By Blogger Heather Eigler. Heather lives, writes and parents from just west of Calgary. Her blog
hometoheather.com focuses on decor, food and family.
Ever feel like you run around in circles but never get anything accomplished? Feel like you have a lot on
your plate yet sit on Facebook for far too long? You’re not alone. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to
get a project rolling and keep it rolling. Here are a few tips to ramp up your efforts.
Ashley Stone is the wife of one, mother of two and the voice of Our Family Stone. She’s tried writing her bio 10 times and has discovered 2 things, 1. she talks/writes to much & 2. She should really just stop at “Hi”. So, “Hi”
A friend of mine posted a picture of a quote awhile back that sums it up wonderfully: “A perfect parent is a person with excellent child rearing theories, and no actual children.” True story, right? Whether you have 1, 2 or 25 kids, you know that the perfect parent doesn’t exist. She is the myth that keeps mothers up at night, leaves fathers feeling inadequate and is the thing that sells millions and millions of parenting books each year.
At least, the universal “Perfect Parent” for every kid doesn’t exist. There is however there is a “Perfect Parent” for your kids, and I think you’re going to find (if you don’t already know it), that it’s you!
By Britt Reints from Miss Britt
It’s hard enough to eat right in the comfort of your own kitchen, but add time changes and airport delays to the mix and staying healthy can be about as convenient as traveling with toddlers. Alas, much like hitting the road with kids, eating well on the road can be done - but you’ll need to do a little mental prepping to get it done.
1. Pack snacks. What makes eating on the road so difficult is the last-minute frantic search for food we often find ourselves doing in the most inconvenient places. Here’s a hint: you will want to eat. Guaranteed. Plan for this inevitably by throwing some travel-friendly food in your purse. Try granola bars, fruit, meal replacement bars or shakes, or even a sandwich if you’ve got the packing space.
By Sarah Walsh of Home Sweet Sarah
I’m a big believer that makeup can transform your mood. While I was recently on maternity
leave, I could have been having the worst day, but putting on a little bit of makeup — even if it
wasn’t until 5pm — made me feel so much better. Hello, I am human again! (Who cares if I still
haven’t brushed my teeth!) Here is my quick and easy makeup routine; it takes five minutes and
doesn’t use any fancy-shmancy products or tools.
By Britt Reints from Miss Britt
I’m a firm believer that travel is much more affordable than most people think - and that a lot of “money saving ideas” suck the fun right out of traveling. Sure, you can save money by staying at the motel an hour outside of the most popular tourist attractions and eating PB&J for a week, but you’d probably have more fun staying home! How can you fit more traveling into your budget and still find ways to actually enjoy the places you’re visiting? A little creativity and prioritizing is all you need.
1. Pick one or two must-see’s and must-do’s. It’s so tempting to try to “do it all” when you visit a new place, but that’s a recipe for blowing your budget and stressing everyone out. Instead, have each member of your group pick one or two priorities. Leave the rest of your time free for relaxing (which is inevitably when the best moments will happen).
By Shannon from zchamu (and other places)
A hotel room. An entire room. All to yourself. Where you can hog the bed and the remote control, and if you get hungry? You can pick up the phone and demand someone bring you food. What is this? Am I suddenly 26 and single again? Ahh. A business trip. It sounds heavenly, doesn’t it?
Then why does the thought of going away for a few nights fill us with such anxiety and dread? It’s because often, we’re the ones who keep the well-oiled machine that is Our Family functioning, and going out of town means there’s a high likelihood the entire thing is going to fall apart, leaving us trying to pick up the pieces from half a country away. Head off the insanity: Here’s a few tips to help keep everything running smoothly while you’re out of town.
By Sugar Jones from Sugar In The Raw
Freelancing evokes images of hours of free time in between a few short meetings or a little time at the desk. While the flexibility to be present in my family’s daily lives is wonderful, our schedules can sometimes become quite inflexible. Finding some quiet time to relax and regroup can be a real challenge.
There are so many organizational apps available for iPhones and Droids these days. So many choices, in fact, that you might become overwhelmed. Let’s narrow it down to one task that can’t be postponed: Grocery Shopping.
I don’t know about you, but mental reminders never work when my schedule gets overloaded. Having to go back to the store for forgotten items wastes precious time, as well as fuel. Before heading to the store for the third time to get the toilet paper you forgot, check out these apps:
By Janssen from Everyday Reading
1. Audiobooks
I live for the books on my iPod. I download them from my library (which has subscriptions to both NetLibrary and Overdrive) and they stay on for a couple of weeks and then the licensing terms require you to delete them. You can also get two free audiobooks from Audible if you sign up for a trial membership. Or you can check out a book on CD from your library and upload it on to your MP3 player (just delete it when you are done). My husband knows when I’m in the middle of a good book because the toilets get scrubbed and the dishes stay done. I listen to things while I cook, clean, sew or do laundry.
2. Keep a stack of books you want to read on hand
If it’s easily available and visible, I’m far more likely to think about reading then if all my books are buried on the bookshelf or in my library basket. I try and keep two or three on my bedside table.
By Jenny Grace from Miss Grace’s Disgrace
Between working full time and parenting full time, food can really fall by the wayside, especially when it comes to feeding myself. I’m generally pretty good about feeding my son meals that more or less end up balanced, but when it comes to me? During the work day? You have got to be kidding.
Over the years I’ve gotten better about (a) remembering to eat at all and (b) having something on hand so it’s not just straight from the vending machine into my belly.
I rely heavily on the following strategies:
Categories: Balancing Act, Kid Matters
By Samantha from Temprorarily Me
When we moved to our new home last year, as anyone would, we made a conscious effort to try and keep it simple for our oldest, Carter. At four years old, he was old enough to know we were leaving the home he’d always known for a new one which was strange and unfamiliar. Needless to say, no matter how hard we tried, he still found aspects of the move difficult. Despite spending some time moving between the two houses, letting him pick his own bedroom, and setting up a new playroom, I was painfully aware that leaving his first home was the cause for many of his tears and tantrums that followed.
