See Much More with VSP Vision Care: The Story of Connor’s Glasses

This blog post is sponsored by VSP® Vision Care, the nation’s only not-for-profit vision care company. Talk to your employer about getting started with VSP this open enrollment season.

So, Connor is officially a second grader!  How is it that I just had this baby and now he’s already knee-deep in grade school?   I got him a backpack this year that has dogs with glasses on them.  He loves dogs and he loves his glasses, so it worked out great!  Speaking of glasses, that’s exactly what I wanted to talk to you about today.  Let’s chat about the importance of vision care and you can also check out www.seemuchmore.com to see if VSP® Vision Care is right for you.

Last year Connor had an eye exam right before Christmas break and his results showed that he for sure needed glasses.  Terence and I both wear glasses and contacts so I knew it was only a matter of time.  We took him to pick out a new pair of glasses and made it a fun experience for him.  He was actually super excited to get glasses and wanted them really bad!  Ha ha!

I think I knew all along he needed them because he was struggling in school.  One in four children in the U.S. has undetected vision problems which could impair learning, according to the American Optometric Association.  Connor kept telling us he was having problems seeing things and he actually passed his first in-school eye exam.  It was after a second eye exam at school that we decided to take him back to the Doctor and get more information and another more comprehensive eye exam.

Get your child excited about wearing glasses!!!  Say things like:

  • “Those glasses look so good on you!”
  • “You look SO SMART in those new glasses”
  • “Are you excited to show your friends your new look?”

Connor in his new glasses 🙂

As soon as we walked out of the eye doctor’s office he turned to me and said “Mom I can see EVERYTHING now!”

That melted my heart that he was basically living in a blur.  I had absolutely no idea.  I didn’t get glasses until I was much older and honestly thought he was too young to need glasses at 6-years-old.  Of course as a parent you will do whatever it takes to help your child. I felt relief and contentment knowing my child could see better.  Did you know a routine eye exam can help detect signs of serious health conditions, like diabetes, a brain tumor and high cholesterol?

Now glasses come in so many options.  I like wearing them myself just to change-up my every day style.  Connor chose a pair of camo printed glasses and he loves to show them to his friends.  It has also taught him responsibility and how to care for a valuable item that he wears every day.  So far he has done a great job at keeping them on his face and putting them in his case at night.

Something our eye Doctor said to him was:

“Remember, if your glasses are not on your face then they should be in your case!”

We repeated that over and over and he caught on really quick!

Select eyeglasses that contrast from your facial contours and bring symmetry and balance to your prominent features.  I love trying on different shapes and styles.  It’s one of the easiest ways to change your look and have fun too!

So, now that we’re full-swing into the school year remember that we are heading into open enrollment season so don’t forget to sign up for vision care benefits. Reminder: while most open enrollment periods are in October and November, if you experience a life change like marriage or childbirth then you may be eligible to change your benefit selections and add dependents, meaning if vision benefits are offered – you could sign up.

Check out more info at seemuchmore.com!

SeaWorld San Antonio 2017

Hey Y’all!  Playing catch up here a bit and wanted to blog some memories of our trip to SeaWorld San Antonio.  We had a fabulous time, minus the crazy gas lines due to hurricane Harvey that particular week.

We took off for a long weekend and brought along our niece Ellie who is 22 hours older than Connor.  They’ve always been really close and Connor was super excited to bring his cousin.  During our trip you would be surprised how many people asked me how old my twins were…lol!  They do look alike with the blonde hair and blue eyes 🙂

We started our day out before the park opened.  We purchased tickets to feed the animals and have a private tour before hand.  I definitely recommend this!  It was so nice to not have to deal with crowds and get up close and personal with the sea life.

We headed to see the dolphins and got to play with them for a a little while.  We also wrote fun messages on the glass wall.  I loved those dolphins they were so friendly!

Our second stop was to feed the sea lions fish.  They were super hungry apparently and barked over and over.  Feisty little fellows!

My husband…the bird whisperer 🙂

Connor & Ellie with the dolphins

This bird shall be named Elvis for obvious reasons.  Elvis and I are great friends now btw.

Ready to see Shamu the killer whale!  We sat in the splash zone…don’t do this unless you want to walk out with soggy bottoms.

My absolute FAVORITE thing about the whole trip was being able to swim with the dolphins.  It was AMAZING!  They are so precious and interactive with everyone.  I now want to turn our pool into a saltwater paradise so I can have a pet dolphin.

Getting in and out of that wet suit was another story….but let’s move on shall we….

Terence’s recruiter from his Air Force days happened to be in San Antonio the same time we were helping with Hurricane relief.  We hadn’t seen him in YEARS and it was so nice to catch up with him and reconnect.  We enjoyed an authentic Mexican dinner and wonderful company.

We stayed at the Courtyard San Antonio SeaWorld and I cannot say enough about how wonderful our stay was here!  The rooms were nicely furnished and clean.  We had a sitting area, desk, and coffee nook.  If you are planning a visit to SeaWorld San Antonio I highly recommend this hotel.  It was the perfect location, minutes away from SeaWorld and right off the freeway.

We let the kiddos each pick out a souvenir of their visit and Ellie chose a pink dolphin and Connor chose an eel.  We made some great memories that I hope they will cherish forever and we can’t wait for our next adventure!

xoxo- Becky

Back to School Snacks with #LoveLittleBites & ENTER TO WIN!!!

Entenmann’s® Little Bites® provided me with coupons & a gift card so I could share my thoughts about Entenmann’s® Little Bites®.  All opinions are my own.

It’s back to school season!  That means school, and sports, and after school activities….which also means HUNGRY CHILDREN!   I’ve written about one of our favorite snacks before, Entenmann’s® Little Bites®.

Entenmann’s® Little Bites® are so good, they are just for the kiddos.  They are soft baked mini-muffins and come in convenient pre-portioned pouches that make for the perfect lunchbox staple or easy after school snack.

Offering the great taste kids love and providing the good choice parents want, Entenmann’s Little Bites:

  • Contain no high fructose corn syrup
  • Use real ingredients like blueberries, bananas, strawberries and chocolate chips
  • Are certified Kosher
  • Most varieties are less than 200 calories per pouch
  • Contain zero grams of trans fat per serving

Entenmann’s Little Bites® offer more than 10 varieties of snacks that are perfect for a busy family:

And for a limited time they have a new Pumpkin flavor for fall!  Yippeeeeeeee!!!

These are a big hit in our household and it seems like we are buying them for snack time every time we are at the grocery store.

This guy’s favorite are the Chocolate Party Cakes with confetti.

They are the perfect school snack and so easy to pack in the mornings 🙂

As part of its continued partnership with TerraCycle, an international recycling company that turns waste into plastic that can be used for other products, Entenmann’s® Little Bites® will run a contest that encourages participants to send in their pouches in celebration of the back to school season.  Contest will run from August 15 – October 31

There are two ways to participate:

  1. Collection contest to send in the most Entenmann’s® Little Bites® pouches
  2. Schools can design and build a creative collection receptacle for the Entenmann’s® Little Bites® pouches
Entenmann’s® & TerraCycle will provide tiered prizing for winners

The Entenmann’s Little Bites ® Pouch Recycling Program is open to any individual, school or organization interested in reducing local landfill waste. To learn more about the Entenmann’s® Little Bites ® Pouch Recycling Program, please visit: HERE

Entenmann’s® Little Bites® on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, & Pinterest.

ENTER TO WIN BELOW!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Life Update

Here we are already turning the corner into fall 2017.

Connor James just started 2nd grade and so far he is loving it.  I also can’t believe we have been in this house for almost a year!  After so much time looking for a home we love it here.  We have great friends, family, and community nearby.  I’m so thankful God taught us patience through that process and to know that HIS timing is always perfect timing.

Coincidentally the first day of school was also the day of the solar eclipse.  I found out Sprinkles cupcakes was doing a “black velvet” cupcake with dark chocolate ganache frosting and oh my—- best thing ever!  I LOVE dark chocolate!

We’ve done yet some more remodeling to our house.  We had the office, the extra bedroom, and Connor’s room re-plastered, textured, and painted.

So far we’ve only finished Connors room and I hope to get curtains up in the office and a new bed for the guest room soon!  We are having shutters installed tomorrow and I’m super excited to see how those turn out.

We went with Sherwin Williams Gossamer Veil in Connor’s room and painted the woodwork white.

CONNOR’S NEW ROOM:

A few weeks ago I went BACK to Arkansas for my twin sister’s shower.  You might remember our first shower HERE when we were both pregnant with the boys together.  This time around it’s just her and she’s having a baby girl!  I’m so excited and we can’t wait to welcome Ella Cate into our lives.  Bon’s friend Stephanie and her Mom did a fabulous job with the shower, everything was so beautiful!

I received the coolest CiPU Baby Diaper Bag for my sister and I was so excited to gift it to her for baby Ella!  It’s literally the lightest bag you’ve ever carried and there’s so much storage room.

  • LIGHT WEIGHT: Our diaper bags are one of the lightest on the market, weighing from just 1.1 lbs.: 13 compartments & 8 Bag accessories including changing pad, pouch, mini-purse, stroller clips. Now that’s another load off your shoulder.
  • SMART STORAGE: With 13 wide compartments, 9 interior pockets, 4 exterior pockets, include two insulated bottle pockets to keep essentials handy. It’s also equipped with bottom compartment, perfect place to put baby’s dirty clothes and diapers.
  • BEST DESIGN FOR STYLISH MOMS EVER: CiPU diaper bag Tote collection is as fashionable as it is functional. Stylish, beautiful, perfect size, wonderful design and details.
  • WATER REPELLENT MATERIAL & PERSONAL BELONGINGS POUCH: Both Inner and out Layer are water repellent, keeping your bag dry, fresh and stylish, yet easy to cleaning. Plus, CiPU diaper bags have all your items and belongings in one bag, and more convenient than having a separate handbag.
  • REMOVABLE CHANGING PAD: Portable changing pad makes it easy to keep baby dry and happy. Made from an easy-to-clean material, you can simply wipe it down to make sure it’s always ready for baby.

Nana & her boys

I got all crafty and made this flowery “E” for Ella Cate…I think it turned out pretty good!

I’m so ready for fall and I couldn’t resist decorating the mantle 🙂  Bring on all the pumpkin spice baby!!!

Well, that’s about it for now!  I’ve been enjoying some great reads on my Kindle lately and we just got back from a fabulous trip to San Antonio and Sea World – I will write about soon!  Don’t forget to follow us on the DAILY ON INSTAGRAM!!

Put Some YUM in Your Summer FUN With Yoplait Mix-Ins

This post is sponsored by Acorn Influence, all opinions are my own.

This summer has been CRAZY busy y’all!  Terence and I have been working non-stop and Connor is having fun at camp with his friends.  As much as I really didn’t want a pool when we bought this house, I’m finding that I actually love it!  When you live in Texas (which is basically next to the equator…a pool is a great thing to have!)

I get in these “modes” if you will where I’ll clean constantly, edit pictures for hours, or even work through lunch or dinner.  I know that’s not a good thing, I need to take care of myself too.  So, a lot of times I’ll bring a snack to work or eat something before dinner to tide me over.  

Okay, so I have to share one of my favorite snacks…they are Yoplait Mix-Ins.  They come in a bunch of different flavors too…so you’ll never get bored!

Yoplait Mix-Ins FLAVORS at Walmart:

  • Very Berry Crisp
  • Salted Caramel Pretzel
  • Mint Chocolate Delight
  • Key Lime Crunch
  • Coconut Chocolate Almond
  • Cherry Chocolate Almond

I’ve tried four flavors so far and they are ALL so good!  Yoplait Mix-In’s are the only mix-in product that are original yogurt, and not Greek.  These snacks are the perfect solution if you are an on the go Mom like me.  

I have to say my favorite was the Coconut Chocolate flavor because I am a “chocoholic”.

Honestly, now yogurt seems pretty boring without something in it!  I love knowing that when I’m in a jam I don’t reach for a candy bar, instead I have a delicious healthy option with Yoplait Mix-In’s.

I’m not the only one who loves Yoplait Mix-In’s…Connor thinks they are pretty awesome too.  

The mix between the creamy and crunchy makes it a decadent indulgence. I found Yoplait Mix-In’s at my local Walmart.  I have a feeling these will be making a lot of school lunch appearances this year.  Don’t forget to put some YUM in your summer FUN too with Yoplait Mix-In’s!

Girls Night Out & Life Hacks with Tai Pei

This post was sponsored by Tai Pei and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Last week I had the best time gathering with a bunch of blogger friends in Dallas for a night of crafting, food, and fun!  The event was sponsored by Tai Pei asian foods.   Not only did we get to sample some of these fabulous entrees, but we learned some seriously cool life hacks.  

As a photographer I know my DSLR camera pretty well, what I don’t know are the nitty gritty basics I learned making a pinhole camera.  Our hostess with the mostess was Rachel Rushing.  Rachel showed us some pretty cool life hacks using our Tai Pei containers.

To make our pinhole cameras we each got a container and covered it with thick black tape so it’s totally light-proof. Then we cut a square on one side of the container and placed a piece of tin can behind the cutout in the box.   After poking a tiny hole in the tin piece we were ready to go outside and develop our photos with special paper, which we later developed.  The whole process was very interesting and now I know how to make a picture without an actual camera!  How cool is that?

We sampled several Tai Pei entrees, and  honestly I didn’t know what to expect because it’s a frozen dinner after all.  I was extremely impressed with the taste and the quality of the food.  Tai Pei frozen entrees come in several different flavors:

  • Beef & Broccoli
  • Chicken Chow Mein
  • Chicken Fried Rice
  • Combination Fried Rice
  • General Tso’s Spicy Chicken
  • Orange Chicken
  • Pepper Beef
  • Shrimp Fried Rice
  • Sweet & Sour Chicken
  • Teriyaki Chicken

Let’s not forget about the dumplings either!

My favorite dish was the Chicken Chow Mein.

Not only did Rachel show us how to make a pinhole camera, she had several other projects that she showed us how to do as well.  Like a pinata fringed candle holder,  fire starter container (with dried kindling in it), and a concrete planter and vase.  We had an amazing time and now I know how to do some pretty cool things recycling everyday items- such as a Tai Pei container.

Concrete vase

Fringed pinata candle holder- please use a flame-less candle.

Tai Pei entrees are definitely something I will be serving our family in the future.  Not only did they taste great, but the ingredients were wholesome and filling.  I’m a super busy Mom and Wife and I’m always on the go and looking for an easy and fast meal, this definitely fits into our lifestyle.

Use the store locator to find where Tai Pei single serve is available near you (in the frozen food section).

GET YOUR TAI PEI COUPON HERE!!!

Follow Tai Pei for the latest and greatest on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.

Let’s Talk Babies & A Life Update

Hey Y’all!  It’s me…Becky…you know the gal who has been so busy I haven’t had time to write on here for a good while.  Remember me?

So, our house with “character” is in shambles again as we go through another small remodel project.  If you know me, then you know this is driving me nuts because I’m OCD about things being in their place….and a queen sized mattress has no place in our living room!  We are tackling projects one at a time as we can.  I have to say as much as I didn’t want a pool, we are LOVING the pool.   The backyard will have to wait, as we are currently finishing projects that are still inside the house.  I shared our before/after remodel project last fall when we bought the house…but there is still a lot left to do.  We are currently tackling the extra bedroom and Connor’s room, which we decided to switch around so Connor can have the extra space.  I can’t wait to share with you the new spaces soon!  The walls are getting re-texured and painted, with new baseboards and the built in is getting painted too.

I must say choosing the right color of gray has been a process.   If you have been following me on Instagram you’ll see the gray saga!  I know I’ve been on Instagram a lot more lately, but I promise I won’t abandon my blog…after 11 years as a blogger I go through highs and lows, but I’ll never abandon my little nook on the Internet.

We must have had close to 15-20 paint samples before we found the ones we liked.  We chose these paint colors, and you know the actual color is always so much different than the swatch.

Our next project will probably be our room and the master bathroom.  Whoever built this house back in the day decided it was perfectly fine to have ONE OUTLET in the entire master bath!!!  Hello Sonicare toothbrushes, electric razor, hair straightener, blow dryer, & curling iron???  That is going to be a massive project though and you know gosh darn it…money doesn’t grown on trees!

We love our neighborhood and couldn’t be more happy.  Not to mention the ice cream truck that comes every Thursday.  So, I know we’ll have things come up that need repairing, but all in all I feel like we won the lottery even getting a house in this area with the market the way it is.  Connor is in a great school and I can’t believe we’ll have a second grader next year!!!  The time sure does fly by…something I’m constantly saying.

Look at that squishy little baby!

If you haven’t heard through the grapevine….I’m going to be and Auntie!  My twin sister, Bonnie, who used to blog with me, is having a baby girl in October!  We are super excited about it and I am having the most fun buying baby girl stuff for Ella.  I can’t wait to meet my new niece, because basically she’s half mine right?  I mean we’re twins and everything!

The first time around we were both pregnant at the same time and our boys are 2 months apart.  They just LOVE each other and Face-time just about every day.  I’ve always been adamant about just having one child.  Then I get thoughts in my head like “I’m getting so old…clock is ticking Becky!” or “Will I regret only have ONE someday?”  

See, the thing is, Connor is old enough now that he will basically ask why he doesn’t have a sibling and when is he going to get one?  But I’m 36 and let’s face it I’m no spring chicken.  I go back and forth on this subject so much it just about gives me whiplash.  When I look back on my life what am I going to say is my great achievement….well of course it’s Connor.  He’s my baby, my son that God entrusted me with to raise and mold in the world.  There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for this kiddo and I don’t want to look back someday and wonder if a piece of our family is missing or could have been?

I think it’s because everyone around me is popping out babies, but also because I’m feeling the peak age of bearing children creeping up on me.  Once that door is shut…it’s shut. Terence and I both like our “me” time.  We love being able to go places and do things at the drop of a hat.  Also, there is never enough money before you have kids and there’s never a right time either…but some how it always works out.  The thought of going back to having a baby makes me crave a venti cup faster than you can say “VENTI”!  The sleepless nights, breastfeeding, not to mention I don’t have anything baby-ish anymore.  I didn’t keep anything…I handed it all down or gave it away.

So, do you have thoughts on this?  If you are older now do you regret not having more kids?  If you have just one are you glad you did?  I’d love to hear what you have to say in the comments.

xo- Becky