This healthy mornings post is brought to you by Silk Fruit & Protein. All opinions are my own.

Bubbles is not a huge eater, especially at breakfast. I’m lucky if I can get her to eat some yogurt and a few sips of juice. Or on occasion sometimes she’ll ask for whole wheat toast with peanut butter or cheesy scrambled eggs. Since she doesn’t eat a huge breakfast I try to ensure that what she does eat is providing maximum fuel to her growing little body.

Silk Fruit & Protein: Healthy Drinks for the Entire Family

Shake Up Your Morning With Healthy Drinks

Recently I found that Silk has a juice blend called Silk Frui t& Protein. It comes in yummy-sounding flavors like Mixed Berry, Strawberry Banana, and Mango Peach. Each glass has 5 grams of protein – something most other juices can’t provide. And protein is definitely something kids, and the whole family, can use to help power through busy mornings. Plus you get calcium and vitamins D and C, which are both essential vitamins. They’re also lactose-, gluten-, and dairy-free which I know is an important point for a lot of folks (I’m told it can be challenging to find lots of tasty gluten-free options).

While this would make a great breakfast for Bubbles or to pour into a travel mug for an on-the-go breakfast, I can think of some other options for Silk Fruit & Protein, too. I think it would be awesome poured into molds and frozen into fruit pops. On a hot day can’t you just taste a cold, juicy Mixed Berry or Strawberry Banana fruit pop? It’s something the entire family could enjoy. I also think I’ll experiment with using it as some or all of the liquid in muffins or other breads. I occasionally do that with fruit juice but adding the extra protein would be great. Or what about using one of the juice blends as the start to a fruit-packed smoothie? Continue reading »

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for HUGGIES. I received product samples to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

HUGGIES Little Movers Slip-On Diaper Pants

Bubbles, for the moment, is still in diapers (though we’re making some progress on that). But now that she’s older and feels like a big girl, she does not like to have to pause and lie down to have her diaper changed. This is a somewhat new development – as a baby and younger toddler she would easily comply with a diaper change request. Now if you mention that it’s changing time, she’s down the hall faster than you can say “diaper” (or occasionally trying to “hide” behind the couch).

I thought it might be time to make a change to our routine to keep everyone happier and so was glad when I had the opportunity to try the Huggies Little Movers Slip-On Diaper Pants®. These diapers are different in that they come pre-fastened so all you have to do is slip them on your little one. My first thought was “okay, how will this work and will we end up with wet pants if I’m not adjusting them myself?” Fortunately the stretchy side tabs help provide a great fit. And the Huggies Leak Lock® Protection held true keeping her dry without any accidents.

HUGGIES Little Movers Slip-On Diaper Pants for Standing & Walking Babies

TollyTots' Fashion Dolls From Disney's "Oz the Great and Powerful"

As a Disney-loving family we enjoy pretty much anything related to the parks or the movies. And when those items are produced by companies we truly enjoy it makes them that much more special. So we were excited to recently receive one of the new Oz the Great and Powerful fashion dolls from TollyTots.

Bubbles is a bit young for the movie but that didn’t stop her from trying to confiscate Theodora the moment that she arrived. She kept asking me to open the box but I still wasn’t sure if she would be her toy or if Theodora might look better on Mommy’s desk for a bit of a work distraction. In the end, I think I’ll be picking up a China Doll for Bubbles and Theodora will, in fact, hang out in my office.

TollyTots' Fashion Dolls From Disney's "Oz the Great and Powerful"

Thanks to Disney for providing us with a copy of this DVD.

Doc McStuffins: Friendship is the Best Medicine

Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins

From the very first time that we took Bubbles to see her pediatrician (at age 1 week), she cried. She cried when the nurse came in to get her measurements, she cried when the doctor came in to see her, cried while waiting for shots, and cried during the shots. Crying didn’t really let up much until we were in the car and she realized that we weren’t going back in.

I thought it would end by her 1 year checkup, but it didn’t. Nor did it end at 15 months, 18 months, or 21 months. Yep. Lots of tears, every time. Each time the flow would grow shorter, but they were always there.

It was around her 21 month appointment that we discovered Doc McStuffins on Disney Junior. I don’t remember exactly how we found it; we may have just been a little slow to change the channel after one of her other shows. But from the start she showed a lot of interest. If you’re not familiar with the show it centers around “Doc” McStuffins, a 6-year-old that is able to speak with toys and stuffed animals. Her mom is a doctor of people and Doc has become a doctor of toys. Along with Hallie the hippo, Stuffy the dragon, Lambie the (you guessed it) lamb and Chilly the snowman, she runs a clinic to fix any toy boo-boos that may arise. Continue reading »

Pond's Luminous Skin Care Line

When I shop at a drug store there are two things I invariably purchase: nail polish and skin care items. I love to experiment with both new shades of polish as well as new formulations of skin lotions, face scrubs, exfoliators, and more. It’s my way of keeping on trend and current without breaking the bank.

As a teenager and 20-something I mostly focused on basic cleaning and keeping acne-free. Now that I’m in my mid-30s, though, my needs are different. I look for products that keep my skin bright, moisturized, and when possible contain SPF. The new POND’S Luminous line meets all my needs and more.

The Luminous line consists of four products:

POND’S Luminous Moisture Day Lotion with SPF 15
POND’S Luminous Clean Cream Cleanser
POND’S Luminous Clean Daily Exfoliating Cleanser
POND’S Luminous Clean Wet Cleansing Towelettes

The cleansers each contain soft white Kaolin clay that acts like a magnet to draw out deep-dwelling impurities. Between the Kaolin clay, the texture of the cloths, and the microbeads in the daily exfoliating cleanser, your face not only gets a great cleaning but also feels incredibly smooth after each wash. All the products are very gentle on your skin, however; as someone with sensitive skin that’s important to me and I can attest that the products didn’t irritate at all (they’re all hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and dermatologist tested). Continue reading »

Views From the Ville

Give Your Kids a Healthy Start to Their Mornings

Shake Up Your Morning With Healthy Drinks

Make Changes Easier With Huggies Little Movers Slip-On Diaper Pants #FirstFit

Disney’s “Oz the Great and Powerful” Dolls From TollyTots

Doc McStuffins Entertains and Educates in “Friendship is the Best Medicine”

Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins

POND’S New Skin Care Line Can Help Make You Feel Luminous