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Selling a Home: The Things They Don’t Tell You

The things they don’t tell you…

Selling a Home

This is the first time we’ve sold a house. We purchased the home we’re in 20 years ago, but at that time we were coming from a rental house so all we had to do was give our 30-day notice and we were out of there. This time, we’re selling our home at the same time we’re buying (actually, building) a new one. It’s complicated, y’all! I thought I’d share some of the things that surprised us… so you won’t be surprised if you are ever in the same situation.

What the hell is a C.L.U.E. Report? Let me tell you – it’s a report you obtain from your current homeowner’s insurance company that tells the buyers if you’ve had any claims on your policy in the last 7 years. When I called AAA (our insurance company) they had no idea what I was talking about. 3 people had no idea what I was talking about. This is mandatory and my insurance company had no clue (pun intended). Turns out, there is a very specific website (not insurance specific) where you have to ORDER the damn C.L.U.E. Report and have it mailed to you. Snail mail. Who does that anymore??? It’s free, but still. Takes 15 days to mail it. So if you are selling… order the damn thing ASAP.
HOA Documents (CC&R’s). If you are living in an HOA community (and most of us in California are) then you have to order a full copy of your CC&R’s. The problem is this is expensive. Seriously… we HAVE our copy of the CC&R’s but escrow won’t let us just pass it along to the new homeowners. Nope… we have to PAY for the HOA office to make us a new copy. Pay, as in $400 pay. To make a copy. On a copy machine. Jeez! Scam much!
Closing costs! I still am having a hard time wrapping my head around all these closing costs. I knew we had to pay them when we BOUGHT a new home. But I had no idea closing costs were just as expensive when you SOLD a house. Kind of feels like we’re getting screwed on both ends. Oh wait… we are! So there are some costs that are negotiable… but those are like 2 or 3 out of 20 different costs. And the ones that are negotiable are less than $100 anyway. The big costs… those over $1,000 aren’t negotiable. Ugh! Take all my money!
Inspections. Inspections are scary! This guy (or gal) comes into your home and the realtor is there and the buyers are there and everyone is going over your home with a fine-tooth comb. Then, you all sit down and the Inspector goes over the laundry list of things wrong with your house. Sheesh! You start to sweat and think that you’ve been living in a disaster zone… until your realtor smiles and says “don’t worry” and the Inspector actually ends the conversation with… “this was one of the shortest lists I’ve had in a long time.” Wow… didn’t seem short at all to me. Phew…
Termite Inspection – this might just be a California thing… I don’t know. But this is another time when you start to sweat as the Inspector is going over the entire outside (and inside) of your home. I know what termite damage looks like, and I didn’t see any, but it’s still a scary time. Our neighbor recently had to have their house tented for termites so I was in panic mode that we’d have to do the same. Tenting your home is expensive and time-consuming (takes 3 days of being out of your home). We were really fortunate that we didn’t have termites. Phew… another bullet dodged.
Packing. Really… what can I say? Packing always takes longer than you think it will. Now, if you are hiring a traditional mover, they may or may not have packing services so you won’t have to lift a finger. But movers are really expensive if you are moving out-of-state. Also, it’s not like you’re moving down the street so there is no way you can get your stuff quickly. We’re heading one State over and it’s going to take several days. We opted for Pods. It was just more cost-effective for us. With Pods, you determine the date you want the container dropped off to your home. They charge per month so you get storage included with your price (if you need it). You can either pack the Pod up yourself or hire people to do it for you. We’re hiring people because we’re moving from a 2-story home to another 2-story home… and our strength isn’t what it used to be. For everything else, though, I’m packing myself. So it’s back and forth to Home Depot for boxes and packing materials. I started packing things up about a week after we got an offer on our house. I was paranoid about things falling through. Luckily, they didn’t and I generally pack a few boxes each day. Now, a week away from moving, I don’t have that much left to pack. We’re in good shape.
Insurance. Something to keep in mind… get your quotes early if you are moving to a different location (a different City or State). Our current insurance (AAA of Southern California) doesn’t write policies in Arizona and they were so NOT helpful. Turns out, the AAA companies are not inter-connected and don’t like to talk to each other. I had to call AAA of Phoenix to get a new quote. And they were ridiculously expensive. Seriously… way more expensive than California. Who knew? So, start early and call around. Also, check your coverage… different States have different requirements and Arizona, for instance, doesn’t have the same required coverage as California does. Do your homework.

The bottom line? Don’t be surprised if you are surprised! The stress the past few weeks has been incomprehensible. And don’t even get me started on registering the kids for a new school. That’s another headache. Transcripts and birth certificates and immunizations… oy vey!

This has certainly been a learning experience. Feel free to shoot me your questions if you are considering moving out of State. And if you are thinking of moving to Arizona… do it! We’ll be neighbors!

family

The Next Chapter

I haven’t been writing a lot of personal stuff lately… there’s a reason for that. Sometimes when you are in the middle of a big change, it’s hard to put into words all those thoughts and feelings in a way that makes sense to anyone else. The past several months, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes in our family. We’ve been doing a lot of soul-searching: figuring out what we really wanted to do, what we wanted to accomplish, how we wanted to live, where we wanted to live.

My marriage is great and my kids are all doing exceptionally well. Our jobs are fine and we’re all healthy. But the fact is, things have been stagnant in our lives for a long time. At some point, you realize that if you want a different outcome, you have to make some difficult changes. And we’ve decided it was time to make that big change. It’s time for a new chapter.

We’re leaving California.

This wasn’t a decision we made lightly. David was born here in the Los Angeles area and I’ve lived here for over 30 years. My girls are all California Girls and always will be. We will always think of California as our home. However…

California hasn’t been quite as kind. It’s gotten much tougher to realize your dreams here in the Golden State. It’s expensive to live and the gas prices have really taken a toll on us. David travels for business every single day… usually over an hour each way. He works all over Los Angeles County and every day it’s somewhere new. It’s not like we could move “closer” to his work. We have lived in the same house for 20 years. This was our “starter” house. We expected to be here for 3 – 5 years. We have now been priced out of the market. There is no way we can afford to move into a larger house here. With sky-high property taxes… and sales taxes… and income taxes… it’s impacted our ability to do many of the things we always wanted to do. While we are so fortunate that we make a great income, it just doesn’t go as far as it should.

So we’re heading east. Just a little. We built a house in Arizona.

Why Arizona? It seemed like the most logical choice for us. We have family there already and the cost of living is lower. Not much, but enough so that we could purchase the house we wanted for a lot less than our tiny California house cost. We’ll also be closer to Temera, although that is not the reason we’re moving… just a perk. David and I both have more opportunities and at this stage in our lives (we aren’t getting any younger, you know) it makes sense. It feels right.

So, we’ve sold our house and we’ll be heading out next week. We are so excited for this next chapter in our lives. And the designer in me is totally stoked to have the chance to decorate a home from scratch! And for the first time in my life, we’ll have plenty of room for guests!

I’m looking forward to being able to entertain, discover new shops and restaurants, and take weekend trips to new and undiscovered places. I’m also excited to meet new friends and build a different kind of life than we have now.

So, to answer your questions:

Yes, the kids are excited about it as well.

No, I’m not worried about the summer heat.

Yes, David and I can both work over there.

Yes, our new house is twice as big and half the cost.

Yes, this is why we have been remodeling our home.

This is the right move at the right time for us. We’re so looking forward to 2019!

parenting

Then and Now: How Our Memories Can Make the Teen Years Wonderful

This is a sponsored post on behalf of The Center for Parent and Teen Communication.
#ThenAndNowKids #CPTC

THEN

She was quiet, so quiet. She stood in the shadow of her older sister who did everything she couldn’t do. She desperately wanted to be like her and followed her around constantly. She was a late bloomer – walked late, talked late, cut her first tooth late. She was a builder, a tinkerer, a lover of how things worked. She would take apart electronics just to see what the inside looked like. Never mind that her little hands couldn’t figure out how to put them back together. She was a snuggler, always wanting to be held and loved. Her bed overflowed with stuffed animals, barely enough room for her to squeeze in. She was an artist, always wanting to draw or paint or create. What she wanted most was to be noticed. She loved all things princess and was a little girly girl. Her eyes were the bluest I had ever seen. They shone bright, just like her smile.

NOW

She is 16. She is still a builder, a tinkerer, a lover of how things work. This time, when she takes something apart, she can put it back together. She builds robots. She loves math. She wants to be a mechanical engineer so she can create animatronics. These days her bed isn’t overflowing with stuffed animals, but she still is a snuggler and loves her family. While she is machining a part in the school workshop, she’ll probably also be messing up her freshly painted nails. She no longer follows in the path of her older sister but instead, SHE is the leader. She teaches, she mentors, she is always the first to volunteer. I look at her and see the little girl she was, and marvel at the accomplished woman she has become. Her eyes are still as blue and they still shine just as bright.

Ask me what my favorite parenting age is and I’ll say the teenage years every time. I feel blessed to be able to take this journey with my kids. If you love your teens (of course you do), you’ll want to check out The Center for Parent and Teen Communication – an amazing new resource for every parent navigating the teen years. You can get a taste for the type of advice you’ll find with this post from the director, Dr. Ginsburg.

Share your own memories and help share the above video. Let’s all share the joy of parenting our teenagers. They are truly amazing!

parenting

Back to School Means Back to Great Skin

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.
All opinions are mine alone. #BTSWithPinkGrapefruit #CollectiveBias

Be Beautiful Inside AND Out

My family is not one of those blessed with perfect skin. It’s one of the things that’s been most frustrating to me over the course of my life. I actually had pretty okay skin during high school… until I reached college, and then it was all downhill from there. Maybe it was the stress of being away from home or maybe it was just the fact that my eating habits were terrible. In any case, my skin broke out on a regular basis and it never really stopped. Yep… I’m in my 50’s and still have to be really careful with my skin.

My poor daughters have all had issues as well. Unfortunately, they inherited my awful skin genes. They all know they have to be extra careful – keeping their skin extra clean and going easy on the makeup. It’s so important to develop a good skincare routine early on… something I wish I had done when I was a kid. So because of my own issues, I am super focused on making sure my kids have the best products and the best habits.

Our favorite is the NEUTROGENA® Oil-Free Acne products. I’ve always been a big NEUTROGENA® fan and when my youngest daughter started having issues with some back acne, I ran out to our local CVS (they have the best selection) and bought her the NEUTROGENA® BODY CLEAR® Body Wash Pink Grapefruit (love how this smells!). I needed her to have something that would be powerful but gentle and she now uses this daily in the shower. It is specifically developed to treat body breakouts on your back, shoulders, and chest without drying out your skin – and with naturally derived grapefruit extract plus vitamin C, it lathers just right and you don’t feel like you are sacrificing your shower experience. The best part: the fact that it has Salicylic Acid boosted by oil dissolving MICROCLEAR® Technology.

Salicylic Acid is the only thing that has worked for all of us so it is important that the products we use contain this. But while the Body Wash has been so helpful, we also love the entire line of NEUTROGENA® Oil-Free Acne products.

Developing a routine isn’t hard… you just need to do it enough times so it becomes a habit. Because my girls always want to look their best (and it’s SO important for teens to feel confident all the time), they are pretty good about following a skin care regimen.

STEP 1: WASH YOUR FACE MORNING AND NIGHT

I know, this isn’t always the fun part of skincare. But it’s really the most important. Clean skin is healthy skin, and when you are prone to breakouts, it’s a critical step in your routine. I have found that when my girls have fun products, they are much more likely to stick to it. The NEUTROGENA® Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub is AMAZING! Smells incredible and it’s foamy which makes it super fun and easy to use while powerfully clearing blemishes and blackheads with maximum strength Salicylic Acid (told you I love this stuff).

You might need to remind your kids each morning and every night to wash their face, but if you do it a few times, they’ll finally catch on. And if they love the scent of pink grapefruit, they will really want that fresh and clean feeling.

STEP 2: MOISTURIZE AND GO EASY ON THE MAKEUP

One of the things I wish I had started earlier in my life was using a good moisturizer. I was always kind of afraid of them because I had oily skin and thought adding more moisture was doing more harm than good. I learned late that this just isn’t true. And part of having great skin is keeping the good kind of moisture locked in. I’ve added the NEUTROGENA® Oil-Free Acne Moisturizer Pink Grapefruit to my kids’ routine as well. My daughter kept telling me she wanted a moisturizer (should have listened to her earlier) and this one is really so perfect. The dual-action formula combines oil-free hydration with powerful acne medicine. It helps treat and prevent breakouts while it moisturizes thirsty skin. Yes… you really CAN get a moisturizer that helps prevent breakouts!

And I know it’s hard to tell your teens not to wear makeup, just make sure they go easy on it when they do. You don’t want to ruin all this amazing skincare with heavy makeup that clogs your pores. When your skin is fresh and clean, you’ll want to keep it that way.

STEP 4: WATER AND DIET REALLY DO MATTER

Drink more water. There… done! Seriously, though, how many of us drink enough water? I’m really lucky that my girls love drinking water. I never liked it much. The one thing I’ve found that helps me is buying a super cute water cup and making sure to fill it up first thing in the morning. I also bring it with me when I’m running errands and make sure to keep it in the car. I don’t always actually take a drink, but having it ready and full makes it easier for sure. Even a few sips here and there is helpful in getting your recommended daily intake.

You’ll hear people for and against the foods you eat having a direct relationship to your skin… but I do think for some people who are prone to breakouts, focusing on healthier eating makes a real difference. I always tell my girls that when they are having a bad skin day, remove the sodas and sugars from their diet. You’ll have to figure out what your own triggers are but for us it’s the sugar. I’m not saying don’t eliminate it completely, just on those days that you aren’t feeling your best, other than having extra clean skin, keep track of what you are eating.

STEP 3: TAKE CARE OF ALL OF YOUR SKIN, NOT JUST YOUR FACE

I’m going back to the first product I shared with you… the NEUTROGENA® BODY CLEAR® Body Wash Pink Grapefruit. We tend to focus so much on our face (for good reason) that often we let the rest of our skin go. Always make sure you have something powerful in the shower to keep ALL of your skin extra clean and breakout-free.

Why wouldn’t you want to use the #1 Dermatologist recommended Acne Brand? Of course you would! Only the best for you and your family. If you are looking for the entire line of products, check out your local CVS. They have all these amazing Pink Grapefruit choices.

The biggest thing I tell my kids is that your skin does not define who you are. Be confident in the inner-you and that’s what people will notice. A warm, kind-hearted, caring person is always going to shine the brightest.

What is your biggest confidence booster?

Great news! There is currently an Ibotta offer going on where you can earn up to $2.00 cash back at CVS.

Purchase 1 NEUTROGENA® Pink Grapefruit product at CVS and get 1 at 50% off. This offer is good while supplies last and is ONLY good for the week of 9/9/18. Run over to CVS and grab your products today.

parenting

Things I Want My Daughter To Know

My firstborn left me. We dropped her off at college a week ago, helped set up her dorm room, and then I proceeded to burst out crying once I was safely hidden inside the car. I’ve done my job so well that she’ll never need me, right?

I hope I failed just a tiny bit… I’d really like her to still need me just a little. I have so many feelings that it’s hard to put them into words. I’m at once overjoyed that my amazing daughter will be living on her own and be making her own way in the world, and at the same time I am reaching out to grab hold of the little blond girl in the striped dress hugging her doll to her. When they say it goes by fast, they ain’t kidding.

So while I will be shedding a lot of tears in the next few weeks, they will be a mix of sad tears that I didn’t stop and enjoy more when she was young… and tears of pride at the beautiful person she has become.

As any good mother, I left her with a letter imparting my final words of wisdom. While I won’t share the private stuff, I thought I would share the advice part.

Life is not meant to be easy. Or neat and tidy. It’s messy and frustrating and not fair. Always stick up for yourself, but know when it’s time to move on.
When you are feeling blue… grab a Starbucks and walk around Target. Don’t question it… it’s guaranteed to make you feel better.
You can always text your mom.
When your friends are letting you down, remember that you have two sisters at home who will be your BFF’s for the rest of your life. That’s pretty awesome!
Sleep is NOT over-rated. Things always look better in the morning.
You CAN do it!
There is always someone worse off than you. Find them and offer to help. It is guaranteed to make you feel better.
Baking relieves stress… but you already know that.
Step out of your comfort zone every now and then. You won’t regret it.
If it doesn’t feel right… don’t do it.
Trust your instincts.
College is so much more than classes and grades.
Show up for class and sit in the front. Let the Professor know who you are. It could make all the difference.
Click “Save” every few minutes. Trust me on this one.
Everyone you meet is a connection. The person sitting next to you in class might have the power to offer you a kick-ass job someday.
If you aren’t feeling well, go to the health center – that’s why we pay for it.
If you are stressed or anxious or depressed… call mom. Immediately.
Don’t forget to eat… preferably some fruit and veggies every now and then.
Find someone to play tennis with.
Make sure you have your pepper spray with you.
It’s okay to say no.
One great friend is worth more than a dozen so-so friends. That will be true for your entire life.
I trust you.
I love you.
As long as your Dad and I are alive, you always have a home to come back to.

books

Book Club Summer Read is HERE! + Giveaway

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for partnering with me (and my book club) for this giveaway.

Calling all book club members! I’m going on my 12th year (I think) of the same book club I founded back when I was struggling with three small daughters and desperately needed some kind of outlet. Who knew that all these years later, I’d be meeting monthly with the same 5 women – over dinner, over talks of family and vacations, over great books and not-so-great books, and over the fact that we aren’t getting any younger.

We’re all different but the one thing we have most in common is our immense love of reading. Reading to me is what keeps me sane. It is impossible to read a fabulous book and think about all the problems you are facing. Some people meditate… I read.

The thing I really love most about being part of a book club is that I’ve been exposed to books that I normally would never have read. We each take a turn suggesting a book to the club and we’ve read fiction, non-fiction, mystery, romance, summer beach reads, and also a classic thrown in now and then. And with every story, there is something to be learned. A new character to embrace or a new location to explore.

Lucky for us, we got to read Kristin Hannah’s new book, The Great Alone. A few months ago, I finished reading her book, The Nightingale, which I completely fell in love with. If I could choose any talent to have, it would be being able to write the type of books that Kristin writes.

Kristin is one of the few authors who I race to read new books from. Lucky for us, she seems to have an endless imagination when it comes to telling stories.

You can read about The Great Alone below, but I love stories that take me out of my comfort zone. This one takes place in the wilderness of Alaska. The closest I got was a cruise to Alaska many years ago. It was fabulous and such a beautiful State, but I certainly never braved the wild like the family in this story does. I encourage you to take a trip deep into the Alaskan wilderness with the Allbright family and experience their story for yourself. Such a perfect book club selection and I can’t wait to get together with my own book club to hear what the other members thought.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

St. Marten’s Press is letting me give away a Book Club Kit like the one I received.

5 copies of The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah, published by St. Martin’s Press.
5 super adorable matching lapel buttons.
plus a $50 gift card to Wine.com.

To enter the giveaway: Post a comment AND share a post either on this blog, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. One winner will be selected via Random.org on Friday, July 13. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to find the giveaway threads.

Giveaway open to US addresses only. Prizing and samples provided by St. Martin’s Press.

The Perfect Book Club Pick!

#TheGreatAlone

About The Great Alone

An instant #1 New York Times bestseller (February 2018)!

“A TOUR DE FORCE.” —Kirkus (starred review)

Alaska, 1974.
Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska—a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.

About the Author

Kristin Hannah is the New York Times bestselling author more than twenty novels. A former lawyer turned writer, she is the mother of one son and lives with her husband in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii.

Like Kristin Hannah on Facebook and follow St. Martin’s Press on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Category 2 travel

Travel Bucket List

Do you have a travel bucket list?

Who hasn’t, at one time or another, sat daydreaming about all the wonderful places they would go if they only had a few extra bucks? I’ve been fortunate to have been able to travel when I was younger. I’ve been to Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Italy, England, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Monaco, Lichtenstein, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Israel. Don’t get too excited, most of these were with a tour group after I graduated from college. Still, travel is something I always wanted to do more of. And then I had kids.

Kids aren’t a deal breaker when it comes to traveling, but they sure do make it a little harder financially speaking. Now that the kids are teenagers, I’m starting to rethink those places I always wanted to travel to. I have to admit, some of the places I dreamed about going aren’t on the top of my list anymore. And those places where I would have refused to go when I was younger… well, they slowly rose to the top of that list.

So here it is… my current travel bucket list.

(All photos courtesy of Pixabay.com)

Vietnam

Maldives

Peru

Ireland

Greece

Iceland

Hungary

Tahiti

What countries are on your travel bucket list?

family parenting

Don’t Blink – And Other Things I Wish I Had Known

I wish someone had told me, as I sat and watched my kindergartner walk down the aisle at her commencement, not to blink. Not for a moment. Because once you blink, all you remember is a flash. The years between 1st grade and senior year become a blur. And then you hyperventilate.

My oldest daughter just graduated from high school. I feel proud, excited, and nauseous all at once. I told myself for years that I wanted her to go live her life, experience all the wonders of the world. I wasn’t wrong… but I’m having a really hard time letting go.

She’s 18 but when I look in her eyes they are the same eyes she had when she was 5 and danced around the house. I look at the woman standing before me but all I see is the little blond-haired child she once was. What I wouldn’t give for a moment in the past.

I’d like to say she grew up fabulous in spite of me, but I also like to think maybe I had some small hand in the accomplished person she’s become. There is a reason parents gush over their kids… because we are just so darn proud of them.

I wish I had known that by doing my job as a parent meant that my child would be completely self-sufficient. She technically doesn’t need me anymore… for emotional support, yes, but she doesn’t need me. She can pump her own gas and make her own meals and do her own laundry and handle her own bank account. She can fill out paperwork and apply for a job and read a map. She knows how to call AAA or 911 in case of an emergency. I’ve done my job too well.

That’s what you get for being a parent.

No one tells you that it feels like you’ve had your heart ripped out of you. No one tells you that you’ll feel like you are losing your best friend. No one tells you that the amount of love you have for your child can grow even more than you thought possible.

I wish I knew that the first few bars of “Pomp and Circumstance” would release a flood of tears.

I wish I knew that as I lay in bed at night, my arms would ache for that baby she once was.

I wish I knew that the day after diplomas are handed out, I’d wake to feel like I was hit by a truck.

And now the preparation for college sets in and it’s all at once an ending and a beginning and almost too much emotion to handle.

In 3 months she’ll be starting a new part of her life far away from home. But I’ve still got 3 months to hug her tight and relish in the wondrous person she is right now.

family

Making Better Choices with Weight Watchers®

This post was sponsored by Weight Watchers International, Inc. as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

After my third daughter was born I knew I needed some help getting back into my pre-baby body. Weight Watchers® was the only program that worked for me back then. I think I managed to do okay with my eating until recently when I found myself working several different jobs from home AND still trying to parent three teenagers and take care of a house, husband, and two dogs. When you work from home, you tend to do either of two things:

You nosh on anything and everything all day long
You eat nothing because you are so busy you forget it’s lunchtime.

Either way, you lose because eating nothing is just as bad as eating too much. And suddenly, my clothes don’t fit. I think I’ve reached the end of my rope because with all the stuff going on in my life right now, I can’t handle gaining weight too. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine was complaining about the very same thing and she suggested we both do Weight Watchers together. Yep… that sounds like a plan!

I know that Weight Watchers has changed their plan over the years and now they have a new Freestyle™ program with zero Points® foods. It’s pretty awesome, actually, since there are tons of choices you can add to your meal planning that don’t eat up all your points. I love that since the one thing I hate is to be restricted in the amounts of foods I can eat. With zero Points® foods you know you’ll be able to fill yourself up. I set about working on a meal plan that my whole family would be happy with.

Meal planning has never really been my thing, however, so I had to get pretty creative and know that in order for this to work I had to actually STICK to the plan. At the beginning of the week, I come up with all my meals since having food available in the house is the biggest problem for me. Although I’m home all day, I AM working and that doesn’t give me a lot of time to prep meals. If I can do things in the morning or throw stuff in the slow cooker, it saves me a ton of time. What has been a lifesaver is the selection of products I can purchase at Walmart during regular shopping trips that have been endorsed/licensed by Weight Watchers. The best part is all these clearly show you how many points they are. What could be easier than that?

What has really been a lifesaver for me are the Oroweat® Sandwich Thins rolls endorsed by Weight Watchers® and the Flatout® Flatbread endorsed by Weight Watchers®. Lunch is always a big disappointment because I never have anything interesting in the house and I can’t afford time-wise (or money-wise) to run out to pick up something outside the house. Sandwiches are easy to make with these sandwich thins and flatbreads. I usually have some kind of leftover chicken at home and it’s so easy to whip up some chicken salad for lunches.

My daughter loves the Oroweat® Sandwich Thins. They are an excellent source of fiber and are only 3 SmartPoints® per roll. They also come in Whole Wheat, Honey Wheat, and Flax & Fiber.

I am a big fan of the Flatout® Flatbread. I love the Light Original variety that is also high in protein and fiber. These also are fabulous for making breakfast burritos when you are short on time and need to take something on the go.

Lunches have definitely become easier (and better tasting) since I’ve been stocking up on these.

And as a treat, Weight Watchers also endorses some of my favorite snacks.

I admit it… I’m a snacker. I love that I can grab a 100 calorie bag of JOLLY TIME® Healthy Pop® Popcorn endorsed by Weight Watchers®. Only 3 SmartPoints® and it’s also Non-GMO and gluten-free. Each bag is just the right amount for a healthier snack… and you won’t over-eat since you aren’t making one of those huge bags that feed an entire family.

And after dinner, we all grab Giant Fudge Weight Watchers® Ice Cream Novelties. They are made from low-fat milk and are lower SmartPoints® value per serving than regular ice cream.

I’m so glad Weight Watchers is making it easy for me to lead a balanced lifestyle. With products, support, and amazing recipe ideas, there really is no excuse to not look and feel your best. Have you tried Weight Watchers products lately? What is your favorite?

Follow Weight Watchers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to learn more about their program and products.

family parenting

The GenZ Social Summit is Coming!

I am so proud to announce that the GenZ Social Summit is coming to Great Wolf Lodge on May 6, 2018. This has been a long time coming and the brainchild of my business partner, Laura Filipowicz. We both have children who fall right in with Generation Z and it’s about time they had an event (what we’re calling the un-conference) just for them to learn about social media and entrepreneurship.

We live in a world where our kids are growing up with technology. It’s second nature to them. There are too many reports out there on the dangers of playing video games, watching too much YouTube, and cyberbullying. We are aiming to show our new generation that social media and technology can be used safely and prominently for great things: amplifying your voice on the causes important to you, creating your own business, learning from others, and teaching others. Social media isn’t going away so it’s time to start empowering our kids with all the positive possibilities of the medium.

We are so fortunate that Great Wolf Lodge saw the benefit in this as well and have come on as our Title Sponsor. If you haven’t been to Great Wolf Lodge yet, this is a great opportunity to experience the property. The event is open to tweens and teens (ages 8 – 16) and their parents. The kids will be able to learn from social media experts as well as their entrepreneurial peers. If your child is interested in building their own business, or just using social media for creating positive connections, you’ll want to grab your ticket before we are sold out.

Please let me know if you are coming and need further information.