As we head into the summer, there are a lot of fun plans being made. In my home, we're going to have a very busy season full of trips to the park, Lake Erie, the Akron and Cleveland Zoos, and of course, Cedar Point. We always try and stay as busy as possible during the warmer months, since the rest of the year in NE Ohio can be pretty brutal. We have to enjoy the sunshine while we can!
One activity that may not automatically cross our minds as must-do summer plans is blood donation. It's so easy to get caught up in all of the fun that we forget there's a 24/7 constant need for blood donations. Summer is when the need increases, as donations typically drop by around 20%. In fact, blood donation is something many patients across the country depend on because every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs a transfusion of donated blood. One in seven people entering the hospital end up requiring a blood transfusion. Yep. One in SEVEN. That's a LOT of lives being saved by the gift of donated blood!
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***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my post. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***
With summer in full swing, it can be a challenge to make sure my kids get all the nutrients they need. We're always on the go, and they seem to have a lot more access to snack foods than usual. With so many summer parties and get-togethers, there's no shortage of food....It's just not always the healthiest food. At times, it's frustrating because the kids will shun veggies and other healthy choices in favor of yet another hot dog or burger, or even worse, pies, cakes, and other sweet treats.
That's okay, though. I have a covert tactic that allows me to make sure the kiddos get plenty of organic veggies, and they don't even realize it. How? With Sneakz! Sneakz are healthy and protein-packed shakes for kids combining great taste with positive nutrition featuring half a daily serving of vegetables. Each milkshake contains Sneakz’s proprietary mix of five organic, nutrient-rich vegetables, so you’ll have children eating better and enjoying their veggies in no time!
Mosquitoes can be one of the major causes of not having a nice time at a picnic, or outside with family and friends, or maybe even while camping. Being outdoors doesn't have to be that way when you have a great repellent like this one that Thermacell and Tom's Take On Things is giving away. The Thermacell Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent is a rechargeable battery operated device that can help keep those flying pests at bay. With easy to use insertable cartridges, you will be able to use this for 6 or more hours on a single charge or even more when it is plugged in while it's recharging. Tired of getting all those bites? Then it's time to enter to win one below and start enjoying your time outdoors more. Giveaway is open to residents of the United States only who are 18 years of age or older. Participating bloggers nor Tom's Take On Things is responsible for prize delivery. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email notification. Total ARV of the Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent and the 2 refills is $89.97. Good Luck from all of us.
One winner will receive the Radius Zone Mosquito Repellent and 2 Refills!***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my post. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** Here in my little city, we boast an insane number of parks for our size. 27, to be exact. Or was it 25? Hmm. Well, either way, for a city of about 50,000 residents, we've got an enviable number of parks. Maybe that's why nowhere else has never felt like home to me. My city is family friendly, and still has that much coveted small town feel.
Anyway, the other day, Sophie and Xander wanted to play in the sand. They do have a sandbox, but I have to put new, fresh sand in it for the season. No worries, though, since we have quite a few parks with sand features for the kids to play in. ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my post. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***
Do you like playing competitive games with your family? We sure do! In fact, I have been dubbed the Queen of Useless Information, and many people fear going against me in any trivia or general knowledge games.
It seems my kids have also been bitten by the competitive board game bug, and they especially love games that have a bit of a thrill factor involved. One of their favorite games right now isSplash Out from the folks at Far Out Toys. Looking for an innovative, safe way to keep your home free of flies? If so, we think you will love the FlyLight by DynaTrap. This unit works by attracting flies with the AtraktaGlo™ UV technology and then trapping with their StickyTech™ paper to stop flies in their tracks. Best of all, it is completely safe, silent and simple by protecting the indoors without using pesticides, odors (completely odor free), and is silent (no zapping or buzzing). You just put the unit in an electrical outlet to work, allowing you to sit back and focus on what is truly important – cooking and your family! Want to know more? Check out Budget Earth's FlyLight by DynaTrap Review here! Want to try this awesome fly killer for yourself? Budget Earth and some of their favorite bloggers are excited to be working with DynaTrap on this awesome giveaway! THREE very lucky winners will receive a FlyLight by DynaTrap ($24.99 retail value). To enter, make sure to read the rules below and then enter through the Rafflecopter! Chase The Flies Away Giveaway
***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my post. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** Have you ever found one of those toys that is just bound to become an instant classic, that kids both young and old will absolutely love?
That is exactly how we felt when we discovered the Calico Critters from Epoch Everlasting Play. Calico Critters is a line of miniature animal figures, with homes, furniture and accessories. The animal figures are unique because they are made of a special flocked material that gives them an endearing quality. They were introduced in Japan in 1985 and are distributed worldwide. Calico Critters are sold as families, with Mothers and Fathers, sisters, brothers and babies. The homes and furniture are quite life-like are have incredible detail. The Critters live in the community of Calico Village. All the citizens in Calico Village have hobbies and jobs. The underlying theme is giving, friendship and happiness. Calico Critters are wholesome, never trendy. Get Soaked Non-Stop with the Battle Monster Dual Function Pressurized Water Blaster #Partner6/6/2018 ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my post. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, probably thousands of times, but we really love summer here in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Not only do we get to FINALLY defrost from brutal winters, we get a chance to enjoy gorgeous, temperate weather without the heat and humidity of the South. (No, Virginia, I don't miss you a single, itty-bitty bit.) Yep. NE Ohio summers are the BEST!
My kids and I take full advantage of the season, and spend a ton of time outdoors during the warmer months. One thing we always love doing is finding any excuse we can to get wet. See, hose water had magical qualities, you see. Nothing improves my spirits more than misting myself with the hose on a hot day. The kids? Of course they prefer things like sprinklers, waterslides, and water blasters to get wet. What can I say? They're a lot more fun and energetic than I am. Or perhaps I'm just wiser in my old age and easier to please. Hmm. Anyway, the folks at Prime Time Toys are at it again, finding innovative new ways to enjoy water play. They actually took my favorite thing ever, the hose, and paired with with an insane water blaster, offering a continuous stream of pressurized water that never runs out. Can we say unfair advantage in a water fight? ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my post. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** During the summer, we spend almost all of our free time out in the yard or on the deck. (Weather permitting, of course!) I will set up my "office" on the deck, and the kids will play for hours and hours in the yard while I work. They look forward to these long, lazy days, and I like being able to work in peace for once. It's a winning situation for everyone, and everybody loves soaking up the sun.
One of the things the kids love most is getting soaked on a hot summer day. Whether it's a splash pool, the hose, or something much cooler, water play is always in at my house. Speaking of things that are much, much cooler than any old hose or sprinkler, this year, our summer just wouldn't be complete without the Mega Melon Sprinkler Ball Jumbo Sprinkler from Prime Time Toys. ***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my post. All opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.*** Do you love laying down on a warm, fluffy towel or on a beach chair, slathered in sunscreen, rockin' the shades, good book in hand?
That, to me at least, sounds like the perfect way to spend the summer months. I've always been a bit of a bookworm, and I've always been the type to spend lazy afternoons reading rather than partying it up. I have two AMAZING summer reads to share, but please note: These are books that will also require some tissues, as they tackle very real situations, such as how hard it can be to help raise a special needs loved one, as well as Narcissistic Abuse and mind control. (Different books, folks...These are NOT scenarios in the same story, thank goodness!) Anyway, these books are both easy yet compelling reads, and are sure to suck you right in while you lay lazily by the pool this season. |
PR Friendly Mama!
I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
June 2023
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