Blog - Page 25 of 183 - Moments of Musing

TO INFINI-3 & BEYOND! Birthday Party

Filed Under: birthday party, kids birthday, life, party decor, toy story 4 birthday, toy story birthday // July 1, 2019

Three years ago our world was forever changed for the better when our older son made us parents! When I started thinking of his birthday party, I figured I’d ask him what theme he’d prefer. A the time, he really loved Paw Patrol and I also thought up the Infini-3 and beyond theme since he’d recently watched the Toy Story movies.

When given the option, he chose “Woody” as his birthday party theme. So I ran with the Toy Story theme.

We had so much fun celebrating & will love our boy to INFINI-3 & BEYOND! ❤️

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birthday party, toy story 4 birthday, toy story birthday, toddler birthday, to infinity and beyond, 3rd birthday

Details

Cake: Truly Sweetness, Long Island

Decor: Tableware; Balloons; Banner

Games: Toy Story corn hole; Horse racing

T-shirts: Amazon

Kid favors: Toy Story Book (Take one & reach for the stars)

Adult favors: Homemade Funnel Cake (Sign says “Yum! Have some fun-nel cake!”)

Calcium Intake During Pregnancy + Breastfeeding

Filed Under: breastfeeding, calcium, pregnancy // June 25, 2019

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews. All opinions are 100% mine.

I recently alluded to something in my stories that might seem TMI and then thought about deleting it even though it’s a normal part of women’s lives! As a woman our bodies go through many changes and there are many things we have to think about.

When pregnant, we have to think about ourselves AND our little ones. Eating healthy and getting good sleep are pretty common knowledge …but did you know getting the daily recommended value of calcium is particularly important for pregnant women, too?

Here are a few facts from Viactiv about calcium intake during pregnancy:

Many prenatal vitamins provide only 20-30% of the recommended daily amount of calcium for women who are pregnant. (Viactiv provides 100% of the recommended daily amount of calcium.)

9 out of 10 OB/GYNs recommend Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews during pregnancy*.

Your baby needs the calcium to build healthy teeth, bones, muscles and heart. If you don’t get enough calcium in your diet when pregnant, your baby will actually draw it from your teeth and bones, putting your own bone health at risk.

Meeting your daily calcium requirements is important throughout all stages of life (including breastfeeding if you plan to).

With Viactiv, you can #BumpUpYourCalcium by having your calcium and eating it, too! One Viactiv Calcium Soft Chew (650 mg of calcium in each soft chew) taken up to twice daily provides most women with 100% of the daily recommended value of calcium, plus vitamins D and K. In addition to the delicious milk chocolate and caramel flavors, Viactiv also has 30% more calcium with half the sugar and calories compared to leading gummy and prenatal supplements.

Viactiv is available at major retailers including Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, & Rite Aid: https://viactiv.com/where-to-buy/.

*In a 2017 BrandPerx Survey of 1,000 OB/GYN practices, 8 out of 10 OB/GYNs recommend a calcium supplement during pregnancy and 9 out of 10 of these doctors recommend Viactiv.

FDA Disclaimer: ]Please talk with your doctor before taking any supplements. This post is not intended to address or diagnose any medical conditions. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

NYC Father’s Day Getaway

Filed Under: Marriage, travel // June 12, 2019

Travel, nyc, Manhattan, hotel, midtown Manhattan, Father’s Day, getaway, hotel, new york city

This post is sponsored by The Gregory Hotel but all opinions are my own.

Over the weekend my husband and I stayed at The Gregory Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. I was really nervous because R is still nursing so I wasn’t sure he would do well at bedtime and throughout the night without having me there. Luckily, he and S stayed with my parents so there wasn’t much sadness from the boys. Plus, it was only one night. R did great, and my husband and I really enjoyed our time together. I am so glad we went through with this! (We usually opt to stay in when given the option.)

My husband and I always say we have to get out alone more but our last date night was 6 months ago so this night away was much-needed and overdue. Even though it was just one night we got to both do quite a bit and also relax. We got to enjoy leisurely walks hand-in-hand, meals and each other’s presence…cheesy but something that doesn’t happen all too often. We also got the comfortable bed to ourselves and got uninterrupted sleep.

A stay at The Gregory Hotel would make for a great treat for your special guy for Father’s Day!

The Gregory features comfortable, spacious rooms, including robes for lounging. There is a fitness center and a bar and grill, which you can get to through a doorway by the elevators. Established in 1903, it has a rich history. There are original aspects still in tact, as well as menus and photos from that time period on display.

Best of all, in my opinion, is its central location (and competitive rates!). Located on West 35th Street right off Herald Square and just blocks from the Empire State Building, it is in the middle of everything. While there my husband and I only took the subway once to ensure we made it in time for our dinner reservation. We walked to and from Times Square and Bryant Park on 42nd Street, and back from dinner at ABC Kitchen (highly recommend!) on East 18th.

There is so much to do near the hotel, as well as in other areas of Manhattan and NYC. From the Bronx Zoo to Central Park to Coney Island there is something to do in each borough. Be sure to kick off your summer in a great way and book your tailor-made stay at The Gregory Hotel for the special guy in your life this Father’s Day!

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Summer 2019 Vacation Destination

Filed Under: travel with kids // June 10, 2019

This post is sponsored by VISIT FLORIDA but all opinions are my own.

Vacation, family vacation, travel with kids, travel with baby, florida, Visit Florida, floridian, Florida vacation, Disney vacation

By now you might have realized that we love to travel. Over the years we have traveled abroad (honeymoon | “annimoon“), throughout the country and here in New York. One thing my husband and I knew when we had kids was that we wanted to take them along with us on our travels as much as possible. While traveling with kids makes traveling more complex it also makes it more memorable. We love that we are helping them build traveling memories of their own From young ages. We also recognize that sometimes we just all need a break kids included.

This summer we are headed back to a place we went a couple of years ago. We are excited for R to make his very first memories at Walt Disney World and for S to return and make memories that he possibly will remember.

We are planning on a bit of an extended vacation in Florida and we are planning to visit a new city this time. As you might or might not know my first time visiting Florida was when I was 11 months (see photo of me I yellow bathing suit above) old. I’ve been many times since so I have been well over 20 times. Yet each time I visit, I am experience new things and activities and I make new memories.

It’s become pretty clear to me that no matter how many times a visit I can always experience a first. That’s what makes Florida so great to me and why we hope to continue visiting throughout the years.

Raising Dreamers

Filed Under: dreams, motherhood // June 6, 2019

Dreams.

They can give us hope. They can give us happiness. They can tell us not all is lost.

I saw that poem written on the “Dreams Take Flight” mural painted in downtown State College while visiting Penn State recently. Those lines stood out to me.

You see, I’m a dreamer and by dreamer, I mean I tend to dream BIG. I have so many things on my list of goals I’d love to accomplish. Some are totally doable; some I’ve already accomplished; and some are huge, risky and uncertain.

When I became a mom, my biggest goal was the be more present in my kids’ lives. Throughout the years, I have worked my tail off to be able to build my brand, as well as my reputation at work. And now, I feel like I have a pretty healthy work-life experience. (I don’t say work-life balance because it is not a reality for me).

I want to show my boys it’s okay (and even good) to have dreams, to dream big. And that no age is too young or too old to be a dreamer. In fact, I think having dreams will make them happier.

A recent Psychology Today study found an increase in optimistic thinking among kids who created dreams for themselves.

As for my toddler, his dreams currently include being a firefighter, police office and doctor. (He LOVES going to the doctor.) I have brought him to work with me a few times to show him around my office and provide a snapshot of what I do while I am away from him. He can now identify when I am at work and knows I take the train to work in Manhattan.

I also want to show the boys that you must work hard and pursue your dreams in order for them to materialize. I hope to show them that dreams can come true because they’ve seen their dad and I accomplish our goals, and live out our dreams.

Of course, I hope I can help make their dreams come true. After all, they made my #1 dream of being a mom a reality.