American Public University

I had my oldest two kids when I was fairly young.  I was 17 when I had Chase and 19 when I had Blake.  I graduated high school 6 months after Blake was born, I had fallen slightly behind being a mom but I did finish with 40 credits which i thought was a great accomplishment since I only needed 30 to graduate.  I was very busy being a mom so did not move forward onto college or university at that time I thought I would wait until both kids were in school.  Little did I know that when Blake was 6 and I was just starting to think about going to school since both boys were in full-time we would be blessed with our little princess and then just a short while later or newest prince.  So now here I am again with two young kids and putting off school.  By the time they are both in school full-time I am going to be too old for school and a career.

American Public University is the solution to my time constraint issues.  I can go back to school, do my courses online while the kids nap, or Lee has them and I can feel like I am going somewhere in my life again.  As a mom being able to do all this stuff from home without the worry of babysitters, schedules and the such is truly a lifesaver.  Want to hear some great things about American Public University (APU), great because I want to share it with you.

Flexibility APU is very flexible in its school schedule.  Unlike a traditional university it offers classes on a monthly basis instead of doing it by semesters.  There is the option for accelerated programs and of course flexible courses that allow you to be a parent and student at the same time while meeting the delicate balance that lies there.   APU courses are 100% online, allowing students to obtain degrees from anywhere in the world – on their time, their schedules.  APU offers more than 100 online degrees and certificates in subjects ranging from homeland security to management and liberal arts to help students gain the knowledge and skills they need to advance their careers

Affordable We all know that planning for our kids future is to be our top priority when our kids are born but what about our futures?  APU understands this and has taken all this into account.  APU’s tuition is amongst the lowest in the country for accredited online universities.

APU’s simplified tuition and fee structure makes it easy for students to estimate and cover expenses:

• Undergraduate: $750 for a 3 credit course
• Graduate: $900 for a 3 credit course

Quality, Credibility APU is a member institution of regionally- and nationally-accredited American Public University System (APUS), recognized as a leading education provider by numerous military, federal, private and public sector employers.  The greater APUS virtual community numbers  more than 70,000 classmates, 12,000 alumni, and more than 1,500 faculty and staff collaborating across time zones and borders in more than 100 countries worldwide

I am looking into this further for myself, I keep telling myself as soon as hte kids are older but then when the kids are older I will be too so that is not really any good either.  I think that American Public University has offered the perfect opportunity for mothers/parents like me.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of American Public University. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Do you like your mailbox?

Ok I know super weird question right haha, but it is an honest one I promise.  We bought our house a little over a year ago and had a list 10 miles long to do on stuff we wanted/needed to change and improve.  Now the list is down to 9 miles so as you can guess we are not getting very far haha.  The big things on our list was redo the fence in the backyard (not done), paint the outside of the house (check), reside the house (not done that is waiting), reshingle the house (not done we have all the stuff as soon as it cools down some we will do the roof).

Then there was the little things like change the light fixtures, paint the stairs and railing, get a new mailbox and none of that was done yet either, in a year I failed and could not even get to a store to browse through the mail boxes.  We have looked online but have not really found one that we can both agree on.  We have a few things in our criteria that it just seems like no mailboxes meet.  It has to be house mounted, sturdy, waterproof and we cannot decide if we want metal or plastic, one thing is for sure though we do NOT want another wooden one.

We have a wooden mailbox right now and when the mailman delivers our mail it sounds like someone throwing a baseball at the side of my house when he closes the mailbox lid, it is a terribly loud noise and not pleasant at all.  I guess we will keep hunting for one but in the meant time if you wanted to share with me the mail boxes you all have then maybe we can find a new one before I am too old to care what my mailbox looks like haha.

This post was brought to you from your friends at http://www.mailboxixchange.com/

Flavorful Low-Sodium Family Meals

We love Mrs. Dash in our house, you can find many different varieties of the spice in my cupboard at any given time.

Something as simple as Pasta and Chicken can be spiced up with just some Mrs Dash seasonings.  I love to look through and follow the recipes on the Mrs Dash website and wanted to share with you this one which is one of our families favorite because of the great flavors and mine because of how easy and quick it is to cook on nights when the kids have been particularly trying or when we have to go on the run which is about half our week lol.

5 simple things you can do to keep your childs smile bright

I have four kids so we have a lot of teeth to keep clean and healthy in our household.  I try to avoid any unnecessary trips to the dentist with them because sometimes that can take a whole lot of time and money that I don’t want to nor need to spend as long as I make sure my kids and I both work hard to keep their beautiful teeth intact and their smiles amazing.  I have to say that we have had some unfortunate incidents in the past that have caused teeth issues, like my use of formula in Blake at bedtime causing him bottle rot and we had to have some of his teeth removed, no parent wants to ever go through that trust me.  There is lots of things that we as parents can do to help our children learn at a very young age how to preserve and take proper care of their teeth.  Here are my 5 simple tips to keep their smiles healthy and bright.

1. Schedule regular dental checkups starting at an early age.  Maddisyn is three now but we started her dental checkups/cleanings at 2 years of age.  All three kids will go together and have their teeth counted and cleaned, they all seem to handle this very well because I started them all very young on this and although i am terrified of the dentist I do not project that onto them so they are relaxed and at ease when there.
2. Brush after every meal, the boys even take a toothbrush with them to school to brush after their lunches.  This is a simple thing that does not take them long at all and they simple finish their meals and then go to the washroom to brush their teeth before heading off outside to play.
3. If they cannot brush then we chew a piece of sugar free gum instead.  Sometimes when you are travelling or rushed brushing is not an option for you, but carrying around sugar free gum all the time does the trick when needed.  The biggest fight we have here is what flavor of gums I should buy when stocking up, although I can tell you without a doubt that I go to Trident first and foremost.
4. Help them time when they are brushing their teeth so that they do it for the proper length of time, even at ages 9 and 11 I stay with Chase and Blake in the bathroom to ensure they are getting all their teeth.  We have the boys brush for 2-3 minutes depending on how much horsing around is going on.  Maddisyn does not do so well with brushing because of her little mouth but we have special teeth wipes that we use in her mouth instead which do the same job.
5. Teach your kids how to floss, flossing really helps to get all the gunk between the teeth out thus providing a more shining smile.

These are my simple tips to brighter, healthier smiles.  What do you do with your kids to make teeth brushing fun and easy?

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Trident blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

GlassesUSA – buy your glasses online and save $$$

I have four children, two of my four kids wear eye glasses, my husband and I both wear eye glasses so I am not optimistic that my other two will not need eye glasses at some point in their first few years of school.  I have my fingers crossed that they will not but I am sure that they will and that makes me extremely sad.  I am much happier though now that I know they can get cuter styles then when I was a child.  You can even buy them online, a totally new concept from when I was much younger as well.

My prescription glasses cost us a ton of money because I need to have special lenses because my eyes are so bad, I hope my kids eyes never get as bad as mine are.  Did you know though that now you can buy eyeglasses online?  This is a new concept for me and one I am sure is not as scary as it sounds.  GlassesUSA sells their eyeglasses online, I have never tried them and thus cannot provide personal opinion on them but I know that they sell for a fraction of what glasses cost in store.

I just bought the boys new glasses but I will be needing some new ones soon, and even with having to get the more expensive lenses from GlassesUSA I would be saving myself about $200, so I guess I am willing to give it a shot if I can save money.  I can always use the Try-It Mirror first to see how I feel about the glasses and if when I get them.  If you don’t like the glasses from them GlassesUSA has a 30 day return policy and you can return for exchange for another frame of equal value or get a complete refund (excluding shipping costs).

I highly encourage you that if you are looking to save money consider purchasing your glasses online.  As a special promo GlassesUSA wants to give my readers a 10% discount off their next purchase.  Simply enter the code mommy10 when prompted during the checkout process.  I also highly encourage you to check out their facebook fan page  http://www.facebook.com/GlassesUSA

Back to School Uniform Time

Our kids are heading back to school here in a couple of weeks and do you know what that means?  New school uniforms, new school items, new school shoes, new backpacks.  ARGHHHHHHHHHH that my faithful readers was the sound of my wallet crying out because of all the money spent on all the school supplies for our two happy to go back boys.

I wanted to share with you again as a reminder about the French Toast Contest.  You could win 15,000 for you and your school.

Parents, tell us what makes your child unique in 300 words or less. Include up to 6 photos or a video that shows your child, in their school uniform, doing what makes them unique!

The final day to submit an entry is September 15.  On November 1, French Toast will be posting the 10 finalists and the public will be able to vote for the grand prize winner – who will win $10,000 in cash and their school will receive $5,000 in vouchers from French Toast. The grand prize winner will be announced on November 30.

I highly encourage you all to stay up to date with all that is going on with French Toast by joining their facebook and twitter pages.

Good luck to everyone who enters the contest!!!!

Parent’s Choice New Look, Same Great Formula

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

Take a look at the new Parent’s Choice formula cans, how awesome do they look?  I really like the new colors and the new logo, the wording inside the heart is so cute and just screams infant.

You know what else I love about the new cans is the easy to read easy to find age, product type and benefit indicator.  Currently I get confused and frustrated when I can’t just go in, grab the can that I need and go.  Instead I need to read the can each time to ensure that I am grabbing the right can or else I could end up with formula that makes Holden sick, constipated, gassy and just unhappy.

Now I know when product packaging changes it generally means that the product has changed.  Not in this case though it is still the same great formula in the same sized cans as before.  Parents Choice is our favorite go to brand because it has the best and lowest prices and the same quality products as most name brands.  Parent’s Choice Advantage is now $11.88 every day in most Walmart stores.

Let me tell you my all time favorite part of writing this post and the information I found out.  Walmart will soon be selling it’s formula online and it will have free shipping.  I love shopping online and love the idea of being able to order it, especially with a newborn when you don’t want to leave the house.

Parent’s Choice, PBM Products, continues to meet all strict FDA guidelines, just like the national brands,  Parent’s Choice offers complete nutrition for baby’s health and development, it contains DHA & ARA to help support brain & eye development, visit ParentsChoiceFormula.com for more information and to access our ‘Savings Calculator’
Visit them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Parents-Choice-Infant-Formula/31916575476

Ramblers Way

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Ramblers Way. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I think wool I think of hot, itchy, heavy, makes my teeth ache when it gets wet, uncomfortable and just not my style.  I was just introduced to a site called Ramblers Way and they take my thoughts of wool and turn them completely around to something I would actually be willing to try and probably wear comfortably.

I really like the Women’s Next-to-Skin Scoop Neck Short Sleeve Top (long).  “Who knew wool could be so sleek, sexy, and soft? Experience the many meanings of “superfine” with Ramblers Way Next-to-Skin Women’s Scoop Neck top. From the moment you put it on, your body is draped in the sheared-elegance of superfine, 18.5 micron Rambouillet wool. Our worsted fabric envelopes your skin in sensual softness and warmth, while being thin and smooth enough to wear under any type of clothing, no matter how loose or tight, without bunching up or showing.”

Wool thin enough to be comfortable and sleek feeling, really?  That sounds like heaven to me.  They have long sleeve shirts, long johns and janes, briefs, and camisole.  That is just in the womens shopping section.  The prices vary from $40.00-$85.00 but I would totally pay that for something as silky as this sounds.

If I were given $200 for a shopping spree I would buy the camisole, short sleeve top and a package of the hipster low rise briefs, what would you buy?

“Ramblers Way Farm is a family business creating soft, comfortable next-to-skin worsted wool apparel entirely on American soil.

We design, create, and manufacture next-to-skin worsted wool garments in our partners’ factories in the Carolinas and New England, by people whose families have been operating for generations. They share our high standards for quality and sustainability.

We live our values at work: creativity in what we do; continuous improvement; promoting sustainability, well-being, and enjoyment by bringing together our individual talents towards a common goal of customer satisfaction.”

I do have full intentions of purchasing one of these awesome shirts for myself in the very near future I really need to test this out for myself and see if it is as soft and comfortable as it says which from the looks of it I have full confidence it is.

HPV – Get Tested

I see the commercials all about HPV vaccines for teenage girls, making sure they are vaccinated can help to prevent the very dangerous cervical cancer.  What I rarely see/if ever are commercials that are encouraging me as a woman over 26 to be tested for HPV.  I actually naively did not know that I should be tested for this.

How do they test you ask?  well that is simple at the same time as your yearly PAP test they can test for the HPV virus.

A PAP test looks at the cells taken from the woman’s cervix for any changes or abnormalities.  The HPV test is done by using the same samples taken, so there is no extra testing, pokes, scrapes or anything of the like.  When used with a Pap in women 30 and older, the HPV test increases the ability to identify who is at risk of developing cervical cancer.

• If you are age 30 or older, ask your doctor for the digene HPV Test together with your Pap test.
• If both tests come back normal, then the tests don’t need to be repeated for 3 years. But remember to return each
year for your annual health exam.
• If one or both tests come back abnormal, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have cervical cancer. It simply enables
your healthcare provider to monitor you more closely or treat pre-cancerous cells before cervical cancer develops.
• HPV testing isn’t necessary for women younger than 30, because HPV infections in young women usually go away
on their own without causing problems. Women under 30 will only have HPV testing if their Pap test is inconclusive.

Looking for more information on HPV?  I highly recommend that you visit http://www.thehpvtest.com/ here you can get access to a wealth of information such as early detection and prevention of HPV through screening and PAP tests Site includes frequently-asked-questions, patient stories, and tips on “what your test results mean.”.  I also highly recommend you follow them on twitter @HPVinformed or on Facebook.

I am highly encouraging all women but especially women over 30 to be your own advocate insist on getting tested, follow up with your doctor, manage your health and most importantly be on top of your yearly visits, after all this is your life and health we are talking about be in charge.

Here are some other great resources that I highly encourage everyone to check out and spend some time researching.

www.theyellowumbrella.org – The Yellow Umbrella Organization is founded by cervical cancer survivor and “rocker”
Christine Baze, who takes her music and story on the road to educate women about cancer prevention. Also, visit Christine’s
www.savethehooch.org site to purchase a Yellow Umbrella make-up kit to raise money for cervical cancer prevention.

www.HealthyWomen.org – HealthyWomen is the nation’s leading independent health information source for women.
Recently listed as one of Forbes’ top 100 websites for women, healthywomen.org has resources on many women’s health
issues, including comprehensive info on cervical and gynecologic cancers.

www.pearlofwisdom.us – The Pearl of Wisdom™ Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer is a global partnership to raise
awareness of tools for preventing cervical cancer and advocate for making them available to girls and women worldwide.
Buy a pin, send an e-card, and download educational materials.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of the QIAGEN digene HPV test. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Boost Mobile

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boost Mobile. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you familiar with Boost Mobile?  Well if not don’t worry because I was not either up until very recently I had not heard of them but I have been doing some research on them now since hearing about it.  Boost Mobile has some really very affordable phone plans like a monthly plan for $50.00 which gives you talk, text and web all unlimited.  You can do a pay as you go thing which would be 10 cents a minute to talk and 10 cents per text sent or received and they have a fabulous Blackberry plan at $60 per month for unlimited talk, text, email and web.

Boost mobile has made it easy to be social and in this day and age we all know that if we have a phone we are participating in the social scene at some point.  With Boost you can go on facebook and updated your friends, send pictures etc.  You can also get on twitter and tweet if you are a tweet-aholic this is just right for you.  I know I could not go without having my phone to tweet/facebook on, even last night at the KISS concert I was updating my facebook status all night with pictures from my phone.

Now I checked out more then just the plans of course because for me I need a phone to work for me and do what i need so no matter what great deals a company offers if they do not offer phones of convenience I will totally move on.  I need to be able to text, talk, blog, facebook and twitter from my phone to start with.  But it also needs to have a planner because my life is scheduled on my phone and I need that planner to help keep me sane, on track and most importantly on time.  They have the Blackberry which is a lifesaver in itself and was the phone I had directly before my current.  I really liked my blackberry and if my current phone broke I would go back to the blackberry in a heartbeat.  They also have the Motorola i1 phone which looks like a very cool touch screen phone.  I could definitely use a Boost Mobile phone.

Last thing I want to talk to you about in my super long post is the payment options.  With Re-Boost there are some very easy payment options available to you.  You can use your debit/credit card to make a payment or sign-up for worry-free automatic payments.  Best of all you can pay in person, pay over the phone or pay online.  Best of all a family member or friend can make a payment for any other Boost Mobile customer, this is perfect for your college student to have the phone in their name but you can make the payments for them.

All in all I think that Boost Mobile is an amazing company and well worth looking further into.

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