#TBT: WOULD YOU LET YOUR KIDS TRADE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS TODAY?

Remember these? C'mon, tell the truth, how many do you still have???

WAFFLES ANYONE? WIN 10,000 BUCKS WITH #EGGOYOURWAY!!

How many of you Mommies with school-aged little ones opt for a quick and easy breakfast in an effort to lessen the frenzy? As a Mommy of three myself, sticking to a routine is key but I always love to switch it up and give my kids something to look forward to at breakfast. They are much less grumpy if I can offer a tasty treat. One such treat are Eggo frozen waffles. Eggo waffles are quick, easy and offer a perfect portion. And right now, Eggo is running a contest with a wining of not two, not five but 10,000 dollars!! You can also win a year of Eggo waffles. I previously won a year of pancakes. Trust, it was great!

All you need do is get creative and submit your recipe for a chance to win. Click bit.ly/eggoyourway. Not only can you enter but you can also view the gallery of other entries and get some fun recipe ideas too. Did you know Eggo waffles aren't just for breakfast? How about using to make a sandwich for a midday snack? The sky is the limit so grab the kids, get creative and submit your recipe for a chance at that 10,000 bucks (if I don't beat you to it :-). #EggoYourWay

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New season lineup soon to come to the online airwaves of Bag Ladies Radio. In the meantime, OnDemand/iTunes are 24/7. Check out my fave show picks and access recent shows and the full archive at bagladiesradio.com/listen.  Follow on Twitter and Instagram

#MOMMYMIDDAY: "HERE, FEEL FABKIDS FOR YOURSELF"

Those were my exact words to a friend this past weekend who paid me a visit. Upon opening a FabKids delivery and sifting through the outfits I selected for my three children, my friend asked me for feedback on the quality of FabKids apparel. I handed her one of my sons shirts and literally said, "here, feel it for yourself." Most of us have likely experienced poor quality apparel. Sometimes in the form of ripped seams, hanging threads, loose fitting buttons or just the overall texture and fabric is just awful. I told her how long I've been shopping with FabKids and what I love mostly which is:

• Quality
• Staying current and on trend with what's hot in kids fashion both in prints and colors
• Product selection
• Quick turnaround
• Complete head-to-toe outfit

I told my friend I've never had a problem with the quality. The pieces are multi-purpose. The fabric from denim jeans to cotton leggings and embellished dresses are durable. The pieces wash well with no extra care necessary (don't have to hand wash) and the styles are absolutely adorable. We talked about how comparable FabKids is to other children's fashion brands but at a cost effective price point and it's a complete look which totally eliminates the guess work. FabKids was started by Parents including Actress, Christina Applegate. Click here to listen to the on-air dish I had with Head Designer, Denise Kalinowski. All you need do is set up a style profile at FabKids.com for your child or in my case, children and each month new looks are styled which you can pick and choose from and get a head-to-toe look for $39.95. But get this, there is no obligation to buy so you can skip a month whenever you so choose but the likelihood that you will do that is rare. The pieces are so adorable I sometimes wish the pieces came in adult sizes. But what I most love is that the looks consist of three pieces. I do mix and match the pieces. Tis' The Season! I'm most excited about the Holiday styles on sale now for both boys and girls. Check out a few of my faves:

Holiday Brocade Skirt

Holiday Print Dress

Holiday Velvet Blazer

Plaid Trousers

What do you think of the Holiday styles? Would you like shopping for your child or children to be easier?

-- Erin

(Disclaimer: I am a FabMom. I was initially turned onto FabKids by having been solicited to sample pieces for editorial purposes.)

All new fall lineup soon to come to the online airwaves of Bag Ladies Radio. In the meantime, OnDemand/iTunes are 24/7. Check out my fave show picks and access recent shows and the full archive at bagladiesradio.com/listen.  Follow on Twitter and Instagram @bagladies.

5 WAYS TO CALM BACK-TO-SCHOOL ANXIETY

Today's the day and you would think my kids are starting school for the first time ...Ever. They are fine. My angst comes from a summer that has zoomed by so I don't feel as prepared this year. It seems like the school year just ended. I am thankful that my kids have had a summer filled with activity but I'd be lying if I said, I couldn't use another week or two even to ready myself for the routine mostly. You call it "Back-To-School." I call it "Back-To-Scramble." I'm not quite ready to resume the early morning routine of tearing the house up all to find matching socks, clean undies and homework. So here are 5 quick tips that help me and hopefully you too:

1. LAY OUT THE NITE BEFORE - I know it's hard. I have three. Most often, once they're in bed, I want to do the same but I know I will pay for it in the morning. Laying out clean undies for all three as well as socks eliminates the, "Mommy do you have?!" or "Mommy have you seen?!" the next morning
2. PACK BOOK-BAGS THE NITE BEFORE - Before my kids go to bed, I make sure they have put their homework in their folders and their folders in their book-bags. I've learned not to assume and I may even have to ask the, "are you sure?" Even if my kids are dog tired and their homework is all the way in the basement, I require them to go down there and get it. Not doing so just adds to the morning scramble.
3. PACK LUNCHES THE NITE BEFORE - My kids prefer packed lunches and although I don't do it everyday (sometimes school lunch appeals to their palette), when I do, I pack as much as I can the nite before particularly anything in their lunch that doesn't require refrigeration. Anything that does like yogurt or jello, I throw that in before closing up their lunch bag/box the next morning. NOTE: My kids adore lunch box love notes so I do these the nite before as well. So upon opening their lunch, they have a cute note from Mommy
4. DO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN COMFORTABLY - It's easy to stress particularly over school supplies but at the end of the day, if you can't get everything on that infamous and constantly growing list (Click here for a previously published post), because of either lack of time or lack of money, no worries. I've resolved myself to say whatever I don't have by tomorrow, my kids just won't have. They have the necessities. And I guarantee if you show up a week or a month after the school year has begun with additional supplies, your child's teacher is not gonna turn you away or refuse you.
5. KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE - Being stressed is a resonating theme amongst all my Mommy friends. One of the best ways to ease the stress and lighten the mood is to talk about it. I LOL with my friends all the time about what we are all going through in preparation. We dish on everything from lurking sock monsters that seemingly devour matching sock sets to our children who we sometimes have to threaten just to get them to brush their teeth or wash their faces to oversleeping from time to time.
6. BONUS TIP: This one really helps but it just requires a bit of extra effort. Noone wants to hear that alarm sound but I find if I set my clock in advance of when I need to wake my kids to allow myself time to relax, get in the shower and get myself together first, it makes a world of difference. Admittedly, the process of getting them together and out the door is that much more challenging when I'm trying to get myself ready too.

The consistent theme, "prepare in advance." And I say that knowing full well it's easy to digress. Some nite's the only thought in your mind or on your mind is getting the kids in bed because they faster they are in bed, the faster you can do the same. If you have any tips of your own, please share. I can use them. 

And don't forget to tune in to tonite's Bag Ladies Radio at 7:30p EST. My Co-Host, Trina Small of the +Baby Shopaholic, and I are dishing live on how we prep for back-to-school, hot trends in kids fall fashion and more! Joining in the dish is Head Designer of FabKids.com, Denise Kalinowski and more. Tune in live online at www.bagladiesradio.com/listen or eavesdrop at 347.327.9510 opt. 2. You can submit your questions or share you commentary for a live on-air shout-out by tweeting @bagladies and attaching hashtag #BagLadiesLIVE.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

Catch up on the dish you missed by going to www.bagladiesradio.com/listen. Scroll down to OnDemand and press play.

MommyMidday: My Kids Back-To-School Supplies Lists Have Me Scared

This List Makes Me Tremble

Back-To-School season is upon us. Is it me or do the supplies lists get longer every year? Is it me or are supplies requested less about the individual needs of your child and moreso about the class as a whole? Is it me or every year do you ask yourself, "how am I gonna pay for all this?" And for me particularly because I have three!

My jaw literally dropped upon placing eyes upon this year's lists of requested supplies. And mind you I have three separate lists. I am well aware of school budget constraints but I'm a single Mother so no expense is taken lightly be it school supplies or otherwise. We are now on a 5 day countdown to the first day of school and the thought of supplies not yet purchased is a bit overwhelming. Do you feel the same? I happened upon this great list of tips Authored by Erin Huffstetler, on how to save and shop for supplies more cost effectively like shopping at home first and shopping during tax-free Holidays.
The tips are practical and the writer knows her stuff if for no other reason than she and I share the same name. "Erin's" know their stuff. Click below for the full article:

How to Save Money on Back to School Supplies

"Does buying back to school supplies leave you feeling broke? It doesn't have to. Here are simple ways to save money on all those back to school essentials. Shop at Home First Before you head to the store, take a walk around your house to see if there are any items on your child's school supply list that you might already have."

How long before your kids return to school? Please share your tips on how you shop and save for supplies. I can use them and I may even contact you to lend a voice on-air. Show details soon to come.

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For #BagLadiesLIVE segments, showtimes and more, visit www.bagladiesradio.com. Click to follow me on IG and Twitter @ bagladies.

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Catch up on the dish you missed by going to www.bagladiesradio.com/listen. Scroll down to OnDemand and press play.