How To Create The Best Night Routine

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Night routine, evening routine - we’re sure this is a term you’ve heard thrown around more than ever before, especially in the past few years. But - maybe the buzz around it is justifiable. Having a good night's sleep is an important part of being able to function properly throughout your day. Have you ever thrived on a terrible night's sleep? Probably not. A great day starts with an intentional night. Creating a night routine that helps you thrive is what will help you be your greatest potential. If you’re trying to create an intentional night routine - we’re here to help. Here’s how to create the best night time routine.



Start With a Great Dinner

Cooking at home and making a healthy, balanced dinner doesn't have to be a chore and shouldn’t take up much of your time. Using helpful kitchen tools such as an Instant Pot can cut your cooking time in half and elevate the taste of your dishes. Try eating dinner at a decent time, with enough time to digest before bed. 

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Clean Up

Cleaning up right after dinner lets you unwind for the rest of the night. Also, waking up in the morning to a clean kitchen and house helps you get on with your day easier. Put all dishes away, vacuum and straighten up the house. We love this vacuum- its easy to use, easy to store and packs a power suction to easily clean whatever is on your floor. 

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Bathtime

Taking an evening bath or shower really helps you to relax and get into a flow for the evening. It’s a great self care practice. If you’re stressed from your day, a relaxing shower or bath is sure to help wash away any stressful thoughts. Use the time to play a chilled out playlist or listen to a relaxing podcast. Take your evening self care routine even further by using body washes that help you mellow out and feel amazing. Scents such as lavender, cedarwood and vetiver are known to promote relaxation.

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Remember, just because you're home doesn’t mean you can’t make your everyday baths a spa- like experience. Wrap yourself in a soft fluffy towel, step into soft as cloud slippers and slip into comfy pajamas to keep the relaxing sensation going. 


Skincare

Not everyone has a multi-step skin care routine. But adopting any skin care routine will optimize your skin's health. If you're not sure where to begin with a skincare routine, try adding face masks , serums and  jade face rollers to your evening routine. You’ll be amazed at how great you feel afterwards.

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Take Some Time to Reflect

Using time to reflect is an important step in a nighttime routine. Unwinding your brain and unpacking your day is crucial in being able to relax and sleep peacefully. It can be as simple as listening to calming music with your favorite candle or oil diffuser in the background, meditating or journaling your thoughts from the day. Even writing down a “To Do” list for the next day is a form of reflection.

Brain dumping is another form of reflection that works well in a nighttime routine. This is a practice where you write out your thoughts - like journaling - but not as sequential. With brain dumping, nothing needs to make sense. The point of this practice is simply to get all of the thoughts that are in your head out of there. Doing this allows your brain to release the need to hold on to information, that may not be serving you anyway, which will leave you feeling relaxed and able to rest. Any journal or book will do. We happen to love these journals - mainly because of there aesthetic. Whatever you choose to write on, the most important thing is that you are getting your thoughts down on paper.

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Make a bedtime beverage

The act of making a beverage before bed is so soothing, and calming. We are sure that this step will be one that sticks with you when you are creating your own nighttime routine. Decaf herbal teas, decaf green tea, golden milk or simply warm plant based milk are great options to try before bed. Use your favorite mug to enjoy your drink and cozy up for the night. 

Golden Milk is a great night time beverage with lots of health benefits. It’s also the perfect drink to include in your nighttime routine.

Golden Milk is a great night time beverage with lots of health benefits. It’s also the perfect drink to include in your nighttime routine.

Cozy up in bed

Here’s the part of your nighttime routine that you’ve been waiting for. Make your bedroom and bed even more cozy by using lighting to set the mood of the room and cozy sheets and blankets to elevate your nighttime wind-down mode. Falling asleep to a great book is the most nourishing thing you can do for yourself to unwind from your day.


Use this as a guide to creating your own nighttime routine. You can add or swap out any step. The goal is to find the right routine that works for you and that makes you feel the most refreshed the next day. Here’s to a great nights sleep. How would you customize this routine for yourself? Comment below.














5 Reasons Why You Should Spring Clean Your Home

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Spring is here! The weather is warming up, the flowers are blooming and you’re ready to revive all of your spring outfits. Spring is also the best time to begin spring cleaning your home! (I mean obviously, the name is in the task). If you’re wondering what all the hype around spring cleaning it about and if you should give it a try, then keep reading.

Here are our top 5 reasons why spring cleaning is something you need to do this season.

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Helps with Seasonal Sniffles

Spring is a big allergy season for many people. Dusting your home will help alleviate some of your allergy symptoms. Dust can cause sneezing, itchy-watery eyes and a stuffy nose. The more dust thats in your home coupled with your vulnerability to seasonal allergies equals a not so great time for you. Time to reach for that Swifter!

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Beautify Your Home

Brighter and longer daylight hours can show off spots in your home that have been neglected. It’s not your fault, blame it on the dark days of winter and the need to hibernate. Either way, a thorough cleaning of your home will bring it back to the beautiful state that it was in before winter arrived.  

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It’s Safe for Your Home

The onset of spring is the perfect time to check all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. This is one of the smartest and safest spring cleaning routines that you can adopt. Another time that you should check and replace batteries in both the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home is in the fall season. In addition to the smoke detectors, you should also change your air filters during this time. This one is not much of a safety tip but it will help keep the air in your home clean.

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You’ll Be Happier

Living in a clean organized home makes you a happier, more productive person. Imagine walking around your home and it’s completely organized. Ahhhh...Knowing exactly where every item is and where every item that’s misplaced should go sends off such calming vibes. If you’re looking to get organized but don’t know where to start, be sure to check out our Organized Life Course to start living a more organized life.

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You’ll Find It Easier to Go with the Flow

Life is messy, we get it. However, when your home is set up as a calm environment (aka mess free), you’re actually leaving room for the inevitable messes of life - emotional and physical. This a good thing - don’t worry - you’re not inviting in the many messes of life into your home. Your just leaving space for the guaranteed fluctuation of energy, emotions and physical items. By doing this, you’ll be able to handle what comes your way without feeling like your drowning.

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You’ll Be Stress Free

When your home is clean, you’re less likely to be stressed out. Studies show that there is a direct correlation to a messy environment and stress. Who has time for unnecessary stress? Not you! You’ll need all of that extra energy to step out of your home and enjoy the beautiful outdoors.

So if you’ve been considering giving your home a good cleaning for spring, hopefully this motivated you to start today! Want a step by step cheat sheet on Spring Cleaning? Click here to get your FREE Spring Cleaning 101 Cheat Sheet now.

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7 Ways to Edit Your Life for the New Year

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In the spirit of the new year, the Skeen Concepts team has been thinking of ways to start off the new year with intentional direction. It may seem cliche to make new year's resolutions. So instead - we’ll call our quest a Lifestyle Edit. Here are some ways we plan on editing our lifestyle. Feel free to use any of these ideas as your own.

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Wake Up Earlier in the Morning

Getting a head start to your day will help you feel more accomplished and ready to take on whatever your day has to bring. The feeling of having to “catch up” all day long is not only frustrating, it definitely puts a damper on your sense of productivity.

Try setting your alarm for a half hour to an hour early each day

Try setting your alarm for a half hour to an hour early each day

Get Moving Daily

It’s recommended to get at least 2 ½ hrs of physical activity in for the week in order to improve or maintain your health. Not only is physical activity great for your physical health but it also improves your mental health. If your a creative person, your more likely keep the ideas flowing if you are active on a daily basis. So get on that groupon app and browse some classes that you’ve been wanting to try out.

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Journal Daily

Writing your ideas, feelings and aspirations out everyday is something that will help sort out the direction in which you want to go this year. It’s a self love activity that will benefit you in so many areas of your life.

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Clean Eating

The new year is the best time to start editing your eating lifestyle. Start by swapping processed, unhealthy foods with clean, whole foods. Eating clean will allow you to think more clearly and have more energy. Which, in turn, will help you with all of the other Lifestyle Edits on this list. You’ll naturally want to wake up earlier, you’ll have more energy, you’ll be more creative and have the mental clarity to reflect on aspects of your life.

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Practice Gratitude

“It’s impossible to feel anxiety and gratitude simultaneously” - Rachel Hollis.

Practicing gratitude is one of the most loving actions that you can do for yourself. Putting life’s events in perspective will help you see what is important to you and what may need some nurturing and attention from you. There’s a reason we listed this one as “practice”. It will take some time but be conscious about how you implement your gratitude awareness throughout your day.

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Set Bigger Goals

When you set large goals for yourself, you will end up accomplishing more than if you aimed lower. Even if you don’t meet the goal that you set, at least you worked towards it. Which in turn means that you will end up further ahead then if you simply set a mediocre life goal. Setting goals will help you in your personal, professional and even spiritual life.

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Read More

It doesn’t matter if you’re into fiction or non-fiction. Simply making the decision to read more often will help to expand your mind, goals, and shift your perspective on life. If your not into reading physical books, you can still consume new knowledge in the form of an audio-book.  

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We’re so excited about implementing these Lifestyle Edits into our everyday lives! So much so, that we’ve already starting practicing some to get a head start on the new year. We must say, we’re noticing a difference already. What are some of your Lifestyle Edits for the new year? Comment below.









































Holiday Gift Guide For The Carpenter Dad

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It’s the season of giving and (for some) the season of purposely freak ourselves out thinking about the gigantic list of loved ones that we have to purchase gifts for.

Well, this year, we’re determined to keep these annoying fears from popping up and consuming us all season long. And we want you to be on top of your gift giving game as well. So, we decided to share our gift suggestions with you guys! We’re sharing our gift guide for some of the most important people in your life to help you cross off some names from your list. Throughout the month, we’ll be sharing a gift guide for a different person that may be on your holiday shopping list. Here’s our 2018 Holiday Gift Guide for the carpenter dad.

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Durable Radio For His Workshop

While he’s in the workshop - in his zone - give him a gift that will allow him to listen to some of his favorite tunes. A radio that can handle falls, having something dropped on it and any kind of dust that his workshop produces is a gift that he will surely appreciate. A durable radio, such as the one shown below, comes with Bluetooth capabilities which will make listening to his favorite playlist even easier.

Dewalt 20-Volt Max Cordless Radio, $220, Lowes

Dewalt 20-Volt Max Cordless Radio, $220, Lowes


 

Wood Chisel Set

If your guy likes to spend time in the woodshop, odds are he’ll have a project where a set of wood chisels can come in handy. Purchasing a quality set of wood chisels, such as the ones shown below, are key to completing a beautiful project.

4 Piece Palm Chisel Set, $60, www.garrettwade.com

4 Piece Palm Chisel Set, $60, www.garrettwade.com

Cordless Impact Drill

It’s basically a drill with a power packed punch. If he constantly works on larger projects or is always fixing things around the house, then he would love this as a gift. A gift set, such as the Milwaukee set shown below, comes with a carrier bag that holds the drill and charger.

Milwaukee Impact Drill Set, $100, Home Depot

Milwaukee Impact Drill Set, $100, Home Depot

 

Tool Bag

If he has a love for his tools, he’ll need a place to store them all and carry them around where ever necessary. A sturdy tool bag is a sure win gift for the carpenter dad in your life.

Carhartt Tool Bag, $55,Dicks Sporting Goods

Carhartt Tool Bag, $55,Dicks Sporting Goods

Klein Tools
Buy on Amazon
 


Kreg Pocket Hole Jig

This is an all around great gift for the DIY carpenter to skilled craftsman. This tool creates the perfect holes needed to complete a project and will be one of the most used items in the workshop.

Kreg K4 Pocket Hole System, $100, Home Depot

Kreg K4 Pocket Hole System, $100, Home Depot


We hope that this gift guide help you decided on the perfect gift for the carpenter dad in your life. Which ever gift you go with, I’m sure he will be so happy to receive it. What are some of your gift giving ideas for the carpenter dad in your life? Comment below.

Happy Holidays from Skeen Concepts and as always, stay inspired!!

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Holiday Gift Guide For The Work At Home Mom

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Skeen Concepts is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

It’s the season of giving and (for some) the season of purposely freak ourselves out thinking about the gigantic list of loved ones that we have to purchase gifts for.

Well, this year, we’re determined to keep these annoying fears from popping up and consuming us all season long. And we want you to be on top of your gift giving game as well. So, we decided to share our gift suggestions with you guys! We’re sharing our gift guide for some of the most important people in your life to help you cross off some names from your list. Throughout the month, we’ll be sharing a gift guide for a different person that may be on your holiday shopping list. And we’re kicking it off with our 2018 Holiday Gift Guide for the work at home mom.

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Bluetooth Headphones

Give her the gift that will let her work on her business while listening to some of her favorite jams or expand her business knowledge while listening to her favorite podcasts. All with the ability to drown out some of the chaos and noise around her.

Amazon “Alexa”

You’ll basically be gifting her a personal assistant in the form of a device. Imagine how much simpler her day will be if she can just call out commands and get instant answers! Not sure of what’s on the schedule for tomorrow? “Hey Alexa, what’s my day like tomorrow?”. Not sure if the answer to your fourth grader’s homework is the Hudson River? “Alexa, what’s the longest river in the state of New York?” Done and done.

Coffee (or Tea) Anything

Ahhh, sweet coffee. The life source of many working moms. Whether its a new Keurig machine or a Ninja Coffee Bar or a gift card to Starbucks, she will be sure to love this thoughtful gift.

Glass Water Bottle

Ok - let's be real, coffee is the life giver that gets a lot of the credit . But we all know that water is the TRUE life source of a healthy and productive day. Give her the convenience of being able to carry around her water (with lemon, please) while running errands, exercising or where ever the day brings her.

Wellness Gift Card

If she’s expressed an interest in joining a yoga classes or any new health trend, here’s your opportunity to let her know that your listening to her. Give her the gift of self love and time. She thank you for it.

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Essential Oils or Membership to an Essential Oil Company

If you’ve heard of essential oils, you’ve probably heard of their numerous benefits. If she is into scents and air fresheners, diffusing EO’s is a great and healthy way to spread uplifting scents that will benefit her and her work space. Make sure to purchase from a reputable company. Be sure to check out our post on our favorite essential oil blends for beginners.

Audiobook Subscription

If she’s into podcasts or even enjoys reading but doesn’t have enough time to get through an entire book, then an audio book subscription is the best gift for her. She’ll be able to absorb the knowledge from her favorite books in audio form. We at Skeen Concepts absolutely love Audible. They have almost any book you’re interested in. It’s so easy to use. Just type in the book title, click download and be on your way to listening to your favorite book in less then 2 minutes! It’s our favorite pass time. Click below to find out more about audible and purchasing a subscription as a gift.

Some other great gift ideas for the work at home mom in your life: professional organizer, laptop or tablet and comfy lounge wear. Which ever gift you go with, I’m sure she will be so excited to receive it. What are some of your gift giving ideas for the work at home mom? Comment below.

Happy Holidays from Skeen Concepts and as always, stay inspired!!








My Go To Essential Oil Blends

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We all know that essential oils, or EO's, are life. I don't go a day without diffusing or topically applying my EO's and my kids are right along with me. The health benefits are irrefutable and they leave my home smelling heavenly. 

EO's can be used aromatically in a diffuser, topically (sometimes mixed with a carrier oil) and internally. Overall, I use my EO's in a diffuser - four diffusers to be exact. I have them placed in various spots in my home. Can you tell how much I love EO's? 

Anyway - I wanted to share with you my go to essential oil blends. These are the blends that I typically use on a daily basis. I do change things up - especially when someone in my home is sick or another need has to be met. My kids and I took it upon ourselves to name our fav EO blends. I hope you enjoy!

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Sleeping Beauty

This EO blend's name is very fitting. When I run it through the diffuser, this is exactly how we all sleep - and we wake up too! Well rested and ready to start our day. My son named this blend and its the perfect way to describe it.

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"Sleeping Beauty" consists of:

  • 3 Drops Wild Orange

  • 5 Drops Lavendar

  • 4 Drops Balance

Peaceful Bliss

I instantly feel a sense of peace and calm with this blend. "Peaceful Bliss" is perfect after a long day of working and running around. I like to diffuse this blend at the end of a long day, usually in the evening after dinner. When the day is winding down and everyone is getting ready to settle in for the night, this is one of my favorite blends to fill my home. 

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The "Peaceful Bliss" blend consists of:

  • 5 Drops Lavender

  • 3 Drops Wild Orange

Joyful Exuberance 

I know this name is a little much -but this vibrant blend makes me feel just this way! This blend produces so much energy, excitement and happiness. I usually diffuse this in the morning after breakfast and power through my day. If I feel like I'm slacking before diffusing "Joyful Exuberance", this sluggish feeling quickly diminishes after the aroma fills the room. 

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"Joyful Exuberance" consists of:

  • 5 Drops Wild Orange

  • 5 Drops Grapefruit

  • 4 Drops Cedarwood

Wild Orange is known for its mood boosting benefits and has a sweet citrus smell. Grapefruit provides an energizing and uplifting smell. -And while Cedarwood is known to promote relaxation, blending this EO with Grapefruit and Wild Orange allows for the perfect "Get It Done" atmosphere. 

Sound Sleep

If you cant tell by now, I'm really into EO blends that promote a good nights sleep. As a mommy of 3, I like to insure that my sleep is as beneficial as can be. This blend is so calming and grounding, it instantly places me into a state of restfulness once I run the diffuser. 

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"Sound Sleep" consists of:

  • 4 Drops Lavender

  • 3 Drops Frankincense

  • 3 Drops Wild Orange

Frankincense is a calming and grounding blend. When paired with Lavender and Wild Orange (which on its own is the ideal blend for calm nerves and relaxation) this blend is the perfect combination for a great nights sleep.

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What are your go to EO blends? Are there any EO blends from my list on yours? Comment below.

 

 

10 Holiday Movies Your Kids Will Love

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10 Holiday Movies Your Kids Will Love

The holiday season is here and most likely, your kids are enjoying a much needed vacation from school. The weather is cold and the sun is setting earlier in the day. What better time than now to hang with the kiddos and watch some great holiday movies?

Which ever way you decide to watch these movies, make sure and have a comfy blanket and lots of snacks on hand! Here are 10 great holiday movies your kids will love.

Home Alone

While there are sequels to Home Alone, nothing beats the original. This movie has humor, suspense and even tugs at your heart. Your kids will enjoy the action packed traps that Kevin sets up throughout his home. And everyone will love the beautiful ending when he is reunited with his family again.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

This is a definite holiday classic. My kids truly enjoy watching this movie and I share the same feelings as they do. This is a movie that I grew up watching every holiday season in my childhood. While The Muppet Christmas Carol keeps with the original story line of A Christmas Carol, the original Muppet characters adds its own sense of humor to the story.

A Christmas Story

Obviously this will make the list of must watch holiday movies. Watching this movie during the holiday season in right up there with putting out milk and cookies for Santa. Its a most do.

The Family Man

This movie is a modern play on A Christmas Carol. The Family Man may be better for your kids if they are older. The humor may be a little advanced for kids under the age of 11. Still, this is a holiday classic that both you and your kids will enjoy watching together.

Elf

This movie is the best combination of cute and hilarious. Will Ferrel's character is undeniably funny. Your kids will enjoy the laughs and you will also.

The Grinch

While the animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas is very entertaining, The Grinch with Jim Carey is extremely comical. Rest assured, the entire family will have their own favorite scenes from this movie.

The Santa Clause

Whats more entertaining then seeing a parent slowly turn into Santa himself? Your kids will adore this movie. The Santa Clause is about family and love. Its packed with suspense and action. A great recipe for a wonderful movie.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

You can start playing this movie from October 31st. Not sure if that's something that you will enjoy or grow to despise. Either way, this is a movie that the kids will love to watch over and over again.

Frozen

While this is not a traditional holiday movie, its has all of the characteristics of the holiday season. Love, friendship, family. There is action and lots of humor - and lets not forget about the adored song - "Let It Go".

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Another holiday classic. This is a must play movie during the holidays in my home. We even have a small version on the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.

I hope your family enjoys watching this movies as much as mine does! Are there any other holiday movies that you and your family enjoy watching every year? Comment below.

Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season!

The Benefits of Traveling With Your Kids

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Traveling can be one of the most rewarding - and most trying- experiences when you are toting your kids along with you. Between flight delays, cancellations, stomach viruses, and plain old crankiness, you may feel ready to head back home on day one of your traveling endeavors.

But getting past the horrific travel experience and arriving at the place you've been dreaming of (and planning for) the past several months - is completely worth it.

Kids learn so much when you pull them from their usual routine of day to day life. As for you - you learn so much about your children and yourself as a parent when traveling.

Here are the benefits of traveling with your kids.

It Opens Their Minds To Other Cultures

Showing your kids how other people live in this world is a wonderful thing. It shows them that there is not "one way" to live. They see how other children their age live and go to school. They experience how other people eat and try new foods. It is such a humbling experience as a parent to hear your kids appreciate not only their lives but how others live too. Which brings me to my next benefit of travel with kids...

It Teaches Them To Appreciate What They Have

No matter where you go, if you and your children are taking in their surroundings of where they are, it puts things into perspective.

It Teaches You To Relax As A Parent

While traveling with the kids, even I learned to be more relaxed as a mom. I don't consider myself to be a strict parent. But I do like to keep some order in my day and follow some sort of routine. On my last vacation with the kids, I found myself continually telling me to "calm down". I started to just enjoy the day and enjoy my kids as they were in the moment. I stopped planning every moment of the day and realized that just letting things "happen" is the best thing.

I decided to take this frame of thought home with me. While I can't completely be this way in real life, I have definitely started taking steps towards being more relaxed as a mom.

Time seems to slip right through my fingers and I think it is so important to hold on to the moments I have with my kids now and live in the present moment.

It's Educational

No matter where you happen to go on vacation, you and your kids are bound to learn something new. Learning comes from experiencing things, situations and places. They will come back to their regular lives with these new experiences and use it in their daily life. On our recent family vacation, my kids got to walk the courtyard of an ancient Mayan Ruin. They climbed the temple of Altun-Ha (located in Belize). They got to learn first hand where part of their culture came from (my husbands family is from Belize and are of Mayan decent). I felt so overwhelmed with joy that they had the opportunity to experience that.

It Makes Them A Well-Rounded Person

One of my goals is to make sure I travel with my kids as much as I can. I want them to see that this world is bigger than just them. I want them to understand that there are more choices in life if they keep an open mind. Most importantly, I want them to understand that not everyone is the same. People are all unique and that's what makes this world beautiful. Traveling shows your kids first hand that there are all types of people in this world and that the world is a vast place that should be cared for.

It Creates Memories That Last A Lifetime

While all of the above reasons for traveling with kids are important, this is the most important to me. Memories stay with a person for a lifetime. Precious memories are one of life's most beautiful gifts. I know that every trip that I take with my kids, no matter how big or small, we are creating memories together. Memories that they will eventually share with their kids. I look forward to creating as many travel memories with my family as I can.

What are your thoughts on traveling with kids? Comment below.

 

Being A Mommy of Three

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Being A Mommy of Three Title

I've always pictured myself as having four kids. When I was pregnant with my second, I was completely overwhelmed with the idea of having another child. I had just settled into having one baby and was comfortable with being a family of three. Transitioning from one child to two was one of the most overwhelming situations that I've ever dealt with.

When Ayden, my second, was born, Ava was only 19 months. So I was dealing with two babies under two years old. It was intense.

Fast forward six years, I gave birth to my youngest, Mason. I was completely unafraid of the idea of having three kids. In my head, I've already dealt with the traumatizing experience of having multiple children. At first, things seemed to run smoothly in my home. We took day trips as a new family of 5. It was wonderful. Perhaps it was my positive thoughts towards being able to handle three kids that allowed me to breeze through the first three months.

Then, reality set in. I'm not sure what it was that kick started the panic in me. There was a wonderful cocktail of situations that occurred almost simultaneously that made me realized - I'm in over my head. We had just closed on a house when Mason was 5 months old. We were in the middle of demolition and remodeling the new home. The others kids were in school and they had their own set of demands (class parties, birthdays, school reports, etc.) Everything that was occurring was equally important and deserved an equal amount of attention and devotion.  Not to mention my mommy duties of making sure the kids felt that the situations were as "normal" as it could be.

What Its Like Having Three Kids 2

They say God doesn't give you anything you can't handle. And while all of the situations that I was experiencing were blessings, I still had to learn how to juggle - big time. It was a situation of "get in the game and just go -or fall behind." So that's exactly what I did. I had to learn to stop whining, this was my life. My beautiful, full life. And I loved it. So I had to nurture it.

Now that I am on the otherside of the chaos, I can say that things have definitely leveled out. Mason is at an age where he is walking and exploring. We, as a family, have settled in as a family of 5. While there are many (MANY) obstacles that we have to face, I am well equipped and capable of handling them as they come.

What Its Like Having Three Kids

As far as my life long yearning for four kids, I have to say that idea has not changed. I still am completely open to the idea of adding one more set of baby feet to the family to make us a family of 6.

What are you thoughts on having three kids? How was your transition from two to three or four? Comment below.

10 Tips For Breastfeeding

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The breastfeeding journey is unlike an other journey you will experience. It to this day surprises me how wonderful and beautiful the human body works. By providing all that your baby needs to nourish them.


Although the journey is beautiful, at first it is much like a process. At times you may feel the need to just throw in the towel (or nursing pad) and call it quits.


If you do, than that's fine. Its totally your choice and you know what is best for you and baby. But if you are unsure of what you want to do, I say give it another try.


Here are my 10 Tips for Breastfeeding.

 

It Gets Easier

I put this as my number one tip because it is so important and true. It does get easier. And you will actually begin to enjoy it.


The first few weeks of breastfeeding are rough. You and baby are learning how to get through this new chapter with ease. Its painful, tiring, discouraging and overall not a good time.


But, please, hang in there. The rewards of getting through this tough phase are astonishingly amazing.

 

Try Different Positions

This is something I struggled with in the beginning with my first child. I wasn't aware of the fact that baby may not like to nurse in a particular position. Or that one position is way more comfortable than another position.


Between the cradle position, football hold, side-lying and cross-over hold - you and baby are bound to find one position that works best.

 

Sometimes, A Plain Ol'Pillow Will Do

Get ready to be completely surprised! A regular pillow? How could this be?


I struggled with many breastfeeding pillows with all three of my kids. I thought, maybe they'll like this pillow...or this one...


Nope. For me, none of my kids liked the trendy breastfeeding pillows. I had several different kinds. Nothing worked better than a plain ol' pillow.


My Boppy pillow did come in handy as a comfy seat for the babies, though.

 

Everyone's Breastfeeding Journey Is Different

I constantly found myself asking others for their advice and using their shared experiences as an expectation of what was to come for me. It was frustrating and tiring.


With my first two kids, I feel like this may be why I stopped breastfeeding so early. I decided not to compare myself or the experiences of breastfeeding when I had my last child. And my journey lasted much longer than the first two.


Remember, everyone is different. Therefore, everyone's experience will not be the same.

 

You Will Be Hungry

VERY, VERY hungry. Like, you may just eat your husband if he doesn't hurry up with your meal hungry.


I never expected that I would have an even bigger appetite than when I was pregnant. But its true.


And it makes perfect sense. Your body is using its energy and nutrients to create wholesome food for your little one. Therefore its using all of the resources in your body to do so. You need to replenish it. FAST!


Just be sure to take in as wholesome foods as you can.

 

Drink Lots of Water

Much like your need to eat to replace lost calories and nutrients, you also need to drink lots of water.


I mean lots of water. I would just carry a glass water bottle around with me everywhere to make sure I always had water. At least 64 oz/ day of water is needed to support your milk production. If possible, drink even more than that.

 

Don't Limit Yourself

Give yourself time to get used to breastfeeding. Setting limits for how long your going to try can make you feel overwhelmed. Which doesn't help at all.

 

Stock Up On The Essentials

Prepare for a successful start to your breastfeeding process by having the essentials near by. Check out my 5 Favorite Breastfeeding Items below.

 

 

 

Skip The Expensive Extras

If you search, "Breastfeeding Items", you will see an enormous list of "essentials" to successfully breastfeed.


Odds are, you don't need even half of the products that are listed. My advice would be to hold off on purchasing the expensive items to see if you will even have a need for it.


Nothing is more annoying than watching a $300 item collect dust in the corner of your room.

 

Enjoy The Process

Like I said in the beginning of this post, at first, breastfeeding is a process.


Just take a deep breathe, look at your baby, take everything all in and enjoy this lovely journey of motherhood.


What are your tips for breastfeeding? Comment below.