Break Out Of Your Flavor Rut With Cheerios #CheeriosFunFlavors ($20 Paypal Giveaway)

Next week marks our first week back to school and I am organized and ready for the busy months ahead. I do all I can to make things easier on myself so I don't lose my mind. Having planned out meals are important to help keep my family healthy and well fed. I get stuck in a rut when it comes to having enough variety sometimes. When it comes to breakfast and snacks, I do all I can to offer my kids healthier options. One great breakfast that is quick and requires no effort is Cheerios and milk. I recently found out that Cheerios makes a variety of flavors including favorites like Honey Nut, Original, Apple Cinnamon and newer flavors: Banana Nut, Frosted, Multi-Grain, Multi-Grain Peanut Butter and
Apple Cinnamon Cheerios.

I did not realize there was a Banana Nut variety and I could not wait to try it for myself. I'm pretty simple when it comes to cereal, so I either like it as is with milk, or dry as a snack. I think I may have found my favorite new flavor! I made the mistake of letting my husband and kids try it and now it is their favorite as well. Looks like I better stock up on a few more boxes. Speaking of which, right now you can print a Publix coupon for buy-one-get-one FREE of Cheerios. That's right, you can buy one box of your favorite Cheerios, and try a new flavor for FREE! Now is the time to really stock up with back-to-school season in full swing. Hurry and get your coupon while they are available.

Did you know that besides serving Cheerios in the more traditional ways, you can use them in fun recipes? Check out all the great Cheerios recipes that are sure to please your whole family. I plan to make some Cheerios snack bars for my little one's class as a surprise treat. I'm sure they will all enjoy it!

To help you stock up in Cheerios and take advantage of the BOGO deal, one Mom Files reader will win $20 PayPal cash. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents and will run until Sept 2, 2015. One winner will be selected and contacted via email address to claim prize. You must follow all rules stated in Rafflecopter widget for entries to count. Good luck!

Our Visit To SEA LIFE Aquarium Charlotte-Concord #hosted

Last week, my family had the great pleasure of visiting SEA LIFE Aquarium in Charlotte-Concord, NC. Lucky for us, we live just an hour away, so getting there was not bad at all. SEA LIFE is located inside Concord Mills Outlet Mall, at Entry 7. When I heard they were building an aquarium inside of a mall, I thought it was a joke. Well, seeing is believing in this case. SEA LIFE Aquarium was impressive in so many ways.

The ticket counter/check-in process is a breeze and the great part about this aquarium is that once you get your tickets and hand stamped, you are free to return to the facility for the entire day. This made it convenient for us to step out for a bite to eat or to visit the other shops in the mall. At check-in, we were able to get brochures about exhibits, feeding times, and featured events as well as a Dive Log Book for the little ones. Tips: You will get the better rates if you pre-purchase your tickets online. If you live in the area, it might make the most sense to purchase a season pass if you plan to visit several times a year. Additionally, you have the opportunity to have your family photo taken before entering the actual aquarium, so be prepared for that. 

Although the actual facility is not as large as most aquariums I have been to, this one made great use of every square foot! Each exhibit (known as "Dive Stations") was put together beautifully and had a touchscreen nearby so you can identify and check out facts about each animal in the tank.

We all learned so much. The SEA LIFE staff members were very friendly and eager to answer any questions we had. At the end of each Dive Station, we were able to stamp our Dive Log Book which gets your little one a prize at the end of their visit. SEA LIFE really did a great job at keeping both children and adults engaged throughout the visit. My son is a self-proclaimed 'Animal Expert', so he wanted to lead us as if he was our personal tour guide. It's amazing how much you can learn from a 7 year old kid.

There was so much to see and I really loved the instrumental music that was playing in the background. It was really soothing and made the experience even better. There was a nice variety of fish, shark, sting rays, jellies, eel and even some crustaceans. The touchpool experience was awesome. We were able to touch live crabs and starfish. This was like a major nerd moment for my son.

At the end of the aquarium sits a cute gift shop where you can purchase souvenirs and photos that are taken at the beginning of your adventure. Usually gift shops are very expensive, but SEA LIFE had so many great items at very affordable prices. We bought some cute plush sea animals for William.

On our second visit for the day, we overheard a SEA LIFE staff member telling another patron about a behind the scenes tour of the facility. We were told to join in and we are so glad we did! We got to learn how the aquarium is operated as well as seeing the different stations where animals are cared for if they get sick and how their food is prepped. We saw what the aquarium looked like from above. It was magnificent to say the least. There were locker rooms with dive equipment for the marine biologists who dive daily to clean the tanks and tend to the animals. They made about about how safety and cleanliness are an extreme priority and they work every single day to make certain the animals are fed and cared for.

I spoke with our lovely tour guide and told her how amazed I was that we are standing in a full-fledged aquarium that is in a shopping mall. It's one of those things you have to see in person to truly appreciate it. She was telling us that they have another 10,000 or so square feet that they will be expanding on and hopefully will get the papers in order to have a sea turtle tank. I sure can't wait to see all of that come together.

Before I forget-- if you have preschool aged children, SEA LIFE is featuring Disney Junior's The Octonauts from August 7-23

Participate in Octonauts Training Academy and learn what it takes to become a member of the crew. As cadets, they'll master the specialties of their favorite characters across 6 fun zones, meet Kwazii and Captain Barnacles in person and then be rewarded for completing their training with a very special Octonauts certificate! Check the website for more details.

As you can see, no matter the age, anyone is welcome to take a photo with their favorite characters. Also, they have some very cute Octonauts merchandise in the gift shop, so be sure to take a look.

We took away so much from our visit. The most important thing was the urgency to protect marine animals. SEA LIFE has provided a state of the art facility to not only showcase these animals, but also encourage better environmental practices to preserve these precious creatures. Although I have read reviews about people complaining about the cost to visit for such a small venue that doesn't take long to get through, I honestly feel like it is well worth the ticket price. You can go in as many times as you want for the full day of operating hours. I feel like we got even more the second time around by joining in the behind the scenes tour. The joy on son's face and seeing my husband and adult daughters behave like children were priceless. We fully enjoyed our time at SEA LIFE Aquarium and if you are ever visiting the Charlotte area or live in the vicinity, I highly recommend you check it out.

Be sure to visit the SEA LIFE Aquarium website for more information and follow them on Facebook and Twitter for promotions and updates.

I was offered media tickets in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own as always. Many thanks to Sea Life Aquarium for hosting us! 

5 Back to School Tips for Parents

Preparing your children to go back to school can be stressful for your son or daughter, but it can also take a toll on parents as well. Make sure you are prepared for the school year by following these 5 tips.

Image courtesy of taesmileland at http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

1. Get Organized
Getting organized is possibly one of the most important steps in preparing for a new school year. Take note of all information and dates you should be aware of and write them down. You definitely don’t want to miss out on meet the teacher day or other important events like parent teacher conferences. Also, take the time to get to know your child’s teacher and take advantage of any opportunities to interact with them. You definitely won’t regret having an open communication line with your child’s teacher.

2. Take Advantage of Sales
Shopping for back to school supplies can be somewhat expensive, but you can manage these expenses by finding the best deals and sales. If you are lucky enough to live in one of the states that offer tax free holidays, you can save a lot of money! Scope out the sales and make shopping lists. If you know your child will need more than just a few notebooks, pens, and pencils, go ahead and buy extra.

3. Set Schedules
Before school starts back, set schedules and make sure your child is aware of who will be picking them up and dropping them off at school as well as what time each day. By setting a regular schedule, your child will feel more comfortable.

4. Establish a Routine
Along with setting schedules, parents need to make sure that they follow a routine for each day. Set a time that gives your child (and you!) enough time to wake up, eat breakfast, and get ready for school each day. Of course there will be days that don’t go according to plans, but if a routine is in place, it will be much easier to stay on track each day.

5. Have a Discussion with Your Kids
Before your child goes back to school, make sure you take the time to talk to them about doing their best in school and motivate them for a great year! Also, take the time to talk to them about emergency plans, schedules and routines.

Here’s to a great school year ahead!

By Guest Author: Lauren Byrd

Lauren is a contributing writer and media specialist for Mavis Discount Tire. She regularly produces content for a variety of lifestyle and automotive blogs based around driver safety tips, auto service tips, and more. 

Back-to-school Beauty Essentials from KISS & Instrumental Beauty #AD

In less than 2 weeks, my kids will all return to school. My girls will both be at the University of South Carolina and are very excited for the year ahead. They have been hustling around shopping for those last minute must-haves and beauty products are very high on that list.

Lucky for them, they have some great items we received for review to get them ready to head back. First up, it's all about the fabulous hair styles. Although both of my girls have curly hair, my younger one straightens hers and likes to add some curls for a more polished look. The KISS InstaWave Automatic Curler is the perfect tool to make quick, easy waves and curls. What makes this tool so great is that it works on all hair types. It even works on my silky hair that usually won't hold a curl for very long. I posted a review before if you want to check it out. You can purchase the KISS InstaWave at KissInstaWave.com for $59.99. Any young lady would love this item and it would make a great gift for your favorite college student heading away to school this fall.

Along with great hair, you can't forget to take good care of your skin. My older daughter goes through some trying phases when it comes to her face. The Instrumental Beauty Sonic Facial Brush is the perfect thing for her. The best part about using a sonic facial brush is that it removes dirt and impurities traditional face-washing can easily miss.

The cleaner your skin, the healthier it looks and feels. My daughter has used her facial brush a couple times so far and can feel a big difference. She's so pleased that it hold the charge for a long time and has a built-in timer that alerts you when it's time to switch to another part of your face. Go here for a full review of this item. The Instrumental Beauty Sonic Facial Brush can be purchased at select drugstores and at InstrumentalBeauty.com for $80.00.

My younger daughter, Brie loves playing with color and especially when it comes to her nails. KISS imPRESS Manicure ($7.99 / Walgreens) is an easy way to get a fabulous mani with minimal effort. With so many colors and designs, you can have a fresh new look as often as you would like.

Here is what Brie had to say:
When I first saw the Kiss brand imPress press-on manicure nails, I was very excited to apply them to my own nails because of how beautiful and professional-looking each pattern of nail tips was. When applying the nails, the process was very simple. Directions were included both in and on the box, but I did not really need them because all that I had to do was clean and prep my nails with the included nail file, then remove the sticker from the back of the nail tip, and finally stick it onto my fingernail firmly for about 30 seconds. Due to the variety of sizes of nails included, I was able to select one to fit each of my fingernails with ease. I received several compliments on my manicure, and many people were shocked to find out that it was a stick-on manicure that I did myself due to the high quality of it. Although the application process was easy, several nails began to fall off after a few days. That may have been due to me not pressing the nails on securely enough in the application process, which I will definitely keep in consideration next time I apply the nails, likely in the near future. This nail product is very practical and professional overall. 

She is planning to play around with the KISS Salon Secrets Nail Art Starter Kit ($9.99 / Walgreens) this week. Since she is already and artist, this art kit makes her very giddy. I'll post at a later date with what she came up with.

I received sample products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own as always.

Check Out The All New Food Lion Recipe Portal #LifesBetterWithTheLion

Do you ever feel like you keep cooking the same exact meals over and over again? I'm pretty sure most of us feel this way and get stuck in a rut. I am always looking for ideas online and sometimes even that can be overwhelming. I recently was introduced to the new Food Lion website with their recipe portal. The site is super clean and easy to maneuver and find things. You can sign up for a Food Lion MVP card either online or in-store. I created an account on the website using my MVP card. Once you're logged in, you are open to a host of tools at your fingertips. The recipe portal is broken down into categories ranging from main dishes, vegetables, sides, desserts and more. Once you find a recipe you are interested in, you are able to click on the individual ingredients and add them to your shopping list. How convenient is that? You can even find recipes according to a specific ingredient.

If you have a recipe you would like to share, you can easily submit it into the portal. All you need is a couple photos, a list of ingredients and the steps to prepare. I submitted one of my favorite recipes for my Easy Cheesy Zucchini and it took me under 10 minutes. I love the fact that the recipes on the Food Lion site are from home kitchens like yours and mine.

My zucchini recipe is a big hit and I know it will be for other families. The recipe is so easy and doesn't require any outrageous, hard-to-find ingredients.

Want the full recipe? Go check it out here. While you're there, be sure to browse other recipes and submit your own. Be sure to sign up for your MVP card so you can take advantage of their low prices. You can even track your savings on your dashboard when you are logged into your account.

Be sure to connect with Food Lion on the web, Facebook and Twitter for promotions and updates.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.