Daystar Christmas

I’m way behind on blogging lately due to the craziness of the holiday season, but I wanted to recap some of the fun and festive things we did this year!  One of those being a visit to Daystar Christmas!  I always pass this amazing light display when I’m on the freeway because I live close to Daystar, but I’ve never been to visit…until this past year!  

If you are looking for the perfect place to take Christmas photos this is the spot!  All the lights make for the perfect “bokeh” effect and walking around automatically puts you in the Christmas spirit.  This was Heidi’s first Christmas and I’m so glad we got these beautiful photos that I’ll cherish always.

There are over one-million LED lights, a life-size nativity scene, a kid-friendly Christmas Town, multiple photo-ops, photos with Santa, and hot chocolate in the Scratch Cafe!

Here are a few pictures of our night out at Daystar Christmas 🙂

I love this HUGE wreath it screams “Family Christmas Card”.  Next season we’ll have to make plans to go early so we can actually put it on a card.  I didn’t get cards out this year because it’s been so busy, but next year that will be my goal.

Connor and his best friend Ben.

This is my best friend Ellen.  We’ve been best friends since the 7th grade.  If you’ve been following me on Instagram you have probably seen a lot of her.  She moved here about a year and a half ago for a job and then her company had a massive layoff last August.  She’s one of the nicest, sweetest people you will ever meet and I’ve SO enjoyed having her close by.  If she doesn’t find a job by February she’ll have to move back home to Arkansas and I can’t let that happen!  If anyone knows someone hiring Ellen works in Apparel and Fashion merchandising and sourcing. #hireellen

This is my favorite picture!

My sweet, precious babies.  They sure are a gift from God.  

Thank you so much for having us to visit Daystar we had the BEST time ever!  Everyone was so incredibly nice and accommodating and great with our kids.  We can’t wait to come back next year and check it out.  Much Love, The Branch Family

Yippee TV App + VeggieTales Coloring Page

I’m excited to share with you a NEW streaming App called “Yippee“.  First of all I love the name and obviously you know it’s going to have some fun stuff to watch that makes you say“Yippppeeeee!” 

Yippee’s mission statement is to build character in kids by transforming them with world class media that is safe, values based, and unbelievably fun!  It’s hard to find good, clean, wholesome family shows you can all watch together these days.  So I’m thankful Yippee offers a ton of options for my family and I don’t have to worry about what they are seeing or hearing because it’s values based, foundational, and ethically sound.

Yippee has a brand promise:  To host messages, material, and ideas full of character building substance that kids love and parents trust with the best product experience. To give parents peace of mind.

Last night we watched the new VeggieTales Christmas Special, The Best Christmas Gift.  I grew up watching VeggieTales and now I’m loving sharing these stories with my kids too!  I think I’ve pretty much seen every VeggieTales episode….until now!  The VeggieTales Christmas special is brand new and ONLY on Yippee.

Below is a fun VeggieTales coloring page you can share with your family too!  It’s a scene from the NEW ‘The Best Christmas Gift’ episode

To download a HIGH RES copy of the coloring page CLICK HERE: VeggieTales_ColoringPage

And don’t forget to check out the Yippee TV App today and share it with your family too!

Staying Well this Holiday with Amwell

This post is sponsored by Amwell via Momtrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Amwell or Momtrends.

Having a new baby in the house is such a blessing…but everyone knows a sick baby is nothing to sneeze about.  There isn’t much you can do when you have a sick infant & they aren’t even able to take over the counter medicine.  Sometimes I feel helpless as a Mom and wonder if Heidi is getting everything she needs from me, especially when she isn’t feeling well.  I find myself Googling for answers and that is a deep dark tunnel I wouldn’t suggest going down!  Ha ha!

I recently found a program called Amwell, it’s a telehealth app where you can speak to a medical provider from home via your smart phone or computer. You don’t go in anywhere, which is awesome ESPECIALLY when you have a tiny baby at home.  It’s certainly a pain when you have to visit urgent care and it can be scary too!

Just download the app or sign on via your computer.Amwell is a 24/7 resource for you and your family. When you need urgent care, you need it immediately and what better way to access it then from your own home?
Some example of what Amwell can assist you with:
● Fever
● Cold & flu
● Allergies
● Sinus infections
● Stomach bugs
● Travel
● Pediatrics
● Rashes
● UTI

You will be assigned a provider after you fill out your information.  It was super easy and took hardly any time to set up and find an answer.
You can also choose your preferred pharmacy, so in the case you do need medicine you won’t have to worry it gets to the right place.Setting up your profile is simple and includes some basic information as well as some medical history questions.

As soon as you put in your information and what type of issue you need for your consult you’ll be assigned a physician to call back and talk with you.Your visit with Amwell doesn’t have to be for you either.  It can be for yourself or your child.  Choose between a video consult or a phone call.Amwell’s urgent care is something I will definitely be using again.  I had a few questions regarding an allergy reaction that Heidi had and the provider with Amwell was quick to call back and answer my questions.  This gave me such peace of mind and was much better than Googling for answers.  Heidi started daycare a week ago and ever since then she’s been initiated into daycare life with GERMS!  It’s not been the easiest two weeks, but I got some great tips and advice from my Amwell provider I’m going to try.  Amwell is meant to complement in-person care. It is not a replacement in emergency situations. It is, however, great for 24/7 urgent care from the comfort of home or on the go.

I’m happiest when my baby is healthy and happy too!  I love having access to this easy and reliable service…so I can spend more time snuggling with my Heidi bug!

Use the coupon code below for 25% off your urgent care visit at Amwell CLICK HERE!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Giveaway!

If you guys have been following me for awhile you know I get all my Christmas attire from UglyChristmasSweater.com 
This year I chose the “Where’s Waldo” Christmas sweater, which is a bit tame for me in the tacky Christmas sweater category!  You may remember my light up Leg Lamp sweater last year and I still love it!  UglyChristmasSweater.com also has ugly Christmas suit jackets, pajamas, onesies, and accessories too.
Here’s my “Where’s Waldo” sweater and it’s so fun!
If you have a Fornite loving dude in your life like I do then they will LOVE this NINJA onesie for Christmas!  They have a lot of other Fortnite things to choose from too.

ENTER TO WIN YOUR CHOICE OF UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER THIS SEASON!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tis’ The Season + A Life Update

How many of you got up at the crack of dawn to get the limited edition red cup for the first 50 customers at Starbucks this season?  Or in my case they had 400 cups….so yeah EVERYONE got a cup pretty much 🙂

The only thing is you have to use said cup after 2 pm every day and this Mama needs coffee around 6 am stat.  So I have yet to use my .50 cent discount because I’m a morning coffee kinda person.

Christmas shopping at it’s finest.  I got my 9 year old tween to take a selfie with me….that’s a big deal these days.  Ha!  I just love the malls at Christmas time and all the lights and decorations.

My precious babies 🙂

Amen and amen to Target for bringing in some Kinder chocolate.  Especially the hollow snowmen which are like the original Kinder eggs….yippeeeee!!!!

I got a little tree this year for all my Starbucks ornaments.  They were getting to the point where they deserved their own tree.  I’m sure there will be more to come!  I think the oldest one I have is from 2007 or 2008…so it’s been quite the collection in the making so far.

I ordered Heidi a stocking and now our mantle is complete.  This little girl is such a ray of sunshine in our family.  I love seeing the bond between her and Connor.  Honestly I was worried about the 9 1/2 year age difference, but Connor is so sweet with her and such a big help that it’s worked out perfectly.

Have y’all tried this ice cream yet?  It’s Biscoff ice cream with cookie crumbles on top…and OMG it’s the best thing ever.  I have got to stop eating it….but it’s SO GOOD!  I found these at Target and Tom Thumb if you want to look for them you won’t regret this indulgence.

If you are in the DFW area don’t forget to use my coupon code JAVA for 50% off ICE! tickets this year.  We just went and had the best time ever.  It’s one of our favorite traditions and it’s the best way to ring in the holiday season.

 

I did a side by side comparison of Connor and Heidi at 4 months.  What do you think?  Do they look alike?  I definitely think in some ways they do and in others Connor definitely is more “boy” and Heidi has more “girlie” features.

4 months….a bit late.  She turned 5 months yesterday.  I dropped her off at daycare this morning for her first day and my heart could hardly take it.  It’s such an out of control feeling leaving your precious baby in the hands of someone else.  Especially someone you don’t know, but I know it will be fine.  In the mean time I am trying to distract myself from missing my baby boo.

Christmas mini sessions are now booking!  If you’d like to book shoot me an email at : beckylbranch@gmail.com

Oh and this was a total Mom fail.  I accidentally ordered the wrong size stocking the first time.  It was so big that we could fit Heidi inside of it!  It’s kind of funny looking back…but OOOPS!

Mommy & daughter matching Sunday outfits 🙂

Connor finished lacrosse season this fall and he said he really liked it!  I think we will try it again in the spring.  He did a great job and I’m proud of him for being a good team mate and playing hard.

Well, that’s a little life update for ya!  If you are on Instagram that’s where I post more these days on the daily.  GO CHECK IT OUT HERE!

Thanksgiving 2019 Roadtrip with Toyota Sequoia

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!  We had a great time visiting family in Arkansas at the farm.  We had the BEST road trip too in the 2019 Toyota Sequoia!  I felt like a boss riding in this on our trip and let me tell you about all the ROOM this vehicle has.  It’s definitely a dream car and big enough to fit anything you might need for a trip and dare I say you could even camp out in it…ha ha!

Obviously Heidi is enjoying the ride and she did pretty well on a 7 hour road trip. 

Connor definitely enjoyed the extra room to spread out and plug in all his electronics as well.

Most kids have tablets these days so companies have been doing away with built in televisions inside cars.  That’s totally fine with me because you can put whatever kind of device you have and there was a handy dandy holder on the back of this headrest.  

All the room in the back of the truck.  That’s why I said you could camp out in here because look at all that room.

Middle row captain seats

Front seats.  These were so roomy and comfortable.  The middle console is huge too and gives you so much space to put things and not feel crowded and cramped.

We listened to the Holly Channel trying to get into the Christmas spirit!

Navigation dashboard

Front and rear temperature controlThis picture shows you just how much I had loaded into this vehicle.  I even had Heidi’s entire bassinet in there!  I loaded our suitcases, all my camera gear, and everything the baby would need!

Of course we had to stop at Dairy Queen.  A road trip tradition on our way to Arkansas.

We had a wonderful visit with Nannie Sue at the farm and I got some really cute pictures of the kids.  This one is my favorite and I still can’t believe how big Connor is getting and that we have a baby GIRL now!  God is so good!

My Mom and Heidi.  She loves her Nana snuggles.

My almost 10-year-old.

Cousins Ella & Heidi in their matching outfits from Nana.

Nannie Sue (Great Grandma) and Heidi about to chow down on some of Nannie’s yummy home cooked meals!

While visiting we went to the Garvin Gardens Christmas display in Hot Springs and it was a lot of fun and so pretty!  We had a great time walking through it with family and it definitely put me in the holiday spirit.


We also had dinner at one of my favorite restaurants…YaYa’s with all my girlfriends at home.  We always have the best time catching up and reminiscing when we get together.

Pictures of the farm Thanksgiving 2019

Taking the boys out on the Ranger

It’s so hard to say goodbye!  We love you Nannie!

Heidi and Poppy (Heidi 5 months)

Me and my twin sister Bonnie with our girls 🙂

And back home we go….the Toyota Sequoia was really the best ride ever and we are so thankful we got to try it.  I felt so safe and comfortable in this vehicle. 

Dinner stop at Burger King.  Making those memories! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family and special thank you to Toyota for getting us all there safely and comfortably.  We can’t wait to make more memories and take more family road trips in the future!  If you want to check out more info on the Toyota Sequioa check out my INSTAGRAM highlights under CARS!

The Perfect Gift with Bose Frames from Best Buy

This post is sponsored by Best Buy.

I have found the perfect gift for YOU this holiday season!  If you know my husband, then you know he’s the most sound obsessed person ever.  He’s obsessed with all things speakers and loves to sit back and listen to music.  That’s the way he relaxes…like a lot of people!  So, when I was asked to try the new Bose Frames I was super excited!  I knew they would be a big hit, especially for the music lovers in your life.  Bose Frames come in two different models, the Bose Alto (large or small sizes), and Bose Rondo.

These are the first audio sunglasses with built-in Bose speakers for an immersive audio experience unlike any other. Personal audio hidden inside two classic designs, each enriched with premium accents and materials. Play music, take calls, and enjoy the sun with UVA/UVB protection.

 

Here I am wearing the Rondo and the Alto side by side.  You can see the Rondo is a bit more round, and the Alto is style more like a classic RayBan sunglasses style.

These sunglasses are really convenient when you want a hands-free wireless experience.  No wearing headphones with sunglasses, so that frees you up to sit and enjoy being outside without all the wires and fuss!  The Bose Frames allow you to take phone calls, talk to Siri or Google Assistant, and they are super light.  Not to mention the sound through the tiny speakers is impeccable.

Turning on the Frames is as easy as pressing the single button under the right side. The button also serves as a pause/play button for accepting a call. Double press to skip forward, triple for back.  To switch them off just turn them upside down for a second or so. It all works great. The one thing they’re missing is volume control, so you’ll have to use your phone for that.

Everything is controlled using the Bose App.  Bose AR (the app) is an audio-first approach to augmented reality. Bose AR-enabled products have motion sensors embedded inside that can detect your head orientation and body movement while you wear them. Bose AR-enhanced apps can then use this information along with location data from your mobile device to offer you tailored audio content.

These sunglasses are so light you barely even realize there are speakers inside and they sound like you are wearing headphones right over your ears.

Sizing Guide:

Each pair includes a charger.  The charge time varied and they can stay charged for up to 2-3 hours at a time.  These would be great for a road trip, hike, or just being outdoors in general.

The Bose Frames also come with a really nice case.  The Frames support standard Bluetooth audio (SBC) as well as the higher quality AAC audio.

If  you are out shopping this week or searching for the perfect gift for Christmas…check out the Bose Frames at Best Buy.  They are super fun, great quality, and gosh darn it they make me want to wear my sunglasses at night!

And just for kicks….here’s my little diva.  Lots to be thankful for this year!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone 🙂