Preschool Field Trip Photos

 These are all photos taken by Wayne from two field trips I couldn't attend this year: The sheep farm and the fire station. I will normally never miss anything when it comes to the kids' stuff - but this year for these two field trips I had to work, and I didn't feel AS bad because I took him last year on the same field trips.

Next week my little man is turning 5 years old; next week on his birthday will be his last preschool field trip to see helicopters. He only has four more weeks as a preschooler and it makes me happy and sad at the same time. Between Noah and Emma, I've had a preschooler for four consecutive years in a row now, and it's going to be different not having to drop a child off there three times a week anymore. 

I can't recall who said this, but it goes a little something like, "....the minutes are long but the moments are short..." and I can't help but think of how true those words are. 

These minutes are definitely ones that I'm going to miss.

~Melissa

Mother's Day Gift Idea From Thymes

Mother’s Day is coming up and I know that I’m definitely looking forward to our little ritual around here -  breakfast in bed, complete with lots of bacon and mimosas, followed by an afternoon of snuggles and the kids on their best behavior. It is one day out of the year that I feel completely spoiled and I love it.

I know that not all moms are as lucky as I am though, for various reasons – and I don’t ever want to forget about those moms who may be by themselves on that special day, so I try to think about doing something a little special for them – one mom in particular – and I've found Thymes.  

I was given the opportunity to gift some products to another Momma that may need some extra love this Mother’s Day and I picked some products from Thyme’s Aqua Coralline line. The scent is a mixture of pure water lily, dewy white cyclamen, crisp driftwood, brilliant lemon pulp and intriguing bamboo. 

The Aqua Coralline Body Scrub is also Allure’s 2014 Best of Beauty Award Winner.

"Thymes is known for creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind fragrances. They take pride in thoughtfully curating every product and infusing touches of charm to make them truly special and uniquely Thymes."

About Thymes:

Nearly 30 years ago, Thymes was founded by two friends with a mutual curiosity and a common desire to make something meaningful and beautiful. Since then, the company has flourished thanks to a shared passion for creativity, botanical ingenuity, beauty and friendship. 

Today, they’re an independent company committed to artisan craftsmanship and dedicated to deepening connections through a love of fragrance — and, most of all, to creating fragrances that enrich the quality of your daily experience.

Thymes fragrances are crafted in their on-site fragrance studio,

where chemists and perfumers blend nature, art and science to create outstanding products.

They strive to design fragrances that balance familiarity and

intrigue, rooted in botanical perfumery — nature, refined with

a sophisticated air. They are dreamers and doers, dedicated

artisans driven to create beautiful things for others to discover, appreciate and share. 

Thymes has always formulated fragrances with the utmost of care. Drawn from nature, their unique formulations are artfully crafted to create products that are skin-compatible, environmentally friendly, effective and a pleasure to use.

Thymes opts for natural, high quality, plant-based ingredients instead of chemical ingredients whenever possible. They use botanical extracts with health enhancing nutrients, vitamins and vital antioxidants.

Mother’s Day should be a special day for all moms, and Thyme’s has a large variety of products and scents that will make any moms heart melt!

Right now if you buy $25 or more through Thymes you can receive a free Fragrance Studio Sample kit (includes 15 fragrances)!

~Melissa

5 Snacks You Need to Pack Before Soccer Games

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

You guys – tomorrow it officially starts – all three of the kids are now in sports and at the same time! This should be an interesting journey that we are beginning! While Emma and Noah are doing a new sport, Anika is still happily busy with soccer.

 I was a little leery putting her on a club because I knew there would be more driving involved and the seasons were a little different (her games continue through Memorial weekend so there’s a month of overlapping sports), but so far it hasn't been too bad and she loves her coach.  Our babysitter’s husband is actually the girls high school soccer coach, and Anika really wants to play with him in a few years, so we knew she needed to continue playing in middle school if she wanted a shot, so she’s chosen soccer as ‘her sport’. 

Since I've been doing this ‘soccer mom’ thing for quite a few years now (and I have a few more to go!), I've learned a trick or two, especially with having younger kids who tag along and are sideline heroes for every game.

We've all spent hours cheering Anika on from the sideline over the years, handing out POWERADE® and snacks when needed. I prefer to give the kids good snacks that will keep them happy and full until the next meal time, so I keep a lunch cooler that the kids bought for me stocked with things to keep everyone happy. 

These are 5 must have snacks that you need to pack before the next soccer game:

1. Drinks – we always have cold water on hand, but we also like to have POWERADE® for everyone too - POWERADE® is formulated with Vitamins B3, B6, & B12 to support energy metabolism, and a 6% carbohydrate solution to help provide energy to working muscles.

2. Fresh Produce – there’s nothing better than munching on some fresh fruit and veggies – and next time you are shopping look for a coupon on the 12-pack 12 oz POWERADE® packages and you can get $1 off Walmart fresh produce when you buy two 12-pack 12 oz POWERADE®. (Hurry this deal is only available while supplies last!)

3. Cheese – cheese sticks or slices are always a favorite with the kids

4. Nuts and crackers – mixed nuts and crackers are good because they don’t need refrigerated and can be kept in the car for emergencies (like if the game goes over or you run out of other snacks)

5. Yogurt – kids love a sweet treat, and yogurt satisfies their cravings. There is a lot of options for yogurt nowadays, from yogurt in squeeze tubes to drinkable yogurt, you don’t always have to pack a spoon if you don’t want to.

 You can find the 12 pack (12 ounces each) POWERADE® in the beverage aisle at Walmart - they are the perfect size for thirsty players!

Follow POWERADE® along: Twitter // Facebook // Instagram // YouTube

~Melissa

8 Activities to do With Your Kids During Earth Month

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

My husband and I were raised very differently. He grew up in a health conscious family that really took into consideration what products and foods they used, and, well – I didn’t.

When we met I had no idea what I was putting into my body or how things I did (or didn’t do) had an effect on the world around me – like recycling, but over the past 10 years we've meshed and evolved together, and we both try to make good choices and really find the balance in life.

Things like buying natural eggs, Tom’s of Maine products, antibiotic-free meat, recycling, and repurposing things are all ways that our family does our part to take care of the Earth. 

With April being Earth Month,  I thought it would be fun to write down some ideas of things that you can do with your kids to help bring awareness about our Earth and teach them to love and appreciate it even more!

8 Activities to do With Your Kids During Earth Month

1.Take the family on a hike and really enjoy the nature that surrounds you.

2. Visit a Farmer’s Market or a Fruit Stand – buying local and from the original source is great for the local community and helps teaches kids just where their food comes from.

3.Try some new Earth-friendly products like Tom’s of Maine. Wayne introduced me to the brand years ago, and I like buying their products because they are made without any artificial colors, flavors, fragrances, or preservatives.  I like Tom's of Maine Silly Strawberry™ Fluoride Toothpaste for the kids, Antiplaque & Whitening Peppermint Fluoride Free Toothpaste for Wayne and I, as well as Unisex Long Lasting Apricot Deodorant for Anika.

4. Go on a bike ride – enjoy your surroundings and fresh air with your family.

5. Have a power free day – can you make it? Have an entire day at home without the use of electricity – it will definitely be one Earth Month celebration that will create a big memory for the kids!

6. Plant something – teach your kids how to plant something and take care of it.

7. Make some art together to celebrate out earth – coloring pictures or making earth necklaces out of dirt are both fun ways to bring awareness to kids.

8. Give back and clean up – volunteer during a city wide clean up, or just create one yourself! Help keep your neighborhood clean and clutter free.

Do you celebrate Earth Month with your kids? What activities does your family do together?

You can fin Tom's of Maine products in the toothpaste and deodorant aisles at your local Walmart, and CLICK HERE to get a $1.00 off coupon to use at on Tom's of Maine products during your next shopping trip at Walmart!

~Melissa

Peanut Butter and Apple RITZ® Bites

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

Hi everyone! Today I wanted to share a little after school snack that I've been making lately for my hungry kiddos. I don’t know about you, but the kids come home every day and are starving – and usually run over to the cupboard and eat a bunch of junk, instead of something that will be better for them until dinner time. I’ve been so busy the past few months that I really slacked on the after-school-snack-making on my half, but right now RITZ® is holding a Snackify Challenge Instagram Contest  where you can enter for a chance to win one of forty $100 Walmart e-Gift Cards (10 per week) by uploading an Instagram photo of your RITZ®-topped creation with #putitonaritzcontest – and sometimes it takes things like that to get my creative after-school snack ideas going again!

Ritz Snackify Challenge Instagram Contest

Click HERE to enter the Snackify Challenge with your own RITZ®-topped creation for a chance to win a $100 Gift Card! (Purchase of RITZ® is not required). 

We almost always have RITZ® Crackers in our house, The Whole Wheat are my favorite ones to buy. We also always keep things like peanut butter, apples, raisins, and honey in our house too, so I thought I’d dice up a few apples, spread some peanut butter on those RITZ® Crackers and then top ‘em off with the raisins and apples to see if the kids would eat them (and like them!) 

They were a BIG hit! On some of them I sliced the apples instead of dicing them and poured a tiny bit of honey over the top - I couldn’t make them fast enough!

Peanut Butter and Apple RITZ® Bites

What you need:

¼ cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)

12 RITZ® Whole Wheat Crackers

1  Apple (I used Red Delicious and Golden Delicious)

¼ cup of raisins and/or dried cranberries

Honey, if desired

Place all of the RITZ® Crackers on a serving dish. Carefully spread peanut butter on top of each cracker, set aside.

Dice the apple and then top the RITZ® Cracker with apples and raisins. You can also drizzle honey on top if desired.

Enjoy!

When the weather is nice my kids will almost always be playing in the front yard after school, playing pretend and make believe. They all have fun character names that they have, so when I hear Anika calling for “J.J.” (Noah) or “Cherry” (Emma) I know they are in their own little world – so I’ll just sneak another plate full of crackers over and let them continue playing. (Isn’t it great when they all get along for an hour?)

You can find many different flavors of RITZ® crackers in the cracker/snack aisle at Walmart!

What are your favorite things to top on a RITZ® Cracker? You should enter the contest and who knows, maybe YOU will win!!

A video posted by Melissa Kaylene (@melissakaylene) on Apr 22, 2015 at 1:08pm PDT

~Melissa