TheJavaMama

How Do You #QuakerUp & Giveaway!

January 30, 2014

Last week a small group of moms, including me, got to be a part of an exciting video chat with celebrity Brooke Burke. She was at Sundance Film Festival representing Quaker Oats & Human Energy Crisis live from the Quaker Good Energy Lodge. The short video gives you a glimpse into the life of busy moms who do not want to miss a moment of what truly matters. With good energy, they are able to do what matters to them.

Talking to Brooke was a breeze. She was so down to earth and we all got to ask questions. She told us about her diet and exercise regimen. She talked about how she stays healthy and energized & how she balances 4 kids and maintains a strong marriage all at the same time. It was great hearing her thoughts on the energy crisis and we all got a little glimpse into her lifestyle. Thank you Quaker Oats for inviting me in on this exciting opportunity!

I’ve been loving my new “Quaker” hat

Here is a live shot of us all talking with Brooke

I’d love for you all to check out the Quaker Oats Short Film that was premiered at Sundance.

You can go watch the video HERE

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE! Quaker Oats has generously allowed me to give away (2) of these goody bags to a couple of readers of The Java Mama.

Included in this giveaway:
LandsEnd Canvas Tote
Portable phone/USB charger so you can “Quaker Up” at any time
Gloves for texting
Quaker Ski Hat
Hot thermos for your Quaker oatmeal
Quaker Oatmeal in two flavors
Granola, Quaker Bars, and Quaker Cookies

US Only

To Enter:
Leave a comment telling me how you re-charge your batteries every day?

Giveaway ends: Friday, February 7, 2014

Finish This Link Up…Week 4

January 29, 2014

1. I use my “green thumb” to … I don’t have a green thumb. It’s pitch black. Terence does all the landscaping at our house. He’s great at it! I do help pick out the flowers though 🙂

2. The secret to life is being content with what you have and appreciating it. If you constantly compare yourself to others then you’ll never feel happy or at peace with your life. Find your happy place and revel in it. Thank God every day for what you have and remember there is always someone out there who will be better, smarter, richer than you…but there are also a whole lot more who have nothing.

3. I get my money’s worth by I shop for bargains. Usually when I’m in a store I b-line straight for the clearance section. My philosophy is “Everything goes on sale eventually….if it’s meant to be it will be there and ON SALE TOO!”

4. On a scale of 1 to 10, my level of organization is I’d say an 8-9. I’m a major organization and clean freak. I must have things “just so”. Sometimes I drive my hubs nuts. But I think after almost 13 years of marriage he appreciates my OCD tendencies. ha ha!

5. A gentleman always Puts a lady first in everything he does. Thinks of himself last, opens a car door, sends an occasion bouquet of flowers for no reason, writes a heart-felt letter. I could go on and on….

6. Handwritten notes are A lost art. I love writing handwritten notes, but over time we’ve become so electronically driven with keyboards and texting. I think a lot of folks are going to have carpletunnel in the future. I always save the cards and notes I get from my family and friends. They are so much fun to re-read years later and a treasure after your loved ones are gone.

Have you all bought Valentine’s Day gifts? I found something on Zulily today for Connor. We’ve never taken him to Build a Bear. They have a deal today for $15 for $30 at Build a Bear.

My co-worker told me she was thinking of taking her daughter there to get rid of her pacifier. I thought that was such a cute idea! If your child has a hard time ridding themselves of the paci then you go to Build A Bear and they stick the paci in the bear to get rid of it and it’s GONE! It’s in the bear and whenever they need a paci they can love on the bear instead….

Check it out HERE

Weekend Wrap Up

January 27, 2014

We didn’t do a lot this weekend. I worked at the Stock Show again this Saturday while the boys stayed home this time. Did what seemed like a few mountains of laundry. Celebrated my sister in laws 30th birthday.

I FINALLY got on the Downton Abbey bandwagon and we started the first season. It took a few episodes, but I’m really loving it so far! I can’t imagine living in that day and age. It was easier in a lot of ways, but so much harder in others. I really like Mr. Bates & Anna…hope they end up together.

I walked into our bedroom last night and found Connor in our bed covered in stuffed animals. It was so funny! I had to get the camera and snap a few pics. He’s such a funny little guy 🙂

I also made another cute little Valentine’s Day printable. I thought this would be adorbs with a Target gift card attached……

Hope you all had a great weekend!!!!

Quality Healthcare in a Flash #MC

January 25, 2014

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for CVS/pharmacy MinuteClinic. I received promotional items as a thank you for participating.”

A few weeks ago when Connor was sick Terence thought he was coming down with the ickies too. We have a busy lifestyle and it usually takes a day or two to get into our regular PCP. The next day Terence walked into a MinuteClinic at our local CVS Pharmacy. The MinuteClinic is a walk-in clinic located in select CVS/pharmacy stores in 28 states and DC. They are open 7 days a week with evening hours and you don’t need to make an appointment. Terence was seen right away, it was fast and convenient and he received quality healthcare. He even came home and told me about his entire experience and how he’d rather visit MinuteClinic again than a normal doctor’s visit because it was so convenient. It’s also a lot cheaper than most physician visits.

The dreaded flu has hit our area pretty hard. Thankfully you can visit any of the 7100 CVS MinuteClinics and get a flu shot. No appointment needed. With every flu shot you will also receive a 20% off shopping pass at CVS as well.

Benefits of visiting a MinuteClinic:

High Quality – certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants who can diagnose, treat and write prescriptions when medically appropriate
Affordable – most insurance plans accepted; cash, checks and credit cards also welcome
Convenient – no appointment needed, open 7 days a week, evenings and weekends, and located inside your neighborhood CVS/pharmacy store
Coordinated – visit summary sent to your primary care provider, with permission, or assistance finding a provider, if you don’t have one.

If you are looking forward to a healthier happier new year check out MinuteClinic for some great programs. MinuteClinic offers a Weight Loss Program and a Smoking Cessation Program.

For more information check out the MinuteClinic Fact Sheet.

Five on Friday

January 24, 2014

This week has flown by! I’ll start by recapping last weekend. We went to the Fort Worth Stock Show to hang out with our favorite buffalo for a couple of hours 🙂 If you are coming to the Stock Show come by and see us & get a picture with Mo the buffalo by cattle barn 4. We are there every Saturday from 11-1 pm. The weather has been perfect and I just love that we get to hang out with our good friends Bree & Nate. Always a good time!

1. Here we are Stock Show 2014…..

Our friends Mike, Alina, & their kids came to the Stock Show too. I was so excited to visit with them. Connor may have a new girlfriend too….he was pretty smitten by Gracie 🙂

Daddy and Connor going down the big slide

2. I’ve been really into everything Valentines day. I’m crazy for hearts and red or pink….I tried to do a Valentine’s Day mani…. a gold nail (Essie polish) & then painted a heart using a pointed q-tip.

3. Connor’s classroom Valentines came in from CardStore. I was so impressed! They turned out so good and I got all of these for $12 bucks!

4. I made some of these bad boys….they are so hard to resist. A little salty and sweet. So easy to make too….

5. Had a little impromptu photo shoot with our next door neighbors. We are so blessed to have such great neighbors. They crack me up! Check out my new photo site for upcoming session info….YIPPEE!!!!! HAPPY FRIDAY!

Don’t forget to link up with Darci & Lauren

Managing Meds with Walgreens Pharmacy #WalgreensRX #cbias #shop

January 23, 2014

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. #WalgreensRX #CollectiveBias

This time of year is crazy with the flu going around and my sinuses have been killing me lately. We have the craziest weather in Texas. One day it’s 30 degrees and the next day it’s 70 again. It totally messes with your immune system. A few weeks ago Connor got really sick and we had to get a breathing machine along with two different kinds of antibiotics. We went back and forth to the Doctor a couple times and we made so many Pharmacy trips it was NUTS!

Thankfully I have the Walgreens App on my phone. It helps me to manage my family’s medications and health history information. By using Walgreens Family Prescription Management resources I save time and can remember what my family has taken in the past. I can keep track of what worked for us and what hasn’t.

My poor little sick guy. Our kitchen counter was FULL of medications…..

Using the Walgreens App on my phone is really easy. When I’m ready for a refill I just scan the bottle and it automatically sets up a refill then notifies me via text when it’s ready for pick-up.

You can also set up Automatic Prescription Refills & even keep a record of your child’s Immunization History

I probably stop by Walgreens at least once a week. Whether it’s for cough drops or for some other meds I can always find what I’m looking for. The weekly specials and coupons save us a lot of money too.

I have 3 regular medications I get filled each month. The staff is super friendly and they know my name when I drive up. I know they are looking out for me and have my best interest at heart. That says a lot because I definitely don’t want my meds getting screwed up or something going wrong. Even if it’s a simple question about over the counter medication they are always quick to answer my questions and give a thorough response.

And….because I thought these were TOO cute! I love these “Java” tissues. They have Vicks vapor rub in them too. I’m loaded up on boxes of these for flu season. I haven’t been hit with the flu *crossing fingers* ….but it’s always good to be prepared. I’m thankful to have Walgreens right at my fingertips if I ever need anything.

Stay well this cold and flu season!!!

Finish This Link-Up: Week 3

January 22, 2014

1. A typical day in my life …

Is crazy town. We wake up. My husband has a 2 hour commute every day to and from Plano. He’s usually out the door when me and Connor get up. I take a shower, get dressed, and then get Connor ready too. It’s always a struggle getting him ready without throwing a fit. We won’t mention how last week I completely forgot to put my makeup on! Ahhhh!!!! Then after work I go pick up Connor from school and we head home. Terence makes it home and we all put on our comfy clothes. Watch a TV show or two to relax….then play a little bit, get ready for bed, and say prayers. REPEAT tomorrow. (There’s a lot more- but that’s the cliffnotes version)

Join Connor and I on Instagram for #selfieaday

2. You’ll never see me … Speaking in front of a large crowd. I have major anxiety and I HATE a lot of beady eyeballs on me. UGH. Shoot me now.

3. It’s really unattractive when a guy … Farts within 10 inches of me. EWE. Or is lazy and doesn’t want to contribute to the household or a relationship. That really erks me.

4. If I could buy one thing right now, it would be … A new house. A house closer to my husband’s work so that we could spend more time together. We are hoping to put our house on the market this year. We will see how it goes. If only money grew on trees right???

5. I have high expectations for … Myself. I am harder on myself than anyone else. Also, my son. I hope he grows up to be a good & Godly man. That’s what I pray every day for him.