TheJavaMama

Lately (An Update) + A Trip to Branson to see MOSES!

August 10, 2016

So much has happened lately and my blog here has taken a back burner…yet again.

BUT….

WE GOT A HOUSE!!!

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It’s only took about a year and a half and over 25 home offers, but I think we finally found a winner! I can’t wait to share more with you and show some of the plans we have for our new home. We still have appraisal to get through, and are praying that everything works out. Connor will still be able to attend the same school as last year and stay with all the friends he made 🙂

Terence and I celebrated our 15 year anniversary with a movie and dinner. I cannot believe it’s been 15 years! I feel like time is just flying away from us. I love you babe forever and always.

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I drove to Arkansas a couple of weeks ago to visit my family. My Mom, Nannie, sister, and the boys all went to Branson. My Nannie has been wanting to see Moses for a while now and let me just say the show was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Here’s me and Bon road tripping with the boys 🙂

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I couldn’t bring my big camera into the show. It was so, so good y’all. There were real live animals in the show and the boys just loved that. They are so interested in learning about the Bible, so they had lots of questions afterwards. I welcome that! The production followed the life of Moses from the time he was a baby until he was old.

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My beautiful family

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Me and Connor watching the wonderful story of Moses unfold…. ajfdlkfj

I grew up visiting Branson, Missouri every year. I have probably seen about every show on the strip and this was the BEST show I’ve seen by far! If you’re in Branson and want to go see a show, I highly recommend Moses. Your heart will thank you. My boss is going to see the show too and he’s never been to Branson.

And best of all the boys got to experience a special time with their Grandma and Great Grandma. Thank you Sight & Sound Theaters!!! We had the best time and made wonderful memories. nancon

I’ve been super busy with my photography and I’m already booking CHRISTMAS sessions! It’s crazy & I am beyond thankful to you all for supporting me & coming back year after year. It’s a blessing to my heart to be able to capture all your memories.

Some favorite recent shots:

Back to School in Style with Mini Boden + Enter to WIN a $500 Boden Shopping Spree!

August 7, 2016

This post was sponsored by Boden as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

School starts in a few weeks and my baby is going to be a FIRST GRADER! Somebody stop time for me okay? I mean seriously how cute is my lil’ guy?

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When I was a little girl my Mom would take my sister and I back to school shopping and it was the best thing ever! My Mom always made it a fun event shopping for school supplies, backpacks, shoes, and clothing.

I want Connor to look forward to going back to school too. A few weeks before school starts I start getting Connor excited about getting a new backpack or lunch box…and CLOTHES! I know how I felt on the first day of school walking into class with a new outfit on. There is just something about wearing a new outfit that makes you feel a little bit more confident.

This year Connor and I picked out clothes from Mini Boden. I’ve always loved the prints and British styles that Mini Boden offers. The clothes I’ve bought from Mini Boden have lasted & lasted throughout the years. It’s one of my tried and true children’s clothing brands. The styles that Mini Boden offers are so adorable! And don’t worry about buying from across the pond, Mini Boden provides worry-free shipping (free shipping & returns over $49).

Here are some of our favorite outfits we got for back to school from Mini Boden:

I just adore these jeans, dress shirt, and shoes:

These Super Soft T-Shirts are a fall staple:

Connor is really into dinosaurs right now so of course we got this adorable Jurassic Stripe T-shirt!

No outfit is complete without a pair of shoes 🙂 We chose these Suede Desert Boots that can go with just about anything- dress up or down with a pair of jeans for khakis.

Connor is going to join Cub Scouts this fall, so he’s going go camping! Nothing is better than a nice cozy pair of jammies when camping. Mini Boden has the cutest styles and prints when it comes to pajamas!

I’m super excited about first grade and I know Connor is too 🙂 Thank you Mini Boden for sending us back to school in style!

Influence Central is hosting a contest for the new Mini Boden Back to School line at Boden through which your readers can enter to win one of three $500 shopping vouchers to Boden/Mini Boden

Contest opens on August 1, 2016 and closes August 22, 2016

I-C will randomly select 3 winners from all program entries and will handle fulfillment of the winning prizes.

#BacktoSchoolwithBoden Giveaway

Get 25% off your purchase at Mini Boden today HERE!

Follow Boden on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram for the latest styles.

Baskin Robbins Blessings + National Ice Cream Month

August 2, 2016

Did you know last month was National Ice Cream month???

Yes Ma’am…it sure was! I know I’m a little tardy for the party….but, I don’t need a special month to tell me to have ice cream, but because we are celebrating and all….

Baskin-Robbins celebrated National Ice Cream Month with the launch of their new Polar Pizza. A couple weeks ago Connor and I got to go to Baskin-Robbins and create our very own Polar Pizza. Oh my goodness it was AMAZING!

Choices….choices….

Look at those chocolate dipped waffle cones covered in sprinkles!

We got to pick our very own toppings for our Polar Pizza. There are also Polar Pizzas ready and available in the grab-and-go freezer.

We chose Reeses Cups, M&M’s, sprinkles, and the flavor of the month OREO® Birthday Cake! It was soooooooo good!

My all time favorite Baskin-Robbins treat are the Clown Cones. My Dad used to take my sister and I to get Clown Cones as a special treat 🙂

Now that is a happy ice cream loving boy right there!

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I’m so honored to support a company that sends donations to support the United Service Organizations or (USO) and the introduction of a new ice cream flavor.

The donation program and new ice cream flavor are in honor of the military nonprofit’s 75th anniversary and steadfast commitment to supporting our nation’s military throughout their service. Being a former military family ourselves, this means a lot to us!

I went to Baskin Robbins the other day and I bought several people in the store their ice cream. I told my friends I felt so HAPPY and excited to do a random act of kindness! We were given gift cards in exchange to talk about this promotion, but really you guys, I am so blessed to work with companies like Baskin-Robbins who give back to others. That’s exactly what I wanted to do….and the looks on all those people who were given something as simple as an ice cream cone was priceless.

We’ve already been back for more Polar Pizza. It’s so incredibly good, and I am a sweets connoisseur, so I know good desserts! Ha ha! This is a winner in my book. Choose from either a brownie base, or a chocolate chip cookie base. Pick your ice cream and toppings and there you have it….the perfect dessert!

My Trip to Pearle Vision + Enter to Win!

July 26, 2016

This post is sponsored by Pearle Vision and SheKnows Media

The summer has just flown by y’all! Connor is about to start first grade in a month and I just can’t believe it. Somebody hold me! We took Connor in for his 6-year-old check up a few months ago and one of the things his doctor recommended was to get an eye exam. Did you know that 80% of what children learn is through their eyes?

I knew it was coming….

I’ve had terrible eyesight the majority of my life. So have my parents and my sister, not to mention my husband also wears glasses. So it’s probably inevitable that someday Connor will need glasses. Last week Connor and I headed to Pearle Vision in Southlake for an eye exam. We had the best time looking around and trying on glasses. Connor actually WANTS glasses because he thinks they are “cool”. Ha!

He’s precious, glasses or not!

Everyone at Pearle Vision Southlake was amazing to us! They were super friendly and let us try on all kinds of glasses. They were quick to answer our questions and put Connor at ease.

Everyone knows kids have a ton of questions, and our doctor was so nice in answering all the questions in Connor’s little mind!

We loved Dr. Hannaman. She has children of her own, so she rocked at helping Connor feel at ease and comfortable.

As a kid, Connor had the option to take his eye exam with numbers or pictures. He chose pictures. This helped so much for him to relate what he was seeing.

Thankfully, this year Connor did not require glasses. We were told he probably would need them sometime in the near future. Dr. Hannaman talked with us about blue light and how it affects Connor’s eyesight. He spends a lot of time on the iPad and watching TV…more than I would like.

Blue light is the harmful light given off my electronic devices and now Pearle Vision actually makes blue light lenses your child can wear to help prevent blue light from affecting their eyesight. Even if your child doesn’t wear glasses, they can still use blue lenses while watching TV or the iPad.

Pearle Vision did an awesome job providing comprehensive eye exams for both Connor and me! Pearle Vision will make sure to get the prescription right. Comprehensive eye exams are essential starting at the age of 3 or if your child shows signs of visual impairment.

Right now is the perfect time to take your child into Pearle Vision before school starts! Pearle Vision has a limited time offer for free lenses for kids 18 and under. Can I get a Woohoo for FREE people???

Thank you Dr. Hannaman we will see you next year! xo – The Branch Family

Follow Pearle Vision on Facebook & YouTube for the latest news.

Pearle Vision has close to 600 eye care centers located throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, Pearle Vision is built around a doctor-centered business model with a primary focus on delivering genuine eye care to patients. It has become a trusted source for all my eye health needs.

Tell me about your child’s vision needs. You could win a $100 Visa gift card!

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1 Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2 Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#Sweeps” and “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3 Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

4 For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 7/25/2016-8/25/2016

Be sure to visit the brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Flipazoo: The Toy That Flips For YOU!

July 20, 2016

This post is sponsored by FlipaZoo. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

We all know how much our kiddos live stuffed animals, or as we call them “sleep friends”. There is something about a stuffed animal in the bed that gives a child a sense of security when it’s dark at night. Also, they are just darn fun to cuddle with!

FlipaZoo, the brand-new, two-in-one toy pillow that will deliver twice the fun for everyone. FlipaZoo is great for travel, camp, nap time and more!

Connor chose the Elephant and the Tiger FlipaZoo. He absolutely loves it and has been sleeping and cuddling with him every night.

There are several different kinds of FlipaZoos to choose from:

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I mean obviously you can see he loves it. I think he named the Tiger “Tigey” and the Elephant side is “Trunky”. Ha ha!!!

The FlipaZoo collection features more than a dozen stand-out characters – including the clever Cat/Mouse, mystical Unicorn/Dragon, and fiercely fun Elephant/Tiger.

Also, anyone who purchase any FlipaZoo on the official website will receive a FREE
“Little Flipzee” for pocket-size flipping fun!

For more information about FlipaZoos visit, www.flipazoo.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.

Pear Havarti Sandwich + A Chance to Win $25K!!!

July 18, 2016

The coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Oroweat® Bread so that I could try the product and share information about the “2016 America’s Better Sandwich” Contest and my thoughts and information about Oroweat®. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions of Oroweat® Bread.”

Oroweat® Bread is excited to launch their 2016 America’s Better Sandwich” Contest! The sandwich architect whose filling matches the goodness of Oroweat® Bread will win a grand prize of $25,000!!! Oh my gosh y’all…that would be awesome right?

Do you have a yummy sandwich that you love to share with friends and family? Why not share it with the rest of us & also have opportunity to win $25,000 dollars…UHM….okay!

I’d love to share with you a healthy option I enjoy. It’s a sandwich with pear, havarti cheese, and peppery arugula.

I’m using Oroweat 100% Whole Wheat Bread. This sandwich is so yummy and good for you too! Just slice up some pears (thinly), grab some cheese, arugula leaves, butter your bread, and pop it in the toaster to melt.

Why I choose Oroweat® products:

Oroweat® Whole Grains Sliced Breads and Oroweat® Sandwich Thins® Rolls contain/are:

2 to 5 grams of fiber per slice or thin
Zero grams of Trans Fat
No High Fructose Corn Syrup
A cholesterol free food
The Oroweat® Healthfull® bread varieties contain/are:
Made with 100% whole grains
Good source of fiber
80 calories per serving
No High Fructose Corn Syrup
Heart healthy*
Zero grams of Trans Fat

I have a delicious and healthy…and EASY lunch!

Would you like a chance to win the 2016 America’s Better Sandwich Contest?

Before entering an original better sandwich, make sure your recipes include any of the Oroweat® Sliced Breads, including any of the Oroweat® Sandwich Thins® Rolls varieties.

This year’s contest includes five (5) exciting sandwich categories including:

“Open-Faced Artistry” (sandwiches are works of art for the world to see, and these snacks and meals should announce their nutritious ingredients—like bright beets or tasty tuna— sans second slice);
“Breakfast in Bread” (these sandwiches, featuring nutrient rich breakfast favorites like eggs and yogurt, invoke images of cozy mornings in bed or boisterous brunches with friends);
“Creative Classics” (nutritious spins on sandwich creations that have stood the test of time, such as grandma’s club sandwich, BLT or other old-time favorites);
“Fueling Good” (these sandwiches should incorporate ingredients that help boost your energy such as healthful fats, protein, fiber and iron)
“State Favorites” (whether it’s a well-known sandwich in the state you reside, or a must-have local dish that can transition into a sandwich, celebrate your state pride by re-creating these state favorites with better-for-you ingredients)

The recipe in each sandwich category with the highest score will receive a $5,000 category prize.

Entries will be accepted June 15^th – August 21^st, online consumer voting will take place September 26^th – October 23^rd, and the winners will be announced on National Sandwich Day- November 3^rd.

Oroweat® bread will donate one (1) loaf of bread (up to 100,000 loaves) to Feeding America for each valid entry submission during the entry period and vote received during the online voting phase of the “2016 America’s Better Sandwich” Contest

More information on the “2016 America’s Better Sandwich” Contest Official Rules and Donation Program terms and conditions can be found at http://www.americasbettersandwich.com .

Follow Oroweat® on Facebook for the latest news!

GMC YUKON- That Week I was a Baller

July 13, 2016

BALLER:

adjective

extremely good or impressive; excellent.

A few weeks ago I got to drive around in a fabulous 2016 Yukon Denali. To say this would be my dream car would be an understatement. I could practically live in this car and be happy! Actually, I could just move into this car instead of buying a house right? LOL!

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Connor and I were the ones that used it the most during the week. Connor just LOVED that he could watch Star Wars while we were driving. The Yukon Denali would be perfect for road trips! We are planning a trip to Branson with my family in a couple weeks and this would be perfect with two 6-year-olds in the back seat.

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Connor said “Oh my gosh Mom this car is so big we can go camp in it!” The Yukon Denali comes complete with headphones. While your little ones are watching movies in the back you can still listen to your music too! 5bd231d1-da7a-4401-9e8b-af9a1a0ac4f2

This is a MUST for Texas summers. It’s been over 100 degrees this past week. Nothing soothes the summer heat faster than an air conditioned seat. LOVED this!

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There is plenty of room and storage for EVERYTHING! a6a1429b-d998-4bdd-b4c1-8858e4db3c81

We had the best time trying out the Yukon Denali and maybe someday we’ll be able to get one of our own. It’s definitely a dream car. Thank you #GMC for everything! 84645005-281b-4228-8600-cb3ec66120cf

Check out my video below where I talk about all my favorite features 🙂