Reviews Archives - Coffee and Sweats

May 22, 2019 by: Nusrat

Spending Time On What Matters x JORD watches

Becoming a parent has made me super conscious of the time.

Is it naptime? Snack time?

How much screen time is too much? Do I spend too much time working?

I wonder if I’m spending enough time with them. I wonder when I’m going to make the time to get everything done. It goes on all the way until bedtime when I ask myself:

How many times is this child going to get out of bed?!

And when I’m finally collapsed on the couch I wonder: When will I ever have some time for myself?

Another thing I’ve noticed is, every time I need to check the time, I look at my phone.

Which is a complete time suck in itself because my intention is to check the time, but I quickly scan my social media for updates and then I get hooked on reading an article and before I know it, a good 20 minutes has passed by of me not spending time with my kids, or doing the chores I need to do before I start complaining about what little time I have to do it all.

When I got the opportunity to partner with Jord watches (pronounced yode), I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I wore a watch. Was it before kids? Before smartphones?

JORD watches are sustainable and made of natural and reclaimed materials and are also stylish like this Cora Series in Zebrawood & Rose. Ever since wearing this timepiece, I’ve noticed I’m not as distracted by my phone.

The reality is that I will never stop being a Mom but my kids won’t always stay young. Time has that effect on babies, they grow into kids, and eventually adults. Right now they need me to pick them up and spin them around. I’m cherishing every moment I have with them because time is so much more than an accessory.
I’ll get time for myself later when the kids are embarrassed to be seen with me. Now, it’s time to make some memories.

To win $100 off a JORD watch of your own, enter my contest here. Everyone who enters will receive a discount code just for trying!

May 13, 2019 by: Nusrat

5 reasons you need to attend Mom 2.0 Summit

Every year I want to attend one of the biggest blogger conferences for influencers and entrepreneurs. Every year I would total up the costs of attending the conference, the airfare, the hotel stay, being away from my babies, and I couldn’t justify going. This year the Mom 2.0 Summit was in Austin, TX and I thought, this is my year. I am going to make this happen!

I was a mix of excitement and anxiety. I had been to blog conferences before. Sometimes I knew all the information and felt like I wasted my time. Other’s were way above my head and I walked out with my head spinning. As a first timer returning from the conference, I can attest that attending the Mom 2.0 Summit will be well worth your time.

1. The Sessions & Speakers

Keynote speakers at past events have been leaders in their field, award winners, entrepreneurs, artists, celebrities – basically kick-ass women who will leave you inspired and empowered. This year’s speaker Brené Brown did not disappoint. If you haven’t checked out her Netflix special what are you doing with your life?

Brene Brown Key Note Speaker at MOM 2.0 Summit

The sessions – It was hard to choose because there were so many I wanted to attend. From how to work with PR agencies, creating and producing a podcast, creating traffic with SEO, building a brand, editing photos…the list goes on and on. The sessions I attended were packed with information I could use. The panelists showed you exactly how they achieved their success and taught you how to do it too. I advise you to make a friend and attend different sessions then share notes afterward.

2. The Brands

Here is your opportunity to get in front of the PR reps of the biggest brands and directly ask them questions about how you can partner with them, if you both would be a good fit, about their influencer programs and about their latest campaigns. These sponsors came prepared with giveaways, contests, photo ops, and goodies. The reps were welcoming, their booths were interactive and it was great learning about each brand. I met with reps from Google, Amazon, Best Buy and Dove just to name a few.

Got my hair done at the Dove booth and picked up some goodies too

3. The Networking

I briefly met with Laura Mayes a co-founder of Mom 2.0 Summit and she told me there were over 1000 people registered at the event and it certainly felt like it. As an admitted introvert, I could have easily wilted as soon as I arrived but I quickly realized that everyone was in the same situation I was in. There were many ‘first-timers’ who didn’t know a single person there and making friends with the person seated next to you was as simple as saying Hi and introducing yourself.

Everyone around you is just like you – raising a family, running a household, growing a business and here to learn. You will find your tribe here. Make the connections and learn from one another. As Tim Sanders said, “Your network is your net worth”.

4. The Parties

OK so partying shouldn’t be one of the main reasons you attend the conference but it’s a fun perk. The food, the drinks and the fun times are abundant. There were tacos, cabana parties, open bars, DJ’s and lots of dancing which is a nice break from cooking, cleaning, worrying about kids and working.

There were a lot of options for people with dietary restrictions and yes I selected this picture because I’m in it.

5. The Iris Awards

I’m so thankful to my friend Qiana for talking me into staying back on Friday night and attending the Iris Awards ceremony. Not only was it fun to dress up and walk the red carpet, but it was also an impressive event with Adam Rippon as the MC. Something in me shifted during the Iris Awards. All week I was surrounded by women – empowering, uplifting and encouraging women, who share and collaborate and build with you. The ceremony was more than the nominees or the trophies or the winners. It was a celebration of achievement, of support, of believing. It was such an inspiring night.

I’d like to thank Rent the Runway for coming through with this Alexis dress just in the nick of time

If like me, you are weighing all the awesome reasons above against the costs of attending the conference let me tell you this – on Day 1 of the conference I felt that I had gotten my money’s worth. Next year’s conference is in Los Angeles. Stop thinking about it and do it! Will I see you there?

October 16, 2015 by: Nusrat

State Fair of Texas with Kids

The State Fair of Texas is here! I’m always excited to go to the Fair but this year I was a little apprehensive because it would be my first time attending with the kids. The last time I went to the State Fair I went on a weekend, rode a couple of roller coaster rides, ate almost every fried food there was and played games until the place closed down.

This year, not so much. Here is a list of Do’s & Don’ts for taking your young kids to the State Fair of Texas, based on my experience last week.

I’m shielding him from OU

Do: Go during the weekdays to avoid the crowds. Thursday afternoon was perfect for us. No lines anywhere and plenty of room to walk with a stroller. We did notice a lot more people started coming in later in the afternoon when it was cooler and most kids were getting out of school.

Don’t: Go during the hottest part of the day. We reached there around 1 pm and even though we were armed with sunscreen, hats and sunglasses, it was still a sunny 91F outside. Kids (and adults) don’t last very long outside in the heat.

Do: Check out the daily discounts for admission. For example, you could bring in an empty Dr. Pepper can on Tuesdays and get in for $5. Kids under 3 are free and most school districts provide school children with a free ticket. Use it! There are also senior discounts and lots of retailers sell advance purchase discounts. Spend your money for all the fun inside the fair not for admission.

Don’t: Eat a lot of fried food within five minutes of walking into the Fair. Thanks to Rambo’s amazing self control we bought the first fried food we saw – a cookies and cream funnel cake. It was delicious, entirely too big and it filled us up, so we didn’t feel like eating anything else for a long time. And really, funnel cake? You can eat those anywhere. Save room in your belly for the Big Tex Choice Awards.

Cookies & Cream Funnel Cake at the State Fair of Texas

Yes, I’d do it again.

Speaking of the Big Tex Choice Awards….

Do: Eat at least one thing that won an award this year! Eating Fair Food is what the Texas State Fair is all about. This year, Fernie’s Holy Moly Carrot Cake Roly won for Best Tasting and I can’t describe how good it was. Here is an excerpt from the State Fair website to give you an idea.

“Golden-baked bread swirled with cinnamon has been flattened and filled with moist carrot cake, plump raisins and crunchy julienned carrots. Rolled with a light coating of cream cheese and then breaded in a mixture of panko, graham crackers, cinnamon and nutmeg – holy moly this is far from your typical dessert! Drizzled with cream cheese frosting and lightly dusted with powdered sugar, this divine confection is served with extra caramel on the side as well as a caramel macchiato cream sauce.”

Winner of 2015 Best Tasting at the Texas State Fair

I have no words

Do: Bring a stroller. We brought along our Baby Jogger stroller with the Glider board for the preschooler to ride on when his legs were tired. I got stopped several times by people telling me how awesome the glider board attachment was. Strollers can also be rented out and you can bring in your own wagons too. Little legs can’t walk so far and the Fairgrounds are big.

Don’t: Try to do everything. There are over 100 performances daily at the Fair. Between the Auto show, live music, animal stunts, rides, games, food, cook-offs & shopping there is no way you can do it all in one day. Pick and choose what your family will enjoy the most and hit those up.

Do: Expect to spend a lot of time at the Kidway area of the Midway. That’s where the little kid rides and scaled down games are. Nice thing is that every kid wins a prize. So the preschooler thought he was awesome and ‘really, really good’ at shooting water at a target.

I lost count how many times they played this one game.

Don’t: Forget to buy a Big Tex Game card if you want to play games at the Midway. It costs $10 for 20 credits. Most games were 10 credits so about $5/game. Those 50 cent coupons are only good for food and rides.

Do: Check out the Children’s Health Barnyard where you can feed farm animals and other not so farm animals. Like Camels and Zebu’s. Be sure to secure your overly excited toddler from trying to open the gates and going inside the animal pen.

Don’t: Feed the Giraffe. They drool. I saw a lady with her hands cupped full of Giraffe drool and I nearly threw up. Barnyard smells – all good. Giraffe drool? Vom.

Do: Check out Little Hands on the Farm. It was adorable. The kids got a hands on experience of how farmers grow food. They got to feed chickens, collect eggs, plant seeds, harvest crops and drive a miniature tractor. Super cute. Fun enough to change the preschooler’s future vocation from Ninja to Farmer.

Little Hands on the Farm at the State Fair of Texas

Harvesting their crops

Do: Take a ride on the Top o’ Texas Tower. It’s that giant thing I’m sitting in front of in the first picture. It very slowly goes 500 feet into the air and again, very slowly rotates all around so you get magnificent views of Dallas and surrounding areas. The kids loved it. It was one of the few rides we could all go on together so I loved it too.

See the plane?

Maybe next year I will be able to take a picture of the Cotton Bowl Stadium filled with people? But then I’d have to go to the Fair on Game day and it will be insane. Maybe not then.

Empty Cotton Bowl

So it was a very different experience this year but still a lot of fun. I wish I could have seen the Starlight Parade that comes on at 7:15 pm but there was no way the kids would have lasted that long. They were nice and exhausted from a full day of fun. I think I will get a season’s pass for next year because they keep asking me when we’re going to go back to the Fair!

Have you been to the State Fair with young kids? Any must-see attractions that I missed?