Emergency items for your vehicle

I think it is a good idea to have an emergency bag at all times in your vehicle.  I have been caught too many times without an extra set of clothes, extra wipes, sunscreen, bug spray, etc. that I now make sure that I have an emergency/essentials bag in my vehicle.  Most of the items can be used by anyone, so it isn't just necessary if you have children.

Here is what you will find in my emergency bag:

• extra set of clothes for the kids
• extra bib
• extra pullups, underwear, diapers and wipes
• a bottle of water
• snacks for all the kids
• sunscreen ( in season)
• bug spray  (in season)
• extra hair accessories
• extra nuk
• sweatshirts for the kids (in season)

Other items that I tend to have in my vehicle:

• re-usable grocery bag
• magazine/book
• sunglasses
• nail file/polish
• umbrella
• boots, hat, mittens (in season)
• double stroller - if you have room just leave it in your car and you will always have it
• a bag full of books, coloring books/markers and other items to entertain the kids when needed

It may seem like a lot of "extra" stuff to have in your vehicle but when organized and put into the right compartments, it won't make your vehicle look messy. If you ever need to use any of the emergency items, it will be worth it!

Great booster seat

Here is another item that I wish I would have had years ago.  I used one of these Cooshee booster seats at a friend's house early this fall and instantly loved it.  It is perfect for toddlers that can sit well and get on and off the chair by themselves.  There are no straps so for those that still want to get on and off, it isn't the safest option.  It works great on our chairs and stools at home because they are wood and this booster seat suctions well to the seats.  It is lightweight and can easily be moved from chair to chair.  The suction is great to help the seat stay in place, so you don't have to worry about it moving around.  The seats can be a little expensive brand new so I ordered mine off ebay for $15.00  The seat works well for older kids too.  Our 6 year old even uses it sometimes so she can sit a little higher.

I love my mini muffin pan!

I just recently purchased a mini muffin pan - and I love it!  I can't believe I have gone this long without one and it was only 5.99!  I can't wait to try all my favorite things in it.  I don't bake much, mostly because I will eat everything I bake, but I do like to do it.  The girls and I have been doing it more together as they all want to help pour things in, mix, etc. 

We wanted to make chocolate chip cookies but mine never turn out. They are either overdone and hard or not done at all.  I decided to try putting the cookie dough in my mini muffin pan this time.  They turned out great - and so cute too! I had to bake them a few minutes longer than what the directions said for cookies.  They were a little crispy on the edges but soft and chewy in the inside.  I liked that they were thicker than cookies but not as thick or dense at chocolate chip bars.  We found a new tradition in our house!

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

A good bib is worth the money!

It took me 8 1/2 years to finally find a bib that I love and that works!  My sister received the snug-ease bib shown below as a gift.  I used it once when I was at her house and was instantly hooked.  Every bib I tried either hasn't worked, the kids got off or it wasn't practical.  When I used this bib, my daughter never tried to get it off, no food got under the bib and her clothes and collar of her shirt were untouched by food! It comes up around their neck so that nothing can fall through but the material is so soft that it doesn't seem to bother them. With other bibs I find that most food either falls below the bib, around their collars or under the bib from the opening by their collar.  This bib prevents all of that.  I don't usually give in to things like this, but I paid $9.00 for this bib. Yes, just for one bib!  But, like I said, I love it and it will save me a lot of money in the long run because I will no longer have to throw out shirts because they are stained. 

In my opinion, this bib is a must-have.  I did only buy one and I often clean it off while she is eating so that it can be used for multiple meals before going in the wash.

Here is the website to order the bibs online - http://www.snugease.com/index.html. I know that local boutiques carry bibs like this too and that is where I ended up getting mine.

This is the bib that we have:

Unfinished wood + paint = nice decor for your house

There are a few rooms in our house where I was having a hard time finding the right decor to help accentuate the room.  In the girls room we used bright colors so it was hard to find things that didn't make the room even "louder".  In the bathroom I wanted square accessories, but I wanted them to match the shower curtain.  I took a trip to the local craft store and ended up buying some unfinished wood pieces and painting them myself to match the rooms.  There are so many possibilities and it was so cheap. 

I found these wooden circles for under .50 cents a piece. I bought the craft paint to match for around $1 a bottle.  I had a lot of paint leftover so now I can always add more to their room or change it as they get older.

I also found these wooden shallow squares at the craft store and I think they were around $1 a piece.  I used the same craft paint.  They make a great wall decoration.  They could also be used as a picture frame but I chose to leave the white show through.

Our bathroom has a shower curtain with square like shapes on it so I picked up these square mirrors at Ikea for about $2 a piece.  I used leftover paint that we had from our previous house that matched the curtain and we were set with another wall decoration.  I have another set of these mirrors painted to match a second shower curtain, so when I get sick of these colors, all I have to do is switch out the mirrors and curtain.  They both have an olive green in them so the towels and other accessories always match.

A Balanced Mom

When I started staying home with the kids almost two years ago, a good friend of mine got me the book 'A Balanced Mom'.  It is a great book. And it isn't just for stay-at-home moms.  It has great advice for any women, whether you work or stay home and some sections apply even if you don't have kids at all.

It is almost more of a workbook and something you can always go back to, re-read and reference whenever you need to. It is also a very quick read.  It talks about making time for yourself, living your values, treasuring your friendships, learning to ask for help, simplifiying your life, among other things.

One of my favorite sections of the book is about setting your priorities - in life, at home, at work, with you family, your kids, your husband, etc.  It talks about the importance of YOUR priorities, not those of others.  Concentrating on what you can do in your life and not worrying about what others have, want, do, etc.  If you live your life sticking to your priorities and values you will be more fullfilled and happy.

Overall, it is a great book and I recommend it.

Cherish your time

I have been a little MIA on my blog the last few days.  We had a whirlwind week - a lot of events and celebrations happened in the last week or so that really made me think about how I cherish my time and how I should cherish my time even more!

• Our 20 month old began to talk so much in the last week or so.  It is like something clicked and now she says so many words and seems to understand so much more.  It makes me sad that out baby is growing up so fast but I am trying to CHERISH this time that she is little because I know that she is going to be a teenager and out of the house before I know it!

• I had my second yoga class that I take at a friends' studio and I completely CHERISHED my hour and 1/2 away from it all and concentrated on a great workout with great friends.  It is hard to walk out the door as soon as my husband gets home and get home right when he is putting them to bed and I know it is a sacrafice for him too and so I CHERISH my time because it isn't easy to get away.

• We hosted an annual get together with a great group of highschool friends.  Each year we take turns hosting a "Valentine's" dinner.  This year it was our turn and we had the stomach flu the first time we were supposed to host, so it got rescheduled to this weekend.  I CHERISH the time with this group of friends.  We are all about the same age, have kids, have like interests and really have a great time together.  We don't all live close to each other so we don't get to see each other as we would like.  But the time we do have is CHERISHED!

• I also got to host a birthday party for one of my nieces this weekend.  We had family home for a few reasons so it just made sense for me to host.  I CHERISH the time with my family.  I have 3 sisters and a brother and we all get along so well and truly love each other's company. We enjoyed good food, the boys played cards, we had a few cocktails and watch the cousins play.  It is rare these days for families to be as close as we are and I am very grateful and will forever CHERISH my time with them.

• Our son received his First Communion this weekend!  He is growing up so fast!!!  He is our first born and it seems like just yesterday that I was holding him in my arms in the hospital.  I CHERISH my time with him.  He is such an amazing son and I couldn't ask for anything more.  He has to put up with a lot with a house full of women and he is such a good sport.  He has such an awesome love for his sisters that I can't even explain.  Of course they get on his nerves and him on theirs but when he comes home from school, the first thing he does is run through the door and say "Where are my girls?" and runs to give them a hug.  I CHERISH my time with him even more these days as he seems like such a little man and not my little boy anymore.

• And last, but certainly not least, I lost an uncle this week.  He was an amazing Husband, Dad, Brother, Son, Grandpa and Man.  And he was one of my Dad's best friends!  I know my Dad CHERISHED the last few years that they spent together.  They went on many road trips, touring around, visited family members, went on trips to the casinos, etc.  It is hard to see someone you love go, but I know he is in a better place and can now be with his parents up in Heaven. This event will make me CHERISH my time even more with my parents.  I love them dearly and know that someday they will go so all I can do is make the most of today and CHERISH the time we have together now.

It is hard to always CHERISH the time that you have.  But as you read this post, think about one thing in your life that you should or want to CHERISH more and try and make a point to do that.  Right now I am going to go and CHERISH some cuddle time with my family.