Where Do You Do It? #StreamTeam

Man, summer is definitely in full swing in our house.  4 kids home all day.  This is a big change from our quiet afternoons during the school year where I could easily have an hour to myself every day.  Now I'm lucky to find a spare moment for me throughout the day. Netflix is running on PowerPuff Girls, Hotel Transylvania 2, and Care Bears these days between Lily and Violet and whose ever turn it is to choose first.

Also during the school year, the kids are in bed early so my "me time" comes earlier.  Summertime brings the sun setting after 9pm and staying up late simply enjoying the simple things like catching lightning bugs and front porch sitting thus having "me time" much later.

I lovelovelove my Netflix time! Ever since I was a little kid, I have loved watching tv in bed.  It's just one of those comfort things that I have always loved.  Netflix makes it so easy to continue a binge watch, watch one episode, or watch a movie.

Sometimes I find myself during the midst of the screaming {seriously why do girls scream and squeal soooooo loudly and high pitched?!} where I just need a break.  I grab my laptop, ipad, or in dire situations just my phone and some headphones and find a quiet place to indulge in my latest binge on Netflix.

The bathroom, door locked, in the bathtub is my ultimate getaway. Headphones on and I am no longer a part of what is going on outside of that tiny room. Lately I have found myself immersed in a world of Red Reddington and Elizabeth Keen hunting bad guys on The Blacklist.

The front or back porch is also a place I've been found hiding while I have indulged in 11 seasons of Criminal Minds.

For those regular days after I put the kids to bed, I generally crawl into my own and cozy up with something like Orange is the New Black or Bloodline.  Both original Netflix series and both two of my top favorites!!  Seriously Bloodline, Season 2?!?!  Did ANYONE see that coming in the final episode?!?   I may have screamed out loud!!

Where's your fave place to sneak in your Netflix without kids?  My husband's is the garage & he thinks I don't know. :)

The Netflix Sneak Go ahead and try it out with some of your favorites:

Orange is the New Black: Season 4 (6/17)

Bloodline: Season 2 - Now on Netflix Voltron: Legendary Defender (6/10)

Scandal: Season 5 (6/11) Chelsea - Now on Netflix Grey’s Anatomy: Season 12 (6/17)

New on Netflix for Kids, Tweens, Teens and Families:

Pretty Little Liars: Season 6 - Now on Netflix The Giver (6/15)

LEGO Friends: The Power of Friendship: Season 2 (6/10) All Hail King Julien: Season 3 (6/17) Justin Time GO!: Season 1 (6/24) Dragons: Race to the Edge: Season 3

Disclosure: As a member of the Netflix #StreamTeam I was provided subscription to Netflix and also exclusive insights or other products. All opinions are my 100% my own and I was already a proud Netflix subscriber prior to this opportunity. Please see my full disclosure.

Potty Training is an Individual Sport

Potty training essentially feels like a lot of trial and error with no rhyme or reason. My best advice...encourage them and just let them learn in the way they do best.

It actually came pretty easy many moons ago with my oldest. He was day trained at 22 months. Easy peasy. There wasn't much to it. He crawled early, walked early, so it made sense he potty trained early too.

10 years later with Lily, it was slightly more challenging. Now, we find ourselves in the throes of potty training our youngest, most stubborn little love.  What we're finding a little more difficult is that our lives are busier with more kids and activities and we just don't have the "let's stay home all day and just potty train" ability any longer.

There are articles and boasts all over the internet of how you can potty train your baby in 3 days, 18 hours, or whatever other time frame.

None of these folks sharing their magic time frames have ever met my Violet who entered the world on her own timetable and it seems potty training will be on her terms as well.  Let's just say we spend much time "fake pottying" throughout our day. Violet is that little one who refuses to spend her day sans diapers or undies, so there are a lot of wipes getting used during our potty training because each time--fake potty or real potty-- she needs a wipe.  Thankfully we have Cottonelle® FreshCare® Flushable Cleansing Cloths to help ease this last and latest potty trainer we have.

We have definitely learned that potty training is an individual sport! We don't push Violet and as much as I'm ready for her to be potty trained, she is taking her own sweet time. In addition to using the Cottonelle wipes to keep her bottom clean, she loves to sit on the potty and wipe her face with one.

Like I mentioned above, we are a busy, on-the-go family, so Cottonelle® FreshCare® Flushable Cleansing Cloths are a dream to have with us in the car!

The difference maker in these Cottonelle wipes versus regular baby wipes is that they are flushable! They feature SafeFlush Technology™, so they start to break down immediately after flushing. They are sewer and septic safe and they're alcohol free (so there's no burning bums!) 

Our entire family prefers wipes over regular toilet paper and I feel comfortable knowing we're using a safe product for our family and our house!

One thing that is very important in our household is saving money. We've found that Sam's Club helps make that possible!  Right now, you can get Cottonelle® FreshCare® Flushable Cleansing Cloths at Sam's Club and get a $3 instant savings coupon from 6/22-7/17!  The benefits of having a Sam's membership have allowed us to save money on products we use everyday.  I love that I can order online and pick up at the warehouse if I need to. Because, let's face it, saving time is just as valuable as saving money!

Thankfully Sam's and Cottonelle have us covered on both saving time and money!

What are your best potty training tips?

Sunglasses for Summer Fun----> #Babiators review and giveaway

Growing up in Arizona, there's just no getting around being in the sun. I learned at a very young age to always wear sunscreen, a hat, and to protect my eyes.  Simply a way of life. We always had sunscreen in the car, extra sunglasses around and the like.  Even now as an adult, protecting myself and my family from the sun is just something I do.  Sunscreen and sunglasses are stashed in the car, in the diaper bag, and in my purse always.

Finding just the right pair of sunglasses that my little ones will keep on and protect their eyes is important. This year I was lucky enough to be able to try out Babiators for Violet!

Babiators is on a mission to protect kids’ eyes from the sun while they’re out exploring this awesome world. Here are just a few reasons the award-winning Babiators stand out from the crowd:

·         Safe: Babiators have UV400 lenses that offer 100% UVA and UVB protection and undergo rigorous testing to ensure they’re safe for your child – whether they’re on your child’s face or end up in your child’s mouth.

·         Durable: The sunglasses feature flexible rubber frames, and impact and shatter-resistant lenses that won’t break when you bend, twist, or step on them. Trust us, we’ve tried!

·         Awesome: Classic aviator sunglasses make sure your little one is the coolest kid around.

·         Fit: Babiators are made of a soft material that is comfortable and lightweight. 
They are designed to fit kids’ faces and don’t pinch the temples or nose. 
They are available in two sizes:

o   Junior Babiators sunglasses fit most babies 6 months to 3 years

o   Classic Babiators sunglasses fit most children 3 to 7 years

As if that isn't enough...

Guaranteed: The best part??? Babiators are backed by the Lost & Found Guarantee™ – if you lose or break your shades in the first year, Babiators will replace them for free. All you pay is shipping.

Information about Sun Safety (According to The Vision Council’s UV Protection Reports):

·         UV damage is cumulative and irreversible

·         Kids receive 3X more annual UV exposure than adults yet less than 30% of parents are currently protecting their children’s eyes with sunglasses.

·         Children’s eyes are more susceptible to sun damage because they have larger pupils and clearer lenses, allowing more UV to penetrate and reach the back of the eyes

·         When choosing sunglasses for your kids, always look for:

o   100% UVA/UVB protection

o   high-quality, durable frames

o   A comfortable fit and a great style your kids will love

·         Check out The Vision Council's UV Damage and Children Report and The Vision Council’s 2015 UV Protection Report and The Vision Council’s 2016 UV Protection Report for more information on sun safety

Violet is happy to be wearing her Babiators in the car, in the yard, or even in the house. 

You too can win a pair of the classic black Babiators for your baby!  
Giveaway will end on June 26, 2016 at 11:59pm. Winner will be notified via email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure: The Babiators sunglasses, information, and additional gift pack have been provided by Babiators. All thoughts and reviews are my 100% own.