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  • Motherhood, Movie Screenings NYC, Sponsored

    Must-See for Badass Moms | Breaking In Movie Tickets Giveaway

    This is a sponsored post. All opinions shared are my own. 

    You can feel free to judge me, but I went to see an adult movie at the movie theater for the first time since 2012 last week. I shared this on Instagram but what I didn’t share was the movie that I wanted to see so badly, Breaking In. I’ll let it be known right now that I am a big fan of Gabrielle Union, she’s such a talented actress, and after I was lucky enough to be in the same room with her a few years ago, I gained a greater respect for her and her work. I love a good thriller and combine that with the fact that the lead is one of my favorite actresses, and it’s about a badass mama, so after I watched trailer I was in.

    Here’s the synopsis:

    Gabrielle Union stars as a woman who will stop at nothing to rescue her two children being held hostage in a house designed with impenetrable security. No trap, no trick and especially no man inside can match a mother with a mission when she is determined on Breaking In.

    The movie didn’t disappoint, it was exciting with an excellent cast, and I was intrigued from start to finish. The storyline was a testament to our persistence as mothers to any and everything we can for our children. I know would do just about anything for my three and being a mother has made me realize that I’m braver, stronger and more resilient than I ever imagined. I’m not going to give you any spoilers but one theme that kept coming up in the movie was how underestimated Gabrielle Union’s character, Shaun is. Don’t ever underestimate a mom and the lengths she would go for her little ones.

    Breaking In Movie Tickets Giveaway

    If you haven’t seen Breaking In yet make it a priority to get to the theaters to see it ASAP I’m such a fan that I’m really excited to host a giveaway so 10 of you can win Breaking In Fan Packs. This prize package includes a signed poster, t-shirt & movie tickets for 2. You can in only 20 Seconds here. Good Luck!

    If you’re not one of the ten lucky winners, you can buy tickets here.

    Breaking In Movie - Gabrielle Union

    Read official rules here.

  • Lifestyle, Motherhood, New Mom, Product Reviews, Sponsored

    Tips for Stressed Working Moms to Create a Relaxing Home Environment

    This post is sponsored by Febreze ONE. As usual, all opinions are my own.

    Many of you may not know this, but I’ve been a graduate student mom, work out of the home mom and now work from home mom. Navigating all of these seasons through my motherhood journey has had their challenges especially balancing family and home. One thing I realize as I reflect on my life in all of these phases is that I managed best when I was organized, and my apartment was a calm place where I could think clearly. Clutter is our number one enemy as moms, and even if you’re not a shopaholic buying new things constantly, just having small children means you will have a high turnover of stuff as your children grow. You can either allow it to stress you out or you can use the little time you have to create a peaceful home environment where you can de-stress and reenergize yourself to face the world and parenting. I’m not perfect, but I want to help by sharing what works for me. I do these three simple things with the little time I have, and they make a big difference and help me achieve a #ONEStateofMind.

    [Tweet “Tips for Stressed Working Moms to Create a Relaxing Home Environment #ONEStateofMind”]

    Declutter: A little by a little

    I know it’s not just me because whenever I chat with my friends, we all agree that clutter seems inescapable. Toys, baby products, and clothes could make us feel like we’re drowning in stuff. Last fall, while I was nesting for the baby, it took me a day to clear out a closet, reorganize it and determine that more storage space was needed. I haven’t had many more problems since I met that need. You may not have a full day to commit to a project like that, (I know I don’t) so break it down to one hour at a time.

    Tips for Stressed Working Moms to Create a Relaxing Home Environment

    For instance, this week, I tackled the kids toys and books. I tossed out broken toys or the ones they’ve grown out of. I did this in one hour, and I did it on Saturday morning while catching up on some haul videos on YouTube, so it didn’t feel stressful at all.  You can make a schedule to tackle a small project every day or every week to declutter, don’t overwhelm yourself trying to do everything at the same time.  Remember all of the things didn’t come into your home and become clutter at the same time, they came in bit by bit, and you can get rid of them bit by bit.

    Tips for Stressed Working Moms to Create a Relaxing Home Environment 

    Fresh smelling home

    Tips for Stressed Working Moms to Create a Relaxing Home Environment

    I love it when my home smells good! There is nothing quite like walking into your home after a long day and being greeted by a great smell. We all know there are odors associated with a young family from smelly diapers, to lunchboxes with rotting food to spoiled milk we never got around to using. Even though those odors stress me out, I’ve avoided using air fresheners for years, mostly because I was concerned about using possibly harsh chemicals around my children. However, I don’t have to worry about that any longer after trying and liking Febreze ONE, which has no aerosols (it’s a light mist), no dyes and no heavy perfumes. I’ve been using Febreze ONE throughout our home  from the upholstery to the curtains to the closets, so I can have a relaxed state of mind. Febreze ONE comes in three nature-inspired scents: Citrus, Bamboo, and Orchid. Bamboo can  help you feel calm, and Citrus helps energize, and the smell of orchid can help you feel calm and soothed. Actually, Febreze ONE works so well that it was named 2018 Product of the Year.

    Tips for Stressed Working Moms to Create a Relaxing Home Environment

    Sprinkle visual inspiration throughout your home.

    Whether it’s your favorite inspirational quotes,  your kids artwork, cards from friends, books that motivate you or pictures with happy memories. I’ve found that the more visual inspiration I sprinkle around my home, the more relaxed I am despite the long to-do list of motherhood and work responsibilities.

    Doing these three small things that I believe working moms should have time to do (despite our busy schedules) will help us regroup, feel less stressed and enjoy a calm home. This is important  for us moms to be at our best.

     How do you create a calm home environment as a working mom? What type of scent helps you to relax in your home? Enter the giveaway below to win a bottle of Febreze ONE.

     

     

     

     

     

     

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  • Activities, Baby, Family Travel, Lifestyle, Motherhood, New York City Kids, Sponsored

    4 Things to do in New York City with a Baby

    This post is sponsored by Baby K’tan. All opinions are based on my experience.

    The best part of living in New York City is raising my little ones here! It’s a really baby-friendly city although most people who don’t live here may not think so. I love the diversity that it’s walkable, and It’s refreshing that there is always something fun to do with them regardless of their age. Baby Rattles is now six months old, and she loves observing her environment, people watching and animal watching. I wanted to share four things to do in New York City with a baby, things we did with all of our babies that I believe you should know about whether you’re visiting or you live here. Before I share, I want to warn you that you should always walk with all of your little one’s necessities when hanging out in the city as it’s easy to get carried away and stay out much longer than planned. Right now we love to take the Baby K’tan weekender diaper bag filled with everything all three kids needs for our outings like extra clothes, snacks, water, toys, etc. The Weekender is perfect because there is plenty storage space, a wet bag for soiled baby clothes, a cooler pocket where I can store all of their snacks and a handy wipes dispenser.

    [Tweet “Four fun things to do with your baby in New York City! “]

    Queens Waterfront – Long Island City

    One of the things we love about Long Island City waterfront is that while it’s gorgeous and offers some of the most breathtaking views of the city, it’s never really as crowded as some of the waterfront areas. On days when we want some low-key fun, we hang out there. Last week, we put her on the baby swing at one of the playgrounds there for the first time, and she seemed to love. Whenever we hang out there, I love that they have decent bathrooms and our Baby K’tan diaper bag changing pad with antibacterial lining makes changing her a bit more pleasant especially with easy access wipes dispenser is very convenient. When we’re not playing with her on the swing and slide here, we’re sitting people and birdwatching. She loves to scream at the bird (hahaha).

    Bryant Park

    When my husband and I were dating, we would sit in Bryant Park and talk for hours so now that we have our kids it’s one of our favorite places to hang out with them. There isn’t a part of this park that isn’t beautiful; it’s one of the most gorgeous spaces in New York City and very baby and kid-friendly. This weekend, we enjoyed story time played games there and took her for her first carousel ride on the Le Carrousel. This carousel is very baby-friendly since it’s small and slower than most. We sat on the bench which she seemed to enjoy it. You can watch us on my Instagram “New York City with Kids” highlights. I tell all my mom friends this, Bryant Park’s bathrooms are clean. They usually have an attendant there all the time, and it’s potty-training friendly.

    Brooklyn Bridge Park

    If you’ve been following me for a while, I know you expected Brooklyn Bridge Park to be on this list because it’s somewhere we go very often, every summer. I was there with my son only days after I gave birth to him; it’s a great place to take your baby for a walk, to play, picnic, Jane’s Carousel, etc. Be sure to pack a sun hat or bonnet for your little one as well as sunscreen for a trip to Brooklyn Bridge Park and avoid going when the sun is at its peak. It can get hot and uncomfortable for babies.

    Central Park Zoo

    Later this month, we’re planning to take our the kids to the Central Park Zoo. We chose this zoo for her because it’s small and not as overwhelming as the Bronx Zoo which is better for bigger kids. I’m excited to see her reactions to all of the different animals as well as her sibling’s excitement to have this experience with her. A trip to the zoo usually takes an entire day so the Baby K’tan Weekender will come in very handy with its built-in wet bag for any messes and insulated pocket that will keep food cold.

    We can fit everything we need in it, and I love that there is a handy pocket for everything. This bag is unisex so both my husband and I can use it. If you’re planning to travel this summer, this bag is perfect for packing all of your baby’s things.  We have the Baby K’tan Weekender in charcoal, but you can buy it in Olive Green and Navy blue as well. This baby no longer uses a pacifier but this bag comes with an antimicrobial pacifier pouch, I’ve had to purchase those separately in this past, so I appreciate the thoughtfulness of this design.

    Share your favorite places to hang out with your baby in NYC below. And, if you loved the Baby K’tan Weekender as much as we do after reading more about it, grab yours over on their site.