One of the BEST parts of the summer ending and the kids going back to school is the kids being gone finally getting to go back to school shopping. There is nothing I love more than getting tha list of everything my kid needs, heading to Target and buying only things that are on that list everything in the store. Let’s face it, backpacks and lunch bags and new markers and pencils and pencil boxes are all thrilling, but don’t we deserve a little something too?
Yes, yes we do.
Unfortunately, school isn’t going to send you a list of everything you need. That’s what we’re for. Check out our list of Back to School items for YOU and then get yourself all geared up for the first day of school!
Have you ever done that thing where you want to do ALL THE THINGS, so you tell everyone yes and you don’t tell anybody no, and then it looks so PRETTY in your color coded Bullet Journal, but then when it comes to actually living that plan, you are EXHAUSTED and wondering what the hell you were thinking?
No? Just us?
At any rate, it was a busy, fun, exhausting week, and in the end we wouldn’t change a thing. Here are a few of our favorites.
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1. Impromptu Playdates
What do you do when you have leftover supplies from the preschool Easter Party, and are wondering what to do with all of those pudding cups? Invite over your besties and throw yourselves a party! We made these adorable handprint chickens (Ducks? Whatever. Birds.), ate pudding, and then the kids spent a surprisingly long time coloring these adorable Easter Egg Coloring Pages from Real Mom Recs. So if you’re looking for a last minute Easter activity, she’s got you covered! Just print, cut apart, and set them out for some kid-friendly fun that will (hopefully!) keep them occupied for a good, long time.
2. Being Prime Moms, Not Pinterest Moms
Okay, we take that back- we are a little of both. But Jaymi got so busy making cutesy projects (that she actually enjoyed making) for Abe’s upcoming second birthday that she couldn’t stomach the thought of one.more.project. So when it came time to decide what he’d wear to his party, she thought she’d check Amazon real quick and found out that they actually have a PERFECT shirt for a sports themed second birthday party. How amazing is this cute little tee? And it cost about the same as it would to make it yourself, and saves about 7 hours worth of work probably, so WINNING.
3. Gluten Free Cookies
Jaymi hasn’t had a ton of luck finding a Gluten Free flour substitute she loves, so she finally decided to google “flourless cookie recipe.” Which brought her to these AMAZING chocolate meringue cookies that somehow manage to have that real-cookie texture with none of that floury nonsense. We’ve got more recipes (both GF and regular!) for you to check out on our Baked with Love Pinterest board.
4. Wandering Wednesday
We participate in a link up party over at Confessions of Parenting called “Wandering Wednesday.” Every week, bloggers drop their best posts on the page, and this week our post “Open Letters to the People that Make Us Salty” was chosen as the featured post. The link up is open to new bloggers as well- you can find out how to contribute your own piece here.
5. Have You Had That Baby Yet?
We have a few close friends expecting babies soon- like, YESTERDAY kind of soon. And yes, they are getting sick of hearing “have you had that baby yet?” and “any baby news?” We humbly suggest that they refer all inquiring parties to HaveYouHadThatBabyYet.Com. Try it- it’s fun.
6. This Wine Glass
Because honestly, it’s been a week, and this wine glass makes us smile. Especially when it’s filled with our favorite white.
Driving down to the cruise terminal, I was excited, anxious, and had a list of things that I was – and was NOT – going to do. Then a wind came by and those rules were GONE with it. So, in the grand traditions of buffets, check out our list of rules, take what you like, and if you don’t end up using it – who cares? You can always come back for more later!
Don’t Think About the Kids
Okay, so we didn’t really think we were going to keep this one, but we just didn’t want our whole trip to be us talking nonstop about our kids. Especially since we are doing this to get a break from them. We love our kids, but it would be nice for the chance to also miss our kids. Which is how two days in I ended up sitting there waiting for Harry Potter Trivia to start scrolling through every picture I’ve ever taken of my kids. And damn, those kids are cute. Looking at those cute little faces, you can almost forget the tantrums, the sass, the specific requests they have for which water cup to use….and then I shut it down, turn back to my friends, and get my trivia on.
Enjoy, But Don’t Over Indulge
One of the best things about a cruise is all that food that I didn’t cook – and don’t have to clean up after. As Moms, we rarely get to scarf down a piece of toast while it’s still warm, so a luxurious 6 course meal is the ultimate in luxury. Which means we ate that way every single night. Thinking a hamburger sounds good while you’re sitting in the jacuzzi? It’s only 100 feet away! Go for it! Need a little chocolate? Oh, there’s a chocolate buffet at noon today! Can’t decide between steak and eggs and Fruit Loop crusted French toast? GET BOTH!
No indulgence is too much, and yes, you and your crew may spend the entire day you get home frantically texting people about how much weight you gained in 72 hours but you won’t get to eat that way for another year, so don’t worry about it!
Trying to figure out what to bring on a cruise? We’re heading away for our annual MomSquad weekend away, and we’ve got 6 things that will help you pack for your cruise like a pro. And also, maybe make it just a little more fun. (Which, it’s a CRUISE. So that’s saying something).
We are gearing up BIG TIME for an upcoming cruise with our MomSquad, and we are so excited we are pretty much beside ourselves. And thus, we are buying alllll the things. We like to go all out with our Girls’ Trip Swag- we’ve got matching pajamas, we’ve got matching shirts– and we’ve got matching cruise tumblers, handmade by yours truly. If you’ve ever been on a cruise, you might know that bringing your own tumbler is kind of crucial, both for bringing your complimentary water and lemonade with you wherever you go, as well as making your adult beverages easier to drink in the hot tub. And honestly? It’s just more fun when you match your girlfriends.
So if you’ve got a Bachelorette Party, or a Girls’ Trip, or a Moms’ Weekend Away coming up, snag your cups here and then ask your ladies which color they want to claim. Then pick your path- the Time Saver or the Creative Cricut Type– and you’ll be sipping pretty in no time.
Some people call it their village. Some call it a tribe. It doesn’t much matter what you call them, but finding mom friends is a definite game changer when it comes to motherhood. We can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt- our MomSquad has changed our lives.
As Moms our lives can be so. incredibly. repetitive. It’s a never-ending cycle of cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, tantrums, laundry, dishes. When it’s done? Rinse and repeat. Because joke’s on us: It’s NEVER done. And some days you can just get lost in that feeling of the endlessness of it all. And we desperately need to not get lost in that feeling.
A few weeks ago, Jaymi and I booked our #Momsquad Booze Cruise, and I think just booking it changed my life. I added a countdown clock on my phone. I put a post-it on my refrigerator. I ordered a couple super cheap dresses for lounging on the lido deck or for dinner with my girls – and without my kids. I dropped little reminders around my life so that when I’m up to my elbows in dish soap I recall that it’s one sink full of dishes closer to sweet, sweet freedom. Continue reading “Micro Hustle Monday: Something to Look Forward To”→
At the risk of sounding like HUGE jerks…there’s just a few things we WISH we would have gotten for Christmas. I mean, they are largely impossible, but still… a Salty Mama can dream! Continue reading “What We Wish We’d Gotten For Christmas”→
‘Tis the season for parties – and no party is more quintessential than the “Office Holiday Party.” If you’re lucky, you’ll attend one that’s got good food, an amazing location and, God-willing – an open bar. If you’re not lucky, you may find yourself at a potluck – maybe at your bosses house or maybe just in the breakroom. But you will get to take a few minutes to set aside work and party.
Unless you’re a SAHM.
Because we don’t get work parties. Sure, we might get to attend our partner’s office party, which is cool. We can trail behind them meeting everyone they work with, plastered with a smile and laughing overly unenthusiastically at the bosses jokes. We can shake one thousand hands and introduce ourselves to people who gush that they’ve “heard so much about you!” But you’ve never heard of them so don’t have a great response, but feign a blush and say “Thank you!” Hopefully, you’ve made a ragtag team of other spouses that you see at these events and can go hide near the desserts talking about anything other than the super boring thing your partner does. (Because mine builds ROCKET SHIPS and it’s still boring AF to talk about for 3 hours with people you don’t know).
And it isn’t much better if you’re a working Mom, because you’re basically working two jobs and only getting to party with one set of work friends.
So, I present to you: The Mom Office Party. That’s right, as soon as you’re done reading this, message your partner and tell them you’ve got another party to go to. Decide if you want it to be “employees only” or if partners are invited. Grab a babysitter if necessary. Then call up your girls and tell them to meet you at Applebee’s tomorrow night for $1 Long Island Iced Teas (because unfortunately, as independent contractors, we’ll be covering our own bar tab).
Note: It does not HAVE to be Applebee’s, that just happens to be where Jaymi and I will be tomorrow night, and the $1 drinks just happen to be our reason. Also, happy hour prices on apps all night, but you do you!
Realizing that Christmas is one week away and there’s no way you’ll squeeze this festive event in before that? No problem! Plan one for after the holiday rush is over and add in a “Re-Gift Exchange” for guaranteed laughs.
I mean, people are always telling us that while we might not go to a job but that we have the most important job in the world right? So let’s party like it!
Happy Holidays – and let us know where and how you decide to party!!
Who says SAHM’s can’t have a holiday party? Read more about why you should plan yours!
Let’s preface this one by saying- you don’t HAVE to be creative just because you’re a mama. Your parties don’t have to have carefully paper-crafted banners. Your kids’ sandwiches can be sandwich-shaped, your kids water cups don’t have to be personalized with vinyl, you don’t have to make your own home décor, and you CERTAINLY don’t have to sew your daughter thematic skirts for every holiday.
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