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5 Household Chores that Toddlers Can Help With

August 28, 2018

This post is sponsored by Bona but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

No matter what your parenting style may be, I think we can all agree that raising responsible children is important. After all, when they’re grown up and out of our house, they will need to function in and contribute to society. Easy, household jobs that are safe are a great way to teach a young child responsibility which will help them in the long run. My kids need tasks at home or else they will literally run wild. My husband and I decided to start implementing chores when our oldest was 3, and we’ve done the same with our daughter. In addition to teaching them to follow rules and be motivated to help, it’s also been rewarding to them to feel accomplished by helping others. Here are the 5 chores which the kids do on a daily and weekly basis.

1. Helping with Pets – We have 6 pets in our household. That is 6 extra mouths to feed, twice daily. Around the age of 4, Henry started feeding the pets breakfast and dinner. It’s a super simple chore that kids can do and all our pet food has a scoop next to the container to avoid over-feeding. Henry also loves to help his dad clean the fish tank, using the aquarium test strips to balance the pH and water temperature, and this allows them some time to bond one-on-one. I love that they’re learning how to care for another living thing and it also teaches them empathy.

2. Putting Away Their Laundry/ Tidying Their Room – By the time both my kids were 3, they knew where all their clothes went in their room. Even though I still fold everything, the kids each put away all their clothing. Henry is 6 and has been practicing hanging up his shirts on hangers however Evelyn is not quite there yet. I’ve found that teaching them to care for their belongings has helped them value and appreciate the things they have.

3. Sweeping The Floors – Our hardwood floors have taken a beating since our house was built in 1985 but luckily we have the best steam mop for tile that keeps the floors looking good. The floors are still original and we probably won’t refinish them until the kids are a bit older and our dogs mellow out a bit. Until then, we try and keep them as clean and polished as possible. The kids absolutely love to use our Bona Microfiber Mop for Hard-Surface Floors. Ever since they were small toddlers, they loved pretending to sweep the floors with anything they could find (a hanger, the dog leash … the possibilities were limitless, haha). Now that they are old enough to actually sweep floors properly, and love doing it, we wasted no time in having them help us. Wood floors run throughout the main floor of our home, so they are the first thing anyone will notice if they’re dusty with pet hair or dirt. Bona offers a family of mops for every surface. There is also a variety of Bona hardwood cleaner products, depending on what you prefer. Bona is definitely the next generation of wood floor mops and cleans my floors unlike any other mop on the market today. It has the largest base plate out of any similar mop which makes cleaning fast and easy. The assembly of the mop takes less than 2 minutes, the cleaner dries in record speed with no dulling residue, and the retractable handle hook allows for easy storage. What I love most is that the pads easily come right off and can be tossed in the washer. My days sometimes feel like they blur together, and life comes at me fast. With Bona Quick Clean, I can embrace life’s surprises and carry on with my day, no matter how chaotic.

4. Wash The Car – This “chore” is really like playtime for the kids. Both of my children are born water babies and love water of all kind. Our cars get cleaned in no time with four extra hands helping out. They pay so much attention to detail and feel really good about themselves knowing we trusted them such an important job!

5. Bathe the Dogs – We usually do this after we wash the cars since the kids are already in their swimsuits. They love when Winnie & Sammy shake off all the water and get them wet. Bathing the dogs goes back to teaching empathy and our dogs look at the kids so lovingly. It really is heart warming. This chore can be practiced at any age. Before our kids could participate they loved watching us bathe the dogs and would burst out with laughter.

Do you practice chores at home with your kids or teach any other responsibilities? Let me know in the comments and Bona will give away a Quick Clean Kit to one lucky winner!

The “Quick Clean Kit” will include:

Tools – Bona® Premium Microfiber Mop for Hard-Surface Floors
Dusting Solution – Bona® Disposable Dusting Cloths
Cleaning Solution – Bona® Wet Cleaning Pads

How to Prevent a First Grade Meltdown

August 20, 2018

“This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of OshKosh B’gosh; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.”

We are exactly two weeks into first grade and Henry is loving every minute of it. Except waking up at 6:15 every morning but six year olds aren’t exactly morning people. Now that he is older and has been in elementary school going on 3 years, he has more of an opinion on the clothes he wears like these childrens wool cardigans from the Sweater Shop. The older kids definitely have influenced him and he has expressed how he wants to dress more like them, which is very casual. Long gone are my days of dressing him in old man cardigans and skinny jeans. Picking out every single, coordinating item for him each morning before he gets dressed for school is obviously a thing of the past. He has found his voice and is not afraid to tell me his opinion. Luckily for me, OshKosh B’gosh has back to school clothes we can both agree on and they help prevent meltdowns in the early morning hours.

Henry went with me to pick out some essentials and I was pleasantly surprised that we agreed on nearly everything. Allowing him to take the lead on choosing his back to school clothes really helps his personality shine and lets him embrace his individuality. Everything purchased can easily be mixed and matched, which is a lifesaver for busy school mornings. I’ve found that the more he thinks he’s in control, the better he acts. That one small change has prevented morning meltdowns like we’ve had in years past. Now he can choose what he dresses in everyday without me having to dictate what I think he should be wearing. Joggers have become a staple pant and provide extra comfort so he can run, play and move freely throughout the day. Button down shirts with easy to roll sleeves worn open are perfect for chilly mornings and the Summer to Fall transition.

I rounded up my favorite graphic tee styles from OshKosh but it was really hard to choose. Thankfully, from now until September 30, you can save 20% off your $40+ purchase in store or online. Coupon codes are listed below on the flyer or copy and use these: Retail Code: 037958. Online Code: OKBG3478. Head here to find a location near you and let me know what your favorite styles are 🙂

one // two // three // four // five // six // seven // eight // nine

Who to Call in the Unfortunate Event of Water Damage

August 12, 2018

This post is sponsored by Rainbow International, a Neighborly Company, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Over the past few years, Atlanta has been getting more rain than ever before. Having spent most of my life in this city, I definitely wasn’t prepared for days and months worth of rain. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good evening storm, but when you’re stuck in the house with small kids for weeks at a time, it can be bothersome. Especially when the water starts to take its toll on your property. If you’re also thinking of providing quality water to your home without the hassle of regular maintenance, you should check out sites like https://filtersmart.com/blogs/article/how-to-install-a-water-softener-system-inside-outside, you should always get the best information when looking for a water company for your home, I recommend you to be sure to get good valves for your water system.

There have been a few times where I have had to contact contractors like this roof replacement in Clinton Twp after spotting leaks after storms. According to expert roofers like Precision Roof Crafters, it can really effect your life if these things aren’t sorted out quickly. A lot of people tend to ignore signs of damage because they don’t think they matter but storms can lead to vast damage that will require cleanup expertise from the likes of ServiceMaster of Lake Shore. Our home was built in 1985, when Atlanta didn’t receive the rain it does now. There have been times that water has seeped into the basement when we’ve had endless days of constant downpours. I couldn’t even imagine the terror and heartbreak some families face during a hurricane. I wouldn’t even know the first steps to take or who to call if a disaster occurred. Luckily, roofing professionals like Bondoc Roofing are there to make sure you’re taken care of. It is a renowned restoration company that is there to help you in the unfortunate event of a flood or water damage. With certified professionals and 24/7 damage repair service, they are your go-to for water-related disaster. So, in the event that this happens, call your local water damage restoration company. Not only do they have a wealth of online information available online at your disposal, but they have important questions to ask your water loss contractor and tips on preventing insurance scams. I made a print out that you can download and keep in your house binder. God forbid you need to access it quickly one day. Did you also know that FEMA does not endorse, approve, certify or recommend any contractors, individuals, firms or products? Contractors, individuals or firms that claim they or their products are ‘FEMA approved’ or ‘FEMA certified’ are being dishonest and trying to scam you. You should also work closely with your homeowner insurance agent before hiring an attorney or other adjuster. Your insurance agent can recommend quality service providers, such as Rainbow International. Have you ever had to use a disaster relief company? What were some of the setbacks, if any, you experienced along the way?

A Week of Lunch Box Ideas Ready in 10 minutes

August 3, 2018

This post is sponsored by Welch’s® Fruit Snacks. I am being compensated for this post. All comments and opinions are my own.

Henry gets about 30 minutes for lunch at school, so between finding a seat, getting settled, and having fun with his friends, he probably leaves himself only 5 minutes to actually eat (hashtag 6 year old life). When packing his lunch I try and stick to easy-to-open and easy-to-eat finger type foods. He has always been more of a snacker/grazer. It’s rare that he will eat just a sandwich, or just a bowl of pasta or pizza. What can I say, the kid likes options. I think it’s also daunting for a child to look at a huge dish of food and worry about eating it all. When I give more variety in smaller portions, he ends up eating better. Now that school is starting back next month, I wanted to share my favorite lunch box meals for a week’s worth of lunches! The best part, they only take 10 minutes to prep! Because we all know that trying to get kids ready in the morning before the bus comes at 7am is virtually impossible.

Like most schools, Henry’s elementary school is nut free, so I don’t pack anything containing any kind of nuts. This makes lunches a bit more challenging since the staple sandwich is out. Sunday night is prep work for lunches and I’m able to get everything chopped, cooked, and prepared in under 60 minutes. I start by hard boiling eggs, boiling vegetable pasta, baking the turkey meatballs and microwaving carrots in their steam bags (which by the way is a game changer). While everything is cooking, I then move onto washing, chopping and dividing everything else. Henry’s bento lunch box has five separate containers, so it’s easy to know that every day he gets five different things.

Meal 1: Hard Boiled Egg, Grapes, Cheese, Carrots, Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Blueberry Snacks Pouch

Meal 2: Vegetable Pasta, Apple Slices, Bell Peppers, Turkey Meatballs, Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Strawberry Snacks Pouch

Meal 3: String Cheese, Clementine Orange (I can’t get Henry to put his shoes away but he will spend 5 minutes peeling a clementine), Carrots, Vegetable Pasta, Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Blueberry Snacks Pouch

Meal 4: Blueberries, Turkey Meatballs, Grape Tomatoes, Hard Boiled Egg, Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Strawberry Snacks Pouch

Meal 5: Cucumbers, Dried Apricots, Strawberries, Vegetable Pasta, Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Blueberry Snacks Pouch

Not only are Welch’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Snacks Pouches perfect for school lunches, but they are also great for any time we’re on the go. I can find them at many retailer nationwide, and then I can toss them in my purse when we’re running errands and bring them to the pool. Both of my kids love them and I love that they are made with real fruit.

Do your kids prefer lunches from home? I’d love to hear what your go-to lunches are because I’m always looking for new ideas!

The One Item you Need when Traveling with Kids

July 19, 2018

Raise your hand if you’ve ever traveled with a baby or toddler and had to set up a pack n play in a bathroom or closet? That has been my life for over 5 years. Since the age of 6 months, both of my kids have always slept in their own beds, in their own rooms. To this day they still use black out shades because hello, nap time needs to happen in this house. One thing they each have always been amazing at is sleeping, and that is because sleep is so good to me. We’ve always practiced healthy sleeping habits and taught them to be great sleepers from an early age. That was always the case until we went on vacation. Since both kids liked having their own dark, quiet space, you can imagine how setting up a pack n play in the corner of a hotel room just didn’t work. It took hours for them to fall asleep since there was so much visual stimulation. My husband and I were trapped in dark silence and couldn’t even watch TV or iPads because the light would wake both kids up. Needless to say, our trips when the kids were younger were few and far between solely for that reason. I wasn’t going to pay a boat load of money for vacation and be too tired and cranky to enjoy it.

Fast forward to this summer when I was introduced to an amazing product that I would have sold a kidney for to have years ago: The SlumberPod. Let me tell you why this is going to be a game changer in so many ways. With the SlumberPod, traveling just got a whole lot easier. Not only does the pod easily fold up, but it comes in a small, easy to transport bag that weighs less than my purse. It can fit in a suitcase, a duffle carry on bag, and even hang from your stroller. The SlumberPod is a bottomless canopy that fits over a standard sized travel crib or play yard. It’s made of breathable, dark fabric which creates an optimum sleep environment. It comes equipped with a baby monitor pouch, is outfitted with ventilation windows and most importantly, SAFE. The SlumberPod has passed applicable consumer product safety tests. Sleeping with your baby or toddler in the same room on vacation just got a whole lot easier.

I’ve spent many years buying and cosigning gently used baby gear and I can see the SlumberPod having a great resell value, just like pack n plays and strollers do. There’s nothing worse than spending a ton of money on baby gear only to realize two months later that it may be tough to recoup the money (I’m looking at you pricey C-Section Bassinet). This is a product that will pay for itself after your first vacation, I can guarantee you. It will last through several kids and can be sold to a new mama once yours grow out of the pack n play stage. The SlumberPod launches a Kickstarter campaign that goes live on Tuesday, July 24. When these come to market later this year, they will be $149.99 and available to purchase on Amazon and through the SlumberPod website. However, you can get yours delivered in August or September (depending on shipping selection) for 10% off when you preorder on Kickstarter. For $119 plus shipping you’ll be on your way to planning vacations left and right with this saving grace sleep accessory. (For those who act early when the pre-sale campaign launches, there will also be early bird specials at a $90 price point!) Want to see the SlumberPod in action? Check out these videos! I’ve never been more excited to go on vacation with my kids than I am now since I have a SlumberPod. Now I can finally make memories with my family instead of being a zombie

*All pictures courtesy of SlumberPod*

Sunroom Makeover with Tarkett

July 6, 2018

This post is sponsored by Tarkett NA; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

We told our sunroom builder maryland that we would paint and decorate the room ourselves because we were excited to keep changing it and keeping it fresh. The idea of always changing it around didn’t last very long because our last sunroom makeover happened nearly 5 years ago to the day. I remember because we were redoing it in time for Henry’s first birthday and he just turned 6 last week.

The original makeover involved my husband removing the outdoor carpet and putting in wood flooring, which we painted a dark navy. I loved the look but it wasn’t meant to last forever. Not long after the original paint job, the floor started to scratch and there were divots and nail marks all over the floor from the dogs. As time went on they got worse, but I didn’t want to repaint the floors because I knew what would happen. To revitalize the floor, we knew there are tons of options such as using floor decals.

Eventually, we added a large rug, like those vintage rugs, to cover the not-so-pretty floors, took out the furniture that was in there and the room basically became just another playroom for the kids. Then it quickly turned into a catch all for pool towels and shoes. This go-round I wanted a durable floor that could withstand lots of foot traffic, dress up heels and toy dump trunks. With two dogs who exit via the sunroom to go to the backyard, and two kids who love to play rough, our new flooring had to last more than a few weeks.

I had always loved the look of a faux wood flooring that could take a beating. We ended up choosing Tarkett Alder Cashmere in Cool Gray Vinyl Planks and could not be happier. Tarkett flooring is scratch resistant, indent resistant, waterproof and it won’t warp in extreme temperatures. We have been having an insane amount of rain and humidity here in Atlanta so waterproof flooring is a lifesaver. My husband was able to install it in a single afternoon due to it’s fast locking click system. It was quite possibly one of the easiest and fastest DIY projects he’s ever done (and trust me, there’s been a few thanks to yours truly). The variant in colors and overall lighter design really brightened up the room and made it look bigger.

Since our backyard is filled with lush greenery that can be seen from the sunroom, we wanted to fill the room with plants to mimic the outdoors. Adding plants or flowers is an inexpensive way to fill up corners and add height, plus, we all know that indoor plants purify your home. We already had the cute white plant stand which we used as an outdoor table so we cleaned it up and brought it inside to set a gorgeous potted plant on it. The kids picked out a few cacti which we placed in a vintage Coca-Cola bottle holder. We already had the two white chairs and the kids table and chair set so completing the room with new pieces wasn’t that hard. I found the coffee table and console table from my local Home Goods and the lamp, pillow, basket, and vase are all from Target.

Overall, we wanted a room that we can enjoy all year round, and Tarkett and reliable contractors helped us create that. If you want to start planning a makeover, then visit sites like https://jmthompson.com/our-services/pre-construction/. The sunroom is easily my favorite part of the house now, maybe because it’s the only clean part of the house, but that’s another story. Here are some not so glamourous photos of the room before and in progress, as well as sources for the furniture in the room!

Couch {similar} // Chairs // Flooring // Art Print // Rug

Do you have any upcoming home projects you’ll be working on this summer? Thanks for stopping by!

What’s in my Pool Bag

June 29, 2018

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Perrier®. The opinions and text are all mine.

This year was the first year that our family joined the neighborhood pool. Up until now, it just didn’t make sense. Evelyn was never a huge fan of the water until she turned three and Henry just learned how to swim on his own a few months ago. The thought of taking a non-swimming toddler and a baby to a pool by myself never appealed to me, which is why we waited over five years to join. Now that we’re finally members, we are practically at the pool every day. The kids love to swim and have become water babies for sure. There is almost always a meltdown when we have to leave because they cannot get enough. In addition to the kids’ toys, towels, drinks and snacks that I bring, I also take a bag filled with my essentials. Here is what I cannot live without during pool days!

Hat – In past years I used to love traditional wide brim hats, but I could never put them on when I had a topknot in. This year I switched to a straw visor that still protects my face and leaves my hair looking cute. It’s also small enough to fit in my bag so I can have free hands to wrangle kids.

Drinks – It goes without saying that proper hydration in the summer is key. In addition to packing my water bottle, I also love to have something with flavor. Perrier® Grapefruit Slim Can [8.45 oz 10 ct] is hands down my favorite summer drink to cool me down. The tall, slim design of the can allows me to pack several at a time. Perrier® Flavors are always Extraordinaire and are the perfect refreshment for a mid-day break. They can be found in the water aisle at Publix and I definitely stocked up for all of our summer activities. From backyard grilling to days spent by the beach, Perrier® is my go-to drink of choice. Here’s a coupon so you can stock up on all your favorite Perrier® beverages and save.

Gigantic Pool Tote – Luckily it isn’t hard to find a cute beach bag these days and the bigger the bag the better. I like mine to be made with a breathable weave or fabric so water doesn’t get trapped in it.

Towel – I’m a huge fan of the extra-large pool towels, especially the round and rectangle ones. I like to push two chairs together and make my own “bed” at the pool so the kids can come rest and snack with me. I love that we can all sprawl out together and snuggle.

Sunscreen – This is a given for any day spent in the sun. I have very fair skin and unfortunately always burn and never tan. A high SPF is a must and I apply every few hours. I also bring an SPF lip balm to protect my lips! This one is my favorite.

Healthy Snacks – It can be easy to chow down on junk food all summer, especially when you’re lounging by the pool all day. I always pack a few healthy things that will fill me up so I’m not tempted to snack on the kids’ food. I use these stainless steel lunch boxes that have three compartments so my food doesn’t touch and get soggy.

Book/Music – Let’s face it, sitting at the pool for hours on end can get a little boring. Bringing a good book and headphones so you can listen to a podcast or music is a must.

Wristlet – I put my driver’s license, insurance card, debit card and some cash in a small card carrier so I don’t have to lug my entire wallet (or lose my entire wallet). This one is super slim with a strap so I can take it with me to the ice cream truck and still have both hands free.

What are must-have items that you pack in your pool bag?

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