This week has been a bittersweet one for me. My little girl started Preschool!

Kaelyn has been begging to go to school for two years now, and I couldn't be happier that she is finally able to go. She LOVES to learn and enjoys meeting and making new friends. So far she is really enjoying it, but of course, it's a little tough on mom and dad. We are really excited for her, but at the same time are a little sad knowing our baby is old enough to now start school. I can't believe how quickly the past 5 years have gone!!

Although she is only gone a few hours during the day, it sure is different not having her home. Kaden really misses her, but has been enjoying time with his little brother too. It's definitely changed our routine some, but overall has been a great start to the school year. I'm excited for her and know this year is going to be great!

Seven years into marriage and three kids later...I am still learning to juggle making delicious meals for my family all while balancing family time. We eat most of our weekly meals at home, which means a lot of time is spent in the kitchen. I don't mind, but have wished there was a way to prepare meals for my family without up so much time. It's not always easy considering the long list of ingredients and kitchen tools required. That's why I was SOOO excited when asked to be a Chicago Cutlery Mom Ambassador!!

When I learned that Chicago Cutlery's new line of DesignPro knives help to cut down on prep time and give everyday moms like myself more confidence and control in the kitchen...I was excited and couldn't wait to receive my new knives to test out.

I will admit, I'm no expert when it comes to knives. I am often not sure which should be used with what foods. I usually grab smaller knives for smaller foods, and larger knives for larger foods. It has seemed to work ok for me, but most of our knives are dull which makes the process take that much longer. Not to mention the fact that I really have no idea how to use hold and use them properly. Not anymore though! Cooking and preparing meals in the kitchen changed the moment these beauties landed on my doorstep!

When the DesignPro Knives from Chicago Cutlery arrived I was impressed right away with the quality. Wow, are these well-made knives! I also love that they have a plastic cover to ensure that the sharp blade is covered when not in use. Safety is important with little ones in the house so I appreciate this very much!

Of course, I was also excited to put them to the test. I love that they take the guess work out of how to handle a knife with an innovative grip that guides your hand to the best position for superior control and cutting. This is something I've never been the greatest at so I appreciate that they're made for people like me who are not what I would consider a "chef" in the kitchen. I'm looking forward to using them more and getting better and better at slicing and dicing. I hope to make more meals that have a lot of fresh, healthy ingredients in them I would have used to not made due to the prep time involved.

Aside from the grip, I've also found that the ultra-sharp, Japanese blades make it easy to cut foods. It has made meal prep go more smoothly and quickly so far. As I get more used to them, I know I'll get even faster and more comfortable using them. I can't wait! Stay tuned, because I'll be sharing my continued thoughts and experiences with these quality culinary chopping tools with you!

You can learn more about the Chicago Cutlery DesignPro Knives on Amazon.com!

**I wrote this review while participating in a Brand Ambassador Campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Chicago Cutlery and received products to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

With a very simplistic aim of designing functional, attractive garments that let children be children, Polarn O. Pyret has been a beloved childrenswear brand in Sweden since the 1970s, and is today distributed to all EU countries and the US.

PO.P designs, manufactures and distributes all its own-brand baby and kids clothing, with the firm belief it should be able to withstand wear and tear enough so that it can be handed down through the family.

PO.P’s sole aim is to produce the world’s leading baby’s/children’s fleece, knee sock, mitten t-shirt, and sun hat… In fact, PO.P’s sole aim is to produce the very best-quality children’s clothing range full stop. And it doesn’t presume what colours you would like to dress your little girl or boy in – it lets you/them decide.

And with such good-quality, long-lasting clothing a sound environmental policy naturally follows, too – PO.P is driven to improve its manufacture processes so that they have the least possible impact on the environment. And in reflection of that ambition, PO.P’s range of 100% organic cotton clothing (with the ECO label) is on the increase every year.

Polarn O. Pyret wasn’t always a kids clothing designer/manufacturer. The company’s founder, Nils Adamsson, once traversed Västergötland, Sweden, selling sewing machines, and was struck by how large and poor many families were. With this in mind, he later opened a shop that sold condoms, tobacco and medical products – a format that largely lasted until the 1970s when the last restrictions on condom sales in Sweden were lifted, at which point Adamsson decided to focus on children's wear.

With the release of its first clothing collection in the 1970s, Polarn O. Pyret became renowned for its idiosyncratic stripe, and since then has garnered over 35 years in the business of trialling and testing every single detail of every single design of every single garment it produced… Which means that it knows what really works.

Yet another thing that PO.P is renowned for is its layering system:

• Layer 1: Base - Wool and polyester, unlike cotton, keep kids warm due to their ability to wick away moisture from the skin; a polyester base layer is velvety soft and ideal for active kids, and a woollen base layer keeps kids warm even in the chilliest of temperatures.

• Layer 2: Mid - Breathable, comfy and perfect for outdoor play, fleece/wool blends not only wick away moisture but also trap a layer of warm air and thus maintain body heat.

• Layer 3: Outer - Being windproof and rainproof is what makes a coat a good coat, as well as being able to withstand vigorous play time and time again. PO.P knows that this rainwear should be easy to open, and easy to close in sudden wind, rain or snow.

Right now, PO.P has got a great deal on outerwear: when you buy a wind and waterproof coat, you can buy the inner fleece at half price:

**This is a sponsored post. However all opinions are my own. 

We love to take family vacations! Whether it's summertime or during the winter...it's our chance to get away and enjoy some memorable time together. Aside from planning what we're going to do on our trips, I spend a great deal of time searching out hotels. As our family grows, finding a place that accommodates us all can prove difficult. I look for something affordable that offers enough space, a pool, and other amenities that make staying away from home easier with three children. That's why I love Residence Inn Marriott!

As one of Parents Magazine's 10 Best Hotel Chains for Families, the Residence Inn Marriott is great for families who like the feel of an extended-stay hotel. It began as a place for the business traveler, but because of the space...has also become a great place for families as well! After learning more about them and the many amenities offered...I couldn't have been happier to learn we were going to be given a complimentary stay on our most recent vacation to see all that the brand has to offer.

We decided to take a mini-vacation to Minneapolis, MN. It's a short enough distance for us that we can easily drive in a day, but just far enough away that it feels like a nice family vacation even when it's only for a couple of days. When we arrived to the Residence Inn Minneapolis Bloomington, I was already impressed upon pulling up to the front. I love the look and feel of this hotel...so inviting!

As I walked in the front entrance, the hotel felt friendly and inviting. The staff working there were very friendly and helpful telling us all about the hotel and all it had to offer. I also I loved the the large sitting area with TV.

Once we got our keys, we headed up to our one-bedroom suite and I loved it the moment I walked in the door. It felt spacious and perfect for a family our size. It offers a full kitchen area, living room area (with sofa bed) and a master bedroom where the bathroom is located.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the kitchen area! When we're vacationing we try to stick to our budget, which makes it difficult to eat out much. That's why this was probably my favorite part of the room! With a microwave, sink, fridge, and more...there was plenty of space for us to bring along some groceries and eat in the room for one of our meals. It was not only convenient, but also cheaper and healthier than going out to eat.

Next to the kitchen is a small table, which was great for our kids. They are smaller and it's much easier for them to eat at a table rather than on the floor or a couch. One of their favorite things to do in a hotel is eat popcorn! It's a tradition of ours. So that night, we made some of the complimentary popcorn found in our kitchen area and they were tickled!

There was a nice couch and chair in the living area which made it easy for us to hang out watching tv together. There's also a desk nearby where I was able to work on my computer later that evening as well (there's complimentary wireless high speed internet access in all suites).

Of course, once we hung out in our room for a while...the kids were begging to go swimming in the large pool! What kid doesn't like to swim on vacation, right?! They had a blast swimming and the hot tub was very nice too. The fact that it has a pool is great for families, as my kids (and most I'm sure) would have been disappointed if they didn't get to swim at least once on vacation!

The kids even brought one of their pool toys :)

As we walked around the hotel we checked out the many amenities offered. I was impressed with the outdoor basketball court, fitness area, and the fact that there's laundry on-site! This extended stay feel really offers everything traveling families could need....even if it's just for one or two days. It's perfect!

We ventured out and did a little shopping. The Mall of America is just a few minutes away (as well as the airport!). The location is perfect! There are many great places to eat around the area as well! And, the hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to the airport and mall. Talk about convenient!

When it came time to head back to our room for bed, the kids decided they wanted to sleep on the sofa sleeper which was the perfect size for them! They of course wanted a picture with their baby brother who slept in his own bed. It was a cozy place for them and perfect with a TV right there to help them wind down after a busy day.

I loved having their "bedroom" separate from ours. When staying in a small hotel room where the beds and television are all in one room, it makes it difficult to get the kids to bed at a decent time because hubby and I like to stay up to read and watch TV. This however worked out perfectly. We could put the kids to bed at 9, shut the door so they could not hear our television in the master bedroom and we were able to stay up a while longer.

Speaking of the master bedroom...the bed was very comfortable! We often wake up sore and tired when sleeping away from home, but we felt we got a great night's sleep on this bed. YAY!

Another feature of this room that I love, is that the bathroom is in the master bedroom. My husband and I often wake before our kids and it was easy for us to both take our showers and get ready without waking them.

Once we were all ready for the day, we headed down to the amazing complimentary breakfast buffet! I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but when I heard that there was a variety of hot/cold items I knew our family would love it. It was probably the nicest hotel breakfast we've ever had! The selection is great, and the staff working in the kitchen were very helpful with anything travelers needed (butter, silverware, etc).

My kids were able to enjoy cereal, fruit and juice..while I got my favorite, eggs, toast and donuts! ;) There seemed to be plenty of tables and chairs for people making it a comfortable and nice place to enjoy our breakfast. No matter if you like a light breakfast or something a bit more filling, with the selection of food offered you're sure to find something that suits your taste perfectly. We sure did!

Once we had filled up on breakfast, it was time to leave. There was a part of us that didn't want to go so soon, as the Residence Inn Marriott had been such a pleasant, comfortable place for our family to stay. We loved the environment as well as the many amenities which made traveling with children easier and more fun! We travel that way often and look forward to staying there again and will definitely be requesting a one-bedroom suite...it was perfect!

 If you're looking for a great, spacious place to stay on your next family vacation...I would definitely suggest looking into Residence Inn. Now that we've experienced this great hotel for families, we will be looking for them every where we vacation! You can visit here to learn more.

Also, be sure to connect with Marriott on Twitter and Facebook.

**I was provided a complimentary night's stay at the Residence Inn Minneapolis Bloomington location to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.