One Savvy Mom ™ | NYC Area Mom Blog: Review

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Let Five Star Urgent Care Help Save the Day This Summer!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Five Star Urgent Care. All opinions are 100% mine.

Friends, let Five Star Urgent Care help save the day this summer! Did you know that Five Star Urgent Care centers in Upstate New York, are open seven days a week? They can help treat all of those pesky (non-life-threatening) injuries and illnesses this season and get you back on your way to fun in the sun, quickly. No appointment necessary and most insurance accepted. As a mom of 4, urgent care is my go-to choice when the unexpected happens.

Summer break has officially started! I'm thrilled for a few weeks of uninterrupted fun with my family! Can I share something with you though? I'm a little on edge about the summer season. You see, last summer, we spent a ton of time running the kids back and forth for medical care, for a laundry list of issues: a stray case of the flu that swept through our home during the first few weeks of summer (it turned ugly, quick!), stitches, sports injuries - it literally seemed like it was never-ending. I felt like I was being punk'd! Alas, I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that it didn't have much to do with the season. It's simply something that happens from time to time, when you have a big family. Never a dull moment, folks. Seriously. Never.

Moms, Be Kind To Yourselves - Just Use Walmart's Grocery Pickup #GroceryHero + Grab Your $10 Off Coupon Code!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine.

Hi friends, how have you been? Moment of honesty? While I love a great picture, in reality, things aren't always picture-perfect and Instagram worthy. This is especially true if you're a parent. Because, seriously? Parenthood can be downright messy at times. It just can. It's apart of the job description!

Before I had kids, I'd hear a kid screaming at the top of their lungs in the store, and I'd throw side-eye in the direction of the parent, without giving it a second thought. Like, why can't you control your kid? Now that I am a mom? I've learned all too well, that sometimes, most of the time really, control is relative when it comes to kids. And sometimes friends, control is a mere illusion. Of course, we teach our tiny toddler {tyrants} that laying down in the middle of a grocery store aisle in general protest is wrong! Does it mean they won't do it? No. I assure you, it does not. These tiny humans have minds of their own, folks! And sometimes, despite our very best parenting efforts, they throw us a curve ball to keep us on our toes. It just is what it is.

With four kids, I've certainly experienced my fair share of moments where my kid was "that kid" over the years. Probably more times than I can count at this point. My all-time most mortifying public moment where my kid was "that kid?" Hands-down ... when my oldest daughter was four. We took her to see Santa. Of course, she was dressed to impress; not a hair out of place. We stood in line and waited our turn. When the time came, she walked up to him with a big smile plastered on her face, both hands still firmly tucked into the pockets of her holiday trench coat. When she got to him, she started by refusing (albeit, politely) to sit in his lap. She shook her head at him and said, "no, thank you!" He went along with it and asked her what she wanted for Christmas. She responded gleefully with her list. He then asked her if she had been good all year. Her response, while still smiling? "No, not really." So, he asked her if she intended to try to be better. Still smiling, she said "maybe, I'll have to think about it!" Friends, she was still in that lovely stage of toddlerhood where she was painfully honest about E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. Totally unfiltered.

Friends, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about all of the great new toys from LeapFrog; especially this Count Along Cash Register! But first, can I let you in on something?

As a mother of two young children, and two older children, I've had a front row seat to the evolution of the toy industry over the past 13 years. Honestly? I started to feel a little jaded and saddened by it all. With kids becoming increasingly more interested in screens, I often found myself wondering what that would mean for the youngest generation. How would they develop the critical thinking skills, so desperately needed, yet not often taught these days? How would they develop crucial fine motor skills? How would they learn much of everything they need to know, if they were simply "swiping screens?"

Now don't get me wrong, we love some of the learning tablets currently on the market. However, like everything else, they have their place. Children, especially very young children, require years of hands-on learning, through play. Tons and tons of it! It helps them to develop problem solving skills and good listening skills, which in-turn helps them to follow directions, which in-turn helps them to learn - and so on- and so-forth. Real life hands-on play is so incredibly necessary for children to develop normally; it's something that can't be achieved virtually. It just can't.

Read on for more on the Count Along Cash Register by LeapFrog.

DIY Wood Slice Snowman Coasters - Fun Kids Craft Handmade Holiday Gift Idea

This is a sponsored post, written by me on behalf of Kwik Stix / The Pencil Grip, Inc.™. All opinions are 100% mine.

These DIY Wood Slice Snowman Coasters are such a fun kids craft to do with the kids this holiday, and they make great homemade / handmade holiday gifts too!

My kids love to craft gifts during the holiday season; especially my 9 year old daughter. Over the Thanksgiving break, she made these adorable DIY Wood Slice Snowman Coasters for her teacher. She plans to gift them to her with a special mug and hot cocoa mix. Aren't they super cute?! She used Kwik Stix solid Tempera Paint Sticks too, so it was a fairly mess-free craft project.

Have you heard of Kwik Stix solid Tempera Paint Sticks? These paints are incredibly easy for kids to handle, require no paint brushes, water cups, or clean up, AND they dry in just 90 seconds! Simply pop the tops off, get creative, then pop the caps back on and store them until you're ready to create again. The Kwik Stix set of 24 comes with every color you can imagine! The set also includes a variety of neon colors and pretty metallic colors too - perfect for crafting up crafts and homemade gifts this holiday!

Check out our simple tutorial on how to make these fun DIY Wood Slice Snowman Coasters, below.

This Thai Pork Meatballs and Noodles recipe is so good, and it's so easy to make!

We recently had the chance to check out the HelloFresh subscription service, and it was pretty amazing. Basically, the cooler box was shipped with all of the fresh ingredients needed to make 3 new recipes, that were laid out clearly on the included recipe cards.

We started the week out with this simple and delicious Thai Pork Meatballs and Noodles dish, and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to make. It took about 35 minutes total from prep to completion, which is totally doable for me, even on a busy day.

Grab the recipe and find out more about the Hello Fresh subscription service, below. This would make a great gift idea for just about everyone on your list, this holiday season!

Have you heard the news? American Girl recently added a new character to their Beforever lineup; Melody Ellison! This characters' historically accurate storyline highlights the civil rights movement in a 3 book series, that presents the historical events of the era in a relatable way for young girls today.

Read on for more on Melody Ellison + enter to WIN an 18" Melody Ellison 18" American Girl Doll & Book Set [RV $115].

Postpartum: that in-between phase where nothing seems to fit. Having had four children now, I know this phase well.

Your maternity clothing is too large and your pre-pregnancy clothing is still out of the question. Not to mention - what's going on with your hair and skin? What's a girl to do? While postpartum body changes, hair-loss and skin changes are normal, they're certainly no fun. Plus, there are some fab fashions and beauty remedies on the market - so no need to suffer through, moms!

Read on for my top postpartum fashion and personal care essentials picks, for Fall.

Have you heard the news? American Girl recently introduced a new BeForever character from the 1950's; Maryellen Larkin.

You all know how much we adore American Girl around here, and we are absolutely loving that American Girl now has a character and storyline from the 1950's!

Maryellen's line is fairly extensive and offers up a gorgeous 18" doll, corresponding period specific accessories & outfits (for dolls and girls), play sets (we LOVE Maryellen's Dinner Set - it's sure to be a HOT wish list item this Holiday season) , a 3 book series, and MORE!

Get an up-close look at the beautiful 18" Maryellen doll + some of her outfits & accessories below. Also, enter our giveaway to WIN an American Girl 18" Maryellen doll + book set [RV $115!]

A Season Of Change & Growth

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Gerber. The opinions and text are all mine.

The Summer was quite a season for my family.

We did just as we planned, and kept it simple. We took 4 short trips in all, and each only took us away from home for a night or two at a time. The remainder of the summer was spent at the pool, and at various parks in our area.

Parents, never underestimate the magic of a few undivided hours at the park, with a picnic lunch. My kids love it! We also took the kids out for miniature golfing a few times, went to the movies, and just spent loads of quality time together.

5 Tips To Get Your Car Ready For Winter

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cooper Tire. All opinions are 100% mine.

Fall is such a beautiful time of year to take a road trip with the family! We hit the road last weekend for some fall fun with the kids, and we all enjoyed the gorgeous changing colors of the season along the way.

While the changing of seasons can be beautiful, it can also present some challenges on the road. For example, fast falling leaves during a rain storm can quickly create slippery conditions that can be a challenge to navigate with your vehicle. And before you know it, the Fall season will soon give way to colder temperatures and snow here in the northeast part of the country.

Parenting is complex and ever-changing. Just when I think I have it all figured out, everything changes! My daughter has always been uber confident. Seriously. She was born into this world with a self-awareness and confidence that I could only dream of mustering as an adult. As the tween years creep in on us though, I'm noticing some major changes in her behavior when she's around peers.

If you follow along on my social accounts, you may have caught a glimpse of our adventures in the Toyota Camry SXE this past week. While the car is super luxurious, and arrived to us fully loaded with every feature you could possibly imagine, we were honestly more excited about where it would take us! We were on a mission to help outfit children in need, with all of the tools and necessities required for a successful school year.

Introducing Storied Myth: A Brilliant New Children's App & Subscription Service + Giveaway

This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are our own.

Thank you for supporting One Savvy Mom!

Things have definitely changed since I was a child. Technology is woven into nearly every element of our daily lives now, and it's not going anywhere anytime soon. There's a balance to be struck between the virtual and physical worlds, and it's a balance that we must help our children find as parents. Admittedly, it's a pretty tough task though!

We're all about thoughtfully selected gifts around here.

Don't you just love it when you receive a gift that you can use? Something that, when you open it, you can tell that there was effort and love put into the selection?

Summer Family Travel Safety Essentials Guide GiveawayTravel With Young Kids One Savvy Momm

Whether your taking to the friendly skies this summer, or your headed out on an epic road-trip with the family, get there safe! If you have young children, don't leave home this Summer without the essentials.

Our top summer travel safety essentials picks for families include:

Creative Ways To REPURPOSE Your Ironing Board Swash Laundry Care System #SwashAtBestBuy One Savvy Mom onesavvymom

From left: 1.A Wine Rack 2. One of a kind Christmas Tree 3. Sewing Room Organizer 4. Stellar Garden Decor 5. A bar

As a mom, I feel like I have a constant picture-in-picture screen playing in my mind. I have a million and one things to juggle at all-times, as most moms do.

Pictured: Navy & White Stripe Toddler Reversible Hoodie

We're learning quite a bit these days from the tiniest member of our family. He has an admirable ability to stop and delight in the simple things, and we're all trying to be a little bit more like him.

Embrace Denim Trends This Spring With Earl Jean + Giveaway {15 Winners!}

This is a sponsored post. Thank you for supporting One Savvy Mom!

Embracing Spring Denim Trends with Earl Jean Skinny Jeans

Motherhood. It's an amazing journey that is truly like no-other.

Can I get real with you guy's for a minute though? On-point, perfectly pulled together fashion "wins" aren't occurring for me daily. You won't typically catch me at the grocery store, or ushering my kids to/from their activities in a pair of pumps. Truth? There are days that, if you were to run into me while out-and-about at any of the aforementioned places, I may be in yoga pants and a t-shirt.

How To Do The Heart Braid Cute Girls Hairstyle With Step By Step Video Tutorial One Savvy Mom

Ready to master a heart braid?

This girls hairstyle is super cute, and it's easy to do! It's a perfect no-fuss hairstyle for special occasions, or as an everyday hairstyle.

Check out the easy step-by-step video tutorial below on how to do the heart braid.

She's arrived! The 2015 American Girl of the Year, Grace Thomas, is available NOW!

The beautiful 18” Grace Thomas American Girl doll arrives as you see her pictured above. She comes in an chic ensemble, with super cute grey boots, and a beautiful little charm bracelet. She is also packaged with the first self-titled book in her story-line – GRACE.