Life is Poppin'

DIY

Pumpkin Spice Sensory Dough

Pumpkin Spice Sensory Dough is sure to be all the rage this fall. It smells great and is a fun activity for kids of all ages. Since fall is well on its way, I decided to share this really easy pumpkin spice sensory dough recipe with you in … [Read More...]

Dollar Tree Fall Decor Ideas

Because our favorite season is finally here, I’ve come up with an entire list of Dollar Tree fall decor ideas to consider to help spruce up your home. Tis the season for baggy sweaters, hot apple cider and fall all the things - decor is no … [Read More...]

Frugal Kitchen Makeover: Giani Countertop Paints

Here's the perfect way to give your kitchen the makeover it desperately needs while being frugal. Giani Countertop Paints will take your kitchen from drab to fab in a few easy steps. If you're a homeowner, you probably know that swapping … [Read More...]

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Kid Stuff

Pumpkin Spice Sensory Dough

Head Lice Prevention Tip: Mastering the Perfect Bow

This post has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NixUltra #CollectiveBias Back-to-school means increased chances for exposure to head lice. These prevention tips are exactly what you need. … [Read More...]

Summer Snack Ideas: Little Bites® Banana Muffins

The coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Entenmann’s® Little Bites® so that I could try the product and share my thoughts and information about Entenmann’s® Little Bites®. The opinions expressed in this … [Read More...]

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Frugal Living

Meal Planning: Keeping Chaos out of Dinner

There are many benefits of using a meal plan. Planning your meals not only saves you money and time but you're probably going to eat better healthier foods as well. Ok, let's get straight to the point. I don't want to bore you with … [Read More...]

Valentine’s Day: Swag with Swap.com

If you're looking for some Valentine's Day swag that won't break the bank, you've come to the right place. Swap.com is my go-to for all of our fashion needs. As many of you already know, I am the Mother of 2 girls who absolutely love fashion. … [Read More...]

How to Throw the Ultimate Birthday Party When Ballin’ on a Budget

Your kid’s birthday party shouldn’t be a stressful and complicated event. A little bit of planning and knowing that things don’t have to be perfect will go a long way. As a dad, every time I hear the words “birthday party” I freak out a little … [Read More...]

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Lifestyle

Double Mastectomy with Reconstruction – Meeting with a Plastic Surgeon

Meeting with my plastic surgeon to discuss options There are many different routes to choose from when having a double mastectomy. I chose to meet with a plastic surgeon to discuss my options. The goal of breast reconstruction is to reform or … [Read More...]

Making the Hardest Decision of My Life – A Double Mastectomy

If you have read the rest of my journey up to this point, you would know we left off shortly after having a breast MRI. The results of those images led me to need yet another mammogram followed by another ultrasound. Up until this point I had 23 … [Read More...]

Finding Multiple Breast Lumps and Needing an MRI

After the first mammogram I found myself back at the breast surgeon for the test results. Much to my surprise, there were multiple cysts found during the scan and the surgeon needed to take a closer look. Once the lengthly ultrasound scan was … [Read More...]

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From the blog

2023 Mazda CX-50: Practical and Stylish

Mazda’s new take on one of our favorite crossovers renders a family ride just as practical as the CX-5, yet looks more modern.

Celebrating the New Year in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

We drive the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 to the Great White North, where we say goodbye to a rather tumultuous 2020. 2020 has been a year for most of us, huh? So happy to get rid of it and here’s to hoping 2021 is better in every way! Of course, we say this with the […]

Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Family Road Trip In the 2021 Chevy Tahoe

A large and rugged country requires a large and rugged vehicle. With COVID-19 shutting down most things around us or at least applying rigorous restrictions to help slow the spread of the virus, a lot of activities we would normally do with our family are off the table. Luckily, we’ve always loved family road trips, […]

Explore Chicago: The Four Seasons With Kids

We head to the Windy City in the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Once upon a time, we could get away as a couple whenever we wanted wherever we wanted. Early mornings, late nights, breakfast in bed, shows, clubs, parties—you name it, we enjoyed it. But for a while now, we’ve had to play by a […]

2020 Hyundai Sonata: A Tech-Packed, Versatile Sedan

Yes, it can drive forward and backward without a driver, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of this stylish sedan. Sedans are dying a slow death. No, it’s not just me being negative, but a factual representation of the automotive industry, which in turn, is a direct reflection of customer’s buying habits. People […]

2020 Toyota 4Runner: More of the Same, and That’s Ok.

If something isn’t really broken, then you don’t really have to fix it. Year, make, model: 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD ProEngine: 4.0-liter V6 with 270 horsepowerSeating capacity: FiveSets of LATCH car seat anchors: TwoEPA-estimated MPG (as tested): 16 mpg city and 19 mpg highway (16.7 mpg combined)Price (as tested): $51,968 ($51,968)Related vehicles we’ve tested: Jeep Wrangler, Honda PassportIn a nutshell: Minor updates serve as […]

Double Mastectomy with Reconstruction – Meeting with a Plastic Surgeon

Making the Hardest Decision of My Life – A Double Mastectomy

Finding Multiple Breast Lumps and Needing an MRI

Finding the First Lump

Destination California: A Sweet Sixteen to Remember