No, I’m not going to talk about sending your first born off to college instead I’m going to talk about your decision to head back to school yourself.  Moms are busy people, yet college moms are even busier.  If you are considering heading back to school I say “Congratulations!” College moms have to learn the finer art of balancing their lives.  They need to give enough of themselves to their children so that they are happy, yet also give enough of themselves to their studies to be proud of those accomplishments as well.  How exactly do you balance all this?  Some moms even throw in a job to boot!

First things first, be sure that your child (ren) has plenty of child care.  Be it from family members or a child care center that is up to you and your situation.  If you have family members that can help you out, use them first as your child (ren) will enjoy bonding with them.  I was lucky enough to have my mom a few days a week and my husband was a huge supporter of furthering my education.  Be aware that as soon as you step back through the door, your “job” will be that of Mommy.

Do your very best to make your schedule as consistent as possible.  Try to plan study time on the same day/night so that everyone in the family knows that is mom’s work time.  If your child (ren) is old enough to understand, explain to them where you go and what you are studying.  They will end up being your biggest cheerleaders if you let them.  Reassure them that they are your #1 priority and that you think about them even when you are gone.

Try to schedule everything.  If you have a break between classes, utilize that time to study and do work.  If you have the ability, plan your study times each week around your children’s activities.  For me, one of the best times to study was after my children went to bed for the night.  I had a couple of good hours that I could sit and study.  If you have time studying at home because you feel the need to clean, do laundry and such, then schedule in your study times and head off to the college or even the public library to have some good quiet study time.

As you schedule your weeks during classes, remember to leave time to play with your children.  Maybe you get a B+ instead of an A+ on a project, but the quality time with your children is just as important.  Also, don’t forget to schedule a little mom time.  Get the children into bed and go take a nice hot bubble bath, relaxing will actually make you both a better mom and a better student.  Take time to go for a walk and of course to eat healthy too.

Remember, your children are only little once, enjoy them as they grow and be sure to find the right balance for you and your family.

• Start taking a prenatal vitamin.  They will have folic acid in them, which will help your growing baby ensure a healthy start.
• If you have a pre-existing condition that requires medication, take the time to discuss with your doctor how the medication will affect the baby and what you can do to minimize those effects.
• Quit smoking as smoking can cause low birth weight babies and also raises the risk for a baby with Down Syndrome and other birth defects.  If you cannot quit, do your best to cut as far back as possible.
• Quit drinking alcohol as it may reduce your chances of conceiving.  Drinking during pregnancy may cause a number of birth defects, especially during the first few weeks.
• Go to the dentist.  Good dental health is important.  Why you ask?  Gum disease and other oral infections can increase your risk of premature birth, and other health issues.  Also it can lead to poorer maternal nutrition.
• If you have a cat, prepare your husband to begin cat care duty, as you should not be scooping the kitty litter during pregnancy as it can cause health risks to you and your baby.
• Start exercising if you don’t already.  The more fit you are, the easier your pregnancy and labor will be.  It also helps relieve stress, boost your energy levels and helps you to maintain proper body weight.

Now remember, I am not an expert.  These were hints, tips and ideas passed on to me when I began thinking about becoming pregnant.  I hope they help you prepare for your pregnancy, and I wish you good luck in conceiving that bundle of joy.

It’s time – the children will stay with a sitter while you and your husband get out for a few hours together.  Now what?

Leave your sitter a list of contact numbers so they may reach you at any time.  This list should not just be your cell phone number, as they are known to not work when you need it the most.  Be sure to include the number or numbers of the places you plan to be.  Also, leave a number or two of a local person they may call if they cannot reach you, such as a relative or close friend.

Leave your sitter with all necessary information they may need in case of emergency.  The list should include the local emergency number(s), your home phone number and the street address.  It is always better to be over-prepared than under.

If your children are allergic to anything or have a medical condition that needs to be cared for or watched, be sure to verbalize this to your sitter as well as leave them with a written list of what needs to be done, what the child is allergic to and so on.  They sitter will feel better if they are knowledgeable and prepared.

Finally, leave your sitter a list of “normal” activities, like bedtimes and bedtime rituals, rules that need to be followed, foods that can be eaten or any information that will help them “run” the household while you are gone.    Also, if your sitter is to feed your children dinner, be sure the sitter is comfortable cooking if that is something you expect of them.  If not, be sure you have something easy for them to feed the children, even if it comes out of the microwave.

There are many websites out there that have printable babysitter checklists if that would make planning for your night out easier.  A simple search for “babysitter checklist” will yield a variety of lists, some printable, others customizable, so don’t feel you need to start from scratch – use the tools on the internet to help you get the perfect list for you and your family.

If your children enjoy DVD’s and your vehicle is equipped, then this can be one way to help pass the time of a long road trip.  But, if your vehicle does not have such technological advances, as ours did not, then you will enjoy these more traditional boredom busters for the car.

Boredom Buster #1 – An old favorite – Twenty Questions

This is an old, reliable boredom buster.  One person thinks of a person, place or thing and each of the other players has up to 20 questions to figure out what the person was thinking of.  Each of these questions has to be a Yes or No question.  It is recommended that a parent (or adult) is the first to “go” so the children experience a round and thus understand how to play the game.

Boredom Buster #2– ABC game

The object of this game is to complete the alphabet first.  As you see the letters on billboards, signs, license plates, you call out your letter and point.  Once a letter has been claimed by one player, the other players cannot use the same letter.

Boredom Buster #3 – 50 states game

This game works especially well in a popular tourist spot.  The object of the game is for the family to find one license plate from each of the 50 states.  A notepad to keep track of the states found is recommended.

Boredom Buster #4 – The Animal Car Game

We usually play on long car trips through the country, because animals are in more abundance there. Everyone in the car plays and looks for certain animals alongside the road. The animals looked for are ONLY the domesticated kind, because birds would be almost impossible and the game would be over too fast and would be too boring. As one person spots an animal, they say the sound the animal makes and gets a certain amount of points for that animal. Ex: cow–moo, horse-neigh, cat-meow…. etc. The points are given on the difficulty of the animal that was spotted: cow-1 horse-1 dog-1 sheep-2 llama-3 cat-3 donkey-3 pig-4 (rarely seen, except on REALLY long trips), anything else spotted everyone must agree on the amount of points given. The game is usually played until a player gets to a certain amount.  10 points usually takes about 30 minutes or so to complete

Boredom Buster #5 – I’m going on a trip ….

This is a great memory game.  One person starts by saying, “I’m going on a trip and I’m going to bring __an item____.” The next person say’s, “I’m going on a trip and I’m going to bring _ what the first person said_ and _there item___.” Each person keeps repeating what the previous person said and then adds their own item.  This is fun and often ends and lots of giggles and happy children.

Boredom Buster #6 – Car Counter

Each person picks a type of vehicle: Make, Model, van, truck, convertible, etc. or a color of vehicle (easier for small children).  Then they keep track of how many of that type they see.  See who can find the most.

These happen to be our favorite car boredom busters.  Besides these games, we also pack a bag consisting of cd’s, coloring books, crayons, mp3 players, some small toys (that do not make a ton of noise) and an occasional book (once my daughter out grew the car sick stage). I do hope these help you and your children enjoy your next long haul car trip.

I understand and appreciate how busy moms are these days.  We not only work outside the home, but clean the home, schedule our children’s activities into our schedules, make dinner and take care of our aging parents.  All of these activities are worthwhile, but they all take a toll on us personally.  Before we know it, weeks have gone by where we have not taken any time for ourselves.  We have not taken the time to relax, or do anything for ourselves!  Here are some tips to ensure that you don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.

First of all, take a good look at what you desire to do.  How much time would this activity take to complete? Now take out your family planner (you know the calendar everyone’s activities are written on) and schedule this time into the week.  Make an appointment for yourself and KEEP IT!

Whether it is a movie out with your girl friends once a month, your daily exercise routine, time to finish that book you started or time to watch your favorite tv show.  Make a commitment to this activity, schedule it and set the money aside.  It’s good for you and for your family for you to take some time to do activities that you enjoy.  And it is okay that the activities may or may not include your family.

I know there is someone reading this that says,  “I just don’t have any extra time to squeeze this in.”  I challenge you to look at everything you do in a day.  Are your children old enough to help out?  Do you ask your husband to pitch in and help?  Or do you do it ALL?  It really is okay to have help.  Put some music on and have the kids help clean the house.  Make it a game and the kids will enjoy picking up their toys and helping clean up the house.  Your husband will even pitch in if you just ask.  He’ll enjoy time with you more if you are less stressed and more relaxed.

Take a look at your children’s schedules.  Do they do so much that even they don’t have time to relax?  Do you give in to every whim and desire they have?  Remember that you are the adult, and you do have the right to say “No.”  That goes for helping out in every activity that your children do participate in.  You do not have to coach everything, or be head fundraiser or bake all the cupcakes for each school function.  You can say “No” to all the outside demands on your time.  Pick and choose what to do, so you will enjoy helping more.

Now, start small and build up.  Schedule in your exercise and one other relaxing activity each week and stick to it.  Keep these appointments as you would a doctor’s appointment and hopefully you will begin to feel a little less stressed and happier overall.

We all love them.  They are easy and convenient.  They make cleaning up slick, but they are so expensive and full of harsh chemicals.  So what can you do?  Make them yourself!

Homemade cleaning wipes are just as easy and convenient, but cost significantly less and contain only the cleaning compounds you select. These wipes are easy to make, and you can make them for a variety of cleaning causes.

You will need:

• cylindrical or tall square plastic food storage container, 10-cup capacity (Large Coffee Can)
• extra-large roll of paper towels
• cleaning compounds of your choice (recipes follow)
• electric drill with 1/2-inch drill bit
• electric knife
• liquid measuring cups

OR if you have an empty container from a commercial cleaning wipe or baby wipe box you may be able to use that.

How to put the container together:

Place the lid of the storage container onto a piece of wood.  Use the drill to make a ½ inch diameter hole in the center.

Higher quality paper towels will not shred when pulled through the hole, so look for thicker quilted towels in order to have a better cleaning wipe experience.  Using the electric knife and keeping the paper towels wrapped in their wrapper, cut the paper roll in half; making two shorter rolls.  This will take a few minutes, as you need to cut through all the paper towels and the cardboard tube inside.  Set one half aside for a later use or a different cleaning solution.

Now remove the wrapper and place one half inside the storage container.  Slowly pour one type of cleaning solution over the top of the paper towel roll.  You will use between two and four coups of the solution depending upon the size and absorbency of the towels you selected.  Once saturated, place the lid on and allow the towels to soak for at least four hours, overnight is better.

Once well saturated, gently remove the cardboard tube from the roll and discard it.  Carefully pull the end of the paper towels from the INSIDE of the roll up and thread it through the hole in the lid.  Replace the lid.

Pull gently on the exposed end to separate the cleaning wipe.

As these sit around, they may begin to dry out.  You can always add a little water or cleaning solution when needed to soften them up.  If you add cleaning solution, do let them stand overnight before using.

Vary the strength of the cleaning solution by adding more water for a milder solution or more cleaning compounds for a stronger solution.

Happy Cleaning!

General Recipes:

General Surface Cleaning Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water

Disinfectant Cleaning:

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup pine cleaning solution such as Pine-Sol brand
• 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cup water

Window and Glass Cleaning:

• 1/2 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Baby Wipes:

• 1/2 cup baby oil
• 1/2 cup baby wash
• 2 cups water

Anti-Fungal Baby Wipes

Omit vinegar if baby has a raw rash.

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon calendula oil
• A few drops lavender oil
• A few drops tea tree oil
• 1/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel
• 1 cup water

Eight is Great Baby Wipes

• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 1/8 cup baby wash
• 8 drops lavender oil
• 4 drops tea tree oil
• 2 cups water

Babies need all kinds of gear as they grow. Many parents buy used baby products or borrow them from friends in order to save money on the items that will only be used a short period of time.  Are these practices safe?  They can be if you are a smart consumer and are aware of product recalls before you make these purchases or borrow items.

Some of the most popular used baby gear products are cribs, high chairs, strollers, baby carriers, baby swings, play yards and of course car seats.  These items tend to be quite expensive, and purchasing them used allows parents to spread their funds further.  First and foremost, we want your baby to be safe.   Protect your baby by being a smart consumer and following the tips below.

Tip #1: Visual Check

Look the item all over checking for visible damage, broken or missing parts.  Pick up the item, turn it over, look closely, and if the item is unassembled, have the seller assemble it to make sure all the parts are present.  If you find any damage, do not purchase the item.  Check for the manufacturer’s tag, as this will have the model number for future reference.

Tip #2: Check for Recalls

If the product passes the visual check, now you should check to see if the product has had any recalls on it.  The U.S. Consumer Safety Commission (CPSC) is a great place to check.  Visit their website at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html .  Use the model number of the product to make sure the used baby product has not been placed on the recall list and that it is safe to use.  Those that sell used baby items may not even realize the product has been placed on the recall list especially if they have not used the product in awhile.

Tip #3: Things to consider

Some baby products need additional safety warnings when getting them used.

Car Seats – Ask the previous owner if the car seat was ever involved in a car accident.  If so, the car seat should be discarded as an accident can place unnoticeable strain on important parts.  In my opinion, unless you know the owner and can trust them, this is one baby gear item I would purchase new.

Cribs – When you are pregnant, you are often offered the family baby crib that everyone in the family has used.  Be very careful, and make sure that the slats are no more than 2 3/8 inches between each other.  I highly recommend taking the model number of a used crib to the CPSC website to double check for any recalls.  The CPSC also has a nice PDF that goes into more details about what to watch for when choosing a used crib.  Get it here: http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5030.pdf

Remember, when choosing a used baby product, it is best to err on the side of safety.  Keeping your baby safe is the number one priority of all parents.

I enjoy making these recipes with my children.  The recipes are straightforward, easy enough for even young children to make with a little help from mom (or dad).

Valentine’s Day Chex Mix

Ingredients

• 9 cups Rice Chex
• 1 cup white vanilla baking chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup M&M’s plain chocolate candy (red, white, and pink)
• 1/4 cup jimmies candy sprinkles (red or pink)

Step 1: In a smaller microwave safe bowl, microwave the baking chips, peanut butter and butter together, uncovered on High for 1 – 1.5 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl pour in cereal.  Pour the peanut butter mixture over cereal and stir until evenly coated.

Step 3: Place half of the mixture into a 1-gallon food storage plastic bag.  Add powdered sugar, seal and shake until well coated.  Spread onto waxed paper (or foil) until cool.  Approximately 15 minutes.

Step 4: Stir the candies into the remaining mixture.  Spread onto waxed paper (or foil) until cool.  Approximately 15 minutes.

Step 5: Once cool, mix both cereal mixtures together.  Store in airtight container or place into baggies to share with friends at school.

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Valentine’s Day Snack Mix

• 1 package (12.7 ounces) Valentine’s M&M’s
• 1 can (9-3/4 ounces) whole cashews
• 1 package (8 ounces) yogurt-covered raisins
• 1 package (3.53 ounces) dried cranberries
• 1 cup miniature pretzels
• 1 cup chocolate bear-shaped crackers

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container, or place into baggies to share with friends at school.

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Fruit and Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 Jar Marshmallow Fluff
• 1 block Cream Cheese
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Variety of Fruits – apples, bananas, grapes, variety of melons, kiwi fruit, ….

Mix first 3 ingredients together. Slice fruits and serve.

Don’t let the remaining pieces end up in a landfill, instead use them to make the craft projects below.

Heart Puzzle Frame

Materials:

• Various Puzzle Pieces (use those from a puzzle with a missing piece)
• Glue
• Paint
• Small Cut-able Plastic Lid or Sheet of plastic
• Cardboard piece

This is a great craft to have your child make for their grandparents, mom, dad, aunts and uncles.

Step 1: Cut a big hole through the lid that is big enough to put your picture in (cut the ridge off the lid) or cut the sheet of plastic into a circle the size you would like your frame to be.

Step 2: Get as many puzzle pieces as you can and paint them red, pink, white and other Valentine’s Day Colors. Let Dry.

Step 3: Carefully glue the puzzle pieces to the plastic lid. Make one row a heart shape of pieces and then let dry. Next, glue the rest of the puzzle pieces layering the first layer.

Step 4: Carefully cut the picture to fit the BACK of the lid and when dried, glue the cardboard piece to the back.

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Puzzle Piece Craft Necklace

Materials:

• Puzzle Pieces
• Yarn or String
• Scissors
• Paint (optional)

Step 1: Cut the yarn or string into 4 to 6 inch lengths.

Step 2: Tie one end of the string to a puzzle piece making a knot.  Tie the other end to another puzzle piece and make a knot.  Repeat until you have a necklace the length you want.

You could paint the puzzle pieces to give them a different look.

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Puzzle Container Craft

Materials:

• Empty Container or Pot
• Puzzle Pieces
• Paint (Optional)
• Craft Glue or Decoupage Medium
• Paint Brush

Step 1: Make sure your container is clean.  Paint the container the color of your choice.

Step 2: Once the paint is dry, you can glue your puzzle pieces to the container, covering the space. Use multiple levels to make it even more interesting.

Step 3: Once all are dry, finish the container off with a coating of decoupage medium to preserve it.

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