In celebration of the recent release of Cars 3, Disney has provided me with some awesome coloring pages and fun games to share with you guys... enjoy!

There's always so much cool stuff we want to do, trips we want to take, friends we want to visit, experiences we want to have,  but life always seems to get in the way... but is it really "in the way"? What if, "life" is the big thing we are always looking forward to. What if the seemingly insignificant things we do on a daily basis are the cool things? 

The trips to the library to drop off books, the trips to the store to grab bread and milk (and of course, bird seed, can't forget the birds), the endless loads of laundry you do on a daily basis or the countless number of meals you prepare in a week... what if all of those things are the "thing" you keep chasing?

Instead of always chasing down the next big "thing" (while life gets in the way), why not make the little things the big thing? Make the trip to the library an adventure, not just a chore.

On the way to the grocery store, take a second to talk to your kids.  Ask them how their day is going. Tell them an embarrassing story about yourself as a child. Kids love to know you were once "human" too.  It is possible to be a parent and a friend. Like everything in life, it's all about balance. 

Get the kids involved in the mundane crap you have to do every day. Learning how to do a load of laundry or cook a simple grilled cheese sandwich is an invaluable lesson for them to learn. Remember, Dr. Phil says... "You're not raising children, you're raising adults." ... or at least, I think that was Dr. Phil... whatever, I digress.

Stop looking for happiness everywhere else and just make it yourself. Yep, kinda like magic. It is all around you, you just have to look for it. Once your expectations change, your outlook will follow.

Nowadays we are so bombarded by images on social media showing us what all the "cool kids" are doing. What we should be eating or drinking or wearing, that we have really lost sight of what is really important... how we treat each other, how much time we spend with our loved ones, and of course, how much fun we have. 

Stop judging yourself against others and just do you! Do what makes your heart happy and give the other crap a huge "one finger salute". Stop chasing that vacation in the mountains (or don't, you still need goals) and enjoy your life in the burbs; set up the pool noodle sprinkler in the back yard and throw on an old Tshirt and just go for it.

Make all the memories, laugh all the laughs, splash all the puddles and just enjoy your life.  We can't all be Kardashians, there have to be a few Dan and Roseannes in the group for it to work. 

DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post, written by me, on behalf of Savings.com. All opinions are my own.

My mother-in-law has been very sick for the last month, battling meningitis and was recently moved from the hospital to a rehab facility to finish healing and try to get some strength back before heading home. I've been wracking my brain trying to think of a little something to take the next time we visit that's not the old standby of balloons or flowers when it hit me... what about a little goodie basket full of personal care items?!

Anyone who has ever been in the hospital knows the products they supply you with are not the greatest. The tissues are one ply, the lotion feels like water and the shampoo leaves your hair feeling like straw. With that in mind, I grabbed a few goodies on my most recent Walmart adventure and threw them into a clearance Easter basket I scored for a penny.

For this particular basket, travel sized items worked best. Mostly because she will be heading home soon and doesn't need to lug a bunch of stuff home and also to save on cost. You don't have to spend an arm and a leg to show someone you care.

I picked a few necessities (deodorant, shampoo, and Efferdent denture cleaning tabs) and I also threw in a few "luxuries" (nail polish, smelly goods, and lip gloss) too.  The total cost of this basket was approximately $10ish and you can save even more if you print one (or both) of these exclusive Savings.com Efferdent coupons.

Save $1.50 on any one (1) Efferdent® Denture Cleanser 78 count or higher

Save $1.00 on any one (1) Efferdent® Denture Cleanser 24 count or higher

My local Walmart has the 44 ct. pack for $3.85 and with your coupon, that drops it down to only $2.85 and the 90 ct. pack of Efferdent overnight will run you about $3.50 with coupon. You could even go ahead and stock up at those prices. 

For even more savings, check your mailbox for the Valpak envelope which is full of coupons as well. If you don't get Valpak in your area, you can always check their website for tons of great printable coupons.

Happy shopping!

DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Pure Body Naturals. All thoughts and opinions are those of the blogger.

It's been a while since I've had a giveaway, so I decided to team up with some really amazing bloggers to bring you guys this awesome  $100 Kohl's gift card giveaway. Keep reading for more info and a ton of super great deals from Pure Body Naturals.

If you ask a Mom what she feels her most important job is, I guarantee you,  "keeping my kids safe" will be one of the top answers given. From the little things like: checking the temp of their bath water to the big things like: making sure they look both ways before crossing the street, it is our job to make sure they get from childhood to adulthood relatively unscathed and thanks to the folks at Wipeout dry-erase protective gear, our job just got a little easier.

It's no secret, protective gear only works if you wear it, so the folks at Wipeout came up with a way to ensure your kids will never want to take their helmet and pads off.

Ok, so that statement might be a gross exaggeration, made solely by me, but these products are a lot of fun and a great way for your child to show off their creative side, while staying safe.

The helmet is available in several colors including black, teal, neon pink, and zest (a neon yellow-green color) and is available in several different sizes, so be sure to check the website for sizing instructions, if ordering online.

The set also includes five dry erase markers for maximum creativity and for the creatively challenged, the package includes eight handy dandy stencils and you can also find tons of fun printable tutorials on the Wipeout site.

You can also get a set of Wipeout protective pads to match your helmet. The set includes elbow pads, wrist guards, knee pads and two dry erase markers and is available in the same four colors as the helmet so you can mix or match depending on your child's mood.

At less than thirty bucks for the helmet and twenty-five for the set of pads, this would make for a super affordable birthday or Christmas gift. Think of how many brownie points you would score when you show up with this gift. Not only are you generous, but super smart for thinking of the kid's brain health too. (wink wink) 

According to the CPSC, bicycle accidents land children in the ER more than any other sport and nearly 63% of bicycle fatalities involving children were due to head injuries. The numbers don't lie, helmets CAN (and do) save lives. No matter what brand of helmet you choose, make sure that your children wear them, every time, all the time, not just some of the time.

DISCLAIMER: My family and I will be receiving complimentary passes to Jurassic Quest.

In just two short weeks I will be hobnobbing with some "old" friends at the Tennessee state fairgrounds when, after being extinct for over 65 million years, they will be making a brief appearance for two days only.

Jurassic Quest has been billed as "the most realistic dinosaur display in the country." and boasts over 80 life-size animatronic dinosaurs. The event  0ffers dinosaur rides, a dino dig where your child can be a "paleontologist for a day", inflatables, crafts, face painting, an informational science center, a dino tour and much more.

Dinosaurs have fascinated children and grown ups alike for... well as long as history has been recorded and beyond and now, thanks to technology, you have a chance to get up close and personal with a few of them.

At Jurassic Quest, you get the chance to interact with the dinosaurs and ask their trainers questions about their habits and behavior. This event would make a great homeschool field trip. You could teach a unit on dinosaurs the week before the show, then surprise your kids with a trip to Jurassic Quest on Saturday (or Sunday). I made an entire Pinterest board dedicated to fun dinosaur activities; you can find it below.

As you travel through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous time periods in just the span of an afternoon, your child will learn about dinosaurs in a way they never could by simply reading a book.

The sights and sounds make the experience so much more immersive than you can get in your living room at home. The dinosaurs literally jump off the page of the books and right into your lap.

Here are a few tips to make sure you have the most enjoyable time possible at Jurassic Quest:

• If your child intends to jump on the inflatables, make sure you remember to bring (or wear) socks.
• According to their website, the least crowded time to go is late afternoons.
• "In and outs" are allowed as long as you get your hand stamped. (same day only)
• The rides are for kids ages 3-12, or less than 140 lbs. There are dinos for the kids to ride on that the children climb 4 stairs to get on top of and then the ride gently moves. There are also 4-5 inflatables for kids ages 3-12. Younger children have a couple rides/inflatables designated specifically for them.
• EXTRA FEES: There are additional premium attractions that are optional. Green Screen Photography is $10 for 4x6 and $20 for 6x8. Face Painting is $5 for small and $10 for large.
• Although Jurassic Quest does not have a policy against food being brought it, many venues have food vendors inside and do not allow it. Snacks for small children are certainly fine.  You can get your hand stamped and leave to eat and return the same day.
• Video recording IS allowed, so bring your camera and capture all those amazing moments.
• Some venues do charge for parking while others do not. You would need to contact the venue directly to determine if they are charging for parking.
  

"But I'm not in Nashville, I'm gonna miss the show.", you say? No worries. Jurassic Quest has scheduled events throughout the US for the next few months. You can get a detailed list of exhibit dates and times on their website.

You can also connect with Jurassic Quest on Facebook to stay up-to-date on any and all new shows and dates for the coming year. Also, be sure to connect with me on Instagram, I will be live "gramming" from the event. (is that even a thing? Well, it is now)