Here are some dental facts I had learned that convinced me more than ever that succeeding at this challenge is a necessity:

• Brushing alone only cleans 25% of the germs in your mouth.
• 75% of adults suffer from some form of gum disease
• 50% of children have their first cavity or filling between the ages of 5 and 9 years old.
• It is recommended that a child should visit a pediatric dentist as soon as his or her first tooth erupts.
• It is recommended that parents begin to floss their children’s teeth as soon as there are two adjacent teeth.

Now that Makenna is 7 I have noticed that she loves using her Reach kids toothbrush before I even have to ask her to brush. She’s great at brushing her teeth the correct way for 2+ minutes. My daughter doesn’t use floss yet because she’s not old enough but her teeth are pretty spacey right now since she’s missing a couple so I don’t see much food sticking in-between there, haha. But Makenna does use her Listerine Smart Rinse mouthwash so anything extra left from brushing we definitely get with the color indicating wash.

Over the next 3 weeks this challenge will help me focus more on Kendall’s oral care since she has most of her teeth now. We need to get into a routine with her because we definitely forget to brush her teeth often.

For tips about how to improve oral care habits for your family, visit Walmart.com, who is doing their part by selling Listerine and Reach products at very affordable prices.

Disclosure: I received products and compensation from Johnson & Johnson and The Motherhood
as part of my participation in the Oral Care Challenge. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.

The unique BioNutrient Complex in the new Dial NutriSkin lotions replenishes your skin with a fast-absorbing blend of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that lasts for 24 hours and leaves skin feeling hydrated and never greasy. The Walmart I went to was even having an in-store demo so I learned a lot more about the new lotions. I tried to take some pictures at the demo but I wasn’t allowed to take pictures I was kinda sneaky though so you can check out my Google+ Story to see my shop with Kendall. There are 4 choices for women – Dry Skin, Ultra Dry Skin, Soothing with Camomile, and Firming, and two choices for men – Ultra Hydrating and Hydro Fresh. Finding my favorite lotion wasn’t hard since I don’t have sensitive skin or other skin issues to think about. My favorite was the Firming lotion which has collagen, vitamin E beads, caffeine, amino acids and omega 3 & 4! It went on so smooth and after a couple of minutes my skin felt light, fresh and non-greasy, plus, it smells amazing!
So what makes the Dial Nutiskin different from any other lotion, besides the moisture? Well each of the varieties are like a multivitamin for your skin.

Dry Skin with Aloe – Vitamins C, E (antioxidants), Amino Acids (protein building blocks), Omega 3 (balances moisture), Vitamin F (improves elasticity)

Extra Dry Skin with Shea Butter (my favorite!) – Omega 3, 6 (balances moisture), Vitamin F (improves elasticity), Vitamins A, C, E (antioxidants), Amino Acids (protein building blocks)

Soothing with Chamomile – Beta-Glucan (soothing property from oats), Vitamins A, C, E (antioxidants), Amino Acids (protein building blocks), Zinc (synthesis of collagen)

Men’s – Magnesium (energizes skin), Niacinamide (conditions skin), Amino Acids (protein building blocks), Vitamins A, C, and E (antioxidants)

All four varieties of Dial NutriSkin give you 24 hours of moisture (no need for constant reapplication!). Dial says that users will have healthier looking skin in 3 days, but for me, I think it was about a day and a half after I started using NutriSkin that I noticed a difference.
Dial NutriSkin is available nationwide at grocery, drug, and mass retailers in three sizes: 3 ounces ($2.49), 12 ounces ($4.99), and 21 ounces ($6.99). You can check out the Dial Facebook page and the Dial Twitter page for product news and money saving coupons (Like the $1 coupon I found!)

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This is for a great cause!

It’s been a couple of weeks now so I wanted to update you on my Heart Healthy Challenge journey. As I told you before my husband and I joined the gym and I was ready to get back in there and tackle it full force. It’s been 5 years since I was in a “real” gym but I wasn’t intimidated at all. I quickly remembered all the machines I used to use and how to use them correctly.

I was really sore the first couple days but it’s gotten better. I need to find something that helps my recovery that’s for sure. So do I think the gym is “working”? Yes. In the 3 weeks I’ve worked out I can feel myself having more energy, my body is looking better, my self-esteem is up, my face isn’t breaking out as much, and I even eat healthier because I feel better. So many positives have come out of working out.

I especially feel great that although I can’t see a difference I know I am helping my heart-making it stronger and healthier too. Beside feeling better about myself Of course I want to be healthy for my daughters. They need their Mommy and I need them.

I hope you can be inspired by my story and realize that you too can feel better about yourself even if you have never been in the gym or it has been a long time since you’ve stepped foot in one (like myself). If you want to join the Quaker Heart Health Challenge you can do so here! If you’d like to read all the other motivational stories you can follow on twitter with hashtag: #NourishWhatCounts

February is National Heart Health month. Even if it’s only 5 more minutes a day, what extra step will you take to stay fit?

For your chance to win $750 complete these two steps:

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats Company. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.

Let me remind you of the weeks past! My first challenge was to use pork tenderloin and therefore I made Pork Tenderloin Sliders with a yogurt lime sauce! The following week it was a Game Day challenge and I had my eye set on the touchdown for an amazing dinner while everyone was watching the Super Bowl. I made Beer-Grilled Pork Chops! And finally, last week it all about Valentine’s Day with a Heart-y & Healthy Italian Porketta recipe.

I am going on in style this week a Healthy Comfort food <strike>dinner</strike> lunch. (Keep reading I have a giveaway for you!!) 

As with the other three weeks I found my recipe on PorkBeInspired.com which have so many amazing looking recipes and pork cut options to choose from. I highly recommend you to check out the page and find some meals your family will love. If you want to see what the other bloggers have cooked up than check out the #Publix4Pork Twitter hashtag!

So enough about that! On to my recipe! I made Pork & Mushroom Quesadillas and let me tell you… amazing doesn’t even begin to describe how delicious this puppies are! This week pork sirloin cutlets are on sale and at only $3.28 I was in love with the price.

This simple recipe only needs a couple of ingredients: cheese, tortillas, pork (duh), mushrooms, and green onions! Yep, that’s it!

I stir-fried the pork until it reached an internal temp of 145* then removed it from the pan to set so the juices can redistribute (aka: make it yummy!). Add your sliced green onions (I use the green and whites but use which ever you like:) ) and stir-fry until softened. Remove them from the pan.
 Use a paper towel to wipe down your pan then place 1 tortilla in the pan – cover with cheese, desired amount of pork and mushroom mixture. Fold over to omelet shape.
TIP: Don’t overload it with pork, mushrooms and onions because the mixture will eventually just fall out. Yes, I experienced this!

Trust me - it's delicious. No, I am not a photographer

Brown both sides, remove from pan, then cut into wedges. there you have it! A fast and healthy lunch (or dinner) option for any day of the week!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Thanks to TheMotherhood and Publix. I was compensated and I was provided a gift card to buy ingredients. All thoughts and opinions written here are my own. Compensation did not influence a positive review.

Something I have found that is just has easy is making her a bagel or English muffin and maybe some eggs. Shopping for breakfast breads was a pretty intimidating experience so I usually leave it up to my husband.

The selection at my local Walmart is great. You can find bagels in the bakery section, refrigeration section and in the normal bread aisle. My girls and I prefer cinnamon flavored English muffins while my husband likes Onion and Everything. Also, we tend to buy Thomas’ brand. I’m not sure if that’s just because the majority that is in the bread aisle is taken over by Thomas’ or it’s the taste, either way that’s the brand we always get.

My kids and I stood around in the bread aisle for a while just staring at all the choices. There are 100cal options, extra fiber, mini bagels, bagel thins, honey wheat, and so much more. Check out all the choice in my Google+ Story!
We ended up going our typical route with cinnamon raisin but I decided to try the bagel thins today.

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This is for a great cause!

If I were asked what the most meaningful THING in my life then of course I could answer right away – my family. I am so grateful for my husband and two daughters.
But we are talking MOMENT aren’t we?

I finally came to the idea that my most meaningful moment of last year when we took our first family pictures together. Yep, first ever! My daughters were 6 and almost 10 months old.

See? Looking at this photo session always makes me smile. Sure, the day had it’s stressful moments but all in all both girls cooperated despite the blistering heat and humidity.

Now that we finally took family pictures I really hope we can make it a tradition.Taking the pictures around May-June every year would be great so we can really see how the girls are growing up in a full year.

As I said there were many meaningful moments that happened in my life last year and I can only hope many more will be added this year.

Tell me what your most meaningful moment was in the last year for a chance to win one of 10 complete skin care Anti-Age Systems from Meaningful Beauty.

Keep your skin looking great in every moment with Meaningful Beauty- Cindy Crawford’s break through secret for younger looking skin.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Meaningful Beauty. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest Rules.

Dinner last night was a challenge for us. We aren’t a roast loving family but I was determined to find a recipe that we could all like and explore outside our usual pork chop safe zone.
Last week I made Game-Day inspired Beer-Grilled Pork Chops, while the week before I made Pork Tenderloin Sliders. This week I aimed for a Heart-y and Healthy Valentine’s inspired meal. I decided on a roast called Italian Porketta that I found on the National Pork Board PorkBeInspired.com
2-4 pounds bone-in or boneless pork loin roast
3 tablespoons dill seed
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine seasonings together and coat roast with mixture. Roast in a shallow pan with rack for 40 minutes-1 1/2 hour (20 minutes per pound), until internal temperature reads 145-155 degrees F. Let roast rest 10 minutes before slicing to serve. (remember a little pink is ok)

As I said, we aren’t a huge roast fan (pork or beef) so although this was a taste and very heart healthy meal, I don’t think we’ll be making it again.
Speaking of healthy:
Calories: 260 calories
Protein: 39 grams
Fat: 10 grams
Sodium: 110 milligrams
Cholesterol: 100 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 3 grams
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 0 grams

For information and other great recipe ideas, be sure to check out Pork Be Inspired and the Pork Be Inspired Facebook page.

Also, don’t forget to follow @AllAboutPork on Twitter and the hashtag, #Publix4Pork.

Check out the sales on pork at a Publix near you, and see what kind of healthy meal you can create!

Don’t forget to check here next week for another recipe with the pork cut of the week on sale at Publix AND I’ll be giving away a prize that includes $40 worth of pork coupons.

Disclaimer: Thanks to TheMotherhood and Publix. I was compensated and I was provided a gift card to buy ingredients. All thoughts and opinions written here are my own. Compensation did not influence a positive review.

No-Muss, No-Fuss Meatloaf
When searching for meatloaf recipes, it’s important to consider what foods you like and dislike. For example, if the thought of ketchup on your meat causes nausea, then you might prefer barbecue sauce instead. Quick and easy, this recipe offers complete control of your meatloaf.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Mix 2 lb. lean ground beef, 1 cup water and 2 beaten eggs, and mix and match your recipe from the following options:

Stove Top Stuffing Mix:
Chicken
Savory Herbs
Cornbread
Pork

Sauces:
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
3/4 cup salsa
1 jar (14 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 jar (12 oz.) mushroom gravy

Seasoning:
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup each chopped onions and fresh mushrooms

Directions
Heat oven to 400°F. Mix ground beef, water, eggs, 1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix, 1/4 cup sauce and seasonings.
Shape meat mixture into 4 oval loaves on foil-covered baking sheet; top with remaining sauce.
Bake 30 minutes or until meatloaf is done (160ºF).

Bacon and Cheese Meatloaf
In all honesty, you could put bacon and cheese on pretty much anything and still get a fabulous result. Since the ground beef in this meatloaf recipe is extra lean, you can make it even healthier by using turkey bacon and still get the same delicious result.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. each garlic powder, seasoning salt, dried oregano leaves
1/8 tsp. cracked black pepper
6 slices fully cooked bacon

Directions
Heat oven to 400°F.
Mix all ingredients except bacon.
Shape into loaf in 9×5-inch loaf pan; top with bacon.
Bake 1 hour or until done (160ºF). Let stand 5 minutes before removing from pan and slicing to serve.

ENJOY!

Max Clarity comprises of two steps in the morning and two steps in the evening. In the morning, after my shower I use the Deep Cleanser, which rinsed off clean, and then the Advanced Acne Treatment which stays on to dry. The ache treatment makes my face feel really tight so I add a bit of Facial Moisturizing Lotion. The lotion goes on smooth and isn’t greasy which is a great change. In the evening, I use the same Deep Cleanser (as I did in the morning) and wash off, followed by the Rejuvenating Toner which is left on to dry.
I love that this ache medicine is not like other creams and lotions; Max Clarity is foam so I can feel it penetrating my skin and actually working.
I’m not a chemist so I don’t know the math and science behind it but what I do know is that the active ingredients in Max Clarity work. You will find both Salicylic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide in Max Clarity, which seems to work more effectively than just the Benzoyl Peroxide found in most over-the-counter brands.

I’ve used the system for a few weeks now and my face has stayed clear longer than it had before when I was using another brand. I still get tiny breakouts here and there but I think that’s just because sometimes I forget to put the system on in the morning and night.
One thing I have noticed is that the redness from the pimples that still find their way through is practically gone, they don’t hurt as bad, and they don’t get as big. Huge improvement if you ask me.

I happy to report that I have found a system that works for me and my skin. Something that I know I can use on a daily basis.

Disclosure: I received the featured item(s) for the purpose of the review. I did not receive any other monetary compensation. All opinions are my own and do not reflect the experience you may have.

In 2007 I was in a horrible car accident that resulting in my neck breaking which then took me out of the gym. I knew once I was healed I would be right back in the gym but that never happened. I lost motivation, then I got pregnant and had Kendall.
No one understands my frustration with my personal appearance because they see a skinny mom of two. But just because someone is skinny does not mean they are in shape and I definitely am not in shape.

So I have decided to join the Quaker Heart Health Challenge, where women are asked to complete 15 fitness activities in 30 days. It’s a great program that is designed to inspire women to make exercise a part of their heart healthy lifestyle. It’s great because anyone can join (just click here). I decided to focus on my overall fitness level so I can tone my body and gain strength.

My husband and I joined the gym together last week so we can help keep each other motivated. We made sure that the gym we chose had a daycare center so there is no excuse if he is at work because I am able to bring Kendall to the nursery area while I work out.

I am excited to be back in the gym and I will be updating you on my journey as well.

Joining the Quaker Heart Health Challenge is my first step towards becoming a healthier me. Now I’m curious to know, what motivates you to stay healthy?

For your chance to win $750 complete these two steps:

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats Company. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.