This is a sponsored post. There's no better time than now to start your Spring Cleaning. The sun is finally peeking into our windows and the flowers are beginning to bloom outside. And if we are going to be spending time inside our homes, we want them to feel as fresh as the outdoors feel....
Motivate Teens to Do Their Chores During the Covid-19 Outbreak
Need something to motivate your teens and tweens to get through the Covid-19 School Break? Because if your kids are anything like my kids, all they are going to want to do is play on their phones or game consoles. Soooooo, here is what you do. Gather all the toilet paper in the house, and...
Fun Products to Up Your Tailgating Party Game
Football season is finally here, which means a favorite past time of so many football fans. Tailgating! There's nothing better than pulling down the hitch of your truck, setting up the barbecue and spreading out your favorite fixings for a game day meal. Even better is doing it all with your closest friends. Now, there...
The Scary Side of Parenting
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pampers at Sam's Club. The opinions and text are all mine. Halloween is just around the corner, so lets talk about something scary. PARENTING. Because if you're a parent, pretty much every day can be little scary. Funny thing, being a parent has made...
Tips for Protecting Your Family From Fires
Thank you First Alert for sponsoring this post. October is Fire Prevention Month - practice safety in numbers to ensure your family’s super prepared too! October is Fire Safety Month. as residents of Southern California, we are no strangers to fire danger. we experience wild fires on a yearly basis. it is important to be...
Organizing Your Sunscreen for Your Summer Adventures
This is a sponsored post on behalf of @Aveeno. S U N S C R E E N! if you live in the OC, you probably have a giant stash of it. with it being sunny all year long here in Orange County, it's very important to protect yourself and your babies with sunscreen. but...
How to Throw a Moms Only Pool Party
Photos taken by Short & Sweet Photography. If you've never had a moms only pool party, trust me. YOU. NEED. TO. Moms are often neglected when it comes to pool parties. Do we every get to relax and go swimming? During summer, us moms spend all our time packing-up the kids for swim playdates, swimming...
My 5 Favorite Spring Cleaning Tips
I don't know about you, but we are in spring cleaning mode over here. I secretly love cleaning... now i’m not talking about cleaning up the everyday messes, I’m talking deep down cleaning. The kind of deep down cleaning you don't always have a chance to do. it's my favorite to see everything extra sparkling clean, so...
Fall Cleaning Checklist and Free Printable
it's Fall!!!! and what does that mean? the weather is changing and the holidays are coming up. it's time to get the house ready for the holidays. there are sure to be visitors and you want the house to be nice and tidy. plus, with winter on it's way, there are ways to make your...
Tips for Parents Raising Boys from Expert Pediatrician
For the past 14 years, I've been a boy mom. I have three boys who have given me a lot of experience in this department. I wasn't sure until this year, if were any differences between raising boys and raising girls. And since my little girl is only nine months, I'm still not 100% sure....
Do’s and Don'ts for Parents Sending Their Teen Boys to School [cute]
Yikes! I can't believe that this week, I'm officially a mom of a highschooler. My oldest son is heading off for the ninth grade. He is no longer my little boy, he's a full fledged teenager. Which of course comes with all the challenges that high school has - homework, friends, teachers, popularity, insecurity, fun...
Every Car Has a Personality: How to Choose the Best Car for Your Family
This is a sponsored post. This weekend, the boys and I finally got to see Cars 3 in the theater...yay! We've been waiting months for it to finally come to theaters. Little miss Dani also tagged along...it was her first time ever at a movie theater. Of course, we all loved Cars 3, and enjoyed...
6 Tips to Manage a Household as a Busy Parent
This is a sponsored post. now that we are a family of six, i have to admit, life has gotten a whole lot harder. it's mostly when it comes to juggling everyone’s schedules and keeping up with all their needs. i have been doing my best to organize the house and simplify everything to help make life a...
Using Kelley Blue Book to Buy a New Car
so much has changed and is changing for our family with the birth of our baby girl. moving up from a family of 5 to a family of 6 has caused some major changes, especially in the space situation. suddenly our house is too small, our laundry piles are bigger, and everything takes more time....
Tips for Helping Families Stay Healthy During Cold and Flu Season
This post is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente Orange County. I know you have heard it a million times, but when it comes to keeping your family healthy during cold and flu season, the number one answer is WASH YOUR HANDS! It's hard to believe that something so simple can make the biggest difference in your...
10 Baby Shower Gifts Moms Will Love
with a fourth baby on the way, i often get asked what items i would recommend getting a new mom for her new arrival. since my youngest is six, it's been a LONG time since i bought anything for a baby. in fact, i mostly used items i already had on -hand for my last two children, so its...
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
i get emails and messages from readers all the time asking me how i balance motherhood with working and running a family household. the answer is always the same. although the photos i post about my life may look beautiful and make it seem like life is perfect, it isn't. i have the same struggles...
Our Barbecue Adventure with Duraflame Instant Lighting Charcoal
A few weekends ago, we headed over to the Newport Dunes to attend the Newport Beach Party, an all-out BBQ Competition where champion barbecuers grill to win the title of the best barbecue. the public was invited to attend and try out everything barbecue...and let me tell you, it smelled AMAZING!!!!! Duraflame invited our family...
Start Small. Dream Big. with ScholarShare
growing up, i always knew that i would be going to college. my parents are both college graduates, so they pretty much expected me to go. i was very lucky that they helped me financially get a college education, and i am really hoping that i can do the same for my boys. but wow....college...
5 Ways to Fuel a Healthy Life and Giveaway
this is the final post in a series about the Benefits of Kids Drinking Milk. i have partnered with Milk Life to help parents become aware of some important findings about the benefits of their kids drinking milk. i recently had the opportunity to listen in on a detailed discussion by Registered Dietitian, Holley Grainger, who shared about theses benefits along...
A Day in the Life of Feeding My Kids
this is the second post in a series about the Benefits of Kids Drinking Milk. i have partnered with Milk Life to help parents become aware of some important findings about the benefits of their kids drinking milk. in my first post, i outlined some interesting facts about the Benefits of Drinking Milk. i had the opportunity to...
The Benefits of Drinking Milk
this week, i will be bringing you a series of posts about the benefits of drinking milk. i have partnered with Milk Life to help parents become aware of some important findings about the benefits of their kids drinking milk. i was able to attend a meeting with Registered Dietitian, Holley Grainger, who shared about theses...
Tips for Packing School Lunches with Horizon
For my boys, summer is coming to an end and the new school year is starting in less than two weeks. Although we're sad that our summer fun will soon end, we're also excited to start a new school year. We've been spending a lot of time getting things organized to go back to school....
Keep Summer Fun On Budget!
Summer has just begun and my kids are already playing the "I'm bored" game with me. UGH!!! They are used to having me entertain them whenever they are home, but at least I get a break when school is in session. I don't always have the energy or the time to entertain them 24/7. Not only...
The Right Way to Iron a Shirt
This post brought to you by Faultless/Bon Ami Company. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Sandy Toes & Popsicles. today i am sharing one of my biggest pet peeves. WRINKLED CLOTHES!!! no joke...ever since i was in middle school and up until a few years ago, i have ironed ALL of my clothes. i love ironing....
Staying On Budget During Summer Travels
summer is just around the corner, and for our family, that means summer road trips. if you have followed any of our road trip adventures, then you know how much we love to travel. but it can be hard to stay on budget while on vacation...especially on road trips with all of the many pit stops...
10 Ways to Use Glad Press'n Seal on Your Next Camping Trip
You probably already have or have had Glad Press’n Seal in your kitchen, because it's great for keeping your food safe and fresh. But did you know that it can be used for a variety of things outside of the kitchen? Head to your nearest Walmart and grab a few extra rolls because you're not going to want...
The Best Foods for Road Trips and Traveling On-the-go
This is a sponsored post. as you know, me, my husband and my kids are constantly on-the-go. we LOVE to travel...especially on road trips, and i often get asked how i handle traveling with kids on the road, including things like; how do i keep them entertained, how often do we stop, and what do we do...
The Benefits of Sleep
I recently began posting about how I have a hard time getting to sleep at night and how I have partnered with P&G’s Try it & Love it program to finally get some relief and catch some zzzzz's. I have shared some of my personal sleep tips and how I've used the Febreze Sleep Serenity Mist Collection to create a more...
Time for Bed: Sleep Solutions
a few weeks ago, i mentioned how i usually have a hard time getting to sleep at night and how i have partnered with P&G’s Try it & Love it program to try some new ways of getting a more restful night sleep. this month, along with some of the sleep tips i shared before, i am putting the Febreze Sleep Serenity...
Saving Money on Family Travel with CityPASS
last year, i had the opportunity to visit New York for a blogging conference, and had a couple of days to myself to explore New York City with one of my besties Pattie. there were a few of museums and landmarks that we both wanted to see, and decided to buy a CityPASS because that was...
12 Survival Tips for Busy Moms of Boys
This is a sponsored post. When I partnered with Honey Maid to write this post about "tips for busy moms," right away my boys came to mind. We are a very busy family, and most days I'm just trying to survive until the end of the day. Being a mom of boys can definitely be challenging. Boys...
8 Tips to Getting to Sleep at Night
getting to sleep at night has been a problem for me as long as i can remember, i am just one of those people that would rather be doing things than sleeping. late at night is when my mind races, thinking about new ideas, projects i would like to do, or things that need to get...
Little League Survival Kit for Mom
This is a sponsored post. this week, i got a little taste of what the next 4 months is going to be like for myself and my family. it is the first week of Little League baseball season, and i am now the proud mom of THREE Little Leagers. my littlest just began T-ball and...
Movie Date Night with Brown Butter Popcorn Brownies
This is a sponsored post. i hear it all the time from my friends and readers, that it's too hard to get out on date nights with their spouses. it's either that it's too expensive to go out and also pay a baby-sitter, that it's too hard to get the house and kids ready so...
How I Curl My Hair...Plus 2 Cool Brushes to Get the Job Done
This is a sponsored post. people who i hang out with, know that i usually always curl my hair when i go out. the one pet peeve i have about my hair, is that it is baby fine and doesn't have a lot of volume. i don't like my hair when it is just hanging...
A Mom's Back to School Routine: How to Add Sparkle and Organization
For me, back to school, is like New Year. It's when I get my life organized, cleaned up and back on track. I guess you would say that i kind of start "nesting". But in the sense that get my household ready to start the school year productively. I organize the kids rooms, clean out...
Bj's Restaurant Mobile App Makes Wait Times Shorter
this weekend we headed down to Bj's Restaurant for a weekend family lunch. it happens to be one of our favorite restaurants, so we were super excited. but today we were going to try something different…we were going to use the Bj's Mobile App which allows you to Dine in Order Ahead and Mobile Pay. you can...
How to Pack the Perfect Picnic Lunch
one thing that i struggled with years ago, was packing good lunches for my kids when we went on summer outings. most of the time i would just buy fast food…because that was the easiest thing to do. but it wasn't the most economical thing to do, plus, everyone got tired of eating out…not to...
Road Trip Planning Tips for Parents
This is a guest post by the talented Michele Whiteaker of Nature Play Trips by Fun Orange County Parks. She has the awesome site that I use often, that has details and pictures of all the parks in Orange County as well as fun nature outings. When she heard my family was going on a road trip...
8 Tips for Surviving Allergy Season with Angel Soft
This post was written by me on behalf of Angel Soft. i wrote before how brutal this years allergy season has been on me. in fact, i am still suffering. my normal allergy symptoms have turned into a bad infection. luckily today, a nice trip to Urgent Care has landed me four different medications that will...
Kleenex and Homemade Sore Throat Jelly for Colds, Coughs and Flu | Free printable
cold and flu season is in full swing right now, and it seems like everybody is getting sick. i heard this years flu is especially nasty…many of my friends' have had their entire family knocked down with the flu already this season. knock on wood….we haven't gotten sick over here yet, in fact we practically...