3 Ways to Stress-Free Mornings with Kids

As every family knows, mornings can quickly get stressful and overwhelming with children.  The start to the day requires quite a bit of work:  making a (healthy) breakfast, packing lunches, organizing backpacks and getting young children dressed for the day all before 8AM!  I have tried many methods to keep the chaos to a minimum and these are the simplest steps that work for me.  Give them a try and let me know if they worked for your family or pass along your own simple tricks for a smooth start to the day.

1. Prepare water bottles and backpacks the night before.  I prefer not to make lunches the evening before just so they can be as fresh as possible for lunchtime; however, filling water bottles and organizing backpacks are quick and can shave a few minutes of the morning rush.  I also include a dissolvable, tasteless probiotic in the boys’ water bottles (And they have no idea :).   These go in the fridge overnight.  Organizing the backpack with due homework, papers and library books keeps things moving as well so you and your child are confident nothing is being forgotten.
2. Be the first to wake up.  Impossible sometimes I know.  My oldest son, age 7, is the first up in our family every. single. day.  He rises with the sun and has since he was a newborn.  This obnoxious early morning preference does not bode well with me.  I’m a late sleeper.  But I’ve realized my blood pressure will be lowered immensely between the hours of 6-8AM if I force myself up a few minutes before he usually is or at least around the same time.  Waking up after your children is a tough way to start a weekday morning.  They have free reign of the house and pantry and although my 7-year-old keeps to himself and doesn’t do anything disastrous, I like to be present with him as we start the day (although on weekends all bets are off! I have no guilt about sleeping in a bit).
3. Use a checklist.  For my 7 and even 5-year-old this has been the most effective method to keeping our mornings on track.  Having a visually appealing and easy-to-read checklist gives children a sense of accomplishment as they work through tasks such as “eat breakfast” and “brush teeth.”  Pinterest provides lots of free printable options for this or make one of your own!  Simply type up your child’s morning to-dos in Microsoft Word or handwrite one with colorful drawings for each task.  Bonus points: have your children help do this so they feel involved and a sense of responsibility towards it.  I printed this one from Carrie This Home and inserted in a paper protector.  My sons’ check off each item as its completed with a dry erase marker.  They love finishing it off and voila!  They are ready for the day with little frustration.

Three Ways a Mother Can Rest

As a busy mom of three my moments of “rest” are few and far between.  It doesn’t come naturally to be still among the daily routine of preparing meals, cleaning up said meals, breaking up fights, consoling boo-boos and all the chaos that comes with a 7, 5 and 2 year old.  My need for rest is palpable at times.  I hit a wall almost everyday (usually around 1:00pm) and my ability to keeping going comes to a giant halt.  This is as much to do with my activity as it is my body’s sleep needs.  By nature, I can be a low-energy person.  Early on in motherhood I learned I would never get through the day without following the old adage of “sleep when the baby sleeps.”  Wiser words have never been spoken.   We mothers (and all humans no matter what your daily role) truly need to rest.  For our bodies and our minds.  For our significant others.  For our children.  Because as restful mothers we are so much more patient with those we love.  Consider the following ways you can find “rest” within your hectic lives:

1. Take a nap.  No, I’m not kidding.  Allowing yourself a 15 minute afternoon catnap can do wonders as you finish the day.  How?  Where?  As a ninja napper, let me explain:  Doze off while sitting on a patio chair while the kids run around the backyard.  Lay on the sofa with them as they watch an afternoon television show.  Hell, put your head down on the table (a practice I perfected in high school English Lit) while they work on homework.  Take a snooze in the car during soccer practice! And on the weekends never, ever feel guilty about a longer version nap.  My grandmother used to actually get in bed under the covers to accomplish this on Sunday afternoons.  That generation knew what was up.
2. Go to bed early.  Ha!  You say.  I agree this is much easier said than done but doable once you get in the habit.  I am a night owl so this one is particularly hard for me. Recently though I realized watching the 9:30 showing of Family Feud was not doing helpful in any way.  While its nice to unwind at the end of a long day with some mindless TV, it can become incredibly boring and why be bored when I can sleep?!  Set a “go to bed” alarm on your phone 60 minutes before you really intend to.  If you want to be in bed by 10PM set it for 9:00.  This reminds you to wash your face and do all that nightly stuff plus allows time for you to read or stretch before hitting the hay.
3. Sleep In.  Another toughie.  But if you have a husband, partner, even a babysitter that can be on kid-duty two Saturdays a month at wake-up time plan with them the night before so you can snooze away. When our oldest was born, my husband and I had an unofficial agreement of taking turns with him each morning.  This helped each of us know when we got to refill our sleep tank and offered one-on-one time with the baby.  As kids grow and more are born this isn’t as special its just plain work but still beneficial to the adults in charge.

I know these ideas of how to achieve more rest are fairly obvious but the main point is not to feel guilty about doing them.  Mothers tend to take on more than we should or even realize we are doing.  Our bodies have been through enough — give them a break!

Non-Gift Gifts for Valentine’s Day

At a recent MOPS meeting I had the pleasure of listening to the wonderful speaker, Kathi Lipp.  Kathi is a writer and speaker on topics related to motherhood, marriage and women in general.  She has written several books, I am currently enjoying one of them called “The Me Project.”  The subject of Kathi’s talk at MOPS was “How To Be The Wife Your Husband Wants To Come Home To.”  No this is not a throwback to the 1950’s where you are in an apron and heels with dinner on the table and a martini ready.  This is about finding happiness in yourself and what brings happiness to your spouse.  This is also what prompted me to consider what to give my husband for Valentine’s Day.  Not the traditional tie, tech gadget or something else he’ll never use.  More about what “non-gift” I can give and by “non-gift” I mean nothing tangible.  That gift, for my husband at least, is time.  The gift of time.  Give this man some time.  Time to sleep in.  Time to surf.  Time to be with friends.  Time at the house alone.  Time to work on his computer.  Time to watch sports.  Time to clean out the garage (hehe).  Time to simply be.  Another non-gift item? Food.  A healthy meal at the ready for when he wants it.  Fresh chips and salsa in the pantry.  A babysitter on tap and a restaurant reserved.  A way he can enjoy something delicious and ideally kid-free!  Clean laundry.  Yep, I said it.  I actually want to give my man clean laundry.  I do laundry daily.  Its a chore and a hassle.  However I tend to take care of my sons’ laundry needs first, sheets/towels and finally my husband and I until oops!  No clean underwear.  Having neat stacks of clean clothes available and nothing in his dirty clothes hamper for a week would be a gift he wouldn’t ask for but would be thrilled to have. Now that’s the best kind of gift of all.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

Target’s New Design Hero: Nate Berkus

Nate Berkus for Target

Target has tapped into the home design talents of Nate Berkus, who on October 21st unveiled a collection of over 100 pieces in home furnishings and accessories exclusively for the mass-market retailer.  Nate was first disovered by Oprah when she picked him up for home segments with “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”  From there his career took off with his own show “The Nate Berkus Show,” books and overall celebrity within the burgeoning world of home improvement and interior design.  In a recent New York Times article Nate says he is a fan of the mass market and enjoys finding something beautiful at a great price.  Me too!  With my nesting instincts kicking in for baby #2 I’m looking forward to shopping the latest collection at my local Target.

Nate Berkus for Target

 

Partying Made Easy With Printables

Party printables?  What is that exactly?  I learned last year when planning my son’s first birthday party they are a hostess’s dream who wants a pulled together party with a theme but doesn’t have the time or interest in hiring a professional.  Enter party printables.  Although available on a variety of blogs, my favorite selection of party printables can be found on Etsy.  Graphic designers create a complete package of design details such as banners, water bottle wrappers, food labels, cupcake toppers, invitations, etc and charge a set price for the digital file.  After choosing your theme and purchasing the file you then print at home or at your local copy store as many copies as you need, use a few simple craft supplies and you’ve got great details for your party’s finishing touches!

Elmo Party

The theme I used last year was Little Blue Car by Belva June.  As my son’s tastes have matured (wink) for his second birthday we are going with his latest obessesion:  Elmo.  I found  a cute printable package on Etsy yet again by Your Printable Party.  Even the kids seem to love the label wrapped water and cupcake toppers and the theme cannot be missed!

Fortieth Birthday

Party printables are great for all ages.  Hosting a 40th birthday party?  Try this elegant Tiffany’s-inspired 40th birthday package from Printables By Amy.

Little Man Baby Shower

A baby shower?  Tons of options.  One I find particularly cute is the Little Man Baby Shower by The TomKat Studio.  With a little bit of cutting and pasting on your end any party you throw will look totally pulled together.  Happy Hosting!

I Love Lucite

Lucite Ottoman by Rojo 16

Lucite is not a material I’m too familiar with (although stripper heels come to mind) but I can’t help to have noticed this shatter-proof material popping up in not only fashion but home goods and even beauty too.  My round up of lucite offerings begins with the tufted ottoman by Rojo 16.  A mix of traditional and contemporary materials, this standard piece of furniture takes on a cool new look with lucite legs.

Lucite Bracelet by Alexis Bittar

 

Alexis Bittar is a well-known jewelry designer (you can see his designs at Nordstrom or other such department stores) whose trademark look utilizes lucite.  The Dark Garden Spring/Summer 2012 Collection is no exception with beautiful colored lucite mixed in with gunmetal and gold metalwork.  For high rollers, check out the Versace leather and lucite sandal from its S/S collection with seven inch heels!  And this state-of-the-art platform can be yours for $2, 225.

Lucite Platform by Versace

Lucite is a great material for clumsy people or those with kids (I’m both).  This lucite personalized tray from Etsy shop A Blissful Nestis a clear way to display perfume bottles, drink glasses or simply as a catch-all for loose items on your desk.  Probably the most interesting use of “lucite” was seen on the runways of Fall 2011 fashion week showcasing this spring’s fashions.

Lucite Tray by A Blissful Nest

At Joy Cioci’s show models wore “lucite lace” manicures of clear tips and lattice work design created by nail artist Candice Manacchio. Although not yet available at your local nail salon, this creativity was worth featuring.  Who knew lucite could be so versatile!

Lucite Nails at Joy Cioci

Finding (And Accepting) Help

When I became a mom almost two years ago the decision for me to leave my professional job to be a stay-at-home-mother wasn’t too difficult.  My husband and I easily agreed it was the right option for our family (although ultimately it was my choice).  Once my son was born and the reality of motherhood set in I had some mixed emotions.  Is this really how I want to spend all day everyday?  After a couple months I realized the answer was, in fact, “yes.”  I love having this precious time with my son who is now 20-months-old and growing by the second.  But do I want a break from him sometimes?  Absolutely.  As with any job we all deserve downtime.  Hence my experience with finding and accepting help.

Once the baby was several weeks old I began my quest for a weekly babysitter.  Ideally I wanted someone who could watch my son at my home for a few hours the same day each week.  I went through Sittercity to find this person and could not be happier!  My experience with Sittercity is that it is user-friendly, organized and efficient….all things an overwhelmed mother needs.  To access Sittercity’s database of caregivers you must join as a member but worth the price to find the right, dedicated person to watch your child.  This is the most important hire you will ever make!  After several interviews and phone calls we finally settled on a young college student who to this day continues to be at our house every Wednesday and is ultimately my son’s best friend.  She has been a blessing to our family and when she moves on to bigger things in life upon graduating (sigh) I will again return to Sittercity for that very important person in our lives.

If you are looking for a little help with your family right now Daily Candy is offering a deal on Sitterycity membership at over 50% off.  A value I recommend!

Target Goes Indie With Boutique Pop-Ups

 

A few years back Target did a very smart thing.  It began partnering with high-end fashion designers making chic cheap for the mainstream shoppers of America.  Now the mass retailer is at it again but instead of joining forces with designers they are doing so with boutiques.  The mega store has pinpointed specialty shops across the U.S. that are known for their curated, focused merchandise and is bringing that buyer’s eye to the Target customer.  This new concept is called The Shops at Target and it will offer over 400 items among the five independent retailers it has hand picked for this project including The Webster (fashion),The Candy Store (sweets), Cos Bar (cosmetics), Polka Dog Bakery (dogs) and Privet House (home goods).  Genius!  For a little taster check out the dress and accessories below by The Webster for Target collection.  The mayhem begins on May 6th with a launch in stores and online.

Lifestyle File By Polyvore

This was my attempt at a header image via Polyvore for Lifestyle File; however my graphic design skills limited me.  Even so I thought I’d share my idea of what this blog represents:  fashion, beauty, home, books (pop culture) and kids.