Laura Tucker

Lil’ Eco Cloth Diaper Review

August 23, 2016 by Laura Tucker 98 Comments

I RECEIVED THESE PRODUCTS AT NO COST TO FACILITATE MY REVIEW. HOWEVER, ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN

Almost 2 years ago to this very day, I found out that I was going to become a mother for the very first time. My heart was instantly overwhelmed with joy and excitement, but it wasn’t long before reality really started to sink in and a flood of all sorts of emotions started creeping in. I could go from thrilled, to scared, to optimistic, to doubtful about anything or everything in 2 seconds flat! Those pregnancy hormones are really something else, y’all.

Although planning for a baby is so much fun, it’s also equally overwhelming. What kind of car seat will we buy? Are these crib sheets the best on the market? What’s the safety rating on this stroller? Will I breast feed or should I consider formula? Should I choose disposable diapers or is cloth a good option? How am I going to pay for all of this? What about child care? What’s the deal with all of this natural and organic stuff? FOR REAL you guys. It seems like the choices and options are never ending! And sometimes parents can really feel the pressure when it comes to making these choices. When it’s all said and done, we all want to do what’s best for our babies. One choice in particular that we made for our daughter has been a source of so much pride and joy for us.

…

Get Game Day Ready with Touchdown Taco Cups

August 22, 2016 by Laura Tucker 13 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #GameTimeHosting #CollectiveBias

Do you feel it? That slight change in the morning air? You know, that tiny little preview of Summer fading into Fall when the temperatures start changing? Even though it was for a very, very brief moment this morning, I finally felt it. It’s been long awaited, and it was definitely warmly welcomed. Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year. Sure, the cool weather, cozy long sleeved shirts and boots and all of the pumpkin flavored things are great, but my heart loves this time of year for one thing in particular:

Football

The excitement that football season brings is unlike any other. Here in the South, football is bigger than big, and the devotion to our teams is unmatched. The hometown and state rivalries are beginning to gear up. Football schedules are going up on the refrigerator and everyone is making plans to tailgate, throw a get-together or crowd around the couch to catch all of the big games this year. Yup, when I caught that brief, cool breeze this morning, I definitely felt it. Football season is upon us, y’all!

…

Halloween Sugar Wafers

August 20, 2016 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

These simple Halloween Sugar Wafers are a quick and easy treat to share at your next Halloween shindig! …

Outer Space Craft Ideas – Galactic Starveyors VBS Theme

August 19, 2016 by Laura Tucker 6 Comments

Affiliate links are included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I love sharing VBS projects with my followers and helping you make your VBS a success!

Summer 2016 isn’t over just yet, but as most of the country is getting ready to head back to school, Vacation Bible School season is coming to a close. One of the most popular VBS themes for 2016 was “Submerged” by Lifeway, where kids learned all about submerging themselves in God’s word and finding that Jesus doesn’t just see what’s on the outside of people, but instead He sees what’s deep down in the inside of people and loves us no matter what. Isn’t that such a great message? If you got to participate in Submerged this year, I’m sure it definitely made a “splash” of an impact on your life. I know it did mine!

VBS 2016 may be wrapping up, but Lifeway just recently released their theme for Summer 2017 and it is AWESOME! Galactic Starveyors is the brand new upcoming theme, and through this series kids will discover the marvels painted in the sky by the Creator. Most importantly, they’ll learn that God is the maker of the entire universe and everything within it, even the things that can’t be seen with a telescope! And while seeing all of the giant stars and planets in the sky may make all of us feel really small, God loves each and every one of us individually and wants a personal relationship with us. Isn’t that amazing!? This VBS is really going to be a blast!

(By the way, you REALLY need to hear the new theme song. It’s SO catchy!)

If you’re an early-bird planner and are looking for a few alternative craft ideas to share with children during VBS, I’ve put together a collection of 15 crafts that are really out of this world! 😉

Plus, check out these stellar Galactic Starveyor Snack Ideas, too!

Straw Rockets – Kids will be launching their own personal little rockets into orbit with these fun little straw rockets! Buggy and Buddy created this craft with an AWESOME free template for your to print out so you can get ready for takeoff, too! A list of supplies needed and a step by step tutorial on how to assemble them is included!

DIY Galaxy Slime – What kid DOESN’T want to play with a big beautiful thing of slime?! Isn’t this galaxy slime SO pretty? It’s super fun and easy to make, too! Two-daloo is sharing all of the how-to’s with this craft, so be sure to stop by and check it out!

Rocket Power Jet Pack – I mean, have you ever seen a craft as cute and fun as this?! I want to make one for myself right this very minute! Find a step by step tutorial and a list of supplies needed over at Doodle Craft Blog!

Mini Soda Bottle Rockets – The folks over at Toddler Approved are launching their own rockets into outer space, and they look like they’re a ton of fun to create! They use lots of common household items, so it’ll be a breeze to collect the supplies needed for this one!

Easy Sun Craft – I just love the bright and vibrant colors of this simple sun craft! Kids will have fun learning all about the Son during VBS while creating this beautiful sun from yarn, beads and popsicle sticks! For more details, visit The Kindergarten Connection! While you’re there, browse through all of her other fabulous kids crafts and activities!

Chalk and Stars Constellation – This really cute idea comes to us from Gift of Curiosity! Since the VBS theme is all about gazing at the stars in the universe and marveling at their beauty and their Creator, why not do a simple craft to create your own constellation? You can have students model their patterns after real constellation or have them get creative and design their own!

Easy Glow-in-the-Dark Night Sky Scripture Canvas – This one is brought to you by yours truly! After leading crafts during VBS and Sunday School for many years, I look for projects that are quick, easy and meaningful. I know kids are going to love painting their own canvas and decorating them with fun glow in the dark stars to display in their rooms!

Craft Stick Stars – This one is really simple, but leaves lots of room for creativity! I love craft projects like this because just like no two stars in the sky are the same, no two craft stick stars will be the same! This one comes to us from Danielle’s Place (scroll to mid page to find this craft). Be sure to visit their website to find even more awesome crafts for every season!

DIY Moon Rocks – This craft is probably the most frugal out of the entire bunch. The ingredients in these super cool DIY moon rocks cost just a few pennies to put together, but kids will marvel at how such simple ingredients can create something so stellar! The awesome ladies over at The Crafting Chicks put together an amazing tutorial to show you how to make it work!

Falling Stars Wall Hanger – This one is probably my very favorite of the bunch! Isn’t it pretty? Kids will love making their own mobile or wall hanger of beautiful starts to hang in their rooms to remind them of all of the lessons they learned at VBS. They can even decorate each star or write the memory verse of the week on them. Lots of possibilities with this one! This craft comes to us from Just a Girl and Her Blog – a really fabulous blog with all sorts of other fun craft and DIY ideas!

Crystal Stars – This one looks like SO much fun, I’m seriously thinking about making it myself as soon as my toddler goes to sleep! 😉 This fun craft comes to us from One Little Project, where she lists all of the ingredients needed as well as a step by step tutorial (with gorgeous photos) to show you how to make it!

Paper Towel Tube Telescope – Here’s a really fun one for all of the starveyors at VBS this year! Have students make their own telescope so they can scope out all of the beautiful stars in the sky when they go home! This one comes to us from Highlights – a great resource for kids and parents alike for great ideas and projects that kids can get involved in!

Galaxy Jars – These gorgeous and simple galaxy jars are truly mesmerizing! Kids will be oooh-ing and ahhh-ing over them once they see them! They only require a few “ingredients,” so it should be easy to gather all of the supplies needed. Hop on over to Crafty Morning to see how she made them!

Styrofoam Planets – I’m pretty pumped up about this one, y’all. This DIY planet using an old CD is such a neat idea! This craft comes to us from Mommy In Sports, a great blog full of craft ideas, parenting advice, recipes and SO much more!

Marshmallow and Spaghetti Constellations – This craft will be a hit with the younger kiddos enrolled in VBS. Kids will have fun constructing their own constellations using marshmallows and spaghetti noodles. You can find more information on how to complete this project at Deceptively Educational!

Constellation Viewers – I love how perfectly this one fits in with the theme! School Time Snippets has a list of all supplies needed for this craft as well as a tutorial of how to put it together. Kids are really going to feel like real starveyors with this one!

If you’re looking for a few quick and simple craft projects with minimal cleanup, Oriental Trading has a few really awesome craft kits that fir perfectly with this theme! Plus, Oriental Trading pretty much always has a sale going on. Here’s a few of my favorite easy craft ideas from Oriental Trading!

Magnifying Telescope Craft Kit – (Makes 12) $6.49

Galaxy Constellation Wheel Craft Kit (Makes 12) $6.49

Galaxy Prayer Box (Makes 12) $8.49

Galaxy Mobile Craft (Makes 12) $7.49

Galaxy Magnetic Picture Frame Kit (Makes 12) $7.49

Outer Space Magic Scratch Ornaments (Makes 24) $7.99

Galactic Tissue Paper Craft Kit (Makes 12) $9.49

Click the image below for even MORE Galactic Starveyors themed supplies to rock your VBS for 2017!

Will you be participating in VBS 2017? Are you going to be going on an out-of-this-world journey as a Galactic Starveyor? Leave a comment and let me know when your church’s Vacation Bible School will be taking place and if you’ll be using any of these fun craft ideas with your kiddos!

Fall Farmhouse Finds on Amazon

August 18, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

SOUTHERN MADE SIMPLE IS A PART OF SEVERAL AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAMS. AFFILIATE LINKS ARE INCLUDED THROUGHOUT THIS POST. ALTHOUGH I PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS AND HAVE SPONSORED CONTENT, ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

I’ve got a fever, y’all.

I’ve got a fever…and the only prescription is MORE FARMHOUSE DECOR! (Specifically – more Fall-ish farmhouse decor. I just can’t get enough of it!) I know Fall isn’t technically here yet, but I’m so ready for it! I’ve been thumbing through magazines and scrolling through my favorite home decor bloggers Instagram feeds just soaking in all of the gorgeous Fall decor they’ve been taunting me with. If you’re a lover of the rustic farmhouse look, then Fall is THE season to really let that love shine!

…

Mini Key Lime Pie Bites

August 17, 2016 by Laura Tucker 6 Comments

We’re in our first week back to school here in my neck of the woods. For some reason, I’ve always felt like the return to school means the end of summer, which really isn’t true at all. I mean, it’s HOT outside until October here, so it certainly feels like summer for the majority of the year! But to help me fight that “summer’s over” feeling, I try to cling to my favorite summer time treats for as long as I can.

Without question, my favorite thing about summer is heading down to the gulf and and breathing in that sweet salty air. I live close enough to the beach that it’s totally feasible to take a day trip down, so getting to do that every now and then really puts a pep in my step. Sure I enjoy the ocean, the fishing and the scenery, but what I REALLY love is the cuisine.

…

#ShareTheLuv with Mega Savings on Luvs Diapers This Month!

August 15, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This review was made possible by iConnect and Luvs. I was provided compensation to facilitate this post, but all opinions stated are 100% mine.

Whether you’ve expecting your first child or you’re a parent of multiple children, we all know that diapers are undoubtedly one of the biggest expenses you’ll face when buying supplies to meet a baby’s needs. For this reason, it’s important to get the biggest bang for your buck without sacrificing quality. I’ve made the mistake of buying the cheapest of the cheap diapers just to save a dollar, when really I was wasting my time, money and sanity with disposable diapers that just did not work.

After shopping around and trying multiple brands, we’ve found a winner!

When diapers appear on my shopping list, I head straight for the Luvs! When I buy Luvs, I know I’m buying a quality and absorbent diaper without paying premium diaper prices. As a mama on a budget, it’s so important to me to buy a diaper that I know won’t make me feel like I’m throwing my money down the drain. I’ve had many experiences with other disposable diaper brands leaking, not staying fastened and being super scratchy against my baby’s skin.

Luvs diapers are softer and more absorbent than ever before, have super stretchy and secure tabs to create a good fit, and come with a money back guarantee! That tells me right away that Luvs cares about their customer’s satisfaction. You can even choose the super absorbent Luvs Ultra Leakguards with NightLock Plus™ , which feature a larger absorbency area than other leading disposable diaper brands! We’ve found these to be an amazing overnight solution for our daughter. We’ve had zero leaks, which means baby sleeps all the way through the night and I have less laundry to do!

Did you know that Luvs diapers are also the official diaper of experienced moms? You’ve probably seen those hilarious diaper commercials where they show choices a new mom makes versus an experienced mom? It’s almost like they have hidden cameras in my house and are basing their commercials off of my life. They’re just too funny! Here’s my favorite one you may have seen:

I don’t have a second child yet, but I know when that time comes along, I won’t be making several of the mistakes that I made with my first child. When I buy disposable diapers, I’ll be buying Luvs because they’re the brand that I trust the most!

Share in the Savings:

Through the Month of August, you can score sweet print-at-home coupon to help stretch your $$ even further! Save $2.00 off any package of Luvs diapers with this coupon that can be used at any grocery/mass merchandise or discount store where Luvs are sold!

Luvs Rebate Offer:

In addition to using the $2.00 print-at-home coupon, you can combine those savings with an even sweeter deal! If you use the rebate app ibotta, you can earn $5.00 cash back when you purchase any boxed variety (54ct. box or larger) of Luvs diapers! ibotta is a free app that allows you to earn cash back on certain purchases from stores you may frequently shop at.

You can download the app here and start earning today! –> (Available for both iPhone and Android)

After you download the app, just search “Luvs” using the search widget within the app, purchase the qualifying item(s) at the store you select, scan the bar codes and your receipt to verify the purchase, and your rebate will be deposited within 48 hours! (Usually my rebates appear way faster than that. I love ibotta!)

So in total, that’s $7.00 in savings off of diapers this month! What are you going to do with that $7.00 you’re NOT spending on diapers? I’ve got several things in mind myself! 😉

For more information on Luvs diapers, visit their website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on the latest products and coupon savings!

16 Farmhouse Pillows to Spruce up Your Decor

August 11, 2016 by Laura Tucker 4 Comments

Southern Made Simple is a part of several affiliate advertising programs. Affiliate links are included throughout this post. Although I participate in these programs and have sponsored content, all opinions are my own.

If you flip through a home decor magazine and take a glance at any farmhouse-inspired decorated rooms, you may notice throw pillows being used in multiple ways to make a statement. There’s just something so warm and inviting about having fun little throw pillows throughout the house, and if you look in the right places, you can score them for next to nothing!

All of the pillows featured in this roundup are available on Amazon. If you’re an Amazon prime user, these babies will ship straight to your door in just two business days! Many of these pillows are just pillow covers, so you’ll need to pick up a pillow insert. Even with purchasing the insert, many of these come out to around $10 or LESS! That’s cheaper than you can even find at Walmart!

…

Mocha Fudge Brownies with Creamy Coffee Glaze

August 9, 2016 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FoundMyDelight #CollectiveBias

My house has exploded. The living room is a disaster area, there’s laundry strewn over all of the sitting areas and my kitchen is a complete danger zone. It’s a hot mess, y’all. It’s a total circus with one little toddler monkey who is the ring leader of the show, and I am certain she won’t be helping in the clean up efforts!

Perhaps you’re laughing at my situation because you’ve totally been there. Or maybe you’re even there right now! I’m currently curled up in a little clean spot on my couch that I miraculously found, staring at all of the work that is piled up before me. Most days I wake up well before the sun to try to get things done and tend to the chores that I was too tired to take care of the day before.

Sometimes in this tired stupor I catch myself daydreaming of “me” time. If only I could take a 10 minute vacation away from this explosion site and just breathe. If only I could get a little pep back into my step. If only I could just have a moment to myself to savor. A moment where I can forget about my stresses and just indulge a little.

…

Cheesy Spinach and Kale Pancake Bites

August 8, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

My 14 month old has started to turn into a sort-of picky eater. If it’s not a strawberry, banana, cheese or a “puff” snack, she’s probably not very interested. There are a few exceptions to that rule, but trying to find something she won’t turn her nose up at is often like trying to find Atlantis. I’m trying to tell myself that this is a phase that every toddler goes through, but I’m still often left struggling to find a way to make sure she’s getting all of the healthy and nutritious things that she needs.

…