safe riding bikes at dusk, when people are just getting home from work because where my parents live, there aren’t any streetlights that I know of on our circle. It’s a huge circle with probably 30ish houses on it. It’s, it’s own neighborhood. No other houses around or developments, just this circle. I haven’t had an accident for 16 yrs and ended up in one here, 3 houses away from my parents. =( I definitely want my boys as safe as can be when they’re riding their bikes.

They also love to play night games, so I decided one of my best options was to get Energizer head lights. I used to see them all the time at Menards and people asked about them quite a bit! I figure if my boys can put them on their bike helmets, not only can they see better, they can be seen better.

Next month they’ll be going back to MN and will ride their old bikes in the old neighborhood and play the night games with their friends so I’ll send them back with their new head lights. They’ve always had to use flashlights before, but there’s definitely a need for a different kind of safety and a different kind of fun where we are now!

Now, to find some bike safety classes!

A Weekend At Ocean City, MD

This past weekend was Soccer Duels in Ocean City, MD. Kids from all over the place come and play 24 minute soccer games on the sand right next to the ocean. It was something I’ve never experienced before. I’m so thankful I was able to go!! I’d never been to Ocean City before!

Fred got us hotel rooms in Delmar, MD. At least I think we were in Maryland. Turns out where the hotel is borders on Delaware and Maryland…hence Del-Mar. =) It’s considerably cheaper to be about 1/2 an hour away than to stay right on the ocean.

The traffic getting there was horrendous! Crossing the Bay Bridge took about an hour because the tropical storm had closed it down to two lanes. Our drive altogether took about 5 hours and we had anticipated it taking about 3ish! That was after I drove 2 hrs to GET to Fred’s! It was a long drive to say the least!

We woke up in the morning and headed straight to the beach. It actually reminded me of Navy Pier in Chicago. They have all kinds of rides next to the ocean and carnival games along the Boardwalk at one end. Towards the other end there were some amazing kites being flown in the air! At any given time you could find someone playing an instrument, blowing up balloons, miming, henna tattoos, etc. It was an extremely eclectic bunch of people to put it mildly!

The day we were there, a tropical storm had just rolled through. The Soccer Duel games had started early in the morning and right as Fred’s daughter was getting ready to play her first game, the heavens opened and it poured for over an hour! We had nothing with us for covering! I ended up watching her game from a hotel overhang while he went out and watched the game on the beach. Yes, they played in the pouring rain!

I haven’t watched soccer in years and I wasn’t sure I’d be very interested, but it turned out to be just as exciting as the boys basketball or baseball games! There were 15 “fields” and games were constantly in motion. We would watch a game, take a break and go grab something to eat at one of the many vendors! Trust me, if you need anything, I think you could pretty much find it along the Boardwalk!

The sand was absolutely wonderful and soft. The water, which I never entered because it was too cold, was about 53 degrees! lol Maybe towards the fall we’ll get back and actually venture into the ocean. I also forgot my brand new beach chair that I bought specifically for this trip. Again, they have everything you need including beach chairs and umbrellas you can rent along the beach!

The boys won 2 games, lost 1. The girls lost 2 games, won 1. It’s tough, but for it was such a fun experience for everyone. The boys took it pretty hard because they really fought the loss. It just didn’t come together for them.

Fred and I went to dinner at the Marina and had a really good dinner. He had soft shell crab. I’ve never had that before and it was pretty good. It was hard to eat it knowing what it looked like! lol He also bought caramel popcorn at Fisher’s for his dad for Father’s Day! Apparently it’s some pretty good stuff. He also bought us each an ice cream at Dumser’s. Hand spun ice cream! Wow, just can’t beat that!

At dinner Fred told me the kids and his ex were going to go parasailing together the next day! With Groupon, they were able to go for $99! That’s so awesome! I actually used a Restaurant.com discount at the Marina for our dinner! As we were leaving the Marina, I wanted to grab a couple pictures and realized they had jet ski’s for rent! You can even go kite surfing on the beach. I didn’t see any of that while we were there, but we also didn’t make it down the entire beach.

It seems as though there’s something constantly going on in Ocean City. Throughout the entire weekend, they were having an air show. And the cool part, it didn’t cost anything! Yes, it costs everywhere down there to park, but nothing to sit on the beach and watch planes doing incredible acrobatics. And the air show was for the entire weekend. Oh, and we parked right by the beach and for the whole day it was $27!

The one thing we didn’t do in the area was go see the wild horses that migrate there every spring. Fred knows my love for horses, so I hope next year we’ll be able to see them. Besides, sand soccer will be for the whole weekend next year!

My Body, My Style At Sears #ThisIsStyle #cbias

It’s been a very interesting 6 months here in Virginia and dating Fred! He would probably say the same since he went shopping at Sears with me a couple of weeks ago! I was looking for some affordable fashion because as a single mom I’m on a budget. It was also important for Fred to tag along with me so we could see how what we liked meshed, or if it did.

I know I’ve talked in the past about the issues I had with my ex-husband and how he wasn’t an easy man when it came to my clothing. He had certain “rules” I had to live by. Fred on the other hand, is completely the opposite. We’ve talked about this before and it’s a hard transition for me.

How does he respond when I ask him about what I should wear and if he’s ok with what I’m wearing? “Um, do you like it?” “I’m not going to tell you what to wear or not wear.” I kind of look at him like he’s speaking a foreign language. Get this, he likes when I dress girlie! HA! Go figure.
So, since I’ve met him, I’ve been trying out my girlie side and he’s been fantastic and encouraging! I wasn’t sure how the shopping would go, but he did really well.

I wanted to look feminine and at the same time, have clothing that fit my body. I have long legs and it can be hard to find clothing that fits my 5’8 height. I’m not extremely feminine in my body shape…unfortunately so large clothing that makes me look big or makes my top half look smaller than it already is! It’s also important to me that what I found while we were shopping was fun and something “out of my box”.

The Sears we went to is actually quite small. In fact, I thought they were still in the process of remodeling. Apparently they weren’t. I was really bent on getting a summer dress and they had very little to choose from. I had browsed their extensive online selection and had expected to find most of that same apparel at the store. No, not even close. I only found a handful of dresses to choose from. I had forgotten I ran into that same issue when I went shopping for a dress right before SoFabCon back in April.

Fred and I just perused the racks looking for something that would fit what I was looking for. ugh, this is where he wasn’t helpful. He kept pulling things out he just knew I would never wear. He’d hold some floral, large shirt up next to me and I just cringed. Not because of the shirt itself, but because I’m extremely particular about design or prints!

He did pick up one shirt that looked really big and it had a print on it that I would’ve never in a million years glance twice at, but I looked at it for longer than a second and gave it a cursory, “sigh…fine”. I think I tried on about 8 different outfits. All the while he stood there, patiently, not complaining at all and taking photos of each outfit! I even tested him out at one point because one of the skirts I wore was white and you could see my undies through it. I told him and he responded, “really? cool!” So not what I’m used to and it makes my heart smile!

Sigh…and get this, the shirt he picked out for me, I grabbed a pair of black capris to go with it and I ended up liking it! I was shocked. Fred liked it, too. I personally wasn’t comfortable with how low cut it was, but it looked like it would be perfect for a semi-formal function or even church. I already had black sandals and white sandals at home, but grabbed a dressy black watch to go along with the outfit. On the hanger this shirt looked really big, but when I put it on, it fit perfectly!

I really was still focused on dresses and found one that would look really great…after I have a tan. hahahahaha I tried on a variety of shoes trying to find something that would go with my new summer dress, and actually went back a second time to look more thoroughly and ended up purchasing two pairs online because I loved the black ones I tried on at the store, but they didn’t match the dress. In fact, last year when I was going to BlogHer ‘12, I bought the cutest pair of black wedges from Sears and the ones I was looking at were similar.

I got the coral colored wedges first and they were awesome with the dress. Totally worked, but I was waiting to see if the cream colored ones would match too. It was interesting how they both arrived. The coral ones came shipped in a box. The cream ones came shipped in a bag. The shoe box was crushed and the shoes weren’t even in the box. I was really surprised they’d ship shoes in a bag. Needless to say, the coral ones are the shoe I went with!

I brought my dress and shoes to wear when Fred and I went out to eat in Ocean City, but it rained so badly I never took the dress out. Now it’s waiting for me to have another sunny day/evening to dress up! I ended up purchasing the black and white outfit as well because I’ve wanted some dressier, every day clothing and that totally fit the bill. The capris were too big, but they didn’t have a smaller size. I was ok with that because with the belt I was able to make them fit.

As you can see in the photo below, I’ve worn my black and white outfit…a couple of times as a matter of fact. Most recently to my son’s 8th grade graduation last week!

One of the things I really love about Sears is that if you find what you’re looking for and want it in a different color or different size, they’ll ship the right ones to you for free! That’s what I did with my shoes and would’ve done with the capris had they had a smaller size.

I also used my Shop Your Way card and that got me more points towards future purchases!! On top of that, after my purchase, I got some awesome coupons to use on my future shopping trips!

Be sure to check out my fun shopping trip and the cute styles I got to try out in my Google + album!
So, what’s YOUR style or are you like me and still trying to figure it out?

Bonding With Dad #Pricelessgolf #MC

Do you ever consider the moments in your life that are priceless? Something that’s so precious or important to you, you’d never give it up for any price? I’d have to say most of mine have come since having children. Now, with our move, I’m experiencing priceless moments that have made my life amazing! So, check out what’s about to happen with me and my dad!

It’s interesting how golf has become part of our lives. It actually came out of nowhere. I had played a round of golf and actually ended up really enjoying it. My boys’ grandpa would take them to the driving range in the spring and summer. Now I’m dating Fred and he really enjoys golf. Turns out his dad has worked off and on at different golf courses throughout his retirement. In fact, Fred, his son and his dad are going to be spending Father’s Day golfing.

Well, a couple of years ago, my dad added golf to his life…GOLF! lol If you knew my dad, you would’ve made the same face as me when you heard this. Listen, my dad is…was…a motorcycle riding, smoking, kick back drink a beer kind of guy. I’m not sure if the change happened at the same time, but he bought a Mazda Miata, too! I’d say “mid-life crisis” but he’s in his 60s! hahahaha
Now, he goes out almost every Sunday with a couple of his buddies and spends the day golfing! He wears tropical print shirts and wears those straw-type golfing hats. It’s seriously the craziest thing to witness, but it’s so cool!

Last year my mom got him a golf pro gift certificate for his birthday! I got him a big pack of golf balls and my brother got him a gift certificate to a golf store! To say that golf has taken over at my house, is to not put it into words properly. Oh, and did I mention weekends are spent watching golf? hahahaha Definitely something I never expected from my dad! And if we’re not watching golf, there are always the stack of magazines under the coffee table.


So, dad’s birthday is right around the corner and so is a MasterCard Experience waiting for him! He has no idea! My brother and his best friend went to the AT&T National last year and loved it! This year, I get to surprise my dad with this awesome experience! Did you know that MasterCard has an amazing partnership with the PGA Tour at pricelessgolf.com?

I’ve had a MasterCard for almost two years now. I’ve needed it because of my blogging and I use it for business. It’s become the card I go to most because it can be used everywhere and not only that, it’s clear that there are exciting benefits to being a card member! And those Priceless moments aren’t for only here in the United States. It extends around the world!

If you could have a MasterCard Priceless Experience, what would you love to do?

Going Back to Aeropastle #PSMoms

My girls are now in their 20s and they’ve been wearing Aeropastle for about 7-8yrs if not longer! Both of my girls, especially my oldest, had the HARDEST time finding clothing that fit them. She was a 0/1 for the longest time! One of the only places we could find with jeans their size was Aero.

Well, now I have Fred’s daughter who I can go shopping with for girl clothes and that makes me ecstatic! It’s so much more fun to shop with a girl than a boy. Yes, taking my boys clothing shopping is way different than shopping with girls.

Last month I saw that Aero was connecting with moms and I was so excited! Now obviously, K-girl isn’t my daughter, but she’s a girl that likes to go shopping.

I love the styles that P.S. Aero has because they are age appropriate and adorable clothes that make moms and kids happy. K-girl was pretty excited when I showed her some of the new line for summer! The purple shorts were such a vibrant color and fit her perfectly! The shirt was a light, airy shirt that would be fantastic with various colored tank tops!

We hadn’t shopped together yet so ordering online, they ended up being the right size! The shirt fit perfectly and was so cute on her. With the hot and humid here in VA/MD a light shirt like this is exactly what’s in order!

I also love that there are really fashionable clothes for boys, too! My boys are getting to the age where they’re caring about how they look and the clothes they wear.

Can’t wait to see what else we can come up with for the summer!

*I received these clothes for review. The opinions are definitely my own. Who’s else would they be?

Getting The Upgrade & #SheratonClub Twitter Party #ad

For the longest time, I didn’t do much traveling other than by road. In fact, that’s my preferred way of traveling. And that traveling was pretty limited to family so not much need for hotel stays. They were always straight to our destination.

Let’s just say, things have changed over the past year. The biggest change has been in how I travel and how often I travel. I’ve flown 4 times in the past year! Aside from once, that meant hotel stays. The boys and I also have a lot of travel planned for the next several months here as well as flying out of the country and out of the state!

One of the best parts of traveling and staying at a hotel like the Sheraton and getting upgrades. Fred does a lot of traveling and when we’ve gone somewhere, he gets us each our own rooms and we’re always upgraded! There are typically creature comforts that come with those perks and make the stay so much more enjoyable! Whether the rooms are more cozy and larger, sometimes with a great kitchenette, food perks, etc, it’s so worth the upgrade!

I remember when Fred was traveling in Kentucky and he got an upgrade. I wasn’t with him, but he couldn’t stop talking about how amazing the room was. He knows he is always going to be offered an upgrade, but he’d never seen anything like this before! It seemed more like a penthouse from the photos he shared with me than any hotel I’d ever seen.

That’s where Sheraton Club Lounge makes a hotel stay so much better! There’s always Wifi available in the Lounge. Do you want to grab a drink or just have a relaxing time with your travel companions, the Sheraton Club Lounge is the place to do it! And if you’re anything like me, you’re hungry after a day of traveling! They have complimentary breakfast, appetizers and all-day snacks! Those are just the tip of the iceberg. Each Lounge is different so you’d definitely want to check them out to see how you’ll luck out like a bandit.

Yesterday I won tickets to a Christian concert in Arlington, VA at the end of the month. It’ll be a long day and night, so the thought of staying at the Sheraton Arlington Hotel just makes me smile! Oh, and if we decided to stay at the Sheraton National Hotel, we’d be able to check into our rooms from the Lounge! I know, sweet!

So, talking about sweet things, how about a Twitter party?! Here are the deets:

Twitter party from 9-10 pm EST Monday, June 17, 2013

Hashtag: #TMOM

Prizes: Sheraton points- 4 prizes 12,000 points, 5,000 points, 2,000 points, and 1,000 points

Panelists: @travelingmoms @kimorlando @cindyrichards @debmomof3 @ramblingstump @SheratonHotels @childmode @therebelchick @MaryHeston @techsavvymama @techmama @adamsommer @savvymommy @MimiBakerMN

RSVP: http://bit.ly/11vhkLw

I hope to see you there!

*This is a sponsored post for Sheraton and TravelingMom.com All opinions are my own.