Lance Sandwich Crackers Keep Kids Fueled for After School Activities! {Review & $25 Visa Gift Card Prize Pack Giveaway}

With yet another first day of school coming and going (or only a short time away) for kids across the country, parents everywhere are working to get back into the school year routine.

No, I'm not talking about packing lunches or hurrying to the bus stop on time. I'm talking about the frantic search for items needed for group projects, the scheduling of car pools, the hunt for a missing soccer cleat, the rush to get to piano or violin lessons on time, and more.

Sound familiar? That's because it's no secret that it isn't so much school itself that moms like me have to focus on, it's the after school activities that have us running. Whether your kids are playing sports, practicing their instrument, attending a club, meeting with Boy/Girl Scouts, or more, they all kick off with a snack.

My own children arrive home from school near-starving and ready to devour anything and everything in sight, so I'm always sure to have a delicious, wholesome, satisfying option waiting for them. If it is portable and perfect for on-the-go as we head out the door, even better.

Which is why this year they will be fueling up with a variety of sandwich crackers from Lance!

For more than 100 years, Lance has been fueling America with its sandwich crackers – two crunchy crackers with an incredible filling in the middle. With more than 20 varieties that are made with baked, crispy crackers and freshly ground peanut butter and real cheese, Lance sandwich crackers are perfect for the entire family to enjoy just about anytime, anywhere.

In short, moms love that Lance sandwich crackers are made with wholesome ingredients and are packed with protein, fiber, and whole grains, while kids love the taste and the way that Lance lets them stay fuller longer. I don't know how these could be any more perfect as an incredible snack choice to keep kids fueled for each and every after-school activity they may have!

Did I mention that there are five grams of protein in each package of these ToastChee and Whole Grain sandwich crackers and four grams in the Toasty sandwich crackers?

So whether my girls are popping these into their lunchbox or grabbing them as we head out the door for swim team practice, they'll be ready to keep their bodies going (and their mouths from complaining about being hungry... for at least a little while)!

Along with the classic ways that Lance has clued-in to what moms want in wholesome snacks, I love that they have continued to stay on top of things as the years have progressed. They now not only steer clear of preservatives and have removed trans fat and high fructose corn syrup, but they have launched new products such as their great gluten-free options.

These have all the real peanut butter and cheddar cheese flavors that Lance fans have come to expect, just now in the perfect bite size gluten free form!

If you're in the market for a convenient, great-tasting, and nutritious way to satisfy your family after school (or anytime!), be sure to turn to Lance. Their full line-up of products is available at retailers across the country (hint: use their product locator to find your nearest store), where each box of sandwich crackers and cookies contains eight individually wrapped packages of six sandwiches.

To find out much more information, nutrition facts, other products, and more, visit Lance.com and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Plus, thanks to their generosity, one person will soon be able to see how quick, easy and tasty it can be to keep their kids fueled and ready for after-school activities as well, because...

One lucky person will win a $25 Visa gift card and prize pack of Lance sandwich crackers!

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A big thank you to Lance for providing sandwich crackers and compensation for me as well as a prize pack for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

New Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals for Motion Sickness Relief {#AdventuresInMotion}

This post was sponsored by Dramamine® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

While there are a variety of unfortunate changes that have occurred to my body as I've gotten older, I would gladly take on a few more wrinkles and gray hairs if it meant that I could trade away my motion sickness.

As a child, I never had any problems and could easily read in the car or ride on an airplane without ever feeling at all sick. But fast-forward to today? I can barely glance down in a moving vehicle without feeling my stomach churn, I dread how nauseous I feel when flying, and can even only join my kids on the swings for a very short amount of time before I have to stop the movement. Ugh.

Over the years, I've researched time and again and have tried all the remedies but the bands, candies, and patches just can't keep the dizziness and queasiness away. What was I going to do, never get on an airplane again? Avoid ever being a passenger in someone else's car? Skip all field trip chaperone opportunities because of the bus rides?

Instead, my answer has always been Dramamine®, the leader in motion sickness relief. While others make sure they have their headphones and magazines for their flights, I never, ever leave without this nausea-minimizing miracle worker.

Which is why when I heard that Dramamine® had released a new product, I had no doubt that it would be just as effective. Bring on the Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals!

The full strength of the Dramamine® Original Formula has left me too lethargic in the past, so Non-Drowsy is a must in my book.

Add to that the way that the new Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals contain the clinically-tested ginger dosage required for preventing and treating motion sickness, and these are exactly what I need!

I've long moved past the idea of using things like antacids or upset stomach relievers to prevent or relieve motion sickness symptoms, as I don't mess around with feelings of nausea or vomiting.

Instead, I love that Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals alleviates these, doesn't result in drowsy side effects, and is even formulated with ginger (which makes it safe to use every travel day).

When it comes to motion sickness, I don't want to just deal with it, I want to prevent it as much as possible. Without Dramamine®, my life would be spent feeling much more uncomfortable and nauseous — which is why you'll never find me traveling or visiting theme parks without it!

Do you suffer from motion sickness symptoms as well? You'll want to head over to Dramamine.com (and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter) to find out more about the new Dramamine® Non-Drowsy Naturals as well as their other high quality, effective products. They are the #1 pharmacist recommended brand for treating and preventing motion sickness, after all!

But, wait! Why shop without getting a discount? Before you head to the store to pick up your next package of Dramamine®, print out this money-saving digital coupon first!

Support Team USA with P&G Products at Walmart {#LetsPowerTheirDreams}

This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/P&G.

Growing up, most sports came easy to me. Whether racing on the playground, perfecting gymnastics skills (I was on a club team for many years) or jumping into a game of soccer, my competitive spirit and natural athletic ability served me well for around 95% of all sports.

One from that remaining 5%? Swimming.

Either a result of swim lessons gone bad (I have a vivid memory of being thrown from the diving board when I was too scared to jump. That can't be a valid teaching technique, can it?) or simply a lack of interest and talent, swimming was never my thing and I'm much happier keeping my face out of the water. Give me a shallow end to splash around in any day but try to teach me actual strokes? No, thanks.

So, never would I have guessed that here I am 30+ years after my own disastrous start in the pool getting to experience the complete and utter joy of swimming — by watching my own children love it!

After a few successful sessions of swim lessons, my girls have both joined our local swim team and, without a doubt, have had a blast diving into the water and pushing themselves to be a little faster at each meet.

Whether swimming an individual event (Little Sister B specializes in backstroke while Big Sister E favors breaststroke) or participating in a team relay event, I couldn't be much prouder watching my own children glide through the water in ways that I never could.

What has made this summer's swim team experience even more fun is the Rio 2016 Olympic Games! My family has always loved watching the Olympic Games, but getting to see these incredibly talented athletes show off their skills in swimming and diving has been truly amazing. What better way to show my children that hard work, determination, and lots of practice really does lead to success?

From seeing Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky dominate lap after lap in the pool to David Boudia flawlessly perform dive after dive, we just can't get enough of cheering on Team USA as they rack up victory after victory in the water!

But I also love that we can do more than just yell and clap from our couch, we can support Team USA simply by shopping for great Proctor & Gamble brands at Walmart. That's right! Just by purchasing P&G brands like Bounty, Tide, Pampers, Venus, Head and Shoulders, and more at their everyday low prices at Walmart, we can all help power the dreams of Olympic athletes everywhere.

Pretty great, right? These brands and products are ones that we use and love anyway, so I'm excited that we are getting to support our country's hardworking Olympians at the same time!

Why wouldn't I want to use Head & Shoulders® Classic Clean Shampoo to leave my hair manageable, flake free, less itchy, less irritated, less red and looking great while also knowing that I'm helping back Team USA?

Won't you join me in supporting Team USA by heading to your local Walmart and purchasing your favorite P&G products today? #LetsPowerTheirDreams together!

Inspiring and Beautiful Gifts from Think Pray Gift {Review}

When it comes to gift giving, I'm often left... stumped.

After all, as much as it's fast and convenient to pick up items at the store that can be bought prepackaged and ready to go, I always try to keep a lookout for companies that can provide something with... a little more. That uniqueness that is going to make my recipient know I care and that I put the time and thought into finding something that feels made just for them.

My favorites in particular are the ones that not only demonstrate durability and high quality, but are also innovative, beautiful, and have that extra stand-out-from-the-crowd aspect to them. After all, who wants their present to be just like those given by everyone else?

Add in the possibility of gifting something that is designed to bring hope and joy to my recipient's everyday life? Win! Clearly I must be shopping at Think Pray Gift.

Founded six years ago by a husband and wife team in Minnesota, Think Pray Gift believes that a small amount of inspiration each day can have a tremendous lifelong effect. This isn't just another website that offers mass produced, generic items that are destined to be re-gifted or end up in a future garage sale, Think Pray Gift creates engaging gifts to inspire thought and prayer.

Their amazing Color Changing Story Mugs tell a story with an inspirational quote and eye-catching, changing artwork; their Block Art does more than simply display photographs, each one gives meaning or a thoughtful touch to a home's decor; their beautiful Angels embrace your mementos between praying hands; and much more.

And the results? It's clear that purchases from this talented company are just adorably gorgeous. The characters are friendly, the colors are inviting, the photographs are stunning... overall, the clean, crisp style of each and every piece is somehow both classic and modern. Why shop elsewhere when you can gift something so extraordinary that can also provide your recipient with hope and joy?

I couldn't wait to see an item from Think Pray Gift up close and in person, but the decision-making process wasn't easy when there were so many wonderful choices. After finally selecting the Wall Art message boards, I found that deciding on a single favorite was still difficult.

With 36 designs to pick from (perfect for matching every taste and home decor), I could picture just about all of them on our walls!

However, when the Pug Be You Secret Dry Erase Board arrived, I barely had the box open before knowing with certainty that I had made the right decision.

Well-wrapped and packaged to prevent any sort of possible damage, I pulled my new art out right away to inspect the quality and utter cuteness inside.

I mean, come on. Look at that cute little pug face! We have a few other pieces of unique animal art around our house, so this furry guy (in his handsome little outfit!) fits right in.

And, thanks to the holes that come right on the back of this Wall Art, it took only a matter of minutes to have two screws level and in place for my pug to take his place on the wall.

But, wait. See the secret revealed right there?

That's right, this isn't simply a piece of art on a canvas, it has a secret dry erase board tucked away right inside (and comes with a complimentary dry erase marker and eraser). Just push on the lower left corner and the door swings right open!

As well as having the perfect place to leave "hidden" messages to each other, I adore the continuation of the message from the front of the Wall Art to the inside. This one clearly states "Be You" on the front —which is a wonderful, encouraging statement all on its own— but then finishes with "Everyone Else Is Taken" inside. Both of my girls find it hilarious!

While our Pug Be You Secret Dry Erase Board has been used a few times for practical reasons (Big Sister E really wants it to be a menu board for the week but is slowly coming to terms with my laziness in meal planning), I especially love the way that the messages inside are more often simply random.

One day there will be a cute note from one person to another, the next day a large drawing, the following day someone else will have added their own touches to that drawing, the day after that I will have written a 'good luck at the swim meet' to the girls and a 'you rock' to my husband, and more.

But in the end? This Wall Art is doing exactly what Think Pray Gift intended, in that it is just one more way to help bring families and loved ones together and aid in making daily interaction possible. What more could I ask for?

Whether you are purchasing an item for your own home or are shopping for a delightful gift for an upcoming birthday, holiday, wedding, baby shower or more, Think Pray Gift has unique and creative options that you won't find elsewhere. The quality is superb, prices are affordable (these Wall Art boards are $31.99), and each item will bring a smile to your face every day. Love.

Head over to Think Pray Gift to see just how they can help add hope and joy to your next gift and be sure to find out more about this inspirational gift company by visiting ThinkPrayGift.com and connecting with them on Facebook and Pinterest.

Other than the Pug Be You Secret Dry Erase Board I was provided by Think Pray Gift in order to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this post in any way. This review is solely my honest opinion about this product and this company.