Everyday With Bay

October 9, 2019

It’s Cool To Be Kind

Being kind, there is nothing cooler these days and I am so excited to be spreading kindness this week as I partner with Forward Influence network! I’m pretty sure paying it forward and spreading kindness sure is one of the most rewarding things you can do! It really does spread joy in so many ways just by doing something small so I really wanted to get my kids in on some random acts of kindness!

We have so much power these days especially with the world at our finger tips. Social media and the internet can have so many negative things spread throughout it at all times but I challenge all of you to change that not only this week but every week!

One of the most important things I want to teach my kids besides knowing their Savior is the power of being kind and that their words/actions can mean more than they even realize! The internet is how our kids communicate 90% of the time these days so it is so important that we teach them kindness and how to use the internet safely and kindly! Google has a program called Be Internet Awesome and it is such a neat program that helps children navigate through the vast internet space! They incorporate 5 steps that help kids feel confident in their daily interactions!

SMART: Communicate responsibly online

ALERT: Identify phishing, scams, and non-credible sources online

STRONG: Protect your personal information

KIND: Be kind and positive online

BRAVE: When in doubt about anything online, talk it out with an adult

I have been trying to teach my kids the importance of being the upstander in every situation and not the bystander! This is such a hard concept for young children but it truly helps them understand that kindness can also come from defending someone even if they aren’t the one being actively unkind! We even played to Kind Kingdom game which is a fun interactive game to show them how to spread kindness and to watch out for those who are spreading negativity and how to protect others!

I challenge all of you to spread kindness by doing a random act of kindness within the next 48 hours and post it to social media using the hashtag #itscooltobekind and tagging 3 friends asking them to participate! Let’s spread some kindness and make this world a brighter place!

Thank you to Forward Influence Network for sponsoring today’s post! All thoguhts, and opinions are that of my own!

September 20, 2019

Toy Finds with Walmart

Toys, can’t live with them, can’t live without them am I right? My kids are always down for some new toys but as a mom I really try to make getting toys a treat! I usually make them clean out their playroom and get a donation pile going before we purchase any new toys! One of their favorite things to do is browse the toy aisles at WALMART! I mean, who can blame them, there are SO many options! They like to get an idea of what they will choose when it’s their turn to get to pick something out again! They also now like to get on my laptop and scour the web for the newest and coolest toys WALMART has to offer!

These past few weeks we have been implementing in some chores around the house as well as behavioral treats for things they have accomplished or helped out with! My kids earn things by being a productive member of the household and trust me, its not always easy but when they see that they can work towards a goal it truly helps their mindset for earning things and helps my sanity as a family of 6 can be overwhelming! 😉

My kids finally earned some new toys a few days ago and we ordered them straight from WALMART! I let the kids each pick out a toy but my one stipulation was it had to be under $20! Greleigh used some of her saved up money to pay for the difference since her toy was a little more expensive! Sway of course didn’t pull his weight in chores so mama caved and picked him out a little something too! HA! You can learn more on how to buy online and use coupons.

Greleigh is absolutely obsessed with Descendants 3 right now so I knew for sure her pick would be something from that movie and sure enough, Ben & Mal dolls for her! My boys still love everything Toy Story so I showed them the RC Buzz & Woody cars and that was a hit! One thing I always try to do with the boys is make them pick out VERY similar if not identical toys because it never fails, the other toy is ALWAYS cooler and it makes for some huge fights and this mama just doesn’t have time for that! So we usually do same toy, different color, or character but I don’t ever do things like Kaige a nerf gun and Huxx some blocks because it just never goes well! The boys have have had so many fun races with Buzz & Woody and they are crazy drivers! LOL Sway boy has been making some great beats on this cute little Vtech Drumset. It might be the cutest thing ever watching him play! He gets SO excited to hit those bad boys and it’s my favorite to watch!

Shopping for toys at WALMART is always so easy and enjoyable because they always have new things, tons of options and you cant beat their prices! Ps. They also have free 2 day shipping so that is always a nice option!! All in all WALMART is our go-to stop for all things toys! The options are limitless and we can always find the perfect toy, whether it be a birthday party gift, a fun treat for my kids or shopping for the holidays I always shop WALMART!

Toys we bought

Other favorite toys we loved

Thank you to Walmart for sponsoring today’s post! All thoughts, opinions and images are that of my own! Thank you for supporting the brands that we love!

August 30, 2019

Labor Day Sales

It’s Labor Day weekend which means the sales are in full force! I have rounded up a few of our favorite retailers to help y’all be able to find all the amazing deals in one place!!

Abercrombie– 50% off throughout the store

Aerie & American Eagle– 25-60% off everything at AE. 40% off Aerie collection.

Asos– 40% off new season styles

DSW– 20% OFF everything with code: YOURPLACE

Express– 40% off everything

Forever 21– Extra 60% off all sale with code: ADD2CART

Gap– Up to 50% off + extra 25% off with code: AUTUMN

Goodnight Macaroon– 40% off with code: PREFALL

LOFT– 50% off almost everything with code: LONGWEEKEND

Nordstrom- Spend $150 get $30 + 40% off lots of things

Nordstrom Rack- Extra 25% off clearance, clear the rack savings! SOOO many good things!

Old Navy- 20% off your order + 50% off all dresses, jeans and tees!!

Shein- labor day presale! Spend more, save more

Sole Society– up to 70% off select styles

Target– Up to 25% off home + patio + 30% bedding/bath

Ulta– 20% OFF site wide with code 716549

Victoria Emerson– 40% off everything, I’m obsessed with EVERYTHING they have!

Wayfair– Up to 75% off Labor Day clearance!

July 21, 2019

Tips for Back To School

We all know getting kids ready for school can be a daunting task for all parents. There’s shopping for clothes & supplies, errands to run, nerves to pray for, and just a overwhelming list of things you want to get done before summer comes to an end! This is my third year sending a kid to school full time and honestly it hasn’t gotten easier, maybe even harder but I’ve rounded up a few things I do to make sure the transition for back-to-school goes as smoothly as possible!

Talk about school often

I really start talking about school once we are about a month out from starting. I like to phase them back in to the idea of routine, schedules, not snacking all day, etc! I think it helps to remind them what it means to be back in school and have that structure all while reminding them the fun parts about school like friends, events and all the things they thrive on! They really do miss the structure and as summer comes to an end I can see them really craving that structured time and having someone else to listen to besides griping mama 😉

Buy school supplies through the school

So I am proud to say my kids supplies will be waiting on them the first day of school!!! If your school offers the supply bundles, buy them. Don’t look back. Enjoy picking up your supplies from your school and not having to step foot inside a store to fight off all the other mamas for the last wide ruled notebook! I used to think this was fun but now I know why my mom dreaded it! #ugh

Get the perfect backpack

This is by far my kids favorite thing to do before school! This year we partnered with Pottery Barn Kids to get their backpacks!! I am absolutely in love with their prints and the quality is top notch!! These are for sure backpacks that can last you multiple years if you would like! Greleigh of course picked the gold/silver glitter ombré with a pink sparkly water bottle! Kaige picked the glow in the dark shark backpack with matching water bottle and Huxx picked the Shark critter backpack with shark water bottle!! They all got monograms on them because monograms make everything better am I right?? I am so happy with how everything turned out and I can’t wait to see them on the first day of school with their PBK backpacks!

Let them help you pick school clothes

If there is one thing I have learned over the years it’s that a happy kid is a….happy kid! Which means if they are happy in leggings and a t-shirt everyday then for the love, let them wear that. I have to say it’s taken a lot of fights and tears to get here but for example…this year Greleigh told me mom “nothing over the top, I just want to be comfy cute” So athletic clothes and leggings will be her BFF! My boys still don’t care so mama gets to have the reigns still with those two!

Pray

School time is seriously hard on my mama heart. I truly love summer and all that it brings and the first week of school is always SO hard on me! This is our second year at our school and I can’t eve begin to tell you what a blessing this school has been to my kids already! The classes are small, the town is small and most importantly the school still holds the small town values that I hold very dear to my heart! I pray over each of my kids, their teachers, their school and most importantly their faith! I pray that they always know their worth, know that they are loved by their Savior and that no matter the seasons we go through that they are always my biggest blessing! I hope this school year is their best one yet!

Thanks to Pottery Barn Kids for sponsoring today’s post!! When you support the brands we love you also support our family!!

June 28, 2019

First Birthday Gift Ideas

First birthday gifts can be one of the most anticipated purchases someone makes! It’s like the biggest purchase for some parents and I’ve done it 4 times! Honestly I don’t make a huge deal about 1st birthdays but to each their own! I get asked lots of questions about what I would suggest for first birthday gift ideas so I’ve complied a few of my go-to’s for the best gift ideas! I have been so lucky to partner with buybuyBaby for this series which is literally a one stop shop for all things you need from baby days to toys for your big kids!

Play Kitchen

We have this kitchen and my kids love it! Not only Sway but even my big kids enjoy playing with it which is like a double bonus! He will play with it for the longest out of any of his toys! He loves opening and closing the cabinets and chewing on his wooden food! 😉

Water Table

This water table is a huge hit in the summer months! We play outside with this thing all the time! It’s perfect for a one year old but my big kids love it too!

Wooden Activity Cube

We got this for Sway for Christmas and it’s such a great quality toy! Sway loves this thing so much! He will sit and play in the floor with it for quite awhile which is SO nice!

Lawn Mower

Play dishes/pots/pans etc

We got all of this stuff with the kitchen we bought and it’s all amazing quality!

Swing

Dyson Vaccuum

Mercedes Ride On

Slide

Up & Down Roller Coaster

These are all amazing toy options for that special one year old in your life! These are all super fun and are sure to keep that new little toddler happy and occupied! If you show up to a birthday party with any of these then you will be sure to keep all the parents happy plus the kiddo!! This post is in collaboration with buybuyBaby! Thank you for supporting the brands I love & choose to partner with!

April 27, 2019

ALWAYS be a Superhero with PJ Masks

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of entertainmentOne. The opinions and text are all mine.

Did you know there is a national superhero day? Yah, I didn’t either! Well now you know and I have the perfect way for you and your little superheroes to celebrate!

If your kids are like mine especially the boys they love PJ Masks! I’m pretty sure at this point we have seen every episode! Well they actually just released Season 3 a few days ago so now you can all really celebrate with the 3 best heroes around, Catboy, Gekko and Owlette! Grab your kiddos and check out the new season’s trailer here! They will have 26 new episodes airing over the next year to keep your little superheroes entertained!

As a mom you always want your kids modeling people who show great character and have great values and that’s one of the many reasons I love PJ Masks! They promote positive social behaviors as well as “fighting” the bad guys who are usually showcasing things such as selfishness or being rude! This allows Catboy, Gekko, and Owlette to overcome the situation with great values and the appropriate behaviors!

Wanna make April 28th even more fun for your kiddos? You can check out this link to find all sorts of fun activities, crafts, songs and more for your family to do while celebrating national superhero day with PJ Masks! I know we will be taking part in this super fun day and I hope you guys join us! There will be dress up, dance parties and of course couch relaxing watching our best superhero friends!

You can always catch PJ Masks airing on our very favorite channel, Disney!

Did you know national superhero day is just around the corner?? Read all about it here plus get exclusive PJ Masks content to help celebrate the special day with your little heroes!!