Let's Get This Launch Party Started

That's right!!! Today's the day!! I'm excited to get this going. Be prepared for a ton of fun later this afternoon & throughout the evening!

Adventure Wednesdays

So every summer since I've been a stay at home mom I've found there to be a ton of issues with my oldest (the only one that's school aged) getting bored. This year I decided to creat "Adventure Wednesdays". Since this is the first full week of vacation we are taking our first adventure today & we invited some friends to join us. It's supposed to be a scorcher out but that isn't stopping us from packing up our bags, grabbing the things that we need & heading out for hiking & to see some waterfalls. I'll be sure & post pics of each of our adventures. Of course our adventures have to be aged appropriately for my children who are 5 mos, 2 1/2, 3 1/2, & 8 1/2. Today we are having grandma watch the baby because of the heat since she is not a huge fan of being hot. Most trips are likely to just be me & the kids but we could have friends joining us here & there. Since we have a good friend of mine & her 9 1/2 year old son going I thought we might end up doing a bit more hiking then we would if we were on our own. This is the biggest factor in my decision to leave the littlest one with grandma for this trip. She will be with us for most of our adventures! :)

Upcoming Launch....

So what type of games would you like to play during my launch?  I'm hoping to make it a fun time for all and for you to be able to really enjoy the time as well.

I have some "prizes" to go along with my giveaways.  I also have a huge amount of information that I'd like to share with you but what would you most enjoy reading about.  I love to read and write so I think that book reviews would be fun.  What do you all think about an online book club?  We could all vote on a book and "meet" or post comments to discuss the book once each week or something.  I really want this to be interactive and fun for you as well as for me.  I love knowing that there are those of you out there really reading what I have to say and I'd like for your voice to be heard as well.

I'm not afraid of controversial subjects but what I do expect is that everyone and I do mean EVERYONE has the same rights on this blog.  I want you to all be able to share your thoughts and beliefs as a free thinking forum.  Whether or not I or anyone else agrees does not matter.  We all have to have respect.  I can tell you that you and I do not agree on something this does not mean that I can not do this in a way that is respectful and in a manner where we both can be friends.

Also are there any products that you'd like to see a review of?  If I have ideas from you, as readers, I will try my hardest to do so. 

Please comment and share with me, give me ideas and let's get ready for the huge launch party to come. 

Love Products Mommies Invent, You Must Check Out Mom 4 Life

How many of you out there love to buy things that were invented by other moms?  If you're raising your hand then you are not alone.  I am there with you.  I know when I purchase a product that a fellow mommy has made or invented that I am going to be happy with it.  I know that the quality will be high and that my kids are actually going to enjoy it.  It is one of the reasons why I tend to love handmade goodies and things made by WAHM so much.

One thing that I have struggled with is really finding out which products that are made by bigger companies were made by moms.  There is not a lot of information on most websites and let's face it as a mom of four, I do not have a ton of time to really look up and research each product that I buy before I buy it.  One website is setting out to change this problem, Mom 4 Life.  This website is a great place for moms to go and buy goods that were made by other moms.  There are so many different products on there too that you can really shop for anything that you might be interested in finding.

As I was looking around the website I came across a number of great products that I already knew that I loved.  One of these products is BabyLegs.  Let's face it most of us love BabyLegs on our little ones so much because they are just so darn cute.  My favorite thing about them is that they actually can help turn a onesie into a darling outfit or even complete the look of a t-shirt and cloth diaper. 

Since I have my own personal obsession with them I thought that I'd share a favorite photo of my youngest when she was just a wee thing wearing them with an owl shirt.  If you know me, you know my love for owls. 

If you are a nursing mommy then you are sure to love the Hooter Hider  Nursing Cover.  In my opinion, even though I am not a nursing mommy this is one great product.  I wanted to nurse my babies so bad but was on medications that I just should not go without that I could not safely take while nursing.  In addition I did not produce the amount of milk that I should have ot be able to fully nourish a growing baby.  However if I were to nurse then I know that I would strongly desire the Hooter Hiders  brand because not only were they created by a mommy but they are in my opinion the most stylish and cute choices of nursing covers.



The next product that I noticed was one that I never personally owned but a lot of my mommy friends did.  To be honest I do not know why I have never owned a WubbaNub because the idea is fantastic for those months when your baby seems to spit out their pacifier.  These specially made stuffies resemble cute little beanie babies in my opinion but do a whole lot more.  They hold onto your infant's pacifier and help him or her to keep it in their mouth.  Again I can not state enough how much I like this idea and how I do wish at times that I had one of these at my house, but you can't own everything, right?  Or can you (insert giggle when I think about Shane's face if I'd have said this one out loud.)  And if you want to know he is giving me a funny look as I sit here giggling and typing.

Another great mommy made product that I believe every mommy needs and deserves to buy for herself is the Belly Bandit.  This is one of the best things that I have ever owned.  I loved the fact that I did not have that jiggle belly for long after having my baby.  Don't get me wrong I still have enough loose skin to house a linebacker in my abdomen if I tried (four kids just gave my skin a bit too much of a workout) but I did not have that poochy "When are you due?" belly after having just given birth.  The Belly Bandit  is made to offer you the support that you need in your tummy right after you have given birth.  I personally would not have believed that it worked as well as it did had I not tried it.  And since I did try this product I think that I should share a few more pictures with you.  These are me one day after giving birth and then again about 3 months later.  Mind you, this is child number 4 so there is a pretty big difference in that short of a time period, especially when you are considering that this was the fourth baby that I'd had.

and here is the after shot

So if you are like me these results are enough to prove that this is what I was interested in.  Please excuse the massive cloth diaper destashing that is happening in the after shot.  I was cleaning out cloth diapers and getting ready to sell a bunch and unfortunately caught the messy stash pile in this shot. 

There are really a ton of additional products that you can check out as well.  One of the ones that I found most interesting were LilyPadz because even in the short few months that I nursed my second son I had some embarassing leaks b/c the stupid nursing pads that I was wearing moved.  I had both cloth reusable pads and pads that were disposable and still had these same problems so I am not sure what I was doing wrong or if it was because I am bigger busted and the pads just slipped.  However with this choice in pads they are supposed to adhere to you and make it more possible for you to do the things that you enjoy without having to worry about the problems. 

All in all I think that Mom 4 Life is one website that all moms should visit and check out.  They will find that there are products there for them no matter what type of mom they are.

Needing Kids Clothes/Got Old Kids Clothes??

If you are a mom then you are sure to have old kids clothing lying around and you are sure to need more kids clothing.  I feel like I have hit the jackpot everytime that I go onto thredUP.  The website is amazing.  They originally started out as a place where you could go to exchange gently used kids clothing but now have changed to an online consignment shop of sorts.  You can easily sign up at thredUP today and you even get a free $5 to spend in their shop.  This is awesome because at the moment they have free shipping and there are a ton of different pieces of clothing that are actually priced for $5 or less so basically you will get free clothes.  While there are some clothes that are new with tag (NWT) most of the clothing is used but in like new condition.  Best of all if you have your own kids clothes lying around you can order a bag, fill it and get money sent to you so that you do not have to worry about things like yard sales.  So what are you waiting for?  There are plenty of brand name options and really if you are a parent you can not afford to not look and sign up.

A Little About Me

I guess if you are going to be following my blog then you would probably like to know a little bit about me.  This is my offical attempt to introduce you to me and who I am.  I am going to be posting introductions to my family as well as some posts about favorite things, most used products and some posts where you, as the reader, will be asked to participate.

So here goes....

Hi.  My name is Amanda and I was born on July 25th, 1982.  I would describe myself as hyperactive, fun loving, energetic, and intelligent.  I love to be able to have a good time and enjoy going to festivals and concerts.  In fact, I can't wait until all of my children are able to really go to these events with us and really enjoy themselves as well.  I love that you can have special family moments that might not be right for someone else's family that can be simply perfect for your own.  All people should remember this and remember not to judge each other.  It is important to realize that there are people who are great parents who make choices that you would not make but that does not mean that they are any less of a parent.

I have always loved writing so a blog was a very natural thing for me.  In fact this blog has been two years in the making.  I have played around on Blogger to test out things.  I have practiced writing in different styles to show to others to see what they think and I have attempted some other projects to get the information that was needed for me to bring Everything For Modern Moms to you.   I am also doing a second blog where you can follow my weight loss journey Finding My New Body By Visalus.  I have struggled with my weight my entire life but no where near the same as how I have struggled after I had my third and fourth babies.

I am a freelance writer and I make my living writing as well so I am really writing all of the time during my free time.  It is easy for me because I really love it. 

I am mom to four amazing children.  Andrew is 9 and very smart and funny.  He is always looking for unique ways to do things and he is constantly inventing things and coming up with new ideas.  Althea is 3 and is adorable and such a dainty little girl.  She loves ballet, princesses, and mermaids.  She makes me smile all of the time and reminds me of what it was like to be young.  I love how youthful I can be with her and I especially love reading to her and playing things like Barbies.  Huxley is 2 and one neat little boy.  He is so creative and he constantly is teaching me things.  I love how he is able to navigate through the iPod and iPad better than his mommy.  To top it all off he is so funny.  Adeline is just 5 months old and a very lucky baby.  I am reminded all of the time that I am so lucky to have these four little miracles in my life. 

I try my hardest to focus on this to be able to avoid thinking negatively with my children even in the  most negative of situations.  There are times when I'd love to be sleeping but Miss Adeline wants to play at 2 am.  In the end I keep reminding myself that one day she will be all grown up and these years will be over.  This season of my life is amazing and one that I truly enjoy so much so I cherish those time when she wakes me up, constantly reminding myself that she is not always going to be little and that this time will soon be over with her.  Sometimes I hate to sleep at all for fear of missing a moment with them.  It seems like I woke up one day and Andrew was four or five and I just am not ready for them to all be big kids.

I feel so blessed to be a big stay at home mom.  I love that I get to spend my time with these amazing children all day long and on the days that are long and hard I think about what I could be doing instead and well I continue to be able to see the bright in all things when  Ihave done that. 

I have two college degrees and am partially finished with a third.  I have an AA in Communications and Sociology.  I have a BOT BA with minors in Sociology and African American Studies and I am part way finished with my BA in Special Education.  I plan on working hard to get back in school and finish up this degree and in gaining my MA after my youngest is in first grade.  I plan on attempting to one day publish a book and I would eventually like to work in a college.  These are my long term goals and whether or not they will come true is something that I do not know about.  What I do know is that I am going to try my hardest to accomplish them.

So what are your hopes and dreams?  Do you feel like you are finished with certain things in life or are you like me where you would like to always be changing yourself for the better?

Launch Dates Announced....May 30th, 31st, and June 1st

Hello all. Things have been so busy.  I have been trying out products for reviews.  Getting ready to paint some rooms so that I can review some wall decals and much much more.  I am so ready to get this blog up and running and I have a ton of special reviews, giveaways and prizes.  There are going to be some contests so pay attention and be reading as many of my posts as possible.  I am in the process of putting together two special prize packages for my readers. One will be open to anyone and one will be for bloggers who send their readers my way.  If you are a blogger please contact me and we can discuss details in general.  The packages for these prizes are coming together quite nicely and I am hoping to continue to add new things to them as well.

I have several giveaways and prizes that include....custom clothing items for adults, custom clothing items for children, gift certificates to a variety of different shops, toy items, home organization items, and so much more.

During the launch I will be hosting some special events as well.  I am hosting an Intials Inc book party where you can get any of the amazing products that I talk about, a Scentsy and new Velata (Scentsy's version of yummy chocolate fondue), Tupperware, Thirty-One (love so many of their things too and use bags by them nearly everyday!), and Gold Canyon candle.  Some of these companies are going to be offering you specials or chances at free products just for ordering at this time rather than waiting until later. What a great opportunity to buy something that you might have anways and get something for free at the same time becuase let's face it who doesn't love free.  :)

There are so many special things going on.  So I am excited for the fun to begin.  I am going to be adding daily posts until the launch to pump up what is going on as well as to let you know a little bit about me.