This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PilotYourLife #CollectiveBias

It’s back to school season and I love the new FriXion Erasable ColorSticks and FriXon Erasable Colors Marker Pens at Target because my kids are able to write fearlessly!

With FriXion Erasable ColorSticks and FriXon Erasable Colors Marker Pens, my kids are able to write, erase and rewrite repeatedly without damaging their schoolwork. No wear or tear! The secret is the unique thermos-sensitive gel ink formula disappears with erasing friction. My kids do not have jitters about creating errors because they have unlimited do-overs!

There are two new packs of FriXion ColorSticks Erasable Gel Pens & FriXion Colors Erasable Marker Pens and they are only available at Target; make back-to-School less stressful and more fun with your favorite FriXion pens and #PilotYourLife

Ready for some more exciting news? You can save $1.00 on any 2-pack (or larger) of FriXion ColorSticks Erasable Gel Pens & FriXion Colors Erasable Marker Pens if you shop now in the Back to School Season.

 

Let’s face it. Sibling relationships are complicated.  Two (or more) little imperfect humans are placed into one family, each with his or her own blend of personality, habits, desires, frustrations, jealousies, and quirks.  So it’s no surprise that kids spend a crazy amount of time arguing, yelling, hitting, name-calling, and tattling.  Everyone knows that some sibling rivalry is to be expected in families with multiple kids.  When iron sharpens iron, sparks fly.  But I’ve come to realize that brothers and sisters can actually be friends.  That’s right, friends.  With each other.

When my youngest was a baby, I put my other two kids (who were 5 and 3) into one room simply out of necessity.  The baby needed naps during the day and still woke up several times a night, so for the sake of everyone’s sleep she needed to be in a room by herself.  So we doubtfully put her big sister and brother together, wondering how long this arrangement would last.  They had always had their fair share of sibling rivalry.  One was loud and the other liked peace and quiet.  One liked to spread out Legos EVERYWHERE while the other needed space for dolls and reading and creative pursuits.  One was an early riser and the other a night owl.  Were we crazy to put them together?

Initially things were a bit rough. But soon they surprised us by starting to get along better.  They came up with games and activities that were fun for both of them.  They shared their toys more freely.  Every night they listened to audio books together.   They started to actually enjoy being together.  

There were still plenty of disagreements and frustrations, but they had learned to work most things out.  To consider each other’s feelings and preferences instead of just thinking of their own wishes.  To take turns choosing what to play or what book to listen to at bedtime.  To be quiet when the other was asleep.  They were learning to live together in (relative) harmony because they had to.  When we took a two-month trip to see my husband’s family, they were inseparable.  They wanted to sit together on every plane, bus, and train.  They told us they were travel buddies and couldn’t be separated.  They treated each other like friends.

As I marveled at their newfound friendship, I thought back to my own childhood.  I was the oldest of four and we lived in a 3-bedroom house the whole time I was growing up, so my sister and I shared a room until I got married and moved out (a bit extreme, I know).  I often resented having to share with her, but there were so many nights we stayed up talking and laughing and connecting.  We would have missed out on all of those conversations if we were in separate rooms.  We both learned to live with each other’s quirks, habits, messes…things we would eventually have to learn when we got married.  Today my sister is one of my absolute favorite people in the world.  As much as I wanted my own room back then, I’m so thankful that I never got it because I would have missed out on so many blessings if I had.

So when we moved to a new house this summer, it seemed like it was time for our youngest to have the blessing of sharing a room with someone.  We gave our oldest daughter, who is now 10, her own room for the first time in years, and put the other two, who are 7 and 4, in a room together.  Several family members and friends were skeptical of this decision, and a couple of them genuinely tried to talk me out of it because my two youngest have always been at odds.  They are both strong-willed, emotional, dramatic, and really good at pushing each other’s buttons.   But we decided to give it a try anyway.  And I’m so glad we did!

They still fight like all brothers and sisters. We still have days that make me want to separate them so I don’t have to listen to any more arguing. But in the few weeks we’ve lived in the new house, my 7-year-old son has let his sister choose the audio book almost every night.  For him this is huge.  He has kept his Lego mess confined to one rug.  He brings her water at night when her cup is empty.  And she serves her brother in so many small ways.  She puts away his laundry so he won’t have to.  She surprises him by making his bed.  She encourages him when he gets frustrated or disappointed.

I know being room-mates won’t make them into selfless angels, but my hope is that it will start a bond between them that will last into adulthood.  Learning to live together in harmony is such a valuable gift I can give them, even though they may not see it that way right now.  When the time comes for them to have their own rooms, I hope they will go looking for each other because they want to be together.

 

When I think Groupon I usually think of huge discounts on amazing experiences. But that’s not all that Groupon is amazing for! Did you know that Groupon has over 9,000 retailers and over 70,000 deals?!

With back to school barreling on us I’m trying to get all my shopping out of the way now so I can avoid the crowds. My favorite way to do this is by shopping online, shopping now, and using Groupon Coupons.

Of course my love for Amazon is no secret by now. From birthday gifts to school supplies we’re always ordering from them.  The great news is that right now Groupon has over 156 deals on amazon items! Right now, one of the Groupon Amazon deals is FREE shipping with Amazon without having to have Amazon Prime. So if you don’t have it like us you can stock up!

Groupon isn’t just about Amazong though. There are so many retailers you can shop such as Target , Macy’s, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walgreens, and Aeropostale. No matter what your shopping need may be, Groupon has a deal for you! So, get saving and check on the deals for yourself!

Businesses are targets for credit card fraud. This criminal behavior causes major problems for owners and patrons, especially if customer financial data is stolen. Because of this threat, Merchant Account Solutions offers point-of-sale systems that have advanced security features. If you are victimized, there are signs to look for that can help minimize your financial loss.

Bills Arrive Late

Are your bills arriving late – or not all? If so, contact your vendors. Chances are identity thieves have rerouted your mail to a new address, so they can use your personal information to apply for and to max out credit cards in your name.

Creditors Call You

Are creditors calling you about unpaid bills for good or services you never purchased? If so, there’s someone making purchases with your credit card information. Your customers will have the same issue if criminals breach your customer database. Advanced technologies like Clover POS system have built-in fraud and security protection that helps prevent ID theft.

Statement Errors

Look at your bank and credit card statements carefully. Pay attention to any unusual charges, especially small ones. Hackers often make small transactions first before making huge purchases. Call your financial institutions when you notice any suspicious account activity.

Credit Issues

Criminals often apply for multiple loans and credit cards using stolen financial information. They max out the accounts and leave their victims with unpaid balances. If you have been targeted, you may experience the following:

• Loan applications declined
• Credit application turned down
• Unfamiliar accounts appearing on your credit report

You can get a free annual credit report from Equifax, Experian and Transunion. Monitor your credit regularly, so you can stay on top of what’s being reported to these firms.

If you encounter the issues above, take action immediately. This may involve filing a police report and/or contacting the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. To protect your patrons’ financial data, use one of these advanced POS platforms.

Traveling with kids can be a nightmare if your accommodations don’t accommodate them. Lots of hotels simply aren’t kid-friendly. The secret to a fun family vacation is ensuring the kids have a good time too; otherwise, you’re going to be subjected complaints and negative attitudes. The following is a guide to help you choose accommodations that your kids will love so much they’ll be raving about the fun they had for years to come.

Kid-Friendly Hotels in Adult Cities

Some destinations are more fun for adults than kids. For example, Hollywood. If you’re not riding rides at Universal Studios Hollywood, there’s a chance your kids are going to be bored. But, family friendly hotels do exist. A fun hotel can cheer a kid up and give them something to look forward to. The best boutique hotels in West Hollywood are the most kid-friendly, such as Loews Hollywood Hotel which is located on the Walk of Fame and features a rooftop pool and lots of kids toys. Look for resorts, huge pools with water slides, and on-site arcades to accommodate kids in adult-friendly destinations.

Is It Near the Beach?

It’s hard to find an ocean-front hotel that doesn’t cost a fortune, but kids love to play in the sand don’t they? They also love to boogie board, swim, and splash. Instead of paying for a hotel, why not consider the benefits of a beach front home or condo rental. AirBnB is a great place to seek out waterfront property that fits in your budget. For added fun, seek out places that include watersports equipment, such as use of kayaks or snorkeling equipment. This will provide hours of fun for kids, but requires safety demonstrations beforehand.

Look for On-Site Restaurants

If your hotel has an on-site restaurant (and, it’s great if it does) call ahead to make sure they accommodate kids. Do they offer crayons and pages to color? Do they encourage kids to be themselves? Are there games to play and a menu that’s packed with the stuff they like to eat? Keeping kids full and having fun will ensure your vacation goes swimmingly, and a stuffy hotel restaurant won’t help with that at all.

It helps if the restaurant also serves a daily breakfast. Some will offer a free hot or continental breakfast; others will charge for breakfast. What you want to do and what you can afford is up to you; however, feeding kids bright and early will help them start the day with positive attitudes. All day long, they should be treated to nutritious and filling meals because it will help keep them happy while traveling.

Be Nearby Attractions

If your attractions aren’t already on-site, such as staying at an all-inclusive resort, make sure they’re nearby. Long walks or car rides aren’t going to bode well with your little ones. Of course, they can suck it up for one vacation, but if you’re looking to keep the trip on the sunny side, don’t expect them to always have a smile on their faces (especially on long journeys). They are almost guaranteed to complain about long trips, but will be pleasantly and happily surprised by nearby destinations. Look for rentals and hotels that are right by your favorite attractions or expect to be complained to.

iMom recommends that you identify what’s bothering a whiny kid. It’s likely a sour tummy or they’re too hot, or some other travel related reason. Then point out and challenge the attitude. Offer the kid some incentive to turn the attitude around, and the ride should go more swimmingly. You can basically use that method to solve any of your journey’s issues; coupled with kid-friendly accommodations it almost guarantees a happy vacation.

 

By Monique

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Applying for an ITIN number can be a daunting task, so it’s a common occurrence that questions exist throughout the process. The information below should be helpful in answering some of the common dilemmas that arise.

What Type of Documentation is Necessary for the Application?

There are several types of identification that will be accepted by the IRS:

• U.S. Passport – this can be provided without additional ID.
• U.S. Driver’s License
• Foreign or U.S. Military identification card
• Valid Visa from the U.S. Department of State
• Voter’s registration card from another country
• National identification card
• U.S. State identification card

For applicants who are being claimed as dependents, school papers or a valid birth certificate are needed. Also, there are other documents that have to be included with the ITIN application. These include an original and legal U.S. federal income tax return, and, in some cases, the SSA letter of denial is also necessary.

How Long Does it Take to Get an ITIN?

Generally, the IRS processes all ITIN applications in under 10 weeks. The more common time span is between 6 and 8 weeks. If everything was in order, then the applicant’s assigned ITIN should have arrived in the mail by this time.

What is Form W-7?

The W7 form is the official government form which must be completed in order to be assigned an ITIN. It is not possible to apply for an ITIN without having first submitted this form.

Who is Required to Have an ITIN?

Those who do not already have a Social Security Number, and are ineligible for the same, should obtain an ITIN number. Many different circumstances require an ITIN. For example, dependents and spouses of a U.S. citizen, resident alien, or a Visa holder need to have an ITIN number. This is also true of resident and nonresident aliens who are required to file a tax return with the U.S. federal government.

There are many steps to securing an ITIN. The above details should help to clarify some common questions regarding the process and the paperwork. For more information, visit the  ITIN W7 application website today.

Recently I shared with you all How To Plan the Perfect Staycation. This summer we’re mostly going to be staycationing ourselves. Even though we’ve been in Texas for four years now we’ve barely scratched the surface of some of the things there are to do in our area, and I can’t wait to scratch some more of the destinations off of our Becoming A Texan Bucket List!

As a family we all love animals, so I was super excited to find out about Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch. Here’s a little about this amazing place that I can’t wait to visit this summer, along with how you can save!

Your next wild adventure!!!! Get ready to come face to face with exotic animals from around the world! Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch is a 501(c)3 non-profit, interactive educational wildlife ranch. Our unique facility sits on 126 breath-taking acres and is home to over 100 animals. Sharkarosa offers field trips, private tours, and birthday parties. Our facilities are perfect for company prarties, family reunions, club meetings or just a great day of family fun!!! Open to the public Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
$2.00 Off Child Admission – This coupon may be redeemed for $2.00 off one child entry with the purchase of an adult entry. Not valid with any other offer or coupon. Limit two discounted child admissions with the purchase of two full price adult admissions.

I’ll be back with a full detailed review with all my best tips and tricks for planning your visit soon! If you go before me be sure to come back and let me know what you thought!

Rosacea is a very common skin condition that affects a lot of adults. Also known as adult acne, it is often characterized by excessive redness and pimples at times over certain part of the face. It is also called adult acne because it is usually known to cause flare ups or outbreaks, just like acne. The condition is generally harmless until it reaches the eyes. It can cause burning sensation and soreness to the eyes. It usually starts around cheeks and continues to spread to around the nose and then to forehead. There can be redness on neck in severe cases. It is very rare for people with darker skin to have this skin condition.

Dealing with Rosacea Depending on Its Severity

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While rosacea might not be that uncommon, it does require you to find out ways to combat the condition. If you feel you are suffering from the skin condition, it is advisable to make an appointment with a dermatologist. You will be guided with ways of treating the condition.

Having said that, there are certain things you should consider doing before you actually decide to go see a dermatologist. You need to determine if the skin condition is severe enough for you to go to the doctor. Although exact root causes of rosacea are unknown and are likely to be an inherited condition, there are various lifestyle triggers that are known to cause the rosacea flare ups. Factors like stress, extreme changes to the temperature and even the beverages you drink and foods you eat can be responsible for worsening the skin condition.

Do You Have Rosacea?

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Before you decide to do anything about it, you must be sure that you actually have rosacea. It is basically acne like eruption that occurs in the central face and it usually affects adults. It is very common amongst women of ages 30 to 50. Fair skinned people are likely to have rosacea. The three physical components of rosacea include red pustules and pimples, flushing and also permanently dilated blood vessels. If you notice all three physical components, you are likely to have rosacea. If you simply have breakouts and other signs are missing, there are chances you just gave common acne. If you don’t have pimples or flushing but have visibly dilated blood vessels, you may or may not have the condition. In that case, you need to check with a dermatologist if you aren’t completely sure.

Why is it Important to Combat Rosacea?

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The thing with rosacea is that if you leave it untreated, it usually gets worse, with more pimples, redness and dilated blood vessels occurring. You must also know that that several products advertised to treat rosacea are usually not that helpful for the skin condition. These products generally contain anti-inflammatory agents but they are rather adjunctive instead of providing primary care. So, if you have persistent flare ups associated with rosacea, it is important you find out ways to deal with it. Otherwise, the condition might just get worse and worse.

Tips to Combat Rosacea

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• Avoid Triggers:

Rosacea flare ups may be triggered by alcohol, spicy food, stress, extreme temperature changes and even certain skin care products. You need to find out what exactly is triggering the symptoms of rosacea in your case. Once you find out the trigger, you should try to minimize the condition by avoiding. There are certain triggers that can be avoided, while others can’t. When you experience a flare, you should take a cool shower and clean your face gently with products for rosacea skin care. You shouldn’t scrub as that could worsen things.

• Moisturize:

When it comes to rosacea, moisturizer is a vital skin care product. If you are suffering from the condition, you should use moisturizers on a daily basis. They help controlling the symptoms by creating a barrier and locking out the irritants. However, if you choose the wrong moisturizer, the redness could worse. When choosing the best face moisturizer for rosacea, you should look for one that is fragrance-free, oil-free and hypoallergic.

• Gentle Cleanser:

Even the kind of cleanser you use can have its effect on rosacea. You should avoid astringents and harsh cleaners, as they are known to make it a lot worse. Rosacea might look like acne, but a lot of acne treatments can be irritating for rosacea. You shouldn’t use products that contain salicylic acid and retinoids. Just like your moisturizer, the cleanser you choose should be hypoallergenic and fragrance free.

• Skip Facials:

Things like chemical peels, certain treatments and even facials might be good for a normal person’s complexion, but they can potentially make rosacea worse. These treatments are known to irritate skin, which results in aggravating rosacea. You need to find an alternative skin care option that is safe for your skin.

• Be Careful with Your Makeup:

Makeup can be used for covering up the redness caused by rosacea, but it can even worsen the symptoms associated with the condition. You should opt for a makeup that is mineral based and fragrance free. Such makeups are likely to irritate the skin much less than a regular makeup.

• Be Safe from The Sun:

It has been seen that sun exposer is one of the top triggers of rosacea. Sun is known to trigger flares in most people having rosacea. You should avoid sun as much as you can. When you go out in the sun, you should apply a sunscreen, stay in shade as much as possible and wear a hat.

• Calming The Flares:

When you have rosacea, flares are bound to happen. For minimizing the symptoms of rosacea, you can place ice packs on your face for calming down the inflammation. Even green tea extracts are known to be soothing.

• Treat Rosacea:

There might not be any cure for rosacea, but you can still combat it with some tailored treatments. Topical treatments such as lotions and creams are known to help. There are even oral medications known to reduce the redness and inflammation.

Santanu Majumdar is a part-time blogger and currently blogs at healthresource4u.com . He is also a health and fitness lover who loves to share his ideas on health, fitness, and beauty. You can check him out on Twitter and Facebook

Who else is LOVING Summer?! *Raises hand and flings it around wildly* As you know we were so excited for the summer break this year, and are trying to make the very most out of it. Summer brings with it so many fun things. Vacations, staycations, outdoor adventures, and family time together. There’s just one thing that comes along with these, though, that I never realized in my blissful childhood summers.

Everything comes with a price tag attached.

Those days of fishing that should seem like one of the least expensive treats? Yepp-picnic lunches, gas money, poles, bait, drinks, and snacks all add up. The days to the amusement parks or zoos or flying to see Grandparents? What I ran into happily as a kid my eyes pop out at the price tag attached as an adult. Summer time and all its fun can quickly drain your bank account. So I wanted to share with you all some simple ways to make and save money this summer in your everyday life so that you have more money to put towards making those memories!

Simple Ways To Save & Make Money This Summer

I shared my huge How Anyone Can Successfully Work From Home post several years ago now. In it, one of my key points was Thinking Outside The Box and I shared how a big part of my strategy was to save and make money through saving online and using rewards programs like Swagbucks or loyalty programs to gather rewards and then cash them out for gift cards. I recently found out about a cool new website that helps you save money, help others save money, AND earn points for gift cards along the way. So, of course, I had to tell you about it!

Use Online Tools To Find Deals & Earn Gift Cards

The website I’m talking about is Dealspotr!

If you’re anything like me you do a lot of shopping online. It’s just so convenient and I love how I can easily compare all my options and prices from the comfort of home! If you’re also like me, anytime you see that little promo code/discount box at the checkout and it’s blank you’re not happy! I refuse to pay full price for anything online these days if I can at all help it. I used to just try to go and use Google to find codes, but more often than not I just wasted a bunch of time trying code after code from years ago and still ended up paying full price.

Dealspotr! was created to help that not happen! Think of Dealspotr as the Wikipedia of deals. All the deals are added by people just like you, ensuring accuracy. They actually have more codes and fewer expired ones than RetailMeNot, Coupons.com, Groupon, or any other coupon site. Want proof? you can check out the data of their test of 550 promo codes.

So using it to find codes and save money is a no-brainer! The cool thing is that if you want to, you can actually use Dealspotr to make money, too! It’s super easy to earn gift cards using Dealspotr, it’s even reasonably easy to earn your first $10 gift card on your first few days using Dealspotr. Plus, you’re helping shoppers save money (and saving money yourself) while you’re earning. Want to make it REALLY easy? If you sign up using my Referral Link Right Here you’ll get 5,000 points to start off with and be halfway to your first $10 gift card!

So how exactly do you earn points with them? By finding and posting deals, or validating and editing ones that are already there! This is actually not hard to do, and they have SO many stores and even restaurants to choose from. I actually used it to post my personal coupon code from my prAna post that I did recently. That’s another cool thing about Dealspotr, you can find those kinds of codes that you can’t find anywhere else because bloggers just like me are on there sharing them! You can also follow people on Dealspotr so you can see what they’re posting, or you can personalize your feed so you just see deals from the stores you’re interested in.

So sign up for an account and get to poking around, saving money, and helping others do it too!

Have a Garage Sale or Shop At Them

Growing up I never frequented garage sales but once we moved to Texas I discovered a whole new world! They are my favorite spots for finding household decor like picture frames, kid clothes, toys, and books.

They’re also so popular in many locations that you can make a tidy amount to put towards your summer vacation if you host one yourself!  My biggest tip for making it simple is to not host one until you’ve become a frequent garage sale shoppper. This will give you an idea of where your price points should be in your area. This way you won’t price so high nothing sells, but you won’t be giving things away for pennies, either. My biggest “keep it simple” trick for hosting a garage sale is to use wide, sweeping prices and put them up on signs. For example Hardback Books $3, Softcover Books $1. Only price items individually that are worth more, like tools or a bike. So much easier than going through and putting little round stickers on every.tiny.thing.

Like this idea but want to make it even less complicated? That brings me to my next trick:

Host A Swap With Friends

I did a whole post here on how you can host a Toy Swap with friends. Think of it like a multi-family garage sale but everything is free! You bring what you don’t want and grab anything you do, and invite anyone who might be needing those items.  This was always a big success for us. It doesn’t have to be a toy swap, the items are only limited to what your group of friends is into or what life stages you’re in!

Check For Discounts on Bills

Summer means you’re not spending hours in the car line or hauling kids back and forth to extra-circular activities. Use that extra time to do some research into different companies and their pricing options. We all have bills we’ll always have to pay, so make sure you’re paying the least you have to! The best place to start is with your phone bill, there are so many options these days that are affordable and reliable. You should re-evaluate your entertainment bills as well. Consider cutting back to the basic packages on services that you won’t be using as much with the nice weather.

Borrow On Vacations

If you hadn’t noticed, luggage these days costs an arm and a leg when you fly! If you’re traveling with kids to visit family try to bring as little as possible and borrow things once you arrive. This especially works great when you’re traveling with babies and toddlers. Most of the time a cousin or church friend are more than happy to pull a stroller, bouncy seat, or high chair out of storage for you to use during your visit.

Well, there are some simple tricks to help you Save & Earn money this summer! Don’t forget to sign up using my Referral Link Right Here to get 5,000 points to start off on Dealspotr and be halfway to your first $10 gift card!

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