Friday Favs- Summer Edition (kids)

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Look, Ma we made it! The end of the longest school year is finally here and I am here for it. My little one will is signed up for every possible week of summer camp and I am looking forward to a few weeks of nothing on the calendar for myself.

Summer Learning

While I am all about relaxation and a much needed break for everyone, I certainly want to prevent the dreaded “summer slide” where the kids’ minds turn to mush so here is what is currently in my cart to keep the learning going.

Journals/Workbooks

– Summer Journal

–Phonics

–Math

Reading

I often get asked about leveled readers and I am NOT a fan; however, I do appreciate needing to know what type of books to buy for your child so they can be reading independently. I really like the “I Can Read” series (wayyyyyyy better than Step Into Reading). Start with the “Shared Reading- My First” books and then move onto the “Beginning Reader- Level 1” (this is after your child is successful with the decodable BOB books). Order a bunch online or even better, take your child to a local bookstore to pick out a few.

Of course, you know I’m recommending a handwriting book!

These Phonics Dominos are in my cart.

Chapter Book Recs (all are series)

Dory Fantasmagory

Zoey and Sassafras

Ivy and Bean

Junie B. Jones (not MY fav but find me a 5/6 year old that doesn’t love these books; they are my go-to for reluctant readers)

Magic Tree House  (my own daughter is not a fan but they are a classic for a reason)

Narwhal and Jelly

Katie Woo

Owl Diaries

The Princess in Black

Amelia Bedelia

The Boxcar Children

Little House 4-Book Box Set (great for teaching about life way back when)

Best of Children’s Classics

Summer Camp Prep

These suits are perfect for camp; easy on and off and less sunscreen=a win for all

Obsessed with these water bottles

Oh, I am so borrowing this glitter sunscreen…

And this shimmer spray…

Are we doing crocs again? I’m on the fence but if I do, it’ll be these glitter ones.

OK, so that’s it for now. Wishing everyone an amazing summer; we all deserve it!

Friday Favs

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I know I’m not the only one struggling to stay healthy during these trying times. I’m home ALL. THE. TIME so I’m eating more than usual and lord knows I’m drinking more than usual. So here are a few things that are helping me pretend to be healthy and active.

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OK, so I did it. A few weeks ago I finally jumped on the bandwagon and bought an Apple Watch and now I see what the hype is all about.

I love not having to have my phone next to me at all time and I love closing circles- thats when you have achieved your movement, exercise and standing goals for the day.

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The only thing I love as much as the watch itself is my band which I found on etsy. 

I love that its elastic and I just stretch it to put on. Bonus that it’s faux Chanel (they have other faux designers as well).

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This awesome Apple Watch Charger. $10 from Target!

Keeping with the vibe of this post, I have to share how much I’m loving the Peloton App.   First of all, I don’t even own a Peloton. I use the app on my Amazon Firestick and workout in my family room. I love how it has sooooo many options (I typically do yoga, strength or cardio) and that there are options as short as 10 minutes so I have literally no excuse. 30 days for free and then $12 a month is a steal!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend. I’m looking forward to my first Girls Night Out (Outdoors! With peach sangria!) since February and my sister’s virtual baby shower on Sunday.  xoxo

 

Friday Favs

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Its hard to believe but it’s been almost TWO YEARS since I’ve written a post! I have been working almost full time as a literacy consultant and I’ve had to be choosey with how I spend my free time. Now that I’m working in a much more limited capacity, I thought I’d bring back one of my favorite posts- Friday Favs. These are some challenging times (to say the least) so here’s what I’ve found to be helpful and a few things that have put a smile on my face this week.

First and by far most important-

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This comprehensive ANTI-RACISM document for white people. 

Not sure where to start? Books are a great place to begin discussions with your children. If you have teens, read one together. Learn, donate, protest. Whatever you do, do not hide in your bubble of privilege as tempting as it may be.

Now for the kids-

This great kit to explore the life cycle of butterflies with your children.

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Varsity Tutors is offering free virtual camps this summer. We checked out the science one this week and my 4.5 year old was into it. It was an hour long M-F. It held her attention for about 30-45 min most days.

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Father’s Day Gift Idea

This inflatable movie screen will make for amazing summer memories.

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I’d say “enjoy your weekend” but that seems flippant during these times so instead I’ll say “find some enjoyment in whatever you do”.

Looking for something fun to do in the city? Check out the Rosé Mansion!

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Even going to the bathroom is a photo op!

There’s only two weeks left to check out the fun pop up event, Rosé Mansion in NYC.

In case you haven’t heard, pop up events are all the rage right now in NYC. This one is adults only (because of the drinking) and is an instagram lover’s dream come true. Since I love to help keep everyone in the loop, here is a list of all the current pop up events going on right now.

Those are all stickers behind us!
A hallway filled with purple balloons- my favorite!

Your ticket gets you a tour through the many rooms which are basically staged photo-ops. Workers attempt to teach you about rosé and you will get to sample a very small amount in each room. While we were there, on a Saturday night, no one was interested in the educational component but instead taking fun pictures was the goal.

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We left tipsy with a ton of fun pictures and then headed to Mastro’s dinner.  It was a different way to spend a night in the city and even our husband’s had fun although I will say it was mainly groups of women. If you go, let me know how you liked it!

What We Discovered at The Discovery Museum

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This is the first post in a series I call, “Out and About in Connecticut”. As many of you may know, we recently moved from New York to Connecticut. One of the very best things about moving, at least for me, is getting to check out new restaurants and activities and I’ll be sharing some of our best finds here with you.

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One of the challenges of having a huge age gap between kids is finding activities that all will be happy at. For this reason, museums are usually at the top of my list but finding ones that will keep my 3 year old occupied can be a challenge. When I heard about the Discovery Museum it sounded like it checked all the boxes so our crew of five (my husband and myself and three of our five kids ages 19, 14 and 3) headed there on a recent Sunday morning.

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There are three floors to check out and a large space for eating (make sure to bring lunch if you plan on staying because they just have vending machines with snacks).

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A great spot to eat a packed lunch

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When you first walk in, there’s an awesome light board called Everbright which was inspired by the classic toy, Lite-Brite (Ahhhh, memories! Yes, I had to order her one right away). We had to pry the 3 year old away from it; she was fascinated that she could change the colors.

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We continued into the Dare to Discover room where Daddy and Juliette had some fun together while my oldest got busy wiring a lamp. Even the 14 year old got off the bench when her sister dragged her over to see things float. Mama was happy that everyone had something to keep them occupied.

We headed upstairs where everyone except the youngest had fun shooting baskets and attempting to bank shots (BONUS- learning the science behind it!)

The highlight was definitely the Get Physical room with the pulleys and levers where I captured my favorite picture of the day- a moment when all three girls were connecting, having fun, and creating a memory!

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Other fun pics from the Get Physical room…

We then headed over to the Adventure Science room. My little one was a bit too young to do most things independently but that didn’t stop her from exploring with the help of dad and her big sis.

We then headed all the way down to the MoonBase Discovery area. There was a stimulator where you could drive a lunar rover and other very cool things but honestly my 3 year old’s highlight was driving the big yellow school bus and playing with legos!

Other museum highlights include great art lining the walls, a planetarium which has three different age-appropriate show (check schedules for the day before going), and a Preschool Power area for infant to toddlers under 3.

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There isn’t a gift shop but they do have an area by the entrance/exit where you can by souvenirs.

Overall it was great Sunday morning spent at The Discovery Museum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Open When…” Cards and Gifts

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It’s hard to believe it’s almost been a year since I put these cards and gifts together for my daughter who was beginning her freshman year at Florida State. When the packing had started and I began putting this together, I was a wreck. I’m happy to announce that I held it together at drop off (although tears were definitely shed!) and we made it through year 1; it was a success for all!

Here is what I put in the cards/packages-
-You need a distraction- a Rubics cube
-You need a taste of home- her favorite cereal from Trader Joe’s
-You need to connect with people and have fun- Cards Against Humanity
-You’re hungry- pizza gift card
-You need a pick-me-up- fuzzy slippers, nail polish, a face mask
-You need some sunshine- $20 cash
-You need a hug- Starbucks gift card (what can’t coffee fix?)
-You miss your sisters- silly sibling pics
-You need to know how much I love you- note and picture of family

I hid these in her step stool but you could easily put them in a drawer or anywhere else!

 

“SO EXTRA” Care Packages

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Nothing can take the place of your child being home with you and there is no doubt the first year of college has some rough patches for all involved. One way to make yourself happy is by continuing to do special things for your child who is away and one of those is putting together CARE PACKAGES.

My schedule for the first year was listed below with some of the things I included. For the holidays, I try to stop by the dollar store to pick up cheap, fun seasonal items. Otherwise, I find all my stuff at Target and Trader Joes! I wish I would have taken pictures of all my boxes but I just thought to do that for the last two. I typically used wrapping paper on the inside flaps of the boxes to make them look pretty. My schedule went like this-

September– All things FALL. I went a bit overboard and bought anything with the word “pumpkin” or “spice” in the description

October– Halloween Themed Items- cobwebs, paper plates and napkins, Halloween Oreos, and candy

November– Holidays. I sent a pre-lit small tree, decorations in her school’s colors, and countdown board for their door, tinsel to hang, tons of holiday snacks, and lots of gelt to share with friends 🙂 I also included a new mascara and toothbrush which I did every three months!

January– Winter. I found a great soup mug with soup inside it, warm fuzzy socks, and some Emergencee to fight off any winter colds

February– Valentines Day. Lots of  heart decorations and Valentines candy. We also sent a Sheri’s Berries gift of chocolate covered berries on actual Valentine’s Day ❤

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March– Easter. For Easter, I created an Egg Hunt in a Box for her and her roommate. I filled the eggs with candy, lip gloss, nail polish, and some cash. I also did a separate basket for her with the usual items and some special spring treats.

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April– Birthday Box. This was the first birthday I wasn’t with my first baby 😦 Yes, it was difficult and I missed her like crazy so I put my energy toward making it special for her in whatever way I could. I choose 19 pictures, one from every year, and decorated the box. Inside, I included cards, her favorite treats, a new top, and balloons filled with confetti and cash (I used a water bottle to put the confetti and cash in before blowing them up). We also had an adorable cupcake bouquet (sent by Christina’s Cakes) delivered to her that morning.

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In addition to boxes, there are many other great things to send your child to show you’re thinking about them. Here are a few ideas-

–Sheri’s Berries
–Edible Arrangements
–Target Beauty Boxes (they come out with a new one each month)
-Advent Calendars for the holidays (Target has ones with socks and another one with makeup that’s perfect for college kids)
-Pizza from a local pizza place
–Insomnia Cookies (most universities have a location close by)
–Wicked Good Cupcakes
–Hangry Kits from Amazon
–Treats From Around the World

Finally, I have a few deliveries that are specific to Tallahassee (where my daughter goes to school- GO, NOLES!)-

Christina’s Cakes
Tallahassee Balloons
Dipped.co
Lucy and Leo’s Cupcakes
Tasty Pastry
Nothing but Bundt Cakes

I’ve already warned her not to expect quite the same degree of “extra-ness” next year although who knows if I’ll be able to help myself!

My Love Affair With Trader Joes

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Can you be in love with a grocery store? I think it’s possible 🙂 Since moving to Fairfield and living 2 minutes away from Trader Joes, I’ve developed a great appreciation for the store and it’s unique products, great pricing, and stellar customer service.

I figured I’d share a few of my most favorite products and how I use them.

Starting at the front of the store and working my may through, this is what I grab each and every time…

Not pictured but always in my cart- inexpensive flowers, organic fruit and vegetables, nuts in large qualities, and frozen acai

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Gluten Free & Dairy Free Mini Pancakes- these come in a pack of three and are one of my little one’s favorite breakfasts. I usually serve them with blueberries and strawberries and a bit of maple syrup.

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Frozen Mangos- so delicious, right out of the freezer, as a healthy snack and perfect to use in smoothies

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Zucchini Fries- these are my daughter’s go-to after school snack

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Chocolate Covered Bananas- a perfect nibble when you want something sweet

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Multigrain Crackers- We use these for blueberry cheese (more on that below) and hummus

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Everything But the Bagel Seasoning- Can you say OBSESSED? I put this in my eggs, on toast, and sprinkled over avocado

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Orange Blossom Hand Soap- I use this as my kitchen hand soap. It smells great but my favorite thing about it is how it feels; the oils in it make your hands feel super soft!

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Lavender Scrub- great ingredients, amazing smell and my skin feels awesome after using

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Coffee- just good coffee 🙂

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Blueberry Cheese- someone recommended this to me and somehow, someway this has become my little one’s favorite snack (goat cheese is a bit of an odd choice for a three year old but it’s so tasty so I can understand why)

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Spicy Hummus- WARNING! VERY ADDICTING if you like spicy things

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Cereal- I always need to have on hand when my college- aged daughter is home. She like this one and the Banana Crunch Clusters.

 

Did you know Trader Joes has a website with amazing recipes using their products? Check it out!

 

Finally, here are some links to some incredible blog posts which feature more Trader Joes recipes.

 

Are there any incredible products I missed? Please share your favorites in the comments!

What Potty Training Actually Looked Like For Us- Keepin’ It Real!

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Naked and three days. That’s what you’ll hear again and again regarding potty training and that’s the method most people I know use. But I’m here to tell you that for us, it certainly wasn’t three days. Here’s what the process looked like for us.

First of all, know that all kids are different and it’s in everyone’s best interest to wait until your child is ready. We first gave potty training a go when my daughter was 2 years and 4 months. She was showing many signs of being ready but, after two days of staying home and keeping her naked from the waist down, she was no where near 50% success; she was literally peeing everywhere! We decided to stop and it was definitely for the best.

We tried again when she was 2 years and 7 months and this time was much different right from the start. On the first day, she only had one accident! I couldn’t believe the difference three months made- she really understood what was going on. The following days were not as great as day one but she was easily at 75% success so I knew we were on the right track.

We stayed home as much as possible for the first few weeks. I tried to put underwear on her at home but she would just pee in them. I used pull-ups for nap time and bed time and when we would go out. We were very successful when she was naked but if she had underwear or a pull-up on, she treated it like a diaper. I was beginning to get frustrated.

I decided it must be the pull-ups. I stopped using them for outings and nap time (I still use them for bed time) and just keep her naked from the waist down whenever we were home. And THAT was the magic that worked for us! For my daughter, feeling anything down there must have reminded her of a diaper. After a full month of this strategy, she was 90% potty trained and went many days without accidents.

The Details

Before you start, gather your supplies. Here is what we used.

 

 

It turns out my little one wasn’t interested in the sticker chart at all so I used “pee pee candy”- one single M&M.  Knowing kids very commonly have an issue with going #2 on the potty, I made the reward for that a lollipop (a small Dum Dum). (I realize there are many opinions about using candy as a reward but this is what worked for us so please no judgement!). We keep one potty in the car and that has been a lifesaver!

Know that taking your child to pee in public SUCKS. I’m not going to sugar coat it. Bathrooms are dirty and they’ll want to touch everything. In the beginning you’ll have to take them every 15-30 minutes so be prepared to get to know every bathroom of the places you frequently visit. Watch this hilarious video on peeing in public with a toddler for a visual 🙂 The struggle is real, my friends!

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Momsplained- How to Teach a Toddler to Pee in Public

 

And that’s what potty training looked like in our house. We are two months in and she still occasionally has accidents; it’s not usually 100% for quite some time. I sometimes keep her naked from the waist down at home for sheer ease because she can’t fully pull down her pants by herself but if she’s naked she can go to the potty and wipe herself independently- hallelujah!

*This post may include affiliate links which means if you chose to buy something I mention, please do so using the links above. There is no additional cost to you and it’s a nice way to say thank you and help offset this Mom’s addiction to Amazon Prime*

The Hell That Is Migraines

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My journey with migraines began when I was 19. My headaches were so bad they caused me to frequently miss class and I can vividly remember crying in pain, not knowing what to do. Throughout the years I tried everything under the sun- diet, chiropractors, acupuncture, TMJ therapy, cranial sacral therapy, massage, and various prescriptions. Only within the last few years (a work in progress over 20 years!) have I gotten my migraines under control so I thought I’d share what has been helpful.

First, if you experiencing migraines for the first time, go to see your doctor. You will want to rule out other potentially serious problems. Things like brain tumors, cysts, a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) are very rare but should be ruled out before a migraine diagnosis.

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Next, begin to track your migraines. Do they correlate with your cycle? Are there certain foods that trigger headaches? There is a great tracking app called Migraine Buddy that will allow you to recognize patterns and potential triggers. For both myself and one of my daughters, our migraines fall in a predictable pattern with our cycles. Knowing this helps to prepare.

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Finally, up your supplement game. Currently, I take a chewable magnesium supplement by GNC and my all time favorite, Natural Calm, another magnesium supplement that has so many other benefits (just read the over 7,000 positive reviews on Amazon!). In addition I take a vitamin B complex , along with a multivitamin. I really feel like that is what has been a game changer for me.

Don’t get me wrong; I still get migraines. I take the prescription Relplax as soon as I feel one coming on. However, once I started the supplements, I noticed a big change in the frequency of my migraines which I’ll take. Is there anything specific you’ve tried and had success with? Please share in the comments!

*This post may include affiliate links which means if you chose to buy something I mention, please do so using the links above. There is no additional cost to you and it’s a nice way to say thank you and help offset this Mom’s addiction to Amazon Prime*