Category: Parenting

My must-haves when road trip with kids

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A good preparation leads to a fulfilled trip. That’s why it’s important to carefully pack your belongings before every traveling occasion, especially when you have your babies accompanied. Road trips with kids means there is much more stuff to bring than ever before. If you have no idea what to pack for the journey, this post may possibly help. Here are a round up of my must-haves when road trip with kids (speaking from my 4+ years traveling with my daughter ever since she was 10 months old).

must-haves when road trip with kids
Kids’ busy bag

Yes, this is so important. It’s common knowledge that we’re gonna spend hours driving during every road trip and children hate waiting. They get bored easily and boredom results in misbehaviors. Unless you want your babies to be out of control, you must prepare a busy bag which contains toys, games, or anything that keeps them busy. A busy bag may include coloring books, shape-matching games, small toys, etc. I also bring her iPad with learning games and downloaded kids shows for her to entertain on long drives when she’s bored of all the toys.

Fresh water

It’s a long way driving and you surely don’t want to be dried out along the way. Keeping yourself and your babies hydrated is by far necessary. Water plays a crucial role in uplifting people’s mood and energy. Therefore, drinking enough water wakes up your sense of enjoying and having fun.

Bring more than 2 outfits per day for your toddlers

It’s my own rule to bring at least 3 outfits per day for my daughter. She’s gonna need to change clothes frequently due to playing and experiencing things outdoors. Toddlers love playing and playing messes up their outfit so easily. It’s normal to see your children covered with dirt just 5 mins after you dress them up. Dirty clothes means they have fun. Just make sure you prepare your kid(s) some spare clothes!

Lots of wipes

Wipes are my number 1 must have when going out with little one. I bring lots of wipes every time I have road trips with my daughter. They are a quick and convenient way to clean dirty hands, faces and messy tables on-the-go when you don’t have access to clean water.

Snacks

Snack is key when it comes to long drives with kids! Speaking from my experience with my daughter, snacks keep her happy. Make sure you bring enough snacks for your babies/kids during the trip just in case they’re hungry or simply bored. Don’t forget about yourself, the adults also love to have snacks to keep them stay energized while driving.

Your kids’ most favorite item(s)

My daughter loves her stuffed animal friends. Of course I have to bring one of those beloved friends with her everywhere we go. She really enjoys talking or playing pretend with her friend in the car. If your toddlers outstandingly like any toys or teddies, make sure those items are packed with you along the trip. I am sure they work best at soothing your babies feeling and mood.

Baby instant medical box

Okay, this is the most important thing. You may not use it every trip. However, it is that one thing you want to have on hand when unexpected things happed. I don’t ever forget when it comes to vacation packing. This box must include a baby first-aid kit, a thermometer, antipyretics for baby, bud-spray, sunblock, pain-relievers, alcohol wipes, etc. You can find lots of compact options on Amazon such as this one. Be prepared for unexpected situations because who knows what’s gonna happen!

These above things are my indispensable items, my must-haves in every road trip with kids. On a separate blog post, I am sharing my top 5 family friendly activities for Fall in Arizona that might be helpful. Life is full of journeys and explorations, have a good packing and head forwards, wonderful experiences are waiting for you! Hopefully that my sharing can help you anyways <3 

top 7 must haves when road trip with kids

Make your morning less stressful as a mom

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This blog post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx on behalf of Oroweat Organic Bread

If you are a mom to a toddler and you’re reading this, we’re on the same page. Mom life, especially new mom life, is full of chaos and unpredictable things. Sometimes, I found myself being washed out only at noon. And day by day, I have learned some ways to help with that and those ways work great for us. Today in this blog post, I am going to share some of the tips to make your morning less stressful as a mom. Before reading, make sure you read my previous post on How I stay sane being a full time stay at home mom. 

There are somethings to do the night before

Yes, this is key! I found cleaning the house and putting toys away the night before makes a huge difference. Trust me on this, waking up to a clean tidy home helps you to feel a lot weightless. You can also prepare things you need for making breakfast the night before and save you time in the morning. 

Easy breakfast is a game changer!

Do yourself a research and find all the easy breakfast ideas. Sandwich is never a bad idea since you can do a lot of different sandwiches and you and your little one(s) will love. My daughter loves the sandwiches I made for her using Oroweat Organic White Made with Whole Wheat Bread. Garlic & green onion toast, Simple toast with butter, jambon and dried shredded pork sandwich, and grape jelly sandwich are some of my daughter’s favorites. 

Be clear on playtime

If your little one is not currently in childcare or school, and is staying home with you full time, you might struggle finding time to do house work. My daughter is a clingy baby, who always asks for attention. One method I found works best is to have a talk with her about playtime-with-mommy. Morning is when I get the major of must-do-things of the day. I made a deal with my daughter that I will play with her only after this or that work is done. Meanwhile, I set a sensory play area for her to be able to play by herself. 

Find indoor activities for your kids

This is an important addition to the tips above. You know how short a kid’s patience is. Here is what you can do to “deal” with your demanding-for-attention-child. Go online and search for indoor activities you can set up for your kids. My daughter loves hunting for hidden items. I sometimes hide her small animal toys around the house and her mission is to search for them.

Cooking with your little one is another fun activity. Ask him/her to make breakfast with you and get creative on what to make. I am sure it’s one great way to give him/her the attention he/she wants while encouraging him/her to enjoy breakfast. 

Take a deep breath!

If the tips above don’t work out for that day, don’t stress! I know this is harder to do than it sounds, but take a deep deep breath and remember this: Motherhood is unpredictable. Somedays are harder than others and we’ve got this. Just forget what needs to be done (if you can) and enjoy some fun time with your little(s). And you know what, I did this sometimes, and those mornings turned out very productive surprisingly. 

Those are the simplest tips to make your morning less stressful as a mom. I am so proud to be partnered with Oroweat in this post and sharing ways to help other moms out. Their Oroweat Organic White Made with Whole Wheat Bread is my daughter’s favorite since it features Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. This bread is delicious and has a soft and smooth texture while also providing great nutrition for kids, and that’s why it’s perfect for picky eaters like my daughter. Plus, Oroweat breads are sustainably baked renewable wind energy. 

Xo,

Vannie

Simple on-the-go activities for toddlers

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It’s common knowledge that kids hate waiting. They hate waiting for food, waiting in lines and especially waiting in the car during a long drive. Therefore, keeping your toddlers busy is key for long road trips. There are several simple on-the-go activities for toddlers worth borrowing to ease your children, let’s check it out.

Prepare a “busy bag”

A bag of tricks will surely entertain your toddlers for hours. What you need to do is create a bag of different types of toys and games that your babies normally love playing at home. Simply include sticker books, coloring books, small dolls or robots, colorful flashcards, etc. Kids get bored with the same toys easily so you may need to alter many types of things to keep them entertained. Do prepare 1 or 2 new toys in the bag just in case. They don’t have to be expensive. You can find lots of affordable on-the-go toys on Amazon.

Keep an eye out

Allow your babies to look outside the window and ask them questions about what they see out there. The scenery along the road plays a perfect role to attract toddlers’ attention for a while. You can also communicate with your kids by asking them to describe what they see. You can also teach them new things about vehicles or trees that show up on the way. My daughter loves telling me what color of the vehicles or the houses she sees on the road.

Play a copycat game

Another fun activity you can play with your little ones is the copycat game. Tell them to do as you’re doing. You can use your hand to make some funny shapes and ask them to copy the action or you can simply rub your belly 5 times and see if they can do the exact number of actions. This game can keep your little one busy. It also helps stimulate your kids’ responsiveness to some certain actions and situations. 

Tell stories

All children love listening to fairy tales. Therefore, bringing a book of stories collection to read for your babies on the way is not a bad idea. Listening to stories not only keep your child away from boredom, but also have amazing impacts on improving their vocabularies and boosting their imaginative level. You can also find stories online without having to bring too many books.

Sing together

Turn on a playlist of their favorite nursery songs and sing with them along the beat. You can also clap your hands and teach them to do the same thing while singing. My daughter is addicted to singing and she loves to sing with me. That’s why my phone is now full of kindergarten rhymes and songs which I will play during the drive time to ease my little angel.

Communicate about life

If you notice that your preschoolers love talking, make time to communicate with them. You may need to have some simple conversations by asking them several easy questions like: “What color do you like?”, “What is your name, baby?”, “What kind of toys do you love playing?”, “Do you love mama / dada?”, “Let’s count from 1 to 20”, etc. These simple questions work effectively as a bored-reliever and your babies won’t have time to express their anger during the go. 

Bring snack

If all the above solutions fail, food wins the children’s hearts, right? Giving them their beloved snack may help to calm them down for couples of minutes.

Sitting in a car-seat for hours is a disaster if there’s no activities to draw your child’s attention away from getting tired and upset.  I hope that these simple on-the-go activities for toddlers will be helpful. Kids are unpredictable and we all need to be well-prepared before any road trip. Don’t forget to pack all the needed things to serve your little highness in any unexpected situations. I hope all the above ideas will help to make it easier for a smooth and happy travelling time. Speaking of traveling, check out my previous post sharing thoughtful gift ideas for travelers.

Look your best while being a busy mom

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This blog post is sponsored by Remington

Being a mom means having no time for yourself as it’s the most fulfilling role you’ve ever had. If you want to look your best while being a fully responsible/busy mom at the same time, this article is a must-read. 

Get yourself a good hair dryer

A good hair dryer will not only save you time after a shower, it should also save your hair from frizz. I’m currently in deep love with the REMINGTON® Pro Wet2Style™ collection which I started using a week ago. The Remington Pro Wes2Style Dryer has Ceramic + Ionic Technology to protect your hair from frizz and heat damage. It comes with a Detangler for straightening and smoothing; a Blowout Boost works with a round brush; a Diffuser helps define curls; and a Slipstream™ for pre-straightening. With those 4 included attachments, it will help you to prep your hair for faster styling afterward.

Make your wardrobe basic

With your limited time budget, clothes with basic colors like black, white and nude can be easily mixed together. They won’t cost you any minutes to consider back and forth. A white dress can go with any color of shoes and jackets. You can put on your nude heels everyday no matter what types of outfit you’re wearing. Don’t forget to own a couple of bottoms (skirts, pants, etc) that are made of jeans. Denim keeps you stylish and never out-of-date. 

Scent yourself with the right perfume

Fragrance tells a lot about a woman. Place your perfume at the most reachable position which can be taken every time you need to. You do not have to wear makeup everyday but putting on the right smell is definitely a must. 

Have a careful skincare habit

Take advantage of your babies’ sleeping time. Carefully do the skincare every day before going to bed. If your skin is in a good condition, you won’t have to waste time putting a lot of makeup on to gain confidence. Your bright smooth skin needs nothing rather than a thin layer of sunscreen. And it does not take you hours in front of the mirror. Moreover, choosing the right lipstick that perfectly matches your skin tone is crucial as well. Understand your facial look and choose wisely!

Get a time-saving hair styling tools

The key to look good while being a busy mom is save-time. Shout out to the REMINGTON® Pro Wet2Style™ 1 1/4 Hot Air Curling iron and the 1 3/4 Flat Iron. This set of products is a game changer. It took me only 15 minutes a day to get my hair ready for going out.

The tools allow you to style and dry your hair at the same time. That means you only need half of the time styling your hair without having to dry it first with a dryer. The Hot Air Curling Iron uses powerful airflow and optimized heat to dry and style at the same time. While the Flat Iron features a unique venting system that removes excess water as you style. 

Surprisingly, my hair looks smoother with a radiant after using the hair tools from Remington Wet2Style collection. They offer ceramic and titanium covering so you are totally worried-free about heating damage. This collection allows you to experience such a good time playing with your precious hair.

  • Curling while hair is still damp
    Curling while hair is still damp
  • After
    After
  • Before
    Before
  • After
    After

You know what, your hair worth investing as it’s the only crown you’ll never take off. Give this REMINGTON® Pro Wet2Style™ collection a try and see how it changes your life without costing you hours having your hair done. They are available at Walmart.

Keeping yourself to look good while being a busy fulltime mom may be challenging, but it’s time for you to make it possible. Your babies will surely be proud of their healthy, balanced and stylish mom. I also shared a blog post on how to stay productive while working from home, make sure you read it as well. 

6 simple ways to have a better sleep

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This blog post is sponsored by Centrum

Uneven sleep quality results in tons of physical and mental problems. Therefore, having a good night’s rest plays an important role in having a better mood, more energy, and general wellbeing. Those who are having a hard time sleeping at night can improve the situation. In partnership with Centrum, I’m sharing 6 simple ways to have a better sleep.

Stay productive during the day

Being able to get a good amount of work done for the day will help you be able to relax your mind to prepare to fall asleep. At night, set your tasks for the next day. Make sure you get yourself ready for a busy ahead. Taking vitamins is a great way to support you during the day.

Shout out to Centrum Whole Food Multivitamin Women’s & Men’s Multivitamins. They are uniquely made with a natural blend of organic whole food fruits and vegetables. I have a separate blog post sharing How to stay productive working from home, you might want to check it out.

Sleep-inducing music 

As music has a strong power to heal your soul and relax your mind, some kinds of rhythm can actually sing you to sleep in seconds. 

Those meditative sounds are able to slow down your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. Listening to some soothing piece of music before bedtime is a good preparation for a nice rest. Here are my recommendations you can add to your playlist: Piano version of your favorite songs, the sound of rain or ocean, slow romantic rhythm, etc. A sleep sound machine can help too.

Relaxing bedroom

Make your bedroom feel more comfy with a high-quality mattress. Use nice bedding fabrics that give you a cozy feeling. Be sure to keep your bedroom lighting comfortably low. And don’t forget to keep all the pillows fresh and covered with a good smell.

Television and all other electrical devices such as computers, laptops, and gaming devices are better kept out of your shuteye areas. These objects can easily steal your sleep at night so don’t give them any chance. Bedroom’s temperature is also crucial. Ensure your room’s air conditioner works well at keeping your place cool enough to relax. These are my favorite tips out of these 6 simple ways to have a better sleep.

Lavender oil 

Study shows that Lavender oil does wonders to your sleeping habit. Applying some drops of lavender oil to your pillow everyday may help a lot. You can also use this oil in your laundry routine as well. 

Place an essential oil diffuser near or in your bedroom for more comfy effect. That nice smell works great at healing your anxiety and giving you a stress-free mind before shuteye.

Regular sleeping schedule 

Sticking to a good bed-time routine is more important than it seems to be. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day will boost your energy. It will activate your concentration all day long. Sleep deprivation is so harmful to your mental health. Enough sleep with a nice schedule keeps you out of negative and unpleasant emotional disorders.

A problem in your schedule of bedtime can cause insufficient work execution because of a heavy sleepy feeling. There are some apps you can download to your phone to set a regular night-time routine and evaluate your sleep quality as well. 

Proper dietary food intake

Have you ever heard that some certain kinds of drink or food can positively influence your sleep? Try a cup of hot chamomile tea mix with one teaspoon of honey before bedtime and see how amazing it works for your sleep. Kiwifruit contains a high amount of antioxidant properties. It is a supplement that may help you to have a deeper rest at night. 

You can also take supplements such as Centrum Whole Food Sleep to help you naturally fall asleep. I personally love this supplement as I obviously see the difference when using it. It is from Centrum’s new line of supplements. They are Non-GMO and free of major allergens, artificial ingredients, and synthetic dyes. They are also Vegan*, paleo, and keto friendly.

Besides, there are many other foods  that also give advantages for your sleep such as nuts. Add them to your daily eating menu and enjoy the results. Drinking water the right way can help as well.

So, the above are 6 simple things that you can do to have a better sleep. In order to avoid consequences caused by sleeplessness, start with the above tips to make it easier for a good sleeping time. Since lack of sleep will push your aging process go faster than expected, improving your night-time quality is so important unless you want to look like an auntie in your twenties.

(*The following Centrum products are vegan: Stress & Mood, Mental Focus, Natural Beauty, Sleep, and Energy)
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

5 DATE IDEAS FOR BUSY PARENTS

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Being parents is exhausted and crazy at the same time. It is also time limited to be exact. However, parents still need to warm up their relationship. Here are 5 of my favorite date ideas for busy parents. To understand our lifestyle a little more, learn more About Me here. Now let’s continue to read.  

My husband and I have been married for years. We have a 4-year-old girl who is overly active and playful. That means that we hardly make time for each other as life just drives us crazy everyday. However, to get over the boredom of a long relationship, we successfully apply all the weird but romantic activities into our busy life. Somehow they have been working well for us. Keep on reading, I’m quite sure that those things can rewind your romantic affairs too.

Switch the breakfast-making role

Okay, this is what me and my husband love to do. The rule is that my husband has to prepare breakfast on certain days of week. All the other days it is my duty. I usually tell him what I want to have for breakfast and his job is trying to cook the exact kind of meal. What makes this funny is sometimes my food demand is just far beyond his cooking ability but he must try for it. I never know if the meal comes up with a mess or a bless? Both are okay because what we love is the other’s effort. Sometimes, I let him surprise me.

Having late night stay-at-home movies

A late movie night requires a good movies, home-made popcorn, delicious coke and a loving partner. You can make your own tasteful popcorn by following some online recipes and enjoy your movie night after your baby has fallen asleep. Choosing what type of movies to watch is also important. We love romantic and psychological movies. You can find so many movies of this type on Netflix, hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies, etc.

Go on a day trip or have a picnic

Neither of them is a date night but we consider it a dating idea. A family day trip or picnic is much more enjoyable than you think. Why do I love these ideas? It’s because my daughter just has great affection for a road trip. And guess what? While we are blending in the nature and have some fun together as a complete family, I get to see my partner’s responsibility. It’s the sweetest feeling when your partner is on the same page with you when it comes to taking care of your family outside the house. I often want to show my hubby how much I appreciate him especially for taking us on amazing trips or perfecting our picnics.

Let your partner choose your #ootd

We often do this on weekends when our family has an outdoor playing day. We choose outfits for the other and take some photos during the day to memorize every sweet moment we spend together. My husband hates wearing pastel colored shirts but I take them as a top priority whenever it comes to weekends. He hates it but sometime he has to agree that they look good on him. That’s also when he makes me feel so proud (which he probably doesn’t even know).

Surprised gifts

I love preparing presents for my husband when there is no special occasion at all. Surprising is always fun, right? And in return, he loves to give me surprise “gifts” as well, which is a quick getaway or simply a cup of my favorite milk tea. And that all little things just melt my heart!

Trying to refresh your relationship is more crucial than you think it should be. Long-term husbands and wives seem to lose interest in each other. That’s why many families are sadly broken apart. Don’t let that sadness happen to your life. Try to do something new and enjoy family life together! I hope those 5 date ideas above are helpful for busy parents like ourselves.

HOW TO STAY PRODUCTIVE WORKING FROM HOME

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Working from home has been my pleasure since I get to stay home with my daughter at the same time. Working from home gives you more flexible time. It won’t cost you a fortune for commuting fees. However, it’s challenging to stay productive and have good work execution when you’re surrounded with a relax-inducing place called “home”. Here are some trust-worthy tips to show you how to stay focused and productive even when working from home. 

Create a work corner

No one wants to work on their beds or sofas. That’s why you need to create your own working place. It should be bright and wide enough for your best mood whenever you have to spend hours focusing on your business projects. A home office needs to be airy and open instead of crowded with useless furniture. 

Working environment has great impacts on your motivation and attentive ability. A wisely designed home office can definitely upgrade your mood of working. You may need to invest in a really comfy chair for your space to avoid back hurt due to hours of on-the-job concentration. I personally have 2 work corners which are my office space with my computer, and my kitchen island with my laptop as it’s a bright comfy area.

Make working a daily habit

Working from home means there is no check-in and check-out time. You may need to schedule your own working plan on a daily basis. Set your alarm at the same time everyday and ensure you strictly follow your working routine. Remember, planning is the fastest way to get the job done on time. Planning ahead allows you to prioritize all the tasks and stay organized and use your time logically. You may need to build both a short-term and a long-term plan for your work in the most effective way. Think about it and adjust your plan niftily. Plus, do not work harder, try to work smarter and plan wiser.

Have your morning coffee

Serving myself a cup of coffee is what I do every morning to energize my frame of mind before starting to turn on my laptop. Coffee does an amazing job in waking up my brain, boosting my inner energy  and helps me to remain clear-headed all day long. My favorite coffee is the Nespresso Dark Roast.

Regularly tidy up your home

Handling your job in the middle of a messy area is the worst idea. Keeping your house clean and tidy everyday can surely lift up your working mood. In other words, the surrounding environment heavily influences your performance, that’s why you might need your home office to be as clean and clear as possible. 

You can also add pleasant smell into your place by using oil diffuser or fragrance candles to improve the comfy and stressed-free feeling during your work-time. 

Play concentration music

Yes, music is outstandingly amazing! There are so many concentration rhythm playlists on Youtube which can be played as a motivation for home-based workers. 

Prepare your instant stress-relievers

Stress comes unexpectedly and undeniably when working is overloaded, preparing yourself to deal with stress is important unless you want to lose commitment in your working process. Some stress-relievers which are instantly effective can be including chocolate, tea, a piece of relaxing music or some good moments with your loved ones. People have their own different ways to relax and soothe their anxiety as their brains work individually differently. So, find your own stress-relief method, apply it effectively to your situation, and back to work again. 

Those above are my tips on how to stay productive working from home. I also shared “How I stay sane being a full-time stay at home mom”, be sure to read it. The benefits of home-based working comes along with the disadvantages as well. It’s your job to stay balanced and gain effectiveness for your work execution. No matter where your job takes place, all occupations require efforts. Self-motivation and well-organized ability are the two key factors for successful home-based workers.

How I stay sane being a full time stay at home mom

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Having kids literally is not easy. It’s even harder and crazier sometimes especially being a full-time mom. After such a while being a mom of my beloved daughter, I’ve finally got some experiences to tell now. I’m gonna share some survival tips for all the moms out there who are struggling with your motherhood problems. In this post I’m going to share how I stay sane being a full time stay at home mom?

Stay organized and make peace with the mess

A house with kids is surely messier than it was before so what you have to do is being prepared to face the situation. You should set up a certain cleaning schedule on a daily basis so as not to see all the clothes piled up or a sink full of dishes waiting for you to wash them all. Cleaning every day is needed and it helps a lot. 

As your home is where you and your kids spend most of the time in, keeping it clean and fresh can make your mind more relieved and stress-free. 

Ask for help if you need to

You may want to surround yourself with all the supportive people who are always ready to give you a hand whenever you ask for. Raising a child, especially a newborn, requires so much effort and sacrifice, so do not hesitate to ask for help if you feel tired and exhausted. Don’t push yourself so hard. You totally can share all the work with your husband or your mom. This is an important tip to stay sane being a full time stay at home mom.

Listen to your favorite music every day

Music is magic, it’s amazing in healing your inside soul and boosting your mood positively. That’s why I advise you to listen to music every day. A piece of your favorite rhythm can wash away all the unhappy feelings and replace them with happiness again. Let the music fill your entire house with positive vibes, believe me, it can change your life. 

Stay away from negative people

Avoid those negative people who don’t have your back. They have problems in everything you do and don’t allow them to drain your energy. Being a stay-at-home mom makes you more sensitive to others’ opinions and comments about how you raise your child or how to take care of the house. What you have to do is to keep yourself calm and just turn a deaf ear to all that toxic unhelpful comments. 

Do not isolated yourself

A stressed mommy often stays alone thinking about all the bad things that have happened. Don’t ever do that. Share your feelings with a friend or someone you trust and look for a solution. Socialize yourself in a group of people or a small community where you feel comfortable to share things with, you can hang out once a week having dinner with friends and get space for yourself. Or you can just walk your baby around in a stroller to get some fresh air outside and that’s enough. 

Consider yourself as top priority

If you put your kids above yourself, you’re totally wrong. Taking care of yourself is most important. Remember this, you can’t love anyone else if you don’t even know how to love yourself right. Make time to nurture your soul and take good care of your body, take part in some social activities or do regular exercise to keep yourself healthy and balanced. 

You love your kids, I know, who doesn’t. However, you have to be happy, healthy and mentally positive first to give the best to your children. 

Seek for a home-based job

This is my biggest tip on how I stay sane being a full time stay at home mom. Being able to make money from my blog (as well as my Instagram) is such a blessing.

Money is crucial. I know how it feels when you can’t make your own money and live dependently on your spouse’ income, that’s bad. During the time being a stay-at-home mom, why don’t you try to seek for some home-based job such as content writer or work-from-home customer service or some other positions which allow you to work for a living and be mom at the same time. Getting yourself busy with work can also keep you away from stress and mental illness. And of course, spending the money made by your own strengthens your courage and confidence as well. 

You know what, motherhood is wonderful. Your home may be filled with toys and your hair may be a mess every day, but some couple of years later, what you and your child remember is not that messy house or dirty hair, what stays in your mind is all the happy time you’ve spent together. Life has its highs and lows, keep your head straight and never give up. God has plan for you and he saves the best for last. 

Getting Nutrients into Kids Diet and Tips for picky eaters

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This blog post is sponsored by Shamrock Farms but all opinions are my own.

I have a picky eater in my family. I know many other parents out there do too. If you don’t, you’ve got lucky, because it’s stressful for parents. I feel like it was our fault that made my daughter a picky eater. So we are trying our best to fix this and we already learned some tips I could share with other new parents.

Before we get to the tips, I want to spread the love for Shamrock Farms. Their chocolate milk has been our favorite (yes I love it for myself too). We like the taste and the freshness of their it. 

Shamrock Farms milk is locally sourced from its own family farm. So their milk are getting from the farm to your family in as little as two days. Their chocolate milk, with the flavor kids love, is packed with the same nine essential nutrients as white milk including protein, vitamin D, calcium and potassium, which are key nutrients kids need to grow their strong, healthy bodies.

Anyway, since my daughter has been a picky eater and we have been trying many ways to fix it. Here we have some tips that have been working for us:

-Be a role model to your kid(s). As I mentioned above, I totally think my daughter’s eating habit has been created by us parents. We did not eat as healthy as we want my daughter to eat. We did not eat as much veggies as we should do. So lately, we have been adding more veggie to our own meals and let me tell you, IT WORKS!!! She started asking to eat the same thing we eat, more and more.

-Give your kid(s) different veggie choices. Instead of saying “please eat your carrot”, let’s ask them “which would you like? Carrot or broccoli?”. The trick is that you have to appeal that you strongly believe that those 2 choices are the only things you have, and are very NORMAL choices. Keep your excitement down a bit, kids can tell you’re trying to make them happy with the choices you offer. Unfortunately they tend to go the opposite way that they think we want them to go. Yeah it’s a mind game between parents and kids. You’ve got to win this!

-Find and offer your kid(s) different options with the flavor they like. For example, Shamrock Farms chocolate milk. It provides the same high-quality protein and key essential nutrients found in milk. Or you can easily search for kids friendly snacks on the market.

-Don’t stress, it takes time, especially for trying new foods. But keep offering them, don’t quit. Your kid(s) will eventually accept healthy options you offer.

Once again, shout out to Shamrock Farms for being a great choice to add nutrients into kids diet. Their chocolate milk is a nutrient-rich food, with 8 grams of protein per serving and a key source of 9 essential nutrients. If your little ones like chocolate flavor, definitely offer them Shamrock Farms chocolate milk to try.

If you have any other tips or must-try products for picky eating kids, let me know in a comment down below.

Xo,

Vannie

Tips for first time visit Santa Claus

Posted in Holidays, Parenting, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

This blog post is sponsored by Macerich/HGTV Santa HQ but all text and opinions are my own.

This time of the year is the most wonderful time especially through kids eyes. Now that my daughter is three and starts to wonder more, we decided to bring her to HGTV’s Santa HQ to meet Santa Claus and of course to capture some photos. Because it was our first time bringing her to see Santa Claus, we did some searching and learned some tips online. I’m going to share what worked for us, but before jumping to the tips, I would love to shout out to HGTV’s Santa HQ.

You may already saw Santa HQ at the malls nearby if are in California, Arizona, Chicago, Metro New York, and the Washington, D.C. corridor. 

HGTV’s Santa HQ revolutionizes the traditional Santa Claus visit by guiding visitors through an immersive, interactive holiday experience with the use of state-of-the-art digital technology. They offer a new, family-friendly experience that features interactive technology to enhance the entire HGTV Santa HQ visit: Elf Academy.
My daughter was so excited when she could transform into one of Santa’s elves and virtually try on various elf outfits with the Magic Mirror.

There are other features I am sure bigger kids will love like creating their customized Elf-ID card using the new Elf-ID app and a “selfie”, exploring Santa’s Observatory through the use of tablets with Elf-Ray Vision, or standing next to an interactive board to find out which of Santa’s lists – Naughty or Nice – they made.

Don’t want to spend long time in line? Purchase the Fass Pass. This will give you the option to select the date, a 30-minute window of time to use Fast Pass, pre-pay online, upgrade their package by adding a family photo weeks/days in advance, and opt-in to receive text reminders about their Fast Pass window.

We’re in Arizona so we went to one in Chandler Fashion Center in Chandler, AZ. If you are in AZ too, visit ShopChandlerFashionCenter.com/SantaHQ to secure a Fast Pass and pre-purchase a photo package.

Not only that your family will have a fun holiday experience, you will help doing good. In past years, HGTV’s Help Through Holiday Giving has collected more than 66,000 toys benefiting local organizations such as Forgotten Angel Tree, Salvation Army Angel Tree, Toys for Tots, and Spark of Love Stuff a Bus.

Let’s watch a short clip I made for our first Santa Claus visit, and then get to the tips that worked for us.

  • Try to talk about it often WITHOUT telling your toddlers that they will get to go visit Santa Claus. Wait for your kids to show interest first. That’s the key and it works perfectly for us in many other situations.
  • Go online and purchase a Fast Pass and secure your spot. Make sure it’s the time you know your kids will be happiest during the day, not nap time (duh).
  • If you shop often at the mall that has HGTV’s Santa HQ, before the booked time, walk by, show your toddlers Santa Claus and how other kids do (talk to Santa Claus, sit with Santa Claus, etc.) to get them the ideas of it.
  • If you toddlers watch Youtube, find some cute holiday videos that have Santa for them to watch. Or you can show your little ones my video above.
  • The night before, I told my daughter that because she ate very well for the day, and was going to sleep early, she would get to meet Santa Claus in the morning. She was super excited and she actually woke up asking to go to the mall.
  • Last tip: Don’t expect your toddlers to do well the first time. They might cry and it’s okay. You can always try again. Mine looked down almost the entire time there then started to feel more comfortable when the photoshoot started. Now that my daughter asks to visit Santa Claus again and wave him every time we walk by.

The magic of Christmas through a child’s eyes is priceless. I want it to last forever. I’m glad there was no tears at all for our first time visiting Santa Claus and we were able to capture the moment. Have you ever brought your kids to Santa HQ? If yes, how did they do?