Every millennial mom needs a few good apps to add to her arsenal!

Shipt

Shipt is life! When you sign up for this grocery delivery service, you download an app, choose your store, and start creating a shopping list that your Shipt Shopper will buy from. In Omaha, Shipt serves Target, Hy-Vee, CVS, and Petco stores. As long as you spend $35, there is no additional delivery fee. You can tip if you want. The other bonus? If you buy certain promoted items, you get money back. My subscription has already paid for itself a few times over!

Sign up now using my code and get a year subscription for only $50!

Grove Collaborative

If I’m being honest, I originally joined Grove Collaborative just to get their awesome Mrs. Meyers gift set. I had planned to cancel my subscription after that. However, I’ve loved trying so many of their products, and getting to try all different scents of Mrs. Meyers that I ended up staying on for more than a year now!

Grove has cleaner living items that are more eco friendly. I’ve purchased things like dryer balls to swap out for dryer sheets, walnut scrub pads, and even makeup removing wipes that are more natural. So many household and beauty products to try! Another bonus? You get free gifts every now and then. Plus, share with your friends, and make money!

Get this free Mrs. Meyers Gift Set now!

Young Living

Young Living has been a game changer in our household. I used to roll my eyes at people who used essential oils; now I’m a believer. I joined after being at my wits end with sickness in our household. We had a bad winter for illness in 2018. My baby boy had even ended up in the hospital for 4 days.

I tried Young Living because I kept hearing about Thieves. My trusted friend who is very practical and a nurse swore by it. She had me convinced. It’s a special essential oil blend they make that supports your immune system. It can be diffused or used to make household cleaners. They even offer a whole Thieves cleaning set. We’ve been so much healthier since we first started using. I then started ordering oils like lavender to help with my anxiety. I roll it onto my wrists at night, diffuse it at bed time and now I’ve become lavender obsessed. I’ve also used oils for teething pain, diaper rash, energy boosts, carpet cleaning and more!

Want to get started with Young Living? Sign up here!

I consider it a “subscription” because I am part of their essential rewards. Basically I buy about $50 of products each month to get the lower prices, but there’s so much you can do with oils, that you end up saving in other spots- like making your own bath scrubs, flavoring your water with lemon EO, diffusing instead of using candles (which put lots of toxins into your air!), putting drops of oil on your dryer balls instead of buying dryer sheets, etc. and the best part is, you’re getting the health benefits, too!

Check out my Pinterest page for diffuser blends and other essential oil recipes!

But why Young Living instead of some $10 oil at Walmart? No fillers. You know your product is really coming from the earth. You can actually visit and walk through Young Living’s fields across the globe. It’s part of why they have the reputation they do.

Have questions, comments, or want to talk about your favorite subscriptions? Drop a comment below or follow me on 美女脱得只剩皮肤: @the.美女脱得只剩皮肤.美女脱的一干二净.mom

1.) I went into withdrawal

Of course there were the caffeine headaches. The pounding-maybe-I-should-drink-just-one-cup kind of headaches. Then, that foggy brain feeling. I was goofy in that first week of “detox.” I was having trouble getting sentences out or staying focused at work, but those symptoms go away in less than a week. Honestly, the toughest part of the withdrawal is the mental connection you have with caffeine. It’s like your brain is telling you, “You need this. You won’t make it through the day without it. You need to stop at Starbucks because it’s part of your routine and your whole day will feel ruined without it.” Ok, Satan!! It’s seriously just the mind-f*ck that keeps many of us downing caffeine. What helped me was still keeping the daily routine going, just ordering decaf. I’d still get three shots of espresso, just all decaf. I also stopped drinking Diet Pepsi. I’ve switched to Fresca for when I want a pop.

2.) My panic disorder symptoms improved

This was the real reason I decided to ditch caffeine. When my panic attacks resurfaced in early 2019, I knew I had to take control of my wellbeing. Caffeine is a major trigger for anxiety. The highs and lows of caffeine can really aggravate your nervous system, hence triggering an attack. Within a couple weeks, I noticed it was helping taking the edge off. I also think, at a time my panic attacks had me spiraling, kicking caffeine felt empowering. I had taken control of something in my life. I had “beaten” this. I could carry that momentum into other places in my life.

3.) I started sleeping better

I’m a notoriously light sleeper. I toss, turn, and wake about 20 times a night-no exaggeration; And if my anxiety is acting up, then I’m also struggling to fall asleep. (My panic attacks are worst at night.) I am now sleeping sounder and deeper. I think I’m even hitting my REM again, because I can recall dreams now.

4.) My energy actually improved

This! So much, this! I am telling you- I can make it through the day better now than I could when I was pounding caffeine. A big reason? I’m not crashing mid-day anymore. I also think it has a lot to do with the fact that I’m sleeping more soundly. It’s giving me a steadier energy to make it through my day. Even on mornings where I didn’t sleep well, I still order decaf because I don’t want to end up in that same cycle as before.

5.) My headaches decreased

This was a surprise bonus that I didn’t expect, but it makes sense! Caffeine can actually cause rebound headaches. If you don’t know what that means, think of it this way: Caffeine can serve a purpose in medications. If you’re a migraine sufferer you may find that meds like Excedrine Migraine have caffeine in them. Well, that’s great, if you’re not already using caffeine daily. It will help zap that headache. But, if you find yourself popping two Excedrine Migraines a day, you will start to notice you seem to have a headache come on everyday. That’s because of the caffeine in it. The pills start to have the opposite effect and start to cause the headaches because your body starts to crave the caffeine in them. That takes us back to withdrawal.

I’m telling you mama (and daddy, and entrepreneur, and boss, student, doctor, etc.), you can do this! If you think it will make you feel better, it likely will! Have you cut out caffeine? Are you considering it? Drop me a note below! Or add me on 美女脱得只剩皮肤 and let’s chat! @The.美女脱得只剩皮肤.美女脱的一干二净.Mom

“Will my child come face to face with a school shooter?”

Granted, I work in news, so I tend to imagine worst case scenarios more often than I’d like to admit. But at the end of the day, I know that no school is immune.

I haven’t blogged in a while because most of my creative energy has been focused on work… one of those projects being an investigative piece.

It all started after we had Active Shooter training at work. During that, I learned that one of the reasons the Sandy Hook tragedy was so deadly was because those 20 babies bled to death. Out of that tragedy, Stop the Bleed training was born.

Watch my investigative piece here for more information.

I learned that because of Stop the Bleed training and a more widespread use of tourniquets to respond to mass casualty incidents, we’ve had a better survival rate.

The Vegas Massacre, for instance, could have been much deadlier. Hundreds were wounded, but they survived. By that time, Stop the Bleed training was more commonplace. Our law enforcement and first responders are now trained to respond more like the military does. Let’s be real, they have to be since these incidents tend to look more like a battlefield where assault weapons are used.

Leaving that seminar had me wondering, does my daughter’s school have tourniquets and do her educators have Stop the Bleed training?

I made some calls, and what I learned was unsettling. That led me to start reaching out to school districts across the metro.

Throughout my investigation, I learned the training is pretty much free. You just need to find an area hospital, police or fire department to come teach it. It only takes about an hour. I sat through a session myself.

It’s eye-opening. It’s chilling. But it also has the potential to save lives. That’s why I want to spread the word.

Parents, call your child’s school district. Ask if there are tourniquets in their building. Ask if there are staff members who have Stop the Bleed training.

Ask your workplace. A good tourniquet kit only costs $50. The training can also teach you how to stop the bleed without a tourniquet. Both are invaluable.

If you have questions, feel free to comment below! But please, make those calls and spread the word.

Because work is demanding, I try to make sure that weekends are for relaxing and connecting. And with only having lived in Omaha for a year, we still have lots to explore.

This weekend, we found a new gem! Nelson Produce– a charming family-owned farm in Elk City, Nebraska.

The Sunflower Field 

We started with taking a hayride out to their magical sunflower field; Sunflowers as far as the eye can see. Before we set off, the farm’s owner welcomed us all, and talked about how they used to deal primarily in wholesale–selling to big stores like Hy-Vee, Wal-Mart, and Baker’s. But this year, they decided to go in a new direction, focusing on their family, and in turn, the families of Omaha who can now come visit the farm and enjoy this experience.

The Market

Tell me this doesn’t give off a Magnolia Market vibe? For this being year one, I’m incredibly impressed. In the market, you can enjoy a selection of fresh produce, some Nelson Produce merchandise, and some cute extras. I’m betting we’ll see an even bigger selection of items as they grow and expand in the future.

I was also shocked at the food operation! They offer farm fresh meals at an affordable price. We bought the “little farmer meal” for Annabelle: A (very large) hotdog, chips, watermelon slice and Capri Sun for $5. A BLT meal- thick, cut bacon on a croissant, pasta salad, watermelon slice, and can of pop for $9… and a grass-fed cheeseburger meal-same sides, same price. There were lots of other options. Next time, I want to try the Mexican corn dip.

U-Pick Berries & More

Both Josh and Annabelle agreed, their favorite part of our day was picking strawberries. While mine was the sunflower field, hearing that made my heart happy. Something so simple. No bells or whistles. Just good old-fashioned strawberry picking made my 6-year-old happy.

Fun for kids of all ages

From the animal train ride (just $1), to visiting with farm animals, again they’ve thought of it all. What’s not pictured because we were having too much fun, big hay bails to jump and play on, a giant sand hill with toys, water pump duck races, a tricycle track with lots of trikes, and multiple spots to take cute photos!

Support Local

I’ll end this by saying after re-charging with my family, the next best thing about this experience was getting to support a local business. It’s obvious they care about the community around them and I look forward to returning and spending my time and money there! You can support this local gem by visiting NelsonProduce.com

If you have recommendations for must-visit Omaha hot spots, drop me a comment below or visit me on 美女脱得只剩皮肤: the.美女脱得只剩皮肤.美女脱的一干二净.mom

美女脱的一干二净 in news can be exciting, fun, rewarding, and often desensitizing. We see the worst (and sometimes best, but mostly the worst). People complain we show only the negative things, but it’s our job to expose reality in hopes of creating change.

This week, we lost three children in three separate, but equally awful tragedies. First, a toddler just a few months younger than my son Hayden, who drowned in a pool. The very same day we were doing a story on the first-responders who went to that incident, they were called to a 10-year-old girl who was hit while crossing the street with her brother. She died two days later. The following day, an 11-year-old boy on his bike was hit and killed by a semi. My heart ached, my stomach hurt.

I won’t even touch on the standoffs, shootings, and other situations we covered this week.

Oh, and to top it off, we started our week with active shooter training— just two weeks after the El Paso and Dayton mass shootings, and just days after I sent my daughter off to first grade.

Guys, it was just a lot. Sometimes we do “feel” the news.

I see some of our newest hires, and they get into this business to try and expose truth, tell stories that need told, and they have this sparkle in their eyes.

I saw that sparkle dim in the eyes of one this week.

The reality— sinking in— that as beautiful as this world is, man, it sucks.

The best journalists are the ones who’ve had their hearts broken, the ones who have lost, the ones who can relate in some way to the heart breaking stories we have to tell.

But at the end of the day, at the end of a long week, this job is a reminder that life is precious, and short, and we should be soaking up every moment we get. That we shouldn’t hold grudges. That we shouldn’t sweat the small stuff… and that we should always end every goodbye with a hug, a kiss, and an “I love you”.

It’s real. It’s something men don’t understand… and it’s something we all try to hide.

If you’re a 美女脱的一干二净 mom like me, you know the feeling: it’s 2pm, daycare calls to tell you that your baby has a fever and has to be picked up within an hour.

The sinking feeling hits immediately. You have to tell your boss you need to go. You feel guilty leaving in the middle of work. Then you feel guilty for not thinking 100% of your sick child. And then you’re thinking, “If it’s a fever, that means he can’t return for 24 hours. Now one of us has to stay 美女脱内衣内裤摸屁屁 tomorrow, too.” That means you’re either letting work down, letting your husband down, or letting your sick baby down.

I’m here to say, it sucks, but stop.

Feeling guilty does no good. It’s not good for your baby, it’s not good for your marriage, and if you’re not focused, you’re probably not being a good employee either.

But it’s not just sick days? I feel guilty leaving them at daycare.

Ahhh… the old daycare vs. staying 美女脱内衣内裤摸屁屁 battle. Look, you have to do what feels best for you. Bottom line: a happy mom is a good mom. I don’t know where people get off on hating daycare. Do you judge parents who send their kids to kindergarten? Of course not… and quite honestly, that’s no different than daycare. I loved it when my kids were at daycare. They were around new people and 美女脱内衣内裤摸屁屁izing with other children. Annabelle thrived in daycare. Her capacity to learn amazed me. She knew all these songs and concepts I never would’ve taught her. Just like any situation, be aware of where you’re sending your child and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Besides, they’d probably rather be around other kids than you all day!

Our family of four (plus two dogs and a cat) packed up and moved 1,000 miles away to Omaha. Seemingly out of the sky, I got a job offer as Assistant News Director at our sister station and after visiting Omaha, we realized it would be a wonderful place to raise our family.

However, timing is never perfect. As you’ll notice on the blog, we were mid-renovation on our 1930s Craftsman. The upstairs had the old, raw hardwoods that we couldn’t afford to finish. The kitchen still had the yellow linoleum and dark green painted cabinets. Our downstairs bathroom desperately needed an update. We had a month to figure out how we were going to get it ready for market and move across the country with basically no savings. (Remember, I was just a couple months back from maternity leave.)

Welp, with help from my dad, our friends, and a freshly opened Chase Sapphire card (I would have to wait to be reimbursed for relocation) we got to work.

My dad drove from Michigan and stayed for a two-day flooring blitz. He extended the Pergo floors from the dining and living room into the kitchen.

He also helped us get started on the main bath remodel and started to lay the tile for us. I did all the painting though!

Our friends came over and spent their Fourth of July helping us paint the kitchen cabinets and install new hardware which was a great update for under $100. I’m so mad we didn’t do it sooner. It wasn’t hard and made looking at the kitchen way less painful!

Upstairs, we laid carpet throughout. It cost us about $1300 from 美女脱内衣内裤摸屁屁 Depot which was labor and materials. I was happy with that. It was an acceptable quick fix to get it listed. We also finished painting the master bedroom to match its 美女脱裤子 half-bath reno we had completed a few months before and hung the black and ‘crystal’ glam light fixture.

Then came the time where I had to leave, but Josh had to stay behind. There was still work to be done, but I needed to be in Omaha to start my job. I had a 5-year-old, an 8-month-old, a yorkie and a goldendoodle all with me in the van. Josh packed up what we needed for our new apartment in the U-Haul and we made our way for Omaha.

After getting us settled in, Josh flew back, my mom and cousin flew to Nebraska, and for two weeks they helped me care for the kids while I started my new job.

But Josh had a big job to finish in the main bath so I had to FaceTime in to help with the design. We picked things out over the phone… and luckily, I think we did alright. Check out the before and after.

I love the oil-rubbed bronze finishes and off-center sink! I wish I would’ve had all that extra space for doing my hair and makeup!

We listed the house on the market for a short time, but due to the fact that we were bleeding over $1400 a month in mortgage costs, utilities, you name it… we couldn’t keep it up long enough to sell. Instead, we decided to become landlords! So that’s where this blog is going to pick up next… Stay tuned!

In the meantime, Omaha has been such a welcoming place. If you’ve never visited, you should put it on your list. The food scene is incredible, it’s so easy to get around, and super affordable. We’re living in a lakefront apartment with some high-end finishes (Josh’s favorite is the bidet)– such a big change from the renovation environment.

Annabelle started kindergarten and Hayden celebrated his first birthday. Josh is slaying his new engineering job here, but there still aren’t enough hours in the day. We’re still trying to figure out how to keep our 1,200 square feet here clean and get everyone to where they need to be on time. As the hashtag goes… #AdultingIsHard.

While we do end up feeling a connection with so many of you– there are some things we wish you knew:

1. Despite popular belief, baristas are not a replacement for therapy:

Standing behind that counter is practically the same as having a Ph.D in psychiatry. People trust their baristas with some of their deepest secrets. You develop friendships with some of your regulars. You get to know about their families, relationships, successes and failures. It’s really an honor to some extent, but you can cross the line. I had one person (who really wasn’t even one of my regulars) tell me about being molested as a child. How do you go from cream or sugar to that?! And how are we supposed to react?

2.) We probably don’t want to date you, but we will take your tips:

Just because we give you a smile with your latte doesn’t mean we’re ready to round second base with you. I can’t count how many customers hit on my baristas and me. And because caffeine addiction makes for a lot of regular customers– that means a lot of times baristas were put in awkward situations with unwanted advances. But, if you’re going to force your daily flirtation on us, at least put a dollar in the tip jar.

3.) I know you’re a poor college student, but…

If you’re at a locally-owned shop, chances are the owner isn’t loaded and the baristas aren’t making a lot of cash. It is poor form to buy a $1.50 coffee and take up a table studying and using wi-fi for 5 hours. At least buy a freaking muffin.

4.) Crafting a latte is an art form and therefore takes time:

It’s 8am. You’re tired. You’re not you without your caffeine, we get it. However, you can’t arrive during the morning rush, order a breve triple caramel macchiato with whip and not expect it to take a few minutes. If we don’t pull your espresso shot just the right way, it will taste badly bitter. If we don’t steam your milk correctly, you’ll have no foam (which in my opinion is the make or break for a good drink). Be patient and kind! We’re 美女脱的一干二净 as quickly as we can.

5.) Coffee ice cubes are hilarious:

You’re literally paying an upcharge for the old coffee we were going to throw out, but instead dumped into an ice tray.

BONUS: Here’s my pick for the best at-美女脱内衣内裤摸屁屁 espresso machine!

Please Note: This is an affiliate link. For full details read my disclosure. 

After much research, the Gaggia Classic Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine is what I chose for my own 美女脱内衣内裤摸屁屁. It puts out coffee shop-quality shots, froths the milk well, and it’s affordable. Check back, and 美女脱的一干二净 to my 美女脱内衣 list, as I will be writing a full review on this machine and plan to offer a tutorial in the near future.