I am partnering with March of Dimes and the CDC to help raise awareness of National Birth Defects Prevention Month. 

I didn’t want to let the month end without letting you guys know it's National Birth Defects Prevention Month! While you may or may not know that it took us a year to have Mila, I don’t think I’ve shared what I did to prepare myself to carry a baby to full term. In the U.S., about 1 in 33 babies is born with a birth defect each year, according to the CDC. 

While I knew that there were still going to be environmental and genetic factors when it comes to birth defects, I did as much as I could to help increase my chances of having a healthy, full-term baby. The year that we tried, I was at my healthiest weight I had ever been in my life. I had just come back from military training, and I was eating as clean and healthy as possible. I knew that excess weight could affect your fertility and during pregnancy, it could cause problems for you and your baby. I wanted to make sure I was giving my body the best possible starting point for creating life. I recommend talking to your health care provider about how to reach the right weight for you. Also, focus on a lifestyle that includes healthy eating and regular physical activity. 

I took my multivitamins almost religiously. Creating life would take a big toll on my body, so I made sure the vitamins contained 400 micrograms of folic acid. Did you know that if taken before and throughout pregnancy, folic acid, a B vitamin, is proven to help prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spine. You could also incorporate foods that contain folate, the natural form of folic acid, including lentils, green leafy vegetables, black beans, and orange juice. 

Something that I didn’t think of when I was trying to get pregnant was getting a pre-pregnancy check-up. In my mind, the doctor came into the picture after I was already pregnant. Your doctor can give you directions on medications or prescription and how they might affect your body, fertility, and your baby in the future. 

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. They support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every baby can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 80-year legacy of impact and innovation, they empower every mom and every family. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Visit shareyourstory.org for comfort and support.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of CORT Furniture Outlet for IZEA Worldwide. All opinions are 100% mine.

With everything going on this year and all the new life adjustments we made decorating the house for each season seems like it is always the last thing on my to-do list. Going into the new year I am going to start investing in pieces that I can keep up year-round. We knew we were looking for items that would go with our mid-century modern home decor that fit in well with the rest of the decorations and could easily stay out year-round. We ended up exploring what CORT Furniture Outlet had to offer!

I wasn't expecting to find so many good deals or so many decor styles here. Usually, furniture stores stick to only a few design types but I loved that CORT Blog included almost everyone!

We narrowed it down from all the pieces there to these really cool geometric statues we could dress up as abstract pine trees.

Tips for picking timeless pieces: 

• Choose an easy color pallet: We chose to use shades of gray and white as base colors for our big furniture pieces and use things like throw pillows and throw blankets as ways to add color to our space.
• Shop smart: Places like CORT Furniture Outlet sells both new and previously leased furniture for a fraction of its original retail price.
• Avoid items that are too trendy: while buying items that are trendy might get feel like the right thing to do, you will end up spending more in the long run. If you feel like you just can't live without the latest trends, then I would rent those pieces from CORT!
• Plants and greenery: we feel like our plants breathe life and freshness to our space. Our home wouldn't feel like a home without them! Some low maintenance and hardy plants I recommend starting with are snake plants & peace lilies.

Visit CORT Blog to learn more!

If you are looking to quickly furnish your home CORT Furniture Outlet offers both new and previously leased furniture that has been used in model homes, on movie sets, by home stagers, incorporate apartments, in corporate offices and by individuals needing furniture temporarily, for a fraction of its original retail price. This would be a great solution for furnishing a guest room, or media you haven't gotten to yet!

What are some of your favorite decorating hacks?

This post is sponsored by Honey Baked Ham, however, all the opinions expressed below are my own true and honest opinions.

With Thanksgiving fast approaching Friendsgivings are sure to follow! This year I have about 3 Friends Givings to attend and one to host, maybe I should work on trimming down my friend’s groups haha. With all of these events coming up, plus all of my new life adjustments I needed an easy yet tasty way to get all of my holiday dishes done. We decided that The Honey Baked Ham Company was the easiest route to go.

I scheduled our order for pick-up and used decorations I had around the house. The easiest decorations to use for thanksgiving are leftover pumpkins from October, a couple of leaves on the table and some candles! This was literally the most effortless and tasty Friendsgiving we’ve had.

Not having to worry about cooking all day really gave us all quality time to reconnect and gave us all such an easy-going feeling.

We decided to make the menu simple and really focus on everyone’s favorites. The fully cooked, pre-sliced, and ready to serve Honey Baked Turkey breast, their Bone-in Honey Baked Ham, loaded mashed potatoes, stuffing, and macaroni & cheese.

We couldn’t believe how smooth the day went compared to our previous Friendsgivings, and we won’t go back to doing our next Friendsgivings without The Honey Baked Ham Company!

This post is sponsored by Georgia-Pacific, however, all the opinions expressed below are my own true honest opinions.

Do you ever stop and think about how the things you use every day are made? If I asked you where your paper plates and napkins came from, would you know the answer? If you had asked me these questions a couple of weeks ago I wouldn’t have a clue! Georgia-Pacific extended the invitation for a few influencers to tour their Corrigan Plywood Plant, and they totally made my “How It’s Made” dreams come true. 

When the day came to tour the plant, I really had no idea what to expect. It was actually a really eye-opening experience for me. From their involvement in the community, monitoring their environmental impact, to making sure every piece of the wood gets used I was impressed.

At Georgia-Pacific’s Corrigan facility we were able to see the entire process, from start to finish. It starts with pine tree logs brought into the facility, they offloaded and put into a yard where water is continuously being poured on top. Which was quite a sight to see! From there we saw it go from those huge logs to a flat piece of wood we know as plywood. Not every piece of plywood comes out perfect so the imperfect pieces of plywood get broken down and made into items most people use every day.


Georgia-Pacific is behind some pretty big brands like Angel Soft toilet paper, Brawny paper towels, and Dixie paper plates just to name a few! As a mom and an example for my kids, I'm trying to do my best and be a more conscious consumer. That means learning and doing the research on where the things we buy and use on a daily basis actually come from. As we enter this new era of “I want it now” consumerism and online shopping it’s super easy to feel so far removed from the production process. 

I was happy to be able to put faces and names to the people that help run the processes at the Corrigan plant. I heard so many stories of employees starting at the company and working their way up to higher positions which made my heart happy. When we hear of big companies it’s usually unheard of for so many employees to have been with a company for 20-30 years. Which speaks volumes to Georgia-Pacific’s work environment.

Since Georgia-Pacific’s plants are in smaller towns they do so much for the local economy and the local communities. I was excited to hear about a program they had where they would donate plywood to local high schools and teach them how to cut and work with wood.

My overall feeling of joy and excitement of knowing how everyday items that I use are being made, and how it was positively affecting the community carried onto a sense of pride when I was buying these items.

What are some things you’ve always wondered about the everyday items you use?
To learn more about GP’s work and programs, visit: www.gp.com

This post is sponsored by Walmart, however, all the opinions expressed below are my honest opinions. 

I can't believe we already made it to a whole year with our little Bella! When they say every baby is different, they mean every baby is different. I know I had Mila and Noah but they were probably the calmest kids ever. Since Bella has been walking since 9 months, I just can't get her to slow down. I've made it this far thanks to some essentials I keep stocked up and on hand when I just need her to sit still to change her diaper or to wash her hair. Luckily I can find everything I need at Walmart! 

Even going to the shop is so much different from her! If I don't have a toy handy I stop by the toy aisle and pick one up to keep her occupied. 

Today's Walmart run consisted of several things from the amazing baby section! I had to stock up on some diapers and wipes, a couple bath body washes, and some toys. The toys I found were more to help Bella develop her motor skills. Toys like this help keep her focused on a task that way she'll sit still when I'm trying to brush her hair after a bath or change her diaper. 

Bath time is always a struggle for us since she is such a busy-body. I love these foam letters that stick to the walls of the tub, they keep her entertained and let me wash her hair with ease. I always keep the tub stocked with our favorite Johnson's Baby body washes & bubble baths.

I love Hello Bello's cute patterned diapers! I tend to keep little diapering stations filled with diapers, wipes, toys & lotions all over the house that way I'm ready ahead of time.

What are your best tips for keeping baby occupied when you're trying to do something?

Shop all of the products in this post here: