Southern Made Simple

Keeping things simple with a smidge of Southern charm

For the Kids

Our #1 Kids Item to Pack for Summer Vacation

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This post was sponsored by SwimWays as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I don’t know what it is about a hotel swimming pool, but it seems that most children get overwhelmingly excited at the mere sight of one. We’re currently on vacation during the long Memorial Day weekend, and our car is loaded down with all of the essentials needed to make our trip down to the gulf a great one! Before we stepped foot on the beach, we made a pit stop at the place we’re staying at to drop a few things off. All it took was one look at the facility’s swimming pool and our daughter quickly pulled her SwimWays Paw Patrol Swim Trainer out of the pile we unloaded and had us strap her in it so she could dive right in!

Our #1 Kids Item to Pack for Summer Vacation…

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Making a Splash on International Learn to Swim Day!

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This post was sponsored by SwimWays as part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I’ll never forget the moment I watched my little girl fall head over heels in love with the water. On one of our annual family beach trips years ago, I carried my toddler out from under our umbrella and up to the shore to let her feel the waves rush across her feet. Fearing she’d be intimidated by the water, I held her back quite a bit. Little did I know, that was the very beginning of a deep love connection that I couldn’t restrain! She giggled, squealed with joy, clapped her hands and could not contain her excitement any longer. She hopped out of my arms and into the water without a fear in the world. It was quite a sight to see!Making a Splash on International Learn to Swim Day!…

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Global Hunger, A Mother’s Love and How to Help

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Mother’s Day took on a whole new meaning for me 4 years ago. On Mother’s Day 2015, we packed our bags and buckled our newborn baby girl into her car seat and brought her home from the hospital after a long delivery 2 days prior. Since stepping into motherhood, I’ve gained a strength that I could’ve only gained by wearing the title of mother. I see other moms going through their daily struggles of raising children and am encouraged by their strength, and then I open my eyes a bit wider on a more global scope, and I see a new realm of strength that I have never seen before.

Action Against Hunger…

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My Favorite VBS Find: Custom VBS Shirts from Deo Volente Industries

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I’ve received compensation in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. I love sharing VBS resources with my readers!

Vacation Bible School will soon be kicking off all across the country, and team leaders and volunteers are busy gathering up materials, supplies and resources to make sure their VBS is an exciting and fun-filled time for all children (and adults) involved! Each year I put together resources for you related to the different VBS themes to help assist with the behind-the-scenes planning, decorations, crafts, snacks, etc. A lot goes into VBS each year, and it’s one of my greatest joys to help you out along the way!

Two of the most widely used themes for 2019 are In The Wild by Lifeway and Roar! by Group. I was surprised to see that the two themes were so similar this year, but thrilled nonetheless! Both themes are truly amazing, and the content is going to be a roaring good time!

Custom VBS Shirts 2019 In the Wild and Roar themes…

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Banana Pancakes – A Perfect Baby Finger Food

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This post is sponsored by Beech-Nut®. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

I absolutely love the newness that the spring season brings. Spring has always resonated with me as a period of change and growth, and there has certainly been a lot of that in our household over the last month! My 8 month old has been growing by leaps and bounds it seems like. She’s gaining more independence and has certainly become opinionated when it comes to the things she wants. She’s become very grabby at the dinner table and more interested in the things other people are eating, especially the things her big sister is eating.

Banana Pancakes - A Perfect Baby Finger Food…

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Yee Haw VBS Decor Ideas

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Affiliate links are included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I love sharing ideas and finds to help make your VBS experience easier!

It’s time to saddle up and pull on those cowboy boots, because this summer is going to be a stampede of fun with the kickoff of Yee Haw Weekend VBS happening at churches all across the country!

Yee Haw VBS Decor Ideas

Children have the opportunity to discover just how great Jesus’ love truly is while trailblazing through fun games, cool crafts and foot-stompin’ music they’re sure to remember for years!…

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Bebeboo Cloth Diaper Review

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I received product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. I only promote what I truly love!

I’m no stranger to the cloth diapering world. Before having my first child over 3 years ago, I spent countless hours researching and educating myself on the how’s and what’s of modern cloth diapering. I wanted to have a game plan from the moment I put the first diaper on my baby, and I have always been a firm believer in trying multiple brands and styles of diapers for your baby to determine what will be the best fit not only for your baby, but for the parent/caregiver as well.

BeBeBoo Cloth Diaper Review…

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Why a Mom’s Day Out Is Important When You Have a Baby (And How to Ditch the Mom Guilt)

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I received product and compensation from Mead Johnson Nutrition to create this post written by me. All experiences and opinions expressed in this post are my own and not those of Mead Johnson Nutrition. You can contact Mead Johnson Nutrition with product related questions or comments toll free at 1-800-BABY-123 (1-800-222-9123).

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Motherhood is the most beautiful and rewarding experience I’ve ever been a part of. To say it’s all rainbows and sunshine, though, would certainly be a dose of fiction that I don’t ever want to serve to my readers. Of course there is an ample amount of those glorious sunshine moments, but so often I find myself in the trenches of motherhood doing all of the really hard things that are never really acknowledged or shown on social media.

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Before I decided to stay at home when my first child was born 3 years ago, I couldn’t yet see the emotional effect becoming a stay-at-home parent would have on me. Sure, I am absolutely thrilled to be able to experience every milestone with my girls, and I wouldn’t change my decision to be right here with them at all, but when each day comes to a close and I realize that I’ve been wearing spit-up covered pants and that my hair can’t possibly hold one more ounce of dry shampoo because I had no time for myself to take a proper shower, I start to feel a little heavy-laden.

Why a Mom's Day Out Is Important When You Have a Baby…

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How We’re Building a Smart House for the Holidays

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This post was sponsored by Amazon as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Two years ago to this very day, our family broke ground to build our home on a plot of land nestled between a field of planted pines, and over the next year we watched the house that we spent countless hours designing and planning being built from the ground up. Fast forward to this moment in time, and I stand amazed at the home we’ve created. It’s inside walls are adorned with photos of our beautiful children, the rooms are filled with love and laughter, and there’s a voice ringing throughout the air that helps keep us all laughing, entertained and running efficiently with a simple, single command.

How We're Building a Smart House for the Holidays #AskAlexa #AmazonKidsAndFamilyn #IC #Ad…

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