10 Tips For Packing Your Family #ThirtyOneGifts

Disclaimer: I did receive a product to review. However, I truly love Thirty-One products and the company.

How do you pack your family for vacation? Some families pack a suitcase for each person. Some pack one, some families do a combination of these. I think it would be adorable for each of the kids to have their own super- cute suitcases, but that just isn't feasible for us. It is much simpler, especially while the kids are little, to have one bag for all of us.

Growing up, my mom did a combination. Mom and dad in one bag; both boys in one bag; and me in my own bag because I could handle my own clothing. When the kids get older, I might separate theirs, but for now, we are all together. Even with us all together, I have to do things the right way to keep us organized.

Here are 10 tips for Packing Your Family For Vacation: 

1. MAKE A LIST. I cannot stress this enough. It may seem like common sense, but I'm constantly surprised and the number of people who do not do this. When you write your list, literally, write everything you need, including socks, shoes, underpants, and jewelry. When it comes to clothes, I make a list for each person because each kid needs different things and that way I can concentrate on the one child at a time. Beside each item, I put a check box for each number of things I need. This really helps me keep track of everything! 

2. SEPARATE OUTFITS. Whether you put them in zip bags, or just roll them up. Getting ready to go in the morning will be so much simpler with each outfit separated for wear. 

3. PACK SWIMWEAR IN ZIPLOCK BAGS. Not only will this keep you organized, but it will also allow you to keep wet things separated when traveling home or while waiting to. 

4. PUT PAJAMAS ON TOP. Make sure to put your pajamas for the first night, diapers, or anything else that will be needed on arrival day on top. After traveling, you will be so glad that you did. 

5. SHOES. Pack shoes in either zip bags, or put a shower cap over the soles. This will keep clothes clean and germ-free. 

6. PACK EXTRAS. You never know when a heavy rain will hit and soak you, flying food will hit, when you will spill barbecue on yourself, or chocolatey hands will attack (yes, they have all happened to me). Be sure to pack at least one extra outfit for everyone. For kids, especially littles, a couple would be good. 

7. SOCKS. I always pack an extra pair of socks for each day. My brother got stuck in a quicksand pond when we were kids so that always sticks in my mind so I've always packed extra socks and shoes. then, once I had kids, I realized that we needed a pair for each day in the hotel. My kids hate shoes, but I won't let them walk barefoot in the room- those carpets are NASTY and we spray them with Lysol. 

8. EMERGENCY CLOTHING. I cannot stress enough to pack a sweater and pants, even when traveling during the summer. We got caught in a strange weather pattern one year and we were camping. In July, we visited Maggie Valley, North Carolina and it was 48 degrees. We had to buy clothes. Now, I'm always sure to pack at least one warm outfit for everyone. (TIP: I pack this in a separate bag and leave it in the car). 

9. SAFETY TIP. As an extra safety measure, we always take a picture of the kids each morning before we leave the hotel (we do this for day trips, trips to crowded locations, and when hiking as well). You may not remember the exact clothing your child has on, and this photo will be a great tool if the unimaginable ever happens. Better to be safe than sorry. 

10. UTILIZE YOUR FAVORITE BRAND. By ow, you have all surely guessed that Thirty-One is by far one of my favorite brands EVER. I love their branding, beliefs, story, and especially products. They have such ingeous and useful items to keep everyone organized, even the man in your life! With Thirty-One gifts, I know that my organizational needs will be met in the most sylish way possible!

My new favorite is the All Packed Duffle in Dotty Chevron ($80). I have been searching for a duffle that is big enough for all for of us for a few days. I do think that this would would cover all 4 of us for a week- very impressive! This is the duffle for us and it even has a shoe compartment. I actually used it for easy access to diapers, since we no longer use a diaper bag! It also has an outside pocket that is perfect for accessories, small toiletries, makeup, first aid, and more. I used it for Koda's hairbows, brush, and Tbomb's mohawk gel! That way, when I got them dressed, their hair stuff is right their handy. I seriously could not be more happy with this duffle, of course I feel that way about all of my favorite Thirty-One products!


A no-sweat solution for the gym or practice, this durable bag comes with a special compartment to store your shoes. Pack it up for a weekend trip or as a carry-on while traveling. Comes with a detachable shoulder strap!

Size: Approx. 11”H x 22”L x 12”D

Could a Landline Be Your Lifeline? 3 Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe This Summer

Picture this:  It's the end of July—smack in the middle of summer.  Your kids are at home with a caretaker while you toil away at your 9 to 5.  Then, disaster strikes.  There's an emergency at home, and your kids have to call 911 for help.

Are your children calling from a cell phone or a landline?  And does it make any difference? Surprisingly, the answer is yes.  According to the latest data, if you don't have a landline in your home, it could be putting your children in grave danger.

Here's a shocking fact:  According to an investigation by the USA Today, the chances of 911 dispatchers being able to find you based on your cell phone's GPS can be as low as 10% in some parts of the country.  With a significant share of cell phone-to-911 calls being placed from within residences—and 45% of Americans opting out of landline coverage at home—countless people are left vulnerable in emergencies.  The question then becomes not why you should have a landline in the home, but why haven't you gotten one yet?

In the spirit of keeping you and your family safe, I recently partnered with Ooma leading Internet home phone service with reliable E911 technology—to deliver three tips for keeping your home safe this summer in addition to owning a landline.

TIP #1:  KEEP A FIRST AID KIT AT THE READY 

Whether it's for a small scrape or something far worse, it's always a good idea to have a first-aid kit handy.  People who call 911 from their cell phone are often surprised at how long emergency workers take to arrive on the scene.  According to the recent Ooma.com 911 Emergency Response Study, more than one in five cell phone callers feel it takes too long—that's seven times higher than for people who call from a landline.  If you're often in situations when only a cell phone is available, consider keeping a first aid kit nearby.

TIP #2:  WRITE AN EMERGENCY CONTACT LIST 

Make sure that no matter where you are, it's easy for the people around you to call your emergency contacts. Consider posting your own number, as well as first response numbers, on your fridge so your kids know how to reach you and your family, family members who live close by, or the authorities.  Post the name and number of a trusted friend or neighbor, too.  With Ooma's home phone system, up to three of these contacts can be notified by text message automatically when a 911 call is placed.  In situations when every second counts, this reliable Internet-based technology could save tens of thousands of lives.

TIP #3: RECOGNIZE THE FIRST SIGNS OF DANGER

Educate your kids about the sights, smells, and sounds of danger.  If they hear a smoke alarm or see an appliance overheating, advise your children to get outside as quickly as possible.  Planning an exit strategy is key to getting a safe distance away from the house so you can alert a neighbor and have them call the fire department.  Consider making a detailed fire plan with multiple escape routes and keeping a printed copy of your fire plan on visible walls around your house.

For many people, money is understandably a legitimate concern—but when it comes down to it, we really can't put a price on ensuring that the people we love are safe.  Luckily, first aid kits are both lightweight and budget-friendly, while the price of a secure Ooma landline pays for itself in just three months and costs less than a Netflix subscription on a monthly basis.

Got any 911 emergency stories of your own?  I wouldn't be surprised.  In the past five years alone, over a quarter of Americans have called 911 with a cell phone, and in that group, there were many dissatisfied callers.  If you've got a story you'd feel comfortable sharing, I'd love to hear about them! Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below.

Two St. Louis dads put their heads together to produce brainskinz™ interchangeable-shell helmets

St. Louis (July 26, 2016) - After five years in the making, Brainskinz Helmet Systems, LLC has officially launched its line of brainskinz™ interchangeable-shell helmets. Combining safety and style, brainskinz™ helmets have been thoughtfully designed with kids in mind.

“I kept seeing kids, time and again, riding without helmets all over the neighborhood,” said founding partner, John Polansky. “They’d often have their helmets with them, but dangling from their handlebars. I eventually started to question them on this and was continuously told that they either didn’t like the way their helmets looked, or they didn’t like the way they felt. I was determined to figure out a way to make kids want to wear their helmets while out biking or skateboarding, and knew that it was a matter of combining function and form with a bit of personal expression.”

Industrial design engineers at Fred Sparks (www.fredsparks.com), along with Polansky himself, designed both the “Base” helmet which brainskinz calls “function,” as well as the decorative “Shells” which brainskinz calls “form.”

The base helmet is comfortably outfitted with soft, satiny padding, an adjustable clasp-style chinstrap, and a dial-fit that perfectly conforms to a child’s head. The base helmet meets safety testing requirements for bicycling and skateboarding, and can be worn with or without a shell. “The shell, however, is kinda the whole point,” said partner Brad Gilmore. “Choosing and changing the shell is where the fun comes in. Kids love being able to express themselves, changing out the shell based on whatever mood or style they’re feeling that day.”

Design elements have come from Boxing Clever (www.boxing-clever.com) among others, with new shell designs expected monthly.

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About brainskinz

brainskinz™ are fun, changeable helmets that your kids will love to wear! brainskinz™ are colorful, playful, and just plain fun. brainskinz™ can be worn pretty much any time your kids are in motion, and when they get tired of a design, they can simply detach the current Shell and choose another from their collection. Keeping it fresh means keeping them on their melons!

Get More From Your Snack

Everyone gets hungry between meals, right? But snacking can quickly get the best of anyone with the healthiest of eating habits. But a few strategies can help you get more—vitamins, nutrients, fiber, protein—from your between-meal eating.

It’s even more important when you understand that snacking, not meals, is becoming more and more of a way of life. People aren’t snacking just once, but up to five times, and some are always eating, all the time.

When it comes to snacks, focusing on protein and fiber are key. Both those dietary elements fill the stomach for longer periods of time, improving immunity and blood sugar levels. And those snacks are surprisingly diverse—avocado on toast, for example, or goat cheese-stuffed dates and saucy egg toast. And diversifying your snacks will also help you to avoid dietary boredom.

Want to learn more about snacking well? Use the ideas in this graphic. (Read the original article here)

How household chores can inspire your kid to be a better student

Parenting is, without a doubt, a challenging and sometimes too overwhelming task. You are supposed to make your kid a responsible adult through various activities, including cleaning. Of course, the majority of parents ask their kids to do their homework before asking them for help around the household or anything else, but do you think that there is a connection between school and cleaning chores? To be more precise, do you think that you can motivate your kid to pass exams with flying colours and be the best student in the class through the performance of different cleaning activities? Believe it or not that's absolutely possible.

• Asking your kids to wash the dishes, tidy up their room or help you take the clothes out the dryer and fold them actually means you teach them to be more organized. You can also make a list of chores such as tidying up the room, doing the homework, taking care of the pet and competing a small cleaning task. Then, check the consequence of the procedures your kids performed and if necessary discuss it with them and emphasize of the importance of prioritizing.
• Decide whether it is appropriate to set a timer for every project you assign them to. Some kids just cannot perform anything under pressure and failure will demotivate them instead of encouraging them to learn new things and balance between different tasks.
• Raising a kid who never manages to hand in the homework on time and is careless towards school project is not easy at all. You have to be armed with a lot of patience to find a way to motivate him/ her. Of course, some school subjects will be more interesting to your kid than others, so you can try to find his passion through cleaning. In order to motivate the kid to learn, SuperCleaners N14 are advising you to ask for help in the kitchen. Culinary is an art and a science and the best cooks have mastered the skill of managing their time. They also know the proper quantity of the ingredients that make the meal delicious.
• Cooking definitely motivates your kids to learn different things, but the mess after the preparation of the meal can also play a role for making them understand the importance of the proper organization. Don't hesitate to ask for help with the clean-up. This way, you will teach your kids that finishing a certain task from the beginning to the end is essential.
• Limit distractions and provide your kids with a quiet place where they can prepare their homework. The access to Internet can be a double-edged sword. Your child might use it to finish the homework, but at the same time, they can get distracted by the release of new TV series.
• Ask your children to take the responsibility of keeping the place clean. Explain your kid that scattered papers and books on the floor, overflowing trash bin are not acceptable. Establishing a cleaning routine or a chart can help your kids be more organized.

You should not expect your children to have excellent marks in all subjects. Some kids are interested in maths while others are interested in studying languages, for example. The point is that you should teach your kids that even if they dislike a certain subject, it does not mean they should neglect it. Make it clear that later in life, they will be required to take responsibility and do stuff they are not particularly keen on but regardless, they are responsible for its completion.

Amber, thank you for this wonderful guest post to The Palmetto Queen. Amber is from London. She runs a small cleaning company. Aside from her business she loves reading and writing articles about cleaning, home organization and decoration.

Win an #iLounge and Have Even More Summer Fun

Disclaimer: I have been provided an iLounge for my own use and one to giveaway. I have not been compensated in any other way. 

I don't know about you, but I have been dreaming over this amazing seat from #iLoungeUSA. I spend most of my time outside in the summer, even when I'm working. I love laying by the pool when I'm scheduling social media, reading, or even doing research. I don't like the uncomfortable chairs or being splashed, though. I figured that iLounge would be the perfect solution for this.

Take summertime chilling to a new level with iLounge, the tranquil and fun way to enjoy all summer activities. Whether floating in the pool, relaxing on the beach or enjoying an exciting camping adventure, iLounge is the recreational accessory you want to have close by.

iLounge is an innovative, unique lounge bed that can be inflated simply with the swirl of a breeze, since it captures air for inflation. The product is made of a lightweight, Eco-friendly, water resistant, and strong fabric that can withstand any type of environment, including rock and asphalt, and can hold the weight of a few adults. Features of the product include a water bottle holder, umbrella anchor, sun canopy, a waterproof pouch, smartphone holder, magazine pouch and bottle opener.

Can you think of a better way to enjoy the summer? I can't! It is great for on the go, whether that is the beach, festivals, camping, day at the lake, or even hanging around home. Get you an iLounge today and enjoy the summer the way it was meant to be enjoyed! 

The iLounge retails st $129.99 and comes in these colors: Caribbean turquoise, electric coral orange, electric lime green and yellow, flamingo fuchsia, orange peel, peach cobbler, magenta, violet, peony pink and royal and powder blue.

Guess what?!?!

You can win one. I promise this will be simple! Just follow iLounge across their social media, then visit their website and tell me what your favorite feature of the iLounge is. Be sure to include your email address and what color you would like!

Social Media:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Website

I will choose a winner on July 13, 2016 update: We had a tragedy in the family, so I have not gotten my usual promoting and work done. Because of this, a winner will be chosen on July 20th instead. I apologize for the inconvenience. 

4 Ways To Have Fun This Summer With #OrientalTrading

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. However, all opinions are my own. 

Did you know that Oriental Trading is a one-stop shop for all things summer fun? Lucky for me, I've known this for years and love to utilize Oriental Trading in all that I do- school, parties, church, business, and especially summer fun for the kids. Here are some ways to keep summer exciting, keep the kids from getting bored, and make every day like a party in your back yard. Get everything you need straight from OrientalTrading.com.

1. Host A Luau

What says summer more than a Luau? Why not throw a big one this summer. Even better, go ahead and have the items you need on hand and throw them periodically throughout the summer? Say, every other Saturday. You could have one for each group- family, friends, kids' friends, boy scouts, and even a neighborhood block party. Oriental Trading has everything you need to throw the luau of the century, go ahead and get some grass skirts and limbo sets!

2. Pool Fun

Stock the pool this summer with new floats, games, and the patio with amazing dinner and drinkware to really set the mood. When the kids have water volleyball, will they really get bored that easily? Mine won't! Check out the outdoor toys offered by Oriental Trading!

3. Glow Fun

My kids are obsessed with glow sticks, I mean really obsessed. We have them everywhere and still never seem to have enough. On the weekends, when the kids can be outside later, we load the kids up with glow sticks and set them free in the yard. We tie them to boundaries (trees so that they do not go into the woods, bushes, and a certain distance up the driveway), hide them around the yard to be found, and even let them make fake fire with them! They love having glow sticks when they catch lightning bugs. For older kids, you could even do a snipe hunt or other games after dark with them. 

4. Indoor Fun

Certain times of the day it is just too hot during the summer to play outside. I work from home, so I work from my laptop while they play outside. However, about lunch time every day, we head in the house to cool off. It gets too hot in South Carolina, so I am always looking for ways to keep them calm and entertained, especially when they would rather be outside, or in the pool. Oriental Trading has a ton of activities that will keep your kids busy inside and entertained, especially these games!