Thanksgiving is almost a week away, and as a mom, I know we're pulled in a million directions. From...

• Decorating our home
• Sending out holiday cards
• Attending holiday parties
• Purchasing gifts for everyone and their mama
• Figuring out our holiday dinner menu

Trust me, I know I get it. Typically, I'ved hosted Thanksgiving dinner in the past and shortly thereafter we head to the outlets to catch those good ole Black Friday deals. I mean, I really love Christmas and I want to enjoy every minute leading up to it. However, I really get it as a mom, sometimes we really don't get the chance to be in the moment. Below I’m sharing how to avoid Mommy Holiday burnout to make sure this holiday season is the best year yet.

Holiday Plans
Sit down and figure out what you’re doing this year. Who’s hosting Christmas Dinner? Are you sending cards? Do you have annual events that you would like to attend?

Me Time
As prior stated, for the last couple of years. I've typically taken a vacation prior to Christmas. It honestly wasn't planned. But I learned that it was really nice to just enjoy the moment in another state. I realized that the stress that the holidays can sometimes bring on alot. I know this is not possible for everyone. However, take some me-time. That may mean a spa date or even a staycation. Treat yourself to some me-time, and do what you love. 

Eat Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day? It is! Don’t skimp on it. Make sure that every morning that you have a complete breakfast with your favorite breakfast treat.

Menu Plan
Around this time of year menu planning and my crockpot is my bestie.

If you can freezer cook that's even better. With so many parties and shopping to do. Cooking on the stove can become a task. Compile a list of your favorite recipes. Figure out what you need from the store until you go back to the store for your Christmas dinner essentials and menu plan weekly or the entire month if possible.

The List
Create a list of everyone you're purchasing gifts for. Also, include next to their name gift ideas. It sucks to go to the store trying to figure out what to purchase for someone. Use your time wisely and create your list now.

 

Delegate Task

With children being so tech-savvy. Include them in festivities. Delegate age-appropriate tasks. That could include picking up an extra chore and/or assisting with cooking. If you’re a blogger. Have them help with your blogger tasks (if you don’t have a virtual assistant).


Mommy burnout is real. Use these tips to simplify this holiday season and avoid mommy burnout.

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1. Plan events ahead of time; use Pinterest as your friend to create vision boards for upcoming events. If you celebrate holidays/birthdays it is never too early to start shopping and/or planning. I.e. if you know Christmas is going to be over your house this year. Start planning. If you know you attend several kids’ parties over the year. Create a gift bin in your home or garage to store gifts, so you are not running around last minute. If you make homemade gifts, create a realistic list of what you need to make and get to it!
2. Sit down and take a moment to prioritize what is going on in your life right now and create goals for yourself i.e. weekly, monthly, and/or yearly. Focus on completing what you have on this list before taking on additional responsibilities.
3. Assign responsibilities to your family. Everyone should have a job. You might have everything written down on a piece of paper or decide to create a chalkboard out of an old frame. The more important part is doing what works for you and your family, also never be afraid to ask for help from friends and family. I know we all want to be supermoms.
4. If you would like to reward your children for the chores your children complete, you could easily create your own method. For example, you could purchase play money from the dollar store and once your child completes their chores for the week they get paid, at the end of the month or every two weeks they are able to purchase items from the family store. This could mean purchasing a certificate to stay up late or get an extra serving of dessert at dinner time. Another option could be having a day of off chores. The great part about this is you could set the pay rate and also control how much each prize is worth and what the actual prize is.
5. As moms, we do not always have the time, however, sometimes we just have to make the time. Take time out of your day to make sure everyone is okay and to see how their day went. Plan family game night once a week or once a month to have that devoted time for your family, date your husband. Once the children go to bed, pour a glass of your favorite beverage for you and your spouse, sit and watch a movie or just look into each other’s eyes.

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Self-Care Ideas for Busy Moms

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Thank you Vantis Life Insurance for sponsoring this post. Vantis Life Insurance makes it fun and easy to get life insurance and protect your family.


Adulting is hard. I get it! However, I know how it feels to be perplexed about the whole entire process of setting up life insurance. I always hear that purchasing Life Insurance can be really intimidating and complicated. I'm here to tell you it's not! Vantis Life really makes the entire process super easy to understand and buy. I was in your shoes, a young mom, and I really didn't know where to start. My employer offered life insurance however when I left the company. My life insurance left as well. When that happened, I put off the idea of looking into life insurance. I thought the process was going to be hard. My prior employer did all of the work for me. However, as a parent, it started to bother me, and all of the "what if's". Trust me, no one wants to think about death. But what really scares me the most as a parent and wife, knowing that my son and spouse would not be able to maintain the same lifestyle in the event of an untimely passing. Below, I'm sharing tips and reasons why you should consider life insurance.

Tips

Ask Questions
It’s so important to ask questions and feel comfortable with the topic. They’re there to help you and do what’s best for your interest. Remember the worse question is the one that’s not asked. Vantis Life specialists can answer any questions you may have about the entire process. I've learned that when you ask the requestions that are really hindering you from purchasing life insurance. It really makes starting the process so much easier and really gives your piece of mind.

Schedule an Appointment
You can easily schedule an over the phone appointment again to get some of your questions answered. I would highly suggest having a running list on your phone. If you’re a lister. Have your pen and pad ready to house all of the amazing questions to ask. I love that with Vantis Life you can call or schedule an appointment. What I love about scheduling an appointment is that it really gives you time to process your thoughts and speak with someone at your convenience.

Top 4 Tips for Homework (for Parents)

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I'm often asked about my daily/weekly routines, and honestly. These routines are a total lifesaver for me. I spend less time, on unnecessary stuff, and I'm able to spend more time doing the stuff in which I love. Below I'm sharing 10 Things to do every Sunday for a productive week. I can imagine that everyone's schedule is different, you may not be available on Sunday. However, this is more so as a foundation to create a weekly routine, no matter which day it's on.


Take your clothes out for the week
This is something that I've been doing since my son was in preschool. Not only do I take out his clothes. I take out my clothes for the week as well. I'll typically have several outfit looks put together just in case I need to leave on a whim. I'm not spending hours putting looks together.

Journal 
I've incorporated journaling into my daily routines, however, if you can't journal on a daily basis. I would at least suggest journaling every Sunday to decompress and get your thoughts out from the prior week. There are so many writing prompts for journaling. Just do a quick Google search to get inspired. You don't need a fancy journal. I just use the one that I purchased from Target.

Go Grocery Shopping
Based on my menu plan, it makes it a lot easier for me to go grocery shopping. I know what I need for the week, and I'm able to get my home fully stocked, especially since winter is fast approaching, and snow days will be following closely after. Since I tend to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, I tend to go to the grocery once a week. However, do what works for your family, maybe based on your needs you only need to go to the grocery store once or twice a month. Do what works best for you and your family.

Meal plan for the week
If you've been following me for a while, you know that I meal plan weekly, for myself, and family. It takes a ton out of the stress of "what's for dinner" everyone already knows what for dinner. I don't have to run to the store to pick up items, and a lot of times. I can place the items in the crockpot, and it's done prior to everyone returning home for the day.

Wash clothing
Though I typically try to was load clothes at least every other day. I try my best to make sure that all of the clothing in our home is washed by Sunday. It just makes for a better transition into the new week, especially with having children who play sports.

Clean your home
I'm not sure if I'm the only person, but I can not function properly if my home is dirty. Let not forget about taking twice as long to look for something due to it not being properly placed in the correct destination, and/or it's covered over a pile. Take a moment to clean your home.

Review Your Planner and/or Schedule
I know this may sound simple. But it's super easy to add stuff to your planner, and/or phone, and totally forget about it. Trust me, get into the routine of checking all of your planners/calendars on Sunday in order to properly prepare for the week ahead.

Schedule/plan your Week Out
As the saying goes, a goal without a plan is just a wish. Plan your week out, create goals for yourself. This really does cut back on forgetting to do stuff. Do you need a refill on your prescription, do you have to return a call or follow up on email. This is the perfect time to plan out your week.

• Monday: Schedule Dentist Appointment 
• Tuesday: Follow up on Ambers Email
• Wednesday: Looking into Doctoral Degree Programs
• Thursday: See about any new job opening
• Friday: Schedule Lunch date with Maria

Create a To-Do List
I've learned that I'm highly productive during the week when I create a to-do list on Monday. You can easily section the list down to items that need to be completed by a certain day of the week of prioritizing your list in any way that you see fit. This really cuts out constantly thinking on Monday or even trying to remember everything that needs to get done. You can also always add to your list.


Create an At-Home Spa Day
I know this might sound silly, however for me personally, it's so nice to start of my ween rejuvenated from just simply having an at-home spa day. This honestly doesn't have to take much, and you can do what works best for you.

Do you have any Sunday routines? 

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I'm often asked how do I get everything done and honestly one I'm not perfect and two consistency. On a regular morning. My mornings are pretty consistent. I try to get me out of the way first which means that I get up pretty early. I've learned that this is the only way that I pretty much get me time without assisting everyone else. Prior to my family getting up for the day, I've typically have gotten my five-mile walk and workout out of the day. Had my warm lime water with honey and have written in my journal. What I love about this is that my daily walk really clears my mind, taking a moment to enjoy my warm lime water with honey has given me the opportunity to really be in the moment and writing in my journal allow me to really have some me time and clear my thoughts.  Is every morning perfect? Heck no, I can't tell you how many times my son missed the school bus last year or needed me to bring something to his school. Getting me out way really does jump start my morning and taking actions like meal planning, taking my clothes out for the week and knowing what's on my to-do list has helped me with being productive with my daily routines. Below I'm sharing a few of my favorite Productivity Tips for Moms. So you can be your best you.

Productivity Tips for Moms 

Get an Early Start
I’ve always been a morning person, and one of the ways that I ensure that I get enough sleep to wake up on time is actually going to sleep on time. I know I’m an adult and I don’t have a bedtime. However, it’s so important to put away your phone and actually get some rest. Ensuring that I have an adequate amount of rest allows me to get up around 4 am each morning. Which allows me to jump start my morning and be productive.

Daily Routines 
I highly would suggest tacking how you spend your time and create your schedule based on what needs to get done and what makes you happy. My daily schedule on a perfect day is pretty consistent. I've learned that having daily routines and a schedule will assist you with being highly productive. I know what time I want dinner is done by and the bulk of my tasks completed by. Daily routines also cut out feeling like you really don't know what to do next. Your day is pretty much set up for you to have a productive day.

Todo List
I have a weekly to-do list and a daily to do that I typically create the night before. Upon getting up I know what task I need to complete and I’m not worried about if I forget to do something. I revisit my to-do list on a regular basis and use it as a guide for my day. I usually will highlight items that are a priority for the day or week.

Hire Help
Last week I used InstaCart for the first time and it was a game changer for me. Can you imagine having your groceries on your front steps or upon arriving home or moments after you arrive delivered? Know when you need to hire help. Whether it's a VA or cleaning person. Knowing what really simplifies your life will really assist you with being productive.

Batch Everything
Since my son was younger. I would always take his clothing out for the entire week. Not just the day before. I used to have each outfit along with his socks. T-shift and undies out and ironed. This just made life so much easier for me. I also do this for myself. I take out my clothes and gym clothes out for the week. Trust me, when I'm up at 4 am. The last thing I want to look for is my workout clothes. It really just makes it so much more convenient. Do you know how much time I save by not having to look for stuff? Below I'm sharing other items that I batch.

Other things I batch...

• Cooking
• Meal Planning
• Social Media Posts
• Blog Posts
• Laundry
• Arranging/ironing clothes for the week
• Appointments/ Calls

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Back to School Hacks + Ways to Support Your Child’s School

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I'm often asked about my daily routines, and what I do to have a more productive day. Honestly, my morning routines are pretty consistent. If you follow me on social media. You've noticed that I keep things pretty consistent from even what I have for breakfast to what time I'm up by each day. Today I'm sharing an overview of my daily routines.

Make My Bed
For as long as I can remember. One of the first things that I do is make my bed. It really does play a major role in setting and concluding my mood for the day. I've also noticed that this has also rubbed off on the Mister. When I'm out of town on business. He defiantly notices a difference. They're something about coming home to a tidy home and a made bed. I make my bed as soon as I get up. This just works better for me, I noticed that if I wait until I have breakfast. A lot of times I'm in a rush and I end up forgetting or it sets off my mood for the day.

Exercise 
After making my bed and completing my hygiene I work on my 10k steps for the day, 100 squats, and my two-minute plank. I'm typically out of the bed by 5 am. This just works best for me. I'm a day person. So I love watching the sunrise during my morning walks. I feel so accomplished knowing that I have this checked off of my to-do list before most people are out of bed in the morning.

Beverage
My beverage of choice before I have anything to eat or drink (besides water) is a warm lemon or lime water. It has so many amazing benefits. I wrote an entire post about it here and even shared the recipe on my YouTube channel here.

Journal 
Ideally, I would like to write in my journal at night. However, it typically works best for me to write in my journal prior to working out in the mornings. It's a great opportunity to write what I'm thankful for and stuff that has happened since my last entry. I think it's also a great way to clear my mind.

Plan The Day 
What has worked for me is creating a to-do list the night before and working on my daily plan once I've completed my daily workout. During this time I review my “to-do list” and planner. This is very important because it's so easy to forget about meetings, appointments, and conference calls.


Do you have any daily routines?

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10 Summer Self-Care Ideas for Busy Moms

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The Where Investors Belong survey was conducted by market research firm Kelton Global in 2016. It polled 1,000 Vanguard clients and compared them with 1,000 clients of other investment firms. All differences between Vanguard clients and clients of other investment firms are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. The parental stat refers to clients with children of any age who provided the number of hours per week they typically spend with their children or who, compared to other people they may know, believe to be more involved in their child’s life. . The experiences of these Vanguard clients may not be representative of the experience of other Vanguard clients and aren’t a guarantee of future investment performance or success.

Today I will be sharing a little behind the scenes of 4 Ways that I spend my day as a long-term investor. Because long-term investors don’t live to invest, they invest to live.

Spa Day

Nothing is more relaxing than spending your day at the spa. Picture walking in a spa after a long week with fresh herbal tea brewing, four different options to the jetted Jacuzzi tub of your dreams with four different temps. This is my reality.

Family Time

As a Mom, my best moments are spent with my family. I love taking my son to sporting events and pretty much anything that has to do with sports. It typically the highlight of our fall and it makes for the perfect family memories. Screaming for our favorite team especially when they make a touchdown or interception. These are memories that I will never forget and are possible because I'm not just living to invest. Did you know that

Vanguard clients spend 6 more hours per week, on average, with their kids compared with clients of other investment firms?  

Date Night Experience 

Making time for date night is a must-have for any couple. I love that when we are our together we can fully focus on each other, enjoy the moment, and live in the moment. I love that I don't have to sacrifice time with my spouse. It's so easy to have to sacrifice now when we make the wrong choices. I love that I live such a fuller life and I'm able to spend quality time with my spouse where ever whenever.
Vanguard clients are 14% more likely to make time for date night compared with clients of other investment firms.  

Hobby

One of my favorite hobbies is traveling. I love the people, food, culture. From searching for the ideal location that I want to travel to. To actually make a choice and booking my trip. Nothing is more rewarding than hopping on that plane when it's freezing in your state and landing and not needing a coat. The gratification that comes from that experience is life-changing.

Vanguard clients are 15% more likely to explore mutual hobbies with their partner compared with clients of other investment firms.




Are you living a fuller life today? 

This week Michael is headed to his 8th-grade dance. I can’t believe this time has come. I remember when I attended my 8th-grade dance. I wore a royal blue gown that was beautiful. I remember getting my hair and nails done and feeling like a little princess. I went to the hairdresser for my up-do and I remember adding rhinestones to the front of it. sigh, memories!
Not sure why when I received the letter for the 8th-grade dance that I was like “oh yeah, I forgot about that” it never even crossed my mind about him attending this dance or this dance even happening. He never even brought it up. 

I was so thankful that his school made it very clear that this wasn’t a prom. Hehe. I’m laughing because it was asked that parents did not have any limos or formal dresses for the girls. It was so funny to me because I remember one of my classmates had a limo for our 8th-grade dance. “ain’t, nobody got time for that” seriously. As I’m on a debt free journey. I realize how easy it is to spend money on things that are not so important. Don’t get me wrong. I totally understand why parents would get a limo, as the saying goes, "to each their own". I’m just thankful that his school made it not even a discussion. 

I decided to create a budget for Michael’s attire. I wanted him to look handsome without breaking the bank. He wanted to purchase his attire from Abercrombie. However, we don’t have this store at our local mall. I did find some really cute pieces on sale though. I opted to go to Macy’s instead, which was the perfect choice. I was able to find such a cute outfit for him without breaking the bank. I let him decide on the final selection. Even though I was rooting for the opposite choice. 

Anywho, Do you remember your 8th-grade dance?

Blizzard of 2017

Happy Tuesday Everyone! It's currently a snow day in Connecticut. Last Friday most schools canceled school due to the snow. However, my town made the decision not to close schools which I was very pleased with. For one being that it's not like a free day. Yes, safety comes first. Always. However, I would prefer for my son to get out of school on time during the summer months vs. Not getting out of school until late June. 


When I was a kid, I looked forward to snow days. I used to wake up that morning watching the news waiting to see if my school was on the list. This was before the pre-cellphone days as well as before the schools would call and send an email. 

Yesterday, I was contacted which felt like as soon as the schools let out. I decided to go to my local grocery stores. Of course Aldi's, two minutes before closed. The shelves were bare. However, I did want to make sure that I picked up the essentials. Of course by the time I got in line. It was after 8:00 pm and the clerk was super sweet. I headed to my other favorite stores to look around. I wanted to pick up a steamer to list items that needed to be steamed on Poshmark and Ebay. I've been procrastinating with getting one for the longest. I actually would like to get as I would like to call it “a big boy” one. However, I want to wait until I see one for a really good price. Plus, I've been going this long without one. So I may be okay.


Anywho, currently, we're still under a travel ban. I believe most places are closed. Getting ready to make dinner.

How are you spending your Tuesday?