oily lady

I love essential oils! Have I mentioned that before ?! {lol} 

This year I have really tried to switch over so much of our household to essential oils instead of buying things like a veggie wash, hand soap, and dryer sheets, and I think I've kept up pretty well too!

My new favorite that I really like, is making hand soap. You don't need anything special, the pump from the old bottle or snagging a glass bottle with pump top from Amazon, castile soap from Target and boiled water from the kettle. Why do I have a kettle if I'm not a tea drinker you ask ... french press, of course! Fill up the dispenser 3/4 with castile soap the rest with water, add Lavender, or Thieves, or Tea Tree EO along with vitamin E oil and there you have it! Super simple and my hands are clean and moisturized!

So my veggie cleaner is another super simple recipe and I feel much better about slicing up some peppers and broccoli to feed the kids then I ever have before! All I do is fill a bowl or sink basin with cool water, add 2 drops of Thieves EO along with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, add the fruit and veggies and swirl around before letting them sit for about 5 minutes. Then I take each one out to pat dry and let sit on a towel on the counter if it needs extra drying time. I usually do this right when I get home from grocery shopping, I make a pile of produce as I go through the bags putting everything else away and then they are all right there to clean!

Then I have my counter cleaner that is really great for any surface ... fridge shelves, fridge door, stove top, dining table. Again a glass bottle, this time with a spray top, from Amazon along with Young Living Thieves Cleaner and I follow the directions on the back of that for potency, which is usually half cleaner and half water. There is no grimy residue and the kitchen smells so fresh with out a gross chemical smell that I'm afraid to put said produce in a pile on!

Two of my most favorite ways to use essential oils for cleaning is in the laundry and for the carpet!
Get a pack of wool dryer balls and ditch the dryer sheets because there are so many great combos of scent you can add to those dryer balls any day of the week!

~Purification

~Orange & Joy
~Stress Away & Lime
~Lavender & Citrus Fresh
~Rosemary & Lavender
~Lemon & Basil

The list goes on! And these EO scents can be used in a carpet cleaner of borax and baking soda mixed together. Shake on the carpet (I save parmesan cheese shaker containers for this) and let sit for 30 minutes then vacuum up! 

Check out my Pinterest page for lots more ideas on using essential oils for your home and if you are interested in ordering, click here!

But if you are still skeptical about all the essential oils hype and why so many people are using them, I have a couple of great reads, a guide about how they work that I think you should check out.

THERE'S AN OIL FOR THAT!

xo

potty training! (oh what fun)

I decided over the summer that we would not start potty training Z until after the holidays because we planned on going to visit relatives and fun outings like Christmas light walks, festivities on Main Street, and Kiener Plaza activities. There would be so many headaches bringing a potty seat, finding a bathroom, or dealing with port-a-potty (YUCK). So I just wanted to make it easy and after the holiday hooplah start into all that fun stuff, since we don't do much of anything in January and February.

BUT ... little lady decided that after I bought her underwear in September (because I plan that far ahead and I had a coupon!) that she wanted to try them on for a day and thought they were so awesome (like big brothers!), that she only had two accidents that day and she wanted to try again! Well I was pleasantly surprised that after a week of wearing her undies and telling me she felt the urge to potty, she was in undies by the end of the month! Each day she had maybe three accidents but most were small as she was in the bathroom already, just close calls before hoping on the toilet!

I was so proud of her and I couldn't believe it! With S it took a little bit longer and there were more accidents, even after doing really well for a weeks time, so I was expecting about the same for her. With both kids I started just a day here or there putting them in underwear just to see how they would be and so they could get a feel for what it's all about. A few other things I did to get ready for potty training are all the "go-to" standards I've read all around ...

~Let them pick out their underwear

~Have books about the potty and their usual books in the bathroom (Potty by Leslie Patricelli and My Big Girl Undies by Karen Katz are great!)

~Make a chart and get lots of stickers

~Put out the potty seat and step stool all the time everyday so they can see it's easy and ready for them

~Small prizes for sitting and/or using the toilet (we did M&M's, small, not too expensive, always fun!)

~Progressively larger prizes for milestones like staying dry all day, staying dry all week, etc

I also made it a rule to only sit on the carpet with no blankies or pillows or anything else because it would be a hassle to clean up! There were a few days we tried walking abound bottomless but that didn't seem to make any difference to them and did not help the process. Luckily, our September was slowing down from summer craziness and the only thing we had was gymnastics class, so it was a nice ease into making sure we go before we leave the house or before class starts and it was an environment that was familiar, where if there was an accident, it was no big deal! I feel that both of those aspects helped her too.

Now the diaper bag is lighter and it is awesome!! I still feel the need to carry it with a change of clothes for both and I'm so used to carrying it on my back all these years, it would feel weird to change over to a purse!

There is still the hurdle of overnight potty training that we are in the midst of with S who is 6. For awhile we decided to do pull ups and try to keep those dry overnight but there was no difference, so then we moved onto an alarm that he wears around his upper arm that vibrates and lights up when the wetness indicator is tripped. The alarm sometimes wakes him up, so we have determined he is a heavy sleeper. I set the alarm to light up and to beep the last couple weeks and it is loud enough to wake me up and help him get up and go to the bathroom, but most of the time it's just an alarm for me to go get him up to change the sheets and his pj's! {sigh}

There is barely anything to read about how to overnight potty train! I have looked for months and have come up empty handed, so if you have an article to suggest, by all means PLEASE! Basic common sense stuff is all I can find, like no drinks after dinner or just a sip in the evening. Also going potty just before getting into bed and waking him up and taking him to the bathroom just before we go to bed. Which by the way, that only works if you feel like getting kicked in the face at 11-ish at night! He is such a heavy sleeper that he gets angry when woken up and fights me when I gently rub his back and lift him to sitting up!

I'm really at a lose for overnight potty training, so for now it's either washing sheets and pj's all the time or spending money on pull ups! But at least both kiddos are diaper-free during the day now!

ACHIEVING MILESTONES ONE KID AT A TIME

xo

moms night in

I've been trying to get together with friends and every so often I have a good conversation with them in the midst of figuring out when to meet up, but then a date for an evening out never comes to light. Which is fine, everyone has lots going on, a kids gets sick, the day gets to you, I have been all of there and done all of that. So, it got me thinking of fun "mom" movies and maybe hosting a Mom Movie Night In might work out better!

Then I staring thinking of movies for this idea of an event with friends! A lot of good ones came to mind and I will share my favorites with you now ...

Fun Moms Dinner ~ Four preschool moms with little in common need a night out to take a break from their kids, but one thing leads to another and things get rowdy! Really silly and heartwarming and such a great cast!

Freaky Friday ~ An overworked mother and her daughter do not get along. When they switch bodies, each is forced to adapt to the other's life for one freaky Friday! I'm partial to the original with Jodi Foster but I got to say the updated version is really good, and Jamie Lee Curtis is fantastic at whatever role she is plays! 

Mother's Day ~ As Mother's Day nears, a group of seemingly unconnected people in Atlanta come to terms with their relationships with their mothers! I love the kind of movie where the characters seem distant but end up all connected and this cast makes for a fun movie!

What To Expect When Your Expecting ~ Follow the lives of five interconnected coupes as they experience the thrills and surprises of having a baby and realize that no matter what you plan for, life does not always deliver what is expected! Hands down one of the funniest parenting movies out there! 

The Meddler ~ A widow from New York City follows her daughter to L.A. in hopes of starting a new life after her husband passes away.  Susan Sarandon and Rose Byrne are heartwarming and hilarious!

Mother and Daughters ~ Interwoven stories about what it means to be a mom, which are tied together by a single gal photographer who is riding a career high when an unlike;y and unexpected pregnancy forces her to turn her lens inward. Beautifully done an poignant!

Ricki and the Flash ~ It's been a roller-coaster ride for Ricki, a one-time wife and mother of three who left her family behind to follow her dreams of rock 'n' roll stardom in California. Now, the singer and guitarist must face the music when she returns home to Indiana to reconnect with ex-husband, troubled daughter, engaged son and younger son. Filled with regret, Ricki hopes to find redemption for all of the bad choices that she made in the past! Meryl Streep is amazing and this is an oddly moving, funny movie!

Stepmom ~ A story of an unlike;y friendship that develops between two remarkable women, one the ex-wife and the other the current girlfriend who continually clash over the well-being of the children. What can i say, i like Susan Sarandon! Both her and Julia Roberts make this movie a heartwarming drama to root for both women!

The Guilt Trip ~ A son is about to embark on a road trip of a lifetime when a quick stop at his mom's house turns into an unexpected cross country voyage with her along for the ride! So funny through and through!

Baby Mama ~ A successful single business woman who dreams of having a baby discovers she is infertile and hires a working class woman to be her unlikely surrogate! Amy Poehler and Tina Fey ... enough said!

Mama Mia ~ The stage show turn movie about a bride-to-be trying to find her father and the lighter side of a mother-daughter relationships! Great fun and Meryl Streep, again, amazing along with the fantastic cast!

Riding In Cars With Boys ~ The fresh, funny, touching and true story of writer Beverly Donofrio reveals her coming of age in the late 1960s and her whole life colored by an event that happened when she was 15. Spanning more than two decades, as the young heroine experiences often-humorous, sometimes-irreverent, but certainly a unique personal journey to make something meaningful of her life. Beautiful movie with Drew Barrymore!

Because I Said So ~ An unconditionally loving, but meddling, mother whose vain attempt to prevent her youngest daughter from repeating the same mistakes that she made, leads to a series of comic misunderstandings! The entire cast of this funny and charming movie are wonderful to watch!

Bad Moms ~ When three overworked and under appreciated moms are pushed beyond their limits, they ditch their conventional responsibilities for a jolt of long overdue fun, freedom, and comic self-indulgence! The best "mom" movie ever! Do yourself a favor and watch it now!

Oh to be a mom and have life played out on the big screen! But way more glamorous and amusing than reality, am I right!?

LIFE DOESN'T COME WITH A MANUAL, IT COMES WITH A MOTHER

xo

cries for help

Do you ever feel like you can't put up with one more scream? Or one more nasty sounding "please"? Or one more whining cry about the bowl the applesauce is in, is the wrong color? No, you just can't take it anymore? Hey, me too!

I feel as if it's a weird abusive relationship that I'm stuck in. Nobody is happy that I have made their peanut butter and jelly sandwich because today a triangle cut sandwich is not what they wanted, even though for the past week that was perfectly fine. Nobody is content with having cereal for breakfast because the bowl or the spoon is the wrong color even though they have never been picky about that sort of thing until today. Nobody wants to put on their pants because, honesty I don't even know why because at that point I was so done with the both of them I went downstairs to warm up my coffee so I could stay somewhat sane for the rest of the morning. 

Yep, it wasn't even 10AM and I was about ready to loose my shit.

Everyday something gets blown out of proportion and turns into a 30 minute whining, screaming meltdown! I offer solutions and remind them to use their words because Mommy is not a mind reader and the day is filled of ungrateful, hostile actions and words!

Now, some of you are probably saying to yourself, "what brats you have"
and I say to you, well gold star on your sweet little angels that are obedient little saints 100% of the time, bravo ... 
Because let's face it, they are not and you are lying to everyone if you say they are.

I don't know why all this started, and I feel like it's been creeping up the last few months, but I don't think it is a behavioral issue that I need to call the pediatrician on, but I think it's more than chalking it up to a phase they are going through {SIGH} either way, it needs to stop because I am exhausted by this nonsense everyday and it is overwhelming for me. So much so, that by the time they are in bed, after putting up a fight about anything and everything you could imagine, I just want to collapse and not wrap up important things that need to be done. 

This is draining, and most days I'm the only one with them. When Joe gets home, he plays with the kids and helps around the house and witnesses the evening portion of the fiasco that has been my entire day, but I don't think he fully understands. I'm dazed and perturbed and bewildered as to what I could have done differently and disheartened as I stare aimlessly at the to-do list and eventually weep while sitting on the sofa watching tv because I'm at a loss of what to do. What to do about chores before I need to go to bed. What to do about the kids attitude for tomorrow. What to do about talking to Joe and coming up with a solution. 

Wake up earlier to set a pleasant mood? Worth a try
Keep calm and deep breathes? That might work for a while
Steady regular voice no matter what? Maybe
So I looked up a few articles and the best one that I liked, came from my favorite podcast duo, Megan and Sarah of The Mom Hour! They don't post on this site anymore but this was a great read and if you want more of The Mom Hour, check out LifeListened! More great helpful advice came from this wonderful post that is just good 'ol self-care centered that I need reminding of from time to time.

Tomorrow is another day and they won't stay little for much longer, so create a home where everyone thrives and stick with the family rules because what they are taught now, sticks with them forever.

RAISING KIDS IS A WALK IN THE PARK ... JURASSIC PARK

xo

must have coffee

I can not start the day without a cup of coffee.

How can you?! I mean really, how can you roll out of bed, put on your cozy socks, come down stairs to the kitchen and what, drink water, juice, a soda {blahk}! My husband can, and it's just crazy to me.

I love a cup of coffee each morning and I like it different ways and surprisingly I'm not picky about what brand of coffee. I have tried many kinds and have never found an absolute favorite, but one thing that I do take note on is how well it reheats. In that category, I have found a good one, Mama Java Coffee! They have a nice variety and I can't wait to try their Hazelnut {that's right Pumpkin Spice, theirs a new player in town} Check them out and use my code musthavecoffee for a discount!

I've tried it black with different roasts but I always want it sweetened. You can put any amount of dairy in it and I will be a happy camper. And recently I've become a big fan of bullet proof coffee! SO GOOD! I blend a tablespoon of grass fed butter, a teaspoon of honey and a dash of vanilla extract, yum!

I have had my share of Folders and Market Fresh Target brand Columbian blends as well as breakfast blends from Hills Brothers and Maxwell House. The breakfast blends are a bit weak and the french roast can be bitter for my taste, but Kona coffee is the best for a good strong cup that is still mild and sweet! For more on beans, you have to read this piece, this lays it out really well!
I love getting my french press all set up in the mornings and it is enough time to make the kids breakfast while getting the kettle hat and waiting for the coffee to steep. But if we are in a mad rush you know I go straight to the k-cups, reusable of course, and it is just as tasty as my weekend luxury french press!

And now with the weather turning cooler, I can't help but make my own creamer with some delicious variations for the holidays that are so simple. They really are simple ...
Basic Coffee Creamer
In a small pot over low heat, stir in milk, heavy cream or sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Stir continually until mixture starts to steam them turn off heat, stir a bit more and let cool.

For amazing flavors I add in:
Cinnamon
Cocoa Powder
Peppermint Extract & Cocoa Powder
Honey
Maple Syrup
Cloves & Cinnamon & Nutmeg
Almond Extract
Coconut Milk

or any combination of those really! Play around and find out for yourself what is the best tasting morning cup of joe!

I rarely make a stop to the coffee shop in the morning on my way to work, it just doesn't work out for me and half the time I really don't know what they have and I'm holding up the line and that's not how I want to start my morning. So I found this great article on different types of coffee drinks that I might have to save on my phone a s quick guide {ya know what, I bet you there is an app for that, ha!} Check it out because it will save you tiime and hassel when in line.

COFFEE: WHEN YOUR BRAIN NEEDS A HUG

xo

and off to school we go

It's Back to School! 
Or start of school for us really, S is in Kindergarten this year and, even though he went to preschool twice a week last year, all this school stuff is so new and exciting ... and crazy!

The public school district we live in is great and highly rated and all those other things that you look at on all the ratings sites when your looking up which area around town to move to. They have great programs throughout the year with before and after school care, as well as a few sports and clubs, we've been getting all the announcements! 
But I started looking up all this stuff in June, it can't be just me who wants to find out a couple of important scheduling pieces of information that will dictate how our daily routine goes, is it???

So far into the year, I don't know how drop off works, even though the pick up procedure is a page long in the Kindergarten "cliff notes" booklet and the actual parent handbook I didn't see online until the first week of school! I had to ask around to figure out the Box Tops thing {if you are going to advertise that the school does this, you need to let us know where do we turn them in!} Announcements for fun stuff are not handed out until the Friday before, and the calendar the school's website has is a joke - no description, no contact person, nothing to indicate if siblings are allowed {back to school night, which turned out to be another gather for families and students}. There are so many staff members that I don't know if it's another teacher, or a parent volunteer, or it might be the upper grades teacher. I don't know!

Why wasn't any of this stuff in any kind of new student info guide?!? 

And everyone is in a hurry for things to work smoothly, therefore stopping them to ask a question just flusters the shit out of them! To top it all off, the secretaries in the office don't help much or direct you somewhere else and you end up right back at their desk! There are too many apps, websites, redirection of links, etc that the school all wants you to have to make everything "easy" but ends up being a useless pile of crap, so you might as well just use your phone for what a phone is intended for and carve an hour out of your day to figure it out.

I really hope my kid has an easier time getting help while he is at school.

School supplies were not as expensive as I thought they would be, so that was good, but I spread it out all summer with double coupons and online sales. I've working in retail too long to deal with the nonsense of tax free weekend, I'll save that weekend headache for a smart calculator and the laptop to college days. But did you know that you can just go online to target and click you school name and get a shopping cart of your child's class supply list?! 

ME NEITHER, until after the first week of school!! 

Find it at School List Assist! It's super easy and half the list was available, other things could not be found or don't ship to home, but still pretty cool. Yeah I had no idea they did that and it makes me wonder if other stores do and where is it advertised. It must be one of those super secret parents tips that other parents don't tell "newbies" about because they were never told or the thing didn't exist back then so they keep this info to themselves and end up saying "oh yeah, we've done that for years now, its great" when you mention it {then you think to yourself, WTF why would you not share this with me knowing that this is our first school year?!}

Well, all the store that I would normally visit do! Target, Office Depot, Walmart, Staples, Amazon, all have a specific to the school or general grade level list so you can check it out before August rolls around and not scramble to buy loads of supplies all at one. Hey, if your paycheck allows you to do that, luck you.

We are not dealing with bus or lunch line this year, which makes me happy but S asks everyday why can't he ride the bus ... we live literally four blocks away, that's why. And the other days it's, why can't I buy lunch, it's free ... no, the kids just use a pin code connected to their parents money, which he still doesn't understand and now I'm mad as all hell that the school has done away with actual dollar bills {ya'll} being counted and exchanged at the cafeteria lunch line. It makes me nervous about some kind of crazy new math he will be taught and won't have the ability to balance a checkbook in the future and that makes my head hurt!

Did I cry the first day of school? No.
Did S get so nervous and distraught the first day of school? No. 
Does S talk about how his day at school was? No.
Did he visit the school nurse within the first two weeks? Why yes, yes he did.
Is he figuring out social skills? Yes, and it's so stinkin' cute to watch him "hang out" and chat with them and say goodbye to them all!

SO FAR, SO GOOD

xo

well hello there

After a hiatus with ups and downs and an overall feeling of stress, I think I need to come back to this blog little by little. I have been enjoying summer with my kids and husband, as well as dealing with some lows with many headaches (Joe was in a car accident!) and keeping both kids occupied on those St. Louis "too damn hot to to anything" days! 

Vacation is a foreign word to me, I guess the closest thing resembling one of those, is a day trip to the lake/zoo/Arch or a weekend to see the new aquarium Springfield (which is pretty cool!). We are so lucky to have two family members with subdivision pools because that is where we end up spending most weekends, and a few playgrounds nearby in which S&Z make friends for the couple hours we are there, then ask if they can come over to our house the next day! {It's funny to watch little ones interact on the playground}

So while there is nothing much to say here, I would suggest looking back at my JUNE 2017 post about great summer places to check out! Enjoy the last days before back to school!

AUGUST IS LIKE THE SUNDAY OF SUMMER

xo