New Moms

Top 7 Summer Activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers (2021)

Jun 17, 2021 by Lynelle 6 Comments

Those blue skies and beautiful weather can only mean one thing: it’s time to look for summer activities for preschoolers!

I understand that it may be difficult to entertain your kids during the entire summer, but don’t worry that I got you covered. In this blog post, you will get a variety of activities to do with your toddler and even extra resources to help you out.

Here are the summer activities for preschoolers and toddlers:

Table Of Contents

Summer activity #1 – Activities for preschoolers at home
Summer Activity #2 – Register on summer reading programs
Summer Activity #3 – Stop by your public library
Summer Activity #4 – Watch some movies
Summer Activity #5 – Visit a museum
Summer Activity #6 – Attend the city activities
Summer Activity #7 – Take a class
Final thoughts on summer activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers

Summer activity #1 – Activities for preschoolers at home

The activities that your child can do at home are probably the best ones for them to learn. Take advantage of those times that you are at home with your kids.

These activities help them develop important skills. For example, many arts and crafts require kids to grasp, cut with scissors, write their names, identify colors and count.

Books are always a good option for kids. Yes, I love books and I might be a little biased. But, experts agree that reading books to your child has many benefits including school readiness and coping skills.

Create a collage together. That’s a great way for your toddler to improve the skills of using scissors. Plus, you can put your old magazines to good use. Work with your child to decide on a theme for the collage. Then, use magazines to identify and cut related pictures.

The last option at home is technology. Just remember to always monitor what they are watching and the amount of screen time.

But, if your child has access to your phone, tablet, or computer, there are websites out there where they can play too.

Summer Activity #2 – Register on summer reading programs

Reading programs are one of my favorite summer activities. These programs encourage kids to read and provide them the opportunity to learn, have fun, and socialize.

Here are my favorite summer reading programs:

Your local libraries – Many libraries have summer reading programs for kids, and sometimes even for adults. Depending on the library, kids can earn different rewards throughout these programs. My kids have earned toys, books, free pool passes, tote bags, electronics, and even gift cards!

Half Price Books – Last year, we participated in this reading program for the first time and my daughters loved it. You just need to track the reading time every day. Then, when your child reaches a total of 300 minutes, take the official HPB form to your local store to claim the Bookworm Bucks. Those Bookworm Bucks work as a $5 store credit which is great.

This reading program is divided into two groups. One group is for kids that are 14 and under and the other group is for teens. This means that if you are like me, with kids that have a big age gap in between, they may still be able to participate!

Barnes and Noble – In this summer reading program, kids from grades 1 through 6 can score a free book. They need to record each book on the Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Journal, write which part of the book was their favorite, and why. That journal is available on their website and in stores. After reading eight books, take the journal to the participating stores to claim the free book.

Chuck E. Cheese’s – With this program, kids can earn 10 free tokens by reading every day. Just use the official Chuck E. Cheese’s Reading Rewards Calendar to log the days that your kid reads. After two weeks, you are ready to redeem your tokens.

Summer Activity #3 – Stop by your public library

The local libraries have plenty of summer activities including the reading programs as mentioned in the previous activity.

Here are some examples of the activities offered by the libraries near me:

arts and crafts
story time
magic shows
zoo visits
family movie nights
science experiments
puppet shows

To find out those type of activities, visit your local libraries’ webpage, check out their newsletter, or contact the library staff.

In my case, I print the newsletter of three to four libraries nearby and circle the activities that my kids would like to participate in. I immediately add those summer activities to one of my planners and block the time using Google calendar. In that way, I can make sure that I don’t overlook any of their activities.

Summer Activity #4 – Watch some movies

Summer is the time to watch movies at a discount price. Get ready to watch the movies that you missed or to watch your favorite ones again.

By the way, you can click on any of the movie theater links below to obtain a complete list of the locations, movies, and showtimes.

As a reminder, always double-check the information before making any arrangements.

Here are the summer movies for 2021:

Regal Cinemas

Their Summer Movie Express runs for 16 weeks! Each week, they offer two movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This year, it starts on May 25 (until September 8) and the admission is only $1.00!

Keep in mind that every week, both movies will be shown on both days.

Week 1: May 25 and May 26

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
Wonder Park

Week 2: June 1 and June 2

Smurfs: The Lost Village
A Dog’s Way Home

Week 3: June 8 and June 9

Smallfoot
Playing with Fire

Week 4: June 15 and 16

Lego Movie
Storks

Week 5: June 22 and 23

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
The Emoji Movie

Week 6: June 29 and 30

Pokemon Detective Pikachu
The Lego Batman Movie

Week 7: July 6 and 7

The Croods: A New Age
Muppet Movie

Week 8: July 13 and 14

The Lego Ninjago Movie
Trolls World Tour

Week 9: July 20 and 21

Sonic The Hedgehog
Sing

Week 10: July 27 and 28

Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
Angry Birds Movie 2

Week 11: August 3 and 4

The Lego Movie 2
Minions

Week 12: August 10 and 11

Kung Fu Panda
Despicable Me

Week 13: August 17 and 18

How to Train our Dragon: The Hidden World
Madagascar

Week 14: August 24 and 25

Goosebumps
Dora and the Lost City of Gold

Week 15: August 31 and September 1

The Secret Life of Pets
Dolittle

Week 16: September 7 and 8

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
Wonder Park

Cinemark

Their Summer Movie Clubhouse runs for eight weeks, starting on June 16 (until August 4, 2021). In this case, your child can watch a different movie per week. The admission is $1.50 per ticket.

Here is the schedule for Cinemark:

June 16 – Trolls World Tour

June 23 – The Secret Life of Pets 2

June 30 – How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

July 7 – The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part

July 14 – The Angry Birds Movie 2

July 21 – Dora and the Lost City of Gold

July 28 – Minions

August 4 – Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Harkins Theatres

They have the 10-week Summer Movie Fun. Each movie costs $3 for My Harkins Awards Members and $5 for Non-My Harkins Awards Members.

Also, My Harkins Awards members can get 50% off a Kids Combo by going on a weekday (Monday – Friday) before 6 p.m.

Their summer program starts as early as June 11 and lasts until July 22. However, the location near me closed permanently so make sure to check before going.

Here is the schedule:

June 11 to 17 – Despicable Me
June 18 to 24 – Trolls World Tour
June 25 to July 1 – Abominable
July 2 to 8 – The Croods: A New Age
July 9 to 15 – Kung Fu Panda
July 16 to 22 – Madagascar

AMC Theatres

No information has been posted for 2021

Their Summer Movie Camp is available every Wednesday from June 5 to July 31. For $4.00, you get an admission ticket and a KidsPack for your child. The KidsPack includes popcorn, drink, and a snack.

Note: Their schedules vary by location.

Goodrich Quality Theaters

They had the Morning Summer Movies Series before but it doesn’t seem to be available anymore.

Now, they have the Summer Flicks & Fun when ALL first shows on Wednesdays are $3.99 and include a FREE (46oz) mini popcorn! And, that for anybody regardless of age.

However, it excludes the Eastdale and Willow Knolls locations.

Marcus Theatres

Marcus Theatres has scheduled movies for their Kids Dream Family Film Series. This series of movies starts on June 4 and ends on July 8.

There’s a different movie every week for $5.00. In a previous year, their summer movies were only available on Sunday, Monday, or Wednesday but that’s not mentioned on the website anymore. Just double-check with your location before going.

Here are their dates for this summer:

June 4 – 10 / Monsters vs. Aliens
June 11 – 17 / Pokemon Detective Pikachu
June 18 – 24 / The Boss Baby
June 25 – July 1 / Megamind
July 2 – 8 / Trolls

There’s also a note on their site that more titles will be added soon.

Summer Activity #5 – Visit a museum

Visiting museums is a great summer activity for preschoolers and toddlers. It’s the perfect time to introduce your kids to museums if they haven’t visited one yet.

Museums don’t have to be boring or for adults only. Nowadays, there are many museums that focus on teaching and entertaining kids. Plus, museums usually have a new show or exhibit during summertime.

This great list of the Best Museums for Kids in Every State can help you find a children’s museum to visit.

Summer Activity #6 – Attend the city activities

The city where you live is an excellent place to look for summer activities.

Finding the information shouldn’t take you too long. Just go to your city’s website and look for words like “calendar” or “events”. There’s where they publish activities like concerts, festivals, special holiday activities, movies in the park, etc.

Sometimes the city calendar allows you to choose between different city’s departments. You may have the library, park, and recreations, community center, senior center, etc. I normally check most of the options to avoid missing something that my kids would like.

Even though some cities are active in social media, I prefer to check their online calendar for a complete list of events. There, I quickly check all the activities scheduled for the upcoming weeks and even months. And, as I do with the library activities, I check the calendar of several cities near me.

Don’t skip the small cities. Sometimes, those activities are less crowded allowing you to really enjoy the time (and take lots of pictures! 😊).

Summer Activity #7 – Take a class

I can already hear some “Come on, give them a break”. With a background in human resources, it’s kind of difficult to keep “training” out of my mind. 😊

On a more serious note, summertime is a good time to help your child develop skills, learn a new sport, or to explore other areas. Make a list of some classes and check for availability in your area.

Here are some ideas:

You kid’s school district – There are school districts out there offering great summer activities for kids. I have seen short camps or classes related to science, robotics, and cooking. Visit the district’s website to find that information. While there, look for posted flyers of sponsored companies or organizations. These flyers are normally approved by the district before being posted on the site.

YMCA is a very popular place for kids. A couple of years ago, I registered my oldest daughter for swimming classes and she loved them. She went from not knowing how to swim to feel super confident in the water, and even attending a pool party by herself where she applied all those skills learned.

Michaels Camp Creativity – For seven weeks, Camp Creativity is available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays starting on June 10. Their craft groups are divided into kids age 3+ and 6+. Each 1-hr session requires a small fee for your child to participate.

Home Depot workshops – Click on the link and enter your location to get a list of upcoming workshops in your area. Depending on your location you may see some Kids Workshops too.

Final thoughts on summer activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers

There you have plenty of summer activities for your preschooler.

For more ideas, don’t forget to consider popular places like the park, zoo, and aquarium. Also, check the offers at Groupon (affiliate link) where you can find additional activities or places to try.

I hope you have a wonderful summer with your family!

Which other summer activity would you like to add? Let me know in the comments section.

Liked it? Please share it with your family and friends!

There are many activities for preschoolers to have fun during the summer.

7 Steps on How to Plan a Baby Shower (Successfully!)

Jun 17, 2021 by Lynelle 1 Comment

Yay, your loved one is having a baby! And right now, you have mixed feelings. While you are excited because the baby’s due date keeps getting closer and closer, you are worried about trying to figure out how to plan a baby shower.

That’s understandable!

Planning a baby shower on top of your regular responsibilities may be overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be. The 7 essential steps that I discuss below will help you know what needs to be done and when. Plus, these steps can be applied to any type of baby shower.

Sounds good? Let’s start then…

7 Essential Steps on How to Plan a Baby Shower (Successfully!)

Steps to Plan a Baby Shower

Normally, baby showers are planned for parents that are having their first baby while sprinkles {smaller baby showers} are used for parents that already have kids.

But nowadays, baby showers have been planned based on the situation, too. For example, a couple that already has a girl but is now having a boy, or vice versa. Or when there’s a big age gap between the kids {like it’s the case with my daughters}.

While working on these steps, keep in mind that there are no right or wrong answers. The decisions should be based on the situation and the new parents’ tastes and personalities.

Table Of Contents

Steps to Plan a Baby Shower
Step 1 – Set a Budget
Step 2 – Create a Guest List
Step 3 – Choose Location, Date, and Time
Step 4 – Theme for Baby Shower Decorations
Step 5 – Invitations
Step 6 – Food and Drinks
Step 7 – Create Lasting Memories
Bonus steps to plan a baby shower
Final Thoughts on How to Plan a Baby Shower

Step 1 – Set a Budget

To plan a baby shower, you have to start with the most important step, setting a budget. This is because the rest of the steps will depend on the total dollar amount set up during this step.

When setting up the budget, you first need to think about the type of baby shower that you want to throw. What will make the most sense? Formal or informal? Fancy or something simpler? It all depends on what you have in mind.

After picturing the perfect baby shower, come up with an estimated amount to spend on the baby shower. Remember, each baby shower is different which means that each amount will vary. Things such as the type of baby shower and/or location may change your total costs dramatically. That being said, you need to come up with an amount that you feel comfortable with and that is reasonable.

Next, who will be responsible for the estimated amount you just calculated? If it’s you, then you are ready for step #2.

But, if you are working on a tight budget, you may want to look into other options like reaching out to other people for help. It is completely okay to do so. At one of my baby showers, the host paid for the main food while other guests paid for other expenses such as cake, drinks, plates, cups, napkins, and utensils. People love to help so don’t be afraid to ask.

Keep in mind that like any other budget, your total amount is an estimate of costs to help you reach your goal. In this case, your goal is to plan the perfect baby shower in your mind.

Step 2 – Create a Guest List

After setting up the budget, it will be easier for you to determine the number of guests to invite.

Who should you invite? Well, it all depends because there are two common approaches. The traditional baby shower where only women are invited or the co-ed baby shower where both women and men are equally invited. I have always preferred the co-ed option but that’s just me.

In recent years, other options have increased in popularity like the man shower, the grandma shower, and the girl’s night out. But in this post, I will only focus on the two most common baby showers mentioned.

Think, who would the new parents love to see at their baby shower? At this point, just write the names that are coming to your mind. Don’t worry so much about creating a final guest list because your guest list will most likely change throughout the process.

While working on the guest list, don’t forget to include those that are out of town or even out of state.

Unless you are planning a surprise baby shower, it is always a good idea to review your guest list with the parent(s) to be.

I remember a time when my baby shower host and I went over the guest list. I was glad we did it because we eliminated some of the names and added other people with whom I had stronger relationships.

Step 3 – Choose Location, Date, and Time

Choose the location

So far you have a perfect baby shower in mind, you have set a budget, and you have created a guest list. Now, it’s time to choose the location!

Start narrowing down your options by choosing between an indoor or outdoor location. Take into consideration the baby’s due date and the weather since baby showers are normally given a few weeks before the baby’s due date.

It’s also important to think of the options for that type of location. For example, if you choose an indoor location, then some of your options could be a favorite restaurant, fancy hotel, or a cozy home.

On the other hand, if you choose an outdoor location, then you may consider a big park, fun pool or a beautiful garden.

Set the Date

People tend to plan a baby shower four to six weeks before the baby’s due date. Four weeks and six weeks may sound about the same time. But, two weeks can make a difference, especially if you chose an outdoor location. Also remember, the baby’s due date is just an estimate which means that he/she can be born earlier! 😱

Be sure to choose three possible dates for the baby shower, in case that the parents to be are not available on your first or even second option.

Also, consider the day of the week. For my last baby shower, it made more sense to do it on a weekday since all the guests were from work. But if you are planning a baby shower with family and friends, then it may be better to do it on a weekend when the majority are off of work.

Choose the best time

Baby showers normally last between 2 to 4 hours but it all depends on the baby shower. In my case, we couldn’t be away from our work areas for too long {even when I was working in Human Resources} so it was done during our regular lunch hour.

Also, when you calculate the length of the baby shower, set some time to:

Chat – People want to talk to each other especially those coming from out of town
Eat – Set aside some time for people to eat, too. If you don’t have much time left, you can always combine activities like eating while the honoree is opening the gifts.
Open the baby shower gifts – An important part of the baby shower is the excitement when the new parents are opening the gifts. Therefore, setting a good amount of time for this is highly recommended.

What about holidays?

To me, planning a baby shower around a holiday can be good or bad. The disadvantage is that people normally go out of town especially for holidays like Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

But if that won’t be a problem for your guests, then you can get very creative while combining the holiday celebration with your baby shower theme.

Lastly, think about the season. For example, I can plan a beautiful baby shower at noon in the park here in Texas. However, the weather will be completely different if it is planned in July than if it is planned at the same time in November.

Step 4 – Theme for Baby Shower Decorations

If you already know the baby’s nursery decoration, then you are way ahead of this step because that’s exactly what you can use to decorate the baby shower. That’s what the host did for my last baby shower and I absolutely loved it!

If you haven’t heard about the baby’s room decoration, bring up that topic in your next conversation. And, if nothing has been decided yet, don’t worry…just keep reading.

There are three quick ways to choose a baby shower theme:

The first one is to choose a theme based on the personalities of the parents-to-be. Think of something they like or collect. It could be Star Wars, zebras, or their favorite sports team.
Another way is to go with a popular theme such as nautical, princesses, cars, or baby animals.
The last option is to choose a general topic such as the tropical beach, garden, or sports.

Step 5 – Invitations

Sending invitations is up to you and the type of baby shower. Using my last baby shower as an example, the host didn’t send out invitations. Instead, she used technology in her favor and sent out emails. It worked perfectly because it was an informal baby shower conducted at the company’s training room with co-workers as guests.

I suggest sending out invitations when you plan a baby shower with many guests or when the guests are coming from different places (e.g. different workplaces, cities, states)

The practice is to send out the invitations around 4 to 6 weeks in advance which gives the guests enough time to save the date and to make arrangements especially for those coming out of town or for those needing to hire a babysitter.

Before sending the invitations, revise your guest list one last time. Just to be sure that important guests were not left out. Then, find invitations that match the baby shower theme or are at least close enough.

Now, that you are ready to work on the invitations don’t forget to:

include the baby shower date, starting and ending time plus the location
add your contact information and ask people to RSVP
share the baby shower theme and baby registry information, if available

Additional tip: While shopping for the invitations, keep an eye open for any thank you notes that match the invitations. The mom-to-be will love them.

Step 6 – Food and Drinks

To determine the food and drinks, it’s important that you think of the information already gathered especially the budget, location, and time.

As I mentioned earlier about my last baby shower, it was done during lunchtime so the full meal was provided but it’s also common to see appetizers, finger food, and cake (or cupcakes for the new trend).

Keep in mind that having a potluck is an alternative too. Hosts coordinated a potluck for three of my baby showers and it worked great because we had a wider variety of food to choose from.

Step 7 – Create Lasting Memories

You can’t plan a baby shower without thinking of the lasting memories for the parents-to-be.

Even though for any new parent their baby showers are unforgettable, it’s important for them to have memories to share years to come with family members, friends, and even with the kids when they get older.

A professional photographer, videographer, or both can always be hired but don’t feel obligated in doing so. Because if you plan a baby shower on a budget, it’s okay to look for other options.

By asking around, you can probably find a friend or family member that can help you with it. I asked a couple of my coworkers to take pictures to make sure that I would have enough for my album.

Additional tip: After the baby shower, you can put a photo album together and give it to the new parents as a memory. I have created quick and cute photo albums with Shutterfly (affiliate link).

Bonus steps to plan a baby shower

I didn’t include the following as part of the essential steps since they are optional but they are still frequently included on the baby showers:

Baby Shower Games

If you want to entertain your guests with some games, consider the following factors:

Time – Calculate the time that you have left after all your scheduled activities. In this way, you won’t waste your time planning all these games when you are already out of time.
Location – Playing games inside a restaurant may be difficult due to lack of space but it can also be a challenge to play bingo in a windy park.
Guests – Look for games that everybody can play at the same time and/or together. And don’t forget to choose games that are appropriate for all your guests.

Baby Shower Party Favors

This is your opportunity to be creative. You can either buy party favors or make them yourself. Just keep in mind the baby shower theme and come up with something cute, funny, or unique.

Final Thoughts on How to Plan a Baby Shower

After going through the essential steps, you should have a better idea of how to plan a baby shower for your loved one.

Most importantly, having a plan in hand makes you feel less overwhelmed, focus on what needs to be done, and save money.

Keep in mind that in this post I am only focusing on the essential steps but, you can add more things including music.

The budget is the limit! 😊

Alright, it’s time for you to start planning. Don’t forget to download the free baby shower printables.

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7 Quick Tips to Save Money on Groceries (for Busy Moms)

Mar 21, 2020 by Lynelle 23 Comments

Are you ready to save money on groceries? Me too!

If you are here, you are probably tired of paying too much money at the grocery store on every visit.

We are a small family who never consumes that much food but somehow, I still ended up paying way too much at the grocery store. As a mom with two kids, my time is extremely limited. That’s why I stopped clipping coupons so heavily.

I used to cut and organize coupons every week. I had a very organized coupon binder which I later replaced with a more relaxed filing system. Unfortunately, I stopped because both methods required too much of my time.

Nowadays, I use digital coupons, cash back apps, and follow the tips discussed below to spend less money on groceries.

Quick note: This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure for more info.

Top 7 tips on how to save money on groceries

1. Plan before going to the store

The process of saving money on groceries starts before going to the store.

Flyers are an effective way for stores to promote what they have on sale and hopefully, motivate the customers enough to get into their car and stop by the store.

Check the front and back pages of the flyer because it’s there where they normally place the items with the deepest discounts. Therefore, to save money, focus on those pages.

Here are three ways to access the flyers:

Sunday newspaper

If you like to mark the flyers, the Sunday newspaper would be a good option for you. Every week, it has a variety of store flyers for the upcoming sales and most of the time includes coupon inserts too.

Because Sunday newspapers can get a little pricey, skip most of the stores and go straight to Dollar Tree where you can get it for only a $1.00! And since it’s available on Saturdays, you can plan your shopping trip in advance and be ready to save when Sunday arrives.

Grocery store website

If you prefer the digital version, the store’s website usually has a copy of the flyer and sometimes, you can find special coupons and offers too.

Keep in mind that coupon sites such as Coupons.com, SmartSource, and RedPlum are great places to look for extra coupons.

Grocery apps

If neither of the previous options works for you, use your phone! But, instead of going to the store’s website, download the mobile app called Flipp.

Flipp allows you to choose your favorite stores and it even notifies you when a flyer from one of your favorite stores has been uploaded so you don’t miss the sale. This app also has a section that allows you to upload coupons to your loyalty store card.

2. Use what you have available

This step is easy to do but frequently overlooked.

Before doing anything, make sure to take a closer look at your pantry and your refrigerator to see what’s left. There you can find potential items that you can use for your meals. That will reduce your shopping list and amount spent.

3. Put your meal plan together

At this point, you know what’s on sale and what you already have. Now, determine what food you will prepare throughout the following days.

Planning your meals in advance helps save money on groceries and be more productive.

4. Prepare your shopping trip

Make sure you have a shopping list ready and organized so you know exactly what you need to buy. You can color-code your list or separate it by sections. In that way, you can take similar items at once without going back and forth between aisles.

Having an organized list and focusing on it helps me get out of the store faster and avoid the temptation of buying unplanned items.

Shopping alone and in the morning also helps me get out of the grocery store faster. Plus, I keep a snack in my purse in case I get hungry while I am at the store.

5. Find the hidden discount areas

Grocery stores normally have small areas in the back of the stores where they keep clearance items or manager’s specials.

Take a quick look at the items in this section to see if there’s something from your list. Even if the prices are low, make sure to only buy what you and your family will consume. Otherwise, you are not saving money.

6. Take advantage of the sales

The stores have sale cycles which means that once your favorite product is on sale, you have to wait until it is put on sale again. The sale cycles vary based on the store and products.

The purpose here is to take advantage when your favorite products are on sale. In that case, buy a few of them to have extra ones at home until they are put back on sale. Just make sure to only buy what you know you will use.

In the beginning, it’s normal to run out of the items because you are learning about the sale cycle and how many your family uses in between. But don’t worry because your estimates should improve over time.

7. Be a loyal customer

Many grocery stores offer discounts, rewards, and even free items to those who are part of their store program. For example, Kroger provides extra discounts on a variety of products around the store. It also offers extra discounts on gasoline and gives you a free item every month.

Thanks to that, I have gotten free candies, chips, pasta, healthy snack bars, and a lot more.

If you have a Kroger nearby, make sure that you enroll in their text messages to receive their notifications. Even though you don’t have to get the free item that same day, you do have to save the digital coupon on your Kroger card that day.

BONUS: 3 Ways to save money on groceries

I know that you are busy, but I’m pretty sure you still want to save as much as you can. That’s why I want to share with you three ways to save money on groceries:

Ibotta

You can get some cash back just by submitting your receipts to this mobile app. It’s a really easy way to get money back based on the items you purchased at the store within a certain period of time. The cash back requests are processed quickly.

Right now, you can get $10.00 off when you sign up for Ibotta for the first time or download the app and enter the code: lgkgveb

Walmart Groceries

Have you used Walmart’s grocery pickup service yet? Before, I wasn’t too convinced about using the service. I kept thinking that the employee would not choose the items in the same way that I do. But, my mindset changed as soon as I used their service. The process is fast, convenient, and FREE!

Place your first order and SAVE $10.00 when you sign up to Walmart Groceries for the first time.

Shopkick

Shopkick is one of my favorite cash back app and it’s similar to Ibotta.

The difference is that you can also accumulate kicks (rewards points) just by walking into your favorite stores. Those kicks can be redeemed for gift cards to popular stores such as Walmart, Target, Starbucks, Ulta, and even Amazon.

If you have a few extra minutes, scan some of the store’s given products for even more kicks.

I can help you get 250 kicks when you walk-in or scan for the first time! Just join Shopkick through my link or download the app and enter the code: BLUE921928

Now, you are ready to save money on groceries

There you have it! Ten tips that you can implement right away to help you save money on groceries.

Keep in mind that to save the most on groceries, you need to apply a combination of these strategies. In the beginning, you may feel like you are not saving a lot. Especially, if you only use one strategy. But, like in any other situation, the more tips you implement, the more you save.

Now, let me hear from you.

Which one of the ten tips discussed here would you implement first? Is there a tip that you currently use, and was not included in here?

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Adorable LOL Birthday Party Ideas On A Budget

Jun 17, 2019 by Lynelle 10 Comments

Are you looking for LOL surprise birthday party ideas for your little girl? I have been in your shoes for the few last weeks. Since my daughter loves LOL dolls, it made sense to plan an LOL themed birthday for her.

My goal was to create a beautiful birthday party within a limited budget. To reduce the expenses, I knew that we had to create more things ourselves rather than buying them. So, this birthday party involved a lot of searching, cutting and gluing. Especially because those LOL dolls seemed to multiply!

I knew that there were a lot of them but I never thought that there were that many. There are so many, that I am still finding new dolls that I could’ve used. Plus, their sweet eyes and fashionable clothes don’t help much either.

The best part is that we achieved the goal. My little one had a beautiful birthday party without breaking the bank. Now, I am here to help you with yours. Make sure to pin this post because I am sharing everything I used to help you save you time. You just have to choose what’s best for you based on your birthday’s goal.

Let’s start with the decorations…

Many colorful balloons ready for a birthday party

This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure for information.

Table Of Contents

LOL Doll Party Decorations
LOL Surprise Birthday Party Games
LOL Birthday Party – Food and Drinks
DIY Party Invitations
LOL Dresses for the Birthday Girl
More LOL Birthday Party Ideas Worth Sharing
LOL Surprise Birthday Party Ideas Summary

LOL Doll Party Decorations

For the decorations, I focused on colors, balloons, and the cake table area.

This section includes the details of the backdrop, cake table, entrance, and wall decorations. So, here you go:

Backdrop

I have always admired the moms who have created a beautiful backdrop for their kids. For a long time, I wanted to do the same, but I always thought that it would require a bigger budget.

Because of that, year after year, the backdrop was mostly plain. Then, two years ago, I decided to add a poster board with some cutouts on it.

This year, I thought to create a beautiful backdrop myself and I couldn’t be happier. It absolutely transformed the entire area.

This is what I did

Background wall: I used two regular wrapping papers that I found at Walmart, but you can get your own combination from any other store including Dollar Tree.

Big LOL dolls: The adorable dolls in the center are the large doll centerpiece characters from Daisy Celebrates. There were perfect for it! Each doll is the size of a regular page I also used a couple of them as centerpieces as shown later in this article.

“Happy Birthday” Banner: This is the birthday banner I got, but I also found this one and this other one.

Smaller LOL dolls: Most of the dolls that you see at the bottom of the backdrop can be found here. This site has a great variety of dolls to choose from. To give you an idea of their size, I saved them in Canva and added two dolls per page (landscape orientation). I also used some of these dolls to decorate around the house.

Quick alternatives

Don’t worry if you don’t have time to create a backdrop yourself. Here are some quick options that will surely save you time:

Cake Table

It’s important to pay attention to the cake table since it is something that guests will focus on and where most of the pictures are taken.

Here is what I used:

Table cover: The table cover helps you determine how many things you need on the table. Having a pretty table cover makes the cake table look much better instantly. At first, I just wanted a light pink table cover, but it didn’t match what I had in mind. That’s why I chose this one that was a lot more colorful. I also found this other table cover, in case it works better for you.

DIY cake stand: At the stores, I was looking for a nice cake stand that I could use for the snacks but the ones available were either too expensive or wouldn’t be appropriate for a kid’s birthday. Fortunately, Cyndy from The Creativity Exchange shows how to quickly make this chic cake stand with a plate and bowl. I ended up finding the plates at Target for a little over a dollar. They look great and I can use them over and over again!

The Entrance

I took gold and black streamers and added five gold stars over them. I, then, took the Queen Bee LOL doll and hung her on the wall, beside the streamers. This was a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to decorate the entrance.

Wall Decorations

In addition to the balloons, I wanted to add some colorful touches to the walls. That’s why I ended up wrapping up our picture frames.

For the wall decorations, I only used:

Regular wrapping paper
Banner template
Poster boards (black and white)
LOL banner – I uploaded this banner template in Canva and added the letters to it to make it more personal. Here is the same template but with different LOL dolls. Also, here, you can download a happy birthday banner and an alphabet banner too.
Number 6 – this site has all the numbers and each number has a different doll.

LOL Surprise Birthday Party Games

Pin the Bow

This pin the bow game was perfect, and we had so much fun playing it!

I wanted a game just like that, but I thought that I would have to create it myself. Fortunately, Kristen from Musings of an Average Mom had already created one.

The templates for pin the bow are available on her site and you can download them completely FREE. I printed both pages (doll and bows) on cardstock paper so it could last longer.

LOL Bingo

Printables

Since kids love printables and coloring, print several printables and keep them in a designated area or table with different school supplies like crayons, pens, and colored pencils.

Distribute the coloring pages on the table and let the kids choose their favorite printable to color.

Another option is to have a printable set ready for each kid. In that way, each kid will have the same packet of printables. You can put each set inside an LOL bag or on top of a table as I suggested before.

Here are some places where you can download coloring pages:

LOL Word Search

Since there were different ages among the guests, I wanted to include a variety of games that could still entertain all ages.

The LOL surprise word search printables were perfect!

These printables have a combination of a coloring page with a word search, include short and long words, are cute, and are free to download.

To add a little bit of excitement, we created groups among the guests and competed to see who could finish first.

You will find a good variety after a quick google search for “LOL surprise word search free printables”. But remember, that most of these printables are for personal use only.

Photo Props

Nowadays, photo props are part of birthdays, school activities, and other events. Photo props work best with a group of people. So, if a group of kids is attending your LOL birthday party, consider adding this activity. This kit of sixteen pieces can get you started.

Piñata

Last year, my daughter went to a birthday party and they had a piñata. All the kids had a good time searching for the candies and toys that were inside the piñata.

As part of the planning for my daughter’s birthday, I looked for LOL piñatas too. After all, there were too many things happening and we ended up not having one. But to save you time, here are the ones that I was considering:

Star-shaped – This was my first choice but just because it matched with the birthday party colors.
LOL dolls piñata – This one has light colors and different LOL dolls on both sides. Plus, it’s also available at Amazon which you can see here.

LOL Birthday Party – Food and Drinks

Birthday Cake

This year, I bought the birthday cake at Walmart as I usually do. I normally find the theme that I want but this time they didn’t have an LOL design.

I could order the cake online but instead, I let my daughter choose one from the ones that were already on display.

The cake was pretty and simple which was perfect to add some decoration to it. In this case, I added these cute cake toppers that I found at Oh My Fiesta in English. It has a variety of free LOL templates that you can use too.

I had never used DIY cake toppers before but I decided to give a try, and I really liked the results.

Snacks

If you are having snacks and drinks, you have to visit Daisy Celebrates! Like me, you will be able to find more cute things for an LOL themed birthday party.

There’s where I downloaded the Hershey’s wrappers and juice pouch labels. You can also get chip bag labels, water bottle labels, and more.

I have to confess that I wasn’t planning to have chocolate bars but after seeing the Hershey’s wrappers, I couldn’t resist printing them for my daughter’s birthday.

Cupcakes: Inspired by Hungry Happenings‘ cupcakes wine goblets, I decided to create something similar for this LOL birthday party. Instead of wine goblets, I found Irish glass coffee mugs that had the perfect size and shape that I was looking for. I bought them at Dollar Tree, but there are similar ones here and here too.

Brownies: In this case, my focus was on saving money. So, I bought a package of brownies at Walmart and used these round cake toppers. There are also these pink toppers plus these few pages of toppers.

Drinks: These are the exact water bottle labels that I used. It only took minutes for us to print, cut, and tape them to the bottles.

By the way, the download link is kind of tricky. It’s just a text that says, “free download” but looks like part of the ad. It’s easy to ignore or overlook but that’s the link. After clicking the link, you immediately get a zip file.

Water bottles and juices for the LOL birthday theme

Regarding the juices, here is the template I used. Since we were in a rush, we ended up taping the labels but they looked cute anyway.

DIY Party Invitations

I didn’t use a formal invitation this time, but I found so many free and beautiful templates that I had to share with you.

For most of the invitations, you just have to do a right-click on the image to save it to your computer. Then, I suggest using Canva to add the details.

Omg, it’s party time – These horizontal invitations already have different sections for all the birthday details.
Pink with white polka dots – Different templates to choose from and each template has a different doll on it.
Comic Style invitation – This template is very cute and modern
Adorable invitations – There are several templates to choose from which makes it difficult because they are all so cute!
Come join us – There are one birthday invitation and one card template. The invitation template also includes a thank you card too. (By the way, that site has other things as well.)

LOL Dresses for the Birthday Girl

Many girls like to dress up as an LOL surprise doll for their birthday party. Here are some LOL clothes that I found:

Below are additional birthday party ideas that I didn’t use but are so cute that I still wanted to share them with you.

Food Labels – I really wanted to use these food labels, but I already had too many things on the table and not a lot of variety of food or snacks.

Boxes – I found two sites where you can download different boxes to use on your cake table. Here are some boxes and another site with more boxes.

The information on both websites are not in English and Google doesn’t translate everything on the page but, you are still able to save the images and print them.

Blank Pages – These cute pages are good to prepare a notebook, to use for games, or for something else.

Bookmarks – This website has cute bookmarks, a printable calendar, and more.

LOL Surprise Birthday Party Ideas Summary

As you could see, it’s possible to create a cute LOL birthday party without breaking your bank. I hope that these party ideas make it easier for you to create yours. I would also love to see pictures of your birthday too!

Now, that this birthday party is over, I can’t wait to plan her next one.

In the meantime, comment down below sharing your best tip for a kid’s birthday party.

A girl smiling at her LOL birthday party

How to Improve Your Child’s Transition into Kindergarten

May 20, 2019 by Lynelle 2 Comments

Worried about your child’s transition into Kindergarten?

I understand because I went through it with my daughters.

When kids start Kindergarten, there’s a lot of new experiences to absorb at once. And even though they will be okay, as moms, we want to make sure our kids have the smoothest transition into Kindergarten.

This article covers ways that you can help your child to get ready for Kindergarten as well as how you can make this transition easier for them. You will also find resources to help you out.

This girl is enjoying her cupcake before going to Kindergarten.

This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure for information.

How can I help my child transition into Kindergarten?

The following areas are a foundation of how quickly your child can adjust to Kindergarten.

Go through these areas and determine how prepared your child is in each of them. Identify the area or areas where your child needs more reinforcement and focus on those first.

Let’s get started…

Wait for their turn

Overall, this may be hard for kids to adjust to. There will be many times when kids will have to wait for their turn in Kindergarten.

Kids must wait for their turn to go to the bathroom, to use a swing on the playground, or to answer the teacher’s questions.

The good news is that there are situations that should make this transition easier for Kindergartners.

That includes kids already attending a pre-school program or a structured daycare. That’s what I did with both of my daughters and I feel that they have benefited from it.

So, what can you do to help your kids wait their turn?

Here are some tips:

Make them aware: Whenever your child interrupts during conversations, let him or her know what is expected.
Play traditional board games: It’s a good way to have fun while it teaches kids to wait until it’s their turn again.

Follow instructions

Kindergarten is more structured to prepare kids for higher grade levels. Throughout the day, kids must follow several instructions to complete the tasks.

In my daughter’s school, following instructions is so important that it is part of the daily evaluation.

For example, my daughter has a folder that she brings back home every single day. That folder has a calendar that lets me know how she behaved that day.

Ways to reinforce this strategy at home:

Playing games: Every game has directions that need to be followed to play. That’s why playing board games or any type of game will be beneficial for this too. In addition to the games suggested above, other games can help your child following directions too.
Activity books: These books normally include activities with instructions that the kid needs to follow. Plus, activity books such as color by number, help kids with other skills.

Listen to others

Developing good listening skills is something needed in Kindergarten and at any point in life too.

Plus, listening is also related to kids following instructions. For example, a kid that didn’t listen to the teacher’s instructions will probably have a harder time understanding and completing their work correctly.

It’s also important to listen to other kids’ points of view whenever they are working in teams or just having a normal conversation.

Tips to improve kids listening skills:

Eye contact rule: Ask your child to make eye contact during any conversation. But, for this to work, every family member needs to do it too. Leading by example will help your child implement it faster.
What was said: Since kids get easily distracted, asking them what was said help them pay attention next time. I still practice this one at home. Sometimes, my daughter realizes that she wasn’t paying, and I need to say it again, but I have seen her doing much better. Plus, rephrasing helps her put the information in her own words which is another skill they work on in Kindergarten.
Red light, green light: My daughter loves to play this game. And it helps them with their listening skills as well as following instructions. So, that’s a win-win situation. Here is a great list with more fun game ideas.

Work well with others

Nowadays, Kindergarteners do more projects that involve working as a team. As you can understand, it is as hard for kids as it is for adults.

But, kids need to learn how to work together regardless of differences in personalities, interests, beliefs, etc.

That also includes sharing things with other kids. Because even though kids are asked to bring school supplies, they don’t last for the entire school year. At that point, kids need to share things like scissors, glue sticks, crayons, and pencils.

I also want to include helping others in here.

Kids should help each other no matter if it’s in the classroom, gym, or playground. It could be helping other kids clean up, getting up if they fall, or making them feel better if they look sad. And that’s why I like this book because it focuses on that.

How to be a better team player:

Sports team: This one is the most common way to encourage working with others. If this is not an option, try the next one.
Neighborhood Park: I often see kids playing football or soccer in the park or around the neighborhood. That’s an opportunity for kids to work on those social skills while playing.
Help around the house: Kids always want to help. Involve them with any quick project or task in the house. Doing this has different benefits. They have a new experience, feel proud of themselves for helping, strengthen the relationship, etc.
Siblings working together: As you already know, each of your kids has a different personality. Ask them to complete tasks together where they can get used to working with each other. You can even come up with a game where they will have to work together to succeed.

Respect others

No matter if a child is going to school or not, I feel that it’s important to teach our kids to respect others.

Several times, I have been in shock listening to my daughter’s stories about how some kids have responded to school personnel.

Normally, kids are reminded to respect their teacher. However, kids need to understand that respecting others applies to other school staff members.

When school starts, kids interact with their teacher as well as the principal, assistant principal, teachers, cafeteria workers, office managers, librarians, front office personnel, nurses, other teachers, and even substitutes.

How to encourage this behavior:

Open communication: Let your child know every time he or she has good behavior. Or, a behavior that could improve.
Get some related books: Read some books that cover this topic. I read this book with my daughter and she liked it. Discuss what happened in the story. Anything good? Bad? Any suggestions?

Quick Tip: Add these areas in a visual chart like this one and keep it in an area where your child can remember what is expected.

Click here to download the flashcards

How can I make my child’s transition into Kindergarten easier?

Know what to expect

Give your child an idea of what to expect. That should make them feel more comfortable with the change and excited too.

Consider sharing good and funny memories of when you were in Kindergarten. How was your teacher? What was your favorite time? How did you make your first friend? Did you wear a uniform?

And if you have pictures, share them too! They will have fun learning about you and seeing you as a kid.

Develop a routine

As I mentioned earlier, Kindergarten provides a more structured environment for kids. Set different routines or schedules at home so they can get used to it. These routines can include times when they get up, eat, and go to bed.

It doesn’t have to be perfect and it’s understandable that it may vary some days, but overall, following a similar routine will help your child adjust faster.

Attend school activities

I know that you are a busy mom but try to do this one for sure.

Normally, schools like to have some activities before school starts. That allows your child to get familiar with the school, teacher, staff, and even their future friends.

In my kids’ school, they have activities such as Kindergarten Roundup where the parents have a better idea of what to expect during the school year and how to partner with the teacher.

There’s also a Meet the Teacher which was the perfect time for my kids to start building a relationship with their teacher.

Also, check with your neighborhood. Every year, the communities around me organize activities for kids for upcoming Kindergarteners. It gives kids the advantage of already having friends whenever school starts.

Have fun getting the school supplies

I understand that you already have a busy schedule and it’s not fun to add more things to it…yet, going around buying school supplies.

But, making it a fun experience is something that will help your child be excited about the new school year.

Most of the times, I go to the stores by myself to finish faster. But when it’s time to get their school supplies, I go with my daughters. I let them choose the colors, styles, and designs that they prefer.

Make a big deal

When my daughters started Kindergarten, I had fears as you probably have them too. I needed the reassurance that they would be okay in the new environment.

After all, starting school is not just a change for kids but parents too. That’s why it’s so important to keep a positive attitude towards the transition into Kindergarten.

If they see us sad, crying, or even annoyed by the change, that’s probably the reaction that they will adopt too.

Helpful Resources for You and Your Child

Game Board Ideas:

Candy Land Game: Princess Edition

Disney Theme Park Edition of Candy Land

Spiderman Chutes and Ladders

Activity Book Ideas:

Unicorn color by number

Boy’s First Color by Number

Rewards / Behavioral Chart Ideas:

Magnetic Reward Chart (Additional supplies included)

Magnetic Stars Reward Chart

Treasure Hunt Mini Reward Chart

Final Thoughts on Child’s Transition into Kindergarten

Not only have you learned how to help your child with the transition into Kindergarten but also, you’ve learned how to make it easier for them too!

Remember, identify the areas that need improvement. After that, I would suggest focusing on one area at a time. In that way, you can determine which strategies are working better.

Speaking about strategies, which one will you implement first? Or, if you have a tip not included above, share it with us! Either way, leave a comment below.

Eating a cupcake is improving this girl's transition to Kindergarten.

Gift Guide for Moms: 35+ Ideas To Save You Time

Apr 29, 2019 by Lynelle 6 Comments

Don’t have time to look for the perfect gift? This gift guide for moms is perfect for you.

Between kids, work, marriage, house, and many other responsibilities, it’s difficult to find extra time to search for gifts.

That’s why I put together this gift guide with the best gift ideas for different types of moms.

By the way, I will be updating this post periodically so make sure to pin it for later. In that way, you can refer to it as many times as you need to.

colorful flowers in the gift guide for moms

This post contains affiliate links. You can read my disclosure for more info.

Stylish Gifts for the Fashionista Mom

1. Denim Purse

A gorgeous denim purse for a mom who loves fashion or jeans.

I chose this purse for two reasons. First, it’s a denim purse. If you have been following me, you know that I’m a fan of anything with denim.

Second, this purse includes three compartments providing plenty of space for personal items which is something that moms always need.

2. Makeup Kit, Ultimate Color Combination

With 160+ eye shadows, this makeup kit has plenty of colors to choose from!

It also includes a mirror, several lip glosses, blushes, and brushes.

Gifts for the Athletic Mom

1. Fitbit Alta HR

This Fitbit Alta HR helps track steps, distance, and calories burned. It automatically detects exercises to provide better burn calorie tracking.

It also tracks different sleep stages to help understand and improve sleep quality. And, it’s perfect for moms that need to stay connected through calls, texts, and calendar notifications.

2. Yoga Mat

This yoga mat was a must in this gift guide for moms.

In addition to being non-slip and easy to clean, it’s lightweight which makes it easier to move around or even take to other places.

It comes in cute colors and has a carrying strap for easy carrying.

3. Fitness Planner

This fitness planner helps keep a fitness log to easily track progress.

It has a calendar, goal setting, and even tips on what exercises are better based on the trouble areas.

Perfect Gifts for the Organized Mom

Even though this section is focused on organized moms, these gifts can also be great for moms who would benefit from better organization and productivity.

1. Productivity Planner

This is an example of the quarterly page inside the productivity planner for moms.

This productivity planner is actually the one I use and love!

My favorite is the classic weekly planner because of its vertical layout but a horizontal layout is also available.

The weekly pages can be easily customized to accommodate activities, events, reminders, and more.

This planner includes pages for your monthly mission board, a monthly plan, weekly goals, notes, and even a daily habit tracker.

I decorate my planner to make it more special by using thin washi tapes and adding pictures of my kids.

This year, the company launched its 360-disc planner that can be customized even more with different pages, covers, etc.

2. Planner Colored Pens

This pens set includes 18 assorted colors!!! That many colors are great especially for drawing, journaling, and writing.

And it’s also perfect for planners! It makes the pages look prettier but it also makes it easier to prioritize and color code the tasks.

3. Life Planner

Here is another great option for a planner lover like me.

What I love about this life planner is that it’s very practical.

It has pages for your vision board, goals, notes, daily rituals, and more.

It also has an envelope in the back and a convenient pen holder.

Plus, it comes with stickers!

This planner comes in a variety of colors and preferences.

4. Password Logbook

This internet address and password logbook is the perfect gift for an organized mom.

Too many sites and passwords to track? This logbook solves that problem.

With 144 pages, there’s plenty of space to keep sites, usernames, and passwords in one place.

It also has tabbed alphabetical pages which makes it easier to organize the information and find it when needed.

Creative Moms

1. Wood Art Set

This 142-Piece Wood Art Set is perfect for the artist mom who loves to create beautiful pieces of arts.

It includes pencils, crayons pastels, and watercolor paint.

I bought a very similar one for my oldest daughter who loves to draw and paint on sketch pads.

In addition to the variety of colors, what I like most about the wood art set is that it keeps everything organized.

2. Cricut machine

This persimmon cricut machine is the perfect gift for a creative mom.

The designs for the Cricut Explore Air 2 Machine can be created from different devices such as a computer, mobile phone, and tablet.

This machine is perfect for beginners and it’s compatible with iPhone and Android phones.

Cricut machines are popular to create stickers, greeting cards, scrapbooking, and many other projects!

New Moms or Mom-to-be

1. Baby Gift Basket

A red, black, and white Minnie Mouse gift basket

This Minnie Mouse baby gift basket is perfect for a new mom or mom-to-be.

It’s a cute gift basket full of great baby items such as onesies, hair accessories, diapers, pacifier, and more!

>>> Use my coupon code HAPPYCUSTOMER to get 40% OFF! <<<

2. Baby gift box

This baby shower gift box is a unique gift for new moms.

It’s a great way to surprise new parents with great baby items.

This Minnie Mouse baby gift set includes a bakery box with a mini diaper cake.

Plus, the products inside are arranged as sweets and treats.

In this case, this baby gift set includes baby items such as onesies, diapers, socks and more.

3. Garden Baby Bouquet

This garden baby bouquet is another great gift idea.

This baby gift includes two flower pots with more than 15 baby items for the new parents! And it’s unique, cute, and colorful.

Time-saver Mom

1. Ninja Blender

A ninja blender makes a perfect gift for moms.

Many of us are busy handling other responsibilities so it’s hard to find time to cut or peel the fruits and vegetables every single time.

That’s why this Nutri Ninja Pro Blender is so popular because it takes care of that.

Its blades crush through ice, seeds, skins, and stems. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe and comes with a 75-recipe guide.

2. Dual Breakfast Sandwich Maker

Busy moms appreciate how the breakfast sandwich maker can help them save time in the mornings.

This dual sandwich maker makes up to 2 sandwiches which is very convenient for moms.

Especially in the mornings when we are trying to get the kids out of the bed, prepared for school, have a good breakfast, and be ready on time.

This is a quick way to have a sandwich ready within minutes!

3. Rapid Egg Cooker

The rapid egg cooker to have breakfast faster

Now, it’s possible to cook the perfect eggs fast and easy thanks to the settings and timer included in this rapid egg cooker. Plus, it turns off automatically to prevent overcooking.

There’s space for up to six eggs to be cooked at the same time.

The best part is that it’s good for hard boiled eggs as well as poached eggs, scrambled eggs, and omelets.

4. Instant Pot Slow Cooker

The instant pot has been extremely popular, and I see why. It helps busy moms prepare meals much faster and with less supervision.

This slow cooker has 14 smart programs! Some of these programs are for rice, beans, meat, and soups.

Plus, there’s no need to worry about cold food because it keeps the food warm until it’s ready to serve!

5. Echo Dot

An Echo Dot is pretty much the assistant that every busy mom dreams of.

It’s voice-controlled like the assistant that we have in our smartphones…but better!

This Echo Dot can play music, check the weather, answer questions, make calls, and even help with the smart home devices.

6. Ring Video Doorbell

The ring doorbell is so convenient.

With Ring, it’s easy to see, hear, and talk to visitors that are at the front door, without even having to get near the door.

The system is easily accessed throughout a mobile phone, tablet, or computer. Plus, it can be combined with a screen Alexa device.

Relaxing Gift Ideas for the Overwhelmed Mom

1. Foot Massager

A foot massager is a great way to relieve stress after a busy day.

It has a heating function, adjustable height, it’s portable, and easy to operate.

The best part is that you don’t even have to bend to turn it on. Just use your toe!

2. Cordless Electrical Wine Bottle Opener

Another way to relax is by spending time with family and friends. Because of that, here is this cordless wine bottle opener.

It’s modern and stainless steel with a blue LED light at the bottom which makes it look elegant.

The best part is that it has a built-in rechargeable battery that can open about 30 bottles before it needs to be recharged again.

Beautiful Mugs for Moms who love Coffee (or anything else)

1. No ugly children funny mug

This mug has the purpose to help moms feel better about life 🙂

In addition to the message, I like that the message is printed on both sides. So, the message can be seen regardless of how the mug is held.

2. Don’t speak funny mug

Often, people don’t realize that Moms need some alone time in the mornings to get ready for the day. Well, this funny mug clearly lets others know when Mom is available.

3. Mom, I love you mug

This love you mug speaks by itself. Since it’s something that our kids say the whole day, any Mom can relate to it 😀

4. Long-distance State Mom

This is such a great gift idea for Moms who live in a different state. This long distance mug has a sweet message in the front and the back is customized with the states where you and the gifted mom live.

5. Coffee Maker

This coffee maker comes in different colors.

There are three reasons why it is great for coffee lovers and busy moms. It automatically turns off after a couple of hours which saves time and gives peace of mind.

Its brewing time is less than 1 minute which is perfect for moms that don’t have time to sit and wait for it to be ready. Lastly, it has a removable tray that allows the coffee to go straight to the mug which saves time and reduce spilling!

Great Books for the Avid Reader

1. The 1% Rule

The 1% Rule is perfect for moms who are ready to take action in order to achieve massive results and succeed.

2. Thinking, Fast and Slow

Thinking, Fast and Slow is a New York Times Best Seller.

In this book, the author explains the two systems that drive the way we think and shows us different techniques that we can use to do better and stay out of trouble.

3. The Overdue Life of Amy Byler

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler is a story of a single mom who takes a break after feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated. During this time she risks losing herself to the new life or going back to the life she escaped from.

4. The Art of Decluttering and Organizing with Marie Kondo

You may not recognize this book by its title, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up, but you have probably heard a lot about its author, Marie Kondo.

This book is extremely popular! It has over 14,200 reviews on Amazon, it’s a New York Times Best Seller, and was the inspiration for a new Netflix’s original show.

This book helps with decluttering and organization through the KonMari Method which includes identifying which items in the house sparkle joy or not.

5. Audible

Another option is to give the gift of Audible.

Audiobooks keep growing in popularity due to its convenience. It’s not rare for a busy mom to listen to an audiobook during lunchtime, while running errands, or waiting at the doctor’s office.

The Perfect Gift for Any Mom

Amazon Prime

Many moms shop at Amazon nowadays so why not give them the gift of Amazon Prime.

Being a Prime member has many benefits such as a free two-day shipping, unlimited reading, unlimited photo storage, prime wardrobe, free same-day delivery, and many other things that make a mom’s life a lot easier.

Gift Cards

Don’t know which gift to choose? Then, consider giving these gift cards. It’s easy, practical, and something that moms can definitely use.

Magazines

Magazines are faster to read and give many ideas for your life, family, or home. You can choose from the top fall fashion magazines or from the wide range of other categories offered.

Over to you

Now, you have a great list of gift ideas based on their personality or lifestyle. Don’t forget to pin this gift guide for moms so you can have it handy whenever you need it.

By the way, which type of mom am I missing in this list? Let me know in the comments section!

pink flowers for great gift ideas to save you time

11 Online jobs for your 14 year old to make money

Mar 26, 2019 by Lynelle 12 Comments

If as a mom, you are tired of seeing your teenager laying on the couch texting and watching videos, it’s time to put those skills and time to good use with these online jobs for 14-year-olds!

Many things change when kids turn into teenagers including the number of money requests!

If it hasn’t happened to you yet, keep reading and be prepared.

All of a sudden, I feel that I turned into a personal ATM to cover the expenses of my teenager’s active social life:

Movies
Quinceañeras and Sweet 16
Dances
Sport games
Dress up days
Concerts
Mall visits
Eating out

and these social activities never stop!

In the beginning, I didn’t have much of a problem because she is an amazing daughter who has done great at school.

But even though all that is good, it doesn’t help reduce the additional and continuous expenses.

Trying to make money as a 14-year-old is kind of difficult. They are still not allowed to drive in most states. Plus, most of the jobs for teenagers are reserved for 15 to 18-year-olds.

The good news is that there ARE plenty of online jobs that your 14-year-old can do from the comfort and safety of your home.

What are the basic requirements for a 14-year-old to make money through online jobs?

The beauty of working online is the flexibility that it provides and how easy it is to get started. But, there are still some basic requirements that your teenager needs to meet:

Computer and, in some cases, a phone
Good internet connection
Extra time to complete the tasks

That’s in addition to the most important requirement which is the willingness to do the work.

Benefits of teaching teenagers about money

If you still think that your son or daughter is still too young for online jobs, here are some benefits of teaching teenagers about money:

Value money better

Kids don’t value money in the same way when you just give it to them than when they work for it. When they earn it, they understand that making money is not as easy as they thought.

Learn about responsibility

This experience makes them be more conscious and responsible about their spending habits. I had seen my 14-year-old daughter look for discounts and think twice before buying something. You may also notice an interest to save more. If so, that’s a great opportunity for them to open a bank account and learn some basic financial skills that are not taught at schools.

Understand how to make money

It helps teenagers better understand how the process of getting money really works. At an early age, they are able to learn that there are many ways to make money.

Quick tips to help your teenager succeed with these online jobs

Consistency is important

Consistency applies everywhere in life. It could be good grades in school, learning a new skill, better health, etc. We have to be consistent with our actions, in order to see the results we expect.

Apply to different online jobs

Applying to different online jobs increases the number of surveys or tasks that they receive. For example, some research companies send surveys often while other companies only send invitations when the member’s demographics match the client’s needs.

Set clear boundaries

It’s better to create a schedule that states clearly when it’s okay for your teenager to be doing these online jobs. That’s because it may be pretty tempting to spend hours making money instead of doing homework, chores, sleeping, etc. A schedule is a good way to set boundaries but allow some boundaries based on the amount of homework, commitments, or day of the week.

Good time management

Having good time management is necessary to handle homework, activities, and these types of tasks. Following a schedule and focusing on one task at a time should reduce distractions and improve results.

School is a priority

This is something that I tell my kids regularly, especially to my teenage daughter. I believe that education is always important and should always be the top priority for kids.

Pros and cons of these online jobs for 14-year-olds

Before we go over the list of online jobs, you should know that these types of jobs have several pros:

Easy online jobs

These jobs are very easy to complete.

Work can be done from home

You know exactly where your child is and, most importantly, that is safe!

Ability to start immediately

Most of the jobs are set up to start shortly after registration.

Zero costs

These jobs are free to join. And, as long as you have the basic requirements mentioned in a previous section, there’s no cost involved.

But, some of these online jobs have cons too:

Pay is low

Keep in mind that some of these jobs have no waiting period, are very easy to complete, and doesn’t require major skills. As a result, the pay is low.

But, even though it’s low, remember every penny counts! That’s why it’s important to register with different companies and be consistent. That increases the number of tasks available.

Takes time

Sometimes, it takes time to complete the tasks, especially in the beginning while the person is still learning. The best solution to reduce the time is to focus on the task and reduce unnecessary distractions.

Legit online jobs for your 14-year-old to make money

Here is the list of jobs that you are looking for…

Prize Rebel

Prize Rebel has been around since 2007. They serve 7+ millions of users from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

Their concept is simple. Your teenager receives points for completing online surveys.

They provide different options to redeem the points. Choose PayPal, direct bank payment, or one of their many gift card options which include Starbucks, Ulta, iTunes, Nike, Xbox, PlayStation, and Target.

Prize Rebel also has a Facebook page where they, from time to time, share codes to earn more points.

Slice the pie

Slice the pie provides the opportunity to review songs, fashion items, and accessories before they are released.

To review a song, your teenager needs to listen to at least 90 seconds of the track and submit a review. To review a fashion item, your child needs to look at the pictures and provide an honest opinion about the product that it’s shown.

According to Slice the pie, the payment per review is based on the quality of the review. Therefore, high-quality reviews receive better payment.

The company normally process the payments on Tuesdays and Fridays. They have the option to send the earnings to a PayPal account as long as there’s a minimum of $10 in the balance.

Even though, Slice the pie is still a popular company, I want to mention that several people, including my daughter, have complained that it takes a long time to write a review for their low pay.

It seems like it’s not uncommon to get only one cent for a detailed review.

GrabPoints

GrabPoints has been in business since 2014. In this case, a teenager gets points for watching videos, downloading apps, taking surveys and completing offers from companies.

The offers are normally free-trials offered by different companies.

Teenagers earn points by completing tasks. They claim that most of their active members earn from 10,000 to 20,000 points a day.

There’s a minimum of $3 to redeem the points for gift cards or PayPal cash. Most of the time the reward is sent within 24 to 48 hours.

To help teenagers succeed, their website includes articles to help boost earnings.

For a gift card, GrabPoints has many options that are perfect for teenagers. There are gift cards for popular companies such as Apple, Starbucks, Spotify, and Netflix.

They also have gaming gift cards available for Fortnite, Roblox, Xbox, among others.

Panel Polls

With Panel Polls, teenagers can do a variety of things to make money. It could be taking surveys, participating in online communities and virtual focus groups, and testing apps and games.

Kids from 2 to 14-year-old can participate with parental consent. In other words, you as a mom, need to register and approve your child’s participation through your account.

Once your teenager turns 15, he/she can have their own account just by emailing Panel Polls.

By the way, as a parent of a child under 18, you are able to participate and make some extra money too!

Like other companies mentioned in this post, they give points for every survey or study completed. Panel Polls claims that every activity is worth at least $1.00, while many others pay $5, $10, or even more.

Once you reach the minimum of $10, you can request an e-gift card or a check if you have $20 or more in your Panel Polls account.

And, if you live in New York City and Los Angeles, I have better news for you!

Living in those two cities also gives you the opportunity to participate in in-person focus groups. I know that this post is about online jobs for 14-year-olds, but according to Panel Polls, these groups could receive a bonus payment of $100 or more.

iRazoo

There are different ways to make money with iRazoo. They have surveys, games, offers, and videos.

iRazoo is another company that pays with points that you can redeem into PayPal cash or a gift card from several companies including Amazon.

Similar to Prize Rebel, there’s also a chance to earn extra points through easy tasks such as entering promo codes, reading their blog, checking their emails, or even using the iRazoo search.

They also have the great benefit of sending the rewards every week.

Insta GC

Insta GC pays teenagers to complete online jobs such as completing surveys, watching videos, and shopping online.

Even though the minimum age is 13-year-old, anybody under 18 needs parental consent.

Insta GC is another company that gives points for every task completed.

They offer four different options to redeem the points: PayPal, instant gift cards, eCheck, and direct deposit.

However, instant gift cards are the only option without a redemption fee. The other options have a fee between $0.15 to $0.25 per redemption.

One Opinion

One Opinion is all about conducting surveys on behalf of market research companies.

A 14-year-old can open an account with parental consent. That’s if the teenager lives in one of the following countries: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands or Australia.

Their registration process is very modern and interactive. It’s in a chat or text format where a virtual representative asks basic questions such as the first name, last name, email address, etc.

The representative even reviews the policies during the registration process! But don’t worry, that initial process only takes about 5 minutes or less.

Like other companies, One Opinion gives points for every completed survey. They have virtual gift cards available as soon as member’s balance reaches 25,000 points.

Survey Junkie

Teenagers can join Survey Junkie as soon as they turn 13 years old. The company is open to participants living in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

According to Survey Junkie, the surveys take approximately 15 minutes to complete and members can do as many surveys as they want.

They also use a points system with a minimum requirement of 1,000 points before redemption.

Members from all three countries can redeem their points for PayPal cash. But only members living in the USA can request a direct bank deposit or e-gift cards.

Additional online jobs for 14-year-olds (that pay good money)

Sell your services at Fiverr

Fiverr is a large marketplace for digital services that it’s available for 13 and up. Signing up is completely free and every seller keeps 80% of the transaction cost which is not bad at all.

Services can be offered for as low as $5. Plus, each seller can offer three different versions of the service at three different prices.

Fiverr has over 100 categories and pretty much any service can be offered within those categories as long as it’s legal and follows the terms of the company.

Some of their current services are writing, translating, converting files, video editing, online lessons, e-commerce marketing, and among many others.

The earnings remain in your account which you can withdraw to your bank account, PayPal account, or Fiverr Revenue Card. There’s also a direct deposit option but it’s only available for those living in the United States.

Keep in mind that every option, except for PayPal, has a withdrawal service fee.

Open an Etsy Shop

Etsy is a well-known global marketplace for handcrafted and vintage items. It provides a great platform for buyers to find unique items and for sellers to reach a huge community.

Even though Etsy is primarily known for its crafts and vintages, there are other categories available such as shoes, toys, books, printables, electronics, jewelry, pet supplies, and many more.

Your 14-year-old can set up an Etsy account, but will still be considered a minor until their 18^th birthday. During this time, Etsy requires you as a parent or legal guardian to supervise your child, monitor the activities, and manage the finances.

Make sure to check Etsy’s minor policy for more details.

Opening an Etsy shop has many benefits. It’s a well-established company, receives millions of visitors, and the startup cost is extremely low. It only takes $.20 cents to post a product listing. In other words, it only takes twenty cents to start selling on Etsy.

Once the sales start rolling, the earnings can be sent to your bank or PayPal account.

This online job is a good way for your teenager to gain more experience and exposure to the selling process. Once the business grows, I suggest buying a domain name and to open a Shopify store. It provides more flexibility and ownership.

Become a social media influencer

A social media influencer is a person who is able to attract a large number of followers who are loyal to their content. This content can be pictures, videos, or posts.

Achieving the “influencer” status opens opportunities like working with brands, bigger influencers, and publishers.

The most common social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, allow 14-year-olds to join and use their platforms.

Becoming an influencer takes time and a lot of work compared to the previous online jobs but the compensation and opportunities are a lot higher too.

In summary

As you noticed, this post gave you different job options for your 14-year-old to make money online:

Easy online jobs – such as surveys, products reviews, and online communities. These jobs are easy to complete, have short or none waiting period, but their pay is low.
Intermediate online jobs – such as Fiverr and Etsy. These job options require some time to plan and set up the page or shop. There’s a small learning process but there are also better opportunities to make more money than the previous category.
Advanced online jobs – such as becoming a social media influencer. It takes longer to learn the concept and to see results. But if done right, the income can be very rewarding.

Also, as a reminder, make sure to take the necessary precautions while your child is online.

Here are three quick tips to keep your teenager safe online:

Know where your kids are

Many experts suggest knowing where your child is at all times. It’s something that applies to the virtual world too! Make sure to know which social media platforms your child is using and who they are following or interacting with.

Encourage open communication

Get involved in your teenager’s life. Once they start an online job, follow up with them. Ask them how it is going, what they have achieved so far, what they need help with, etc. Try to answer any question they may have and motivate them to reach their goals.

Don’t be afraid to be a parent

Make sure to pay attention to the type of pictures and comments that your child is posting online. Are they appropriate? If they are not, remind your child about the importance and consequences of such actions.

Below is a great video from Howcast with additional tips on how to keep your child safe online:

Let me hear from you!

I hope this list can help your child get started.

If you know of any other online job for a 14-year-old that was not included on the list, share it with us! I would also like to know, which job option will work best with your teenager? Leave a comment below.

List of Sight Words That Your 5-year-old Should Know Now

Mar 11, 2019 by Lynelle 15 Comments

Has your child memorized the list of sight words for Kindergarten, yet?

Desk image with a free list for moms to download the sight words for preschoolers

As soon as your child starts Kindergarten, you will hear their teacher talk about sight words.

That’s because sight words help your child in different ways.

In this post, I will answer three common questions from moms:

What are sight words
Why are sight words important
How do I teach my child sight words

I will share the same strategies that I use at home to help your child succeed.

Plus, the good news is that you don’t have to wait for the teacher.

If you are a mom who likes to be proactive, keep reading because I will give the exact list of sight words that my daughter got from her Kindergarten teacher so you can get a head start!

Table Of Contents

What are sight words?
Why are sight words important?
How do I teach my child sight words?
Additional tools to learn sight words in a fun way
What are the basic sight words? (FREE list – instant download)
100+ sight words kindergarten printable
Final Thoughts about the List of Sight Words

What are sight words?

Sight words are words that are frequently used in children’s books. Words like “out”, “where”, and “red” are some of many sight words included in the list for Kindergarten.

To give you an idea of how often they are used, it is said that sight words count for up to 75% of the text in children’s books. With that huge percentage, it’s easy to understand why it’s so important for you to practice with your child.

Ok, but how does it work?

It’s easy.

To work, your child needs to memorize the list of sight words. In that way whenever they are reading, they can immediately identify those words that they are already familiarized with.

These words are normally taught throughout the Kindergarten school year. But if your child is ready, you can practice before school starts. Since my daughter attended pre-K, I started teaching her when she was 4-year-old.

Why are sight words important?

It may not seem like a big deal but memorizing sight words is very important for young kids. It helps them to quickly recognize words while reading.

Here are a few benefits that I noticed after my toddler started learning her words, she:

is more confident when reading
reads better and faster
feels even more motivated to read
is more motivated to read on her own

My daughter has always loved books, but I have seen a bigger difference after she has been able to quickly recognize common words.

A beautiful girl practicing her list of sight words for Kindergarten

This post contains affiliate links. You can read my disclosure for more information.

How do I teach my child sight words?

There are different strategies to teach sight words to your child. Don’t get stuck on using only one. Feel free to use as many as you need to help your child succeed.

I use the first three strategies for every single word, but I always add the fourth strategy whenever my daughter is having a hard time memorizing one.

Here are four different strategies:

Read the sight word

The teacher gives us cards with the words already printed on them. I have re-created the entire list of sight words to make it easier for you.

You can easily download the list, print them on cardstock, cut the words through the lines, and use them as flashcards. In the beginning, I wrote the words on index cards, and it worked perfectly fine for me too.

Also, make sure that your child reads frequently so he/she can start recognizing these words in the books.

Related article for kids: 20 Summer Books for Preschoolers

Write the sight word

Writing the word is another good way to practice. When I practice with my daughter, it tells me if she really remembers how the word is spelled. Your child can use one or more of the following tools:

– primary journal: I have one for my daughter and that helps her know how to write within the lines too. This journal is very similar to the one I have.

– dry erase board: this is something that you can keep reusing and kids love using them. There are different sizes available such as a portable board, tabletop easel, and a standing whiteboard.

– manuscript tablet: it works like the notebook, but the pages can be removed easily too. This is the manuscript tablet that I bought before but I found another option that gives you a lot more pages, 500 to be exact!

Check out these tips on how to teach sight words to your child! Click To Tweet

Quick tip for difficult sight words:

If my daughter doesn’t remember how to write the word correctly, I ask her to write it several times by using one of the following methods:

– the rainbow method: In this case, your child can write each sight word with a different color or write each letter of the word with a different color. You can use crayons, markers, pens, or colored pencils.

– the sizing method: I ask my daughter to write the same sight word five times but every time she writes it to make it bigger. Or you can do it vice versa, from bigger to smaller. In the end, it should look something like this:

An example of the sizing method as a way to teach the list of sight words for Kindergarten

Spell the sight word

I use this strategy regularly because it’s easy to do and you can use it anywhere. I can practice with daughter in the car, while brushing her hair, before serving food, and so on.

It also makes her comfortable and gets her more used to spelling words, which is something that she will need in higher grades. For this strategy, grab your list of sight words or cards and ask your child to spell the word for you.

Act silly

Acting silly always work with kids! Look for silly ways to make your child remember the sight words.

Since you know your child the best, try to apply the word to something related to their life. You can sing the word like Frozen, Baby Shark, or any other song that your child likes.

To give you an example, my little one had difficulty remembering how to spell the word eight. I taught her to sing it like the song Bingo and that was it. She was able to memorize it correctly!

The good thing about the Bingo song is that you can use it for pretty much any word with five letters such as funny, every, and there.

Make sure to download this FREE list of sight words for Kindergarten! Click To Tweet

A quick tip to help your child memorize the words:

Throughout the years, different researches have shown the positive effects that moving while learning has on young kids. Keep this mind and encourage your child to move while memorizing the words. Some of my daughter’s favorites are playing with the hula hoop, jumping on one leg, singing, and dancing.

Additional tools to learn sight words in a fun way

As always, there are additional tools such that you can use to help your child learn sight words in a fun way.

Sight word games

1. Cute flies

2. Sight words pizza

A unique sight words pizza for preschoolers

3. Bingo

4. Zingo

Note: For this game in particular, you can see the pictures on the website. It has more than 1,000 reviews.

5. Pop for sight words

6. Activity book

A sight words workbook to practice writing them

Some sight word flash cards

Pocket flashcards

5 Packs of flash cards (from Pre-K to third grade)

A helpful five pack of sight words for different levels

What are the basic sight words? (FREE list – instant download)

My daughter has been working on many sight words in Kindergarten but here are the first ten basic sight words that she got from school:

me
can
a
yellow
red
I
go
see
the
be

Click here to get the complete list (instant download)

100+ sight words kindergarten printable

Make sure to download the printable list for Kindergarten. Remember that it’s exactly the same list of sight words that my Kindergartener got from her school. Even though there could be a slight difference between schools, districts, or even states, most of the words included in this list are pretty much standard.

Submit the information below if you prefer for me to send the link to your email instead of getting the instant download.

A preview of the sight words list for Kindergarten

Final Thoughts about the List of Sight Words

In summary, to help your child rock Kindergarten:

Practice the list of sight words by following the strategies mentioned above
Read often – experts recommend reading at least 20 minutes every day
Have fun and add silliness to the learning process
Have patience with your child. It may take some time, but they will get better over time

Now, it’s your turn

Have you used any other strategy not included in here? Share it with us by leaving a comment below!

a quick reminder to pin this post for later

A girl studying her list of sight words for Kindergarten

3 Keys to a Happy Life: A Quick Guide for Moms

Mar 5, 2019 by Lynelle 29 Comments

As a mom, you do so many things every day that it feels selfish or impossible to think of a happy life. But, it’s time to change that because you deserve it more than anybody else. The good news is that this post is packed with information, resources, and keys to a happy life.

But let me tell you exactly what it covers:

The top 3 keys to happiness
Living a happy life
Finding happiness every day (and for an entire year!)
A resource tool
Getting more happiness in your life
What to do when you can’t find happiness

What causes happiness?

Over the years, many studies have been conducted to explain the cause of happiness. As expected, different causes have been mentioned to be the real cause of happiness:

Great kids
Strong friendships
Happy marriage
Active lifestyle
Financial stability
Achieving goals
Good health
Career success
Strong spirituality
Travel
Genetics and more

As you can see, there are many things involved in creating a happy life which makes it difficult to determine one specific key to happiness.

But, even when happiness is something personal that varies from person to person and from situation to situation, moms can still benefit from the following top three keys to create a happy life.

[lwptoc depth=”1″ numeration=”none” title=”Contents” skipHeadingText=”What causes happiness?”]

Top 3 keys to a happy life

Even though there are many keys to happiness that we can mention, I consider the following three to be the top ones for a busy mom. So, let’s talk about them…

1. Identify what makes you happy (+ happiness goals)

What exactly makes you happy?

It’s a simple question that we continuously fail to ask ourselves. The problem is that we often complain about our lives, without taking the time to find out what things makes us happy.

Things usually make more sense when they are in writing. Because of that, start by making a list of all the things that bring happiness to your life. While working on your list:

think of what truly makes you happy
don’t pay too much attention to how big or how small it is
include things that are present in your life as well as things that you would like to have or do

To make it easier, here are a few guidelines that you can follow:

Identifying what makes you happy is a good way to start but don’t stop there.
Find out why each of the things you listed makes you happy.
Look at your list to see how many things from your list are already present in your life.
Now, take it a step further and identify what is NOT bringing happiness to your life right now. If your goal is to achieve a happier life, then you must know what is reducing your happiness.

At this point, your happiness list should already be giving you some clarification or directions in your life.

For example, you may notice that you are not doing most of the things that make you happy. Or, that your unhappy list is longer than you thought.

No matter how your list turns out, don’t be discouraged by it. There might be things on your list that you can address quickly such as going to the park more often. However, others, such as searching for a new job, may take you longer to fix or improve.

Either way, keep your happiness goals in mind and stay focused.

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.

2. Train your mind to be happy

Listen to your mind since it’s a big contributor to your happiness…or unhappiness.

In case you haven’t heard about it yet, there are two types of mindsets: fixed and growth mindsets. A fixed mindset believes that a person’s skills and characteristics can’t be controlled while a growth mindset believes the opposite.

For example, a person with a fixed mindset usually gives up easily, avoid challenges, and believes that things will never improve. On the other side, a person with a growth mindset handles challenges, believes that talents can be developed, and welcomes constructive feedback.

Be conscious of your thoughts or you may end up training your mind for unhappiness.

HOW DO YOU TRAIN YOUR MIND TO BE HAPPY?

Use positive affirmations

Positive affirmations are a quick way to put your mind back to a happy place and you can use a new one as often as you need to.

While some people like to change their affirmation daily, I prefer to keep focusing on the same affirmation throughout the year. I feel that it’s easier for me to remember it and to train my mind to believe in it too.

But, it’s up to you how often you want to change it: daily, weekly, monthly, etc.

There are many great positive affirmations online to choose from. But, if you are not sure which one to choose, you can start with “I choose to be happy”. That’s always a great place to start!

Avoid negative self-talk

I love a quote from Henry Ford that says: “Whether you think you can, or you can’t – you are right”.

Be careful with the way that you talk to yourself. Negative thoughts affect your emotions as well as your behaviors.

You need to believe in yourself and in the happiness that you deserve. Whenever you catch yourself on negative self-talk, think of your positive affirmation or switch it to a positive phrase.

Practice gratitude

This is something small that will make a big difference in your life. Every day, make it a habit to write at least three things that you are grateful for. It only takes a few minutes, but it will switch your mind to a positive one.

You can write those things at any time while reflecting on your previous day. I prefer to do it before going to sleep because I feel that it makes me wake up in a more positive way. You can use a gratitude log, a bullet journal, a planner, a diary, or a regular notebook.

Welcome challenges in your life

Look at challenges as an opportunity to learn and grow. Believe that you are strong enough to overcome those challenges.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to other people or use available resources if you need to. And every time you feel as giving up, imagine how happy you will be after overcoming that challenge.

There’s another quote that says, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”. Many times, those challenges are just pushing us farther from our comfort zone and closer to our true happiness.

Do exercises on a regular basis

When you do exercises, you are helping yourself physically and mentally. It helps you improve your memory, relieve stress, focus better, improve your mood, sleep better, and have more energy, among many other benefits. In other words, if you want to be happier, consider adding some exercises to your life.

3. Love yourself

As a mom, you have probably heard people say that you need to take care of yourself first to be able to take care of your family. The same applies when loving yourself.

Loving yourself makes you happier not only on your own skin but with your life too. It brings different benefits including being more confident, willingness to take on more challenges, and less stress that you are putting on yourself.

Even if your life is not where you want it to be right now, we all need to start somewhere. Evaluate your situation and plan where you want to be.

And yes, there are some steps to get you started… 😊

STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU LOVE YOURSELF:

Accept who you are

The best advice here is to always be yourself. Living a life that is true to yourself will have a better impact on your happiness. Take the time, if you haven’t yet, to know yourself better and follow what makes you happy.

Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses

You may be more used to knowing your weaknesses since that’s what bothers us the most. But we all have a set of strengths too. The combination of both is what sets us apart and make us unique.

Focus on your strengths first and use them to your advantage in your personal and professional life. And for those weaknesses that bother you, work on improving them.

Ignore the annoying voice

As I mentioned before, negative self-talk can be toxic, and it only makes you feel worse. Ignoring that annoying voice helps you notice and appreciate the real you.

Create a superpower list

This is a great option to give you a little push if you still need help discovering yourself. As moms, we can easily come up with thousands of reasons that make each of our kids special, but we have a hard time talking about ourselves.

Because of that, make a list of what makes you special. Even if it feels weird at the beginning, work on it and include at least 10 superpowers on your list.

Increase your self-confidence

We tend to admire people who are leaders, achieve more, or helps others. Looking at your life in an objective way, ask yourself what you can do to feel better about yourself.

In other words, list the actions you can take to feel prouder of who you are. Remember to break that list of actions into smaller steps that you can manage without overwhelming you.

Ok, now that you know the keys to happiness, you are probably wondering how to apply that information in order to live a happier life. So, let’s keep going.

How can I live a happy life?

First, it’s important to understand that happiness it’s not a permanent place or destination but a continuous and changing process.

In other words, once you complete what you want, you will probably be ready to achieve something else. Like Robert Frost said, “happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length”. The feeling of happiness

Those things that make you happy won’t last forever. New things will make you happy. And that’s perfectly normal because your life should change too.

Some of those changes can be:

Getting older
Having new priorities
Changing jobs, going back to work, or becoming a stay at home mom
Starting your own business
Completing school or obtaining a certification
Moving to another city, state, or country
Becoming a first-time mom or having more kids
Getting married, separated, or divorced

Changes are part of growing and being alive. Even if five years doesn’t sound like a long time, I’m pretty sure that many changes have occurred in your life during that period of time.

Because of that, each person will have a different answer to living a happy life. What makes you happy today, won’t necessarily make you happy two years from now.

So, the best way to live a happy life is to focus on being happy, regularly. And that takes us to the next question…

How do you find happiness every day? (and for a full year!)

It seems like we know exactly how to be intentional if we want to:

lose weight — be more active and watch what you eat
learn another language — practice regularly
save money — track your income and spending
read more books — block some time to read every day
drink more water — track your daily intake

But we don’t know where to start when it comes to our happiness. The answer?

Apply the same principle for anything else that you want to bring to your life: Identify your happiness, layout how you can achieve it, and go for it.

In other words, find happiness every day by:

Being intentional

To be intentional with your actions, you must know first what you want and how to make it happen. In this case, you don’t have to go big especially because you are focusing on daily actions towards happiness.

Avoiding the 3-day rule

Even when you are having a busy day, train your mind to look for happiness. Be consistent and avoid what I call the 3-day rule. That’s when you get excited to start something new. In the beginning, you put extra effort and focus more on it. Then, as the days pass by, you lose interest, focus, and end up quitting. Keep your happiness goals in mind and stay focused.

Tracking your actions toward happiness

Tracking your actions serves two important purposes. It helps you be consistent, and that consistency will eventually help you create the good habits that you want to add to your life.

It also shows us the real picture of our progress. That’s important because our minds love to trick us making us think that we are doing better than we really are.

By tracking your actions, you can see how consistent you have been throughout the process.

RESOURCE TOOL: 365 Days of Happiness,

A step-by-step guide to being happy

I know that it may be kind of hard to find something different to focus on every day especially when you still have other daily goals to work on.

The good news is that the author of the book 365 Days of Happiness already did it for you.

By the way, even though I received a copy of the book, this is not a sponsored post and all the opinions mentioned in this post are my own.

BOOK HIGHLIGHTS

Here what I like the most about the book:

A daily dose of happiness

This book is separated into daily inspirations to help you bring happiness to your life every single day. This type of format removes the guessing part out of your day and allows you to go straight into action.

Mom-friendly

This book was written with busy moms in mind. Instead of chapters, this book focuses on helping you be happy for a full year. The best part is that most of the days only take one side of the page which makes it extremely easy to read even within your busy schedule.

Supports consistency

Since everything is already separated by day (e.g. Day 1, Day 2, etc.), all you need is to get up in the morning and read one page while eating breakfast or drinking your cup of coffee. Easy enough, right?

Chatting with a friend

It’s impossible to miss the author’s passion for happiness throughout the entire book. That’s understandable because she has been leading life-changing workshops, talks, and private sessions since 2006. But, regardless of that, her approach is very casual making you feel that you are having continuous, short conversations with a friend.
I downloaded these FREE printables to increase happiness. Have you? Click To Tweet

How do I get more happiness in my life?

At this point, you know the keys to happiness, how to live a happy life, and how to intentionally create that happiness every day. Now, let’s talk about the one thing that can help you increase happiness on a regular basis…

Be present

As busy moms, we not only have many things happening around us but many of them require our attention. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by being a baby sitter, homework helper, boss mom, teacher, psychologist, advisor, coach, cook, home manager, storyteller, entertainer, and the list keeps going on and on.

When we try to multi-task too much, we forget the importance of being present. But don’t worry, here are some quick ideas to help you be more present in your life and the life of others.

RELAX MORE

We know that we need to relax more but we still fail to do it. It feels like there’s always something urgent to do. The following techniques can help:

Meditation and yoga

It’s not uncommon for moms to find it hard to meditate when there are other things to do too. But the combination of meditation and yoga keeps your body and mind happy.

Doing both can help improve flexibility, muscle strength, and memory, while decreasing anxiety, stress, lack of focus, and energy.

To get you started, check out James Stephenson guided meditation and Adriene’s yoga videos. If you are still not too convinced of doing meditation and yoga right now, then at least practice the next technique, deep breathing.

Deep breathing

Before, when I shared some things about me, I talked about a problem that I had with my vocal cords. Because of that, I had to take speech therapies.

At first, I was skeptical, especially when I learned that I needed to relax my mind as part of my therapy. It meant that for five minutes, I had to sit on a chair with my eyes closed thinking about something that would make me happy while taking deep breathes.

The first times were very difficult for me. As a type A person, those five minutes felt more like an hour or even two!! 🙁 But eventually, I started to really enjoy that time because I could see the difference that it was bringing to my life.

I was feeling better after each therapy. The therapies helped my vocal cords tremendously, but those deep breathing exercises helped me relax and handle the days in a better way.

In fact, several studies talk about the benefits of deep breathing which include relieving stress, calming down, improving your blood pressure and heart rate, among others.

Enjoying the moment

With so many things on our plate, it’s hard to detach ourselves from our daily to-do lists to enjoy the moment. If you want to be present, you must be intentional about your time. One of the best ways to achieve it is by reducing distractions which is exactly what we will cover next.

REDUCE DISTRACTIONS

I know, distractions are everywhere: TVs, calls, text messages, emails, social media, kids, doorbell, etc.

The problem is the time that it takes to go back to what we were doing. According to a study from the University of California, it takes more than twenty minutes to refocus on what you were doing before the interruption.

That’s a lot of precious time wasted!

But even though it may seem almost impossible to get rid of distractions, there are still effective ways to reduce them:

Block your time

All you do is literally block time in your calendar for that task or event. Time blocking helps you plan and focus better because your brain is already prepared for what needs to be done. And, since you already blocked the time in your calendar, you will be more willing to avoid other distractions.

Focus on what you are doing

If you decided to watch a movie with your kids, make sure to pay attention to the movie and avoid checking your phone every few seconds. Not only you will be able to watch the movie, but your kids will be happier to see that you are spending quality time with them.

You can also keep your phone on silent during that time to avoid temptations.

Share your schedule

Sometimes, all you need is to set specific hours and share them with others. Sharing your schedule keeps everybody on the same page.

Also, consider creating a simple command center which is a great way to keep the family informed and connected. For work purposes, a digital calendar may work best with your team members.

What to do when you can’t find happiness?

Ok, let’s say that you read this entire post and followed all the suggested keys to a happy life, but for some reason, you still feel that you can’t find happiness in your life. If that happens to you, this is what you can do:

Re-read the information

Go back and re-read the information covered in this post. Make sure that you have put into practice at least most of what we have discussed. Sometimes, we just need to get back to the information to refresh our memory or to notice helpful tips that we unintentionally skipped.

Review your happiness goals

Look at the list of happiness goals that you created earlier in this post (free happiness printables). Do you see something that needs to be adjusted? It’s always a good practice to review your list on a regular basis. Once every month should be a good start but make sure that it works for you.

Read a self-help book

Reading has many benefits including improving your memory, focus, and reducing stress. Those are great added benefits on top of the knowledge that you get from books. Those factors are enough to improve your days which contributes to a happy life. That’s another reason to grab the happiness book.

Join a mom group

Sometimes, all you need is to talk to someone. Somebody who listens to you with the best intentions to help you get back on track. You can also join a mom group where you live. These types of groups let you connect with other moms.

Moms also have the opportunity to share experiences, situations, and in some cases, even support each other. And because these groups are created for moms, kids are welcomed too!

With so many groups out there, you shouldn’t have a problem in finding the best one for you. To find a group, ask other moms, do a quick google search, or look for a Meetup group.

Talk to a professional

Don’t skip the option of talking to a professional about your situation. A professional can help you identify the reasons affecting your life and help you find the best ways to deal with any challenge or concern.

It’s your turn to apply the keys to a happy life

I hope that all these tips and resources have been helpful to you. Make sure to pin this post so you can reference it as many times as needed. And, don’t forget to get the free happiness printables if you haven’t done so already.

But, before you go, which one of the top three keys will you work on first? Let me know in the comments section.

Disney Cruise Tips: 5 Ways to Maximize Your Time

Sep 17, 2018 by Lynelle Leave a Comment

If this is your first time going on a Disney Cruise, get ready to have a lot of fun. However, before you sail away, make sure to go over these Disney Cruise tips to help you maximize your time.

Even though there’s a misconception that Disney Cruises are only for kids, your entire family can have a great time on the cruise.

I bet that the person who said, “time flies when you are having fun”, took a Disney Cruise. No matter if it’s a short or long cruise, by the time it’s over, you will probably be sad. It happens so often that it’s even called the Post-Cruise Depression.

However, since I’m always looking for ways to save time and be more productive, vacationing on the Disney Cruise would not be the exception. After all, I wanted to enjoy up to the very last cent paid.

And, I bet that you want that too, so let’s get started…

A happy mom having fun in the beach with her kids after following these Disney Cruise tips

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure for information.

Contents

5 Disney Cruise Tips to Maximize Your Time
Final Thoughts on Disney Cruise Tips

5 Disney Cruise Tips to Maximize Your Time

Disney Cruise Tip #1 – Keep your documents organized

Keeping all documents organized is important even when you are vacationing.

To make it easier, I classified my documents into one of two categories: essential documents or other important documents.

Essential Documents

The essential documents are important documents that you will need to use or show in order to access an area.

While traveling on the Disney Cruise, there are essential documents that you may need frequently. Because of that, keep the documents handy and in one place.

Imagine waiting in a long line to get off the cruise and start exploring the new port of call, just to realize that you left the passports in your stateroom and can’t go anywhere ☹.

That’s why I bought a functional bag like this one. It’s easier to carry and keep with me at all times. For the most part, here is what I carried inside that bag:

stateroom cards
passports for my family
tickets for the tours
money
credit card
blank paper (to take notes if needed)
pen
an extra pacifier (only a mom knows how important it is if it gets lost!)

Disney Cruise Tip #2 – Use the cruise rotational dining

Rotational dining is something that I really like about Disney Cruises especially when you are traveling with little ones.

Here is a quick summary of how it works.

Every day, the Disney Cruise reserves a table for you to eat dinner at one of its three main restaurants. It’s rotational dining because Disney reserves a table at one of those restaurants every night. It’s a simple concept with several benefits:

The reservation is already made for you: Therefore, there’s no need to waste time looking for a table because everything is ready for you and your family. I even had a high chair ready at the table. And to make things easier, your table number is the same every day.
Scheduled time – Since it’s a reservation, you (and the servers) know exactly when to go. That’s a huge benefit because you can decide what activities to plan before and after your dinner time.
Assigned servers rotate with you: Kids feel more comfortable when they know what to expect. In this case, your kids can interact with the same servers they already met.

In addition to saving time and reducing stress, those main dining restaurants are a magical experience for kids (and parents 😉).

However, rotational dining is completely optional and there are more places available to eat including ordering room service from your stateroom.

Disney Cruise Tip #3 – Packing Tips: Simplify and minimize

If you want to take advantage of many activities during your trip, you will probably be running from one side to another trying to be on time for breakfast, character appearance, tour, dinner time, pirate night, show, musical, and much more.

Getting your family ready for the next activity or part of the day will take time. Follow these packing tips to make it better:

Packing tips for clothes

For the first Disney cruise, I grouped the clothes without knowing how much it would help me down the road. After seeing how easy it was, I immediately did the same for the second cruise.

Here is what I did to save time getting the clothes:

Got the cruise itinerary and identified the activities or events for each day. It will be something like this: a day at sea, tour at the Bahamas, Castaway, etc. Also, add the three main dining restaurants if you plan to use their rotational dining.
Wrote the identified activities on index cards (the contrast makes it easier and faster to see the information).
Separated my daughters’ and my clothes based on the activities or events. You can add the dates but keep in mind that you won’t know your assigned rotational dining restaurant until that same day in the cruise.
Grouped the activity clothes together, put them (nicely) inside in a storage bag like this one, and taped the index card to the bag. I did the same for every single activity or event. For example, if I had a bag labeled “Enchanted Garden”, it included all the clothes for that restaurant: my outfit, my two daughter’s dresses, and even her hair bows.

Again, my purpose is to save as much time as I can.

Whenever it’s time to get ready, all you do is grab your already prepared outfit bag corresponding to that activity. You won’t waste time thinking about what to wear or trying to find the clothes that you left with the other things.

Since the bags that I used had a vacuum valve, it was easier to fit things inside the luggage too. There are different sizes available depending on your needs. I mostly used large and x-large to fit all the outfits together.

And speaking about the bags, here I found similar storage bags that seem to work even better based on the reviews received.

When you choose your clothes, it’s normal to take into consideration the weather of your destination. However, it’s also important to check on how the weather will be when you return from your cruise.

For example, when we went on the Very Merrytime Disney Cruise, the temperature in Texas was in the fifties. While Cozumel had beautiful sunny weather with a temperature in the mid-eighties.

A packing hack is also included in these Disney Cruise tips

Packing tips for shoes

Don’t go overboard with your shoes. Here is where I suggest you minimize.

To save time, I chose shoes that I could use for different occasions AND I only packed one pair of each:

Tennis shoes for tour days and days at sea
Casual shoes for casual main dining and musicals
Dressy shoes that can be used for both casual and fancy activities such as eating Royal Palace or attending an event with the Captain.
Flip flops for the pool or beach at the port of call

Disney Cruise Tip #4 – Use the personal navigator

Every day, the Disney cruise prints a personal navigator which they distribute directly to your stateroom. It’s a newsletter that includes all the details for a specific day such as special instructions, reminders, character appearances, movies, important numbers, highlights, shows, games, and much more.

You normally get the navigator on the previous day. Therefore, don’t just put it aside or in your luggage. Instead, use it to plan the next day ahead of time.

My strategy was simple.

Every night, I was going over every single detail included on that navigator since I didn’t want to miss anything. Especially, because some of the activities are only offered once or twice during the trip.

After circling all the activities that my family would enjoy, I made a list of those activities with their location, which was based on their time. I kept that list handy in my purse to refer to it when needed.

Download the app

After having the list of activities for the next day, I was adding them to the Disney Cruise app.

What I liked the most is that it lets you create reminders to help you stay on top of the cruise events. It also has the time and location for each event, and even the map of the ship so you know exactly where to go.

Make sure to download the app during embarkation because it has other helpful features available too.

The food at the Disney Cruises is delicious

Disney Cruise Tip #5 – Wake up early

If you like to sleep until late, this tip is definitely one that you won’t like to hear. I understand that being on vacation should be part of a relaxing experience.

However, getting up early helps you maximize your time on the cruise as well as in your daily life.

You want to get up early in the day for a few reasons:

Cabanas – It’s a delicious buffet place to have breakfast. Even though there’s a variety of food available, it gets crowded (at least during non-school days).
Castaway Cay (or any other destination) – Castaway Cay has is a pretty island to explore, play, and take beautiful pictures. Make sure you have enough time to enjoy the island.
Exercises – It gives you time to do some exercises before starting the activities planned for the day.
Nature – For some reason, the sky, sea, and the sun look prettier when you are cruising. This is the perfect time to enjoy nature and to take more pictures too!

By the way, if you want to learn more about their shows, dining, activities, and more, request the Free Disney Cruise planning DVD.

Final Thoughts on Disney Cruise Tips

You are ready to sail away! Make sure to follow the tips discussed above to maximize your time and enjoy every minute of your magical Disney Cruise!

If this is your first time, don’t forget to download the 9 Extra Tips You Want to Know Before Your First Disney Cruise.

Do you have another Disney Cruise tip to help maximize the time? Or, if this is your first time, which tip did you like the most?

Either way, leave me a comment to let me know.

New Moms

Here are the summer activities for preschoolers and toddlers:

Summer activity #1 – Activities for preschoolers at home

Summer Activity #2 – Register on summer reading programs

Here are my favorite summer reading programs:

Summer Activity #3 – Stop by your public library

Summer Activity #4 – Watch some movies

Here are the summer movies for 2021:

Summer Activity #5 – Visit a museum

Summer Activity #6 – Attend the city activities

Summer Activity #7 – Take a class

Here are some ideas:

Final thoughts on summer activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers

Liked it? Please share it with your family and friends!

Steps to Plan a Baby Shower

Step 1 – Set a Budget

Step 2 – Create a Guest List

Step 3 – Choose Location, Date, and Time

Choose the location

Set the Date

Choose the best time

Step 4 – Theme for Baby Shower Decorations

Step 5 – Invitations

Step 6 – Food and Drinks

Step 7 – Create Lasting Memories

Bonus steps to plan a baby shower

Baby Shower Games

Baby Shower Party Favors

Final Thoughts on How to Plan a Baby Shower

Top 7 tips on how to save money on groceries

1. Plan before going to the store

Here are three ways to access the flyers:

2. Use what you have available

3. Put your meal plan together

4. Prepare your shopping trip

5. Find the hidden discount areas

6. Take advantage of the sales

7. Be a loyal customer

BONUS: 3 Ways to save money on groceries

Now, you are ready to save money on groceries

Pin it for later and don’t forget to share it with friends!

LOL Doll Party Decorations

Backdrop

This is what I did

Quick alternatives

Cake Table

The Entrance

Wall Decorations

LOL Surprise Birthday Party Games

Pin the Bow

LOL Bingo

Printables

LOL Word Search

Photo Props

Piñata

LOL Birthday Party – Food and Drinks

Birthday Cake

Snacks

DIY Party Invitations

LOL Dresses for the Birthday Girl

More LOL Birthday Party Ideas Worth Sharing

LOL Surprise Birthday Party Ideas Summary

How can I help my child transition into Kindergarten?

Wait for their turn

Follow instructions

Listen to others

Work well with others

Respect others

How can I make my child’s transition into Kindergarten easier?

Know what to expect

Develop a routine

Attend school activities

Have fun getting the school supplies

Make a big deal

Helpful Resources for You and Your Child

Game Board Ideas:

Activity Book Ideas:

Rewards / Behavioral Chart Ideas:

Final Thoughts on Child’s Transition into Kindergarten

Stylish Gifts for the Fashionista Mom