Mocha De-Light Recipe & Coupon for International Delight Creamer

Moms are the hardest working people on the planet.  Here is a fabulous recipe and De-Lightful coupon for a yummy pick-me-up for  busy moms like you and me! 

Save .75 On any (1) International Delight coffee creamer
(singles, pints, quarts, half gallons) * Click ABOVE

Nestlé® Pure Life® Pure Wisdom & Hydration Tips

Disclosure: This article is sponsored by Nestlé® Pure Life® Purified Water. However, all opinions are 100% my own and may not reflect the opinions of the company described.

One of the precious tidbits of pure wisdom, I remember my mom instilling me as a child was the importance of hydration aka. DRINK WATER. 

No, not juice.........WATER.

No, not soda.........WATER!
 

Make Your Own Pizza! Printable Coupons From CommonKindness

PIZZA FUN = YUM!

It is summer and time to do something fun and tasty with your kids... It's never been easier to make your own incredible pizza with these fabulous coupons.  

 

$1 OFF any 2 Cabot products

Cabot's shredded mozzarella has a smooth consistency and even smoother taste, this delicious, easy-melting formaggio italiano is ideal for pizza! 

Save 50 cents on purchase of Mama Mary's brand 6 oz Pepperoni
Mama Mary's Pepperoni at over 80 slices per package is the perfect topping to America's favorite pizza

Save 50 cents on Mama Mary's Pizza Sauce
The Mama Mary's chefs have worked overtime to develop their rich, flavorful pizza sauce, blended to perfection. They bring Italy home to your kitchen!

Save $1 on Mama Mary's 12" Pizza Crust
As one of the top selling crust nationwide, Mama Mary's is truly America's favorite Pizza Crust. Just top with all of your favorite toppings and enjoy!


Every time you redeem CommonKindness printable grocery coupons we provide 20% of funds received from participating brands to your favorite non-profit - at no cost to you!

*Disclosure: Nope, wasn't paid for this post :-)  Just spreading good along whenever and wherever I can. This company donates 20% of funds received for printing these coupons to your favorite non-profit or charity. How cool is that?

Baby Days Summer Giveaway - $300 Of Baby Related Prizes

Baby Days Summer Giveaway - worth $300 in prizes! 

Enter today to win some great products for your little one! 

Plus, stay tuned to McKinney Mommas for our own review and giveaway of Yummi Pouch - reusable food pouches - coming SOON!  I can't wait to check out this product for myself!

Most of these brands were designed by moms who were problem-solving for their own little ones! These innovative products aim to make life easier and simpler.

Go Mama Go Designs

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Go Mama Go Designs was started by moms armed with a mission to create a safe, cozy sleep environment for infants. You can have safety and fashion!

Go Mama Go Designs co-founders, Catherine Hall and Georgia Fiebrich, have created a safe bedding alternative that is not only scientifically proven to be safe but also excluded from all bans on the sale of crib bumpers. Our mission is to educate parents about safe sleep for their children and offer a safe bedding alternative.
Wonder Bumpers - Retail Price: $239.00
Scientifically proven to be safe, the Wonder Bumpers:

• Increase airflow and reduce CO2 re-breathing
• Eliminate suffocation and entanglement risk
• Protect baby's head and body Inhibit toddler from climbing out
• Keeps limbs safely inside

Made to fit ANY crib, Wonder Bumpers sleek, vertical design effortlessly zip on your crib in a downward motion ensuring babies do not have access to the pull. With no unsafe ties they are super easy to use and easy to wash!
Snug & Tug - Retail Price: $19.99

• Perfectly size for babies:
• 0-3 months
• Up to 16lbs
• Up to 25" long

The Snug & Tug is a swaddle blanket with style and strength. This award-winning blanket has some really amazing features that truly sets it apart.

Design
The triangular design of the Snug & Tug is the ideal shape for swaddling. It can be used anywhere, anytime - and doesn't require a Snug & Tug blankets are made to grow with your baby, but three sizes are offered because one size blankets don't always "fit all."
Material
High quality breathable, stretchable super soft cotton. Good swaddling blankets are made with cotton — not with fleece, terry cloth, or satin trim.
Function
The triangular design of the Snug & Tug is the ideal shape for swaddling. It can be used anywhere, anytime - and doesn't re-quire a lot of space for swaddling your baby.

And you can tell it was created by moms — the velcro won't snag your other items in the laundry, there's a safety spot to fold your velcro tabs!

Yummi Pouch - Reusable Food Pouches

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Yummi Pouch reusable food pouches encourage healthy snacks for active kids. Our eco-friendly food pouches are freezer safe, dishwasher safe, BPA-free, Phthalate-free, and can be filled with healthy blended snacks and easily taken on-the-go, no spoon required!

Little Munchkin Set - Retail Price: $28.95

The Little Munchkin set has everything you need to get started with using Yummi Pouches! Yummi Pouches are perfect for filling with homemade baby food, blended snacks, healthy smoothies, and more!

• Set of 6 Yummi Pouch reusable food pouches - hold up to 6oz each
• 16oz filling funnel pitcher
• 10 dishwasher safe name label stickers
• 2 decorative dishwasher safe sticker sheets
• 6 mixed color extra pouch caps

Wristy Buddy

Website | Facebook

Wristy Buddy developed from a simple question my husband asked one night while dressing our infant son for bed. Before we could get his arm through the sleeve of his pajamas, he had his fist and pajamas in his mouth. This was nothing new. However, my husband simply asked, "Why does he do that?" He then stated, "They should make something for that." From that question and that statement, Wristy Buddy was born.

Our infant son hadn't developed the motor skills to hold traditional teething objects at that time and would reach for the nearest thing that would provide him relief. This relief came in the form of his clothing and fist. His face and clothing always stayed wet. Wristy Buddy helped minimize the drool and made our baby a much happier teether! Wristy Buddy proved to be so successful with our son that we wanted to make it available to other moms struggling to help their teething infants find relief.
Teething Wristband - Retail Price: $14.99
Wristy Buddy is designed for babies who haven't developed the motor skills to hold traditional teething objects. Babies that can't grasp toys can manipulate Wristy Buddy. It is made of absorbent and non-toxic materials to help keep little faces and clothing dry. Its various textures and colors engage and stimulate. It is easily accessible to your teething baby and is more sanitary than traditional teething objects.

• BPA-Free, Lead-Free, Phthalate-Free and Non-Toxic certified by a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission approved laboratory
• Suitable for babies 3+ months
• Machine Washable - cold and gentle cycle, tumble dry on low

Enter to win ALL of these great products! 

One lucky winner will be chosen July 5th!

 

Prizes you can win in the Baby Days Summer Giveaway:

• Wonder Bumpers 38 Set
• 1 Snug & Tug Swaddling Blanket
• Yummi Pouch Little Munchkin Set
• Wristy Buddy Teething Wristband

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spring In Your Step Playgroup & Children's Clartin

 

I'm unlucky to be an allergy sufferer.

But, lucky to be a member of the Children's Claritin Mom Crew.


I recently hosted a "Spring in Your Step" Children's Claritin Mom Meetup to celebrate the coming of spring and share allergy related health and wellness tips with some of my playgroup buddies. 

On The Road To A Healthy Smile With Colgate Total Mouthwash

I have a confession to make.

Last month was my first time to see a dentist in....well......10 years.

My new dentist was great at not making me feel bad, and inspired me to really make a commitment to maintain my oral health and keep a healthy smile a priority for me and my family from here on out.

One of the ways I plan to keep my teeth and smile looking healthy and bright is a daily routine of brushing with Colgate toothpaste (twice a day), flossing daily (which I'm terrible at remembering to do), and using Colgate Total Mouthwash.

Cascade Platinum Means No Pre-Wash? I'm In! #MyPlatinum

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Cascade. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Sometimes, I don't even know why I have a dishwasher.

Most of the time, I pre-wash everything so well that it probably doesn't really need a trip through the dishwasher.  I feel so wasteful, when I do this - my water bill is already pretty high as it is.

I think that habit started back when I used cheap, generic dishwasher detergent, and my dishes wouldn't get clean unless I DID pre-wash the heck out of them.

Cascade Platinum says they're here to solve my problem!

Clean Your Carpet The Green Way!

Keeping your carpets clean is one of the most important parts of maintaining a healthy and hygienic home. With pets and children in the house, carpets can get dirty quickly, but even without them, over time, carpets accumulate dirt.

Most people vacuum regularly and believe that is enough, but so much more is needed. Deep in the fibers of the carpet is dust and allergens that constantly get reintroduced into the air. Cleaning carpets with toxic chemicals can make the indoor quality of air very polluted with toxic fumes.

Green carpet cleaning is the answer for perfectly clean carpets with no harmful side-effects. Organic carpet cleaning is just as effective as cleaning with strong chemicals and is available at a comparable price.

Baby Bullet #Giveaway - Make Your Own Baby Food - 6/28

Here's a great baby related giveaway!

Giveaway Hosted by: Elitemama and Sponsored by: Capital Brands

Co-Hosts: A Purpose Driven Wife, The Minister's Wife Stamps and Saves, Diva's POV, My Dairy Free Gluten Free Life, Cluttered Genius, Simply Sherryl, The Deal Match Maker, Its The Simple Things, WEMAKE7, Mami's 3 Little Monkeys, A Purpose Driven Wife, Cloth Diaper Addicts, The Secret Life of a SAHM

Have a baby at home, and thinking about the crazy cost of buying jarred baby food for the next 2-3 years?

The Baby Bullet Care System has revolutionized the way you'll feed your baby for the first 3 years of life. Jarred baby food is a big expense compared to homemade food and jarred food contains unhealthy sugars, fillers and also preservatives. Even those jarred foods that are labeled organic! With the Baby Bullet, you can make and store an entire weeks worth of food that is healthy for the little ones in under 5 minutes. 

The all-new Baby Blend Blade is specially designed to blend fruits, vegetables and a combination of meals from baby's first "stage one" purees to stage 3 toddler meals.  

Organize Your Office Space With Shoplet.com & Deflect-O

What's the messiest area of your home?

Most of the time, mine is the computer desk. It's where I pay bills, write letters, sort coupons and write this handy dandy little blog of mine - McKinney Mommas.

Yes, ladies and gents, this is where the magic happens. Not so...magical, huh?

Baby Bullet Giveaway & Blogger Opportunity!

Check out this great blogger opportunity, or if you're a reader...come back tomorrow - June 28th to enter to win!

Sign-ups are open for the fabulous Baby Bullet Giveaway. This event is free to join with an announcement post. For participation, you will receive 2 free links (Facebook and Twitter)

Sign-ups for the event closes on June 26th

Sign up for the event Here

Nature's Bakery & Davidson's Organics Tea Party Playdate

I am always looking for themes for our kid's playgroup, so when Nature's Bakery and Davidson's Organics invited me to give their Rooibos Spiced Chai Tea and All-Natural Fig Bars a test run, I thought "TEA PARTY!"

Happy Father's Day from McKinney Mommas

His day is here!  

A Happy Father's Day from McKinney Mommas to all of you daddies and fathers out there! 

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY releases in theaters on June 21st!

Stay In The Know:

“Like” MONSTERS UNIVERSITY on Facebook: http://facebook.com/PixarMonstersUniversity 

 

"Follow" Disney/Pixar on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DisneyPixar

 

Visit the website: http://www.Disney.com/MonstersU

 

Fuel Up Father-Last Minute Father's Day Gifts From WholeFoods

Yes, Virgina! Father's Day is almost here, and you say you still don't know what to get him?

Well I've been dishing all month on great snacks to include in a "Fuel Up Father" gift basket (that you can create yourself) and I have a few last minute additions from one of my favorite stores. 

Whole Foods Market, is an easy shop to find your favorite daddy some delicious treats for Father's Day.

Of course you're gonna want dad to start out the morning on the right foot, so go grab a bag of Allegro Coffee’s spicy, sweet and smoky Organic Whole Foods Blend at the coffee bar, plus it'll come with this cool L.I.F.E Jacket reusable coffee sleeve, which helps women in Kenya earn a living and get their kids to school.

Goodies Co. Fun Snacks For Kids - Delivered To Your Door

Do your kids get bored of having the same snacks over and over?  Heck, you probably do too!  

For just $7 bucks a month, Goodies Co. will ship a box, right to your doorstep with 5-8 NEW snacks to try. 

Plus, you won't have to sit in the snack aisle for hours trying to decide what to try next! 

What's cool, about this program is that each month, you'll earn points that you can go towards  purchasing the full-size versions of the snacks that you loved from your box, a FREE tasters box and other rewards.   

I recently bought a whole bag of nice, organic (ie. pricy) snack fries for myself and the kids at the store, only to find out the consistency was super weird, they were greasy and the flavor was just totally.....well gross.

This is where a subscription to Goodies Co. would have been a great, to sample the snack ahead of time, instead of buy a full size bag of something that ended up going straight into the garbage!

* * *

So, how do I sign up for Goodies Co.?

 Membership is LIMITED, but I can get you to the front of the line! 

STEP 1:

• Visit the Goodies Invitation promo page here and enter code: JUNEVIP to get your invitation (typically there is a waitlist, but this code should get you in first).
  

STEP 2:

• Check your email! Once you enter the code into the promo page, you'll get 2 emails from Goodies. The first is the status of your invite, and second should be the actual invite.

STEP 3: 

• Create your account, set up your password and enter payment information. 

Now you're on your way to trying and finding new snacks you'll love, without spending a ton of money on ones you don't like! 



Tell me, what's your favorite snack food right now? Or, describe the qualities of your ideal snack food!

Almondina, the Delicious Cookie Without The Guilt (Review/Giveaway)

My husband loves tea.

I think I may have mentioned his affection for tea once or twice on this blog already.

Well, now my hubby has a favorite new snack to go with his tea - thanks to the company that sent us a few samples to try:

Almondina®, the Delicious Cookie Without The Guilt™. 

It was the first time we've tried Almondina®, as a family. I'm not sure why, since I've seen it in stores multiple times. All I can say, is the next time I pass the Almondina display at the store, I'm putting on the brakes and loading up my cart.

I wish I could say I have a few samples left to enjoy as I'm writing this post - but I don't. They're gone. Long gone.

My husband, toddler and myself all enjoyed the delicious almond cookie (baked using grandmother Dina's secret recipe) within a week. Did I mention that was 6-7 packages?

It's fitting that I'm going to stock my my "Fuel Up Father" Father's Day Gift Basket with Almondina® this weekend, as the owner, Yuval Zaliouk, internationally known symphony conductor (What???) and gourmet chef, is a father himself.

Introducing his grandmother's secret recipe in 1989, this cookie is baked with all-natural ingredients, no cholesterol, added fat, trans-fats, salt or preservatives.

Simply all-natural, homemade goodness, just the way I like it.

This precious, delicate cookie doesn't have to be dipped to enjoy.  I found myself in the afternoons, reaching for an Almondina® to munch on for a little pick-me-up.  I'm not a sugary sweets fan in general, so these cookies were the perfect balance of sweet and savory for my taste.

However, if you're a "dipper" they are perfectly paired with coffee, tea or even wine in the evening as well. 

Almondina is available in the following flavors:

• The Original - Almond
• Choconut
• Cinnaroma®
• Gingerspice
• AlmondDuo® (almond & pistachios)
• Anniversary (touch of Anise)
• BranTreats® (with 30% oatbran)
• Sesame
• Pumpkin Spice
• Chocolate Cherry

Honestly, all the varieties we tried were delicious. I think if I were to choose, the good old Original flavor was probably our all-around favorite. A close second would be the Gingerspice.

It's amazing how much flavor they pack into the Original Almondina almond cookie, with only 6 simple ingredients!

I'm finding myself craving more of these Almondina® cookies right now!  Good thing they've expanded their distribution and can be found at Whole Foods, Cost Plus World Market, Walmart and more.

You can use this store locator to find out where Almondina® is sold near you.

Find Out More

• FOLLOW Almondina on TWITTER:   http://twitter.com/Almondina

• LIKE Almondina on Facebook :  http://facebook.com/Almondina.Brand

• Check out Almondina's website: http://almondina.com

~  GIVEAWAY ~

Win a sampler-pack of Almondina Brand Biscuts

• Open to US Residents, 18+
• Giveaway ends: June 28, 2013
• Complete Rafflecopter entry form below to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter to Win $10,000 #Sweepstakes w/ Media Insiders

Here's your chance to be a Media Insiders Panelist!

You'll choose to be entered into two Sweepstakes: Option 1 is a discounted wireless phone plan, and Option 2 is being entered for various sweepstakes, like the $10,000 grand prize! 

Just click on the graphic below for more information, or to sign up!

Hospitals Adopt #HALOSleepSack Method + GIVEAWAY

I've been using SleepSacks on my babies since the arrival of my first in 2011. It just made sense to me that a blanket in the crib with an infant is just too risky. I needed a safer way for my babies to sleep. Thankfully, HALO® was there when I needed them.

Did you know that even hospitals have begun to adopt the SleepSack method, in the HALO® Safer Way to Sleep Initiative?

Check it out: 

HALO Innovation’s SleepSack® wearable blankets have become the standard for hospital nurseries and parents alike. In fact, 1,000 hospital nurseries use the HALO SleepSack Swaddle instead of blankets through the HALO Safer Way to Sleep Initiative. That is 1.5 million births getting first-hand, in-hospital experience with the HALO SleepSack Swaddle and safe sleep practices! Leading health organizations agree that modeling proper baby care in the hospital is the single biggest influence on how parents care for their baby at home. HALO Innovations also offers free Safe Sleep Practices kits to childbirth educators to help further the cause of SIDS prevention.

 

HALO® Innovations recently came out with some new designs (above) for their SleepSacks and SleepSack Swaddles - because face it...if you're gonna stare at that beautiful baby all night long you're gonna want some variety, right? Heh. Heh.  

The NEW HALO® SleepSacks designs are available at Amazon.com.

Baby O. had grown out of all her big sister's SleepSack hand-me-downs so HALO® sent us a new design to check out.  If you couldn't tell already, I'm not a a pink, frilly sort of gal, so we went with a neutral elephant design. So cute.

If you've never used a HALO® SleepSack before, the zipper starts at the top, and ends at the bottom, so your baby doesn't have to fuss with a zipper right by their chin, and also allows for quick diaper changes, which I appreciate.

Of course, the HALO® SleepSack is 100% Cotton, so it's totally breathable and seems to provide just the right amount of warmth for Spring / Summer nights.

 

There's plenty of room for movement, so your baby won't feel constricted or confined. This is obviously after the "swaddle" phase. Baby O. can actually get up and around in the SleepSack if she needs to.

As soon as she gets her balance down, I may transition her to a SleepSack Early Walker, that features cut outs for your little one's feet so they can feel stable walking if necessary. 

The sizes for HALO® SleepSacks run a bit large in my opinion. According to her size, Baby O. is a medium, which as you can see in the photos is quite generously sized on her.

You can use this chart to determine what size is appropriate for your little sleeper:

According to research, babies who sleep on their back without blankets in the crib are the safest, so if you want to rest easy...check out HALO SleepSacks and get your baby on their way to a sound and safe sleep.

Keep In Touch

• For more information visit HALO® at: http://www.halosleep.com/

• Like HALO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HaloSleepSack

• Follow HALO on TWITTER: https://twitter.com/halosleepsack

• Follow HALO on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/halosleepsack/ 

~ Enter To Win ~

Winner will receive (1) HALO® SleepSack

• Open to US/Canada, 18+
• Deadline: June 28, 2013
• Complete Rafflecopter entry form below to win! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win A Seagram's Jamaican Vacation + Help Me Win Too!

Who wants to pay it forward and help me win the honeymoon I never had?

So, most of you know I'm always posting cool giveaways and contests for all of you (my lovely readers) to enter, right?  I work hard to pass a little sunshine along to all of you however I can.

Well, now it's time for me to be a bit...shall we say......"selfie."

I've entered the Seagram's Escape contest above, in attempt to win a much needed Jamaican honeymoon for my hubby and I........a decade late.

Better late than never, right?

Just click on the photo above to view and vote for my entry.

Did I say, I owe you one yet?

I owe you one!

p.s. Feel free to enter yourself too! I'll be happy to vote for ya if you send me a note with the link!

My Visit To Astellas Executive Women's Day #HPBNC

Astellas Executive Women's Day is taking the PGA by storm!

Just a few weeks ago, I had the honor of attending Executive Women's Day presented by Astellas at the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, TX!

Photo courtesy of HPBNC Facebook Page

Healthy Food For Kids = Higher Earning & Literacy #SaveTheChildren

Hot Dogs, Cookies and Cake, Oh My!

Most kids love all those things right?  Well I'm lucky to have a toddler that would rather have tofu than hot dogs; mango rather than cookies and seaweed snacks instead of cake.

Many people think that getting kids to like healthy food is hard, but it's really not if you start them out eating a variety of healthy foods in their early years. 

Want more reason to encourage healthy eating? A new study released by Save The Children indicates that malnourished children have a 20% lower literacy rate than those with a nutritious diet.





Makes you think really hard about every time you let them reach for the donuts instead of the whole grain cereal, right?


President Obama and other world leaders, have begun to tackle this issue of nutrition (or lack of) effecting children's academic potential and future and will be coming together at two global nutrition summits (known as the G8) this month to figure out how to resolve the issue. 

Save the Children's report, titled Food For Thought also discusses how malnourished kids will likely earn 20% less in adulthood, which will only perpetuate problem. 

Check out this GR8 kid-friendly recipe for Citrus Soy Chicken Kabobs  that I made, to help you & your kids start down the path to healthier eating:

Protein Packed Citrus Soy Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:

¼ c. low sodium soy sauce

2 TBSP Ponzu

½ orange, squeezed

1 TBSP honey

1 Garlic clove, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

4-5 green onions

1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite size chunks

Directions:

1. Mix the soy sauce, ponzu, orange juice, garlic, ginger and honey together in a bowl until combined.

2. Throw the chicken into a ziploc bag and pour the soy sauce mixture over it. Let sit for 10-25 minutes to marinate.

3. Remove chicken from marinade and set aside.

4. Place a grill pan on the stove over medium heat and spray with cooking oil.

5. Using a skewer, alternate threading chicken pieces and green onions. Cook kabobs 4-5 minutes each side or until done and no longer pink inside.

 * * *

 

What We Can Do

Join me in letting President Obama & the world know how important we think this issue is, for the sake of our children's future!

Tweet to President Obama

• Here's a sample tweet: @whitehouse let's make sure all kids get healthy food in their #next1000days so they can reach their full potential. #Nutrition4Growth

Support Save The Children 

• LIKE Save The Children on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/savethechildren)

• Follow Save The Children on TWITTER (@SavetheChildren)

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this post. This post is part of my commitment in being a Mom Blogger for Social Good and member of the Global Team of 200.