Category: Mom Life

Mom Life

Screen Time Detox: Activities For The Kids That DON’T Include A Phone Or Tablet

Kath

I’m as guilty as the next parent who hands their child a phone or tablet. Whether it’s to get a few minutes to yourself, be a distraction to break up what feels like a never ending sibling fight, to put an end to the “Mom, I’m Bored,” complaints, or so you can simply get things done around the house..make dinner without any interruptions. It can be nice. But it also has its consequences. Meltdowns, addiction, preferring the screen as opposed to regular childhood activities like playing outside. It definitely has its drawbacks.

Aging myself here but growing up we didn’t have screen time to entertain ourselves if we were bored. That’s where our imaginations came in. And how much fun did we have?! Making up games with the neighborhood kids, riding our bikes, playing card and board games, building forts outside, playing dress up, so many things that today’s kids may never do because they’re consumed by a virtual world.

I want my kids to look back and have a childhood filled with fun and happy memories. I don’t want them to look back and only remember mindlessly staring at a screen. If I’m being honest this summer has been tough with that. Establishing a routine that works with both summer fun and all of the daily chores has been a challenge. Trying to maintain the house from NOT looking like a train wreck but also to ease the anxiety and stress that comes with managing the clutter. It’s tough. So, I’ve handed them a tablet more times that I’d like this summer. Granted it’s usually just for an hour, but I’ve come to realize that hour can make or break our day. The overstimulation from these screens is just not healthy for my kids, so we stopped. COLD TURKEY.

I was a little nervous putting an abrupt end to it, but it’s turned out to be the best thing ever. For them and for me. Their creativity has flourished, they’re finally playing with ALL the toys we have that hardly ever get used, we’re outside even more than usual, and we’ve picked up a couple new mom and me hobbies. We’re going on week 2 of no screens, so I thought I’d share a few of the activities the kids have picked up that have them not even thinking about those little gadgets.

Getting Creative

My kids LOVE to build. It can be sticks, paper taped together, legos, cardboard, you name it if they can build something out of it that’s what they’re going to do. So, naturally this has been a big one when it comes to what they want to do when mom’s cooking, cleaning or working out. Here’s a little list of some of their latest projects.

  • Legos. We are a Lego family these days. Superhero legos, pirate ship legos, cars, dinosaurs, it’s a lot. But they love it and it really brings out their creative and strategical thinking sides.
  • Forts. Pillow & blanket forts (sometimes to build the legos in!), cardboard box forts, or outside stick forts. These kids love their forts. And I love it because it’s been teaching them patience, problem solving, and team work. TIP – Save some of your bigger delivery boxes. These are awesome for decorating, making into a fort, boat, whatever your kid wants to imagine!
  • Drawing. This has always been a big one in our home, even with the screen time they’ve always LOVED to draw. TIP – if you visit your local dollar store you can get drawing pads and crayons/markers for a great price. There was a time I was going weekly because they’d fill up their booklets so fast.
  • Clay & Play Doh. Like the drawing this is awesome for allowing them to get creative and make something out of nothing. You don’t have to have all the fancy cutters or themed kits either. Find yourself some cups, spoons, bowls, even some of their own action figures and they will find a way to turn it into something super cool.
  • Baking. This is a new mom and me hobby that I am just LOVING. I’m learning with them, we’re spending more one on one time together, enjoying delicious, homemade food, and they’re learning the basics of cooking. I love it. So far we’ve made sandwich bread, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, and chocolate chip cookies. Next up, sourdough!
  • Playing outside. Just simply playing. Not only is being outside in the sunshine GOOD for our kids (and us too!) but there’s SO much they can do. Ride bikes, play tag, dig for bugs, help with yard work, play basketball, gardening, play on the playground..the options are pretty endless. Thankfully my kids have always loved being outside so it’s not a hassle getting them out the door for some play time.

It’s tough to give up screen time. Sometimes I’ll find myself mindlessly scrolling through my phone and I’ll have to stop and ask myself, what am I doing? Why am I on this right now? It’s a habit. And we’ve become so dependent on it because it’s convenient, and it feels like our entire lives are on it. Maybe they are. Some days I wish we could go back to our flip phones and personalized ring tones. But things are different now, and I think it’s important than we are mindful of what our kids are being exposed to, how they’re spending their time and if we’re also allowing these phones or tablets to prevent us from being present with our family and in our lives. It’s not easy! I struggle daily with it but if this is something that’s been on your heart and mind too there are habits we can do to shift that and lead a more present and productive life.

What new activities will the kids come up with next?! Stay tuned.. I’ll be sure to share all of the other new hobbies, activities and ideas we come up with as we continue on with this screen time detox.

Mom Life

A Little Bit About Me: Twin Pregnancy Experience

Kath

Since this blog is predominately about mine and my family’s journey through a variety of endeavors, I felt it makes sense to also share some personal stories that may be relatable and even helpful for other mamas.

** Please note that this is my personal experience and none of this is medical advice**

Let’s start at the beginning – when I found out I was going to be a mama to twins! Before I get into this and- my fellow twin moms will understand — we did not do IVF, yes, I can tell them apart, I do have my hands full, and even though it’s A LOT, it’s such a blessing and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Those questions were a solid standard anytime I’d leave the house.

Oh Sh!t

So the twins were a complete surprise for us. I’ll never forget the day I found out. Leading up to it I knew something was off. I felt nauseas, I was late, moody, doing half as*ed workouts at the gym, eating complete junk as opposed to my usual gym rat clean eating regimen. But I was in denial. No way could that even be possible. I figured what the heck, let’s take a test just to rule it out. So I went to the supermarket, grabbed a bag of BBQ chips that I’d been craving all day, took a test off the shelf and headed home. Needless to say, a “+” sign showed up right away and I went into oh sh!t mode. I didn’t feel like I was ready for this. I had just started a new job and had other things in mind for the future. But, God had other plans for me. And I’m so grateful for this path he’s led me on. And then, plot twist! We go in for our first ultrasound and get asked, “Did you do IVF? There’s two in there.” My husband just about fainted right there in the room.

High Risk Pregnancy

The “it’s twins” bliss wore off sooner than I wanted. Not because we weren’t thrilled, but because of the interactions that followed. Due to it being a twin pregnancy, we were warned by my OBGYN that it would be high risk. We were fortunate to have a highly recommended team of doctors throughout those 9 months, however the experience was not great. If there’s one piece of advice I can offer to new moms it’s that you want to really trust and like your doctor. Especially if it’s a high risk situation. Being told things like, “this is not good, don’t be excited,” and “this probably won’t end well,” were horrible things to be told being pregnant for the first time. Fear was the last thing I wanted in this journey.

Thankfully, all was good throughout my pregnancy. The only hiccup was failing the glucose test and having gestational diabetes, which I credit to the chocolate cakes I craved every day of my first trimester. We monitored and managed it, I cleaned up my diet and the boys were growing healthy, strong, and on track. One regret I do have is not being active in this pregnancy. Going from gym rat mode to doing the bare minimum was hard – and it was out of fear of doing something that I thought would cause harm or make me go into preterm labor. I didn’t educate myself enough, or stand up for myself as much as I wish I would’ve – but I’m so proud to say that I made it to full term for a multiples pregnancy! I had a scheduled C-section at the end of my 37th week.

My C-section experience was a doozy and left me with quite a bit of trauma, but I am so thankful that all turned out well and everyone was healthy and safe. Pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum.. it’s a lot. It’s worth it, no doubt. But man, it can take a toll. If there’s one benefit I think social media has brought us in between all the toxicity it’s the community, relatability, and helpful information for moms who can feel so alone in this ever-changing journey. I was pregnant with twins when Instagram was just becoming a thing, so the reels, helpful info posts from doctors and physical therapists weren’t there, and i really wish they were.

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful and would like me to share more leave a note in the comments below!

Talk soon.

Kath

Mom Life

Keeping Self Care Simple for the Busy Mom

Kath

Since becoming a mother, I find myself saying, “There aren’t enough hours in the day,” almost every day. I tell myself I’ll wake up an hour before the house, which, when you have a toddler who still wakes in the middle of the night is easier said than done. So, that never happens. I’m a night owl by nature, so getting productive or having that “me” time is something that often happens between the hours of 8-11PM. Also not ideal when you really should get to bed at a decent time, and want to have downtime with hubby. It’s still a work in progress, and probably always will be, but I’ve found that sprinkling in simple self care tasks throughout the day not only helps me actually get it accomplished without the overwhelm, but also helps me feel better and more balanced as my busy day goes on.

I love seeing other moms share their routines via blogs or social media. It gives me ideas when it comes to productivity, meals, efficiency hacks, home organization, even parenting. So, I thought I’d share how I break down my daily self care routine with a toddler that’s attached to my hip and super energized twin boys!

When it comes to my self care and overall health, you’ll find that a lot of what I share is with a more holistic approach. I find it much more fulfilling to spend 20 minutes in the sauna or doing pilates as opposed to drinking a glass of wine or binge watching a tv show. Nothing wrong with that if it’s your jam! It used to be mine until I shifted lifestyles and found something that worked better for me. If you’re struggling to find the time to take care of YOU, this approach may help you as much as it’s helped me.

MORNING ROUTINE

There are a couple self care oriented things I do first thing in the morning. I use my tongue scraper, which is great for fresher breath and overall health. I apply my hair growth serum – along with using my scalp massager (feels AMAZING and is great for encouraging hair growth!) for a few minutes, and then I’ll use my facial ice roller. I LOVE my ice roller. It reduces inflammation, gets rid of that puffy look we can get, and wakes me up more than a cup of coffee would!

Once I started being more proactive with my self care routine I made it a point to include it in my daily to do list. Every night, I write out the to do’s in my phone’s notepad for the following day. That day, I’ll emoji check off the tasks as I get them done. It’s very satisfying and helps me stay on top of everything. Here’s a sample idea of what I’ll write out in case you think this could work for you too:

Tuesday Morning

  • 6:30 wake up, tongue scrape/brush teeth, ice roller, start breakfast
  • pack lunches
  • dishes
  • apply hair serum/scalp massager
  • tidy up
  • drop kids off at school
  • barre & pilates workout

MID MORNING – AFTERNOON

I make it a point to workout every day. It helps with stress and anxiety, keeps me clear headed, and just makes me feel good overall. Back in my pre-baby days, I was alll about weight lifting. Now it’s much more low impact. Following the birth of our third son, I shifted my workouts to be more postpartum and pelvic floor friendly, and have stuck with it ever since. It’s been a total game changer. Barre, pilates, daily stretching, and walks on the treadmill sum up my everyday exercises.

Afternoons are also when I make time for creativity. Ever since the pandemic, I’ve gotten into all things DIY and crafts. Jewelry making, polymer clay creations, and crocheting have become my creative outlet and it is honestly so much fun! I highly encourage finding a craft or something you can make with your hands. It’s not only fun but very rewarding.

It can be tough to find the pockets of time to fit things like this in – I’ve found nap time, when the kids are at school, or when the kids are having their downtime to be the best opportunities to get a little crafty. You can even include your kids in on this if you want. I’m all for either being outside or physically doing things versus zombie screen time mode.

PM ROUTINE

Once the kids get to bed, I have two options. Lounge on the couch and binge a tv show, or get productive. It comes in waves, especially when my husband and I have found a tv show that has us hooked! Even in that case, I try to always be doing something that I’ve either been meaning to do, or that I know will be beneficial in the long run. Again, there’s nothing wrong with having those do nothing nights, that truly can be self care in itself sometimes. It can however be easy to fall into doing it too much. Even on the nights where I want to catch up on a show, I can do a little stretching, continue with crocheting projects, sit in our portable sauna, use my gausha skin care stone. There’s a lot we can knock out even if we are just sitting on the couch. Below are a few of the nightly self care things I do, along with a few that I’ll make a point to do 1-3 times a week.

EVERY NIGHT:

~ at least 10 minutes of stretching
~ skin care regimen (consists of moisturizing, retinol, hyaluronic acid, and using the guasha stone)
~ at least 10 minutes of reading my Bible
~ hair care routine (scalp massaging, using hair oil at the ends of my hair to prevent breakage)

1-3 NIGHTS A WEEK:

~ at least 20 minutes in the sauna
~ dry brushing
~ red light therapy
~ castor oil packs

It’s not easy to find time for ourselves as mothers. For me at least, it can feel like a constant battle ranging from “I should be completely selfless and ignore my needs” to “I need to do something for me but I feel so guilty.” Bottom line and my personal opinion, we can’t be at our best for our family if we aren’t taking care of ourselves too. I think it’s natural and inevitable to feel that sense of mom guilt, but we gotta get past it and realize that taking care of us is also what’s best for our kids.


I hope these ideas were helpful and sound like something you may want to give a try! Remember every day is different, routines change, we’re not always going to get the things done, but if we can at least take advantage of those little pockets of time to do something positive for ourselves it will be so beneficial in the long run!

What would you like to see next on here? Homesteading, gardening, DIY crafts, fitness, specific mom life things? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!

Talk soon.

Kath

Mom Life

Healthy After School Snacks for the Kids

Kath

If your kids are anything like mine, they live and love to snack. I could make 3 to 4 grocery runs a week and will still feel like I’m running short because of all the snack demands. Which is why I put an end to it. Instead of spending hundreds each week on highly processed foods that never fully satisfy my kids (or benefit them nutritionally), I’ve pivoted to now focusing on simple, time friendly snacks- sometimes made from scratch.

Snack Plates – A GameChanger

I’ve found that the “snack plate” system works best for my kids. When they get home from school, they’re ravenous and want one thing after another. Then, come dinnertime they hardly touch their plate! The hunger doesn’t resurface until it’s time to get ready for bed – which is the last thing us parents need or want when we’re trying to wrangle the kids for bedtime. This is how I came to snack plates, which is basically a charcuterie board of various kid friendly snacks. It’s super simple, and helps your kids feel that they have a variety of options that aren’t limited to just one thing. Added perk – it’s easier to sneak healthy options in too! Here’s an example of a typical after school snack plate:

  • Fruit – I usually opt for fresh, organic blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries
  • Something salty- My kids LOVE crackers and chips. So, I’ll throw in our homemade sourdough starter cheese crackers, or one of our favorite, cleaner, grain free ingredient chip brands
  • Healthy fat – string cheese, cut up & cubed raw cheddar cheese, spoonfuls of peanut butter, chocolate sun butter, or cubed avocado bites
  • Something sweet – dark chocolate chips or squares are always a win
  • Homemade Power Balls – My husband and I are always grabbing a couple whenever these are made. You can find the ingredients for this on below in the “From Scratch Snack Ideas.” Until then, think protein packed snack bites with a sweet and salty crunch!
  • Drink – Either water, a glass of milk, juice, or a homemade smoothie

And that’s it! Putting all of the options in front of them to pick and choose from has been so helpful in giving them a balanced snack that will not only fill them up until dinner but also isn’t filled with empty nutritional value.

Snack Ideas

I like to rotate the snack food options so the kids don’t get tired of any foods. Here are a few ideas that you can use to build onto your kids’ snack plates!

  • Hard boiled eggs (my kids love these with the everything but bagel seasoning)
  • Jerky
  • Veggies with hummus, homemade ranch dip or tuna salad
  • Greek yogurt with berries, granola, or dark chocolate chips
  • Homemade guacamole or salsa with grain free tortilla chips
  • Tuna fish on bread or slices of cucumber
  • Protein smoothies
  • Ants on a log (celery with nut butter and chocolate chips or raisins)
  • Sliced banana with nut butter dipped in melted chocolate
  • Apples with nut butter
  • Deli wrap roll ups – pick your go to deli meat, wrap it up in a tortilla, add cheese, avocado or whatever the kids eat, and enjoy!
  • Avocado toast
  • Popcorn – I’ve found that most pre popped popcorn is cooked with inflammatory seed oils. Opt for the kernels you can pop yourself! Butter or olive oil are great options to make this with.

From Scratch Snack Ideas

  • Homemade banana bread
  • Homemade greek yogurt “bark”
  • Homemade ice cream or popsicles for the sunnier days
  • Omelette egg bites – wonderful for adding extra protein and veggies into your kids diet
  • Homemade pizza bagels
  • Build your own charcuterie – grab your go to crackers, throw on some fresh deli meat and sliced cheese
  • Homemade muffins
  • Homemade sourdough with butter or jam
  • Homemade Power Balls – made with organic oats, nut butter, dark chocolate chips, chia & hemp seeds, your choice of nuts (I usually use chopped walnuts), protein powder, maple syrup, and finely chopped medjool dates
  • Homemade chocolate chip cookies – something for you and the kids to enjoy together (and without all of the highly processed ingredients!)
  • Homemade granola with yogurt
  • Homemade chicken nugget bites
  • Homemade slurpees for the spring and summer days – grab some watermelon or berries, throw in a little extra ice, blend and slurp!

And there you have it! A handful of cleaner and healthier options for the kiddos. I hope this was helpful! If there are any of the homemade snack ideas stand out and you’d like a recipe for, leave a comment below!

Talk soon.

Kath

Mom Life

The Path to Less Daily Stress

Kath

Stress and anxiety is something that I’ve come to deal with on a daily basis since becoming a mom. Constantly worrying about getting all the things done, asking myself if I’m doing everything I can to be the best mom possible, stressing about outside factors going on in the world, Looking at our mess of a house and immediately getting more anxiety from all the clutter. Are you like this too? If so, let’s be friends. Moms that can relate to these feelings know how isolating and down right awful it can be to feel this way.  And I’ve had about enough of it.

I always set goals for the new year, but this year, it’s different. I still have so many things I want to try and learn, but my main priority is to SLOW DOWN and focus on being more present. I don’t want to look back on my life and remember how I was always worried about a clean home rather than focusing on the beautiful memories with my family.

 In order to decrease the constant stress and anxiety, I still need to be productive. After a lot of soul searching, brainstorming, and listening to all the declutter your life podcasts, I’m confident to say that I’ve cracked the code to help balance moving forward in our home decluttering journeys while not having it take up a ton of our time.

I used to dedicate a Saturday or Sunday to decluttering. Just do a massive throw out/donate it all. Clothes, toys, junky items, old tupperware bins, you name it. I’d feel great (and exhausted) at the end of the day. However, by Monday evening the house was a mess again. There was no system with the kids’ abundance of legos, superhero action figures, arts and crafts. If you have kids, you KNOW your home organizing journey is never really over. It’s something you have to work at every single day to maintain order and a little bit of sanity, which is tough when you also have to go to the grocery store, run errands, make the meals,  take the kids to sports practice, volunteer at the school, basically be a constant car pooling service. It’s overwhelming, but if we focus on the little by little decluttering tasks each and every day we will get there and feel SO much better. I sure know I have.

Now, I’m also a big procrastinator. Always have been, wish I wasn’t but ya know.. There are certain decluttering to do’s I really REALLY don’t want to do! Even if it’s driving me nuts to look at the mess every time I walk by that room, I’ll put it off. That’s why I made a fulfill jar. It holds me accountable, it’s kind of fun once you get into it, and it’s a pretty addition to my little corner shelf of essential oils and plants I have managed to keep alive. My toy free zone. It gets me closer to a clean, happy, less stress home and it grants me ONE decluttering to do a day. Not an overwhelming amount of time to dedicate an entire day to clean chore.

I’m pretty far from my ideal home organization goals. The kids’ just had their birthday, so it was basically Christmas all over again. They’re very into legos so you can bet that tiny little lego accessories are scattered and *accidentally* vacuumed up on a daily basis. A few months ago this would have stressed me out ALOT. Thankfully, the fulfill jar is not only helping me stay on top of my decluttering priorities when mom life gets super busy, but I feel good knowing that I’m doing something proactive to make our house a home that is not filled with junky items we not only don’t need but clutter that will also negatively affect my kids’ behavior and well being. They don’t mind making the mess but I’m pretty sure no one likes living around a mess.

Since starting this new year, newish and cleaner home journey I’ve:

  • Donate at least 5 bags of clothes and told toys
  • Clear our 4 dresser drawers
  • Clean 2 bedroom closets
  • Declutter our medicine cabinet
  • Clean out the utensil drawer
  • Thoroughly cleaned our kitchen sink
  • Cleaned the walls of our home (something you never really think to do but it NEEDS to be done!)

One thing I really love about this is that not only has my daily stress gone down, I feel more fulfilled. I’m already feeling more present with the kids, not having my mind wander about what cleaning things I SHOULD be doing.. feeling super thankful for this cute little jar that started out as a fun DIY while my kids were on their coloring rampage. And I’m so happy to share it with you too so that you can also feel that sense of accomplishment, gratitude, and productivity while also adding a country chic home decor addition to your toy free zone.

Click link below to get your own fulfill jar –

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1391585156/fulfill-jar-declutter-mason-jar-floral?click_key=89fec11e2aaf0a9dadec61c9f1567cc9285a2e24%3A1391585156&click_sum=aaed1bb7&ref=shop_home_active_3