I know we hate to admit it as parents but sometimes you just need a break from being so up tight and being frustrated!
No one needs it.
So I put myself in timeout this past week. I sat down and thought of what I need to do differently to be better. To be more present and more understanding.
My son is at the age where he is bossy and learning so many new things. And along with those new things is temper tantrums. Who knew terrible two’s would start at 15 months!
It’s been exhausting. I’ve been short tempered, I haven’t been sleeping well, I’ve been working longer hours then normal. It’s just been an anxiety filled last couple of weeks.
So I put myself in timeout to figure out what needs to change and I came up with a great list!
Number one on my list was a social media break. It’s been fantastic! The relief of not seeing everyone’s opinions and problems can be refreshing when you need it. I can’t believe how toxic social media can be at times for your mental health.
I started my Christmas planning. I am a firm believer on do what makes you happy! And Christmas makes so many of us happy, so why not start decorating early this year?
I also started on my Christmas gift list. I love planning everything out and I really want to go small and meaningful this year. Especially the DIY gifts.
Taking time to get on my sons level and be more patient on what he is trying to tell me or show me even when he is doing it in a tantrum way.
Putting the phones down around my husband more and create time together even if it’s an hour of tv cuddles on the couch before bed. It’s crazy how much you can miss someone you live with when your schedules are always so opposite!
So do yourself a favor and put yourself in time out for a bit. Think of the changes you want to make as we come up on the holiday season and a new year.
There’s always room for improvement and to detox the bad out of your life! And who knew being in time out could be such a good thing as an adult!?
So, here we are back in quarantine. Yes, many things have opened in America, and now we have a third COVID spike happening in a lot of places. There are several reasons why you might have to quarantine, and it’s not necessarily because you have COVID-19. So, it’s something that we should all be prepared to deal with.
With this in mind- I am going to try to make this quarantine better than the last one. We all went a little crazy with the last one, didn’t we? Especially those of us that had to work at home. (Here is my post about working from home with kids.) I know that so many people have been stuck inside for unknown periods of time, and it can be such a struggle. But, do not give up yet! We can make this work for us and our families!
Here are some easy ways that you can manage quarantine as a mom:
1. Take a Break- I know this is easier said than done. Trust me. I know. But, part of being a good mom, a BIG part, means that you are in a good place mentally. If you’re annoyed or overwhelmed- then you need to find a way to take a break and regroup. But what do you do if you need someone to watch the kids? If you are uncomfortable with allowing someone else in your house, that is understandable. Then, the only option that I can think of is to put the kids to bed early. Make them run around for a while, give them a large dinner and send them to bed at 7pm. This way you can have a couple hours to yourself. I know that this may be impossible some days, but keep trying! You need and deserve time to yourself to do whatever you want!
2. Support Squad- Get yourself a support squad (that you can talk to about anything). Make sure that you have your besties ready in a group chat, Marco Polo, FaceTime, SnapChat, email- whatever! You do not need to be doing this alone. I would advise you to keep your friends and family separate. You may feel like you’re close to your MIL, but what about when you need to vent about your partner or talk about sex? See what I mean?!
3. Time Block- You don’t necessarily need a set schedule if you’re not that type of person. And honestly, a daily set schedule can get stressful in quarantine. But, do make sure that you have parts of your day blocked off for certain activities: play time, movie time, reading time, or everyone in their separate rooms- quiet time. Even a little structure is good for your kids. It will also help your sanity. Having a schedule, or some kind of plan, will give you hope when you think you just can’t take one more second, you don’t have to! Move on to the next activity!
4. Set Boundaries- This can be any type of boundary that you need. Maybe you limit snacks, time or spaces. Whatever works for you. But, let me tell you, you cannot live a free for all and have everyone make it out alright. It’s just not going to happen. With my husband and son, I make the kitchen off limits when I’m cooking dinner. They cannot come in for snacks or to bug me during that time. They can go anywhere else, just not the kitchen while I’m cooking. It’s a time that I look forward to every day.
5. Special Celebrations- When you don’t know what day it is in quarantine, and everything seems to be running together: no one’s showering, changing clothes or deciphering between meals… Then it is time for you to shake things up. You need something special to do! This may sound like extra work, but it does not have to be. Make it simple, but different. You could have a special movie marathon, like Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones- anything in a series works. Or, you could have a fun theme for the day. Just make some kind of doable plans that will get your family excited. It’s always important to have something to look forward to!
6. Refresh and Revitalize- This sounds a lot like a shampoo commercial, but I think it’s something that the whole family needs to do often (daily if possible) when in quarantine. A great way to refresh is to go outside. I know that this one is a hassle, and it’s getting colder. I get it, but you will not regret the fresh air. Also, think about having family yoga or taking an online exercise class together. Do something that gets the blood flowing and raises everyone’s spirits.
Quarantine is definitely a time to let things go- but not too far! Don’t lose yourself or your sanity. Make a point to keep some law and order- or invent new tactics if you need to. When everything shut down in the spring, I didn’t have a plan for quarantine. I didn’t know what it would be like or how long it would last.
Now that I know how dark things can get, I don’t want to go there again. If I find myself in the same clothes for 4 days in a row eating lasagna while my 2 year old is watching the Simpsons naked at 3am, then I know I have let quarantine get the best of me. This is not the kind of mom that I want to be.. again.
Get a little bit of structure and spontaneity in the mix if you can. Stay positive and know that if we all follow guidelines and quarantine rules- we will be okay!
I can’t believe it’s already Halloween week! I love this Holiday. It’s just so fun and creative, plus all the activities are my favorite.
I think as the holiday’s keep coming, I am enjoying them more and more now that I am a mom. Even though my son is still little, it’s exciting to watch him learn new things and have fun.
We had our first family pumpkin carving this weekend and I love watching bub get curious about what we were doing and have him help us and do his own thing.
Although, I am probably the worst pumpkin carver. I totally did the stencil wrong and mine was a flop….ooops.
Of course my husband laughs at me, but then he attempted a tough stencil and his fell apart too sooooo…. ha 😉
I am thankful my son is still very little, so this year won’t be any different but my heart goes out to all the parents that have trick-or-treating aged children and are just trying to make the best of it!
For all of you that are trick-or-treating I pray you have great weather and a fun and safe time!
In case you aren’t though, here’s some fun ideas to have a fun but low key Halloween!
Have a movie night!
Put on your costumes or your Halloween pjs and watch some spooky movies. Don’t forget the candy and popcorn!
Game night for the win!
I absolutely love game nights and you can even make it fun by creating your own Halloween games.
Pumpkin carve/ Halloween crafts
It’s always fun to get crafty! Plus save your pumpkin carving for Halloween night.
Visit family
Trick-or-Treat at your family’s houses. That way you feel more comfortable and the kids can still get some candy.
Baking day!
Make some fun spooky cookies. Bake an apple pie or pumpkin bread. Have fun with it!
There’s so many things you can do that will still make this year a memorable and special one!
I hope you all have a fabulous Halloween week!
I hope it’s full of fun and adventures and as always, thanks for reading!
I want to start out by saying you mama’s or dads who have to do it alone… you are pure super hero’s.
This raising kids thing? It takes a village.
What a scary week we had last week.
There is nothing worse when your little is sick and they have no way to tell you what is wrong. My heart was literally breaking last week when my bub got sick. Thankfully we are on the mend but holy cow.
You know what though? I literally have no idea what I would do without my husband, my family and my friends and that is where this village thing I am talking about comes into play.
When I’m feeling overwhelmed and on my last straw, Elle Woods break down throwing chocolates at my TV screen, I am so happy for my husband. My rock. My shoulder.
When I have no clue what I am doing on this new mom life adventure, when I have so many questions and just want a seasoned mom by my side I am so happy for the ladies in my family and in my life (they know who they are!) coming to my rescue.
When I just want to talk about something other than motherhood, when I want to gossip and girl chat and send funny memes and talk about just life in general I am so thankful for my girl friends!
It just really takes a village in this motherhood game.
You need your people. You need those breaks. You need that support. You need a glass of wine or two every once in a while. You need a date night without the kids. You need to take care of yourself.
You need it all to stay sane. To not lose yourself. To keep that little fire that makes you, you.
These littles of ours deserve our unconditional love 24/7. So that’s why I’m telling you, create your own little village to help you be the best you can possibly be! And to help them too.
I have always been a crafty person. I love doing crafts and DIY’s and I think they are the best type of presents you can give someone. Even better? Becoming a mom and doing crafts with my little man. It brings an even more special meaning to these cute little things we create.
As we come up into the holiday season, I will be sharing tons of crafts and DIY’s that you can do yourselves and with your little’s so I really hope you enjoy!
Today I am taking you along with me and bub on a craft we made the other day. A little pumpkin. We are working on his sensory and fine motor skills so lots of coloring is involved.
What you will need-
Empty paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls.
Pumpkin shaped paper.
Washable crayons (I highlight washable because….toddler mom life)
Hot glue gun
This is such a fun project that requires minimal effort and supplies and it turns out so cute. The empty toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls I had because I knew I wanted to do this craft. The pumpkin shaped paper I bought at the Target dollar spot.
I lightly colored the majority of the pumpkin and then for each one I let my little man scribble around and dot it all up. He was loving it!!
Once he was done coloring all of them I heated up my hot glue gun and got my paper rolls ready and then hot glued each piece of paper to the front of the paper rolls so they stand up.
They turned out to be the cutest décor!
We handed them out as cute little Fall gifts to some of our family and it was a hit.
So simple but I love it and I think it’s the perfect craft that you can keep and make more each year!
Please let me know if you do it with your little’s. I would love to see your pictures of the final piece 🙂
Since the holiday’s are coming up, I thought I would share a funny story with you all.
My husband and I are HUGE National Lampoons Christmas Vacation fans. It’s one of our favorite movies to watch each year. Almost 9 years ago when we started dating, we still lived at home at the time. So of course we would store our Christmas gifts at our separate houses.
Well my husbands dad went into their attic the other day and he found a Christmas present wrapped up, all dusty and the tag read to Amanda, From A.J.
He pulled a total Clark Griswold when he is stuck in the attic and finds a mother’s day gift to his wife from like 10 years ago.
We were both cracking up and the date of the gift was from 2012!
We just thought it was the funniest thing and even funnier since it happened in one of our favorite movies! So I had to share on here 🙂
Do any of you have funny lost gift stories? Please share in the comments!
As always, thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed my post, until next Monday!
Hello loves! Is anyone else’s tree’s changing?? I am so in love!
I hope you are all doing well! I have a fun post today and I am excited to share it with you.
Fall cooking and baking has been on my mind with the weather cooling down and ever since I decorated it makes It even more fun.
So I thought today I would share with you a new favorite crockpot recipe that is SO easy and yummy!
Plus take you along with me while baking and hanging with my little man. I love day in the life type of posts so I hope you enjoy 😊
Crockpot Baked Penne Pasta.
What you will need-
1 tsp of garlic salt, pepper and parsley
1 lb ground beef
28oz diced tomatoes
1 jar of marinara sauce
2 cups chicken stock or water
Penne noodles
Parmesan cheese
Cook your ground beef and then add it to your crock pot. Sprinkle your seasonings over the ground beef and stir it up.
Then add your tomatoes, marinara sauce and chicken stock and stir together.
Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
Once your time is up, add your noodles and give it a good stir. Put the lid back on and cook for another 25-30 min.
Serve and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.
It was so yummy! And SO EASY. Defiantly a family favorite and the best part is that it was toddler approved. Bub ate two small servings of it! I love when I can find meals that all of us will eat. Then I can actually sit down and enjoy it instead of having to find something my son will want to eat as well.
I think my favorite thing about crockpot meals is it gives you the whole day to do whatver you want. Spend it outside, spend it away from home. Plus it frees up your oven and stove space to do lots of baking.
Which is exactly what I did on this day. If you have not tried this cinnamon swirl crumb cake yet you need to! It’s perfect for a Fall treat 🙂
Meanwhile, I had an overtired toddler eating lunch who would not take a nap. I guess lunch must have tired him out though? I turn around and see this little ham passed out.
Fall days like these are why I love this season so much! Just full of beautiful weather, beautiful colors and it’s crockpot season. Like what could be better!?
What are some of your favorite crockpot meals? Or baking recipes you can’t wait to make this season?
Plus, what’s your favorite thing you have done so far now that it’s officially Fall?
We have yet to go to an orchard but I think just spending time outside with our leaves changing and snuggling up on the couch during chilly nights.
I really hope you enjoyed this post! As always, thanks for reading 🙂
I have to say, Fall decorating is my favorite. I love the coziness it brings with it and all the colors are just absolutely gorgeous Our tree’s are starting to change here in Michigan and I have been enjoying my walks around the neighborhood even more these days.
I don’t go “too” crazy with Fall decorating 😉 but I love to add the colors into my home and touches of it here and there, so today I thought I would show you ways to add Fall into your own home as well, with it not being too overwhelming.
Fill Your Vases.
Vases are such an easy way to add touches of each season. I love adding a mixture of pumpkins, pine cones and other fun things to my vases that I leave out all year round and just switch up for the different seasons.
Tiered Trays.
Another easy way to decorate and probably my favorite thing to decorate! You can stick a tiered tray anywhere and I think that’s why I love them so much. I used mine as my center piece for my kitchen table.
Pillows.
I love pillows, I might have a slight obsession with seasonal pillows but it’s ok. They are just so cute! I love to use pillows and blankets to brighten up a space and bring a cozy vibe to a room.
Pumpkins.
We all know pumpkins are Fall all the way. I have a questions though, pumpkin or apple? which one do you choose?? You can stick pumpkins wherever you want though and you already have a Fall vibe going in your home.
Candles/ Smells.
So many candles have such cute packaging and really bring a cozy vibe to your house. Plus the scent pots on the stove or crockpot are the best! Also, diffusing essential oils helps as well with bringing you Fall scents to bring you coziness.
I am so excited for this Fall season with my bub, he is at the age where we can enjoy more of the outdoor things our community has to offer. Here is a sweet picture of him helping me decorate outside over the weekend.
I hope taking a trip into my home has helped with coming up with ideas to add some seasonal Fall décor into your home without it being too much!
Now that I am a mom, I am excited to do more fun Halloween things though as well so I will keep you all updated on the new items I add over on our Instagram! Follow us if you haven’t already, quirkyworkmoms.
Let me know which pieces are your favorite and what your favorite things are to decorate in your home.
I love reading and watching day in the life blog posts and vlogs so I thought, why not give it a try?
So today I am sharing with you my day in the life of a working mom.
Everyday is different of course but this is just a glimpse at my work days!
6:45am-7:00am- Bub wakes up so that means I wake up even though I am silently missing my snoozin’ in days lately! Anyone else as well?
7:15am-7:45am- Small bottle to make bub happy and get a little morning cuddle time in.
8:15-8:30am- Breakfast for bub which his fav right now as a newly 1-year-old is mini pancakes and fruit! He also likes eggs as well.
8:45am- That first sip of coffee soothes the soul every single morning.
9:00am-9:45am- Play time. We usually play inside and he tears up the house or if it’s a nice morning we head outside and play in the yard.
10:00am-10:30am- I quickly finish getting ready. I shower the night before since mornings are the most hectic and all I have to do is brush out my hair and put a crap ton of concealer on to hide those dark circles so people think I’m human and not the zombie that I am most days.
10:45am- The absolute worst part of my day. The time when I leave for work and my wonderful family gets bub for the day. I dread it, there are tears involved every time. My son will bawl his eyes out until he no longer sees me and I cry inside every single time.
11:00am-2:00pm- Working and constantly checking in on my son because I am that mom.
2:30pm-3:00pm- Stuffing my face for a quick lunch.
3:00pm-7:00pm- Work but then again constantly checking in on my son even when my husband is home with him. Sorry not sorry 🤣
7:15pm- I am home and I usually rush to take my work clothes off and put comfys on because sweat pants are life and then scoop up my bub and give him a big hug.
7:30pm-Dinnertime!
8:00pm-Night time routine. A bottle and cuddles and usually a story or two while we relax.
8:30pm-9:00pm- Bub goes to bed and I cuddle a little bit while he sleeps because working 11-7 stinks. I get all morning with him but nights are short ☹️
9:30pm- I shower and put my pjs on and cuddle up with my hubby on the couch for TV time or if we are super tired we lay down in bed. Our fav right now is Cheers on Hulu!
10:30pm-11:00pm- Bed time! This changes daily because on my days off I sometimes stay up later and on working days I can sometimes be passed out by like 9:00pm like my son honestly.
I hope you enjoyed this. I know my work schedule is a little different than a normal 9-5 job so I thought it would be interesting to see how I do my mornings and nights with my son.
Working and being a parent is hard. It’s hard to juggle it all and everyone’s days are just so different!
But the reason why we made this blog and what we love to say here is that all you moms (& dads of course) rock and we love being apart of the motherhood clan 😊
Essential oils are all the rage these days. You can buy them almost anywhere but with so much information out there, it can be overwhelming and time consuming. You’re a busy mama, I get it, I felt the same way when I first started to use essential oils. I had a few around the house but had no idea what to do with them but I always liked the idea, so I just dabbled here and there. Then I got hooked up with a friend of mine and she taught me all the things. She even taught me the science behind them, and I was hooked. I want to be that person for you. I want you to see all the ways you can use essential oils to support you and your family with natural solutions to health concerns, to look and feel better and to create a clean, safe home.
I want to share a few statistics and facts with you about chemicals in the home and your health. Did you know that Americans spend between 80-90% of their time inside, and that the average American home contains over 63 hazardous products? From antiperspirants to perfumes, from toilet bowl cleaners to over-the-counter painkillers, from skin care products to “air fresheners” and candles with synthetic perfumes, Americans have been slowly poisoning themselves and their families with hundreds of chemical compounds that the body is unequipped to deal with. Today, chronic illness of some kind plagues roughly half of the adult population in America, and now we are seeing more children with compromised health. Commercial products are full of synthetic ingredients that are known to be endocrine disruptors that means that they jack up your hormones and wreak havoc on our bodies. They are harmful to you, your family and even your pets.
There is a better way, the natural way.
Essential oils are redefining health in the modern world. They represent a gentle, supportive approach to health. Because of their chemical structure they are metabolized in the cells like other nutrients. They are volatile so they evaporate quickly. So unlike synthetic drugs, they do not accumulate in the body as much. The remarkable qualities of essential oil chemistry make using oils an overall safe and natural alternative for health in the body.
Essential oils are simply distilled plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, resins, and fruits. Think of them as plant concentrates. Essential oils help the plant stay healthy, and they can do the same for us. You can use them for aromatherapy, home cleaning, personal care, and to support every system of your body. They have been successfully used for thousands of years and are mentioned in the Bible many times.
The thing is though… not all oils are created equal.
Well, for me, it all came down to something called Seed to Seal and Young Living is the ONLY company that provides this. Seed to Seal is a quality commitment unlike anything else; they have control of the ENTIRE process, from the seed to the sealed bottle. You can rest assured that you are getting a quality product made with the highest quality essentials oils and other naturally derived ingredients. And the best part… if the oils do not meet these high standards they are rejected and will not be bottled as a Young Living product. Check out more info on their Seed to Seal promise at www.seedtoseal.com.
There are three ways to use essential oils.
One of the most common ways to use essential oils is AROMATICALLY, breathing them in through our nose or you can diffuse essential oils in your home and your car The aroma of essential oils can have a positive impact on your mood, and overall well-being, and they can help purify the air naturally. There is a great deal of research on how essential oils work with our emotional brain to help balance emotions. If you are not a “sciency” type of gal, hold tight, it’s worth it, mama.
When talking about emotions, we must mention the limbic system. The limbic system is a system of nerves and networks in the brain that controls basic emotions and drives. It is the emotional brain. It supports five major functions: emotions, behavior, motivation, long-term memory, and sense of smell. Have you ever spontaneously cried or laughed depending on whether the memory was happy, sad or traumatic? This reaction is your limbic system at work. When we inhale the aroma of something like baked goods, fried food, grass or essential oil, the odor molecules travel through the nose where they register with nerves in the olfactory membranes in the nose lining.
The odor molecules stimulate this lining of nerve cells and trigger electrical impulses to the olfactory bulb in the brain. The olfactory bulb then transmits the impulses to the amygdala – where emotional memories are stored – and to other parts of the limbic system of the brain. The unique structure of the molecules of essential oils can directly stimulate the hypothalamus and limbic lobe of the brain. Inhaling essential oils may alleviate stress and emotional trauma as well as increase the production of thyroid and growth hormones. The amygdala (where emotional memories are stored) plays a major role in the storage and release of emotional trauma. Our sense of smell is directly linked to emotional states and behaviors, even if they have been stored since childhood. Our sense of smell, one of the five senses, is the ONLY way to stimulate the amygdala. The amygdala does not respond to words said or words heard. Therefore, the use of essential oils is so therapeutic to the release of stored emotions.
The next way to use therapeutic-grade essential oils from Young Living is TOPICALLY, right on the skin. Essential oils have a small molecular size and are quickly absorbed. When you apply an essential oil topically, it’s in all the body’s cells within 15-20 minutes, helping the body maintain optimal health at the cellular level. Young Living has an entire product line just for kids. Essential oils are already diluted to use quick and on the go when a little extra help is needed.
The third way you can use Young Living’s therapeutic-grade essential oils is INTERNALLY.
Vitality Essential Oils are approved by the FDA to be used internally and can help support the systems of the body and is a great way to help maintain optimal health! You can use Vitality oils like Cilantro, Cumin, and Oregano in the kitchen to spice up your meals and since you use so little they are budget friendly.
Just like any product we use there are a few safety guidelines. Thank goodness, with essential oils there are not too many. Some essential oils should be used with a carrier oil when applied to the body. Citrus oils like Lemon, Bergamot and Lime should not be worn if you are in the direct sun. If you are using them and going outside just put them under your clothes.
Now that you know what essential oils are, how they work you may be wondering what the heck do you do with them?
Skin Care
Cleaning and Laundry
Personal Care
Health and Wellness
Cooking
One of the biggest game changers for me was when I learned that essential oils could help balance my hormones, and emotions. Many women, no matter their age struggle with hormonal issues which can cause emotional ups and downs. Remember those endocrine disruptors I mentioned earlier? Yep, they only add to the problem. I was struggling with issues that come along as we age. I believe women of all ages can benefit from these hormone supporting essential oils. If you want to learn more about how to help nourish and balance hormones and your emotions using essential oils I’m your girl.
There are hundreds of essential oils and just as many ways to use them. While I love to talk about them ain’t nobody got time for all that. So, I made you some sweet printables to print out and enjoy. (see below)
Ready to learn more or get started on this oily journey? There are a few options for you.
Start a Young Living wholesale account. Thinks Sam’s Or Costco>>>> You never have to sell or share with anyone, unless you want to.( That’s the business side of Young Living and it’s totally optional) You can see all the ways to get started at http://marieinmontana.com/starter-kits.
If you decide you want to start your own membership, email, or message over on Instagram so I can walk you through it so we make sure you get the free oil that is offered each month. If you cannot wait, use this link. https://bit.ly/startYLNOW.
Quirky Work Moms Special—We have a wonderful group of busy women learning natural ways to take care of their families and tons of free resources to help you on your journey. When youstart a wholesale membership with a premium starter kit and Essential Rewards with us and I will send you a diffuser or a $25 credit to your Young Living account for future orders and you will get a sweet welcome packet in the mail to help you get started.
I hope this was helpful and that you see that essential oils can be used every day to support our bodies and homes in a natural safe way.
You know how when we were little and were playing house and you would dream of a beautiful picture perfect life with a spouse and 3 children living in a mansion just happy as can be? Cooking up breakfast, lunch and dinner every day on your little plastic kitchen set?
Well, all of that can defiantly happen but the reality of what your days are actually like vs. what you used to dream about??
Totally different!
Am I right?
Today I would love to talk about reality vs. expectation in the parenting world. I feel like we expect so much but then get disappointed when the outcome is different and it’s totally normal but we need to embrace the reality, because this parenting gig? Hardest thing in the world but it is just the best ever!
Expectation- My children will never throw a tantrum in aisle 5 at the grocery store.
My child will be perfect and never show their feelings or have a meltdown because that’s just embarrassing.
Reality…
HA HA…..hahaha. The minute you said no coco puffs was the minute you lost that perfection battle. Tantrums are so normal and you just have to embrace them. Haven’t you ever had a meltdown in aisle 5? You might not have shown it the same way, maybe you had a quiet one because you were so tired from working all day but had to go to the grocery store anyway. It’s just how feelings are shown and kids just like us have every right to feel…even if it is embarrassing.
Expectation- Social Media.
I made this homemade perfect meal, I must post on Instagram. My baby just can’t stop smiling right now, always so happy! I cleaned the whole entire house, I need to show it off.
Reality…
Bribing is just the best way to get great pictures I will tell you that! Oh and that perfect clean house? Yeah…that is just one area, you should see the rest of it! That perfect homemade meal I made? Only happens about once a week….if that. Social media can be so toxic, I promise you that all the perfect mama’s you think are on there all have the reality of daily life happening as well so remember…DO NOT COMPARE!
Expectation- What my kids eat.
All organic, no added sugar, fruits and veggies galore.
Reality…
Oh my goodness, I thought I could be a total organic mom and I do try to as much as I can and my son does love fruit but I mean lets get real. This kid also loves French fries and popsicles and that’s ok too!
Expectation- I will not change after having children.
I will still have my social life and pamper myself and eat healthy and exercise just like I am right now.
Reality…
Oh man this was a big one for me. More on the social life, I can’t believe how hard it is to keep up a social life with children. I feel like there isn’t even enough hours in the day to go to work and come home and be a mom and a wife! My body has changed, my thinking has changed, my whole life has changed and I am defiantly not who I was before having my baby and you know what? THAT’S OK!
Expectation- Being a mom.
I will have it all together all the time. I will be able to balance my life perfectly. I will find the joy in every situation and be the best mom ever.
Reality…
Most nights I will cry with a glass of wine wondering what I am doing wrong. I will think, how am I supposed to handle all of this? Working and being a mom just aren’t doable and I just can’t stop feeling guilty all of the time!
The Truth…
The truth is being a parent is hard. I rarely go to the bathroom alone these days. I don’t get more than a quick 5 minute shower most of the time. I feel like I am constantly cleaning or washing bottles or doing laundry and most of the time? I am just exhausted beyond repair and when I wake up in the morning? I still feel exhausted but do it all over again.
All these expecations we put out there? They just aren’t reality. They shouldn’t be though. Life isn’t perfect, whether you are a mom or not. That’s what makes life with these little’s so fun though. Yes they deserve our best, but sometimes it just dosen’t happen and that’s ok! Give yourself a break mama, you are doing amazing and you need to remember that!
Give into all of those cuddles, all of the boo boo kisses and the giggles and hugs. Also give into all the cries, the tantrums, the feet stomping and the yells because this life we call motherhood?
Quirky Workin' Mom's 