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Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Shot! Shot! Shot! Flu Fact or Fiction

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Think you know everything there is to know about the flu? Here are five flu facts that you need to know to keep you healthy this flu season. 

CVS/pharmacy and Target have teamed up to give you better health and more time for the things that count.

Flu Fact or Fiction

I love almost everything about the autumn. (Of course, I would, right?) 


Crisp mornings, cool evenings, beautiful temperatures…it’s like a freaking postcard until IT takes you over. 

And then you start reaching for the tissues, the blanket, and a big bowl of chicken noodle. 

It’s not just autumn – it’s flu season and he came after you. 

Any parent knows once flu finds its way to your home, he’s here to stay and wreak havoc on your lives. 

So what do you do? The CDC and the Worldwide Health Organization both recommend the fnfluenza shot for almost everyone. 

But last year you got the shot and you still got the flu…so what’s the point? And what about this year’s strain? 

CVS Pharmacy

With all the conversations happening and flu season looming, it was time to get down to the point and get some answers. So off to CVS / pharmacy Inside Target to find out if my flu facts were really fiction.

FLU FACT OR FICTION

1. “I will get the flu if I get a flu shot.”

First off, the flu vaccine does not cause the flu. That’s right, you don’t get the flu from your shot. You get it from the virus that is spread through germs of the carrier that has it. Period. And while yes, you might get the flu after you get the flu shot, by merely having the vaccine, you’re more than likely going to have a lesser case of the flu than you would have without it.

CVS-Target

2. “I have a fever, a runny nose and feel like crap, so I have the flu.”

Nope, that’s not true either. The flu and the flu are both upper respiratory conditions and share several of the same symptoms (achy, sneezing, runny nose, etc.) although the flu can be much worse and lead to pneumonia.

However, there are several things that distinguish the two and you and only know you have the flu if you are tested by your physician. Unfortunately, both are spread through the air through coughs or sneezes from others, skin-to-skin contact (handshakes or hugs), spit (kisses/drinking after each other) and contact with items that have germs already over them. So without being about to keep you or the kids in a sterile box all flu season (considered most of the fall/winter time), you get the flu vaccine to decrease the chances of not getting the flu.

Flu-Fact-Fiction

3. “This year’s flu shot is not effective because the flu strain has morphed.”

Every year the flu strain changes. That’s a fact of nature and that’s why the vaccine is developed each season in efforts to fight the current strain. Unfortunately, that doesn’t meant that the flu shot you receive this year will take care of all of them. This is when outbreaks happen, making a real big mess for all of us.

Because of this year’s strain, doctors have recommended that no one use get the the mist version though. “So shot, shot, shots – EVERYBODY…”

Flu-Fact-Fiction

4. I don’t have the money for the flu shot.

You know what’s expensive? Several bottles of over-the-counter flu medications that will never work, two or three visits to the urgent care clinic, and all the sick days to finally get well. What’s not expensive? The one shot that takes less five minutes at CVS / pharmacy Inside Target. Most health insurance providers cover the flu vaccine. And when you get yours at CVS, you also get a $5 Target gift card! 

Flu-Fact-Fiction

5. I don’t have time for the flu shot.

Did you have enough time to get a Starbucks, grab a few groceries or try on that shirt in Target? Then you have enough time to get your flu shot at CVS / pharmacy. I went to test the process and here’s exactly how long it took: 

Ok, there was a little paperwork, but I was able to do it ALL on my schedule, after work, after practice, and as I was picking up dinner WITH the kids. It took very little time out of my crazy day and no appointment was needed. 

That’s a fact. 

Learn more about safeguarding yourself from the flu and CVS / pharmacy Inside Target here.

Don’t miss this #mamachallenge moment: 

CVS-Target-Moms

 

Love Yourself, Love Your Bones: Why Osteoporosis Matters

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Tracking PixelWhy Does Osteoporosis Matter? It’s more than wearing white, pink or whatever color to show your support.  On October 20, World Osteoporosis Day, make a promise to Love Yourself and Love Your Bones with one test to detect it all.

Thanks to . for bringing this important health issue to light.

Cancer.


Heart Attack.

High Blood Pressure.

They seem like just words until you have someone close to you or you yourself are diagnosed.

However, osteoporosis is one of those words that belongs on the top of the list that rarely gets the respect, acknowledgement or education that it deserves.

…Until you can’t hold a child on your hip or a small fall turns into a facture or a break or much worse. 

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that happens when your body loses too much bone, makes too little bone or both, therefore they become weak, they almost resemble Swiss cheese when looked at under a microscope.

Source: boneawareness.com

that someone might be at risk for osteoporosis including your age, gender, and medical conditions.

Source: boneawareness.com

However, your lifestyle, prescription drugs taken, and of course, how you treat your body, can definitely increase or decrease your risk of osteoporosis.

Leading a healthy lifestyle with exercise including muscle-strengthening exercise

Eating food rich in calcium, vitamin D, lean protein, fruits, and healthy fats are key to strong and healthy bones

Source: boneawareness.com

Taking a painless bone density scan is the only way to predict your likelihood and diagnose osteoporosis when you fall in the recommended guidelines including

  • Women ages 65 or older or men 70 years or older
  • Breaking a bone after age 50
  • Menopausal age (average of age of 51 with risk factors)
  • Postmenopausal woman (under the age of 65 with risk factors)
  • A man 50-69 with risk factors
Source: boneawareness.com

It’s that easy. Just 15 minutes with a from Hologic, the leading global healthcare and diagnostics company with a focus on women’s consumer health. That’s not too much to ask to prevent yourself from being one of the women dying from osteoporosis each year. In fact, more U.S. women die each year from complications of hip fracture than from breast cancer. A woman’s risk of hip fracture equals her combined risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer.

So this , Oct. 20, don’t just let the day go by and think, one day I’ll worry about that…or maybe I’ll start eating more broccoli. Think about your health and of course, the hugs that you want to continue without pain or suffering.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hologic, Inc. Hologic is sponsoring this post because the company is a leading developer of innovative healthcare products that enable women to lead healthier lives, everywhere, every day. To learn more about osteoporosis through Hologic, visit boneawareness.com, a website that Hologic launched in honor of National Osteoporosis Month (May).

 

Dia de los Muertos: Rainbow Pan de Muertos (Day of the Day Bread)

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Help your kids understand the celebration of Dia de los Muertos with their own creative expression like this Rainbow Pan de Muertos made with Trix.

Rainbow Pan De Muerto8

I don’t speak Spanish, but even before my children were born, I wanted them to be exposed to the Hispanic culture. While I didn’t grow up around the Latin-side of the family, it’s been a journey for me, as much as it is for them, to discover and appreciate what is also part of their history.


A few years ago I was able to take my then five-year-old son to Cabo San Lucas during Dia de los Muertos. The three days spent immersed in the holiday was beautiful for both of us. The illuminated shrines glistened around the marina, candles shining on the loaves of Pan de Muertos, colorful sugar skulls, and the sounds of those individuals kneeling, sharing intimate words to their loved ones that had passed.

Dia de los Muertos

A few weeks ago my grandmother died. As my closest confidante since birth, I’ve been devastated, grieving her passing, our memories together, and my childhood – all in front of my children. Needless to say, it’s been hard for them to watch me as I sporadically break into tears at anything that reminds me of her.

So it was a time for a change – a positive one that wasn’t sad, but one that honored her and could give the kids an opportunity to show their love, instead of the miserable experience that funerals give.

Dia de los Muertos was the perfect opportunity for us to not only participate in the timeless tradition, but also a therapeutic one for all of us. So together we spent one afternoon, creating our offering, the traditional Pan de Muerto. I guided them through the recipe, teaching them little lessons about cooking, how to hold the spoon, how ingredients should be added…just like my grandmother and I had done many times. Watching them work together, giggling as they kneaded the dough with their little hands was one of those moments I’ll cherish always.

Rainbow Pan De Muerto3

Of course, always the ones to put their own spin on it, the kids wanted to make their offering something creative, something colorful, something of their own expression.

So our Pan de Muerto mutated into a rainbow version using Trix. Adding the fruity flavor of the cereal to the dough mixture of anise and orange zest even enhanced the flavor of the dough. However, the bread still needed a little more color, so we put Trix in the dough as well as on the outside of the bread, adding rainbow shades and textures to rich, golden brown dough. The aroma of anise and orange filled the house as our creation cooled down, finally showing its final transformation. 

Rainbow Pan De Muerto5BW

Rainbow Pan De Muerto4

Rainbox Pan De Muerto2

While we don’t have a formal altar space and are too far to show grandma what we made, I know that she’s watching all of us as she nibbles the rainbow bread.

What’s your Cereal con Carino? How does your family share time, traditions, or experiences together during breakfast?  This four-part video series that began during Hispanic Heritage Month, the first episode features El Guzi and friends sharing a bowl of Cheerios while discussing how they shower their family with love in the morning. This initiative honors those timeless moments that may seem so small, but mean much more to us than we even expect.

Learn more and follow the Cereal con Carino initiative here.

Rainbow Pan De Muerto7

Print

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Rainbow Pan de Muertos

  • Author: Autumn Reo of mamachallenge.com
Print Recipe

Description

A colorful twist on the timeless Dia de los Muertos tradition.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons anise seed
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup Trix, grounded
  • 1/8 cup Trix, halved to be folded into bread and the other half used to garnish the outside of the dough
  • For the glaze
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine 1 cup of the flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and 1/4 cup of the sugar.
  2. Beat in the warm milk mixture then add the eggs and orange zest and beat until well combined. Set to the side temporarily.
  3. Heat the milk and the butter together in a medium saucepan until melted. Remove from the heat and add warm water (at least 110 degrees.)
  4. Whisk in the warm mixture slowly into the flour mixture until blended. Stir in 1/2 cup of flour, 14/ cup ground Trix, and continue adding more flour until the dough is soft.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic. Lightly fold in half of whole Trix into dough, working not to crush the cereal.
  6. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This will take about 1-2 hours.
  7. Punch the dough and shape it into a large round loaf or desired shape.
  8. Add additional Trix cereal to the outside of the loaf strategically on the outside of the dough.
  9. Place dough onto a baking sheet, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until just about doubled in size.
  10. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for about 35 -45 minutes. Remove from oven let cool slightly then brush with glaze.

To make glaze

  1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, orange juice and orange zest.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes.
  3. Brush over top of bread while still warm.
  4. Sprinkle glazed bread with white sugar.

Notes

  • If you would prefer a more traditional dough, switch the ground Trix for ground Cinnamon Toast Crunch or regular flour.


Rainbow Pan De Muerto Pinterest

Halloween DIY: Two Minute Cape

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With Halloween just a few days away (the countdown is really on) doesn’t mean you can’t have a cute Halloween costume right in time. With a little help from JCPenney, you can be the queen (princess or superhero) of Halloween! 

Two-Minute-Cape

Recently I was thrilled to partner with JCPenney to host a “DIY Costume Ideas Workshop” at Stonebriar Center. Of course, you know, I’m not one for much DIY, but I am the queen of finding easy and quick ways to get your parenting challenges handled – especially this time of the year with Halloween.

Using a few key items from your kid’s closet or from JCPenney, you can make some outstandingly creative costumes – and best of all, use them after Halloween for the rest of the year! That’s a win, win for everyone that makes it #SoWorthIt to do your Halloween shopping at JCPenney.


If you missed it, here’s the highlight reel.

During the workshop we covered everything from princesses to Pokemon. However, one of my favorites was using just a white t-shirt and a pair of Arizona denim jeans.

Two-Minute-Cape

5 Costumes Using Blue Jeans and a White T-Shirt

With just a pair of Arizona jeans, white tee, and a few accessories, we created:

  •      Maverick from Top Gun adding a Bomber Jacket (Similar to this one from JCPenney)
  •      Ponyboy from The Outsiders or anyone from Grease 
  •      Ash from Pokemon with this blue sleeveless jacket (This is the one at JCPenney)
  •      The Boss Bruce Springsteen by just adding a bandana

Vampire and Witch Costume

JCPenney-Halloween-Cat

A basic staple of every Halloween season is a witch and a vampire. And with a black dress like this one or a three-piece outfit like this one you may have in this closet after a special occasion, put it to good use by adding a cape and a little makeup help from the Sephora Inside JCPenney.

Two-Minute-Cape

Two-Minute Cape

This is a no-sew, no glue, no time cape. And yes, it takes two minutes. If you go spooky, choose black felt. Need a superhero cape, then go colorful with red or yellow. Either way you’ll be a hero for any Halloween outfit. As for the amount you need, this is all in who you are making it for and how long you want it. It’s so cheap, it doesn’t hurt to get a little too much and then you can always use the extra to make a mask too.  

Two-Minute-Cape

All You Need

Felt in your desired color (get this at your local fabric store for CHEAP)

Scissors

Ribbon (I chose the same color ribbon as my cape color)

Instructions

  1. Measure the length of your child from their shoulders down to the preferred length and cut it off. For a vampire cloak, you might want to add a few inches, to create a high collar or hoodie. If you wanted to make a two-foot cape, then allow for around at least four more inches for enough room for the ribbon to tie the cape.
  2. Once you have the size of the cape you want cut, then fold down the fleece in half of where you want the collar to be. For a simple cape, fold over one of the ends about 2-3 inches.
  3.  Next using your scissors, cut small cuts at the fold for the width of the cape. This is where the ribbon will be threaded so the size of your cut should be half the side of the width of the ribbon. For example, if you use a 1-inch black ribbon, you’ll want to make ½ inch cuts. 
  4. Open the fold to expose your cuts. 
  5. Then thread your ribbon through the holes leaving enough on each side to give you room to tie up your cape. (I like to have at least 4-5 inches on each side.) 
  6. Now tie it on the kid and you’re done!

Optional: You could add some embellishments to your cape like the name of your superhero or maybe some bling if it’s a princess cape. The sky’s the limit.

JCPenney-Halloween2

For your Halloween and all your holiday needs, JCPenney is your resource! From costumes, to décor, dishes, gifts, appliances and housewares to prepare your home, and more, they have it all at JCPenney. 

And don’t forget about Sephora Inside JCPenney and the Salon inside JCPenney, one trip to JCPenney helps to make your time #SoWorthit!

Two lucky mamachallenge fans will win $20 gift card from JCPenney to prep for your last-minute Halloween needs!

ENTER NOW

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Getting it All Done: Multitasking 2.0

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Too busy to get it all done? Need an assistant or maybe three? Actually all you need is a computer or a smartphone. We call it multitasking 2.0 and it’s the new way to getting it all done. 

Some links included in this post contain affiliate links. 

Only have an hour to go grocery shopping, get ready for your big work event, and feed the kids before the sitter get here? Then remember you need a birthday gift for your kiddo’s friend at school and you still haven’t gotten anyone to feed the dog before you go out of town for the long weekend? 
 
GettingitallDone
 
All in a day’s work for a parent and that was before 10 am…
 
Thankfully technology to the rescue with several new web-based services that make it easy to get whatever you need done with just a few clicks. 

Getting it All Done: Multitasking 2.0 

FOOD FAST AT YOUR FINGERTIPS


Door Dash // Have food delivered from your favorite place delivered where you want.

I’ve used this one no less than 15 times in the last month. It’s an app/computer accessible site that allows you to order food from great places around you and delivery it to your door. It’s all paid via your account so no issues with tipping or paying, the app shows you exactly what time when to expect the delivery, how much it costs and from your favorite places (not just a few major chains!) I can get ChickFilA at my door, no sitting in line, for just $7.50 (yes, the costs are more than reasonable and totally up front. 

Special Offer: Get $7 off your first order when you sign up through http://drd.sh/ldfoHQ/.

DoorDash

 
ALMOST EVERYTHING WITH AMAZON
 
Amazon Prime // Basically Amazon Prime was almost what started it all…immediate gratification of whatever you want, when you want (or at least with 2-day shipping. And now with Amazon Prime Now (and just this week with the debut of Amazon Fresh with fresh produce and local food), we can go on to the app on your phone and get things delivery in just an hour.  It’s an amazing service with a flat rate so if you order often it’s worth its weight in gold. 
 
Sign up:  It’s free for the first month, so use and abuse your Amazon Prime and see why it’s that amazing (30 days free with this link) 

Amazon Family //  Also through Amazon, parents with babies can sign up with Amazon Moms to have basic necessities like diapers, wipes, formula, etc. sent on regular schedule and at special discounted cost. No more trips to the grocery store to pick up all the stuff in one cart with the baby in the other. And it grows with you so when the baby is 4 months the program will remind you it’s time to go to the next size before they send it to you. 
 
Sign up:  If you have young kiddos or are expecting and want to save 20% off diapers and more, sign up now for Amazon Prime.
 
Amazon Dash // Toilet paper, laundry soap, and paper towels at the touch of a button – a real button!
 
Sign up:  Sign up, get your first Amazon Dash button for $5, and it goes towards your first purchase!

 
GROCERIES 
 
Many of the grocers have the ability to get exactly what you want, bagged, and ready to bring to the back of your car on your desired day through their online service (that’s also just a few bucks but free to start.) You don’t have to even get out of the car! 
 
Walmart Grocery // Special Offer for $10 off your first order with this link.
 
Kroger ClickList // Sign up!
 
And then there’s the one that brings it to your door with Shipt. It’s really been my lifesaver!  
 
Shipt // SHIPT does all the work for you – you buy it, someone picks it up, and brings it to you!
 
Special Offer: Get $10 off when you sign up on your first shop with the code GOODDAY or using this link.
 
Shipt_Logo
BEAUTY
 
These apps make it easy to look your best whereever, whenever! Just click your app or the online application to book your nails, hair or makeup done at home or whereever you need to be! At reasonable prices, everyone can afford to look like a million bucks with just a click! 
 
Blown Away Dallas // Make up and Hair whereever you are, whenever you want it. 

Currently, Blown Away is upgrading so try one of the other great services like BeGlammed and The Glam App (they do nails too!)

 
FOR THE DOG
 
Rover.com // Friends for Fido when you’re away.
 
Take care of your dog when you can’t! This online service allows pet lovers to schedule walks, feeding, a bath, just love time, whatever you need when you’re away. You are matched with a sitter that you choose and they come to your home as requested when you aren’t home to take care of Fido! I actually went on vacation this summer and knew Birddie was happy and at home – see for yourself!
 
Special Offer: $20 off first time you book with the link: http://bit.ly/RoverFox  
Rover.comDOCS ON THE GO

Family Health onCall (sm) // Family Health onCall from Children’s Health is making affordable housecalls for the whole family possible. Simply download our app, request a visit and rest. Our team of highly experienced, board-certified physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners will be there shortly. They’ll diagnose and treat you right in the comfort of your home, office or just about anywhere.

Sign up: Download the app and get signed up now. 

Mend at Home App

PediaQ // On demand pediatric care.

Have a sick kiddo that needs to see the doc later at night? It’s that easy with PediaQ – now with  This now, nationally recognized company based in DFW is making it possible with demand pediatric urgent care housecalls. Learn more about see for yourself!

 

RAMP UP YOUR MULTITASKING GAME

PICKUP // Instant Delivery service featuring Good Guy drivers with pickup trucks. 

This Addison-based company has taken the world by storm. No need to rent or borrow a truck or move items on someone else’s schedule. PICKUP helps you move almost anything (big or small), when and where you want to move it. Think Uber for moving and operates off an app.

Sign Up: Get a quote 

VRoom // Car shopping from home delivered to you! 

Car shopping made easy because you can do it all from your couch…bed…or whereever. All the work is done for you – including bringing your car to the door. Here’s how it works and a special code here when you use Vroom! 

Special Offer >>> $250 back when you use the code 

 

Finding the Best Babysitter Checklist

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Finding the Best Babysitter for your child can be nerve-wrecking. Make it easy for them (and you) with this checklist. 

Thanks to Sitting Made Simple Dallas for making sitting simple for parents. 

All my friends had kids the same time as me, so when it came time for me to find a sitter, no one I knew had a kid the right “babysitting age.” So I had to do some homework – not just for a few names, but also making sure that I had the right sitter for our family, and then getting her used to our house, our routines, and our expectations. 

Finding the Best Babysitter-SMSDallas


That was work. 

Of course, that was my first child. Any parent with more than one child will tell you your attitude will change when you have another child. You learn what’s important and what’s not plus the things you really need to worry about. 

So get to the point with these tips for finding your babysitter like a pro. 

Finding the Best Babysitter 

  • Finding the Best Babysitting Candidates
  • Learning About the Sitter
  • Hiring the Babysitter – The Checklist

1. Finding the Best Babysitting Candidates

For me this was the hardest part…finding a few people that you didn’t know that would be ok to watch your kids while you weren’t there. 

Ugh…no one seemed to fill that spot. 

Ask your friends. However, after asking a few friends for their recommendations, I was able to find people that I didn’t know personally, but had great referrals of people that were experienced and trusted.

SMS-Dallas-Team

Search online services. There are several online services that can help you find candidates in your area. I’ve used a few that allowed me to find people in my local area. Many of them will also run criminal checks on the members, so then you can concentrate on the profile and learning more about your perfect match. Sitting Made Simple, a new service in Dallas, provides service to most of the North Texas area. Their criminal check includes a throughout process including: 

  • A childcare background, with all references checked.
  • Possess and maintain a clean driving record.
  • Complete, pass and maintain a clean background check.
  • Certified in Infant & Child CPR

Local locations. For frequent babysitting services, a daycare might be able to accommodate your needs. For instance, you can find some churches, schools, and drop-in daycares include options for things like Mommy’s Day Out, short-term sitting, and even drop in daycare. 

2. Learning about Your Sitter 

Once you found a few candidates that seem to fit your needs, you can interview them.

However, a formal interview may not be exactly ideal when you’re looking at a sitter for next weekend or a referral from a friend. Additionally, many services have done the work for you – asking what the sitter his/her availability, what’s his/her experience with kids, and of course, his/her personality. Sitting Made Simple Dallas takes it a step further by doing that part for you, as well as a thorough personal interview with their staff, to make it that much more convenient for you! 

SMSDallasCares

Another reason that Sitting Made Simple makes it easy for you is the scheduling feature. You just post when you need a sitter and then you can select the sitter you want. And if there’s not a sitter immediately available for you to select, the service will find someone that will be able to babysit at your desired time. (Even better!) 

3. Hiring the Babysitter – The Checklist

Once you think you’ve finally found a good sitter and booked, there’s the unique experience of the “first time.” This might be the first time they sit for you, the first time at the house, or even the first time you’ve ever met them! During this time, there’s one important thing to remember: you don’t need to show them everything about your house, break out the medical records, or give them a copy of your living will.

That’s overboard. 

However, what you should do is to show them the house, at least the areas you expect them to stay in, and make sure to include the areas you don’t want them in while you’re gone. And you’ll want to have listed somewhere, some few basics, to make it easy to care for your child and in case of an emergency, have a few basics handy. 

BabySitter-Checklist

Information to have listed for your babysitter include: 

  • Your address (in case they need to tell the pizza person or the ambulance where to come in case of an emergency)
  • Your contact information
  • Your kids information
  • Insurance information
  • Allergies
  • Emergency plans (fire route / tornado spot) 
  • Emergency contact in case they can’t reach you
  • Routines: 
    • Bedtime
    • Specific rules (TV channels they can watch, devices they can use, etc.) 
    • Other rules

Here’s a copy of these on this free Babysitting Family Fact Sheet printable available for download to make it easy for both of you! 

Additionally, you’ll want to make sure to get a few different pieces of information from your sitter including an emergency contact for them, driver’s license number and license plate if the sitter will be driving the kids, and of course, their contact information, address, etc.  (Just another reason to use SMS Dallas – the services has already collected this information for you!)

Good luck on your babysitting experience!
SMS-Logo

Another way to make it easy for you is with a free membership to Sitting Made Simple Dallas (expires 12/31/2016.) A $50 value, enter here to start your babysitting experience made simple. 

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Five Reasons to Move Your Meds Now

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Make life easier with just one stop: CVS/pharmacy has found a new home….and it’s right on target.  Here’s why you should move your drugs now from your current pharmacy to CVS / pharmacy inside Target.

Thanks to CVS/pharmacy for this big move and this collaboration with mamachallenge.com. 

I’m a big fan of getting things done quicker, cheaper and better. That’s now what you get when you use CVS/pharmacy now inside Target. However, if you need a little more convincing why you’ll find your solutions to your #mamachallenge, then we’ve got you covered, especially if you already have a pharmacy. So here’s Five Reasons to Move Your Drugs Now.

CVS Pharmacy

Five Reasons to Move Your Meds Now


1.Get your caramel macchiato while you get your scripts. 

CVS at Target

One.stop.shopping. That should be enough.

Do you really need a reason here why making one stop to get everything you need is easier than making a second? I hate to feel like I’m wasting my time driving all over town trying to get three things off my list. Nothing feels better than heading to Target when you need to get away, right?  There’s some moment of empowerment when you are conquering your grocery list and you get to kick it off with caffeine. Need a new outfit? It doesn’t count if you buy it with groceries and vitamins. So grab your coffee, then head to the pharmacy, and begin your trip around the store while you know your saving time (and gas.) 

2. Good, friendly, educated customer service is hard to come by.
CVS Target Care

With all the drugs my family has to take (allergies), we go through a lot of scripts. I try to be educated on everything for everyone, but sometimes I need some info. I don’t just need my prescriptions, I need to know what are these drugs I’m putting in my kids and why? With the but it’s guaranteed with the super care provided by CVS pharmacists. And if you have a chronic medical condition,  the Pharmacy Advisor® program is designed to help CVS Caremark plan members achieve better health with a full team on their side! 

3. Get your flu shot (and a lot more), too! 

CVS-Target

It’s not just your prescriptions that you get at the CVS/pharmacy. You can get your flu shot and even get $5 gift card for Target. You can also get your Tetanus, Pertussis, Pneumonia, MMR, Meningitis and HPV shots at CVS/pharmacy. That’s kinda awesome within itself, but if you’re coming down with something, the MinuteClinic might be worth a stop. Sign in and you can get a text when it’s your turn to be seen. There’s tons of reasons that this could be a god send.  Nobody got time for getting sick.  So MinuteClinic and get on with the rest of your life. 

4. Access to your family’s health is at your fingertips. 

CVS-Target-phone

They gotta an app for that. Like for real there is:  the CVS app that allows you to manage your prescriptions, refill them at your fingertips, and my favorite function, just seeing what prescriptions my family is taking. For example, when I do have to see our pediatrician / family doctor, they always ask, “what prescriptions are you taking?” I don’t carry them in my handbag, but I do have my phone and the CVS app. All I need to do is look through the list and I can give them a full lowdown on what we’re taking. Presto Genius! And that’s just the start of the other ways the CVS app can make your life easier. 

5. SAVE money!

CVS Target Save Money

Using discounts provided from Target, CVS app, and just the ExtraCare® Rewards, you’re going to save BIG dollars. But if you really need something in hand to square the deal, then just download the app and you’ll instantly get $3 ExtraBucks® Rewards when you link your ExtraRewards card. I’m all about getting something up front. And then just stay connected to learn when you have dollars coming back to you just by being a member. A free member for saving money and then even more when you use the free service. Let’s do this. 

Stay tuned for tips, info and more ways on how CVS/pharmacy can help you make your health and your life even better! 

Don’t miss this #mamachallenge moment: 

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Ode to Coffee {Giveaway}

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Wonder why moms bow down to the coffee gods? It’s more than just the black elixir, but more like a friend that is always there. Here’s our ode to coffee. Thanks to Dunkin Donuts for sponsoring this giveaway and giving us all a day to celebrate our biggest fan. 

Each and every morning, squinty eyed and barely able to function, I stumble to the Keurig and throw my Dunkin Donut k-cup into its place, push the button, and wait to hear the beautiful sound and rich smell of coffee hitting my “I LOVE MOM” cup. 

coffee

I only add cream to the mixture to create my perfect recipe…at least for the first cup. 


This is a ritual I’ve been celebrating since I was around 16…however, at different times of the day (and nights in college), without the mug, or the K machine. However, only one thing has remained the same…the coffee. 

Now as a mom, the coffee is how I kick off each day…sometimes picking up another cup to keep it going with a stop at the drive-through, and of course, at the ticking hour, whether working on a deadline, or working through a big moment, the coffee is there. 

Dunkin-Donuts

So on National Coffee Day, I felt I owed coffee a little bit of thank you for the part its played as my friend thoughout my life. However, when I came across this little poem from Music Savvy Mom, it seemed to sum it up well. 

One Mom’s Spontaneous Ode to Coffee
 
I love the way you jack me up,
You hot, black velvet in my cup
And gird my mood for battle fair
with toys and poopy underwear.
 
My busy day I’m dearth to face
Until sweet coffee’s had it’s place
Upon my breakfast table where
I move the laundry piles with care.
 
I gently nudge the bills away,
Refuse to let work have the sway
To mar the blissful waking mood
that rich elixir doth exude.
 
Come sing with me of college years
Grey all-nighters, hangover tears
And all the foibles forced to flee
By coffee’s steadfast loyalty.
 
Ah, yes, dark friend! We owe to you
So much in life we’re wont to do
Careers, achievements, breeding too –
Without you…we’d just sleep right through!
 
To you, sweet beans, we give attention
To whining kids we shall not mention
The truth that’s proved each day anew…
The one I love the best is YOU!

And on this special National Coffee Day, Dunkin Donuts wants you to participate in the fun. 

Coffee Day

National Coffee Day is Thursday, September 29, and Dunkin’ Donuts will hail the holiday by raising a cup to its loyal guests with a coffee offer in celebration of the brand’s 66-year history of keeping people running with great coffee each and every day. Guests can enjoy any medium-sized cup of the brand’s signature hot coffee for the special price of 66 cents at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide. Dunkin’ Donuts is a leader in the hot and iced coffee categories in the U.S. The company sells more than 1.9 billion cups of hot and iced coffee globally ever year.

NationalCoffeeDay

AND why just stop the party on National Coffee Day? Win a $50 gift card to Dunkin Donuts so you can continue your connection to coffee for a little bit longer! 

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Everyone Needs Mama’s Better Day Kit {Giveaway}

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Some days suck. So be armed and ready with this Better Day Kit to cope until #BetterThings. 

Some days suck.

Like put-a-Dyson-to-shame suck. 


They suck so hard and even when you continue to put on the smiling face, attempt to think of a better day in your life, and try to handle the situation like an adult (whatever that’s supposed mean), there are some days you just lose your s@#!. 

For those days, you need to be armed and ready to cope, so you can deal with the s@#!storm you’ve been presented and get on to another day that has got to be better than than the one that you’ve presently gotten yourself stuck in. 

I mean I love my kids. I love my husband. I love my family. I love my job, but dang, there are days that push me to the edge. 

(It has to get better, right?) 

That’s what she said. 

Better Day Kit

Meet Sam Fox. She’s a mom, dad, referee, cop, and a woman.  “She’s  just trying to earn a living, navigate her daughters’ lives, have fun with a friend or two and also — just maybe — squeeze in some private time once in a while.” She’s looking for a better day, too.

Better Things is a new comedy series on FX co-created by Pamela Adlon and Louis C.K., starring Adlon as “Sam Fox,” a single, working actor with no filter trying to raise her three daughters – “Max” (Mikey Madison), “Frankie” (Hannah Alligood) and “Duke” (Olivia Edward) and her mom– in Los Angeles. 

Feel like this show could take out Sam Fox and insert you in it? Yep, me, too. 

So instead of losing it, take a few tips inspired by Better Things to keep yourself prepared to take on the day with the Better Day Kit. 

Better-Things

Here’s what you need for your Better Day Kit:

Sunglasses

Duh? Dark circles? Red eyes? Just don’t want to actually catch anyone’s eye so you don’t have to engage in a conversation? Sunglasses are your friend. And if you wear classy ones like Ray Bans, you at least look like you’re sophisticated, even when you’re a hot, hot, hot mess. 

Better-Things-Glasses

Chipolo Bluetooth Finder 

Have you been late to work or late to drop off your kids because you were looking for yours keys? How many times have you walked all over your house retracing your steps and found your phone in your back pocket. Why are we spending so much time finding crap when all you have to do is tag it with your Chipolo and you’ll always be able to find it. And why stop at your keys and your phone…the whole family should  tag their crap so you don’t have to spend time looking for it either. 

Emergency Kit

If you’ve busted a seam or a button in the middle of your shirt, gotten a blister, or lost an earring back, you know the value of a safety pin, bandage and an eraser. Except this time you don’t have to go hunting and hoping for a little saving grace. This little emergency bag of goodies with bobby pins, safety pins, blister pad, earring backs, etc. will keep you in business when things happen. This way at least you don’t end up flashing the boss or start limping down the hall because of those new shoes you haven’t ever broken in. 

Tranquility Essential Oil 

Tranquility is like a made up word isn’t it? No one who has ever had a kiddo, they know that tranquility is like the unicorn that we never catch up with. However, when it’s necessary to take a time out and stop to breathe, snap off the top, and inhale. Just a little sniff of this and you’ll be riding the train to tranquility.

Better-Things-Kit-2

Lip Balm 

When you look like you fell off the ugly tree and hit every branch, somehow when you put on lip balm, you upgrade yourself times 10. Not really, but it makes you feel better. And there’s nothing worst than crusty lips. Lip balm for the win.

Mints 

Did you forget to brush your teeth after gulping down your coffee heading out the door for carpool main? Cute guy at work? Need to impress a client? Have to see that mom that makes you feel like a cockroach? Put in a mint – and let them have it. You’re armed with the power of fresh breath (especially if you’re actually covering up the cocktail you drank at lunch before going back to work.) 

Baggu Leather Clutch 

A girl has to have a bag to put all her tools in – and this one is all-purpose.  And when you go a little classy, then it automatically detracts from the rest of your look that you have taste despite today’s attempt. I call that a win. And this bag can go from day to night to business to personal in no time flat. I’m excited when I change from yoga pants to slacks, so this one gives you the flexibility to be cool when you really aren’t. 

Better-Things-Bag

Pillow

A pillow. I wish I could say you need this to sleep, but it’s really for you to scream in. Whether you leave it in your desk, your car, your bedroom or even carry it in your purse so it’s with you where ever you go, you need this handy right-sized pillow. And if you can squeeze in a few minutes of shuteye, then count yourself lucky that you have a pillow to make use of. (And this way you don’t slobber on anyone either.) 

* If you need instructions exactly, how to use this pillow, let Sam show you exactly how. She does it a lot. 

 

Better-Day-Kit

Everyone needs this kit to help them keep it together. And we’re helping one lucky woman win one by commenting on this question:  

What’s your most memorable “there’s got to be Better Things” moment?”  

A winner will be chosen October 15, 2016 and contacted by email so make sure to follow mamachallenge on Facebook when we announce our winner!

And make sure to watch Better Things Thursdays on FX! This way you know there’s someone just like trying to find those #BetterThings in life. 

 

Smart Baby Monitor That Gets You Both Sleep

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New baby or one on the way? Then you’re in the market for a baby monitor. Smart technology now allows you to watch your baby and see if they’re breathing, too, with the Owlet Baby Care. Here’s how it could have saved me weeks, months, and years of no sleep and given me the reassurance to get some sleep myself.  

Thanks to Owlet for this collaboration and giveaway opportunity.  

“Don’t let your baby cry.”

Said the doctor to my husband and I as I held my two-month old son. We were finally be who was finally being discharged from the hospital after having being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, having a shunt put into his heart to keep him alive and thankfully, his body being strong enough to manage breathing on his own. We had spent weeks watching monitors in his room show his oxygen levels, things beep, and thousands of cords plugged into our new little bundle of joy (that unfortunately was also causing a lot of tears heartache at the moment.)  


“If he cries too much, his heart may get too overwhelmed, he’ll stop breathing,” continued the pediatric cardiologist. “So don’t let him cry or do anything that will cause him too much excitement. And always look at his color to see if he’s too blue.” 

Baby Heart Monitor

Talk about breaking in two new parents.

While we were so thankful to get to take our son home, the directions on how to take care of him were very different than the “let him cry it out” methods that had been shared from our friends, families and the prenatal books I had poured over for months.

The next several months, we wouldn’t sleep. Not even a wink.

Baby Heart Monitor

Like any baby, if you put him down to sleep on your schedule, he would cry. If he was hungry, he would cry. If he happen to wake up and not realize that I wasn’t holding him any longer, he would cry.

At night, even when he was sleeping I’d lie awake, listening for the monitor all night, making sure I could hear (or see) him breathing and making sure if his little eyes popped open, I was there.

And, of course, in the few times I did manage to close my eyes, every time he began to shrill (or worst case I hadn’t heard him), I’d run up the stairs like a marathon, to console him.

If only I had a way to not just have a monitor to watch and hear him, but if there was something to wake me up just in case something happened. That little bit of comfort would have made a huge difference to two new parents not just learning to cope with a newborn, but two parents who needed to monitor their child’s breathing, not  oxygenation and saturation rates at all time.

Eight years later, there is.

Meet, the Smart Baby Monitor, Owlet Baby Care.

The Owlet Baby Monitor is the first smart baby monitor of its kind that uses hospital technology—pulse oximetry—designed to alert you if your baby stops breathing. We’ve miniaturized this technology into a tiny, snuggly baby sock that your little one wears to bed. It’s totally wireless and connects via bluetooth to a base station and Wi-Fi to your smartphone. The product just launched to the public last October after more than two years of development and testing. 

Baby Monitor Owlet

Of course, like anything, things can happen, especially when you’re putting it on a newborn baby that likes to discover their feet and use them often. However, when snugly placed on the baby’s left foot, it works well for many months to come as your baby continues to grow. (Just remember when you take off the sock to remove the monitor as well before throwing in the washing machine.) 

Everyone knows that car seats are a MUST if a baby is in a car, but did you know that more babies pass away while sleeping at home than do in a car related accidents? According to the CDC in 2014, 3,500 babies passed away in 2014 while sleeping – more than 18x the number of babies who died in car accidents in the same year. 

Owlet2

Just like the car seat, Owlet Baby Care believes that home health monitoring could be something comparable to reduce infant deaths. 

And imagine how much more sleep we’d all get…all with the help of a sock. 

Baby Monitor Owlet

You can purchase an Owlet online for $249 (comparable to many baby monitoring devices on the market.)

• Smart Sock Kit (sizes one through three)
• Sock Electronics
• Base Station and corresponding charging cords
• Exclusive access to the Owlet app (available for iPhone and Android users)

The Owlet Monitor GUARANTEES to give you peace of mind. If you are dissatisfied with your purchase of the Owlet Monitor within 45 days of purchase, then it send it back for a full refund.   

WIN AN OWLET BABY CARE MONITOR
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