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Louisiana Tax Free Weekend Shopping

August 1, 2017 by Baton Rouge Family Fun

Baton Rouge moms, it’s almost time for the 2017 Louisiana Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday. This year, the “Annual Louisiana Sales Tax Holidays Act” provides an exemption from state sales tax on the first $2,500 of the purchase price of most individual items of tangible personal property for nonbusiness use on the first consecutive Friday and Saturday of August.

Here’s what you need to know before you go shopping, according to the Louisiana Department of Revenue.

Back to school Baton Rouge

2017 Louisiana Back to School Sales Tax Holiday Weekend

The 2017 holiday begins on Friday, August 4, 2017, at 12:01 a.m. and ends at midnight on Saturday, August 5, 2017.

Purchases Eligible for Exemption

The exemption applies statewide to all consumer purchases of tangible personal property, other than vehicles subject to license and title and meals furnished for consumption on the premises where purchased, including to-go orders, provided that the property is not for use in a business, trade, or profession.

What items are NOT eligible for exemption?

In addition to the specific exclusions in the Act for vehicles and meals, the state sales tax holiday does not apply to:

  • Purchases of taxable services (such as hotel occupancy)
  • Amusement, recreational, and athletic admissions
  • Repairs to tangible personal property
  • Laundry, cleaning, pressing, and dyeing services
  • Vehicle parking
  • The furnishing of cold storage space
  • Printing services
  • Telecommunication services
  • Leases or rentals of tangible personal property

 

Purchases Eligible for Exemption

The sales tax holiday applies to all consumer purchases of firearms, ammunition and hunting supplies. Firearms eligible for the sales tax exemption include shotguns, rifles, pistols, revolvers, or other handguns, which may be legally sold or purchased in Louisiana. Ammunition intended to be fired from a gun or firearm is eligible for the sales tax exemption. Hunting supplies are eligible for the sales tax exemption only if used for and designed for hunting. Eligible hunting supplies include:

  • Animal feed that is manufactured and marketed as being for consumption primarily by game, which can be legally hunted; this does not include food for animals kept as pets;
  • Apparel such as safety gear, camouflage clothing, jackets, hats, gloves, mittens, face masks and thermal underwear manufactured and marketed as being primarily for wear or use while hunting;
  • Archery items used for hunting such as bows, crossbows, arrows, quivers and shafts;
  • Bags to carry game or hunting gear;
  • Belts that are manufactured and marketed as being primarily for use in hunting;
  • Binoculars only if purchased to be used for hunting;
  • Blinds;
  • Chairs to be used for hunting; this excludes purchases by an individual of chairs or other furniture for household, business or other recreational use;
  • Decoys;
  • Firearm, archery, and other accessories designed for hunting;
  • Float tubes only if purchased to be used for hunting;
  • Hearing protection gear and enhancements that hearing aids queens ny recommended;
  • Holsters;
  • Hunting shoes or boots designed and used for hunting;
  • Knives that are manufactured and marketed as being primarily for use in hunting; this excludes the purchase of knives by an individual to be used for household, business or other recreational use;
  • Miscellaneous gear that is manufactured and marketed as being primarily for use in hunting; this includes other hunting-related gear or supplies not previously listed. This excludes the purchase of toy guns and vessels or off road vehicles utilized as children’s toys;
  • Off-road vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles designed and intended primarily for hunting; the exemption does not apply to golf carts, go-carts, dirt bikes, mini-bikes, motorcycles, tractors, motor vehicles which may be legally driven on the streets and highways of Louisiana, or heavy equipment such as cranes, forklifts, backhoes and bulldozers;
  • Optical equipment such as rifle scopes and impact resistant glasses for shooting;
  • Range finders;
  • Slings;
  • Tools that are manufactured and marketed as being primarily for use in hunting;
  • Trail cameras with ShootingAuthority
  • Tree stands;
  • Decoys; and
  • Vessels such as airboats and pirogues designed and intended for hunting.

Purchases That Are Not Eligible

Consumer purchases do not include the purchase of animals, such as dogs. Hunting supplies do not include the purchase of toy guns and vessels or off road vehicles utilized as children’s toys. Firearms other than those listed are not eligible for the exemption. Purchases made by a business or for business purposes are not eligible for the sales tax exemption.

Learn more here: Louisiana Tax Free Weekend

Filed Under: Baton Rouge Resources, Holidays, Louisiana, Moms Tagged With: Back to School, Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Parents, Louisiana Tax Free, tax free, tax free weekend

TIGER Kids Study with Pennington Biomedical – Veggie Spring Rolls Recipe

April 28, 2017 by Guest Contributor

As moms, the health and wellbeing of our children is at the forefront of our minds. Balancing busy schedules with school, sports and social lives can make it hard for our kids to consistently eat healthy, exercise, perform well in school and manage the stresses of life in a healthy way.

Summer is fast approaching which means more time for fun activities. I’m also thinking about how to keep my boys healthy and happy during the hot summer months, which leads me to share about a great opportunity for our kids to become “TIGER Kids.”

TIGER Kids Study with Pennington Biomedical

Researchers at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center are conducting a study to learn more about what motivates kids to make healthy choices. The study is called TIGER Kids and it’s a great opportunity right here in our community to contribute to knowledge that could help kids across the country. How cool is that?

Researchers are measuring things that influence how our kids perform in school, how to help them become more active and how to eat healthier. The study is also looking at body image, stress levels, family behaviors (like kids’ relationships with siblings) and other motivating factors that contribute to the choices kids make.

Beyond contributing to research that could help our kids get and stay healthy, what’s in this study for us? Kids will be compensated for participation in TIGER Kids (can earn up to $100 for participation) and they have the opportunity to become a kid scientist! They can help researchers work to discover how to help kids move more, sit less and eat healthier. You and your kids can also get great in-depth information about their health, and kids will receive two “wearables” for a week to track their physical activity.

Participating in this study is easy! You and your child will visit Pennington Biomedical a total of 3 times over a 2 year period. Interested in your child becoming a TIGER Kid? I’ve included the full study details below. To screen for the study, visit http://www.pbrc.edu/TIGERKids or call 225-763-3000.

TIGER Kids Study with Pennington Biomedical

Study Purpose

The TIGER Kids research study will evaluate ways to: increase kids’ physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior (help kids move more and sit less), encourage healthy eating, and assess other factors that may influence school performance, body image, stress and mood. 

About the Study

TIGER Kids participants will attend an orientation session at Pennington Biomedical to learn about the study and receive activity tracking tools. Participants will then visit Pennington Biomedical’s Translational Research Center for Children (TReCC) twice during the study – one visit after the orientation session and one visit two years later.

TIGER Kids participants will also receive valuable health information at no cost. Each participant is eligible to receive a copy of:

  • their lab work; including blood sugar and cholesterol tests;
  • a printout of their DXA scan, which includes total body fat, total muscle mass, total lean mass and bone density readings; and
  • a copy of body measurement data including height, weight, waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure and heart rate.

TIGER Kids participants will attend a total of 3 study visits over the course of approximately 2 years with the following procedures:

  • Body measurements (height, weight, and waist size)
  • Blood pressure
  • Surveys
  • Dietary Questions
  • Wear an activity monitor, GPS tracker, and respond to messages on a mobile app for 7-days

Study Qualifications

To qualify, participants in this study should be:

  • Be between 10 and 16 years old
  • Not be on a restrictive diet

Compensation

Total compensation for the completion of this study is $100.

Study Contact

Parents, are you ready to see if your child qualifies for the TIGER Kids study? Visit http://www.pbrc.edu/TIGERKids to screen online or call 225-763-3000.

Looking for a healthy family fun recipe to cook this summer? Check out these rainbow fruit and veggie spring rolls:

Veggie Spring Rolls

Spring Rolls

Makes about 24 rolls, 1 roll with dipping sauce is 110 kcals, 2g protein, 17g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 4g fat, 1g saturated fat, 2g monounsaturated fat, 1g polyunsaturated fat

  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 cucumber, peeled
  • 1 large avocado, peeled and seeded
  • 2 mangoes, peeled and seeded
  • 1 package of vermicelli noodles, cooked according to package
  • 24 brown rice spring roll wraps
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • 1 cup mint leaves

Veggie Spring Roll Dipping sauce

  • 1/3 cup peanut butter or cashew butter
  • 2 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Reduced Sodium soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp chili sauce (check ingredients for peanut allergens if necessary)
  • 2-4 Tbsp warm water for desired consistency

Fruit Spring Rolls

Makes about 10 rolls
1 roll with vanilla yogurt is 65 kcals, 1g protein, 15g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, 0g fat

  • 1 mango
  • 5 strawberries
  • 2 kiwis
  • 6 pineapple chunks
  • 5 romaine lettuce leaves
  • 10 Brown rice spring roll wraps
  • ½ cup mint leaves
  • ½ cup Vanilla yogurt for dipping

Directions

  1. Slice fruit or veggies into skinny strips and tear herbs into smaller pieces. Set aside.
  2. Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan or kettle and set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Prepare the veggie spring roll dipping sauce by combining all ingredients together. Thin with warm water to achieve desired consistency.
  4. Add the hot water to a large bowl and submerge one rice paper to soften for about 5-10 seconds.
  5. Transfer rice paper to a flat, slightly wet surface and add desired fruit, veggies, and herbs. Fold the bottom of the rice paper up over the fillings, then gently roll over once, fold in the sides to seal, and continue rolling until completely sealed.
  6. Repeat process until all toppings are used. 
  7. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a couple days, though best when fresh.

Want more healthy recipes? Check out the Pennington Biomedical metabolic kitchen website! www.pbrc.edu/kitchen

 

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Filed Under: Ask the Expert, Local Business Spotlight, Louisiana, Moms, Parenting Tagged With: Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Kids, Baton Rouge Parents, Pennington Biomedical, Tiger Kids, TIGER Kids Study, Veggie Spring Rolls Recipe

TIGER Kids Study with Pennington Biomedical

October 28, 2016 by Tiany Davis

Do you encourage your kids to get off their devices and move around more? The Louisiana heat is a challenge, but with cooler weather on the horizon, I like to make sure my boys have a couple hours outside to stretch their legs and get moving. Extracurricular activities help keep our kids active but on days when they are home, how can we make sure they’re still getting the right amount of exercise to keep them healthy?

Based on national physical activity guidelines, children and adolescents should have at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. However recent estimates indicate that 58% of children ages 6-11 and 92% of adolescents ages 12 to 15 do not meet these guidelines. Children are increasingly becoming less active in our digital world. Now television and other forms of technology often cause children to bypass the playground and shoot for the couch on a regular basis. 
Science has shown that frequent exercise plays a significant role in preventing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers. We know physical activity can improve quality of life and that’s something all parents want for their children, which leads us to share about a neat study for kids. They don´t have to be running 10 miles a day to be healthy, all they need to do is to get up from the couch a few hours a day, like help around the house or do some chores to get them moving. You can have them clean some furniture or even install some timber plantation shutters Sydney. It doesn´t have to be an impossible task.

Researchers at Pennington Biomedical are conducting a study that will use technology (like activity trackers) to find out what prevents kids from being active and how to help them become more active. Researchers at Pennington Biomedical are currently looking for Baton Rouge area kids to take part in this study.

Penninghton Baton Rouge

TIGER Kids Study with Pennington Biomedical

Study Purpose

The TIGER Kids research study will assess ways to increase kids’ physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior (help kids move more and sit less) to help improve their overall health. This study will use technology (like activity trackers) to find out what prevents kids from being active and how to help them become more active.

About the Study

Researchers at Pennington Biomedical will use state-of-the-art technology, including activity trackers and global positioning system (GPS) to track physical activity, imaging to measure body fat, and messages sent through a mobile phone app to identify what motivates or prevents kids from being physically active.

TIGER Kids participants will attend an orientation session at Pennington Biomedical to learn about the study, review participation guidelines, and receive activity tracking tools. These tools include activity monitors and a mobile phone app which will be used for 7 days and returned at a later visit. Participants will also have two clinic visits to Pennington Biomedical’s Translational Research Center for Children (TReCC) during the study, one clinic visit after the orientation and one clinic visit two years later.

TIGER Kids participants will attend a total of 3 study visits over the course of approximately 2 years with the following procedures:

  • Body measurements (height, weight, and waist size)
  • Blood pressure
  • Surveys
  • Dietary Questions
  • Wear an activity monitor, GPS tracker, and respond to messages on a mobile app for 7-days

Study Qualifications

To qualify, participants in this study should be:

  • Be between 10 and 16 years old
  • Not be on a restrictive diet
  • Not have significant physical or mental disabilities that impede walking, wearing activity monitors, or responding to questions on a mobile device.

Compensation

Total compensation for the completion of this study is $100.

Study Contact

Parents, are you ready to see if your child qualifies for the TIGER Kids study? Visit http://www.pbrc.edu/TIGERKids to screen online or call 225-763-3000.

Here are 15 great ideas from the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) for stepping your family fitness into high gear:

  • Take active vacations (hiking, swimming, skiing)
  • At the mall or when running errands, use the stairs rather than the elevator
  • Get pedometers and have a contest to see who takes the most steps in a given week
  • Start a new tradition: take the whole family out for an after-dinner walk around the neighborhood or park
  • Take on active chores as a family (gardening, raking leaves, shoveling snow, or washing the car)
  • Spend an afternoon at the local playground
  • Play a sport together (basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, touch football)
  • Dance to your favorite music
  • Go for a family bike ride
  • Plant a family garden
  • Play miniature golf
  • Go to the zoo
  • Take the dog for a long walk
  • Whenever possible, walk short distances rather than using your car. When you drive, park a little farther away from the store
  • Play games that your kids love (tag, Simon Says, Red Light Green Light, Duck-Duck Goose)

 

Filed Under: Baton Rouge Resources, Causes, Louisiana Tagged With: Baton Rouge Kids, Baton Rouge Moms, Baton Rouge Parents, Pennington, Pennington Biomedical

What can moms do to help their children at a time like this?

August 23, 2016 by Guest Contributor

Throughout the area, families are dealing with enormous challenges and the stress levels that come along with them. In my role as psychosocial lead for Save the Children, I’m spending time at the shelters working to help families who have no other place to go. The moms I talked to today were worried about so many things that the first thing I wanted to do for them was help them find ways to cope.

I started by really listening to them and acknowledging all the fears and emotions they are dealing with. That went a long way. If you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, please try to find someone who can do the same for you. And if you can’t, try writing down your feelings, taking a walk, or using other strategies that have worked for you at other stressful times in your life.

Self-care is so important. One of the moms I spoke with today had a young baby and her husband had just been abandoned them after a fight. He had taken the few belongings they had salvaged with him, so the first thing we did was help her find a change of clothes for herself and her child. But then we talked through her other challenges and what she could do to feel calmer and more equipped to start taking them on one at a time.

I connected this lovely woman with some other moms and they quickly offered each other emotional support. Together we discussed how the stress they were feeling as moms could easily transfer to their children. They realized it wasn’t selfish at all to look after themselves, and how important it is for their little ones.

Certainly this is a scary and uncertain time for many children. They look to their parents and caregivers for guidance and reassurance, but sometimes we aren’t sure of the best way to manage. Here are basic ideas I hope can help.

Baton Rouge Moms

10 Tips to Help Kids Cope with Disasters

  1. Limit TV time. Watching television reports on disasters can overwhelm younger children who may not understand an event is being replayed and instead think the disaster is happening over and over again. Overexposure to coverage of the events affects teenagers and adults as well.
  2. Listen to your children carefully. Emotional stress results in part when a child cannot give meaning to dangerous experiences. Begin a dialog to help them gain a basic understanding that is appropriate for their age and responds to their underlying concerns.
  3. Give children reassurance. Let them know that if any emergency or crisis should occur, your primary concern will be their safety. Make sure they know they are being protected.
  4. Be alert for significant changes. Be aware of changes in sleeping patterns, eating habits,
    concentration, wide emotional swings or frequent physical complaints without apparent illness. They will likely subside within a short time but if prolonged, we encourage you to seek professional support and counseling.
  5. Expect the unexpected. As children develop, their intellectual, physical and emotional capacities change. Younger children will depend largely on their parents to interpret events, while older children and teenagers will get information from a variety of sources that may not be as reliable. While teenagers seem to have more adult capacities to recover, they still need extra love, understanding and support to process these events.
  6. Give your children extra time and attention. They need your close, personal involvement to comprehend that they are safe and secure. Talk, play and listen to them. Find time to engage in special activities for children of all ages.
  7. Be a model for your child. Your child will learn how to deal with these events by seeing how you deal with them. Base the amount of self-disclosure on the age and developmental level of each of your children. Explain your feelings but remember to do so calmly.
  8. Watch your own behavior. Make a point of showing sensitivity toward those impacted by the disaster. This is an opportunity to teach your children that we all need to help each other.
  9. Help your children return to normal activities. Children almost always benefit from activity,
    goal orientation and sociability. Ensure that your child’s school environment is also returning to normal patterns and not spending great amounts of time discussing the crisis.
  10. Encourage your child to do volunteer work. Helping others can give your child a sense of control, security and empathy. In the midst of crisis, adolescents and youth can emerge as active agents of positive change.

We are sharing these tips with parents in the shelters when they bring their kids to our child-friendly spaces. It’s wonderful to see the children play, smile and have fun again, but we all know there is so much more work to be done to help these children and their families bounce back.

If you’d like to support our response and recovery work, please consider donating at www.SavetheChildren.org/Gulf-Floods.

Thank you!

Anjana Dayal de Prewitt

Filed Under: Ask the Expert, Baton Rouge Resources, BRmoms Recommend, Education, Health, Moms, Parenting Tagged With: Baton Rouge Flood, Baton Rouge Moms, Baton Rouge Parents, Helping children cope, Lousiana Flood

Baby Safe Homes Louisiana – Giveaway

May 2, 2016 by Baton Rouge Family Fun

Each year, children are injured by hazards in and around the home. Household injuries account for the most visits to the ER in children under the age of 3 , and nearly 70% of the children who die from unintentional injuries at home are 4 years old and under.

Thankfully, the risk of injury can be reduced or prevented by using child-safety devices like the popular wifi baby monitor that let monitor your baby all the time . Safety devices should be sturdy enough to hinder access and yet easy for you to use.

Most importantly, to be effective, they must be properly installed. This is where Baby Safe Homes Louisiana comes to the baby proofing rescue!  Baby Safe Homes Louisiana offers BABY/TODDLER proofing and they come to YOU!

Baby Safe Homes Louisiana Giveaway

What is Baby Safe Homes Louisiana?

Baby Safe Homes are a professional, same-day baby proofing service. It is their mission to provide families with peace of mind by creating an environment for their babies and toddlers to explore, learn and grow safely, visit website to get the most adorable baby toys there are.

From infant to toddler safety, Baby Safe Homes offers everything that you need to baby proof your home. Their trained baby safety consultants recommend specialized safety products; they will help design the solution that is right for you and your family to help keep your baby safe.

GIVEAWAY

Baby/Toddler proofing for YOUR HOME!! Win a baby safety gate (Value $100) OR select $100 in products from Baby Safe Homes Louisiana PLUS a FREE In-Home Inspection & Consultation ($95 Value) Total GIVEAWAY VALUE $195

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sources: Kidshealth.org

Filed Under: Ask the Expert, Baby, Giveaways & Freebies Tagged With: Baby Safe Homes, Baton Rouge baby, Baton Rouge Moms, Baton Rouge Parents, Louisiana, Red Stick Moms

Family Fit Day with Healthy BR

April 21, 2016 by Baton Rouge Family Fun

Nurturing healthy, happy kids in the age of digital technology can be a bit of a struggle at times. Today’s kids would spend hours on end in front of screens if we let them. Thanks to Healthy BR,  we have been given a fun opportunity to get outdoors with the whole family and the community. On May 21st from 7:30am to 12:30pm Healthy BR will host their third annual Family Fit Day, a combination health fair and field day with something for every member of the family.

FREE open streets initiative centered around BREC City-Brooks Park to create temporary paved parks for running, walking, bicycling, dancing, playing, and socializing on May 21st from 7:30AM-12:30PM and You’re Invited!!

healthyBR_digitalad

During the event local organizations will offer fitness classes, speakers, healthy cooking demonstrations, kids activities, bike safety classes, runs, bike rides and much more, anyone who’s planning to attend should visit an online sport shop to get ready for it . Fitness classes and fitness events include a Varsity Sports run, Tai Chi, the Mayor’s Bike Ride, yoga, HIIT, karate, hip hop dancing, kid fit events, dance aerobics, circuit training, Zumba, cardio kickboxing, and a hula hoop contest. BREC will be bringing their ever-popular Hamster Balls to Family Fit Day this year for people to use in the City-Brooks Community Park, they will also have inflatables, tennis activities, foot golf, land boarding, kids’ relays and much more!

The goal of this initiative is to provide a fun, citywide event for all ages to encourage sustained physical activity, increase community engagement, and build support for active, healthy families in Baton Rouge.

 healthybr

Baton Rouge joins over 90 other cities hosting Open Streets initiatives in the United States and Canada. The streets are open to all abilities to encourage everyone in Baton Rouge who wants to improve their mental, physical, and emotional health to come out, bring their families, and even pets too, is important to promote health and supplements for people to want to stay healthy and lose weight like https://healthyusa.co/nutrisystem-lean-13-how-to-transform-your-body-in-30-days/ that also give you energy and strength.

We hope to see lots of Baton Rouge Moms and their families at Family Fit Day; you can RSVP on the Facebook event here!

HealthyBR

Learn more about HealthyBR and connect with them on their new website and on Facebook and Instagram.

GIVEAWAY:

Family Fit Day Gift Pack Giveaway

TWO winners will win a Family Fit Day Prize Pack – Tumbler, T-shirt and $20 Red Stick Farmers Market Gift Card Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Give back to the community you call home and volunteer: sign up here.

Filed Under: Baton Rouge Resources, Causes, Community Outreach, Family Friendly Baton Rouge, Health, Louisiana, Women Tagged With: Baton Rouge, Baton Rouge Parents, Family Activities, Family Fit Day, Healthy BR, Red Stick Moms

A Mom for Christmas

December 1, 2015 by Guest Contributor

 Hey ladies, Whitney here. I thought for this little post I would share my letter to my Santa, but really, it’s my tribute to all you Baton Rouge moms who have been filling those boots each year and for years to come. 

Dear Santa,

I hope this Christmas is wonderful for you. Can I trouble you for a moment of your time? You see, this is a big year in my family. It’s our first Christmas as a family of four. I want the girls first Christmas as sisters to be something that will be etched their heart and your memory for years to come. I feel so lucky that God has chosen me to be a part of their lives in very different ways. They each call me two very different names and will grow up to know me as two versions of a mom, but if you look deep you will find that the pockets I have reserved for them in my heart are the same size. As I write this I am crying the same amount of tears for each of them. They are perfect little versions of their father, seriously, look at them:

 

sisters, Kora Bruce Creative

Image courtesy of Kora Bruce Creative

You see I want to make sure I leave both of them with very important lessons in this life. So this is my ask, Santa, help me give them a mom for Christmas.

You see just like you, all year I am convinced they see me when I am sleeping and when I am awake. They know when I have been bad or good. They know and see all. So there’s some things I am going to need from you because, let’s face it, they are watching and copying my every move. I know you have given me these things before. You give them to me everyday, Christmas or otherwise, but I am a real live mom now, and I need my Santa this year more than ever. It’s a long list, but I think it’s worth it.

I would like to teach my girls that being brave will not always come with a big win. It often comes with great disappointment but even greater life lessons. So Santa, I am going to need a little BRAVERY.

I would love my girls to have patience for each other and humans in general. Humans are a frustrating kind. So Santa, I am going to need PATIENCE.

I want my ladies to know that manners will take them farther than anything in this world. I want them to know that napkins still belong on laps, ankles crossed, and that you can still be unique AND polite.  So if you could, make sure my pinky is up when I drink my Franzia Chillable Red? No but really, can you make sure I stay on my MANNERS game?

I have the best mom (see what I did there, Santa?) and the most okay-est brother (love you Cam!) ever, but even they would say that family is not always what you are born with, but sometimes the one that shows up in a car on the way home from college. That family can be where your strength comes from in the darkest of days, that’s the village it takes to survive this world and raise a family. Santa, help me build my VILLAGE.

Let’s talk, Santa. I feel like you can relate. You know the day after Christmas after all those cookies? I imagine your body changes. Imagine nine months of cookies and then birth and then still really liking cookies. I really still like cookies. My body is not what it used to be. I am one of the most confident girls you’ve ever delivered gifts to, but this year my pants don’t fit the same. I want my girls to grow up with the confidence to look in the mirror when their body completely fails them and say, “I got this!” or “Who is that beauty looking back?” So Santa,  can you send a bit of your CONFIDENCE down my way?

I hope this isn’t asking too much. You have been good to me over the years. You always ate my cookies, and the note you left me on my magna-doodle back in 1994 didn’t go unnoticed. I always appreciated that you brought the apple up to the reindeer even though you had places to get, going up and down our chimney twice must have been tough. So thank you. I can’t promise this will be my last letter to you, but I can promise your grace and your magic through the years never went unnoticed.

Sincerely,

Whitney , Playing Santa since 2014

 

 

Filed Under: Holidays, Moms, Parenting, Women Tagged With: Baton Bouge Blog, Baton Rouge Moms, Baton Rouge Parents, Christmas, Moms, Santa

Why Baton Rouge Moms Are The Best

July 23, 2015 by Guest Contributor

Baton Rouge Parents

Baton Rouge moms rush ahead to open the door for you when you’re manning an unwieldy stroller.

Baton Rouge moms smile at cranky babies. They offer encouragement in the checkout line at Albertson’s when your two boys are acting like wild hooligans. They tell you it’s going to be alright, and they know what they’re talking about because they were once where you are and they lived to tell about it.

Baton Rouge moms offer you a glass of wine or a cup of coffee when you come over. Sometimes they’ll offer you both, because it’s not quite morning, but it’s not quite noon, and it’s been a rough day already.

Baton Rouge moms knock on your window to tell you that you left a sippy cup on top of your car.

Baton Rouge moms chase you down in the middle of the mall to hand you a missing shoe or a dropped lovey. They tell you “It’s alright, I have one at home too” when your oldest child stomps his feet and screams “YOU’RE MEAN!” in public.

They stop you in Target or on the playground to tell you that your tag is sticking out of the back of your shirt.

Baton Rouge moms know how to cook. But if they don’t feel like cooking, they also know how to order enough food to feed everybody, because Baton Rouge moms love to eat.

Baton Rouge moms don’t care what you look like, where you come from, or what you wear.

Baton Rouge moms care who you are.

What do you love about Baton Rouge moms?

Filed Under: Louisiana, Moms, Women Tagged With: Baton Rouge Moms, Baton Rouge Parents, BRMoms, Mom support, Moms, Red Stick Moms

Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – FREE Day Camp

May 7, 2015 by Tiany Davis

This is a wonderful resource and opportunity for children in Baton Rouge! 

LDWF will be hosting two Summer Day Camps in Baton Rouge at the Waddill Outdoor Education Center located at 4142 N. Flannery Rd. in Baton Rouge from June 22-26 and July 20-24 free of charge. 

  

The June 22-26 camp will be for 25 kids 10 to 12 years old and will take place from 8 a.m. to Noon every day.  Snacks and drinks will be provided at the camp.  Parents must be able to drop their child off between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. and pick up their child between noon and 12:30 p.m. every day.  This camp will teach kids the basics of the outdoor with hands on activities and safety instructions.  The kids that make it thru this camp will then be guaranteed to be selected for the full free camp next year.

The July 20-24 camp is for 25 kids 12-15 years old and will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.  Snacks, lunch and drinks will be provided.  Parents must be able to drop their child off between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. pick up their child between 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.  At this camp each child will receive the boating and hunting education courses and hands on outdoor activities and safety instructions.

At both camps the children will receive their own rod and reel combo donated by Cabella’s of Gonzales.  The daily snacks and drinks at both camps are being funded by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation.  Lunch at the July camp is courtesy of LDWF.

You can only register for one of the dates listed below.  Also, fill out one application for each child you wish to register.  LDWF will inform the parents whether or not their child was selected by May 29.

June 22-26 Application for 10 to 12 year olds

July 20-24 Application for 12 to 15 year olds

Woodworth Kids Fishing Day Camp

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is hosting a Kids Fishing Day Camp for children 10 to 15 years of age at Woodworth Outdoor Education Center from July 6 through 9, 2015.

 
The Monday through Thursday day camp will provide activities from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the education center located at 661 Robinson Bridge Road in Woodworth, south of Alexandria.  The camp is designed to create responsible anglers by providing campers with an appreciation for the sport of fishing and the basic skills needed to enjoy this outdoor recreation activity.
 
Campers will be supervised by LDWF education staff and volunteers during activities that will include how to rig fishing equipment, fish identification, casting, lure selection, how to clean the catch, boating safety and much more. Registration fees are $75 per child and the registration deadline is June 30, 2015. The camp is limited to the first 20 participants registered. Lunch will be provided daily and each child will receive a rod/reel combo and stocked tackle box provided by the Association of Louisiana Bass Clubs and the Woodmen of the World.
 
For more information, or to obtain a registration form, contact Todd Buffington at (318) 773-2402 or tbuffington@wlf.la.gov . The camp registration form is available below:

Source : http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov

Filed Under: Baton Rouge Resources, Camp, Family Friendly Baton Rouge Tagged With: Baton Rouge Camp, Baton Rouge Parents, summer camp

Declutter and Put Cash in Your Pocket

May 2, 2015 by Baton Rouge Family Fun

Disclosure: This is a “sponsored post.” The companies who sponsored it compensated BRM via a cash payment, gift, or giveaway. Opinions expressed herein are that of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of the sponsor.

Getting rid of the extraneous things in your life and around your home has it’s advantages. It’s a great feeling to know you’re getting rid of items that are not being used, collecting dust or simply in the way. If you haven’t purged the clutter in your life, give it a try.  With Varagesale you can declutter locally, easily and safely while earning cash! A little Lagniappe for a your pocketbook never hurts!

Average U.S. Household Has Over 50 Unused Items Worth $3100 According to Nielsen Survey

What kinds of things can you sell on VarageSale?

VerageSaleVarageSale is pre-accepting members now! Take a peek in the community, poke around and list your items for sale before the official launch next week. As an early bird you will have exclusive access to the early bird sale starting Sunday, May 3 at 7PM until Tuesday, May 5 at 7PM where they’ll be dropping in heavily discounted to FREE items such as diapers and toys!

VerageSale Baton Rouge

Not to mention, each listing you place in the Baton Rouge or Denham Springs VarageSale community is an entry into their Disney on Ice Family Four Pack Giveaway! Each community will give away a Family Four Pack to Disney’s Frozen on Ice!

VerageSale Baton Rouge

It’s easy as….

1. Join the Baton Rouge community here —-> http://bit.ly/VarageSaleBR

2. List your items to sell {the more items listed the more chances to win Frozen on Ice Family Four Pack.}

3. Earn Cash!

What are you waiting for? Visit the website or download the free app and pre-register now to get exclusive access to the 48 hour preview sale and join the fun early. See you there!! ;)

Filed Under: Baton Rouge Resources, Local Business Spotlight, Moms Tagged With: Baton Rouge Parents, Moms, Red Stick Moms, Selling, Shopping, VerageSale

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