This post is sponsored. All opinions are my own.
Americans are getting increasingly more serious about upping the ante on their fitness.
Personal trainers.
Intramural sports.
Group circuit classes.
Yoga in the park.
However, because we’re busier than ever, we have to get creative about cramming our workouts into our days.
This post is sponsored by Clorox. All opinions are my own.
Confession: I still have major post-traumatic stress disorder from when Hurricane Irma struck Florida’s coast last year. Television footage from the recent aftermath of Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas only exacerbated the PTSD.
Regarding Irma, the days before the hurricane were awful. Being glued to the T.V. trying to figure out the storm’s projected path. Gathering hurricane supplies like fresh water, sand bags, flashlights, perishable food, gasoline containers, and making sure the generator was in good working order. Figuring out whether to stay or go.
We decided to stay in Tampa and “rough it out” until the day before the storm was supposed to hit. At that point, the path changed with the storm’s eye heading literally for my neighborhood. My husband and I packed the car with our kids and the few worldly possessions we cared about (baby photos, birth certificates, credit cards, cash, and passports), and headed to a friend’s house in south Florida.
This blog post is sponsored by Indigo Sleep. All opinions are my own and I legit love this mattress and sleep on it every night.
Bid adieu to sleepless nights!
I’ve had insomnia for years. Years. Not to mention I also use the bed in the guest room as a “work station”- no wonder it’s hard for me to get a good night’s rest.
We’ve needed to get rid of the guest room bed for years. I bought it when I graduated law school in 2007 from a college student on Craigslist (eew!) and over the years, the bed started sagging in the middle. My poor house guests who had to sleep on it! It made me realise how important it is to have a high quality hybrid mattress! Just because I didn’t sleep on it every night didn’t mean that my guests had to suffer.
My husband and I looked everywhere to find a suitable mattress for the guest room, which included in-store shopping and conducting online research. A friend of mine recommended something like a full size mattress that she looked into and purchased. She didn’t look back. I found a lot of information about beds that came in a box, but the idea seemed foreign and illogical to me. I thought “how could a bed that comes rolled out in a box actually provide support for my back?”
Then I found out about Indigo Sleep, tested the mattress for several weeks, and loved it. Best of all, it comes with TWO interchangeable support layers you can switch out, depending on your needed level of support.
Let me provide some background.
Indigo Sleep is a start-up company located in Tampa, Florida. While there are tons of mattress-in-a-box providers, Indigo is different because the company is focused on providing healthy, comfortable, and premium sleep.
Indigo Sleep‘s mattresses are made in the USA at a family-owned factory in North Carolina. Indigo offers free shipping and returns, as well as a 100-night trial and money back guarantee. If you don’t LOVE your mattress, Indigo Sleep will take it back for a full refund. Not partial refund. FULL REFUND.
Patented technology makes Indigo the only mattress that never needs to be replaced.
The Indigo comfort layers are designed with two distinct comfort options in one
mattress, suited to help back pain. Having the right mattress when you have back pain, could be the difference between a good night’s sleep or a poor one. Those who find themselves suffering from a spinal condition such as scoliosis would find a mattress that shapes and protect their spine beneficial to them. Finding out as much as you can about a mattress type or brand when you have a spinal disorder or chronic back pain, would do wonders. However, if you are unsure you might want to get in touch with your orthopedic doctor or somewhere similar to the scoliosis institute so you have more information. The choice is yours. Simply pop the cover and flip your comfort layer from the soft and supportive gel memory foam (blue side) to a firmer
specially engineered foam (white side). There are certainly benefits to having a memory foam mattress. For more benefits of Memory Foam check out this article from The Dozy Owl. In the Queen size and up, you get two comfort layers so that you and your partner can each choose the bed feel you prefer. No more
compromise when it comes to comfort!
I have the Luxury mattress, which contains a 2″ premium Oeko Tek Class 1 Certified Latex which is the highest rating available, suitable for babies and 2″ of denser memory foam. The foam components in ALL of Indigo Sleep’s beds are made to the CertiPUR-US specifications. All layers are supported by a 6″ base layer of dense memory foam.
Indigo Sleep‘s clean chemistry keeps you safe even when you’re asleep! The company leaves out harmful chemicals like modacrylic and fiberglass (gross- Google their dangers!) You can rest easy on the safest and cleanest materials possible on this mattress. The Luxury bed uses a Para-aramid fire barrier that firefighters use.
This mattress is designed to literally last a lifetime. Instead of replacing an entire mattress, you only have to replace the comfort layers which have a 5-7 year life expectancy. You can replace them at a fraction of the cost of the original purchase, saving you money and keeping parts of your mattress out of landfills.
Indigo‘s plush cover is so soft you won’t even want a sheet! Easily remove the cover to get to the inside of your mattress. You can even clean the inside of your mattress. Getting rid of built up allergens, dust-mites, and dead skin. CLEAN FREAKS REJOICE!
Indigo provides the highest-rated materials on the market, with no toxic chemicals. It’s
latex and cool gel memory foam layers have been noted for providing motion isolation
and eliminating chronic back, hip, and shoulder pain.
Indigo mattresses have the ability to literally open up your mattress so you can clean out the buildup of dust mites, skin particles, and allergens. (GROSS!) This provides better health and betters sleep!
Use coupon code SWEETDREAMS for $50 off any Classic mattress and LUXURYSLEEP for $150 off any Luxury mattress.
Cheers to a good night’s rest!
This post is sponsored by Humm Kombucha. For real, yall, all opinions are my own and I wouldn’t promote a product I didn’t love.
Who here routinely hits the 3 o’clock “I need caffeine” slump but would rather avoid coffee?
Who is looking for an alternative to sugary fruit juices without compromising taste?
Look no further than kombucha!
Have you head of kombucha- or seen it on the shelves of your local grocery store- before but don’t really know what it is?
I’ve got the scoop on not only kombucha itself, but my favorite brand in the business.
What is kombucha? Kombucha is a fermented tea with probiotics and antioxidants that help positively contribute to the overall digestive condition. These probiotics balance the good and bad bacteria in our bodies, while antioxidants positively impact multiple systems.
Kombucha is a lightly effervescent beverage paired with fun ingredients to find the perfect flavor combination for any palate. It’s an organic natural go-to beverage that makes your body happy.
I forego coffee each morning and grab a bottle of Humm’s strawberry lemonade flavored kombucha to sip on the drive to the office. Unlike most caffeinated beverages, kombucha keeps me energized all day without hitting a rocky “low” later… plus, with kombucha, there’s no bitter aftertaste like there is with a regular cup of Joe.
What sets Humm Kombucha apart from other brands? Humm is the world’s most delectable kombucha and a fan favorite among families, kids, hardcore wellness folks, and busy parents who are always on the go.
Founded in 2009 as “Kombucha Mama” by friends and other kombucha enthusiasts, Jamie Danek and Michelle Mitchell, the company has taken off to become one the largest and fastest-growing brands in the industry.
From Humm Kombucha‘s early days brewing in the founders’ home kitchen through its movement to a full-scale brewery, Humm remains focused on taste, accountability, and happiness. After all, health and happiness go hand-in-hand.
Humm Kombucha is authentic, certified USDA organic, and made with all-natural ingredients. Each bottle contains 2 billion probiotics at the time of bottling. Humm’s kombucha is live and raw- never from concentrate. It’s also vegan, dairy free, GMO-free, and gluten-free.
What I like best is it’s a refreshing substitute for soda and sugary fruit juices.
You can purchase Humm at convenience stores and grocery stores in all 50 states and in Canada. In 2016, Humm expanded to Walmart, Target, and Costco.
Headquartered in Bend, Oregon, Humm created the world’s first Kombucha tap room in 2013 and welcomes its visitors to enjoy a glass. Make sure you swing by if you’re ever in the area.
Humm Kombucha comes in seven flavors: hopped grapefruit, pomegranate lemonade, coconut lime, lemon ginger, strawberry lemonade, mango passionfruit, and blueberry mint, and now a 40 oz size bottle- all at Publix!
Cheers to Humm, and cheers to feeling naturally energized!
Thank you to shipt.com for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest and completely my own.
If you are a busy parent like me, you are constantly looking for ways to make your life easier.
Restaurant delivery services.
Dry cleaning pick up and drop off at your home.
Maid service.
The last thing I want to do after a stressful day at work is schlep my two kids (ages 4 and 5) to a retail store.
I can hear it now.
MOM, she just touched me!
MOM, can we get a cookie from the bakery?
MOM, my toe hurts! Can you find me an extra large mermaid band-aid?
MOM, can I have this toy that I don’t need?
MOM, mom, Mom, MoM, MOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
As a child of the 80s, I don’t know how my parents managed without all of today’s modern conveniences.
Luckily, I discovered Shipt, which has completely changed the way I shop for groceries and household products.
In Tampa, Shipt recently added TARGET to its list of grocery and product delivery. Woohoo!
What is Shipt?
Shipt is a membership-based grocery and product marketplace service, enabling the delivery of fresh foods and household essentials. For the low rate of $99 per year, Shipt members receive unlimited grocery deliveries on all orders over $35.
(This fee is well worth it, as I use Shipt at least twice a week.)
How does it work?
Through Shipt’s mobile or desktop app, members may browse a full selection of grocery and product items available at their local grocery store and choose a convenient time window. A Shipt Shopper visits the local store to hand pick and deliver the items to the member.
… And who are these “Shipt Shoppers?”
Shipt uses a community of shoppers to shop and delivery orders. These shoppers set their own flexible schedules. Wanna apply to be a Shipt Shopper? Visit Shipt.com and click “Get Paid to Shop.”
Shipt shoppers go through an application process, interview process, and background check. On average, Shipt Shoppers earn up to $25 per hour.
Note: I’ve been using Shipt for over a year now and have never once had a dud of a shopper. Not once.
My Shipt Shopper extraordinaire, Elizabeth.
My Shipt Shopper, Elizabeth, doing her thang.
Shipt’s Philanthropy.
Not only does Shipt make my busy life easier, but the company is also a do-gooder. Shipt is committed to each community it serves and will identify opportunities to work with community organizations that are dedicated to addressing hunger relief for families and children.
Now I have milk, hangers, and can clean the kitchen without first having to go to the store.
Cheers to Shipt, Cheers to Target, and Cheers to Simplicity!
This post is sponsored by The Everywhere Agency on behalf of FAGE; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
My New Year’s Resolution for 2018 was to do things that make me FEEL GOOD, whether it’s spending time with the right people, being productive at work and at home, and also what I put in my body.
Let’s face it: I’m not in my twenties anymore and can’t just load up on carbs, sugar, and caffeine without my body paying for it later.
Unfortunately, making better choices and eating a balanced diet isn’t easy when you’re a parent on the go.
Thank goodness for the FAGE Total Split Cup – it makes my already-hectic mornings so much more manageable.
FAGE Total Split Cup is an all-natural Greek strained yogurt with delicious toppings available in three fat varieties so you can find just what you’re looking for: FAGE Total, FAGE Total 2% and FAGE Total 0%.
Simply add as much topping as you desire for a snack that’s perfectly balanced.
(While the whole milk fat level offers 9 toppings, my favorite is FAGE Total Split Cup (whole milk) Apricot topping time and time again, as pictured).
Lemme tell you. When you taste the FAGE Total Split Cup, you’ll have a hard time believing this tasty treat is JAM PACKED with protein. Not to mention it doesn’t have high sugar content- only 11 grams.
Not only is this treat nutritious for me, but my very picky kiddos love it, too. I toss it into their lunch boxes as a snack (win for me because there is zero preparation required) and they come home with smiling mouths and satisfied bellies.
If you’re still focusing on YOUR New Year Resolutions, FAGE Total Split Cup won’t derail your diet or good habits.
To find a FAGE Total Split Cup near you, head on over here.
Cheers!
This post is proudly sponsored by Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP. All opinions are my own.
Tis the season for football parties.
That means your typical assortment of carbonated beverages, candy, chip and dip platters, and fried appetizers.
Don’t get me wrong, all of these are tasty, but cause you to wake up feeling crummy the next day.
Lemon Pepper & Asiago vegetable dip from La Terra Fina
This post is sponsored by La Terra Fina. All opinions are my own.
Who here gets really stressed at the idea of entertaining?
Me! Me! Me!
Some people are natural born entertainers and, unfortunately, that’s just not my forte.
I stress about the idea of planning, keeping track of RSVPs and, more than anything, coming up with snacks to keep the guests’ bellies full.
Luckily, La Terra Fina has some AMAZING fruit and vegetable dips and spreads on hand to keep every host and guest happy.
These include:
All of these (inexpensive!) dips are available at your neighborhood Publix and taste good by themselves or doctored with other ingredients.
La Terra Fina was launched in 1983 by a San Francisco area caterer who was locally famous for her dips and quiches. She created her products for grocery and club stores and now offers more chef-inspired goodies that are perfect for friends and loved ones.
La Terra Fina is committed to the environment and long-term sustainability through it’s product sourcing, packaging decisions, and production processes. The company recycles 83% of materials and use electricity reducing programs at their plant and in their offices. La Terra Fina uses locally grown ingredients and is always looking for new ways to decrease the company’s environmental footprint.
Check out La Terra Fina‘s website for a huge list of appetizer, dessert, main course, side dish, and snack recipes that take 30 minutes or less. (You can also find a coupon online for a buy one, get one free product.)
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Dip
Mash the graham crackers into small pieces and mix them with the blueberries and Eureka Lemon Cheesecake Dip. Add lemon zest to the top (for appearance sake) and enjoy with cookies, crackers, or the fruit of your choice.
Cheers to La Terra Fina for helping us simplify our lives and Happy Entertaining!
Eureka Lemon Cheesecake Dip, Italian Style Tomato & Cheese Dip & Spread, and Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Dip from La Terra Fina.
Vegetable spread with the Lemon Pepper & Asiago dip from La Terra Fina
My earliest memory of Christmas morning dates back to when I was five years old. My parents trekked from Florida to Pennsylvania to spend the holidays with my grandparents and other family members.
On Christmas morning, I remember waking up early (so early that it was still dark outside) and tiptoeing downstairs with my parents, grandparents, and younger sister.
The blue carpet around the tree was surrounded by all types of amazing gifts. There was a large rocking horse with my name on it.
Best of all, the chocolate chip cookies we left out for Santa the night before were nothing more than crumbs.
I’ll never forget my grandparents’ Christmas tree. It had hundreds of multi-colored lights and several ornaments. Some were vintage. Some were new. Some my grandmother, an elementary school teacher, had collected as gifts from her students over the years. The top of the Christmas tree had a white angel with a porcelain face. It had been in the family for several years and while the location of the ornaments may have changed over time, the angel was a constant.
This Angel of Peace charm is special because it reminds me of the angel that sat on top of my grandparents’ tree.
It symbolizes the carefree nature of childhood and loving memories of family and togetherness.
For me, James Avery is so much more than jewelry.
It’s a symbol of faithfulness and the comfort of strongly held beliefs.
It’s a way to hold those traditions and memories close when loved ones are far away.
It’s a way to say “I Love You” every day.
James Avery is more than a store.
James Avery is your story.
Make this Christmas one to remember with James Avery artisan jewelry.
For more inspiring James Avery stories and the jewelry that helps tell them, such as the Angel of Peace charm, visit the website here.
What is your story?
Cheers and Merry Christmas.
He’s making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out who’s naughty or nice…
Hark!
The Junior League of Tampa‘s 14th annual Holiday Gift Market presented by Publix returns in 2017- and it’s better than ever before. (I mean, how do you top something consistently amazing?)
Last year, I provided tips for how to hide all of your Holiday Gift Market loot from your husbands. This year, we are relishing in how to torment treat your children to photos with the Big Man Himself.
Great News…