Preparing Kids for Activities in 4 Easy Steps

May 6, 2013 By 3 Comments

I participated in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Wet Ones. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Since he was a baby, Shane has been involved in activities. I signed him up for Gymboree at just 10 months old, and since then he’s usually had some sort of activity. His most recent venture was soccer, which he absolutely loved, but he decided to venture into a new activity starting this week after we went to a preview class at our local Kidville. Starting this week, Shane will be taking a 16 week sports class and I’m so excited to take him to his first class!

Shane playing at Kidville

Shane pretending to look at the clouds with a Kidville instructor at our preview class

Because Shane started in activities so young, you’d think that it would be easy to get him to class without meltdowns. However, whenever he starts a new activity he does get a little bit anxious. Once he’s been to the class, he loves it & can’t wait to go back, but that first day is always a little nerve-wracking. I’ve figured out over time that it’s much easier for both of us if we’re as prepared as possible. So what does that entail?

Preparing Kids for Activities in 4 Easy Steps

Dress the Part: Shane knows it’s a soccer day when I pull out his track pants &favorite t-shirts. He also knows it’s an art day when he’s in sweats & a plain shirt that I don’t mind getting paint all over. Wearing particular outfits on class days helps him to think of the outfits as special, and makes him more excited to wear them.

Stay by their Side: Whenever possible, I think it’s a great idea to have that first class or two include parent involvement. At Gymboree, parents are always involved, but now that Shane is getting older most other places are drop-off or sit & watch. When Shane did his first “season” {9 week session} of soccer, I signed him up for the parent-involvement class first. We played together on the field for the first 9 weeks, and then I signed him up for the more advanced level where he plays with just his friends & his coach. I sit on the sidelines & wonder how he got to be so old.

For classes that only offer drop-off classes, look into taking a free preview class at the location, even if you have to preview a different {non-drop-off} class. Shane is really excited for his first Kidville class, even though it’s drop-off, because he’s been there before with me for a preview & knows how fun the place is.

Comfort in Numbers: When possible, get your child’s friends to sign up with them. When Shane was a baby, we made lots of friends at Gymboree {many of whom I am still friends with today}. Being able to tell your child that their friends will be there is comforting.

Pack the Eessentials: Be sure to carry water {especially for sports}, snacks and Wet Ones in your bag. Shane gets tired if he doesn’t eat enough before class, so sometimes he’ll have a snack in the car on the way there or right after class. &We use Wet Ones all the time- whether he touched the dirty soccer ball, got paint all over his hands or just made a mess with his snack, Shane’s almost always asking for a wipe after class.

Wet Ones help us stay prepared for anything

Being prepared for class makes it easier on both of us. &Wet Ones help us to be prepared all the time, not just during those weekly sessions. We bring them along to clean our grocery carts, clean up after a snack, and even wipe noses in a pinch. Cold & flu season is finally coming to a close, but germs are still out there & we don’t want to waste the perfect Spring weather by staying inside with a virus!

How do you stay prepared with little ones?

Note: This post is not affiliated with Kidville or Gymboree, I am just sharing my own personal experiences for reference.

Filed Under: health, kids, parenting, tips Tagged With: , , , ,

5 Tips for Saving Time in the Kitchen

April 30, 2013 By 8 Comments

It’s important to me to make dinner for my family more often than not. During the week, however, I don’t want to spend an hour in the kitchen when we only have a few short hours to spend as a family between Justin getting home from work & going to bed. I’ve figured out a few shortcuts that allow me to cut down on the time I spend in the kitchen- from start to finish.

5 Ways to Save Time in the Kitchen

1. Plan ahead. Spending twenty minutes scouring the pantry for inspiration of what to make isn’t ideal. I like to sit down the night before I go grocery shopping & plan my meals for the week. I don’t assign specific days to specific meals as our tastes {and amount of free time} change from day to day, but knowing that I have the exact ingredients for my chosen meals allows me to choose from just a few options quickly & without worrying if I’m missing an essential ingredient.

2. Get out all ingredients before cooking. It seems like such a small thing, but it really can cut down on a lot of time in the kitchen. You can spend two minutes retrieving each ingredient from the pantry or fridge, or you can repeatedly take the time to stop cooking, go to the fridge, and locate the ingredient over & over again. It may only shave a few minutes off of your prep time, but on weeknights especially, even a few minutes is precious time.

3. Purchase premade ingredients. This is not always the best option, but it really depends on the food. All of the grocery stores around me sell pre-shredded chicken which is great for using in recipes like enchiladas & pre-chopped chicken too, which is great for things like chicken salad. Canned or frozen vegetables are a great idea too since they are already chopped.

4. Let your oven do the work. For weeknights, opt for meals that you can quickly prep & then pop into the oven, like casseroles. While your food is cooking, you can spend quality time with your family- help the kids with homework, watch a favorite family show, or just catch up on each others’ day.

5. Cut down on dishes. Avoid spending too much time doing dishes by choosing meals that can be made in as few dishes as possible. Casseroles are great for this since they typically only require a casserole dish as opposed to other meals. Think about it- even a simple pasta dinner requires a pot, a sauce pan, and a colander. That’s three times the dishes- and that’s not even including a side of garlic bread {which takes another bowl & cookie sheet}!

Enter to win!

cheddar broccoli casserole

You can tell that I like making casseroles, so I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I’m excited about the Country Crock Stars contest! Country Crock is giving away cookware to 12 semi-finalists, and the 3 finalists will each win $5,000 and a trip for two to New York City. All you have to do is share a photo of your favorite casserole, and share in 100 words how you demonstrate creativity & resourcefulness in the kitchen.

How do you save time in the kitchen?

Note: I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Filed Under: contests, homemaking, tips Tagged With: , , , , ,

5 Tips for Safe Holiday Shopping from #LifeLock!

November 30, 2012 By 6 Comments

Tomorrow is December 1st, which means it’s really crunch time to get those holiday presents! I have managed to get a few, but my list is still pretty long. I love shopping, both online & in person, but I get nervous about shopping in person this time of year. Amongst the giant crowds, there may be people trying to steal: whether it be presents, cash, or your identity.

LifeLock has some great tips for staying safe this month while you’re doing your holiday shopping!

shopping bag

1. If you feel threatened in the parking lot, go back into the store & find others to help you get to your car. Many people think that getting to their car makes them safe, but a window can be busted very easily.

2. You’ve all seen him: that bell-ringing Santa you can find outside just about any store this time of year. But what about others who are soliciting donations? While sometimes they are legit, the majority of them are scammers. If you want to donate, do so, but not through these people. Especially because often, those working on the street have accomplices.

3. The buddy system is not just for field trips! The chance of being a victim of theft drops 90% when you’re in a group of three or more people.

4. Provided you spend responsibly, it’s actually much safer to use your credit card for holiday shopping. Cash can not be recovered if stolen, and if a thief gets your debit card, they have easy access to your bank account & can wipe you out quickly. On the other hand, credit cards often limit consumer liability to $50.

5. Keep your wallet in your front pocket. Thieves can more easily access it in your back pocket, and you may end up removing your coat, leaving it even easier to access.

Now that you’re all safe shopping savvy, you can use your newfound knowledge & turn it into entries for the LifeLock for Life sweepstakes! Just head to LifeLock’s Facebook page & click on the LifeLock for Life tab to answer questions & get entered into the contest! There are weekly and monthly winners! {November’s grand prize is a $1,000 Visa Gift Card so be sure to enter today!} And as an added bonus, you’ll learn even more tips to keep you & your loved ones safe this holiday season.

How do you stay safe while shopping?

Note: I am a LifeLock Brand Ambassador & was compensated for my work on this campaign. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: shopping, tips Tagged With: , , , , ,

10 Creative Beauty and Cleaning Uses for Baking Soda!

November 13, 2012 By 10 Comments

Sometimes I look around & just marvel at how much “stuff” we use every day. I use four items for my teeth every day {toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash}, three things on my face {cleanser, moisturizer, exfoliating scrub} and I use two things for my hair {brush, hair tie}, not including actually showering & washing it. Add in lotion, a water bottle, vitamins & 2 types of asthma medications and that means I’m using fourteen different things just to get ready for bed every night.

Not only do all of the items we use daily add up & cost us money, but they take up a ton of storage room in our homes. So whenever I have the chance to get one item that can multi-task, I go for it. Especially if that item is super affordable!

Enter Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. I’m positive you’ve used it for something in your life- whether it was for baking cupcakes, deodorizing your fridge or sprinkling it over a pet “accident” to neutralize odors. But there are so many more uses for it- including lots of beauty uses- that I didn’t even know about. Check out some of my favorites below!

5 Health and Beauty Uses for Baking Soda

Clean Your Cuticles: Make a paste of 3 parts Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and 1 part water and scrub into nails and cuticles. You can use any leftover to gently rub on your hands & fingers in a gentle, circular motion to exfoliate and smooth.

Natural Deodorant: Dust Arm & Hammer Baking Soda under your arms as needed.

Bath Soak: Add 1/2 cup of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to your bath to relax and soften skin.

Super-Clean Your Hair: Sprinkle a quarter-sized amount of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda into your palm with your shampoo and lather & rinse as usual. The baking soda will help remove product residue, making your hair cleaner & more manageable.

Brush Your Teeth: Sprinkle baking soda into your palm, dip a damp toothbrush into it, and brush. You can even make a mouthwash by adding 1 tsp of baking soda in 1/2 glass of water. {Note that Arm & Hammer Baking Soda does not contain the anti-cavity ingredient fluoride, so only use this if you have fluoridated water or if your dentist recommends you avoid fluoride.}

5 Household Uses for Baking Soda

&Of course, Arm & Hammer Baking Soda is great around the house, too! Check out these great uses for them at home:

Food Safe Surface Cleaning: If you clean your counters with harsh cleansers and then make food on them, you may be inadvertently ingesting those chemicals. Try sprinkling Arm & Hammer Baking Soda onto a clean damp sponge and wipe clean, rinse thoroughly and dry.

Wash Fruits & Veggies: You can use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to safely clean dirt and residue off of fresh fruit & vegetables without adding chemicals. Just sprinkle a little onto a clean damp sponge, scrub and rinse!

Serve Up Fancy Cocktails: Add a dash of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda into your holiday cocktails to make them fizz!

Freshen Upholstery: Remove odors by sprinkling Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on upholstered sofas and chairs. Wait 15 minutes, then vacuum for easy clean up that leaves your home smelling fresh!

Santa’s Footprints: Use a footprint stencil and Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to leave Santa’s footprints throughout your home! Clean up is easy- just vacuum!

Some of these great uses are on my to-do list, but I have tried a few. I used it to clean my counters and while I wasn’t sure how clean they’d really get, they looked just the same as when I use harsher products, and since I don’t have to worry about ingesting those chemicals I think I prefer using the Arm & Hammer Baking Soda! I’ve also used it to clean my cuticles & scrub my hands and my hands were so smooth when I was done!

I have plans to try the deodorant {on a day where I can stay home all day, in case it doesn’t work!} and I think the Santa’s footprints idea is so cute! I’m also going to recommend the shampoo add-in treatment to Justin, since he uses gel.

Which of these uses is your favorite idea? Have you tried some of these before?

Note: I wrote this review while participating in an Blog Tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Arm &Hammer and received product samples to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Filed Under: beauty, cleaning, tips Tagged With: , , , ,

Guest Post: The Right Way to Move House

October 19, 2012 By 3 Comments

Moving house is traditionally known as one of the most stressful times of your life. From viewing houses to changing billing addresses to the actual move itself. It’s no surprise that it ranks almost on par with divorce and pregnancy when. It’s a roller-coaster of emotion and one most of us go on more than once in our lives. However, there are a number of ways to make this process less stressful, easier and more proficient.

what to do weeks before you move

The most important part of any move is the weeks before hand. Organisation and preparation are the two main features of a successful move. If you make the proper arrangements beforehand, the day of the move will be made a lot easier.

Make sure you’ve booked your moving services well in advance to ensure your ideal moving date. There are certain times of the year that people want to move – generally Spring and Summer.

Ask around when it comes to moving services and the moving process. Utilise different resources at your disposal; books, internet and friends advice are just some of the options available. You will pick up a number of useful tips and it will save you time and money.

Take out an insurance policy that covers your belongings for the move. It’s well worth looking into third party moving insurance. The number of items that go missing or break during a move is remarkable.

Make sure your billing addresses have been changed and all bills are settled from your old house. This can be easily forgotten about with all the other things going on. Have cash at your disposal to cover yourself as a number of unexpected issues can arise on the day of the move.

what to do days before you move

Remember time is money and of extreme importance on moving day. You don’t want to pay an extra day’s commission to movers when it can be easily avoided. Here are some tips to follow on the days leading up to the move;

- Make sure there is parking for the moving Van at or near the house.

- Dissemble your furniture.

- Take necessary measurements of the new house i.e. the width between the doors. You don’t want to be stuck with a washing machine and dishwasher that doesn’t fit in the house.

- Know where the fuse box, gas and electricity boxes are in your new house.

- Prepack all your boxes. Colour code boxes for each room it saves a lot of confusion and hassle.

- Try not to keep items you don’t use, it can add to the cost of the move. So it’s advised to give them away, sell them or store them.

- Have plenty of supplies aka boxes.

what to do the day you move

It’s tradition on the day of the move a number of friends and family members will come around to help you move. Make sure it doesn’t turn into a social gathering and everybody knows what they need to do. It’s a good idea to assign people jobs i.e. certain furniture and boxes.

Make a list. Create a recording system of how many boxes you have, what’s in each box and what room it’s going into – it’s advised to use a colour coded system.

Have a welcome box and fill it with essentials that you will need when you arrive. Things like toiletries, cutlery, kettle, phone charger among other things.

I hope these tips help you and relieve some stress from moving house.

Bio: This post was written by Olan Ahern on behalf of Rajapack, who offer a wide range of packaging products and services, from warehouse equipment to office supplies.

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