It’s that time of year again…Halloween! It’s my favorite holiday, and along with our yearly tradition of watching Sleepy Hollow and Hocus Pocus on repeat, I love whipping up fun, DIY costumes for my kids. Better Kansas City asked me to come on their morning show last week to share a few of my favorite DIY costume ideas. Grab your spray paint, some old boxes and enjoy!
Recently I was invited back to the Better Kansas City show to talk about how I manage stress while trying to get my kids out the door and off to school in the morning. I know it’s funny, but my number one tip is to have my kids sleep in their clothes! It works! And saves me at least 30 minutes of arguing over outfits in the morning. You can see the rest of my tips and tricks in the clip below.
Anyone who has met me knows I’m not a big shopper…I just find the whole process extremely overwhelming, especially when it comes to shopping for clothes. I walk into a department store and my skin starts to crawl. I can’t help it! The chaos of all the clothing racks and the multitudes of options make my heart race and trying on clothes in a dressing room gets me all clammy.
The worst part of this particular aversion is that it ends up being pretty expensive. Most discount stores and shops with reduced prices tend to be the ones that are, for lack of a better word, messy! While the more expensive, exclusive stores are set up in a way that is much easier for me to navigate, with lots of white space, limited options and uncluttered dressing rooms. I always hear of friends getting amazing deals on clothing for themselves and their kids by using coupons or shopping during special sales, but the thought of that makes me want to hyperventilate. Shopping is stressful enough without crowds and clipping coupons!
That’s why I was so excited to hear about Groupon’s newest offering, Groupon Coupons. Groupon has partnered with a huge number of retailers to provide thousands of online coupons to shoppers, and it’s so easy to use. You just head to their website to find tons of coupon codes, many of which you can use online and in the store. And this isn’t just for random shops either! With back-to-school shopping and kids who grow out of their clothes on a monthly basis, I have been using Groupon Coupons at some of our favorite shopping spots, like J. Crew Factory and Macy’s. We also like to stock up on extra special school supplies, educational games and books at Barnes & Noble, so we were super pumped to find a Groupon Coupon for there as well.
I’m so happy that Groupon is helping shopping-averse goofballs like me save a little money, and that they are keeping it super simple with Groupon Coupons!
This post was sponsored by Groupon, but all opinions and words are my own.
In honor of National Baby Safety Month, I was asked to share a few of my top safety tips for parents over on Kansas City’s own Fox 4 Morning Show today! (I will link and embed the video when it’s available.) Becoming a parent can be a stressful transition, and the last thing I wanted was for something in my home or car to be dangerous for my child. Luckily with some simple adjustments, you can make your space much safer and gain a little peace of mind as well.
Home Safety Tips
1. Clean Up Your Cleaning Supplies – One of the biggest hazards for little ones is when they get into home cleaning supplies. Make sure all chemical cleaning supplies are locked up in a childproof cabinet, with the sprayers turned to the off position. You can also replace your cleaners with less toxic or homemade versions. My favorite non-toxic cleaner is Young Living’s Thieves Household Cleaner, which does not made with any dangerous chemicals. It also can be used on everything from glass, to surfaces to floors. You can also make your own household cleaner, by mixing one cup of white vinegar with one cup of water. I add in lemon oil as well, just to cut down on the vinegar smell a bit.
2. Detergent Pods – These bright, colorful pods look like candy or toys to little children, which causes a HUGE risk for parents. In fact, just this summer Consumer Reports decided to remove these pods from their list of recommended detergents because of their safety issues. If you do decide to continue using these pods, be sure to store them somewhere locked up and out of reach of small children.
3. Mount Your Furniture and TV’s – One of the most common injuries for kids is when TV’s or unmounted furniture falls on them. But there is an easy fix! You can get mounting kits online, at electronics stores, furniture stores or hardware stores for around $10-$15.
4. Watch the Candy! – The most frequent cause of choking for kids under 14 years old is from attempting to eat candy! Make sure you’re not giving any hard candy or gum to kids 4 and under and pass that rule along to caregivers and grandparents. Yes, even if grandma insists on giving your little one a sucker…be strong, mama!
5. Sign up for Recall Alerts – This is one of the most simple ways you can ensure your child is as safe as possible. When you purchase a new piece of baby gear, make sure to send in the recall card that is included in the box, so you will be informed if there is a recall. You can also sign up for recall alerts online at recalls.gov.
Car Safety Tips
1. Know Your Car Seat Installation/Requirements – Make sure car seats are installed correctly and that you are using the right size car seat for your child’s size. Get the seats inspected by installation experts (police and fire stations can do this) and make sure the straps are placed correctly on your child. Also, don’t use bulky coats or blankets underneath the car seat straps! Instead, place a blanket over your child after they are buckled in or invest in a lightweight fleece that isn’t bulky, but provides warmth.
2. Know Age Limitations – While actual laws vary by state, recommendations and guidelines should be observed nationwide. Children should be backward facing until 2 years old, regardless of their weight or height. Children 12 and under should always sit in the backseat, regardless of size, due to passenger side airbags being too powerful for young bodies.
3. Set Rules for Car Behavior – No screaming or yelling in the car, or distracting the driver. If it’s unavoidable (a crying baby), pull over in to a parking lot or safe space until the car is quiet and you feel safe to start driving again.
4. Put Your Cell Phone Away – Keep your cell phone out of sight or turned off while you drive to avoid temptation. This also will carry over as your own kids learn from YOU how to behave while driving…and goes with my number five tip below…
5. Be a Good Example and Follow Your Own Rules – If you want your children to follow safe driving and riding guidelines, you need to do the same. You’re setting the example for their future driving habits! Start now!
Yesterday was a big day in our house…my (not-so-little) guy, Tate, started KINDERGARTEN! I can’t believe both of my kids are in elementary school. It’s nuts. But I have to admit, it’s pretty wonderful dropping both of my kids off at the same place and picking them up together everyday. For the past 5+ years we have been shuttling between schools with very different schedules, so I’m grateful for at least two years of my kids having the same days off, same vacation days, same half days and being in the same building. We’ve been looking forward to this day for quite a while!
When Lucy started kindergarten, we put together a fun little “Back-to-School Shopping” video (which you can watch here…it’s so adorable!), but Tate had zero interest in back-to-school shopping. So instead I decided to put together a little documentary style video of the morning of his first day. I have already watched it about a dozen times, and even though there were no tears yesterday, I will admit I have teared up watching the video. I’m just so grateful for this kid and I’m so excited for everything that’s coming his way. He was completely at ease at school and I know he is going to have an awesome year!
Song Credit : Here We Go by Clemency (Used with Permission)
