Hello! Hello?? Anyone there?

Yes, I’m hoping to be back more consistently. Bear with me here, though. Thank you so much for all your support.

Who out there is in full blown back to school mode? I have some ideas for things that might make life easier. And if you are NOT in back to school mode, there are still some things I want to share in this post that you will appreciate! Plus, our friends at Stuck On You are gifting one of you a $100 gift card to start the school year off right. Woo-hoo!!!

KIT LIFE

I stayed at Hayden’s school for his first day of preschool and hung out with him. I had lunch at the toddler table with all his new friends. I quickly realized the lay of the land…. first off, WOW has the lunchbox game improved since I was in school. And I also learned about the funny account @dictatorlunches. I follow her (along with 100K other people) to vacillate between feeling inspired and wanting to throw in the towel with the whole lunch game. Just remember fed is best, but it’s a fun account to follow if you’re doing mom life like us.

I guess all the cool kids call them lunch kits now. No plastic baggies or individual containers to keep up with, these kits are all you need. I started taking mental notes and learned about the Bento kit. I noticed some of the kids had personalized kits. It was so sweet to see how proud they were to show me their NAME on their stuff.Stuck On You has the best selection. You can get personalized bento lunch kits. It’s a pretty penny, but well-made things that last are worth it. Everything is washable and non-toxic, so you save the planet and money not buying plastic bags (and yay, Earth!). It also comes with two pull out inserts, so you can wash one and use one.

And come nap time, the majority of these kiddos now had roll up nap kits! No slugging blankies and individual pillows. Boy, was I busy online that night looking up stuff. I love this one from Wildkin. But more importantly, Hayden loves it, too. The majority of the other kids already had one, so I figured I needed to look into it.

STAMP IT

I got Huck and Hayden both individual stamps to label their belongings. Everything from clothes to shoes to books can get labeled with either a permanent ink stamp or washable sticker. It’s frustrating to lose hoodies and socks and things the kids take to school and camp, but don’t always bring back home with them.

I love making my life easier one stamp at a time. lol. All of these items can be found at Stuck On You.

These stamps are so easy to apply. They are perfect for clothing and all fabric type surfaces, so blankets and pillows, too.

I got carried away and ordered the address stamp for me. Thought it’d come in handy with Christmas cards!

THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE

I talked a great deal about my water filters earlier in the year. If there’s a college bound student in your world, the Home Master Mini counter top filter is such a great send off gift. Give the gift of fresh hydration!! And at right around $50, it’s a no-brainer for anyone that needs a portable water filter that will last a year.

THIRST FOR ENERGY

Between making lunch for the boys and feeding them in the morning, my coffee is often cold by the time I can drink it. I highly doubt I’m alone in this! Have I shared my favorite on-the-go travel mug? It’s reusable, sustainable silicone, non-toxic, dishwasher and microwave safe. So, I can reheat it for the drive to school;) goSili.com $14.95. Love the pink and teal.

I go over all the above and MORE in the latest back to school column in Soap Opera Digest. Don’t forget to grab your copy!

Now, for the fun part! Leave a comment here, make sure you are following @stuckonyouofficial and me @ashleyaubra. That enters you to win $100 gift certificate for all your personalization needs! One winner will be randomly chosen this Friday!

Good luck!

Now… if you want to throw some lunch ideas at me here… I need to up my lunch kit game for the boys! Hayden can’t take nuts of any kind, but Huck can have anything. And please tell me I am not the only one that “samples” everything before I put it in the kit? Those calories don’t count, right?

xoxo

AAJ

Continuing the new wellness series with this post supported by FAGE yogurt. In full disclosure, we have been a FAGE family for a long time. This partnership just makes sense to spread our love and we hope to continue to partner with more awesomeness in the future.

What’s in MY fridge?

It’s the middle of winter. Whether you’re in Arizona’s 69 degree weather, or you’re in the snowstorm in the northeast freezing or here in California where it’s been raining, it’s winter. And this, my friends, is an excellent time to start our spring cleaning preparation of mind, BODY and space. Last year, I embarked on a wellness series with y’all and enjoyed it. I feel like we’ve already started with all the “drinking more water” talk. And I’m not gonna let down on that..reminding myself to drink more clean water everyday.

Today, I’m continuing the topic with healthy food choices. So many of you ask me what I make for dinner, or what I’m feeding my kiddos. I also get asked if I EVEN make dinner or what I heat up that’s frozen! VALID, I’ll admit! Any parent in the world has to figure out food for their family—a normal question, albeit a DREADED ONE. Anytime I have the opportunity to ask friends and get new ideas— you bet I do!

Today is a busy day. It’s raining in LA and I have appointments. So, I threw chicken in the slow cooker with salsa as a base. Later when it’s time for dinner, I’ll shred it, add a bit of yogurt, yes, FAGE (read benefits of greek yogurt from HEALTHLINE here), low-fat cheese, cilantro, and roll it into a burrito and voila! When I got home, I gave Hayden a FAGE Total Split Cup yogurt container. We have been eating yogurt a lot. FAGE reduced the sugars in FAGE Total Split Cups (fruit varieties) by 30%!! From 16-17g down to 11g per serving! That’s incredible sugar cutting with no artificial sweetners. I love nothing more than to feel like I’m giving my family GOOD, whole foods that help their bodies function properly and fight off sickness.

And for ME!

Who can relate to this? Whatever I give the kids or my husband, I usually give a portion to myself. Or at least take bites here and there. So, if our snacks or dinner are really fatty (which we went through a phase), I take those bites. Then, I would also eat my dinner later. I have gained a bit of weight (different topic) but am working to makeover our family lifestyle. We are committed to good food, organic or all-natural as much as possible, locally grown, etc, but then my husband still loves melted cheese all over chips. Or brownies. Or muffins. (okay, fine, I like those things, too!). I know there’s a balance, so when I can offer lower calorie, lower sugar snacks, I will. More nuts, fruits and yogurts, or yo-guns, as Hayden calls them. My husband loves FAGE and the individual split cups were easy to tote for the kids. If we go to the Huntington Gardens (a regular activity when it’s nice outside), I throw a few packages in my backpack with some mixed nuts and a banana. I keep them in stock for my own pre/post workout snack. If I’m leaving the house for auditions and meetings, I have one with me. I can park, read over my lines and eat a high protein snack. The probiotics are healthy for our digestion and fighting toxins in our bodies, too. The benefits run deep!

One thing I love about FAGE Total Split Cup packages is that you add the fruit component. So, I control how much I put in. I can add a few nuts, a few spoonfuls of the fruit component and mix it together. AHHH so good. I also mix the two components in oatmeal most mornings. Hayden and Huck LOVE it. Even if I do make low fat blueberry muffins for the kids, instead of butter, we spread FAGE.

What’s in YOUR Fridge?

Check out recipes idea here under the “recipe” section at the top! Their sweet potato toast pictured below looks amazing, so does the Macaroni and Cheese!

Now, it’s YOUR turn. What’s in your fridge? What are you making for dinner? gimme ideas! Any new things with Greek yogurt;)? Would love to hear about it in the comments below or on my latest post on social media!

AJH