Feeling Better About Myself & Looking Great

It's the 4th of July week and I'm sitting on the beach right now. The weather is beautiful, the water is just the right temperature and everybody is looking nice and tan. I am thinking about where I was in life just one year earlier. Before having two boys, you would see me on the beach in my bikini strutting my stuff, but this time last year I was 30 pounds heavier and covering up myself as much as possible. I just didn't feel good about myself and was honestly embarrassed of the extra weight. At that point, I vowed that by July of 2012, I would not only lose weight, but feel better about myself. This was such a turning point in my life!


I decided to speak with my doctor about my issues and he completely understood. Even better, he told me these issues and feelings were totally normal and listed many different types of procedures I should check out. In addition to staying on a healthy diet and exercising, my sister suggested getting a tummy tuck. She actually had a tummy tuck a few years ago after struggling to get back to her pre-pregnancy figure. I honestly knew little about the subject until researching, but I did know she was extremely happy with her results and it made a world of difference for her confidence. This is exactly what I needed at that point.


So, fast-forward July, 2012 and here I am, on the beach wearing my bikini. Yes, I feel fabulous and couldn't be happier with the results of all my hard work and dedication. I know when you are dieting and nothing is happening, it can feel like such a dead end, but it doesn't have to be. Talk to your doctor, do your research and find which procedures are best for you. There is no reason to remain unhappy when you really don't have to be!

Things To Do When Visiting Kauai

When I was a senior in high school, my parents surprised me with a special trip as a graduation present! They let me choose between a group trip with friends to London or a trip with them to Hawaii. Of course, as a teenager, I picked London, but have regretted it ever since. My parents have always wanted to go to Hawaii, specifically Kauai, and I would love to go to this beautiful island, too. With all the great traveling prices right now, this is the perfect time to visit!

When looking on Summit Pacific, I found a variety of condos, resorts and other vacation rentals, which made finding a great place to stay so easy! With this already planned, I could move on to the fun part of activity planning! I quickly realized just how many things there are to do on Kauai! Did you know Kauai is known as "Haiwaii's Island of Discovery" because there are so many great attractions and activities? For this reason, I decided to share with you some of the reasons to visit and must-do activities for your vacation to Kauai!

1. Natural Wonders - There are so many beautiful natural spots to visit on Kauai, which makes this a prime place to either sit on the beach and go snorkeling or go on excursions around the island. I would love to visit Waimea Canyon, the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific" and Wailua Falls, which is seen in many shows and movies, including Fantasy Island!

2. Go native at a Luau - When in Rome... experience a piece of culture and tradition, right? Your night will be filled with delicious foods, live music and entertainment to delight the senses.

3. Unique Spa Experience - Receive spa treatments you cannot get anywhere else! Experience Lomilomi massage, a relaxing rhythmic massage that feels amazing. Also worth trying is the heated pohaku stone massage to relieve sore muscles after a long day at the beach or hiking and the island.

4. Hanepepe Town Artwork - This area of Kauai is known for its artists, art specialty shops and fine art galleries. Check out some beautiful artwork and mingle with local artists!

5. Get Your Adrenalin Pumping - There are so many adventures around Kauai that you can really have non-stop fun and action! First, go mountain tubing to relax on a tube, float down the river and enjoy the views. Then, go ziplining 35 miles per hour above valleys and streams. Need more excitement? Next, go horseback riding and mountain biking!

These are some of my activities to do around Kauai and I would love to do them all. I think we'd need at least a week or two in order to see everything and still have time to relax! I know this trip will be memorable for our entire family and include fun adventures for everyone. Are you ready for a trip to Kauai now? I know I am. Which of the activities above would you want to do when there?

Huggies® MomInspired™ Grant Program Now Accepting Applications

I have always enjoyed reading books, traveling, learning new things and taking classes. Even after I graduated college I took classes just for fun. Little did I know that becoming a mom would be the most educational experience of my life! My kids are constantly teaching me new things and they keep me on my toes 24/7. There have been times where I have to get creative to solve a problem, inventing new ways to keep baby happy or get the boys using the potty. Whatever the task, Mom was to the rescue! I'm sure many of you can relate. Do you have a innovative idea for a baby or children's product? Maybe it's something you've only thought about or even something you have implemented in your own home! Well, here's your chance to possibly make your idea or invention a reality with the Huggies® MomInspired™ Grant Program!

Huggies realizes there is a huge community of talented moms out there who strive to make parenting easier and more enjoyable! The Huggies® MomInspired™ Grant Program recognizes and celebrates the special natural creativity that moms possess, giving them a chance to channel those special moments of ingenuity into products that can improve the lives of children and parents!

The grand program is now in its third year and awarded 23 grants in 2010 and 2011! The grants given help provide resources and seed capital to help fund business start-ups and new product innovations inspired by motherhood!

 Previous grant recipients have developed some amazing products such as:

• Nausea Relief Band to Ease Pregnancy Symptoms
• Magnetic Baby Clothing For Easy Diaper Changes
• Sleep Coaching

 Now is your chance to show off your unique baby or childcare product ideas! From April 25 - July 31, 2012,  moms can submit their ideas and apply for the 2012 Huggies® MomInspired™ grant program at HuggiesMomInspired.com. Huggies will award up to twelve $15,000 grants, which will be announced and awarded in fall 2012. If you have an idea or invention you think is worthwhile, here is your chance to bring it to fruition! Good luck to all who enter!

This post is part of a compensated campaign with Huggies® , Huggies®  MomInspired Grant and MomSelect. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Zuo Bar Stools Giveaway Event Twitter Follows Pt. 1

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$100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

Welcome to the Amazon.com Blast! One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card! Makobi Scribe is bringing you this Amazon Twitter blast. This giveaway is open WW!

We will be participating in these for the next 4 weeks, so look for a new one each week!

Enter using the form below. The more entries you complete, the more chances you have of winning. Sweepstakes ends at 11:59pm EST on July 7th. Good Luck!

$100 Amazon.com Gift Card Giveaway

Welcome to the Amazon.com Blast! One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card! Makobi Scribe is bringing you this Amazon Twitter blast. This giveaway is open WW!

We will be participating in these for the next 3 weeks, so look for a new one each week!

Enter using the form below. The more entries you complete, the more chances you have of winning. Sweepstakes ends at 11:59pm EST on July 7th. Good Luck!

Huggies Pull-Ups & A Phone Call From Tow Mater Make Potty Training Fun

I've always heard that potty training boys was much more difficult that with girls. I don't know if that is true, but what I do know is that they have definitely given us quite a challenge! With Josiah, we had him almost potty trained when we brought newborn Liam home from the hospital. He then reverted and wouldn't potty train for over a year. He was almost 3.5 years old and I was beginning to think he would never use the potty when all of a sudden he just started going! Now it is Liam's turn for potty training and he is, for some reason, just as resistant as his older brother.

With Liam, we have tried a variety of things and I even let him choose his very own potty, an Elmo potty that talks to him while sitting down. His response? He likes sitting on the potty and listening to Elmo, but that's about it. I told him he gets to go to school with big brother if he starts using the potty, too. He thinks about it for a few seconds and then starts crying, "No go potty! Use diaper!" Oh boy, we have our hands full. He loves flushing the big potty for his brother, but as for going himself, he just won't even consider it. I was hoping he would eventually just start wanting to use the potty like Josiah, but this is not the case at all! He has no qualms about having on a dirty diaper, but Mama is determined that this not last much longer.

We received some Huggies Pull-Ups in the Cars theme for Liam and he couldn't wait to give them a try! He loves wearing them, but I knew it was time for some extra encouragement that Mama and Papa just could not give. That's why we scheduled a call from Disney's very own Mater, Tow Mater!  

Want to schedule a call from either Mater or Cinderella for your someone who is currently potty training?  

Just check out the Pull-Ups website to easily schedule a call (on a day and time of your choice). Believe me, your kids will love it! Here's the video of Liam listening to his very own phone call from Mater!

As you can see, Liam was very excited to hear from Mater!

While on the Pull-Ups site, I noticed the other Pull-Ups Potty Break techniques and we definitely gave them a try. Check out this helpful and interesting infographic with some great tips for potty training:

I can so relate to the statistics above and knew that I often forgot to remind Josiah to potty, which obviously didn't help him out much. This made me realize I needed to ask Liam more often if he needs to use the potty. This alone has helped him out so much!

I also found the Potty Dance page on the Pull-Ups website and remembered how much Josiah enjoyed clapping and doing the Potty Dance, so I let Liam spin the big kid wheel on his first day of training and it landed on the Country version of the Potty Dance song. He absolutely loves it! You can also download fun tools for potty training that are completely free and help your little one not only become more interested in the process, but also be part of it. Although Liam is too young to express his thoughts, I could tell he felt more in control of using the potty and this has encouraged him to go to the potty more often. We used rewards and incentives to help him along the way, such as more time outdoors and going to the park. Plus, every time he uses the potty, we play the Potty Dance song.

I am hoping to have Liam potty trained by the end of the summer and with all helpful tips and info at my fingertips on the Pull-Ups website, I am confident this will happen! So far, we are definitely making progress, so I only see him using the potty more and more. Josiah's school has reserved a space in the beginner's class for Liam with the hopes of him becoming potty trained, too!

What are your own Potty Training tips? What do you think works best for potty training a toddler?

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Pull-Ups. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Walker Edison Bunk Bed Giveaway Event Official Post ($549 RV)

We are so excited this huge event has finally begun! The Walker Edison Bunk Bed Giveaway Event, sponsored by BunkBedsAtoZ, is now live and ready for entries. The Walker Edison Bunk Bed is a  beautiful Twin over Twin made of solid wood and in an espresso color! Every kid loves bunk beds, so here's your chance to win one of your own. This bunk bed is retailed at $549!

Just use the Rafflecopter form below to enter & let them know Children Teaching Mama referred you to enter! Be sure to come back each day to tweet about the event for an extra entry! This giveaway will end at 11:59pm on Tuesday, July 10th and is open to United States residents 18+ and older. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Little Love Buns Cloth Diaper Detergent Review & Giveaway

 I remember way back when I first started cloth diapering and everything was new to me. Each day was a new learning experience and I eventually got the hang of it. One of the things that still bothers me are when the extra stinky diapers just don't get clean. You know what I mean, right? That lingering ammonia smell or the poo smell that just won't stop. We've tried several detergents and cloth diaper detergents, but have not been overly impressed with the ones I've tried. That is why I was excited to try out Little Love Buns Cloth Diaper Detergent.

About Little Love Buns
Dallas, the owner of Little Love Buns, is proud wife and Mama of 3. She began cloth diapering after the birth of her twins and had a great time trying the cute and affordable cloth diapers. However, she had a hard time finding a detergent that really worked for her and took care of all the diaper issues (smells, stains, build-ups and irritation). After researching, Dallas took matters into her own hands and decided to make her own detergent! 

Little Love Buns Wipe Bits

After months of trial and error, she finally came up with a recipe she absolutely loved. One of her children has very sensitive skin and eczema, so finding a recipe for detergent and wipe solution for sensitive skin was very important. She found ingredients that blended well together and even stopped her hands from being so dry! This is why she is so proud of the products she sells and hopes you love them just as much!

My Thoughts
When I first took a look around the Little Love Buns website, I was impressed by the variety of scents available. Strawberry Watermelon, Cucumber Melon, Sweet Pea, and Peach Mango or only a few of the delicious scents available. I tell you, I had a tough time deciding on only two scents, but finally picked Sweet Pea and Cherry Almond, two of my favorites. 

I received 2 Large Bags of Little Love Buns detergent, which is 85/170 loads, so you get a great deal of clean diapers for only $13.00 a bag. I honestly couldn't wait to give the detergent a try and let me just say it smells so good. As soon as I opened the bag, the smell of Sweet Pea and Cherry Almond floated around the room. The scent isn't overwhelming. Rather, it is a soft scent that leaves the diapers and clothes with that clean smell I love so much. I added about 2-3 Tablespoons of detergent to my load of cloth diapers and when they were done, they came out smelling fresh and looking great. There were no stains and the insides of the diapers were nice and white.

Here's a picture of one of the cloth diapers after washing in Little Love Buns Detergent:

We love Little Love Buns Cloth Diaper Detergent and highly recommend it for not only cloth diapers, but for other clothes, too. My son has Eczema, too, and we have to be careful about the types of detergents we use on his clothes. Little Love Buns not only worked perfectly, but did not break him out or cause dry skin, which is really all I can ask for and more.

So, Are You Ready For A Giveaway? 

1000 Places To See Before You Die Book Review

My husband and I love to travel, but since having children, we rarely get to leave Georgia much less the country! We received 1000 Places To See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz to review and I knew the hubs would get a kick out of it.

About the Book

The world’s bestselling travel book is back in a more informative, more experiential, more budget-friendly full-color edition. A #1 New York Times bestseller, 1,000 Places reinvented the idea of travel book as both wish list and practical guide. As Newsweek wrote, it “tells you what’s beautiful, what’s fun, and what’s just unforgettable— everywhere on earth.” And now the best is better. There are 600 full-color photographs. Over 200 entirely new entries, including visits to 28 countries like Lebanon, Croatia, Estonia, and Nicaragua, that were not in the original edition. There is an emphasis on experiences: an entry covers not just Positano or Ravello, but the full 30-mile stretch along the Amalfi Coast.

Every entry from the original edition has been readdressed, rewritten, and made fuller, with more suggestions for places to stay, restaurants to visit, festivals to check out. And throughout, the book is more budget-conscious, starred restaurants and historic hotels such as the Ritz,but also moderately priced gems that don’t compromise on atmosphere or charm.

My Thoughts

I originally reviewed this book as a Father's Day present for my husband. Little did I know how much I would also enjoy it! The book is full of beautiful pictures and the must-see places around the world. When I was in college, I actually lived in Erlangen, Germany and went to Frederick-Alexander University. During that time, I was able to travel around southern Germany as well as some nearby countries. Looking through the book, I was so excited to see that I had actually traveled to most of the must-see places around Germany! It feels good to know I made the most of my trip and it was wonderful to relive those memories while reading the book.

There are many other countries I have yet to visit and would love to once the kids are bigger. 1000 Places To See Before You Die has given us so many ideas for future vacations, even those around the United States. I have always wanted to go to Maryland and after reading about it, I want to go more than ever. Road trips are definitely in our future since there is so much to see around our own country.

Want to see the Amalfi Coast or The Gobi Desert? I think any person who loves to travel or even just geography would enjoy 1000 Places To See Before You Die. The beautiful pictures alone make this book wonderful and all of the descriptions and details make you want to get off of the couch and book the next flight! The book retails at $20.00, but you can purchase it for the bargain price of $12.46 on Amazon!

Disclaimer: I was provided this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are mine.