Box Topping 4 Education With WalMart

 Now more than ever schools are calling out to parents, guardians and community members for help.  I don't know about you but in the last two years I've seen the damage caused by budget cuts and lack of funding here in Charlotte and back in my hometown.  A lot of schools have been closed and many of my friends and former co-workers were let go or forced into retirement.  That's why it's imperative to for us to support and take part in programs like Box Tops 4 Education.

Box Tops 4 Education is a program that allows schools to submit Box Tops from specially marked products to earn money that can be used purchase supplies, playground equipment and much more.  This year Box Tops 4 Education and General Mills have partnered with Walmart to help make it easier for families and community members to earn money for local schools.  In fact, you can head over to Walmart's Facebook page right now and earn money for a school of your choosing just by liking their page! 

You can also collect Box Tops by stopping by your local Walmart store and purchasing products from brands like Avery, Betty Crocker and Hamburger Helper.  I personally stock up on Cheerios, Juicy Juice, Ziploc and Kleenex products over other brands just for the Box Tops.

Also, Box Tops 4 Education has created Earn More for My School, a website that was designed specifically for Walmart shoppers to help them earn more money for local schools with eBox Tops.  In addition, you can earn more eBox Tops by completing Click & Earn activities like surveys and by shopping online with some of your favorite brands like Motherhood Maternity, Gap, Build-A-Bear, Apple, Avon and Old Navy to name a few.  eBox Tops is a great alternative for those of us who are busy and can't always get to our kids' schools to drop off Box Tops in person or for those who don't have kids but still want to support a school.

I encourage you take a moment to register for a Box Tops 4 Education account and start keeping track of your kids' schools progress with the program.  Remember, our children are our future.  And education is the key to making sure that their future is bright!  I'm making it my personal goal this year to submit at least 1,000 box tops to schools in Charlotte and my hometown!  Don't forget that for more information on how to earn money for kid's school you can visit the official Box Tops 4 Education website, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. 

Do you support programs like Box Tops 4 Education?

Disclosure:  The Walmart gift card, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by General Mills and Walmart through MyBlogSpark.



Living Positively And Building Brands With Coca-Cola

Earlier last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Conversations With Coca-Cola Blogger Conference in Atlanta, GA.  I attended this event on behalf of Mommy Delicious.  I am so thankful to have had this opportunity. It was truly eye opening and life changing for me. I got to meet some other super awesome bloggers while I was there.  In addition, I had the chance to meet and bond with Coca-Cola staff and partners.  Here's a recap of my experience.

On Day 1 we kicked off the conference with a presentation from the lovely Katherine Stone (@postpartumprog).  She is a former Coca-Cola employee turned mental health advocate/blogger/columnist.  You find her on Postpartum Progress or Fierce & Powerful.  She gave us some great advice on how to successfully build and expand our brands. Check out some of my favorite key points below.

~Bloggers are journalist: Now I know that this is debatable for a lot of people because they feel like you need a journalism degree in order to be a journalist.  However, as Katherine pointed out that's not true.  We're blogging about real events and real facts in real time.  It's our experience in the "field" that makes us just as much of a journalist as Katie Couric.  In fact, in today's society most of the videos, photos and information on major events come from bloggers or social media users who actually lived or witnessed them.

~Everything has meaning... Everything communicates: From the posts we blog to the words we tweet, when building a brand you always have to be mindful of the message you're sending out to readers/supporters.

~Keep your arsenal close and updated:  As Katherine put it, "we're always a work in progress."  Thus, as we evolve so does (or should) our blogs.  Therefore, it is important to make sure that our elevator pitch, media and press kits, business cards and blogs reflect where and who we are currently and not who we were 1 to 5 years ago.

~We're not the only owners of our brand: Although many of us started our blogs as a form of personal and inexpensive therapy, we still have to keep our audience in mind.  Our readers are just as much a part of building our brands as we are.  So, it's important to keep that in mind when creating content and establishing partnerships without other brands.  Also, don't be afraid to reach out to readers and ask them for feedback.



My vision board



The conference really proved that Coca-Cola is more than just a soft drink company.  Unlike many of their counterparts, they actually care about their consumers and work hard to improve our communities as well as make this world a better place.   From balancing family and career to healthy living and conservation, here are some of the tips I learned about living positively.

~Failure is a learning experience: We don't always get things right on the first try.  Sometimes it takes a second, third, or even sixth try to achieve success.  However, with all of our failures there are lessons to be learned and opportunities to be seized.  Don't focus so much on the failure itself but on the experience as a whole and what you can do differently next time.

~"Work the plan that works for you": One of the ladies from our Coca-Cola panel shared this great words of wisdom with us.  We can't do everything or be everywhere for everybody.  Instead, we have to come up with a plan and system tailored specifically for our situations and stick with it.

~It starts at home: As parents and spouses it's our jobs to teach our family how to live positively.  We have to set the examples for healthy eating, make sure our families are being active, show our loved ones how to give back and most importantly make sure we're doing our part to preserve our planet.

I'll share some of the fun facts I learned as well as more pictures from my trip on Facebook.

Disclaimer: This conference was hosted by Coca-Cola.  They provided my food, lodging and transportation.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Collard Greens Recipe

 Now when I say that no family dinner is complete without collard greens, I mean it!  We have collard greens for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and pretty any time we all get together.  Whenever, I come home this is the one food I'm always asking my mom to cook for me.  Nobody makes collard greens like she does.  It's like magic.

I know it sounds crazy but that's the only way I can explain it.  Her recipe is so simple but the end result is something oh so yummy, delicious and mouthwatering. The memories I have of wrapped thumbs and cutting collard greens in the wee hours of the night with my mom (and even my dad) are ones that I'll always cherish.  I've heard many funny stories from my parents' childhoods over cutting up collard greens.  And as a mom of two, I hope that one day I'll be sitting down with my kids cutting up collard greens and laughing over funny stories from my childhood.

Ingredients

2 bunches of collard greens

5-5 1/2 cups waters

bacon grease

1/3 cup ham bits

1 tbsp granulated sugar

1 splash apple cider vinegar

seasoning salt

pepper

Directions

In a large pot, bring 5 cups of water to a boil.  Add in bacon grease, apple cider vinegar, and sugar.

Roll and chop collard greens into small strips. I prefer my no wider than a half inch. Be sure to remove the steams.

Rinse chopped greens thoroughly and add to pot.  Add another half cup of water if needed.

Mix in ham bits and a dash of seasoning salt. Cover and simmer for 1-2 hours.

Taste and season with more seasoning salt and/or pepper if needed.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe.  Be sure to join us next week with your red velvet cake recipes!



My Well-Being

This post brought to you by My Well-Being Powered by Humana. All opinions are 100% mine.

I've been thinking a lot about my well-being lately.  As a wife, mother of two and brand/business owner, I have to admit that I haven't really paid nearly enough time to my overall well-being as I should be doing.  You see well-being is more than the state of our mental and physical health and wellness.   Those are just two of the pieces that make up the puzzle.  Our overall well-being also includes family, career, finances and leisure time.

That's why the folks over at Humana have created a new site called My Well-Being.  I love this site because it gives me access to free tools and resources to help me better manage all the areas of my well-being.  I can view videos, explore articles written by experts and receive daily tips.  And the best part is that I can save the material that I find most helpful and will need to refer back to for motivation or inspiration.

I can also share those materials with family and friends through social media.  My Well-Being allows me the chance to communicate and share my opinion with other site users.  And to make help even more with making sure that I live a well rounded life I can visit The Marketplace and receive discounts on dozens of products that are designed and dedicated to promoting healthy living in all aspects of life.

So, I encourage you all to hope on over to My Well-Being, sign-up, take their free wellness assessment and order your FREE Dummies book on well-being today.  Take the first steps to making sure you have complete wellness now.  After all, we deserve it!  

About MyWell-Being from mywell-being on Vimeo.

Thankful Thursday

Did you miss me?  I certainly missed you all while I was away at the Conversations With Coca-Cola Blogger Conference in Atlanta earlier this week.  I'm so thankful that I was given the opportunity to go.  The knowledge and experience I gained can only be described as life changing and eye opening.  I have a new sense of self-pride, motivation and inspiration.

I'm thankful to have met some great fellow mom bloggers like @lifeofrylie, @onemomsworld, @mommasgonecity and @beccasara to name a few.  The people from Coca-Cola were amazing.  They really made us feel at home and did their best to accommodate us and our families.  Speaking of family, I'm extremely thankful that my mom and younger sister were able to tag along and keep Moo and JJ entertained during the day.

It was great being able to take my kids on their first road trip.  And this was JJ's first major out of state trip and Moo's second.  Now that I think they've gotten the hang of traveling, I'm ready to put more stamps on our travel map.  On a sad note, I didn't get to meet up with my cousin. Let's just say that I'll be investing in a car charger and a mini address book.  However, we're connecting via Skype and are going to meet up in October!

We decided that 4 hours and 2 states will not keep us from meeting face to face.  I'm so anxious to know more about my father's family outside of my aunts and uncles.  I'm thankful that we made it home safe.  We overcame rain, bad traffic and multiple stops to get back to the Queen City.  I was so happy to see my bed.

What are you thankful for?

Potato Salad Recipe

Since, I can remember I've been a huge lover of potato salad.  I don't know when or who introduced me to it but I'm glad they did.  It's one of those dishes that is pretty hard to mess up.  Seriously, unless you overcook the potatoes or the eggs this dish is pretty much one of the easiest dishes I've ever made.  Potato salad is a stable at cookouts and family dinners around these parts.  I'm happy to share my recipe with you all today.

Ingredients

5 large red potatoes, cubed

1 small onion, chopped

3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

2 1/2 tbsp sweet pickle relish

1 tbsp yellow mustard

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Boil cubed potatoes for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and let cool.

Mix in onion, eggs, and relish.

Then add Miracle Whip and yellow mustard.  Stir well to make sure potatoes are well coated.

Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Let chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

Thankful Thursday

Can you all believe that summer vacation is over for some?  Yes, it seems like June and July flew by.  I'm not complaining though.  I'm thankful because that means cooler weather is near!  It's been super hot here and we've had to spend most of our summer indoors.  So, we're looking forward to the cooler months and being able to hit up the park before it gets too cold.

I'm also thankful that I'll be heading to my first blogger's conference on Monday!  I'm beyond excited!  ATL here I come!  I'll  be attending the Conversations With Coca Cola Bloggers Conference until Wednesday.  So, if you're going leave me a comment or shoot me an email.  I'm also thankful that my wonderful mother has so graciously agreed to play travel nanny along with my baby sister. 

Honestly, I wouldn't be able to go on this trip if it wasn't for them.  I know that I'm truly blessed to have two very dependable people in my life.  Not only are they dependable but I know they love my kids and would do anything for them.  I'll be a lot more at ease during the day knowing that Moo and JJ are in such great hands.  In fact, when I strike it rich or win the lottery my mom can quit her day job and travel with me!

And while we're on the subject of my ATL trip, I'm going to be meeting some of my cousins from my father's side for the first time!  I'm nervous but not too nervous because we've been communicating via Facebook for almost two years now.  I've talked about how I don't really know a lot of my father's family with the exception of his siblings due to family issues.  I've always wanted to know more about them and have more of a sense about where my father's family came from and whatnot. So, here's to hoping all goes well.

What are you thankful for?

My Friend Hoover

I know that I've been a bit scarce around the social media parts these days.  However, that's because I've made a new friend and we've been hanging out a lot lately.  His name is Hoover.  Hoover TwinTank Steam Mop to be exact.  Yep, I've been spending my days getting well acquainted with him.

And I have to admit that I'm obsessed, hooked, caught up or whatever you want to call it.  Who could resist a friend who makes your house cleaner and healthier?  I know I can't.  The best part is that the whole family loves him!  That's a win-win right there.

If you don't have a Hoover in your life, I highly suggest you get one.  In fact, the Hoover TwinTank Steam Mop is the perfect if you've never befriended a Hoover before.  In all seriousness folks, this domestic mama has become the queen of steam mopping.  So, what's so great about this guy?  Oh where do I begin?

Well, for starter's it's light weight. Even inside the box it's light weight.  I wasn't sure at first because when the  mail man dropped it off at my front door and I saw the box, I thought I was going to have let the Mr come out and get it.  But I decided to give it a try first before giving in to defeat.  What do you know, I didn't need the Mr's help at all.

I was able to easily lift and slide the box inside to the living room.  It was even lighter once I got it put together.  That brings me to the next thing that I love about my Hoover TwinTank Steam Mop.  I knew there was assembly that was going to be required.  While I'm excellent at following directions and putting things together, I don't like things that are difficult or time consuming to assemble.  Well, putting together my Hoover was as simple as attaching the handle to the tank/mop part.

No lie.  I just had to snap the handle in place I was done in terms of assembling.  And when you're ready to use it all you have to do is press on one of the mop pads, add your water and solution, choose you're cleaning setting and turn that bad boy on.  It heated up and ready to go in less than 60 seconds!  And the twin tanks (one for water, one for cleaning solution) is genius.  This way I have the option of just steaming without using the cleaning solution for everyday sanitizing. 

And then I can give the floors a deep clean by turning on one of the cleaning settings to allow the cleaning solution to release with the steam.  The Hoover TwinTank Steam Mop works on hard surfaces like hardwood and tile.  In addition, you can also use it on carpets too!  You get a neat carpet glider that helps you sanitize your carpet with ease.  No jerking back and forth.  Just smooth sailing.  I have both hardwood and carpet. 

I just slip the steam mop into the glider when I'm ready to steam the carpet and a steaming I go!  Overall, I'm very happy with my new friend!  It's a welcomed change compared to having to lug around a regular mop and bucket of water.  I'm not the least bit sad to see the days of emptying and refilling my mop bucket to clean my hardwood floors.

What do you think about my new friend?  Doesn't he sound wonderful?

Disclaimer: I received a sample of this product to facilitate my review, but my opinions are 100% my own.

Funny Family Moments

I love being a mom, wife, daughter, sister and aunt.  At the end of the day it's my family that keeps me going when I want to throw in the towel.  Somebody always has an encouraging word if my faith is hanging by a thread.  But what I really love and appreciate most about are our funny family moments!  At the end of a long day, reliving them through photos, a text, etc always, always brings a smile to my face.

I'm so thankful for the technology we have so that I can capture and share some of the funny family moments I've had with Moo and JJ.  When they're teenagers they'll probably feel embarrassed but once they have kids of their own they'll be thankful that I preserved the memories.  And on rainy days, these moments will bring them sunshine. 

Well, the lovely folks from FarmRich would love for YUMMommy readers to share some of that sunshine on Pinterest with their Life's Funny Family Moments contest.  Details are listed below.  Good luck!

What's your funniest family moment?

Mind Your Own

"Too many of us are in economic trouble because we haven't been taught the correct way to think about home ownership and mortgage debt."

In Mind Your Own Mortgage, author Robert J. Bernabe strives to show readers how to avoid allowing their American Dream become a disastrous nightmare.  With his take-no-prisoners approach, Bernabe clearly lays out a path for homeowners to take.  He reminds homeowners that "the American consumer is free to choose, and the choices we make carry consequences."  Bernabe makes it clear that despite the recent downward spiral the housing market took, at the end of day the government and banks aren't solely to blame.  Some homeowners got in over their heads and bought into the refinancing tricks, while others just didn't take the time to shop around for better deals.

Broken up into four parts- Get a Grip on It, Shop for It, Manage It and Finish It- Mind Your Own Mortgage is filled with real life examples.  In each section, Bernabe introduces readers to individuals and couples who are faced with difficult choices regarding their choosing, managing and paying off their mortgages.  He walks us through the choices they make, the mistakes of those choices and how they can fix it.  He also provides insider tips as well as tables and charts to help readers better get an understanding of how to the principles and practices outlined in his book.

Honestly, whether you're looking to become a homeowner, car owner or boat owner, this is a must read book.  Also, if you're like millions of Americans and have gotten in over your head on a mortgage or any large debt, this book Bernabe's tips for how to get a handle on that debt will definitely have you on the road to recovery and rebuilding your credit!  Maybe, you've already taken out a mortgage and are managing it fine but are thinking about refinancing.  No worries, he has that covered too.

Pick up a copy of Mind Your Own Mortgage and let Bernabe translate all the corporate jargon into plain English that the average person can comprehend.  Don't go into homeownership blind or put yourself in the position to have your dream lifestyle turned into a horrible nightmare ever again!

Disclaimer:  I was gifted a copy of Mind Your Own Mortgage for this receive.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

It's our first Soul Food Sunday and we're sharing recipes for Baked Macaroni and Cheese!  After all I can recall very few Sunday dinners that didn't involve baked mac & cheese.  It's family favorite all across the board.  The recipe I'm sharing today is one that I created during my staycation in New Orleans.  I was looking for a way to take a traditional comfort food and make it my own.

Also, I just want to mention that if like me you have kids or family members who can't have dairy, the soy or whatever dairy alternatives you use for milk and cheese  will work just as well.  In addition, please know that I'm all about making things from scratch but I'm not above creating recipes that are semi-homemade!

Ingredients

14 oz Elbow Macaroni

16 oz Grated Sharp Cheddar

1/3 cup Cubed Velveeta Cheese

3 cups Water

1/3 cup 2% Milk

1 tsp butter

Non-stick Spray

1/2 Chopped Small Onion 

Seasoning Salt & Black Pepper (season to preferred taste)

Directions

In a medium or large sauce pan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil.  Pour in elbow macaroni and cook until al dente (roughly 10-12 minutes).  Once macaroni is done drain most of the water off.  Place pan with macaroni back on the stove with heat turned off.  Add in the Velveeta cubes and milk.  

Mix well so that cubes start to melt.  Next mix in grated cheddar (save some of sprinkle on top), butter, onions and season with seasoned salt and black pepper to your liking.  Lightly spray baking dish with non-stick spray and pour in macaroni.  Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheddar on top.  Cover with aluminum foil and place in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.  

To brown (crust) top of macaroni, remove foil the last 5-10 minutes of baking.  Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Please pardon the half eaten biscuit.

Don't forget to link up your baked macaroni and cheese recipes below!  Be sure to include a pic!  Next week we're sharing potato salad recipes!!

Maid For Us

Have you ever thought about hiring a maid or using a cleaning service?  I have!  And recently, I've been giving it more and more thought.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being domestic around the house.  It gives me a great sense of accomplishment and pride.  However, I can't deny that there are some definite benefits to relinquishing the cleaning duties once a month to a house keeper or Maid Service DC.

One of the biggest reasons for me to look into hiring a maid is my family's health.  We live across the street from a farm and our next door neighbors have pets that are always on our porch or front lawn.  And with my kids being allergic to both cats and dogs, I'm always worrying about the fact that we're tracking those germs and allergens into the house. We do try to reduce spreading those germs throughout the house by not wearing our outdoor shoes inside too much.

However, germs spread. Even if we leave our shoes at the door that's not going to stop the germs from getting caught in the air and moving throughout the house that.  Another issue that happens is that having two young busy bodies doesn't exactly allow me to 'deep clean' often.  Most of time, my cleaning sessions are interrupted to break up arguments, making lunch, playdates or doctor appointments.  So, I end up having to rush to change clothes and shower off my cleaning germs.

Needless, to say these interruptions often lead to buildup around the baseboards, the oven not getting cleaned out like it should have been two weeks ago and a fresh layer of dust starting to coat the ceiling fan.  Whether anybody else notices are not, the fact is that I notice!  And that bothers me because I crave neatness and organization.  I also crave cutting down on the amount of chemicals used in our home.

I try to be very eco-friendly and live as GREEN as possible.  Today most cleaning services offer packages that are 100% environmentally friendly.  Their crews use everything from all natural cleaners to natural fiber cleaning clothes that can either be recycled or reused. I don't know about you all but when I use products that are safer my family and myself, I can rest a little easier.  If I'm cutting up fruit on the counter, I don't have to worry about if I rinsed the cleaner off ten times because it's poisonous.

At the end of day, I want my home to be cleaner and my family healthier.  I recognize that I'm at a stage where I could use a little outside help in the form of a cleaning service.  Whether it's once a month, every other month or even every three months until I get a handle on my busy life, I'm determined to make sure this place is as spotless as possible!

What are your feelings on hiring a cleaning service?

Thankful Thursday

I can't believe it's Thursday already.  This has been a fast week for me and I feel like I've been playing catch up.  This week I'm thankful for all the blessings that have been coming way.  I've been praying for God to open up some doors for me and He has.

I'm thankful to announce that I have some new blog sponsors/partnerships.  I'll be talking more on those as the rest of this month goes on.  I'm thankful to have such a supportive circle of blogger friends.  I can truly turn to them for advice or help when I need it.  Likewise, they can turn to me.  It's not just a one-way street.

I'm thankful for my family.  I received some really bad news about my uncle on Monday.  However, I know that God has the final say in all things.  This whole situation just made me realize how much we often take the ones we love for granted.  It was also an eye opener that I need to get back on  my fitness wagon.

I had fallen off but I'm thankful that I'm back motivated more than before.  I am determined to live and maintain a healthy lifestyle for me and my family.  No excuses. Period. Most importantly, I'm thankful that JJ started walking a little bit at the library on Saturday!!

I was so excited! He just stood up and started taking steps towards our sack of library books without holding my hand or holding on to anything.  I think the fact that the library has carpet and his feet can grip it better helped too.  We have hardwood floors at home and think the slickness makes his walking process here more difficult.  He feels unstable.  So, I'm off to shop for some walking shoes that have a good rubber bottom on them.

I'm also thankful that I caught it on video with my cell phone!  Technology really comes in handy!  I'll post it as soon as I show it to my mom first.  She would not be a happy camper if I shared such a huge milestone with the public before sharing it with her.  That's grandmas for ya.

What are you giving thanks for today?

A Night At The Movies: Part 1

There's nothing like spending time with my family.  I'm always looking for activities that get us out the house, having fun and enjoying each other's company.  However, these last few days have been a bit rainy.  So, that means we've been stuck inside. :(

I was just about to run out of ideas to keep the kiddies (and myself) entertained when this lovely box of goodies arrived late yesterday. 

See that eager little hand reaching for the popcorn?

What better way to beat cabin fever than a night at the movies?  And did I mention there were snacks in there too?!  Talk about right on time.  Moo, JJ and I stayed up into the late hours of the night laughing our heads off and munching on popcorn and M&Ms.  What did we watch?  See for yourself.

Released this past June, Kiara the Brave is a classic story of betrayal and greed as King Maximus is captured and locked away by his power hungry brother, Dreadmis.  The once calm and easy going kingdom of Dreamzone is immediately thrown into a state of uproar.  With the help of DreamCloud, an outcast, Princess Kiara finds the courage to save her father and their kingdom.

Moo loved this movie. She's all about princesses these days.  There are some good laughs in this movie.  And the relationship between Princess Kiara and DreamCloud provides a great platform to talk to kids about friendship and getting to know people even if they're different or don't fit in.

Space Dogs is the true story of Belka and Strelka, two dogs who were launched into space in 1960.  Belka, a circus dog, comes off as a pampered and spoiled princess and Strelka is an abandoned stray who's a little rough around the edges.  Together though they form a bond and friendship that overcomes the odds and obstacles they face during their space training.  They learn that with teamwork they can succeed at their mission and help other each.

We enjoyed this movie as well.  Despite Moo being allergic to dogs in real life, we are very much dog people.  And Belka and Strelka kept us entertained.  Our favorite parts were when Belka and Strelka had to go through all the space exercises and training. I loved that this movie was based on a true story.  When it comes to educating and learning about history, I don't think kids are ever too young.  You just have to find a way to break it down on their level and Space Dogs did that. 

I'm really thankful that Phase 4 Films sent us these movies and yummy snacks!  We definitely recommend both of these movies.  You can find them at your local Target, Walmart and on Amazon.com.

Disclaimer: I was provided the above movies for review and snacks.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own!