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Keeping things simple with a smidge of Southern charm

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Product Reviews

Our Top Teething and Baby Oral Care Finds

July 11, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

 I received products in exchange or my honest review. All opinions expressed within this post are 100% my own.

The youngest Tucker tot is just 2 weeks away from turning the big ONE, and it’s been such a joy to look back over the last 12 months and see how much she has truly grown. She’s a busy little bee scooting all over the house, and she adores watching her big sister run and play. She wants to do anything and everything her sister does, and she’s wasted no time in declaring that she’s ready to do all of the things her big sissy is doing!

Our Top Teething and Baby Oral Care Finds…

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Filed Under: For the Kids, Product Reviews

Life Hack: How I Organize My Kids Clothes (Without Losing My Sanity!)

August 10, 2018 by Laura Tucker 3 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Duck Brand for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s been 2 weeks since we welcomed the newest little Tucker tot into the world, and finally being able to bring her home into her new nursery brought us so much joy on so many levels! While her first encounter with her room was seeing a perfectly polished nursery with everything in it’s place, it was definitely a different story just a few weeks prior when I was bringing all of big sister’s newborn and baby clothes down from the attic!Duck Pack & Track…

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Filed Under: For the Kids, Parenting and Lifestyle, Product Reviews Tagged With: Duck Pack & Track, How to organize, Organizing, Organizing kids clothing

Non-Candy Easter Basket Filler Ideas for Toddler Girls

February 28, 2018 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

ffiliate links may be included throughout this post at absolutely no post to you. Complimentary product was provided by Real Shades. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

With all of this warm weather we’ve been having, I’m definitely ready for Spring to make it’s grand debut! Right now, everything outside is coated in that miserable yellow pollen, but I know that soon the bees will start buzzing and flowers will finally bloom! While Spring isn’t exactly my favorite season (tornado season kind of ruins it for me,) I absolutely LOVE all things Easter – especially out annual egg hunt every year!

Non-Candy Easter Basket Filler Ideas for Toddler Girls…

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Filed Under: For the Kids, Kids Fashion, Product Reviews Tagged With: Easter basket fillers, easter basket ideas, Little girl easter basket stuffes, Non candy easter basket ideas, Non-Candy Easter Basket Filler Ideas for Toddler Girls, Toddler girl easter basket

The Cutest Name Labels for Back to School from Stuck On You!

July 3, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

I received the items mentioned from Stuck On You in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed within this post are 100% my own.

There are just 4 weeks left of summer before all of the kids that live in my area start shopping for school supplies and zipping up their brand new backpacks to head off to their first day of school. Can you believe that?! I mean, didn’t summer just start? It truly feels like school begins earlier and earlier every year!

When I was still in school, I would count down the days to when school started back. I absolutely adored school. For me, summer was fun for about 2 weeks, and then I longed to be close to all of my friends again and in an organized setting with a structured routine. I’d nearly squeal with joy when the school board released the shopping lists for my school. I’d very meticulously pick out the perfect (and cutest) school supplies and rearrange the contents of my backpack multiple times in preparation for the 1st day back. I would see to it that all of my items had my name written on them, and then I’d do the same thing for all of my little brother’s school supplies, too!

Preschool Back to School Labels from Stuck on You…

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Filed Under: For the Kids, Product Reviews Tagged With: allergy labels, back to school labels, dishwasher safe labels, kid labels, Label value packs, stuck on you, stuck on your review

Breastfeeding Questions? See a Lactation Consultant Anytime, Anywhere with Amwell!

May 17, 2017 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Last night after church I was chatting with a friend about how busy life can get sometimes. It’s easy to often  feel like we don’t have it all together and just need more hours in the day to get it all done! This week my sweet baby girl is turning the big TWO, and I’ve been running around like a crazy lady just trying to balance my work and home life while wearing many different hats: party planner, personal chef and chicken nugget cooker, chauffeur, potty training police, piggyback ride giver and kisser of boo-boos. (Parents – I know you feel me!)

And because I often have impeccably weird timing, I randomly decided to start thinking about when baby # 2 might come along and join in on all of the busyness we’re already juggling. (Notice I said thinking..not planning. We’re not ready just yet!) My mind started going in numerous different directions about my future pregnancy and all of the things that typically come along with it. I clearly needed one more thing to think about this week! 😉

One thing I know for sure I want to plan for better next time around is building a relationship with a lactation consultant and being proactive about asking questions in hopes that I’ll have a successful breastfeeding journey with my future children. As I was thinking about my previous breastfeeding experience and the things that ultimately made it not as successful as I had hoped for, I realized I actually had quite a few questions and concerns that I definitely wanted to talk to someone about before planning for another child.

Breastfeeding Questions? Chat With a Lactation Consultant Whenever and Wherever using Amwell! …

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Filed Under: For the Kids, My Favorite Things, Parenting and Lifestyle, Product Reviews Tagged With: Amwell, Amwell lactation consultant review, Amwell review, How to schedule an appointment with a lactation consultant, Visit with a doctor on your phone

Fun in the Sun and Sand: DIY Sand Play Table

May 9, 2017 by Laura Tucker 3 Comments

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

I don’t know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods this month, but we’re already reaching some pretty high temps here in south Alabama. All of this gorgeous sunshine is really warming things up, and I can absolutely tell that this summer is going to be a scorcher! Just last week we had a few days where the temperature reached the 90’s, but luckily we haven’t had much of the usual horrible humidity hitting us just yet. The weather has been perfect for us to roll up our sleeves and get outside in the sun to play!

We’re currently in the process of building a home right down the road from our current house. My husband and his dad are doing much of the interior work themselves, so our afternoons are spent at our construction site playing and “helping”  just so we can get a little family time in before the day is over. It didn’t take long for my toddler to find the two giant sand piles sitting in the yard once construction began, and they’ve been a huge source of entertainment for her nearly every day since we broke ground back in December!

Bring the beach to your yard this summer with this easy DIY sand table! #BlueLizardSummer #ad…

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Filed Under: For the Kids, Product Reviews Tagged With: Baby sun screen, Blue Lizard sunscreen, DIY Sand box, DIY Sand table, how to make a sand table, Sand table instructions, Sand table plans

Healthy Tummy, Happy Baby! UpSpring Probiotic + Colostrum Review

March 6, 2017 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

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

Since becoming a parent almost 2 years ago, I’ve made it a top priority to pay very close attention to the things that my little one consumes. When she started eating solids, I knew that if I didn’t stay on top of her diet and make sure she was eating balanced portions of fruits, veggies and proteins, she could be at risk of not getting all of the important nutrients that her body needed to maintain a healthy immune system.

UpSpring Probiotic + Colostrum Review…

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Filed Under: For the Kids, Product Reviews Tagged With: probiotics for toddlers, UpSpring Probiotic Colostrum, UpSpring product review

Easter Basket Fillers for Toddlers

February 14, 2017 by Laura Tucker 1 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.

Can we please move past all of this cold weather already and more right along to Spring? I’m ready to see some flowers bloom and to ditch my jacket and bring out the flip flops! I’m also super pumped about Easter (per usual) because yours truly is totally a big time fan of Cadbury Creme Eggs and basically ALL other Easter-y candies! Last year I was planning things to include in my baby’s Easter basket, but now that I have a toddler on my hands, things are a tad bit different!

Easter Basket Fillers for Toddlers…

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Filed Under: For the Kids, Product Reviews Tagged With: Easter basket fillers, Easter basket fillers for babies, Easter basket fillers for toddlers, easter basket for toddler, Easter Ideas

A Smart Way to Stress Less with a Newborn (BlueSmart mia – The Latest Innovation in Baby Feeding)

December 21, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

I have been compensated for this post in exchange for my honest thoughts about the product(s) within this post. All opinions expressed are completely my own. I only promote what I truly love! #spon

I loved (almost) every minute of my pregnancy. I had good fortune in that I had no complications and minimal amounts of discomfort while I was expecting. I was truly very lucky! Even though nothing fit me right and I waddled a bit when I walked, I felt so beautiful carrying life inside me. I was the woman who bought and read all the books, attended special parenting classes and read tons of blog posts about infant safety and things you need/don’t need. I was mostly convinced that I knew it all and had all of my ducks in a row, but once my daughter made her grand entrance and things got really real, I began to quickly see how little about childcare I actually knew!

Photo Credit: Ashleigh DeSandro Photography…

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Filed Under: For the Kids, Product Reviews Tagged With: BlueSmart Mia, BlueSmart Mia discount, bottle feeding safety, infant feeding

Know Where Your Toddler Goes (Even When You Aren’t Looking) with VTech

July 26, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

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

This time last year, I often found myself at my wits’ end dealing with a severely colicky little 2 month old. The days felt like the longest ones of my life. It was so hard to find relief for my child, and she would often scream for hours during the day from discomfort. It was truly exhausting for me, both physically and mentally. I caught myself wondering and asking my friends, “does this parenting thing ever get any easier?” Some of the most helpful and truthful parenting advice I received during that time was this: Babies don’t necessarily get easier, they just get different.  In one full year’s time, I’ve come to learn just how true that really is!

The road to defeating colic was a tough one. I’d hold my baby for hours at a time and walk the halls of my home with her until she fell asleep. Now that she’s a toddler, I’d give just about anything in the world to hold her for hours and walk her around the halls until she fell asleep in my arms. Unfortunately, me taking time to hold or rock her just doesn’t fit into her busy toddler schedule. My child is into everything, and she’s not slowing down for anyone!

Know where your toddler goes - even when you aren't looking! The VTech Safe&Sound DM271-110 Audio Monitor provides peace of mind and gives you eyes in the back of your head when you really need them! #VTechBaby #ad

And because of her new toddler tendencies to get into everything, it’s become so much easier for her to find herself in situations that could get her into trouble, or even put her in danger. As her parent, I do try my hardest to keep my eye on her at all times, but we all know it’s easier said than done. Within a matter of seconds, a toddler can knock everything off the very top shelf without even being able to reach it, leaving you wondering HOW in the world they did it, and HOW did it happen so fast? (My theory: baby laser vision, or at least the ability to destroy things with just the blink of an eye. 😉 )

We all know that there are numerous baby monitors on the market, so it can be a little overwhelming trying to find the right one for you. Traditional audio monitors are great for babies, but as the baby gets older they leave you pretty limited in knowing where the baby/toddler may be and exactly what they’re up to. As I said earlier, toddlers are ALWAYS into something! Video monitors can also be a great option, but it just isn’t feasible to keep your eyes glued to the screen all day long to feel confident that your child isn’t somewhere they shouldn’t be.

That’s where motion sensors come in to save the day! My family uses the VTech Safe&Sound DM271-110 Audio Monitor with Open/Closed and Motion Sensors, and it’s been a much welcomed addition to our home (mostly because it helps keen me SANE!)  At first, you may think the idea of installing a motion sensor is a little bit silly, but here’s a few great reasons why the VTech Digital Audio Baby Monitor is something you’ll really want to consider when you’ve got a toddler on the prowl:

Know where your toddler goes - even when you aren't looking! The VTech Safe&Sound DM271-110 Audio Monitor provides peace of mind and gives you eyes in the back of your head when you really need them! #VTechBaby #ad

You’ll magically be able to GET. STUFF. DONE!

What do I mean by that? It’s simple, really. The VTech Digital Audio Baby Monitor gives me the eyes in the back of my head that I feel like I need when my toddler is awake and running wide open throughout my house. As much as I try to keep an eye on my daughter at all times, I just can’t do it all the time. I can’t do the things in the house that I need to do if every ounce of my attention is on the toddler. With the motion sensor installed, I know when my baby is in a location of the house that she’s not supposed to be in.

Know where your toddler goes - even when you aren't looking! The VTech Safe&Sound DM271-110 Audio Monitor provides peace of mind and gives you eyes in the back of your head when you really need them! #VTechBaby #ad

We put the motion sensor in our laundry room, which is a very heavily trafficked area in our home since it’s where our back door is. We’ve found that putting a baby gate at the entrance of this door is majorly inconvenient, but it’s definitely a place in the house where we don’t want our daughter to go. Even though all of the laundry chemicals are up and out of her reach, I’m fearful that she’ll use her baby laser vision to somehow, some way get a hold of something she isn’t supposed to. The biggest concern, however, is our hot water heater. Unfortunately, our tiny little house just doesn’t have anywhere for it to go besides out in the open inside our laundry room. It has lots of buttons and knobs that are fascinating to her, and messing with those buttons and knobs can cause big problems with the heater (or so I’ve learned the hard way.)

Even though she knows this room is off-limits, she usually forgets about 3-4 times a day. Now with the motion sensor installed in the laundry room, I’m immediately notified if she sneaks in without me knowing. Instead of being right by her side 24/7, I’m able to have much more freedom to move around the house and get things done without worrying if she’s somewhere dangerous.

You’ll Gain Peace of Mind

I’ve caught my daughter several times over the past few days trying her hardest to turn door knobs throughout our house. I know it won’t be long at all before she has it figured out, and she’ll be in and out doors faster than I can blink! The open/closed door sensors are GREAT in that they send the hand held monitor a direct notification if a door with a sensor has been opened. I’ve seen so many horror stories floating around social media lately about children who have wandered off by opening doors or crawling into hot cars and getting trapped without their parents knowing. It’s such a scary thought to think that something like this could happen! The VTech Digital Audio Baby Monitor comes with one door sensor, but can be expanded to use up to 20 sensors (additional sensors sold separately), so you can put them on any door that may be a concern-area for you.

Know where your toddler goes - even when you aren't looking! The VTech Safe&Sound DM271-110 Audio Monitor provides peace of mind and gives you eyes in the back of your head when you really need them! #VTechBaby #ad

I’ll be purchasing more in the future to put on our exterior doors to notify me if those doors have been opened when they should’t have been. Having these sensors in place really help me to breath a little easier and give me peace of mind knowing that I’m better able to keep up with my kiddo.

Communicating Safely and Effectively With Baby is Easy

When my daughter has woken up from her slumber, or if she’s simply playing in her room sweetly, I am able to hear any sound she makes through the two-way talk back intercom feature. The VTech Digital Audio Baby Monitor has up to 1,000 feet of range AND comes with DECT 6.0 digital technology, which keeps the connection static free and prevents anyone close by from being able to eavesdrop on the connection.

Nap Time Gets a Little Easier

If you have a baby or toddler that needs to be soothed to sleep, the VTech Digital Audio Baby Monitor may be an excellent choice for you! There is a glow-on-ceiling night light feature included that projects stars, moons and clouds on the ceiling while playing a gentle lullaby. I wasn’t sure that my daughter would be interested in this feature, but she absolutely LOVES it! She loves to point to the stars and she seems pretty mesmerized by them, which helps her keep her focus in just one place so she can fall asleep easier. She wasn’t sleep trained to fall asleep to music, so we just simply turn the lullaby feature off.

Know where your toddler goes - even when you aren't looking! The VTech Safe&Sound DM271-110 Audio Monitor provides peace of mind and gives you eyes in the back of your head when you really need them! #VTechBaby #ad

I’ll admit that I certainly never thought that a motion sensor would be something I’d ever use when I was registering for our baby over a year ago, but I’m definitely sold thanks to the peace of mind this device brings to my husband and I. I watch my daughter gazing up at the galaxy glowing on her ceiling and I shut the door knowing that my VTech Safe&Sound DM271-110 Audio Monitor device will be the eyes and ears I need when I leave the room.

What sort of features do you look for in a baby monitor? Do you think a motion sensor system would be a good fit for your family? Check out VTech to read more about this monitor, plus find their other fabulous VTech products that are on the market!

Buy it now:

The VTech Digital Audio Baby Monitor is available to purchase at VTechPhones.com and on Amazon.com for just $119.95.

 

Filed Under: For the Kids, Product Reviews Tagged With: baby monitor review, motion sensor review, VTech, VTech baby monitor

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"Hi there! I'm Laura, and I'm a child of God, a wife, and a mother of two. My roots are planted deep in rural Alabama. Monograms, crafting and Southern cuisine - yes, these are a few of my favorite things! Join me as I grow my family in the beautiful South where the tea is sweet, the accents are sweeter, & someone's heart is always being blessed." [Read more...]

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