{Product Pick} Surviving Allergy Season with Zicam Extreme Congestion Relief

Allergy season here in the northeast has been terrible - my entire family is suffering this year.  Unfortunately for me, I have to keep going, even when I feel miserable. With one year old twins and a 3 year old, I can't drop everything to give into my allergy symptoms - which, for me, are mostly nasal/sinus congestion. I was really happy to be given the opportunity to try out Zicam Extreme Congestion Relief. This soothing nasal gel has been a lifesaver for me - I sincerely mean that. It provides fast (REALLY fast) relief for nasal congestion and/or sinus pressure.

With a specially formulated No-Drip Liquid Nasal Gel, my nasal passages get cleared quickly. The no-drip gel really does work! What I have liked most is that it works but it keeps symptoms away for up to 12 hours. I'm not having to use it often, nor do I feel clogged up again a short while later. It brings relief...fast.  Something else that is important to me is that it is a non-drowsy formula (my day has no room for drowsiness!) and it's steroid free.  

You can find Zicam in mass market retailers, pharmacies, and grocery stores nationwide for around $11. Check out the Zicam website for more information and savings!

{East Coast} Summer Destination: HersheyPark #Sponsored

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Hershey Entertainment and Resorts. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

 
Last summer we did not get a vacation. Our twin girls were born and we really couldn't think about much else. This year, however, will be different. With a nearly four year old and one year old twins, we want to squeeze a lot of fun into the summer. My husband is able to have a few weeks off and it's perfect for smaller trips more local to where we are.

One place we plan to visit is Hershey, PA - which is located in central Pennsylvania. Home to HersheyPark, it's the perfect destination for us here in northern NJ at about 2.5 hours. 

I visited Hersheypark several times when I was younger and enjoyed it every time. My children have never been there and I'd love the experience of sharing it with them. Hersheypark is for everyone - with 65 rides and attractions, there are a variety of activities for both the young and old! The park  has The Boardwalk which has water features, slides and a 'sprayground' for the younger children.  In addition, you can enjoy live entertainment, the 11-acre walkthrough ZooAmerica. The park also has a selection of shops and yummy foods! My favorite from when I visited was Hershey's Chocolate World. You can take a tour to see how chocolate is made!  

Even though Hersheypark is conveniently close for my family, we're thinking of staying over to really make it a mini-vacation. I've been looking at the Hotel Hershey - built in 1933. I think I chose it because of the world-famous Chocolate Spa. Cocoa facial? Caramel sugar scrub? Yes, please! Best of all, staying at the the Hotel Hershey, along with Hershey Lodge and Hershey Highmeadow Campground, allows you to participate in the Hershey Resorts Advantage. This gets you the best prices on tickets, complimentary shuttles, and early admissions. All of the hotel options at Hershey make it a great destination whether you are close by or a bit further away. I think the trip is really worth it - and Hershey is definitely the type of place you can use a few days at!

If you're looking for entertainment, the five Hershey entertainment venues (from big to small) offer something for everyone. You can check out the event calendar which has something for everyone! Some performances that caught my eye are Jay-Z & Justin Timberlake, Dave Matthews Band and Goo Goo Dolls/Matchbox 20!

For more information, call 1-800-HERSHEY (1-800-437-7439) or visit www.HersheyPA.com.

You can also check out this video - I think it definitely captures the Hershey experience: 

 Have you ever visited Hershey? What was your experience like? 

Seasonal Coffees from Dunkin Donuts #Sponsored

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Dunkin' Donuts. I received a Dunkin' Donuts Party Kit to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

I'm a coffee-lover. Most days, it's what gets me through the day with three kids, including one year old twins. When I'm not stopping for coffee on-the-go, I'm usually brewing Dunkin Donuts Original Blend at home for the hubby and I. Every now and then, it's nice to try something new, especially from Dunkin Donuts.  Dunkin Donuts' new  seasonal coffees sounded pretty interesting to me!  Strawberry Shortcake, Triple Berry and Coconut are fun, new flavors just right for the season. They are available in grocery stores across the country for a limited time.

Not only was I given the chance to try out these new flavors, but I was asked to host a party to let people try them out.  I was also provided with 'swag bags' for my guests - complete with an iced coffee tumbler, a pound of coffee in one of the new flavors, an iced-coffee recipe and a $2 off product coupon.

I decided to host my party as part of a moms club meeting I was hosting. I'm new to the executive board of the club and agreed to host the meeting. I thought it would also be the perfect opportunity to have my fellow moms try out these coffee flavors. 

I made a pot of my favorite of the three varieties, Coconut, and then had the other flavors available to try out using my single-serve (with the special pod for brewing your favorite ground coffee). It was easy for everyone to try out all three flavors this way. 

Everyone agreed that the coffee flavors were definitely new and interesting - not like anything they'd tried before. But they liked all three - with our group being split down the middle as Coconut and Strawberry Shortcake as favorites. Most of us at the gathering were also "seasonal" iced coffee drinkers - preferring iced coffee when it was warm and hot coffee in the mornings and when it was cooler out. 

We were able to accomplish a lot of the items on our checklist for our meeting/club with the help of the Dunkin Donuts coffees and some yummy snacks.

The other moms were excited that I had been able to share the new coffee flavors with them, but were even happier when I gave them their swag bags! They didn't expect it, so they were excited to be able to try out the coffee at home.

Just as I gave my guests, I'd love to share with you the iced coffee recipe from Dunkin Donuts. Before this, I never was really good at making iced-coffee. This definitely works and tastes great! 

Which flavors would you like to try most? Do you prefer your coffee hot or iced?

Protecting Your Family from Unexpected Medical Costs: Aflac Real Cost Calculator #Sponsored

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Aflac. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

I dislike dealing with medical insurance. It conjures up all sorts of anxiety for me. What will be covered? What won't be covered? And forget getting a straight answer - it is so difficult sometimes. We are pretty fortunate to have great coverage through my husband, but we still find there are things that we end up paying out of pocket for. And with three children, as a family of five, the unexpected things that could come up are scary to think about.

Last year, while I was pregnant with our twins, my husband had a medical scare. The doctor was concerned that some blood work might indicate something serious. My husband needed a colonscopy at 31 years old. I knew they were suspsecting colon cancer and I was absolutely terrified. We didn't hesitate for a second with testing and fortunately received great news that he was okay and everything clear. However, a few months later, we realized just how much that peace of mind was going to cost us. We were hit with a pretty big bill for our share of the expenses for this critical procedure - almost $750. When you have a mortgage, one child and twins on the way, you don't have $750 to spare. And sadly, this happens to people every day. Critical tests, procedures and treatments are needed and the costs are just too high for some.

The Aflac Real Cost Calculator is a useful tool, provided by Aflac. This calculator shows the amount that you might have to pay out of pocket for medical care/emergencies/illnesses.

Taking my husband's scare, I chose to put colorectal cancer into the calculator, and I was completely shocked by what I saw. I was able to see that our 'real life expenses' total would be in the ballpark of $32,000. This takes into account our out-of-pocket expenses related helping my husband get treatment for the illness (childcare, food, lodging, travel), our monthly household expenses as a family and our medical bills not covered by insurance. Often, people just look at what they might be billed, but it's so much more than that when your life is put on hold by an illness or injury. It's eye-opening and something every family should be aware of. 

Aflac can take some of these financial worries and burdens off your plate when you or a family member is sick or hurt. They offer policies that can help with the costs of daily living, out of pocket medical expenses or short-term disability when one is unable to work.  With the peace of mind Aflac can offer, you or your family member can focus on what is important - getting well again. 

Give the Aflac Real Cost Calculator a try and see what your family might be faced with and how Aflac can help.

Have you or a family member ever had the burden of unexpected illness/injury? Were there out-of-pocket costs? How did your family cope with this?

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Aflac. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Getting More Done Faster #MSNKnowNow #Sponsored

This post was created in partnership with MSN. Find out more about the all new MSN experience at allnew.msn.com or see it in action on Windows 8, Android, or on iOS at msn.com

My twin girls just turned one and as I look back at the last year, I've realized how much my life has changed. While we've grown quite used to the work that comes with twins and a three year old boy, there is no doubt that we just do things so much differently. When it was just my husband, son and I, we could head out for a weekend day to accomplish all the errands. Now, with three kids, we have to break up the errands and weekend tasks - working around the needs of three children. Often, I find myself trying to beat the baby clock. The errands are over when the babies grow tired or uncooperative and so I must always make the most of the time I have. 

I need my internet to be fast and be smart. I've been excited to learn about and try out the new, faster MSN.  While running my errands, I often have to look up something, find a store or restaurant, get information or even do a little research on purchases.  

The new MSN experience offers me the speed and coverage I need. It is available on Windows 8 devices and on iOS and Android mobile devices. The new MSN delivers unparalleled speed and coverage in an easy-to-use, touch-enabled format. 

I really like using the new MSN. It's fast, easy and works great with my phone and tablet. The format makes it easy to find exactly what I'm looking for...and fast. This fits in with my lifestyle - find out how MSN can help you stay in the know!

Why I'm Going Unplugged This Mother's Day #SocialBlackout #Sponsored

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for MetLife. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

I spend a lot of time online - most of that time is working, especially with social media, but some of it is personal and becomes a way I connect with friends and family around the world. Recently, I really thought about the amount of time I'm truly devoting to my online work. Bottom line, it all adds up and I've found that I do spend quite a bit of time online.  I love what I do, but my kids and my family are simply more important.

So this Mother’s Day, I am taking the entire day away from the internet - both my laptop and phone! I'm participating in the #SocialBlackout movement encouraged by MetLife. 

This, I feel, is a great year to do this. Not only is it my first Mother's Day with my twin girls and as a mom to three, it's also the first year I will be celebrating with my entire immediate family. We are bringing both my in-laws, my parents, grandmother and aunt all together. After years of dividing up the day and compromising, we decided to do one big celebration. There will be 7 moms, many children and I love that it is going to be celebrating everyone together. And best of all, I'm going to be unplugged and encouraging my family, not to mention all my friends and audiencon social media, to do the same.

I invite all of you to follow my lead on Mother's Day (May 12th) and give the attention to ourselves, our mothers and our families that we all deserve. No texting, no facebook, no blogging - save all the cute pictures and stories about the wonderful day spent with family for the next day! 

Here's how you can help spread the Mother’s Day #SocialBlackout movement:
1. Join the Mother’s Day #SocialBlackout event page.
2. Invite your friends and family to join you in this effort
3. Log off Social Media (that's Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+  - everything!)  on Mother’s Day - a full 24 hours!

For more information on the #SocialBlackout Event visit the official page and join me in taking this challenge! 

Happy Mother's Day!