Most mommas I know, including myself, struggle with weight issues. Unless you’re like some of the amazing skinnier-than-before-they-were-moms that I know {not to name any names.} Whether it’s weight gain in general or problem areas, it’s hard to lose the weight after we’ve had kids. Even after I lost the baby weight I had gained when I was pregnant with Miss A I still had some lingering jiggly bits around my middle that no amount of Jillian Michaels workouts or Weight Watchers programs could take off {and I loved both}.

Perhaps like you, there were times when I wished I had a magical machine in my closet that I could step into really quick and just tone up that area. While I don’t personally own something like that or know any magic tricks, not even the basic ones, I am excited to find out that there are machines like the ones in my daydreams that are non-surgical and reduce the fat in trouble areas of both women and men.

CoolSculpting® is the safe, effective and non-invasive way to reduce fat in common trouble areas that tend to be diet- and exercise-resistant. It is an FDA-cleared procedure that gently and effectively reduces fat in problem areas of the body. This results in noticeable, natural-looking fat reduction in the treated areas. What makes CoolSculpting® different than other fat reduction procedures is its patented cooling technology that targets and eliminates fat cells.

During the procedure, a non-invasive applicator delivers precisely controlled cooling to target and eliminate fat cells in specific areas of your body. When fat cells are exposed to cooling, it triggers a process of natural removal, which gradually reduces the thickness of the fat layer. The result is a reduction in fat bulges that is visible in most patients in two months. Isn’t that cool?

Here’s a video that breaks down the CoolSculpting® Treatment process:

In case you were wondering, it is a medical fact that fat is uniquely susceptible to extreme cold. Basically CoolSculpting® turns the fat cold, the fat cells crystallize, break down, and then naturally eliminated by your body.

The treatments are about an hour per treated area and typically are very calm, people have been known to check email, read, and rest while undergoing treatment. It’s nice to know that there is minimal discomfort, and most patients resume their regular activity immediately after treatment. Being a mom there’s no time for pain and resting, so it’s a great alternative to surgical methods.

Just like any program results are long lasting and sustainable with a healthy lifestyle. CoolSculpting® is a premium procedure, only offered through top doctors across the country. Go to CoolSculpting.com to locate a treatment center and join the conversation on Facebook.

I have not personally tried the CoolSculpting® procedure but it sounds great for after I lose some of this baby weight from Baby C and I would definitely consider it, again in conjunction with a healthy diet and being active. All those things go hand-in-hand.

The best part is… you can win a CoolSculpting® Treatment! This contest is being held on 14 other blogs. One winner from the group will receive a CoolSculpting treatment (valued at $1500). Use the form below to enter!!!

*Disclaimer: CoolSculpting® is not intended as a weight-reduction program or for overweight individuals. The grand prize winner must first be assessed by a CoolSculpting® provider of ZELTIQ’s choosing to ensure he/she is a good candidate for the procedure. If the grand prize winner is not assessed as a good candidate, he/she will not be eligible for the treatment portion of the grand prize. The best CoolSculpting® candidates are near their ideal body weight with bulges of diet- and exercise-resistant fat.

This is a sponsored post, I have received compensation to write for CoolSculpting® however I think it’s a really great program and my honest opinions of the program are expressed above. Yours may vary.

Well, maybe not every single little detail, but the important ones like who I met, why I was in San Jose, and of course what the flavor of my martini was.

Let’s start from the beginning-ish….

I first met with the amazing PR company for Invisalign at Bloggy Boot Camp Atlanta. Although I had heard of them well before. I signed up to attend their Invisalign Teen Mom breakfast for more information on their program and was excited at everything I was hearing, I immediately thought, ” I need to be a part of this program.” And to be candid I do not feel that way about every opportunity that is presented to me.

After touching base a couple more times throughout the conference and through emails after the conference I was given the opportunity to write this sponsored post: Invisalign – The Real Tooth Fairy. Which, mind you, was a really fun post to create and I loved the little Tooth Fairy I produced as well. From that post I was hoping it would not only showcase my fun writing skills and passion for what I do, but also let Invisalign and their PR reps know that I was interested in their Mom Advisory Board program.

Well, I guess it worked. A few months later I was contacted by email to visit Invisalign headquarters in San Jose to learn more about the process, discuss more details, and best of all, meet my co-horts in the program.

Here are a few pictures of my visit to Invisalign :

Joining me on this new round of bloggers are (in order from the photo above): Ciaran from Momfluential, {me}, Carmen from Mom To The Screaming Masses and Trisha from 24/7 Moms. I had a great time getting to know these ladies, the founder and one of her great PR staffers, and some welcoming folks at the Invisalign Headquarters. I look forward to working with everyone I met this weekend and hope you’re just as excited as I am!

Since I’m on the Invisalign Mom Advisory Board I’ve been educated on Invisalign and know quite a bit about everything from how the aligners are made to who make good candidates and more. In order to help parents and teens even more, I’m going through the process myself so I’ll have first-hand experience to speak on. How cool is that?!?!

Occasionally you’ll see some posts, tweets, videos, and maybe even giveaways from me for Invisalign, I hope that you feel free to ask me questions in my comments or if you’re shy like me {yeah right!}, you can email me any questions you may have as well. If I don’t know I have access to the amazing people at Invisalign who do.

Thank you for always supporting me with my projects. I’m very excited to see how I can help you find out more information to make the best, most educated choices for family. I’ll be posting information from my consultation in the next post so subscribe to my feed if you want to be alerted when it posts on my site.

Also check out Invisalign on Facebook and Twitter:

I am a member of the Invisalign Mom Advisory Board, I receive complimentary Invisalign treatment, but am posting my own, personal opinions. 

In 1926 historian, Carter G. Woodson and some other influentials created, “Negro History Week”, however the beginnings of what is now, “Black History Month,” began years before. His goal was to educate people about African-American history, their cultural backgrounds and reputable achievements. In 1976, February was proclaimed “Black History Month” and continues to be observed each calendar year.

As you know DaddyB and I have two beautiful girls, who are almost 2 and 5. He is African American and a smidge Native American and I am Caucasian (Anglo-Saxon) and that makes our girls AMAZING!! Oh yeah, and they’re multi-racial. We are very blessed to be living in the world today, as opposed to several years ago, and while we’ve seen our share of racism displayed in many ways, we are thankful to those who paved the path for where we now stand.

This time of year last year I got to visit an amazing exhibit called, “RACE: Are We So Different,” and it was amazing, I learned so much and really enjoyed it, definitely wish I could have bottled all of that information to show the girls as they grow since some of the material was way over their heads. Miss A did get to play with some puppets from different races and check out some other aspects and Baby C was thrilled to sit in her stroller and people watch.

We may be naïve, but we see each person as they are and love our family just how we are too. Because I do not know as much as I would like about Black Culture both in the states and around the world, I have spend some hours online educating myself and trying to figure out how to best celebrate this month, Black History Month with my family. Since my girls are still quite young we want to make sure we engage in activities and practices that are age appropriate and family appropriate.

I have always said, and will always say that as a parent or caregiver, you have to do what you think is best for your own family, so while we may not choose to celebrate how another family celebrates that’s what makes us unique and our very own family of four. We don’t want race to be the only determining factor in their life, however we do want them to embrace and celebrate their background. I know many African-American people who do not celebrate and also some who are very diligent about it, would love help figuring out the best fits for our family to introduce our daughters to this side of their heritage.

We want our girls to have a balanced life and most of all to love and honor God, each other and others.

If you have any tips, blog posts or ideas on how you and your family celebrate, I would love to hear them. Thanks in advance for the support.

Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: User dbking

 This little er, big girl is breaking my heart. This year Miss A turns….5. Ack, I get agida when I event think about that number. For me, being a stay-at-home mom and extremely hands-on with my girls from birth, “5 years-old” means she’s growing up. The older she gets the less she needs mommy, she’ll be in Kindergarten in the Fall and inevitably I’ll see her less during the week, and that means that some day, she’ll be grown, hopefully go to college and have her own family.

Now before I get too far ahead of myself, because I often tend to do that, {I’m a worrywart you see} I know this is the normal progression of parenthood, however it seems like a big leap to me. Before she turns five, and goes off to Kindergarten I want to enjoy the rest of this school year and summer celebrating four!

We have decided make a checklist of 4 big/new things to do before she goes to Kindergarten.

1. Get her hair straightened {temporarily} for her birthday party.
2. Take a family trip to SeaWorld, she loves exploring new things.
3. Sign her up for a semi-competitive sport.
4. Invite one of her friends over for a sleepover.

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What’s your next, “Big Leap” in life? What do you want to accomplish before that leap?

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Leaving the “yellow shirt” slot open, Sam Moran stepped in. Sam had been a part of The Wiggles show since 1998 and was a great addition when he stepped up to take the lead singer position for The Wiggles. Now that Greg is rejoining The Wiggles, Sam will be taking time to continue working on his own personal music ventures, (he released The Colour of Love in 2010) and also to spend time with his family.

Thankfully, there was a great person who was able to step in for a time and also step back from this position. Sam has been praised for continuing the success of The Wiggles during Greg’s leave. Yet when the day comes for Greg to rejoin the group and appear in his yellow shirt this year, there may be some confused or upset children.

With any television show there is a chance that characters will need to be replaced. I featured this story on The Fresh Beat Band replacing their, “Marina” character: What Happened to the Fresh Beat’s Marina? And with all of the traffic and comments it has had you can tell the change certainly struck a nerve in viewing homes. Recently other children’s television shows that have replaced characters or voices have been Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go!, and one who did it well, Blues Clues.

Not all shows give such great transition to a new character as Blues Clues with their switch from Steve to Joe, so as parents we need to learn the best ways to deal with these changes, because like it or not, they will happen. You may adapt these tips for your own child depending on their age and maturity.

1. Watch TV with your child – this gives your child an opportunity to discuss with you and you and opportunity to ask them questions, gauge their comfort with the changes and opens lines of communication.
2. Do your homework - if your child has a favorite show, why not set it up for a Google Alert or receive newsletters from that show so you can be abreast of changes before they even appear on the tube.
3. Explain TV vs Reality - of course this depends on the show and your child’s age, but in an age appropriate manner discuss what they think differences between television and real-life are and have fun with it.
4. Keep a positive attitude - so many of us parents are upset when characters change even when often, our children move on easily. When we aren’t disturbed by things, occasionally it will help our kids deal as well.
5. Choose different programming - if your child is very upset and no amount of discussion will ease their minds choose to watch something else on TV, but keep in mind characters in some shows may change. You can always opt to watch recorded versions of that show as well to keep with the consistency however boredom is a factor there.
6. Turn off the TV - when all else fails, or if TV seems to be more of an issue in your household, perhaps it’s time for a break from shows and the television in general. Get your kids interested in puzzles, coloring books, imaginative play, and if it’s nice weather head outside for some fresh air.

Do you have any tips to add?

Have any children’s television character switches effected your home?

In order to complete my goal of being the first college graduate I couldn’t do it on my own. I had to ask several people for help.

• I asked my mother to cosign on a student loan with me
• I inquired with my employer about working extra hours to make a few more dollars
• I applied for a few scholarships through my school
• I asked teachers for their recommendations to show what kind of a student I was

H&R Block is encouraging people to, “Never Settle for Less.” Customers who complete their taxes using H&R Block at Home can instantly win one of the hourly drawn cash prizesand be entered to win a $100,000 grand prize refund. To enter, complete a tax return online via computer or tablet device using H&R Block At Home tax preparation. Check out more information here: H&R Block Contest

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Disclosure: Compensation was provided by H&R Block® via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of H&R Block®”

Miss A and I made these yummy treats last Christmas:

We like to dip things in chocolate because well, everything is better with chocolate when you’re a self-diagnosed choco-holic. We’ve dipped cookies, marshmallows, and carmel.

Tropical Foods is hosting a contest asking bloggers, “What are your favorite foods to dip in chocolate?”And by nature, I MUST answer. I think my all-time favorite thing to dip would have to be Oreos. At Christmas time they are extra tasty with peppermint shavings. However, if I were concocting something for Valentine’s Day with the kiddos I think I would make heart shaped cake pops from red velvet cake, cream cheese frosting, and cover in their White Chocolate Dipping Chocolate, but you can’t forget the heart shaped sprinkles. I also really enjoy dipping pretzels, homemade caramels, making frozen bananas, and fresh strawberries!

My awesome friends shared their dipped goodies with me.

Lolli from, “Better in Bulk” has a “unique” technique for dipping her truffles:

Finger-lickin’ good huh??

My friend Michelle from, “Honest and Truly” makes this delicious chocolate drizzled popcorn:

Head here for the recipe: http://honestandtruly.blogspot.com

Now that you’re in the dipping mood too, if you were asked, “What are your favorite foods to dip in chocolate,” what would your answer be??

I am blogging for a chance to win Tropical Foods blogger contest and because I personally enjoy Tropical Foods products. I have worked with Tropical Foods in the past as well. All images posted are either my property or given consent to use for the purpose of this blog post by the image owner.

Today is the day declared to honor the life and works of Martin Luther King Jr. I however, am thankful each day for Martin Luther King Jr. and others like him, who paved the rocky roads to integration and aided in the decrease of racism. Of course I am not naive enough to think that racism is gone, but there have been so many great people like Dr. King led and lead their lives for the cause of peace and it has not been in vain.

Why is integration such a big deal to me? If by some chance our society was still segregated by races, I would not be allowed to marry my husband, who is African American. I would not have two, beautiful, biracial daughters, and my life would not be the same.

So, I am thankful, and I celebrate. My family would not be together without the help of Martin Luther King Jr. And so instead of going shopping or rushing through another day off, we will celebrate our rights and the life of Martin Luther King Jr.

Are you celebrating this year? Perhaps you could take a moment today to realize what has truly been done for this society. Whether or not you think racism directly effects you, think of your friends, family, coworkers who have been and are impacted. And remember those who’ve endured hardship to fight for their rights as Americans.

DaddyB and I have not been on a date, with each other {meaning aside from our night’s out with friends}, in a very, very, very, very long time. And if I told you exactly how many years {yes years} it has been I know some of you would shout at me. So I’m keeping that info to myself. Needless to say, we have not ventured out on the dating scene here in Charlotte, however, my local site, TheCharlotteMoms.com affords me the opportunity to visit all kinds of great places here in Charlotte that I might not have seen otherwise. I’d love to tell you about two amazing places in and around Charlotte that I would highly suggest for a Valentine’s Day treat.

If you’re looking to stay in town, no matter the reason, and want great food I love Harvest Moon Grille. Not only do they tout, “Farm to fork” food, but their Executive Chef and Proprietor, Cassie Parsons puts her whole heart into her food, and you can tell. Named Restaurateur of the Year by Charlotte Magazine, Parsons not only manages the business side of things, but she’s also a local farmer and mom too. I was lucky enough to meet with her and enjoy some delicious dishes. Here’s some of the great food we tasted on our visit:

Make your reservations for Valentine’s Weekend or Valentine’s Day at Harvest Moon Grille here: http://opentable.com

If you’re looking for something a little more romantic however, consider a weekend getaway without the kiddos. Asheville is close enough to have a great get away, but not too far from home and the kiddos. Asheville has a lot of great places that offer romantic settings, but I recommend Grove Park Inn. Grove Park Inn has a few Valentine’s Day packages that are already set up for you, but make sure you plan in advance, because spots book quickly.

Valentine’s Day Weekend events include their Starlight & Chocolate party, dinner at your choice of one of their fine restaurants, Valentine’s Dance with dance instruction, and “It Takes Two” cooking demonstration and a commemorative portrait to remember the weekend by. Also, add a special couple’s spa appointment to make it even more romantic.

Check out some of their package choices here: http://www.groveparkinn.com/Valentine and tell them you heard about them on MommyB Knows Best it’s definitely going to be a weekend you will remember.

• it’s quicker to grab fast food or pop something into the microwave
• it’s cheaper
• we don’t want to make a whole separate meal if we’re not having the same thing they are

Now the list goes on, as we all know reasons pile up, but Kidfresh, a foodline designed for kids ages 2 to 8 years has developed meals that are affordable, microwaveable, and 100% natural. At about $3.49, Kidfresh meals tout that they are made with all-natural ingredients, trans-fat/corn syrup/ filler/ artificial coloring/ free. But do they taste good??

Miss A doesn’t like pasta {I know!! What kid doesn’t like pasta?!?!},  so we didn’t even try them with her because we knew what the verdict would be. Baby C, on the other hand, eats almost everything we put in front of her, especially carbs. The first try I gave Baby C Kidfresh’s Spaghetti Loops Bolognese, unfortunately she didn’t care for these so I ended up discarding most of the meal, but as we all know just because a kid doesn’t eat doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try again. The next time I tried their Wagon Wheels Mac + Cheese {these are the only two options my grocer carries,}. As soon as I took these noodles out of the microwave I could smell the real cheese {you know how it smells different than the processed stuff,} and it was delightful, and even though I wanted to munch on it I restrained myself. Baby C gobbled it up until she was full and I saved the leftovers for the next day. She wasn’t loving the leftovers, however when I gave her the Mac + Cheese again a couple of weeks later she ate almost the entire dish, I attribute her finickiness to being a toddler.

My favorite thing about Kidfresh aside from how awesomely healthy the meals are is that they are good portions, the Mac + Cheese didn’t come drenched in cheese, it was just the right amount, encouraging my kids to eat but not stuff themselves.

Personally I’d love to try the 4 other flavors that Kidfresh makes, so I hope that EarthFare Huntersville stocks them up {hint, hint}. However I love that I have a quick, healthy option for Baby C when I need something fast and I don’t have to go with the alternative, or at least it gives me another meal for the food queue.

P.S. They sneak in extra veggies too!! Shhhh, don’t tell the kids!

You can find Kidfresh meals by heading to their website here: http://www.kidfresh.com. Enter your zip code where it says “Find a store” and voila! If there’s not a store near you that carries it, speak with your grocer, they may look into it.

Check Kidfresh out on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Kidfreshfoods and Twitter: http://twitter.com/KidfreshFoods for more info and for a $1 off coupon good through July 31, 2012 be one of the first 10 people to leave a comment here on which would be your favorite flavor meal, and I’ll email you for your address.

We received meals from Kidfresh in order to complete our honest review. All of the opinions above are my own honest opinions, however yours may vary.