Stress-Free Swimsuit Shopping For Boys (I'm Envious!)

Speaking of pools, we tend to go through one inflatable pool every summer season so it was only right that we kicked off the hottest day of Spring to date with a dip in the backyard pool. The big boys had a blast, whereas Collins would have much preferred the water feel more like bath time than a dip in, say, the arctic. I can appreciate a big inflatable pool as well, thus allowing me to take a quick dip with the boys without looking all sorts of Redneck Nation in one of those tiny plastic ditties (been there, done that, FYI and it wasn't pretty). 

While I love a good set of matching brothers, sometimes it's fun to let them each express a bit of their own style and I think these matching rash guard sets allow them to do just that. Maclane picked out his own swimsuit, sunglasses and beach towel, with his own free two-year-old will. A will that is quite strong these days, might I add, while I picked out baby brother Collins' swimsuit and sunglasses while I still had freedom of an opinion. After all, how can you go wrong with baby Wayfarers and Aviators? You can't. You just can't. 

And kudos to Maclane for picking out quite possibly the softest beach towel, ever. Sometimes you can pick a super soft towel that doesn't do a lick of drying but this Luxe Beach Towel not only looks good but gets the job done. It's also quite over-sized which is perfect for more than one little boy tushy that might want to sit on it and I definitely can't complain about the awesome print. 

While we won't be heading to the beach this year for July 4th (sad face), we will be pool-hopping between a few of our neighborhood friends' houses and I couldn't resist these patriotic suits for the boys. I especially love how the baby's suit is one-piece which eliminates the rash guard from riding up and the trunks from sliding down when water-logged. 

I've gone ahead and rounded up a few more favorite swim-necessities that can be found on Target.com. From cover-ups to swim sets, pool toys and water shoes, Target has everything we will need to not only kick off a Summer of Fabulous Fun but keep it fun and fabulous all summer long.

I’m sharing our cute swimwear looks from Target Baby as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars #TargetCrowd

A Modern Mom Must-Have (Laptop Tablet Giveaway!)

Before I became a mother, I had one job. That job was working as a registered nurse in an acute care setting. I juggled very few things during that time- mostly striking a balance between long hours at the hospital and keeping a happy house and husband as a newlywed. Soon enough, the fog of newlywed-ed bliss cleared and with career shifts came major life changes such as a move south and a baby on the way. It wasn't long before I became a mother and a stay-at-home one at that!

As we began to settle ourselves down with deeper roots, I tested the work-from-home waters. In addition to being a brand new mother, I also became much more dedicated toward engaging brands and businesses within my blog. Over the last several years, not only did my blog become a working passion of mine but I also launched a photography business (in addition to adding two more babies to the mix!) 

Our life looks much, much different now than it did just five years ago and if you ever mentioned that I would not only be a mom of three boys but also the owner of not one but two businesses, I would have laughed and said, "not a chance!"

"Never say never," am I right?

I love every single second of our crazy busy days and I wouldn't trade them for the world. As a mom of three and business owner, it's been a difficult road to navigate. Sure there are contracts and deadlines to be met but at the same time, my family has been and always will be my number one priority. I've spent many long nights burning the candle at both ends, learning not only how to run a business from my home but also how to do so successfully and without detriment to my family. It hasn't always been easy and I'm sure I've failed both my family and a client on more than one occasion but in every instance, there's been a lesson learned and growth as both a mom and business owner.

As a mom and business owner, I'm always on the hunt for technology that allows me to transition seamlessly between roles. Whether I'm in Kindergarten prep-mode scouring Pinterest for readiness activities, in the pediatrician's office for a unforeseen fever, on the road doing some hands-on research for a brand or sitting down with a freshly swaddled newborn and her family in my at-home studio, I need to not only be accessible but also access email, apps and the Internet in a way that benefits myself, my family and my business.

The Lenovo YOGA 3 Pro is a tablet laptop mash-up that in layman's terms is "simply freaking amazing." It's ultra-thin, incredibly lightweight and boasts an incredible 6-hinge design that allows it to fold back a complete 360 degrees.

Yes, you read that correctly! The Lenovo YOGA 3 Pro can be used as a traditional clam shell laptop but with a swift fold of the screen, becomes tented and furthermore lays completely flat. I can't lie, this was an enhancement that definitely took some getting used to but an enhancement that I absolutely love and appreciate once I got over the "oh my god it's going to snap and break" feeling. 

The high resolution 13" screen is crisp and clean, great for streaming videos (in the waiting room of the pediatrician's office) or browsing a client's gallery of inspiration during a consultation.

I imagine this machine operates  similarly to the female brain- as it rises to the challenge of multitasking with a capital "M." The machine outdoes itself while running multiple browsers and streaming music while I simultaneously write and edit documents in MS Offic (or cook dinner).

The Lenovo YOGA 3 Pro transitions quickly and easily between Business Mom mode and Mom of 3 mode. Whether I'm at the table answering emails during nap time, standing at the oven for an impromptu cookie baking session or on the go chauffeuring three small boys from school to story time at the library and beyond, the YOGA 3 Pro makes me a better mom AND business mom.

Lightweight, convenient and easy to carry/slip into a diaper bag, the Lenovo YOGA 3 Pro is a welcome addition to our crazy, beautiful and busy family. 

Want to win your OWN Lenovo YOGA 3 Pro? Entry is easy. Please be sure to read terms and conditions within the Rafflecopter widget below or visit this link. For more information on Lenovo, visit this link.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


For information pertaining to Superfish, please read this.