summertime

Aside

The End of July…

Leave a comment

At our house the summer flies by. My husband works long hours and I spend long days with my son. Then at night I will work on my blog and my clothing shop. We spend every moment of our free time outdoors at the local parks, the waterpark, or the kids museum. Doing these activities helps my son socialize, since it’s normally just he and I.  But now it’s the end of July and our schedule is becoming more regular as life slows down and we head closer to fall. 

Currently in our house 

  • We are obsessed with Salem Essentials all natural handmade bath bombs and soaps….
  • We are listening to our favorite edm djs…
  • We are eating homemade comfort food as I battle a nasty sinus infection…
  • Jackson is learning to speak using words and not angry grunts… 
  • We are in the homestretch with teething, he has four molars to go and they are coming in…
  • My new workout is shuffle dancing…
  • Jackson is learning to jump…
  • We are using essential oils on a regular basis…
  • Potty training is at a standstill…
  • We are binge watching Stranger Things on Netflix…
  • Lastly I’m on the hunt for some farm to table restaurants in my local area… 

I am looking forward to August. What’s  your family up to currently? Leave a comment below…and please subscribe to my blog as I have some awesome things coming up that you will not want to miss out on!

Aside

Summer By The Pool

Leave a comment

We love summertime at my house!! Especially the long days that give us more time to be outdoors…including being poolside! This year we decided to invest in season passes at our local water park, which in the long run saves us time, and money. We live 10 minutes away so it’s something I can do with my son during the day to keep him busy and me sane. But there are some good things know before venturing out to the water park or just a pool in general. Check out my list of must haves and should haves…(I learned a few the hard way)

  • First always bring sunscreen 30+or higher and if possible get the broad spectrum so most of the harmful rays are covered. I bring all natural, lotion, and spray on and I keep them in a small wet bag in case any of them leaks. I really like having the variety because some days spraying us down quick quick is easier especially with a squirmy toddler.
  • Next this seems too logical but towels!! I have taken my family swimming and packed everything but towels, it can happen!! So I always roll up three towels… it’s a space saver to roll them in my pool bag.
  • Water. You can bring one outside bottle per person, and I always put my 32 oz bottle in the bottom of my diaper bag, because you can easily get dehydrated on these sweltering hot days if you don’t drink enough fluids or water. Most people in the water and sun all day don’t realize they haven’t been taking in enough water until it’s too late. 
  • I recommend bringing some antibiotic cream and some different sized bandaids. I and Jacksons dad both have been scraped, cut, and blistered at the park and I forgot to pack these simple things we needed. So I put them both in a small ziploc bag it’s so simple.
  • For your little on bring water shoes even if they may not use them. The pavement get extremely hot and can burn those little baby feet. And most water parks have cement bottoms in the pools because it’s easier to keep up with all the wear and tear the pools can get. These concert bottoms can really scrape babies toes so always great to have the water shoes handy.
  • Optional- When we go and stay all day we will load up or stroller with any bags and Jackson and it’s so much easier to protect our items and gives him the option to walk or ride. 
  • We always bring a wrist harness. It works very well and they are super cheap on amazon. They are worth it because when the park is busy and kids are running everywhere it is very easy to get separated when walking to or from your chairs or cabana.

 It sounds like a lot but we actually only carry two bags in for 3 of us including our toddler. And it’s always easy to pack up and tote around. But more importantly we have everything we need for a day of family fun in the sun. I hope these simple tips are helpful for you and your little on any pool side or beach outing you may be venturing too this summer.  

    Please comment below if this was helpful or if you have some tips to share, and subscribe to my blog with your email so you can receive updates on upcoming posts and giveaways I’ll be hosting!! I love sharing this awesome journey of motherhood.

    Aside

    Vacation with a Toddler 

    1 Comment

    So I finally got that dream vacation with my little family at the beach!!! Me, daddy, Jackson and my mom off on our beach vacay. Not!…it was time well spent and we made some beautiful memories and traditions. But it was hardly a relaxing trip. Thats ok though, you live and learn. I feel much more confident and prepared for the next vacation with my toddler. Here are a few simple tips that can make traveling with a two year old  much more relaxing.

    Naps are essential!!! Even if your LO seems to be having to much fun, still set aside a peaceful time during the day for them to snack, and rest up before the next round of activities. I learned the hard way about this.  My first day was filled with exhaustion, tantrums and chaos.  Once I added naps it was steady sailing…

    Providing a somewhat daily routine makes it easier on your toddler because they don’t have to wonder what’s next because they don’t generally like surprises. They need some structure. So keep to a schedule, whatever vibes with your family.

    Try to keep the days simple, not too many new activities. By the third day, I realized my son was very happy to get up eat breakfast and go sit and wade at the edge of the ocean, then take a refreshing dip in the indoor pool, followed by a few minutes in the hot tub and he was good for his nap. 

    Ahh!!! Now back to the nap subject, that makes for peaceful time that mommy needs to regroup. And I really loved snuggling on the couch with my little guy for naps, since  it’s something we haven’t done in almost a year. These were much needed cuddles.

    Snacks and music became essential. I hate to say bribe your kid but sometimes the battle isn’t worth it when you can give them a nice fruit or veggie pouch to eat on or some crackers. And my son discovered YouTube while at the beach!! It was great, the music videos were so soothing to him he actually fell asleep watching them on several occasions.

    And bath bombs and bath toys are a great last resort when all else fails and you can’t get your babe to relax. 

    We had what I considered a magical vacation to say the least. The ups and downs I wouldn’t change for a thing. Everything in this post is purely my opinion and may or may not be what best for your family these are simply suggestions from one mom to another. I hope you find them useful or pleasant to read. Please scroll to the bottom and leave comments or feedback!!! And dont forget to Subscribe with your Email for updates on my latest posts!!! 

    Summer Lovin’

    Leave a comment

    Summertime is so magical and full of life… it’s my favorite time of the year for many reasons. But what really makes summer stand out??

    Here are ten interesting facts I found out about summer. I’ll start with the first day of summer which is in between June 20th and June 22nd every year.  The first day is called the summer solstice and the day can vary due to the Earth’s rotation.

    Second, scientists argue that summer babies are more likely to suffer from mood swings than babies born in other seasons. (They must have met my son, he’s a June baby)

    The popsicle, a popular summer frozen treat was invented accidentally by an 11 year old boy in 1905.

    July is national Ice Cream month, with that being said Americans eat an average of 20 quarts of ice cream each year.

    A classic summer treat, watermelon is actually part of the squash/cucumber family and is made up of 92% water. Americans consume an average of 15lbs of watermelon yearly.

    More thunderstorms happen during the summer than any other time of year.

    The first modern Olympic Games was held in the summer of 1896 in Athens, Greece.

    June was named after the Roman goddess Juno.

    The women’s first bathing suit which came complete with a pair of bloomers was made in the 1800’s.

    Last the frisbee!!! A must have summertime staple that was first introduced in the 1870’s as a pie plate.

    So these are just a few interesting facts about summertime. Hopefully they have inspired you a little bit so you can go create your own special memories, or plan an adventurous summer getaway with your family and friends.