Disclaimer: Product was provided free of charge by shelving.com in exchange for this post, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. This post may also include affiliate links - you don't pay more but we'll receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.

Do you have a room (or rooms) in your house where you just walk in and feel suddenly stressed out. Clutter and disorganization are an anxiety trigger for me, so getting our home organized ASAP after we moved here in July was a top priority for me. We quickly unpacked and to keep our living spaces neat and spacious, I haphazardly threw all other boxes and items into the attic/playroom and garage. On top of that, my husband keeps a constant stream of boxes and boxes of work stuff in the garage. So, these spaces were atrocious. Shameful. No fun at all. Which is why I jumped at the chance to work with shelving.com to do a makeover of our garage (discount code at bottom of post)!!! 

You can watch my full before, assembly, and after video here, and keep reading for more details!

We desperately needed more shelving, ideally lower profile and sturdier than the ones we already had, so we went with Shelving, Inc. Black Wire Shelving. The black epoxy coating protects them from scratches and makes them rust resistant, so they're suitable in moist/humid environments like the garage, shed, and basement! Perfect for us and our un-air conditioned house - our garage was about 100 degrees and 75% humidity most days over the summer.

They've got shelves in many different dimensions, and it's really interesting how they work - you snap a plastic clip on each post where you want the shelf to sit, meaning you can adjust the shelves to any desired height in 1" increments along the posts. So flexible!! You can build the shelf to be a specific height for one use, and next year decide to change it up and use it in another way! You can even have the poles custom cut to a certain height. We had one of our sets cut to fit our garbage can under it (seen below left). So that we could keep it open at the front, we ordered 1 hanger rail for width and 2 hanger rails for depth. These allow the lowest shelf to be raised without losing stability.

Another of my favorite features is the leveling feet! You can unscrew each foot individually so that it sits perfectly level! In a space with crazy cracked and uneven flooring like our garage, these came in handy big time (see an example in the bottom of the shoe rack in the above right picture)!

Another fun feature, which you probably can't tell by just looking at the above photo, but those two big racks in the center are attached!! You can kind of see in the below right photo, but if you watch my building video you'll better understand how it works. Basically it's 1 full shelving unit with 4 posts and 4 shelves, and another 4 shelf unit with just 2 posts. Then you have these little S-hooks - you add 2 per shelf and the add-on shelving unit attaches to the other. It's really really easy, and so practical, allowing you to extend your shelving to conserve space. You can even attach the add-on at a right angle to create an L-shaped unit perfect for maximizing corner space!

Beyond the shelving units themselves, shelving.com has tons of accessories! We got 2 baskets which hang right on the edge of the shelves (see below left photo). Haven't figured out what we're going to put in them just yet, but they simply slide in and out of the shelf so we can move them around easily when we decide where and how to use them.

We also got shelf liners so that we could throw little stuff on the shelves if we need to without worrying about it falling through. See below - They're so pretty, I hated to cover them up with our boxes!! They're very cleverly constructed with cutouts at each corner so they fit in perfectly and don't slide around! They're easy to wash, are made in the USA, and are recyclable. ​

So excited for how much more organized our garage is now! No, it's not pinterest perfect and stunningly gorgeous (maybe upgrading our storage boxes and beautifying the space will be our next project...hmmm...) but everything has a safe place to be stored out of the way, and that was my priority! We no longer have to move several boxes or bikes to get to something! And we now have a huge open space in the middle of the room where the kids can go do gymnastics or sit down and play cards (or watch a tablet, if we're being honest, which seems to be the most frequent occurrence) HA!

Be sure to head over to shelving.com for all of your storage and organizational needs! I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised by what goodies you'll find over there. Heck, they've even got desks, lockers, storage bins, kitchen carts, you name it!!
Get 12% off your wire shelving order with code USJAPAN12 (valid through 9/30/20)!!

Disclaimer: This review was sponsored by Mead and includes affiliate links where I'll earn a commission from purchases made after clicking, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Every family has a million things going on - from school events and sports to birthdays and vacations. Having an easy and practical way to organize everything and allow all family members to stay in the know is essential. Which is why I'm thrilled to be working with Mead on this review of the Mead MotherWord Deluxe Magnetic Family Calendar! Watch the following video as I walk you through the various features of the calendar, and read on for more details as well as the chance to win one in my $500 value jackpot Back to School Giveaway!!

This calendar is large and keeps you in charge - each month's page is 18" by 13.5" giving you plenty of space to write in each day, and has a notes section on the bottom of each month as well. Each month features a cute illustration on the top, a touchy feely or inspirational quote, and key dates such as national holidays and even moon phases! There are also tabs at the bottom so you can easily flip through to any future month.

It has a heavy duty magnetic strip on the back so you can throw it up on your fridge or front/back door, or you could pin it to a wall or use on your desk.

I think my favorite feature of this calendar are the hundreds of tiny stickers it comes with!!! Trash, recycling, yard waste, compost, parent teacher night, babysitter, the list goes on!!! Really great for quickly noting regular or one-off events for everyone to be aware of. It has a growth chart and a chore chart, so you could put the stickers on the calendar itself or directly on the chore chart for individual kids to be in charge of handling. It also has a pocket in the back for storing key papers and documents (for example your list of key phone numbers / passwords / allergies for your babysitter).

Pretty great calendar if you ask me, and for only $16.99!! Buy one now at Mead.com (affiliate link) and don't forget you can
enter to win one and the entire $500 value jackpot in my #2020B2SGiveaway here!! 

**ENTER TO WIN A PAIR OF PEDIPED SHOES IN OUR $500 VALUE JACKPOT GIVEAWAY RUNNING THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22!!** Disclaimer: These shoes were provided free in exchange for our review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own!! 

We have been huge fans of pediped over here, pretty much since my oldest started walking 8 years ago!! Why? For one, I know they're healthy for my children's growing feet. In fact, they have been awarded the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance for the promotion of healthy foot development! Another very important factor is that they last. My kids wear their shoes HARD, we're talking dragging toes on the scooter, jumping in muddy puddles, you name it. And pediped shoes put up a darn good fight - lasting past the initial owner and usually through a couple rounds of hand me down kiddos!

Some other features of their various styles (not all apply to all styles) include being water-safe and machine washable, leather and vegan options, having flex inserts so that the shoes can last a bit longer (use the insert for a snugger fit and remove when child's foot grows a bit to get a longer life out of the shoes), faux laces and secure velcro straps, some crazy super lightweight options, and incredibly flexible thick natural rubber soles!

Of course, also very important for a children's shoe company, is having endless adorable styles of shoes to choose from! And for a twin family like us, having coordinating options is key, as well!! I let my (almost 5 year old) twin girls shop for a set of coordinating "dressy" shoes and a set of coordinating "sports" shoes on the website because they are about ready to bust out of their last pairs (kids' feet grow like weeds!!). It's always fun to see how their own personal styles come out in what they choose to buy or wear! Here are their precious faces walking into the room to see their shoes unboxed and waiting for them!! 

So cute, right!?!? Here's more info on the shoes they chose!

For their "sporty" shoes, they chose the pediped Flex Force in navy/fuchsia and pink/silver, available in sizes EU 24 (US 7.5-8) to EU 36 (US 4-4.5Y). They retail for $60, are vegan and machine washable, and feature man made and mesh upper (do you see the light filtering through on the upper left photo!?), flexible rubber and phylon sole, faux laces and easy velcro strap (that goes through the tongue so you don't have all that tongue-drama when kids are dressing themselves!), come with pediped's signature FLEX Fit system insoles, and get this, they weigh all of 5 ounces!! SO LIGHTWEIGHT!!!

And for their "dressy" shoes they chose the mary jane style Flex Barbara Leopard and Metallic Pink, though if you ask me it's definitely more of a deep purple, but when the light hits it right it shimmers pink. Available in sizes EU 24 (US 7.5-8) to EU 33 (US 1.5-2Y). The Metallic Pink ones are actually vegan, with a textile upper and canvas lining, whereas the Leopard ones have a leather lining and man made upper. They both feature a flexible natural rubber sole, an easy velcro closure, and pediped's signature FLEX Fit system insoles. The FLEX Barbara design comes in 7 other colors (!!!!) and goes for $38 - $55 depending on the style.

They love their new shoes so much (as do I)!!!

So cute, right!? pediped has the best children's shoes from infant through 6Y (about 10 years old), from water-safe summer sandals to winter boots and everything in between! Check them all out on pediped.com!!

But wait. Don't go yet! Did you know you can...
ENTER TO WIN A PAIR NOW!!!
That's right! A pair of pediped shoes are in the $500 value jackpot of my 2020 Back to School Giveaway running through September 22!!

Parents are always asking where they can escape the city with their kids to pick apples, see farm animals, wander through a field of sunflowers or corn maze, indulge in fresh apple cider donuts, or take a hayride and go pumpkin picking. There are an overwhelming amount of farms you'll see pop up on a Google search, but I'm here to give you my family's 10 thumbs up on such a family-run destination we just visited yesterday: Barton Orchards! 

Disclaimer: Tickets were provided in exchange for this review but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. We're no sell outs - quite honestly, this place was amazing!!

Barton Orchards is a 175-acre apple orchard and vegetable farm located in Poughquag, NY (Dutchess County), run by the Barton family for over 40 years. While many pick-your-own fruit spots offer only that, Barton Orchards goes above and beyond, providing a variety of activities that are fun for all ages, most of it included in admission. For the full experience, be sure to watch our video highlights here and read on for more details about our trip to their 2nd Annual Sunflower Festival and what you can expect on your visit!

Sunflower Festival
2020 was Barton Orchard's 2nd Annual Sunflower Festival. It's quick, held over just 2 weekends in August so you better pencil it in now for 2021 so you don't miss it! You can walk to the field but it's much more fun to hop on their complimentary hayride to the 5 acre sunflower field which was simply spectacular! They give you cutters (based on your ticket type you either get 1 flower or a vase with 6 flowers, and pay for extras picked) and a plastic bag. You wander through the field, taking a million photos and at least a handful of selfies, am I right!? You pick your flower, put it in the bag, and fill it a bit at their water station, tying it off with a rubber band hoping it doesn't leak on the trip home. Our kids were REALLY into the super big job they each had to pick out their own sunflower. It was such a special time watching them wander, considering what makes the perfect sunflower, deciding which one to choose and take home. There's no storage so I recommend doing like we did, saving the sunflower picking for the last activity before you head home, otherwise you'll be carrying them around (and likely a couple of bees will be your companions while doing so).

The Kids' Fun Park
I was expecting a generic playground, but what we found was so much more! A tractor-drawn children's train, rope climbing, a hay chute slide, pedal go carts, barrell pong, a swing, rock maze, hop balls, mini golf, and probably some other things I'm forgetting. My kids (and us parents) had an absolute blast, even in the rain!

Live Music & Entertainment
They have 4 stages for live music, there was a band going in the food court area which was nice while we scarfed down the (most amazingly soft and delicious) apple cider donuts! There was also a band playing in a gazebo up at the sunflower field, which really added to the ambience! But what really blew us away was the Bubble Bus, blowing bubbles and foam across an entire field. You really have to watch my video to see how cool this was, my kids could have played and danced there all day!

The Food
Whether you are looking for a meal, a snack, some booze, or treats to take home, you'll find them in abundance at Barton Orchards! After seeing their unique sundaes on social media, we decided to get the Apple Cider Donut Sundae and a half-dozen box to share of Apple Cider Donuts ($1 each but half dozen was the minimum purchase - we saw many people buying 3 dozen!!). I will say, hands down, one of the best donuts I've ever had! They were SO fresh, soft, simply scrumptious!!! Do not miss out on these when you visit!! They also have the Tap Room with lots of great beer and hard cider on tap, but due to covid, the system of ordering alcohol is a bit tricky. You're required to purchase with food, so basically you buy your food and tell them how many drink tickets you want, and purchase all together, then you bring your drink ticket to the Tap Room and get your drink. Not too much run around, but I had never experienced the new covid drinking-with-food rules before so it was new to me!

Petting Zoo
They had lively goats, curious llamas, a huge peacock, a couple of bunnies, a duck, and more! We didn't spend too much time here but did enjoy seeing all of the animals, petting some, and getting a surprise tongue bath by one LOL!

Other Family Fun:
In September and October they have pumpkin picking and a haunted house, "Rotten Core Manor". Their website also mentions a dog park, a corn maze, 120 acres of pick-your-own veggies and apples starting from end of July (see what's available for picking now), and Tree Tops Adventures ropes course!

Notes for those with strollers & babies:
There were gravel paths around, which don't scream stroller-friendly, but it is completely doable and wouldn't deter me from making a visit with a stroller or wagon, though you  may want to consider also bringing a baby carrier to wear your baby in the fields and less accessible areas. There were porta-potties with hand sanitizers, a handwashing station in the foot court area, and we saw a changing table by the petting zoo.  

Visit their website to learn more and don't drag your feet, go ahead and plan your family's visit now! You won't regret it!!

We recently moved from our tiny 1 bedroom 1 bathroom 927 square foot Brooklyn co-op to a "huge" 1800 square foot 4 bed 2 bath home in NY's Hudson River Valley (the Town of Cornwall, to be exact). The move has brought with it MANY challenges (you can watch them documented in our "moving from city to suburbs" playlist on YouTube) but also many fun and exciting changes! We find ourselves with way more space, including a yard and a driveaway, and a LONG list of things we've needed (or wanted) to purchase for our new space. I'll give you a kind of mini tour through photos below and link to some of the new (and a few old) items we're loving in case you need inspiration for your own home! Full video home tour will come a bit later to YouTube (and I'll embed it here) - after we put pictures and decor up, if that's ever going to happen! Unpacking and organizing is my first priority and I'm still working on it...

Disclaimer: affiliate links included below - you don't pay more but we'll receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.

KITCHEN:
Our new kitchen is bigger than our previous tiny galley kitchen, but it didn't have a built in microwave. We don't really have all that much counter space to give up so opted to buy a microwave cart, and LOVE the Casual Home kitchen island we bought! It was pretty easy to put together, and looks great in the kitchen! I'm also loving the rack I bought for our pots and pans, no more pulling out everything from a cabinet each time I needed one, no more layering with towels so they don't scratch each other! Why didn't I get this thing years ago!?!?! Some things we kept from our old home because we love them so much include our Nutri Ninja blender and old dish drain because we loooooove it, clear and easy to clean!

Our kitchen window is very old and gross, and looks into our garage (WTF, am I right!? I won't even go into how hot it gets in there while coking) so I bought these curtains and artificial succulents to add some color and cuteness. Love standing in front of the sink now!! Speaking of sink, I was nervous about the quality of our drinking water coming through this home's old pipes so got this Tap Score water test to check for lead and 100 different nasties, stay tuned for the results (on YouTube)!

PRIVACY / BLACKOUT CURTAINS:
These aren't 100% blackout if the sun is streaming directly at them, but they do a great job of providing privacy (you can't see anything from outside at night when inside lights are on) and also provide very good room darkening to allow for better morning sleep in! We have some odd shaped windows, some with shelves or baseboard heating below them, so didn't want floor length, and found sizes that work perfectly (though I know they're not the best length for design alone).

LAUNDRY ROOM:
We got this GE High Efficiency Energy Star set washer and dryer from Home Depot. It was the first time shopping for a washer and dryer so I asked around and did some research. In the end my requirements were top loading, steel drum, high efficiency, energy star. Using those, I shopped around for the best deal. It was around Memorial Day so I was able to score something like 30% off at Home Depot, woohoo!! I've used them a few times already and am IN LOVE! Having my own set, in my own home, not having to go down to a communal laundry room with the kids in masks, it's a game changer!

OFFICE:
I can't find the exact desk on Amazon that I bought, so a similar one is linked below, but this is Safco desk I got on Walmart. It's not super sturdy (I've had to ban my kids from climbing on it LOL) but perfectly good as a desk and I love how easy it was to assemble and how sleek and modern it looks. Nice and lightweight if I have to move it, too. No drawers, so I may have to add something next to it, and I'm not sure how it'll do with water stains and wear and tear, trying to treat it carefully! The rolling leatherette office chair is a nice addition as well, since I've been using a folding Ikea wooden chair for the last few years. I know, I know. Don't laugh!! Oh, and can't forget my cute "Boss Lady" mousepad!!

TECHNOLOGY:
Did you know, radon is the #1 cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. A natural byproduct of uranium breaking down in soil, it's a radioactive gas that seeps from the ground and can accumulate in dangerous levels in the home, especially in the basement... which is where our master bedroom is!! So, the Airthings Radon Detector was one of our first purchases and thankfully the first week of monitoring has been reporting back with a very low and safe level, and it will continue to monitor over time to make sure the average levels are healthy and it doesn't spike. It also monitors humidity and temperature, and if you upgrade to a slightly more expensive one (voted one of TIME Magazine's 2019 best inventions), it also monitors VOCs! Healthy home and peace of mind is SO important!! Of course we also got a Ring video doorbell with Chime which helps me keep track of when kids are coming in and out of the door, and when we get a delivery (several times a day, I've been online shopping like a fiend).

OUTSIDE:
The first orders for outdoors, other than garbage/recycling bins and hose/nozzle/sprinkler, were our dome climber and disc swing. The kids have been OBSESSED with these, they're AMAZING!!! The only issue is that the grass in the middle of the dome is nearly gone, it only took like 3 days to destroy it with their swinging. Oops! Not sure if we should keep it there and totally destroy it or try to move the dome a bit every couple of days to give grass a chance to revive?

A couple of things we recently ordered but haven't received yet: We got a 6-person round wooden picnic table and these bungee folding outdoor chairs that got great reviews, hope they're comfy!! We just needed something to sit on while the kids play outside, or to bring camping or to the beach. Didn't want to invest in beautiful $2K outdoor dining/lounging set for this rental home where we'll probably be only 2 years, but hopefully in our next purchased place, our "forever home"??, we'll build a deck and go all out!

ORGANIZATION:
I want to emphasize how amazing the over the door shoe organizers are... not just for shoes, but for everything!!! We have one hanging in my closet with my makeup, hair accessories etc. We have one hanging in the kids' bathroom with their toiletries and hair ties, nail clippers, bandaids etc. I've seen others use in laundry room and pantry, for arts and crafts, you name it!! They fit over standard doors and may end up scratching the paint at the top but are well worth it!!

We also don't have any built in towel racks in the bathrooms, so the over-the-door racks below are very helpful. And I bought the hyper tough wire shelving to create a pantry in this random nook we have just half a flight of stairs down from the kitchen. Has been working out nicely!

So, what do you think? Do you have and love any of these? Have other great must have home items to recommend!? Sharing is caring!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts and opinions are my own. In addition, this post contains some affiliate links - you don't pay more but I receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.

Whether you are selling a product or service online, you're a blogger, or you own a brick and mortar store, you've probably run up against 2 incredibly daunting struggles: how to bring in traffic and how to get what you want from that traffic (sales, views, etc)!! Luckily for you, I've just completed a sponsored 30 day challenge centered around a new book, "Traffic Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Filling Your Websites and Funnels with Your Dream Customers" by Russell Brunson. Best-selling author & CEO of $100M software company ClickFunnels, Brunson has sold hundreds of thousands of his books focusing on his concept of sales funnels. In 2014, with partner Todd Dickerson, Brunson launched ClickFunnels, the fastest-growing non-venture backed software company in the world!

You may have a great idea for the most brilliant product or service the world has ever know, but how can the world actually get to know about it? If you're like most entrepreneurs, the main struggle is figuring out how to get that product or service to your customers so they know it exists and understand why they need to buy it. If you understand this essential skill, the art and science of getting consumers to find you, as detailed in Brunson's Traffic Secrets, you won't find yourself starting and failing like tens of thousands of other businesses out there. Instead, you'll likely find yourself increasing site traffic, followers, and sales exponentially!!

As a mommy blogger and as someone who has started and stopped a handful of online businesses that never really took off as I had hoped, I found Traffic Secrets incredibly enlightening. It goes deep into business and marketing strategy, but not so much that you feel in over your head. Everything is explained in a no nonsense way that's easy for anyone to understand. There are lots of personal anecdotes to keep it light, and inspiring, and TONS of items for your to-do list as you go through the book. He doesn't just say you gotta do this, this, and this. He actually provides space for you to brainstorm and make the essential lists such as who your ideal customer is, where they are spending their time, and how you can reach them. I'm simplifying it because it's just too much to go into, that's why you have to go ahead and get the book and put yourself to work building key relationships, learning about earned vs. paid traffic, creating funnels, and master evergreen traffic strategies to fill your website and funnels with your dream customers!

Does this sound like something that could help you with your current or upcoming business venture? OF COURSE IT DOES!! Learn more about Traffic Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Filling Your Websites and Funnels with Your Dream Customers as well as Russell Brunson's other best-selling books: DotCom Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Growing Your Company Online and Expert Secrets: Find Your Message, Build a Tribe and Change the World on trafficsecrets.com and Amazon (affiliate link) - all available in print or e-book format!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts and opinions are my own. In addition, this post contains some affiliate links - you don't pay more but I receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by our sponsor, “Always Eat After 7 PM”. The opinions expressed below are my own. This post also includes affiliate links - you don't pay more but we'll receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.

If you're new here, you'll probably want to check out ​my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd blog posts about "Always Eat After 7 PM, The Revolutionary Rule-Breaking Diet That Lets You Enjoy Huge Dinners, Desserts, and Indulgent Snacks—While Burning Fat Overnight" by Joel Marion. This post serves as an update on how it's been going since I've been reading the book and implementing the 3-phase diet plan!

As anticipated, the skipping breakfast part was hardest for me, however it didn't take long before my body got the hang of it. Having a "huge" dinner and yummy protein-rich snack later in the evening seems to be doing the trick to tide me over through those 16-hours of fasting, during which I'm sleeping for most, so it's really not that bad. I actually skipped the after 7pm snack one night and noticed a BIG difference in my bedtime hunger, and even woke a few times in the night from hunger. So, that late night snack has really been doing wonders. I've pretty much been sticking to low fat cottage cheese with frozen blueberries - yum!! ​

​As Joel explains in the book, “Late-night eating also curbs calorie intake the next day. In a four-week study, dieters added a snack to their daily regimen 90 minutes after dinner every night, and check this out: late-night eaters ate an average of 397 fewer calories per day.” He also debunks the myth that late night eating just gets stored as fat, “Research shows that the average person’s metabolic rate is no different during sleep than during the day. In short, your metabolism doesn’t slow down at night. Nor does your body store fat at the end of the day. Whether it’s 8 am or 8 pm, you use food for energy the same way.” It's really cool to be on this new diet plan and despite late-night snacking, neigh, because of it, you still see the pounds coming off!

I wake up around 8am and start the day with one of the 3-minute fat-burning drinks recommended in the book. Super Greens (MetaboGreensTM) Drink (which was provided as part of this campaign) and black coffee were two recommendations in the book, but I ended kind of personalizing my morning routine. I blend together a scoop of MetaboGreens and a heaping tablespoon of instant coffee into 24 ounces of water and sip the whole morning til breaking the fast at lunch time. The first time I tried this concoction, I was less than impressed, but it really grew on me and now I love it! I actually just purchased another pack of MetaboGreens - I'm hooked!!

Water is key, for anyone, whether on a diet or not. “Water helps digest your food, expel wastes, regulate your temperature, protect your tissues, cushion your joints, and protect your spinal column, among many other vital functions. It is through water that hormones flow to the proper organs, that nutrients reach all cells, and that toxins are diluted and removed from the body.” He recommends getting half your body weight (pounds) in water (ounces). So if you weigh 200 pounds you should be getting at least 100 ounces. I calculated I'm getting about 90 ounces of water throughout the day - in straight water as well as in my various blends with protein and metabogreens.

The "fast" continues until lunchtime at around 12. Then I usually have dinner around 5:30pm with my kids, and a snack after they go to bed at about 7:30pm.

I'm not going to lie, the 2-week acceleration phase is pretty brutal, not because I was starving the whole time but it was just a drastic change of eating habits and meal planning to wrap my head around, oh and alcohol is discouraged during this phase. But what is very encouraging is seeing the weight come off much quicker than with other diets I've done in the past! And, they give great sample meal plans and weekly schedules, it's really not a huge deal, and I could even use those meals for my whole family! They also have AMAZING delicious recipes in the back of the book, some are super low or no carb (for the acceleration phase), others utilize what they call "super carbs" like certain veggies and beans, and always lots of protein.

They give you the first week to gradually quit the breakfast ritual, though I decided to start skipping that first meal cold turkey from day one. In the book they mention you don't have to skip breakfast during this week or at any point in the program, though results will be slower. I ended up losing 4 pounds during the first phase, which was exciting, but was excited to transition to phase 2 which is a tad more lenient by bringing your calorie intake up a bit and even allowing a cheat meal or day after eating clean for 6 days. This actually is beneficial and they go into great detail about how this works hormonally in the book, "Leptin levels decrease by about 50 percent after only one week of dieting. Fat loss slows down, and you feel bad psychologically. But because the relationship is linear, the opposite is also true: an increase in calorie intake results in an increase in leptin levels. And fortunately, it doesn’t take nearly as long for leptin to bump back up with a substantial increase in caloric intake—only about 12 to 24 hours. That’s right. It takes only one day of overfeeding or “cheat-ing” to bring levels back up to baseline." Can I get a hallelujah!? They figured out how to break the dieting plateau! On my cheat days, I enjoyed pizza and sushi. It really helps get you through the week of "dieting" knowing you had a day coming up that you were not allowed to eat normal again but were required to! HA!

In the next 2 weeks of the main phase, I lost another 2 pounds, which is pretty normal for myself on a diet, to lose about 1 pound a week. So after a month on the plan, I'm down 6 pounds and feel fantastic!! My energy is better than ever - I don't know if it's the intermittent fasting or simply the types of food I'm eating that help regulate energy and mood better but it's pretty amazing!!! I'm planning to stay at this phase until I've lost a total of 10 pounds, so probably 1 more month. Then I'll move to the lifestyle phase, to maintain this energy and weight for the long haul!

I definitely feel more energy being on this diet, and I am a lot more knowledgeable about how various foods interact with our bodies and minds. This book goes into such detail comparing various types of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates - not all carbs are bad, did you know!? “So, despite all the bad press over the years, certain carbohydrates play an important role in balancing your hormones and regulating your metabolic rate, while avoiding the dreaded weight loss plateaus that accompany conventional mainstream diets. Furthermore, when you eat these carbohydrates, you’ll feel much better than you would if you were following a traditional diet.”

I hope you were able to learn something through my adventure here. If interested, you can learn more about the book and how to purchase here. Always Eat After 7 PM: The Revolutionary Rule-Breaking Diet That Lets You Enjoy Huge Dinners, Desserts, and Indulgent Snacks—While Burning Fat Overnight by Joel Marion is now available to purchase.

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by our sponsor, “Always Eat After 7 PM”. The opinions expressed above are my own.

I first discovered the EggMazing Easter Egg Decorator (our review here) at the 2018 Toy Fair New York, then at the 2019 Toy Fair I excitedly found their TreeMendous Christmas Ornament Decorator (see our demo video here). And just a few months ago at the 2020 Toy Fair, I met their latest and dare I say it, greatest creation, the DinoMazing Dinosaur Egg Decorator, which is included in our Brighter Days Ahead Giveaway (enter to win here)!

​This company has really found an incredibly unique niche, and while we are paid to review and promote them, I can say from the bottom of my heart with complete honesty that my family is absolutely in love all 3 of these products!! Keep reading for my full review and demo video of the amazing DinoMazing!

THE DEMO:

THE REVIEW:
The DinoMazing machine works very similarly to the EggMazing and Treemendous in that you pop in 4 AA batteries, put your egg inside the machine, turn it on, and it spins while you color it with the included non-toxic markers. But this one goes above and beyond the previous two because decorating your dinosaur egg is just the beginning!!

Coloring your egg will EGGspose cracks in the egg, which look really cool but are purely aesthetic. The egg actually pops opens like any regular plastic easter egg right at the middle (which means you can put it back together and take it apart endlessly. When you open it, you'll find a sealed plastic baggy filled with (non-sticky mom-friendly) slime, from which you'll have to pull out the tiny dinosaur parts. Assemble them to make your dinosaur. Open up another egg to create a different type of dinosaur. And you know what? You can mix and match your dinosaur parts!!! My kids got really silly creating hybrids like the TyranoSteg (shown below left)! Or you can put the legs in the arm holes and head in the tail hole. Pretty fun!

Do note that some of these dinosaur parts are teeny tiny, so you'll want to be careful playing with these if you have babies or toddlers in the house. But other than that, have a ball! Boys and girls, parents and kids alike will absolutely love DinoMazing! It's definitely on my list of go-to birthday gifts for the 3-8 year old crowd!!

BUY IT!
You can buy the DinoMazing set (comes with 6 markers, 2 eggs, and the egg spinning machine) for $27.99 on Amazon (affiliate link), and you can buy a set of 6 additional eggs for $27.99 on Amazon (affiliate link).

WIN IT!!!
Don't forget you can win a DinoMazing set in my Brighter Days Ahead Giveaway (ending April 15)!!

EggMazing & Treemendous Demo Videos:

Disclaimer: Our stay and activities were provided in exchange for our honest review - all thoughts and opinions are my own and 100% unbiased!

When it comes to family vacation destinations within a 3 hour drive from New York City, your options are plentiful. We've actually reviewed many of them (see our "family friendly day trips and weekend getaways from NYC" list here), but our trip to The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark this past weekend truly blew us away. It was spectacular, non-stop fun and excitement, beautiful, just AMAZING! A must visit for any family in the Tri-State area, honestly!!! Watch our video here and read on for more about what makes The Kartrite so special!

Located in Monticello, NY, The Kartrite is just a 2 hour drive from NYC, making it the perfect weekend destination! The Kartrite hasn't even celebrated its first birthday yet, so everything is beautiful, new, and utilizing the latest technology. Take your room key for example. It's not a key or even a card. It's a wrist band!! The internal chip acts as both your room key and your water park admission! I mean, HELLO! Could they make it any easier!? At the arcade, you add activities and game tokens to your Playopolis card, and any tickets you win go back onto your card - so it's completely cash and paper free! What's more? You can get a card for each member of your family and then pool all the points to one card when checking out and "buying" your kids' prizes.

There are ski slopes and cute towns nearby, but frankly, don't even bother. We spent our entire 3 days at The Kartrite and had zero desire or need to leave the fabulous facilities. At check-in we received a list of the complimentary daily kids' activities (things like STEAM projects, sand art, marshmallow towers, daily movie night in the lobby), and they even have a 3 hour nightly"Kids' Night Out" drop-off program for $55/child. We ended up spending 10am-5:30pm Saturday at the Waterpark, 10am-2pm Sunday at Indoor Adventures area, and the rest of the time either eating or lounging in the room!

THE WATERPARK
It should go without saying, the waterpark is the main attraction. This is why people come to The Kartrite, and for good reason, it's spectacular!! Touted as New York's biggest indoor waterpark, and covered by the world’s largest texlon transparent roof (I didn't realize this and thankfully we didn't burn, but as per their website, apparently you can tan through it, so don't forget your sunscreen!), they really went above and beyond in every way, and entrance is included with your stay at The Kartrite (even on check in and check out days). To top it off, it was the most physically pleasant indoor waterpark we've been to. We've visited many where either the air or the water wasn't quite warm enough, and left you chilled and needing to leave within 2 hours. We've also experienced some where the air was so thick with chlorine that our eyes stung and lungs burned! We didn't experience any of this at The Kartrite! With the exception of the bathrooms being cold and the lunch line being long, everything else was absolutely perfect! 

There's an adorable toddler area with mini slides and splash zones, free life jackets for kids, a basketball pool, a great lazy river (never had to wait long to get a single or double tube to ride on), several kiddie water slides, 5 big kid / adult water slides (with minimum height of 42" or 48"), water adventure areas with a dump bucket, and even a well heated outdoor pool that you can access from inside (it was about 25*F when we went, and we were completely warm in this pool outside, until my kids splashed me and got my face and ears wet, then they started to freeze)!

There's no extra fee for their Flowrider (shown above), where you can do indoor boogie boarding, wake boarding, or surfing. Lines can get long for this because they give each rider ample time to have several tries, but it's totally worth the wait. It was my first time as well as my son's first time. After watching many people wipe out (no tears or injuries though) I was incredibly nervous but it was insanely fun!! The staff were super helpful, taking the time to explain how to do it, and if you are doing well they'll guide you from the front on learning tricks while you're still riding. It was amazing!! My son and I both were able to get up onto our knees and we saw others learning to spin the board around. So cool! You can see us in action on Flowrider in this video!

The most unique item at the waterpark is probably the Nor'easter water slide (see giant blue monstrosity above). I've never seen anything quite like it, but unfortunately we weren't able to ride it. There's a minimum height of 48" (our kids are too short), and you must have 2 or 4 riders (and I felt too shy to ask a stranger to ride with me). We did enjoy watching it though, and our 7 year old will definitely be tall enough if we go back in half a year or so! Can't wait!! 

There is a cafeteria style grill in the waterpark as well as a bar. We ended up ordering a whole pizza, for $20, which was good for our family of 5. You can put it charges on your room which makes it nice, no need to bring your wallet. There are lockers, I believe from about $15 per day, but I really recommend leaving valuables in your room and bringing a waterproof pouch for your phone so you can keep it on you for quick photos and videos. You do need to wear coverup and shoes between your room and the waterpark, but we just put ours in a bag and left them on a chair. I guess there is always a risk of theft, but it didn't feel especially risky to me.

You can also splurge by purchasing a cabana for the day, which we were treated to by The Kartrite! The regular lounge chairs really fill up quickly around the waterpark, so having a private reserved section was really nice, plus it comes stocked with fruit, snacks, beverages in a mini fridge, and your own waiter by the push of a button!! Of course our kids were most impressed with the 32" HD TV in our cabana, and I was thrilled it had an outlet to turbo charge my phone after taking a full day's worth of photos and videos it was running out of juice! We got Cabana #11 which was right in front of the kids' adventure area, we were able to sit back and relax while still having a great view of our kids. Score!!

If you're not staying at the hotel, you can purchase a Splash Pash day pass to the waterpark for $79 - $99 (children under 2 are free). Great option if you live nearby or just want to drive up for the day!

INDOOR ADVENTURES:
I actually had no idea these existed at The Kartrite. I'm used to seeing giant arcades, but this was so much more! This massive play center on the first floor consists of:

• Arcade (pay per game, most took 2-8 credits each; credits cost about $.20 - $.27 each depending on how many you buy at once)
• Mini bowling ($6) - just 3 lanes with bumpers and teeny little balls with no holes - a great intro to bowling for little kids! We did 3 players for our kids' game but it was pointless, they just didn't understand about going twice and then letting next person go. So, if yours are little, just buy one game and let them all take turns as the same player LOL!
• Ropes Course & Zipline ($12) If between 42"-48", child must be accompanied by an adult, who pays as well. My husband took my son and I was really impressed by how well my 7 year old did. I mean, this course is 1-2 stories high, I can't believe he wasn't terrified!! Some parts were rather challenging and the accompanying adult may have their work cut out for them having to assist the child. But overall they had a blast! Kinda regret not going myself!
• Rock Climbing ($7) - this was the first time rock climbing for myself, my 7 year old, and my husband. There are 3 towers, each with very different structure and technique. Very fun, and secure, you repel down which was scary at first but once you realized how slowly and safely you went down, super fun!! Heads up: I only did 2 towers (5 minutes total climbing??), and 2 days later I'm still sore!! My 7 year old did a great job but wasn't able to make it to the top buzzer on any of them, but wasn't bothered by it in the least!
• 3D (XD) Theater Ride ($7) - OK so HUGE heads up here. Don't let your kids choose which movie they see. Don't do it. Be the mean mom. Use your better judgement. Or else you may end up with a couple of traumatized 4 year olds like me (see the video for how bad it was). They had a cute cartoon one that was perfect for kids. But no. My 7 year old insisted on the "Haunted Mine" and then his sisters chimed in that they too wanted to see it. Demanded to see it. So, OK, I caved... They get 3D glasses and jump on board of a 4 person bench that looks like a roller coaster ride. Door closes. If you bought a ticket you can ride with them, but I didn't, and watched from the surveillance screen out front. It all looked good for a while. Their hair was blowing. The ride was rocking and shaking. And then Emi threw off her glasses. And then both girls started hysterically crying and screaming. The staff noticed before I did and jumped into rescue mode, thank goodness!!! After taking them out and talking to them about how it wasn't real, they calmed down and haven't had any nightmares or anything, so I think we're good. Just heed my warning... go with the cute little cartoon for your littles!!!
• Laser Tag ($12) - This was my son's 1st time playing laser tag and suffice it to say, it brings out his competitive side just like his mama's! It was really fun playing together. There was only one other team at the same time, another mom and son. I was surprised how large the arena was! Lots of hiding spaces and targets to shoot, and a staff member was walking around and monitoring the whole time (I kept trying to shoot him accidentally haha)! The vest is heavy though, my 45 pound 7 year old was just barely OK to wear it. So keep that in mind.
• Virtual Reality Game ($8) - This was our first time doing a VR game and it was HILARIOUS!!! So so so so weird, and fun, and a bit scary haha! There are a bunch of games to choose from, so you may want to pre-select before your child enters if you don't want them shooting up aliens or something like that. I did one that did have guns but the "bad guys" were kinda like big apples invading my grocery store while I was trying to check out. They have sanitizing wipes to clean the mask and controllers before and after you use them, which was a great touch!

Basically, you purchase each activity and/or credits, they all go onto your Playopolis card and you scan it for each game or activity. You can buy packages as well, which reduces individual costs. I highly recommend this, so you just go out and have a huge fun day rather them deliberating over individual costs. Just splurge and treat your kids, and yourself!! For example, the "Voyage Pick Four" ($50) package includes 80 arcade credits and you chose 4 of the following: ​Climbing Wall, XD Theater, Bowling, Laser Tag, Virtual Reality, Rope Course. Family members can share a card too, in case you want each kid to do 2 of those activities.

DINING OPTIONS:
There were several restaurants to choose from and we honestly enjoyed every meal (well, "enjoyed" may be debatable since dining with 3 overtired cranky kids is always a struggle), but the food, service, and atmospheres were great! The kids' menus seemed to be the same at each restaurant though, so not as much variety, but if you have non-picky kids they could share items off of the adult menu perhaps. Then again we have pretty picky eaters. We ate at Bixby's Derby the first night, which had an upscale yet cozy vibe with huge tall-backed booths (besides looking really cool, I think they do well to absorb noise)! We ate at Harvey's Wallbanger the second night for dinner and the third day for lunch. It's very casual American bar/grille type atmosphere, with some booths and many high tables (I was nervous but our kids didn't fall out, thankfully). They all have crayons and coloring placemats with fun activities like dots and boxes and tic tac toe to keep everyone occupied without screens - hooray! For both breakfasts we got the buffet at Eat. Eat. Eat which was delicious!! A huge variety of food from pastries to omelet station, waffles, bacon, you name it, and 3 and under eats free there!

ACCOMMODATIONS:
The rooms are definitely in tune with the stylishly modern design of the rest of the hotel. They have 1, 2, and 3 bedroom suites. We got the "Two Bedroom Grand Corner Suite" which has an 8 guest max occupancy and at 966 square feet it's actually bigger than our own home in Brooklyn, which had its first open house while we were staying at The Kartrite!! The kids got the bedroom with 2 queens (the twins cuddled up in one), and us grownups took the master bedroom with a King and attached bathroom. The living room featured a his and her sink bathroom, sofa bed, Keurig, mini fridge, and balcony. I've seen some suites with bunk beds, too! So definitely search for the set up that'll work best for your family! On our first night, the kids took forever to settle down, not going to sleep until after 9pm, and were up from about 4:30am due to excitement. It was a disaster!!! The next night was much better after an exhausting day at the waterpark, and they slept til 6:30am without waking us up!! Hooray for 2 bedrooms and a living room, plenty of space and doors to block out sound!! Rates very greatly by type of room and day / season, but I've seen as low as $127/night for a family of 4 (don't forget, that includes waterpark passes for every day including check in day and check out day)!!

I'm not even sure who will be making it down here to the end of the post. I'm thinking most of you have already clicked over to The Kartrite's website to book your vacation!! But in case you're still here, thank you for sticking it out til the end!! Would love to hear your thoughts on The Kartrite - have you been there before? Planning to go? Have another family-friendly vacation destination we should review!?!? Comment below and we will love you foreverrrrrrr!!!

Moms, I think we can all agree that we love our kids more than life itself. We'd be lost without them. They're everything! But... sometimes... we need a break. Am I right?! A break from the monotony, from the pressure to be doing everything for everyone, from the whining and fighting. Basically, from being a mom. Needing a break doesn't make you a bad mom. I would argue in fact that taking a break actually can make you a better mom!

This break can come in the form of an hour at the gym, a mani pedi at the salon, or a kid-free lunch with some friends. Maybe you already do this regularly, maybe not, but if you're ready to take it to the next level, taking a full day and night away (or a full weekend, or gasp, a whole week!?), you might just find yourself fully recharged and ready to embrace those kids and your many duties at 100% again. Not just that, but getting away and out of your typical setting can give you a real chance to reconnect with yourself, to remember who you are beyond "mom", "wife", "domestic engineer". Remember when you actually had interests and hobbies, before they were taken over by your duties of meal planner, butt wiper, laundry doer, and booboo kisser. It's time to find and nurture those interests again! Let this blog post serve as your inspiration and motivation, a little nudge to treat yourself and plan your own mom getaway!!

I became a mother just over 7 years ago. It took me 5 years to take my first night away. I know... crazy! Our twins had just turned 2 years old, my husband was alwaysssss working, and I was so overwhelmed and stressed out. I had a mini breakdown (mommy tantrum??), got some amazing advice from my twin mom squad on Facebook (love them!!) and decided to heed that advice by booking a night away!! I went solo, to Atlantic City (weird destination, I know, but Tropicana hosted me and it was amazing - read about that trip and watch the video here).

Fast forward 2 more years and I was more than ready to do this again. Except this time, I didn't want to go alone. I wanted a relaxing but FUN momcation!!! So I reached out to the oh-so-amazing Crystal Springs Resort, because we had visited as a family over the summer and luuuuuurved it (see that blog review & video here), but I was itching to go back without kids! They offered to comp my stay again, in exchange for me covering my wonderful momcation! I invited one of my best mom friends, Rhianon of Brooklyn Boy Mom (together we have SEVEN CHILDREN!!! Me 3 and Rhi 4). See how much fun we had in this video and keep reading for more details!!

Why Crystal Springs for your Momcation?

LOCATION: Just a 90 minute drive from NYC, you'll find yourself in the beautiful northwestern New Jersey foothills at Crystal Springs Resort! It's not a bad drive either - I hadn't driven in over 6 years and was terrified but totally did it - easy peasy!! The hotel and grounds are simply beautiful (no wonder they host countless weddings, reunions, and conventions year round!).

ACTIVITIES:

• Indoor pools (the Biosphere is my favorite with its fabulously tropical Instagrammable vibes and water slide)
• Outdoor pools (heated in winter and you can swim out to them from inside)​

• 2 award-winning spas (one is ranked #1 in New Jersey and in the top 30 in the country!)
• Golf - not my thing but you do you!
• Free shuttle to nearby ski / snow tubing slopes at Mountain Creek - this free shuttle also connects Crystal Springs' two main areas of Grand Cascades Lodge and Minerals Hotel, both with great pools, dining, spa, etc! Make sure you visit both!!
• Daily activities (some free, some for a fee) like sip & paint, mixology class, cupcake making, goat or puppy yoga (YES! puppy yoga featuring rescued chihauhau puppies up for adoption see this video for all the cuteness!), cupcake making, wine tasting with their sommelier, marshmallow roasting, evening entertainment and a ton of summer outdoor activities on site or nearby like kayaking, horseback riding, zip lining, etc.

• Wine Cellar and free tour (daily @ 3pm) - with a $10million collection (45,000 bottles of wine) set in a beautiful stone cellar, it's a must see - one of the top wine collections in the world!!

ACCOMODATIONS:
​Both times I've stayed at Crystal Springs Grand Cascades Lodge, we've been provided with a Suite, which I highly recommend. Having a full kitchen and living room is so nice and makes lounging around and being lazy at your home away from home a terrific option! Go out to one of their many restaurants when you want, or order pizza or make your own meals when feeling lazy. We stopped at a grocery store on the way up so that we'd have stuff for breakfast and snacks and what not. Our Suite had 1 king bed room, 1 huge bathroom (with L'Occitane toiletries - niiiiiice!!!), a pull out sofa in the living room, a fire place, a balcony, washer and dryer, and a full kitchen (well, minus a microwave - oops, we had to take our popcorn home!!)

DINING:
They have many options to choose from, whether looking for quick and casual or fine dining for a special occasion. Between the visit with my family and this more recent momcation trip, I've eaten at every one of their restaurants except for their seasonal farm-to-table al fresco Chef's Garden (I'll be back next summer for that one, to be sure!!) and they're all outstanding! You can't go wrong!

Since we couldn't go to their 4-star Restaurant Latour last time (no kids under age 12 allowed), I wanted to make sure to check it out this time (reservations recommended, so plan ahead). Boy oh boy am I glad we did!! Their head Sommelier led the wine tour we took at 3pm, so we were even more excited to head over that evening and request the wine pairing menu ($55) with our 4-course meal ($115) . They also have 7-course, but despite each course being fairly small, we were stuffed by the end of our 2 hour dining experience!!

​I'd never done a wine pairing before, and basically know nothing about wine. I actually hadn't a clue that wine choice can either make or break a food. Making the wrong pairing is comparable to drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth - yuck! The sommelier will choose the perfect wine for each of your courses (guests choose courses independently, the table doesn't have to agree), coming over to the table personally to explain about the wine and pour it for you. It was such an incredibly luxurious treat for me, who is more of a 2 slices of pizza and a hard seltzer once a month kinda gal. Because I'm not used to this kind of gourmet dining, I have to be honest that the menu was a wee bit intimidating, but our waitress was the sweetest thing and helped make us feel at ease while handling all of our many questions! 

I'm sure the menu options change frequently, but for an idea of what to expect, here's what I ordered and the wines they paired for me (everything tasted as amazing as it looked!!!!):

Course 1: Roasted Crones (gnoccheti, fermented garlic, sunchoke) with Grgich Hills (Fume Blanc, Napa Valley California 2016).

Course 2: Venison (creamed turnip, preserved wild berries, juniper) with Cascina Fontan (Barbera d'Abla, Pieomonte Italy 2017). This was my first time having venison, and you never know what you're going to get with "gamey" meat, but it was absolutely delicious! To my unsophisticated palette it was like an extremely soft and delicious piece of steak.

Course 3: Rohan Duck (chestnut, persimmon, black seed vinaigrette) with Stokes' Ghost (Petite Sirah, Monterey County California, 2015). Talk about a piece of art, how about this plate!?

Course 4: Chocolate Ganache (coffee, buckwheat crumble, hazlenut), with l'Abricot wine and a platter of Turkish Delight! Yum. Just, omg, yum.

Oh, and we can't forget the most amazing and visually pleasing bread basket everrrrrr!!!! Hello activated charcoal bread, like, what!? So neat (and soft and yummy!!), with spreads like beet and garlic - ohmahgerrrrrd y'all!!!!!

We ended up doing 3 days and 2 nights at Crystal Springs on this most amazing Momcation. We stayed up "late" (still asleep before midnight), slept soundly without being pulled out of bed in the middle of the night to escort a little one to the bathroom, binged Netflix in bed, ate amazing food without hearing our kids whine about how disgusting it is, lounged poolside, sweat it out in the sauna and jacuzzi, cuddled with rescue puppies while kinda doing yoga but really just wanting to play with puppies, and even did our first TikTok ha!!!

Arrived home to a shockingly neat and tidy and quiet household - so impressed that my husband got laundry done and got the kids to clean up before I came home!! The kids were so cuddly and sweet, didn't throw a single tantrum for a whole hour after I arrived hahahaha!!! Seriously though, I feel so friggin' refreshed and ready to be the best mom I can be!!!! But I also can't wait to go on my next momcation...

So, are you inspired to book your own Momcation yet!?!? You really can't beat Crystal Springs for the destination - no matter what you're looking for, you'll find it there! They have really fun packages too such as "Robes & Rose Girlfriends Getaway", "Mom's Midweek Spa Day" and more! So get on it - gather some friends and get you on a mom getaway!! Be sure to check back in to let me know how it went (better yet, shoot me an email and maybe I can join)!!!