I am so excited that spring is finally here. We had a run of really nice weather here in western Pennsylvania, though you never know what to expect here. It's possible it may even snow for Easter! But at my house, we're really hoping for warm spring weather so that we can get out and get active as a family. I think we've all got a bit of cabin fever from being stuck inside all winter.

One of the things we like to do is walk around our mobile home park. We spend time getting exercise, but also talking and learning about what's going on in each other's lives. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise, and I try to encourage the kids to walk with me at least a couple times a week. Before we know it, summer vacation will be here, and the kids will be out of school. They're looking forward to getting new bikes this summer, and I've been thinking that a new bike might be in my future as well. I know that it's important for parents to model an active lifestyle if they expect their kids to get outside and be active as well.

A new program that encourages families to get active is Together Counts. Together Counts is a nationwide program inspiring active and healthy living. The principle behind the program is Energy Balance. This concept means balancing the calories we use with the calories we burn. While the concept may be simple, it's so easy to forget with today's busy lifestyles. Together Counts is a first-of-its-kind coalition bringing together more than 195 retailers, food and beverage manufacturers, restaurants, sporting goods and insurance companies, trade associations and non-governmental organizations and professional sports organizations. The purpose of Together Counts is to get more families eating and getting active together with a message of moderation. You can learn more at their website.

I don't know about you, but I'm all about a company whose mission it is to support a healthy lifestyle for families. I encourage you to sign up a team at Together Counts and start working toward that healthy lifestyle we all hope to attain. To celebrate their first anniversary and get the word out, Together Counts is holding a sweepstakes at their Facebook page. Prizes include gift cards, George Foreman Grills and a membership to Anytime Fitness. You can also find Together Counts on Twitter and Pinterest.

Finally, Together Counts would love for you to join them as they celebrate Child Nutrition Month with a Twitter party on April 3rd from 8 - 9 pm EST. Of course, there will be prizes, including $50 same-as-cash gift cards! Head on over to Resourceful Mommy to learn more and to RSVP. Have fun getting active this spring and summer, and let me know in the comments how you and your family exercise and eat healthy together. I'd love some more inspiration!

Not long ago, I wrote about the changes that were coming for my family. After four years of my working part time from home, we decided that I would take a full time job and my husband would stay home with the kids. Becoming the primary breadwinner was a scary proposition for me. I've been officially at my new job as a Behavioral Specialist Consultant/Mobile Therapist for two weeks now, and guess what? Yep, it's still scary as hell. Probably even more so!

There are so many changes for all of us now. The kids are confused as to when I'm going to be home because the hours of this job are very flexible and ever changing. Bill is adjusting to chasing after a four-year old every day, and I'm dealing with so many new things, I don't even know where to start. Even the cat is showing signs that she's having some difficulty adjusting to a new routine!

While I have experience with the Mobile Therapy portion of my job, the Behavioral Specialist Consultant part is a bit new. As with many jobs, my training was pretty quick and bare bones. This is really a learn-as-you go kind of a gig. On-the-job training can be pretty tough when you're working with kids who are dealing with various mental health challenges and often chaotic home environments. Also, I'm working primarily with small children and tweens. In the past, my primary age group was adolescents. It's a completely different approach on so many levels.

I am still excited about my position. There are a lot of fun, creative interventions and teaching moments with this kind of job. I know it will all come together. All new jobs take time to learn. I truly am grateful to have found such a good job, and I look forward to learning from these families and helping them to move forward as well. However, that doesn't mean I'm not still tired ALL the time and feeling a bit out of sorts. Here's hoping for a short learning curve!

I know, I just wrote about a Waterpik product. That's because I was provided TWO products to try out! That's not something that happens often, and I have to tell you it was pretty cool to check out the variety of health products offered by one company. The Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser is probably the product you think of when you hear the name Waterpik.

From what I understand today's Waterpik is quite different from the one of years past. The Waterpik Ultra Flosser is clinically proven to be more effective than traditional dental floss in reducing plaque, gingivitis and gum disease. It's smaller and quieter than older versions, and it has a number of new features including a covered reservoir with in-lid storage and six unique tips.

From a purely aesthetic point of view, I have to say that I really like these features. Finding room for one more thing on my bathroom counter can be a challenge. I was pleased to find that the Waterpik Ultra Flosser didn't take up a lot of space, and the storage was an added bonus. Though I did find it interesting that there is only space for four tips in the storage compartment when there are actually a total of six tips. The various tips are made specifically for different purposes - great for people with dental appliances or braces.

When it comes to function, I have to say I liked the Waterpik. I've mentioned in a past post that I'm really not one for flossing. I find it time consuming and cumbersome. Withe the Waterpik Ultra Flosser, "flossing" my teeth was less of a chore. And it felt good. I was afraid that the water might be uncomfortable on my sensitive teeth, but I truly felt no discomfort. After using the flosser, my mouth did feel cleaner. I've used it for a few days, and I'm pleasantly surprised by the results.

Here are some product benefits that I found to be impressive:

• Clinically proven 50% more effective than traditional dental floss and 80% more effective than Sonicare Air Floss for gingivitis treatment
• Proven in lab tests to remove 99.9% of plaque from treated areas with a 3 second application
• Removes bacteria between teeth and deep below the gum line where traditional flossing and brushing can't reach
• Massages and stimulates gums to improve circulation and keep your gums strong and healthy
• Healthier gums in 14 days. Guaranteed.

If you're interested in purchasing the Ultra Water Flosser for yourself, head to Waterpik's Coupons and Promotions page for discounts. Wanna learn more about Waterpik products? Follow @Waterpik on Twitter and be sure to like the Waterpik Oral Health Facebook page. The Waterpik YouTube Channel has lots of informative videos as well.

I received compensation and product for review. All opinions are my own.

I have a ton of allergies. I have food allergies, as well as environmental and seasonal allergies. That means my nose is stuffy most of the time. It can be very uncomfortable, not to mention incovenient. My family has boxes of tissues on reserve at all times becaue we all have some sort of allergy. We've tried all kinds of options including over the counter medicine, prescriptions, Neti pot and other sinus rinses. Nothing really seems to help consistently.

That's why I was more than happy to try out the new SinuSense water pulsator by Waterpik. I know it sounds kind of scary when you think of the word "pulsator" in relation to your nose, but let me tell you that it's really not anything to be concerned about. Believe me, I tried it! The SinuSense is effective because it does three things - massages, cleanses and moisturizes. The pulsating stream of water actually feels good as it works to cleanse your nasal passages.

It doesn't hurt at all. The water goes in one nostril and comes right out the other to cleanse and massage the nasal canal. The benefits of nasal cleansing include:

• Relief of sinus and cold symptoms
• Reduces nasal congestion by cleaning out mucus
• Washes away contaminants by allowing sinus cavities to drain freely
• Soothes dry nasal passages
• Reduces coughing and other post nasal drip symptoms
• Improves sense of smell and taste
• Can even lessen snoring.

It really is easy to use, though it can take a bit of practice to get the hang of. The trick is keeping your head at the correct angle. Check out this video by Waterpik to see the SinuSense in action. (No, I did not vlog myself using the SinuSense. Sorry.) You'll see it's really not that hard to use. So far, I've really experienced some benefits, though I've only been using it a few days. I feel much clearer, which allows me to feel more energetic. Being stuffed up all the time is very tiring. I intend to keep using the SinuSense and believe the benefits will be long lasting.

If you'd like to learn more about the SinuSense by Waterpik, check out the Waterpik SinuSense Facebook page or follow the @SinuSense on Twitter. If you'd like to try it out for yourself, don't forget to head over to the Waterpik website for savings and coupons.

Though I receive compensation and product for review, all opinions are my own.

I blog a lot about beauty here at Everyday Baby Steps. I talk about beauty a lot in my real life. I even write about beauty for a salon. Why am I so obsessed with beauty? Is it because I'm vain? Or maybe because I'm insecure? Nope, neither of those. I simply love beauty products because they're another way for women, particularly moms, to take time for themselves, to make themselves feel good and to pamper themselves.

I love to play with makeup. Exploring different techniques and selecting various colors is part of the fun for me. Granted, as a busy mom, I don't always have time to get real experimental with my beauty routine, so I do have some beauty musts that really speed things up in the morning. Here are the areas I focus on when it comes to looking as good as I can each day.

Skin Care - Even if I don't wear any makeup at all, I always wash my face in the morning and NEVER skip moisturizer or facial cream of some kind. I have some favorites, but it all comes down to skin type and preference. Olay Regenerist Microsculpting Serum is a P&G product that's a good choice for those of us who could use a little lift.

Mascara - Over the years, my once full and beautiful lashes have gotten a little skimpy. Add to that the fact that I have narrow lashes, and I just really feel better when I darken my lashes a bit. No black for me, though. This redhead likes brown or I sometimes splurge on mascaras formulated in colors specifically for redheads.

Lip Color - My lips are another area I feel could use a bit of improvement. They're pale, and if I don't use some kind of lip color, I tend to look a bit under the weather. I just feel livelier with a bit of color on my lips. I like natural colors best and often go for a tinted lip balm. CoverGirl Natural Luxe Gloss Balm fits the bill nicely.

Here's me after my morning routine. Taking time for myself always puts a smile on my face! You know what else makes me smile? Giving things away to you! P&G has provided six of their award winning products for me to give to one lucky winner! Wanna win these products for yourself? All you have to do is leave a comment telling me one of your favorite beauty secrets by Monday, April 2nd at noon EST.  Here's what one lucky winner will receive:

Award-winning P&G beauty products 

Time on your Side

Never let your beauty routine drop off the list – even if your day is full. Discover P&G beauty award-winning picks and shortcuts to streamline your daily routine.

Spring Awakening

When the temperatures rise, it’s time to refresh your beauty routine. Update your warmer-weather beauty routine with these must-have products bearing the seal of approval from your favorite magazines.

• · Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof (Real Beauty Gold Star Awards)
• · Venus Bikini Trimmer (Marie Claire 25 New Products That Will Change Your Life)

A Fresh New Look

Sometimes it’s hard to get out of mom-mode. But a pretty, polished style is easy to achieve at home, even on the most hectic mornings, with these award-winning beauty products.

If you'd like to join the conversation about the best beauty tips for your routine, head on over to Twitter and follow the hashtag #PGBeauty. I'll be chatting there with several other bloggers (who are also holding giveaways, by the way.) We'd love to have you join us!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

It's been three weeks since my family and I started our Listerine Oral Care Challenge. Time flies when you're having fun! Seriously, my kids actually enjoyed using their new products. I'll tell you more about that in just a bit. But first here's a bit of a reminder about what the challenge is all about.

The purpose of the challenge is to inform families about good oral care practice and encourage them to develop good dental habits for a lifetime. I've learn a ton since beginning the Oral Care Challenge three weeks ago. Did you know that despite our best efforts as parents, 50% of children will have a cavity or filling between the ages of five and nine? It's true. Not only sugary snacks contribute to cavities, even things like juice and milk can cause them. That's why it's recommended that children see the dentist as soon as the first tooth appears. Did you know that? Neither did I.

Besides taking kids to the dentist regularly, one of the best ways to fight dental problems is to get kids involved in their own oral care. And the best way to do that is to make it fun! We all know that kids don't always brush as often or for as long as they should. Make up charts to keep track of brushing or play music to encourage kids to brush for a certain amount of time. There are lots of ways to be creative with brushing routines.

Adding oral care products such as mouth rinses from Listerine or brushes and floss from REACH, another sponsor of the Oral Care Challenge, can also help tremendously with improving your family's dental care. We were able to try out a variety of great products for our Oral Care Challenge, including:

• REACH Toothbrushes, featuring Barbie, Batman and Phineas and Ferb
• REACH Total Care Dental Floss
• Listerine Smart Rinse in Berry Shield and Mint Shield
• Listerine Smart Rinse featuring Barbie and Phineas and Ferb

There were some great adult products for us to try as well, including:

• REACH Total Care Whitening and Multi-Action Toothbrushes
• REACH Total Care Plus Whitening Floss
• Listerine Antiseptic
• Listerine Total Care Zero

Let me first tell you about my kids' experience. They LOVED the Listerine Smart Rinse products. They said they tasted good and thought it was amazingly cool to see what their toothbrush missed when they spit in the sink. Yeah, I know, that's kind of gross. But kids think it's awesome! My oldest son, who just turned 13, did say that he would prefer not to use the "little kid" themed products though, so I let him use my grown up rinses. He likes the Listerine Antispectic because of its powerful flavor. It can be used for adults and children ages 12 and over. He thinks it's great that his sister can't use it!

I, however, prefer the taste of the Listerine Total Care Zero. As the commercial says, it's "less intense." The flavor is still minty and leaves my mouth feeling clean and fresh. We all have worked the past few weeks to improve our flossing habits, and I must say that we've done well. The REACH flosses were easy to use and did not stick between teeth. I hate when floss gets stuck. The smooth texture of these flosses did not cause that problem. The toothbrushes themselves were fabulous. My little guy is thrilled with his Batman toothbrush. It makes him feel big to have a toothbrush like his brother and sister. REACH and Listerine are brands I've trusted for years.

If you'd like to check out these products for yourself, head to Walmart's website where you can learn more about the products, where to find them and access some helpful oral care tip sheets. Also, be sure to follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #healthyhabits. This challenge has been a wonderful experience for my family and me. We've learned a lot about oral care, and the past three weeks have really helped us to develop some good habits that should carry on for a long time.

My daughter Norah just turned 11 last week. Eleven! I can still hardly believe it. The days of doing her hair in pig tails and dressing her in dresses with ruffles and lace seem like they were just yesterday. Now she only likes pink if it's "hot pink" and tells me she is "dating" a boy in her class. Dating. Oh. My. God. While I know it's an innocent thing, merely a way of exploring roles and being like her friends, it really got me to thiking about the developmental milestones still to come.

Not long ago, I saw a photo going around on Facebook that read:

Give, but don't allow yourself to be used.

Love, but don't allow your heart to be abused.

Trust, but don't be naive.

Listen to others, but don't lose your own voice.

Rishi

I don't know who Rishi is, but the words are very wise. When I read them, I immediately thought, "This is advice I'd give to my Norah." She's a very trusting soul and such a giver. She hates to hurt anyone's feelings. I worry that she gives more than she receives in relationships with friends at school. I don't even want to think about her first "real" boyfriend. But I have to think about it because it'll be here before I know it. There's so much I want her to know, things I wish someone had told me. While I know the lessons of love must often be learned the hard way, there are a few things I think are important to share with her.

Trust Yourself

First and foremost, I want her to always trust her gut. I tell her that now, and it's definitely important advice in a relationship. Never do anything you're not comfortable doing. Don't worry about hurting anyone's feelings or being afraid that he won't like you anymore. If you like yourself enough, it doesn't matter. I do hope I instill in her the importance of loving and trusting yourself.

Don't Let Anyone Bring You Down

Significant others are meant to build us up and support us, never to bring us down. Never, ever allow someone to convince you you're not worthwhile. If he makes you feel bad in any way on a regular basis, it's time to get out of the relationship. Even something as seemingly harmless as always being in a bad mood is reason enough to move on. You don't want to be his mother or his dumpster. It's not your job to make someone else feel better or to take someone else's garbage.

Never Settle

Never be with someone just for the sake of being with someone or so that you're not alone. If your partner doesn't make you consistently happy or if it just doesn't feel right, it's probably time to evaluate your relationship. This goes hand in hand with trusting your gut. Yes, it's nice to have a boyfriend. It's great to have someone to hang out with on the weekends and to feel special by being part of a couple. But being alone and happy is SO much better than being with someone who doesn't make your heart soar. Truly, it is.

While I could go on and on, these are the most important things I want my daughter to know. Moms, what advice would you add. As we all know, sometimes our kids are more receptive to listening to others rather than their own parents. Feel free to chime in!

It's official - I accepted a new full-time job, and I will be taking over the role of primary wage earner in our family. This is something I've been considering for a while now, but I've been rather torn about the idea. Women today have so many choices about what they do for a living. At times those choices seem stressful and guilt inducing, rather than liberating. That's certainly been the case for me.

In our household, I hold the college degree. This is something I'm proud of. It's also something that's contributed a great deal to my sense of guilt over the years. As the degree holder, there is a wider availability of jobs out there for me. Jobs with potentially higher pay and better benefits. But as a woman and a mom, my heart has told me my place has been at home with my babies. So that's where I decided to place myself when I became pregnant with Brady. I was fortunate enough to be with my older two their first three years of life, and that's truly where I wanted to be with Brady. I was willing to make sacrifices to do that.

However, now the time has come that I am ready to get back to the workforce. To put my degrees to use and to stop feeling like a burden to my husband. In case you don't know, Bill is twenty years my senior. He's had more than his fair share of work over his lifetime. It's time for me to contribute financially to our family in a more significant way. Truthfully, though, I'm not sure that four years ago would have been the time for Bill to take on the role of stay at home daddy. Now that Brady's nearly four, he and his daddy are able to spend more fun times together, telling stories "out of their heads" or playing games, and the big kids are more independent as well. Now seems like a good time for us to switch roles. I'm ready to give up the chauffering and cleaning up the potty training accidents, and he's ready to give up some of the pressure associated with being the breadwinner. It's all good.

But I haven't even told you about my job yet! I have two pretty spiffy titles - Behavior Specialist Consultant and Mobile Therapist. Basically, what I'll be doing is helping families to learn more productive behavioral techniques in dealing with the day to day things life throws our way. It's a challenging job, but I know that it will be rewarding as well. I've done this kind of a position in the past, and there's lots of flexibility and creativity involved in the position. I love that. Did I mention the benefits are amazing AND affordable? I couldn't pass any of this up.

Am I nervous though? Oh, hell yeah! Now it's my turn to take on that pressure of bringing in the income. It's been a while since I was in that position. Truthfully, though, I miss the sense of autonomy that comes with earning a full time income. It will also be nice to derive the sense of identity that comes with working a full time job.

I'm not giving up my blogger identity, though. I love it too much. Being a blogger also allows me creativity and lets me connect with like-minded people in a way I never have. It's fun and exciting, and I'm simply too damn addicted to the lifestyle and the community to ever give it up. I'm kind of selfish. I want it all. I want my fun side gig AND the responsible day job. I know so many people who are working their asses off to make blogging that full-time gig, but for me, I really struggled with that. I think I finally realized the reason. Like the person who loves to cook, but doesn't want to be a professional chef for fear of no longer loving it, I do think that blogging was a bit like that for me. The pressure of making it my full time gig and HAVING to earn a living from my writing was too much pressure. I found it hard to love the writing process. I truly think I've made the decision that will work best for me and for my family. I sure hope I have.

On a side note, this whole post reminds me of the book Good Enough is the New Perfect by my friends Becky and Hollee. Check out this guest post they wrote for me on reinventing your career. I guess that's really what I'm doing now.

Oh my! Where do I start with this? Oral care, unfortunately, is not my strong suit. I used to have great teeth growing up. Then, three pregnancies and a lot of dental neglect later, I've now got a less than stellar smile. I know that oral health has an impact on overall health, and I wish I had taken better care of my teeth over the years. I intend to help my kids avoid the mistakes I have. Fortunately, I've been asked by the Motherhood to take part in the Listerine and Reach Healthy Habits for a Lifetime Oral Care Challenge.

The goal of this challenge is to take a look at your oral care habits and re-evaluate what you can do to improve the health of your mouth. The challenge lasts three weeks, and families are encouraged to take a few extra minutes each day to incorporate brushing, flossing and rinsing into their daily routines to help establish healthy, lasting habits.

As a part of this challenge, I've learned a lot of new things about oral health and care. Bet you didn't know:

• Brushing teeth alone misses about 75% of the germs in your mouth.
• Nearly 75% of Americans suffer from some sort of gum disease and may not even know it.
• According to a survey conducted by Reach and Listerine, over one third of Americans don't eat their favorite foods or smile in photos due to the condition of their teeth.
• 15% of people avoid kissing their loved ones because of their dental problems.

Listerine and Reach have a number of products that can help us with our challenge. My kids are totally excited about the line of Smart Rinse products. These rinses allow you to actually see in the sink what was left behind by brushing. Yeah, it's kind of gross, but kind of cool at the same time! I like the Total Care Zero rinse so far, myself. We've decided to use these products to help us focus on improving our oral care routines. The kids have already started reminding me to brush my teeth, and I've noticed them actually talking about brushing their teeth, rather than having to be nagged about it. Even my little guy is so excited by his new Reach toothbrush that he likes to get in on the brushing action. It's important to try to make brushing fun to encourage kids. We're all actually looking forward to committing to improving our brushing, flossing and rinsing over the next three weeks!

If you're interested in learning more about the Listering and Reach products, head to Walmart to check out the full line. You can also follow the hashtag #healthyhabits on Twitter where myself and other bloggers will be talking about our experience on the challenge. I'd love to have you join us. And please feel free to share any oral care tips you may have in the comments. I could use the help and encouragement!

* I was provided products and compensation in exchange for sharing information and my opinion on the Listerine and Reach Healthy Habits for a Lifetime Oral Care Challenge. All opinions are my own.

I had an assignment for the photo a day challenge I'm working on called "Your Shoes." So I chose to take a picture of my bright raspberry colored comfy shoes. I like them so much because they add a pop of color to my usual neutral outfits. I posted the picture to Facebook and got some positive comments. They're really not the prettiest or most stylish of shoes, but they're so comfortable. It hit me in an a-ha moment that ALL of my shoes are comfortable. When did I stop wearing shoes exclusively for the cute factor?

That's not to say that all my shoes are ugly old lady shoes. I have some cute shoes. I particularly like to shop for comfortable and sporty women's sneakers. A cute pair of sneakers works well for running errands with the kids, especially in this snowy, slushy weather we've had. But, seriously, what happened to my love of fun, funky shoes? Shoes with chunky heels or pointy toes? I can't even imagine wearing a pointy toed heel today! I'm not sure when it happened. I remember, vaguely, the days of walking in heels for eight or ten hours. Those were the days of working in an office or retail environment.

I guess there's not much call for wearing heels or fancy shoes for picking up the kids from pre-school, gymnastics or Boy Scouts. Unfortunately, it's been quite some time since Bill and I went out on a date. I'm thinking I need to come up with a sexy shoe occasion. What do you think? And do you base your shoe selection on comfort or are you still choosing shoes primarily for appearance? Try searching online for some cute shoes with these exclusive Macys coupons if you're on a budget!