Little Kenzie was only 6 months old when I started the blog one afternoon when she was napping.  My first post was literally me just figuring out how to upload a photo so I popped up a picture of her on her 1st Easter in the beloved exersaucer. Here she is way back when in my 1st blog post….. and this is the very 1st video we ever made too! Long before the age of HD or Flip cameras or what everyone on the planet uses today – the iPhone.

Funny to watch this as the quality is BEYOND terrible but that was the technology 7 years ago. We’ve come a long way baby!

Look how we’ve all grown up – including obviously adding Kyle to the picture!

The post Happy 7th Birthday to ClassyMommy.com appeared first on Classy Mommy.

I admit that I am no manicurist and tend to find trying fancy “styles” on my nails difficult beyond a simple layer of colorful polish, but using a nail pen – that has a very skinny fine point that you can literally just DOT on your nails to be very easy. Here is Kenzie putting Aqua dots on my black nail polish.

You can see the pen has a very fine point so it is really easy to draw with!

DOTTING was the best strategy for Kenzie and I as far as creating a finer look as we found our stripes and lines to be a bit more difficult to apply, however with more practice I’m sure we could master it. The nail art pens are available at Walmart in a variety of shades – from aqua, to black to white.

Try black for fun spots and a cheetah nail pattern and use white to design flowers and stripes like Kenzie did here or even use it to create a quick easy manicure.

We also used Sally Hansens’s Insta Dry polish which literally dries in 60 seconds. We LOVE this polish and it is excellent for eager little girls who are anxious to get decorating.

Kenzie and I wanted to try a Monsters University Disney nail theme with Sulley and Mike – however, we need a bit more practice at the finer elements of nail art. Here is my attempt at a little Mike!

Check out Salley Hansen’s “I Heart Nail Art” contest where you can create your own nail art looks and share them via social media using the hashtag #IHeartNailArt. Even browsing these looks on social media via instagram or twitter using the hashtag is so much fun!

From February through June, Sally Hansen will choose 1 winner each month. Each winner will receive $500 and a trip to New York City to compete for the $2,000 grand prize and a chance to have their look featured on a display in Walmart. Each month, the contest will have a specific theme so you can get inspired to try various looks each month.

Read full contest details on the Sally Hansen website here.

Kenzie started getting a bit overzealous in her application of the various nail art pens – however she is only 7 and was having a ball with it. I figure beauty is all about creativity!

As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I received compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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What are your most stressful and sweat inducing Mom moment’s? My busy days as a Mom may be filled with lots of fun, games, and joy, but they are no leisurely picnic either. I remember when my littles were babies, people said to be sure to relax, enjoy the moments, and that things would only get busier and more crazy as my children got older.

Never before have I received such sage advice.

I love being a Mom but I profess that it does make me stressed in a good way. I love to keep busy but just thinking about my daily routine Monday – Friday makes me sweat.

Action packed with exercise and stress. Personal/Mom stress, work stress, and healthy wellbeing stress!

Things are easier and literally nonstop fun with a preschooler and 1st grader, but I find I am running around non-stop most days coordinating all their transportation for activities and then squeezing in my own work and active lifestyle. I love to fit in a run most days and this spring I though it would be fun to join a Tennis team to meet more real life friends to get me off the laptop since I’m alway so busy blogging and working. It’s been really fun but something that does add a bit more “sweat” into my lifestyle!

My worst stress sweat tends to come from those times I’m asked to speak publicly or film a TV segment and I’m seriously feeling the pressure. But everyday, I deal with stress. I’m the type of person who loves to pack my schedule so that almost every minute is accounted for and full of activities and demands.

Last week among the stress of balancing all of my Mom, personal and professional responsibilities, I put the new SECRET Clinical Strength Stress Response Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant to the test. I loved it and it worked like a charm. It’s uniquely formulated to fight all 3 sources of sweat – heat, exercise, and the worst smelling cause of sweat – stress sweat.

I need a product that fights the “exercise & heat” style sweat I get while playing a tennis match on an 80 degree day and I also need a product that continues to keep me covered with odor protection and wetness protection when I’m off the court dealing with my professional work stress and life stress.

Truly, our body makes different kinds of sweat depending on what stress triggers the sweat. The sweat our bodies make from physical activity and heat come from the Eccrine sweat glands and are made up mostly of water, while our stress sweat comes from both Eccrine glands and the Aprocrine glands which are larger, concentrated in the underarms, and release a substance containing more lipids and proteins – which basically means stress sweat will have a stronger odor.

Did you know that Secret’s studies show that women sweat on average 30X more when stressed than normal?

Look at a sample day for me last week. This is actually pretty mild as I didn’t have to squeeze in a tennis match or doctor appointment or film a segment or host a large event for bloggers.

6:30 AM: Up early with the kids, packing lunches, making breakfast, putting on my make up, checking for and responding to urgent emails, and making sure everyone is dressed and the kids managed to brush their hair and their teeth!

7:54 AM Bus stop to squeezing in work on the laptop to a 9 AM preschool drop off to going for a 4 mile run to working for a quick hour to squeezing in a quick trip to the grocery store to racing to preschool pick up to volunteering at my daughter’s school to playing tag in the backyard with my preschooler to fitting in his speech class and a swim lesson all before it’s time to meet the bus at 3:36 PM in the afternoon. Are you exhausted yet? I know I am.

And let’s not forget the stress of worrying about if I’ll make it to the bus stop in time!

After the bus comes at 3:36 PM, it’s time for snacks, homework, swim team practice, making dinner for the family, and then time for me to host a Twitter party for work at night. It’s finally 10 PM when my day is done and I can actually breathe again!

My week using the new Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response went great and I seriously noticed the product’s benefits. Especially the wetness protection, which I love since I find that to be one of the most embarrassing issues that I deal with when I’m stressed under pressure.

Did you know that stress sweat also triggers a stronger odor than other kinds of sweat? YUCK! Luckily, Secret’s new patented BCD technology uses odor-neutralizing molecules to trap odor, lock it away, and leave a fresh clean scent in it’s place. And it really works – last week I had noticeable odor protection. I’ve been going nonstop – hosting Twitter parties, attending meetings at my children’s schools for Mother’s Day Tea parent events and stressful conferences, entertaining for Mother’s Day, running daily and even playing in a tennis match. And Secret Clinical Strength worked perfectly. From an odor perspective, wearing the new Secret Clinical Strength had me totally covered and I never once dealt with stinky odor issues.

Tell me about your own stressful mom moments when Secret Stress Response Clinical Strength could have helped you.

More scoop on Secret Clinical Strength:

• Secret Clinical Strength is 4x more effective at protecting against stress induced underarm wetness than the wetness protection required of an ordinary antiperspirant

• Utilizes triple action technology providing 3 layers of protection – prescription strength wetness protection, odor-fighting microcapsules, and skin soothing conditioners

• Two-click applicator is specially designed to ensure the right amount of product is delivered to the underarm with each use

• Available in 2 scents. Serene Citrus and Aloe
• Pricing $7.99-$9.99 for 1.6 oz

The post Sweating the Mom Stress: What’s your Secret? appeared first on Classy Mommy.

Kenzie and Kyle are going to love this so much. Last year the 3 of us did a video for the Milk Mustache team for their Breakfast Project so the kids are seriously going to think it is cool that Mike and Sulley are now on board too!

Here’s more of the official verbiage:

At MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, it takes a lot to fuel a day of scaring and nothing scares up successful days more than a breakfast with milk. A glass of milk – with 8 grams of high-quality protein in each 8 oz serving – can help power your monster days!

Connect with the Milk Mustache community for tips, tools and activities including tasty morning recipes for all the little “monsters” in your family.

• ·       Facebook: /MilkMustache
• ·       Twitter: @MilkMustache
• ·       Instagram: @MilkMustache
• ·       Pinterest: /MyMilkMustache
• ·       Website: TheBreakfastProject.com

The post Monsters University Mike & Sulley star in new Got Milk? Ad #MonstersUEvent appeared first on Classy Mommy.

We’re giving away 1 copy of this just released Doc McStuffins DVD to one lucky winner.

The new Doc McStuffins DVD comes packaged with 5 fun-filled episodes and a FREE growth chart. The episodes include:                  

The post Doc McStuffins Time for Your Checkup DVD Giveaway appeared first on Classy Mommy.

Key West Village will offer more than 150 rooms, suites and villas, three additional gourmet restaurants, private pools and more. There will even be a few 3-4 bedroom villas available as well. Wow! See the private pool in this photo? Awesome!

Look at the view from this new restaurant in the Key West Village.

Here’s a view from the pool at night too.

The Key West Village will be the fourth village added to Beaches Turks & Caicos. We stayed at the stunning Italian Village in December of 2011 which we loved. Staying at Beaches in Turks & Caicos was one of our most favorite family vacations as we loved the sun, surf, sand, and the kids thrills thanks to the Sesame characters and shows. We are all excited to return again as the water in Turks & Caicos is so perfect and Beaches offered us so many family activities from shows to sea kayaking to snorkel trips and more.

Getting tucked into bed by Grover at Beaches Resort is a lifetime highlight for my preschooler too! 

You can see a video reel of our highlights and reviews from   Beaches Turks & Caicos here.

The post Beaches Resort Turks & Caicos Opens Brand New Key West Village on May 22nd appeared first on Classy Mommy.

Today, Kyle still loves Happy Family foods and the line has expanded so much since it was launched in 2006. Our favorites are probably these organic and gluten free “happy puffs”. Kyle can almost eat 1 of these canisters in a siting if I let him! The perfect on the go snacks for Moms with young babies, toddlers, preschoolers or kids. Each serving also has 25mg of Choline which is great for eye and brain development. Probably a bigger deal for babies than my 5 year old, but it’s still food I can feel good about feeding my children versus junky processed snacks.

Kyle also loves this new line – Happy Yogis and Happy Creamies. Some of these veggie and fruit snacks also include probiotics.

I especially appreciate all the various foods and flavors that baby and toddlers are introduced to with Happy Family foods. From mango to to squash to fresh zucchini to protein rich quinoa, Happy Family has you covered. Their toddler meal bowls look amazing and also make great on the go options for Mom too as you can just bring along the tray and than pop in a microwave at Grandma’s house or the swim club.  

Happy Family also just added Happy Baby and Happy Tot Greek Yogurt pouches to its  comprehensive line of nutritious foods.  Yum! They created these innovative new products by blending healthy, 100-percent organic Greek yogurt with organic fruits and veggies. Perfect for on the go feedings and snacks plus they make an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D. And as always, there is no artificial colors, artificial flavors, trans fats or GMOs, and they are certified USDA organic, gluten free and kosher.

Here’s Kyle enjoying Happy Family goodies today….. and a photo of him below as a baby tasting his first bites of baby food – Happy Baby Organic cereal

For more information on Happy Family brands you can get connected here:

Visit: http://www.happyfamilybrands.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HAPPYFAM

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HAPPYsuperfoods.

Note: This post is sponsored. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own and we’ve been a fan of Happy Family brands since they launched in 2006. 

The post We Love Happy Family Organic Foods for Babies and Kids! appeared first on Classy Mommy.

The books and magazine are perfect for tween girls who embrace school, sports, fashion, and growing up. Basically, the chapter book series explores life for Minnie and Daisy long before they met Mickey and Donald as these two have been friends for years and years – long before they met their life long loves.

Kenzie instantly picked up these books when they arrived for review and she did not put them down. She loved learning about Minnie and Daisy’s friendship and reading about their adventures and obstacles. In just 1 weekend, Kenzie read BOTH Minnie & Daisy B.F.F. chapter books that were sent to us. Yes, she is a bookworm!!!

The titles she read were called, “The Pesky Pet,” and “Much Ado About Juliet.” More additional titles will be coming out in July 2013 Each book is priced at $6.99 and I’m certain we’ll be adding them to our wish list.

The Minnie & Daisy B.F.F. Magazine is really cute too and gives girls a chance to do a ton of fun quizzes and craft activities. Kenzie loved taking the quizzes and also spent a good hour pouring over this magazine. For kids who don’t naturally love to read, I think Magazines are a great option to encourage reading as they can be very engaging for kids with all the colorful images and activities. The magazine hit newsstands earlier this month at all major retail outlets nationwide and is priced at only $4.99.

Note: Thanks to Disney Publishing for sending us these samples to review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are our own. 

The post Minnie & Daisy B.F.F. Chapter Book Series & Magazine appeared first on Classy Mommy.

I’m all about family activities outdoors. Getting outside as a family sets the tone for encouraging your children to lead an active lifestyle and it’s the ideal way to enjoy the beautiful weather, nature, and to exercise the body.

I’m excited to report both of my kids are now officially bike riders on their 2 wheel bikes. Hooray! Luckily little Kyle was an early learner at age 4 and now at age 5 he is good to go on the bike trail for miles like his big sister Kenzie. Their new found love of their bicycles means they are THRILLED to go on long bike riding adventures. Their enthusiasm for cycling means that their bike pace is not too far off a very easy run pace for me so our new routine is that I can take them to the trail on the weekend and let them ride while I jog beside or between them.

A very simple way for me to get a 3 or 4 mile run into my hectic Mommy Day!

The kids bikes are both 2 years old so we decided to spruce up their gear with some fun finds from Walmart. The kids were delighted that I told them we could spend up to $35 with a gift card from Walmart to get accessories.

Kenzie has been desperate for a basket for her bike. We found this light up gem of a bike basket from Schwinn at Walmart for only $8.96. She is thrilled! She can’t wait to be responsible to carry the families snacks and water bottles in her basket. So cute.

Next, we decided to get more basic needs like a Bell for Kenzie’s bike. Her brother has one and she doesn’t so this $4 bell from the BELL brand at Walmart was a sure win. We also purchased a kickstand for about $10 also from BELL. For some reason, kids bikes today do not have kickstands and I find these are essential and a great way to take better care of your bike since currently the kids really have no choice but to let their bikes fall to the ground when they are done riding.

We also bought a $1.96 Personalized license plate for both kids. (Kyle’s is a blank that we need to write his name in!) Seriously cool for a 1st grader and preschooler! Kyle also got a light for his rims that has a switch and comes on at night. It was $10 and he thinks it’s very cool, although I’m not sure how much “night” bike riding a 5 year old will be doing beyond riding at dusk in our driveway, but it was an exciting addition to his already tricked out with a bell CARS 12 inch bicycle.

Disclosure: As a participant in the Walmart Moms Program, I received compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The post Mom Exercise Tip: Run While Your Kids Bike appeared first on Classy Mommy.

The procession leading to the crowing with Rapunzel was super exciting and this time around, Merida’s procession looked to be equally exciting as it was led by Scottish dancers. With lots of fanfare, Merida arrived at the Magic Kingdom and Cinderella’s castle  riding her own horse Angus and foregoing the traditional horse & carriage.

All the Disney Princesses were in attendance to welcome Princess Merida to the “Disney Princess” court and I’m certain park guests – and especially hundred of little girls were wowed by the magic of Disney and the love of all things Disney Princess.

To make the occasion even more special for Disney guests, Gymnastics Gold Medalist and All-Around champion, Gabby Douglas, hosted the crowning ceremony.  She was accompanied by her mother, and Gabby shared her personal story of strength, perseverance and courage – the true meaning of being a Disney princess.

The post BRAVE’s Merida is officially crowned a Disney Princess #MeridaCelebration appeared first on Classy Mommy.