Nanny to Mommy

Do your little ones know what they are going to be for Halloween this year? This is the first year that my son was adamant about being Batman, even though he was last year too. So I talked to my daughter and we all decided that we could do a family theme and go as different members of the Justice League. These Halloween costumes and many, many more were easily found at Oriental Trading.


I love using Oriental Trading for all of my seasonal decorating and party needs. They have everything you are looking for and fantastic prices. They have helped me plan multiple birthday parties and I have used them to get my kiddos their Halloween costumes for a few years now. They even have fun crafts for all occasions as well.

Crockpot Italian Chicken is delicious and hearty. Easy to make and a family favorite. Top on pasta, rice, cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, quinoa, or even by itself. Save $30 off your first box of Wildgrain and get FREE croissants for life when you use code Affiliate30.

I recently was sent an awesome box from Wildgrain that was full of artisanal breads, pastas, and pastries. I decided to make this crockpot Italian chicken recipe. It is so easy to make, you just throw everything in the crockpot! My family absolutely loved it!

I received complimentary products to provide this post. All opinions are my own.

Having spent most of her life exploring the jungle with her parents, nothing could prepare Dora (Isabela Moner, Instant Family) for her biggest challenge yet – high school. When her parents mysteriously disappear while searching for the Lost City of Gold, Dora must swing into action and lead a group of ill-equipped high schoolers on a wild quest to save them. Hold on for a high stakes mission as Dora and her new friends navigate the jungle, outrun treasure hunters, and solve ancient puzzles to unlock the mystery of the fabled city.

Dora is all grown up in this new tale that actually has a playful nod to the original cartoon. My step-sister grew up loving Dora and being only a few years older while still loving cartoons, I loved her too. So when my daughter and I went to the movies, we saw the trailer for "Dora The Lost City of Gold" and were very excited. So we are thrilled to own it on digital and Blu-Ray now. And we loved the kit Paramount sent that included a Maglite as well!

This is a sponsored conversation on behalf of BabbleBoxx.com. As always, all opinions are my own.

It can be hard saying goodbye to summer. But with the fall comes so many fun activities, smells, fashion, and FOOD! One of favorite things about fall is the comfort foods. I recently received Babbleboxx's Food Favorites for Fall and it was filled with tons of fun products to enjoy all that the season brings.

Babbleboxx out did themselves and put together the perfect Food Favorites for Fall box. Every product in this box was perfect for my family and I to enjoy this season whether on-the-go or snuggle up at home. I love everything fall bring from pumpkins, colorful leaves, boots, apple picking, comfort foods, football, and so much more. This box was perfect to explore all that the season brings.

I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

If you are like me, then you love coffee. I have only been a coffee person since I had children of my own. I honestly have no idea how I survived being a nanny without it. I actually started drinking it when I became a "working stay-at-home mom" which means I was watching my friend's little girl too and had to wake up oh so early so she could drop her off every morning.

My coffee habits have evolved now. I like the taste of coffee way more than I use to and since I enjoy it so much more than I use to, I would drink it all day every day if I could! I don't use as much creamer and definitely not as much sugar in it as I use to.

Our first single serve coffee maker served it's purpose for a little while, but it was time for an upgrade. I have been a HUGE fan of Keurig brand coffee makers since our first one we have ever owned. Each one had different features that we love. We even owned a Keurig 2.0 for a little, but the newest Keurig K-Duo Essentials is by far our favorite because it fits all of our needs while being a budget friendly option. I think I would make a great gift for the office. I also think it would be perfect for people who are like my sister-in-law and her husband. He drinks an entire pot of coffee made his way while she prefers just a cup or two made a little stronger with cream/sugar.

My kiddos love playing outside. We live in a wonderful neighborhood where everyone knows everyone, and all the children play outside together. I love that my children can have a childhood like I did. We are working hard on making our backyard a place that all the children can enjoy.

I have two passions going into this parenting gig. The first is that I want my daughter to believe that she can be anything she wants as long as she works hard for it. Second, I want her to enjoy being a child as long as possible because time is fleeting. I still can't believe she turned eight in December. She loves playing outside with her friends, she loves school, she has enjoyed the extra curricular activities that we have joined, and she still love playing with dolls.

My daughter has received two different 19-inch dolls for Christmas that she loves, but they don't have the best quality to stand the test of time. So I wanted her to experience a real American Girl doll, like I had when I was younger, one that she could hopefully pass down to her daughter one day.

If you have been following for any period of time, then you know that the main reason I am eco-friendly is because I feel like it is more cost effective. Now since this is such a different way than I was brought up or my husband was for that matter, there is a learning curve to any that is new.

Back in February, I received some products to try out from Pink Lemonade Shop. They are a mama owned, Southwest Ohio small business that make pads for girls to pads for postpartum. So this review and giveaway will be about reusable feminine hygiene products. You can use them for post-partum or even if you have some bladder leakage. But that's what these products are. I just want to be up-front about that before you continue on.

If you have been following me, then you know I have been receiving this foodie subscription box for a while now. This month's Degusta Box unboxing is a little over due which just means you will be getting a better review of the products in it. And as always, new subscribers can get their first box for only $12.99 which includes a free gift and free shipping.

First, what is Degusta Box? Degusta Box is an on-line food subscription service that delivers a monthly surprise box containing the latest and best products, from small and big brands alike, to the homes of the consumer: saving time and money. You can cancel anytime.

So what was in the box?

Valentine's Day is coming right around the corner! Whether you are looking for a gift idea or wanting to have a fun Valentine date night at home, I recommend looking into Winc. I have mentioned Winc before and it was so fun to order from them again!

New year, new you! Have you been rocking those new year resolutions? We finally made it back to the gym after our illnesses and what I have been noticed I was needing were new work out clothes! I needed new leggings especially and how about some FREE leggings?


Let's be real. I wear leggings all the time. I live my life in them and am not ashamed of it. I can dress them up or wear them down. They hug me in all the right places. So getting quality leggings especially is important to me.

I have spoken about my dental issues before. I drink a lot of coffee and enjoy the occasional glass of red wine, so on top of my periodontal disease, I have quite a bit of stains. I have also been having issues with my regular dentist. I honestly had a ton of anxiety every time I would go because the pain after a terrible extraction. And then it got to the point where it had been over two years and I still hadn't gone back. When I finally did go back, that's when I had periodontal disease. Besides a special mouthwash, it was recommended that I get an electric toothbrush. Since I have pockets and was having issues getting my back teeth with a manual brush, my dentist had recommended an electric toothbrush for a while.

I put off getting an electric toothbrush for myself (my husband had one) for so long because I really didn't want to spend all that money and I didn't believe it would really make a difference. You might remember that I worked with Smile Brilliant on their infamous at-home teeth whitening system a few months back. So when I received the opportunity to test out their cariPRO electric toothbrush, I was skeptical and intrigued because I have tried other electric toothbrushes before. I honestly was thinking this one was cool and it would be better than a manual, but how could it be any different as other electric toothbrushes out there?

STEM is an acronym for the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. It has become increasingly important to expose your children to STEM education as early as possible. That's why I love that so many games are being created for children that do just that.

This post is part of a sponsored campaign for Klutz. I received compensation for my participation, but my review and opinions are my own.

When I received the Klutz Maker Lab: Circuit Games Build & Play 5 Games! to test out, I was excited because we would have the opportunity to build and play five different circuit games. Here is a little snippet about the game:

I have been trying different meal subscription box services for almost two years now. I haven't found one that I have wanted to keep buying for little reasons whether it was the price point or the portion sizes or the meals were a little "out there" for our tastes. We love trying different food, but we feel like the recipes shouldn't be overly complicated.

I was recently introduced to EveryPlate and what makes it stand out for the rest first and foremost is it's price point. They provide an unbeatable price of $4.99 per serving and it's delivered right to your doorstep. Here are my 5 reasons to buy a meal subscription box:

I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

Why is it so important to take probiotic supplements you can trust? Take a look at eight surprising benefits of adding probiotics to your family’s everyday lives thanks to Dr. Ohhira’s. They developed their award-winning, all-natural probiotic line to help support digestive comfort as well as a healthy immune system.

Have you heard of postbiotics? They are metabolites produced by the bacteria during the fermentation process. These probiotic-produced compounds play significant roles in the regulation of health and the maintenance of a healthy microbiome. They are also responsible for regulating your mood, sleep, and nutrient absorption including hard to absorb minerals like calcium. These postbiotics are basically the reason we need probiotics in the first place, and Dr. Ohhira’s provides 3 YEARS' worth of postbiotics in every capsule!

This post is part of a sponsored campaign for Playing Forward. I received compensation for my participation, but my review and opinions are my own.

School has changed quite a bit since I went and I think for the better! They are embracing technology and encouraging our children to learn about their world in a way that will help them with their future endeavors. My children's favorite things to do are to play outside and explore or play on the iPads. Since I know they like their tablets, I try my best to search for quality and educational apps that will peak their interests.


Playing Forward is a transformational technology studio that creates digital experiences that ignite children’s imaginations. According to studies, social emotional development is key to success in school and in life. Playing Forward's name comes from the fact that the company is "playing it forward" to give every child the very best shot at a happy childhood and a successful adulthood. Playing Forward apps are specifically designed to support kids' social-emotional development through entertaining storytelling, movie-quality visual effects, and the use of Augmented Reality.