GIVEAWAY Smart & Sassy Mom and 2013 Essence Festival Presents…

May 14, 2013 by Smart & Sassy Mom 4 Comments

Do you love your “girlfriend getaways” as much as I do? Do you love the Coca-Cola Essence Festival? Well, you’ve come to the right blog, baby! You can win a trip to New Orleans, LA with THREE of your girlfriends and get exclusive access to The 2013 Coca-Cola Essence Festival content!! To enter, go to the Coca-Cola Essence Festival Sweepstakes page now! There are also chances to win other great prizes such as a tablet or spa gift card.
Because I love you so much and I wanna get you and your girls ready for the hottest event of the Summer, I am hosting a FABULOUS giveaway thanks to Coca-Cola Essence Music Festival for:

A Bliss Spa Body Bundle valued at $80

PLUS

a $50 American Express Gift Card

You can enter the giveaway SEVERAL ways. “Like” me on Facebook, Follow me on Instagram, Follow me on Twitter OR if you’ve already done all three, leave a comment telling us how you plan on spending you Essence Festival weekend. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter and random.org on Friday May 24th at 11:59 PM EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fine Print: The wonderful giveaway prizes were provided by Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola Company is not a sponsor, administrator or connected in any way with this giveaway.

This is a sponsored post. I have recieved a gift card, my very own Body Bundle and I LOVE IT!

Filed Under: Giveaways

My First 5K –THANK YOU!!!

May 8, 2013 by Smart & Sassy Mom 3 Comments

So, I get to scratch something else from my bucket list. For you hard core protein eating, muscle-building athletes that can run a 5K in 15 minutes….Ummm this isn’t for you, but for those of you carb-loving, inconsistent gym rats like myself, I’m sure you can relate. I ran 3.1 miles…YAY ME!!! Yeah, my time sucked, but I am a real-life story of someone who went from Couch to 5K.

When I was in Philly, I wanted to run the Broad Street Run, but then I fractured my foot. So, naturally I was bummed and put the whole “running thing” on the back burner for about 3 years. I figured it was time to re-visit the idea. Besides, I think I’ve “liked” every runner page on Facebook, subscribed to every Runner’s email newsletter and basically, it was about time I joined them!

Since a lot of my friends (real life and social media) got the memo that “Healthy is the new Sexy”, I’m inundated with pics of awesome looking 30 and 40 somethings doing Iron Man (I know right?), FULL marathon runners and triathletes, I felt lots of support from them all as I embarked on this challenge to not only run three miles but to not cause a scene by needing emergency personnel to come and rescue me by mile marker 2.

Couch to 5K app

I have so many people to thank for their encouragement and kick-ass accountability which helped me get to the point of crossing the finish line. First off, a HUGE “thank you” to my blogger friend Brandi, from Mama Knows It All, who simply shared an app on Facebook called Couch to 5K and the rest is history! Thanks Chica!

Another GINORMOUS “Thank you” Black Girls Run NYC, Oh my Goodness!!! This group of ladies are a force to be reckoned with. I. HEART. THEM!!!! They are tireless cheerleaders that have virtual and literal bullhorns cheering you along every step of the way! If you’re interested in running, check them out. There may be a group or groups in your area. Having running buddies and accountability is a major key to success and this group has what it takes!

To my Moms of my Jack and Jill of America, Inc. – one in particular who ran with me. You may remember her from a previous interview….THANK YOU!

Lastly, to my immediately family…THANK YOU!!!!!! Thanks to my hubby that put up with me during my roller coaster training and to my kids who had pom-poms and screams loud enough to break glass, “GO MOMMY!! GO MOMMY!!” It was a fun and great experience that I will never forget.

I’ve been bitten by the “Runners Bug”, as I have registered for another run in less than 3 weeks from now. I’m super excited that I completed my first race with incident or injury and I”m looking forward to many more!

Filed Under: Health, Lifestyle, Uncategorized Tagged With: cardio, exercise, fitness, healthy living, love, running, weight, weight loss

Letting Go and Letting Dad

May 7, 2013 by Smart & Sassy Mom 1 Comment

Question to the Moms: Is it just me or do you sometimes feel nervous when you leave the kids ALONE with Dad? I can’t be the only one….I’m guilty of subconsciously (and sometimes consciously) thinking that my intelligent, capable, lovable and attentive husband can’t fully take care of his own kids when I’m not around. WHY? There are several answers, some of which I will share, but for now I’m just trying to let go and let Dad!

I will admit. I’m a control freak. Like any mother, I know how I want our kids to dress, behave, eat (well) and not lose any limbs. Dad on the other hand will let the kids leave the house wearing plaids and polka dots (yes, at the same time) and clothes two sizes too small. Let’s not get started on my daughters’ hair. Oh Lord! If I know I’m leaving for a few days in a row, its imperative that I make sure the hair thing is on lock before I’m on my way.

There’s a lot to be said about his style of seeing after the kids as it compares to mine. For instance, when my husband decides to take the kids to the park, he puts them in the car and drives away. What’s wrong with that you ask? Nothing, except for the fact that there are no healthy snacks packed, no bottled waters and no change of clothes. It’s just him and the kids. While I find this remarkable, as they drive away, I’m thinking, “He needs this….and what if the kids need that….” Well, guess what? They won’t go without and I’m sure they have whatever it is they need and probably want. I honestly just don’t see how he does it. Yet, when they return, the kids have eaten, they are tired (and dirty) and are extremely happy.

Dad’s approach to being a caretaker is so much different from mine. Yes, I get that I’m a nurturer by nature. I am a mother hen, a mother bear at times always protecting her cubs. He, on the other hand, has the same intentions, but shows it in a completely different way. The good thing is whatever Dad does, he must be doing it well, because the kids love their “Daddy time”! I believe there may be some frozen yogurt bribery involved, but nonetheless, my cherubs return home safe and sound, needing no more than an occasional dab of Neosporin and a Band-Aid.

No, he doesn’t keep hand sanitizer in his pocket, nor does he always have any wipes, but this doesn’t mean that he loves them any less or that they’ll catch a cold or a virus because Mommy wasn’t there. It just means that the man that has repeatedly shown how much he loves and cares for his children, needs a little slack and some occasional praise. So, when you see dad with two little girls with fuzzy hair and clothes that are too small, just smile and wave and know that Mom must be out of town, but “Dad’s got it”!

P.S. Big shout to all of the Dads who do “it” better than Mom. He cooks, he cleans and does a mean two strand twist with matching barrettes! I know you’re out there and I salute you!

Do you secretly have control issues when Dad’s alone with the kids?

Photo credit: webmd.com

Filed Under: Children, Motherhood, Parenting, Tweens/Teens

6 Sweet and Sexy Apps for Couples

April 30, 2013 by Smart & Sassy Mom 1 Comment

Like myself, I’m sure a lot you are separated from your sweetie a good part of the day. Maybe even some of you for months or even years. Well, we have to let technology work for us and bring us together virtually – even when we can’t be together physically. Here are some really sweet and some super sexy smartphone apps for today’s busy couples.

1. Bliss – Pegged “The Game for Lovers”, this is a great app that emphasizes intimacy and sensuality vs. sexuality.

It’s a clever board game on your phone that is meant to be played in bed. I think it’s a fun alternative for movie night or a rainy day together. BONUS: Starts out really neat – By selecting what clothes you’re wearing (or not) and you get to pick your own background music.

2. Snap Chat – The point of this is app is to take a picture and send it to the recipient that will then be displayed for only 10 seconds and permanently deleted. I guess if you and your mate are into fun, flirty and naughty photos for “their eyes only”, this is the perfect app.

BONUS: There’s no way your kids can see mom and dad having fun because the pictures really do DISAPPEAR!

3. Feel Me – This is the absolute most perfect app for Long Distance Couples. It’s a messaging app that shows that the person on the other side of the messaging touching their screen and vice versa.

When you are both touching the screen at the same point/spot, there is a vibration or signal that let’s you know you are “there together”. BONUS: It’s gimmicky, but having been in long-distances relationships and a marriage, this is a really sweet app. Any type of connection with your honey that ties you over until the next time you see each other is worth the upload!

4. Couple – Very appropriately named, this is a great app with multiple purposes. Like Feel Me, there is a really sweet function called “Thumbkiss” that allows you to virtually touch when you’re miles apart.

My honey spends a considerable amount of time in the airport, so the sketching function is great because you get to sketch in real time and even play a game of hangman or tic-tac-toe. BONUS: Lots of features to help you stay connected through video chat and even keep important dates, like date night, synced and with reminders!

5. Avocado – This is a super cute app that allow for frequent and quick chats between you and your “boo”.

This app got a golden star because if you are tired of you honey forgetting your favorite BRAND of toothpaste when he/she goes to the store, then you get to add a picture of the toothpaste to your shared grocery list. It’s super easy and requires little effort. BONUS: I love the Photocons feature, you get to use a picture of your own face instead of emoticons (i.e. LOL and OMG) and Grocery list. Very functional for married couples.

6. Truth or Dare for Couples – Because none of us knows 100% about our mate with absolutely NOTHING left to learn, this is a fun (and potentially risqué) app that allows us to explore some intimate secrets and desires.

BONUS: You don’t feel like a pizza-faced adolescent being pressured into doing silly stunts. This is a nice twist to the classic!

Do you and your love use apps for fun? If so, which ones?

Filed Under: Love, Marriage Tagged With: apps, apps for marriages, Fun, love, marriage, spicy

Wordless Wednesday

April 24, 2013 by Smart & Sassy Mom Leave a Comment

Intense life size game of chess in Amsterdam…culture.

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Travel Tagged With: Wordless Wednesday

April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

April 23, 2013 by Smart & Sassy Mom Leave a Comment

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This is a time for all of us to recognize to that we each have a job to do – and that’s paying extra special attention to the social and emotional well-being of our children. They are blessings…not burdens.

Why?

To you this may not even mean anything, because it’s just not an issue for you and your family. Unfortunately, this is a reality for tons of helpless, innocent children who cannot defend themselves. The truth is, children are suffering from this hidden epidemic of child abuse, as well as neglect. Every year 3.3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States involving nearly 6 million children (a report can include multiple children). Here in the U.S., we have the worst record in the industrialized nation – losing five children every day due to abuse-related deaths.

History

Alarming statistics like these are the reasons that awareness needs to be brought to the forefront. Thankfully in 1983, April was proclaimed the first National Child Abuse Prevention Month. As a result, child abuse and neglect awareness activities are promoted across the country during April of each year. The Office on Child Abuse and Neglect (OCAN) within the Children’s Bureau coordinates Child Abuse Prevention Month activities at the Federal level, providing information and releasing updated national statistics about child abuse and neglect.

Child Discipline vs. Child Abuse

This is a gray area for some parents because of our different perceptions of parenting. Do you use the “time out” approach? Do you spank? Do you ground your children? People discipline children in various ways, we know this, but child abuse is just what the words imply. . .abusing a child, and that consists of ANYTHING that endangers or impairs a child’s physical or emotional well being and development. Some people, sadly mistake abuse for discipline. In contrast, child discipline should be looked at as simply training. God has given us parents a duty to train and teach our children appropriate behaviors and actions. Therefore, consequences are necessary.

Bottom line is, our precious children did not ask to be here. Nor are they born knowing how to behave or what is acceptable and expected. This is taught. As parents we must invest time, energy and most of all patience when it comes tour children. displaying lots of love and modeling exemplary behaviors for their children to mirror. Nobody ever said being a parent would be easy, but when done the right way, is very rewarding!

Sources:
www.childhelp.org
www.childwelfare.gov

Do you have any advice to share on how to prevent child abuse?

Filed Under: Children, Motherhood, Parenting, Tweens/Teens Tagged With: April is child abuse awareness month, Child abuse, child abuse awareness

Happy Anniversary (…to me!)

April 18, 2013 by Smart & Sassy Mom 11 Comments

Hi All!!!

Wow, its been a year!!! You know what they say about time when you’re having fun! At times when I’m too busy to post or too tired to write, I honestly think of you and how much we interact, chat (even as strangers) and how we support each other.

Thanks so much for believing in my musings and entertaining me. Thanks for supporting during my first year of consecutively blogging and not giving up! It’s been fun…Here’s to another year…or 10…or 30!

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: blogaversary, Blogging, Smart & Sassy mom

Natural Help for Allergies and Asthma

April 17, 2013 by Smart & Sassy Mom Leave a Comment

Does your child or a child that you know suffer from asthma or allergies? Asthma attacks are triggered by things such as exercise, temperature changes and also environmental irritants. While there are some things you can’t control, other things you can. As a healthcare professional and an asthma sufferer myself (along with my kids), I try to avoid certain triggers to keep bad days at bay. Here are a few ways to help you and your family stay healthy at home.

1. Natural air freshener

Because a lot of us like to spray our homes with popular air fresheners that contain multiple chemicals, this can be quite irritating. So try this alternative:
All you need is an empty spray bottle, one cup of water, 2 tablespoons of vodka, and about 20 drops of an essential oil. (These are generally small 15mL bottles of potent but natural fragrances found in health food stores)

2. Perfume

I LOVE designer fragrances and parfum. At times, I still spray a little when I’m not around the kids and I want to feel “fancy”. If you want to try something a little different, try natural perfumes. These types of fragrances are making their way into mainstream popularity now. A lot of them are free of phthalates (which have been scientifically proven to cause health problems) and made with natural grain alcohol. A plus is that natural and essential oils work with your own body chemistry to become YOUR signature scent.

3. Cleaning your home

More and more, I am beginning to use environmentally-friendly cleaning products. This is for several reasons. I want my kids safe when they do their chores and and its a lot less irritating. I have even made several of my own cleaning solutions, thanks to Pinterest. I like to call it The Homemade Miracle Cleaner. Why? Because it works on virtually all stains and a great surface cleaner. We all know that Kids = Stains. So, here’s the 2 ingredient recipe for the natural cleaner: To a spray bottle, add 1 part Dawn dishwashing liquid (original blue kind) to 2 parts hydrogen peroxide.

4. Freshening up your home

Some of you may actually use the popular brands of household odor eliminators, like Febreze on your clothes, rugs and upholstery. Well, here’s a more natural alternative for refreshing your home. In a spray bottle, simply add 1/8 cup of fabric softener, 2 tablespoons Baking Soda, hot tap water. Voila!

Asthma can be triggered and exacerbated by exposure to many environmental factors. The American Academy of Pediatrics states: “Avoiding environmental allergens and irritants is one of the primary goals of good asthma management”. While I make no claims that these suggestions will provide the same results or evoke similar excitement, these have proven helpful for me and my family and hopefully the same for you! Not only are we striving to live healthier, we are “being green” in the process. Every little bit counts! Here’s to healthy living and a breath of fresh air for you and your family!

What do you do in your home to keep allergies and asthma under control?

Filed Under: Baby, Children, Health, Lifestyle, Tweens/Teens Tagged With: cardio, children, health, healthy, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, kids, Pinterest

Cherish Your Children Each and Everyday

April 8, 2013 by Smart & Sassy Mom Leave a Comment

As I looked through some of the photos from our recent Spring Break vacation, I began to hear the proverbial thousands upon thousands of words that came from them. This one particularly echoed the word, “Cherish.”

Each of my children are growing at lightning speed and I wish at times the hands of the clock would sometimes just sloooowwww dooowwwnnnn…I read a poem that is so fitting when I’m feeling sentimental. Yes, the house can sometimes be a mess. Yes, I want to pull my hair out at times, but I wouldn’t trade these gifts from God for anything the world has to offer!

I hope you enjoy this sweet poem as much as I did. If you have children, I’m sure you will.

Handprints on the Wall
by
Anonymous

One day as I was picking
the toys up off the floor,
I noticed a small hand print
on the wall beside the door.

I knew that it was something
that I’d seen most every day,
but this time when I saw it there
I wanted it to stay.

Then tears welled up inside my eyes,
I knew it wouldn’t last
for every mother knows
her children grow up way too fast.

Just then I put my chores aside
and held my children tight.
I sang to them sweet lullabies
and rocked into the night.

Sometimes we take for granted,
all those things that seem so small.
Like one of God’s great treasures…
A small hand print on the wall.

Filed Under: Baby, Children, Parenting, Tweens/Teens Tagged With: baby, blessings, children, family, love, parenting

Why I Am NEVER Getting a Mini-van

April 1, 2013 by Smart & Sassy Mom 20 Comments

Not long ago, I was in a car accident. During the time that my SUV was being repaired, they didn’t have a comparable SUV loaner. The only thing they had (you already know) was a mini-van. I was little hesitant at first, but said, “Hey it’s only temporary…No biggie!” My kids FLIPPED when I drove it home. They were super excited. I mean “bouncy house” excited. They were running back and forth in the aisle of the thing and playing with the seats. I stood there paralyzed in disbelief, because clearly they need to get out more.

Time has passed and these kids are still asking when can WE get a mini-van. Well, let’s set the record straight. This mama WILL NOT be getting a mini-van. Not that there’s anything wrong them. I totally get it. Cool sliding doors, better gas mileage, roomy interior..I get it. I just can’t do it. Here are 6 reasons why I am NEVER getting a mini-van.

1. When I think of mini-vans, I think of stick people stickers that you see on the rear windows. You know those stickers that show the family members, their hobbies and even the dog! Well, in my head, mini-vans and stick figure people go hand in hand and I just can’t. Nope. Can’t do it.

2. Mini-vans scream Soccer Mom. I am a mom. My kid has even played soccer at some point. So, for all practical purposes. I AM a soccer mom, BUT do I want to scream to the world, like politician with a bullhorn, “LOOK OUT WORLD…SOCCER MAMA COMING THROUGH!!!”? Ummm….no! I’ll pass.

3. There’s just NO NEED. I have an optional 3rd row in my SUV. Eight people fit comfortably in my vehicle. Do I really need my seats to swivel and have tables come from the floor? Is it really that deep? I remember as a kid, playing Uno with my cousin in the back seat of a Malibu. “Just use your hands (and your feet), kids and keep those cards from sliding!”

4. My doors automatically open. Wanna know how? My kids open them. That’s what they’re there for…to open the doors! My kids thought it was the coolest thing to hit the button on the remote and have the side doors just slide back. “Well….whether the doors go in and out…or from front to back, they still open. Now get in!”

5. Let’s face it. You and I both know that mini-van drivers have a cool factor of about….ZERO! Call it ego-tripping or whatever you’d like to call it. Even if you’re NOT cool, don’t succumb to the expectations of our society: “Welp! You got all those kids. You gotta get a mini-van!” Ok, let’s be honest: Yukon/Escalade? or Town & Country/Odyssey? Yeah…uh huh…I thought so.

6. Kids need suffrage. It builds character. That’s what wrong with kids these days. Yes, when I leave Sam’s Wholesale Club I am stacking commercial sized laundry detergent and ketchup all on top of my kids in the back seat. So, what? I just took them on an awesome sample fest letting them taste test whatever they wanted until they got full. “So, what’s all the fuss about?!?! We’ll be home in 10 minutes.”

Again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with driving a mini-van…if that’s your thing. Someone has to drive them. As for me? I will continue to cart my kids around in my SUV getting 13 to 14 MPG, making them open their OWN doors until my 18 month old graduates from high school and then I’m downsizing….to an imported coupe.

Are you a proud mini-van driver?

Filed Under: Motherhood, Parenting Tagged With: reasons not to get a minivan, Why I am not getting a minivan