To the mama’s having a bad week.

I am right there with you.

For a patient person, my patience is thin and you know what? It’s ok.

Do I feel guilty about it? Sure.

Do I wish that every day could just be rainbows and butterflies? Absolutely.

This motherhood journey is not all rainbows and butterflies though, and boy don’t we know it.

The other day both my kids were crying. One because he couldn’t have a snack right before dinner and the other just because her big brother was crying and she thought she needed to as well.

A glass of wine and a bathroom break with the door actually shut and not being opened or pounded on sounded so amazing at that moment.

I feel like sometimes the pressure just builds up for us with every cry or every tantrum and it’s tough to not be bothered.

Throw in a long day at work and I am just exhausted thinking about it.

It’s hard to keep your head up as a mom.

I think sometimes we just feel beat down. Weather it be a rough night of sleep, a bad potty training day, a crying baby you just can’t seem to soothe, a guilty day of work when you just wish you were home, a sick kiddo that has you feeling miserable as well.

The list goes on and on.

It’s all ok though and I really hope you know that when you feel this way, how great of a mom you are.

It’s the toughest job in the world that you show up for every single day. But the reward? It’s the greatest of all time.

Keep your head up, make sure you take the breaks you need.

Take time for yourself, use your tribe of people when you need the help and DO NOT feel guilty about it.

Take a deep breath and know that the guilt will subside and there will be far more better days than bad ones.

Just know that you’re a wonderful mother and we are all in this together.

Top 7 Rainy Day Activities.

I know for me rainy days can sometimes be a blessing and relaxing! I love curling up with a good book or finding my favorite movies on TV. The gloomier the better!

But for kiddos!? Not so much! Spring/Summer time can be tough to keep these little ones from going crazy with all the back and forth weather. I know here in Michigan it’s 80 degrees one day and then 40 degrees the next!

So I’m sharing 7 rainy day activities that kids will love!


Build An Indoor Fort.

My son is obsessed with this lately. He loves building blanket forts and playing with his toys in them. For older kids it’s fun to build one and read in them or even play games or watch a movie on a tablet. So many possibilities!

Paper Airplanes/ Crafting.

Who doesn’t love making paper airplanes? You can either have a paper airplane toss or even make those paper footballs and click field goals. Anything paper crafting is so fun for all ages!

Board Games.

Always a classic. My kids are still very young but I always say I can’t wait for the days until we can have family board game nights! Something I always enjoyed as a child and even as an adult.

Play-Doh or Sensory Bins.

This is geared more towards the toddler age like my son but play-doh and sensory bins can keep him busy for a while! Kinetic sand is always fun as well.

Library Day.

If you must get out and about, I think the library or a bookstore is such a great rainy day activity! Nothing better then finding a good book to bring home and read the rest of the day! Plus sometimes your local library has fun things going on.

Indoor Bowling.

So fun! If you have some plastic cups laying around and a ball you are good to go! I love bowling in general and bowling toys or making your own are so fun.

Baking.

I love baking and I plan to get my kids involved when it comes to baking and cooking as much as possible! It keeps you busy, plus it’s just fun and the outcome is delicious of course.


I hope these ideas help you for the next rainy day coming your way this Spring.

What are some of your favorite rainy day activities?

“Me Time” On Mother’s Day.

*This post may contain Ad links*

Since becoming a mom, I feel like sometimes Mother’s Day is more hectic than some normal days! Anyone else!?

Sure you get some relaxation, maybe breakfast in bed or a delicious dinner but sometimes it just ends up being a busy day in general and that’s not always a bad thing.

Lately though, I’ve just been feeling burnt out. Between mom life, work life, wife life, never ending housework. It’s a lot to keep up with.

So this Mother’s Day, fingers crossed I get to sleep in!

I wanted to share my favorite “Me Time” indulgences that keep me sane through this hectic wonderful life. Maybe they will inspire you to do something relaxing for yourself on this upcoming Mother’s Day weekend!


1. Reading

I have always been a big bookworm and it’s by far one of my favorite “me time” indulgences. Lately a couple times a week when I’m lucky enough to get the kids to bed early, I’ve been grabbing a good book and pouring a glass of wine.

2. Binge Watching Shows.

It doesn’t happen often, but when I get to sit down with my favorite snack and binge watch some shows it’s a great day! What are your favorite shows right now?

3. Self Care Days.

I am such a self care advocate and I really don’t do it as often as I should. Lately my favorite self care indulgence has been my new Auraglow teeth whitening kit.

I am an avid coffee drinker and it’s honestly helped so much, I was starting to get self conscious! If you would like to know more on my thoughts let me know and I can do a separate post.

4. Writing.

Sure I’m a blogger but one fun tid bit about me is I’ve always loved writing short stories. I’ve once thought about putting them all together into a short stories book but….dreams. Sometimes they are hard to follow. Writing is so soothing to me though, especially pen to paper.


So moms, let’s find some time to crunch in more “me time” in our days!

Let’s throw out the pressure, let’s throw out the guilt, let’s throw out the “I have to do everything” attitude and take some time for ourselves.

We deserve it and I hope all you moms out there have a wonderful Mother’s Day and know that you are doing an amazing job!

How To Harness Your Unique Feminine Qualities In The Workplace

While men undoubtedly have communication challenges at work, there are common themes for women that often lead us to feel disempowered, ignored or struggling to fulfil our potential. Some worry about being ‘too passionate’ or overemotional, while others don’t feel confident to speak up in a male-dominated environment. What is often overlooked is that as women, we have incredible natural qualities when it comes to communication. One thing’s for sure ladies – you don’t need to act like a man to succeed at work. You have all the tools you need to fulfil your potential already. Here are three examples…

Rapport building


Women have an advantage when it comes to building rapport – making others feel important and feel heard. It’s not just asking questions and showing interest, we also do this by keeping eye contact, often using a relaxed, softer gaze, and with nods and smiles. In general, we have far more capacity for inviting others to feel relaxed.


Top tip:


Asking questions is a great way to take back control of the conversation in a calm and grounded way. It maintains rapport, even encourages it, and yet puts you back in the driving seat. State your idea with conviction and then conclude your idea with invitations. “What do you think?” “Do you think this could work?” “What’s your take on it?” Inviting others to contribute their own original thinking after you state your idea will empower others and ensure that they feel valued. Be sure to avoid disclaimers – more on that here.

Empathy


Empathy is perhaps one of the most effective communication resources at anyone’s disposal. And women do tend to have a more natural capacity for empathy than men. Particularly when leading a team, empathy is invaluable. It means women are more inclined to perceive and tune into issues people are facing, so they can deal with problems before they get out of hand. Their empathy also creates a sense of safety within a team, so that colleagues are more empowered to take risks and express greater creativity. The value of this cannot be overstated. Read our blog on why honest and open communication is getting respect at work.

Top tip:


Be aware that we tend to prioritise being liked, and therefore in an attempt to empathise, we become reluctant to offer feedback that could be interpreted as harsh, or to give a direct order when one is needed. Most of the time, empathy will work in our favour, but there are times when we will need to express ourselves in other ways. To show authority and certainty, make sure you use downward inflection – this is when you let your voice go down at the end of your sentence. It’s important to ensure the tone of your voice matches the situation you are in.

Reading cues


It’s been scientifically proven that women exhibit higher sensitivity to nonverbal cues. We are usually more attuned to how our behaviour affects others and this sensitivity allows us to respond more effectively to a situation. We have learnt to talk in ways that balance our own needs with those of others, to save face for one another.


Top tip:


Sometimes something needs to be said that causes conflict – and sometimes that conflict is helpful and necessary. If you struggle with being assertive, read this blog for some top tips.


So there you have it, a few examples of our tremendous natural qualities and why it’s important to capitalise on these skills and learn how to amplify them in the workplace. You don’t need to dominate to have impact. Of course, there are men that will identify more with female characteristics and vice-versa, but all are important, and all need to be valued. When your communication starts becoming more powerful, you’ll find that your team members benefit from their contribution, and other women will be encouraged to be more authentic and powerful too.



At London Speech Workshop we empower our clients to be confident, clear and impactful communicators. We help people remove barriers that get in their way due to their communication. They might want to get a promotion, be more respected in their work, have more authority or gravitas, increase in confidence at work and in personal life. Or they may have trouble delivering presentations and speeches, dealing with nerves, connecting with others, building rapport, getting their point across or being articulate. If you’d like to find out more about what we do, book a free 15-minute Discovery Call to discuss your goals and challenges with our Client Success team.


Author: Hannah is the Marketing Executive at London Speech Workshop, an industry-leading communication training and coaching institute. The proven Serlin MethodTM uses a combination of modern psychology, performance technique and memorable tools, empowering people to be the best communicators they can be.

Five Valentine’s Day Family Ideas.

Although you still have your occasional date nights, Valentines Day sure does change once you become a parent.

The best part though? It’s still so much fun, but instead of romantic quiet dinners as a couple, it can become a loud family date night.

I’m here to give some great ideas to celebrate Valentines Day as a family. It is after all, a day full of love and what better way to spend it than with ALL the people you love the most?

Let’s check out some fun ideas for the family below 👇


Ice skating/ roller skating night out.

How fun does this sound? Ice skating is such a fun winter activity in general but I feel like it, along with roller skating if that’s what you prefer could be such a fun Valentines family date. I wish my kids were just a bit older so we could do this as a family this year!

Family game night.

These are always my favorite type of nights. Game nights are so fun for any type of night but it would be a great Valentines Day family date! Order a heart shaped pizza to go with it and you’re all set.

Movie night in or movie at the theatre.

There are finally good movies coming out again and movie nights are such a great classic family night idea.

A trip to the bookstore.

Grab a hot chocolate, a heart shaped treat and hit the book store! Pick out a good book and have a cozy family reading night.

Family karaoke night.

Along with game night, I think karaoke is so much fun even if I do have a terrible voice. Get creative and have fun! I’m sure the kids will love it as much as you do.


There is so much you can do to have a great Valentine’s Day while including the kiddo’s.

I hope some of these ideas helped you out and as always, thanks for reading!

Create A Learning Nook for Your Toddler.

With a busy bee of a toddler running around at all times, books and coloring are so important to have accessible when it’s time for some down time.

Redfin reached out to us and asked to write a short piece describing an at home learning area that would work well.

You can read the full article here but I thought it would make a fun post to show you the little nook my toddler has for all his fun activities.

When it comes to at home learning or activity areas it’s so important to have everything open and easily accessible because I feel like it makes less of a mess. That way your kids will see it automatically and be able to grab what they need.

I love using little bins for crayons, art stuff and activity books. I use this cute personalized basket for my toddler’s things.

Another great tip is storage cubes! I feel like they are so great for toy organizing, book organizing or even learning and school organizing.

Adding pops of colors with books and crayons are always great to keep your kids engaged.

I like to keep our seasonal or favorite books on this bench ottoman and a couple inside it as well for easy reading access since majority of our time is spent in our main living area.

Also it’s a great place to store toys away and still have your living space look nice!

So many fun ideas you can do for a little learning nook but these are some of my favorites!

What type of areas do you have for your children when it comes to their learning and activities?

Thanks for reading!

https://www.redfin.com/blog/how-to-enhance-learning-at-home-for-kids/

3am Wake Up Cries. (Exhausted Mom)

From the moment those two pink lines show up, you are being told how hard being a parent is.

Constant crying, feeding on demand, diaper overloads.

And of course those 3am wake up cries.

But they never tell you the pure emotional exhaustion you will truly feel from trying to be the perfect mom.

And I’m not talking about I’ve just worked a week of 12 hour midnight shifts in a row…I’m talking your whole body is tired, your shoulders and neck are sore and kinked from constantly looking over at your baby, chasing after your toddler. Your mind is on auto-pilot and you forever hear crying even when they aren’t.

It’s just exhausting being a mom.

Period.

There’s no explanation needed.

It’s. Just. Hard.

You put all your energy into these tiny little humans that you have been so blessed to have.

Every thought is about them now.

How do I make my baby happy today?

Is my toddler getting too much screen time?

What can I do better so we sleep better at night?

How do I split up my attention equally?

How do I keep them healthy and safe always?

How can I be better?

How can I be perfect for them?

How do I make time for my husband? For my home? For my career?

That’s the root of it all. We always want to be better, we want to do better for our babies.

We want to be the perfect mom.

The one who looks flawless without a hint of dark circles under her eyes.

The one with hair that looks like she is able to wash and exfoliate regularly.

The one who never has a spot of spit up on her clothes or the smell of it radiating from them.

The one who looks like she’s never changed a blow out diaper in the Target bathrooms in her life.

The one who’s kids look like they would never have a tantrum in aisle 5 at the grocery store.

It’s impossible.

There’s no such thing as a perfect mom.

Yes, some might hide it way better than others but we all have one thing in common.

We are all exhausted.

We are all at some point everyday dealing with diaper overloads and spit up and drool stained clothing.

Meltdowns during the day and waking up to those 3am cries at night.

So don’t ever think you aren’t a good enough mom, please.

Because we’ve all been there.

We are all exhausted.

We are all emotional.

We are all so blessed to have these babies.

But one thing I hope to never happen to any mama’s in this world? You will never be alone in your feelings, EVER. Please just know that.

And if you ever need a reminder? Well, we are here even during those 3am wake up cries.

Top 5 Tips To Become an Organized Mom.

As a mom I feel like one of the biggest struggles is staying organized.

It’s a huge goal but it rarely happens, am I right?

I know in my family, I’m the one being asked what time everything is at or what day and where is this and where is that?

It’s a tough job to stay organized!! I definitely struggle on the daily no matter how hard I try. I’ll be good for maybe a week and then I slack again.

So I came up with a list for myself to help me with the areas I struggle with most in hopes that it will stick in the long run. Plus I hope sharing it will help you as well.

So let’s get started on my 5 tips to becoming more of an organized mom ☺️


1. Clean out your purse.

If there’s one thing that makes me feel like a bad ass mom, it’s a clean and organized purse and diaper bag! Throw out those random receipts, old snacks that have found their way to the bottom. Go through your wallet and organize those cards and coins. It is such a relief when your purse is organized and it’s a great start!

2. Keep a planner.

Do I have a planner? Yes. Is it halfway filled out? Also, yes. It starts out so promising but I never keep it up! A planner can be a savior in the organizing department and I’m going to try my best to stick to it! Maybe putting it on display will help my hubby not to ask a million daily questions on activities…maybe 😉

3. Use storage bins/Storage furniture.

Now this I am wonderful at! Storage bins and furniture that is used to storage is my go to! I have an ottoman that stores so many toys and I love it. I always have cute decor bins all around that hold toys and other things as well. They not only help to stay organized but it helps your house stay more picked up!

4. Meal plan.

My downfall. I am a terrible meal planner and my biggest goal is to be a great one! If I am a better meal planner I can then avoid the “what do you want for dinner?” “I don’t know, what do you want?” Argument that happens a lot. Planning dinner ahead and having a cute meal calendar is my goal! So let’s achieve it together!

5. A solid routine.

Let’s face it, it all comes down to routines! When you have a solid morning and night time routine your whole life is just so much smoother. Is it easy? No? Is it worth it? HECK YES! I strive to perfect a morning and night time routine and it’s a struggle but it’s a priority that needs to be made as we navigate through this mom life.


As I work on these organization tips, my goal is for it to help me be a better, a more calm and happy mom.

They all help make our everyday lives easier and therefore we have more time for the fun things!

What do you struggle with the most?

Let’s help each other out! Moms supporting moms it’s my favorite.

As always, thanks for reading and have a great week!

Day In The Life Of A Working Mom.

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 😊

Hot Mess Mom

If you are a hot mess mom, raise your hand!

Here I am, two different blog posts written (but not completed), running around the house doing laundry, while feeding the girls a bedtime snack at 10:15pm! My life never ends as a mom. Motherhood for me looks like this on a daily basis. Balancing working, cooking, cleaning, play with the girls, doing “school” work, it’s the season I am in and I am LOVING it.

I love being a hot mess mom. I know that sounds super crazy to some. OF COURSE I would love to have a daily schedule, get work outs in, meal plan, but living with no schedule has allowed me to enjoy every moment that I’m in with my family.


Obviously we are in the middle of this global pandemic. I don’t want to talk too much about it, but during this time, I’ve really been able to sit back and enjoy the life that I have. However, to make sure I don’t lose my mind or the kids theirs, I did set myself some ground rules.

Sleep “Schedule”

I set an alarm for eight o’clock every morning. We’re letting the girls go to bed a little later, so they sleep in a little. Waking up at eight allows me to watch some t.v. and drink my coffee. I also try to get to bed by 11.

School Work

All school work has to be done by noon. Then we have lunch, and the rest of the day is free time! The kids are LOVING that they don’t do school work for 7 hours a day.

House Work

My hubby and I really have tackled this together. We try to get dishes and laundry done while the girls are doing school work, so we can enjoy that free time as well!


I am a hot mess mom, and I am proud to be it! Our life isn’t perfect, but it was perfectly made for me.

Today’s blog post was supposed to be a recipe for my family’s favorite sweet treat: edible cookie dough (YUM!), but once again being a hot mess mom, everything in the universe stopped me from doing it!

However, it will be here next Thursday, so don’t forget to stop back by!