I am not someone who deals with stress well. Yesterday I had a really stressful day. I lost my temper with my oldest (I still feel bad about that), I argued with my husband over something stupid and just in general, one annoyance after another. That’s what gave me the idea for this post. I want to share 10 things to do when you’re stressed that you can stop and easily do!

10 Things To Do When You’re Stressed

 

 

Vent: I usually vent to my husband. When I am stressed I need to just get it out. Thank god I have the most understanding person in my life. My Husband’s first response is always “how can I help?” Ladies never settle, find a man who asks how he can help.

Meditate/Yoga: I love doing a 10 minute Yoga workout to calm myself down. My favorite on YouTube are from Yoga with Adriene. Her channel is fantastic.

Go workout: If you are able to just say screw it and go to the gym. Running, or lifting will definitely get you de-stressed.

Eat something comforting: I’m sure not everyone will agree with this but you know what made me feel better last Friday? French fries. Sometimes you just have to have the fries, or the pizza, or whatever it is.

Listen to a song you love: Having a great playlist of songs that get you in a great mood is so helpful! For me right now that’s ANYTHING from the 80s or this song right here. I just love it and it's on repeat all the time.

Listen to a podcast that will uplift you: You can find a bunch of podcast posts here. I love to listen to an uplifting podcast when I am stressed. Or even just a really funny one!

Read: I love to escape in a great book. Nothing is better than finding a new book to love. This is the one that I am reading right now.

Go for a walk: Fresh air, birds, sun. A long walk or even a short walk can help! Even if you can’t go outside sometimes walking around your office building, or even around your kitchen island (yep been there done that) can help!

Cry: Cry it out! Feel your feelings. Emotions are important and they must be recognized. Sometimes our stress can be so great that crying is the only thing that will help and thats ok!

Let it go: In the words of Elsa, just LET IT GO! You have to find a way to let it go and move on from the stress or find a way to work through it. If all of these things did their job that should help!

How do you alleviate stress?

 

March Meal Plan

All of the meals that are on the meal plan are husband and kid approved,What's even better is that the majority of the meals are quick quick so they are perfect for busy week nights. I always build in one or two nights a week for leftover and at least one or two for crockpot meals. 

If there is a recipe that  I used for the meal I have included the link so that you can check it out.

March Meal Plan

 

3/1- Chicken with potatoes and carrots

3/2- Leftovers

3/3- Pizza and breadsticks with salad

3/4- Tacos and chips

3/5- Leftovers

3/6- Spaghetti and garlic bread

3/7- Seasoned chicken and potato bites with broccoli and fruit

3/8- Leftovers

3/9- Pinto beans with cornbread

3/10- Pizza and breadticks with salad and fruit

3/11- Sheetpan chicken and veggies

 3/12- Roast (slow cooker) with potatoes and carrots

3/13-Cheesy chicken and tortellini with broccoli and fruit

3/14- Taco Tuesday and Doritos salad

3/15- Leftovers

3/16- Meatloaf mashed potatoes and veggies

3/17- Pizza and breadsticks with salad and fruit

3/18- Chicken burrito protein bowl

3/19- Bean and ham soup (slow cooker)

3/20- Leftovers

3/21- Taco Tuesday

3/22- Slow cooker Italian chicken with potatoes and green beans

3/23- Lasagna roll ups with garlic bread and salad

3/24- Pizza and breadsticks with salad and fruit

3/25- Creamy chicken and penne pasta with veggies and fruit

3/26- Hamburger stew with homemade bread

3/27- Leftovers

3/28- Taco Tuesday

3/29- Slow cooker shredded beef sandwiches with chips and fruit

3/30- Bacon cheese burgers with fries and fruit

3/31- Pizza and breadsticks with salad and fruit

What's on your meal plan this week or this month? Please share in the comments below!

5 Things I Do Every Night

I don't know about you, but I HATE waking up to a messy house. I just starts the day off the wrong way. When you wake up to clean mess free home it just starts your morning off the right way. No tripping over toys and books, no dishes overflowing in the sink, and no rushing to pack Angelina's lunch in the morning. I am not a morning person and I don't pretend to be, however, I do stay up pretty late because it's the only time that I can do my evening routine, which is done once the kids are in bed. This is when i find that I can get things done and I am also more productive at this time as well.

Since I am not a morning person, I like to try and make things just a bit easier on myself the following day by doing 5 simple things the night before.

FIVE THINGS I DO EVERY NIGHT

DO THE DISHES

There is nothing worse than waking up to sink full of dirty dishes and cluttered counter tops. No one wants to maneuver around a sink full of dishes while trying to fix breakfast. So every night before I go to bed I make sure to wash any dishes that need it and put any dishes away that are in the dish drainer. Not only does this kitchen put together but it is nice to have one less thing to worry about in the morning.

PREP LUNCH FOR THE NEXT DAY

We homeschool our kids, but I still make their lunched every night for the next day. Either after dinner or while I am making dinner I pack her lunch. Usually she requests a lunchable or a peanut butter sandwich and when she wants something different I make her a homemade lunchable. By packing her lunch the night before it frees up more time that I could be doing something else.

PREP TOMORROWS DINNER 

If there is anything I hate it is dinner time rolling and I realize that I never took the meat from the freezer that I need for the next day's meal. How many times have I forgotten to defrost the chicken or even put on a pot of beans the night before? Too many to count!!! One thing that I do so that this doesn't happen is prep tomorrows dinner the night before. By doing this the night before bed,  I never have to worry that the items I need for tomorrow's dinner won't be ready.

WIPE DOWN THE COUNTERS

This goes back to the first point about waking up to a messy kitchen.  Plus, depending on what I made that night, I don't want all the germs just sitting on my counter tops. Every night before I go to bed, I wipe down all the counters in the kitchen. By doing this, it ensures that I have a clean surface to cook on the following morning.

PUT THINGS BACK IN THEIR PLACE

Having a 7 year old and a one year old this is a big one for me!!! You know how I mentioned that I hate waking up to messy kitchen, well, I also hat waking up to a messy living room. Now, I don't go crazy the night before but I do like to pick up things and put them in their place. Now, I try to do this multiple times a day because my house can get pretty messy. Usually I have to wait until the kids go to bed, and when they do, I quickly clean the kitchen and living room. It only takes about 45 minutes to complete this task, but it makes a difference knowing that I will be able to sleep in a clean house.

Is there anything that I you do before bed? Do you have a night time routine? I would love to here from you in the comments below!

10 Daily Sanity Savings Habits for Moms

Hi Friends and welcome back to the blog. Today's post is all about daily sanity saving habits for moms. Now, some of these I took directly from my mom and some I figured out on my own. Either way all these habits are helpful in saving a mom's sanity.

So, let me share....

10 Daily Sanity Saving Habits for Moms

1. Have quiet time. For me, this is about an hour before my kids wake up. I sit and work on my bible study, answer emails, or just sit and enjoy the quiet.

2. Prepare the night before. What part of the morning is the most stressful for you? Take that one thing you dread and do a little prep for it the night before. Lay out the kids clothes, shower, prepare breakfast, do baths, or just preset the coffee pot. 

3. Do one load of laundry every day. This really helps in keeping "Mount Washmore" at bay. Just remember to fold and put away. Let's be honest, sometimes I forget that step. Don't we all?

4. Clean as you go. Giving yourself plenty of grace, clean up as you go. If you make dinner, wash those dishes right then. If you see a million crumbs under the high chair, grab a broom and do a two-second sweep.

5. Play with your kids. Slow down and enjoy your little people. Offer to play a game or build blocks. Do something that you know will bring a smile to their face.

6. Do one large chore. Knock out one of the bigger chores everyday. Clean a bathroom, vacuum the floors, organize a drawer,..etc.

7. Have kid clean up time. Instead of the house being a tornado throughout the entire day, choose a couple times a day for them to clean up their messes. A good schedule might be everyday before lunch and then again before bedtime.

8. Meal plan. Save yourself the stress of picking meals every few hours and plan them out. Not only will this be a time saver but a money saver as well.

9. Be thankful. There is always something to be thankful for. Let gratitude drive your attitude and actions throughout your day.

10. Have a regular bedtime for your kids. Kids love routine, even if they fight it sometimes. Make your routine as lengthy and as fun as you want, but get the munchkins to bed so you can recoup and have some quality time to yourself or with your spouse in the evenings.

What is an essential daily habit for you?

 

8 Things To Do To Make Yurself Feel Better

Now that I think about it maybe I should explain the title first. When I say better I mean just making small changes that will make every aspect of your physical, emotional, and personal life better. But maybe not everyone needs that. I know for me I am always looking for ways to be better. These are things I am doing to make myself better. So I am sharing the 8 things to do to make yourself better because maybe you need them too!

8 Things To Do To Make Yourself Feel Better

Express Feelings: I am pretty good at expressing feelings to certain people. I have no problems telling ny husband if something bothers me. When it comes to other people I am terrible. I tend to just ignore people, or ignore the situation until I feel better and it’s really unhealthy. One thing I am trying to do better is expressing feelings. If someone says something that bothers me just calmly and in a not accusatory way telling them why.

Take Downtime/Me Time: Recently I have been very stressed lately. I think it's because I am going to bed late and then with my youngest still not sleeping through the night. I am trying to do things like relaxing during C's quiet time (where usually I would scramble to get more things done). I find that taking an hour of her queit time to relax honestly makes me more productive earlier in the day and later in the day.

Go For Walks: I find that even more than going into a gym or class going on walks mentally makes me better. I love going for walks with my kids and husband because we are all getting fresh air and vitamins, we are all enjoying the sunshine, and we are getting exercise. Usually we also stop at the park and let the kids play. It’s amazing how good I feel after. Try going for a 30 minute walk and see how great you feel after!

Change Up Your Routine: I am such a routine person that when I am in too much of a routine and I feel like when can get stagnant in our routines. So try switching up your routine! Go workout at a different time or maybe read first thing in the morning before you start your day!

Wake Up Earlier: On the same note try waking up 20-30 minutes earlier and see how you feel. When I wake up earlier I find that I feel better during the day and then I go to sleep easier at night.

Reward Yourself: Treat yourself once a week to something fun. Maybe splurge on a workout class at a boutique studio, or get a fancy latte, or get your nails done! Just something you can look forward to!

Text Friends/Family: I know as moms especially life can get so busy that you forget to check in with people. So some days I try to text one or two of my friends, or my family members just to say hi and let them know I am thinking about them. It’s incredible how loved it can make someone feel.

Write Snail Mail: On a similar note, write a piece of mail, a note, a postcard, something to a friend or family member just to say hi and that you were thinking of them. They will feel so good!  Then you will too!

I would love know something you do to make yourself better! I can always use ideas.

 

March 2023 Goals

 Happy March everyone!! It's hard to believe that it's March already (where did the time go!) and that Spring is around the corner. Since I didn't share my February goals I wanted to make sure that I shared my goals for March.

March Goals

 

1. Read two books book (finish reading Flowers in the Attic and start Petals on the Wind).

2. Drink 100oz of water daily.

3. Start using my habit tracker in my bullet journal every day.

4. Eat more fruits and veggies (I have been lagging on this and I really need to fix it).

5. Walk 6 days a week and strength train 3x per week.

6. Have at least two at home date nights with the Husband. 

7. Organize the girls' bedrooms (purge old toys and outgrown clothes).

 

8. Complete one bible study this month. 

9. Re-Launch my printable shop on Etsy at the end of the month.

 

What are some of your March goals? Share them below!

 

 

Currently {3/4/23}

 

 

Time and place: 3:10pm  and I am in the dining room, typing up this post.

  
Eating: Trail mix

Drinking: A big glass of water (always)

Watching:  Stranger Things on Netflix

 

 

Reading: I'm still reading Flowers in the Attic and plan on reading the entire Dollanganger series over the next few months.

Loving: Being able to sit down after a long day of housework and taking care of my family and read my book for a little while.

Working: I'm still working on my meal planner. I cannot wait to see how it turns out! I'm so excited for this new project. I am also working on a weekly planner insert that I am excited about and a note pad that I have been wanting to design for a while now. I am also working on a monthly/weekly planner (that's almost done and should be ready in the next few days. I can't wait to see how these turn out. We will be launching our 2024 Weekly Planner on Amazon the first week of June. So, stay tuned for that announcement.

I am going to re-open my Etsy shop soon. I am in the process of redesigning some of the printables.

 

Here is the link in case anyone is interested:

 

Build Your Dreams Weekly Planner 

 

Listening to: the TV.

Buying: Groceries for this month and stocking up on certain items that are needed. I'm also looking at clothes and other household items that are needed.

Planning: I have most of my posts planned for March I just have to write and schedule them. I am working on setting up some deadlines for my meal planner and other planners that I am working on. I am also working on some planner inserts. This should keep me busy for a while!

 

I'm trying to plan out a work schedule for this month. Hopefully I will figure one out soon.

I'm planning A's birthday! It's the big 1-3! She is so excited.

Wondering: can I pull it off? How will I pull it off?

Feeling: tired, but happy, always.