Keeping kids entertained while in long lines, grocery shopping or at appointments is part of the job as a Mom. Sometimes it's easier than others, always depending on the mood of both ourselves and our kids. Here are my top 5 favorite ways to keep my kids from annoying me, each other or other people while out running errands.

1. I-spy
This one is my classic go to game. I always take turns starting from youngest to oldest to make sure everyone gets a turn picking something. You pick an item in your head and say, "I spy with my little eye some thing that is _____." Name a color like purple. Then everyone guesses which purple thing you spied till the name the item you were thinking of.
As a variation sometimes I'll say who can count 10 stars, or find 5 things that are square or so on.
2. Who can _______.
Who can stand on 1 foot for 15 seconds?
Who can pat their head and rub their tummy?
Who can touch the cart with only their pinkie?
Who can touch the _____ with only 2 thumbs? With their elbow? With their nose?
Who can tiptoe down this isle?
Who can walk backwards till we get to the milk?
Etc, etc, etc
3. Progressive Story
When waiting in lines progressive stories are perfect. Usually I start the story and we each take a turn telling a part of it. The best way to not cause too many problems is I tell the story and just ask the kids certain questions like names, towns, they ran into _____, went to ______, used his _____ weapon to defeat the evil________. You get the idea.
4. Grocery Games.
I try things like, "Who can find the grapes first," or I give each kid something to look for. 1 kid looks for canned peas, the other looks for cans of corn. For short trips sometimes we make a chant of the  items on the small list. I'll let kids help hold the list and mark things off. Sometimes I take a picture on my phone of the list just in case something happens to it.

5. Alphabet Game.
Basically we play one of two ways. We look for each actual letter in the alphabet from A to Z on signs, license plates, etc. Or we look for anything that stars with the letter, like apples for A, bananas for B, and so on. Sometimes we do it together other times we see who can get to z first.

Bonus- When I'm trying to stick to a budget I use a calculator so I can see exactly how much I am spending. Sometimes I let my 7 year old be in charge of calculating how much I have accumulated. He feels like a big helper and I stay on budget.

Right now cool nails are very popular. I myself wasn't big into doing my nails till I received some polish from a blog swap. I started wondering where do I even start? Most things I have come across are way over my head, I need a manicures how to for dummies. I asked my long time friend and blogger Jess. She's the blogger behind http://www.yourstrulydear. blogspot.com/.
I am thrilled to write a guest post for Jennifer! I was honored that she even asked me about this topic, as it is a huge hobby of mine (but often goes unnoticed, haha). So hopefully from this post you can get a basic idea of nail care, which will result in a better overall manicure when you do it yourself!
The first essential step of nail care is moisturizing. Especially for your cuticles! Your cuticles do so much work for you as far as protecting your entire nail system [you know, like a respiratory system...except it's everything to do with your nails...ok I totally made that up but I think they should add it to webmd ;)], so you should show them some love. Right now my go to cuticle moisturizer is Lemony Flutter by Lush. While this little jar will last you a while, it's a bit more on the pricey side. Burt's Bee's Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream is another great one, and is more affordable. But even just using a basic lotion or salve and rubbing it into your cuticles will help them out.

Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter, by Lush

The first thing I do before each manicure is moisturize those cuticles up, and then push them back. I have a metal cuticle pusher, but you can also use an orange stick. These can be found at any grocery/drug store. One thing I've found since furthering my hobby with nail art is that you should NOT cut your cuticles. [Guilty, I totally used to do this]. This actually opens up that protective barrier and makes your nail system susceptible to bacteria/fungus etc. Ain't nobody got time for that! Instead, always push your cuticles back. You can purchase a cuticle remover gel (Sally Hansen makes a great one) to use as a treatment every once in a while to remove buildup too, which is what I do about once a week.
After your cuticles are pushed back, file your nails to your desired shape. File in only one direction along your nail edge. Filing is much better for nail growth than cutting your nails. So if you want those babies to grow and be strong, stick to the file! After filing I use a Polar Block (any nail buffer will do, but the Polar Block is my favorite. It's also only a dollar or less at Sally's Beauty Supply) to smooth the surface of my nails. This helps if you have ridges, peeling, etc. You just want a nice smooth base to paint your nails on.

L to R: cuticle stick, nail file, Polar Block nail buffer, metal cuticle pusher

At this point I usually wash and dry my hands, and then you're ready to paint your nails! The first step of painting them is to apply a base coat. This will prevent nail staining from your polish, and will extend the life of your manicure. Right now I use Nutra Nail Bullet-Proof Strength as my base coat. I also really like Beauty Supply base coat (I get mine from Sally's). Your base coat doesn't need to be 100% dry before applying polish, so after I apply it to all my nails then I start with my color.
I always have a cuticle stick (pictured above) by my side whenever I paint my nails. That way if I get any polish on my skin I can use the stick to get it right off before it dries. This makes for much easier cleanup. Apply polish in thin coats. Multiple thin coats are much better and will actually dry faster than one thick, goopy coat. I usually wait about 5 minutes (they're slightly tacky but mostly-ish dry) in between thin coats, until I reach desired opacity. Then I finish it off with a fast-dry top coat. My entire life changed when I found out about fast-dry topcoats. I swear I used to wait HOURS before I felt my nails were dry enough to do virtually anything. Right now I'm using Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. Sally Hansen also makes several varieties if you want something a little bit cheaper. There are several brands of fast dry topcoats though, so feel free to look around.

L: Bulletproof, used as base coat. R: Seche Vite, fast dry topcoat.

To get that perfectly clean, professional look, I do a bit of cleanup afterwards. I use a small paintbrush and a bottle of acetone, and clean up any mistakes around the nail. It takes hardly any time at all, but will give you a nice polished (hehe) finished look.

I use 100% acetone. It can be drying though, so keep up with your moisturizing!

That's my whole routine for painting my nails. It may seem kind of involved, but once you get the hang of it, it really doesn't take that long. And it will make your manicure look better and last longer. Also, practice definitely makes perfect! Feel free to get creative with your polish, and try new ideas out. I feel like my nails are an expression of creativity, which is why one of my hobbies is nail art. There's lots of inspiration on Instagram (my username is: jesspaintshernails if you're interested), pinterest, blogs, youtube, etc. Happy nail painting!!
Here are some of my favorite recent designs I've done:

Ikat pattern with a glittery accent nail

used a texture polish for this. i love hearts.

leopard print is always awesome in my book!

Thanks Jess for that post. I had no idea I shouldn't cut my cuticles, let alone how important and useful they really were. I highly suggest following her on instagram not only because she does some creative things, but she always is re-posting giveaways for nail care lovers.

KBYU Eleven, a local Utah television station, is a great resource for parents and all of those who are helping raise a child. KBYU Eleven includes quality educational television programs, a safe online environment, and video parenting workshops. KBYU Eleven has a Kids & Family section that includes activities for children, reading resources, and the schedule for KBYU Eleven's television programming so children won't miss their favorite educational show. There is a Community section with community resources, events, contests, and a quick way to reach out to their volunteer council. Get ahead on your knowledge of future television shows that will be coming to KBYU Eleven by reading about them on their Featured Shows page or learn more about any show you or your children watch.
KBYU Eleven has offered one of our readers two ticket vouchers to go to the Deer Valley Music Festival 2013. Ticket vouchers must be redeemed for actual tickets and expire August 10, 2013. Participants must be at least 18 years old, be a Utah resident, and be able to use the ticket vouchers before August 10. The winner must respond to the winner email within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen. Enter in the form below - personal information is required, however, will not be sold or distributed in any way. This giveaway will end on Friday, June 28, 11:59 pm MDT.

Thank you to KBYU Eleven for sponsoring this giveaway. UtahCountyMoms.com is responsible for giveaway delivery but is not responsible for items lost in the mail. This blog was not compensated for this post. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest do not endorse, nor are they affiliated with this giveaway.
Thank you to Utah County Moms, Enjoy Utah, Keep Moving Forward With Me, and Utah Queen of Chaos for hosting!

Thank You Get Waxed for donating such a wonderful giveaway! The great thing about Get Waxed is they service women and men. Men are coming in more and more for back, neck ears, nose, etc. next time you want to be hair worry free call the professionals at Get Waxed!
The winner for the free bikini or lip/brow wax is...
Krysta Galbraith
Please respond to the email I sent out within 48 hours, or a new winner will be chosen.
Please check out http://www.getwaxedonline.com/ for do's and don't before your waxing!

These past 4 weeks have pushed me further than I ever have been pushed blogging or writing. I have written at least 6 articles a week on multiple topics. I was surprised at how many topics I enjoyed writing about and will continue to write about, like exercising and food.
Also it's my favorite time of year. I love summer time and summer vacations! I never can fit in everything I want to do in those quick 3 months. I'm glad I did this 4 weeks vacation prep series, because I am that much more ready. Ready to relax on the beach, go swimming and look so hot this summer!
I just want to do a recap of some of my favorite articles.
Week 1- I love the article about working out from home.
               I also loved the guest post from Discover Your Happy.
Week 2- The guest post from Christy Stevenson was amazing! There is a lot of great information and golden nuggets in there.
Week 3- My favorite thing about the guest post from Bootz was about maxi skirts. I love maxi skirts!
Week 4- I can't pick a favorite between Get Waxed and NS Minerals. I love what they both have to offer. Plus they both have a great giveaways going on for a few more days.
Hopefully you got some good tips to help you feel more ready and confident for a fun vacation, or summer in general.

Have you ever made a big hair change right before family pictures or a trip? I have, worst idea ever! If you know you are going out of town, make sure to only make small changes to your hair or do it a few weeks in advance. Once I cut my hair shorter than I ever have had in the past, and then left the next day for a trip to southern California. I kept having to stop at the store for hair clips, or hair product because I didn't give myself enough to get use to how to style it. How to keep it out of my eyes when surfing, or how long it took to do it before going out to dinner. I remember being so frustrated! Make sure to give yourself enough time to get use to how to do it.
Do your research ahead of time. The days of picking out of the lobby books for a new style are out. Look online and print it out or use your phone. That way you take your time to get just what you want and what is right for your hair. Just keep in mind your own hair type. I once had a hair stylist tell me that the hardest thing is when someone comes in wanting something that they don't have the hair for. For instance I have TONS of hair, so I can't pick out a style with light hair, or vice versa.

Make sure if you go swimming to rinse chlorine out of your hair as soon as possible. I even use a clarifying shampoo 1-2 times a week depending on how often we have gone swimming.
If you color your hair be careful of fading from the sun. Try a leave in conditioner with protection from UV rays.

I also air dry my hair a lot, especially in the summer.  To help fight frizz use a anti-frizz serum.
If you can't tell Redken is one of my favorite products, I use it a lot and often. With all my hair I can't use just any product on my hair, I need something to help with my hair in any situation.  Be careful with the heat, sun and styling product to not let your hair get dried out during the summer.
Try making a homemade hair mask with any of the following. Mix, match, and smash then apply to hair. After it sits for about 15  minutes rinse it really well. Then follow up with a regular wash.

Banana- The potassium in the banana helps soften and repair your hair cuticles. Just make sure to rinse this really well.

Avocado-  Avocado is a great deep conditioner and helps make your hair silky and smooth by locking in moisture.

Olive Oil- The antibacterial function in olive oil can help with dandruff and build up.  It's suppose to help with hair loss too.

Mayonnaise-  The eggs, vinegar and lemon juice in the mayo help both individually and combined. Mayonnaise is a great deep conditioner and helps seal split ends

Eggs- The protein in the eggs are healthy for your hair and help add lots of shine.
Enjoy making your own inexpensive hair mask with any of these ingredients.

With it being hot and only getting hotter I don't want heavy make-up. I want something natural looking, easy and light. I mentioned when I went to the What Women Wants show how I found out about NS Minerals. There foundation is gentle and almost silky. It gives you a natural complexion so you still look like you. Plus they have fun colors to use and to mix and match. Whether for day to day use, or dressing up for a night out NS Minerals has you covered.

I was sent their Green Tea Finishing Spray to review. The first thing I did, besides jump for joy, was check the ingredients. The first 3 ingredients are Green Tea, Rose Distillate and Aloe Barbadensis Juice.
I have heard about many benefits of green tea for inside your body, but what about on your body? Apparently because it is such a great anti-oxidant it helps free your skin of free radicals assisting in anti-aging.  It also helps relax your muscles and reduce inflammation. That is how it helps against acne.
The Rose Water and Aloe didn't surprise me. Just on Mothers Day I got an e-card with home-made facial recipes one of which was rose water. It is also an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant like green tea. It is a natural moisturizer and a toner as well. It helps skin feel refreshed, tightens pores and helps your skin feel smooth with out drying it out. Aloe has many healing properties and helps reduce redness and flaking. Random true story about me and healing from aloe:
 When I was in high school I worked at KFC. Long story short I had some very hot oil splashed on my face, leaving me with a good size scar on my left cheek. It was 3-4 inches long, and very noticeable. At 17 years old that could be very traumatic. My mom had an aloe vera plant in our house. I rubbed some straight from the plant onto my face 2-3 times a day. I have absolutely no sign of a scar on my face at all! It was an aloe miracle!
Needless to say these main ingredients are all in the finishing spray for very good and beneficial reasons. So what is the spray for? Besides all the benefits I mentioned it helps set your make up and is VERY refreshing. When you spray it on your face I can't think of a better word than refreshing. Even on days I don't have time for makeup, a spritz of this helps me have a moment of relaxation before heading out the door with my mad house.
 I wanted to know if it would really help set my makeup. I have had a hard time with makeup staying on my face. So after applying I tried to take pictures through out the day to show how well it does work. The lighting in each picture is so different it's hard to tell. By the end of the day my foundation and blush were still set.

 I have been very happy with how well it helps set my makeup. When I used a liquid foundation in the past it would start wearing off after 2-3 hours of application. Now with NS Minerals powder foundation, blush and spray I don't have to worry about re-applying.
Overall I love this product. It's refreshing and useful. Especially if you reapply make-up through out the day. The $ 29.99 will help you save that much more money in makeup. Feeling lucky? NS Minerals is donating a finishing spray to giveaway. Enter the rafflecopter below to enter to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today is brought to you by Get Waxed in Lindon, UT. It probably was almost exactly 1 year ago that I first went to Get Waxed for the first time. They are not only a full body waxing studio but offer other services like massages, eyelash extensions, and spray tanning.
 Waxing makes summer time and vacations so much easier. Try explaining to a 4 year old that they can't go swimming because you haven't shaved, have ingrown hairs, or embarrassing things like that. My kids are like fish and love swimming often, it's hard to revolve their swimming schedule around your shaving schedule. Don't stress about the salt water at the beach irritating your razor burn on vacation. Take all the fuss and mess out of planning this summer, PLAN AHEAD, and Get Waxed!
Waxing is a great way to live with less hair stress. I recommend a place that focuses on just waxing, especially if you want a thorough or intimate job done. A place like Get Waxed. Get Waxed is owned by Andrea, and she is awesome. Not only does she make sure to follow all OSHA requirements but can help you feel comfortable, both of which are very important for waxing. Who wants to go to a place that double dips? Eww! Andrea and her sister are both estheticians and have both seen several horror stories. Once after having lunch they discussed that it would be nice to have a place that focused on just waxing. A place where it "Wasn't an after thought or an add on, but a true specialty."  So they started Get Waxed 3 years ago. Andrea has been a Master Esthetician for over 12 years.  If you have ever been to someone with little experience (and I have)  you can tell the difference!
Get Waxed does a lot of Brazilian waxes, it's one of their most popular waxing. I remember being so nervous my first time. Just remember if your shy or embarrassed they sometimes do "Manzilian's." These usually help me feel more comfortable, I'm not sure why. You can always go in for just a bikini wax to see how your body reacts and get the "feel" for it.
I recently went in for a bikini line wax and it went surprisingly quick. You can either wear your own set of underwear or they have some disposable underwear that you can use as well. I took some Advil about a half hour before my appointment as well. Make sure to time your appointment properly, don't go right before an event. You usually want at least 2 weeks of hair growth.
Check out their website for FAQ's, Do's and Don't of waxing.  Or just give them a call with any questions, they are very helpful.
Get Waxed has donated a free Bikini or Brow/Lip Wax as a giveaway. Use the rafflecopter below to enter the giveaway. It closes 6/19/13 at 12:00 AM. Utah Residents Only. Winner will be announced within 48 hours of it closing, and has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

We have talked about Exercise, Food, Fashion, and now it's time for the little things. Those little things that add up and add the finishing touch.

Last week was a lot fun week. After 3 weeks on continuing our eating right and working out daily hopefully you will find yourself in need of some new clothes. If you started reading my vacation anticipation series late, just hang in there, the reward of some shopping will come due soon.
We learned some great styling tips here. We had some love for some maxi skirts. I loved shopping for a new swimsuit from Hapari's amazing selection and customer service.
Yesterday had been a long, busy day of cleaning out the fridge and pantry, the kids having friends over and all the other day to day mom duties. Then my daughter had preschool graduation. I didn't have any time to get ready or dressed up. So I took the advice Bootz Inc. gave us. Simple basic shirt and jeans with some accessories. I threw on a big blue necklace and little blue earrings. Not the cutest picture, but you should have seen me minutes before while scrambling to clean up dinner, yikes!

I LOVE the maxi's that are so popular right now. I am trying to stock up while I can. Just like Bootz Inc, said they are so easy to dress up or down. One of my favorites is this ombre purple one I got from Sexy Modest Boutique. I wear it with white tops, black tops and even a mint cardigan. I've worn it on "I didn't shave my legs days," "laundry days,"  or even to nice business luncheons. I may need to buy another in case my first one gets ruined ;)