Have a Healthy, Quick Breakfast with Special K® Red Berries

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Krissyar

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Special K® Red Berries.

We’ve already talked about it, but I think I’m still in shock. How can summer really already be over? I think the hardest part (at least for me) is getting our morning routine going again. Gone are the lazy mornings of summer (at least for the kids – I still worked everyday) and with the kids agreeing that we are not only going to have a smooth, non-rushed routine in the mornings, they also agreed they were going to work on eating healthier with me, which I think I was the most excited about!

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I’m coming pretty close to mastering the healthy nutritious packed lunches (go me) but I have to tell you breakfast has already been a bit of a struggle. My kids and I love sugary cereals (I know it’s awful,don’t judge me) so we decided to give Kellogg’s Special K Red Berries a try, and we all love it!

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I love that the Special K Red Berries is made with whole grains and real strawberries. Having this and milk makes a nutritionally rich breakfast full of fiber, folic acid and vitamin D.. and it taste fantastic!

I have been enjoying them everyday for breakfast for the past few weeks, and also for a night time snack if I’m hungry after a work out.

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Special K is partnering with chef and T.V. personality Laura Vitale to help women learn that nutritious food can be delicious food. Special K wants to help support you on your weight wellness journey and show that with just a few food swaps throughout the day is step in the right direction for your happiness – read more about their program here.

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Special K® Red Berries.

 

 

 

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Tips for Having an Awesome Tailgate

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Krissyar

Football is upon us! Doing some tailgating is all well and good, but if you really want to have a good time this year, start planning ahead to make your tailgating event something extra special. Here are a few ideas to make sure your tailgating party this year really impresses your friends and keeps them excited for the next one.

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  • Pick some dishes to serve that will really stand out from the normal tailgate menu. Hotdogs and hamburgers are always good, but make it special with some interesting hamburger blends including cheese and spinach in the patty. Or do something totally unique like an omelet bar for those earlier games. And don’t forget the snacks, of course.
  • Whatever dishes you decide to serve, do as much preparation as possible the night before. Chop vegetables, shape hamburger patties, section out toppings in portable containers, etc. Make sure you are packing and storing them in a smart way that takes advantage of as much space as possible. Layer your cooler with heavy things on bottom and soft things on top to take advantage of the space. Repurpose items like a trashcan as a cooler so that it can be double-purpose on the day of the event.
  • Make your drinks part of the special occasion. Set up a Bloody Mary bar with all the fixin’s for your friends in the bed of your truck. Or set up a whole mini bar with all kinds of selections. You can get some mini cans and airport bottles of liquor to make this easy to accommodate for lots of people with different tastes. Or make some festive drinks in advance to pack in the cooler, like sangria or margarita mixes. Try to be adventurous with some drink mixes that are a little unusual. And for the end of the game, after your team has won, bust out the champagne minis for a tailgate celebration.
  • Find creative ways to make the best use of your space. Use cables and ties to hang things like your paper towel roll or your spatulas from the roof of your tent, the side of your fold out table, or the back of your truck. As people start to finish their drinks, put a plastic trash can into one side of the cooler so they can put the empty cans and bottles back in nearly the same place.
  • Always bring fun extras for your friends and relatives. Extra decorations, extra chains of beads, extra temporary tattoos, etc. Consider printing up some “team” jerseys custom to your tailgating crew with their nicknames included.
  • Set up your space in a way that makes the most sense. Make sure your grill is downwind from everyone else. Organize your tables with toppings in an area near the grill but not right next to the sitting area. Make sure to get lots of nice compact chairs and blankets for people to spread out. If you aren’t using the truck bed or back of the van for food, spread out some blankets and pillows for people to rest and sit, especially if it might get rainy.
  • Always bring extra tools. If you tailgate regularly, you might want to pack up an emergency kit of items you’ll want to have on hand like tongs, spatulas, plastic utensils, hand wipes, paper towels, lighters, etc. You can pack up a duffle bag, tool box, or tackle box with some of these items to keep in your car or truck all year round in case you ever forget some.
  • Provide a handwashing station, especially if you’ll be serving messy food. Use an old water dispenser, the kind you might put on the shelf in the fridge, for easy pouring. Bring along some bottled soap or mix the soap right into the water in the dispenser.
  • Bring along some games or other activities. Classic tailgating games include corn hole and ladder golf, which are fun for all ages.

Planning a truly fun and memorable tailgate just takes some creativity and attention to detail. Start planning now for a notable event and you’ll have your friends talking for months about your good ideas and attention to detail. Bleak

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Value Diaper Deals at Family Dollar

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Krissyar

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Family Dollar

When you first have kids a lot of parents don’t really realize how quickly all the expenses add up.  Were too busy buying cute little outfits, decorating the nursery, and thinking of baby names – so when it comes to necessities like formula and diapers, some of us are a bit shell shocked!

Every where you go someone will give you an opinion about what to do, what to buy, and how to do things when it  comes to your child. I have learned after three kids of my own, that you are the only one who can make the right decision for you and your family. So when I was first introduced to Kidgets Diapers I decided to give them a shot, and come to my own conclusion about the new value diapers from Family Dollar.

kidgets_diapersI will be honest – I used to be a sort of a product snob. I’m not really not sure where it came from considering my Mom is like the bargain/deal shopper of the century. It took me awhile, but I started to learn that paying more didn’t necessarily mean better. When I finally realized you can get the same product (and sometimes even better) for less, well I started to pay attention.

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Kidgets’ diapers give excellent leakage protection with stretchable sides (my favorite part), and it provides a comfortable fit for your active little one. The material is soft and gentle, and to top it all off, Kidgets‘ diapers  are a great value. They believe in their product so much they even offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, or your money back!

What I love about Kidgets’ diapers is I can use that extra money to spend on things we really want to – like that super cute outfit, those hair accessories, and shoes. Being able to save money on a quality products – the same protection and quality of other more expensive brands  – brings a smile to my face, and leaves money in my wallet.

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Be sure to find your local Family Dollar location, and check out the value of Kidget Diapers!

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Smarter Ways to Get Fit

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Krissyar

If you hadn’t noticed lately by my Instagram and Twitter feeds, I’ve been going through a lot in my personal life. For awhile now I’ve been sidetracked on my goal of becoming healthy and fit, and a few months ago I decided that was it. Though I will always put my kids first, I needed to put me second. I’ve been eating healthier, working out 4-5x a week and you know what? I am feeling like me again.
It really is amazing how much of ourselves we lose when we become wives and parents – like I can’t remember last time I was just Krissy. I’m always Kenzie’s Mom, or his wife, or their daughter, her sister, etc. And though I think it’s a great gift (and responsibility) to be these things, we really shouldn’t lose ourselves in the process.
fitnessTrust me,  I know it’s hard. I seriously have used every excuse in the book on why I just couldn’t. But there is a saying that goes “It’s not about ‘having’ time. It’s about making time”

 

Make time for YOU #MakeTime

A photo posted by Krissy Higgins (@krissyar) on

As much as I hate to say it, it’s true! We make time for what is important to us, and most of the time ‘we’ are not on that list.
Now I know we are all busy  – we don’t have hours to go to the gym, or a ton of money to pay a personal trainer. But there are things you can do to make the time you do have work for you!

Take Full Advantage of Every Kid Free Moment. I know you just want to lay on the couch and veg when you get time without the kids. Catch up on your DVR of shows you never get to watch because you’re usually getting the kids in the tub, or doing homework, or they have taken over  the T.V. with some kinda’ crazy kid show. Maybe you want a nap, or read a book – and there are times when you need that. But don’t make it a habit. If  you are a SAHM take full  advantage of the hours that the kids are in school – yes  you have cleaning and laundry to do, dinner to prepare. But I promise you, making sure you get your workout time in – you will feel better and have more energy to tackle those tasks.
Since I work outside the home I rarely if ever have a kid free moment; but, my oldest is now old enough to babysit so I put my youngest to bed and I’m off to the gym for an hour a few nights a week. No distractions (and a  work out buddy helps) I’m just a few minutes away with my cell phone in hand if  something happens to go wrong, but you know what? Those are the most peaceful 60 minutes of my day. If something comes up and I can’t make  it to the gym, as soon as all the kids are in bed I’m pulling up workout videos online. My favorite work outs to do are dances (it keeps my mind busy learning the steps, and they are way more fun than regular cardio). My 2 favorite to do right now are on YouTube, called the Dark Horse Workout  and the Whip Dance/Workout. If you do these a  couple times in the evenings I promise you will feel it!

Use Those Dumbbells. I am not saying you want to be a bodybuilder, (I definitely don’t) but pumping iron is an effective way to get rid of belly fat even if you only do it twice a week for 30 minutes. I try to incorporate light dumbbells into my dance workouts, or just going on a walk. Remember just like everything else in life, you want to work smarter not harder.

Get a Playlist. I cannot even tell you how much music keeps me going when I’m working out.  I bought an awesome pair of blue tooth headphones from Best Buy this year, and it was the best purchase I’ve made! (no cords to get in the way when I’m in the groove). I don’t have a lot of music actually downloaded on my phone, but Pandora is my best friend. I found an awesome station Pop and Hip  Hop Power Workout – though I’m not a fan of some of the songs, the beat is just the right tempo to keep me going. I have to admit if you ever  see me at the gym you very well might see me doing a little jig on the treadmill as I push myself and try to get in rhythm with the music!

Remember, even if  you start out slow, you’re still lapping everyone just sitting on the couch!

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Exchange Server 101: Taking Business Email into Hyper drive

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Krissyar

Businesses shouldn’t be limited to the office space. If your business is to survive the test of time, then you should consider upgrading your business email provider to a more comprehensive, secure and business-oriented Microsoft exchange.

Many business owners still doesn’t realize how a unified email system works, if you ask them, they’ll look at you dead-eyed and ask “what is exchange server?” the premise is simple. Here’s what you need to realize and know what are the benefits of exchange server:

Microsoft Exchange in a Nutshell. Microsoft Exchange enables business from small to medium sizes improve their performance and get greater reliability by streamlining administration activities such as sending email messages, making calendar tasking, creating distribution lists, providing messaging delivery reports, automatically performing voicemail transcriptions, and archiving mail boxes.

A more Secure System. Microsoft exchange gives you the ability to immutably discover and retain data across your organization, which is essential to ensuring regulatory and internal compliance. The date always remains in one place, so you never have to worry about managing a separate data storage. You can also reduce the cost of administrating complex compliance needs, ensuring you’re prepared for any unexpected event.

Exchange offers superior security compared to mail or fax communications. It allows companies to guard clients and sensitive data and offers archiving, maintenance, and client leakage safety features, to accomplish and keep compliance with industry and government guidelines.

Everything is in a Single Place. Empower your workforce with an in-place archive and large mailbox to let them collaborate and retain email in their primary mailbox, or archive items. With flexible and powerful tools, you can take control of your storage and compliance demands while keeping your staff productive.

People’s network span many different areas. Exchange allows users to bring their contacts from other networks, which means that everything is in one place. Exchange will find the same person through systems and combine their information into one contact card, avoiding repetition and numerous contact cards with the same information.

Easy Collaboration. Exchange makes it easier for your staff to manage project communication and team members. Allow users to see archived communication on a project as soon as they join, have complete access to the present versions of team documents, and utilize that information right from within Outlook. The team will have powerful new features to be productive on their teams and you the business owner will be able to manage information in the locations that these documents were meant to be stored.

Lesser Communication Costs. It is faster and less costly to email clients/suppliers or even distribution list than calling, typing or sending a letter or fax. Email messaging through exchange server lets your business be more responsive to customer inquiries, resulting in better customer satisfaction. For most small and midsized businesses, the cost of running and maintaining an exchange server in-house is a bit too pricy. Up-front costs can cost $10,000, including staff time to maintain the server. This is why you need a hosted Microsoft exchange provider to handle the setup and management.

There you go! These are just the basics of exchange server and why your business needs it.

 

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