Mom Life

Labor Day 2016

September 5, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

And if you’re in the United States or Canada, Happy Labor Day! I hope that most of you have the day off of work, and if you don’t I’m sorry! Both my husband, Stephan, and myself worked in retail management after graduating from college and we know the struggle!

Today I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures from this summer because I’m getting a little (a lot!) sad thinking about my daughter, Hailey, staring kindergarten & my son, Connor, starting pre-school because we had such a wonderful summer together! Thankfully Logan has to hang out at home with me for a couple more years ; )

I hope all of you have a wonderful Autumn! Technically I know not quite yet, but once school starts? Come on, it’s Bye bye summer!

OUR WEEKEND IN PICTURES | FORTH OF JULY 2016

July 5, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday! And, Happy 4th of July!

I hope that you are all having a wonderful day with your families celebrating! Happy Birthday U.S.A! And if you’re an international reader, I hope you’re having a great day as well : )

I thought it would be fun to share some pictures of our weekend festivities! We had a lot of family fun on Saturday, Hailey had her first lemonade stand on Sunday, and we enjoyed decorating Hailey’s bike and the boys wagon today! Hailey placed second in her age group for her bike decorating, and the boys also placed second place for their wagon : )

Thank you, as always, for taking time out of your day to read! Let me know in the comments something fun you did over the weekend!! And please don’t forget to subscribe : )

HAILEY’S YOUNG 5 GRADUATION! 2016

June 1, 2016 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Today our Hailey Doll graduated from her Pre-K/Young 5 program! I can’t believe it! Stephan and I were able to take her out bowling afterwards (thank you to my in-laws for the help!) and had the best time! I can’t believe that my baby is starting Kindergarten in the fall! Excuse me while I go look at baby pictures and become a blubbering mess!

Hailey,

We are so proud of you! You make us proud every single day by being exactly who you are! You are kind to everyone and always do your best! And, you have the best imagination! Never stop being wonderful you!

We love you so,

Mommy (Daddy, Connor, and Logan)

Be sure to watch our vlogs to see all the cuteness! Have a wonderful weekend : )

BABIATORS SUNGLASSES REVIEW & GIVEAWAY!

May 25, 2016 & 15 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Memorial Day weekend is THIS weekend! How did that happen already? It’s blowing my mind that we are about to kick off the summer season, but I am so happy to get outside with my family! Summer means sunshine (hopefully! Here in Michigan you never really can tell) which means lathering the kids up in sunscreen, but we also can’t forget about protecting their eyes! I will totally admit that while I never skip shades myself because it drives me CRAZY when I forget them, I have skipped sunglasses for the kids in the past because they never seem to keep them on anyways. So, when Babiators reached out to me I was thrilled to try them out! It’s always full disclosure here, and I was provided a pair of sunglasses for consideration and review but all opinions are my own. I will not be paid if you purchase Babiators. Babiators also sent information for this blog post. Babiators agreed to send a pair of shades to one of my readers! Yay! Keep reading to hear my thoughts and enter to win!

A Little Bit About Babiators:

-Babitators have UV 400 lenses that offer 100% UVA and UVB protection

-Babiators undergo rigerous testing to ensure they’re safe for your child whether on their face OR in their mouth

-Babiators are durable! They are made of a flexible rubber frames, and shatter-resistant lenses

– Babiators are guaranteed, so if you break OR lose them in the first year, Babiators will replace them and all you pay is shipping.

-And my favorite part? The fit is incredible! They’re made of a soft material that is comfortable and lightweight. They don’t pinch the temples or the nose. I wish I had sunglasses made from this stuff! It is seriously awesome!

Babiators Sizing:

Junior Babiator sunglasses for babies 6 months-3 years

Classic Babiator sunglasses for kids 3-7 years

Information About Sun Safety:

-UV damage is cumulative and irreversible

-Kids receive about three times more annual UV exposure than adults each year, yet less than 30% of parents are currently protecting their children’s eyes with sunglasses

-Children’s eyes are more susceptible to sun damage because they have larger pupils and clearer lenses, allowing more UV to penetrate and reach the back of the eyes

When getting sunglasses look for 100% UVA/UVB protection with a high quality frame and comfortable style that kids will actually wear and keep on!

My Thoughts:

I absolutely LOVE these shades! Logan, who is 16 months old, loves these and keeps them on! I love that they don’t squeeze his precious face. These are by far the nicest kids sunglasses we have ever tried. Logan is a pretty tough little guy, so it makes me happy that when he holds onto these I know they can bend instead of snapping in two. Logan also puts everything in his mouth, so I love knowing that they’re safe even when he does that. Logan is an above average little guy, and I think that he will be in the Classic Babiators by the time he is two years old.

Logan Modeling “You’re The Palm” Polarized Babiators:

Check Out All the Adorable Options Here!

Giveaway:

If you would like to win a pair of classic black babiators for your little one, enter this giveaway!

Entering is EASY!

To Enter:

Subscribe to LeahTackles.com (that’s this blog!)

Comment on this post who you would like to win a pair for!

“Like” LeahTackles on Facebook

“Like” Babitators Sunglasses on Facebook

Extra Entry Opportunitys:

Follow LeahTackles on Twitter

Follow Babitators Sunglasses on Twitter

Tweet @Babitators that you entered @LeahTackles giveaway for #Babiators

Follow LeahTackles on Instagram

Follow Babitators Sunglasses on Instagram

“Pin” this post on Pinterest (*Note: It’s easy! Hover over any picture of use the share buttons at the bottom of this post!0

Follow LeahTackles on Pinterest

Follow Babiators Sunglasses on Pinterest

Rules:

-Must be 18 years old or have parental permission

-Must live in the United States

-Giveaway ends 3 weeks from today on June 15th at 12:00p.m Eastern Standard Time

-Winner will be randomly selected

-Winner will have 48 hours to respond before I go onto the next person

I hope that each of you have a fun and safe holiday weekend! If you have any questions, please ask! xx

MOM GOALS FOR THE WEEK? KEEPING IT REAL!

May 16, 2016 & 4 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you all had an amazing weekend! I had a great time with my family : ) We didn’t do anything too exciting but we needed a nice family weekend at home! I also hit 1,000 subscribers on my LeahTackles YouTube Channel which is super exciting! I am currently shopping for a big giveaway for that, so be sure to subscribe if you haven’t yet!

I think as parents we all have lots of hopes for our children, hopes for ourselves as parents, and at the end of the day always want what is best for our kids. However, on this chilly Monday morning I decided to come up with some “Mom Goals” for the week that are real, achievable, and will make me feel fantastic even if they seem silly. I would LOVE to start a discussion in the comments, so if you’re a parent let me know any goals whether serious or silly that you have for the week! If you aren’t a mom, let me know any serious or silly goals that you have for yourself for the week.

MOM GOALS FOR THE WEEK OF 5/14:

1. Stop harassing the kids about cleaning up the toys. Let the house get a little messy. Clean together once before lunch and once before bed. It’s okay.

2. Make your words matter. Don’t overcorrect. Bite your tongue and only correct when it really matters.

3. Don’t rush bedtime! Emails, meal prep, and Netflix can wait 10 more minutes.

4. Do a craft with the kids three days this week.

5. Cuddle more.

6. Leave your phone on the charger. Have a dance party if you’re feeling frazzled.

7. Introduce one new fruit or veggie to each child.

PICTURES OF THE KIDS HAVING FUN:

Those all probably sound overly simple, but that’s the point! I want to go to bed with zero mom guilt, I want to be proud of the memories I created and feel warm fuzzies : )

Have a wonderful week! xx

MOM LIFE PERCEPTION VS. MOM LIFE REALITY | Sick just got real.™| VISA GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!

April 11, 2016 & 38 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend! If you follow me on Instagram, or ANY blogger on Instagram for that matter, you know that Instagram is a place full of beautiful, too-perfect-to-be-completely-true pictures. I am not saying that my pictures are “fake”, they aren’t, but they are carefully chosen snaps of my life. I also have a YouTube channel where I’m always wearing makeup, rocking a cute outfit, or chatting happily…again, it isn’t fake but it’s also sharing the good without the bad and the ugly. That is a BIG reason why I encourage you to check out our Daily Vlogs, because there you see us laughing, crying, no makeup, sweatshirts, and more just real life living. Today, I want to share a story I experienced as a mother earlier this year.

It was 3 O’clock on a weekday afternoon, which is always a time full of chaos in the Kwapis house! Connor, our three year old, and Logan, our toddler, had just woken up from their nap. Stephan was dropping Hailey, our oldest, off after Pre-K. I had just re-heated my mug full of old coffee, and was dreaming of sneaking off into the bathroom to eat some leftover Christmas candy and to have a minute of peace to scroll through Facebook. Connor was still groggy from his nap, and when Stephan had to leave to head back to work poor Connor threw a huge fit ending in him throwing himself on our hardwood floors. It was loud, I saw blood and thought he had bit his lip but quickly realized that he had split open his chin. I started panicking because Stephan had just drove out of the driveway and I was alone with 3 kids and no car. CRAP! I called Stephan and he was going to come home again to help but he had a lot to do at work so I told him I would call his mom. Thankfully, my mother in-law was able to come over to watch the other two while I took Connor to the E.R. Oh how quickly I was wide awake without my coffee, and holding back tears so I could get Connor the help he needed. I was in full on MOM MODE and just wanted my baby to be okay. Thankfully, he didn’t need stitches and was able to have his split chin glued instead. PHEW! I ended up going home with a grateful heart and cuddling my babies all a little closer that night. You can watch that day unfold here on KwapisFamilyTackles.

I was reminded of this story when I saw this video from the #SickJustGotReal campaign from Pfizer Consumer Healthcare:

http://bit.ly/1Rykxnq

That video made me so emotional and I can absolutely relate! I went from cracking up while watching the mom celebrate the victory of peeing alone (it is seriously a victory! I treasure going to the bathroom alone!) to tearing up watching the momma cuddle her sweet sick baby. I think this is a motivating and honest video that any parent can relate to. Be sure to also check out the Sick just got real.™ website for more real life relating and information on their products. I always have Children’s Advil® with me and on hand in our home because when it comes down to the nitty gritty I just want my babies to get some relief. The video and gift card for the giveaway have been provided by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All thoughts and reviews are my own.

GIVEAWAY:

If YOU would like to win a $25 Visa Gift Card you need to enter this giveaway! It is easy!

TO ENTER:

1. Subscribe to LeahTackles.com

2. “Like” LeahTackles on Facebook

3. “Like” Sick just got real.™ Facebook Page

4. Leave a comment telling me about a time when you or your kiddo were sick or hurt and life “got real” : )

RULES:

1. Must be in the United States of America (sorry to my international loves!)

2. Must be 18+ years old

3. Complete your entry by May 2nd which is 3 weeks from today

4. Giveaway winner will be contacted by me via email and will have 48 hours to respond before I pick another winner

Extra Entry Opportunity:

1. ) “Follow” LeahTackles on Instagram

2. Subscribe to our Daily Vlog Channel

GOOD LUCK!!!

As always, thank you for supporting me and reading my blog! I appreciate each of you. Have a great week and don’t forget to come back on Wednesday for another post from me : ) xx