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  • Dads, Gift Guide, Motherhood, Product Reviews, Sponsored

    Father’s Day Gift Guide for the Modern Dad

    This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com. 

     

    Back in September 2010, my first child was born and so was a father. I remember the moment that the nurse handed our newborn baby to my husband and told him that she looked just like him. The memory is in slow motion in my head; I can see him staring at the baby as if he was trying to photograph her new face in his mind. Almost eight years later, he’s now three kids into his fatherhood journey. Each year though, I struggle thinking about what gifts he would want for Father’s Day. Shopping for men is hard, and I’ve definitely had some gift fails in the past so I try to be cautious. Father’s Day is on Sunday, and I want to make sure that you don’t have gift fails, so I wanted to share this gift guide with products all approved by my husband.

     

     

    119th US Open Golf Championship tickets

    I am a big believer that experiences make the best gifts. The U.S. Open Golf Championships in Pebble Beach, California conducted by the United States Golf Association (USGA) is an experience to add to your bucket list if your husband is a golf fan. The tickets go fast and start at only $60 but the experience will bring memories for a lifetime plus a getaway to California is always a good idea, and you have enough time to plan the trip. You can buy tickets here.

    MyHeritage DNA test kit

    As I mentioned, a father was born the day that my daughter was born, but my husband never had the chance to get to know his dad. That means there is so much about his paternal family that remains a mystery so the MyHeritage DNA test kit is the perfect gift to give him on Father’s Day so he could learn about his heritage. It’s a gift that would also help our three children as they will have a better understanding of who they are. This kit can do DNA Matches as well as an ethnicity estimate. The DNA Matches lets you know of people with shared DNA who may be related to you through Smart Matches and Instant Discoveries. The Ethnicity Estimate feature determines which of the 42 supported DNA, your DNA matches closet to and you’re able to share the results. I think this is a gift, dads would appreciate. MyHeritage DNA is running a sale until June 17th, 2018 and kits are only $59, you can also use the coupon code BABBLEBOXX1 here to get free shipping.

    Boxer Briefs and Undershirts

    Even if he looks you in the face and says he wants nothing for Father’s Day, boxer briefs and undershirts would never be turned down. We’re traveling next month, so these will come in handy for our trip. The Hanes UltimateTM Men’s Comfort Flex Fit® Ultra Soft Boxer Briefs are not any regular briefs, they promise to be super comfortable with features like a no ride up leg and FreshIQ which is perfect for the dad who loves to workout. The Crew-Neck Hanes UltimateTM Men’s Comfort Fit White Crewneck Undershirt is really soft, it’s a cotton/modal been and has Cool Comfort wicking fabric. I may or may not be plotting to wear these too. I think the best part though is these undershirts have a Lay Flat Collar, so they keep their shape. You can get 50% off on the Hanes website by clicking here for boxers briefs and here for the undershirts.

    Ties

    My husband mentioned that he wants to start a tie collection so I thought the blue Jules tie from Ties.com would be a fun addition to show some personality. Everyone knows my husband LOVES  plaid shirts, so a plaid tie matches his personality well and he’s never had one. I would take advantage of shopping on the Ties.com website and get him more for his collection. They’re offering 15% orders with the code TIESXBABBLE15.

    Cold Brew Coffee Kit

    It’s not just moms who survive parenthood with coffee; dads run on coffee too. The Grady’s Cold Brew – Bean Bag Cold Brew Kit takes all the complications of brewing away with a “Pour and Store” Pouch. All he has to do is add water these coffee beans, chicory and spices bags to soak overnight. This pouch makes 36 cups and coffee is fresh for two weeks. Oh and you can have fun with this coffee kit by making cocktails too by mixing Grady’s with vodka, a coffee soda by or adding sparkling water or pour it over ice cream for dessert. You can buy it for Grady’s Cold Brew is offering 20% off sitewide until June 30th, 2018.

    A Hat

    What dad doesn’t need a hat to run errands and for drop off and pick up. Any old hat wouldn’t work for the modern dad; the Black Clover Hat is excellent quality and very comfortable especially with the Live Lucky slogan on the side. Use code lucky15 for 15% off now through June 30th.

    Which of these will you be gifting this Father’s Day?

  • Motherhood, Pregnancy, Sponsored

    Donate Blood: Let’s Fix the Summer Blood Shortage

     This post is sponsored. However, all opinions are my own.

    Last year around this time, as many of you know, I was pregnant. I picked up the kids from school one afternoon, and when we got home, I fished my phone out of my bag and realized I had four missed calls from the doctor. Of course, I went into panic mode. I had done some tests earlier that week, and of course, I started to worry about the baby. There was a voicemail to call back immediately. It didn’t help that it was also a hot day and I was uncomfortable with my growing bump. I called back, and she told me that my iron was critically low, so low that if it didn’t improve before I go into the labor, I would need a blood transfusion. The good news she said was that we had time to get it up. I started to see a hematologist for the rest of my pregnancy, and fortunately, we were able to get it up. I’ve struggled with anemia before but this one the first time my iron was so low during one of my pregnancies.

    Pink Blush Dress

    The possibility of needing a blood transfusion is always there for women when we give birth to our babies. If a mother loses too much blood she would need one. Millions of moms and their newborn babies need blood transfusions every year. What’s crazy is that the possibility of needing a blood transfusion when I had the baby if my iron was low was scary but I never for a second considered a blood shortage. It’s probably because myself (when I can), my husband, friends and many of the people in my life donate blood. The truth is that even though we do, there is still a shortage of blood during the summer months by about 20%. Taking the fact that someone in the U.S. needs a transfusion of donated blood every 2 seconds, a double-digit percentage shortage is concerning. With one in every seven people entering the hospital needing a blood transfusion, more of us need to give blood whether we’re blood type A, B, AB or O.

    Donate Blood: Let's Fix the Summer Blood Shortage

    If I’m transparent, I initially started to donate blood while I was in college for the cookies and candy incentives, but when it was said and done, it felt good to do something in less than an hour that could potentially save up to three lives, just writing that gave me chills. Those of you also in the New York area you can donate blood at Community Blood Services. Contact them to determine if you’re eligible to donate blood or even to set up a blood drive. We can’t wait until there is a major disaster or the shortage gets worse. We can help blood centers by giving blood now, so they’re always ready for a crisis. Blood can be donated every 56 days, which works out to about six times a year. Have you or someone in your life ever needed a blood transfusion? Be a part of the Missing Type campaign, and sign up today to donate your missing type.

  • Baby, Family Travel, Motherhood, Sponsored

    Baby Summer Travel Essentials You Might Forget to Pack

    This post is sponsored by BJ’s Wholesale Club. All opinions shared are my own. 

    I love summer, and I’m overjoyed that it’s almost here! The big kids have roughly about two more weeks at school, and then we’re free to start our summer adventures. This year, our plans include a local bucket list to pretend we’re tourists around NYC, a Caribbean cruise and a trip to London that we’ve been planning for years. Since it’s the baby’s first summer, we’re excited to take on these adventures for the first time as a family of five. Having a baby in tow requires a bit more preparation than the big kids, I always joke that the smaller the child the bigger the bag of necessities. I’ve been traveling with kids for the past seven years; I’ve made all the mistakes already. I’ve overpacked in the past and packed too little, and forgot to pack some essentials. I think those experiences taught me what babies need while traveling. So earlier this week, I took a quick trip to BJ’s Wholesale Club and stocked up on baby summer travel essentials. It’s a relief to have everything she will need so we can focus on family time and not time stressing and shopping. Here are four baby summer travel essentials you might forget to pack:

     

    1. The right clothes.

    I’m sure you’re not going to forget to pack clothing for your baby but you might forget to look up the weather and pack for the weather while you’re there. For instance, we went to Orlando during the rainy season last summer, it rained during our trip and of course, we didn’t have enough appropriate clothing. You don’t want your baby to be too hot, cold or wet so pack clothes for the weather. This means sun hats, sleepers, swimwear, etc. – all of which you can find in BJ’s apparel section. Also, always pack extra socks, I got her cute socks at BJ’s too.

    1. Snacks for baby.

    Most of us will grab breastfeeding necessities and formula because we want to ensure our baby is fed but snacks are also important especially when traveling. I like to stick to brands that I trust like Happy Baby Superfood Puffs and Happy Tot Fiber and Protein pouches. When I leave home, I’m not sure if I will find them on the road so I prefer to buy them before my trip.

    Baby Summer Travel Essentials

    1. Swim Diapers

    I’m sure there is a trip to the pool, water park, sprinklers or beach on your summer list. You’re going to need swim diapers for your baby to enjoy any of these. As most parents focus on packing regular diapers, swim diapers are likely to be forgotten at home so add it to the bag you plan to travel with now. I bought Huggies Little Swimmers diapers for the baby at BJ’s Wholesale Club, their pricing is great compared to other stores and  we have enough for our summer travels.

    Baby Summer Travel Essentials

    1. An Inflatable tub

    Trying to give your baby a bath without a tub while traveling can be stressful. So this summer, I will be packing the Ginsey Licensed Inflatable Tubs from BJ’s so we can comfortably bathe her and we can keep her routine going.

    Piccolo Bambino Baby Washcloths

    1. Lots of Washcloths

    You could never have too many washcloths for cleaning your little one’s hands, face and for bath time. They’re an essential you might forget to pack for summer travel but important to keep the baby fresh and clean. I bought the Piccolo Bambino Baby Washcloths because they’re soft enough for her delicate skin and they’re good quality plus I can get them for an incredible value.

    It’s such a relief to have everything the baby will need for our family’s summer travel around town and internationally. I’m excited about making her first summer an extra special summer, and of course, I will take you all along with us for the ride. If you need to stock up for summer travel with your little ones, head to BJ’s to quickly find everything in a convenient one-stop shop and to save money in the process. While checking out last week the lady ahead of me used manufacturers’ coupons and BJ’s coupons, and she was winning with the savings. Let me know all about your summer travels in the comment section and click here to join BJ’s today and you’ll receive a $25 gift card for signing up!