Family and Parenting

Easy Activities For Toddlers When They’re Sick

October 23, 2017

We have all been super sick for the last couple of weeks. One by one, we have all caught it and it doesn’t seem to want to go away. Unfortunately, this is the worst timing for sickness because Hampton’s birthday is tomorrow and we have the boy’s party this weekend. I’m also doing it solo this week, so theres that. Send lots of prayers over our way, friends! One thing I like to do when the kids are tired of resting but still obviously feel bad is think of easy activities for toddlers that won’t make them over do it.

Family Photo Outfit Ideas

October 19, 2017

If you’re like me, having regular family photos taken is important to you. As mothers, we tend to want to freeze time (sometimes ;)) and making sure to capture our babies’ faces at every stage is precious to us. I love taking family photos this time of year because 1. Christmas cards. and 2. The weather is amazing and fall fashion is so fun! I love playing with textures and patterns and love all the layers (as you can probably tell by now). I mean, there is nothing cuter than a little girl in a sweater dress and a little boy in a plaid button down. Can I get an amen? Coming up with the perfect family photo outfit for each member of the family and making it all flow can be a little challenging. As a personal rule, I don’t like to be too catchy catchy, and I like to stick to neutrals because light neutrals consume the palette of our home and I like the photos to go with our house.

You should definitely think about how thy are going to look on your walls and what type pf frame you will be placing them in. Our house has whites and light grays throughout. That is why I tend to stick to creams, grays and light colors. If you are planning to put these photos on a Christmas card, think about colors and what type of card you want. What color schemes are you drawn to? Personally, I like classic styles (like sweater dresses, boots and heels). Choosing a timeless style will help you not feel embarrassed by bold choices you may have made otherwise later down the road. Just a few things to keep in mind when choosing your family’s outfits!

Here are some of my favorites for the entire family. I hope this helps you and inspires you for your own family photos!

How An Email Series Helped My Toddlers Sleep Better

October 9, 2017

Sleep. A word I am becoming more and more unfamiliar with. You know you are lacking sleep when you can’t respond to a question someone is asking you because you literally can’t remember the answer. You know you are lacking in sleep when you catch yourself sitting in the parking lot of your kid’s school unable to drive off because you are literally scared of falling asleep at the wheel. I’ve been there. Still am there, actually. My oldest (who is only three) has never slept. We have had sleep issues with him since birth. People told me it would get better with age. He just had his days and nights mixed up as a newborn. He is just afraid of the dark. He is going through “a phase.” No. He just really doesn’t sleep. I have never seen anything like it. It is so hard to explain to anyone who isn’t here and witnessing it night after night.

How to Plus Up Your Fall with These Fall Family Activities

October 6, 2017

Hello, friends! As you may know, this is my favorite month and favorite season of the year! I absolutely love it because it reminds me of so many fun childhood memories. One of my favorite days of the year is when we go to the pumpkin patch as a family. My kids are just as pumpkin obsessed as I am, which makes it really fun! I like to save money where I can so that we can fill our schedule with fall family activities, and that’s why we shop at Costco. We buy in bulk and get more bang for our buck with their great savings!

Fun Games that Teach Young Children Self-Control

September 22, 2017

This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Primrose Schools; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Parenting young children and toddlers can be so difficult. I am constantly questioning whether I am doing the right thing and teaching them correctly. With so many opinions and personal preferences out there, it can be tough to know what is right for me and my children. I think this is something all parents struggle with at some point. The first week of school, we dealt with serious self-control issues with our son and I had no idea what to do. I honestly wasn’t expecting that behavior now that he is almost 4. Luckily for me, I recently discovered a great resource for games that help you teach your children important Executive Function Skills – Primrose Schools.

Primrose Schools focus on these six key skills as part of their curriculum: Adaptability, Teamwork, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Self-Control and Memory. These skills are so important in life and the sooner we can teach them to our children, the better!

During our first week of school, we really struggled with my son pitching horrible fits every morning when I dropped him off. It was new for me because he has always loved school and done really well during drop-offs. I chalked it up to being a new school year and new transition – that is, until he absolutely lost it on me and his teacher one morning. He completely lost his cool and all self-control. It was awful. I was upset and humiliated. I immediately started doing research and reading what to do because this was new territory for us. I was so excited to read about the Executive Function Skills and self-control is one of the things that Primrose really emphasizes. I was especially happy to read about some of the activities: board games, obstacle courses, making a meal together and playing freeze dance – and how these would help him learn self-control. In addition, I talked to Hampton a lot about his behavior and how it was okay to be sad and upset, but that he had crossed a line when he pitched a fit like that. He really understood more than I gave him credit for. I’m happy to report that he has now had two perfect weeks with no fits or incidents!

Another Executive Function Skill that I try to work with my kids on is team-work! Hampton and Sophie are so close and they play really well together – most of the time. Sometimes, it is like having twins who bicker and fight all the time. They are precious, but let’s just say that teamwork is something we really need to work on them with. I like to do this by having them build blocks together or pick up their toys at the end of the day and I emphasize the team effort. Some other ways that Primrose Schools recommends building teamwork skills include having play dates and playing I-Spy.

Another skill I was excited to read all about was memory. While they definitely focus on remembering things, they also emphasize responsibility and the rewards and challenges that come along with it. Some games and ideas include: making up stories together (you start telling a story and the child finishes it), playing board games, reading out loud and letting the child recall a favorite story and helping with chores (my favorite)! I love including my kids in our house chores! They love it too! Sophie’s favorite chore is helping me with the laundry as we walk through all the steps (“first we sort the clothes…”) and Hampton loves to dust my baseboards and wipe up spilled messes. He is the first one to jump up and grab a paper towel when someone has an accident. He is such a big help!

Primrose Schools has so many wonderful ideas and games to play with your kids to help with these six key skills! I definitely recommend checking them out and while you do, be sure to subscribe to their newsletter so that you can be entered to win a Primrose Prize Pack that includes a $250 Barnes & Noble gift card and five children’s books! Enter the sweepstakes here!

5 Ways to Boost Your Child’s Self-Confidence

September 15, 2017

As parents I think we all want to raise confident children. Sometimes, I personally struggle with self-confidence (it is something I am always working on) and I don’t want any of my children to ever deal with it because it can be aggravating and tiring. I think self-confidence is something most people can achieve with age – for example, the older I get the less I care what people think, but I want my kids to feel confident as they grow and in school and the activities that they participate in. Here are a few ways I like to boost my kids self-confidence:

Back to School with Gap Kids

August 23, 2017

We received products from Gap Kids in exchange for an honest review. #GapToSchool

My kid’s first day of school went better than expected. Don’t you love it when that happens? They both walked right in their classrooms like they owned the place! It was a magical feeling. Even Weston cooperated – thanks in a big part to his new carrier that he sat in like a champ! You know what they say… you have to dress the part… something like that? Well, that is just what we are doing this year thanks to Gap kids and Just for Me Too!

Somedays, You Just Need A Mom Day

August 18, 2017

Back to School Toddler Capsule Wardrobe

August 11, 2017

Back to School Toddler Capsule Wardrobe

Last year, I really over bought for Sophie. I think it can be so easy to do with little girls, especially. I found so many mommy and me pieces that I just “had to have” and I ended up buying way too much. This year, i am determined to save more money and have created a capsule wardrobe for Sophie. She has a few things that she can still wear from last year that will be bonuses, but other than that, this (or similar to this) is what I am buying her. Well, throw in a couple of holiday outfits in there, too. 😉

How to Maintain Peace at Home with Young Children

July 24, 2017

Since having Weston, and then moving a week after that, I feel like our lives have literally been turned upside down. We have had a lot of good days, but we’ve also had a lot of bad ones. Hampton is still having major sleep issues – meaning he doesn’t sleep. Ever. Weston is also not sleeping. Ryan has been traveling a lot. The list goes on and on. Life is anything but easy right now and I’ve honestly been a little down about it. One thing I keep coming back to in my readings is the word peace. Peace is not an easy state to maintain, but it is something worth fighting for and working hard to get to. As I continue to work hard to create peace in our home for my husband, our children and our marriage, I wanted to share some ideas that I have been bouncing around.