Protect Your Children With This Total Tech Takeover

**Today I'm partnering with the complete parental control app, Boomerang, about ways to protect your children from the wild and wicked world of technology, apps, and video streaming.

There's no way around it, technology is our children's future. So trying to shelter my son from it, or stand over him every second he's on his iPad or my phone, is no way for either of us to live. Thankfully, some super smart parents, with no desire to helicopter parent their children's tech-time, built a solid solution, Boomerang, a parental control app that runs in the background, making sure your child does not use and app or watch something that's not age appropriate.

I can bash technology and the crazy monster it turns my son into when I try to take it away from him, but truth be told, during the cold winter months, my son gets way more tech-time than any other time of the year. It's not only the cure for his cabin fever but also my best shot at any quiet time during the day.

I rationalize the extra tech-time by limiting my son to only, learning apps. Of course, I stay within earshot, so when the kid breaks away from spelling to watch Lego builds on YouTube, I can cut him off at the pass.

Well, now, thanks to Boomerang, I can leave the room knowing my son is restricted to ONLY the apps I've approved. Seriously, this app is fantastic. The first time I downloaded Boomerang and set up Ollie's restrictions, I thought I somehow did something wrong and deleted all of my apps because they were missing. It turns out, Boomerang hid them from him!

The Boomerang app gives me total tech control, so when my son is on my phone, apps he is not to use are hidden. (Finally, my social media accounts are finally safe from him unfriending people, or worse, friending random strangers!

One of my favorite features is the ever important timer! Sometimes I'm not sure who needs the timer more, the kid or me. Both of us can get carried away and before I know it, and hour has passed. Just by looking at my son I can tell he hasn't blinked in twenty minutes. SO BAD!  The timer is key. Plus, it kind of fights the end-of-tech-time-battle for me. 

Boomerang is easy to set-up, and in a way, takes on the tech battle with your child, so you don't have to.  The app even tracks devices, so at all times, you know exactly where your family is. 

I really can't stress it enough, get control of the Tech-monster in your house as early as possible. The sooner boundaries are set up, the less of a struggle you'll have keeping your child from your apps, games, age-inappropriate material and dodgy YouTube videos of dumbasses riding in the bed of a truck through a car wash. Seriously, my son doesn't need any more bright ideas. 

To protect your child(ren) with a total tech takeover, download Boomerang for iOS or Android, then follow the prompts. The app will run in the background at all times, so it sets up in your phone's settings and will ask for control of the device, click Ok, because really, you're the one gaining complete control...

To learn more about the Boomerang app, visit the website, here. 

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One Of The Greatest Parenting Inventions, Just Got An Upgrade! #Love #BobsButtWipes

*I've partnered with Sterling Global Products, LLC, to start a conversation about how awesome butt wipes are for potty training, and what happens when they are kicked up a few notches. All opinions are my own.


Who knew potty training could be such a long, drawn-out process?

For me, it's been a two year extravaganza of pushing, regressing, ridiculous misses and messes, and lots of tears. Mine of course.

As you may already know--because I bitch about it all the time-- I've been trying to potty train my child for two years thanks to my mother-in-law sending potty training pants and big-boy underwear for his first birthday.

Why? Because she says FTD potty trained right after his first birthday. So naturally, Ollie will too... <Insert-cough... that sounds more like me saying, Bullsh!T>

Fine, I'll admit, Ollie is definitely FTD's mini-me, but trying to potty train my toddler at the age of one seemed a little cray-cray.

I was right.

My child was no potty prodigy.

Not. Even. Close.

Thankfully, right after his third birthday, he started using the potty regularly. Nine times out of ten, he  even went without being prompted first! Still, I had to stay close to supervise his potty breaks to keep him safe from falling, and of course, clean.

A HUGE Game Changer for me were Flushable Butt Wipes.

At first, wipes were awesome for quick though convent clean of both my toddler. Then, once the kid decided he needed to be more undefended at pity-time, wipes proved to be great for stopping him from trying to unroll the ENTIRE toilet paper roll. I taught him that the wipes were his special toilet paper, and that he only needed ONE.

The wipes give me piece of mind that he's NOT making a huge mess with the toilet paper roll, and that he's wiping with something much more effective than dry paper.

And then, as if butt wipes couldn't get better, Bob's Butt Wipes, Lil' Booty Adventure Wipes and BouDe' wipes came with their own handy holder! Check this out...

The holder is sturdy, easy to use, and re-fill. Not to mention, the butt wipes being in a convent spot makes it easy for Ollie to grab one without having to turn around or reach down.

Did I mention how funny the names are?  There are multiple colors available to match your bathroom!

Bob's Butt Wipes

Lil' Booty Adventure Wipes

Bou De' Wipes for Women! 

At $9.99 for the holder and a pack of wipes, Bob's Butt wipes are totally worth it. Enter coupon code "FTM&D15" to save 15% off your order! To order now, click here.

  

The Must Have Handbooks For Expectant And New Parents #WhatToExpectBook #Giveaway

For the longest time I thought What To Expect When You're Expecting, was a medical book, written by doctors. Whether I was visiting a pediatrician or OB/GYN office, the book was a staple in the waiting room. That's why it didn't really come as a shock to me when my doctor (also a family friend) gave me a copy in a welcome to pregnancy and motherhood gift set. But what did shock me was the insane amount of information held within it's pages.  EVERYTHING you can imagine about, or happening during, pregnancy is in the book.

It says a lot that after all of these years, thirty one to be exact, and 600-weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list, the What To Expect When You're Expecting series is the most loved and recommended book for expectant and new parents.

There's no doubt about it, expectant parents have billions of questions and fears. Daily, I would have new questions and fears associated with my pregnancy. Like most, I made the mistake of turning to "Dr. Google" for pregnancy answers. What a huge fail that was! Between the misinformation and terrifying images littered all over the worldwide web, Dr. Google is the last place a new parent should turn for answers!

Trust me, I learned the hard way.

The Wise Words Of My Grandmother Still Ring True... #JackandLily #Giveaway

*I've partnered with Jack & Lily Shoes to Talk about the importance of great shoes for little crawlers and walkers. All opinions are my own.

My maternal Grandmother was one of my best friends. She was a sassy lady who knew what she wanted. She loved good food, fashion and times, and never missed a chance to take me off to indulge in one or all of her favorite things.

When my mother moved my siblings and I out of Miami, I still went back to visit my grandmother every summer for a few weeks. Upon my arrival we always did the same thing; we went straight to the mall for a new pair of shoes. Gammy always said, "Honey, a great pair of shoes are essential for your growing feet." We only looked for shoes that fit her two main criteria, "looked as fabulous as they were made."

To this day, every time I buy a pair of shoes, I think of my grandmother. I employ her same reasoning about the importance of shoes being well made when shopping for my son.  I think of his growing feet, and know he needs a shoe that can support his crazy toddler running, jumping and climbing, and preferably have a great look too. That's why I absolutely ADORE Jack & Lily Shoes.


I love them so much, I recently got a pair for my adorable little neighbor as a birthday gift. He's just turned one and boy is he on the move!

Style: Jessie 

Product Description:

Individually hand-crafted with breathable, genuine leather and premium, non-toxic materials (plus Jack & Lily’s signature Natural-flex rubber sole) My Shoes feature an industry-defining 3 millimeters of cushioning for a child’s tiny sole and ankle. Velcro closes make My Shoes as easy to put on as they are great at staying on an absolute must for even the busiest of little bodies. Perfect for indoor or outdoor. Packaged in our award winning, premium gift box. NOTE: All sizes 0-6 months substitute a suede sole (with two non-slip pads) to provide extra flexibility and traction for developing feet.

Jack And Lily shoes are unique for a few of reasons. Here are six very important ones...

In addition to the the quality and detail put into every Jack & Lily brand shoe, the styles are brilliant and every single one is unique!

Being the smart shopper that I am, I always keep an eye on their sale page, just in case a super cute pair pop up.

Jack and Lily shoes come in sizes 0 to 30 months or US/CA Sizes 2.5 to size 10.

To get shopping, click here!  (Use code "BLOG" at check out to save 25% on any regular price shoes.)

Want to try your luck at winning? Sign up below!

Entry-Form

You'll Never Believe What Happened After I Delivered My Son... #DairyEnvy

*Today, I am partnering with LACTAID®  to bring awareness to dairy sensitivity and the solutions available to keep dairy in your life! All opinions are my own. 

Prior to becoming pregnant, I wasn't a huge milk drinker. I had it in my cereal, and coffee when I ran out of cream. Then, once I was pregnant, a milk junkie emerged from within my body.  I would pound milk, right from the gallon at all hours of the day. Literally, at 3am I would wake up wanting milk. Of course, I chalked it up to pregnancy and fed the beast within.

In between gulps of milk, I would drink smoothies, eat yogurt and gobble up ice cream like it was my job. I was, after all, growing a big baby boy in my belly and apparently he needed dairy. Copious amounts of dairy.

Then, once I delivered my son, the craziest thing happened, I became lactose intolerant. One small sip of milk would turn my stomach into knots. I mentioned it to my lactation nurse, and was met with, "Believe it or not, it's not that unusual!"

Sure enough, the parenting forums were filled with posts about new mother's concerned about becoming lactose intolerant.

Since I had spent the last ten months downing my weight in dairy, I didn't mind so much. Then, I started craving ice cream and cereal again. I tried all of the non-dairy options and found them all to, well, suck. I once told FTD drinking non-dairy substitutes was like craving pizza and being told to eat a ham sandwich.

Desperate for a delightful dairy solution, I tried LACTAID®  Milk. What they do is remove the lactose, so it's still milk, just minus the part that wrecks my tummy.

Even, FTD, a milk lover, had to admit, there was ZERO difference in flavor. Zero. Since FTD was on board with the LACTAID®  too, it became our new milk brand.

I still had one small issue, ice cream sundaes and milkshakes would tie my tummy in horrible knots. Which, sucked. I hated going the ice cream shop with FTD and Ollie and having to find a dairy free solution. When really, I WANT ICE CREAM!!!

That's why I nearly died when I found out LACTAID®  made ice cream.

GAME ON! 

LACTAID®  Ice Cream Flavors:

Salted Caramel Chip

Cookies & Cream

Butter Pecan

Vanilla

Chocolate 

Berry Chocolate Crumble

The new varieties inc

lude:

o

LACTAID

®

Salted Caramel Chip Ice Cream: Combines sweet caramel 

swirls and dark chocolate chips with creamy lactose free ice cream. 

Savor the delicious flavor with none of the discomfort.

o

LACTAID

®

Berry Chocolate Crumble Ice Cream: Includes ripe pure

ed 

berries and rich chocolate crumble together in a creamy ice cream 

that’s 100% lactose free so there’s no discomfort. This perfectly 

balanced fusion of berry and chocolate is sure to satisfy your sweet 

tooth.

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I was to find an ice cream I could eat! After all of the ice cream cones and ice cream sandwiches I made for Ollie without even having one bite, it was so nice to be able to join in again!

In honor of July being Ice Cream Month, and July 19th being National Ice Cream Day, LACTAID®  has rolled out two new delicious flavors, Salted Caramel Chip, and my all time favorite, Berry Chocolate Crumble.

• LACTAID® Berry Chocolate Crumble Ice Cream: Includes ripe pureed berries and rich chocolate crumble together in a creamy ice cream that’s 100% lactose free so there’s no discomfort! 
• LACTAID® Salted Caramel Chip Ice Cream: Combines sweet caramel swirls and dark chocolate chips with creamy lactose free ice cream.

If you too have dairy sensitivity, I cannot recommend enough you give LACTAID® a try.  I have been happily enjoying their wide range of products for three years, and even though some of my daily sensitivity has subsided, I still stay loyal to the brand because I love the taste, and have absolutely no fear of having lactose intolerance issues.

You can find LACTAID®  at Grocery Stores nationwide and Walmart.  To find a location near you, and to clip some stellar coupons, click here!

Oh, and stay tuned for my post on 10 Ways To Rock Out National Ice Cream Day with fun Ice Cream Treats (the kids will love making!)

These are our 4th of July Ice Cream Sandwiches made with  LACTAID® Berry Chocolate Crumble.

SO SO SO SO GOOD!  Ollie and I made 20, and they were the first to go from the desert table! 

*I have received information and materials from McNeil Nutritionals, LLC the
makers of LACTAID®. The opinions stated are my own. This is a sponsored post. 

Pregnancy and Sleep: What Expectant Mothers Can Expect #Infographic

*I have partnered with LUNA to talk about Pregnancy and Sleep!

It didn't take me long in my pregnancy to realize sleep was going to become increasingly difficult.  Especially because I am a belly sleeper!  By my seventh month of pregnancy, I was considering buying a massage table to sleep on, so I could let me belly hang through the belly cutout for preggies. 

I'm also pretty sure I did not sleep during my ninth month at all! Between the discomfort, four million trips to the bathroom and the fear of becoming a mother keeping me up at night.  Below is a fantastic infographic compiled by Luna, the worlds smartest mattress cover! 

Without further ado, Pregnancy and Sleep and what poor preggies can expect!