Keeping My Cool in the Summer

I know I’m not alone when recognizing that summer as a mom isn’t always the glory days so many of us thought of as kids. To be fair, summer wasn’t my favorite as a kid, either! Summer here in Virginia comes with hot, humid days, summer thunderstorms, and tons of sunscreen. It’s not always easy to keep your cool in the summer – both physically and mentally!

So if you’re trying to figure out how the heck you’re going to get through this crazy summer with your kids – I’m telling you, you are not alone. They may be small things, but here are just a few ways to keep your cool in the summer!

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Making Dinner Easier on Working Moms
Motherhood

Making Dinner Easier on Working Moms

Every workday around here ends the same way – a busy day and a long commute home. I’ve never glossed over the harder parts of being a working parent, and without a doubt, the end of the day is one of them.

By the time I get home, Chris and I have both had full work days. Mine started with two daycare dropoffs and his ended with two daycare pickups. By the time we get home, all four of us are tired, ready to relax, and hungry. Since dinner won’t make itself, we start on that right away, but we still always end up eating dinner late – usually around 7pm. It’s a far cry from the 5:30pm dinner I always had as a kid.

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I Was Jealous Today
Motherhood

I Was Jealous Today

Dear SAHM friend, I was jealous of you today. Today, as I rushed to work this morning thinking of the day that lay ahead of me, I was jealous of the lazy summer morning you might be having. I was jealous of the early morning snuggles and pancake-making you might be enjoying, instead of a stressful commute to work. While I enjoyed my hot coffee, I thought of you, caught in the world of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or Paw Patrol, trying to squeeze in a few moments for yourself between breaking up fights and the requests for more snacks. While…

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Dealing with Picky Eaters
Motherhood

Dealing with Picky Eaters

It must be a scientific fact – the moment my kids enter toddlerhood, they get picky. Suddenly, all the foods they used to love are now foods they won’t touch. They want endless amounts of snacks and beg for them at all hours of the day.

It’s not just my kids, right?

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Ella Jane: 18 Months
Ella

Ella Jane: 18 Months

How in the world we are already at 18 months I’ll never know. This little girl, you guys. She has exploded in personality over the last 6 months and she just brings the biggest smile to my face every day… you know, when she isn’t throwing a fit over me taking a ball away. ELLA AT EIGHTEEN MONTHS: Weight: We had to take her to the doctor the other week (more on that in a few) and girlfriend is 26 pounds. No wonder my arms are tired! Length: Not a clue. I should try to measure her. Maybe. As she’s…

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Why I’m Done Trying to Fit the “Mom Blogger” Mold
Real Life

Why I’m Done Trying to Fit the “Mom Blogger” Mold

I have been absent recently, but honestly, it isn’t because anything is wrong. In fact, it’s been the opposite. Coming to this place used to be an escape for me – a place to write, be myself, and get away from all the things I didn’t love – to get away from the job I felt stuck in, mostly. In the past 6 months, that has done such a complete 180 that it’s shocked me. I’m busy in all the best ways, and this little blog of mine has gone from a refuge to a place that I only go…

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Easy Cleanup of Summer Messes
Motherhood

Easy Cleanup of Summer Messes

This post is sponsored by Clorox®, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. It feels like we just had temperatures in the 20s, but summer is headed our way before we know it. Those longer days come with lots of summer fun, and with that comes summer messes. You know the ones I mean – the chalk, the fingerpaint, the puddles, and more. The messes are constant and keeping them contained is always a challenge. Despite that, there are a few things you can do to minimize the messes! Do messy activities outside and clean up outside…

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Working Mom Hack: Breakfast on the Go
Working Motherhood

Working Mom Hack: Breakfast on the Go

  I don’t know about your house, but in my house? Mornings are crazy. Since both Chris and I work full-time, there’s a lot to do in the mornings. All four of us need to be dressed, fed, and ready to go by 7 am – including the sometimes grouchy five-year-old and the overenergetic toddler. There’s a lot of running around, a lot of repeated instructions, and a lot of juggling to get it all done so we can leave on time. I have probably mentioned before that the morning rush isn’t always my favorite, but I am incredibly fortunate…

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Recent Skincare Favorites
Beauty

Recent Skincare Favorites

As I’ve entered my mid-30s, I’ve really started to focus on my skin and treating it right. I’ve always taken the simple steps for my skin – taking my makeup off at night and washing my face – but only recently have I started to add a few new products to target my concerns.

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Embracing the Mom You Are
Motherhood

Embracing the Mom You Are

Before I was a mom, I didn’t really give a ton of thought to the type of mom I would be. When I got pregnant with Abbie, it was a different story. I was going to make all her food so she’d be a great eater. I was going to cloth diaper 100% of the time. She was going to get on a schedule ASAP and take great naps. She was going to hit all her milestones ahead of time. My kids were going to get along 100% of the time and I was going to spend tons of time…

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