Today’s post is sponsored by Mrs. Fields® as part of the #mrsfieldsmoments campaign. 

When my son was 18 months old, we flew to from Lexington, Kentucky to Bogota, Colombia to visit his father. My (now ex) spouse was stationed there with the U.S. Army. It isn’t easy to fly with an active toddler, and especially not when you have a six hour layover in Chicago. I was so thankful for access to the USO facility there. I found a comfortable and quiet place to breastfeed Gabe, and it made our trip much less stressful. We enjoyed some free snacks, including Mrs. Fields® cookies. When you are separated for months at a time by thousands of miles, every moment counts. The stress of traveling can put a damper on even the most joyous reunion.

If USO doesn’t sound familiar, it stands for United Service Organizations, Inc. It is a nonprofit organization that provides recreational activities and programs to boost the morale and welfare of military members and their families. USO lounges are located in airports around the United States, and they allow service members and their families to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the airport terminals. USO facilities are staffed by volunteers, and couldn’t operate without generous supporters like Mrs. Fields®. The lounges often have comfortable seating, televisions, reading materials, games and other activities, drinks, and snacks. They also have facilities near military installations in Europe, Asia, and the Pacific.

Mrs. Fields®, in partnership with the USO, created the Every Moment Counts Campaign (#mrsfieldsmoments). They want all families to recognize the importance of spending quality time together. They have also pledged to donate 35,000 cookies to be placed in USO2Go boxes which will be shipped to soldiers around the world.

Sitting down and eating a cookie with your child can be quality family time. The Mrs. Fields® website features several neat ideas that make eating a cookie even more fun than, well…eating a cookie. Who doesn’t like cookies? The “Sunday Snacktivites” are just ideas to get you started.

Gabe and I made Mrs. Fields® ice cream sandwiches; I even found Mrs. Fields® Breyers® ice cream. He and I sat down to draw while we were eating. Gabe drew a portrait of his “Papi,” who is still an active duty soldier. I know his dad doesn’t get to see him as much as he would like to, but we routinely talk about him.

In addition to their direct support of the USO, Mrs. Fields® is hosting a contest for everyone.

Here’s how you enter:

• Take a selfie of your family participating in a Sunday Snacktivity.
• Share the photo on Mrs. Fields® Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the hashtag, #mrsfieldsmoments.
• You can share as many moments as you like until November 12 to earn more entries.

Entries are easy and they are a great way to collect a few fun family photos. One lucky family will receive airfare for four to Washington, D.C., four tickets to ride the Capitol Wheel, gift certificates for dining in National Harbor, and accommodations for 2 nights. Complete details can be found here.

You can find links to Mrs. Fields® social media channels here:

• Facebook
• Twitter

What does your family do to make every moment count?

I am participating in this campaign as a member of  The Niche Parent Network & Conference in partnership with Mrs. Fields. All opinions are my own.