All posts by Anne Younger

Anne is a 30-something full-time SAHM mom of 5 ranging from 3 to 17 and grandma of 1 who resides in Ashwaubenon (Green Bay) Wisconsin. She started blogging in 2008 as a way to regain her sanity. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, cheeseburgers and vodka along with spending time with her husband and kids.
Food

Start Your Day the Post Honey Bunches of Oats Way

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Now that the kids are back in school, our house has been filled with the hustle and bustle of the kids coming and coming, backpacks, clothes, and papers strewn about.

First Day of School 2016

Over the summer, when it came to meals, I’ll admit, we were a bit lax. There were mornings when the kids slept in, when they skipped breakfast, when all they ate was pizza and sweets. It was summer, it was fun, and now, it’s over. With school back in session, I have been doing my best to make sure the kids are up early and have a good breakfast before they start their day.

Our Morning Routine

As you can probably imagine, our house is quite chaotic, especially in the mornings. With 4 kids in 3 different schools with 3 different start times, we have to do our best to stay on schedule to make sure everyone ends up where they need to be when they need to be there.

6:00 am – Wake up teenagers.
6:10 am – Wake up teenagers.
6:15 am – Wake up teenagers.
6:30 am – Wake up teenagers.
Okay….after 6:30 am, we spend the next 30 minutes waking up the oldest teenager because the other one usually gets up right away. Once they are up, we do our best to get them to eat breakfast at home but they are 16 & 17 so they usually fly out the door right at 7 and grab something on the way or at school.

7:00 am – Wake up the 3rd grader. This usually also manages to wake up the 4K kid and the preschooler.
7:15 am – Breakfast.
Now as much as I would love to prepare the kids a hot breakfast at home before they head off to school every morning, it’s just not feasible for our family or our schedule, this is why we turn to the easy breakfast for kids: cereal.

As parents, we get busy and when that happens we do our best to provide our kids with a meal that will fill their bellies before they head off to school. Our kids love having cereal for breakfast and often times choose Post® Honey Bunches of Oats® as their breakfast of choice. I like to think that it is because I would eat it straight out of the box when I was pregnant with them.

Shop & Save on Post Honey Bunches of Oats

You can shop and save on Post Honey Bunches of Oat when you download this coupon for $1.00 off TWO (2) Post® Honey Bunches of Oats® cereal (any flavor, 13 oz or larger)

Toys

Make Playtime Fun with the Everyday Princess ZipBin from Neat-Oh! + Giveaway – Ends 9/20

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When it comes to playing, Ellie is always on the hunt for new things to do. She is my busy little bee and she loves to role play with dolls, her friends and her sibilings.

Now that Ellie is in school (I know, where did the time go?) I’ve been looking for things to keep her busy in the mornings before she goes to school. For morning playtime, I like things that are easy to clean up and also things that she can enjoy by herself.

One of Ellie’s latest obsessions is her new ZipBin® Everyday Princess® Dollhouse Backpack and accessories from Neat-Oh!

 The ZipBin Dollhouse Backpack unzips into a two-story, castle themed dollhouse, complete with a slide and swimming pool. 
 
The ZipBin dollhouse is easy for little kids to unzip and setup on their own and makes for fun playtime at home or on-the-go. 
 
In addition the the ZipBin, Ellie loves her Everyday Princess dolls and accessories.
 
Ellie loves how easy it is to get everything out, set it up, and have lots of fun. As a mom, I love that it is something she doesn’t need help with and that it gives her some independence.
 
I also think it is great to listen to her sit and play with her dolls and create and tell stories with them. Watching her play has become a lot of fun lately.
 
This is another line of toys that Ellie will sit and play with and she doesn’t get bored. We have struggled in the past with finding items to keep her busy and I find that when she can create and tell stories, her mind is occupied for hours.
 
One of our favorite features about the ZipBin is that once Ellie is done playing, she can zip everything up in her backpack and put it away or take it with her.
 
 

Collect All ZipBin® Toy Boxes!

In addition to the Dollhouse Backpack, you can also find the Mini Mansion, Pony Playset, Pony Rainbow Park and Princess Purse as pictured below.


 

Everyday Princess Dolls & Accessories

You can also find a variety of Princess Dolls and pets along with their accessories to play with.



We have really enjoyed our fun to toys from Neat-Oh! and of course, Ellie is already asking for more of the dolls and now she needs a pony too!

Win It

Enter for your chance to win one item of your choice from this line!

This giveaway will end on 9/20/2016 at 11:59pm CST. Winner’s will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond with their mailing information to claim their prize. The Megalomaniac Mommy is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Any questions, please contact us.

*The Megalomaniac Mommy policies on giveaways can be found here.

Neat-Oh!

Activities & Crafts, Printable, Printables

Fun Things for Kids to Do While Traveling + Printable License Plate Bingo Cards

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Now that my little kids are getting older and we are traveling with them more, I’ve been trying to find new ways to keep them entertained when we are on the road. It doesn’t take much for the kids to get bored when we are driving somewhere, even if it is just the 30-minute drive to great grandma’s house. I’ve been trying out some new things with them and here are some of the fun new things they have been enjoying.

Kids Can Have Fun While on the Go!

1. Activity Packs filled with crayons, markers, paper, and coloring books. These bags are easy and inexpensive to put together by shopping at your local dollar store.

2. I Spy – Before your trip, print out sheets with different items on them that you will see on your trip for the kids to cross off as they see them on your journey.

3. Sing Along Fun – admit it, we are all sick of the Frozen soundtrack but let’s face it, the kids love it. Download a copy to play in the car so the kids can sing along. If Frozen isn’t their thing, find something that is.

4. License Plate Bingo – Print out our License Plate Bingo cards  with pictures of different license plates and have the kids cross them off as they see them.

5. Movies – If your vehicle is equipped, I recommend a movie for long travels. They are great for when you’ve exhausted everything else and they often lead to naps in the car.

Of course, these are just a few of the things you can do in with the kids in the car. What do you do to keep your kids entertained when on the go?

Breastfeeding Support

Breastfeeding and Our Favorite Products

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You’ve made the decision to breastfeed your new addition, congratulations, you are about to embark on an amazing journey with your child. Breastfeeding, regardless of how long you do it, is very beneficial to your nursling and as a postpartum mother, you will reap the rewards as well!

Why Breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding your little one allows you to provide protection by delivering important nutrients and antibodies that can only be found in breast milk and it helps fight disease. Breast milk offers a unique protection that cannot be duplicated and has also been known to lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) while protecting mom by lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, ovarian cancer and postpartum depression.

As a mother of 5, I have experience as both a
formula feeding and nursing mother and have seen the difference up close. Although I did try to nurse all of my children, I didn’t make it past the 6 week mark with either of the two oldest. After struggling for the first month, and finding myself afraid to ask others for help, I turned to formula and that was all they knew from that point on whereas my three youngest were exclusively breastfed past their first birthday.

Educate Yourself

I’m not going to lie; breastfeeding requires time to educate yourself, and you should be committed to the cause not just for your little one, but for you too. Breastfeeding can help shrink your uterus after birth and it can help you shed those unwanted pounds gained during pregnancy. Not only does breastfeeding offer you a great time to bond with your little one but it is convenient too. No need to run to the kitchen in the middle of the night to mix up a bottle, just offer a breast instead!

Be Prepared – Items to Have On Hand

If you have made the decision to breastfeed, you will need to arm yourself with some supplies to ensure you are prepared. First, you will want to invest in a reliable breast pump. I recommend a double electric pump as it will help you increase your milk supply, be sure to check with your insurance company to see if they will cover one for you before you invest in one. Along with your breast pump, you might also want to pick up a pumping bra so you can pump hands free, for me, this was a godsend!

In addition to the basic pumping supplies, I would also recommend a nursing pillow such as a Boppy, so you and baby are both comfortable at meal time and even a nursing bra or two to allow for easy access. You may also want to grab a nursing cover if you are not comfortable nursing openly in public and would like to keep yourself covered. Until I was comfortable nursing openly, I used either a nursing cover or a blanket to be more discreet.


Take Advantage of Your Resources

Breastfeeding should be a pleasant experience for both you and baby. It should never become something that is painful or scary for either of you. There are great resources available to you if you have any problems or questions when it comes to breastfeeding. Be sure to talk with a lactation consultant at your hospital after you deliver as they can be a great tool in getting you started on this great journey. You can also contact your local La Leche League, W.I.C. office, or you can also look for different resources online. I am also happy to answer any questions you may have as well.

Congratulations again, for making the decision to breastfeed and enjoy your journey!

Home Decor

Making a House a Home with Custom Prints from 76th & Newbury

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Since we moved into our house, I have been working to turn it into a home. I don’t want our house to just be any home, I want it to be a home that feels warm and inviting and that you know it is ours the minute you walk in the door.

In order to make the changes I need to around the house to turn it into a home that reflects our family, I’ve been busy purchasing items that make me smile, that let others know what our family is about as well as who we all are.

Decorating the Walls

When it comes to decorating the walls in our home, I’ll admit, we were here for almost 2 years before I really started hanging anything on the walls. I had to find all the right pieces and then I really had to commit to what I wanted to do. 

Throughout our home, you will find family pictures scattered on walls and shelves, canvas art work, various art projects from the kids, and of course, all kinds of inspirational prints.

Custom Prints

I love being able to personalize some of our decor with pictures, important dates, and even our last name. I’m currently eyeing up a few different prints from 76th & Newbury’s home collection that I want to document things like our wedding day.

For the Nursery

If you have a nursery that you are decorating, you can give it a custom touch with some lovely prints from the 76th & Newbury Nursery Collection. I am looking forward to finding a few things to personalize a space for our granddaughter, Hazel.

Something for Everything

76th & Newbury has such a wide selection of products that there really is something for everything. Wedding and baby shower gifts, and they even have awesome printables for the holidays to help you get through the dreaded Elf on a Shelf!

Be sure to check out everything 76th & Newbury has to offer for your home.