Summer will be here before we know it and we’re already dreaming of all the ways we can update our wardrobes with the best styles of the season. From social festivities to days at the desk, and vacations by the water to early morning runs, Walmart has everything you need to make this a summer of fashion-forward moments. See our Walmart summer fashion inspiration below.

Summer = party time! Grad parties, pool parties, backyard BBQs, and holiday soirées…summer is the season of celebrations. Make sure you’re party ready with one of these gorgeous getups.

Maybe you’re all work and no play. Which is okay, but don’t ignore the benefits of a healthy work-life balance! These dresses will have you looking chic in the office, and they can definitely be worn to date night after, too!

Pool days, beach trips, and lake vacations. Whatever your preferred form of water-centric recreation, get yourself a swimsuit to rock that will steal the show.

Don’t forget your coverup! These will come in handy when you’re trying to enjoy your liquid lunch at one of those “no shirt, no shoes, no service” places.

And if you’re team #summerbod, grab a few workout pieces that will make you excited to get your sweat on.

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days was just over a month ago, and we’re still reminiscing about how awesome the sales were! The F&T team worked hard to bring you the best of the best that Amazon had to offer, including our own purchases and wish list items! The lack of sleep over those two days was totally worth it…we scored some great things and you guys did too! A lot of these featured sale items are anticipated to be included in Amazon’s Black Friday deals as well, so check them out now and add them to your own Amazon wish list to get a jumpstart on your Black Friday shopping! See our roundup of the top Amazon Prime Big Deal Days items below.

I do have to say that I was very surprised about this top ten – I didn’t know that Airheads were a hot-ticket item, but I suppose with Halloween approaching it was a deal that couldn’t be passed on. Number 4 on the list is the only item that I purchased – I contributed to the Frugal and Thriving donation bin for Toys for Tots this year! See the top 10 items here!

Fellicia’s list was mostly about self-care with some comfy slippers, skincare, and perfume. If you didn’t already know, Fellicia’s a Halloween decor junkie, so those spotlights probably came just in time for her outdoor decor! Check out her top 5 here!

Krista is a self-proclaimed bookworm, so it doesn’t surprise me that she grabbed a Kindle bundle and a comfy cardigan to get a good read in during the day while preparing for a night out wearing Frownies. Get the 4-1-1 on all of Krista’s top ten here.

I see a theme happening here! Our girl Faith has got black on the brain, and let’s be honest, who isn’t always looking for the perfect pair of leggings?! If you’re a fan of black too, be sure to peep all of her items here.

You can tell by Kristy’s’ top five that she was starting to prep for the upcoming holidays by snagging batteries for electronics. She also always gives the best teacher gifts, so I am not surprised that those candles ended up on her list. Get the scoop on Kristy’s list here.

I was getting an early start on Christmas shopping for the kids. The Echo Dots were an item that were already number one on the kids’ lists. The gymnastics bar was by far the best deal I got, and I wasn’t going to pass up on it! Good thing, too, because it sold out so quickly! I also grabbed a couple items for the house and, of course, for myself as a ‘reward’ for all of my hard work during the two-day sale! See a roundup of my list here.

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days was just over a month ago, and we’re still reminiscing about how awesome the sales were! The F&T team worked hard to bring you the best of the best that Amazon had to offer, including our own purchases and wish list items! The lack of sleep over those two days was totally worth it…we scored some great things and you guys did too! A lot of these featured sale items are anticipated to be included in Amazon’s Black Friday deals as well, so check them out now and add them to your own Amazon wish list to get a jumpstart on your Black Friday shopping! See our roundup of the top Amazon Prime Big Deal Days items below.

I do have to say that I was very surprised about this top ten – I didn’t know that Airheads were a hot-ticket item, but I suppose with Halloween approaching it was a deal that couldn’t be passed on. Number 4 on the list is the only item that I purchased – I contributed to the Frugal and Thriving donation bin for Toys for Tots this year! See the top 10 items here!

Fellicia’s list was mostly about self-care with some comfy slippers, skincare, and perfume. If you didn’t already know, Fellicia’s a Halloween decor junkie, so those spotlights probably came just in time for her outdoor decor! Check out her top 5 here!

Krista is a self-proclaimed bookworm, so it doesn’t surprise me that she grabbed a Kindle bundle and a comfy cardigan to get a good read in during the day while preparing for a night out wearing Frownies. Get the 4-1-1 on all of Krista’s top ten here.

I see a theme happening here! Our girl Faith has got black on the brain, and let’s be honest, who isn’t always looking for the perfect pair of leggings?! If you’re a fan of black too, be sure to peep all of her items here.

You can tell by Kristy’s’ top five that she was starting to prep for the upcoming holidays by snagging batteries for electronics. She also always gives the best teacher gifts, so I am not surprised that those candles ended up on her list. Get the scoop on Kristy’s list here.

I was getting an early start on Christmas shopping for the kids. The Echo Dots were an item that were already number one on the kids’ lists. The gymnastics bar was by far the best deal I got, and I wasn’t going to pass up on it! Good thing, too, because it sold out so quickly! I also grabbed a couple items for the house and, of course, for myself as a ‘reward’ for all of my hard work during the two-day sale! See a roundup of my list here.

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days was just over a month ago, and we’re still reminiscing about how awesome the sales were! The F&T team worked hard to bring you the best of the best that Amazon had to offer, including our own purchases and wish list items! The lack of sleep over those two days was totally worth it…we scored some great things and you guys did too! A lot of these featured sale items are anticipated to be included in Amazon’s Black Friday deals as well, so check them out now and add them to your own Amazon wish list to get a jumpstart on your Black Friday shopping! See our roundup of the top Amazon Prime Big Deal Days items below.

I do have to say that I was very surprised about this top ten – I didn’t know that Airheads were a hot-ticket item, but I suppose with Halloween approaching it was a deal that couldn’t be passed on. Number 4 on the list is the only item that I purchased – I contributed to the Frugal and Thriving donation bin for Toys for Tots this year! See the top 10 items here!

Fellicia’s list was mostly about self-care with some comfy slippers, skincare, and perfume. If you didn’t already know, Fellicia’s a Halloween decor junkie, so those spotlights probably came just in time for her outdoor decor! Check out her top 5 here!

Krista is a self-proclaimed bookworm, so it doesn’t surprise me that she grabbed a Kindle bundle and a comfy cardigan to get a good read in during the day while preparing for a night out wearing Frownies. Get the 4-1-1 on all of Krista’s top ten here.

I see a theme happening here! Our girl Faith has got black on the brain, and let’s be honest, who isn’t always looking for the perfect pair of leggings?! If you’re a fan of black too, be sure to peep all of her items here.

You can tell by Kristy’s’ top five that she was starting to prep for the upcoming holidays by snagging batteries for electronics. She also always gives the best teacher gifts, so I am not surprised that those candles ended up on her list. Get the scoop on Kristy’s list here.

I was getting an early start on Christmas shopping for the kids. The Echo Dots were an item that were already number one on the kids’ lists. The gymnastics bar was by far the best deal I got, and I wasn’t going to pass up on it! Good thing, too, because it sold out so quickly! I also grabbed a couple items for the house and, of course, for myself as a ‘reward’ for all of my hard work during the two-day sale! See a roundup of my list here.

It’s almost time for the most magical time of the year, especially in my house with four littles! Our resident Elf on the Shelf, Stelfy, will be making his return the day after Thanksgiving…if the kiddos are lucky that is! They look forward to his return each year and it’s a fun time in our household with all of his shenanigans and the daily search for him each morning! Whether you’re an Elf on the Shelf rookie, a seasoned Santa’s helper, or just looking for some inspo – we’ve got some ideas, tips and tricks for this year’s elf magic! See our Elf on the Shelf inspiration below.

Stelfy knows how to make an entrance! Our elf was paired with a Rudolph reindeer candy cane, and with some twine and clear hair bands I was able to create a scene similar to one of our favorite holiday movies, Home Alone – see what I did there?!

Frozen is still rather popular in our home having three daughters, so with Olaf in mind I created a melted snowman scene on top of our fish Charlie’s tank. This was easy and I had all of the “snowman ingredients” around the house: small glass, water, two googly eyes, a baby carrot, and a small twig or apple stems – add a little note with elf handwriting and voila!

My kids thought that this was hilarious! It’s so simple and gets lots of giggles – all you need is a toilet paper roll and a Hershey kiss or mini chips!

If you happen to have a kid with a loose tooth and they lose said tooth like my kid did…oh what fun it is to become the elf and the tooth fairy all in the same night! Stelfy set up a fairy trap in attempts to catch her – all you need is a handy-dandy net and a note in elf’s handwriting to explain!

I grabbed mini bows which are perfect for his little body and created a scene of Stelfy rock climbing. My kids got a kick out of this one!

Now this was a funny one! Stelfy pranked the kids by taking some of the laundry and one of the baby’s diapers and creating a merry-go-round of underpants! Pro Tip – don’t turn on the fan!

My kids love when our elf Stelfy brings them treats or something fun, and they love to hear what he has to say, so he usually brings a note of sorts. He brought hot chocolate bombs and coloring/activity books and crayons.

It’s almost time for the most magical time of the year, especially in my house with four littles! Our resident Elf on the Shelf, Stelfy, will be making his return the day after Thanksgiving…if the kiddos are lucky that is! They look forward to his return each year and it’s a fun time in our household with all of his shenanigans and the daily search for him each morning! Whether you’re an Elf on the Shelf rookie, a seasoned Santa’s helper, or just looking for some inspo – we’ve got some ideas, tips and tricks for this year’s elf magic! See our Elf on the Shelf inspiration below.

Stelfy knows how to make an entrance! Our elf was paired with a Rudolph reindeer candy cane, and with some twine and clear hair bands I was able to create a scene similar to one of our favorite holiday movies, Home Alone – see what I did there?!

Frozen is still rather popular in our home having three daughters, so with Olaf in mind I created a melted snowman scene on top of our fish Charlie’s tank. This was easy and I had all of the “snowman ingredients” around the house: small glass, water, two googly eyes, a baby carrot, and a small twig or apple stems – add a little note with elf handwriting and voila!

My kids thought that this was hilarious! It’s so simple and gets lots of giggles – all you need is a toilet paper roll and a Hershey kiss or mini chips!

If you happen to have a kid with a loose tooth and they lose said tooth like my kid did…oh what fun it is to become the elf and the tooth fairy all in the same night! Stelfy set up a fairy trap in attempts to catch her – all you need is a handy-dandy net and a note in elf’s handwriting to explain!

I grabbed mini bows which are perfect for his little body and created a scene of Stelfy rock climbing. My kids got a kick out of this one!

Now this was a funny one! Stelfy pranked the kids by taking some of the laundry and one of the baby’s diapers and creating a merry-go-round of underpants! Pro Tip – don’t turn on the fan!

My kids love when our elf Stelfy brings them treats or something fun, and they love to hear what he has to say, so he usually brings a note of sorts. He brought hot chocolate bombs and coloring/activity books and crayons.

The first major fall holiday has passed so now we prepare for the Thanksgiving festivities, and then onto Christmas! Advent calendars are coming and there are so many to choose from – there are advent calendars for every member of the family! What a fun way to count down the days, huh?! I can’t believe that I’m about to say this, but back in my day…haha…I just made construction paper rings and ripped one each day, and now you can literally get a little somethin’- somethin’ all while counting down the days. Check out this roundup of ten advent calendars below and let us know which one is your favorite!

BEAUTY

Sephora beauty advent calendar has 24 essential beauty products like makeup, skincare, bath, and accessory surprises! How fun is it to be able to try new and different products and accessories! I would be looking most forward to the face masks!

COFFEE

We all know a caffeine fiend!! This 24 K-Cup Pod advent calendar is the ultimate coffee lover’s dream! Filled with coffee and even some cocoa too, this festive and flavorful collection of 24 K-Cup® pods helps you brew holiday magic all season long!

CANDLES

I smell…candles! Check out this 12-day Voluspa Candle advent calendar full of fragrant votive-sized candles! Unveil 12 bestselling fragrances, lighting your way through the holidays in a fragrant countdown with the most amazing scents!

DISNEY

This limited-edition Disney Store Mini Brands 24-day advent calendar is the ultimate Christmas present for any Disney fan! This could also be a great segue to announcing a planned surprise to Disney or a Disney cruise!

WINE

*Clink Clink* It’s Wine o’ clock so get your swirl on with this vintage wine advent calendar! Whether your tastebuds call for red, white, or a mix of both, you can’t go wrong with this one! Celebrate the holiday season with something a little more practical with these 12 half-bottles of assorted wines.

FUNKO POP!

How fun to be able to count down to your favorite holiday, or any special occasion, with the 24 days of Funko Pop! DC™ Superheroes advent calendar! Featuring some of your most beloved heroes and villains dressed in holiday ensembles or styled in gingerbread form!

WOOF

24 Days of tail wagging goodness with Molly’s Barkery holiday advent calendar. Open one door per day and see the anticipation in your fur baby’s eyes. These crunchy treats are made with wholesome ingredients with cinnamon and apple flavors.

BAIT & TACKLE

12 days of fishmas non-lead freshwater mystery tackle box advent calendar. Celebrate the holiday season with twelve days of fishing fun: lures, tackle, new techniques, tips, and tricks with expert content.

SENSORY-FRIENDLY

2023 24-day fidget toy Christmas advent calendar: Get ready for a magical journey with this Christmas advent calendar where diversity, fun, and safety take center stage.

POPCORN

Popcorn is one of my most favorite snacky snacks, so this Popcorn Shed gourmet popcorn advent calendar is right up my alley! 24 bags of yummy popcorn in six uniquely mouth-watering flavors!

And for even more advent calendar inspiration, checkout our Amazon storefront where we’ve rounded up hundreds of different calendars for everyone in the family!!

The first major fall holiday has passed so now we prepare for the Thanksgiving festivities, and then onto Christmas! Advent calendars are coming and there are so many to choose from – there are advent calendars for every member of the family! What a fun way to count down the days, huh?! I can’t believe that I’m about to say this, but back in my day…haha…I just made construction paper rings and ripped one each day, and now you can literally get a little somethin’- somethin’ all while counting down the days. Check out this roundup of ten advent calendars below and let us know which one is your favorite!

BEAUTY

Sephora beauty advent calendar has 24 essential beauty products like makeup, skincare, bath, and accessory surprises! How fun is it to be able to try new and different products and accessories! I would be looking most forward to the face masks!

COFFEE

We all know a caffeine fiend!! This 24 K-Cup Pod advent calendar is the ultimate coffee lover’s dream! Filled with coffee and even some cocoa too, this festive and flavorful collection of 24 K-Cup® pods helps you brew holiday magic all season long!

CANDLES

I smell…candles! Check out this 12-day Voluspa Candle advent calendar full of fragrant votive-sized candles! Unveil 12 bestselling fragrances, lighting your way through the holidays in a fragrant countdown with the most amazing scents!

DISNEY

This limited-edition Disney Store Mini Brands 24-day advent calendar is the ultimate Christmas present for any Disney fan! This could also be a great segue to announcing a planned surprise to Disney or a Disney cruise!

WINE

*Clink Clink* It’s Wine o’ clock so get your swirl on with this vintage wine advent calendar! Whether your tastebuds call for red, white, or a mix of both, you can’t go wrong with this one! Celebrate the holiday season with something a little more practical with these 12 half-bottles of assorted wines.

FUNKO POP!

How fun to be able to count down to your favorite holiday, or any special occasion, with the 24 days of Funko Pop! DC™ Superheroes advent calendar! Featuring some of your most beloved heroes and villains dressed in holiday ensembles or styled in gingerbread form!

WOOF

24 Days of tail wagging goodness with Molly’s Barkery holiday advent calendar. Open one door per day and see the anticipation in your fur baby’s eyes. These crunchy treats are made with wholesome ingredients with cinnamon and apple flavors.

BAIT & TACKLE

12 days of fishmas non-lead freshwater mystery tackle box advent calendar. Celebrate the holiday season with twelve days of fishing fun: lures, tackle, new techniques, tips, and tricks with expert content.

SENSORY-FRIENDLY

2023 24-day fidget toy Christmas advent calendar: Get ready for a magical journey with this Christmas advent calendar where diversity, fun, and safety take center stage.

POPCORN

Popcorn is one of my most favorite snacky snacks, so this Popcorn Shed gourmet popcorn advent calendar is right up my alley! 24 bags of yummy popcorn in six uniquely mouth-watering flavors!

And for even more advent calendar inspiration, checkout our Amazon storefront where we’ve rounded up hundreds of different calendars for everyone in the family!!

We’re breaking out all the tricks and treats this Halloween season! Whether you’re looking for inspo for classroom parties, fall birthday party snack ideas, or Halloween party additions, we’ve got a lineup of Halloween-inspired treats that is definitely spook-tacular and sure to impress your ghouls of honor! See our Halloween treat ideas below.

Pretzel Spiderwebs – a sweet and salty festive treat! Line pretzels up in the shape of a wheel on wax paper, heat up white chocolate until melted and swirl around, take a toothpick or prongs of a fork and pull out for that web look, and then finish with Halloween sprinkles!

Three Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies – Both savory and sweet, simple and perfect for a cookie swap!

• Can of 100% pure pumpkin 
• Box of spice cake mix
• Dark chocolate chips 
• Mix all together, form into balls, place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375 for 15 minutes and enjoy!

Individual S’mores Cups – grab any seasonal peeps and make these year ’round!

• Halloween Marshmallo Peeps (grab any seasonal peeps and make these year ’round!)
• Keebler Graham Cracker Mini Pie Crust
• Snack Size Hershey’s Milk Chocolate
• Place chocolates inside of the crusts, top with a marshmallow peep, place in the oven at 350 for 8-10 minutes, let cool and enjoy!

Pumpkin Popcorn Station – Personalize toppings to your liking for a spooky movie night treat or a festive and fun addition to any party! Fill a pitcher or bowl with your favorite type of popcorn and top with a scoop, assemble bowls with “options” and scoops on a tray. Serve in festive little snack trays and enjoy!

• popcorn
• candy corn
• crushed pretzels
• peanuts 
• gummy bears 
• marshmallows 
• Reese’s pieces

Apple Slice Sundae Station – Customize your apples, sauces and toppings for a delectable and seasonally fun snack or dessert!

• apples apples – Granny Smith, Gala, Red Delicious (any kind will do)
• chocolate and peanut butter sauce – (or whatever tickles your taste buds!)
• chocolate sprinkles
• mini M&Ms 
• mini chocolate chips
• shredded coconut 
• toffee bits 
• crushed Oreos
• crushed pumpkin spice graham crackers (any graham cracker will do)

We’re breaking out all the tricks and treats this Halloween season! Whether you’re looking for inspo for classroom parties, fall birthday party snack ideas, or Halloween party additions, we’ve got a lineup of Halloween-inspired treats that is definitely spook-tacular and sure to impress your ghouls of honor! See our Halloween treat ideas below.

Pretzel Spiderwebs – a sweet and salty festive treat! Line pretzels up in the shape of a wheel on wax paper, heat up white chocolate until melted and swirl around, take a toothpick or prongs of a fork and pull out for that web look, and then finish with Halloween sprinkles!

Three Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies – Both savory and sweet, simple and perfect for a cookie swap!

• Can of 100% pure pumpkin 
• Box of spice cake mix
• Dark chocolate chips 
• Mix all together, form into balls, place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375 for 15 minutes and enjoy!

Individual S’mores Cups – grab any seasonal peeps and make these year ’round!

• Halloween Marshmallo Peeps (grab any seasonal peeps and make these year ’round!)
• Keebler Graham Cracker Mini Pie Crust
• Snack Size Hershey’s Milk Chocolate
• Place chocolates inside of the crusts, top with a marshmallow peep, place in the oven at 350 for 8-10 minutes, let cool and enjoy!

Pumpkin Popcorn Station – Personalize toppings to your liking for a spooky movie night treat or a festive and fun addition to any party! Fill a pitcher or bowl with your favorite type of popcorn and top with a scoop, assemble bowls with “options” and scoops on a tray. Serve in festive little snack trays and enjoy!

• popcorn
• candy corn
• crushed pretzels
• peanuts 
• gummy bears 
• marshmallows 
• Reese’s pieces

Apple Slice Sundae Station – Customize your apples, sauces and toppings for a delectable and seasonally fun snack or dessert!

• apples apples – Granny Smith, Gala, Red Delicious (any kind will do)
• chocolate and peanut butter sauce – (or whatever tickles your taste buds!)
• chocolate sprinkles
• mini M&Ms 
• mini chocolate chips
• shredded coconut 
• toffee bits 
• crushed Oreos
• crushed pumpkin spice graham crackers (any graham cracker will do)

The leaves are falling, the crisp air has arrived, and the season of goodies is upon us. October through December have multiple holiday events – Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and more, so that means classroom parties, various events, and the creation of goody bags, baskets, and more! Since my youngest daughter’s birthday is in October, I was invited to read a themed book, bring in a snack, and hang out with the class, and I used the opportunity to create pumpkin-themed buckets for her whole class! See our Halloween goody bag inspiration below.

My daughter turned five and is in Pre-K, so I kept it fun but still simple with a pumpkin theme: pumpkin buckets, themed cups, straws, glow sticks, and most importantly, snacks!

The snacks were fun – I found a lot of pumpkin-themed snacks like Entenmann’s pumpkin flavored muffins, gogo squeeze apple pumpkin spice applesauce pouches and decorative fun Skinny Pop popcorn bags.

I kept it pretty simple with Mott’s tots apple juice boxes, but I also ran across Swiss Miss pumpkin spice hot chocolate and just had to add it in. I read the book 10 Little Pumpkins, and the kids were super excited about their snack which was fresh fruit salad in waffle cone bowls topped with a dab of whipped cream – a healthy sundae!

Kristy is room mom for her daughter’s class this year, so of course she got right on her duties of helping to plan the first classroom party planned for October. She went straight to Target’s Hyde & EEK Bootique for plates, napkins, games and more goodies. She’s planning on serving slime punch in cauldrons and using festive food trays for snacks.

“You’ve been Boo’d” – yep that’s right, Kristy created Boo Bags for her kids’ classrooms! She took small clear gift bags and filled them with a bunch of fun little festive toys and a bunch of yummy goodies.

The options are virtually endless with what you can fill them with. Mini play-dohs, bubbles, the classic spider ring and themed pencils. I’m sure no matter what you come up with, the bags will end up being super spook-tacular! Happy Planning!

The leaves are falling, the crisp air has arrived, and the season of goodies is upon us. October through December have multiple holiday events – Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and more, so that means classroom parties, various events, and the creation of goody bags, baskets, and more! Since my youngest daughter’s birthday is in October, I was invited to read a themed book, bring in a snack, and hang out with the class, and I used the opportunity to create pumpkin-themed buckets for her whole class! See our Halloween goody bag inspiration below.

My daughter turned five and is in Pre-K, so I kept it fun but still simple with a pumpkin theme: pumpkin buckets, themed cups, straws, glow sticks, and most importantly, snacks!

The snacks were fun – I found a lot of pumpkin-themed snacks like Entenmann’s pumpkin flavored muffins, gogo squeeze apple pumpkin spice applesauce pouches and decorative fun Skinny Pop popcorn bags.

I kept it pretty simple with Mott’s tots apple juice boxes, but I also ran across Swiss Miss pumpkin spice hot chocolate and just had to add it in. I read the book 10 Little Pumpkins, and the kids were super excited about their snack which was fresh fruit salad in waffle cone bowls topped with a dab of whipped cream – a healthy sundae!

Kristy is room mom for her daughter’s class this year, so of course she got right on her duties of helping to plan the first classroom party planned for October. She went straight to Target’s Hyde & EEK Bootique for plates, napkins, games and more goodies. She’s planning on serving slime punch in cauldrons and using festive food trays for snacks.

“You’ve been Boo’d” – yep that’s right, Kristy created Boo Bags for her kids’ classrooms! She took small clear gift bags and filled them with a bunch of fun little festive toys and a bunch of yummy goodies.

The options are virtually endless with what you can fill them with. Mini play-dohs, bubbles, the classic spider ring and themed pencils. I’m sure no matter what you come up with, the bags will end up being super spook-tacular! Happy Planning!

As a busy mom of four, I’ve found that with the constant hustle and bustle of everyday life it’s so easy to grab prepackaged snacks on the fly. Depending on the day I’m packing 1-3 school lunches and throwing snacks to my two-year-old son in between meals or a hold-me-over until the next big meal or before an activity. There are all different types of prepackaged snacks, from chips and granola bars to cookies and fruit snacks. I’ve been more conscious over the years with checking out the ingredients – I especially try to avoid really any food dyes. I have a daughter that is negatively affected by Red 40, so I personally try to avoid bringing anything into our home with that ingredient. I am also conscious of the sugar content in prepared snacks. Here is a recent haul I did to stock up for packing lunches and a busy grab-n-go season of life!

• Brainiac Brain Squeezers Applesauce was created by two dads plus a team of neurologists, nutritionists, and pediatricians. They are unsweetened with Omega-3 DHA/EPA and Choline and only have 2 grams of sugar.
• GoGo SqueeZ Fruit & VeggieZ Applesauce Pouches with Pedal Pedal Peach, which is a nutritious blend of apples, peaches and sweet potatoes; and Speedy Strawberry, which is made from apples, strawberries and zucchini.
• Mott’s Fruit Snacks are the only fruit snacks I have found that do not have Red 40 – I am conscious of certain ingredients as I have a kid who is negatively affected by them. Plus I generally try to stay away from products that have any kind of dyes.
• Dot’s pretzels in my family’s opinion are the best brand of pretzels. My kids always ask for the “red bag” of pretzel snacks, but I am a fan of most of the other varieties that they offer.

• Simply Chex is what I call a “fun snack” – it’s a less healthy option, but still not as bad as other snacks imo.
• Goldfish – Original is another “fun snack,” but out of all the flavors, the original is the best option if you’re like me and try to stay away from artificial flavorings.
• Sun-maid raisins with yogurt is a snack most of my kids like, and they’ll eat them plain, but I do like to switch out with the fun flavors like strawberry and vanilla.

• Made Good granola bars offer the nutrients of a whole serving of veggies and are pretty tasty with their fun flavorings.
• That’s It mini fruit bars are very simple, with just two ingredients and no added sugar. It’s an easy yes for me and kids love it because it’s simply fruit.
• Bear fruit rolls are a great substitution for fruit roll ups…there is no added sugar and my kids love the collectible cards that come in each pack.
• Airly crackers are not only made with whole grain oats and taste yummy, but they are also good for the environment too.

• Junkless granola bars are so tasty, I’m not sure who likes them more – me or the kiddos. Plus they have a full serving of vegetables so that’s a win for sure.
• Bobo’s are an interesting combination of a cookie and a granola bar. They are gluten- and dairy-free as well as organic and vegan too.
• Mr. Beast Feastable cookies are low in sugar content, plant-based and GF; for me a better option over Keebler and Chips A-hoy brands.

• Sunbelt Bakery granola bars have no preservatives in them and are made from whole grains.
• Kodiak chewy bars and bites are very filling with the amount of protein, and the bites are a nice replacement for the popular Teddy Graham cookies.

As a busy mom of four, I’ve found that with the constant hustle and bustle of everyday life it’s so easy to grab prepackaged snacks on the fly. Depending on the day I’m packing 1-3 school lunches and throwing snacks to my two-year-old son in between meals or a hold-me-over until the next big meal or before an activity. There are all different types of prepackaged snacks, from chips and granola bars to cookies and fruit snacks. I’ve been more conscious over the years with checking out the ingredients – I especially try to avoid really any food dyes. I have a daughter that is negatively affected by Red 40, so I personally try to avoid bringing anything into our home with that ingredient. I am also conscious of the sugar content in prepared snacks. Here is a recent haul I did to stock up for packing lunches and a busy grab-n-go season of life!

• Brainiac Brain Squeezers Applesauce was created by two dads plus a team of neurologists, nutritionists, and pediatricians. They are unsweetened with Omega-3 DHA/EPA and Choline and only have 2 grams of sugar.
• GoGo SqueeZ Fruit & VeggieZ Applesauce Pouches with Pedal Pedal Peach, which is a nutritious blend of apples, peaches and sweet potatoes; and Speedy Strawberry, which is made from apples, strawberries and zucchini.
• Mott’s Fruit Snacks are the only fruit snacks I have found that do not have Red 40 – I am conscious of certain ingredients as I have a kid who is negatively affected by them. Plus I generally try to stay away from products that have any kind of dyes.
• Dot’s pretzels in my family’s opinion are the best brand of pretzels. My kids always ask for the “red bag” of pretzel snacks, but I am a fan of most of the other varieties that they offer.

• Simply Chex is what I call a “fun snack” – it’s a less healthy option, but still not as bad as other snacks imo.
• Goldfish – Original is another “fun snack,” but out of all the flavors, the original is the best option if you’re like me and try to stay away from artificial flavorings.
• Sun-maid raisins with yogurt is a snack most of my kids like, and they’ll eat them plain, but I do like to switch out with the fun flavors like strawberry and vanilla.

• Made Good granola bars offer the nutrients of a whole serving of veggies and are pretty tasty with their fun flavorings.
• That’s It mini fruit bars are very simple, with just two ingredients and no added sugar. It’s an easy yes for me and kids love it because it’s simply fruit.
• Bear fruit rolls are a great substitution for fruit roll ups…there is no added sugar and my kids love the collectible cards that come in each pack.
• Airly crackers are not only made with whole grain oats and taste yummy, but they are also good for the environment too.

• Junkless granola bars are so tasty, I’m not sure who likes them more – me or the kiddos. Plus they have a full serving of vegetables so that’s a win for sure.
• Bobo’s are an interesting combination of a cookie and a granola bar. They are gluten- and dairy-free as well as organic and vegan too.
• Mr. Beast Feastable cookies are low in sugar content, plant-based and GF; for me a better option over Keebler and Chips A-hoy brands.

• Sunbelt Bakery granola bars have no preservatives in them and are made from whole grains.
• Kodiak chewy bars and bites are very filling with the amount of protein, and the bites are a nice replacement for the popular Teddy Graham cookies.

It’s that time of year again…the leaves are starting to fall, the scent of pumpkin spice everything and the Spirit Halloween stores start popping up all over, and the Halloween shopping craze begins! 2/4 of my kiddos already had their costumes locked in and were ready to shop, and my other two were very much undecided. My 20% off coupon was expiring so we did some family shopping over the weekend! Check out some of the great kids’ Halloween apparel I found!

My youngest daughter was already locked in on being her favorite Disney princess Ariel, so she was the easiest purchase of the day. The outfit is adorable, and of course we had to get the signature locks to go with it!

My middle daughter chose this shimmer fox costume, no real rhyme or reason for it, but it is super cute and very minimal make-up application needed from me, so it’s a win-win all around.

I thought for sure my eldest would go for the Wednesday Addams or Barbie look this year, but nope, she went from the Shimmer Fox, to Descendants characters, to Rena Rouge and finally landed on Buttercup from the Power Puff Girls…a show that she’s never even seen an episode of before. Her reasoning was because of the similar hair length…uhm okay…the logic of a seven-year-old, I guess.

I always forget about Target for their kids’ costume selection. These seem to be the most popular of the selections this year, with Disney Villains like Ursula, Maleficent and Cruella over the princesses, along with Harry & Hermione from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and of course Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Michelangela and Leonardo – following the release of their live action movie earlier this year.

How cool are these zip-up and pullover hoodies…the one with the skeleton skull hood is my favorite! The pajama sets are adorable too – I grabbed the dinosaur skeleton set for my son.

Per usual, Target always has more for the girls. I have three girls ranging from ages four to seven and I was able to find an outfit for each of them. This Nightmare Before Christmas dress is super cute for my girlie girl that love tutus. My seven-year-old isn’t so much into the “kiddie” Halloween graphics, so the Cat & Jack hearts zip-up hoodie with matching leggings is perfect for her because it’s still festive and “cool”. For my six-year-old, I grabbed a pair of sparkly black leggings and paired them with a long-sleeved graphic t-shirt.

My kids have a Halloween parade at school, along with a class party and Spirit Week, which includes pajama day and mix-match sock day, so these themed matching pajamas and festive socks are a fun way to send the kiddos in to participate. Plus…they glow in the dark – how fun for the whole family! Be sure to check out the whole Hyde & EEK! Boutique Collection for all of the Halloween apparel and more!

It’s that time of year again…the leaves are starting to fall, the scent of pumpkin spice everything and the Spirit Halloween stores start popping up all over, and the Halloween shopping craze begins! 2/4 of my kiddos already had their costumes locked in and were ready to shop, and my other two were very much undecided. My 20% off coupon was expiring so we did some family shopping over the weekend! Check out some of the great kids’ Halloween apparel I found!

My youngest daughter was already locked in on being her favorite Disney princess Ariel, so she was the easiest purchase of the day. The outfit is adorable, and of course we had to get the signature locks to go with it!

My middle daughter chose this shimmer fox costume, no real rhyme or reason for it, but it is super cute and very minimal make-up application needed from me, so it’s a win-win all around.

I thought for sure my eldest would go for the Wednesday Addams or Barbie look this year, but nope, she went from the Shimmer Fox, to Descendants characters, to Rena Rouge and finally landed on Buttercup from the Power Puff Girls…a show that she’s never even seen an episode of before. Her reasoning was because of the similar hair length…uhm okay…the logic of a seven-year-old, I guess.

I always forget about Target for their kids’ costume selection. These seem to be the most popular of the selections this year, with Disney Villains like Ursula, Maleficent and Cruella over the princesses, along with Harry & Hermione from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and of course Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Michelangela and Leonardo – following the release of their live action movie earlier this year.

How cool are these zip-up and pullover hoodies…the one with the skeleton skull hood is my favorite! The pajama sets are adorable too – I grabbed the dinosaur skeleton set for my son.

Per usual, Target always has more for the girls. I have three girls ranging from ages four to seven and I was able to find an outfit for each of them. This Nightmare Before Christmas dress is super cute for my girlie girl that love tutus. My seven-year-old isn’t so much into the “kiddie” Halloween graphics, so the Cat & Jack hearts zip-up hoodie with matching leggings is perfect for her because it’s still festive and “cool”. For my six-year-old, I grabbed a pair of sparkly black leggings and paired them with a long-sleeved graphic t-shirt.

My kids have a Halloween parade at school, along with a class party and Spirit Week, which includes pajama day and mix-match sock day, so these themed matching pajamas and festive socks are a fun way to send the kiddos in to participate. Plus…they glow in the dark – how fun for the whole family! Be sure to check out the whole Hyde & EEK! Boutique Collection for all of the Halloween apparel and more!

Fall is my all-time favorite season of the year, and where I live, the first sign of the incoming fall season is the whiffs of the local tomato factory just one mile away that gets me craving pizza or pasta…I’m salivating just thinking about the scent! I look forward to all of the fall things – the festivals, the activities like apple and pumpkin picking, opening the windows for that crisp, cool air and of course — the fall fashion. Fall means trading in the flip-flops for closed-toed footwear! Check out these fall season footwear looks to match!

Riding boots (similar) used to be my go-to back in the day. I personally need to have a wide calf option and they’re harder to come by, but I always had the classic black and a brown pair to be able to switch it up. They’re such a fall staple and perfect to wear for all of the fall festivities, especially the ones that involve messier outdoor terrains! Pair them with some leggings and a casual or dressy sweater (similar) and you’re good to go!

Ahhhh my current favorite… the classic ankle booties (similar)! There’s nothing like a nice suede and a good thick block heel to elevate your stride if you’re on the shorter side like me. You can wear them for all of the fall occasions, whether it’s casual or even a dressier look if that’s your goal too. I have weaker ankles, so I love the added support around the ankle area that they have. These can be paired with a cute dress and jean jacket, but I loooove grabbin’ the perfect pair of jeans with a nice undershirt and a faux suede jacket!

Chelsea boots – a comfy and casual and close-fitting ankle boot, typically with elastic side panels…they are an easy on/off option. Perfect for a rainy or chilly overcast day, running errands, or an impromptu lunch date with friends. Keep it super chill with jeans, a plain white tee and a jean jacket (similar) to complete the outfit.

Another type of bootie would be the easy on/off slip-on boot (similar) or sometimes also called a “shoetie.” It’s basically a bootie without the zippers on the side. Sleek looks can be created with these – they’re good for the office, and also happy hour or date night afterwards. Paired with dark jeans, a dark tee and a neutral-colored oversized cardigan, these are a staple item for the fall season for sure!

The wedge boot…I love a good wedge! I have so many variations of the wedge, I literally have a wedge for every season! Casual but chic is how I would describe this style of wedge, as they stand out and would be considered the statement piece of the outfit, especially when paired with a light-colored jean and lighter sweater during those beginning weeks of fall.

Fall is my all-time favorite season of the year, and where I live, the first sign of the incoming fall season is the whiffs of the local tomato factory just one mile away that gets me craving pizza or pasta…I’m salivating just thinking about the scent! I look forward to all of the fall things – the festivals, the activities like apple and pumpkin picking, opening the windows for that crisp, cool air and of course — the fall fashion. Fall means trading in the flip-flops for closed-toed footwear! Check out these fall season footwear looks to match!

Riding boots (similar) used to be my go-to back in the day. I personally need to have a wide calf option and they’re harder to come by, but I always had the classic black and a brown pair to be able to switch it up. They’re such a fall staple and perfect to wear for all of the fall festivities, especially the ones that involve messier outdoor terrains! Pair them with some leggings and a casual or dressy sweater (similar) and you’re good to go!

Ahhhh my current favorite… the classic ankle booties (similar)! There’s nothing like a nice suede and a good thick block heel to elevate your stride if you’re on the shorter side like me. You can wear them for all of the fall occasions, whether it’s casual or even a dressier look if that’s your goal too. I have weaker ankles, so I love the added support around the ankle area that they have. These can be paired with a cute dress and jean jacket, but I loooove grabbin’ the perfect pair of jeans with a nice undershirt and a faux suede jacket!

Chelsea boots – a comfy and casual and close-fitting ankle boot, typically with elastic side panels…they are an easy on/off option. Perfect for a rainy or chilly overcast day, running errands, or an impromptu lunch date with friends. Keep it super chill with jeans, a plain white tee and a jean jacket (similar) to complete the outfit.

Another type of bootie would be the easy on/off slip-on boot (similar) or sometimes also called a “shoetie.” It’s basically a bootie without the zippers on the side. Sleek looks can be created with these – they’re good for the office, and also happy hour or date night afterwards. Paired with dark jeans, a dark tee and a neutral-colored oversized cardigan, these are a staple item for the fall season for sure!

The wedge boot…I love a good wedge! I have so many variations of the wedge, I literally have a wedge for every season! Casual but chic is how I would describe this style of wedge, as they stand out and would be considered the statement piece of the outfit, especially when paired with a light-colored jean and lighter sweater during those beginning weeks of fall.

It’s one of my most favorite seasons of the year…and I’m not talking about weather-wise, I’m talking about football season! I grew up in an environment of football watching and lovin’ fans my whole life. Growing up, we were a household divided, for my mom loved and rooted for the San Francisco 49ers, and my dad was a lifelong die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan. I, myself, root for the home team which includes all Philadelphia teams…Fly Eagles Fly, E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES! My own household now enjoys all of the festivities that come with football season – my hubby and I run our own fantasy football league, we have “Sunday Fun-days” with friends, yummy snacks and foods, and we wear our gear all while the games play. Speaking of game day gear…I love showing my team spirit whether it’s wearing a jersey, or color coordinating without necessarily sporting a team logo. Check out these NFL team pride looks below!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

Let’s start off with my home team, the Philadelphia Eagles! Coming off of their first win of the season over the New England Patriots, this team has a great palette of colors – green, black, white and silver – to play with. Whether you’re rooting for the birds at home or at Lincoln Financial Field located in the heart of Philly, you’re sure to make a statement with this outfit!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

The Carolina Panthers have a fun color palette with black, “Panther blue,” and silver – it’s the closest blue to my daughter’s favorite color, so I’m sure she’d root for this team just for the color! The Bank of America Stadium is based in Charlotte, NC, but represents both North and South Carolina states!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

It’s hard not to root for the Kansas City Chiefs, with a legendary coach like Andy Reid and a stellar QB in Patrick Mahomes. Even during last year’s Super Bowl, it was a hard loss for my team but a deserving win for the Chiefs. I’m not usually a fan of red, but when you pair it with gold and white, it does look very sharp. I always look forward to seeing what outfits Brittany Mahomes comes up with on the sidelines. I mean have you seen her style?!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

The Buffalo Bills had a tough loss in OT against the Jets this past week, but I’ll tell you what, you can’t really go wrong with the red and blue colors of their team. Add some white in there and their fans are always looking like the Fourth of July…how patriotic of them! You’ll see them in their blues at home games at Highmark Stadium and white when they’re on the road.

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

Oh boy, here we go! I dislike giving them any type of spotlight haha, but they did just come off of an astounding 40-0 game over the New York Giants…so I guess, good game?! Anywho, you’ll spot a Dallas fan with their star emblem and blue, metallic silver, and white color scheme. We all love to hate the Dallas Cowboys, but I have to admit that I do like their simple colors.

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

New York gets two football teams – no fair! Similar to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Jets colors are green and white. Both New York teams play at Metlife stadium which is near where the old Shea stadium is. There’s a sea of different colors depending on who’s playing what week!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

The New York Giants, another nemesis of “dem boys” in dark blue, red and white, also keep it patriotic. I used to root for this team back in high school – I was a Tiki Barber fan – and it was a fun handful of years to add to the family drama during football season, plus I didn’t look bad rockin’ their colors!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

This would be another team for my daughter to root for based on their team colors! The Miami Dolphins’ colors are aqua, orange, and white. The orange gives a nice color-blocking IMO…I could definitely get used to the vibe if I needed to! The aqua color is fitting since the Hard Rock Stadium is based in Miami Gardens in Florida!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

The good ol’ Cheese Head team! Dark green, gold, and white is a nice combo of colors. The touches of gold especially are a nice way to accessorize – a plain green hoodie, jeans, and fresh white kicks paired with some gold hoop earrings and a few bangles would be my go-to as a fan!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

Man, I miss Drew Brees – a class act on and off of the field! There’s just something about the old gold, black, and white combo that is just so classic and definitely gives off a great Gatsby vibe, too. Being a New Orleans based team, famous for Mardi Gras, I’m surprised their colors aren’t purple, green, and gold!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

The Denver Broncos, located in my birth state of Colorado! The Orange Crush – their colors are orange, white, and navy blue. I love a good Broncos get-up! The bold pop of orange does it for me, and it’s probably the only time I even really like that color, but it pairs so nicely with the navy blue! I’d rock the team spirit especially at a game at Empire field at Mile High, but only if Peyton Manning was still QB!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

New England Patriots – of course they have patriotic colors…red, blue, white with an added silver in there to be able to add some bling-bling! Since Tom Brady and “The Gronk” retired, are they even worth watching anymore?! Just kidding, I’m sure they’ll find a way to re-build with Mac Jones.

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

Another Pennsylvania team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the official team of the show This is Us right?! I can definitely get with their colors of black, white and my favorite color yellow! So whats’s with the red in the logo, you may ask yourself…well…the hypocycloids represent the three materials used to make steel: coal, iron ore and steel scrap!

It’s one of my most favorite seasons of the year…and I’m not talking about weather-wise, I’m talking about football season! I grew up in an environment of football watching and lovin’ fans my whole life. Growing up, we were a household divided, for my mom loved and rooted for the San Francisco 49ers, and my dad was a lifelong die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan. I, myself, root for the home team which includes all Philadelphia teams…Fly Eagles Fly, E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES! My own household now enjoys all of the festivities that come with football season – my hubby and I run our own fantasy football league, we have “Sunday Fun-days” with friends, yummy snacks and foods, and we wear our gear all while the games play. Speaking of game day gear…I love showing my team spirit whether it’s wearing a jersey, or color coordinating without necessarily sporting a team logo. Check out these NFL team pride looks below!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

Let’s start off with my home team, the Philadelphia Eagles! Coming off of their first win of the season over the New England Patriots, this team has a great palette of colors – green, black, white and silver – to play with. Whether you’re rooting for the birds at home or at Lincoln Financial Field located in the heart of Philly, you’re sure to make a statement with this outfit!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

The Carolina Panthers have a fun color palette with black, “Panther blue,” and silver – it’s the closest blue to my daughter’s favorite color, so I’m sure she’d root for this team just for the color! The Bank of America Stadium is based in Charlotte, NC, but represents both North and South Carolina states!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

It’s hard not to root for the Kansas City Chiefs, with a legendary coach like Andy Reid and a stellar QB in Patrick Mahomes. Even during last year’s Super Bowl, it was a hard loss for my team but a deserving win for the Chiefs. I’m not usually a fan of red, but when you pair it with gold and white, it does look very sharp. I always look forward to seeing what outfits Brittany Mahomes comes up with on the sidelines. I mean have you seen her style?!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

The Buffalo Bills had a tough loss in OT against the Jets this past week, but I’ll tell you what, you can’t really go wrong with the red and blue colors of their team. Add some white in there and their fans are always looking like the Fourth of July…how patriotic of them! You’ll see them in their blues at home games at Highmark Stadium and white when they’re on the road.

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

Oh boy, here we go! I dislike giving them any type of spotlight haha, but they did just come off of an astounding 40-0 game over the New York Giants…so I guess, good game?! Anywho, you’ll spot a Dallas fan with their star emblem and blue, metallic silver, and white color scheme. We all love to hate the Dallas Cowboys, but I have to admit that I do like their simple colors.

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

New York gets two football teams – no fair! Similar to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Jets colors are green and white. Both New York teams play at Metlife stadium which is near where the old Shea stadium is. There’s a sea of different colors depending on who’s playing what week!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

The New York Giants, another nemesis of “dem boys” in dark blue, red and white, also keep it patriotic. I used to root for this team back in high school – I was a Tiki Barber fan – and it was a fun handful of years to add to the family drama during football season, plus I didn’t look bad rockin’ their colors!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

This would be another team for my daughter to root for based on their team colors! The Miami Dolphins’ colors are aqua, orange, and white. The orange gives a nice color-blocking IMO…I could definitely get used to the vibe if I needed to! The aqua color is fitting since the Hard Rock Stadium is based in Miami Gardens in Florida!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

The good ol’ Cheese Head team! Dark green, gold, and white is a nice combo of colors. The touches of gold especially are a nice way to accessorize – a plain green hoodie, jeans, and fresh white kicks paired with some gold hoop earrings and a few bangles would be my go-to as a fan!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

Man, I miss Drew Brees – a class act on and off of the field! There’s just something about the old gold, black, and white combo that is just so classic and definitely gives off a great Gatsby vibe, too. Being a New Orleans based team, famous for Mardi Gras, I’m surprised their colors aren’t purple, green, and gold!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

The Denver Broncos, located in my birth state of Colorado! The Orange Crush – their colors are orange, white, and navy blue. I love a good Broncos get-up! The bold pop of orange does it for me, and it’s probably the only time I even really like that color, but it pairs so nicely with the navy blue! I’d rock the team spirit especially at a game at Empire field at Mile High, but only if Peyton Manning was still QB!

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

New England Patriots – of course they have patriotic colors…red, blue, white with an added silver in there to be able to add some bling-bling! Since Tom Brady and “The Gronk” retired, are they even worth watching anymore?! Just kidding, I’m sure they’ll find a way to re-build with Mac Jones.

TOP | BOTTOM | FOOTWEAR | ACCESSORY

Another Pennsylvania team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the official team of the show This is Us right?! I can definitely get with their colors of black, white and my favorite color yellow! So whats’s with the red in the logo, you may ask yourself…well…the hypocycloids represent the three materials used to make steel: coal, iron ore and steel scrap!

Back to school means back to making school lunches for the crew. Last September is when I really started preparing lunches at home for the kids to take to school. Depending on the school lunch menu, I was making 2/3 kids’ lunches at least three days out of the week. My youngest is very picky and didn’t want school lunch unless it was breakfast for lunch (i.e.: French toast sticks, etc.). For anyone planning on packing lunches, whether it’s your first time or if you need some fresh ideas or inspo, we’ve got the 4-1-1 for a successful school year!

Let’s start with containers! Kristy’s son is a picky eater, so these Bentgo boxes are perfect when putting together a lunch that kids can graze on with a variety of items that hopefully they are interested in that day because, well, kids…one day they love one thing and the next day they won’t touch it! Bentgo is leak-proof and some of the Bentgo boxes have ice packs – they’re called Bentgo Chill Boxes.

I have an Omie box for my youngest daughter. She isn’t a big eater and prefers turkey and cheese with mustard as her entree, or if we have left over spaghetti or mac ‘n’ cheese, I’ll fill up her thermos bowl with boiling water and let it sit while I heat up her leftovers, dump the water and replace with the meal – it keeps it at the perfect temperature until her lunch time. Add a couple of snacks and she’s good to go!

Anyone else wonder why most kids lunch boxes are so small?! It’s often hard to find items that are able to fit. Kristy found these sandwich containers for her daughter’s lunch bag. These are reusable, easy to open and close, and are safe for the freezer too.

I came across these snap-lock lunch box containers last year and they also fit well in my kids’ lunch boxes…we have ones from Pottery Barn Kids. They are slightly bento-inspired with a couple different compartments. They are not leak-proof, but they get the job done.

I use Ello containers to make fresh fruit cups and SnapLock dip cups for ranch dressing or other condiments so that there are no spills or leaks. I like to use silicone muffin cups as a space-saver to place snacks like pretzels, goldfish, cookies and more for easy access. My favorite score last year was these Ello on the go cutlery sets. I love using them over plastic utensils.

Kristy gets creative with her son’s lunches since he is the pickiest eater! She uses fun cookie cutters to make different shapes for his sandwiches – and she says that they have actually helped! The smaller shapes can be used for fruits like melons and apples. Don’t forget about the cutters to make homemade uncrustables. 

Does anyone else find that there’s never enough room for ice packs?! When you’re packing lunch meat and/or cheese sandwiches and items like yogurt and cheese sticks, you need it! Kristy found these fun character thin ice packs that fit perfectly.

PRO TIP: If you have a gogurt kid, freeze the gogurts and use them as ice packs! They keep your items cool, and it thaws out just in time for lunch!

For thermoses, we’ve been through the wringer with trying to find ones that are great at keeping their drinks cold and NOT leaking everywhere! These are my go-tos! 

• Simple Modern – they come in two sizes and some fun patterns
• Hydroflask – these are great for sports and with having to personalize everything, there’s a nice sleeve you can add your kiddo’s name to
• Thermoflask – keeps beverages ice-cold for 24 hrs, and hot for up to 12 hrs with double-wall and vacuum insulation
• MIIR – MiiR is a family-owned company based in Seattle, Washington, and their products are insulated and leak-proof
• Thermos – if your kids have sensitivities and prefer a softer straw, these are great, and of course they come in fun designs

Liquid IV recently came out with kids’ hydration multiplier packs, so Kristy grabbed all of the flavors and will include them in her kids’ lunch routines, putting them in their thermoses because they drink way more water with them!

Frito-Lay has an ultimate snack package which offers 40 assorted varieties of chips, cookies, crackers and more! Perfect for lunches, on-the-go students or teachers – if you’d like to gift a snack!

If your child happens to be in a class with a gluten and/or nut allergy, fortunately Walmart has a great selection for school-friendly snacks!

Grab and go variety snacks from Amazon are perfect not only for lunches, but also for those afterschool activities like softball, CCD, tumbling, soccer, karate, or gymnastics. It’s also a great grab for a teacher/class donation!

There’s nothing like a handwritten note from a loved one, but this year the trend is adorable little note/joke cards to put in their lunch box each day! They have riddles, fun facts, brain teasers and some giggles and laughs! There are also holiday specific ones too!

Back to school means back to making school lunches for the crew. Last September is when I really started preparing lunches at home for the kids to take to school. Depending on the school lunch menu, I was making 2/3 kids’ lunches at least three days out of the week. My youngest is very picky and didn’t want school lunch unless it was breakfast for lunch (i.e.: French toast sticks, etc.). For anyone planning on packing lunches, whether it’s your first time or if you need some fresh ideas or inspo, we’ve got the 4-1-1 for a successful school year!

Let’s start with containers! Kristy’s son is a picky eater, so these Bentgo boxes are perfect when putting together a lunch that kids can graze on with a variety of items that hopefully they are interested in that day because, well, kids…one day they love one thing and the next day they won’t touch it! Bentgo is leak-proof and some of the Bentgo boxes have ice packs – they’re called Bentgo Chill Boxes.

I have an Omie box for my youngest daughter. She isn’t a big eater and prefers turkey and cheese with mustard as her entree, or if we have left over spaghetti or mac ‘n’ cheese, I’ll fill up her thermos bowl with boiling water and let it sit while I heat up her leftovers, dump the water and replace with the meal – it keeps it at the perfect temperature until her lunch time. Add a couple of snacks and she’s good to go!

Anyone else wonder why most kids lunch boxes are so small?! It’s often hard to find items that are able to fit. Kristy found these sandwich containers for her daughter’s lunch bag. These are reusable, easy to open and close, and are safe for the freezer too.

I came across these snap-lock lunch box containers last year and they also fit well in my kids’ lunch boxes…we have ones from Pottery Barn Kids. They are slightly bento-inspired with a couple different compartments. They are not leak-proof, but they get the job done.

I use Ello containers to make fresh fruit cups and SnapLock dip cups for ranch dressing or other condiments so that there are no spills or leaks. I like to use silicone muffin cups as a space-saver to place snacks like pretzels, goldfish, cookies and more for easy access. My favorite score last year was these Ello on the go cutlery sets. I love using them over plastic utensils.

Kristy gets creative with her son’s lunches since he is the pickiest eater! She uses fun cookie cutters to make different shapes for his sandwiches – and she says that they have actually helped! The smaller shapes can be used for fruits like melons and apples. Don’t forget about the cutters to make homemade uncrustables. 

Does anyone else find that there’s never enough room for ice packs?! When you’re packing lunch meat and/or cheese sandwiches and items like yogurt and cheese sticks, you need it! Kristy found these fun character thin ice packs that fit perfectly.

PRO TIP: If you have a gogurt kid, freeze the gogurts and use them as ice packs! They keep your items cool, and it thaws out just in time for lunch!

For thermoses, we’ve been through the wringer with trying to find ones that are great at keeping their drinks cold and NOT leaking everywhere! These are my go-tos! 

• Simple Modern – they come in two sizes and some fun patterns
• Hydroflask – these are great for sports and with having to personalize everything, there’s a nice sleeve you can add your kiddo’s name to
• Thermoflask – keeps beverages ice-cold for 24 hrs, and hot for up to 12 hrs with double-wall and vacuum insulation
• MIIR – MiiR is a family-owned company based in Seattle, Washington, and their products are insulated and leak-proof
• Thermos – if your kids have sensitivities and prefer a softer straw, these are great, and of course they come in fun designs

Liquid IV recently came out with kids’ hydration multiplier packs, so Kristy grabbed all of the flavors and will include them in her kids’ lunch routines, putting them in their thermoses because they drink way more water with them!

Frito-Lay has an ultimate snack package which offers 40 assorted varieties of chips, cookies, crackers and more! Perfect for lunches, on-the-go students or teachers – if you’d like to gift a snack!

If your child happens to be in a class with a gluten and/or nut allergy, fortunately Walmart has a great selection for school-friendly snacks!

Grab and go variety snacks from Amazon are perfect not only for lunches, but also for those afterschool activities like softball, CCD, tumbling, soccer, karate, or gymnastics. It’s also a great grab for a teacher/class donation!

There’s nothing like a handwritten note from a loved one, but this year the trend is adorable little note/joke cards to put in their lunch box each day! They have riddles, fun facts, brain teasers and some giggles and laughs! There are also holiday specific ones too!