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Mommycon Scholarships Available!

Abby H.

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Mommycon is coming! Mommycon Anaheim is October 5, and Mommycon San Diego (where I’ll be!) is November 23.

Being a mom is hard, and having a tribe of supportive moms is crucial. That’s why I love Mommycon! There are classes, panels, vendors, and of course FREEBIES, all to support mommies and littles. If you are a first-time mama or a seasoned pro, there is something for every mama!

If the cost of tickets is preventing you, or someone you know, from attending, the Mommycon ladies want to help. Please apply for the scholarship program here.

If you are a military mama, or military dependent, check out this awesome complimentary/discount ticketing program here.

To view the schedule, buy tickets and get more info go to MommyCon.com and use code “MTAH19” for 10% off!

This year will be my third year at Mommycon and I love it!

Top Five Ways to Save Money as a New Parent

Abby H.

765500e0739c9b82c56108534584887c.jpgAhhh, kids. So cute and cuddly (and frustrating sometimes, let’s be honest), but oh my goodness, do they cost a fortune!

A few friends have recently given birth, and I shared with them my tips for saving money the first few years, so I thought I’d share them with you too!

  1. Resale shops, consignment shops, clothing swaps, and hand-me-downs are life (and budget) savers. Kids grow so fast, there is no reason that you need to break the bank buying new clothes. Most of these also have gear and toys too!
  2. Speaking of kids growing quickly, Car seats are a thing that has to be replaced too. Between September 16-30t, 2019, you can trade in an old car seat at Walmart and receive a Free $30 Walmart Gift Card to use on the purchase of a new car seat or other baby gear item. Target sometimes holds similar events.
  3. Mom support groups- Hear me out. Mommy groups get a bad wrap on social media, but it’s nice to know that there are people out there that know what you are going through. You can find mom groups via Facebook and Meetup.
  4. Free Stuff. There are so many companies that cater to parents and kids, everyone is giving away something, you just need to know where to look. Formula companies give away samples and send coupons (I won’t get into the whole debate of breastfed vs. formula fed. If you’ve read my blog long enough, you know about my struggles with IGT– FED IS BEST). Kabrita has a great offer. And as your kids get older, companies like Enfamil/Enfagrow have transitional formulas- and they offer samples and coupons too. I post freebie offers that include stuff for kids and babies each week!
  5. Stores like Walmart and Target usually run free gift bag deals when you start a registry. Right now you can order a Free Walmart Welcome Baby Registry Box when you start a registry.  Huggies has a “Made By You” free sample kit right now as well.

If you aren’t a new parent but know of one, here are a few ways you can help them out (and a recipe, because really, I love cooking!).

 

Is Summer Snacking Wrecking your Grocery Budget?

Abby H.

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Chatting with a friend via Insta yesterday, we were lamenting the “OMG DO THEY EVER STOP EATING!!” of summer vacation.

I’ve never begrudged my kids snackies when they are hungry, but seriously, on days when we are at home, building Legos and watching movies- THEY EAT ALL DAY.  I can’t let them rummage through the cupboard and eat whatever, so I started the snack box (for the pantry) and snack drawer (in the fridge).

We’ve had “The snack box” and the “snack drawer” in our kitchen for about 2 years now.

 In the cupboard, I’ve got a basket like this one. It’s full of various types of treats and snacks. Instead of buying individually bagged treats, I often buy a box of whatever (in the photo below it’s animal crackers) and divide the large box into snack-sized Ziploc bags).  It just depends on what is available at Grocery Outlet and 99 Cents Only on my weekly shopping trip. Those are my go-to snack stores.

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The Snack Drawer in the Fridge
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Pantry Snack Box- Refilled weekly

The Pantry Snack Box contains shelf-stable stuff: Juice boxes, crackers, chips, dried fruit, fruit snacks, individual Peanut/nut butter cups. I usually tuck a couple bags of microwave popcorn too. Sadly, we have none left. I was informed that I *must* rectify that matter tomorrow.

The Fridge Snack Drawer contains some of the following: Cheese sticks, yogurt, Ziploc bags of fruit or veggies (watermelon wedges, strawberries, grapes, carrots, celery, and jicama are just a few favorites), little cups of hummus, guac, ranch dip (homemade with greek yogurt and ranch dip mix).

The snacks vary by week, and I took these pics today- It’s midweek and they are pretty picked over- I did refill the Pantry Snack Box with stuff from the cupboard. That’s my secret- don’t put it all out at once. I stash the extras in the back of the pantry, where tiny arms can’t reach.

For those who read my blog regularly, you know that my weekly family grocery budget is $80. I spend about $25 of my weekly budget on stuff for the snack box/drawer. Sometimes more, sometimes less. During the school year, the function of these becomes for packing lunches in the morning. The Big Kid doesn’t really like sandwiches, and as he’s a vegetarian he gets most of his protein from nuts/seed butter and dairy sources.

I also keep Go-gurt style tube yogurts in the freezer- Those are mostly for Bitty, Big Kid doesn’t care for yogurt too often.

For the grown-ups, there is a basket in the pantry full of protein and fiber snack bars (Along with other more “grownup” snacks- which are sometimes new snacks that the kids veto after sampling). I get those at Grocery Outlet or 99 Cents Only. Grocery Outlet locations in my area always have a great variety of protein bars, snack bars, and protein cookie (Like these, which are also a hit with the Big Kid, so I have to dole them out) for a lot less than grocery or club stores.

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Close-up of the Pantry Snack Box. There is a little bit of something for everyone!

This is how my family keeps everyone fed at home and on budget. I’d love to hear about your family’s ideas to solve this issue.

Parents: Give Yourself A Break

Abby H.

DSC06725.JPGA friend posted this article from Motherly this morning about how self-care isn’t enough and parents (especially moms) are burnt out.

I can completely understand. As the mom of a kid with ASD and ADHD, and well as a neurotypical firecracker of a 4-year-old, I feel like I am always going going going. And really, I feel like it’s not enough.

This summer I’ve said NO a lot. No to racing off to an activity each morning, no to lunches out, no to 5 playdates a week, the craft dates, all-day zoo adventures, and sojourns to the beach. Oh, and this would have been just 1 week of summer activities in the past. Imagine that for 8 weeks. Are you tired now?

This is something I want everyone who reads this to take the heart: NO IS A COMPLETE SENTENCE. 

Plus, I still need to do household chores, cook, laundry and make sure the big kid gets to therapy twice a week, I need to exercise at least 4 times a week.

In saying no to all of these activities, the kids are able to relax, which means they are in a better mood, which mommy is in a better mood. We are still doing stuff, but it’s more things that the kids can do at home or in a small group of friends.  We’ve been swimming at our community pool each day in the late afternoon, playing at the local park. We’re going to the YMCA a few times a week in the afternoon so the kids can play while I exercise. Stuff that is low stress.

Why is parenting harder? Why are we burned out? This article gives us some ideas. The increase in activities for kids (If you want to go to an Ivy League school Little Timmy, you need to start your extra-curricular activities at birth!), social media expectations (It’s like Keeping up with the Joneses on crack), the constant barrage of information and data being thrown at us (pics of our kids, nanny/daycare cams being sent to us, text messages, chat apps, always being connected to people and media). It’s overwhelming. It’s tiring. Being expected to be Instagram-ready or Insta -Perfect is frustrating and exhausting.

For special needs parents, it’s harder because, for the most part, our kids aren’t  “like everyone else”, so frequently we are ostracized from activities. It’s the truth, and it sucks. and it hurts. To shield my kids from this hurt and keep myself sane, we’ve stepped back from activities this summer.

I’m not going to give you a list of self-care activities that will help you de-stress. You already know what works for you, your family, your budget.  This is what I do.

What I want you to know, moms and dads that read this post:

You are not alone. There are other parents and caregivers out there that are feeling the same way you do. You don’t have to keep up with everything you see online. You are doing the best you can for your family. YOU ARE ENOUGH!

I found this shirt on Amazon and I had to share it. 

Ready for MommyCon 2019?

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2019-03-29 at 12.20.20 PM.pngJoin me at the largest natural parenting convention EVER!

I can’t wait for MommyCon San Diego on November 23rd. MommyCon is being held at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley.

This multi-day event features amazing shopping, interactive workshops, inspirational speakers and so much more. I loved the goody bag that I got last year! And of course, no event for moms (and dads) is complete without a snack station with all kinds of tasty snacks and drinks from some of the sponsors.

To view the schedule, buy tickets and get more info go to MommyCon.com and use code “MTAH19” for 10% off!

Are you or a family member in the military? Check out their Military Ticket  Program.

Would you like to attend but need a discounted ticket? Please learn about their Complimentary Scholarship Ticket Program.
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I’ll be posting more about MommyCon over the next few months, with more details and fun stuff!
Talk Back: With MommyCon all over the US, which one is closest to you? IF you have kids, will you be attending?

First Week of College, and Beyond!

Abby H.

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I survived the first week of college! After ::cough 17 years cough:: a long time, it’s quite an adjustment getting back into the swing of studying, doing homework, and all of the other things that go into being a mom, wife, blogger/Influencer, and special needs advocate for my big kiddo.

I wanted to share with you some things that have helped me, and the family adjust to the change.  It’s just two classes, but that’s 10-12 hours a week of studying, reading, and homework outside the classroom, and that time comes out of the time I previously spent with the kids, working on the blog/social media, petting the cat, ya know, mom stuff.

Bitty is now going to preschool two days a week. Our city’s Parks and Rec department has a drop off preschool two days a week. It’s approximately $150 for 8 weeks, which is a great price, and she is in a class with 13 other kiddos her age, several of them she knows from her daily visits to the local YMCA Child Watch. While she is at preschool, I have three hours to work on school work. It’s amazing to be able to read and work on my homework in peace. If you need a few hours to get work done, check your local Parks and Rec department for this type of preschool.

Family: As someone who has family nearby, having my family able to help out with school pick ups and therapy drop offs, it is a Godsend. My parents, brother and sister-in-law have really stepped in and helped us with the kids and house. Last week Miss Sally (my car) needed new front and rear brakes, and two new tires. Thanks to my Sister-in-law, niece, and my parents I didn’t have to walk home with Bitty (5 miles with a 3 year old- No thanks) or call an Uber.

Schedule: As a family, we have a shared calendar on iCal, in which I put all of the kids appointments, weekly commitments, birthdays, deadlines. In addition, I also have a calendar (this one) in the master bathroom on my cork board. Yes, I have a cork board in the master bathroom next to the vanity, so we can see whats on the schedule for each day.  Having everything in the palm of my hand (on my phone), and in a place that is visible to us (calendar) has really helped keep us focused and on task.

Remembering my Skill-Set: I’m not reinventing the wheel here. To maximize my productive time, I make sure to use my previously honed skills: Meal Planning, Meal Prep, setting out everyone’s clothes the night before, making lunches the night before, organizing areas of the house to help us get out of the house in the morning on time.

So while you may see less blog posts until I get in the full swing of it all, but I’m still posting on Social Media like a madwoman.

I want you all to know that it doesn’t matter what your age, if there is something you want: College, new job, more time with your family, vacation.. Do it! Change can be scary, but believe in yourself and have a plan! It might be rough at first, but stick with it.

Enough motivational speaking from me, I have homework to do!

Talk Back: What have you done recently that moved you out of your comfort zone?

Updates, and Giveaways, and Favorite Things!

Abby H.
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Thanks to the awesome stylists at the Dove Dry Shampoo and styling bar, I left MommyCon with an Awesome ‘Do!

Hey all! I’ve been busy, busy, busy lately and I wanted to let everyone know what’s going on. Two weeks ago, I went to Moms Meet Wow Summit, and this last weekend I went to Mommycon. Both weekends were full of learning, fun, and meeting so many new moms and brands. Mommycon was a great time to meet moms, and learn all about momm-ing, baby wearing, and women’s health. If you missed it this year, they’ll be back next year!

Screen Shot 2018-11-13 at 10.02.47 AM.pngRight now I’ve got an awesome giveaway for a prize pack of Sticky Lickits over on Instagram! I’m picking a winner on 11/14/18- so there is still time to enter.

I’ll be celebrating the upcoming holidays with giveaways over the next few months,  make sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter so you can keep up to date on the next giveaways.

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Crafting with our BFF!
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Mugging for the Camera!

We’ve also been doing the super fun Mall Stars monthly crafts at our local Starwood Branded Mall. Every month there is a fun craft for the kids, sponsored by a local business/childcare center, and snacks provided by one of the food establishments in the mall. This month it was decoupage candle lanterns, with mini-bons and lemonade from Cinnabon.

IMG_2424.jpgBesides that, I recently helped style a Marty McFly costume for the New Children’s Museum Gala. It was tons of fun to do, and the best part was it cost less than $30 out of pocket! I spent a few days combing through thrift stores and looking online, but I found a puffy vest and jean jacket for a steal! Sears is a great place to find lots of new costume staples that may be harder to source in thrift shops- That’s where the puffy vest  came from!

If you’d like to learn more about costuming on the cheap, check out my articles here and here.

I haven’t shared my favorite things with you in a while, and I’ve got a batch of them!

Everything Bagel Seasoning. It’s soooo good on avocado, poached eggs, cream cheese on top of a plain bagel. I’m pretty sure that this stuff is good on damn near anything. You can also get Everything Bagel Seasoning at your local Costco on the seasoning aisle.

 

Screen Shot 2018-11-13 at 1.26.56 PM.pngPlus CBDoil – CBD Spray (in Peppermint). I have friends who use CBD oil for a lot of reasons and I was interested in trying it, but I wanted to learn more without a hard sell, so while I was at the Wow Summit, I took a class all about CBD- How it works, what it can be used for, and even how to gauge dosing. If you follow my on Instagram, you know that Bitty broke my bottle this morning. I’m bummed, especially since it was really helping me with the anxiety I’ve been feeling that my prescription meds haven’t been able to touch. Thank fully I have some gummies to tide me over until I can order more.

 
True Lemon I love True lemon- It’s a great way to make all the water I drink taste like something without adding calories or weird faux sweetness.  I was worried about all of the waste from the packets. I found this big 10.6 ounce bottle on Amazon. And the bottle is recyclable!

 

 

The Field Agent App– Ok, so this isn’t a tangible “thing”, but I’ve been doing a lot of audits and secret shops with Field agent over the past month. I’ve earned a few hundred dollars with less than 2 hour work. I time the work to line up with my errands and other trips out of the hose, so no additional gas is wasted. You can learn more about Field Agent here.

Talk Back: I’d love to hear about what you are up to lately, or what your new favorite discovery has been!

MommyCon comes to San Diego, CA next month!

Abby H.1 Comment

I’m so stoked for all of my mommy friends! MommyCon is coming to San Diego, CA next Month,  Saturday, November 9-10, 2018 9:00am-4:00pm at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley (8757 Rio San Diego Drive San Diego, CA 92108).

Screen Shot 2018-10-06 at 10.14.53 AM.pngMommyCon is the largest natural parenting convention and we are headed to San Diego! While attending MommyCon, you’ll experience the feeling of community while learning about birth, baby-wearing, cloth diapering, breastfeeding, and feel confident in your parenting
decisions.

This two day convention has a lot of great, informative classes about all aspects of parenting- feeding, sleep, diapering, child-wearing, and of course, connecting with your spouse!

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The amazing class line up!

If you purchase a VIP or Premium admission, you score a sweet swag bag full of goodies, in addition to access to all the great classes and the vendor floor. If you’d like to attend, use code “FAMILYFUN18” for 10% off of tickets. To view the complete schedule, buy tickets and get more info go to their website.

I hope to see you there!

 

 

 

Free Upcoming Positive Parenting Classes in San Diego!

Abby H.

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Parents and caregivers: It’s ok to say that you don’t have all the answers, and it’s ok to look for help.  Jewish Family Services has a Positive Parenting Program and it’s coming to Santee next month! It’s a free class, and all you have to do to attend is call Meredith Riffel at 619-258-2345 to RSVP.

From their website, “The Positive Parenting Program (PPP) provides free parenting workshops throughout San Diego County in Head Start preschools, elementary schools, and other community sites to help parents and professionals learn how to use simple, practical, and powerful strategies to strengthen families.

Throughout our five-year history, we have served more than 5,000 families, helping 10,000 low-income preschool children communicate better, cooperate more, and show greater respect toward their parents, teachers, peers, and themselves. Nearly 97% of parents surveyed report seeing improvements in their children’s behavior!”

The best part is that childcare is provided for those of us with littles that are not in school yet!

Kid K’Nex- Creative Play for Smaller Hands!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2018-08-08 at 5.33.36 PMWOW! We were lucky enough to be selected for a Tryazon Kids K’Nex Play Time Party, and today was the day!

The kids had a blast! It was hot already at 10 am at the park, but there were a few kids out, in addition to our guests who came over to check out these awesome toys and play.

38804508_10106054182526514_4093103128713363456_nAnd for those who couldn’t attend, but want to check out all the fun of Kid K’nex, here is a sweet coupon code TRYAZONKK. It will allow your friends to purchase the Budding Builders Tub for 70% off here.

 

About K’Nex: Founded in 1992, K’NEX, part of the Basic Fun! Family of brands, wanted to show kids that the only limit to building was the size of their imagination! 25 years later, K’NEX prides itself on connecting Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math with imagination. STEAMagination can be found in every K’NEX set and with it building dreams become a fun-powered, 3-D reality! Winner of over 390 awards and recognitions, the K’NEX product line has building toys specially designed for every age group and skill level.

In addition all this fun play, the kids and I gave away two of the KID K’NEX Zoo Friends Construction Toy Sets.  Recommended for Ages 3-5 , each set includes eyes, ears, paws, and more! It comes with 30 building ideas in a cool handout, and includes 55 colorful parts!

Here are a few of our creations:

If, you’ve never heard of Tryazon (pronounced Try-uh-zon ☺), Tryazon is a service dedicated to getting innovative products into people’s hands and mouths, in fun settings like the party we had today. They offer excellent product samples and savings for all who participate.

We had a great time and can’t wait to party again soon with Tryazon! We received free items to facilitate this event, however we were not financial compensated to hold this event. All opinions are mine solely. Please review our Disclosure Page for more information.