A Blue Belt For William

Our little guy has been doing karate for a while now and recently tested for his blue belt. Not only was there a new belt, but he moved up to an all black uniform as well. This has been so exciting for William and he has worked very hard to get to where he is. He is home schooled now and we have a whole fitness routine set up for each day of the week. Doing push-ups, jumping jacks, and a variety of strengthening exercises have helped improve his karate skills tremendously. 

One very special thing about his karate instructor is that Mr. Mike also taught his big sisters, all the way to their black belts. Karate has been such a good sport for William and he has gotten to love it. Right now he goes once a week, but we plan to start him 3-5 times a week as soon as his classes are done for the school year. And speaking of school year, he is averaging a 97% overall. His favorite subjects are Math, Social Studies and Science. It's good seeing him love school and learning. He is the happiest kid!

William and his karate instructor, Mr. Mike Genova of Genova Family Karate.

Quit Rubbing Your Low Self-Esteem Off On Your Daughters

I have some things on my mind that I really feel the need to share. I have come to realize that I would be sorely disappointed if I met many of my online friends in person. Why? Because I know you won't look like who you look like on Facebook or Instagram. You know, the filtered or airbrushed version of yourself. I confess, when I first got Instagram I was most excited about having access to photo filters. I thought it was so cool when other women would post their super polished pics and wanted in on it too. I don't take selfies, but one day I took a photo of myself for a brand-related post and viewed my face in a variety of filters-- Valencia, Mayfair, Rise and more. I even added in a little tilt shift to soften the photo up even more. And then it hit me..... What am I doing? I look like some flawless Barbie doll or a wannabe Kardashian. I couldn't go through with posting a photo that wasn't authentically ME. Do filters enhance photos? Yes, they do. The problem I have is that my daughters follow me on social media and obviously know what I truly look like. What am I teaching them? It breaks my heart if I see them use a filter and I beg them not to. I make it a point to remind them how naturally pretty they are and that filters or airbrushing is never needed.

Some of you may have little daughters and think that they aren't paying attention to what you're doing. Trust me, they are! What you say and do has so much to do with how your kids will ultimately feel about themselves. When I was growing up, I watched my mother do whatever it took to fit in or to look better. Her bathroom was filled every beauty product that was available. Let me tell you, I grew up well into my 30's thinking I wasn't pretty enough. I too collected make-up and beauty products galore to make myself look better. Guess what? None of that stuff works! Until I fully accepted my flaws and imperfections, I was able to find the real me. It turns out that I am not half bad, dare I say that I am beautiful! I am 42. I have stretch marks, age spots, gray hair, bags under my eyes and probably more. None of that stuff bothers me any more. I refuse to airbrush myself. I refuse to let social media make me feel like fewer flaws means more likes or followers. I am who I am, and I am beautifully ME.

I urge you to post photos of yourself without any edits. Show your freckles. Show your grays. Show your authentic self. That is the person I'd love to meet- The real you. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! Thank you for reading.

Warm Up With Numi Organic Pu-Erh Tea

Are you a tea drinker? My husband drinks tea every single day, even if it's 100 degrees outside. When I received the Organic Pu-erh collection from Numi Tea, he was thrilled. 

The Pu-erh organic teas are exceptional and full of rich flavor. We received the ginger, chocolate, cardamom and Emperor's varieties. These teas are sourced from 100% real, non-GMO ingredients and that is it. Why would you want anything else? They use biodegradable filter paper for their bags and even the package can be recycled or composted. 

The flavors of these teas are so nice. I'm a strong cup-of-tea girl and these fit my taste just right. My current favorite is the ginger variety. It has a spicy, balanced taste. I like mine with a little organic honey. My husband loves the cardamom and Emperor's blends. He drinks a cup of hot tea after each meal. You certainly can tell the difference in quality from these teas. The fact that they are all made with so much care for the earth and fair labor practices makes it even better. You really can feel good about every cup. 

To learn more about Numi Pu-erh tea and to purchase them, you can order from their website or check their store locator for local stores that carry them. I was lucky to find a couple health food stores locally that carry Numi tea. I look forward to trying out their turmeric teas for the great health benefits. 

If you are a tea lover, you must try these out for yourself. Be sure to follow Numi Tea on Facebook and Twitter for product promotions and updates. 

I received product samples in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Gear Up For Spring With NIC+ZOE

Today's post is sponsored by NIC+ZOE. All opinions expressed are my own.

I don't know about you, but I am so ready for Spring to hurry up and get here. I can just feel the warmth, hear the birds chirping and I get excited about wearing lighter clothing. The layers and heaviness of winter is starting to get to me. I have been thinking about adding some new items to my wardrobe this spring. I was browsing around the NIC +ZOE site at their Spring Collection. Everything looks so airy and feminine. I am really digging the soft colors and materials.

The Batiste Flirt Skirt is simply gorgeous. I love the length, cut and color choices (ash, black onyx and midnight). It is conservative enough to wear to work, but also girly enough to for a date night or girl's night out. I really love it in the ash color, but I always feel like you can't go wrong with black! Just add a light blouse, a couple of chunky bangles and some strappy heels, and you'll have a beautiful look for spring.

The Tassel Top is the perfect feminine tunic style top for spring. I really like the sandstone color. It is a very classic and sophisticated piece. I think it would look nice paired with skinny jeans and slim pants and either heels or ballet flats. You can't ever go wrong with a classic look. 

One thing you must have in your wardrobe is a couple of cardigans and this Holey Cardigan is adorable! It is really different and versatile. You really can wear it with any type of pants or skirt. I really love the simple look of the Sketchbook Pant. Dressed up or down, it is perfect!

NIC+ZOE really has some great pieces. I love the modern and feminine style that they have captured so well. I highly recommend classic pieces that you can mix and match to get the most out of each garment. Check out this short video showcasing their Spring + Summer 2016 featuring Coco Rocha... It screams vintage mixed with modern sophistication!



Check out all NIC+ZOE has to offer and be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest styles and promotions.

Kid's Room Interior Design Guidelines

There are quite a few ways you can help work on room design if you have kids, but you will need to keep quite a few things in mind when you work on said designs. Kids will need a special place where they can sleep, play, study and generally have fun while being connected to their room. To make that work you will need to have a creative and practical solution that will serve a purpose for your kids and yourself when the time arrives:

• One of the more important parts and choices of what you need to do will be the colors of the walls you can choose as well as those of your ceilings and other smaller colors. You can make use of the softer hues and colors out there to make studying and sleeping far easier and free of distractions.

• You can keep your kids art around or some family oriented photos as well to fill the empty space on your walls, as well as possibly the ceilings too if you have what you think will work. You can work on this by yourself or you can combine your cleaning efforts by asking your kids about what they would like as well.

• You could get some chalkboard paint to make an art corner where the kids can draw and paint without worrying about making a mess. It will take some painting and thorough house cleaning, but in the end it will be a job well done and your kids will have a chance to enjoy a creative outcome you can rely upon.

• There is a great way to make your very own reading corner or even a gaming area, but you will still need to work hard on it if you want to make it last a long time. Make sure you have a nice set of seating spaces to work with and it will pay off quite nicely.

• You may need to consider using a set of organizers for potential school supplies, textbooks and so much more. Kids will often figure out the details themselves, but you can help them out to make cleaning after them easier to handle as well. Boxes for toys, as well as other organizing items will make it fun instead of some unbearable chore.

• Improving the storage capacity of your home and using a mirror to create the illusion of space will make things easier to handle. This will also serve to allow the kids to be able to see themselves and to have fun while you work on things together.

• You will need to also work on rooms that allow kids to move unimpeded as they go about their day. Ask some questions about potential design solutions so they can enjoy it. Kids will are shorter than grownups so that means you will have a great chance to use smaller and shorter pieces of furniture that would fit their size and needs more accurately.

Read more helpful tips and advice on: barnetcarpetcleaners.com