Wonderfully Chaotic

Fall and Winter 2023: Marshmallows, Monkeys, Halloween, Pumpkin Pie, and Jingle Bells!

2024-11-10T15:01:00.000-05:00

I'm the Youth Services Librarian at a rural library and I do story time twice a week with a toddler and preschool aged group. Every so often I share what we're learning and doing! Here's what we did for the months of September, October, November, and December of 2023!

I don't know that I'm going to continue and post allllll of 2024 since we are nearing the end of it now...I may just go through and highlight some of the more fun Storytimes I did this past year.

Our Story Time Format: When the kids first arrive, we flip through our Circle Time notebook and talk about who is here, the weather, days of the week, colors, shapes, etc. We sing songs together with props, play a game, or use the flannel or magnet board. Then I read them a story. After the story we move on to craft time. After we make our craft, we have play time with special toys or a sensory bin. After we've had play time (usually when the parents start mentioning getting ready to go!) I encourage the kids to help pick up the toys, to check out books, and to come visit me again next week! This takes approximately 45 minutes.

September 6/7: Five Little Sharks Swimming in the Sea by Steve Metzger was our book for this week. We did a shark dot painting craft using our dot markers. I made an Ocean Friends magnet board set, we talked about what different ocean creatures were in the group, and we used this Ocean Friend rhyme to go with it. We sang Baby Shark and played with blocks and duplos.

September 13/14: This week we read Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett/Kevin Cornell. This is such a cute book - was a big hit. We did this Alphabet Dot Painting with the M is for Monkey page and talked about other things that start with M. We used these printables and practiced counting and did the "Five Little Monkeys" rhyme listed on that page.

September 20/21: On these days we read Most Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins. We did Marshmallow Math with this cute dollar deal from Crystal McGinnis on TPT. (She has tons of awesome stuff on her TPT page so make sure and check it out!) We did Marshmallow Squish Art - in a bag since I have little littles in my story time - and it was okay. It was a little hard to maneuver them around in the bag so it didn't work quite like I thought it would. Still fun though. I downloaded some counting mats from PreschoolMom.com that had hot cocoa cups on them that the kids added mini marshmallows to - can't find the link for it but if you browse around her site you can probably find it. And of course we ate looooots of marshmallows!

September 27/28: Driving my Tractor by Jan Dobbins and David Sim was our book. We sang "The Wheels on the Tractor, which you can see HERE. I made a sensory bin with our farm animals, filled it with dry oatmeal, and made some silos out of recyclables. (I was inspired by this post here - Fill the Silo Farm Sensory Bin.) We did a Tractor Coloring Page and a craft similar to this one.

October 4/5: We read In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes. We used a flannel board set that my predecessor had made - a squirrel hiding his acorn in leaves. The kids had to guess which leaf the acron was hidden under. We then used a leaf template to design our own leaves. We also had a leaf sorting game I found online.

October 11/12: We used a bats flannel board set that I made and did 5 Little Bats. We read That’s Not My Bat by Fiona Watt and also the book Hedgehugs: Autumn Hide and Squeak by Steve Wilson. We did a bat magnet craft that was leftover from previous years that was from Oriental Trading.

October 18 - 19: No Storytime due to Fall Break Fun Week activities

October 25 - 26: We read There’s a Witch in Your Book by Tom Fletcher. I love these books! They are always such a hit with the kids. I made a Halloween sensory bin with alllll stuff from the Dollar Tree - candy corn mix, cocoa rice puff cereal, Halloween matching cards, and little foam pumpkins. For our craft, I used these cauldron templates and cut them out on black paper - then had the kids glue them to another sheet of colored construction paper & decorate their cauldron however they liked. The example I used had some googly eyes, was multi-colored, and I used some chalk to make steam lines coming up out of it. For our flannel board, we used a set called "One elephant went out to play" - I thought the spiderweb went well with the Halloween theme.

November 1 - 2: Our book for this week was This is Owl by Libby Walden and our craft we made was this Do a Dot Owl. We also did 5 Little Owls with some magnetic owls I made up on Canva and laminated.

November 8 - 9: This week's book was The Very Hungry Caterpillars First Fall by Eric Carle. We made a foam doorhanger craft that said "Hello fall" that I believe was from one of our local craft stores. For our flannel board time we did Five Little Footballs/Under the Helmet.

November 15 - 16: Our book this week was My Leaf Book by Monica Wellington. We did a Q-Tip Painting of trees during the different seasons from CraftsonSea. We also did this Leaf Sorting Activity - I cut them out and laminated them so we can use them again.

November 20 - 22: This week we read One Big Turkey by Anne Kennedy. We did a Pumpkin Pie craft from Oriental Trading and we did a flannel that had turkeys missing their feathers. The kiddos added the feathers on one by one and we talked about the different colors.

November 29 - 30: We read Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney. I printed off this game from Inspiration Laboratories and colored/laminated it so the kids could practice matching up the right pants/top. I printed off these pajama coloring pages and encouraged the kids to make patterns or designs on them.

December 7: This week's book was How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. We made these super cute little hot cocoa oriental trading craft. For our flannel board time, we used our snowman flannel set, dressed up our snowman in several different ways, and talked about what you should wear when it's cold outside.

December 13 - 14: Since we read the Grinch the week before, we went ahead and read How the Grinch Lost Christmas also by Dr. Seuss - I had never read this before now! We made a Grinch Wreath craft that was leftover from a Winter Wonderland event we had the week before - I believe it was from Oriental Trading. We played with balloons that were also leftover from our event and decorated the felt Christmas tree I hung up in the Children's Room.

December 20 - 21: Our last book for the year was Winter by Stephanie Hedlund. I was sick so this is what all I had planned out & what my boss did when she took over for me. I had printed out a Christmas sweater coloring page - I was going to let the kids decorate the sweaters however they wanted. We sang I'm A Little Snowman from Super Simple Songs - you can find them on YouTube. And lastly, I was going to use the snowman flannel we used on the 7th!

Another Venture

2024-05-26T11:23:00.001-04:00

I wanted to share with you about a new venture I've just recently started working on! I've created a store to sell stickers and mugs and lots of fun stuff like that with custom graphics. You can shop the store here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/mrsaddison/shop

And if you have any requests, I'm going to set up a system for that too! Stay tuned! :)

August 2023: Unicorns, Dragons, and Monsters...oh my!

2023-12-15T15:56:00.008-05:00

I'm the Youth Services Librarian at a rural library and I do story time twice a week with a toddler and preschool aged group. Each week I share what we're learning and doing! Here's what we did for the month of August.

Our Story Time Format: When the kids first arrive, we flip through our Circle Time notebook and talk about who is here, the weather, days of the week, colors, shapes, etc. We sometimes sing songs together with props, play a game, or use the flannel or magnet board. Then I read them a story. After the story we move on to craft time. After we make our craft, we have play time with special toys or a sensory bin. After we've had play time (usually when the parents start mentioning getting ready to go!) I encourage the kids to help pick up the toys, to check out books, and to come visit me again next week! This takes approximately 30 - 45 minutes.

August 2/3: The Nice Dream Truck by Beth Ferry was our book for this week! This book was just a tiny bit long for my crowd this week but the imagery in it is dreamy and fun. We did a sponge paint ice cream craft which was cute and easy. I used some round sponge brushes and cut up sponges and let the kids pick which they wanted to use. We played an ice cream number match game and talked about our favorite ice cream flavors. We also used our flannel board with an ice cream set and did some of the rhymes featured on this page.

August 9/10: This week we read Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin. This book was a big hit - the kids - and I! - loved it! We did a paper taco craft I found on Pinterest that required a little extra prep work from me but wasn't too bad. We had a Dragons Love Tacos stuffy that came to storytime with us and used some flannel dragons to do this Ten Dizzy Dragons rhyme. I also gave the kids some Dragons Love Tacos Bookmarks to decorate that I downloaded (for free!) from Teachers Pay Teachers.

August 16/17: This week's book was If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff. We made these fun If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Hats for our craft! We had a a felt set with a little mouse and houses that we played "Little Mouse" with on the flannel board. I downloaded some cookie dough themed playdough mats that we used to practice counting with a plastic set of cookies with different numbered chocolate chips. I also attempted to make the playdough that was featured on that post but it wasn't really playdough consistency...so we just ate some of it instead. 😂

August 23/24: This week's book was There’s a Monster in Your Book by Tom Fletcher. This was the first of these books that I had read but I'm excited to use more of them in my storytimes because they're so interactive and fun! It reminded me of Don't Push the Button, which we did earlier this summer if you jump back in my earlier posts.
For our craft, we did an open ended Invitation to Create - Create a Monster. The kids love doing things like this because they can make them unique and their own. I printed off some basic blank monster body printables and then gave them googly eyes, a collection of cut outs, and markers. We did a Monster Movement rhyme and then played with Magnatiles!

August 30/31: We had a request from a sweet little gal to do a unicorn storytime sometime if we could so I did my best to deliver on that this week! My oldest daughter and I the night before had fun making rainbow unicorn fluffy slime! (We followed this recipe.) One batch was slightly more sticky than the other but that's part of the process of learning right? Our book this week was Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Our craft was super fun - we made paper plate paint splat unicorns with glitter! So sparkly! ✨ And after our craft was done, we played in a colored rice sensory bin where we dug for buried unicorn tokens! *Also: check out the awesome shoes my little friend wore on the day of our unicorn storytime! So pretty!

July 2023: Dinosaurs, Ocean Friends, and Eating the Alphabet

2023-12-11T13:40:00.003-05:00

I'm the Youth Services Librarian at a rural library and I do story time twice a week with a toddler and preschool aged group. Each week I share what we're learning and doing!

💥 Dinosaurs 💥

Our book for the first week in July was How Dinosaurs Learn to Be Kind by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. For our craft we made Paper Plate Dinos - the kids loved doing this! I pre-painted them so we could assemble them but I let them draw on them, glue on the googly eyes, and assemble. I made a Digging for Dinos sensory bin! I used Cocoa Dyno-Bites with shovels and dinosaur cutouts that I laminated! (I think mini dinos would have been better but I couldn't find any in our local stores at the time.) We did the rhyme "Ten Little Dinos" with some numbered dino cutouts I had taped to popsicle sticks. Also during our activity time, we did dino and egg color matching with printables I had cut out and laminated. And lastly, we did the song Dinosaur, Dinosaur, Turn Around with matching movements!

🐠 Swimmy! 🐟

The next week our book was Swimmy by Leo Lionni. The art in this book is so unique! I looked it up and Lionni stamped things out with paint and used lace, cloth, and string to make seaweed, water, and tentacles! Super cool. We made Ocean Process Art, played a Fishing Game, and had goldfish for a snack. We sang The Creatures of the Ocean song (similar to this) and used Ocean Friends magnets of a crab, a whale, a dolphin, etc. that I made on Canva, printed, cut out, laminated, and put magnet tape on!

🍎🍊 Fruits and Veggies 🍅🍓

The week after we read Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert. This was a smaller board book but the kids loved seeing the different kinds of fruits and veggies. We used the fruit and veggie playset that was already in the children's room to practice sorting them into their respective food groups. We did this Food Group Sorting activity and used our flannel board to do some watermelon rhymes with watermelon flannel pieces. We also had a coloring sheet from My Plate that we glued pictures of different types of food to.

June 2023: Cupcakes and Flowers

2023-12-07T10:02:00.001-05:00

*I've gotten pretty darn behind in my weekly posting so bear with me as I catch up!

I'm the Youth Services Librarian at a rural library and I do story time twice a week with a toddler and preschool aged group. Each week I share what we're learning and doing!

Our Story Time Format: When the kids first arrive, we do some songs together with props or an activity, sometimes a game or we use the flannel or magnet board. Then I read them a story. After the story we move on to craft time. After we make our craft, we have play time with a special toy or sensory bin. After we've had play time (usually when the parents start mentioning getting ready to go!) I encourage the kids to help pick up the toys, to check out books, and to come visit me again next week! This takes approximately 30-45 minutes all together.

Can't Wait For Cupcakes 🧁🧁

Song: I Know a Chicken by the Laurie Berkner Band - we sang this song and used our shaky eggs!

Book: Bear Can’t Wait - Karma Wilson - I love the Bear books. They're super cute and I always make sure to point out different things in the background of the pictures to the kiddos to keep them engaged.

Activity: 5 Little Cupcakes - I made up a flannel cupcake set and used it with this rhyme from Storytime Katie.

Craft: We made Puffy Paint Cupcakes! Paint is always fun for the kids

Play Time: We had a pretend ice cream shop with this toy set and some play money I had printed and cut out.

Flowers and Friends 🌻🌼🌷🌹

Song: Pass the Bean Bag - Kimbo Children’s Music

Book: My Friends Make Me Happy - Jan Thomas

Craft: We made Paper Plate Flowers.

Activity: Five Little Flowers - I made a set of flowers with a raincloud and sun using Canva. I printed them off, cut them out, laminated them, and used magnetic tape to use them with our flannel/magnet board. I used some of these rhymes from Adventures in Storytime with them.

Play Time: We played with this Build and Bloom building set from Learning Resources.

Storytime with Shay: Colors of the Rainbow

2023-06-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

I'm the Youth Services Librarian at a rural library and I do story time twice a week with a toddler and preschool aged group. Each week I share what we're learning and doing!

Our Story Time Format: When the kids first arrive, we do some songs together and sometimes have a prop/fun thing to use during music time. Then I read them a story. After the story we do an activity, sometimes a game or we use the flannel or magnet board and then move on to craft time. After we make our craft, we have play time with a special toy or sensory bin. After we've had play time (usually when the parents start mentioning getting ready to go!) I encourage the kids to help pick up the toys, to check out books, and to come visit me again next week! This takes approximately 30-45 minutes all together.

Storytime with Shay: Colors of the Rainbow

Song: "If You're Wearing Colors" by The Learning Station - I usually use the laptop and play the music through speakers and I did that this week but also included the video so the kids could see the things acted out. This was a new song so it was a bit unfamiliar but the kids seemed to enjoy acting out the different motions.

Book: Bear Sees Colors - Karma Wilson

Activity: We used the Splash of Color Magnetic Sorting Set (see below) on the magnet board to match different colored items to their correctly colored paint can.

Craft: I printed off this Rainbow Fruit Loops Printable and then we used cereal and cotton balls to make our rainbows and clouds. *As a side note if you do this craft, you'll need some thick glue to get the cereal to stick to the page. I did not realize that the first day of story time...we tried using glue sticks and that was not effective. So I got some little plates, poured glue on them, and then we used little craft sponge brushes to dab the glue on.

Play Time: I saw this Rainbow Sorting Sensory Bin idea on Pinterest and really liked it. So last week I painted some plastic cups in rainbow colors, then used my leftover cereal from our craft to fill up a plastic container that the kids could gather around to sort. I had a few pairs of kid sized plastic tweezers for them to try to use also. Lots of good motor skill practice!

Storytime with Shay: Ocean Friends!

2023-06-12T15:12:00.000-04:00

I'm the Youth Services Librarian at a rural library and I do story time twice a week with a toddler and preschool aged group. Each week I share what we're learning and doing!

Storytime with Shay: Ocean Friends 🐋🐟🐠🐬🐙🐢

Song: Over the Deep Blue Sea from Super Simple Songs

Book: Hum and Swish by Matt Myers - this was a sweet book that the kids did a lot of inferring about when I asked questions.

Activity: I made a magnet board set I found on Toddler Approved called 5 Little Ocean Friends - laminated the friends, put magnetic tape on the back, and then used them with our magnet board while we read the poem. I let the kids move the ocean friends around as the poem dictated.

Craft: For our craft this past week, we did this Invitation to Create - Under the Sea activity I found on Pinterest. It was easy to prepare and let the kids be super creative on how exactly they wanted to make their fish and sea creatures. And helps with their fine motor skills! The blog that activity is found on, What Can We Do With Paper and Glue, has several different themed Invitation to Create activities that I will definitely be checking out!

Play Time: For play time, we got into the kinetic sand and used some sand toys. We had a bigger group than normal so I also got out the colored rice box that has shovels and toy trucks!

(Now that I'm caught up to the current week, I'm going to try and make these posts go up on Fridays!)

Storytime: All About Bugs

2023-06-05T09:00:00.001-04:00

I'm the Youth Services Librarian at a rural library and I do story time twice a week with a toddler and preschool aged group. Each week I share what we're learning and doing!

Our Story Time Format: When the kids first arrive, we do some songs together and sometimes have a prop/fun thing to use during music time. Then I read them a story. After the story we do an activity, sometimes a game or we use the flannel or magnet board and then move on to craft time. After we make our craft, we have play time with a special toy or sensory bin. After we've had play time (usually when the parents start mentioning getting ready to go!) I encourage the kids to help pick up the toys, to check out books, and to come visit me again next week! This takes approximately 30-45 minutes all together.

Last week's Storytime with Shay was All About Bugs! 🐛🐞🕷

Song: There’s a Spider on the Floor by Kathy Reid Naiman - I was going to make some little spiders for the kids out of yarn but since my group is pretty little I was worried there might be some that were scared of spiders so we used our scarves instead. (Wonder why you should use scarves for story time? Read about it here.)

Book: Some Bugs by Angela Diterlizzi - This book was great for the toddler/preschool age group I have because the sentences were short and sweet. And then when we got to the end with the huge group of different bugs (with labeled names) we pointed and talked about some of the different ones they recognized.

Activity: Bug in a Rug flannel - We used the flannel board today and a set that the librarian before me had prepared with different kinds of bugs - similar to this one from Mel's Desk. I let the kids take turns picking a bug and hiding them under the rug and then trying to figure out which one their friend had picked.

Craft: We made these ladybug headbands from Simple Everyday Mom and they were enjoyed by all. Even me. 😁

Play Time: We played with Hex Bugs! We've used these for STEM activities here at the library but I thought maybe the littles would like them - and it went along with the "bug" theme. They had a good time watching them zoom around and only needed a bit of help assembling the walls.

Storytime: Don't Push the Button!

2023-06-02T07:00:00.001-04:00

I'm the Youth Services Librarian at a local library and I do story time twice a week with a toddler and preschool aged group. Each week I'll be sharing what we're learning and doing!

Since taking this job, I've tried to keep the same format the person I replaced had. When the kids first arrive, we do some songs together and sometimes have a prop/fun thing to use during music time. Then I read them a story. After the story we do an activity, sometimes a game or we use the flannel or magnet board and then move on to craft time. After we make our craft, we have play time with a special toy or sensory bin. After we've had play time (usually when the parents start mentioning getting ready to go) I encourage the kids to help pick up the toys, to check out books, and to come visit me again next week! This takes approximately 30-45 minutes all together.

Storytime with Shay - Don't Push the Button!

Book: Don't Push the Button by Bill Cotter

Craft: We used this template to make Larry and button puppets! I cut them out ahead of time since I mainly have littles. I let them color however they wanted and then we assembled them.

Activity: I made a Button Magnet Game on Canva to use on our flannel/magnet board. I got a bunch of pictures/clip art of different types of buttons and put a different command on each one - "push this button and meow like a cat," "push this button and march in place," etc.

Song(s): I Know a Chicken by The Laurie Berkner Band - we got out our shaky eggs for this one!

Play Time: For play time, we used a box of foam blocks to build buttons. We used a set like this that you could pop the circles in and out to make them look like buttons and then the kids just spent the rest of the time building towers and castles.

*Also, I didn't use this but I found this video of Bill Cotter himself reading the book. I think it was filmed during COVID but it could be fun to use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks23HDEm830

Fresh Page, New Pen

2023-05-31T12:29:00.005-04:00

If you've just arrived here and were a former reader of my blog, you might have noticed something - all the old stuff is gone! (Well, most of it.) Never fear, it's just a refresh as I embark on a new stage of life. Previously on this blog I wrote about parenting, marriage, homeschooling, geeky stuff, makeup, and life in general. To be more specific, I started it in 2009 when I had a baby, a preschooler, and an early elementary aged step-kiddo. I had just barely started looking into homeschooling.

So life happened. You read about a lot of it, if you were here. I had 10 kids, which is crazy. I had home births and hospital births. I homeschooled for 12 years. I became a certified doula, did some writing on the side, and then was blogging, doing reviews, and making content. I had a lot of highs and lows, ups and downs. I slowed down on blogging in the last few years as things got increasingly chaotic and shifted over to making TikToks because it was easier. It had been almost a year since I had last written on here...I became more private as I went through some super challenging times and as my views on so many things began to shift and change.

As my kids have gotten older they haven't loved having so much about them online, which I totally get...it's not something I had considered when I first started blogging and they were little. I had been wanting to go back through and edit a bunch of the posts, take down some of the more personal stuff, and/or put a disclaimer on things I'd written that I've since changed my mind about (because there were a lot of those)...but it all seemed too time consuming. So I saved it all to a jump drive for myself and then took a bomb and blew up the rest of it. (The blog, I mean!)

And now here I am, entering a new season of life. There will be no more new babies. The step-kiddo has her own little beautiful family now and my oldest son has graduated from High School. The kids are making the transition to public school this fall and I'm working full-time outside of the home as a librarian. It's been some big changes so far and I'm still adjusting. There's still a lot of crazy. I have 8 kids at home and 18 more years of school and practices and events and work and family and life.

So things are the same but also very different, if that makes sense? I think you get what I mean. I am hoping to add back in some of the previous posts that were more educational/informative. **Future Updated Edit as of 2024: I am working on that right now.** I appreciate if you've read this. I hope you'll stick around and see what's next.

Making Morning Smoothies

2023-03-12T12:30:00.009-04:00

One of our little guys has been making morning smoothies the last few days and wanted to try and make a video to share it! (You can see the video HERE - for some reason it's not letting me embed it! Grrrr!)

Here’s the recipe! Morning Smoothies (original recipe from The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs) 1 banana 1 Tablespoon honey 1/4 cup orange juice 1 cup vanilla or strawberry yogurt 1 cup strawberries 1 cup peaches Cut up the banana and add to blender with honey. Mix until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix again until smooth. Enjoy!

Recipe: Vanilla Caramel Iced Coffee (made easy with Javy!)

2022-08-01T08:30:00.003-04:00

Javy makes my mornings much easier! Scroll down for the recipe!

Vanilla Caramel Iced Coffee

- 1-2 teaspoons Javy coffee concentrate (use my link here and get 20% off!)
- 8 ounces vanilla-flavored almond milk (I used the Simple truth brand)
- 1-2 ounces caramel creamer (I used Simple Truth oatmilk non-dairy creamer)
- Whipped Cream
- Caramel syrup (My favorite is Torani!)

Pour milk into cup and stir in Javy coffee concentrate. Add creamer and stir. Add ice and stir. Top with whipped cream and caramel syrup!

Other ideas:

*You can use any type of milk. If you use regular milk, it will just be caramel flavored (not vanilla) which is good too! Have fun and mix it up with whatever flavors you like!

*You could also line the cup with caramel for extra caramel-ness. :)

5 Ways to Save Money on Homeschool Curriculum

2022-02-24T07:00:00.008-05:00

One thing I get asked pretty frequently as a homeschool mom is how much money it costs to homeschool - some people assume it's pretty cheap, while others are worried that it's too expensive.

From what I have observed, I've found that it is what you make it - some people try to homeschool for as little as possible, while others don't worry about the cost. I used to be very, very frugal regarding curriculum and did a lot of work to utilize free or cheap resources and materials. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but since I have more children and less free time nowadays, I tend to go with what is more convenient even though it may cost a bit more. With that being said though, I always love saving money so I wanted to share with you today five different ways you can save on homeschool curriculum:

5. Buy curriculum you can use/reuse with other kids - Assuming you have other children or are planning to have them, consider investing in a curriculum that you can use again. Just make sure to weigh the pros and cons for your unique family - do you have the time? Copying or printing pages can be time consuming so is it saving you a lot or just a little? Does this curriculum work for your kid's needs? Some curriculum you can reuse the textbooks and so you just might have to buy the consumable materials like workbooks, notebooks, etc.

4. Check out curriculum sales - You can find curriculum sales either directly from a publisher, locally through your homeschool groups/co-ops, or at a big event like a convention. Many publishers offer discounts and deals at conventions. You might also look at the Homeschool Buyers Co-op that often has marked down deals.

3. Utilize an online curriculum/program - An online curriculum won't have the costs associated with it for textbooks, workbooks, etc. or for printing and copying, so it may save you some money in that respect. For the past several years we have used online curriculum and we just make sure to supplement with books to read, handwriting workbooks, flashcards, worksheets, and games so the kids are still getting hands-on learning, practice writing and drawing, etc.

2. Buy used curriculum - Buying used curriculum can prove to be a money saver. It just may take some more planning and searching. There are lots of places to look for used curriculum:

Facebook Marketplace
Facebook used curriculum groups
Brand-specific Facebook used curriculum groups (like for Abeka, Bob Jones, etc.)
Websites - usedhomeschoolbooks.com // homeschoolclassifieds.com

1. Utilize free resources - my only caveat to this is to remind you NOT to make free resources your only source. I like to use them more in the younger years or as fun supplemental activities. I know there are a lot of people that swear by only using free curriculum and if that works for them, that's great! I used to try and homeschool as cheaply as possible which you may see if you go back through my older posts. But as I have homeschooled longer, I've learned that you get what you pay for sometimes and that as kids get older, you may have to invest more into their education because of certain subjects they may want to take, interests they have, etc.

Our number one free resource is our library - obviously it offers books on a variety of so many different topics but it also offers audiobooks, movies, and activities like story time, summer reading program, reading challenges, and after school games/activities. Many homeschooling websites/bloggers offer free printables, educational worksheets, or unit studies - Pinterest is a good place to find free things like that. Our local dollar stores are also a good place to find educational workbooks for younger grades that are also super affordable.

As with any of my suggestions, please do what works for YOU! Do your research on curriculum and make sure to check on your local laws/regulations, but don't forget to make sure it actually works for you and your family. One blogger's opinion on a curriculum may sound super favorable but every family is different!

How To Dress Your Nerdy Baby

2020-06-03T08:00:00.010-04:00

Disclosure: I received a free onesie in exchange for my review. All opinions and thoughts are my own and I was not compensated in any other way.

If you know anything about me, you know that I'm a huge geek. Or nerd, whichever term you prefer. (I usually use geek and "geekery" when talking about geeky stuff.) I'm a big sci-fi buff. I'm a Potterhead, a Whovian, and love all things Star Wars related. I like playing video games and D&D when I have the time. I've happily passed along this hobby/trait/interest to my children.

I love wearing geeky/nerdy clothes and am always looking for fun things for my kids too. So when Lavendersun Online Baby Boutique contacted me about doing a collaboration, I agreed after seeing all of their amazing nerdy themed kids clothes. Here are a few of the ones I really liked! (You can click on the picture to go directly to the website for sizing, prices, etc.)

This themed set is perfect for the littlest Harry Potter fan in your life:

If superheroes are more your thing, how about these adorable Avengers and Batman onesies?

And for the video game enthusiasts who are adding a "new player" to their game:

I chose the "Storm Pooper" Star Wars onesie for little Lily and it was perfect. 😊

Which one is your favorite? Check out the website and let me know which one you'd like for your kiddos!

Being Pregnant Amidst Uncertainty

2020-04-03T17:00:00.006-04:00

March 16th, 2020: I started writing this post when I was 38 weeks but then had some things come up....so now on my due date I'm finally finishing it. I’m walking around like an elderly elephant. During Week 38 I had some sort of flu-like illness (not the virus!) and I can say I never ever want to give birth while sick. I started having contractions while also puking my guts up and I'd like to never experience that again. I spent a whole day in bed but am recovered now and just trying to avoid any other illnesses.

My emotions are a little crazy right now. I’ve reached the point where I’d like to hole up and hide from everyone but alas, life doesn’t stop. So instead I will answer the same 700 questions every time I go out in public and try not to go into a hormone filled rage: No, it's not twins. No, baby isn’t “too big.” Yes, I know I look like I could give birth at any moment. It's a little ironic that I wrote all of that and that we're now all being told to stay home if we can. Not a problem for me! I'm kidding around a little but I don't say that to make light of other people's situations. I know this is a frustrating time for many, I'm just trying to share a little humor. Believe me, all this craziness makes me nervous too. It's frightening to go to a checkup and see all these restrictions being enacted and special policies put in place.

If my pregnancy app doesn’t stop popping up saying, “IS YOUR BABY HERE YET?” I’m going to chuck my phone across the room. 😂 Kidding of course, but Baby Center needs to take a chill pill. It's been saying that since Week 35 or something. Babies are like wizards: “they are never late, nor are they early. They arrive precisely when they mean to." 🧙‍♂️

I am so, so looking forward to holding a newborn baby, being able to walk again, being able to see my feet again, not making grunting noises when I stand up, not feeling like a beached whale....I suppose you could say I may be just a *wee* bit OVER my pregnancy at this time. We don't really have anything else to do now other than wait. The bassinet is assembled, birth kit is in order, clothes and blankets are washed and put away, food is stocked up...and now we wait.

March 23, 2020: 41 Weeks. I'm not surprised I'm here again. Almost every pregnancy of mine has been overdue. It's weird because as much as I want her to get here, I'm also worried about what happens when she DOES get here. Things are getting nuts with this virus and at least when she's in the womb I know she's okay there.

April 3rd, 2020: Our sweet baby has been here with us for one full week! The world has gotten pretty crazy in the last few weeks and I am so glad her birth went well. The next post I write will be her birth story - I'm working on it - but I just wanted to share something kind of cool I got to do just this past week. Our local news station WTHI recently interviewed me about homebirth, being a doula, and being pregnant during this pandemic. It was a neat experience. You can check it out at the link below:

WTHI-TV: EXPECTANT MOTHERS IN THE WABASH VALLEY SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES NAVIGATING PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

The only things I would add would be that:

This was not my first homebirth. I've had several. I didn't choose homebirth because of the corona virus. I am definitely happy that I chose homebirth because of it NOW but it wasn't one of my initial reasons.
Homebirth in our area is offered by midwives. Your OB-GYN may or may not be familiar with the choices in your area so you may have to find out about them other channels - different providers, motherhood related groups, online, etc.
Many doulas are offering virtual support options now so you don't have to "choose" between them or your partner. And regardless, they would love to help you navigate your pregnancy and childbirth. You can find more information about doulas through Doula Match, DONA International, or New Beginnings Doula Training.

My Molar Pregnancy - Parts 1 & 2

2019-07-15T22:21:00.022-04:00

Back in May I mentioned that I'd gone through a miscarriage and molar pregnancy. I finally got around to uploading some videos earlier this month that went into more detail about everything that happened. Because there was so much information, I split them into two separate videos:

Resources:
- Molar Pregnancy from the March of Dimes: This is a very basic overview of molar pregnancy.
- What is Gestational Trophoblastic Disease? from the American Cancer Society: This is a more in-depth look at the types of molar pregnancies with a lot more information and facts, as well as cancer support
- Molar Pregnancy from The Miscarriage Association: Information on molar pregnancy as well as emotional support and general information about miscarriages
- My Molar Pregnancy - This whole site is dedicated to information, education, and resources. They also offer personal stories and support groups through Facebook.
- Dealing with grief after the death of your baby from the March of Dimes
- Loss & Grief in Pregnancy and Postpartum from PSI (Postpartum Support International)

Related Posts
An Update - http://www.wonderfullychaotic.com/2019/05/an-update.html
My Molar Pregnancy - Parts 1 & 2 - http://www.wonderfullychaotic.com/2019/07/my-molar-pregnancy-parts-1-2.html

Deep River Waterpark Visit (Part One)

2018-07-31T09:30:00.001-04:00

Disclosure: My family and I were given tickets to Deep River in exchange for my hosting a blog giveaway and writing a review.

We recently took a family trip to Deep River Waterpark. I have hosted giveaways for them in the past and written about the park - most recently HERE - but finally we had the opportunity to go visit! So last Friday, my husband, kids, mother-in-law, and I all piled into our giant van and headed to Crown Point, up near Chicago. It was about a two and a half hour trip for us (closer to three probably with a stop or two) but it went by pretty quickly. It was an overcast day but still warm. The park seemed busy but didn't feel crowded at all. There were TONS of seating options - chairs, picnic tables, chairs with umbrellas - and there wasn't really a wait for any of the rides. We loved being able to bring our own cooler so we could take breaks between playing for snacks and drinks.

I quizzed the kids on their favorites! My 12 year old son said his favorite thing was the Sidewinder Body Slide. He (and my husband) also did the Pipeline Express but didn't like that one as much. My 9 year old daughter said her favorite was the Rip Tide Wave Pool - it alternated between waves and calm so everyone got a little splashing time in there. My 5 and 3 year old sons said their favorite was Paddles Playzone, which had slides and splash zones just their size. I loved that they had something for every age group - even our littlest girls (ages 2 and 1) could splash and crawl in the PlayZone and the edge of the Wave Pool. The Bayou River Ride (a lazy river) was probably my favorite.

Upon leaving the park we realized there was a whole other section we hadn't even visited (GASP!) so we decided we'll have to make another visit sometime and when we do, that will be my Part Two!

Check out our video below to see some of the fun we had:

Curriculum Choices: 2017-2018 & 2018-2019

2018-07-03T09:00:00.001-04:00

As I began delving into planning for the upcoming school year, I realized that I never wrote about our curriculum choices LAST year! Ooops. Well, I can say that last year was a learning experience. We moved, had a new baby, had a lot of stress, and our world was kind of upside down for awhile.

This past year Z was in 6th grade, E was in 3rd grade, and Z2 was in Pre-K. We used Genesis Curriculum as our main curriculum. Z used the workbook and E used the copywork book along with the main curriculum book. Z2 used GC Steps for the bulk of his work. E used Singapore Math and Z continued to use Khan Academy. We continued using Story of the World for our History curriculum. I also supplemented our work with various unit studies.

The kids participated in our homeschool co-op group last year. First semester E took Science/Ecology, Thanksgiving/Christmas, and Bible Trivia/Scripture Memory while Z took Creation Science, Geography Games, and Beginning Photography. Second semester E took Health/P.E., Grammar Games, and Living Long Ago (a history course), and Z took a Literature Class on From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Science, and Photography. The littles were in classes too - Betty Bee and Baby Ruth were in the Infant Nursery, Hez was in the Toddler Nursery, and Z2 was in the Pre-K class. Z got to help with the yearbook and they all enjoyed their classes and spending time with friends.

Looking ahead to this coming year (2018 - 2019) we are changing things up quite a bit. In the past, I have pieced together curriculum, mixed and matched, and tried a lot of techniques, mainly in an effort to homeschool affordably and combine subjects. This has worked well in some areas but we need some more structure in our household and some more comprehensive work to catch up on things we're lagging on. So this year we made the decision to switch to Abeka.

For this year Z will be in 7th grade and will be using Abeka's 7th grade curriculum. It includes: Literature, Grammar and Composition, Vocabulary, Spelling, and Poetry; Math, Life Science, and World History.

E will be in 4th grade and will be using Abeka's 4th grade curriculum. This includes: Reading, Grammar and Comprehension, Spelling, Vocabulary, and Poetry; Penmanship, Math, Science/Health, and History. Ellie will also continue to use Reading Eggs as it is one of her most favorite programs.

Z2 will be entering Kindergarten and will be using Confession's of a Homeschooler's K4/K5 Kindergarten Curriculum. He is super excited to learn and has shown a real desire to learn to read.

Z and E have both been using Victory Drill Books that I purchased from a tutor we utilized this summer. Z2 will start using one this year as well.

We'll be starting sometime in August on a 5 day a week school schedule until co-op starts and then will switch to 4 days a week. At co-op this year in the fall semester, Baby Ruth will be in the Infant Nursery again, Betty Bee will be moving up to the Toddler Nursery, Hez will be moving to the Pre-K class, and Z2 will be taking Building Science Foundations, Animals, and Nature Crafts. E will be in Legos, Chess, and Music Theory & Appreciation while Z will be in Astronomy, Photography, and Art. I taught E's LEGO class and worked in the nursery. I'll update this post in the spring with their spring classes.

Update: For Spring Semester, the three littlest stayed in the same classes. Z2 took Famous Americans, Aquatics, and Transportation. E took Spanish, Sewing, and Life Skills. Z took Debate Club, Bibliovores, and Music Theory. I taught Z2's Transportation class and Z's Bibliovores class.

It Always Happens All At Once

2017-07-28T13:00:00.001-04:00

Being a mom is not for the faint of heart, especially when you have multiple small kiddos. I've written before about Murphy's Law for Big Families (everything that can happen, will happen...generally at the same time) and the other day provided another perfect example of just how insane my life gets sometimes. While on the phone with my husband, these things all happened within seconds of each other:

- My one year old pooped and voiced her opinion on it. Loudly. She's also at that fun stage right now where changing her is like changing an octopus - she's trying to stick her hands in the diaper, then flailing all over the place, attempting to roundhouse kick me in the face...you get the idea.

- Someone spilled Kool-Aid in the dining room and I walked right into it on my way to change the baby's diaper. And of course it's red. (You'd think I'd stop buying RED anything by now.)

- As soon as I got the smelly diaper open, the four year old popped open a blister on his foot after he hit it on the edge of the couch. He started screaming. And we are talking full-out-banshee-witch-someone-is-being-murdered-in-the-next-room screaming. My darling is his own unique person. He has two volumes: INSANELY LOUD and...asleep.

- My oldest son started yelling, "MOM, WE NEED YOU! Z'S BLEEDING!" And in his defense, he was bleeding pretty profusely. (He bleeds more than all of my kids and myself combined. Don't ask how I know this...hint: this is not our first bloody injury with him.)

- While he was screaming and I was wrist deep in poop, the super busy two year old snuck into the bathroom - because someone left the door open - and unraveled an entire container of floss that was on the counter from our dentist visit yesterday. He can reach stuff on counters now, FYI.

- I was able to get the diaper changed in record time while one of the older kiddos started helping clean up the hurt foot and two of the other kids did some teamwork on the floss. I then got the four year old successfully bandaged up. It was an A+ Team Effort on our part! Go Team!

- But to finish it all up, the baby escaped & crawled through the spilled Kool-Aid. #FAIL

Moral of the story: don't talk on the phone.

#GoandGrowAtWalmart with Similac

2017-05-22T18:17:00.006-04:00

Disclosure: This post was developed in partnership with Similac. All opinions are my own.

As a mom I always want to make sure that my kids are getting all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrition that comes from eating a great well-rounded diet...however, as a mom I also know that kids can be finicky or picky. Babies and toddlers take time to get used to new flavors - you have to introduce some foods tons of times before they'll eat more than one bite. And at some point in time they all seem to go through a stage where they only want to eat one type of food or where they refuse to try anything new or different. It can be SO frustrating!

Of course you shouldn't skip out on healthy eating, but for those trying times to help toddlers meet their daily servings of fruit and veggies, Similac offers two different products. First up, their Go and Grow pouches that each contain three - four servings of fruit and veggies.

The Go & Grow by Similac pouches come in two age groups. The first stage is for babies six months of age and older and the other stage is for toddlers 12 months and older. We tried four different pouches:

1. Apple, Butternut Squash, Banana, and Blueberry (Toddler)

2. Butternut Squash, Pumpkin, Banana, Carrot, Spinach, and Broccoli (Toddler)

3. Mango, Apple, Butternut Squash, and Spinach (Toddler)

4. Pear, Blueberry, and Spinach (Baby)

B's favorite flavor was #1 but really there weren't any that she disliked! These pouches are so, so easy to use. We use them at home of course but I also keep some in our diaper bag at all times because it's a simple snack we can do at the baseball field, the park, while out running errands, etc.

The other product is the Go and Grow Similac Toddler drink. It is packed with over 25 vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, DHA, and Lutein. It comes in cans (like formula) or convenient stick packs. The stick packs are super handy to toss into the diaper bag when you're on the go - just tear one open, add it to water in your child's cup, shake, and go! The drink comes in several options: Unflavored, Sensitive, Non-GMO, and Vanilla. We chose the Vanilla and B LOVES it! (She is using sippy cups but still has a little bit of preference for the bottle, as seen in the picture below.)

These products can all be found at your local Walmart. (And on the off chance that they're not on the shelf, just check out the Site to Store option!) Want to win a $50 Walmart gift card so you can purchase some for your kiddos? Check it out HERE. Do you use the iBottta app to save money on your groceries and other purchases? If so, be sure to check out this offer for .50 back on any one Go and Grow Similac pouch!

Want even more information? Check out these links:

Facebook // YouTube // Go & Grow Pouches // Toddler Drink

#GoandGrowAtWalmart with Similac

2017-05-22T07:00:00.009-04:00

Disclosure: This post was developed in partnership with Similac. All opinions are my own.

As a mom I always want to make sure that my kids are getting all the vitamins, minerals, and complete nutrition that comes from eating a great well-rounded diet...however, as a mom I also know that kids can be finicky or picky. Babies and toddlers take time to get used to new flavors - you have to introduce some foods tons of times before they'll eat more than one bite. And at some point in time they all seem to go through a stage where they only want to eat one type of food or where they refuse to try anything new or different. It can be SO frustrating!

1. Apple, Butternut Squash, Banana, and Blueberry (Toddler)

2. Butternut Squash, Pumpkin, Banana, Carrot, Spinach, and Broccoli (Toddler)

3. Mango, Apple, Butternut Squash, and Spinach (Toddler)

4. Pear, Blueberry, and Spinach (Baby)

The other product is the Go and Grow Similac Toddler drink. It is packed with over 25 vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, DHA, and Lutein. It comes in cans (like formula) or convenient stick packs. The stick packs are super handy to toss into the diaper bag when you're on the go - just tear one open, add it to water in your child's cup, shake, and go! The drink comes in several options: Unflavored, Sensitive, Non-GMO, and Vanilla. We chose the Vanilla and B LOVES it! (She is using sippy and toddler cups but still has a little bit of preference for the bottle, as seen in the picture below.)

Want even more information? Check out these links:

Facebook // YouTube // Go & Grow Pouches // Toddler Drink

5 Ways to Help Struggling Writers & Readers

2017-04-13T07:30:00.009-04:00

Disclosure: When I wrote this, I was a WriteShop Ambassador and had the opportunity to be compensated for promoting WriteShop's products and our experiences with them. I am not an ambassador anymore but loved using their products. All ideas and opinions are my own.

It can be extremely challenging trying to teach a child a subject that they're not fond of or that they genuinely struggle with. Many children start out reading and writing slowly, reversing letters, or mixing up sounds - it's just what happens when they're starting to learn and process things. Some things just take time, while others need more attention. If your child struggles with reading or writing, there's no shame in getting another opinion. When my son was a "late" reader, I consulted with speech/reading teachers and veteran homeschool moms, etc. - to see if I was expecting too much or if we were actually having a real problem.

If your child has a learning disability that affects their writing or reading skills, or if it's just something that they struggle with, there are ways to help them that will make things less stressful for everyone involved! Here are 5 ways to help your struggling homeschool readers and writers:

5. Get hands-on: Children who struggle to write generally aren't going to excel at or enjoy copywork - does that mean they should never do it? Of course not. But they can benefit even more from doing more hands-on activities, especially when they are younger. Sandpaper letters, using playdough, tracing letters in sand or salt, or using fingerpaint to write their names can be great fun while they're practicing their writing skills! WriteShop is a wonderful writing curriculum that offers a multitude of resources including many unique hands-on project ideas for publishing your child's writing.

4. Do it together & talk it out: Give your child a bit of a break and let them communicate. Have them answer questions orally or dictate stories/essays to you. Mix it up and try taking turns creating a story with you each adding sections. Make it as silly or serious as you want! WriteShop's Junior curriculum offers many opportunities to do this. As with the Guided Writing Practice in WriteShop Primary, the WriteShop Junior curriculum offers the opportunity to Model & Teach - where you as the teacher demonstrate through a guided script how to do that particular exercise with the child observing.

3. Let them focus on what they like: It can be very tempting to pick out books and curriculum for our children only based on what WE think they need to be learning. I was guilty of this with my oldest son - I kept getting him graded readers and books that focused on learning sounds & letters. While this wasn't necessarily bad, it was boring him to tears. A veteran homeschool mom I talked to encouraged me to let him roam the library and find books that appealed to him, regardless of what I might rather do. I relented and was amazed at how much he lit up when discovering the library had a whole section of superhero and Lego-related books!

2. Add in activity: Sometimes kids just need a break from routine - especially younger children. They're not made to sit for 8 hours a day copying sentences and doing workbook pages! Don't be afraid to add some physical activities to your regularly scheduled school day - running, taking a quick trip to the park, biking, yoga, taking a walk around the neighborhood block...whatever physical activities your family enjoys! It'll give everyone's minds a little bit of a break and they'll be more likely to start fresh a little later.

1. Change your curriculum: It can be daunting to think about switching up a curriculum that's not working for you - you spent good money on that, right?! But in the grand scheme of things, isn't it more important for your child to learn in the way that is best for them? Why continue to use something that is not working? WriteShop is unique in that each of their books is able to be used independently - you don't have to go in order or follow a set guideline. You choose which book works for you based on your child's age and individual skill level. My 11 year old son is currently doing WriteShop Junior - Book D and my newly 8 year old daughter is doing WriteShop Primary - Book B. I read over the descriptions and details on their website and they are doing beautifully in these particular levels. If you're interested in learning more about WriteShop, please check out my previous posts on them - previous posts have been removed but will be back up in the future.

So I want to hear from you readers - what has helped your struggling readers or writers? Please share in the comments!

30 Things Learned in 30 Years

2016-12-03T11:00:00.001-05:00

An acquaintance of mine turned 30 this year and on his birthday, he shared a list of 30 things that he'd learned in his 30 years on Earth. I also turned 30 this year (in May) and it has been very illuminating to me. I haven't really made any ~Earth shattering decisions~ or anything, but it has been a turning point of sorts in several different areas of my life. So I decided to do something similar. Some of these may be relevant to others, while some may just be more about me. And I got pretty wordy so if you read it all, I'm going to send you some e-cookies! :) Thanks Bob, for inspiring this post!

30 Things I've Learned in 30 Years

30. Be forgiving. There are always going to be people who are rude and inconsiderate. As hard as it can be sometimes, try to be the bigger person and let go.

29. LET IT GO. I said it above and it warrants repeating: if you're holding on to something - a grudge, a burden, a long held argument, mistakes you've made, whatever it is...be free, my friend. Even if the other person hasn't or it hurts, it is *so* freeing to let go of negativity.

28. Friendships will come and go...and that's okay. I went from having high school friendships to married/moved/having a baby/suddenly having almost no friendships. I spent a lonely period of time where I had predominantly online friends. They got me through a lot and I still talk to the majority of them. But I also began to get out more, get involved in different things, and I've gained new friendships because of it. Some I've lost due to my own failures, some have moved on, and others have stayed and grown. I'm grateful for them all.

27. Don't waste your education. I received a pretty good scholarship to college and I squandered it because I wasn't totally prepared to be on my own. My life is great and I do not regret it, but I do wish that I would have finished my education while I was unattached and didn't have as many commitments. It is much harder to do things like that when you have more responsibilities.

26. With that being said though, if anyone scoffs at your dreams or where you're at in life right now, ignore them. I can't even begin to tell you how many people have "poo pooed" my being a stay at home mom or homeschooling my kids. Let them. They don't know you and they're not the one living your life - you are. As January Harshe says: "you do you, boo."

25. Find a way to pursue your passions. Even if you're not sure you can manage it or if it seems unattainable, don't stop chasing your dreams. I was able to get my doula certification during a pregnancy while juggling my kids, their activities, and my other responsibilities. My husband was able to complete his Bachelor's degree while working a full time (often overtime) job and keeping up with us, his other commitments, etc. You may have to ask for help, you might even need to give up something temporarily - but you'll be glad you did it later.

24. Plan but don't plan - do you know what I mean? Everyone has an idea of how they'd like their life to go. That's fine, but remember to be flexible. Some of the greatest opportunities in my life so far have been because I'm willing to bend or shake off the game plan and roll with it.

23. Be selective with certain things. You decide who you hang out with, what you want to do in life, what things you want to participate in or not - you can be selective and you don't have to make decisions based on what everyone else wants. You will never be able to please everyone.

22. Enjoy social media but put down that phone and enjoy your people too. I love taking pictures of my kiddos. (Probably too much.) And I love being able to stay in touch with my far away family on Facebook. I love talking to people on Twitter that I might not have been able to talk to otherwise. (James Woods!) Social media can be great. But it can also be draining, drama-filled, and downright exhausting. (And that's just the comments section!) When you're out on a date or at a concert or at a family dinner or enjoying a night alone with your spouse, feel free to take some selfies or share a status but then put the phone down and talk, laugh, joke, and enjoy each other's company.

21. Self-care is SO important. There have been times in my life where I've been depressed or trying to find myself and I've struggled greatly. At one point in time, I was so riddled with anxiety it was hard to drive. At another point in time I got so caught up in children that I stopped doing things that made me feel better about myself - I couldn't remember the last time I'd gotten a haircut or really spent time with friends, I didn't even want to look in a mirror. I was just surviving. Self-care is NOT selfish. It makes me a better person, friend, daughter, mother, and wife. "You can't pour from an empty cup."

20. In taking care of yourself, do what you love. What you love will probably be different from what I love. That's ok! Whatever makes you feel better and keeps you feeling like you. I love going on walks/jogs in the morning and seeing the Indiana country sunrise. I love reading historical fiction and mysteries. I love writing in this blog. I love being a scifi fan girl and watching Doctor Who and Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica and The Walking Dead. I need time with my friends to laugh and catch up and share about each other's lives. I need time with my husband, just us - talking about our lives and things we want to do and our love. All those things keep help to keep me grounded.

19. It's ok to go to bed and do the rest of it tomorrow. This is a lesson I can thank my husband for. Evenings can be magical in my house - once the kids finally go to sleep and the house is quiet, I am usually tempted to stay up and work on things around the house or blog (like I probably am now), or just veg out in front of the TV. While that's not all bad, it can turn into a bad habit. All those things will still be there tomorrow. Moderation is the key here, I think. :)

18. Research and educate yourself. You will make so many decisions in your life - sometimes it requires doing more than just making a decision - sometimes you have to get opinions from multiple people, read books or articles; or even consult doctors, teachers, or other knowledgeable people. Don't just take everything at face value. I have learned and continue to learn so much just from being open to do research on things.

17. There will be a lot of people in our life for a lot of different reasons. This is long and it's by Tyler Perry's Madea but bear with me because honey, it is one heck of a life lesson:

"Most people are like leaves: when the wind blows they go to one side of the tree, and then the wind blows the other way and they are on the other side. They are totally unstable. All they do is take from the tree and give shade. When the seasons change they wither and fall off the tree. But don’t be angry with them; this is who they are. God put them in your life just for a season.

Some people are like branches on the tree but watch out for them. They make you think they are your friends but the minute you step out, they break and leave you.

Oh, but God bless those folks who are the roots. Find two or three people who are your roots. They are there to help you live and give stability to your life. A tree may have one thousand branches but just a few roots. Hold on to these people.

The lesson is to be able to let people and relationships go. And learn how to be alone and first love yourself. Learn to be peaceful. With your later years, you should learn to be at peace with yourself and others. Get rid of the dysfunction and let people go who continue to create drama and dysfunction in your life."

16. If you're a parent, let your kids be kids. Play with them, take them on walks, build, create, bake, and share with them. Read them stories and take an interest in the things they like. Take the time now to show them that you care about them and that they are important to you - it lays the groundwork for when they are older.

15. Another if you're a parent thought: the days are long but the years are short. I know, I know...it's sooooooo cliche. But it's also so stinking true. I remember sitting up nights, rocking a baby I thought WOULD NEVER SLEEP. I was so, so tired and exhausted and worn out. Now he's almost taller than me. I love that he's growing up into his own person but it's also so bittersweet to think about the tiny baby he used to be, that I could rock and hold and comfort.

14. Take care of your body. I wish I would have listened to this one a bit more. Of course you should be allowed to indulge and "treat yo self" but don't go hog wild every day. It's easier to lose weight/run/exercise/just generally stay healthier when you're younger. I kind of feel like the older you get, the harder it gets. I'm not ancient and elderly by any means but goodness...it is a challenge.

13. I've learned to agree to disagree. There are going to be people you don't agree with. It's generally okay to ask them "why" they believe what they do, or how they came to their conclusion, or if they're interested in learning something else. But sometimes it is just not worth it. For some relationships - family, friends, working - it's better to just agree that you don't agree on something and move on.

12. Stop being judgmental. If you read this blog or know me at all, you know that we do some things that others might not totally understand or even agree with - I have had babies at home, we homeschool, we have a lot of kids, etc. That's okay, I don't judge others for sending their kids to public school, having babies in the hospital, or having one (or no) children. To each his own. We have become such a judgmental society and are constantly wondering WHY people are doing what they're doing. Who cares?! If they are happy and healthy, if their families are happy and healthy, why is it any of our business?

11. For people who are married with kids: don't forget who you are as a couple. I have seen so many relationships disintegrate in the last couple years. Several of them were people who were awesome parents but struggled in their relationship because they just became passing ships, people cohabiting in the same house but never connecting. Remember why you married that person and make time to let them know that you still remember. Show them you love them in ways that are important to them.

10. But also, to clarify: no relationship is perfect. My husband and I are great together. Sometimes we are also terrible together. We gripe at each other about something the other one didn't do, we lose our tempers and argue. We've gotten better about these things as time has went on but we both also know that that is how relationships really are - you fight, you love, you argue, you make up. Perfect relationships where people never fight, disagree, or show the other their faults are in fairy tales.

9. No one person can complete you. To quote Katy Perry:

"They say it's hard to meet your match, gotta find my better half - so we make perfect shapes.
If stars don't align, if it doesn't stop time, if you can't see the sign - wait for it.
One hundred percent, worth every penny spent. He'll be the one that finishes your sentences."

Sometimes people do that for you. I have had a few people in my life that I feel are my "people" - they get me, they know me, I've told them my secrets, we share our dreams, and I'm not afraid to tell them about challenges I'm going through. They love me. BUT they cannot complete me. They are human and if I put all my faith and trust and hope in them, they will probably fail me. For me personally, completeness comes from being aware of who I am as an individual person and through my faith in God.

8. Childbirth is totally completely amazing. Obviously, this won't apply to all of you...but after having multiple kids and studying childbirth and pregnancy extensively, I have learned so, so much about the human body and all it is capable of. I will always, always get teary at a birth because it is absolutely a privilege to be included in welcoming a baby into this world, to watch them breathe their first breath. If you or your spouse is pregnant, I highly advise you to do your research and learn all you can about childbirth.

7. Be grateful for all that you have. There are so many people in this world who are struggling - trying to take care of their children, trying to keep their job, unsure of their living situation, trying to get food on the table, or find someplace to sleep for the night. I'm sure it sounds trite to say that but it's something that is so easily forgotten. I was reminded of this while driving with my son the other day - there was a man on the corner of a busy intersection holding a sign who appeared to be homeless. We had a long discussion about homelessness and he told me genuinely that he thought that only happened "in big cities." (We live in a very rural area for clarification.) No son, people struggle everywhere.

6. Volunteer, contribute, and/or give. Going along with my previous statement, I try to teach my kids about giving back and helping others. Not because it will make us feel good, but because I want them to be compassionate and kind. I care about animals so I try to share things from our local animal shelter and I hope to take the kids there to volunteer once they're old enough. We've visited the elderly in the nursing home because we've had family there and know how lonely it can get, and how the residents like visitors. I've helped at the pregnancy center because so many of those women are at-risk for different situations and I feel like every woman deserves someone to support her.

5, Love is a verb. Also probably cliche but true. Love is something that has to be acted on. I can say "I love you" all I want to my husband, but I also need to show him that I love him by doing things that I know will make him happy or that he'll appreciate.

4. It's okay to say no. I said it earlier but you cannot please everyone. It's totally fine to be involved in things, to help out, to do your best, and work hard. But you have to be careful to not spread yourself too thin or to get so involved with others that you neglect yourself or your family. Do not be afraid to say "I don't have time for that right now" or "I'm sorry, I really need to focus on _____ right now." I have had to learn this lesson and it can be very hard.

3. Done, not perfect. This is a lesson recently learned for me. Sometimes a task just needs to be done, even if it's not quite perfectly done. That's totally okay. If we waited for everything to be "perfect" before something was finished, it might never be done. That's not saying to haphazardly do everything and just say, "WELL, IT'S DONE!" Instead, do your very best but also don't expect perfection all the time.

2. You can't make someone do something/be something/etc. If I go into a relationship or friendship hoping to change the way a person does something or make them be something else, I'm going to be sorely disappointed. The only person I can change is myself.

1. Don't use the easy way out. It is so easy to say: "I don't have the time to go back to school" or "I really don't feel like exercising today" or "I'm too tired to go outside with the kids" or a multitude of other things. We can procrastinate and be lazy but what does it get us? A lot of "I should have done that" or "I wish I would have done that." Of course there are certain points in our life and times where it's totally okay to slack off a bit, sleep in, skip something...but I'm talking about in general here. I hate to sound like Nike but just do it. Sometimes it's really hard but I generally you'll be happy that you did it. 😊

If you made it all the way here, congratulations! 😀 Let me know what you think in the comments and if I missed anything!

Safe Clean Baby Skin With #WaterWipesWalgreens

2016-09-29T07:30:00.001-04:00

This post was sponsored by WaterWipes as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

With three kiddos currently using diapers or pull-ups, I change ~~a billion~~ quite a few diapers a day. So it goes without saying that I use a lot of wipes. Of course I want to use stuff that is good and safe for them, and there are an overwhelming amount of options available in the stores nowadays. I thought I had tried just about every type of wipe available until I recently learned about WaterWipes.

WaterWipes are a special kind of baby wipe - they only have two ingredients in them: 99.9% pure Irish water and 0.1% grapefruit seed extract. They are are durable and effective but don't contain any potentially harmful chemicals that might be found in other types of baby wipes, WaterWipes is a safe, natural option - especially good for those with sensitive skin or conditions like eczema. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that WaterWipes are the only baby wipe approved by Allergy UK and the National Eczema Association of America. They've also been accredited by a variety of different sources, publications, and won numerous awards. Another interesting fact: 97% of midwives believe that WaterWipes are suitable to be used on newborn babies. (Source: Spark research study on 102 Midwives, October – November 2014.)

We have multiple local Walgreens - the first one I went to did not have them in store but said they could order them. The second one had them in stock. They were easy to find and also happened to be on sale! Since I change a lot of diapers, these got a good workout in our house. I found the wipes to be very strong feeling - not easily ripped - but also soft on baby's skin. They also worked well at removing my makeup, wiping pen marks off an arm, pizza messes on multiple faces, and smashed bananas between someone's toes. (Don't ask!)

Learn more about WaterWipes:

WaterWipes at Walgreens + WaterWipes Homepage + Facebook + Twitter

From now until October 7, Influence Central is giving away five $100 Walgreens gift cards! I-C will randomly select winners from all program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes (5 winners).

SuperBerry Breastfeeding Smoothie Recipe With #DrinkPremama #IC

2016-09-17T07:00:00.001-04:00

This post was sponsored by Premama as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

As a momma of many, I am pretty much constantly busy. At night the house is quiet but our days are full of school work, chores, practices, appointments, and field trips. In addition to my three older kiddos, I currently have three kiddos under three, one of whom I am currently breastfeeding. When I turned 30 earlier this year, I realized I needed to really commit to being healthier and making sure that I take care of myself. That can be hard for moms to do because our children are so much of a priority that we often put ourselves on the back burner - myself included! So when I find things to make taking care of myself easier, I embrace them wholeheartedly. Premama is one of those things!

Premama offers a variety of different products for your particular stage of life - whether you're trying to conceive, currently pregnant, nursing, or just a momma trying to stay regular, Premama has a mix or chewable for you. Their mixes are specially formulated for people who have trouble taking pills which is especially nice when you're in the midst of morning sickness! They also contain folic acid, Omega-3 fatty acids, and non-constipating iron just like prescription prenatal vitamins. (And that last part is great because that can be a huge issue during pregnancy!)

Premama offers several different formulas - Premama Fertility, Premama Essentials, Premama Essentials + DHA, Premama Lactation, and Premama Digestive Aid. Since I am a breastfeeding mama, I went to Meijer and chose a box of Premama Lactation. It's a berry-ﬂavored drink mix that is formulated with Fenugreek, Fennel Seed and Blessed Thistle to help support healthy milk production. It also includes Folic Acid, Vitamin D3, Calcium and other essential nutrients good for me and baby Betsy.

The drink mix itself can be added into water (and tastes pleasantly fruity!) or mixed into any cold drink but my personal favorite is mixing it into a "Super Berry" smoothie! It's really easy to whip up in the morning when I first get up and it's great to know I'm getting my vitamins in AND helping my milk production while drinking my breakfast before running out the door or starting our school work.

SuperBerry Breastfeeding Smoothie

- 3/4 cup your favorite kind of milk

- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen red raspberries

- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

- 1/4 cup quick oats

- 1 packet Premama Lactation

Toss all ingredients into your blender and mix until smooth - enjoy!

(Click below for a printable image!)

You can find Premama at your local Meijer in the vitamin section - and from now until September 25th there are promotions going on there that can save you between $3-5 on the various different Premama products! Interesting in trying Premama? Check out the giveaway below!

You can find out more about Premama here:

Premama Website // Premama Store Locator // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram