Co-Sleeping with your child is an experience. Notice I did not say a heavenly, perfect, or blissful experience. Before you get upset or cheer me on, co-sleeping is a little of all those but it is also an adventure with ups, downs, and what the heck just happened situations. This post is not intended to debate the merits of co-sleeping. If you happen to be someone who thinks co-sleeping is crazy hippy nonsense then this is not the article for you. Have a nice day and see you next time. But if you co-slept for one week, 2 months, or several years, read on and enjoy.

We co-slept with our daughter and it was not a decided in advance kind of thing. More like a decision born from sheer exhaustion. Honestly, I think it was a part of her master plan, but I digress. From phantom kicks in the dead of night to having no marital contact, Andy and Charlie from HowToBeADad.com cover it all in The Guide to Baby Sleep Positions: Survival Tips for Co-Sleeping Parents. This books brings back memories, or is it nightmares? Whichever it may be, it definitely brings laughs!

The guys have created an easy to use survival guide for all parents who co-sleep or are planning on embarking in the co-sleeping world. Quickly identify your baby’s sleep position that sabotages your rest, read up on the side effects, and consult the accompanying tips to learn how best to survive. I loved the level of difficulty included with each position and the boxes to check off “occurred, in progress, or mastered.” I was proud to say I have mastered all of these and I am still here to speak of it! The Guide to Baby Sleep Positions is a quick, fun read and a great gift for yourself or any co-sleeping parent in your life.

I had some laugh out loud moments, legitimately not “lol” which usually means I cracked half a smile, no I laughed with tears in my eyes remembering the days when I was in the midst of all this. Andy and Charlie are speaking from experience and it was nice to know I wasn’t alone in thinking this adorable little angel was secretly a saboteur. In an effort not to giveaway the entire book, I decided to narrow it down to my top 2 and my best friend’s number one favorite positions.

Baby Sleep Position No. 27: The Mugging

Difficulty: 4 pillows

Peaceful REM sleep… BAM what, who, why was I just hit?!

Baby Sleep Position No. 21: The Booby Trap

Difficulty: 3 pillows

Cue theme music and try to get into bed without waking baby.

Baby Sleep Position No: 9: The Pillow Thief

Difficulty: 3 pillows

Why do they always steal my pillow? My poor arm is numb now just thinking about it!

You can find this incredibly funny book on Amazon. Buy it today and let the healing begin!

 

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*I was provided a copy of this book for free. No monetary compensation was received and the opinions expressed are my own*

If you have ever seen an episode of Biggest Loser you know how tough Jillian Michaels can be. She likes to get to the point and I would never use the words warm and fuzzy to describe her. As someone who appreciates upfront people I kind of like her. I don’t always agree with everything she says but the results of her training do not lie. When I was offered the chance to review her new book and DVD I was excited. This would be my first experience training the Jillian Michaels way.

In Slim for Life, Jillian offers easy to follow tips to help you lose weight and keep it off. She cuts through all the rhetoric that health experts throw at us on a daily basis and tries to keep the goals as simple as possible. Jillian has realized that a lot of us just do not have the time to count calories or figure out formulas. In fact I run at the mention of any math! Slim for Life includes some of those fitness equations but for the most part she keeps it basic and to the point. Although I do disagree with her assessment of how active a housewife is (watch yourself Jillian), overall this is a great resource for anyone looking for easy to follow steps for weight loss.

Are you looking for an extreme workout? Hard Body is for you! I have never tried any of her other dvds before so I can’t say if it is similar to them or not. However, in comparison to workout dvds I have tried this one is no joke. Burpees, pushups-to-planks, mountain climbers, and more are awaiting you in Hard Body. If that doesn’t scare you off then this is the dvd for you! Workouts 1 and 2 are similar in intensity but the second gets more complicated with the combination of moves. Bottom line: I hated her, might possibly have cursed her name a few times, but after the incredible soreness wore off I felt like a conqueror and was ready to go again!

Available now for purchase at major retailers and Amazon:

 

 

*I received this book and dvd as a part of the Bookieboo Blogger Network. No monetary compensation was received and the opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links*

 

Learning what is in your food can be scary. Knowing what to avoid and healthier alternatives can be down right mind boggling. If you are like me you want to know what to eat, what to avoid, and the best way to do so. And unless you have an excess of free time you want a tool, an app, or something to help keep all that info straight and easy to access when you go to the store.

Allow me to introduce you to an amazing book that will help you navigate those grocery aisles with ease. Written by the couple who brought you Naked Calories, Rich Food Poor Food: The Ultimate Grocery Purchasing System (GPS) is an easy to follow guide on how to shop smart and healthy while saving time and money! This book is both Paleo friendly and wheat free. The Calton’s breakdown what you need to know about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), labels, and chemical additives, and other harmful ingredients. With the GPS you will learn how to find foods with the highest micronutrient values in nine different categories! Added bonus: recipes for homemade yogurts, soups, condiments, and more!

What I absolutely love about this book are the Steer Here vs Steer Clear, aisle by aisle break downs, and Checkout Checklist. In the Steer Here section included within each Aisle Breakdown you know what brands to keep an eye out for and which ones to steer clear of. One of my favorite breakfast foods, Stonyfield Greek Yogurt, made the list of yogurts to buy. Not that I needed a book to tell me that, we love Stonyfield! Check out the Calton’s website Calton Nutrition to find online coupons, free pocket downloads, and other nutritional information to help you in your journey to real rich food.

This book takes a complex and confusing issue and makes it fun! You’ll eat healthier, save money, and gain a sense of empowerment everytime you set foot in the market. – Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint

…the Caltons show you, step by step, inch by inch, and micronutrient by micronutrient, how to best accomplish a healthy diet and lifestyle rich with the healthy benefits of plentiful micronutrients.  – William Davis, MD, author, #1 New York Times Bestseller, Wheat Belly

 

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Enter to WIN a FREE copy of Rich Food Poor Food and Coupons for FREE Stonyfield Greek Yogurt!

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If you don’t win or you just can’t wait a week, the book is available for purchase on Amazon.

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 * I received this book free as a Stonyfield Yo-Getter. No monetary compensation was received and the opinions expressed are my own. This post also contains an affiliate link for the book*

Easter is almost here and if you haven’t already you really should be thinking about what to put in those baskets! A lot of moms like myself love to fill their baskets with little toys, books, and a healthy snack. Are you looking for non-candy ideas for the kid’s Easter baskets this year? Look no farther than these great reads from Silver Dolphin Books. These books are great non-candy Easter treat for the little ones.

PLAY-DOH: Counting Bunnies

First there is one bunny sitting all alone, then before you know it there are a lot of bunnies doing everything from having a pool party to putting on a magic show! Not only can you count the bunnies but each page includes other objects to count to reinforce the featured number. My son really enjoyed the Counting Bunnies book. He is 3 years old and starting to recognize numbers and being able to count objects on the page. This board book is great for babies, preschoolers, and thankfully able to withstand a not so gentle boy!

Billy Bunny and the Butterflies

Go on an adventure with Billy Bunny as he looks for butterflies and see what else he gets into along the way! Billy Bunny is absolutely adorable and perfect for any age. The sturdy board book offers touch and feel as well as lift the flaps pages. My daughter (7) really loves all the animals in this book.

My First Bible Stories

Or my Bible stories as my son called it! Familiar stories of the old testament come to life on these colorful pages. See the beautiful world God created, get on board the ark with Noah, journey to Egypt to meet Moses, and many more. Ideal for preschoolers and older children, My First Bible Stories will help your children build on their foundational knowledge of the Bible.

The Comic Book Bible

I thought that my daughter might not be into this one. When I think comic books I think little boys and men like Sheldon Cooper! But she really enjoyed it and thought it was “so cool mommy!” I had never seen a comic book Bible before and let me tell you I thought it was so cool too. The Comic Book Bible takes the Old and New Testament and presents in a way that kids will understand and want to read.

Pick up these great books on Amazon today and get them before Easter!

 

*I received the books for the purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was received and the opinions expressed are my own.*

 

Do you remember being apart of a reading club when you were younger? I remember getting a monthly package from a wildlife club with info cards about animals and little books to go with them. Of course I had to collect them all (why were those things so addicting?!) and put them in my custom card holder. I also remember feeling like a superstar whenever I got mail. If you don’t know what I am talking about, have a friend send your child a postcard and watch their face light up when you tell them you’ve got mail!

Now that my daughter is starting to read more on her own and my son is beginning to recognize letters I have been on the lookout for a reading club. We did the summer reading program at our local library and they really enjoyed choosing different books and filling up the challenge card. I have looked into a few reading programs but wasn’t too impressed with them. None seemed to encourage children to continue to read more. I believe that reading is foundational for all learning. If we don’t develop and foster a love of reading in our children at a young age we are doing them a huge disservice when they get older.

Being a Moms Meet ambassador allows me to try out different products for my family. When the opportunity came up to try the National Geographic Super Readers program, I was intrigued and wanted to find out more. After doing some research I have to say I was impressed. These books not only looked entertaining for kids but also something my husband and I would enjoy reading with them. My children are 3 1/2 years apart, which was part of the reason why the other programs didn’t work for me. I did not want to have to signup for more than one club! So, one of the things I love about the National Geographic kid books, is that they are broken down into four reading levels. From ready to read pre-readers to fluent readers, there is definitely something for every child in your household!

My children really enjoyed the books sent to us in our starter kit. The pictures are big and eye catching and overall the books are easy to read. One book was all about Sharks and being shark lovers that was the first one we read. It is a level 2 so my son, 3, really enjoyed looking at the pictures while my daughter read the book to us. I only had to help her with a few words like cartilage, which is a pretty big word when you are 6! My daughter has already picked out her next book, all about the Safari, and is anxiously awaiting for it to come in the mail. We also received a chapter book about animals, an Everything Castles book (a book about where princesses live according to my girl), and the Ultimate Weird but True facts. Did you know it is impossible to whistle on the moon? or That your brain is more active when you sleep than when you are awake? If you have a trivia fan in your house you have to get that one, we laughed and then amazed our friends on Facebook. Like I said, fun for kids and adults alike!

Get started today! Go to kids.nationalgeographic.com/superreader, there kids can sign up to become Super Readers, download the Super Readers poster, and start reading! Once they finish their book, they can cross it off on their poster and start getting fun rewards and prizes. The website also has several other activities including a Quiz Your Noodle Game (this was a fun activity not only for the kids but the husband and I had a little contest!), Weird but True Facts, homework help, and more!

This is a great program not only to have at home but also for educators to use in their classroom. As a former Kindergarten teacher, I know my classes would have loved this (stickers, iron-ons, and more, oh yes they would have gone crazy over it!). I would definitely recommend the Super Reader program to my friends and former colleagues. The books are fun, educational, and the adults will enjoy them as much as the kids! With the holidays coming up the National Geographic Super Readers program would make a great gift for all the kids in your life.

I would love to help you jump start your collection:

National Geographic wants to give 3 of my readers their own Super Reader Kits! Each winner will receive a National Geographic Super Reader book along with a poster, bookmarks, and badges!

**GIVEAWAY ENDS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 30th**

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*I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet(SM) program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet(SM) blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.