I’ve heard rumors that there are parents out there that can actually keep their cars clean! You’ve heard about these urban legends, right? Apparently they have rules like “no eating in the car” and I suspect kids have to take their shoes off before they get in. To those parents I say, teach me your ways!!! For the rest of us, I’ve got a simple recipe for DIY Armor All Car Wipes that you can make for just a few dollars and store in your car. So when you’re waiting for your little ones to come on out school or practice, you can give your car a quick cleanup! Click right here and head over to Fitzgerald Auto Mall to see my super easy DIY Armor All Wipes Recipe.
Easy Games for Kids on Long Car Rides
It takes me exactly three hours to get from my house to my parents house. Now, add my kids to that trip and we’ve got potty breaks, pulling over to pass back snacks and drinks, DVD change, and yet another potty break, searches for lost toys, potty breaks again, more snacks, another drink, I lost my crayons, and yet again another potty break. So that three hour ride, just got a whole lot longer. So I need to get super creative and a few games that take little prep from me. I’m sharing our super easy and super fun games on long car rides. Head over to Len Stoler Doge to check out my games! Click right here!
Losing His Nap and Finding Inner Peace
Namaste, friends. Please, come into the little Zen Garden that is my home.
Why the sudden nirvana —and I don’t mean the Kurt Cobain kind? Well friends, this new enlightenment stems from my son’s nap. Actually, it’s the release of his nap that has me in perfect chi. Sounds absurd, right? I’m really thinking Oprah is just minutes from calling me to share my “A-ha!” moment on her network.
After months of fighting the inevitable, reading All The Books and following All The Rules of sleep, after years of glorious naps, I have finally let go of my son’s afternoon nap. And then “Poof,” the naps are gone. It’s as if they never existed. Life in my house is still going on without these naps. So why was I holding on for so long? I have a couple of theories.
Theory One
I am a moron who likes to drive myself insane. Apparently I enjoyed fighting with my son (for over an hour) to take a nap (that would usually last 45 minutes). Each nap turned into an epic showdown, and each time I was the big loser. I rocked that kid, sang sweet songs to him, and tickled and rubbed his precious face and chubby arms. Then after an hour of this nonsense I started to unravel. My blood boiled and that crazed, exhausted mother that hasn’t stepped out of her yoga pants in days and cannot remember the last time she showered reared her scary face and unwashed hair. Nothing says slumber like a mother on the edge screaming “GO TO SLEEP BEFORE MOMMY LOSES IT!” Oh, honey, you already lost it.
When the naps were coming to an end, if my son napped at all, it was a lame, short nap, but when it was bedtime, he was ready to Party! Party! Party! No. Just no.
I love my kids more than life itself, but dear Lord, —enough “togetherness” time.
On the days I won the nap battle, I’d start skipping (quietly, very quietly) down the hall for a few glorious moments of freedom. But as if on cue, I’d hear my daughter waking up from her nap.
Their timing would be hilarious if I wasn’t so busy dropping to the floor to weep, and I may be hearing things but one of those tiny humans may have sang “You got bags under your eyes and I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a nap ain’t one.”
Theory Two
I held on to those naps far longer than I should have because of my inability to break our schedule. From the minute my son was born, I’ve been the queen of schedules, and that was the key to good naps—our schedule. That was the key to good night sleeping—our schedule. I followed all the rules:
1.Follow a routine
2.Keep the room dark
3.Speak only in whispers
4.Never post on Facebook that your kid is a fabulous sleeper because that angers the baby sleep gods and surely your kid will never sleep again.
Aren’t kids supposed to nap every day? May I remind you that I read All The Books and I never saw the chapter that said naps come to an end! What a cruel, cruel joke.
I was afraid of doing something wrong and messing up that sweet boy for life. If I let him stop napping too early would he always make questionable life choices? Would he end up living the streets with a sign that said,“If my mom had only made me nap, I wouldn’t be in this mess today. Strangers that would throw him change and judge me for my parenting choices. So in reality, I was making him nap to keep him from spiraling into a life of bad choices, right?
Theory Three
His daily nap was the last “baby” thing. I knew that at three and a half my boy wasn’t going to pack his bags, fall in love with some terrible girl that I hate, and move across the country, but he really isn’t a baby anymore. WAHHHHHHH!
Whatever my well intentioned but misguided reasons for holding on to the nap for too long were, I am happy to say that life got a lot better around here. I took my daughter upstairs for her nap and he headed to his room for “quiet time.” However, quiet time really didn’t last too long because he’d come downstairs to tell me that “daddy penguins take care of the eggs while the mommy penguin hunts.” Thanks, Captain Random.
So we’d do things that we couldn’t do while my hurricane daughter was awake, like play Candy Land 584 times, or color without her eating the crayons. So he and I would snuggle and play rather than me being so angry he wasn’t sleeping.
Cue the Oprah “A-ha!”
Even the nights were better because he was so exhausted, he couldn’t keep his eyes open past seven. I LOVE putting him to sleep. He’d fall asleep quickly in my arms, but I hold on to him for a few extra minutes, kiss his sweet, sweet face, and whisper in his ear “I am only this crazy because I love you and I don’t want you to end up on the streets…. or marry some awful girl.”
Hacks to Help Your Kids Sleep When They’re Sick
A few weeks ago both of my kids were sick and nighttime was really rough around here. In the light of day I had a slight resemblance to a zombie from The Walking Dead, and I mumbled something that was supposed to sound like “Will I ever get to sleep again?” but I think it sounded more like “Coffee…. Get me coffee.” But I’m a mom and it’s my job to keep it together at 2 PM or 2 AM. So when my kids are sick and no one in this house is sleeping, I do two things: Call my mom to cry a little and wait for her to give me pep talk—you can do this… you can do this!, and I pull out some life hacks to get everyone feeling better and back to bed.
Coughs and sore throats can keep your little ones up all night so grab some Jell-o, warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds, and add a tablespoon of honey. The gelatin and honey combo will calm their cough and take away throat pain and get them back to sleep. Just remember that honey should only be given to children over the age of one.
During cold season, we go though A LOT of tissues and a long night with a stuffy nose usually means a big mess. Is my dog the only one that LOVES a used tissue? Cut down on the mess and keep kids from jumping in and out of bed all night to blow their nose by taking two tissues boxes, one full and one empty, and wrap a rubber band around both boxes. When your child can grab tissue, blow their nose, and drop the tissue in the empty box. I even attach a small bottle of hand sanitizer for super messy nose blowing.
If you have a kid with tummy trouble, you are in for a long night. Take my “lasagna method” for their beds one step further and do the same for the “sick bucket.” Grab a stack of plastic shopping bags and line the bucket that has the unfortunate job of being the catch-all for sick kids. If they get sick at night, just pull out the top bag and another one is waiting for the next round. This helps keep clean up to a minimum and your little patient can get back to sleep.
For those times the “sick bucket” didn’t catch the mess, carpet cleaner meant for pet stains is great option. If you don’t have any on hand, throwing some baking soda on the mess helps to make clean up easier and vodka is a miracle worker on getting smells of carpets and furniture. If you choose to use that vodka for something else, I won’t judge… just invite me over.
We’re already suffering from Mommy-Brain (am I right?) Here’s two things that help: Grab a marker and create a small chart on the side of medicine bottles for doses and the number of days kids need to take the medicine. Also if you’re handing out doses of medicine and need to keep track of the times and doses late at night and during the day, use a dry erase marker on the bathroom mirror to remind you who got what medicine.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate is a Mom’s mantra when you have a sick kid. But getting to the store late at night for those electrolyte drinks isn’t always possible. You can easily make your own:
Mix together
- 1 quart water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
You can always add a few splashes of juice for flavor and I’ve found that warming the water first helps dissolve the salt and sugar.
To prevent spills in bed, turn any cup into a spill proof sippie by adding press and seal wrap to the lid and sticking a straw in the cup or putting a crazy straw upside down in a cup with a lid.
Painful headaches are absolutely miserable and always worse at night. Comfort your child, soothe their headache, and get them back to sleep by massaging their head and neck with coconut oil and a few drops of peppermint oil. Just be sure to keep it away from their eyes.
A nasty cold and stuffy nose doesn’t have to keep everyone up all night, with a super easy recipe and 20 minutes you can create vapor rub cubes for the shower that will have everyone breathing easy and sleeping in no time.
Here’s how you make them:
- Mix three tablespoons of vapor rub with one cup of cornstarch
- Mix together (the vapor rub needs to be mixed really well before it begins to warm up and mix with the corn starch. Just keep stirring!)
- Add two tablespoons of water. You want a thick paste and can add a few splashes of water at time (not too much) to get the right consistency.
- Press the paste into an ice cube tray and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Store in the freezer or at room temperature in an airtight container.
When you’re ready to use the vapor rub cubes, put one near the drain and turn on the steamy shower. Older kids can stand under the water (you can put the cube in a dish if you’re nervous about a slippery tub floor) and for younger kids, just snuggle with them next to the shower and let them breath in the steam and vapor smell.
Just like the terrible twos, this too shall pass and soon everyone will be healthy and sleeping again. Until then, there’s always Starbucks. Lots of Starbucks.
Apps Every Parent Needs When they Travel With Kids!
Since my parents live three hours away, we spend a lot of time in the car traveling back and forth. Our kids have become rock stars while we travel and we aren’t too shabby either. I’ve got the snacks, drinks, and all the movies my kids will need to entertain them all the way to their grandparents’ house. Also, I’ve learned that Mom and Dad need some important apps on their phones too. Head on over to Dulles Chrysler Dodge and see my awesome list of Apps Every Parent Needs When They Travel. Click right here to be magically transported!
Worry about yourself!
Remember this adorable viral video? The little girl desperately tries to strap herself into her carseat, and when her dad offers to help, she barks back “Worry about yourself!” Girlfriend was on to something!
Parenting in this day and age means you are inundated with people telling you how you should raise your children and judging every decision you make. As a mom, it’s virtually impossible to make it out of toddlerhood without falling victim to the dreaded Mommy Wars. But enough is enough.
Let’s all say it together “Worry about yourself!”
Rather than keeping up with every mom on the block or taking a single side of the judgy-wudgy Mommy Wars, let’s focus on what we are doing RIGHT as Moms.
I’ve often said if I can get my kids through adulthood not marrying someone I hate or doing crystal meth, I will call this parenting gig a success; however, I have to wait a long time for that payoff. So, I’m taking the little winning moments where I can get them and focus on Motherhood: How I Know I’m Doing it Right.
- My kids have just the right amount of unhealthy attachment– My kids love school, will happily stay with a babysitter, and will jump into any crazy inflatable jumpy thing or ball pit as soon as they lay eyes on it, but they always, always look back to make sure I’m there. Boo boos—they need me. A snuggle on the couch—me. Waking up in the middle of the night and need someone to vomit on — always me.
- When they get a snack or a treat, they always ask for one for their sibling- It doesn’t matter if it is a handful of crackers at home, a lollipop at the hair salon, or a balloon at a birthday party, both kids always ask to take one for the other—always. *Drops mic* *Walks off stage* My job is done here, folks.
- They’ve got each other’s backs – While I do not condone violence, I don’t take kindly to older kids picking on my babies. The day some older punk was pushing my gal on the playground, before I could make it over to her and go all Mamma Bear, my boy jumped off the slide, ran over to the hoodlum, and yelled in his face “Don’t touch my sister!” Pretty rad.
- Everyone always tell me I have “happy kids”-My response is usually, “lucky you! You just missed their epic tantrum.” Truthfully, my kids are really happy. Most days you can find a sweet smile on their face. And much like their mother, they’re always ready for a party (as long as you have chocolate milk and cake).
- They have a really weird and hilarious sense of humor- My main man’s favorite joke is walking into the room announcing “Mommy, I can’t hear you. I’ve got a banana in my ear.” That one slays me and I purposely buy bananas every week just so he can tell that joke with a prop; the potassium is just an added bonus. And my gal tops every outfit with crazy sunglasses, a cowboy hat, furry boots, and a glittery tutu just to make the most mundane tasks, like eating breakfast, fabulous every day. These kids are strange little birds, and they are all mine!
Friends, let me get all Oprah on you now.
Here’s what I know for sure: There is no one in this world who would do a better job of raising, loving, and caring for my son and my daughter. Just like there is no one that is a better Mom for your kids than you. So trust that and the choices you make over someone judging you for a position they are simply not qualified for.
Worry about yourself!
The Mom’s Quick Guide For Caring For Your Car!
As moms, we’re super busy and on top of everything our kids need–snacks, that lost shoe they simply can’t find, the toy they MUST have to sleep every night. But sometimes, we let other things slide, like maintaining our cars. I’m not just talking about getting it washed and vacuumed once in a blue moon. So keep your precious cargo safe and your wallet intact by using my grandfather’s words of wisdom, and I’ll show you how to make your life easier while. Click here to find me over at Thompson Mazda sharing my Guide for Caring for your Car!
Super Easy, Last Minute Halloween Treats
My kids have known for months what they were going to be for Halloween (a doctor and Super Girl–seriously their costumes are so stinking cute) and we’ve had spiders, ghosts and those silly cotton cobwebs all over our house and front yard since October 1, but somehow Halloween has snuck up on me AGAIN! In an attempt to get in touch with the Pinteresty- Mom I so long to be, sigh, and the reality that I have zero time, I’ve got five super easy, last minute Halloween treats that anyone can make.
Crazy Candy People-
Want to make a treat for your kid’s class that looks like you spent a ton of time, but is secretly super easy? Then Crazy Candy People are perfect. With a little hot glue or tape attach a lollipop to a tiny candy bar, use Smarties as arms and legs, draw a scary face with a black sharpie on the lollipop, and these treats will be the hit of the party!
Spooky Graveyard Pudding Cups
I love this treat because kids can help you assemble them while at their classroom Halloween party or at home! If you are sending this treat in, you could put everything in small baggies and give the kids instructions on how to assemble or put this snack together as a class. All you need is pudding cups, crushed Oreos, marshmallow ghost, candy pumpkins. What an easy, spooky, sweet treat.
Silly Spider Cookies-
Everything is cuter with edible eyes! Everything! Using your own sugar cookie recipe or the store bought from the tube, follow directions to bake the cookies When done, add a tiny peanut butter cup upside down and use a small amount of melted chocolate to as clue to attach candy eyes (you can find these at your craft store’s baking section). Dip a toothpick into the melted chocolate and draw on the legs. How cute are these cookies?
Mummy Juice Box or Squeeze Applesauce Pouch
Wrap white tape or crape paper around a juice box, applesauce pouch, or even a small water bottle and add googly eyes with a little bit off glue and you have an easy and adorable mummy!I LOVE these and my kids think they are hilarious!
Boo-nana
For this easy treat, cut a banana in half and put a popsicle stick in the bottom. Dip the banana in melted white chocolate, add tiny chocolate morsels for eyes and put in the freezer for 15 -20 minutes. Now you have a spooky ghost banana. Easy and yummy!
Happy Halloween! And remember, as a mom, you get half of all their candy and treats. It’s a rule. I swear!
Oh you know, just me on The Rachel Ray Show!
In addition to loving a good life hack, I LOVE Rachael Ray–LOVE Her. Check my kitchen, I have her pots and pans, her knives, her adorable EVOO drizzle thingy (obvi that’s not the correct name), and ton of her cookbooks and magazines. I’ve bought her dog food for Suggie and I’ve eaten at a dozen restaurants based on her recommendations. Basically, I think she is just rad so when I was asked to film one of my life hacks for her show… I basically squealed like a little girl, forced myself to be cool..be cool, and plotted a way to make Rachael my newest BFF. Here’s the clip of my appearance on her show and a great hack for this time of year! As always, my kids are the scene stealers and I swear, my house always looks this clean (just don’t look behind the camera because that’s where we stashed everything.)
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