The Cave Tour at Silver Dollar City

The Cave Tour at Silver Dollar City is hands down one of my favorite things to do at Silver Dollar City. I love the excitement and the accomplishment I feel every time I finish it. Here are some tips to make it fun for your kids and easier on you.

• Get in line and then go to the bathroom. I know this seems counter intuitive but it works. Tours leave every thirty minutes. Your goal is to get there 5-10 minutes after a tour leaves (assuming you don't make the first one). You should be able to get in line and then go to the restroom before the next tour starts. This way there is minimal wait time in the line. 
• It's okay to let them play on your phone while you wait. I would love to say that the scenes that they have filled with history and facts kept my kids entertained, but they didn't. Four and five year olds just don't care about history yet. 
• Don't refill your drinks before you get in line. In fact, make sure they are empty. You won't be able to take them on the tour and you will be less likely to drink them right before the tour. There aren't any bathrooms in the cave. You also won't be sloshing them around either.
• There are a lot of stairs and a lot of walking, this is not the time to wear the cute shoes.
• Be at the back of the line. This way you aren't holding it up. It also frees you to take pictures that don't include photo bombers. 
• Have fun. Enjoy the beauty. Ask them questions along the way. 
• I save this for the last day. This is the only thing we do in the park. We get in, do they cave tour, refill our cups for the car and get any last minute snack for the car. I promise it will make them tired and they will take a really great nap in the car!

Top 18 Travel Tips for Driving with Kids

I recently had a friend post on Facebook looking for advice on driving across country with their three kids when they move later this year. I think I could have written a book! Two years ago we traveled from OK to OR and back again in 10 days and the kids were 10,7,4 and 3. Oh my word, it was fun and we survived! So I compiled a list just for you with my travel tips. They don't involve wrapping up small gifts for each hour you are in the car (this mama doesn't have time for that, but I am totally impressed if you do) and I don't bribe for good behavior, you should be good because it's the right thing to do. Kids today are lucky they have all these fun devices to play on!

• DVD's. Okay this one is a no brainer right? If you don't have one, ask your friends or family if they have one you could borrow, barter or rent. Did you know that you don't have to pack any of your own DVD's? We used Redbox the whole time! You can download their mobile app and plan your gas/food/breaks for places that have them. Wal-Mart's usually do and while I am not a Wal-Mart shopper on the norm, it will suffice when we are traveling!
• A sturdy kid potty. The kind that you use to potty train with. This one is similar to the one I have, but they don't make mine anymore (what? why???). The point is for it to be small and compact without a back, so you can put it in a re-usable shopping bag with wipes, toilet paper, clorox wipes and extra plastic shopping bags. If it doesn't have a back then you can use it too. Middle of nowhere, you better believe I used it! Some of the best stops were in the middle of nowhere doing business in the woods. 
• Extra clothes in zip lock bags for when there is an accident. If its pee or vomit, you don't want that leaking out of a bag you tie up. 
• A positive attitude and a sense of adventure. If you are nervous, they will see right through you. 
• Snacks that your kids normally eat. Some people say to bring lots of candy or treats. The last thing I want in the car is my kid on a sugar high who then gets a tummy ache. No thanks!
• Markers if its summer time. Crayons if its winter. 
• I let them pick new coloring/activities themselves. Sometimes when I pick something for them they aren't as into it as I thought they would be. 
• Are we there yet? Give them the schedule. Very important for my oldest to know where we are going and when we would get there. You can even download a map app for them to look at or print off your own "map" coloring pages.
• Plan rest stops for parks if the weather is nice or Chick-Fil-A for an inside day. A lot of times its more about moving around then it is about eating for the kids. We stopped once outside of Colorado and the sky was so big and blue and beautiful I could have stayed right there forever. Those are the times when memories are made. 
• Wear comfortable clothes (ones that would be okay to sleep in) and shoes that are easy to get on and off. Regan was a big fan of wearing her pajamas all day. Worked for me. She was happy and it really felt like a vacation I think for her. 
• Don't try to fit too many miles into one day. I know that I could travel with just me and the hubs and crank out a ton of miles and be fine...the kids just get cranky, which is no fun for anyone.
• Try and book hotels with pools. Again, this is just so they have a place to move around. It's often hard to sleep after you've been in the car all day. This really wears them out so they (and you) can get some solid sleep. 
• Eat dinner in your hotel if you are just beat and not up for social graces. We found a local pizza shop in a small town in Idaho and had a party in our room one late night. It was great pizza, we didn't care if they ate in bed and everyone was happy. 
• Instead of buying more stuff for them to do in the car you can let them purchase a new game. movie or app for their tablet. They only get paid apps when they get a gift card or something in our house. Let them know ahead of time what their app purchase amount limit is. 
• Bring an inflatable air mattress for the hotel if you have a bunch of kids. I don't think we have ever checked in as 2 adults and 4 kids. Mainly because they will tell us that we need two rooms. I don't think so! Especially when we are just passing through. A couple of good quality air mattresses that fill up on their own (you just plug them in) really serve us well. The kids already have extra blankets and pillows so we just bring a couple up with us. It also helps that the kids can have their own space. Sometimes you don't get good sleep when you share.
• If they have a breakfast buffet in the morning and its been a late night, usually the hubs and our oldest child, will go down and load up as much as they can, bring it up and then go back and do it again. That way we don't miss breakfast because we are still getting kids (or myself) ready and you can have breakfast in bed! Pack up and eat at the same time. No rushing and no forgetting stuff. 
• Keep electronics in one spot and have a reusable checklist for each stop. You could even have an electronics bag that houses all electronics upon pack up. We totally left a tablet at a non-Disney hotel in Anaheim and of course cleaning never found it. At the point we realized it was left, we wouldn't have made it home on time if we had doubled back. 
• A small container for the laundromat with essentials. Use an empty drink mix container to put dryer sheets, detergent pods and quarters in. If you need to use the laundry at the hotel or because someone barfed all over their car seat cover you will be totally prepared to stop, strip and wash. You can also pack lighter and/or arrive home with clean clothes by doing laundry as you go! We stayed in a hotel off of Hwy 1 and grabbed a six pack from a convenience store and hit the laundry mat. Best beers and we were good to go with clean clothes for the rest of the trip.

The boys at the potty break spot.

Can you survive? You betcha. And if all those don't work, take turns driving and sitting in the passenger seat with headphones in. And remember that its not just about the destination, but the journey as well.

On her way to the potty break spot in her pajamas and shoes. It was a breathtaking potty break!

5 Ways to Make Your Morning Routine Less Stressful {with kids}

I have been getting kids up and out the door for what seems like forever. It is sometimes the most excruciating thing I have to do all day. On some days I would rather walk across a room covered in Lego pieces. That bad! So lets make it a bit easier. I can't calm all of the "but I don't wannas" and the "she looked at me" drama but I can help you to get it go a bit more smoothly.

1- Pick out their clothes the night before. Have your kids help you pick out their clothes either for the week on Sunday night, or every night before you go to bed, with the shoes they want to wear, because shoes like to mysteriously walk away when you are trying to find them at the last minute in the morning.

2- Make lunches ahead of time. If you make their lunch, do it the night before. I have been known to procrastinate this. It never works in my favor to do it in the morning. It also helps to have an extra lunch box and drink container for the one that forgot theirs at school.

3- Load and Go Area. Have a dedicated place for backpacks and coats. Have them look at the weather and put anything they will need next to their backpack. This is a really great time to sign folders and read all of those science project is due tomorrow notes.

4- Me Time. Wake up 20 minutes earlier than you normally do. Okay, I am the worst at actually getting up earlier than I'm supposed to. Hell, I struggle with getting out of bed at any appointed time. I am a self proclaimed night owl living in an early birds house. I hate it, but when I give myself that extra 20 minutes things really seem to go much more smoothly and I am more calm. Or maybe it's because I've had my coffee earlier.

5- No TV. Leave the TV off. That is unless they are all done and waiting. The kids know that I am more than willing to let them watch TV if they have eaten their breakfast, got dressed and brushed their hair and teeth. Only then. TV's have some insane, mind controlling laser that makes it to where they can't do anything without their eyes glued to the screen like little zombies. I consider it more of an incentive than a bribe. It's understood that it will happen if they do what they are supposed to but I don't ever use it to get them to move their keister.

Do you have anything that works really well for you?

Here they are on a successful morning where they did exactly what they were supposed to do!!

Mason Jar Makeup Brush Holder DIY

I did this project over three years ago, so I can say with conviction that it lasts. I didn't used to wear makeup consistently, especially when I was staying at home with my kiddos. Now that I have been in the workforce and I'm getting older I almost always wear something. This was one of the easiest little projects. Antique white spray paint + little jelly mason jar = fabulous makeup brush holder. You could spray it with any color and I am sure it would be just as fab. I sprayed the inside and the outside. I have since added a cute little tie.

This would make a really cute gift for a tween or teen! Makeup brushes and a cute little holder along with some new makeup. Okay maybe it would make a cute gift for an adult...I love mine.

Without the tie. I love the texture of the jelly jars.

With the tie. I like that you can change it up!

Breaking Point

I think so many times when you have a bunch of kids people assume you are some sort of super mom. No such case here. Let me tell you, yesterday was a case of the "I feel like the worst parent ever" moments. Ellie, my gymnast, was walking out of Girl Scouts with her friend while we loaded up meeting stuff and her friend did a cartwheel and accidentally kicked Ellie in the hand. No big deal. Just thought she was being a little emotional and I basically told her she'd be alright and to suck it up. Oh geez. That was last Tuesday night. I put ice on it and wrapped it up. She felt bad Wednesday so I gave her some tylenol and wrapped it up again and then again on Thursday. She had a bit of a cough and a runny nose so I thought that was the main thing she was feeling bad about. Friday she said it felt sort of better so I didn't take her to the doctor. We thought we'd see how it felt over the weekend. It was bruising pretty bad so I thought she had just bruised it pretty good.

Monday (SIX days later). Went to the doctor. Her hand is broken. Broken!!! We go back to the surgeon next week to see if she will need surgery and screws. Whoops. Parent fail. I have to give her some credit though, because she really did suck it up. I felt so awful that I hadn't taken her right away and that I had told her to suck it up! She told me not to feel bad, that even she was surprised it was broken! What a doll. She was bummed she didn't get a pretty pink cast and that she is out of gymnastics for the next 6 weeks.

I hope that she can take away from this how strong she really is. I always knew she was, but this should have been her breaking point and it wasn't.

Apparently I wasn't holding it up correctly (the broken hand is her left and this makes it look like her right). Not bad for in the car with my phone!

Tough little cookie!

Oh you know I got her ice cream!!

The Calm Before the Storm

September is such a great time of year. The weather begins to change and we start to settle into our routine. It is the calm before the storm. I adore our activities but sometimes I just don't know how I do it all. I am not perfect but I try and I think that in this situation that's what counts. I think that one of the hardest things we do as parents is devote so much time to our children without knowing what things will have the greatest effect on them. What memories will be most dear to them? What will they take away from the experiences we have? I wonder if I'm doing the right things and making the best decisions. The impact from those decisions is decades away. What a tough job!

So many times people say "I don't know how you do it." Well honestly, I don't either! I have so many thoughts of doubt that could consume me if I let them. Did I make the right choice by going back to work? Do I give them each enough time? Are we reading enough to the little ones? If I let all of these doubts play on my mind I would never get anything done. I have been working on not doubting myself and the choices I have made to better my family.

Here's what I have done that I am so very proud of:

I read to Ethan and Ellie ALL the time. Now I have them read to Regan and Jack. They even do the voices just like I do.

I taught each child to do chores. Even Jack (who is four) can put things away and swiffer for me. I do not want to send them out into the world thinking that their mommy is going to do those things for them. Or worse that their wife will!

I taught my children how to wash themselves, brush their teeth and hair and get dressed by themselves. I know that some of you might think, duh! But I can tell you that I have witnessed a ridiculous amount of children that cannot accomplish these tasks for themselves. It is rather heartbreaking to see a child that is 6 or 7 and can't (or won't) get dressed by themselves because their parent just didn't want to give up that control or didn't give their child that capability.

I lift them up and tell them they can be anything that they want to be. I also tell them that they should expect greatness from themselves because that's what they are capable of.

I have taught them compassion and empathy. I am most proud of those moments when they have shown their outstanding capability to love one another.


I challenge myself to stop relishing in the what if's and be content with here and now and to forgive myself when I do something wrong.

The Hot Mom Challenge {Week 1 Update}

Well it's been a fun week.  Regan has asked me several times where we are going.  Which really hit home that before I would only really get dressed looking "Hot" when we were going to go somewhere.  Yesterday I got dressed in my workout clothes and we did a walking 5k on Main St, went to the fountain and park, but I came home showered and got dressed.  No waiting around this time.  It helped that Jack was totally passed out in the recliner and that Dora was on.  Otherwise I would have had to pop them in the shower with me.

I think my house is even cleaner.  If you have read my previous posts you know I'm a FlyBaby.  One of the things this has helped me to accomplish is having my house no more than 15 minutes from company ready.  It hit me this week that I wasn't company ready.  What's the point of having my house in order if I'm not?  It has felt great to be company ready this week.  Even though I really haven't gone anywhere and no one has come over. I have to go out today though so I'll be putting my "Hot Mom" to good use.

What does a Hot Mom look like you may be wondering?  Well my goal is to be classy hot and really more put together.  10 years ago it would have been to look scandalous hot.  My how times have changed.  I did get my finger and toes done.  The trick I think will be keeping them maintained.  I think I'm going to have to put my rubber gloves to use.

I hope you decide to join me!  You can read more about The Hot Mom Challenge here.  Now, Mister Rogers is almost over and so is blog time.  Jack tells me "thank you Mommy" when I put him on.   Melts my heart.  Happy Friday Hot Moms!

The Hot Mom Challenge

Have you gotten stuck in a Mom Jean rut?  Do you put your hair in a boring old pony tail everyday?  Have you made yoga pants a part of your wardrobe and not just for yoga?  Are you feeling like you don't do enough for yourself?  Me too and I'm ready for a change!

Last week I told you about leaving the house in my hot pink and hearts pajama pants.  I realize that one of the things I have been lacking in my like is feeling like a hot, put together Mom on a consistent basis.  I know I can dress up my jeans and still clean up messes and go to the park if I make the choice.  I always feel so much better when I do.  I want to make me and my appearance a priority.  

Since May is the month for Mom's I thought a Hot Mom Challenge was appropriate for this month.  So here's the rules.  

Every day in the month of May I will:

• Get dressed before I take the kids to school
• Put make-up on, at the very least mascara and lip gloss.
• Wear at least 1 coordinating piece of jewelry or accessory, my wedding ring doesn't count
• Fix my hair, even if I put it up it needs to be cute
• No sweatpants or yoga pants are allowed (unless I'm sweating on purpose or doing yoga)
• At the minimum keep my toe nails looking great with fresh polish once a week and at least clear polish on my fingers.  

That's me after getting my hair done for the first time in forever.  My husband had never seen me with it straight (I have really curly hair) and most of my friends couldn't recall seeing me with straight hair either.  It really sparked wanting to take care of me and making it a priority.  You always hear that you have to take care of yourself first to be able to take care of others.  It's true.  Lets's start today!  Won't you join me in The Hot Mom Challenge?  Together we can feel awesome about ourselves.  I'll be posting weekly about my progress and I hope you'll join me!



Are you joining?  Feel free to leave a comment or blog about transforming yourself into a "Hot Mom."  If you blog about it please leave a comment with a link so I can check it out!

Thanks,

Julie

The Super Diet- How to Lose 5lbs in 24 hours

It's all the rage among Mom's today and I bet if you're a Mom you've totally done it.  I'm talking about The Super Diet, where you can lose up to 5lbs in 24 hours by simply catching the stomach bug your kids have.  It's awesome!  I did it this week and I look fabulous even with the pale and sickly look, which I can totally cover up with makeup.  If your kid isn't sick just go to the park or a public bathroom or better yet the sick kid waiting room at any doctors office.  I bet you could catch it even if you didn't try.

How it works:

You catch a nasty stomach bug from one of your adorable children, or worse someone else's.
You writhe in agony as you attempt to get your children showered and in bed before you have to use the bathroom again for the tenth time.
You survive the night after adorable children #'s 3 and 4 join you in your bed in the middle of the night, #3 decides to sleep with her feet on your pillow and you wake up via foot to the face.
You don't eat breakfast for fear that you will defecate all over yourself while dropping them off at school.
You eat an oreo for snack time and send the little one's outside with 3 each so you can at least load the dishwasher.  Hey that oreo will just make it's way out soon anyways right?  All part of the diet.
You skip lunch for the same reason you skipped breakfast, wouldn't want to ruin all of this dieting by having to do more of your own laundry, it would also make for a really long car rider line at school.
Your husband calls and offers to bring home pizza for dinner.  You gladly accept and eat a slice out of shear starvation and well its pizza.  You skip the beer because that might be pushing it.
You wake up the next day and you've miraculously lost 5lbs.
Easy peasy, right?

Here is my Super Diet secret, I'll be happy to let her breath on you ;)

You might also enjoy:  Cart Karma

Spa Day!

The girls and I had a spa day and it was so much fun.  We did facials, hot oil hair treatments, body scrub, a bubble bath, manicures and pedicures.  I wanted the products we used to be all natural and I wanted to make them at home.  That was perhaps the most fun.

First we did a hot oil treatment on our hair. We simply heated up olive oil, brushed it through our hair and wrapped warm towels on our head.  Put your clean towels in the dryer on high for about 5 minutes and while you are waiting for them to heat up brush through your hair to get out any tangles.  Heat the oil in the microwave for 20-40 seconds at a time until warm and check to make sure that its not too hot before putting it on your hair.  It worked really well for me and made my hair a lot softer and smoother.  The girls probably could have done without it, it was a little harder to get it out of their hair, but they had fun doing it!

For facials we mixed organic Greek Brown Cow yogurt, we choose blueberry and added oatmeal to it.  I was skeptical but it worked and my face felt softer and firm.  For the girls it was just fun to put on!

We mixed up a fresh batch of my Brown Sugar Epsom Salt Body Scrub and piled in a big bubble bath.  We giggled, a lot.  Using the Epsom Salt in the bath was so relaxing, even with all of the giggling.  After we got out of the tub we lathered up with lots of lotion, got in our cuddliest pajamas and did our nails while we watched movies.  One of the hardest things with little ones is keeping nail polish from getting everywhere.  My solution is to lay out an old sheet.  The girls know they have to stay on the sheet or we stop.  It helps having a movie on to keep their attention.

I think it is so important to teach my children to pamper and take care of themselves.  Its one of those things as women and mothers that we tend to forget or neglect.  We spend so much time taking care of others that we often forget to take care of ourselves.  It's not only important to me to teach them but to model it as well.  I want them to reflect back and think that I not only took care of them but myself as well.

Just me and the girls, and our handsome camera man!

Silly face form Ellie!

So many giggles!

Mom to Mom: Sick Kid Tips

Jack is on the mend after a night on the couch with Mommy and the humidifier.  So today while I have a few minutes to myself I thought I'd share with you my two favorite tips for taking care of sick kids and babies.

The Barfer:  At some point you are going to have to deal with vomit.  Thankfully I'm not dealing with that kind of sick right now.  Most of the time parents give a bowl or a bucket to the kid when they are set up on the couch.  Not in this house.  I give them a plastic pitcher with a handle on it.  The size is just right for them to put their faces in it, there is less splatter (ewww but its part of the job) and the handle makes it less likely to be dropped.  Which is like not even having a bowl in the first place, totally done that.  It also makes it easier to dump in the toilet.

The Stuffed Up Nose:  This one is perfect for that little one that still wants the comfort of Mom or Dad but is too little to put Vicks directly on their skin.  Get an old, thin t-shirt and put the Vicks Vapor Rub on your shoulders and collar/chest.  Baby gets the benefit of the Vicks while you hold them without putting it on them.  It works wonders.  I did this with Jack last night!

Now I have to get back to my littles.  Jack is on my lap, "talking" on my phone and Regan is lost in Dora land and its time for snack.  Maybe the sneaky vegetable post tomorrow?

It really is the little things, or I've lost my mind

I got excited over getting a stain out of my husband's shirt.  After my initial "Yes!" and internal high five I gave myself an "oh my goodness what has happened to you" dirty look.  I got all excited about shining my sink and mopping my floor last night.  Who is this person?  I'm either finding happiness in the little things or I have truly lost mind.  I'm not sure which it is yet.

I'm also a potty training ninja and after several dry nights I can finally say that Regan is officially potty trained.  Three down and one to go.  I think I can have Jack done by the end of the year.  He already tells me when he poops and will go sit on the toilet and then put some toilet paper in and flush.  2012 is the year to be diaper free!

And because I think this may be the cutest pictures ever here are my filthy kids.  They got into the fire pit and covered themselves in dirt and ashes while I went to the bathroom, seriously they did this in 30 seconds.  We don't have a lot of fires out there, but my husband dumps the ashes from the fireplace into the pit.  On the plus side they did get an early bath and went to bed early that night.  I'm sure my former self would have freaked out, but they are only kids once.  Oh and because my washing machine was empty and my laundry caught up I just tossed everything in the wash, thanks FlyLady!  An empty washer, another little thing or pure insanity.  We did have a talk about not doing it again though because once was enough!

The Lowdown on the FlyLady and how I took Control of my Life in 2011

I sound like a crazy person talking about CHAOS, Flying and Control Journals but, and its a big but, less than a week post Christmas and my house looks like parties and Christmas mayhem never happened.  While some parts of Christmas didn't go as smoothly as I wanted (I was up way too late wrapping presents) most of the celebrations we had were easy and carefree.  Thanksgiving and Ellie's Birthday were hands down the easiest and less stressed holidays/parties I've ever had.  I think that next year, Christmas will be just as easy.  It's all thanks to starting a House and Holiday Journal and working 15 minutes at a time.

If one of your goals for 2012 is to get organized, have a clean house, lose weight, eat healthier, etc, I really suggest looking up FlyLady.  It has truly revolutionized my house and my life.  I am pampering myself, I drink the amount of water I should, my house is never more than 15 minutes from company ready, I can spend more time doing things with my kids, crafting, sewing, I've lost over 32 lbs this year and I'm getting rid of the junk that had once taken over my closets, garage and house.

I have been labeled as a super mom before, I'm really not, I just FLY with FLYLADY.  I resisted having routines for myself for a long time and now that I've given in I couldn't be happier or less stressed.  It has even helped in my marriage.  My husband never complained when coming home to a messy house.  He even told me it wasn't a big deal, we had four kids after all.  But I wanted him to come home to a clean house, I wanted to have a clean house and this has given me the tools to do it.  And you know what?  He actually helps more, the kids help more and we do things together.

So scroll down and have a look at my Journals.  I call them my house and holiday journals.  My house journal is broken up into my Before Bed, Morning and After School Routines.  It also includes my Weekly Home Blessing, which is all of the things that I do each week throughout the week.  Next it has detailed Zone Cleaning, with very detailed things to do for each area of my house.  I schedule in days each week to do a Zone Mission and FlyLady sends out their own Zone Missions.  I also have a list of Kid Dashes.  These are things that my kids can do in 5 minutes or less.  I have them do 1 or so each day.  Once its been 5 minutes we stop.  They know I won't make them do more and they give it their all because I keep my word and stop when its time to stop.  In the front pocket of the binder I keep all of our current bills that are due and in the back pocket I keep important receipts or letters.  This way I always know what is due and when and I never have to search around the house to find it.  I also keep my recipes that I use often and my meal plan and shopping lists towards the back of the binder.

My holiday journal serves for any holiday, birthday party or get together.  It's one place where I can put event details, shopping lists, decoration ideas and anything else related.  Once the event is over (like Christmas) I type up what worked, what didn't and what we liked about it or other fun details.  I also include any recipes that we used and want to use again.  For example, we used a new gingerbread recipe and I have it included with the Christmas details.  Next year I can see what worked and have all of those details ready for me.  I file them in chronological order placing each current event in the front and then when its over placing it in the back using clear sheet protectors.  I use the front and back pockets for gift receipts and party item purchase receipts.  I put some Michael's and Hobby Lobby receipts from my daughter's Christmas party at school, so glad I did because I have about $15 in supplies that we didn't use and now I have the receipts handy so I can make those returns.  In the past I would have just kept the items if I couldn't find the receipt with the excuse that I could surely use that craft item.  All that did was add to the clutter that was taking over my life, well not anymore!

My husband rolled his eyes when I started this.   Now he helps me shine my sink!

Yes its NYE and I have already done this! I didn't want to forget anything!

I know you're ready to FLY with me!  Take it on in 2012.  It all starts with BabySteps.  I don't follow what she says exactly, I have tailored it to fit me and my schedule and my life.  It really works!!!  Want help starting?  Comment below I would love to help you!

DIY: Brown Sugar and Epsom Salt Body Scrub

Santa brought me some Epsom Salt because he knew I wanted to make a few things, the first being some body scrub.  December is all about pampering yourself on FlyLady and I really wanted to make my own body scrub to save some green.  It turned out fantastic! The Epsom Salt I got was lavender scented which I thought would smell great but it doesn't to me.  Not to worry I used a few other things that smelled super yummy.  So if you are going to make this you might want to get plain Epsom Salt, I know I will be next time.  To offset the smell of not so great lavender I used Shea and Cocoa butter baby oil, brown sugar and vanilla.  It works amazing and smells pretty good, probably pretty great if you like lavender.

Here is my recipe:

You'll need about 5 minutes to whip this up and a plastic container with lid, spoon, tablespoon, teaspoon and 1/3 measuring cup.

1/3 cup Epsom Salt (mine was lavender scented but would be better with no scent)
1/3 cup Brown Sugar (light or dark doesn't matter)
4 tablespoons Baby Oil (I used the shea and cocoa butter kind)
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Just wet a washcloth and scrub away.  This batch makes enough to scrub your whole body and I did my feet twice.  Please make it in a plastic container, it wouldn't really be pampering yourself if you dropped a glass container in the shower and then had to clean it up.  My body scrub is in this super duper, kid snack, princess container because that's how I roll.  After all the Christmas cleanup I need some pampering and you do too!

Yes that's one of those plastic baby spoons, now you know what to do with them!

Why yes I am a princess!

The cool thing about it is the lid that lifts up.

FYI: My husband loves this stuff.  He even asked me what it was and asked if I would keep using it because it smelled so good and he noticed how soft my skin was.  He oooohhhed me.  Mom tested and husband approved!

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Epsom Salt Vanilla Mint Hand Scrub

The Aftermath

We're in it, the aftermath of 3 Christmases.  Which at first was really overwhelming Sunday night when we brought in the massive amount of things from the grandparents but with a bit of work and rearranging we are on the path to sanity again.

Thanks to the FlyLady we are cleaning things up 15 minutes at a time.  What would have taken me alone 30 or more minutes (like picking up the living room) only takes 15 minutes because I have willing kids, ready to help.  They know that I will only ask them to give their all for 15 minutes at a time and that when the timer goes off we will take a break.  All of us.  I'm on a break right now!  We made a list of the rooms that need to be cleaned up and we work on them, 15 minutes at a time, until they are done.  Sometimes we go back and forth between different ones and sometimes we work on the same one until its done.  If we finish one before the time is up, we get bonus free time.  It is amazing what can get done in so short a time.

So if you are feeling overwhelmed today with all of the CHAOS (another FlyLady term meaning Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) then set your timer and work 15 minutes at a time.  Then take a break (set the timer for that too!) so you don't get burnt out.  FlyLady has REVOLUTIONIZED my life and my house and while I'm still learning to FLY I am happier, healthier, skinnier and more organized than ever before.  Did I mention I have 4 kids....me now, compared to 2 kids, well I can't even compare it!  And there goes the timer, time to grab these kids and get at it!

Mom to Mom: How I get my kids to eat their veggies

We went to Olive Garden not that long ago and all of my kids ate salad.  You betcha there were people looking at us in amazement.  I have a pretty hardcore approach to eating good food and vegetables and my kids know I mean business.  In this house "If you don't eat it for dinner you will eat it for your next meal and not anything else until you finish."  My oldest has had green beans for breakfast.  Ellie went on an eating strike over cottage cheese, of all things.  They all know I will make them eat it the next day.  I don't falter on that one.  I've read somewhere that it takes at least 10 times of trying a new food before a kid may like it.  It is certainly hard to get to even 1 time if your kid won't even try it, I know I've been there!

I know you're wondering how we got to this point.  I used to get frustrated with Ethan when he wouldn't eat things that he had eaten before (and liked I might add) and I did not want to have a battle every evening.  This only works when they have a concept of when the next meal is around age 4 or so.  Regan at 2 is too young but since she is the third she just does whatever they do.  I don't get upset or frustrated anymore, I just calmly tell them that if they don't eat it now they can have it at the next meal or snack.  I also tell them that it usually isn't as good reheated.  Then when mealtime is over, I wrap it up and put it in the fridge.  Sometimes telling them that in 5 minutes its going to be put away is motivation to finish it up.  At first we tried making them sit there until they had finished but it just made everyone stressed and my kids are stubborn as all hell so that never worked.  Time limits are a must.

There are also things that make it simple like, I don't put too much food on their plate.  So finishing isn't going to stuff them so much they'll explode.  Once they finish their plate they are welcome to any leftovers.  Ethan hates tomatoes but he knows that if we have salad he is going to have to eat them.  He has also learned that if he eats them first he gets it over with.  He has taught his sisters to eat their veggies first, because they follow his every move.  Ellie is a self proclaimed "fruit and vegetable girl," so I usually don't have any trouble with her.  Although if Ethan is struggling she will usually encourage him.  I still get some lip every now and then, but as a result Ethan (my picky eater) has learned to like more things and we don't have a struggle.  He even ate zucchini the other night!

Yo Gabba What?

Really?  Why haven't I thought of this stuff?  I mean I really should just create some random characters and make them dance to music.  Maybe add in some bright colors and swirly backgrounds.  Little plush character toys that all the kids would beg their parents for.  I could make millions!  I recently sat down and watched an entire episode of Yo Gabba Gabba, it happened to be the one with Jack Black.  Which was in fact pretty humorous to watch.  He seemed to have a smidge of sarcasm.

I used to watch a lot of television as a kid.  My mother had cancer when I was really little and I stayed with my Grandparents all the time.  I can remember one morning getting pissed off that Sesame Street was a rerun.  "Ahhh I've seen this one before!"  I don't think that it ruined me.  I always did well in school.  I DVR Mr. Rogers for the kids.  He comes on Saturday mornings at 5am.  I haven't looked for Reading Rainbow yet but I need to.  "Butterfly in the sky I can go twice as high..."  It's so easy to plop them in front of an educational show but is it really teaching them anything?  How am I limiting the growth of some other part of their brain by doing so?

What do you do if you think your child watches too much TV?  Turn it off.  I promise they will find something to do.  They may whine or groan at first, but once they see you are serious and it's staying off they will eventually retreat to their rooms and do something creative.  Call it "TV free time," or "Special Room Time" or a favorite in our house "Alone Time."  I have tried just putting on something for me, but they will watch it too, can't have them watching Jerseylicious now can we?  When I first did TV free time I thought it would be a lot harder than it actually ended up being.  Now they ask for "Alone Time" in their rooms!  It makes the house a bit more peaceful for all of us.

How do you make TV free time successful?  Make sure they have lots of engaging toys and books in their room that they have access to, or if they are smaller in the family room.  Also it really helps them want to play in their room if its clean.  This one is really hard for us.  So to help them I give them each 5 minutes of "help" to get their room clean (this way I'm not just doing it all myself, although faster it wouldn't teach them anything), while I'm helping one the other does theirs by themselves.  It has made such a difference.  We clean it up at night so that the next day starts out fresh.  I think it is so important for them to be bored and have to find something to do. 

It's TV free time in our house right now.  So peaceful!  And it makes TV a treat.

Mom to Mom: Light Travel Tips

We went to Kansas in the van, with 4 kids.  How did we do it?  Well we're crazy for one so that helps.  No it wasn't bad at all.  This was our first time with all of them and our first time without a dvd player.  I dare say the break from tv and movies was a blessing in disguise.

I would first tell someone to make sure they get a decent hotel.  Staying somewhere for the first time?  Read the reviews at different travel sites.  We stayed at the Hyatt in Topeka and it was excellent!  It was clean and the free breakfast was delicious with a wide variety.  A good breakfast can make all the difference.  Especially with all these mouths to feed.  It paid for itself.  We essentially got a night free in what we would have paid to eat out breakfast.  We had a queen bed and the kids stayed on the pullout couch.  This was way better than two beds because when it was in couch mode it gave them enough room to dance and be kids.  It also had a mini fridge and sink and even though we didn't use them I was glad they were there. 

Four hours in the van?  How did we stay sane?  A bag of plastic bags so that anytime we would stop we would have a trash party and fill up the bag (I did not want to return home with a trashed out car).  Ellie brought her LeapFrog Tag Activity Storybook: Tangled and her Tag pen.  Which also plays all of the other Tag books she has.  Ethan brought Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth.  My kids like to read.  We made sure to have fun songs on Dale's IPhone so we could crank it up and rock out.  We played the "ABC" game and found words that started with each letter.  I am really good at this game.  We looked for Slug Bugs minus the punching.  I'm really good at that game too.

Everyone also has their own car cup.  We bring our own snacks and drinks.  I have found that the seemingly convenient things like juice boxes end up making a mess and being less convenient when you factor in clean up time.  I pack everyone's things in a super big duffle bag.  I've done the separate bags for each kid but it doesn't work for me.  When it's time for bed I take everyone's dirty clothes and put them into those plastic shopping bags and repack them into the duffle bag.

We try to plan our driving times around meals.  When we headed back we did so after lunch.  This way everyone had a full tummy and were ready to take a nap.  It really made all the difference.  I'm sure with our first family mini-vacation coming up soon I will have a few more for you.  Happy traveling!

Mom to Mom: Bathtime is for Mommy too!

To say I am busy is an understatement.  I also know that in order to keep my sanity I need to do things for myself also.  What better time than the kids bath time?  What? That's right the kids bath time.  You have to stay in there with them so you might as well get some "me" time as well.

Now this only works if your kids are able to support themselves and all of these things could be stopped at any time.  Have you ever seen an Aquababy Bath Ring by Thermobaby (Blue with Green)?  I have one that is similar.  It's like a Bumbo seat for the bath tub.  I got mine off of Craigslist for 5 bucks.  It has been through 2 kids and is amazing.  I had an older Safety First version with Ethan and Ellie that would change from an infant bather to the seat.  They have been the key to my sanity. 

So once your little one can sit up unassisted, around 6 months or so, you can make bath time for you as well.  My kids love taking a bath and it really helps them calm down and get ready for bed.  So what do I do?

• Floss my teeth.  Because it is really important and I don't always do it before bed.
• Trim/file my nails.   
• Read the kids a story.  If they are especially tired its like skipping a step when I'm done.  Which gets them to bed faster.  More me time!
• Wipe down the bathroom.  I know this seems like work.  It is.  But it's like killing two birds with one stone.  Our kid bathroom is also our guest bathroom and you never know when someone might come over unexpectedly.  It happened the other day. 
• Read my own book.  I can even read it out loud to them.  I'm reading Harry Potter right now.  Or if you are in school you could read one of those boring reading assignments to your kids.  I used to read Chemistry to Ethan. 
• Soak my feet in their bath tub.  Then lotion and sock them.  Pretend you're at the salon.  I do.
• Sometimes I wash my face and put wrinkle cream on.  I've been putting cream on my face since before I was 20. 
• Squats and ballet plies.  Because even 10 minutes is better than zero.  

How cute is this guy?

Mom to Mom: Trips to the Park

Jack likes to swing at the park now.  It would be nice if he liked to swing in his swing at home.  I guess we are moving out of that phase of home swinging and into another one.  Four kids at the park is really not a big deal if, its not super busy.  Now that Jack swings I'm finding it a lot easier to go to the park.  Sometimes the big kids even want to push him.

Something that helps me if its one of those crazy Oklahoma days where its been 40 degrees and suddenly hits 70 and everyone is at the park is what they wear.  I either match the girls or let them dress themselves, which usually results in something wild that is easy to spot.  Stripes and polka dots work really well.  I've never seen playground equipment in polka dots.  Also try non primary colors so they don't blend in with the equipment. 

Have a toddler than tends to run off?  Make a game of staying inside the boxed area.  I did this with mine and now the bigger ones teach the littles.  Make a rule that when mom calls your name you answer!  If they are having trouble with this one, on the way there decide which animal they will answer as.  Where's Regan???  Roar!!! Works like a charm.  Now if only this cold weather would scoot out of here so we can get back to the park...

His first time in the swing.  Love this happy little guy!

:Who wouldn't want to swing next to this crazy gal?