Savor The Mom Life

Are you a mom who wants to work from home? Be there for your kids? Pick your own hours? Help support your household financially? One way to achieve all of these things is to start your own mom blog!

I know it seems to good to be true. It is by no means an easy road. You have to be ready for a lot of writing, research, self-motivation, and self-teaching. Continue reading for the hard way I started a mom blog and the easy way I have discovered to start your very own mom blog. If you choose to start your mom blog it could result in making money, just as long as you are ready to work for it.

I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Please read my full Disclosure for more information.

The idea to start my own mom blog first came to me while perusing Pinteret.

There are a million articles on that platform sharing this same stuff I am sharing now. How to make money by starting your own blog. All of the free information is amazing. You just need to be willing to search for it and weed out the scams. Not all of it is the easiest to piece together and not all of it is helpful and correct.

There was a lot of trial and error in my first year. It didn’t help that I broke my foot and just stopped working on everything for a while either. I didn’t give up and got back to it by following any and all advice I could find that was free and seemed helpful.

Hitting one year of trying to blog, I began to think of spending some money on blogger training. It’s a hard decision to make, especially when a person is not making any money. I started looking for legit, helpful, result filled programs that would take me to the next level- making $$$$!

I had experienced a lot of “free” training programs.

There are about a million of them floating on Pinterest.  A lot of them were not giving what I felt I needed. Too much money with not enough explanation or demonstration of what I would be getting in return.

Drawn to Elite Blog Academy by its cute look and strong female creator, I researched the possibilities. The downside was my BUDGET. Too much money for me and not enough time to decide or plan. EBA is only open to enroll one week out of the year. Excited for it to be a goal for next year, but than I was sad because I was ready NOW. That next level was calling my name and I was ready to do the work. 

Thinking I could still find something that would fit in the now I decided to google blog training. Using the keyword free in the search, I came upon a site that wasn’t very “pretty and feminine and flowery” as I am usually drawn to (part of the reason I liked Elite Blog Academy so much, marketing tactics are real people!). Look here for the site if you would like to check it out. He has way more numbers and detailed testimony.

This site was promoting a blog training program called Wealthy Affiliate.

A free 7 days where I could sign up, begin training, host a site and get 24/7 support all for the cost of nothing and all in one place. Like I said, its style didn’t appeal to my eye but reading about what they had to offer appealed to my blogging heart. No surfing on Pinterest or googling how to troubleshoot my issues. I signed up and began the first training session.

The biggest and first reason I clicked over to check them out was the free start.

It was putting me right back at the beginning of starting my mom blog- but I was already a year into teaching myself this stuff! I already knew most of the first training. I was flying through. The checklists they have are so motivating. I love clicking each box as I complete the stages. 

All I could think was “I wish I would have found this a year ago when I first started and I have to share this with others who are wanting to start but don’t know how to begin”.

I know at least 5 people off the top of my head who could take this training and make something magical for themselves.

My site was hosted outside of their platform and I couldn’t link up my progress on my year old blog with this new training. That’s when I found out they have the hosting available and it’s included in their membership! To have my blog hosted and get access to the rest of the training, continued 24/7 support, and super cool keyword research tools (necessary for getting my post showing up on Google for you newbies). I have to buy in.

Get the Premium membership.

So now I won’t have to pay my hosting service (Wealthy Affiliate was super helpful with the moving as well). They also have monthly and yearly options for payment. It is around 400 for the year but with the hosting included and all the support, training and tools I will need it is worth it!

I wish I would have stumbled upon this when I very first began.

Maybe the money would have still stopped me back then but still, I would have had so much more guidance for building a strong base with just the free bits of training they offer!!!! A base which is necessary if I want to start adding affiliate links and Ads to my blog. So I can start being one of the money makers and not a hater of the money makers.

Hope you enjoyed reading my story of how I started a mom blog and if you are interested at all, please click on one of the links to check it out! It feels awesome that I may be able to help someone work towards their blogging goal. I always wish I would have started my mom blog sooner- so stop wishing and start doing!!!!!

Check out this post about Stranger Danger on my mom blog which I am very passionate about. 

Spring is about to be here and with it comes Easter. Easter is not my favorite holiday but Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. There is something to be said about the big change in the weather. Warmer outside time lies ahead.

In this blog you will find two sections- one is Easter activities for kids with a non-religious theme and the other is Easter activities with a religious theme.

Some people who are not a part of a church or religion celebrate Easter with just the coming of the spring season (easy and fun to teach kids.) If you are religious then it is all about Christ and his sacrifice of dying on the cross for us (death is a hard topic for adults, let alone children.) I grew up Catholic but am no longer practicing. The teachings and messages I learned in my time are still important to me and I want to share those with my kids. That sharing tends to happen mostly during the holiday season.

I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Please read my full Disclosure for more information.

Non-Religious Easter Activities for Kids 

Hand and Foot Print Keepsakes-

These are some of my favorite things to create with little kiddos. They love to paint and this is an awesome way to get this creating but with direction. Here are some cute options I have created with my kids. 

Big Bunny Feet

Little Chick Hand 

Egg Finger Painting

Spring Silhouette Finger Painting- I used cookie cutters to trace out the cute shapes. 

Old Fashion Easter Egg Hunt-

Anyone who thinks of Easter thinks of an Easter egg hunt. Grab those plastic eggs and fill them with goodies. Hide them around the yard or inside the house if the weather does not corporate.

Here are some Ideas for egg stuffers besides the normal candy. 

-Stickers- You can get these by the 100’s at the dollar tree. Just might have to cut them out to fit into eggs.

-Little Toys -legos, barbie clothes, small dolls, cars etc.

-Coins- who doesn’t like money. 

-Notes -I’ll never forget the year my siblings and I found a note that said “look in the kitchen” and there was a live actual bunny in there! So awesome. You don’t have to go that extreme though- fun jokes, sweet sayings or ideas for acts of kindness are all good note ideas too.

I do one hunt inside for my kids so they can run and do it on their own because this mom is still waking up and does not want to go out first thing. Then, usually, there is a larger hunt outside. If you find yourself having to host a larger hunt inside, one way to scale down on the chaos and destruction of your house is to make it a scavenger-style or clue themed egg hunt. 

Here is my inside list of scavenger hunt clues for the kids to read and follow for their egg prizes. Read the list and then click on the image for a free downloadable printable!

1. Look here for Easter Egg wishes. It’s where you wash your dishes. -Kitchen Sink
2. Search here for a sweet prize. It’s where you rest your eyes.- Bedroom
3. Here is where you go to get your body clean. Maybe this egg will be green?- Tub/Shower 
4. Find the next egg where we eat big dinners. For holiday time this table is a winner. -Dining room Table 
5. Where do you sit and watch TV? Look here for a treat you will be happy to see. -Sofa
6. Your treat basket has really grown. Next, go to the place visitors enter our home. -Front Door 
7. We go up and down these at least twice a day. To find your prise walk this way. -Stairs 
8. Do you really want to find more? Go to the place where Mom and Dad snore. -Mom and Dads Room 
9. From here you can see the backwoods. Go there to get the yummy goods. -Back Porch 
10. You’re on fire you’re so hot. Get more treats from this last spot. -Fire Place

Dying Easter Eggs-

This is a favorite past time and something I ALWAYS remember doing with my mom. We always did it the old fashioned way with the PAC Dying kids. Here are some fun versions of that I have used and liked. Don’t forget the vinegar. I always almost do and it does make a difference. There are all kinds of ways to dye Easter eggs now! I searched for some quicker more hands-on versions to try out with my kids and here are the links I found. 

1. Rice Shake Eggs
2. Natural Dye Eggs

Non- Religious Easter Books 

Egg Silhouette or Plastic Shell Educational Ideas

Everyone associates eggs with this holiday (look up reason and add description here). 

They are such an easy shape to draw and cut out I want to show you a few ways you can take some fun egg creations and make this into some fluency and math skill building activities for your kiddos. 

• Egg Name Practice- Create a puzzle with the egg by writing the child’s name and cutting it into strips to piece back together. Or make an egg line and do one letter of the name on each egg. 

•  Egg Letter Match- Write uppercase on one half of the egg and lowercase on the other half. You can do this with paper cutouts or the fun plastic ones. 
• Site Word Eggs- Write the word on the egg and get the treat inside when you read it. Or get to decorate the egg with markers and stickers after reading the word or using it in a sentence. 
• Egg Blending- Write the word onset on one side of the egg and the rhyme on the other. When putting the eggs pieces together blend and read the word. 
• Egg Number Set Match- Write the number on one half of the egg and draw a set of dots to match on the other- match. 

• Egg Patterns- Create patterns on the egg with colors and stickers. Or create patterns with the eggs after you have decorated them (stripe, polka dot, stripe, polka dot etc. ) 
• Eggs with Ordinal Numbers- Put the eggs in order as they are found and have the child tell you first, second, third etc. 
• I really could think of endless ideas. If you personally have one in your head for a certain skill you would like created, let me know!!!

Religious Easter Activities for Kids 

Good Lenten Deeds 

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us. He died so he could open the way for us to go to heaven. Kids can practice and learn about being more kind and loving as Jesus was by performing acts of kindness for others during Lent. Sacrificing their time to make something better for others. Here is a link to an Acts of Kindness Lental calender. 

Sun Catcher Cross Craft 

Religious Easter Books

Other Blog Links with Awesome Ideas on the Religious topic. 

Homemade Resurrection Eggs– to tell the story of Easter in an engaging way. 

Children’s Books and Activities for the Lenten Season 

I hope you liked all my Easter Activities for Kids! Don’t forget to check out some of my other special holiday blogs. 

Usually, some of the very first letters we all learn are the ones from our own names! It’s something we hear all day, every day from the very first moment we are born. It’s only natural for it to be a quick intro to the world of learning letters. In this post, I will be going over 5 steps for teaching Name Games for Letter Learning with pre-schoolers. 

I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Please read my full Disclosure for more information.

So here are the basic steps of teaching a kiddo to recognize and write their name. 

A quick side note before I break down these steps. Please try to teach that an uppercase letter begins the name, followed by lowercase for the following letters. All uppercase letters are not the correct way to write a name. Even though it may seem easier to start with just those letters you will have to reteach the correct way eventually, so why not just start that way.

1. Recognize the First Name as a Whole. 

You show the kiddo their name! Anywhere and everywhere! Label their belongings- seat at the table, bedroom door, bed, toothbrush etc. Get them looking at those letters together and associating it with themselves. Find some fun children’s books where the main character shares the same name as your kiddo. Have them look for their name in the text as you read. Trace the letters with a finger. 

Place some emphasis on the first letter because, well it’s first! (Remember this one is uppercase) Whenever you see that letter tell the kiddo. “Look Harry, an H! Just like in your name. H for Harry.” Also, any time we read an alphabet book I mention his name on the “H” page. Here are some of our favorite alphabet books and even a site where you can order a custom name book with your kiddos name. 

2. Recognize the Individual Letters in a Name. 

I already mentioned emphasizing the first letter when you are introducing the name as a whole but now you want to get them thinking about the other letters in their name. Use those name tags you have all around now and read off those letters. Write the letters yourself for the kiddo to see. Have them parrot back the letters as you read them, finger trace them, and search for them in other places where letters can be found. 

Name Flash Card Game – Create flashcards for all the letters in their name and have them match the letters by placing them on top of a written out version on their name. I made this cool magnet version of this for my daughter to play with on the fridge when I’m working in the kitchen and she wants to be there with me. 

3. Order the Letters Correctly. 

Here you can use that same flash card game to practice, but this time take away the whole name as a guide. See if they can remember the order of the letters on their own. Keep the whole name guide for them to check their work and in case they still need practice with that step. Have them read the letters to you off the card and in the right order. If you want another helping visual you could create a background picture with the letters under it. Cut that out and you have a fun name puzzle the picture will help them remember the right order. 

4. Practice Writing the Letters. 

Grab your chalk, markers, crayons, and pencils! You write and they trace first. Start with one letter at a time- get crazy with color if they like that. Next, draw the name in dots and have them trace those. Again one letter at a time and work up to tracing the whole. Don’t forget to model each step for them (how to hold the pencil too- Here is a youtube video to help you with that step.) After they can trace great then you move to write the letters. Again, one letter at a time. 

Side Note: If they aren’t feeling it, not having fun, or fighting you then stop! Learning is hard for little kiddos when it is not fun. Try to think of other ways to engage them with name practice. Make a dance for their name, with a different dance move for each letter. Paint the letters, smear them in shaving cream, trace them in the sand, line flash cards with a cheerio snack, etc. Check out my blog about Alphabet learning for more ideas. 

5. Repeat all the Steps for the Last Name. 

Don’t try to rush it and do both at the same time. That may be too much. Master one and then go for the other. Don’t forget to keep it fun!

I really hoped you liked my steps for Name Games for Letter Learning with Pre-School Kids. Check out some of my other posts about letter learning! 

Spring forward- Fall back

The year (2019) Daylight Saving starts on Sunday March 10th at 2 am. Time to spring forward in every state except for Hawaii and Arizona. It will end on the first Sunday of November when we fall back an hour. As a mom who runs the kids schedule this can be a challenging time. I am strict about sleeping hours in my house and this hour difference can totally make trouble. Read on for Mom’s survival guide for Daylight Saving Time.

I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Please read my full Disclosure for more information.

A lot of people hate this time change and the challenge it brings. I personally think the challenge is fleeting. It goes very quick and even though troubling can be easy if you stick to a plan. Also, I get very excited about Spring coming! Warmer weather and longer days. This is a crucial first step in that goodness!!!!!

Routine

The first and most important part of this survival guide is to have a good routine to follow. This is important to me at any time. My kids are bed champions. They do the same routine every night and we do not have yo-yo kids. You know the kind of kid that is in and out of bed enough to make you crazy, especially when you earned that kid-free time! When they are in bed they stay there and go to sleep 99% of the time. It is important when dealing with the earlier bedtime to remain strong in that routine. Bath, Teeth, Books, song, goodnight snuggles and lights out sleep!

Bonus- When I was training my oldest to sleep and stay in his bed we got this awesome clock. It is made for teaching time and can be used as an alarm clock. What I really love about it is the fact that you can set it to just change color when its time to wake. It doesn’t need to make a sound. So if they are still sleeping and you want them to stay that way they will! I highly recommend this clock for kiddos who need reminders of when its time to wake in the morning. You can even set a night light to turn on so they know when its time to be in bed at night as well. I have a few versions below for you!

Ease Into It

Some people swear by starting bedtime a few minutes earlier each night for the week before the change. I am not organized enough to do this but I’m sure it would help. Just remember to keep the routine steady and they won’t notice the difference!

Bonus: Controlling the light that comes in the room helps. Sunlight tells our bodies its time to be up! So getting some nice blackout curtains can help when it seems too early for sleep. 

Wear them OUT!

The bonus of daylight saving which I have already mentioned is longer and warmer days. Get outside. Get those kiddos moving. Physical activity makes sleeping easier for any person. I know its March and still cold in some places so plan ahead if you need to. Find an indoor physical outlet. Just get them moving and grooving and ready for a good nights sleep. Dance party after dinner, ride bikes or walk the neighborhood.  Fresh air and movement make for good sleep. 

Full Tummies

This is easier said than done in my house currently. My three-year-old is on a constant hunger strike at dinner time. She eats her dinner once a week if I am lucky. I am going to work hard for a few days around the time change to pick things I know she will eat for dinner. Grumpy sleepies don’t need to be compounded with hangriness!

Be Flexible and Patient

As much as I preach about having that strict routine sometimes you just have to remember change is hard. No matter how big or a small change can make for a grumpy kid. You only have a few days of some hard times going to sleep or waking up and it will even back out again. 

Self Care

Don’t forget to be nice to yourself. All us moms know it is easier to have patience with our kiddos when we have our own needs met. Place that oxygen mask on yourself first before helping those around you right?! Make sure your tummy is full, your routine is solid and you get some good exercise too! 

Now sit back and enjoy the coming of SPRING! Warm weather, long days, wine outside in a warm breeze. I can’t wait! I hope you enjoyed Mom’s Survival Guide for Daylight Saving Time. Please check out some of my other mom supporting blogs. 

When my husband and I rented our first apartment together, way back when we were just engaged, he and I decided we wanted a dog. After a lot of rescue group research, we one day found ourselves at the local animal shelter. One little brown with white speckles doggy caught our eye. She was sweet, potty trained and stole our hearts the moment she jumped 5 feet into the air as we shut her back into the kennel to deliberate. She was due to be put down that week if not adopted. Of course, we took her! And here is the story of the Paw Prints on My Heart: Pet Loss with Little Kids.

I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Please read my full Disclosure for more information.

We loved her and she loved us.

She was not an easy dog. The very high jump on the first day should have clued me in. Filled with separation anxiety, sickness, and high energy, she was a needy creature. I am a very committed person, but she sure did test my resolve. I worked hard to help her with all her issues, telling her always that she would be ours for the rest of her days. She gave me loads of training for the mom life.

Time marches on.

With our wedding, a few mangled dog crates, 2 big moves, and a baby, my husband found himself with the Army. The deployment was upon us. Two states away from the rest of our family baby, doggy and I survived. Even though her crazy dog-ness she helped me make it. Kept me company when the babe was in bed for the night, was a wonderful road trip companion and she got me out of the house for daily walks. I did lose a leather sofa to her anxiety during that time, but she was worth it!

She is the sweetest creature with all kids.

Fast-forward again to another move and another kid. I could not ask for a more patient dog for my babies. Her anxiety still raging, but her body starting to slow down. The gray crept across her face, age lumps formed on her body, muscle and bone began to constanly ache . To quote my brother, “she can only go 100 miles an hour for so long before it starts having effects on her.” She still walked and wanted to be with me constantly but now sported her “power limp” as I called it. The cold season made things even harder for her.

She was struggling all the time. Still loving to be with us, but the happy sparkle of a life-loving dog was fast fading. My husband and I decided it was time for her to go over the rainbow bridge. We had a sweet day with her. Sleeping in, car ride, walk around the yard, and even cheeseburgers for lunch were had. We talked to the kids about her age, her pain and what was coming. I wanted them to know that dogs are amazing but just can’t live as long as us. She would be waiting on the other side of the rainbow bridge for us in doggy heaven.

I got a wonderful storybook for my daughter called, Fairy Dog Heaven.

My daughter is 3 and the closest of my kids to her doggy.

She is too young to really grasp the concept but did well with our talks. Any moment her dog crosses her mind she tells me “Ziva’s in Doggy Heaven.” My 6-year-old has been very stoic and accepting of the situation. Super aware of our emotions about it all he told me, “I’m sad but just not crying.” Last night we talked to my sister for the first time since she passed and he tells his aunt plainly, “Ziva is dead”. My daughter replies, “No she’s just in doggy heaven”. That exchange totally sums up their reactions to the whole thing. They definitely took it better than their father and I.

I do miss her very much. She was such a BIG part of my life for a long time. I am so happy and lucky we stumbled upon her that day at the animal shelter. One day in the future we will try again. Because the love of a dog is unconditional and beautiful. It’s worth the sad goodbye that we have to give, always too soon. Her paw prints will be on my heart and my kid’s forever.

Please check out some of my other posts about stressful times with kiddos. 

Life gets complicated, intense and stressful. Leaky hot water heater, aging family pet, workload, self-expectations, raising decent human beings… and my list could go on and on. Read on for ways I try to remember to savor my kids during stressful times.

I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Please read my full Disclosure for more information.

Even the most organized and mentally strong person has weak days. It can be super hard to put the pressing adulting matters plaguing us moms into the background when we are with our kiddos. Some moments it can even be impossible but that is ok too. Its good for the kids to learn how we handle hardships, teach by example.

Here to remind you to try not to get so overcome that you miss the sweetest moments.

Smelling my daughter’s sweet strawberry fresh hair as she sits on my lap brushing her teeth after bath. What? She can now brush her own teeth?!! At least she still likes to sit on my lap while she’s doing it.

When my son is so excited about starting to read the Harry Potter series with me, he keeps me longer at bedtime to discuss the chapter we just read. What? He is old enough to absorb and comprehend this big book without pictures!? At least he is interested in something I think is awesome.

When we are sitting at the table for dinner and both kids finish eating (or don’t eat because they don’t like how it looks) and they both decide to stay and chat with us until we are done eating. What!? They are almost like real people?! At least their picky eating is childlike still.

There are so many times and locations during the day when it’s perfect to push all the adult stress to the side and reconnect with the kids.

Savor my kids during stressful times, in that one good moment. Think about it almost like pitching a tent around you and your kiddos so there is a blinder to the other junk, but it is only a thin piece of canvas away.

First thing in the morning. I always try to say good morning happily even when I’m still sleepy and so hungry I may snap. Starting the day with a happy thought goes a long way for kids and moms. I love it when my daughter, who still stays in her bed till I get her up, gives me the happy good morning first. Makes me smile every time.

At breakfast I always try to sit and eat with my kiddos. No phone in hand. They ask me questions about the day, or I just watch them eat. Once the big kid is on his way to school, I give my little some one-on-one time to play. I try to savor her creativity even when she is upset, I am not holding Barbie in the right way.

When I pick my oldest up from the bus stop, that is my time to talk to him about his day. My husband likes to ask both my kiddos at dinner since he isn’t home all day like me. Yesterday I was feeling so overwhelmed by things I rocked out to some music on the way to the bus stop so I could be ready for him.

Bath time is fun for making up our own crazy songs and savoring the kiddos still needing help with the simple stuff. One day it will be helping them navigate the real world and not just remembering to scrub behind their ears.

Bedtime is my favorite. I love reading with my kids every night. We have special songs and snuggle time as well. Its one of the best ways to reset when the day may be been troublesome. Having the routine remain constant is comforting to all of us. Even when I have more to do after bed the routine reminds me to slow myself down and enjoy them!

I try my hardest to focus on these moments each day. To savor my kids during stressful times Time does not stop for leaking water heaters or while you are trying to get those work expectations filled. Kids keep growing and I don’t want to miss the moments they give me in this little stage. It will be over before the blink of an eye!

Savor my kids even when stress challenges you and tries to steal away those moments.

Check out this blog from another author. It’s about loving your kids but still being allowed to complain about them a little. @Her View From Home. 

I hoped you liked my post about Savoring my kids during stressful times. Please Check Out some of my other blogs about focusing on your kids.