First Time Mom and Losing It

Years ago when I was a teacher I always saw the PTA going around collecting Box Tops. Since I didn't have a child at the time I really didn't know much about the Box Tops program. I just collected them whenever I saw them and handed them to the PTA volunteers. Now that my daughter is almost in school and I have a niece starting Pre-K and a nephew starting kindergarten I finally know how important these Box Tops are to schools.


Did you know that Box Tops for Education has raised over $525 million to participating schools since it started the program in 1996? Each Box Top that is collected is worth $0.10 for your child's school. It is one of America's largest school earnings loyalty programs and has over 80,000 K-8 schools participating. I love that schools can use the Box Tops cash to buy whatever they need. I remember being a Teacher in the Bronx and having to buy supplies myself because my school just didn't have the budget for it. I love that Box Tops is helping schools, students and teachers with much needed money every day supplies.


It is so easy to find and purchase products that have the Box Tops. While shopping at Walmart I noticed all of the great General Mills® products that participated with the Box Tops. Now they have bold graphics with some having bonus Box Tops for even more cash for your child's school. All you have to do is purchase and use the Box Top products like the General Mills® Cereal or Hamburger Helper. Once you use the product you can just cut the Box Tops and collect them. I like to put them into a little mason jar. To get my nephew and niece excited about collecting and helping out their school, I created a little Box Top case they can clip into their binders. (Tutorial coming soon!)


Click on the link to learn more about Box Tops at Walmart!

Do you collect Box Tops for your kid's school? 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of General Mills®. The opinions and text are all mine.

**I received the product below free for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.


Using a pedometer or activity tracker definitely motivates me to move more. I set daily step goals so I always walk more than I normally would to achieve those goals. Once those goals are met easily I bump up my goal numbers. I have been using an activity tracker since I started on my journey. I was using one of the popular brands but when the band kept breaking and the generic bands caused skin irritation I stopped using it. I stopped walking as much and didn't really have a gauge of how much activity or steps I was getting in.

Now that I am fully restarting my journey with eating properly and starting to go the gym and walk more I really needed another activity tracker. I was so happy to review the Tushi Waterproof Pedometer and Sleep Tracker. It tracks number of steps, distance traveled, calories burned, goal progress and sleep quality and performance.


The Tushi Wireless Fitness Tracker has a Bosch 3D acceleration sensor with 360-degree high sensitivity so it won't miss out on any movements whether they are big or small. It syncs via BlueTooth using a free app on Android or IOS phones and tablets. Once you pair and connect to the app you can easily see the data that was tracked.

It is really comfortable to wear and the clasp is so smooth and close to the silicone band that it didn't bother or irritate my skin. I love how big and bright the OLED is so you can see your data clearly. Seeing my steps and calories burned really motivated me to get more active and move more during the day. When you have met your daily goal the pedometer buzzes to let you know. It was very satisfying to get the little buzz at the end of the day.


Overall I love this new tracker and will be using it during and beyond my weight loss journey. A couple of things I didn't like about the tracker is that sometimes it doesn't respond to my touch at first and I have to swipe or tap a few times for it to register. It took me a while to figure out the app too. I was clicking on the sync button like the directions said but it was the start button that actually syncs your information to the app. Once I figured that out I got to see all of my data together. I also think the app could be improved on with interface and features.

I purchased it on Amazon but it is no longer available at that address. You can find out more about it and purchase one for yourself at the Tushi Website.

**I received the product below free for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.


The SinfulColors: A Class Act collection is here just in time for back to school! They have 27 brand new colors that will have everyone picking their favorite. The colors were perfectly chosen to go along with the latest fall fashions. The colors range in dusty pastels, demi-matte shades, denim blues, bright colors, silvers, purples, teals and 3D glitters. 

These are the colors I got to sample:

24/7: A pretty and hot pink. It took about two coats to get a nice vibrant pink color. I paired it with stripes of the blackboard color on my index finger.

Blackboard: A semi-matte black. It took three coats to fully coat my nails.


Hazed: A violet color with a semi-matte finish. It took two coats to make it a fully bright violet. It was a nice change to see a purple that was matte as opposed to the usual gloss. I used this color with the whiteboard color to create polka dots.

Whiteboard: A nice matte white. It took two coats to get the full white color.


Why Not: I was truly amazing with this color. It is a deep teal that only needs one coat.


Energetic Red: It goes on pretty vibrant with two coats.

Casablanca: Nice and sparkly silver that only needs one coat for full coverage.


Summer School: A really pretty light blue that has a semi-matte finish.

Ice Dream: Cerulean glitter with a translucent silver base. I paired it with the Summer School color on my index finger.


The best thing about SinFulColors is that they are ONLY $1.99 each! You can purchase the SinfulColors Collection at Walgreens, Rite Aid and many other big retailers.  Check out SinfulColors.com to see all of the other beautiful colors they offer. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest product news.    

**I received the product below free for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.


Wearing flip flops almost the entire summer wreaks havoc on your feet so it was the perfect timing when I got to review the Utilyze Rechargeable Electronic Foot File. My feet were really rough from living in flip flops so I needed something powerful so that I didn't have to use any elbow grease. I don't like going to the salon and getting my feet worked on so I always took care of my feet myself. I would soak my feet and then use a pumice stone to get my feet smooth again. Now that I have the electric foot file I don't even have to soak my feet.


Right after I shower I make sure my Utilyze foot file is charged and I smooth away all the rough spots and calluses when a few fast swipes. Then I like to slather on a thick foot cream and wear some cotton socks. Since I have been doing this same routine for a couple of weeks now my feet are as smooth as if I went and got a professional pedicure.

The Utilyze Rechargeable Electronic Foot File is really powerful and it doesn't stop when you put pressure on it. I love that I don't have to worry about poor performance when the batteries are wasting away since it's rechargeable. The file comes with an extra rolling head and a cleaning brush. It is really easy to clean by just shaking off any of the dead skin and then brushing off any that is left on the rollers.
Click on the link find out more about the Utilyze Rechargeable Electronic Foot File and purchase one for yourself on Amazon.

**I received the product below free for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.


The Taylor Bluetooth Body Fat Smart Scale has to be the coolest scale I have ever used. I have reviewed countless scales and the Taylor is the one that has every feature that I have wanted in a scale. When using the scale you first set up a profile with a free app called SmarTrack that you just download onto you smartphone. You put in all of your statistics like age, height, activity level, etc. According to your weight it will tell you how many calories you can eat to maintain the weight. Once you lose weight it lowers your calories needed. By just eating less then the calories recommended it is a great start towards the path to weight loss.


After you create your profile with the app you then set up your smartphone to get paired with the bluetooth on the scale. After you are all set up your weight and other stats will be automatically sent to your phone. Before having a smart scale I was always writing down my weekly weight on pieces of paper that I always lost. This is the perfect way to keep track of weekly weigh-ins especially if you are on a long weight loss journey like me.

Not only does it have a great app that keeps track of your information, bluetooth capabilities to automatically send data, but it is also a Body Fat scale. It tracks your weight, body fat, body water and muscle mass. I feel that it is important to track more than just a weight number. Sometimes you won't have a good scale number even though you worked hard so seeing a change in fat or muscle percentage can definitely keep you on track.


I like to keep track of what I eat with the myfitnesspal app so I love that you can connect it to the Taylor Bluetooth Body Fat Smart Scale. It's great to be able to keep all of my stats in one place so that I can quickly look at things an adjust them if I have to. The scale can also connect to the RunKeeper and mapmyfitness apps.

Click on the link to learn more about the Taylor Bluetooth Body Fat Smart Scale and purchase one for yourself on Amazon.

When my husband and I got engaged we knew we wanted to get married right away. I didn't really care for a big wedding so we set out to get married in August of 2008 after getting engaged on December of 2007. I started planning a small wedding by looking at dresses and small venues. Things started getting overwhelming for me and I decided to scratch that plan and get married in Vegas with just us two.


When I suggested the plan to my family they seemed pretty upset. They wanted to be a part of my wedding and so did I. I went back to my original plan but by that time it was too late and with things closing up and last minute fees and we just didn't have the budget. We decided to get married at the court house with our family there and then celebrate with a huge dinner at our favorite restaurant. We vowed to have a huge renewal and reception later in life.


Now that my daughter is 3 and we have our finances in order we decided to start saving for a renewal wedding for our 10th year anniversary. We have 3 years to plan so we got smart and decided to save for that Sunny day now with the help of SunTrust Bank and their Sunny Day Wedding Planning site.

Once my husband and I decided on a budget and list of things we wanted for the renewal wedding we used the Sunny Day Wedding Planning site to see how much we would have to save every month. With their super easy calculator all you have to do is plug in the numbers and it does all of the math for you. Since we are also growing our family and budgeting for that we didn't want to get crazy with the renewal wedding. We played around with the numbers and calculator and found the perfect number to save for.

What tips do you have for saving for a wedding while on a budget? 


Sunny Days start here.  At SunTrust, we have the tools and resources to help you achieve your sunny day. Start here to find out how we can help you enjoy the things that matter most to you.
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of SunTrust Bank. The opinions and text are all mine.

**I received the products below free for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.


My daughter LOVES to sing! It started almost two years ago when she saw Frozen for the first time. She loved all of the songs and since she watched the movie over and over she memorized all of the words to all of the songs. I got her these little plastic pretend microphones and she went to town making shows for her family!

I was so excited to get to review the Kids Sing Along CD/MP3 Karaoke Machine to see how my daughter would react to hearing her voice come out of a real microphone. I love how the karaoke machine is colorful with easy to press buttons that are perfect for little kids. I love that this one came with an AC adapter so I didn't have to worry about buying batteries. When my daughter really loves a toy she can play with it for hours so this was perfect.


With the Kids Sing Along Karaoke Machine you have to choice to listen to the music from a CD or MP3 file through the flash drive port. It also has a Line-in jack to connect it to your smartphone. It has anti-skip protection so the kids can hold on to it while they dance to the music. It has a  3 digit LED display to show you which setting and track your are on. The sound is pretty loud and clear too. It is also fully programmable so you can choose random play, repeat play, etc. My daughter has specific songs that she can sing all day to so its perfect to program ahead of time. You can use batteries to operate the karaoke machine if you want to take it on the go.


The best part of the Kids Sing Along CD/MP3 Karaoke Machine is that it has two microphones. Since my daughter and niece are both 3 they sometimes don't like to share so this is a great feature. They love playing together so it was so cute to see them sing in harmony!


You can find the Kids Sing Along CD/MP3 Karaoke Machine at Amazon. Click on the link to find out more information and to purchase one for yourself.

**I received the product at a discounted rate for my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be a good fit for my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.


When I first started on my weight loss journey I was taking multi-vitamins as part of my plan. I always felt more energized and pepped up when I took them. Life got busier and I kept forgetting to take my vitamins. I started feeling tired and less energetic and I knew that part of it had to do with not getting enough vitamins from my food.

No matter how hard I try to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and meats I could never get in the recommended nutrients. I was happy to try the Daily Multi Vitamin from Skinny Jane. I have been using their products from over a year and a half now and have had great experiences from the Skinny Jane Diet, Skinny Burn and Weight Loss tea.


I was super impressed by everything that was in the little daily vitamins. Not only is it a daily vitamin but it also has minerals and a high potency fruit and veggie blend. This can be super helpful if you are trying to lose weight. The Liquid Multi-Vite contains a special combination of ingredients that work with your body to make it a food burning and energy making machine. Since it is a unique liquid capsule it allows you body to absorb around 98% of every nutrient as opposed to 20% in regular pill or tablet forms of vitamins.


When I first saw the pill I thought I would have a hard time swallowing it but I was wrong. The pill is super smooth so it goes down easily. After taking the multi-vitamin for a couple of weeks I started to feel more energetic and back to my old self. I got that extra pep to clean like crazy and take my walks with the toddler. I also love that you have to take two pills a day. When I first started taking vitamins I used to cut them in half to take one in the morning and one in the evening so my body could absorb them better.

Click on the link to learn more information on the Skinny Jane Daily Multi Vitamin and to order them for yourself.

**This is a sponsored post written on behalf of KidzVuz and Amazon Kids. All opinions are 100% my own.


I was so pleased when I heard about the new Amazon Original Series called "Wishenpoof"! The Amazon prime show will be available for Prime members starting on August 14th. The series was created by Angela Santomero who also worked with "Blue's Clues" and "Super Why!". "Wishenpoof" is a series about a preschool fairy girl named Bianca who solves problems with her magic and sometimes without. She teaches kids that they have the power to make good choices.

My daughter has been in love with fairies since I bought her some fairy wings and a wand from our local discount store. She loves to just run around pretending she is flying while she puts her "fairy magic dust" on everything! She loved fairies so much that she even asked to be one for Halloween last year.


I was lucky to get an advanced screening of all 13 episodes. I streamed them through my chromecast to the TV and my toddler and I binged watched until it was time for dinner. The episodes were so cute and entertaining that we just kept watching episode after episode. I could really appreciate a kid's show when it is entertaining to an adult.

The first thing I liked about the first episode we saw was that "please" was the magic word to make her magic work properly. Ever since my toddler has been saying "Yes, please!" to everything! I also love how interactive the show is for the kids. My daughter was answering all of the questions and "helping" Bianca out. Her little teddy bear sidekick "Bob" is pretty cute too.


"Wishenpoof" is also a great way to teach kids about problem solving and how it sometimes takes more than one solution to solve a problem. I can see the frustration in my toddler when she can't do things sometimes. I always try to ask her did you try it this way or that way? That usually calms down the tantrum and she usually will think about it and try a different way to do what she wants to do.

In the first episode of "Wishenpoof" Bianca is trying to help her friend who is afraid of preforming at a talent show. First she tries to use her magic to help him, when that didn't work she asks him why he's scared to preform. When he tells her he is afraid people will laugh at him she assures him then the whole audience is full of his friends and no one will laugh at him. He then goes on to perform.


Click on the link to watch the first episode of "Wishenpoof" for free! Be sure to check back on August 14 for more episodes for Amazon Prime members.