Making Toddler Meal Time Enjoyable with Happy Family Organics & Mama Mentors!

This post is sponsored by Happy Family Brands but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Meal times should be enjoyable... I mean, sure, we all can agree they should be... but when you're two and learning to express yourself in different ways sometimes lunch involves screaming silly words at the top of your lungs and other times dinner is filled with tears and complaints, even though your plate is full of foods you previously loved.

Toddlerhood. That's what this is. She's a ball full of confusion, sass, and knowledge. One day she begs for carrots, the next she throws them at the dog. One thing she hasn't started handing over to her canine companion is her Happy Tot snacks and bless it, I'm so thankful for this fact.

The thing is, we were worried a few weeks ago when she started turning down all her favorites, I had no clue what to think - so I turned to my new friends over at HappyFamilyOrganics.com and actually was able to get some sound advice on how to cure her picky eating habits once and for all.

When the expert I spoke to mentioned "Division of Responsibility" it sounded more like a chore chart than a way to solve our issue, but she explained it a little further and it basically breaks down the feeding relationship between parent and child and allows your child to take the lead & follow her instincts in a way that's right for her.

What it gets down to is, providing your child with an adequate, wholesome meal and letting her take the reigns at that point. This is tough sometimes, when she's being a little sassy pants especially - but it's easier when we tie in familiar parts of her diet - like Happy Tot Pouches.

We have introduced some new foods to her recently that have been huge hits - like the Happy Tot Protein bars. She sees the box and sometimes demands one for snack time, which is a-okay with me since she isn't a fan of most other protein-rich foods.

One last way that we've found to encourage her to eat, is offering something she truly enjoys once she finishes something else on her plate... this may not be ideal, I believe it's actually called bribery, but when I just want her to eat some carrots, I'll offer a Happy Tot Cookie and she's all set to chow down on some veggies!

Are you experiencing some food troubles with your kiddo? From breastfeeding help to encouraging your kiddo to enjoy a meal, the experts at Happy Family Organics are here to help. Check out the website and chat with an expert now and then grab your kiddo some delicious, nutritious Happy Family foods the next time you're at the store!

Teaching Your Toddler: Simple Alphabet Crafts - The Letter A - Ants on an Apple

Introducing the alphabet to your little one should be fun. Whether it's through a simple craft or a new activity, it's important that the time spent is enjoyable!

Delainey is a little sponge so she's a huge fan of our new daily time spent learning all of the letters of the alphabet. Today we're sharing the very first craft, our simple yet adorable little Ants on an Apple created almost completely by her, with guidance by me.

For you and your toddler to enjoy this little learning activity you will need:

Crayons, Paper, Black circle stickers (or just use construction paper in the shape of circles and glue)

To make this simple project: You'll either draw a simple apple & leaf yourself and encourage your toddler to color it in OR ask your toddler to create the apple & leaf herself. Delainey did this herself, then I created an outline for her afterward. As we were scribbling her apple we were discussing the colors she was using as well as the shapes she was drawing - it's amazing how much she wants to learn, with nearly everything she is now asking "what's this?"... and now she's also started to quiz me on colors and shapes - which is equally fun & adorable.

Once her apple was colored in some, we decided to start adding ants into the equation. If you know Delainey, you know she loves seeing creepy crawly ants so this craft was a dream come true for her. For this step, we simply used black circle stickers and placed them together in groups of 3 onto the paper. Then she scribbled some little legs on each ant, I added an uppercase and lowercase "A" on each side of her creations and we kept discussing all the "A" words I could think of!

That's it - now you have a precious little "A" craft!

Next up, we'll be sharing our silly yet fun birdhouse craft we made!

My Secret to Super Clean Floors (even with a toddler in my house)!

This post is sponsored by Bona® but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Being a parent is tough stuff. I've said it a million times, but I'll say it again, and if I'm being totally honest, I find myself saying this more and more as the days go on. It was tough when she was a newborn because she couldn't tell us what she needed, now it's tough because she always needs something and she throws a fit if she doesn't get it. She tests boundaries daily and she's so smart she almost challenges me in some ways... but I wouldn't trade this for the world.

She is my everything and while our days are busy, I want her to know she means more to me than anything in the world. So instead of slaving away 24/7 on my businesses, I'm really trying to make an effort to show her how much she matters - not just to tell her.

It's interesting because on one hand, I want her to see me for the #girlboss I am. I want her to know that her mama WORKS HARD to provide what she has. I hope she does reflect back on her childhood and remembers me working, from home, and says "wow, my mom really made things happen". But on the other hand, I don't want her to have memories of me always choosing work over time with her. I don't want her to think my work is the most important part of my life or think that she was second or third to my businesses.

So I've been trying to make a real effort to step away from my desk and to play. Instead of just sititng and playing blocks though, I've been trying to include in her in things we need to get done... but we try and make it fun. From taking out the trash to weeding the garden bed, we spend time together - she's learning, I'm tending to chores that need to be done, and we both have fun doing it. I mean, she loves to help me clean - who am I to say no?

One of the ways I've found that we both LOVE to spend time together recently is actually pretty amazing too. We literally grab our Bona Microfiber Mop & Bona Spray Mop, hit play on some groovy tunes, and go to town on our house almost daily. Swirling in the room, dancing around to some of our favorite songs, and loving every second of beautifying our house.

The real question here is, how do you mop without tunes and a toddler helping? I can't imagine getting this done without her help now. Nor can I imagine ever mopping with any other type of mop again - Bona is where the magic is.

The unique Bona formula makes it easy to remove dust, grime, and dirt without damaging hard wood floors. So say goodbye to wonky old ways of cleaning your floors and hello to this family-friendly GREENGUARD GOLD certified goodness! Interested in adding a Bona Mop to your family dynamic? Click here to learn more!

My "Meal Planning" Secret During This Busy Season!

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Boston Market

This time of year is seriously the busiest for us - just like most families. It's time to start heading back to school, we're all working and busy with something going on all the time, and with non-stop activities to participate in all week long... and if we're being real - the holidays are literally right around the corner.

Fall is the hustlin', bustlin' season for many families... we all know this. But in our house, it's extra crazy. Sometimes I'm just too busy to even consider planning out a menu for our meals... and if I'm being real, that's most days during the fall. Like today - we're in the midst of preparing for D's birthday party tomorrow and in such a frenzy with daily life and the added stress of taking care of every detail of a tutu party that I totally forgot to make lunch - or plan for dinner! It's one of those days when I would "forget my head if it wasn't attached".

Luckily, I've found the best way to feed us a quality, wholesome meal quickly and easily... and it doesn't involve me cooking a thing! Nor do I have to do dishes or even plan for sides.

It's not magic - it's Boston Market! It was so easy to grab & go, I literally swung by on my way home from the party store after ordering for curbside pick up online! I was able to get all of us the most delicious lunch for a steal of a deal! Plus, with the $1.99 Whole Rotisserie Chicken add on, I was also able to get dinner for my fam-bam too - you can't beat that!

What's the best part about all of this? I learned I can also have my favorite simple meal delivered now too! Boston Market has officially made my life easier and for that I'm thankful, but now that they offer an online delivery option - I'm hooked and we'll be ordering again soon and I'll definitely be calling in our order & having it delivered right to my door!

We all were so pleased with our meal that it was easy to say that we'll definitely be ordering delivery soon. But for now, I'll get back to party planning for this little gal and the hustle and the bustle of our daily grind - but I just had to share how we "meal prep" when things get hectic in this house. If you're a busy little bee too, be sure to head on over to your local Boston Market and get lunch - and dinner - on the table quickly & easily!