Can you believe we’re already in October? Not even October 1st, but basically halfway through? We’ve been so busy the past several weeks – I mean, thank GOODNESS I’m still on maternity leave – or I’d be pulling my hair out! Who knew our life would get THIS crazy once the kids got into school?!?! We have dance, soccer, birthday parties, homework, doctor appointments, classes Ty & I are trying to take and so much more – just like everyone else, lol! It’s exhausting!!
Not to mention, I have several amazing products/books to review and share, too!! I’ve been posting some of them on my IG (@livinglovingexploring) and FB groups (@livinglovingexploring)- and I’m still planning on posting them here since some of you might not be following me elsewhere!
Let’s kick this off with school mornings – where, I don’t know about YOU, but I’m always rushing – and usually yelling at the boys to “HURRY UP OR YOU’LL BE LATE AGAIN!!!” while feeding Nora LOL. It’s quite literally, a mess, every. single. day. One of the things I’m always looking for – is something easy. I’m not going to make a full breakfast every day – and my boys know that a couple of pop tarts or a bowl of cereal, sans milk, is basically all they’ll get. I have them go without milk, because then, when they inevitably spill or everywhere because we’re rushing, there’s just dry cereal to clean up!! Genius right?!? But, perhaps a bit dry! That’s where the Crunch Cup comes into play! (www.thecrunchcup.com).
The Crunch Cup allows me or my boys to pick out our fave cereal, and put it in the cup, add milk in the separate cylinder, pop the locking lid on, and run out the door!! It’s SO CONVENIENT!!!! I love that there are multiple colors we can choose from for everyone in the family!! This would make a PERFECT gift for the upcoming Holiday season – and you can bet I’ll have it on here a couple of times!! Thanks for sending this my way, Kaycie (www.chicexecs.com).
This innovative cup has been featured on Forbes, Mashable, PEOPLE, & BuzzFeed!! Check it out!!
For this next section, let’s talk about books, baby!! I’m sure by now, if you’ve seen any of my previous posts, I’m obsessed with books!! I will never turn down the chance to review a book for a publishing company!! 98% of the ones that I receive, I thoroughly enjoy!! There is NOTHING better, in my opinion, than sitting in my comfy chair, with a cup of coffee, and a great book!! Am I right?!?! (Well, cuddles from my kids are better, but this is a super close second!!)
“The One Way Ticket Plan,” by Alexa West is remarkable. It had me chuckling about bathrooms, of all things, within minutes of beginning it. The entire book is a guide for solo female travelers to get out of their comfort zones, and just GO. Get out, go see the world, and don’t let anything stop you!! If I had had this book about 10 years ago, my life would be very different than it is today! I’m still working out ways I can bring the family along on some of the adventures Alexa discusses in her book!!
Alexa is also the founder & CEO of The Solo Girl’s Travel Guide (www.alexa-west.com), and her talents, and guides, have been featured on the likes of Forbes, Conde Nast Traveler, and HBO! I have an entire q&a from her that I’ll be posting at a later date! Thank you, Monique (www.NewWorldLibrary.com), for sending me this gem!!
The next book I’d like to introduce you to, is “Conversations with Your Child,” by Justine Lambroschino. (Thanks Maddie with Farrow Communications for sending this my way!). This book is instrumental when it comes to trying to figure out what the hell we’re doing as parents! She goes into great detail about the HOW behind each conversation you may or may not have with your child depending on you, your child, their environment (the possibility of bullies, divorce, drama, substance abuse & more), and how you can help your child throughout any challenges they may face in their lives.
It’s about the good and the bad and everything in-between. Having a child is the commitment of a life-time. There is no other commitment out there that will last the way a parent-child relationship will. We’ll have our share of ups and downs, but no matter what, at the end of the day, you’re still their mom or dad. Other relationships change – parents get divorced, friends turn into enemies or vice-versa, friends turn into lovers – there are so many ways the rest of the relationships in yours and your childrens lives will change – being there for them through it all is what they need – and Justine’s book can help you achieve that. Go see her on her site, www.relationshipsandcommunication.com.
I’ve been trying, among other things, to figure out how to monetize my blog. I put so much effort and time into these reviews – and I’d love to do it more regularly!! I’ve been posting on my socials, reading articles, watching training videos and more – and I think I can do it!! It’s such a joy to see all of these products and books that come my way – especially since I know I wouldn’t have discovered most of them on my own.
I tend to stick to what I know, which, I think is what most people do. It’s hard to break out of our shells and what we know. The familiar. The routine. But it’s not about just me anymore. Declan needs to see his mom succeed at more than just her job – I’m more than my “9-5” – and he will be too!! Tristan needs to see me having fun and loving what I do – and trying to get to that level of happiness and not just working to work. Nora – well, Nora doesn’t need anything more than warm, dry clothes, a clean diaper, and yummy milk right now, LOL, BUT, in the future, I want her to chase her dreams, too!
So stay tuned folks, you haven’t seen the last of me, yet! 💗 And if you don’t already follow me on my socials, please do – I’d love to have you there!!
IG – @livinglovingexploring
TikTok – @kellygegg
X – @livinglovingan1
Pinterest – @kellyanngegg
FB – @livinglovingandexploring
Love ya,
Kelly Ann
