Just Your Everyday Mama Blog
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5 Painter’s Tape Activities for Kids
Are you looking for a very easy, cheap, and fun way to change up your child’s playtime? Or help to develop some prewriting skills? Or just want some new activities for your kiddo? I got you, friend.
The answer is plain old blue painter’s tape. That’s it. We keep a few rolls in the house for rainy days. And the painter’s tape comes off of most surfaces with no issues and makes clean up easy.
Let me share some of our favorite kid’s painter’s tape activities with you!
Kid’s Painter’s Tape Activities
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Lines On The Floor
This is a playtime enhancer that helps with prewriting skills. Just put out a few different lines on the floor with tape. We usually do a few different types of lines including straight, zig-zag, and dotted, you get the picture. Now let your imagination run free! The lines can be roads, used to line stuff up on them (usually dinosaurs here) etc. I usually just put the lines down and let Barrett go to town with his imagination.
We also like to make places to park cars and trucks and drive around.
Shapes On The Floor
You can do all the same activities as with the regular lines on the floor. We also add in doing things like bean bag toss, kicking a ball (gently) to the different shapes while someone calls them out, etc. This can be open-ended play that they can run with.
Letter Tracing With Toys
This is a great activity for your “Hot Wheels” enthusiasts. Just write out, in the painter’s tape, whatever letters you want to focus on. Once they are on the floor, you child can use cars or other toys to trace over the letters. You can roll a ball over them, line up toys on them, anything you can come up with so they can get the feel for the lines of the letters.
This is also great to do with numbers to get the feel for the lines and curves of the numbers as well.
You can expand on these activities and do multiple letters or numbers at a time and have your child “hunt” for items that start with the letter or a certain number of toys and place it on the number.
Toy Rescue
This is a super popular little idea that I have seen a lot out there. We have tried it a few times and always had a blast so it’s definitely worth the mention. Its even an easy activity to put-together from the dollar store as well.
You need- painters tape, a muffin tin, and small animals to rescue. Place an animal or two in each muffin spot, tape over to your liking and give to child. They now get to “Rescue” the animal.
Younger children can build up finger strength picking off and working at the tape, while older children could even use scissors (under adult supervision) to work through the tape.
This is a super versatile activity as well. It’s easy to find different toys or small items to do this with.
Tape On A Canvas Painting
This is a favorite to make some super cool abstract artwork. Take a simple blank canvas, whatever size you want, and place tape in a random pattern stretched from various edges of the canvas. Then paint over however you like. Let dry, remove tape and you have a nifty little piece of artwork.
Thanks for stopping by today friends! I can’t wait for you try some of these super easy and fun painter’s tape activities! Jump on over to my Facebook page here, and share your very own painter’s tape creations and activities!
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Quick and Easy Self-Care Ideas
Hello there, friends! I keep hearing about all these self-care ideas lately, that led me to reflect on my own self-care. As I started to reflect on that, I found that I really don’t put enough emphasis on my self-care at all. I’ve had to take some steps to correct that.
The definition of Self-care is-“The practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.” I think this can translate into so many things for everyone. But I think it is important to note where it says “active role”. You have to show up for yourself here. You have to commit to doing whatever your self-care is: commit to doing it for you.
Finding some type of self-care for yourself is so important to your overall wellness. You need an outlet that is all yours. And you need to take time for yourself to rest and rejuvenate. It’s so necessary to help yourself manage your stress, relax, and improve your mental and physical health.
If you are not taking some time to focus on your self-care, you could find yourself feeling it. I know I personally start to feel super anxious and overwhelmed if I haven’t taken some “Me” time in a while. I try to head it off before it gets to that point now, though.
If you need some help coming up with some self-care ideas for yourself, I’ve compiled a list of some quick and easy ideas that you can start incorporating into your day right now!
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Pamper Yourself!
- Get a manicure or pedicure. Give yourself one at home if going out for one right now isn’t in the cards. Keep it simple or get a little extra with it! Whatever makes you feel good.
- Spend some extra time doing your everyday get-ready routine. Slap on some eyeliner and a little shadow today instead of just a quick swipe of mascara. Spend some time curling your hair instead of just putting it up in a mom-bun.
- Take an extra long shower or soak in a bath. Do it with zero distractions if possible. Let yourself relax and unwind.
- Take a nap. Not a nap-trap nap either. A zero-responsibility, honest-to-goodness, have someone else watch your kids and you sleep and rest.
- Get a massage. If this is something you can go out and get done, then do it. It’s so helpful for releasing tension and stress. Massages can help release trapped tension and help you relax those tight muscles. if going out and getting one isn’t feasible for whatever reason, you can get an at-home massager to help you. There are a ton of different styles available. Something as simple as a small handheld roller massager can help you release some of that tension.
- Spend some time and cook your favorite comfort food. Take it slow, enjoy the process of cooking. Sit down in front of a movie and enjoy your favorite meal. If cooking isn’t gonna happen, then order it if you can.
- Spend some time meditating. Try to clear your mind and relax, if only for just a few minutes.
Get Moving!
- Physical activity is so important for feeling good. 15-30 mins per day is a great goal to shoot for! Make it something you enjoy and don’t be afraid to change routines and try different activities.
- Do Yoga. It’s great for your body and your mind. You can find some easy beginner routines on YouTube. Or check out a class at a local studio or gym.
- Play a sport. Finding a local recreational league can be a great way to get moving and meet new people.
- Take a fitness class. A local gym is a great place to check out some different fitness classes if you don’t have a specific type you like. Some gyms will let you pay a drop-in fee to take a class without a membership. You can also check with your local library, I know that ours does some fitness classes on occasion.
- Go for a walk. You don’t need anything special for this. Just get up and go. Walk in your neighborhood, at a local park, or find a walking trail that you like.
- Go for a hike. Spending time outdoors is so good for us humans. And getting out in the woods into nature can really bring you a sense of peace and calmness.
Make Some Space
- Pick an area of your home to declutter and organize. You can repeat this as many times as you want.
- Go through an area of your home with the intention of finding items to give away. This can be to a shelter, Goodwill, or a local free site. Whatever works best for you.
- Declutter your phone. If you are like me, your iCloud Storage is constantly yelling at you that your photo storage is full. Spend some time cleaning it out to make room for some new awesome memories. Do the same for other files on your phone and your emails
- After you declutter (or while you’re doing it), spend some time setting up some kind of organizational system for your files. This way you can avoid having to continue with the chaos.
- Take up a Minimalist approach to organizing. This can help control the amount of stuff in your space.
- Create an area of your home for your relaxation. Make sure it is somewhere that you can go to be alone and spend time in a calm environment.
Get Inspired
- Try a new food that you have always wanted to try. Or maybe something that is totally outside of your comfort zone.
- Watch some How-to videos or some DIY videos on YouTube. Pick something that you could see yourself doing. If you like it, give it a shot.
- Be a tourist for a few hours in a local city or town. You could even do this in your local city. Try to look at it with fresh eyes, as if you are just seeing it for the first time. You may find that you notice some pretty cool things that you tend to over look.
- Go to a craft store and pick out a new craft to try out. No pressure, just have fun with the process.
- Try out some dollar tree crafts. They are very affordable and you can find some that are very beginner friendly if you are not normally crafty. There are tons of YouTube videos out there.
- Visit a new local restaurant or shop. Or visit a store that you normally wouldn’t go to.
- Find a new scheduling system or planner to try out. I like to do this to get fresh ideas for our schedule.
To Social or Not To Social
- Call up a friend or family member. You do not need to have a deep conversation or anything, just some light-hearted chit-chat can sometimes do the trick.
- Go out to dinner. Sometimes just having someone else serve you a hot meal is all the treatment you need. Not having to clean up afterward and do the dishes is also a definite win.
- Reach out to an old friend. We all tend to get so busy in our day-to-day lives that we have trouble keeping in touch with everyone. Take some time to shoot a text or call someone you haven’t talked to in a while.
- Don’t be afraid to spend some quality alone time with yourself. We all need it.
- You can pick almost any of the above activities in this article and do them with a friend.
Remember to take care of yourself and show yourself some love! You deserve it!
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7 Easy Ways to Prep for the Week Ahead
Hello there, friends! I hope you are doing well! I am bringing you another of my favorite lists, today! Ways to prep for the week! Weekly prep and meal planning are right up there with goal setting and planners for me! I love it!
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Benefits of Prepping for the Week
- Having everything prepped ahead of time can really help get your week off to a smoother start.
- When a lot of your daily, sometimes time-consuming tasks, it also helps your days run a lot smoother and saves you time each day.
- If you are prepping on Sunday for the week and come across an issue, you can address it beforehand, so you don’t have any unwanted surprises during the week.
- Working in batches saves you time on each task overall. An example would be Ironing your clothes ahead of time. If you spent time each night before work to take out your ironing board, heat up your iron, iron your clothes, and then put everything away again, you could save yourself and just do it all at once before the week starts.
- Having a plan and being prepared will save you money overall, especially when it comes to food.
- Including family in this prep will ensure that everyone is on the same page throughout the week.
Finnish Up Household To-Do’s
For me, the first step to prepping for the upcoming week is by finishing up anything leftover from the current week. Laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc. Anything that needs finishing up to start the week off with a fresh start.
You can’t start a fresh new week with last week’s stuff still sitting around.
Plan Meals and Shop with a List
This step saves us so much trouble throughout the week. I am terrible at coming up with dinners on the fly and I refuse to have chicken nuggets every night. So this is a must for me.
We sit down on Saturday and plan out our dinners for the upcoming week. We also decide what we are going to be having for breakfasts and lunches, but we don’t worry too much about lunch since it’s usually sandwiches and leftovers.
Once we have the meals all figured out, I see what we have in the pantry that we can use, and then make a list of whatever else we need. When I get to the store, I stick to the list. This saves money, time, and sanity!
Meal Prep for the Week
If you can take an hour or two to do some meal prep, it will save you so much time in the long run. It will save you money as well if you aren’t buying lunch every day or frequrently getting take out for dinner.
Batch cooking certain foods and storing for later can be a huge time saver for all meals as well. We do this with rice a lot. We make a big batch and then use it for lunches and dinners throughout the week. This can be done with a lot of different grains and pastas!
I like to prep a veggie platter and cut up fruit to keep for snacks. I am far more likely to make a healthy choice if it is prepped and ready for me.
You can make this as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. It can be a simple process if you don’t want anything super fancy. I’ll share some ideas below, friends!
Breakfast
Granola or granola bars, egg muffins, fruit cups with yogurt, sandwiches and burritos. These are some quick and easy examples of breakfast that you can prep!
If you prefer smoothies, you can prep ingredients for those in plastic baggies and freeze until you’re ready to use them.
Lunch
Salads, protein boxes, soups, stews, burritos. There are somethings like sandwiches and wraps that I prefer to make the night before.
Depending on what equipment you have access to for lunch, you will need to prep accordingly.
Dinner
Freezer bag dinners and insta pot meals can be a life saver if you are short on time! We like to make meals that build off each other to avoid waste. If we make a pork roast for dinner one night, we plan the next meal to use the leftovers and build upon that. It helps us out and makes meal planning a little easier as well.
Review To-Do Lists, Goals, Finances
Spend some time looking at any upcoming appointments or deadlines for the week to hopefully avoid some surprises later on. Review any to do lists or take this time to create some to prep for the week.
If you are a goal oriented person, like myself, then this is a great time to also review any goals you have for the week. Spend some time planning out how you can achieve these or take positive steps toward their completion.
I like to spend some time and review household finances as well. We try to stick to a budget every week so this helps me know where we are at for the upcoming week and helps me to be more aware of my spending during the week.
Make A Schedule and Set Priorities for the Week
Once you have reviewed your To-Do list, or made one, and goals for the upcoming week, it’s time to make a plan to achieve them. I find it is easy to work them into my day if I include them in my regular prep for the week.
Make a schedule or daily to do list (whichever works best for you) to help keep you on track all week. Make it as easy or as complicated as you want. Pick a few things to have as your priority goals of the week.
Make sure schedule yourself some self care time, you deserve it!
Plan Out Wardrobe
One of the most frustrating things in the mornings for me is trying to get dressed. I can never decide what to wear! And even worse, if what I want to wear is in the laundry, I’m already in a bad mood for the day then lol.
Make sure you can easily find your belts, scarves, accessories, shoes, especially if you wear multiple pairs a day, like gym shoes and works shoes, etc.
If you have any clothes that need to be ironed or freshened up, this is a great opportunity to do it in a larger batch and save the set up time everyday.
Prep All Bags, Briefcases etc.
If you have a work bag or gym bag that you use everyday, it’s a good idea to take a few minutes and make sure it is up to date with everything you need. If you use soaps or shampoo at the gym, this is a good time to restock and reorganize.
Same for bags that you use for work or school. Make sure you have any supplies you may need for the week ahead.
Thank you for taking the time to read my article, friends! I hope you have found something helpful here today! Have an amazing day!
If you enjoyed this article, you can find more of my prepping tips here to help Prep for an Awesome Morning!
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Backyard Family Garden
Hello friends! I hope you are having a wonderful day and enjoying some nice spring weather! I have been elbow-deep in the dirt the last few weeks and I couldn’t be happier about it! I have been working tirelessly to set up our little backyard garden. And we got a small backyard greenhouse too! So now I get to expand our little family garden even more! I have been a busy busy girl!
As far back as I can remember, I have loved gardening. I remember spending summers with my grandma helping her with the rose bushes and irises. And helping my grandpa pick green beans from the family garden and ‘accidentally’ eating all of them before we got back to the house. Gardening has always been something that brings me happiness and joy.
There is something quite satisfying about growing something from a tiny baby plant or a seed and then being able to harvest part of our meals from it. It is a fantastic experience. And I know that my family is getting healthy, homegrown fresh fruits and vegetables. You couldn’t ask for better.
Our Greenhouse and Composter We usually only grow stuff in the spring and summer. But this year is going to be different! Our new small backyard greenhouse will allow us to extend our growing season a bit, start seeds as needed year-round, and grow a few different types of fruits and veggies year-round. This is going to save us a ton on food costs in the long run.
I also try to limit our waste by composting whatever we can. Usually, for me, that would mean a little bucket outside of our kitchen door for scraps. Then once a week, I would add some water and blend it up to feed the plants. However, we just got a rotating composter, so we are adding everything into that to get it cooking.
My son, Barrett, has been my little garden buddy for the last four years. He is the best, of course! We have learned so much together with our ever-expanding family garden! I got the whole family outside the other day to tour all of our little plants ha! Barrett was so proud to show Dada all of our hard work. It made for some great family bonding time!
Our Current Family Garden Set Up
We currently rent our house so we can’t do anything permanent for a garden. But I HAVE to have one so we use containers. Initially, I wasn’t happy about it, but I have learned to love it. It’s also a great option for smaller spaces as well. Everybody needs a little backyard garden and I will show you an easy setup that anyone can do.
All our veggies and herbs we are currently growing. We have about ten 5-gallon buckets that we use for our bigger plants like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, etc. There’s a ton of stuff that you can grow in them. We got ours from Lowes, and drilled about 10-15 holes (it will vary based on size and spacing), throw in some stone, potting soil, and the plant. Make sure that you pay attention to sun and water requirements for whatever you plant. I would definitely invest in a store-bought fertilizer/food or compost system. Whatever fits your lifestyle best.
In previous years, I have put the buckets on our porch, but I decided I needed more room, so last year, we moved them down into the yard. And this year, we added the greenhouse that I am so in love with it! I have moved my herbs in there and some seedlings I have started. I did have to move a few of my buckets in there too to save the baby plants from the critters digging them up.
I have some trouble with squirrels digging up my plants from the buckets. This year I remedied that with plastic forks from the dollar store. It helped a good bit. I would definitely use them again as a pest deterrent.
I am going to be following this up with some more garden-related posts in the near future! I am excited to bring this into my blog because gardening is something I can talk about all day long. I love it! And I am excited to share some awesome tips and tricks with you to help you on you’re family garden journey!
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2023 Summer Bucket List
Hello friends!! Summer is right around the corner, so I am sharing my “2023 Summer Bucket List” with you today!
Every year, we make a summer bucket list and have had such a blast marking items off the list, as a family, over the years. We like to pick a pretty wide range of things to put on the list. Anything from “go out and get ice cream” to “go to an amusement park” etc.
Get creative with it! Maybe choose some places to visit that you otherwise may not be able to go. Or try some new foods that you have wanted to try. Or look up some new ones! Have fun with it!!
I keep a fair balance on our list of activities for the whole family or just me and Barrett. I like to include things like “visit 10 new playgrounds” to help us get motivated to branch out a little from our regular spots.
The bucket list is also nice to have around for those days that you just cant figure out what to do. It could be a very useful thing to help you find some boredom breakers!
I will be updating here and my Facebook page with pictures and updates! I would love to hear your bucket list ideas as well! Come on and join the conversation, friends! I can’t wait to hear from you!
P.S. We have gotten a headstart, even though it isn’t summer yet! Ill share some pics in the near future!!
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9 Ways To FIND and KEEP Motivation
Hello friends! I am thrilled that you have found your way here today! I am bringing you a nice little list of ways to help find and keep motivation! Sometimes I find it so hard to get up my motivation for certain things or have trouble staying motivated when the task seems too overwhelming. So here are some of the things that I do to help me out. I have also added some that I have researched and plan on trying myself!
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Set Goals to Help Find Motivation
For me, having everything I want to accomplish written out and visible is the best way for me to stay on top of working towards it. I like to sit down, plan my goals for the year, and review them regularly. Reviewing them regularly is so important to keep up motivation towards them as well!
If necessary, I do revise them. Sometimes, my focus changes as time progresses, which can make me change my goals a bit. I tend to hyperfocus on certain things and they seem super important at the time. Once my focus shifts, I tend to adjust the goals for my lack of hyper-interest.
Check out my previous post on Goal Setting for 2023!!
And for me, sitting down and setting goals can be the best thing to motivate me when depressed. Having everything I want to achieve listed out in front of me can help give me a little kick in the butt and help me start moving.
Build Momentum to Keep up Motivation
Taking small steps and building on those steps is a great way to keep up motivation. I find that, once I make those first tiny steps toward almost any goal, it is way easier to take on more and more.
Once you start to see the progress from those tiny little steps, the momentum starts picking up!
Think Positively
Keeping a positive mindset is a must to keep up motivation. And sometimes this can be the hardest part.
I find that practicing “positive self-talk” can really make a difference in my mindset. Spend some time focusing on the positives that you are surrounded with and all the amazingness that you bring to the table.
Find Accountability Partners or a Mentor to Keep up Motivation
Having a like-minded individual to support you in your journey is such an amazing gift. Whether this comes in the form of a friend with similar goals that you can check in with on progress, or a wizened old guru that can guide you on your way. Either one of those types of support systems can really help with your motivation.
If you don’t have someone in your life like this, don’t rule out Social Media. Reaching out to a local mom group or even a community group for someone to chat with and check in with can be a huge help. Heck, start a Facebook group for accountability!
Track Progress to Keep up Motivation
I like to set long-term goals for myself every year. When I do it this way, it is so easy to lose motivation midway. To help fight this, I like to use trackers. It’s a super helpful tool to keep you on track.
Trackers can range from just writing down numbers as you make progress, or you could make it fun using pictures or fill-in bubbles, etc. See what works best for you!
Practice gratitude
Spending some time reflecting on the things in your life that you are thankful for can be a great tool to help you find and keep up your motivation. Reflect on those things in your life that bring you joy.
Is there anything else you would like to see on that list? Something you want but have not achieved yet? Is there something on that list that you want to improve? This can be a great practice to help find motivation.
Reward system
There is absolutely no shame in a bit of bribery! I find that offering myself a little reward for completing a daunting task can be just the thing to get me going!
I prefer to bribe myself with food, craft supplies, and clothes!
Build Habits and Routines to Keep up Motivation
This one can take some time, but that doesn’t mean it’s not effective. Making something in your life a habit, or part of your regular routine, is one of the best ways to complete a goal. If you are regularly working toward it and have made it a part of your regular schedule, you’ll achieve it before you know it!
When I am looking to get motivated to lose weight or just be overall healthier, I start by making small changes in my routines. These small changes become habits and as I see the results of these small changes, I am more motivated to make additional small changes.
Develop timeline
Set small wins to celebrate along the way to the big goals to help keep up motivation. Figure out when you would like to have your goal achieved, then create smaller, easier to attain, challenges within now and that time.
Thank you so much for taking the time to check out my post! As always, I hope you found something useful today! Have an amazing day, friend!
I would love to hear from you about the ways that YOU find and keep your motivation up! Join the conversation over my Facebook page!
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Spring 2023!!
Hello there, friends!! I hope you are doing fabulous today! We have been busy, busy lately! On top of our usual spring shenanigans, family is coming into town soon! Josh’s parents will be here in a couple of days and we can’t wait!
We decided to do our spring cleaning this past weekend so that everything is nice and clean when Grandma and Grandpa get here! It’s one of my favorite springtime activities. I love getting to see everything in the house fresh, clean, and ready to go.
Mother Nature has been feeling gracious lately with her spring weather, so we have been able to go to the park almost every day! And we have been able to meet up with some of our friends for some amazing hikes and playdtaes.
Currently we are following a local parks and rec program with a goal of walking one hundred miles by the end of the year. These last few weeks have given us a great start! We have gotten to walk some of our favorite trails and enjoy their beauty in the warm sunshine.
With all this beautiful weather, I have had to really rein myself in from going crazy buying plants already! But I know better by now and it’s better to wait instead of losing the plants to a surprise frost.
But we have been able to do a few spring gardening-related activities. Including a few trips to the dollar store for some new planters and seeds. I have gotten some planters in the past from there that have become some of my favorites over the years.
I have spent some time planning out our garden as well. We are going to try some companion container gardening this spring and summer that I am really looking forward to. We are pretty limited on space and ability to plant since we rent, so I am hoping that this will let us get an even bigger crop this year.
For our companion gardening we are going to be using the “Three Sisters” method and plant corn, beans and squash in a few different containers. Ive have zero experience with this so I’m hoping it works out like it should.
We are also going to be planting some sunflowers to use as a climbing pole for our cucumbers. I’ve never grown sunflowers before, but Barrett and I cannot wait to see them in bloom!
The weather has been too beautiful to not try to start growing something. So we grabbed some of our seeds and egg carton and headed out into the beautiful sunshine! We were able to get our sunflowers and corn started a little early to give them a headstart. I want to make sure they are nice and sturdy to hold up lots of fresh garden goodies!
Thank you for stopping by today, friends! I would love to hear all about what you are up to so far this spring, leave me a comment or jump on over to my Facebook page and join the conversation there!
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Prep for An Awesome Morning in 7 Steps
Hello there, Friends! Thank you for stopping by my page today! I am bringing you some tips today to help you Prep For an Awesome Morning!
For me, an awesome morning means I have almost zero adulting to do. If possible, just some hot coffee and quiet time. So the more I can do the night before, the less I have to do the next morning, the more awesome my morning is! Here are some things I do to prep for an awesome morning!
- Review the next day’s schedule and create a to-do list for the day.
If you have read some of my other stuff, then you know I am a huge list-maker and planner. This is a must for me to prep for an awesome morning and a better day. Doing this allows me to look at what I need to do the next day and lets me know what I need to prep ahead of time.
A to-do list is also a must for me because I remember NOTHING. If there is anything I want to accomplish the next day, I need to have this list.
2. Prep coffee pots, drinks, and water bottles.
Making coffee in the morning is a dreaded task for me at first light. It’s such a simple thing to do, but I just can’t stand doing it before I’ve had my coffee haha! So the night before, I prep it so that my grumpy self can just push a button when I wake up. You can do this with tea and other drinks as well.
3. Prep Lunches, snacks, breakfasts, smoothies, etc.
If I am making smoothies for breakfast every day, I usually prep the ingredients one day and then bag them up and freeze them for the rest of the week. I just make sure I take one bag out of the freezer and put it in the fridge with the yogurt or whatever I am going to use with it the next day.
Depending on your schedule, you pick a type of prep that would work best for your family. We have a super laid-back morning routine currently so I don’t really need to prep anything for that right now. But if your family is short on time in the mornings, prepping a grab-and-go option can be a real lifesaver.
4. Pack any bags needed for the next day. Gym bags, briefcases, etc. school books,
This is another must for me! If I have to pack a bag in the morning It throws off my whole morning routine. So I make sure anything I need is ready to go the night before.
5. Pick out clothes for the morning, lay them out, or iron them if needed.
I like to make sure I have the clothes I will need for the next day ready to go. Unless we are just going to be chilling at home. This is helpful to me because I am terrible at remembering to finish the laundry. I am really good at putting it in the wash, but once it’s in there, I completely forget about it. So this way, I can make sure I actually have what I need and it’s not sitting all soggy in the washer.
6. Prep activities for the next day, Set up for school time.
Personally, I find it easier to set up for our day the night before. I like to have everything out when we first get up so I don’t have to fuss with getting it out then.
Barrett enjoys waking up and seeing the day’s activities already out as well.
7. Declutter and clean up.
When everything is said and done for the day, I do this. I am a clutter junky, but it drives me insane. To help me in the morning, I clean up at night so that I have a nice, clean, blank slate to work with for the day.
If I wake up to clutter in the kitchen or in my workspace for the morning, it tends to start my day in chaos (if it hasn’t already, thanks to the savage, haha!).
Thanks so much for stopping by today, friends! I hope you have found something helpful here today! Don’t forget to stop by my Facebook page and share the tips and tricks you use to prep for an awesome morning!
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Art Journaling For Kids
Art Journaling for Kids
Hello there, friends! Thank you for finding your way to my site today. I wanted to share with you a fun little activity that we do. It is a great way to use up stickers, old artwork, etc. And we all know that we have plenty of those floating around!
I put together an Art Journal for Barrett and we have such a blast creating in it. I love being able to just give him art supplies and letting him go to town with them. It is such a cool process to watch. This is also great practice for scissors skills and other fine motor skills, writing, and creative process. The possibilities are truly endless with a craft like this.
This journal is my favorite way to use up some of the artwork we have around the house as well. We all know how guilty we feel throwing away anything our kids have made. This way they recycle it into something new and have it to keep without it just sitting in a pile or a drawer. It’s a win-win!
Let’s dive in and get to the good stuff.
Creating The Actual Journal
This can be as easy or as complicated as you want it to be. I personally used a book that I had made years ago for recipes and just never used it. I did a basic sewn binding into a hardback book cover that I gutted. Nothing fancy. I did decorate it using scrapbook paper, wash tape, and stickers.
You do not have to go through that much trouble. You can use an old book or magazine as well. You can also just simply staple some pieces of paper together to make a little booklet. Heck, start it out with just a couple of pieces of paper and figure it out later! Just make it fun!
What Supplies Do You Need?
The supply list can be absolutely whatever you have around the house that you don’t mind getting destroyed. We’ve used just old felt pieces on some pages. It can be anything. The only rule I have for putting stuff in is that I need to be able to close the book comfortably. (There was a toy dinosaur incident haha). I will leave a list below of ideas in case you need a little inspiration.
- Old artwork
- Magazines/newspapers
- Scrap fabrics
- Twine/yarn/string
- Stickers
- Ribbon
- Pictures out of coloring books
- Tissue or wrapping paper
- Gift bags
- Stickers
- Foam shapes
- Feathers
- Greeting cards
- Markers
- Crayons
- Paints
- Dot markers
- Scrapbook paper
- Pretty much any paper
- Special memory items
What To Do
Have fun and let your kiddo’s creativity soar! I personally usually encourage Barrett to do a bit on his own and then after he has had some time to focus on his own, I jump in and we create a few pages together.
We combine everything, from drawing and practicing our letters to cutting pages out of magazines and gluing them down. We have a few pages where we used some of his old artwork as the main background and then decorated and built around that image.
You can easily turn this into a more guided activity by using specific sets of items or images that coincide with a theme. Or you can let chaos rein and put all the supplies out together!
Thank you so much for stopping by today friends! And I hope that you and your kiddos find this activity as much fun as we do! Jump on over to my Facebook page and share your Art Journaling pages with me!! See ya there!
All activities are intended to be done under complete adult supervision and with adult assistance as needed per Child’s necessity.
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5 Ways to Help With Stay-At-Home Mom Isolation
Hello there Friends!! Something that has come up a lot in conversation recently for me has been “Stay-At-Home Mom Isolation”. I didn’t even realize that this was a thing until a mom friend of mine put it into words. Then BAM, I realized exactly what she meant.
Stay-at-home mom loneliness is a whole other level of feeling isolated. Not only was my interaction with other adults limited to playdates, story times, and the poor store clerks I would chat with, but I had nothing for just me. Even my bathroom time was a joint venture. All of my time and focus were consumed by this little tornado of endless energy that never stops moving or talking.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved it and we have made some pretty awesome friends. I wouldn’t trade a second of that time, but If I could go back I would do a few things differently.
The more I mentioned the stay-at-home mom’s loneliness to other moms around me, the more I found I was far from alone.
So, if you can relate to this, then let me offer you some tips to help with stay-at-home mom isolation.
Table of Contents
Prioritize Yourself
I did not do this enough. I considered all my time to be for Barrett. I didn’t have any balance with my time. Everything I did revolved around him and our family’s needs. I am still not very good about this but I am getting better.
It’s so important as moms, that we have something that we do for ourselves. Whether this is doing a craft, reading a book, or practicing some self-care and pampering. You absolutely have to have some time that are you doing exactly what you want to do on no one else’s schedule.
Remember that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Making time for yourself and honoring your own needs ensures that you are refilled enough to continue to give the amazing level of care to your family that you do.
Check out this post for some Quick and Easy Self-Care Ideas.
Turn Your Energy Outward
This goes pretty well with “Make Time for Yourself”. Find something that you love to do and that you can focus your time and energy on. This could be a craft, sport, etc. The goal is to find something that you enjoy doing and do it. Use your free time and energy for this and not spend so much time in your head.
You could join a hobby group if there is one local to you that matches your hobby. Or volunteer somewhere in your local community.
Get Out!
This is a lesson that I learned that got driven home during the pandemic. One of The best things that we can do when we are feeling alone or down is to get outside. Go for a walk. Doesn’t have to be miles and miles. Just get out in the fresh air and away from the isolation of being inside. It can do wonders for you.
I have spoken with a lot of other SAHMs and this is something that we always end up talking about. Getting out into the fresh air can be a lifesaver some days. It’s even better if you can find some like-minded individuals to spend this time with.
Find Local Moms Groups
I am currently a member of more than a few local mom groups. It has been such a great way to connect with others around me who are going through the same or similar experiences as me on this motherhood journey. And we have made some pretty awesome friends through these groups.
I have had days when we want to do something but none of our friends are available, so I will sometimes just post in our local mom group to see if anyone wants to get together. We’ve made some lasting friendships from doing this a few times. Some of my son’s best friends are a result of a random “anybody wanna go hiking today” post.
If you don’t feel like getting out, these groups are amazing for just finding other mamas to vent to or chat with. This mama thing can be so hard some days and it’s amazing to have these individuals to reach out to.
Attend Local Storytimes
Our local library has been my saving grace on more than one occasion. We have attended story times at our local library since Barrett was only a few months old. This has been amazing for getting out, meeting new moms and kids, and getting some social time in. We have met some amazing people through these story times who have made an impact on our lives for the better.
Sometimes our library even does story times at other locations! We’ve attended them at a local nature center and had such a blast! These are a win all the way around! Get out in nature and get some story time in!
Libraries are not the only place to find story times either. You can sometimes find them at local bookstores, schools, and even online options as well if you can’t get out.
Create Your Own Playgroup
If you’re the take-charge type or like to plan things, then this is perfect. You can reach out via social media to connect with other local moms to create a regular playgroup.
The issue of stay-at-home mom loneliness is a huge one for some of us. But just know, you really are not alone here! I hope that some of these tips come in handy!
Thanks for stopping by today friends!
