Zulily is Inspiring Future Fashion Designers with a $6,000 Back-to-School Contest for Kids

 

Disclosure: This is sponsored content in partnership with Zulily as a paid ambassador. Opinions expressed are 100% our or own. 

 

We're barely a month into our summer break in NYC and I already see parents on social media chatting about their children heading back to the classroom in just three weeks. Naturally, that means it's time to go Back-to-school shopping!  Don't you remember how exciting it was to hit the mall with your parents as you picked out the trendiest clothes to kick of the new school year? Online retailer Zulily wants to help encourage self-expression, and inspire future fashion designers with the launch of their #UniquelyZu Back-to-School contest for kids. 

Exploring the New International Sherlock Holmes and Disney Junior Doc McStuffin Exhibit at the Liberty Science Center #LSCWinterfun

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and opinions expressed are 100% our own.

There's no reason to stay cooped up at home and glued to gadgets and gizmos when you could take a trip to Liberty Science Center in New Jersey. Families can escape cabin fever and head to this educational center for a day of hands on fun, deeper thinking and exploration. With kids out of school for the holidays I couldn't think of a better place to visit and my guys couldn't wait to check out the new International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes and Doc McStuffin. 

End the Summer Snack Time Struggle with Jif Power Ups

It never fails! Once the kids start summer break us parents know dang well that the one line we'll hear on repeat over and over is "I'm hungry can I have snack?"They don't even care that they just had a fully loaded, protein filled breakfast unlike most school mornings where you toss them a banana and a bagel as you all rush your way out the door. These lil' monsters are un-phased by what time of day it is, or how much time has passed since they last asked for something to eat. They seem to want to munch on goodies non-stop, and god forbid you run out of their favorites! The snack time struggle during summer break can be really funny at times, so to introduce the launch of their new Power Ups chewy bars and creamy clusters Jif invited a few of us parents our for a night of laughs at Caroline's comedy club with funny dad and actor Neil Patrick Harris. 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and the opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

A Case of Baby Fever and Top 3 Picks from the 2018 New York Baby Show #NYBSBloggerLounge

Disclosure: This is sponsored content. Opinions expressed are 100% my own and you may find a few affiliate links throughout the post. 

Baby fever is no joke and I've been showing all the classic symptoms: oohing and aahing over their tiny baby toes and adorably cute summer outfits in Target. With close friends pregnant or celebrating 1st birthday's I've been eyeing the latest and greatest must haves for babies and every Spring there's only one place to go!. At this years 2018 New York Baby Show I decided to scope out some of the newest and coolest products for little ones with my blogger babes and team Momtrends who hosted us all in their amazing blogger lounge. It's always so tough to narrow down the best of the best for the little ones so I've highlighted a few brands you should check out plus my top 3 picks that had only been launched within the last two years.  

Inspire The Next Generation to Make the World a Better Place with the "Imagine If, With Jif" Contest

Disclosure: This is a Sponsored Post, Opinions expressed are 100% my own

Imagine a world where kids can make a difference in creating a better world to live in through the wonderful traits like bravery, confidence, kindness and and creativity that they already possess. Our two boys Tristan and CJ have always been taught the importance of giving back and this year they are looking forward to supporting an organization that helps children and families in need. As blogger kids they are very fortunate to have the opportunity to review the latest and greatest toy products and they know that often there may be kids in shelters and hospitals who won't get to spend their holiday with their loved ones, and who's families may not have the time or funds to shop for presents. 

During this years MomTrends Night Out, influencers learned about the latest products from Jif and their "Imagine If, with Jif" campaign while sharing how they inspire the next generation of changemakers right at home. 

When Life Calls for a Mom's Night Out You Take It! #MTNightOut2

Squeezing in an hour or two just for myself kind of seemed trivial, knowing how tragic September ended for my family - loosing a loved one unexpectedly is never easy to wrap your head around. Yet at the same time, I needed a moment to breathe, to stop crying....... I needed a night out even if it meant it was a "work" thing. Despite rocking our best smile from cheek to cheek, I'm sure a handful of mama's in the room probably had some form of crap going on. Being able to revel in a MomTrends night out while learning about the latest products and destinations to help ease the day-to-day of #momlife was just the break I needed and beyond appreciated.  

Disclosure: This is a Sponsored Post in partnership with Meredith Publications. All Opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

New Yorkers Celebrate Summer Reading & Vote in Nationwide #BookBattle for NYC Kids to Win 100,000 Free Books #Sponsored

Disclosure: This is a Sponsored post. Opinions expressed are 100% my own

Did you know that by age 3, children from wealthier families have typically heard 30 million more words than children from low-income families?(AEC, 2010) That is such a huge difference right? One of the best ways to help little ones to develop such a vast number of words is by exposing them early on to age appropriate books & unfortunately in several cities around the U.S, kids live within book deserts and don't have access to adequate reading materials. This month the boys and I headed to popular NYC bookstore, The Strand to celebrate summer reading and the Soar with Reading Program. With one daily vote, through the Soar with Reading Program the public has the chance to vote in an online book battle which will reward the children of one city 100,000 FREE books

Grab Your Boogery Friends for The Grossery Gang Putrid Power Movie & Giveaway! #MustHavesforLilMonsters #Sponsored

Disclosure: This is a Sponsored Post. The Opinions expressed are 100% our own. 

Back in the day I loved collecting Garbage Pail Kids trading cards, do you remember those? If not just humor me a sec, but if you were an 80s baby then I 'm sure you may have had a stack of these grotesque yet funny looking characters that were a crude spin-off of the Cabbage patch dolls. These days it's no surprise that my boys along with thousands of other lil' monsters around the world are really into "The Grossery Gang" an assortment of mini collectibles that kids are obsessed over.  We couldn't wait to share the news that at the end of July Moose Toys’ The Grossery Gang announced the release of their first ever film, Putrid Power: The Grossery Gang vs. The Clean Team. 

In Putrid Power , fans will be treated to a gripping story of The Grossery Gang taking on the new evil force known as the Clean Team. With Cheap Town now under the terrible threat of being cleaned up for good by the evil Vac Attack and his team of clean freaks, Putrid Pizza, Dodgey Donut and the rest of the gang must band together to fight the power of clean; to save themselves from getting mopped up by the baddies.

It kinda reminds me of the battle in my house where I'm trying defeat two messy, youtube watching zombies who leave food wrappers, stinky socks and trails of toys everywhere. 

Soar with Reading: Vote for NYC Children to Win 100,000 FREE Books from JetBlue and Random House Kids #BookBattle

"If you're going to get anywhere in life, you're going to have to read a lot of books" 

~ Roald Dahl. 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. The opinions in this post are 100% my own. 

At the start of the summer, JetBlue and Random House Children’s Books launched it's annual Soar with Reading™ initiative, which provides age-appropriate books to children who need them most and until August 31st of 2017 we all have the chance to vote for one of four cities, including NYC to win the next donation of 100,000 FREE books in a good ole' internet #bookbattle 

During school breaks I remember my mom would take my sister, brother and I to the library and we'd check out as many books that were allotted, typically more than we actually wanted to carry home and our dad proudly ordered us the full set of World Book Encyclopedia and we'd get lost in a world of imagination and history.

Being a mom who was an avid reader as a child, I knew that the day I'd have children of my own that I would spoil them with shelves of books very early on. My husband thought I was crazy to have subscribed to a book club for a baby, but sure enough CJ came home from the hospital with a shelf of books to get him through the first two years of life. Over a decade later and with another Lil' monster in the house, that shelf is bursting from the seams and filled with an array of books. Heck yes we've been fortunate to have access to so many pieces of literature but today there seems to be a vast number of areas around the U.S that have limited offerings of age appropriate books. 

Beyond Tablet: Taking Family Game Night to the Next Level #Sponsored #MustHavesforLilMonsters

We all know how hard it can be to pull the kids away from their precious screen time, especially during summer vacation. I'm sure if you haven't eliminated screen time entirely you are often questioning how much game play your children should have. Over the vacation we've allowed the boys to play 3 days a week, for a a max of 2 hours or so to avoid them becoming zombies. I'll admit, since I work from home that there are moments where the Xbox and Playstation are lifesavers because I just need the boys to be quiet for a chunk of time. Not to say it lasts long because it's guaranteed there will be an argument over a controller or something. This summer we were recently introduced to Beyond Tablet which is the first tablet of it's kind that has no display screen and incorporates blocks, cards and figures for variations of educational, hands on play for the entire family. 

Top 3 Must Haves for Lil' Monsters at The 2017 New York Baby Show #MTBloggerLounge #NewYorkBabyShow #AD

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

The 2017 New York Baby Show was bigger and better than ever with over 5,000 families in attendance! It was the place to be for new and expectant parents to discover the latest trends and innovations in baby gear, listen in and ask questions to experts on panel, learn how to capture the best photos and so much more. Let' be honest with so many options out there it can be so overwhelming to decide on what you will absolutely need to get you through those first few years and of course there are the products that may not be a necessity but have you swooning nonetheless. Earlier this month my sissy Nicole, my 13 month old nephew baby Q and I were invited by Momtrends to Pier 94 for an afternoon of fun while checking out the coolest must haves for lil' monsters and essential services to make life simpler as a new parent.

Mazda's New Rides and Girls Night Out at The 2017 New York Auto Show #NYIAS #AD

 

2017 marks the fifth year that She Buys Cars has partnered up with The New York International Auto Show to host bloggers and influencers for an amazing Girls Night Out where we had the opportunity to check out the latest automotive eye candy from some of the best brands {Mazda, Genesis, Toyota and Hyundai} in the car industry. It's personally one of my favorite nights of the year, where we head to the Jacob Javits center to check out the latest & hottest vehicles & trends coming out before the masses on opening day of the auto show. This year I had the wonderful opportunity to attend as a Mazda ambassador which was a pretty awesome pairing seeing as our family absolutely loves their line of vehicles and have had the chance to test drive a few working with Driveshop & Mazda over the last two years. 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and opinions expressed are 100% my own 

Spring Themed Crafts & Treats with Wonderful Halos #MTHalosFun #ad

It takes a lot to keep us indoors on the weekends here in New York, with so much to do we're typically out and about looking to start a new adventure & it's always a must to have a few sweet treats on hand to energize us throughout the day. Bonus points if it's something that's not only tasty but healthy to boot! That's the wonderful thing about Halos, they're juicy and sweet and definitely a favorite among my citrus loving boys! This month my oldest & mini me CJ and I headed out on one of the windiest days in New York to enjoy a morning of spring time crafting at the Children's Museum of the Arts.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, opinions expressed are 100% our own.

MYTHBUSTERS the Explosive Exhibition at the Liberty Science Center #MTMyth #LilMonstersinNYC #ad

"Science isn't just for scientists and people in lab coats - it's something that everybody can do everyday", those words sound like something my MythBusters loving husband would say but this was in fact the sentiment of Dan Tapster, Executive Producer of the Discovery Channel Show "MYTHBUSTERS". As a former elementary and preschool teacher and a mama to two boys one in grade school, the other in middle school I couldn't agree more. Children should recognize lessons on science in the world around them and the daily activities they partake in. The New "MYTHBUSTERS, Explosive Exhibition {running through September 2017} at the Liberty Science center encourages an interactive, hands on experience that will inspire curiosity in kids of all ages.

3 Reasons Why You'll Love Watching Jungle Jim's Musical Adventures with your Child & A Special Offer for Readers #ad

This post is part of a sponsored campaign for Jungle Jim - A Musical Wildlife Adventure. I received compensation for my participation, but my review and opinions are my own.

No matter the season my boys are always asking if they can go to our local zoo, especially our youngest who is completely fascinated by each animal's characteristics and abilities. 
We even joined a nature club at the Bronx zoo & joined other families as we explored the plants and surroundings in the rain and snow & toured the exhibits to learn about an array of creatures. It was a lot of fun but let's be honest, weekly trips to the zoo aren't always feasible so we're always on the look out for educational books and programming like Jungle Jim's Musical Adventures to encourage our kids to think about the world around them and the creatures that inhabit our planet out in the wild and that are cared for in their favorite zoo's and aquariums.