Over 50 Fun Baby Shower Games and Activities #BestBabyShower #MomsCheckIn

May 1, 2015 by Jenni 1,012 Comments

Disclosure: This conversation has been sponsored in partnership with Dreft, Munchkin, Downy Wrinkle Releaser and Boogie Wipes. All opinions, including my love of all things baby, are 100% my own.

Over 50 Baby Shower Games

How many baby showers have you been to? I’ve been to plenty in my lifetime, including my own, and they’re always so much fun! Family, girlfriends, gifts, games, food and fun! Awesome memories to be made, for sure. Sometimes as the hostess of a baby shower, we can get a little overwhelmed. I know…I’ve hosted a few. Between trying to come up with the perfect food options, gifts, decorating, games and sending out invitations – it can be super crazy!

Our Moms Check In moms are talking all about Baby Shower games this week and we’re sharing some of our favorites. We’d love to hear your favorite games, it might give others some more ideas too! Drop us a comment below or chat with us on social media using the hashtag #BestBabyShower and #MomsCheckIn!

Baby Shower Games

1. Free Nursery Rhyme Printable Baby Shower Game

2. Baby Animal Name Game

3. 43 of the Best Boy Baby Shower Games and Activities

4. Baby Shower Games You Can Play Using Only Toilet Paper

Here are OUR favorite Baby Shower Games…

“My favorite baby shower game is the Don’t Say Baby game. It’s fun to try and not say the word baby the entire time and steal other’s pins who do say the word. You will come up with unique ways to talk about the baby, that’s for sure!”

– Courtney is a wife and mom to a beautiful daughter. She blogs at Optimistic Mommy where she shares crafts, recipes, entertainment news, reviews, and more. Follow her on Twitter here!

“Baby shower games are so fun. The last shower I went to had a game that was such a hit. We were all laughing so hard we were crying! We divided into 2 teams and had a relay race. You had to put a balloon under their shirt (like a baby belly) and a ping pong ball between your knees. Then, you had to waddle across the room to drop the ping pong ball into a mason jar. It was called Tinkle in the Pot. And oh gosh….do I remember having to hurry and try to waddle to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night when I was pregnant with my son! It was seriously so fun and absolutely hilarious!“

– Amanda is the mom to Joshua and owns It’s a Fabulous Life. If you are looking for a one stop place for all things mom, It’s a Fabulous Life is it! Full of recipes, fashion, DIY projects, recipes and parenting articles it’s the place for all of Mom’s favorites to come together! Follow her on Twitter here!

“ I love a beautiful baby shower — it’s so special to celebrate a new life into the world. I’ve been to lots of baby showers and I’ve witnessed lots of baby shower games! There are many great ideas out there. Games are a terrific way to entertain guests and break the ice if all the guests don’t know each other. One of my favorites is the nursery rhyme printable game!“

– Stephanie is the mom to Sam and the author of Spaceships and Laser Beams. If you ever need party ideas her site is the place to visit! Specializing in all things boy, it’s full of inspiration! Follow her on Twitter here!

“Oh goodness, I’ve been to plenty of baby showers! I have lots of favorite games, can’t pick just one! I love the memory game. Where they pass around a basket full of baby stuff and then you have to remember what they are and write down as many items as you can. Another oldie but a goodie is the “Measure Mommy’s Belly” game where you use toilet paper to guesstimate how big around you think mommy’s belly is. One that they played at MY baby shower that I thought was so funny was picking a few out of the crowd to see who could drink the milk from the baby bottle the fastest! So many awesome memories!!“

– Jenni is the mom of one and the author of Sweet Pennies From Heaven. A hearth and home website, Sweet Pennies From Heaven focuses on recipes, crafts and creating a comfortable home. Follow her on Twitter here!

#BestBabyShower Twitter Party

We’re partnering with some amazing companies that are sponsoring this week’s baby shower chat! Thanks to Dreft, Munchkin, Downy Wrinkle Releaser, and Boogie Wipes! Make sure to join us for the #BestBabyShower Twitter party on 5/4/15 at 1pm EST. We’ll be giving away over $500 in gift cards and prizes!! Make sure that you RSVP here to be eligible to win!!

Dreft

Did you know that Dreft has been helping moms wash baby clothes for over 80 years?! Now Dreft has a product for every stage of babyhood. Their family of detergents and laundry care products are all formulated to be gentle on baby’s skin but tough on stains! From detergents, in-wash scent boosters, refreshers, multi-surface sprays and wipes to a portable pre-treater pen….mom and baby are covered!!

Munchkin

Munchkin offers much more than just baby and toddler sippy cups and feeding products! I bet you didn’t realize that they also supply moms with awesome safety products too, like baby gates! Not only do they have great baby gate products, but they also help in making bathtime and pottytime a breeze with some incredible products! With lots of summer vacations on the way, you should check out their travel essentials!! When baby’s happy…momma’s happy!

Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus

I don’t know about you, but my job as a mom gives me limited time to do things around the house. Like laundry. Save yourself tons of time with Downy Wrinkle Releaser! No more pulling out the iron (who has time for that anyway?!) and no more leaving the house looking like you just walked out of a wrinkle factory!

Boogie Wipes

Folks….allergy season is upon us. My kiddo hates when I wipe his nose with dry tissue, especially if I have to wipe it often. His nose gets all sore and chapped. You know how it is…it happens to us too! No more sore noses with Boogie Wipes! Not only do they have scented wipes, they also have a mist which helps keep those noses bust up mucus! Yuck…I know! We <heart> Boogie Wipes!

What is Moms Check In?

Who are the moms of Moms Check In? We’re 4 moms who are also professional bloggers. We chat about a new topic each week. We talk about things from dirty diapers to date night, and everything in between. Moms love to talk to other moms and let’s face it…MOMS know everything!!

Before you leave, let us know…

What are your favorite Baby Shower Games?

Over 50 Sweet Mother’s Day Ideas (Recipes, Crafts, DIY Gifts and More!) #MomsCheckIn

April 24, 2015 by Jenni 258 Comments

Sweet Mother’s Day Ideas

Hey all my mommas out there! Mother’s Day is around the corner. What do you usually do for Mother’s Day? It’s all about celebrating moms and taking a little doting on yourself for being an awesome mom! I’m still so excited that spring is here!! It feels just like yesterday that we had freezing temps. Oh wait…it WAS yesterday! Actually this morning, we had frost on the ground. But the sun is shining, and it’s a beautiful day!

Our Moms Check In moms are talking all about Mother’s Day this week and we’re sharing some easy and fun ideas. If you have any awesome ideas, we wanna hear! Drop us a comment or chat with us on our social media channels using #MomsCheckIn.

Awesome Mother’s Day Ideas:

Recipes, Crafts, Gift Ideas & Traditions

Recipes

1. Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bites

2. Frozen Hot Chocolate

3. Simple and Delicious Caprese Bites Appetizer

4. Copycat Starbucks Egg Salad Sandwich

5. Copycat Applebee’s Clubhouse Grille Sandwich

6. Bacon Pull Apart French Toast Muffins

Crafts/Activities

1. 15 Free Mother’s Day Printables (crafts, activities, cards, etc.)

DIY Gift Ideas

1. How to Frame Old Family Recipes for Keepsake or Display

2. DIY Mason Jar Lamps Filled with Collectibles

3. 21 DIY Mother’s Day Gifts Mom Will Adore

Traditions

1. 12 Incredible Mother’s Day Traditions

Sharing our thoughts on Mother’s Day…

“Mother’s Day is always fun. I remember getting to bring Josh home from the hospital on Mother’s Day! That was the best gift ever. Usually I get to sleep in and we always do brunch. Lately Josh has been asking for our Bacon French Toast Pull Apart Muffins. And since I can make them ahead of time…I can still sleep in! :)Mother’s Day also means we try to be together – tech free – and we usually are outside enjoying the weather! It’s definitely a day of together-ness!“

“I love that Mike and Sam always make Mother’s Day special for me. We turn it into a family day each year and enjoy the time together with no distractions. The quality time and memories made are priceless to me. I’m so glad I get to be Sam’s mom and do this adventure with him!”

“I’m so lucky! For Mother’s Day, my guys let me do whatever I want for the day. Usually, that involves sleeping in and then a yummy breakfast in bed. My Mother’s Day gift is always cash. Every year I use that money to buy flowers to plant, hanging baskets and stuff for the flower beds. It’s my little treat day.“

What is Moms Check In?

Who are the moms of Moms Check In? We’re 3 moms who are also professional bloggers. We chat about a new topic each week. We talk about things from dirty diapers to date night, and everything in between. Moms love to talk to other moms and let’s face it…MOMS know everything!!

Before you leave, let us know…

Do you have any Mother’s Day traditions?

Small Changes Equal Big Results – Healthy and Fast Breakfast Options with Jimmy Dean Delights

January 19, 2015 by Jenni 453 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Jimmy Dean® for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

My new mantra for 2015 is Small Changes = Big Results

I’m one of those baby steps kinda people. I can’t give up pizza or chocolate, but I can make small changes that will bring big results in the end game. Eating breakfast EVERY day is one of those small changes, but I reallllly don’t have time through the work week to crack an egg in a skillet or whip up a batch of waffles. I just don’t. Ain’t no use in pretendin’.

I’ve been buying the Jimmy Dean Delights breakfast sandwiches for awhile now and they’re my absolute fave because they’re perfect, straight outta the microwave. Cooked to perfection in like, less than 3 minutes. By the time I make my coffee, BOOM my breakfast is ready! My husband jokes with me because when we have those in the house – that’s the only time I eat breakfast. He’s not fooling me though, he loves when I buy them and he really likes the flatbread sandwiches.

But guys, I am seriously in LOVE with them. Other breakfast sandwiches that I’ve tried turned out too spongy or whatever. Just bleck…never good. Not with Jimmy Dean though. They’re just perfect, like every part of the sandwich was cooked fresh and put together. I guess it helps that Jimmy Dean uses REAL eggs, REAL sausage and REAL cheese!

{Under 300 calories, folks!}

Again, since making small changes, (small changes = big results) is one of my goals, I grabbed some of their under 300 calorie sandwiches at Meijer the other day. I’d normally never buy turkey sausage, just because I’m not usually a big fan but man ohh mannnnn. Those babies were good! Just as good as their regular sausage sandwiches. I would never have guessed it was turkey. Ever. They’re also made with egg whites vs. regular eggs and they use english muffins, flat bread or croissants! I more than love all of them and I haven’t skipped breakfast in over a week now.

Small change = BIG results. BAM!

Next time you’re grocery shopping, grab a box and give them a try. You can’t go wrong with them. Great healthy breakfast option, ready in minutes, packed with protein and they’re what I consider a “breakfast on the go” food. Snatch a $1 off Jimmy Dean Mperk coupon from Meijer.com to save on a box. Just login to your mPerks, head to the coupons section and then use the search filter for “Frozen Foods”. You’ll find it right there.

Connect with Jimmy Dean:

www.JimmyDean.com (website)

Follow Jimmy Dean on Pinterest

What’s your morning/breakfast routine?

What’s Your Go To Breakfast On a Busy Morning? #MomsCheckIn

September 12, 2014 by Jenni 1,949 Comments

What’s your go-to Breakfast on a busy morning?

Mornings can be so stinking hectic around here, and I know I’m not the only mom who feels that way! Some mornings, it’s a wonder I even have a hair left ON my head by the time little man gets on the school bus. Between him, my lack of coffee and 2 dogs who can destroy my house in 2 seconds, flat…mornings can be unkind.

So we stick to super easy breakfasts on weekday mornings. What is your go-to breakfast on a busy morning?? We want you to tell us! Us moms at Moms Check In are chiming in too! Here’s what myself and the other Moms Check In moms tend to do through the week.

Kay, so I’d love to say something really awesome like homemade biscuits and gravy – but uhhhhh no. My go-to breakfast on a busy weekday morning is coffee. Occasionally I’ll squeeze in a granola bar and I intentionally buy the ones with protein so I get that little bit in the mornings. Now, on the weekend – it’s all kinds of breakfast up in our house! My husband can THROW down in the kitchen! Our favorite is this Cinnamon and Brown Sugar French Toast Bake. YUMMO!

– Jenni is the mom of one and the author of Sweet Pennies From Heaven. A hearth and home website, Sweet Pennies From Heaven focuses on recipes, crafts and creating a comfortable home. Follow her on Twitter here!

I make sure Sam has a good breakfast but on a busy weekday morning I grab an English muffin—with jam and peanut butter—a banana and a green tea, which I eat in the car. I eat in the car waaay too often as you could tell if you could see the crumbs under the seat.

– Stephanie is the mom to Sam and the author of Spaceships and Laser Beams. If you ever need party ideas her site is the place to visit! Specializing in all things boy, it’s full of inspiration! Follow her on Twitter here!

Well, when I think of it the night before I make a batch of baked oatmeal. It’s SO good and the combinations are really endless. But most of the time, let’s be honest. I don’t think ahead (often). We are big cereal and banana fans. I’m trying to be good and eat before we leave for school because last year we got in a bad habit of going through the Starbucks drive through on the way to school, a lot. I will say, they have yummy breakfast sandwiches! 🙂

– Amanda is the mom to Joshua and owns It’s a Fabulous Life. If you are looking for a one stop place for all things mom, It’s a Fabulous Life is it! Full of recipes, fashion, DIY projects, recipes and parenting articles it’s the place for all of Mom’s favorites to come together! Follow her on Twitter here!

My daughter loves cereal and will eat Mini Wheats with blueberries every day which is quick and easy and works for me! My son likes frozen waffles and French toast sticks with peanut butter on them and fruit, usually blueberries or raspberries. I try to fill them up on a school day and get some protein and fruit in them. Now, on the weekends? My husband cooks and makes blueberry pancakes (can you tell we like blueberries yet?) on Saturday and scrambled eggs on Sunday. Those are my favorite days, of course!

– Lindsay is the mom of 2 and author of See Mom Click. She shares great deals, Disney happenings and recipes. You can follow her on Twitter here!

Your turn! What is your go-to breakfast on a busy morning?

Drop us a comment, because we wanna know!!!

#MomsCheckIn

Myself and 3 other moms get together weekly to talk about a different topic…each related to moms and kids. We often invite a co-host for the week because well, you know…..the more the merrier! Moms have a lot to offer when it comes to talking about dirty diapers and date night, so we’re always all ears! If you’re a mom who also has a blog, and you want to co-host with us one week, just fill out this form!

Back to School Tips from Rockstar Moms! #MomsCheckIn

August 15, 2014 by Jenni 1,657 Comments

Back to school time is here. Everywhere you turn it seems to be binders, pencils and backpacks. We want to know, what is your best tip for an organized school year. Do you have a super way to make those crazy mornings go off without a hitch? Or maybe you’ve mastered the art of sifting through and organizing all of those papers that come home. Whatever your expertise – we want to know!

Here are some of our top back to school tips from the
Moms in our #MomsCheckIn panel!

Since Sam is just going into kindergarten, I’m a novice at this back-to-school regimen so all I can tell you is what I’ve thought about. In the last couple of weeks we’ve been inching toward what his new schedule will be. That means Sam’s getting to bed a little earlier so he’s ready to get up earlier, too. The other thing I plan to do is make sure lunch is packed and clothes are chosen at the end of each day instead of having to hustle in the mornings.

– Stephanie

Stephanie is the mom to Sam and the author of Spaceships and Laser Beams. If you ever need party ideas her site is the place to visit! Specializing in all things boy, it’s full of inspiration! Follow her on Facebook here!

Gosh is it time to go back to school already? Can’t we just start summer over? We are not morning people. Ok, I am not a morning person. On the weekends, I make extra breakfast and we freeze the leftovers. Pancakes are perfect for popping into the toaster! After our Saturday grocery trip we separate the snacks into individual serving size baggies. We also make a LOT of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to put in the freezer. Come on Monday when we need to make Josh’s lunch we just have to grab a sandwich from the freezer and a few prepped snacks and we are good to go! It only takes about 30 seconds and we are off!

– Amanda

Amanda is the mom to Joshua and owns It’s a Fabulous Life. If you are looking for a one stop place for all things mom, It’s a Fabulous Life is it! Full of recipes, fashion, DIY projects, recipes and parenting articles it’s the place for all of Mom’s favorites to come together! Follow her on Facebook here!

“My top tip is to get done what you can the night before to prepare for the next day. The morning rush is no fun when you’re trying to hustle kids out the door. So we’ll lay out clothes, make sure backpacks are packed, and decide what we’re packing for lunch before we go to bed. My other big tip? Get labels with your kids’ names on everything. Losing a lunch bag or backpack can be a painful (and expensive) loss. I speak from experience!”

– Lindsay

Lindsay is the mom of 2 and author of See Mom Click. She shares great deals, Disney happenings and recipes. You can follow her on Facebook here!

The first thing to get us back into the swing of things is to get back in our routine of going to bed early. Just so I’m not running ragged in the mornings, I always lay his clothes out and make sure his backpack is ready to go too. Bath-time the night before also, that always saves a ton of time!

– Jenni

Jenni is the mom of one and the author of Sweet Pennies From Heaven. A hearth and home website, Sweet Pennies From Heaven focuses on recipes, crafts and creating a comfortable home. Follow her on Facebook here!

So now it’s your turn! Tell us! What is your best tip for an organized school year?

Make sure to follow all of the moms on social media and Moms Check In on Twitter! We will be tweeting your responses all week!

What is Your Mom Confession? We’re Blabbing Ours! #MomsCheckIn

August 8, 2014 by Jenni 279 Comments

Hey momma bears!! Hope you’ve had a fantastic week. Can you believe it’s finally FRIDAY!!! Shewww!! Bring on the weekend! We started back to school on Monday so this week has been a hectic one. We’re ready to chillax ALL weekend long. This week’s Moms Check In post is shhhhhhhh……….mom confessions! HA! Funnn!!

Who are our awesome moms?!

Amanda is the mom of one boy and owns It’s a Fabulous Life, which is a one stop place for all things ‘Mom’. You can find recipes, DIY projects, frugal living, parenting and more. (Follow her on Facebook here!)

Jenni is the mom of one boy and writes at Sweet Pennies From Haven. Sweet Pennies From Heaven is a hearth and home website that focuses on recipes, crafts and creating a comfortable home. (Follow her on Facebook here!)

Lindsay is the mom of two great kids and owner of See Mom Click. She shares great deals, Disney happenings and recipes. (Follow her on Facebook here!)

Stephanie is the mom of one son and owns Spaceships and Laser Beams. Spaceships and Laser Beams is a great site full of party ideas, crafts and more all with boys in mind! (Follow her on Facebook here!)

This week our guest host is Mary from Mission: To Save. Mary has 3 kiddos and her blog, Mission: To Save is full of coupons, deals and freebies! Not to mention fun DIY projects and recipes! (Follow her on Facebook here!)

You will want to make sure to check out all of our moms on Facebook!

And don’t forget to follow along with Moms Check In on Twitter! We will be tweeting your responses all week!

Amanda –

Alright. Let’s confess. This is a no judgement zone right? My child is SO picky. We are talking the only fruit he will eat is a banana and he has MAYBE tried 3 or 4 veggies in his life. He will eat ‘leaves’ (salad) with a gallon of Ranch on them, but that’s it. He’s never even had corn or potatoes! So my confession is…I let my child eat PB&J. For breakfast. Lunch. And dinner. Obviously not every night, but there have for sure been a few times where he eats it for multiple meals in a day. I swear, we go through more peanut butter in a week at our house than most people go through in a year.

And before you send me angry emails, I do make him take vitamins and drink shakes to get some vitamins and minerals that he is otherwise lacking… 🙂 Tips for picky eaters? Bring them on!!

Jenni –

Oh geez. Secret is out I guess. Bedtime is my weakness. We stay up late sometimes and so we let my son stay up too. It’s been worse over the summer, but now that school is getting back in session I need to work on getting back on a schedule. It also doesn’t help that it doesn’t get dark until a little after 9:00 PM!

Lindsay –

Why are you making me confess this? I sometimes hide my favorite food from the kids. I love having a little treat after they go to bed and know that if they see my goodies (like a jar of Cookie Butter – I have issues with it) then they’ll help themselves. I can’t have that. So I hide it! Now never tell my kids or I’ll be forced to find new hiding spots.

Stephanie –

I’m more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person. I like being spontaneous. I think some of my creativity bubbles up out of that part of my personality. However, as a mom I recognize that kids need to have at least some structure and order. Sometimes I think I need to get more organized so things move along smoothly…but I’m also pretty laid back in temperament so the entire life organization thing eludes me. And I mostly don’t care!

Mary –

I must confess…My house is usually a mess. Sure I can make it look good for company or when we are leaving for vacation (because who wants to come home to laundry and a dirty floor), but on any given day- my house looks very “lived in”. I tend to be a bit of a pack-rat (NOT a hoarder!) so I often have piles of things here and there. I like to call it organized chaos. Sure I would “like” to be more organized (that’s why I have a whole Pinterest Board devoted to it) but right now, it’s not the priority. For now, hanging with my fam, creating good food to sit down together to eat and building my business/blog mean more to me than the dust on that shelf.

What about you? What is your Mom confession? Let us know and be entered to win an Amazon gift card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Moms! What is Your Favorite Summer Memory? #MomsCheckIn

August 1, 2014 by Jenni 839 Comments

Hey-hey-hey moms!!! Have you all had an awesome summer?! I can’t believe, we start back to school on Monday! Ack! So. I hope you’ve been following along with our new weekly Moms Check In panel. Each week we discuss a new topic – mom related. Last week, we asked the question, “What’s one thing you do for yourself each week?“. We got a lot of great responses via Twitter!

Ohh, oh ohh!!! I almost forgot!! Make sure to check out our Facebook pages (linked below)!! We’re giving away $20 in a FLASH Cash giveaway today! Make sure to head over and enter!

So who are our Moms?

Lindsay (@SeeMomClick) is the mom of two great kids and owner of See Mom Click. She shares great deals, Disney happenings and recipes. (Follow her on Facebook here!)

Stephanie (@spaceshipsLB) is the mom of one son and owns Spaceships and Laser Beams. Spaceships and Laser Beams is a great site full of party ideas, crafts and more all with boys in mind! (Follow her on Facebook here!)

This week our guest co-host is Erin from A Bird and a Bean. Erin is a mom of 2 and on her blog she shares some amazing DIY projects with some yummy recipes and lots of amazing things for the kiddos! (Follow her on Facebook here!)

You will want to make sure to check out all of our moms on Facebook! This week you can join in our Moms Check In conversation for a chance to win some cash! 🙂

And don’t forget to follow along with Moms Check In on Twitter! We will be tweeting your responses all week!

I can’t believe that summer is about over. Kids around here have been back to school starting as early as last week! Yikes! So this week’s topic is your favorite summer memory!

My favorite memory this summer was for the 4th of July. Josh and I went downtown Indianapolis for the day and rode paddle boats on the canal, hung out at the memorials and at the museums. Later that night there was a big festival with bands and lots of pizza. We ended up winning VIP tickets so we got to watch the fireworks from the top of the monument which was the most amazing view. Plus, free unlimited pizza. Josh was a happy kid! The fireworks were awesome and we had so much fun!

My favorite summer memory this year was probably the 4th of July. My little man loves fireworks and we had such a fun time. Spent the entire day swimming, then had a cookout with some family and their kiddos before the show! Other than that, we spend a lot of time in the pool and that’s Eli’s favorite place to be. No vacations this year…boo!! Hoping to get away somewhere this year still though. Maybe something awesome in the fall.

Family vacations are always the highlight of my summer. We’ve gotten to the beach a couple of times and have one more long weekend planned before school starts. Unplugging, building castles with the kids, eating at our favorite beach spots…Ah, that’s the stuff a relaxing summer is made of. I always think a change of scenery does everyone good and family time exploring a new place away from home creates the best memories!

I don’t really have just one favorite memory this summer. Everything has melded into one satisfying season! Since Sam is in school now, this is the first summer he hasn’t been in daycare. We’ve spent a lot of time together and it has been AMAZING! This is also the first time in four years that I’ve taken a (kind of) vacation (the blog never sleeps you know!). I have been intentionally trying to relax and recharge so I’ve been able to enjoy lots of little things with him. Mike, Sam and I have gone on bike rides, mini hikes, and picnics as well as worked on a few fun projects. We’re also spending more time with family this summer. It feels good… and I’m more in love with my guys than ever!

Our summer has been jam packed this year. We’ve had so much fun and embraced every single minute of our time together these last few months. We made an all inclusive bucket list at the beginning and I think we’ve completed almost everything, from catching fireflies and night swimming to horseback riding and river rafting. But if I had to narrow it down to my MOST favorite summer memory so far (because it’s not over yet, baby!) it would for sure be our annual family vacation to Lake Michigan. The whole family goes and stays in one big house, my parents and sibling and cousins. It is chaotic and relaxing and crazy and wonderful. We go to the beach everyday and take little day trips here and there. This year my favorite day trip was visiting Sleeping Bear Dunes. It is absolutely spectacular. If you haven’t gone, you need to put it on your bucket list.

What about you?
What was your favorite part of the summer?

Make sure to let us know on one of our Facebook pages for a chance to win some cash! 🙂 Good luck!

Have a question you want us to answer? Bloggers, do you want to co-host a week of Moms Check In? Fill out the quick form here and let us know!

MOMS! What Do You Do for Yourself Each Week? #MomsCheckIn

July 25, 2014 by Jenni 512 Comments

Hey fellow moms! The last 2 weeks we talked about the kiddos over here on our Moms Check In panel and today, we’re talking about US! Sometimes we just have to take a little time for us, huh?! If you’d like to go back and see what we were talking about the last 2 weeks though, you’re more than welcome – the conversations are still going. Hop right in!

Last week, we talked about what we’d wished we’d started earlier with our kids. The week before we talked about kids and chores.

So who are our Moms?

Amanda (@its_a_fab_life) is the mom of one boy and owns It’s a Fabulous Life, which is a one stop place for all things ‘Mom’. You can find recipes, DIY projects, frugal living, parenting and more.

Jenni (@sweetpennies) is the mom of one boy and writes at Sweet Pennies From Haven. Sweet Pennies From Heaven is a hearth and home website that focuses on recipes, crafts and creating a comfortable home.

Lindsay (@SeeMomClick) is the mom of two great kids and owner of See Mom Click. She shares great deals, Disney happenings and recipes.

Stephanie (@spaceshipsLB) is the mom of one son and owns Spaceships and Laser Beams. Spaceships and Laser Beams is a great site full of party ideas, crafts and more all with boys in mind!

This week our guest co-host is Niki from 365 Days of Crafts! 365 Days of Crafts is full of DIY inspiration for yourself and your home!

You will want to make sure to check out all of our moms and follow along with Moms Check In on Twitter! We will be tweeting your responses all week!

This week we want to know, what do you for yourself each week?

Here’s what our moms had to say………

– Amanda

I think that taking time out for yourself is so important! It helps you to relax and be refreshed! And we all know that we are better wives, friends, and mothers when we are refreshed! 🙂 For me, I love to get out with my friends. I belong to an awesome church and we have lots of incredible small groups. Each week I meet up with two of my groups – one is a Bible study and the other is a group called Girls Night Out. We just get together and talk and hang out. A girl needs her friends! I also love to read. Running and exercise aren’t really my thing, although I’ve been trying really hard to make them more of my thing! Maybe one day, right?

– Jenni

Okay, so I’m a big TV person. I stock up on DVR’d shows through the week and spend a part of each and every weekend just binge watching TV. Big Brother is in FULL swing now and I am addicted to Big Brother After Dark too. Then there’s Food Network, The Walking Dead (October can’t get here fast enough), Downton Abbey and so many other great shows! Nothing better than to pile up on the couch on a Saturday with a blanket, my remote and some not so healthy snacks!

– Lindsay

I read! I have been known to forego a good night’s sleep in exchange for just one…more…chapter. But it’s my treat at the end of the day to crawl in bed with my Kindle and enjoy a good book. I have always loved to read and my hobby sort of fell by the wayside off and on after having kids. But lately I’ve made it a priority and really enjoy those few minutes before I doze off of solitude. Just me and my latest novel. Bliss!

– Stephanie

Although Mike and I do the laundry, dishes, organizing and daily pick-up chores, we hired a cleaning service shortly after we were married. They come once a week to dust everything, do the floors and deep-clean the bathrooms and kitchen. It’s wonderful! There are only so many things I can do in a week — and Mike works crazy hours as well because of his shift work. At first we felt a little guilty about the decision but quickly came to realize how much it added to our overall quality of life. The hours we would have spent doing those chores on a Saturday, we spend together doing something we love.

And just for me, once a month I indulge in a facial. There are very few things I do that are only for me. When I am getting a facial, for one hour, I get to relax with no one asking anything of me. The fact that it’s really been helping my sensitive skin is a bonus.

– Niki

As a mother of two (4 & 11) and a work-at-home mom finding alone time can be difficult. To guarantee my down time, we make weekly trips to the library. After the trip we go home and each member of the family has a half an hour of alone time. The 4 year old understands that even though she cannot read a book, she can look at the pictures and play make believe.

What about you? What do you do for yourself each week? Let us know here or on Twitter! Make sure to include #MomsCheckIn with your answer! We will be tweeting your answers all week!

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What’s One Thing You Wish You Started Earlier with Your Kids? #MomsCheckIn

July 18, 2014 by Jenni 466 Comments

It’s time for another Moms Check In topic for our new mom panel! Last week, we talked about kids and chores! You can check that post out and let us know plus see what our moms said. This week we’re talking about what we wish we’d started earlier with our kiddos. Get acquainted with our super moms below!

So who are our Moms?

Lindsay (@SeeMomClick) is the mom of two great kids and owner of See Mom Click. She shares great deals, Disney happenings and recipes.

Stephanie (@spaceshipsLB) is the mom of one son and owns Spaceships and Laser Beams. Spaceships and Laser Beams is a great site full of party ideas, crafts and more all with boys in mind!

This week our guest host is Esther (@couponcutting) from Coupon Cutting Mom! She is the Mom of two girls (5 & 8). Coupon Cutting Mom is full of deals, coupons, shopping trips, recipes, family activities and more.

You will want to make sure to check out all of our moms and follow along with Moms Check In on Twitter!

This week’s question was a tough one! Let’s see what the Mom’s said! And don’t forget to let us know what YOU think!

What is one thing you wish you started earlier with your kids?

Amanda (@its_a_fab_life)

Gosh that’s a hard one. I wish that I would have started Josh on trying new foods more. He was diagnosed with Autism and the doctor told us that having a sensory disorder can make different textures hard. I was always so scared to push trying new foods on him. But now at almost 11 the foods he eats are very limited (think no veggies and the only fruit he eats is a banana!) We’ve started making him try a bite of something and he can do it! He may not like it, but he can do it. I’m not sure it’s so much a sensory issue or if he’s just used to being able to eat PB&J all the time! 🙂 So we are for sure a work in progress!

Jenni (@sweetpennies)

I really wish I would have started getting him to sleep in his own room earlier. We knew we were creating a monster very early on, but it was so comforting having him sleep near us!! Breaking him of that was insanely difficult, but we finally did it!

Lindsay (@SeeMomClick)

This is a tough one for me. I don’t really think there’s anything my kids are behind on but there are a few things I wish they knew how to do. My almost 9-year old daughter has no interest whatsoever in learning to ride a bike. Seems kind of late for her to learn but she just cares nothing about it so what can I do? I also wish I’d handed them a knife earlier and taught them to cut up their own food. I think I spend more time serving them at mealtime than I do eating my own food! One day I’ll be aching to cut up their potatoes again, right?!

Stephanie (@SpaceshipsLB)

I actually feel pretty good about the choices we’ve made for Sam so far. I mean, you can second-guess on issues but I’m a pretty relaxed mom overall so I don’t obsess about the should-of/could-of. You do your best for who you are at the time and trust that is good enough. If you press me, I guess it might have been good to work on self-discipline earlier. Nothing heavy-duty…more in the realm of more chores, having intentional exercise as part of our daily routine sooner (we are doing that now), perhaps starting him in music lessons. I’m hoping he’ll want to play an instrument. Since Sam is almost five and growing in his abilities to understand and perform, I feel like we are entering a new season so there will naturally be new challenges and greater expectations.

Esther (@CouponCutting)

I wish I would have started a chore chart and teaching my kids how to help with jobs around the house at a younger age. I realize now that small chores are a great way to start teaching a young kid responsibility and basic life skills but back when my kids were much younger I felt it was just easier for me to do the things like cleaning, laundry and other jobs around the house. Now when I ask them to fold their laundry or clean their bedroom I feel like I’m pulling teeth to get them to help. My older daughter is almost 9 years old and she does a fairly good job of helping but my 5 year old has a wonderful ability of constantly trying to getting out of work and also trying to getting her sister to do both of their chores. If you have any great chore charts that have worked for your family I would love to hear about them.

What about you? What do you wish you would have started earlier with your kids?

Let us know here or on Twitter! Make sure to include #MomsCheckIn with your answer! We will be tweeting your answers all week!

Next week’s topic is what is one thing you do for yourself?

Big thanks to Esther for being our guest host this week! Want to co-host a week of Moms Check In with us? Fill out the form here!

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What is one thing you wish you started earlier with your kids?

What about you? What do you wish you would have started earlier with your kids?

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