momlife – Page 6

Disney Memorial Day Soccer Shootout

Filed under: Mom Life · May 31, 2016

We had such a fabulous Memorial Day weekend. On Friday we packed up the Caddy and headed to Orlando for the last soccer tournament of the season. Everything about the trip was excellent except that we didn’t make it to the playoffs. The girls didn’t seem to mind. They were to busy playing in the pool, roasting marshmallows and partying.

The Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort is such a great place for families. It has 5 pools, two water slides, a lazy river miniature golf, lots of restaurants and amazing views. We were spoiled rotten on this trip and got to stay in a three bedroom Presidential Suite. (Thanks hubby) It was so cool. As a family of 5 we need our space and the suite life was perfect for us. If you are heading to Orlando anytime soon I highly recommend staying here.

The best part of the weekend was that the parents had a great time too. We got to relax by the pool, eat, talk trash and drink, yes lots of drinks. The frozen strawberry lemonade was on point! The bonding time was priceless and it was a great way to end the season. I will definitely miss this group of moms. Our team will split up and we will be on different teams in the Fall. I pray that they are just as cool as these mommas!

Memorial Day Weekend Picks

Filed under: Mom Life · May 25, 2016

Where has the time gone? It seems like it was just Christmas break and now Summer is here! I really love this time of year. First of all my birthday is during the summer. (PARTY) Then there’s the vacations, no homework, BBQ’s, pool time, no homework, sleeping in, camp, no homework, yes I am really excited about the no homework lol! I know that you sporty mommas feel me! Here are my Memorial Day weekend picks. My philosophy is look good without breaking the bank. Cheers to a fabulous and safe holiday weekend!

Marc Jacobs Bright Red

Sephora

Dark Horse Cutout

Nordstrom

Quilted Mini Cross body

Zara

Crepe Jumpsuit

Zara

Poplin Top

Zara

Prada Donna Cork Wedge

Nordstrom

Fashionista Friday

Filed under: Mom Life · May 21, 2016

Yesterday was our May Connection Luncheon for Femfessionals. As the President of the Miami Chapter, I spend a lot of time on my feet greeting guests and facilitating the event. That means that I need to not only look great but be comfortable as well. I got tons of compliments on my denim shirt dress from Zara. It was very comfy and I love the details on the back of the neck! I love shopping at Zara! Their prices are amazing and they are constantly receiving new merchandise, which means I shop there quite frequently. The best part about this look is that it is under $100! Shop the look!

Why Every Momma Needs a Mafia!

Filed under: Mom Life · May 2, 2016

On Saturday morning I text my friend that I may need to bring my youngest to the Mother’s Day Brunch. She politely responded, “You can’t find a sitter?” I was like oh damn I better find a sitter cause that meant no kids allowed. I quickly called my mom and told her my situation. The Miami Heat game 7 was at 1 p.m. and my oldest daughter’s soccer banquet was at noon and the Mother’s Day brunch started at 1. OMG! Overbooked once again. Thank God my mom said ok.

After spending 45 minutes at the soccer banquet, I dashed to Grove Isle to meet up with the Mafia. Get instant notifications for your favorite football matches on SportScore. We had the most beautiful afternoon celebrating motherhood and talking trash. A stranger asked me were we some kind of kinky group lol. (She saw a few games on the table) I explained that they were kids dvd’s and games. (Really they were) She wanted to learn more about us. I shared how this fabulous mom started an annual Almost Mother’s Day brunch gathering her friends. She said, “I told them you guys weren’t playing with kinky toys!” Lol!

Bottomless mimosas and the beautiful sunshine kept us laughing and chatting for hours. It was great to see old faces and meet new mommas. We took lots of pictures and just enjoyed spending a few hours away from our normal Sunday. One of the best things about the mafia is that we all come from different backgrounds, lifestyles, and careers but the one thing that we have in common is being a mom. No one understands #momlife like a mom! The late nights, co-sleeping, can’t fit into my jeans, my man doesn’t understand, do I really have to do this everyday life of a mom. It was awesome to bond and celebrate each other. So call up your mommy mafia and plan a fun mom’s day out and RELAX! You deserve it!

Cheers,

Sharonda

A Day in the Life of a Sporty Momma

Filed under: Mom Life · April 28, 2016

The alarm went off at 7:15 a.m. and no it is not a weekday, it is Saturday! The uniforms were laid out the night before but now I have to get three kids and myself dressed by 8:30 to head to game number one. Okay let me go back, my husband is home and very active in our kid’s lives. I couldn’t do any of the things that I do without his support. Forty-five minutes later the truck is packed and we are ready to roll. Up first is our oldest daughter’s travel soccer game about thirty minutes away from our house. After getting off at the wrong exit we arrived right at game time (they were waiting to for her to start the game). A few of the moms admired my “Sporty Mommas” Hustle Harder tee and how coordinated I was. Lol, they have no idea!

Game number two started at 12:30 back on our side of town. After a quick change of uniforms, we arrived early and even had time to stop at Smoothie King (#winning). I used the warm up time to talk to a few moms in the stands about Beautycounter and my new love for educating women on safer skincare. I watched the first half of the basketball game before heading off to our youngest daughter’s soccer game. She needed to be there at 1:15 for team picture day! Yes we were late! But half of the team didn’t even show up. (Insert sad face) Games number three and four just so happened to be at the same field at the same time so my husband and I ran back and forth to cheer each kid on. By 3:15 I was exhausted but the kids want to go out to eat. After getting gas and depositing two checks from Beautycounter sales we made it home. Most Saturdays are hectic but this was one for the books.

I enjoy every part of being a mom. We all experience good days and those days where you want to go hide in a closet and eat chocolate! The thing that I love even more is watching them grow up and have a loving father at home cheering them on and supporting them just as much as I do.

People ask me all of the time why do I hustle so hard when I don’t have to? I tell them I just love helping and encouraging women to look and feel their best whether its Sporty Mommas apparel and events, Femfessionals or educating them on safer beauty products. As moms we want the best for our kids, so we have to take care of ourselves and let them see us living our best lives!

XO,

Sharonda

Smooshies Candy and Toy Store

Filed under: Mom Life · April 25, 2016

Last week Sporty Mommas, Mommy Mafia and the Exhausted Mom were invited to explore Smooshies Candy and Toy store with our kids. As soon as we walked in, the Stew Crew’s eyes lit up! The colorful hot air balloons and toy airplane hanging from the ceiling instantly caught my five year olds attention. All of the cool toys and the wall of assorted candy mesmerized them. They wanted to try everything! If you’re looking for a toy store Dayton, call Dayton Brick Shop.

It was our first time tasting Nitrogen ice cream and boy did they enjoy it. Check out their faces below as they watched the ice cream man mix up their custom ice cream creations. I learned that Nitrogen ice cream does not contain the additives or preservatives that regular ice cream may have. (Less guilt) Smooshies has lots of flavors and you can mix it up and still only pay the flat price. (#Win) Smooshies is also partnering with Ohh My Sweetness to bring delicious cookies and bakery treats to it’s customers. My kids can’t wait to go back.

Smooshies has three locations in Miami. Their newest store in Coconut Grove will have a restaurant featuring healthy foods like wraps, salads and juices. It is a great place to host a birthday party or play date. (Yes they have free wifi) They will also offer crafts, classes and events for kids. This is definitely not your average toy store. Check out a location near you. It is truly a kid’s paradise!

Find a Smooshies near you!

Follow @Smooshies and @ohhmysweetness

Mother’s Day gift guide for the mom who has it all!

Filed under: Mom Life · April 21, 2016

If your Mom is anything like mine, she’s at every Macy’s sale with coupons in hand (literally every week), racks up more sky miles with delta than most celebrities and has every style of shoe that Nordstrom sells. Flowers, chocolate, and breakfast in bed are standard fare, but what do you get a Mom who literally has everything? Every Christmas, birthday, and Mother’s day, I frantically search the net trying to find the perfect gift.

In my search I’ve discovered some pretty cool items. So, here’s a list of some of my favorite unique gift ideas, perfect for any mom. Be sure to scroll down to see how to enter an exciting Mother’s Day Giveaway!

1. The Sentimental Mom

Emarvanay Collection has cool necklaces and cuff bracelets with magnetic interchangeable charms. This gives you a chance to personalize your piece. Choose from initials, birthstone or support a cause with their breast cancer awareness and Lupus awareness charms. Shop the Identity Collection at

EmarvanayCollection.com

2. The ZenMom

The Moxie shower head from Kohler uses Bluetooth technology to allow you to take music, podcasts or radio right into the shower with you.

http://goo.gl/Ss6ScB

3. The Artsy Creative Mom

Instantly digitize your creations with Slate

Simply place a single sheet of paper from your favorite notebook on Slate and let you imagination run free. See your creations take shape on screen as you draw. Its instant, intuitive, and wireless. http://goo.gl/RJ30NO

4. The Music Mom

Zip buds are the original tangle-free earbuds. Zipbuds JUICED 2.0 was designed for those of us that use headphones every day. Forget about dealing with tangled cables. Pull the zipper down to listen to your music and pull it up to store your headphones away with zero tangles. http://goo.gl/az8Mct

5. The Tech Mom

Ringly connects to your phone via Bluetooth and lets you receive customized notifications through vibration and a subtle light on the side of the ring.

https://goo.gl/gD2U5w

6. The Fit Mom

These jaw dropping printed leggings by Carbon 38 are stunning enough on their own, but when you add perfect levels of support and fit, this puts them at the top of their class. http://goo.gl/mFOU6l

7. The Watch Loving Mom

This Movado has a sleek minimalist look and is perfect for any Mom who loves a nice timepiece. https://www.movado.com/us/en/womens-edge/

8. The Natural Mom

Beauty Counter products are all natural with no added dyes or chemical fragrances. Better ingredients make better beauty, check out this link to shop these natural products. beautycounter.com

9. The Chic Mom

Mighty Purse – where fashion and tech meet

The wristlet is ideal for charging on the go and keeps cards, cash, phone and other essentials neatly secured.

The Mighty Purse features a concealed slimline battery to charge your Smartphone on the go. http://goo.gl/UmcwdR

10. The Sporty Mom

Sporty Mommas’ sporty- chic “Fear•less” tee is perfect for Moms on the go. Check out all the great gifts for mom at http://goo.gl/RiJoFG

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Hope this list helps narrow down your search for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Don’t forget Mother’s Day is May 8! Want a chance to win free jewelry from Emarvanay Collection? Join our Instagram giveaway @emarvanaycollection starting at noon on 4/22/16. Follow, like and share for a chance to win a free necklace. A winner will be announced April 26.

Written by:

Tobi Butler

Sporty Momma of 3

Owner of akakjewelry.com

#bossmom

Dance those pounds away!

Filed under: Fit Moms · April 21, 2016

I feel so lucky to be dancing regularly again (but in a different way). After owning my own dance studio in Colorado for over ten years I had to say goodbye to Studio B and focus on my growing family. As a mom of three my schedule gets hectic but a few months ago I found my way back to my passion, dance! I became a certified Zumba instructor in March 2015. Gyms Lynchburg offer great spaces to keep moving and stay motivated.

Now I dance to mostly Latin beats but if you know me, you know that I love all music and all types of dance. Dancing has always been a passion of mine, and I’m always open to learning new styles. If you’re thinking about picking it up, I highly recommend it—not only is it fun, but it’s a great way to improve your body’s rhythm and express yourself through movement.

Teaching Zumba has helped me drop those extra pounds from baby number three and do something I love. To complement my efforts and track my progress, I use a tdee calculator to manage my caloric needs effectively. Today the scale showed the weight I was before my last pregnancy almost 5 years later but none the less I have made it back and I couldn’t have done it without Zumba! Sometimes I get tired and think about quitting but then I see the smiling faces and hear the wonderful testimonies from my students. It confirms that I am doing what I should be doing and it’s something that I thoroughly enjoy. Hey think about it, I get paid to keep in shape! I hope that everyone can find something that they enjoy! And on that note, explore options from Commercial Gym Equipment Suppliers to enhance your fitness journey and make staying in shape even more enjoyable.

If you are in South Florida come check me out at LA Fitness (Flagler and Bird Rd) on Wednesdays and Thursdays!

Written By:

Alysendrina Padron

Sporty Momma of 3

Zumba Instructor

#bossmom

#crossingofffitnessgoals

Filed under: Fit Moms · April 7, 2016

It’s funny hearing the words “You are officially a runner”. As a friend of mine said that the other day, I looked around in disbelief and thought she couldn’t possibly be talking to me… but SHE WAS! And boy was it good to hear. I’ve always wanted to be a runner, or at least run in a small race. Nothing big, just a Disney Race so that I can wear a cute tutu. Or one of the local Wine and Chocolate 5k’s so there’s a delicious treat at the end. But I ended up doing so much more than that. I completed the Gate River Run 15k this past March. The Gate River Run is the largest 15k in the United States!

I’ve never been one to set goals or make New Year’s Resolutions, but this year I decided I was going to give my all into getting my life and health together. I started with eating clean consistently and completing the Advocare 24 Day Challenge. I absolutely love Advocare and have taken the Challenge 3 times. It is how I lost most of my baby weight and what taught me how to eat clean. However, this time around I decided to include 6 of my closest family and friends. Under my guidance this group lost over 80 pounds. While they were thankful to me for assisting them in fulfilling some of their personal goals, I was thankful for them the most. Seeing them so successful encouraged me. At this point, I had no excuses. I personally lost weight and inches from the Challenge, I gained an enormous amount of energy because I was finally eating right and realized that if I can help others reach their goal I was strong enough to reach my own.

Slowly but surely I started running. Just a little each morning before my Ship Shape Boot Camp class started. 1/2 a mile was a struggle but I was determined to push through. I decided that I would increase by ½ a mile each week. After 3 weeks I was up to 1½ miles and hit a plateau. Luckily, I have a wonderful group of boot camp friends who knew my struggle, gave me tips and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, which was exactly what I needed. I also have an amazing, encouraging, and supportive husband who started running with me whenever I wanted to. So once again, I had no excuses. After about 5 weeks, I decided I was going to sign up for my 1^st race, The Gate River Run.

Finishing that race, gave me the most accomplished feeling I have ever felt. Knowing that I completed a goal that I’ve had since high school is still astounding to me. But that was just the beginning! You see, you never know who is watching. As a result, I have helped so many others reach health and weight loss goals through Advocare. I recently earned a spot as an Advocare Advisor. I continue to run 3 times a week and have signed up for my next race. I’ve been an example to my 5 year old daughter who loves to yell “girls rock” when she’s accomplishing her personal goals. I’ve helped and encouraged others to take on a Clean Eating Lifestyle. But most importantly I feel the best that I’ve ever felt in my life, healthy, strong, energetic and young.

I said all of this to say that you can do it!! Whatever your goal is, go for it and keep going until it is achieved.

Follow my hashtag #crossingofffitnessgoalslikeaboss to see my journey. Or contact me for more info about Advocare. www.Advocare.com/150714682

Written By:

Kimberly Gilley

Sporty Momma of 2

#Bossmom

The Soccer Mom Life

Filed under: Mom Life · January 21, 2016

By now you probably know that I am a pretty busy momma. It sorta comes with the territory. (A hubby, three kids, a dog and a business lol) Last year my oldest daughter decided she wanted to try out for the travel soccer team. At first I was like no way, not with three kids but my husband convinced me to let her try out. Of course she made the team!

At the team meeting they informed us that we would stay local and attend 2-3 out of town tournaments a year. Back then (May) January 15th seemed far away. Here we are in January and we just returned from the Kelme Cup. I must admit it was pretty awesome. Okay take away the tornado warning going to Naples on Friday, the tornado that hit close to Naples on Sunday and staying in the Hampton Inn. Oh and I forgot to mention it was our wedding anniversary. Cheers!

The bonding between the team and parents was incredible and we came home with a trophy so it was totally worth it. I won’t complain about the hotel, the kids almost getting kicked out of the lobby and my son’s sudden stomach bug as we were heading back to Miami that made us stay another night. I will remember my daughter playing her butt off while taking a beaten on the field. I will remember the team celebrating after she kicked a goal from mid field. I will remember them walking across the stage receiving their first soccer tournament trophy. That was pretty damn awesome!