Be The Change: Here's How YOU Can Easily Help End Period Poverty

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

Oh dear... We've all been there - you knew you were expecting a visit, but Aunt Flo came early and it's not a pretty sight.

Ladies - it's happened to us all. Whether she came a day or early, or right on time, I believe we've all experienced that panicked feeling when it's that time of the month and you aren't fully prepared. Whether feminine supplies in your purse just happen to go missing or you totally spaced and forgot to grab a pack when you were doing your grocery shopping. It truly happens to the best of us.

While most of us can run to the store real quick and grab a pack of supplies to battle your monthly visitor - the reality for others is that panicked feeling is how they experience this time of the month - the whole time.

1 in 4 women have struggled to purchase these must-have items because of lack of income and resources, but U by Kotex is doing something to help those in need. he Alliance for Period Supplies is their answer to this problem in our society. Founded in May 2018, this organization helps ensure that individuals in need have access to essential period products so that they can participate in daily life.

I know, this is great to hear... but why am I sharing all of this? It's because YOU can help those in need too... and you don't even have to do anything more than you normally would!

What do I mean exactly? During the month of October, For every purchase of U by Kotex - U by Kotex will donate 2 products! How generous of them is that? I'm over here with both hands raised, praising this Alliance and thanking them for my fellow sisters in tough spots.

So whatcha waiting for? Now is the time to help those in need, by buying something you would already purchase anyways - so go ahead and visit Walmart.com and add a few packs to your cart now!

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!