Tag: Blog

Farmhouse Kitchen Makeover!

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 27 Comments

We have lived in our house for 7 years now. What?! Little by little I’ve redone a part of the house.

Over our “quarantine”, we did a mini kitchen renovation!

BEFORE

I have always loved the look of open shelving, but I always wondered where I’d put everything? Don’t worry, a little purge helped, and we have PLENTY of room!

Our kitchen is so small, but it serves its purpose.

First I took off the cabinets. I knew I wanted the cabinets higher to accommodate a shelf under them, so we removed one cabinet, for the open shelves, and made the other one touch the ceiling.

Then I ship lap’d the walls. Calling all Joanna Gaines lovers! She is so inspirational in her simple farmhouse decor, I couldn’t resist!

Then came the shelves…. my husband is a genius. He made sure they were all secure but also supported my vision.

He measured and cut the boards. We used 2×8’s for the shelves. I needed them to be sturdy to hold my heavy plates & cups. I bought brackets from Home Depot to hold up the shelves.

I stained them the natural color because I wanted it to be light and airy in the kitchen. Before it was so dark!

AFTER

Trying to decide on a light fixture was the hardest part. I had probably spent an hour between Lowe’s and Home Depot looking for the PERFECT light. It had to be bright, but also follow my “theme”.

Over all I’m so happy with the outcome.

I am currently remodeling the rest of the house. We know we eventually want to find a home a little farther out, but that’s pretty distant into the future, so now our little house is becoming our home!

I will keep posting my DIYs as I do them! Thanks for reading! 💕

Why You Need To Fight For Your Marriage.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 30 Comments

It’s the end of the day.

My perfectly styled hair at some point in the day has been replaced by a messy bun.

My coffee energy has run out a long, long, longgg time ago.

My eyes are tired and as soon as I walk in the door and the baby see’s me, he will cry for me.

So I have to rush to change my clothes, rush to take the work day off of me.

I normally work later than my husband so I quickly grab my son with usually no more than a little hi to the man I promised to love forever.

I am exhausted, I have a baby to tend to, a decent meal to put on the table, and night time routines to get to.

And at the end of all that? All I can usually think of is how good my glass of white wine is going to taste when I get a chance to myself.

But I need to stop and take a breath.

I really need to learn how to do this, because the man sitting on the other side of the couch with a beer in his hand?

He’s had a long day too.

He’s came home from work and has had to quickly change and quickly wash the work day off of him so he can grab our son.

He’s had to quickly get some things done, quickly eat dinner and help with night time routines.

We are a team.

And you know what?

He deserves so much more than a quick hi when I get home and a couch buddy to wind-down with at night.

You always think your romance will never die. That even when you have kids you promise you will still have date nights and time to be alone together.

It’s so hard.

It’s hard to be a wife, and a husband, and a parent and an employee.

Life is just hard.

But you have to make it work. You have to fight for the communication, for the little bit of time when you are alone, for the date nights even if it’s one at home in front of the TV.

It’s easy to get lost in the chaos of everyday life. To think you just always have to go-go-go to feel worthy.

But you don’t, not always at least.

So next time I come home from work, tired and just thinking of that glass of wine waiting for me while I put my feet up on the couch…and maybe even rub them on my husband even though he hates it… 😉

I’m going to make sure I come home and quickly change my clothes, quickly take the work day off of me.

But slowly kiss my husband hello. Slowly take my son from him with a smile made just for my man.

Because he deserves it and you know what? I deserve it too.

And you need to fight for your marriage, even when there’s not a thing wrong with it.

Because at the end of every long day? After the kids are in bed? It’s always going to be just the two of you.

And that’s something worth fighting for.

Let’s Talk about Mom Friends…

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 25 Comments

This is always something I personally have struggled with.

Just think about it, a person that is going through the same thing you are at the moment. It’s 3 AM, and this is the fourth time you’ve been awake with the baby. You just WISH there was someone you could reach out to, someone that would understand the total body exhaustion you feel. Messy bun, yesterday’s makeup running down your cheeks because the tears streamed down your face, wet t-shirt from the spilled milk.

This is something that we STRIVE for. The perfect friend.

I’ve surrounded myself with so many people, it’s hard to say that I have that BEST friend. The person I tell all my secrets to.

For some people it’s your mom or sister. Someone you that has known you from the beginning of your life. Some one that understands every thing that has made you, you.

It could be the friend you met at the Mommy & Baby music class, at the downtown library. Kids who are the same age, and you know they would make a great long time friend to your daughter.

Maybe it’s your husbands coworkers wife. They are the couple who is older and wiser, and will always give you the best advice. Someone who you became friends with their whole family, and know that your village is getting bigger, and stronger.

Your high school best friend, that even though is worlds away, and when her world is completely different, you know she is always just a text or phone call away.

It could be a new friend. An unexpected friend. You know that she would never judge you, and would do anything to keep you and your family safe and happy.

The sister in law that is always there for your children no matter what. Someone you can share all of the best memories together. Watch each other’s kids grow up. Enjoy big life moments, like marriage, child birth, birthday’s and so much more.

And, your person. The person that chose you and you choose over and over. The one you know has seen all your darkest days, but will easily brighten them. The one you will do life with in the bad, and the good.

These are crazy times, and we all need that friend. So when I say “mom” friend, I don’t mean a friend that IS a mom. I mean any friend that you know you would never want to do life without.

These are my true friends. This is what my village is made of.

Love you friends. ❤️

Top 7 Must-Have List Of Baby Items.

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 32 Comments

As a first time mom, I am like many of you. I thought I needed everything for a new baby.

I would spend hours scrolling and searching must need baby registry ideas and looking through the pamphlets of the stores I was registered at (while stuffing my face with Doritos, what were some of your pregnancy cravings?).

Because HELLO, it was a new baby!! It’s scary, you’ve never done this and you hear all the time that every baby is different so why not just get it all?

I am 10 months into this mom life now and I have a pretty vocal little man who tells you exactly what he likes and what he doesn’t like. The every baby different rule is so true though so of course even though these are what worked well for our baby, yours might be different.

Although I think I have picked a pretty standard must-have’s for babies so let’s get to it!

Pack N’ Play.

I highly recommend a pack n’ play! Specifically one with a bassinet attachment. That’s what we used for the first few months of the newborn stage and it was wonderful! He loved falling asleep to the soothing vibration setting and having a changing table attachment was easy for midnight changes and feedings. Plus a pack n’ play in general is just nice to have for travel, for play time, outside time. It’s so versatile!

Swaddles.

Swaddles are such a must-have item. My son loved his swaddles but once he got a couple weeks old I ended up having to keep one arm out because he loved to touch his cheek and chin while sleeping. Swaddles are such a good blanket for your baby though when they are first born.

Halo Sleepsack.

Once your baby is out of swaddles, I HIGHLY recommend halo sleepsacks. We have been using these for his blankets and I just love them. They are so soft and so easy to use and some even still have a swaddle type feature that work for that snug cuddle feel.

Fridababy Nose Frida.

I don’t know about you but I can never get those little bulb syringes to work for sucking out boogers and snot. The Nose Frida is such a lifesaver. Personally, I think it works the best for even those dry hard to get out boogers. Defiantly a must-have.

Activity Center.

Any type of activity table, jumper is wonderful. For one it keeps your baby occupied for a longer period of time and it’s also a safe area to set your baby for a minute. Ones that turn into activity tables when they are a little older is also very versatile and nice as well.

Swing and Bouncer.

My son LOVED his baby swing. We had one that ended up being a swing and a bouncer. We could always rely on our swing if we were having a hard time getting him down for a nap. Plus, when he had his first cold I slept on the couch while he slept in his swing to keep him upright and it was a life-saver.

Car Seat and Stroller Travel System.

We have the Graco stroller and car seat bundle and love it! The snug lock car seat was perfect for winter when we had to carry him in and out or click him into the stroller easily. We love the big stroller as well, it’s been so fun watching him transition into this big stroller and love it! We did also purchase an umbrella stroller too just for a lightweight one to keep in our car.

We started this blog to help moms feel connected and not alone. Being a new mom is scary and not knowing what your baby is going to want or need is even scarier!

So I hope this eases your mind a little and helps you find a starting point, because you are not alone!

For all my seasoned moms, what are some of your must-have baby items?

Do you love any of these items as well above?

Let’s chat in the comments! Thanks for reading 🙂

Meet My Quarantine Chicks!

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 24 Comments

We were bored in the house, and in the house bored. So we decided to get CHICKENS!!!

I went, alone, to Tractor Supply to get dog food, and I walked out with four chicks! I think Cody just about died when I called him. Oops!

We got two Silver Laced Wyandotte’s, Lacey and Ella (or Kylo Hen as we like to call her), and two Ameracauna chicks, Lucy and Emily. Both breeds are known for being calm, and good overall family farm birds. Unfortunately, one of our Ameracauna’s, Emily, didn’t make it.

Here is one of our babies, Lacey, when they first came home! So tiny and fluffy!

Becoming a chicken owner is definitely something you should think about BEFORE you get them. We really had so much to learn, but over time, and after losing one, we definitely learned a lot!

These babies grow SO FAST!

With in a few weeks they had doubled in size. From a little fluff ball that would fit in the palm of my hand, to an almost full sized bird who wanted to roost on my arm, we knew we needed to get working on our chicken coop! Here is Lacey at 3 weeks old:

She started getting her feathers which meant we could start to lower the temp in the brooder. The brooder is the little bin that they stay in until they are fully feathered.

Not long after they started getting their big bird feathers, did they begin to want to fly. Yes, I said fly. I didn’t realize they could get as much air as they did. We didn’t initially keep a lid on the brooder, because when they’re not feathered, they don’t even attempt to “fly”. Right around 5 weeks is when they were ready to get out and explore!

I went back to work after having these babies for a few weeks, but my flock was about to get bigger! We added three Silkie chicks! They’re names are Piper, Penny and Fancy. Fancy is actually a showgirl Silky, so her neck and her bum is naked.

I could go on and on about their cute little faces, but I would never stop writing.

On my next post, I’m going to show you our next step in “chicken farming”, the coop!

I’ll share more about my other birds in the next post, because my flock just keeps growing!

Here’s one more picture for the road! (;

6 Essentials For All Working Moms

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 16 Comments

I don’t know about you, but my work weeks are pretty hectic! The madness that is trying to get ready in the morning (thank goodness for dry shampoo and concealer). Your actual work day and then coming home, figuring out dinner and trying to find time between bath and bed to actually play with your kids.

I’ll say it though, there are seriously not enough hours in a day!

Just craziness! So I have come up with some essentials I use throughout my work weeks to make them a little more bearable and cuts down a teeny bit of the crazy.

Amazon Prime.

Can I get a high-five for this one? Amazon is a life-saver when you need something fast that you forgot about. Need a last minute gift? Amazon Prime is there for you. Need something super random just because you were scrolling around at 11pm? Amazon Prime is there for you. Defiantly an essential for a busy mom.

A Large Bag Or Purse.

I will admit, my husband got on my case the other day saying I needed to clean out my jungle of a purse. I have a large purse but it holds my life’s needs. I may have a diaper or two in there and some wipes. I may have emergency snacks. A book. A couple water bottles. Honestly, who knows what is in there but the point is, you can go from work to hockey practice with one large bag or purse and be prepared!

Reusable Tumbler/Bottle.

I carry one constantly! I’ve been trying to keep up on my water intake lately which is it not hard? I find it hard to consume enough water in the day when I really just want to chug coffee or have a nice ice cold coke. Which brings me to why reusable tumblers/bottles are awesome because you can use them for all three! Could probably even splash some wine in there at the end of the night.

By the way, I am typing this without even really looking because my son is going crazy at the moment…

A Good Schedule Or Calendar.

I love a cute calendar planner. I actually like taking a minute at the beginning of each month and filling one out as well. It just keeps things in line and I will actually know what I am doing each week or month. Your phone calendar or a scheduling app works wonders though as well. There are even some apps where you can sinc your schedules with others.

A Good Podcast For Commute Time.

I love Podcasts, they are becoming quite popular lately and there are so many out there! Podcasts are great if you have to commute for work but they are also great for just putting on when you are doing things aroung the house as well. Personally I love True Crime Podcasts! My current obsession is Crime Junkie Podcast.

Snacks.

Oh snacks, last but certainly not least. As a mom we are the snack getters, the snack makers and packers. You know what though? We need snacks too! So I always pack a few of my own favorite snacks in my purse and maybe a snack or two my son likes in there too…either way snacks are defiantly essential!

I hope at least one or two of these are essential for a busy work week for you as well! Weather you are a busy mom or just a busy person in general these can go for anyone.

What are some of your essential work week things that weren’t mentioned above? I’d love to know!

Thanks for reading!

What I Wish Everyone Actually Shared About Becoming A Mom

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 38 Comments

Say goodbye to sleeping in, oh and your sanity? That goes out the window as well. Oh, oh and you will be up to your neck in diapers and spit up like 24/7.

And the cries, oh the cries will be stuck in your head forever. Oh, and teething? Yeah, have fun with that!

Yes, I heard about the sleepless nights, the teething, the horror stories of giving birth. We all have and yes, those things are all true that we are constantly reminded of when pregnant and carrying around a newborn.

Fast forward 10 months in though, and there’s so much I have figured out on my own that I just don’t think is talked about as much as it should be and I’m hoping I am not the only one who has felt these things.

No one ever told me how emotional I would be about every little thing. Hormones or not every milestone, every new thing learned, ever little smile and new tooth. Well let’s just say there are secret flood works every single time. Sure I knew becoming a mom would be nothing but emotions, but I just didn’t know it would be over everything and I mean EVERYTHING.

No one ever told me about the frustration. Your baby wakes up in the middle of the night for the 4th night in a row. Nothing you do eases that teething pain. Every time you set the baby down, the water works start. The frustration is real and I never knew how many times I would need a breather throughout the day. How many times I would have to take deep breaths so I don’t break down. How much of a zombie I would feel like just to get through the day.

No one ever told me about the guilt…Oh the guilt. Mom guilt is the worst thing in the whole entire world and it is so REAL. Every time that frustration comes, every time my baby doesn’t sleep through the night, every time I just want to have time for myself I feel consumed with guilt. Which I now know is such a normal thing, but mom guilt needs to be talked about more because it’s a terrible thing to hold inside!

No one ever told me how much I would need my husband and my tribe. You single moms doing it ALL on your own, hats off to you. Seriously you are the real MVP because I don’t think I could do it. To have someone I can just silently hand little man off to so I can grab a glass of wine at the end of the night is everything. When the frustration becomes too much or I just need alone time with my husband, to have our tribe of family and friends is EVERYTHING.

No one ever told me I would meet someone new. And no, not my baby, I am talking about myself. Sometimes I just feel like a totally different person. My views have changed since becoming a mom, my feelings are more intense. My body has changed, along with so many other parts of me. But it’s ok, I like this vesion of myself and I like the other version too when I get to be baby free for a night or two.

No one ever told me how much you can love someone. From the moment I saw “pregnant” on my pregnancy test, I instantly fell in love. I never knew how much you could love someone without even know them or seeing them yet. And when you do get the chance to peek at that little face? I can’t even describe it as I’m sure all you moms felt it too. I just never knew how much unconditional love you could give out to this tiny little person you are helping grow. It’s amazing and it needs to be shared more often.

I feel like no book could have prepared me for motherhood, you learn so much on your own because every baby is truly different.

It could never tell me how guilty and sad I would feel every time I have to leave for work or that most of the time I am honestly just winging it. It’s scary not knowing what kind of mother you will be, but just know that you are and will do your best! In the end, they just need our unconditional love and care.

Back to Work!

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 16 Comments

I started back up to work last Monday, and I am TIRED!

We called this blog the Quirky Workin Moms, because that is who we are. We are both moms who work. HARD!

I work for two eye doctors as an optician. I L O V E my job so, so much. However, during this pandemic, I’ve faced many challenges.

I don’t know if you’ve been to an eye doctor recently, but the thing about my profession, is we are in your face ALL. THE. TIME!

I could not do my job, 6 feet away. It’d be impossible. From measuring your glasses, to adjusting them, or training you to put contact lenses is. I’m right there, 6 inches away.

I have found a few things to be useful though during these crazy times, and it’s nothing new. It has given me some piece of mind!

PPE has been a must. I wear a mask majority of the day. If you are in my optical, I have my mask on.

Excessively washing my hands, and using hand sanitizer. My hands are fried. I’m not sure if they will ever recover.

Coming home and putting clothes right in the laundry basket. I don’t want to bring any germs into my house where I could potentially expose my family.

Shoes are kept OUTSIDE! It’s a rule I strictly follow at this point.

It has been difficult getting used to this new “normal”, but I am so grateful to have a job that has opened back up!

I hope everyone stays healthy and safe.

And if you’re essential, THANK YOU!!!

See you all next Thursday!

Tips And Tricks To Keep Up On Housework

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 42 Comments

Is it even possible to be a neat freak but not even like cleaning?

Well it’s defiantly a thing in my world. I love a clean house and things to be exactly in their place but I hate the getting there part!

Housework in general is just A LOT OF WORK. Throw in a kid or two and a husband? That’s a tornado waiting to happen. Toys all over, socks meant to be thrown into the hamper end up right next to it. Dirty dishes in the sink, Random half-eaten snacks in the couch cushions.

So now on top of our busy as it is schedule just trying to be a normal wife and mom, how are we supposed to keep our house looking like no one lives there as well?

My house is in by no means clean all the time, but navigating through this new mom life I have found a few tips and tricks that help me maintain my housework.

And, I am sharing them with you today in hopes that it might make your cleaning duties a little bit easier each day as well.

Quick Pick-Up

I do this throughout the day so it dosen’t need to be done at night. Just go around your house after some play-time is done and quickly pick up some toys, or put away kitchen items left out from breakfast or lunch. I do this a couple times a day that probably only amounts to 15 min a day so that I don’t have to do as much pick-up at night and can get under the covers faster and finally breath.

Fold Your Laundry On Your Bed

I am the queen of laundry procrastinating. Right along with cleaning bathrooms, laundry is my least favorite housework. Putting laundry in the washer and switching it out into the dryer? Easy. Folding it and putting it away? No thanks. So what I have found that works for me is to fold my laundry on my bed and if I feel like leaving it there for a couple hours that’s fine, but I know at some point it will get put away because I need a clean bed to sleep in.

Wipe Down Counters and Tables At Night

I’m sure we all do the after dinner clean up which is good! I’ve found that wiping down my counters after dinner and my kitchen and coffee tables at night really eases my mind. That way when I wake up in the morning they are clean and ready to go and it just starts my day off right.

Clean The Shower While In The Shower

A big hack right here ladies. Buy a scrub brush that holds soap in it. Fill it up with equal parts white vinegar and dawn dish soap. I don’t do this all the time but it’s an easy way to keep up on your shower cleaning, it works great at getting soap scum off and it’s an easy way to do a quick clean while you are even in the shower as well!

Frequently De-Clutter

I know, the big dreaded word de-clutter. It’s a huge task and it’s at the center of our frustration when it comes to housework. Too much stuff. Why do we have this? Where did this come from? Have we even ever used this? I am guilty of pushing off de-cluttering every single year but I have found that the more frequently I do it, the easier it is to keep up on. A de-cluttered house makes a huge difference to us moms, so just keep up on it little by little and you won’t find yourself with the overwhelming task of a huge clean out in January.

These tips help me out when it comes to the everyday chaos of life. Having a clean home makes us feel a little more put together in the world so I hope these tips help you out as well!

Do you use any of these tricks to keep up on your housework?

What other tips and tricks could you give all of us Quirky Workin’ Moms so housework doesn’t consume us?

Also, if you are interested in a free weekly cleaning checklist let me know! I’ve been thinking about making one 🙂

Need A VERY Last Minute Mother’s Day Gift? How About A DIY!

~ quirkymoms486 ~ 22 Comments

I used to be on top of everything. Birthday? I had a gift two weeks before. I love to be prepared and a planner but since becoming a mom, I totally get it!

Being late, forgetting things, the chaos, it makes so much sense now. I have become the person who feels guilty about getting things last minute. With that though, I have also found the love for DIY gifts!

I love DIY gifts, they are much more sentimental and the effort means a lot.

Are they messy? Yes, especially when you are trying to do one with a squirmy 9 month old.

Are they perfect? Heck no! Most of the time they look like blobs and are going in every direction.

Are they fun? YES! I had so much fun making these with my little one even when he did swipe his painted hand across my arm and got close to my face once.

So for Mother’s Day, I went the crafty way and I love the outcome and can’t wait to keep mine forever.

DIY Mother’s Day Flower Pot

You will need:

  • Glue Gun
  • Cardstock Paper
  • Washable Non-Toxic Kid Paint
  • Decorative Straws
  • Scisors
  • Sharpie

First, the messy part! If you have older kids it won’t be too messy because they can do it on their own but babies and toddlers are messy! Lather up those hands with some paint and get to making lots of handprints! I cut them out as best as I could after they were dry.

Next, I free-hand drew some flower pots and cut them out so they defiantly aren’t perfect.

After that I wrote Happy Mother’s Day on each of them with a sharpie. I also put the year down at the bottom.

Then it’s assemble time! Heat up your hot glue gun and grab your straws. Hot glue your hand prints to your straws so they become the stem of the flower.

Then you will flip your flower pot over and hot glue your flowers to the back of the flower pot.

Once that is done, I hot glued the flower pot and flowers to a pretty piece of cardstock so it can be displayed!

Easy peasy right!? Only takes a day to do and you have a cute homemade Mother’s Day gift!

I can’t wait to hand them out and display my own!

Let me know if you end up making these, or if you did a different DIY for Mother’s Day!

Oh and what is everyone doing? It’s my first Mother’s Day so I am thinking mimosa’s for breakfast! 🙂

Happy Mother’s Day all you mama’s! You rock!