New Year, new smile! I’m Fixing My Smile from the Inside Out with the best charcoal toothpaste for sensitive teeth. This post is sponsored by Crest. All smiley opinions are my own.

Fixing My Smile from the Inside Out & the Best Charcoal Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth

“You always look so intense.”

“Mom, you’re so serious all of the time.”

“You’re not exactly the most approachable person.”

“Well, you could work on your resting *&!@% face.”

Ouch. I never realized how much my face gave off this terrible negative vibe. I had no idea that “happy” wasn’t my default face – and it should be. I think self-consciously I worry about what people are going to think of me. I’m extremely shy and introverted. And I’ve never been a big fan of my smile – with crooked and coffee-stained teeth. While I certainly never mean to appear “angry” at the world, it’s harder to change my default face.

But it’s always good time for positive changes.

New year, new smile. Reset buttons, I’m a big fan of them. And at the top of my new year goals for the year, fixing my smile from the inside out. This year it’s more than just plastering on a fake smile at the world. It’s about confidence in myself, my world and even my teeth – changing me. So here’s how I’m fixing my smile in 2019 – with a whole lot of personal growth and the best charcoal toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

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We’re cooking up big things in the new year with this 2019 Florida Prepaid Promo Code and a New Open Enrollment Period! This post is sponsored by Florida Prepaid College Board. All opinions are my own.

2019 Florida Prepaid Promo Code | New Open Enrollment Period

Apron – check.

Chef hat – check.

An overwhelming amount of plastic food that I need to pretend to eat for real – check.

I love when my daughter cooks in her play kitchen. It’s one of the few toys that has really grown with her over the years. The kitchen that used to look so HUGE compared to my tiny girl has now become a small foundation of her childhood. Humming a tune while cooking up a delicious spread of sushi, coffee and cupcakes (because she knows that Mommy loves them) – this is our happy place as we sit and chat about everything from school days to career choices. Childhood is flying by – and soon I will miss my daughter cooking fake food and laughing over our crazy tea parties. So for 2019, I’m really soaking in the giggles pretend food offerings. Because college is right around the corner.

She’s not the only one cooking up memories in 2019. The new year is cooking up big changes in Open Enrollment and the biggest Florida Prepaid savings yet with this 2019 Florida Prepaid Promo Code. Ready to bake in the fun into the new year? It’s never been a better time to invest in your child’s college education. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to save for college, it’s now. Scroll down to grab your exclusive 2019 Florida Prepaid Promo Code – because $0 sounds pretty darn good.

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National Birth Defects Prevention Month reminds me of the importance of babies and their stories. This is The Hospital Baby I Will Never Forget and National Birth Defects Prevention Month tips for moms. This post is sponsored by March of Dimes. All opinions are my own.

Photo credits: Ella Lu Photography

The Hospital Baby I Will Never Forget

So small in such a big world. Did I ever share my daughter’s birth pictures? It’s amazing how alert she was from day one. She didn’t want a miss a minute of the action – even for pictures. How small and sweet she was. That new baby smell in full force. Oh, how I miss those days.

Over my 6+ years as a pediatric nurse, I’ve taken care of so many children. Different races, different backgrounds, different homes, different personalities, different sicknesses. Each child I cared for has really shaped my life – as a person and a parent. Some kids left a bigger impression than others. Some still creep back into my memory banks even today. Some never left – permanently etched into my mind. Some still bring me to tears.

January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month. And as I was writing this post in partnership with March of Dimes to share some National Birth Defects Prevention Month tips, memories of a little baby girl I cared for flooded my mind. This is her story, the hospital baby I will never forget, and how she shaped me into the parent I wanted to be for my babies.

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New year, new answers. I’m Getting My Kids to Talk Beyond “I Don’t Know” Answers this year, with a little help from #TalkEarly. This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Getting My Kids to Talk Beyond “I Don’t Know” Answers with This Brilliant Response

How was school today?

“I don’t know.”

What did you learn in class?

“I. Don’t. Know.”

Did you do anything that was fun or exciting?

“I DON’T KNOW!!!”

Sigh. Parenting isn’t always easy. And when my son started preschool, these were the answers I would receive every flipping day. He was always the shy kid, and every response required prying and prying and PRYING for something other than those 3 dreaded words. It took a long time to get him to open up about any part of his day – to earn his trust, be patient, and honestly listen to his words.

Now at 10-years old, I can feel my son starting to slip through my fingers with the same pattern, different age. A foreshadowing to the pre-teen years, panic mode has begun to set in. I don’t want my son to grow up thinking that I don’t know is an acceptable answer…like ever.

And he’s not the only one dishing out the I don’t know answers these days. Someone else in our family is listening too. My 6-year old daughter, who absolutely adores her big brother, is starting to mimic the I don’t know answers. And I have ZERO tolerance for that. I’ve had enough of the I don’t know answers in this house. Here’s how we’re putting an end to I don’t know answers this year.

Because mama ain’t got no time for vagueness.

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I didn’t make any New Years goals in 2018, and I’m doing it again. Here’s Why I’m Not Ready to Let Go of 2018 – and why you should let go just yet.

Why I’m Not Ready to Let Go of 2018

January 2nd – what I feel is the REAL official first day of the new year. It’s the day that we dip our toes in the water – whether trying out those fad diets, promising to hop back on the exercise bandwagon, or making those big business goals. In fact, I watched the whole social media world make a shift in those last days of 2018 – towards 2019, the year of letting go.

Letting go of toxic relationships, family and friendships.

Dumping out all negativity.

Ditching ugly thoughts and feelings.

Saying goodbye a bad year.

As the year was coming to a close, I found myself yet again feeling alone. Me against the world. Why was everyone so quick to let go? Is it the instant gratification society standards sinking in? Millennial tendencies? Or was the year really just ‘that bad for everyone?’ What are we trying to forget?

And that’s not to say that my 2018 didn’t have it’s failed goals and promises. After my viral 2017 New Years post, I wasn’t about to jump on the resolution train. No word of the year. No blog milestones. No weight loss goals. No mental health strides. No vision board. I had no plans for myself or my business – I had no idea what I wanted to do or accomplish. Lost, yes, I was lost. But I’m not rushing to let go of 2018 just yet. And I don’t think you should be quick to let go either.

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The holidays can mean lots of regrets and learning for parents. Don’t Make The Same Christmas Mistakes I Did. This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Don’t Make The Same Christmas Mistakes I Did

Ever had an SD card go bad? I had an old camera card that was corrupted – with over 2,000 photos on it. I spent hours researching, extracting, and ultimately saving a year of memories trapped and almost lost forever. It was tense at times – as I’m an the ultimate picture hoarder and couldn’t bear to think that I had a whole year of memories that were going to be gone forever.

It was on this card that I came across our Christmas photos from 2 years ago. I had forgotten all about these moments – when my son made the biggest “O” face over a LEGO set, the absolutely joy through the eyes of my then 3-year old daughter. And a few rare family photos, rigged on top of a stack of books and a rushed 10 second timer. And OH MY GOODNESS – was that my hair?!

I can’t believe that I was so close to losing these magical Christmas moments forever. But as I flipped through the photos, I’ve also realized that I’ve learned a lot in just two Christmases too. This time of year always has me reflective – maybe it’s the holiday magic, maybe it’s because the year is coming to a close soon – but often times I look back on a Christmas moment and say “what the heck was I thinking?” Don’t make the same Christmas mistakes I did, parents. Here’s some wisdom that we could all use this season.

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Does your child have tummy troubles? Here are 10 Tips to Survive Stomach Flu This Winter. This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

10 Tips to Survive Stomach Flu This Winter

Twas the night before Christmas with so much left to do, but everything got put on hold when my son got the stomach flu.

Oh yes, that was one memorable Christmas. Everyone has a stomach flu story. And unfortunately, ours came around Christmas Eve. My poor son never looked so miserable as we spent hours dealing with all of the pain, fever and GI issues out the front and the back.

And with another round of stomach flu hitting our school this season, I figured now is the time for us to chat about everything stomach flu. Stomach flu was one of THE most common illnesses I saw in the hospital when I took care of sick kids. And I often get asked about what to do. So here are my Top 10 Tips to Survive Stomach Flu This Winter with your child. From what to have on hand to best clean up supplies (yup!) to understanding the ABCs of care and treatment, I want to make sure all parents are prepared any tummy troubles that may come our way!  [Read more…]