What a difference paint makes you guys! So crazy how open it can make a smaller kitchen look.
If you haven’t noticed we have been absent on here for a couple weeks!
Life has been so busy with renovations around our house and then Marissa’s girls are starting sports. A break was much needed but we are excited to be back and to bring on all the content!
Any-who, back to kitchen updates. If you haven’t read my Kitchen Remodel Inspiration post make sure you do because I am pretty sure I nailed it on the cabinet colors!
So we went with a gray finish for the cabinets and then white walls and a gray accent wall.
The painters did such a great job and I am so excited to see everything come together!
Here’s some before and afters for you all
Those are the before pictures, our house was a lot of tans and warm colors for the kitchen and back entry way but here is what it looks like after the paint!
What do you guys think!? Such a transformation already right?
We have the counter tops ordered but those take about 4-5 weeks so in between waiting for that our flooring will be installed.
Next post it will look completely different again I’m sure and I am so excited about it!!
Becoming a mom was the best/scariest experience! Being a first time mom myself I know just how scary it can be not knowing anything.
I’m here to give you a few tips today on the mistakes I’ve made as a new mom in hopes it will help all you other mamas out there!
Moms supporting moms is my favorite thing!
Believing everything you hear.
I can’t even tell you how much advice you will get while you are pregnant or a brand new mom.
Some of it is fantastic but then there’s the horror stories and the snarky comments.
Trust me when I say, you just can’t believe everything you hear. Every parent has a different experience with parenthood. Every birth is different.
Most of your anxiety comes from listening to others and your own mind so relax mama, you’ll be fine!
Not napping while the baby naps.
I was notorious for this. I felt like I needed to get EVERYTHING done while the baby napped but you don’t.
You really, really don’t!
Take that nap, or just take time for yourself when your baby naps. It’s so important and you will appreciate it in the long run!
Comparing your baby or yourself to others.
Just don’t do it. Nothing good will come of it. Each baby goes at its own pace and that’s perfectly fine. Just because your friends baby is walking at 8 months, doesn’t mean your baby won’t be up and running around soon!
So many women I know were having babies when I had my son and I felt myself comparing and it was the worst thing I could ever do.
Just because one mom looks like a superhero by getting everything done, doesn’t mean she’s not exhausted and feeling as defeated as you are at times.
Don’t compare!
Ignoring your spouse.
I feel like the easiest thing as a new mom is to get wrapped up in the baby, it’s just the most natural reaction to motherhood.
But don’t get so wrapped up that you ignore your spouse, the one who helped create this beautiful tiny human. Yess they might seem annoying because they get out of the house daily or get to sleep more but they are feeling overwhelmed too so lean on each other.
Communicate and be kind to each other.
Take time for yourself.
Even if it’s just an hour at your favorite store or 30 minutes reading a book. Or even a nice long hot shower.
Do it.
Take time for yourself as much as you can to recharge, to clear your mind, to breath.
You’ll be a better mom, you’ll feel better and you just need to do it.
Ask for help.
As much as you want to, you can’t do everything. It’s impossible.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Having a support system will be the best thing for you and your family.
Whether it’s meals being dropped off or maybe just an extra hand with laundry or dishes. The best thing I ever learned as a first time mom is definitely not to be afraid to ask for help when you need it!
I hope this helped you out mamas! And if you are a seasoned mom please feel free to leave advice in the comments below!
Always love hearing others experiences since everyone’s is always so different ❤️
AD- This is a paid advertise in collaboration with Basic Invite. All opinions are our own.
I don’t know about you but I love a beautiful card. I have a habit of saving some of our favorites because sometimes you just can’t get rid of a beautiful card or invite! Yes, hoarder alert I know.
Plus, being a family I’ve found how much I enjoy doing holiday cards! So much fun, we did them for the first time this past Christmas and I am hooked.
So when Basic Invite reached out to us, it was so exciting! I am almost sad though because I would have LOVED to use their invites for my wedding and baby shower a couple years ago. I am happy I can use them for all my holiday needs and business cards though.
With new engagements, graduation invitations, and holiday’s always coming up I feel like Basic Invite provides a wide variety of options for all and we are so excited to share with you!
Here’s a little bit more about the company itself and all they have to offer.
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I think the most exciting thing right now is graduation party invitations! They have tons of fun and gorgeous graduation templates to choose from and with everything happening it’s so important to make our seniors feel special still!
We’ve received a sample kit and the way they are packaged is so beautiful, I almost didn’t want to take anything out because of nicely it was all packaged and put together. Highly recommend Basic Invite for all of your needs. I will be ordering my future holiday cards from them from now on and I can’t even wait.
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To get in touch or follow along with Basic Invite be sure to click their socials below.
Those fluffy sugarcoated marshmallows are good for more than just eating! Today we made ‘Peep Play-Doh’! I have seen this idea going around on Instagram.
My girls said it felt more like Peep slime, rather than Play-Doh.
I’m going to share the recipe with you today. It is super simple and so easy. A great activity to do with your kids with Easter right around the corner.
All you need is three simple ingredients. Peeps, shortening and flour.
Just add five peeps to a microwave safe bowl.
Add 3 tbs of flour, and 1 tbs of shortening.
Put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
When it comes out, stir with a spoon. The mixture is super hot, so make sure your kiddos don’t do that part!
When the mixture is all stirred, knead the dough on a hard surface for a few minutes. It might be sticky at first, but it gets better as you knead the dough!
My girls are a little older, so they were able to do most of this activity on their own.
This would be a wonderful craft or activity to do on or before the holiday. Even if you don’t celebrate Easter you could always just make this for fun!
Do you like peeps?! I’m not not a huge fan of them, but I love sugar so I eat them anyways.
Let us know if you try it, and make sure to follow our social pages for more fun activities!
I can’t even tell you all how excited I am to FINALLY remodel our kitchen!
It’s been a dream since we moved in about 5 years ago. Like everyone else this year I’m sure, we fought with the idea of selling our home or making it into what we want for a few more years.
I don’t know if it’s the “first home” attachment or if it was because I couldn’t find anything else I for sure wanted out there or a little of both but we decided to stay.
And with staying comes…renovations!!
I’m excited but a little scared because we’ve never done renovations before besides our basement but that was just flooring.
I decided I would take you all along with me in the renovation journey which this year will include our kitchen and entry way and then flooring in the living room.
Kitchen is up first and the biggest task by far so here is a peek into what we are working with and the inspiration for the renovations.
So mainly we will be updating countertops and backsplash. Only painting cabinets because I LOVE my cabinets and getting new hardware for them, and then getting new flooring.
A big task ya’ll! But here’s our inspiration for the finished look.
Subway tile backsplash Farmhouse sink hopefullyGray cabinet color Hardwood flooring and a light countertop
Anyone else have a dream of a farmhouse sink!? I hope one can fit for us!
My hubby is so excited about a subway tile backsplash, he loves it.
So excited to take you along with this renovation journey. Plus, I will be showing any DIY’s that happen of course.
I know anything to make life a little more simple and easy as a mom is a must so definitely will be sharing any tips and tricks.
We are in the process of getting estimates and picking exactly what we want right now so stay tuned my friends!
Lately I’ve just been so burnt out. There really aren’t enough hours in the day.
I just can’t keep up.
For a very patient person, my patience’s has been thin lately. Juggling all our rolls is tough.
I don’t know how some make it look so easy.
Mom life
Wife life
Full time working life
Plus all the small things in between. It’s exhausting.
I yell more than usual which is no fun. But when you have a preschooler who “knows everything” and a toddler who is a pure wild child, it happens.
I feel like I’m either asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow or laying wide awake at night feeling guilty about not playing enough or not finishing the laundry or just knowing my head wasn’t in the right place that day.
I know this is just a temporary phase but sometimes even though I have all the help in the world which I am so grateful and blessed to have, I still feel alone sometimes.
Anyone else?
It just feels like you have so much on your shoulders and even when the weight is a little bit lifted, something else comes long.
I don’t know, maybe it’s just me.
I guess I’m just trying to say is that, I see you.
I see how exhausted you are.
I see how guilty you feel when you have a bad mom day.
I see the work you put in to your family and your life.
I see how hard you try every day.
I get that sometimes that’s all you want.
To be seen.
For everyone to know how hard you try.
I see all you mama’s out there and I hope you know how great of a job you’re doing.
How all these sleepless nights and tired days and exhausted body’s are worth it.
Spring is upon us and with that comes Spring break!
Even though my son and daughter are still super young, I still think of Spring as the start of fun activities school aged or not.
We can finally get outside and play. Bring on the mud and grass stained clothes because I am so ready!
Today I thought I would share some great Spring break activities that you can do as a family, that still is a little more social distanced.
1. Break out the bubbles.
Just like bubble wrap, I feel like you’re never too old for bubbles! Bubbles are such a great inexpensive activity. You can make big bubbles, get a bubble machine or make some fun in a bin with bubbles and water. Definitely a great outdoor activity for the kids.
2. Take a day trip.
I love making a day out of a fun activity. We recently went to an indoor water park and my son had a blast. Even a trip to your local library or just finding in town activities to do are great as well!
3. Have a family movie night.
You can never go wrong with a movie night. One of my favorite things to do. Make some popcorn, set up a snack bar or ice cream station. Make some homemade icee’s. So much fun can come from a movie night.
4. Paint a masterpiece.
Painting is such a great activity no matter what age! Get creative with it and there’s so many things you could come up with! Or grab your chalk and head outside to chalk paint.
5. Have an outside adventure.
Check out your favorite trail, rock hunt at the beach, ride bikes, go rollerblading. Head to the park. Outside adventures are what I’m most excited about as the days get longer and hopefully warmer.
6. Sensory bins.
There is so much you can do with sensory bins and they are a hit at any age as well! I have lots of water bin ideas in mind for my son this Spring.
7. Fly a kite.
Spring is so perfect for kite flying! It can still be windy so get to the park and run around with a kite!
Let’s make this Spring a great one and enjoy it as much as we can! I know we all and definitely our kids need it!
What’s your favorite thing about Spring? Mine would be everything blooming and the excitement that Summer is coming.
I’m going to start this post with a bit of an understatement: the last year has been a tough one. Next week will see us meet the one year mark of when our lives all changed dramatically, and what a year it has been. Despite many of us spending more time at home, very few of us have been prioritising taking care of ourselves despite this playing a huge role in our general wellbeing. With parents having to take on the new role of a full-time teacher, key workers under extreme pressure and people struggling to gain a work/life balance now their homes have become offices…where is the time? Sometimes just making it through the day is a success story in itself but these additional stresses that have fallen into our lives only further prove the point that self-care is vital to a healthy mind.
There is still very much a culture where taking time to look after yourself can be seen as an unnecessary luxury but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In order to be the best version of yourself in work, life or relationships you need to feel like the best version of yourself.
Often when you see the term ‘Self Care’ you think of face masks and massages but actually, the practices are endless and, since we’re not going to be able to get to a spa any time soon, it’s important to find other ways to bring you that same level of peace. Often, the kindest things you can do for yourself have nothing to do with pamper sessions (although I wouldn’t say no!) and everything to do with removing negativity from your life where you can. I’ve listed some of my favourites below.
My Favourite Self Care Methods
Take 30 minutes a day to do something you love – Read that book, listen to a podcast in the bath, be creative…it doesn’t matter what it is, just make sure it’s something that makes you happy.
Social Media detox – Take a day away from your Social Media apps, the constant stream of news and other peoples polished lives is a lot and you often don’t realise the damage it’s doing until you take a break.
Review who you follow – Make sure the people you follow on social media are accounts and/or individuals that bring you joy or valuable information. Anyone else can and should be removed (or muted at the very least).
Move your body – I’m a huge advocate for exercise for your mind rather than your body but this doesn’t always have to be an intense workout. I love basic Yoga videos on YouTube, stretching with some relaxing music is really calming even if for 10 minutes.
Get some fresh air every day – This one is so important, especially for those that are working from home every day at the moment. Sometimes getting yourself outdoors if you don’t “need to” is harder than you think, but it’s a wonderful way of taking a moment to breathe.
Journal – Keeping emotions or stresses bottled up inside can only last so long. Talking to other people about these things is so important but if you don’t feel ready or able, writing in a journal is an excellent way to let some of those stresses or worries free.
And the most important and compulsory form of self-care is to be kind to yourself. Life isn’t easy even at the best of times and it’s made ten times harder if you let that negative voice in your head make its way to the front. We’re all just doing our best so make sure you are acknowledging your achievements no matter how small. I’ve said it before but sometimes just making it through the day is a win, so take a minute to say you smashed it!
Benefits of Self Care
Increased positive thinking
A reduction in anxiety
Finding outlets to relieve stress throughout the day can result in an improved sleep pattern
Taking time for yourself will give renewed focus, increasing productivity levels
Improved relationships
Learning how to recognise your real emotions/feelings.
Sometimes it feels easier said than done but you need to prioritise yourself. No matter the job, situation or environment you find yourself in, you can’t pour from an empty cup so eventually, something is going to have to give. Please don’t let it be your health.
Thank you so much Amanda and Marissa for having me on your blog and thanks to everybody for reading. If you would like to check out more of my posts you can find my blog here and Instagram here.
Hey Friends! I wanted to do something fun today and kind of a get to know me type post! I love reading these and wanted to share some things about me.
1. I am TOO optimistic! The glass is always half full in my greener pastures! Everything is sunshine an rainbows 99% of the time.
2. I wanted to be an algebra teacher. I know it sounds super crazy but math was always my favorite subject!
3. I performed in plays throughout my childhood until I was a senior in high school! My favorite was Anita from West Side Story.
4. I married my husband when I was 18! We were BABIES (kind of still are)!
5. I HATE cooking, but LOVE baking! If I’m cooking it’s either a crock pot meal or something very simple, but I will bake you ANYTHING from scratch.
6. I hate winter! It was my favorite season for ever, until last year. Now I long for the days of summer!
7. My favorite color is green. More specifically lime green! The brighter, the better!
8. I used to play a TON of musical instruments! I played the tenor saxophone in band, I played a bit of piano, and guitar once I got older. My favorite instrument is the hammered dulcimer. Look it up if you’ve never heard or seen one.
9. I’m very strong willed! I try to speak my mind as much as possible and stand my ground.
10. Family is THE most important to me, but it’s always God first.
Believe it or not but I’m actually itching for the first really nice day to get here so I can open up the windows, put some rubber gloves on and do some major spring cleaning!
I’m here today to give you some everyday cleaning tips that will make it easier for you to keep your house up throughout the weeks.
In the winter I slack so much on these tips, it’s already dark by the time I get home from work and it’s the last thing I want to do on my days off. But when the days get longer and it’s still light out by 7pm, I get back in my groove.
Here’s my 5 everyday cleaning tips!
Get your laundry ready the day before.
This is a big one because I know we all secretly hate laundry! I’ll be honest though, I’m never ever fully caught up with laundry being a mom and then my husband and I’s clothes as well. I think maybe if I had a first floor laundry room instead of having to go up and down the stairs to the basement all day long, I would be happier. Enough of my laundry hate ranting though.
It makes it so much easier if you sort through your laundry the night before and get your piles ready, that way as soon as you wake up you can throw the first load in and just add to your other piles throughout the day. Instead of being up until 8pm finishing laundry, you’ll most likely be done by 2pm and that way you can have a glass of wine by 8pm 😉
Unload your dishwasher first thing in the morning.
I always unload my dishwasher before I leave for work or defiantly when I’m off. That way you’re just putting your dirty dishes in the dishwasher all day long and keeping your sink clean and dish free.
I LOVE a clean sink.
Plus it makes after dinner dishes so much easier to deal with. I don’t know about you but if I have a clean and dish free sink, I feel a whole lot better!
Make an every two day checklist.
I am a sucker for lists. I love lists. Grocery lists, everyday lists, work lists, CLEANING LISTS. List’s make my life easier and when I feel like I am slacking in the cleaning department and just dreading it because that means I’ll have to deep clean instead of the normal freshen up, I know I have to start making my every two day checklist again.
So basically you can do it however you want to. For me specifically my every two day checklist consists of..
Dusting
Vacuuming
Steam mop
and so on. You can make your list whatever you want but when it comes time for the weekend and if I’ve been doing that every two days then it makes cleaning the rest of the house sooo much easier and cuts down my time by a lot.
Do a mini cleaning pick up each night.
I’m sure a lot of you mama’s have this on your list. Toy’s usually get scattered all around the house. My son loves his toys everywhere and so does my puppy.
Every night I do a mini pick up. I fold up all the blankets, pick up all the toys, put away all the chargers and smart device’s used that day. Clean up the kitchen and coffee table. I just do a quick sweep of everything that got used a lot that day before I go to bed so I wake up more refreshed and not staring at a big huge mess.
Trust me though, it doesn’t happen every single night!
Clean your countertops and used tables everyday.
The last thing I try to do everyday is wipe down my countertops, kitchen table and coffee table. They are used the most throughout the day so no matter what there’s always crumbs or some kind of weird stain on them. I just like to do that everyday to keep them fresh and clean since they are some of the first things you go to when you wake up or when you get home.
Those are my everyday cleaning tips I have for you that I, myself do. I hope you enjoyed this post and I wish you all good luck in the Spring cleaning phase that’s coming!
I know I have so much decluttering to do especially in the clothes and toy area.
What are some of your cleaning tips you use daily?
I also have a free weekly cleaning checklist down below you can download and use this Spring! I’m sure excited about it.
Quirky Workin' Mom's 