Reviews – Mom on the go in Holy Toledo

ANNOUNCING #HAM4HAM LOTTERY IN TOLEDO 40 TICKETS FOR EVERY PERFORMANCE $10 EACH

August 14, 2022August 14, 2022momonthegoinholytoledo

Producer Jeffrey Seller and The American Theatre Guild announce a digital lottery for HAMILTON tickets will begin in conjunction with the show’s first performance (Aug. 23) in Toledo at the Stranahan Theater. A limited number of tickets will be available for every performance for $10 each. The lottery will first open at 10:00 AM Friday, Aug. 12, and will close at 12:00 PM Thursday, Aug. 18 for tickets to performances Aug. 23 – 28. Subsequent digital lotteries will begin each Friday and close the following Thursday for the upcoming week’s performances.

HOW TO ENTER…

5 Trends that’ll make your Kiddos Summer Party Sizzle!!!!

June 6, 2015February 25, 2020momonthegoinholytoledo

1. BIG SUMMER BASH in lieu of birthday parties: There seems to be a big trend forming, parents are opting to spend more on one HUGE summer bash for their kiddos as opposed to hosting big birthday parties for each child. I must admit, I am 100% onboard!! Don’t get me wrong we will still do something small for each child on their birthday but we won’t be doing the ridiculously complicated Pinterest worthy celebrations like we did in the past. We just hosted our BIG Schools out for SUMMER Bash yesterday & it was an absolute blast!! We will totally do it again next summer! In fact some of the kiddos were begging us to have another one next week! Yep, it was that much fun! LOL!

2. Bounce House: When I think back to my own childhood, and the parties my kiddos have attended all the really awesome ones always had a bounce house/ inflatables. Those were the parties we would talk about for weeks, months, even years to come! The Bounce House/ Inflatable is still ALL the rage! The kids love the bounce houses! And it is nice on the parents, it gives us a break, we can literally just sit and watch instead of having to occupy their attention with a ½ dozen other activities. And I will be the first to tell you there is no competing with the bounce house; it is in a class of its own! Yes, I speak from experience. During our Summer bash I made an attempt at getting the kiddos off the giant inflatable waterslide to participate in water balloon & water gun activities and they could care less…the only way they were getting off that waterslide was if GOD told them to, via lightning. LOL! IT WAS A BLAST!! The kiddos loved it! Huge thank you to FUN FACTORY for bringing the FUN!!

3. Decorate Your Own (DYO): No need to purchase that already decorated cake or cookies, the latest trend is having the kiddos decorate their own!! WHAT!?! You heard right. Bake your cupcakes, cakes, and/ or cookies and then set up a frosting and decoration station/table. Or better yet, do what I did and outsource, have someone do it for you. Sweet Cheeks Treats made/baked all the cookies and supplied the frosting in these awesome easy to use frosting bottles.

It was the coolest! The kiddos had fun coming up with their own designs for their fish, ball, and dolphin cookies! Not only did Sweet Cheeks Treats supply the cookies she also saved me time, energy, and patience, huge thank you!!! Tip of the day: Whenever possible, outsource, save your sanity!

4. Photo-booth: How often do you get to wear a sombrero and fake mustache? And then be a beautiful princess two minutes later? Not often enough, right!?! The photo-booth is the perfect opportunity for the kiddos to use their imaginations and mix & match various props in order to produce the silliest photo. Most party stores (Wal-Mart, Target, Hobby Lobby) often stock a small photo-booth kit. Simply set up the backdrop (a shower curtain and/or tablecloth works well), layout the props, and have an adult designated as the photo-booth photographer…to add to the fun you could upload photos to the computer and have everyone vote on their favorite and then give the winners a prize!

5. Piñata- I know what you’re thinking, really, that is so old-school, right!?! Well, old school is cool now days. We picked out this beauty at Wal-Mart but practically all stores seem to have them these days. But I will advise that you take into consideration how many kiddos you have and purchase one that will hold enough goodies for everyone. This guy offered slim pickings for our guests so we will have to go for a larger size next time. Also, get creative with what you stuff your piñata with, it doesn’t need to be candy…Chuck-e-cheese tokens, coupons, tattoos, stickers, etc.

Summer Parties are the BEST! Whether you have yours in the beginning, mid, or late summer, there is nothing better than getting together with family and friends. Remember, it is the people in your life that matter most! So, in the midst of all the chaos and fun be sure to pull up a towel, chair, cooler, etc.. just grab a seat and make time for those that matter most. Cheers!! BRING ON SUMMER!!

So, what are your thoughts on having a big party in lieu of a birthday party for each child?

Mom, you kinda look like a homeless person

March 18, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

“Mom, you kinda look like a homeless person”. “Thanks son, that’s the look I was going for, sounds like I nailed it!” I exclaimed as we made a mad dash to the car. This is not the morning I had anticipated! It all started with my phone alarm not going off. Well, technically it did I just didn’t have the volume high enough, or on, clearly a manufacturer’s flaw!! So we overslept.

I rushed downstairs to scramble eggs. Why eggs? Why not a simple breakfast of cereal & milk? Because I hate myself! No, really, it was my genius idea to have healthier breakfasts so I only bought oatmeal & eggs. There is literally no cereal in our house, no bars, nothing remotely convenient!! Oh how I strongly dislike myself sometimes!!!! (I am also trying to not use the word hate, because it is just a horrible word…but honestly if it was possible to kicked my own butt this morning I would have!!) While the children grumbled about the eggs I ran upstairs and grabbed clothes off my floor to wear. Yes, sometimes I am worse than the children! Then the scavenger hunt began! What, you don’t havethose at your house in the morning!? We were all frantically searching for a jeans pass because my 3^rd grader wasn’t going to wear her school dress code pants & she just received a pass in her student of the month packet….our little responsible student of the month! See the irony in that? But I was interrupted and had to forfeit my place in the scavenger hunt to help the 4 yr. old that just spilt water all over the pants she was going to wear to school!! So I hit up the dirty clothes pile in search of the least dirty pants. And I found a winner!! We rushed downstairs where we hurried along the finishing touches.

I did the girls hair. I put adorable pigtail braids in one and bun in the other; I must admit I was quite pleased and astonished at my mad hair skills this morning. And then I turned my head for a moment and the adorable pigtail braids were out!! Grrrr!!! Mind you I hadn’t even run a brush through my own hair and now I had to do my 4 yr. olds hair a second time!! And with a mere five minutes till we had to be in the car. Infuriating!! I had to fix it. She looked like a wild child, like her hair had literally been through a hurricane; she looked like, like me!!

So I stood there with my own hair all disheveled. 3^rd grader was telling me the latest happenings on animal planet…she is like a walking animal encyclopedia that doesn’t have a mute button. I love her to pieces but this morning I didn’t need to hear all about the paragon falcon for the 8^th time!! Meanwhile the 1^st grader, the inventor, was completing the charging station he created with Legos and was in desperate need of help getting 2 tiny Legos separating!! It took everything in me not to chuck those little Legos across the room. I managed to separate them, break a nail in the process but it was a small price to pay and there wasn’t much blood. But we were getting down to the wire. I rushed to put 4 yr. olds hair in a ponytail. I stood there brushing her hair when all of a sudden this warm, wet sensation hit my pant leg and filled my shoe. It was pee!! The puppy peed on me! He literality peed on me! And with no time to spare we made a mad dash out the door. And that is when my sweet son looked up at my disheveled hair, stained shirt, peed on pants, and shoe filled with urine that he so kindly exclaimed, “Mom, you kinda look like a homeless person”.

This experience really got me thinking about how blessed I am. I was able to come home, brush my hair, shower, change my clothes, etc. but there are so many who are homeless who do not have that luxury. Who do not have clean clothes!! But what if there was a way that you could help clothe the homeless? And what if there might also be something in it for you? Do I have your attention now? Clothe Ohio does just that!!

Born out of a desire to help the less fortunate in our great state, Clothe Ohio is a company that gives when you get. Combined with our love for producing comfy, artsy, yet fashionable Ohio apparel, donating clothing was an undeniable solution to fulfilling our passion to give back.

With each order placed, we will give a new t-shirt or sweatshirt to an Ohioan in need. Teaming up with different non-profits and charitable organizations throughout the state, we are able to give directly to the people who need it most.

Join the movement now to help Clothe Ohio!!!

If I may add, they have some real jazzy inventory! And they have swag for various cities too! Do you have friends who were an Ohioan but now resides out of state? This makes a fabulous gift…add a few local goodies and they will be praising your name! It is always fun to receive goodies from home & support such an amazing cause!! Or if you just want to tick off some Michigan fans, lol!! And fyi- you might want to buy a few shirts, just incase that one on the bedroom floor is actually dirty, or in case your child spills water on it, or your puppy pees on it, you will always have a spare!!

Disclosure: I received Clothe Ohio shirts for review, no other compensation was received, all thoughts & opinions are my own.

You’re too old. As if! Growing old never looked so good! (Giveaway!)

March 2, 2015March 2, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

I must admit, if you would have asked me my thoughts on ageing 10 years ago my reply would have been a negative one. And why not!?! Everything I had seen on television, in magazines, conversations with friends, etc. told me that once you get grays & wrinkles your life was pretty much over; you mine as well curl up into a ball and wait to die. Nothing about getting old seemed glamorous. Old people always complain about this breaking, that not working like it used to, etc. Ugh! Who looks forward to aches, pains, & complaining? No thank you! But that mentality has changed entirely! Now I am all, bring it on baby! Bring on the wrinkles, grays, varicose veins, menopause, etc. Why the sudden change? (Haha…no pun intended!) 3 words, Magnificent Role Models!!!

I have a new outlook on old and it is beautiful thanks to the amazing role models paving the way for all us advancing in age gals (FYI-that is all of us). Advancing in age, style, grace, life, love….advancing never sounded so good, so inviting!! So who do I have to thank for this new take on life? The gals from the absolutely amazing blog, Advanced Style (all 50+), the new Bond girl/woman, Monica Bellucci (50), the latest glamour girl to join L’Oreal Paris, Helen Mirren (69), and my remarkable mother (60).

If you have Netflix you have got to check out the documentary, Advanced Style. You will be glad you did! It follows around 5 advanced in age fabulous ladies! Each has their own magnificent sense of style. Each lives their life to the absolute fullest! I love the fact that there is a 95 year old who never retired her style. A 93 year old who makes her own wild eyelashes & still teaches art classes!! A 60 year old who lives her dream of being recognized!! Did I mention I am loving these ladies!!! Some have lost spouses and been through a lot but they never lost their appreciation for life, their zest for life! You have got to click here and take a moment to check out the blog that started it all.

Talk about breaking the glass ceiling, who ever thought the day would come when the James Bond girl would be 50!!! How awesome is that!

And Helen Mirren is absolutely breathtaking at age 69! Finally!!! We are embracing all that is life, wrinkles, gray, etc. Life isn’t over at 50. In fact, my mother has told me it gets so much better…she explained it in such a magnificent way that practically had me longing to be 60!

She said menopause isn’t that horrible thing that everyone makes it out to be. It is marvelous! Imagine being able to wear white whenever you want, no more cramps, no more having to buy sanity products…there are much more fun ways to spend money & time! It is freedom! And embrace the gray & silver. Be yourself. You will always look beautiful when you do. God didn’t get it wrong. Don’t fight it. Embrace age. Love yourself. Life gets better. But do take care of yourself so you can enjoy your life. Exercise so you can live your life to the absolute fullest. Take good care of your skin, bones…your body. Nurture the soul. Live!

Thus, I am taking her wise advice…though I am only in my 30 I know I need to start a maintenance regime now. I am taking better care of myself by exercising, taking calcium (I want to be rocking my style in Europe when I am 80 not stuck in a hospital bed with broken bones) I recently started using Collagen Serum on my face & neck purchased through Neocell (they offer a lot of great health & beauty products) It is a potent antioxidant and contains vitamin C & E, it protect & rejuvenate skin. I have to be honest, not only has it helped with my combinations skin (a combination of winter face & exhaustion, haha!) but it has also tightened my face & neck a bit. You have got to try it! And you are in luck because that is the giveaway!!!

Giveaway time…..

To enter the giveaway:

1-Like Mom on the go in Holy Toledo on Facebook

2-Follow @mamaof3onthego on Twitter

3-Like Neocell on Facebook

4-Reply with a comment-expressing what ONE word best describes your take on ageing.

Winner will be randomly selected March 8th @ 11:59pm

Curl up in a ball and wait to die, I don’t think so! We are going to give those 20 somethings a run for their money! Life ends at 50? I don’t think so!! We have only just begun at 50! Look out world there are a lot of sassy, fun, fabulous ladies with wrinkles, gray hair, & lots of life to live coming your way!!!

Disclosure: I received Collagen Radiance Serum to review, no other compensation was received, all thoughts & opinions are my own.

Pearls and Yoga Pants

February 23, 2015February 25, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

Being a mother, though the most amazing gift in the world is not always the most glamorous! It is messy! The house needs to be cleaned, meals made, laundry done, kids chauffeur, etc. There are no red carpets, no amazing award shows, and no races requiring fancy hats! Let’s just say my son’s Boy Scout Pinewood derby is the fanciest derby I will be attending this year! Haha! So why dress up? Why wear jewelry? Why not just be comfortable? Why bother?

I subscribe to comfortable clothing; there is no denying the fact that yoga pants are the best!! Who wants jeans constantly riding up their bum while trying to clean the house and run errands? But perhaps Mrs. Cleaver was on to something. Perhaps letting yourself go too much, could have a negative effect? It might results in a motivationally challenged momma. This was precisely what I was two weeks ago!! That is until a pair of genuine pearl button earrings graced my ears!

No joke, after putting on the pearls I suddenly felt different. I felt more important. I felt purposeful. I felt ambitious. And most importantly I felt luxurious! I now clean/tidy with such gusto and determination. I have officially channeled my inner Mrs. Cleaver. The housewives of the 1950s were definitely on to something. Maybe it is important to take pride in every job you do no matter how minimal it may seem, even cleaning floors and toilets. But I must admit it is a lot easier to take pride when you’re wearing pearls. (I am still working on my 1950’s housewives class, the pic below is anything but! lol!)

These pearls have inspired me beyond just household cleaning. I am now taking more of an interest in what I am wearing. I used to enjoy picking out my clothes, having fun with colors & patterns but lost interest somewhere in between nursing bras & yoga pants. Haha! These pearls have helped me get my fashion mojo back and in a sense get back to myself, not the housewife version or mother version but rather me, simply me! And FYI- they have these really cool black button pearls too, check them out…for us hip, modern, happening mommas.

I must admit, if a pair of earrings can do this much imagine what an entire strand of pearls could do? Besides I do believe they are feeling a little lonely. Hehe!

UPDATE: Pearl & Clasp is offering a special JUST for my readers!!! 15% off anything on the site!! Code is: pcsale. http://www.pearlclasp.com/ Stay up to date on all the latest happenings here.

Do you rock the yoga pants? What are your thoughts on the modern SAHM vs. the 1950s SAHM? When was the last time you cleaned the house with pearls on?

Disclosure: I received a pair of pink button pearl earrings to review, no other compensation was received, all thoughts & opinions are my own.

Have Christmas morning minus the sleep deprivation, debit, and guilt!

February 20, 2015February 20, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

The doorbell rang and my initial reaction was one of panic. I thought for sure I had forgotten about a playdate or about a friend dropping by. I quickly grabbed the nearest laundry basket and frantically starting throwing stuff in it ASAP! Violently rubbed baby powder around my oily hasn’t been washed in 4 days hair. Tried my best to hold my eyebrows up for a more refreshed, I actually slept last night look, which I am fairly certain is also my surprised expression, but it is what I have to work with. Pinched my cheeks for a little color and hoped for the best! So you can imagine my splendid surprise when I opened the door and was greeted by that adorable, inspiring, (non-judgmental) orange box! It was like Christmas morning minus the sleep deprivation, debit, & guilt! Eeee!!

It arrived!! Such a glorious surprise! And let’s be honest as a mother & wife/parent & spouse there are very few and far between surprises in life. Sure there are the occasional: “Oops, I pooped my pants”. “Oops I threw up all the way to the bathroom but felt great once I arrived”. “Oops, did I forget to tell you I invited clients over for dinner this evening? They will be there in 2 hours. Is that a problem?” And classic in our house, “Oops, I did have homework Friday” says the young man 10 minutes before we leave for school on Monday!! So it is so nice to have a pleasant surprise…one that doesn’t require clean up!! One that makes me feel special. One that makes me feel young & trendy! One that makes me feel like a star! Yep, I get all that from that one orange box…or rather, from all the goodies in the box. Look at all the goodies in this month’s box… (BTW- I am eating the Balance bare right now and it is AMAZING!). I love trying new things!!

So maybe I can’t travel around the world, go rock climbing, or attend the Oscars but I can take a mini adventure in a box called Bulu!! Now, if you will excuse me I am off to try Sant, the organically grown dried superfruit that transform into a fresh beverage…sounds like a tropical vacation to me (or at least for my taste buds….-17 outside but a tropical vacation in my mouth…didn’t think that one out to well but you know what I me). Make today a magnificent one! Be ambitious! Be extraordinary! Be bold! Be outrageous! Be the best you that you can be!! And rock the Bulu!! Click here to learn more and get promo code.

Peace & Love

-Kat-

$150 of parenting materials for FREE (promo code included)

January 31, 2015January 31, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

Eeeee! I am super excited to receive my copy of Motivate Your Child! I have to be honest parenthood is amazing but hard. It can be smooth sailing one day and hurricane winds the next which is why I am looking forward to reading about the following topics:

Learn What Internal Motivation is
and How to Develop it in Your Child

You will learn:
• How to build a strong conscience to strengthen internal motivation
• How faith changes kids in practical, down-to-earth ways
• Ways to help self-focused kids think of others
• A strategy to help kids who tend to blame, rationalize, or defend
• Ways to use consequences for heart change
• Specific heart-based strategies to develop responsibility and initiative

Now for the information you came here for….to get your free $150 of parenting materials.

Pre-order or purchase a copy of Motivate Your Child from any retailer. Once you’ve made your purchase, follow the instructions below. Click here for some common retail options.

INSTRUCTIONS: Purchase the book. Send an email with MYC150 Promo in the subject line with a receipt of purchase to gift@biblicalparenting.org. Biblical Parenting will send you the link and a special code to access these downloadable video, audio and written products.

I can’t wait to delve into all this amazing material!! Order yours today and we can read and discuss the book together!

Bulu Box Review: Try before you buy! Genius!! (Promo code included)

January 27, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

So one of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to get healthy & fit! So naturally my first stop along my journey to a new healthy and fit lifestyle was to a health store, where I quickly became overwhelmed by all the health supplements, weight loss items, nutritional snacks, etc. I stood in the isle mouth wide open in awe of all the options and wished I could open up a few packages and simply sample before I committed to a 3 months supply!! Better yet, while I am wishing, what if they could send those samples right to my front door? Guess what, Bulu Box does just that!! No more getting stuck with a month supply of snacks/supplements I can’t stand.

So what is Bulu box exactly?

The perfect partner in the pursuit of a healthier you, Bulu Box is like having a personal trainer and a nutritionist as a best friend. Get this, each month, a box of healthy discoveries is shipped right to your door (it doesn’t get more convenient than that!) for just $10. You learn about that month’s 4-5 premium samples try each one and see what fits into your individual healthy lifestyle. For sharing your opinions on each month’s samples through a quick survey, you will be given 50 Rewards Points (that’s $5!) to use in the shop to get more of your favorites. Join me in this clever endeavor…get a 3 Month Subscription for just $10 (regularly $30)! at Bulu Box – Use code WOWZA

http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=11865&dealid=1825 @usfg @bulubox

And why do I adore it so?

I received my first box last week and I have enjoyed trying out all the goodies inside! I must admit I am most fond of the inspirational magnets that were included…it helps to read something healthy and uplifting before I open the refrigerator. And the FlyJoy, after the first bite I realized why it was called FlyJoy…it was literally like a bite of joyfulness while on the fly. And thank goodness that delicious bar was in the box, it made the perfect breakfast on the fly…perfect for moms on the go! (FYI- they have a new flavor, Cashew Cookie Dough, YUM!!) And truthfully there were a couple items that I will not purchase and I am so thankful for the opportunity to try them before I bought them. Now I won’t delve too far into all the items because they change each time but what I can tell you is that this mom is 100% on board with this genius box!! I would much rather spend $10 to sample a variety of health & fitness lifestyle items then purchase a 3 months supply of one that doesn’t meet my preferences. Sign up today, you will be glad you did! Side note-it is also kind of cool chatting with the gals about the latest and greatest health & nutrition items that I just so happened to also sampled already…sometimes as a mom it is hard to be in ‘the know’ about trending nutritional & health items but now it can come right to your doorstep!!

Disclosure: I received a Bulu Box to review, no other compensation was received, all thoughts & opinions are my own.

The Happy’s (vlog)

April 26, 2014April 26, 2014momonthegoinholytoledo

What’s better than a house full of 9 children? A house with children and The Happy’s!! What are the Happy’s?

Amazingly Adorable, remarkably real pets that really play with you!

They scamper, they pounce and they sit up and beg! The Happy’s are the only line of interactive puppy and kitty special feature plush pets that play, can be trained to perform tricks and make 25+ silly sounds.

The Happy’s love to play keep away or chase their ball in a puppy pile up!

Hold the Happy treat and they’ll come running to show off a trick!

The Happy’s will even dance to their favorite Samba tune, drive a car and ride a skateboard!

The Happy’s are a pet-palooza of pure magic! Source

The children absolutely adored these cute cuddly little critters. Here the video that captures the fun had during our playdate, enjoy!

My children have had such a wonderful time getting to know the Happy’s they are saving up their money in order to collect the remaining 4. If you are looking for the perfect pet…that doesn’t require food, vet bills, training, etc. be sure to visit your local Toys-R-us, Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, or Justice today and bring home a cut cuddly new family member, one of the Happy’s (or collect all 8!). In the meantime have the kiddos checkout The Happy’s website for fun online games and activities.

“Disclosure: I received free products in order to host the Cepia, LLC sponsored MommyParty. The opinions expressed here are my own.”

Kelly’s Kits: Multisensory tool, Geography lesson, Contests and more!

October 29, 2012October 29, 2012momonthegoinholytoledo

We received our Kelly’s Kit last week and the kiddos were beyond excited! They were begging me to open the box so they could see the fun that awaited them inside the package! So we tore that sucker open and our 6 year screamed with excitement when we saw that it was Kelly’s Klay! (Each month is different so it is exciting to see what surprise is inside).

So we retrieved the directions and started mixing up the clay.

Then each kiddo had a chance to play with the clay.

For our preschooler and toddler we used Kelly Klay as a multisensory tool to teach letter and number identification! We simply formed the clay into alphabet letters and numbers. I then encourage each to identify the letter they made and practice the phonic sounds of each. As an added bonus I had our preschool, with a little help from his older sister, do a few addition problems with the numbers. For example, I formed a 2, +, and 3, and then he formed the solutions, the number 5.

For our first grader we focused on geography, to be more precise, the state she resides in, Ohio. She formed the clay into the shape of the state, identified the major cities, and included a couple of rivers. Not bad for a six-year-old.

The kiddos have been playing with the clay since we opened the package. We stored it in an airtight container so they could quiz each other on addition equations and their phonics whenever they pleased (I got it out while I prepared dinner, it was perfect, they were occupied for a few minutes and I liked the fact that they were having fun while learning, that is what I like most about Kelly’s Kits).

Yesterday they did finally decide on a Krazy Kritter for the Masterpiece Challenge. What is the Masterpiece challenge? Glad you asked….

Masterpiece Challenge (all ages): Use simple “found” objects to incorporate into your Kelly Klay assemblage and create a Krazy Kritter! Found objects can include: buttons, dried pasta, rice, beans, nuts & bolts, toothpicks, corks, old jewelry, bottle caps, use your imagination!!!! Found object art is using “found” items that have a non-art purpose to create art from! Submit your entries to win a $50 visa card!

Please say hello to Happy Rainbow Turkey (yep, they all decided on that name). Wish them luck!

We so enjoyed this month’s Kelly’s Kit and can’t wait for next months to arrive! Want in on all the fun? Enter to win one of 10 annual memberships valued at $99.90 each! BONUS: Everyone who enters will also get a promotional code for FREE Kit (one-time $2.49 shipping fee applies). Click here to be linked to the facebook page, click like, and then enter to receive your promotional code for a FREE Kit and your chance to win an annual subscription. Good Luck!