It's been a crazy couple of weeks with all the hustle and bustle of going back to school. We have all been adjusting to the new schedule and I have been trying to keep up with my sons' and nephews' appetites when they get home from school in the afternoon. For some reason, they are always famished and complaining about how being at school all day really made them hungry. Some of their favorite treats to enjoy are Entenmann’s Little Bites® snacks because they have the yummy taste that my boys love and are a good choice that parents like me also want, which keeps everyone smiling together. Entenmann’s Little Bites muffins are baked soft and moist, using real ingredients such as strawberries, blueberries and bananas, are perfectly pre-portioned and portable, and contain no high fructose corn syrup and zero grams of trans fat per serving. With more than 10 varieties to choose from, like Chocolate Chip, Blueberry, Party Cake, Fudge Brownies, Banana and more, there’s a Little … [Read more...]
Keep Kids Smiling With Little Bites! #LoveLittleBites #BackToSchool @Entenmanns #Ad
Manage Your Child’s Allergies Once And For All!
I am participating in an influencer program on behalf of Claritin®. This program is paid for by the makers of Claritin® and I have received compensation for my participation. All opinions expressed are my own. Seasonal allergies have been the bane of this family's existence for as long as I can remember. Not only did I suffer from them as a child, but now my son suffers from them as well. The problem is that he is also asthmatic, so his asthma is aggravated whenever he gets congested or irritated from his allergies. As a result, we have spent a lot of time in doctor's offices over the years. Thankfully, the Smart Allergy Mom Toolkit® by the makers of Children’s Claritin® has empowered me with the information that I need to get a handle on my son's allergies once and for all! In my son's case, he happens to be allergic to something in every season, so it has been difficult to get his allergies under control in the past. Some of the most … [Read more...]
Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe
One of the things that I have noticed as an educator is that children and young people are completely addicted to technology. They don't take time out to speak to one another fact to face anymore and they definitely don't play the kinds of games that we used to play when we were kids. The games I'm talking about were Jacks, Tic-Tac-Toe, Hopscotch, etc. Lately, my husband and I have been trying to limit technology in our home. Since we now have a teen and a pre-teen, they would rather spend most of their time playing video games when we are home. While we do reward them with time to play these games, we've also been going back to basics by making them turn off their gadgets in lieu of playing some good old-fashioned games as a family. When I was younger, one of my favorite games was Tic-Tac-Toe because it was so easy to play and because you could basically use any surface as a game board and many items can be used as game pieces. That … [Read more...]
Superhero Soaps
In our family, we have been blessed with nothing but boys and they love wrestling, running around, riding their bikes, and pretending to be superheroes. Now that my boys are older, they enjoy being superheroes on their favorite video games. Recently, I was asked by a friend to come up with some fun party gift ideas for her nephew's birthday party. Since I've made DIY soaps before, I thought it would be fun to make superhero soaps for all the kids. Superhero Soaps Materials: 1-2 lb. clear glycerin soap block (I purchased mine at a local arts and crafts store but they are readily available on Amazon) 4-5 drops of essential oil in your favorite scent (optional) Superhero erasers Square soap molds Directions: Cut the glycerin into small chunks using a sharp knife and place in a 2 cup microwave safe glass measuring cup. Microwave the glycerin in 1 minute increments, stirring until completely melted. If using essential oil, add 4-5 drops and stir. … [Read more...]
Choosing The Right Children’s Hospital For Your Child #HassenfeldChildrensHospital #Ad
*This post is brought to you by The Motherhood and Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone. All opinions are my own. Having a child with a chronic medical illness is extremely difficult. As parents, we never want our children to be ill and we want to make them better right away whenever they do get sick. As many of you know, my younger son has had Benign Rolandic Epilepsy since he was eight years old. I can still remember the first time I witnessed him having a seizure, it was one of the worst moments of my entire life. As a result of his illness, we have spent quite a bit of time at the hospital having him tested as well as taking him to the Emergency Room. As I navigated the medical system at our local children’s hospital, I learned that one of the best things that parents can do for their children is to advocate for them to receive the best care from the best doctors. It’s so important to choose the right children’s hospital to entrust with the care of your … [Read more...]
Game-Based Learning Is Changing Student Learning! @LegendLearning #LegendsOfLearning #Ad
Imagine a classroom where students are actually having fun while learning at the same time! As an educator, this is a challenge that I have faced many times over the years. It can often be a balancing act to create fun and engaging activities while, at the same time, addressing the learning standards that are required for my students to master. Most teachers will tell you that students often have a better grasp on material and content that they learned while having such a good time that they didn't even feel like they were learning. Legends of Learning is a game-based learning platform that offers science-based games for grades 3-8. Although their educational games currently only focus on science content, they will be rolling out other subjects and levels in the near future. Those of you who are science teachers will also be thrilled to find out that all of their games are compatible with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Teachers and students alike will find … [Read more...]
A Night Of Broadway In The Bronx
Every school year, we get caught up in our hectic schedules throughout the week. No matter how much we try to slow things down a bit, it always seems like there is something going on and there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done. However, spending quality time together as a family is always number one on our list of priorities so we never stop trying to come up with creative ways to create those memories that will be cherished by all of us for a lifetime. That is why we were so excited to go see my nephew perform in Broadway Night at one of our local schools in the Bronx. For the past few years he also attended high school in the Bronx and he participated in their drama club and performed at many of their shows! His last performance, as a Senior, was in his school's rendition of Grease in the Spring and we were so proud to see him on stage singing and acting. It was the first time Since he started college last Fall, he has … [Read more...]
Help Children With Cancer This Holiday Season! #tacklekidscancer @tacklekidscancr #Ad
The holiday season is in full swing and, during this special time of the year, it is so important to embrace the full meaning of the holidays. While many get caught up in giving and receiving presents, others are treasuring the things that really matter in life like family and loved ones. These support systems become especially important for families with children who are battling pediatric cancer. Tackle Kids Cancer provides an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children with cancer. It is a way for a child to help another child, and families to help other families. Unfortunately, only 4% of government cancer funding directed towards pediatric cancer, and childhood cancer being the number one cause of death by disease in children – funding in all forms is crucial. Those of you who are long-time followers of this blog know that as a Leukemia Survivor, advancing cancer research is very important to me. As a mother, my heart bleeds for these families … [Read more...]
Birthdays On Demand With Netflix! #StreamTeam @Netflix #Ad
As a Working Mom, it's always a nightmare when I have had to plan for celebrating my sons' birthdays at school. I end up having nightmares of staying up all night baking enough cupcakes for every student in their classes and wake up in a cold sweat when I realize I miscalculated the amount of cupcakes in my dream. Let's put it this way, my baking skills are not on par with the beautiful images you see on the Internet from moms who are more talented in the culinary arts. The beautiful cake above was made by one of my fellow basketball moms for my son's fourteenth birthday... When it comes to planning your kids’ birthday parties, the pressure can be overwhelming for parents. Thankfully, I'm not alone, nearly three-quarters (71%) of parents wish there was an easier way to make birthdays feel special for their kids. Wish granted—no candles required. Netflix is granting parents the ultimate birthday gift with the launch of 15 Birthdays On-Demand featurettes. Starring the … [Read more...]
It Is Time To Get Active! #LetsPlayHSMakeover @DrPepperSnapple @LetsPlay #Ad
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Let’s Play, an initiative by Dr Pepper Snapple Group that provides kids and families with the tools, places and inspiration to make active play a daily priority by building and improving playgrounds and donating sports equipment to groups in need. Although I received compensation for this post, all opinions are my own. It's no secret that we a huge basketball family. My older son has been playing competitively since he was in the third grade. Being an athlete has give him the tools to stay confident in all areas of his life and it has allowed him to be active on a regular basis. Even though our younger son plays basketball only for enjoyment, he understands that it is also important for him to engage in active play. As an active family, we were really excited to find out about the Let's Play initiative by Dr Pepper Snapple Group. They are committed to making sure that kids and their families have all the resources that they need to … [Read more...]
