2018 Holiday Gift Guide

November 18, 2018 By Marijean

It’s that time of year! Full steam ahead to the holidays! I’ve put together a collection of some of my favorite gifts for the holiday season. Check out all of these awesome gift ideas that your friends and family will surely love!

Gifts For You Now

If you are looking for a unique personalized gift, you must check out all of the holiday gifts from Giftsforyounow.com. They offer a variety of gifts including personalized ornaments, picture frames, T-shirts, pillows, flags, stockings and much more! I have many of their items and the quality is great, and the shipping is fast. Prices vary.

RoosterFin Games

Board games are always a hit at the holidays. RoosterFin Games offers many educational and fun family games that you cannot find in stores. My family and I enjoy these games for our weekly game night! Plus the site always offers free shipping. Prices vary. Use Code: MOMHASTOWORK for 25% off any purchase! First come first serve, expiration is 12/22/18. Link to auto add code to cart: https://roosterfin.com/discount/MOMHASTOWORK

Lauren Conrad Jewelry

If you are in need of a jewelry gift that won’t break the bank, I suggest Lauren Conrad’s Jewelry Collection from Kohl’s. I love her jewelry, so classy at affordable prices. Plus, you get Kohl’s cash with each purchase! Prices vary.

Oxyfresh

If you are looking for naturally safe and environmentally friendly dental hygiene products, look no further! Oxyfresh offers a Mouthwash and Toothpaste that are safe and free of harmful chemicals, dyes and harsh alcohol. Plus, the products taste great and don’t irritate my gums like most toothpastes and mouth wash does. They also offer wellness products for the whole family, and also pet products! $14.95 for the mouthwash and $14.95 for the toothpaste.

Bullsitoys

Bullsitoy offers many fun children’s items to stuff those stockings with! My favorites are the Squee-Zoo-Balls which are super soft and plush and come in a variety of cute animals, Squish Ums! Yummy Series 2 which are fun blind bags containing scented snack squishy type toys, and Goo Lab which is putty that glows in the dark and does not leave behind a sticky mess! These toys can be found at Target locations.

Radz

Kids always want candy in their stockings for the holidays! Check out the cool candy collection from Radz! Radz Twistz are a perfect holiday treat that come in cute holiday packaging and features exclusive holiday flavors. Radz Foamz come in a variety of characters (Unicorns, Emojis, DC Superheros) and they are not only blind bags, but each one is squishy and include candy! So fun! Prices range from $2.49-$4.99 and can be found at various retailers such as Target and Walmart.

Cry Babies Doll

Have a little one that loves baby dolls? Cry Babies are so fun! It cries when you take out the pacifier, BUT it also cries tears!! Perfect for any one that loves to play with dolls. 5 different style dolls to choose from! You can find this doll at Amazon for $29.99.

Gift Baskets for Men

Jerky Gift Boxes

Whether you are shopping for a child or adult, they are sure to love any of these gifts!

Happy Holidays!!

*I received some of the above items to review for the Holiday Gift Guide. All opinions are my own.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Kids will have a Fun and Spooky Halloween with BREAKFAST MONSTERS! Mini Plush Collectibles

October 11, 2018 By Marijean

Looking for a fun Halloween collectible and/or Halloween craft for your kids? You must check out Heidi Kenney’s BREAKFAST MONSTERS! Mini Plush blind box collectibles! Blind boxes are such a hit right now, kids will love these!

About BREAKFAST MONSTERS!:

Introducing Breakfast Monsters by Heidi Kenney – Super Impulse has partnered with the notorious artist behind the successful YUMMYs™ line (which had captured the attention of the likes of Seth Rogen and Emma Stone!) to bring this new line of cute and spooky food plush items, Breakfast Monsters! They come in a mystery cereal box, with 9 soft and squishy plush options to choose from.

These are so cute and spooky for halloween! They are plush and soft, and come in 9 different varieties. Each come in a little cereal box and also a blind bag inside. Kids will have so much fun opening them and collecting them all. Perfect to give out as class halloween gifts as well!

You can also make these into fun Halloween crafts such as Halloween hanging garland, or even Halloween key chains or necklaces!

You can purchase these creepy breakfast pals over at a Target store near you!

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Seaworld Orlando’s 2018 Halloween Spooktacular is Happening Now!

October 6, 2018 By Marijean

SEAWORLD ORLANDO’S 2018 HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR RETURNS

Popular Daytime Halloween Celebration Returns Weekends September 22 – October 28

Halloween Spooktacular returns to SeaWorld Orlando this fall on September 22. Guests of all ages can join everyone’s favorite furry friends from Sesame Street as The Count, Elmo, Abby and others take the stage in “Sesame Street’s Countdown to Halloween.” Families will also enjoy a Halloween Dance Party and meet whimsical characters inspired by the sea. For this special event, children can dress in their Halloween costumes and take part in fun-filled trick-or-treating in the park.

The daytime Halloween fun takes place every Saturday and Sunday starting September 22 through October 28, 2018 and is included with park admission. Event hours are 11 a.m. to park close.

Halloween Spooktacular Highlights Include:

· Sesame Street’s Countdown to Halloween

Celebrate a Spooktacular Halloween at SeaWorld with The Count, Elmo, Abby, and the rest of your Sesame Street friends! The Count is feeling lonely this Halloween, and it’s up to you and the loveable monsters from Sesame Street to get him into the Halloween spirit. Batty bats and spooky skeletons join the fun in a song-filled stage show that invites you and your family to dance, play and sing along.

· Trick-or-Treating

Costumed youngsters can trick-or-treat for ghoulish goodies. Each sea-themed, trick-or-treat station features an assortment of candy favorites. Please join us in our efforts to protect our seas by bringing a reusable bag or Halloween bucket from home for treats. We will have an assortment of reusable bags, for $0.99 and up, at select locations.

· Pets Ahoy Halloween

Guests can enjoy a special Halloween version of this side-splitting show with surprise twists, and a cast of unlikely characters that will have the whole family laughing from beginning to end.

· Halloween Dance Party

Children join under-the-sea friends for a Halloween Dance Party where they can participate in line-dancing favorites as clouds of bubbles fill the evening air.

· Mermaid Grotto

Meet a mystical mermaid from an underwater world of fantasy. Capture the amazing moment with a Mermaid Photo Package, available for purchase at the park.

Upgrades to Your Spooktacular Day at Seaworld

· Count von Count’s Spooktacular Breakfast

Count von Count’s Spooktacular Breakfast features a delicious buffet enjoyed with the furriest characters in town. This breakfast is a fun-filled experience sure to delight kids and parents alike. Starting at $14.99 for kids and $29.99 for adults, reservations can be made online, at the Information Counter or by calling (407) 545-5550.

· Reserved Show Seating: Sesame Street’s Countdown to Halloween

Enjoy a reserved seat at a showtime of your choice for Sesame Street’s Countdown to Halloween show at SeaWorld Orlando. Priced at $10 per person, guarantee a seat for a showtime of your choice.

Best Way to Play:

For Spooktacular event days on Saturdays and Sundays through October 28, children between the ages of 3 and 9 will receive a free ticket when a full-paid adult single-day ticket is purchased.

Just Around the Corner:

· SeaWorld Orlando’s Praise Wave

Praise Wave, the popular Christian music event, returns for a second time in 2018 offering guests a day of fellowship and fun at SeaWorld Orlando. The live concert events will take place on Saturday, September 15 featuring Michael W. Smith and Saturday, September 22 featuring Newsboys.

· SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration

SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration is where holiday traditions are made, with delicious food, stunning live shows, delightful holiday shopping and joyous entertainment. SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration brings together family fun and holiday traditions on select nights, November 17 – December 31, 2018 and is included with park admission.

For more information, park hours and to purchase tickets and passes, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com. Events and times are subject to change. Follow SeaWorld Orlando on Facebook,Instagram and the SeaWorld Orlando Blog for the latest park updates and information.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

4 Things You Should Know When Helping a Loved One Through an Addiction

August 20, 2018 By Anne

Loving someone with an addiction isn’t easy. You want to help them heal, but the road to recovery is long and full of obstacles. You don’t love them any less, but caring for them can cause you great pain.

If someone in your life, whether it’s your spouse, a friend, a son or daughter, is struggling with addiction, here are four things you should know when helping them.

1. You Can’t Do Everything

You can play an important role in someone’s recovery, but you can’t do everything.

At the end of the day, you can’t make someone quit an addiction.

Accepting this lack of control is difficult. When you love someone, all you want is to be able to make their suffering go away. But recovery is hard work, and ultimately it’s up to your addicted loved one to put in that work, not you.

Even well-equipped addiction treatment programs don’t claim to be guaranteed cures. For example, SOBA College Recovery has a team of great staff in New Jersey that includes addiction specialists, psychologists, nutritionists, personal trainers, and more. But even with all of this support, it’s still up to the addict to make the effort to heal.

2. Education is Powerful

Addiction is a disease and has been studied and researched just like any other illness. That means that there are many educational resources available that can help you better understand your loved one’s problem.

Learn about the specific substance being abused so that you can know what kind of behavior you can expect. This type of research can be scary, but arming yourself with information is one of the best things you can do to help your loved one and yourself.

Without understanding how addiction affects the brain, you’re more likely to act on emotion alone. And it’s ok to feel frustrated when an addict relapses or pity them when they ask for money, but knowing the reason behind their actions will help you react to situations more calmly and rationally.

3. Relapse Does Not Mean Failure

A wrong turn doesn’t end the journey. Success is difficult to measure in the world of addiction, but relapse does not mean failure. Instead of feeling defeated, help your loved one resume their treatment, modify it, or try something new entirely.

It’s estimated that between 40% and 60% of people who are treated for substance abuse disorders will relapse, so you have to be prepared for that possibility. There are ways you can help prevent relapse – just reaching out to a person to talk or go for a run every now and then can have a huge impact.

It can be easy to feel like you’re responsible for a loved one’s relapse – you may think that if you had just done something differently, maybe they wouldn’t have started using again. But the truth is, relapse is a normal part of the recovery process and not something you should ever blame yourself for.

4. It’s Ok to Take Care of Yourself

If you only remember one thing from this list, remember to take care of yourself. Your mental health is important too.

Addiction is a heartbreaking disease that can leave you feeling frustrated, stressed, and alone. You’re constantly on edge, worried not only for their safety but for your own as well. But you shouldn’t have to lose yourself in someone else’s addiction – you can love them while still loving yourself.

Seek professional counseling, join support groups, and set aside time for yourself. Set boundaries, and remember the three C’s of addiction – cause, control, and cure. You did not cause their addiction, you cannot control it, and you cannot cure it. You are not selfish. You are strong, you are brave.

By taking care of your own mental health, you’ll be better equipped to care for those you love. Addiction is a monstrous disease, but you and your loved one can get through it together.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Juggling School, Home, Work and Family

August 16, 2018 By Anne

As a mom, whether you work, stay at home, work at home, or some other combination, life is tough. You’re always on the go. Thinking about your kids and making plans even when you’re not together. You’re cooking, cleaning, organizing, making appointments, getting to them, preparing pack lunches, running around on school runs and sometimes, trying to fit in a little bit of adult time with your partner or doing something for yourself. It’s hard work. But, many of us are deciding to add even more.

Now more moms than ever before are choosing to go back to work, parents returning to school is also becoming more popular. Taking a course can help you to find a career in a more flexible sector or give you the knowledge that you need to start up on your own. Some moms, looking to return to work, after what might have been a long break, find that education gives them the knowledge and confidence that they need to thrust themselves back into things.

While education is excellent, and returning to school certainly has many advantages for moms, how do you juggle it all? You might find yourself working, studying and being your children’s primary carer, all at the same time. Even without a job, it would at times feel almost impossible. Here are some tips to help you.

Photo Credit

Involve the Kids

Kids often behave better, and give you some time to focus, if they feel part of what is going on. So, involve them. Tell them about your course. If it’s something like an education ma, they might even be able to help you. Or, you could study while they are doing their homework so that you are all working together.

Stick to a Routine

Getting into a routine will help you to keep on top of everything, give your kids more security and help you to focus on work. Try to work at the same times every day, keep your job hours the same, and have set times where you can just be with the kids.

Get Organized

If you want to do it all and do it well, you need to get organized. Make yourself daily to-do lists and write absolutely everything in a diary or an online calendar. Make lunches the night before, get everyone’s clothes out ready for the next day before bed, and do as much as you can in the evenings to make your mornings run more smoothly, this will help start your day right.

Give Yourself Time Off

When you’ve got so much to do, taking time off might seem impossible. But, you need to. Take the odd evening off, and full days when you can. You should even take a week to go away. Doing this will help you to relax and recharge, meaning you’ll be much better at getting everything done when you go back to work.

Ask for Help

Remember, there’s always someone that can help, you usually just have to ask. Ask if a relative can pick the kids up from school one day or get your partner to do bedtimes and help out at home more. If you can afford it, you could even find childcare or a cleaner for a few hours a week.