The Graduate

I feel like just yesterday I was sharing your birth story. But now, here we are.  You've been preparing for this for the past 12 years. It's finally your year. So many fun things to come such as senior sunrise, homecoming, senior sunset, Prom, end of year bbq, signing the rock, the senior all-nighter, your Navy swear-in at MEPS, your 18th birthday and graduation. This is for you. You're the graduate.

We should have probably known that something was up last fall when you crawled out of bed at 5 am to go watch the sunrise with the rest of the class of 2020 and the clouds didn't let it happen. No senior sunrise? Bummer, but that's okay. So many more events to come.

I will never forget the day the governor announced that classes were cancelled. I was helping in Tyler's class, doing an art project, and his teacher pulled the press conference up on his laptop.  We listened as we were told that after Monday there would be no classes. I remember him and I looking at each other, and saying, What does this mean for all these kids? He also had a senior at the rivalry high school, and what will happen with graduation? What will happen with the Navy swear in? So many unanswered questions.

That next week we navigated into new unchartered waters. Thankfully you had a pretty laid back schedule your senior year, but if I never have to smell the smell of clay in your bedroom again, that will be okay with me. Watching you build your clay statue in your bedroom is something I never thought would happen. But here I am watching Freddy Kreuger come to life.

The day you left for MEPS was one of the longest days of my life. Not hearing from you for over 24 hours had happened before. You've stayed with friends and family plenty of times. But this time was different. Today a life-altering plan was being made and I was not there to see or hear what was happening.  When you came through the door it was such a relief and the moment you told me you got the rate you wanted made me so incredibly proud of you. I really don't know if I have had a prouder moment than that.

Two weeks after MEPS you turned 18. Of course, we had plans for a party that had already been long ago shot down, but that doesn't mean we aren't celebrating! It was just a little bit of a smaller celebration with Bailey and Grandpa.

Now we are down to the last month of the school year. What is going to happen with Graduation? Do we send out announcements? Do we plan a graduation party? Will we be able to celebrate at all? Thankfully we live in the school district that we do because they did everything they could to make sure you and your classmates felt celebrated. Which honestly, isn't easy with 400 students!

A sign was added to our front yard and you waited for 5 hours in line to get free Krispy Kreme donuts:

All the senior's names were added to the field:

You still got to sign the rock:

And have your senior alumni breakfast, sort of....

They made sure that not only did you have an in-person graduation: 

And your friends got to ride along as you did for theirs: 

But one that was broadcasted for friends and family to see as well: 

And if you'd like to watch graduation over again, find it HERE

Finally, after things hadn't really settled down, we decided to just do a graduation party. Because you need to be celebrated. Sure, fewer people came and it wasn't spent hugging and standing in close quarters. But we are thankful for those that came to show you they care and are proud of you.

After all, you are The Graduate.

Ranch Pasta Salad

It may only be February, but I am dreaming of sunny days full of hot hot sunshine. Anyone else?

Winter hasn't been near as bad as past years, but I will take the heat over cold any day of the week. And because our summers fly by, I am making plans already to fill my days with lounging at the lake, relaxing in the back yard with a cold drink and lots and lots of play dates with kids screaming with laughter as they slide down the slip n slide.

One thing we do a couple times a year is have back yard bbq's with our family and friends. And I am always looking for the perfect BBQ food! Pasta salads are always a must and this BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad is definitely a favorite.

Originally I found a recipe for BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad over on Spicy Southern Kitchen, but after I couldn't find the same dressing I had to change things up a bit.



And because I had never had the original dressing, I wasn't missing out! This dressing was delicious!!



It really couldn't have been easier to make! Which are another favorite things of mine! Quick and easy pasta salads are awesome!!



This is all of the ingredients mixed together except for the pasta and corn chips.

• 16 oz pasta, cooked per package direction - I used elbow and sprial because that is what I had!


• 1 cup of Southwestern Ranch Dressing


• ⅓ cup sour cream


• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained


• 1 cup canned corn, drained


• ½ red bell pepper, diced


• ½ small red onion, finely diced


• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


• 1 cup corn chips

1. Place cooked pasta in a large bowl.


2. Stir together dressing and sour cream and pour over pasta. Mix together


3. Add all remaining ingredients, except corn chips, and stir to combine.


4. Refrigerate until ready to serve and sprinkle corn chips on top just before serving.

I wish I had gotten a better picture of this when I originally made it! Because this picture doesn't really do it justice!  Maybe next time!

What is your go-to pasta salad?

Kid Friendly Lunch Ideas

This post has been compensated by IHelpMoms.com and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

As a busy mom of three, kid friendly lunch ideas are so important because the last thing I want to spend a lot of time on is packing lunches. And while my kids like to eat sandwiches they get bored with them so I am always looking for ways to change up lunch time.

I am super lucky that none of my kids have food allergies to date, but Tyler is my picky kid so sometimes I have to get creative with lunches. He occasionally has school lunch, but I would say at least half of the time he doesn't like the option and wants to pack a lunch so I wanted to share a few of his favorite lunches to take.



That is why I love this bento lunch box set from Bentology. The five separate compartments leave lots of room for food for my always hungry kiddos while keeping everything portion controlled.

And the fun patterns that they come in keep the kids laughing and entertained! They love their emojo set! And I think I need the Flamingo Set!

Weekly Menu ideas, Recipes, and more on the blog: https://bentology.com/resources/bentology-blog/





Make sure you look for Bentology on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST



This one is totally Summer's ideal lunch! And Tyler won't touch mac n cheese!



They aren't just for school lunches! Sometimes if we are going to be out and about running errands I love to pack a lunch before we head out the door. I know it is just a matter of time before I hear someone from the back seat say, "I'm hungry" and now I am more than prepared!

Purchase your own kit with a 25% discount right now through 1/22/18! Use the code ihelp25

And feel free to check out a few of my past Kid Friendly Lunch Ideas and Nutter Butter Ice Cream Cones.



Right now you can win a Bentology Bento Kit of your very own! Check out the Giveaway below to enter to win!! You have lots of chances to get your name in the running!

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Dating your Daughter

This post has been compensated by IHelpMoms.com and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

I love having Mama/Daughter time with Summer. She turned 5 a few months ago and still thinks I am the best of the best. I know the days will come when I am not her favorite person, so for now I am going to enjoy every moment of our bestie time together.

I am always looking for new ways to have one on time with the kids. Summer is the easiest because we just happen to like all the same girlie things.



One thing that is great about dating your kids is that they are a pretty cheap date! I mean, it is fun to go out to lunch or go get pedicures and all, but we have lots of fun without spending a bunch of money!

One of Summer's favorite things to do it take selfies. Girlfriend loves to get her picture taken (most of the time!). She loves using the filters on SnapChat - The filters are actually all we use it for! But pretty much any occasion has to be marked with a selfie!



Summer loves to be read to. We are working on learning her sounds and sounding out words so that she is ahead of the game when she heads off to Kindergarten next Fall. Her favorite is Huggy Kissy. Have you read that one before?



Normally painting her nails is enough but one day we ran across fake nails for kids and she thought it was the coolest thing ever! I won't lie, they lasted less than 24 hours and I even found one stuck in her hair the next morning, but she had fun and loved spending the time putting them on!



Matchy matchy! I have made several matching shirts for her and I, and we have matching pajamas. She always asks to wear out matching clothes. But now, thanks to The Dreamland Company we have matching nightgowns!

I love this sleep ware because they are made with LUXE cotton with a touch of stretch and are amazingly soft.  These nightgowns are designed and made by women right here in the USA. And now these adorable kids sizes are available so you and your daughter can match too! 

Right now you can even get a great Deal For Moms! SAVE $5 WHEN YOU -- USE CODE: "ihelpmoms"

Don't miss The Dreamland Company on Facebook and Instagram! @TheDreamLandCompany
They would be great Christmas presents for not only yourself and your daughter, but your mom, grandma or any other lady in your life.

I wish I would have had one after having my kids because it would have been great to change into my own nightgown and be comfortable rather than wearing a hospital gown!



Spending a morning with curlers in her hair while we scrapbooked was fun too. Any type of crafts go over well at my house.



Or even a girls day watching girlie movies is good too!



But really, anytime that I get to just relax with my girl makes for a great date!



What are your favorite ways to date your daughter?

Favorite Things {SIC Cup Edition}

This post has been compensated by IHelpMoms.com and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

I love coming across awesome products. And these SIC cups from SIC - Seriously Ice Cold - are amazing. I have had my SIC cups for just a couple of weeks and I am obsessed. Zach asked if he could have one of them and I haven't let him yet because I can't decide which one I am willing to part with.



Anyone else out there like me with a cup obsession? If you do, try these SIC cups, you will not regret it and you'll immediately have a new favorite cup. One of my favorite things about them is how long they keep things warm or cold. The last few weeks of soccer have been pretty brutal with how cold it was during practice and games. I loved that I poured hot tea into them before I leave the house and long after I get home my tea is still hot!



Since I most always have a cup of ice water near me I love that my 30 oz tumbler will keep ice for 24 hours! Luckily I haven't had a reason to need ice in a cup for 24 hours yet, but I am thinking ahead to summer days at the lake with my ice cold cup of water while I am playing in the hot sun. (Yes, I know it is only November and I am dreaming of the hot sun... It is the only thing that will get me through the cold winter that is ahead of me! Guys, it is 18 degrees outside as I type this, so let a girl dream!)

These are the three that I have:



A 27 oz SIC Bottle, a 12 oz wine/coffee/cocktail cup and the 30 oz tumbler. Any guesses which is my favorite?

Check out my Instagram page where I will be sharing which cup is my favorite!



And how fun are these colors? Salmon, Seafoam blue and white. I love everything about them and I'm drooling over all the other fun colors!



Feel free to check them out the SIC cups in the Ihelpmoms Holiday Gift Guide as well ---> HERE



A few of my favorite things about the SIC cups:

• They stay super hot or super cold for ridiculous amount of hours! (24 hours ice cold is awesome!)


• There are a ton of fun colors like salmon, orange, lemon and sea foam blue.


• They fit in your cup holders - even the bigger cups!


• Lifetime warranty - Do I even need to say more?


• These cups don't sweat!

Something else that I thought was cool is that these cups are powder coated, not painted. Which makes them less likely to scratch or chip. And the surface is perfect for putting a decal on.... I'm already trying to decide what I want to put on it!



Right now you can get a 15% discount on your own SIC cups by using code: ihelpmoms

So now that you have the code, which cup do you want to get? Leave me a comment below! 

 

10 Ways to get Mom Time during the Summer

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #CraftYourCool #CollectiveBias

School is out, kids are home and your "mom time" just went out the door. Am I right?

Today I put together 10 Ways to get Mom Time during the Summer. I'll be sharing everything from my Starbucks® Bottled Dulce de Leche Frappuccino® Coffee Drink 13.7 oz Single Serve item only (not available in 4-pack) to Bubble Baths. 
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I think sometimes people have a preconceived notion that because I am a stay at home mom it means I have all the down time in the world. I recently have a friend say to me, "I'd love a month of not doing anything." when I said I was looking forward to summertime.  Now don't get me wrong, there is plenty of time for sun bathing and binge watching my favorite shows, but I am running to swim lessons, play dates, sports and mall drop offs.



So having mom time has to be carved in just like the kid's events. And that is why I wanted to share a little of what I am doing to share a little of what I am doing to still get some time to myself.

1. Wake up Early
   Getting up early isn't something I love to do. I consider myself an early bird but that is still 7 am. And getting up before my kids rarely happens. So I like to grab some coffee and head out to the back deck and enjoy a little bit of quiet before we start out day.


2. Go for a Walk
   In one way I am pretty spoiled. With Zach being 15 now he has become a pretty reliable babysitting source. So it doesn't take much for me to grab my shoes and head out on a walk. Which leads me to my next one....


3. Go to an exercise class.
   Maybe you don't have a built in teenage babysitter, but even if you don't, recruit a friend to watch the kids for an hour so you can hit the elliptical or do some Zumba.  Still not workable? Grab an exercise DVD and hide in your room to do it!


4. Get yourself an Adult Coloring Book.
   I won't lie, I am not a good colorer. I don't stay in the lines well. But I was surprised at how relaxing is was. You could even print off some pages from online and enjoy the time.
   


5. Read a book or magazine.
   I've always been a reader. I got that from my mom and ever since I was a kid, reading is something I have done a lot of. This year is the first year I have actually set a goal for myself, which was 30 books. And so far I have done pretty well, despite an couple of them dragging on and on.


6. Relax in the sunshine.
   Nothing makes me happier than a beautiful day full of sunshine. And taking my current book and a blanket out to relax in the sun is one of my all time favorite things to do.
   


7. Put on your favorite music.
   Lounging in the sun, hanging out at the river.... it all goes hand in hand with music. Turn it up and belt out those tunes.


8. Spa Day.
   To me a spa day doesn't have to mean some expensive, fancy place. For me it means relaxing, getting my nails done, toes painted, a facial... All things I can do in the comfort of my own home.
   


9. Bubble Bath.
   I am not really a bath person. Maybe because growing up we never had a bath tub, only a shower. But every so often a bath just sounds so nice and relaxing. And it is always accompanied by my current book.


10. Schedule some girl time.
    Grab your bestie and hit up a current chick flick, or have a coffee date. When it comes to you and your best friend I'm sure it doesn't take a lot to have a fun and relaxing time. It is great to have play dates and all but don't forget adult time too!
    

One sure way for me to relax is to grab a nice cold drink and sit back for a few minutes. Luckily I can get the new Starbucks® Bottled Dulce de Leche Frappuccino® Coffee Drinks at Walmart and they are the perfect size. These single serve drinks are perfect for our on the go nature, ready for me to drink right from the bottle with the pop of a cap and come in other flavors.



Also if you Buy 3 Ready to Drink products get 35 stars, which if you are a Starbucks Rewards member you know how fast those stars can add up and that makes for more Mom Time!

What are your favorite ways to sneak in Mom Time during the Summer when your kids are home?