I have a problem. Seriously, my husband would agree. I HAVE to make my kids Halloween costumes. It’s a thing. And I am not a seamstress at all. I feel like I have A LOT of potential to end up on some Pinterest-fail list. But I will say, I am somewhat realistic about my abilities, or lack thereof, so I try to aim on the smaller, easier side and use “hacks” (i.e. regular clothes, just modified). Of course I also really, really, really want them to coordinate or have a theme…yep, I’m that mom…but I don’t want to “force” them to be something, I like to let them decide. So all that makes it even harder to find coordinating costumes that everyone is happy with and that I can actually execute on my own.

But last year was a success, if I do say so myself. Without further ado…The Ghost, The Black Cat, and the Spider!

So my oldest really wanted to be a spider so we started tossing out other typical Halloween costumes and my daughter was super excited to be a black cat. That left the littlest who of course, at age 2, picked random household objects or whatever was in his line of vision. haha! But when we suggested ghost and showed him a ghost costume, he was all over it – he’s shy in groups or with anyone new, so I think this made him feel safe. And bonus, it’s THE EASIEST COSTUME EVER!

GHOST – Yes, I did it old school. Forget making it cute. I took an old bedsheets that I happened to have, threw it over his head and cut around the bottom. I didn’t want it to drag or make him trip (or get muddy/wet) so I cut it above his shoes. Then I cut out arm holes so it would stay put (and he wouldn’t get tangled) and finally eye holes. DONE! So easy! And it’s great for any locale/temperature because you can simply adjust what they wear under it.

BLACK CAT – the easy part was that I bought black tights and a black dress. I found the dress at Old Navy and you know they always have sales! I made the tail and ears myself…

The tail was easiest…simply sew a “tube” of black fuzzy fabric, whatever length you desire, and then curse yourself for making it thin while trying to turn it right-side-out. 🙂 Then stuff with pillow stuffing (I literally bought the cheapest option!) with help from small hands.

I then used a random piece of wire from my husband’s tool shed and stuck it down the middle…this allowed the tail to hold it’s shape and not drag. Sewed the whole thing shut and then sewed it onto a piece of black elastic cut to the size of my daughter’s waist. Why the elastic? Well, I debated just sewing the tail directly onto the dress but decided I would like to use the dress again! So I used a seam ripper to take out a small piece of the back seam in the dress, at waist height. She could then wear the tail around her waist UNDER her dress, the tail could come out the small hole, and after Halloween, I simply stitched the hole closed again and viola, a black dress she could wear every day (with cute, funky leggings of course!). 🙂

I *could* have just bought a kitty cat ear headband, but wanted to make my own. I used a plain headband, cut two pieces from a wire hanger, bent them into ear shape, and used hot glue to attach. I then sewed a little triangular “sleeve” of the fuzzy black fabric to fit over the ears and also used hot glue to attach at the bottom. Finally, I took cut a long, thin strip of the black fabric and wrapped it all around the headband, covering the plastic and securing the ears. I put a dot of hot glue every couple of centimeters and viola, soft cat ears! She still wears these on a regular basis! 🙂

Overall, the black cat costume was pretty easy, took minimal skill (straight stitching, seem ripping, hot gluing), and turned out super cute!

SPIDER – I think this is my favorite because it’s clearly homemade but super cute, comfortable, and fun! Everyone loved it! It actually took me awhile to find what I wanted as the base…plain black long underwear-type separates. I found them at Target, as a set, and bought two sets (so I had two shirts and two pants – for all those “legs”!).

I started by removing (cutting off) a set of arms and a set of legs. These I then sewed shut (the ends where the ankles and wrists would be) and filled with stuffing. The most annoying part here was ripping out the seams all along both sides of the shirt that was uncut. I then took the stuffed arms and legs and stitched them back into the seams, leaving equal space between them all. Viola, the top now had six “legs” (four stuffed, two for my son’s actual arms) plus we would have his two real legs as the other two spider legs for the grand total of eight. Whew.

One problem – the legs all just drooped. I originally debated about using wire (like for the black cat’s tail) but realized that they would get in my son’s way. So instead I just used black ribbon to attach all of the “legs” together…so when we raised his real arm, the other two below raised as well. It turned out so cute and he loved showing people his “legs”. 🙂

One last thing – I used the extra fabric from the middle of the cut/armless shirt to make a little beanie hat. Yeah, I could have bought a black hat but this was free. I then glued on large googley eyes. The spider was done and, again, didn’t require much actual skill on my part.

Overall, I really loved this theme and both the ease and cuteness of these costumes. We got lots of compliments and my kids were really thrilled. 🙂 In fact, the two pictures here are the only ones we have because we were too busy having fun…which is the whole point, right?!

Listen, I am not an artist or Martha Stewart, nor am I vying for any Pinterest prizes. I don’t have time for elaborate art projects or crafty things for the kids. In my world, if it takes the adult longer to plan and prepare than it takes the kids to execute, the adult is losing. I prefer winning and this gem is winning…

So my kids love to paint, which we do with some frequency. Usually good old printer paper and cheap watercolors. But every now and then we bust out a canvas because 1. they think it’s really special and it makes them really happy and 2. canvases can be really, really cheap when on sale at Michaels. And they think it’s special for two reasons…it is “real art” and we hang them on the wall in our hallway (I have got to get a picture of that to share!). They absolutely love having their art displayed and, if I’m honest, I do too…my favorite walls in the whole house are the hallway filled with my kids paintings!

But anyway, I digress, as usual. We didn’t have a ton of time today so instead of everyone getting their own canvas, I wanted them to work on one. Have you ever tried to get a 3, 4.5, and 6 year old to work together on a painting? Yeah, don’t try it. Unless you do this:

You’ve seen it on Pinterest, I don’t need to give you detailed directions – just use painters tape to tape off a letter (or shape or design) on a canvas, give them some paints, and let them go to it! There was some concern from the oldest that all the colors would mix together to make “mud” so we picked to use just cool colors, which I think was an excellent choice. They really had a good time, took the job quite seriously, and the finished product is fantastic – one of my favs because I know they all worked together on it! They were SO excited to peel of the tape and then even more excited to show their dad when he got home from work. I cannot wait to get this one up on the wall! 🙂

 

 

 

I’ve been getting a lot of questions – and strange looks! – when people find out we don’t “do” anything over the summer. No long weeks away, no month-long summer road trip, no camps, no summer school or daycare or mother’s day out, no babysitter or nanny. Nope, just me (pregnant) with a 6-year-old, almost-5-year-old, and just-turned-3-year-old. All day. Oh, and remember, we don’t do screen time at all (for personal reasons and reasons like this). Yes, I am tired by the end of the day, but I’m in my third trimester and it’s literally 100 degrees everyday and I’m playing with three young kids – you’d be tired too! And admittedly a break would be nice some times – I am not some supermom, I’m not here to make you feel guilty because all I do is gush about how perfect my life is and how I enjoy every moment with my kids. Nope, sometimes they annoy me and I want to run away just like every other parent. 🙂 But overall, we are enjoying our summer and having fun and my mental state is just fine. So…to answer the big question…what exactly do we DO all day and all week!?!?

First of all, my favorite part of summer…as a kid, as a teenager, even as an adult (since I was a teacher) is the change of pace, the slowing down, the not having to rush and be scheduled. So we slow our pace a lot over the summer. I do maintain our general wake-eat-sleep schedule because, well, I believe kids do better with routine and schedule (and one of mine, in particular, needs to stick to our basic routine). We still wake up around the same time and of course we still brush our teeth and make our beds and all that, but we take our time and some days we stay in pajamas half the day…one less Momma vs Toddler battle! 🙂

Generally, the first hour or so of the morning (after breakfast, of course) is just free play on their own….legos or dress up or trains or the hit of the summer, playing “family”. They play with the things we always have available, they use their imagination, they play by themselves or with their siblings, but not with me…while I get ready for the day, do dishes, start a load of laundry, etc. We do this for two reasons: 1. for me – I need to have my bed made and be feeling productive. 2. for them – I also feel very strongly that kids need free play, they need to be turned lose to entertain themselves, figure out how to play with others, and just have unstructured fun. For some great articles on free play check out this and this.

One or two days a week we try to get out of the house – in the morning hours and mostly indoors because it is ungodly hot here. That may be someplace we have a membership or someplace that is free or very low cost (because even inexpensive adds up with three kids). Our list includes…the library (free) to check out new books, the art museum (free), the science museum (we have a membership), story time (free), a local or new park/playground (free), the butterfly garden (membership), a splash pad (city ones are free), children’s aquarium (low cost), open gym time at the rec center (super low cost), special events thru many of the museums or libraries (free, I just check all the calendars frequently), the mall (free to walk around, we usually check out the fountains and art and buy a small snack), and if I’m feeling really brave and energized, a city pool (free or low cost).

One day a week, usually Monday or Tuesday, we need to go to the grocery store and maybe run another errand or two. Yes, it’s easier without kids, but I don’t really have that option. And frankly, it’s an activity and a learning opportunity. My kids help me meal plan (at this point, mostly give their opinions BUT I make them help think of a veggie or side to go with the main meal), with making the grocery list, they retrieve things from the shelves and help pick the produce, they unload the cart onto the conveyor belt, they help carry in groceries and put them away – they are learning important life skills and realizing that this stuff doesn’t just magically get done on it’s own! I often incorporate in little math or letter recognition questions as we go and I love when they suddenly learn to “read” (or at least recognize) a word or when they want to try new foods!

On the days we “just” stay home, we do a lot more free play. We might ride bikes/scooters or play in the backyard in the morning, but it gets so hot here that we are inside a lot. This is when the really elaborate lego inventions get built or a magantile tower reaches the sky (or at least as tall as the tallest kid can reach!). We might make an indoor obstacle course or we bust out the sensory bin (we love colored rice or water beads or pom-poms) or do an experiment (like our “snow“!). There’s also always the old trick of coloring on a big box and then pretending its a fort or whatever. Our “art projects” are never very elaborate and never planned ahead of time, and they don’t need to be! Forget Pinterest…kids love a bank canvas and some paint! Or scissors, construction paper, and glue! Many times I get them started on something but then I can tackle some project – this summer, with a new baby on the way, my “nesting” has been insane so projects have been cleaning out and organizing…sometimes they even help with that! One thing I love – I often find one or all three of my babies quietly “reading” (no, my 3-year-old isn’t a genius, but he does like to look at books and make up stories or “recite” what he remembers). I love books almost as much as I love my family, so this makes my heart especially happy. We do A LOT of reading together when they are little and we still read several books every day before nap time (to all kids, even those who don’t nap) and before bedtime, plus sometimes randomly throughout the day. So they get it honestly and I’d say every day this summer has had at least an hour or more of books time! That’s a win for everyone!

So that’s our low-key, laid-back, not-stressing-to-entertain summer. I’ve got no pinterest pictures to share, we were too busy having fun or just relaxing. 🙂 And I’m very thankful for the time we’ve had, even if I do feel just a little nutty. Only five more days until school starts – but who’s counting?! 😉

We made “snow”! Inside our nice air conditioned house when it was 108 degrees outside. Kept all three kiddos occupied for over an hour and cost just a couple bucks. I’d say that’s a win! So without further ado…I give you….sensory bin snow!

So first we read a couple books that featured snow (just what we had, but could be a fun library trip to look for “snow” books!). Then we brainstormed characteristics of snow…also made for good writing practice for my two oldest…here is our list…

We also brainstormed how we could make our own snow…mostly that involved giant freezers or magic…haha!….but it was a fun discussion. Finally, Momma revealed the “magic” ingredients…

Yep, dollar store shaving cream and baking soda. That’s it. About $2. I put the baking soda in the freezer the day before so our snow would be cold. We have these awesome sensory bins/stands that my husband built (I really need to make a quick tutorial about those!) but you could very easily just use any plastic tub you have lying around for this (makes for really easy cleanup). So dump the cold baking soda in the plastic bin, squeeze out a ton of shaving cream, and let your kids go nuts!!

We used a whole box of baking soda and a whole can of shaving cream but then it was too wet so we threw in a little more baking soda. It was actually a great lesson to have the kids experiment with the amount and figure out if they needed more of one of the other. I’d suggest having two cold boxes of baking soda and two cans of shaving cream on hand of the experimenting part. And our bin is pretty big…would have been more fun in a smaller bin or to double our recipe, just so there was some depth. But overall, this was great fun…mixing took awhile and then they made snowballs and snowmen and they even tried to make a snow castle!

 

When this was all played out, we did one last experiment. We had done the whole baking soda and vinegar thing in the past so I asked “what will happen if we add vinegar?”. Answers varied from “melting” to “erupting” but when we did it…we got FOAM! Yep! So then we had to play around in that mess for awhile too.

 

Overall, this was fun, cheap, easy, and provided some actual learning and entertainment. Clean up wasn’t bad either…they washed hands while I dumped most of the contents into the trash, then I simply rinsed the bin in the bathtub. Give it a try for a cool, indoor summer activity and let me know how it goes! 🙂

Hello 37, nice to see you. I’ve actually been waiting for you for awhile. I am feeling really, really good about this age and this stage of life and I was just really ready to be done with my “early 30s”…and 37 is for sure, officially, by anyone’s definition NOT “early” thirties. 🙂 And I can’t wait to be 40 either…but that’s another post.

Today I am feeling happy to be exactly where I am….which hasn’t always been the case. Remember when you were a kid and all you wanted was to be older?! Then some of those “magical” birthdays came and the magic didn’t come with them…you were still awkward or the freedom you hoped for was constrained by money or responsibility. And then there have been plenty of birthdays lately where you wished to be young again. Or at least carefree or with a little less bills and responsibility.

But right now, at this age, I am feeling good. I feel like sooooo much LIFE happened in my late twenties and early thirties. And it was a lot of great stuff, don’t get me wrong. Career change and cross-country move and marriage and home buying and having babies. Fantastic stuff, things I wanted, things others are still wishing for. I’m a lucky gal. But still, it was a lot…changes and transitions and growth and emotions and decisions… It’s funny, we think of how much babies physically grow or how much a child learn and absorbs in toddlerhood. But damn, I feel like I learned THE MOST in my early thirties. Well, I learned a lot in my early twenties too. But this decade took more out of me (blame the old age, I suppose. Or the kids.) And I’m thankful that I learned what I did. I am grateful for my experiences, good and bad. But I’m also glad I am exactly where I am now – a lot less stressed, a lot fewer major changes on the horizon, a lot more in touch with who I am and who I want to be and what I stand for and who I want in my life…all that stuff has taken years to figure out and instead of just feeling old, I feel smarter and more peaceful and more confident. Do I have it all figured out? Hell no! But I have reached a point where I am ok with not having it all figured out. And I think that’s the key.

So, a big fat HAPPY 37th BIRTHDAY to me!! Now, to start the countdown to 40! 🙂

 

Real quick…this is one of the things we did for our teachers this year for Teacher Appreciation Week. This would also be great for Mother’s Day, a neighbors birthday, a pick-me-up for a friend or coworker, etc. If you need more ideas for teachers (and others!), see my previous posts…Teacher Appreciation Week (part 1), Teacher Appreciation Week (part 2), Teacher Back to School Gift, and Thank a Teacher Today!

I stumbled upon the planters at Target in the dollar section – oh my god, that dollar spot is killer! – and just bought some herbs, soil, and little wooden markers (small and large) at my local garden center (we always support local when possible!). This is great because the kids had fun helping me plant and then they could write a message and sign their name on the larger wooden marker. We wrote “thank you for a great year” on one side of and they signed their name on the other. We wrote the name of the plants on the small markers (we did thyme and lavender). It’s a cute gift that has a bit of a homemade feel, but isn’t just “clutter” or too Pinterest-over-the-top and has a practical side too since it’s fresh herbs. And the grand total for 8 planters was right at $50…not bad at all!

So I’ve always thought about writing this post and then assumed I wasn’t any sort of expert, financial or otherwise, so who wants to hear from me? But in the last month I have seen no less than SIX posts on Facebook from moms asking what others do about an allowance and I thought, “What the heck? I have thoughts on this. My husband is an account. I am a researcher. I nannied and saw it done different ways. We discussed and read things and came up with a solution we think is pretty great. Maybe someone else wants to hear about it.” So here you go, how we do an allowance in our home…if you don’t like it, go visit pinterest for approximately 3,758,964 other ideas about it…

So we started when our oldest turned five. He’s six now, so we’ve been at this a year. His sister will be five shortly. Nope, we are not long-term experts here. Our system might change. But this part I think is crucial – ask yourself WHY you are doing this. Do you want to teach them about financial responsibility? Do you want them to do more chores around the house and this to be their motivator? Do you feel like you need to because all of your kid’s friends get an allowance? I think there are probably about as many reasons as their are families and that is fine! But figure out why your family is going to start this allowance thing and then let that guide the how. For example, if your main motivator is that “everyone else is doing it” then by all means, ask your friends what they are doing…in that case, consistency across families may be key! For us, it was very important that our children learn, from an early age, all about money – it’s value, how to handle it, how to save, and overall basic financial education and responsibility.

So, our reason being established, we wanted to figure out how best to teach that. Well, obviously, they need money to learn about it! “Doing” is always best, when possible. But they don’t need a lot of money to learn about it, nor do we want our kids to have a lot of money at this age! (Plus, we are going to have four here soon and we aren’t billionaires! haha!) So at the ripe old age of 5, you get $2 each week (also makes for easier math, we will get to that in a second). And every year, you get an additional dollar. (There is opportunity to “earn” more…we will get to that…)

We were also very sure that we did not want the allowance tied to a chore list…in our house, you help out, where needed, because you are a part of this family. We all pitch in. Furthermore, we do not charge you rent (you’re welcome) so helping with dishes or keeping your room clean is just expected. This is a quick summary of expected help from our kids…

So anyway, they get $2 basically for the sake of teaching/learning about money. And that’s exactly what we told them. An allowance is a teaching tool, it is a privilege and it can be taken away, do not ever “expect” it, always remind us politely and say thank you, do not argue about it, and be truthful about how it is divided and spent. We don’t ever use it as reward or punishment, we don’t call it “earned”, we simply call it a tool for learning about money.  For us, we make our son divide his weekly allowance into two jars, a “SAVE FOR COLLEGE” jar and a “SPEND” jar. Obviously, its easy to divide two dollars between two jars, but we do switch it up – sometimes he gets two dollar bills, sometimes all quarters, and occasionally I only have a $5 and make him figure out change! (love that it helps with math!)

The “SAVE FOR COLLEGE” jar is just that – money for college. The only time money comes out of there is to take it, with a parent, to the bank for deposit into his 529 college savings plan. That’s it. But the process is a learning experience as well. Not only can he count what is in the jar, but when it’s full, he learns all about the banking experience and even investing (try answering those questions from an inquisitive kindergartener!). We also feel that higher education is important, so we want him to get that message early on…saving for that is a sacrifice, but worth it! And, frankly, it’s a sacrifice you don’t get a choice about at this age! haha!

The “SPEND” jar is entirely up to him (I guess within reason, he can’t buy anything illegal or dangerous!) and he can chose to spend immediately or to hold onto it for bigger items. We provide our kids things they “need” (food, clothing, books, some toys, etc) so these are extras. It is curious, at my son’s school they can pay $1 on Fridays for free dress (they normally wear a uniform) and we have told him that since we bought the uniforms, he can wear that unless he wants to use his own dollar. He did that exactly one time and quickly realized that meant he would never save up for anything big and he has chosen to wear a uniform every Friday since! What a great lesson that he learned himself, I didn’t have to tell him! And besides that one single dollar, he has never spent any of his allowance! It’s so funny how kids’ personalities factor into this – I have seen kids (my nanny kids or friends kids) who run the gamut from never spending a dime to spending every cent immediately to everything in between! For my son, its totally his personality…he is saving for the supplies needed to build a “real robot” and he is a pretty determined little man.

Now many people ask about charitable donations or tithing. We are a giving family and donate both time and money to nonprofits, our local school, and causes that we champion. So of course we would like those lessons to be passed down to our children. And hopefully by seeing us do it and hearing us talk about it, they will learn!  But I also had a very strong opinion about “forced” donations…mostly from what I’ve experienced as a nanny or as a teacher….what lesson would we be teaching our kid if he simply HAD to donate, dictated by us?! If he is forced to divide his allowance into three parts, never really seeing or counting that 1/3 (or ten percent or whatever), it is never really his anyway. Might help teach about taxes I suppose, but we were adamant that we wanted to teach about GIVING, which isn’t really giving if it’s spelled out as part of the terms of an allowance. So we’ve decided that if he so choses to donate, of course with our modeling or gentle suggestions, he can do so out of his SPEND jar. Again, that’s HIS money and he can spend it as he sees fit – we hope that he will chose to donate to those in need or a cause he feels called to, but we will never make him (because, again, that doesn’t seem like the right lesson). And lo-and-behold, we are doing something ok in this parenting journey because we were talking about his brother’s upcoming birthday and what charity we would support (check out my blog post on asking for donations to a charity instead of receiving birthday gifts) and he suggested that he could use some of his own money to buy the item(s) to donate. #proudmomma

Hmmmm, what else? Oh, another big one for me is that allowance and money never ever under any circumstances be tied to grades! UGH! I hate this! And I’ve seen the problems it can cause first hand…a first kid who always excelled in school, with very little effort, out “earning” a younger sibling who worked her butt off but struggled and never once got an A (but not from lack of trying).  We think you should always try and we value education and hard work, but we also realize that a letter grade isn’t always the best representation of that hard work. And anyway, good grades (or at least good effort) is expected in this house, much like helping around the house – it’s just what our family does!

Now, if our entrepreneurial kids wants to earn more, there is certainly opportunity. No, I do not have one of those Pinterest-worthy chore boards with price tags or money clipped to a chore card. Why the heck am I going to do work in order to pay my kid?! And why do they get away with no using their brain?! Again, not exactly the lesson I am after. However, if my kids come up with something that they think I might want them to do or they see an opportunity around the house and they propose and negotiate payment, well then, THAT is a lesson I can get behind! This took a little explaining…and re-explaining…at first, my son just wanted to run around and pick up some of his brothers toys and ask for a dollar! (I let him do it, knowing full well what he thought was going to happen, and then when he asked for a dollar I promptly told him “no”). But he is starting to get the concept and has come up with some pretty great ideas. I love it because of what he is learning AND I usually get some extra chores taken off my plate! His younger sister has picked up on this quite quickly and even though she doesn’t get an allowance yet, she has come up with a few “extras” and earned some money!

I *think* that’s about it, although I’m sure I’m forgetting something! If you have questions, please ask below via comment! If you have feedback, again, comment. If you have thoughts, ideas, your allowance approach to share…yep, you guessed it…comment and let me know! 🙂 Thanks!

 

 

We love our playroom. In fact, it may be my favorite room in the whole house. It’s bright and cheerful with great natural light, there are plenty of toys to keep them entertained, but not so many that they get overwhelmed, its totally kid-proof so I don’t have to be in there with them, and, best of all, I can simply shut the door on the mess and not have to see it! Our kids don’t do screen time, so this room gets a lot of use! Take a look… (product links after pics!)…

Want to make your playroom this cute and colorful?! Here are some links to products. And no, I get nothing from this, no kickbacks, just sharing! 🙂 If I haven’t included a link for something you’re interested in, just ask and I’ll let you know where I found it!

Ikea Trofast Storage Frames & Bins

Ball Pit Balls, Amazon (I believe we have 3 sets)

Phil n Teds Travel Crib, Amazon (we love this as a travel bed and as a ball pit, although I notice the design has changed some; my fav feature was that it would fit in my suitcase and weighs so little)

Felt Flag Banner, Amazon

So my daughter saw a big bag of lemons (organic!) at Costco and BEGGED me to buy them to make lemonade. I mean, the kid asked for fruit and suggested a fun, easy activity – how could I say “no”?! Bought the lemons and realized I didn’t have a pitcher in which to make lemonade, since my very favorite glass pitcher broke last year. Luckily Target is awesome and I go there often….found this super cute, perfect-sized glass carafe for only $6…clearly, it was meant to be. I suggest you go get one now…not sure why I didn’t buy an extra, I will be going back!

Anyway, the two little kids helped (biggest was at school)…they washed and then cut the lemons into wedges for easy squeezing (they made me squeeze!). FYI: we have these kid-safe knives and use them all the time – the kids love to help, it keeps them occupied while I make dinner, and I swear they eat more/try more things when they’ve helped prepare. Anyway, back to the lemonade…we used the juice from four large lemons, added about four spoonfuls of sugar (organic cane sugar), and filled with water right up to the middle of the neck (the pic is after the kids each has a cup!). And ta-da! LEMONADE! It was perfect for us, maybe a tad sour for some, but generally, that’s the “measurements” for this container.

So easy, fun little activity, and the kids were thrilled to drink it outside on a beautiful day. Clearly I should win some sort of Martha-Stewart/Mom-of-the-Year award for this one. 😉 But seriously, it’s not something that was really on my radar, but it is always fun to get the kids involved and it felt like such a “summer” thing. You should try it! 🙂

 

 

Are you a thirty-something woman? Are you a mom? Do you lean just a little to the natural side? Not like crazy-hippie-crunchy, just general try-to-care-about-what-weird-chemicals-are-in-stuff natural? Do you think those lists with $200 eye cream are insane and wonder who in the hell buys $200 eye cream?! Well, if you answered “yes” to any of that, then this is a list for you!!! Normal stuff for a normal-ish person. Things I like, usually after trying other, similar things that I didn’t like. Mostly to be bought on Amazon or Whole Foods because I’m lazy (and WF is the closest store). Oh, and I even provided you with links (no, I don’t get a kickback in any way from this)…you’re welcome. Without further ado and in no particular order, Stuff I Like….

 

Schmidt’s Deodorant 

I’ve tried A LOT of natural deodorants. I wish I could claim to be that concerned about aluminum and chemicals and crap, I mean, I am a little, but mostly all the “regular” deodorants irritate my underarms. So I tried natural deodorants, which don’t irritate my underarms but wow, a lot of them just suck. This is the best one out there for keeping smells at bay, even in Texas summers. And I really love the fresh citrus smell of the bergamot + lime scent, although I’m sure the other scents are good too.

Amazon Link: Schmidt’s Deodorant (also available at WF)

UPDATE – a few friends reported that this natural deodorant gave them a rash, but that the sensitive version was without baking soda and left them rash-free! So if you are prone to under arm sensitivity but want a natural deodorant, try the Schmidt’s Sensitive (also available at WF)

 

Face Products

I actually haven’t tried a ton of face products because I have super sensitive skin. When I was a young teen, my mom said if I wanted to wear makeup, I had to properly clean and moisturize my face (good advice!) and she started me with Clinique. Funny because we didn’t have any extra money and were definitely drug-store product people…but she wanted me to take care of my skin, which I am thankful for, and Clinique worked very well…I used it forever! Eventually, I wanted to try other things and tried a few, liked Origins for awhile (would still recommend as good products, but I wanted to simplify), but always felt annoyed that with any of the these “nicer” brands, there were ten steps and multiple, pricey products and it just felt like too much. I like simple. I’m lazy. So I use three total products…

Neutrogena Cleansing Towelettes

I use these to take off my makeup. They require no rinsing, no hanging my face over the sink and flooding my vanity (seriously, am I the only one who hasn’t mastered sink face washing without creating a mess!?!). They also gently exfoliate (I can’t handle much of a scrub) and they get my face clean without feeling dried out (a problem for me). They are not eco-friendly, I realize that, but I love them. They are also way easier to pack for travel then face wash and toner.

Amazon Link: Neutrogena Cleansing Towelettes (also available at Costco in giant size for significant savings!)

Argan Oil

After I take off my makeup with the towelettes, I use pure, organic Argan oil as my moisturizer. I was very skeptical of an oil, I can get greasy spots (forehead and nose) AND I can get very dry spots (cheeks). I love this stuff. LOVE. So easy, one step, feels light (not greasy at all! trust me!) but moisturizes well. I’m going to be dramatic here and say it has changed my skin, I can see and feel the difference. And no crazy chemicals, there aren’t thirty unidentifiable ingredients. Not pricey at all, a little goes a long way. And I don’t have to go to the mall to get it. Can’t recommend this stuff enough.

Amazon Link: Argan Oil (other brands available at WF, although better pricing is on Amazon)

R+F Soothe Sunscreen

Ok, ok. I said these were all easy to get and inexpensive. I fibbed a little. This is one that you have to order from a sales person. I know, I know. Not my cup of tea either. BUT…I love this sunscreen for face. I am not exaggerating when I say I tried every single brand they had at Whole Foods (marked specially for face), I tried origins and bare minerals and clinique (multiple types from all three), and I tried several “drug store” facial sunscreen brands. I even tried samples from my dermatologist! All were either too sticky or too heavy or they made my face break out or they smelled gross. Some were so yucky to try to get on! I tried Rodan + Fields Soothe totally on a whim, at the suggestion of a friend…OH MY GOD! Not heavy, not sticky, goes on like a light moisturizer, doesn’t mess with my skin, and, most importantly, great sun coverage! Because lets be honest, I don’t need the sun’s help with wrinkles. I now buy three at a time (and also use daily for my kids faces, for the simple ease of application!).

Link to Order (from a dear friend, doula, yoga instructor, and all around kickass kinda woman who will not in any way pressure you or try to sell you on anything else): https://cheryljo.myrandf.com/ 

 

Rooibos Tea

Not a big tea drinker, but I do enjoy sipping a hot beverage and I don’t do caffeine (yes, you read that right, three kids and I don’t drink caffeinated coffee!). This tea not only tastes good, but it’s REALLY good for you. Like one of those freakish things in nature and you wonder if the original cave man that found it is still wandering around because it’s the fountain of youth. Anyway, available at Whole Foods or on Amazon. Even my not-heathy husband likes this…and my kids!

Amazon Link: Rooibos Tea (also available at WF, but we buy in bulk via Amazon)

 

Maty’s All Natural Vapor Rub

While we are talking about healthy stuff, I love this for chest colds. Just like the Vick’s stuff your mom used when you were little, but petroleum-free and I think it works even better! There is a baby formula too and it works amazingly well for little coughs and stuffiness. For adults and kids, I rub on the chest and on the soles of the feet (and then cover with socks). I always have this on hand!

Amazon Link: Maty’s Vapor Rub

 

Mr. Pumice & PurSources Foot Cream
Do your heels get dried and cracked in the winter? Do you want them to feel better AND look nice in sandal season? Do you lack the time and extra money for a proper pedicure every month? Here is your cheap, Amazon solution. I scrub with Mr. Pumice in the shower most days and I use the PurSources foot cream under cotton socks at night two or three times a week. Since I started this, I haven’t had a single heel crack! My husband has even remarked about how soft my feet are (I use the cream all over my feet). I am a little obsessed with these two products…I even gave them to my mom and friend for Christmas! (Is that weird? I knew they would appreciate them.)

Amazon Links: Foot Cream ; Pumice Bar (there are many similar products available at drugstores)

 

 

Silicone Straws

Not much explanation needed – drinking straws contribute significantly to the plastic litter and waste on our planet. These are reusable, easy to clean (the little brush thing is absolutely genius!), and wide enough for smoothies or milkshakes. I’m the weirdo who keeps a couple in the car in case I drive thru somewhere – I just say “no straw please”. That’s me, saving the planet one straw at a time. 🙂 Oh, and my kids freaking love these things.

Amazon Link: Silicone Straws

 

Half-Priced Books

Ok, you can’t get this on Amazon, but I am truly obsessed with this store. I think I would move in if they’d let me. Mostly because I love books and love to read, but also because no one cares if you spend hours in the store and the books are way cheaper than new. And they’ll buy your already-read books which means store credit for MORE BOOKS! And the staff is always nice and helpful. And they have other random cool stuff. And I could go on and on. Click to find a Half-Priced Books near you. Enjoy!

 

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

I’ll try to add to this list as I think of things, but in the meantime, I would love to hear what products you like and enjoy – just leave me a comment! Especially curious if anyone has tried those period panties (any brand) and what you think? Or if you have an eye cream you love and actually see results from? Or really anything that us regular ol’ women might like or need recommendations for…help us out!