Everybody Knows Riley

Field Trip Survival Tips

2013-05-02T10:22:00.002-04:00

This week I had the fun opportunity to chaperone my second field trip with wild child's PreK class to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. I had such a wonderful experience! In fact, we all did, parents, teachers and kids alike. So I wanted to share with you some tips on making a field trip with 21 four and five year olds a success!

1. Pay Attention to the Plan! Before you ever leave the school, know the plan. If you are driving your own car, make sure you have cell phone numbers of the teacher, and at least one other parent in case you get separated from the group. Make sure you have any directions and listen to any specific instructions given by the teacher. Make sure you clarify the plan to handle accidents and emergencies. Ask about any allergies!

2. Learn Names! This is a struggle for me! I am horrible with remembering names but you need to make a point to introduce yourself to other parents and the kids. Make sure you commit to memory the name of your "buddy" or child assigned to you. Write it down if you have to! Keep count of your kids at all time. If you are assigned a group, take role as well. A head count doesn't ensure the ones you counted are supposed to be with you!

3. Follow the Rules! Make sure you follow the rules set forth by the teacher and the facility. Enforce those with the children if you have to. You can usually head off any issues if you are paying attention to what the kids are doing. Stay alert and notify the teacher if there are any major issues or concerns.

4. Keep Up! Be sure to stay with the group. Make sure you review any specific times you need to check in with the teacher if you get to go off and explore on your own. Set a reminder in your cell phone just in case you get carried away in the excitement! You wouldn't want someone to have to come find you!

5. Offer to Help! Let the teacher know that you are willing to help with any extra tasks like passing out lunches, washing hands and bathroom breaks. The trip can be fun for everyone involved and the teacher should be able to enjoy it too! It's no fun when you feel like you have to do everything yourself!

Following these tips, and having a good attitude will help ensure everyone has a safe and fun trip! And make sure you are invited back for the next field trip!

Have you been on any field trips yet with your kiddos? I would love for you to add your own tips and share your experiences!

Here are a few pictures of the fun we had!

Stay Fabulous,

Fun at the Brookhaven Boys and Girls Club

2013-04-15T17:22:00.003-04:00

Recently Riley and I were invited to attend an event at the Brookhaven Boys and Girls Club as a part of the Open the Door, Take the Tour campaign for National Boys and Girls Club Week. They invited Metro Atlanta area bloggers to tour the facilities, learn more about the organization, and interact with the kids. We had such a fun time meeting new friends, and getting a better look at the amazing impact the Boys and Girls Club has on the lives of children in local communities.

I was interested in attending the event to see what types of programs and services they offer. I was happy to learn that they focus on the entire well-being of children. They focus on academic success, healthy lifestyles, and charachter and leadership development. Their mission is "To save and change the lives of children and teens, especially those who need us most, by providing a safe, positive, and engaging environment and programs that prepare and inspire them to achieve Great Futures." I think they go above and beyond this mission. It was evident from the moment we arrived and in all areas of their programs.

My favorite part of the visit was getting to visit each different section of the facility. In the game

room we played pool on a kids height pool table, and I got to share with Riley how to line up a great shot. I was so impressed with the different types of equipment available for the kids. They also have an exercise bike for kids to use. I love that the Boys and Girls Club desires to impact childhood obesity and recognizing the importance of teaching children about a healthy lifestyle. They have a program called Triple Play: A Game Plan for the Mind, Body and Soul, a holistic approach to educating youth about nutrition, fitness and forming healthy relationships.

In the homework room, we got to do some worksheets and interact with the staff leader as she helped the kids figure out the answers for themselves. Surprisingly Riley enjoyed the numbers worksheet! But her favorite was the arts and crafts room (mine too!). She immediately sat down and went to work on the craft that the other kids were creating. The adults got to interact with the volunteer leader, a retired school teacher with a huge passion for helping kids find their inner creative self. They support all types of creative expression, from painting the ceiling tiles to putting on their own theatre production! They are creating the next generation of artists.

The Metro Atlanta Boys and Girls Clubs are partnering with 25 artists to create the "75 Blue Doors" to create 75 individual art displays. Each piece of art is inspired by kids and teens at the Club who are focused on achieving Great Futures. They will be placed around Atlanta in high traffic areas such as Turner Field, the Fox Theatre, the Atlanta History Center, and Hartsfield/Jackson Airport just to name a few. You can check out the full list of locations at www.75bluedoors.org. The doors will remain on display from April 1stthrough April 30th.
You can also vote for your favorite door here!

We had a wonderful time spending the afternoon with the Boys and Girls Club and throughly enjoyed our tour. It made my heart smile to know that this organization gives kids a safe place to come and thrive after school and during the summers. I encourage you to take a tour of your local Boys and Girls Club by finding the one closest to you at www.bgcma.org. Can't find time to stop by? Take a virtual tour here. Would like to do more to help this wonderful organization? They need donations, volunteers, and corporate sponsors. Find out how you can get involved here!

Stay Fabulous,

"I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. I attended an information session and received a gift bag and promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate."

Manic Monday: Part Five

2013-04-01T20:35:00.002-04:00

Have you missed me? I have been off to a super busy start to the year! Lots of changes to my daily routine and latelty blogging fell lower on the priority list. After adjusting to the new schedule and added responsibilities, I feel like I am back on track. I want to bring the Manic Monday series to a close by adding one last tip.

So far we have explored several areas that included simple changes to your day that make a big impact. I opened the series with getting dressed compelely where I encouraged you to get up and dressed before your kid(s) wake up. A minor change with major impact. In part two I encouraged you to start your day the night before by laying out clothes for the family. A huge time saver in the morning! I shared my easy approach to meal planning and followed that up with how to stay on top of laundry. For the last installment I want to share how I keep my day to day running smoothly. I would not have been able to survive these last few months without it. My Calendar.

An essential part for any type A personality. I have used some type of planner/organizer/calendar since I was in the sixth grade. I really had my stuff together then and had all of my classes color coded and arranged everything according to importance. These days it doesn't happen in color but it all gets done!

The biggest part of a calendar is of course using it. My #1 rule for keeping a calendar, is pencil. I avoid writing in pen at all costs. That makes me nervous. As much as I like planning every little detail of my day, I am well acquainted with how things can change. Not so much your schedule, but others. Here is a sample month at a glance view:

I keep a paper copy and a digital copy, two digital copies actually. I take a few minutes out of each day to sync them up. Usually at night before I head to bed. I like to review everything for the following day and week. My old school paper calendar has a month at a glance page and large spaces for the individual days of the week. For my digital versions I use my iphone calendar and Cozi.

Cozi is an amazing resource. I use it mainly to share my calendar with others. This is great for school events and games that everyone needs to know about. Each member of the family has their own log in and it's color coordinated. The best part about it is, It's FREE! Check it out!

I hope you have learned a trick or two to help you through those crazy Mondays. I know when I have all of these things working in my favor, life seems a lot less complicated.

Have any of these tips helped you? What have you changed? Were some easier than others?

I would love to hear from you. Please leave me a comment below.

Stay Fabulous,

PSMB Post: "It's Okay" but Is It Really?

2013-01-18T09:22:00.000-05:00

Today I am sharing at Peach State Moms Blog about moms unintentionally interfering with other people's parenting. Are you as guilty as I am? Does this drive you crazy too? Check it out! I bet you've done it too!

Ever run in to this on the playground? Click on over and check it out!

Stay Fabulous,

Manic Monday: Part 4

2012-10-22T10:19:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, welcome to another installment of Manic Monday. Where I give practical tips in small stages to help you take back control of your Monday's, or any day for that matter.

So far I have covered getting dressed compelely where I encouraged you to get up and dressed before your kid(s) wake up. A minor change with major impact. In part two I encouraged you to start your day the night before by laying out clothes for the family. A huge time saver in the morning! Last week we talked about my easy approach to meal planning.

Today I'd like to talk about your dirty laundry. Not that kind! The kind that seems to multiply at night and never be done. Getting laundry done in my busy schedule has always been a struggle. I remember back in college when I didn't have a family to care for and it was still a hassle! I realized it wasn't doing the laundry that I was struggling with, it was my attitude about doing the laundry that was the issue.

When I realized it had to be done no matter what, things improved. I never had a problem with the washing, it has always been the folding/hanging and putting away part. It seems to be that way for most people. And I don't know what is so daunting about it! However, I did realize one thing that seems to help and that's what I wanted to share today.

Do a load every day, no matter what!

As a family of three, we generate at least one small load of clothes a day. For a family of 5 you might have to do two loads a day. I usually save all the whites for the end of the week and wash all of them then. But I wash everything else together every day.

Here's the profound thing, it's really easy to put them away when there is only one small load. And not just shove them on the couch or toss them on the bed when the dryer beeps. When I don't stick to this, that's when things seem to get out of control.

Feel like laundry is running your life? I challenge you to spend the rest of this week doing at least one load of laundry a day. You can do it!

Stay Fabulous,

PSMB: Fair Fun

2012-10-18T17:01:00.000-04:00

Today I am writing about the fun trip we recently took with Riley to the Georgia National Fair in Perry.
Have you been to the Fair this Fall with your family?

Click on over to Peach State Moms Blog and check it out!

Stay Fabulous,

Manic Monday: Part 3

2012-10-15T23:34:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone. I missed writing last Monday but we took Riley on an exciting trip to the Georgia National Fair. I will be writing about that later this week on Peach State Moms Blog. Today I am focusing on another installment in the Manic Monday series. So far we have talked about getting dressed completely before your family wakes up and picking out your clothes the night before. If any one has tried these two things I know you can tell a difference.

Today as I laid around the house in pain from another migraine, I was reminded of another tip that helps things run smoothly around the house. Planing your meals ahead of time. It really saved me today because my husband was able to come home from work and cook dinner. It was wonderful that I was able to tell him exactly what to fix. And if I had to, I would have been able to cook the meal myself. I knew I had everything I needed, no running out to the store last minute or eating fast food for dinner.

I do my meal planning a little differently than most. I think it is a pretty easy way to do it. One Saturday when things were slow and we were just hanging out, I asked my family to tell me their favorite meals. They told them to me and we looked through some cookbooks together. I grabbed a stack of notebook paper and begin writing the recipes on to their own piece of paper. It was a little time consuming but trust me, so worth it.

By the time I finished, I had about 30 recipes to start building my meal plans. As I went through the pages I added what side items went well with it. For example, one sheet held the recipe for my mom's chili recipe. I added a note to myself that I like to serve it with shredded cheese and raw onions for toppings and serve with cornbread. Another example is spaghetti. I usually serve with a salad and garlic toast. It was very simple.

Then I sat down with all of my sheets of paper and picked out a weeks worth of dinners. I added in a planned day for leftovers too. From the recipes I made my grocery list. Checking to make sure of what items I already had on hand. I was shocked at how little I actually had to buy at the store. I made a deal with myself to stick to the plan and make all of the meals. And you know what? It was really easy to do!

You don't have to do this all in one setting like I did. I challenge you to start tomorrow writing down what you served for dinner and what sides etc. Soon you will have a diverse group of meals to pull from and meal planning will become easy for you. And it will really help when mommy needs a sick day!

Stay fabulous,

PSMB: Impromptu Beach Trip

2012-10-04T17:19:00.001-04:00

Today I am blogging about an impromptu trip to Tybee island over at Peach State Moms Blog. Click on over there and check it out!

Stay Fabulous,

Happy Fall Y'all

2012-10-02T22:27:00.000-04:00

Don't you just love this time of year? It is the beginning of my favorite time of the year. It kicks off with Fall and then ends with Christmas. Three months of the best decorating opportunities of the year!

Today I got a fun treat of helping my mom decorate her house for Fall. She is having a party this weekend and going all out getting ready. It was so much fun making new wreaths and pumpkin topiaries.

I realized in the last few years that I inheritied all of my creative genius from my mom. It is so much fun getting time to share ideas and create with her now that we live close.

I snapped some pictures today and will have a tutorial of the pumpkin topiaries for you next week. They were inspired by this picture from the October edition of Southern Living magazine.

We will be working on this the rest of the week. The party is on Sunday so be looking for the pictures of the final decorations and tutorial next week.

What are you doing around the house to decorate?

Stay Fabulous,

Manic Monday: Part Two

2012-10-01T22:47:00.000-04:00

It's Monday again and time for another installment of our Manic Monday series! Where did the weekend go? We were super busy around here this weekend. Lots of fun with our friends and family. Just the way I like it! The end of my week was a little wild you can check out the craziness here. Be sure to check out the picture of the sign the guy smashed!

Anyway, how was everyone's week? Anyone give getting up earlier a try? Was it harder or easier than you thought? How did you feel during the day? Were you more energized? Get a lot more accomplished? I hope so! And if it was hard for you, let me share my tip for this week that should make mornings easier.

Whether your morning's are hectic or not starts the night before. Before anyone goes to bed we set out our clothes for the following day. For Riley that means everything is laid out down to her socks and shoes. Even her hair bow. This is such a big help because she is old enough to put on her clothes herself and then she brings me her bow when she is ready to have her hair done.

It also saves my sanity! No fighting over what to wear in the morning. Any discussion we are going to have about the outfit happens the night before. So we're not wasting precious time in the morning and getting behind.

I also do this for myself. I lay out everything down to my shoes and jewelry. It really helps me in the morning to keep things running smoothly. Plus, lets face it. Don't we all have some times of indecision staring in to our closets? Think about how much time we waste!

It's a huge time saver too if you wake up late. All you have to do is throw on your clothes and walk out the door. This has saved us on a few occasions! Think you can give this a try? I bet you can! Let me know how it goes!

Stay fabulous,

Don't text and drive

2012-09-26T22:05:00.000-04:00

Today I had a crazy experience. It was so close to being so disastrous. I was on my way to pick Riley up from school when this Lincoln in front of me veers out of his lane and in to the opening in the concrete median. I thought the car was turning but it never slowed down and plowed in to the divided median sign and entered oncoming traffic. The car then crossed back in to traffic heading straight for my lane. I swerved and was able to safely maneuver out of the way.

Here's the poor sign all smashed in the median!

It all happened so fast. We were approaching a very busy intersection where the car proceeds to drive down a few miles before pulling in to a gas station. As soon as I realized that the car had no intention of stopping, I dialed 911. While I was on the phone with the dispatcher, the driver exited his vehicle. He must have been 80+ years old and was shuffling his feet to walk. As I was finishing with the dispatcher, I watched him struggle to get his card in to the slot to pay at the pump.

So I did what any proper southern girl would do, I got out and helped! After getting his gas pumping, I asked him if he was okay and explained that I witnessed the collision with the sign and the median. I then asked if the damage to the front of his car had been there before and he said no. I told him he would need an accident report to file with his insurance to get the car fixed. It did significant damage to the front bumper and hood. The man told me he was planning on "dodging" the report (unlike the sign)! Thank goodness they were already on their way!

About that time the police officer arrives and another young mom stopped to tell him about the accident. She was also a car he ran out of the lane. She was traveling behind my SUV. She told me she was thankful that I called in the accident and she was terrified because she had her kids with her in the car. I was terrified and it was just me! I gave the officer all of my info and expect I will be hearing from an insurance agent soon!

Why did I share this and what does it have to do with texting and driving? Let me explain. I am an exquisite multi-tasker and I have been known to text on few occasions while driving. (Yes, bad I know!) I always thought of my impact of me texting only as it related to me being a bad driver. It NEVER occurred to me that I needed to be fully aware of the craziness going on around me! If I had been texting I would not have been able to take proper evasive action at the exact moment I needed to and this would have been a very different post.

I am sharing this with you with the hopes that you have a similar awakening without the near collision experience! Be careful out there!

Stay Fabulous,

My Purse: Group post at PSMB

2012-09-25T20:11:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! I hope your Tuesday has been awesome and made even more productive if you are taking my Manic Monday challenge! I enjoyed chatting with a few of my readers in real life and online about what an impact this simple change can have! I look forward to hearing more about it!

Today I participated in a group post over at Peach State Moms Blog with my friends Rachel, Wendy, and Julie about our purses!

I wanted to add that I don't go anywhere without my purse. Ever. And I have won almost every "purse game" I have ever played. You know the ones, where people ask if you have something random in your purse that most "normal" people wouldn't have. Like a tape measure. I always travel with mine! What's the thing you always have in your purse?

Be sure to click on over and check it out! See you there.

Stay Fabulous,

Manic Monday: Part One

2012-09-24T12:59:00.000-04:00

Last week I introduced a series called Manic Monday. A series that will share the tips and tricks I use to keep my life as stress free as possible. I go in to more detail here so be sure to check it out. In that post I promised to share a simple change that literally revolutionized my entire life. So simple yet so profound. Seriously.

My simple change was getting dressed completely before Riley ever woke up. A lot of Moms automatically dismiss this suggestion. The responses I get vary greatly and it all ties back to how they define "completely dressed." I define it as hair done, full makeup, jewelry and any other accessories, and a nice presentable outfit. Something I would not be embarrassed to be seen in if my car had a flat tire and I was stranded on the side of the road.

From this simple change many other changes have occurred and I will expand on them as this series progresses, but what I realized right away is how much better I felt. I was ready to go out and do things and have interactions with other adults.

Before this change I was that mom from the old Suave commercial. Remember the one? The mom looked disheveled in sweats, spit up on her, hair a mess and kids hanging off of her and they ask something like "Let yourself go? Take back control of your hair with Suave." Or something close to that!

That's exactly how I felt. Gross. And it was because I didn't make "looking presentable" a priority. It's easy as a Mom to put the needs of everybody else above our own. When I became aware of this, it really did start the journey of a profound change in my life. I started evaluating what I wanted and gave myself permission to make me a priority. And it started by getting up before anyone else did.

I can hear the groans now, waking up earlier seems awful to some. Believe me, anyone that knows me well can attest that I am NOT a morning person. But I am a Mom who wants to feel good during the day! So it was worth it to me to try.

And what about your husband or significant other? Don't they deserve to come home to you looking nice? I admit I was not looking like someone I would want to come home to at the end of the day! Something to think about.

This week I am challenging you to get up before the kids and get completely dressed. You can do it! It will make all the difference in the world. It did for me! I would also love to know how you are doing with it and I will be happy to answer any questions. So feel free to comment below or send me and email.

Stay Fabulous,

Happy Friday: Parents Rap

2012-09-21T09:58:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday!

I came across this video today and knew I had to share!

Parents rap about maintaining their household by videosonlytube

Stay Fabulous,

The things we do for our children!

2012-09-20T21:23:00.003-04:00

What is the craziest thing you have ever done for your child? or children? I have not had too many moments in my life where I think to myself, I would totally NOT being doing this if I wasn't a Momma! However, yesterday was one of those days where I feel like I earned a place in the Motherhood Hall of Fame.

Yesterday started out like any normal day for me. I had a meeting early in the morning and then had to swing by the store to get cookies for Riley's birthday celebration at school. I started to get a headache in my meeting. No big deal, right? WRONG. It started as a dull ache and quickly turned in to a full blown Migraine. Still I thought no big deal. I have time to take some medicine and lay down for a little while before I have to be at school.

That's when the nausea started. Very few times have I ever been in so much pain that it made me physically ill. But as time went by and I had no relief from the migraine, I began to get a little worried. I had to show up at school with everything I had promised to deliver for Riley. She was expecting it. She was depending on me. Letting her down was not an option.

So I ~~drag myself~~ get out of bed and decide to take a stronger dose of a different migraine medication. This is where bad goes to worse. As I am driving to school, I am in so much pain that as I am stopped at the red light I get sick. So glad I had a lot of plastic bags handy in the front seat! (TMI, I know but it's relevant) So I do what everyone does when they are sick regardless of age, I called my Momma! I admit I was on the verge of tears. I needed something, anything to get rid of this pain and I knew my Momma would know what to do. All the best ones do right?

And she did. She told me what I needed to take to get rid of the horrible Migraine. She also told me that I had to just deal with it and get to the school. Mother's don't get sick days. They also don't have the luxury of their 4 turning 5 yr old understanding why they couldn't come to school to celebrate their birthday. I figured as long as I didn't eat or drink anything and kept my sunglasses on, I ~~might~~ could survive.

And I did. She has the most fabulous teachers this year. They rescued me when I arrived clearly a bit shy of fabulous. Riley was none the wiser. And I didn't die. I admit for a minute there, I thought it was a possibility. And all the kids enjoyed their cookies and had a great time.

I write all this to say, I learned a few lessons on Motherhood yesterday. The most important being the sacrifices my mother made. She has suffered from chronic Migraines my whole life. I do not know how she did it and so gracefully. And growing up I was just like Riley, blissfully unaware. I am oh so thankful for every sacrifice she made and all the things she did in pain for us. Oh the things we do for our children...

I would love to hear your less than fabulous motherhood lessons! Be sure to leave a comment and share.

Stay Fabulous,

Manic Monday Series

2012-09-17T15:56:00.001-04:00

You don't have to feel like this!

Hey everyone! Today I am introducing a new series...Manic Monday. What's that you ask? Well let me explain. I get asked all the time how I have things so, "together" or how I have time to do everything. And it's simple really. Or, it seems simple to me, which is why I think I will share the tips and tricks I use on a daily basis to keep everything flowing smoothly.

Every Monday I will share a new tip or trick to help you get on top of your Manic Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays....you get the idea! I would love your feedback and to hear about what things you are struggling with the most. What is that impossible task you never seem to have enough time for? Do you never have enough time in the day to shower? Are you constantly getting the kids to school late or to work late? I would love to hear about it!

Now, as a disclaimer, I am not perfect. I am not claiming to be perfect. I don't live in a perfectly clean house all the time or arrive early to everything. I am not saying that I am never late. I am sometimes. It happens. Ask anyone in my Sunday School class at church. For the first 6 months or so I thought the class started at 9:30 and not 9:00 am when it actually starts! :) I still haven't lived that one down!

Nevertheless, we don't rush around the house crazy and I don't yell to get everyone out the door in the morning and I am not stressed out. That's the beauty of what I have discovered over the last year and a half. There are simple routines you can do every day that makes life easier for everyone. On the crazy days where we miss an alarm and oversleep or something starts our day off late, we are still dressed and out of the house on time. It's possible. It's all in the planning. The details. And those two things happen to be my specialty.

Starting next Monday, I will talk about the smallest change I made which had the biggest impact. Till then, I would love to hear from you. What are you struggling with? What makes you feel like a crazy person before your day has even started? Leave me a comment. I can't wait to hear from you!

Stay fabulous,

So, who is Riley?

2012-09-15T21:52:00.000-04:00

Meet Riley. My wild and uninhibited daughter. She's 4 going on 24. And everyone knows her. Even people we don'tknow. When I describe her to other people, especially at our church, they automatically know who she is. To which I reply "everyone knows Riley." In fact, I say this so much on an almost daily basis, it seemed natural for me to name my blog after it. So here's Riley:

"Momma, Take my picture with this boy!"

She loves to have her picture taken. As long as it is her idea of course. She makes me take her pictures with all of the iron statues when we are shopping at The Avenue.

Here she is on another trip:

{No special instructions from her on this picture}

Taking random photos with the statues is her second favorite thing to do after she empties all of my change in the fountains. I'm pretty sure she thinks the only purpose for change is to be thrown in to fountains. And that's okay with me.

We have a lot of fun together and a lot of challenging times together. I look forward to sharing our fun and fabulous life with you a little at a time.

Be sure to join our email list so you don't miss out!