The Notorious "Holiday" B.I.G: I'm not a Food Slayer....I just Munch A Lot.

Have you ever seen those 90's rap videos where there's a party, everyone's dancing around having a jolly ol' time enjoying the DJ's music when all of a sudden, someone unexpected walks into the party? The DJ looks up, the music comes to a screeching halt and everyone stops dancing and gives a disgusted look to the new guest?

That's how I feel about holiday food...it's the new guest. I mean- I'm on a roll in the summer. Eating healthier, exercising, and feeling great! Then the fall & holiday season comes around and it's like the new guest just crashed my health party. 

Except...I can't kick the guest out of my house because I like them. No, I love them. I want them to be here.  And I especially love holiday food. From the pumpkin chocolate chip bread in October to the good gracious Thanksgiving dinner and desserts in November, I fall victim every year to the heavenly holiday hash. And don't even get me started on the month of December. The whole month I feel like we consume more cookies than Santa Claus himself.

Now I'm not trying to be the "Notorious Holiday B.I.G food slayer" here. My problem is that I just munch A LOT. These last months of the year I love to munch on my secret stash of Halloween Reese's peanut butter cups in my freezer, Grandma's Christmas fudge in the pantry, the sliver(s) of holiday honey ham, and the oh-it's-just-a-small bowl or two...or three of pumpkin Chex mix...the madness is real! However we can still enjoy food while keeping a healthy perspective.

Here are my Seven Realistic Tips to Beat the Holiday bulge:

1) Beware of buyer’s remorse. Not the retail kind (that's for another article). I'm talking about the grocery store kind. Throughout the holiday season there are all sorts of “deals”. From black Friday ads to the mounds of coupons promising “buy one get one free” holiday promotions, it’s so hard to say “no”. I mean, it’s such a great deal…(or at least this is how I have justified it on the past). 

This season try buying just enough for what you need and that goes for food, too. Maybe you’re planing to make those delicious peanut butter cup cookies you’ve been drooling over while perusing Pinterest or you found that amazing orange & cranberry glazed turkey recipe you want to try out at the upcoming family Thanksgiving gathering. Sounds so good! But instead of stocking up on two bags of peanut butter cups with a coupon or buying that 18-pound ham, buy only the amount you need for the recipe and for the amount of people you are feeding. (You will also have sides that they can fill up on, too). If you're looking to have leftovers, remember that they could potentially turn into leftover pounds, too.

2) Plan Your Family Meal Calendar and Use it.  I can’t say enough great things about meal planning. It has honestly cut back on lots of stress & time that comes from the monotony of daily cooking for our family. When we meal plan, we know what we’re going to eat and it can help assure that our healthy eating goals will be realistically met. Try spending 30 minutes on a Sunday night planning the new week’s meals (including breakfasts and lunches).  Make a list, gather any coupons you have, and plan a trip to the grocery store. Stick with the menu you've planned and you’ll not only stick with your attempts to maintaining a healthy diet, but it might help you keep your family's monthly food budget in check, too!  There are many meal planning websites that have lots of great healthy recipes. I could go on and on about it! Hmmm....I feel another article coming on...

Image credit: homemakerschallenge.com

3) Make Time for Exercise. Finding an exercise program that truly works for me and sticking with it is an ever-going battle. 

To make an exercise program successful, I've tried making smaller and more realistic goals first. For example, I schedule three days a week (when I know I can find 25-30 minutes to exercise) and commit to it by putting the days and time I will exercise on my calendar. There are those who have that "ain't-nobody-got-time-for-that" attitude but I don't want to be one of those people...health is important and should be a priority. According to a recent report by eMarketer, as adults, we spend an average of TWO hours on our phones and tablets a day (this doesn't even include the amount of time spent watching TV..which was over FOUR hours a day). 

Even making a conscious effort to take the stairs at work or to take a 20-minute walk during your lunch break can make a big difference to your physical and mental health anytime, and of course, can relieve some stress this holiday season. Carving a turkey may be on your mind now, but unless you carve out the time in your schedule to exercise, you’ll be paying for it later. So keep up the exercise!

Image credit: Whattoexpect.com

4) Portion control & drinking lots water. I’ve already mentioned meal planning as a tool that can help with monitoring what we’re eating each day. Next, try practicing portion control. Fill the majority of your plate up with healthy vegetables first before adding other foods. Drinking water before eating and throughout your meals is not only helpful for digestion but helps us stay fuller longer. 

5) Try putting desserts and snacks away after eating, close up the kitchen and brush teeth!  Someone once told me that if I wanted to cut back on nightly snacking, I should brush my teeth after dinner. When I don't do this it's just too easy to grab a handful or two of M&Ms (darn you, Target and your amazing selection of holiday M&Ms!) When I brush my teeth after dinner, I find myself thinking more before I eat. It's also helpful when I pack up the goodies and get them out of my view. Out of sight, out of mind, right? If I feel I need a little snack later on in the evening,  I try to look for healthier options or drink a tall glass of water.

Image credit: abc.net

6) 'Tis the season to share. Every year I buy a few of those Ziploc/Glad holiday bags and containers. Why? Because I need help! If I don't share the goodies they will most definitely end up in my mouth. When making holiday goodies or if we have dinner left overs, we share with our guests to make sure we don’t have lots of leftovers that could turn into left over pounds.  Buy a few extra disposable plastic containers to pack up any extras and send the food home with your friends and families, your waist will thank you.

7) Give yourself a break and indulge a little. I leave the best for last, non? For me, it's unrealistic to think that I'm not going to bake or have special family dinners with all of the fixings over this holiday season. I LOVE to cook and bake and I feel cooking in the kitchen make some of my favorite memories with our families. So I don't get upset with myself when I have those indulgent moments....in fact, I savor them. However, as long as I'm attempting to eat healthy most days of the week and exercise, I can afford to eat a few foods I want. Plus, by restricting what I eat all the time, I turn into this guy:

Instead of this mom blissfully baking with her kids:

Image credit: www.sheknows.com

As we all venture into the holiday eating this year, may the odds ever be in your favor, may the force be with you and may you have the power to stick to our healthy goals! 

Disclaimer: I’m in no way a  dietitian/nutritionist  so pretty please consult with your doctor first before starting any diet and/or exercise program! Happy Holidays! 

The 10 day Count Down to Halloween: Fun Family Activities!

I looked in the mirror and jumped back at what I saw. 

“What am I again?” I asked my dad. 

“You’re supposed to be a mime." 

“Oh…ok,”  I said slowly trying not to hurt my dad’s feelings. 

“Everyone’s going to love it!” he quickly added. 

Yeah, if they don’t run from me first, I thought.  

As I stepped back from the mirror, I felt like I was one of Dr. Frankenstein’s creations, a guinea pig really to one of my dad’s crazy experiments of Halloween make-up “artistry”. Being only 10, I wanted to be something a little cuter, like a fairy, or maybe a princess. But my dad wanted to try out some cool face paint for a mime costume that he and my mom had put together for me. While I can’t seem to find a picture of what I looked like after that memorable make-up session (honestly, what a bummer)…I vaguely remember kind of looking like one of these guys:

Or maybe a little like her. 

Needless to say, I wasn’t crazy about that year’s costume, but I have to say, I never did forget it.

Years later, I now smile at the thought of all of those funny costumes and botched make up attempts, the tummy aches from all of the candy we ate and the hysterical memories of my dad trying on silly costumes in attempt to make us all laugh until it hurt. 

  Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because my parents truly did make it so special for all of us. 

My dad always took us trick-or-treating and helped with our costumes. I cherish the time I spent with him. The memories we all made together laid a foundation of what I wanted my own kids to experience. When BBH and I finally had kids, we promised we would make the holiday season always memorable and exciting for them just as we had experienced as kids and even better, if possible. 

With Halloween only 10 days away, I found it befitting to share some of our little family's top 10 Halloween and Fall bucket list activities. I'm almost positive (and hope) a few will make your list as well!

10-Decorate your haunted haven with some fall flair- Kick off the autumn season with some fall decorations! There are lots of great ways online to decorate your home without breaking the bank. Little by little and year by year you can add to your fall decorations. Last year I made a version of this:

Image credit: cjaneblog.blogspot.com

And this:

Image credit: myheartsdesireblog.com

9- Conjure up your costumes together- Finding costumes for a family of four or more can cost a pretty penny! Take some time to brainstorm a few months in advance and gather materials to make your own creative costumes together with your family. Check out this awesome website for ideas on how to find or make costumes while on a budget. There are also great deals at consignment shops or hand-me-downs from friends and family members.

Image credit: funcheaporfree.com

8- Promenade down to the local pumpkin patch- Many cities have local farms with pumpkin patches and offer organic produce at great prices. Take a weekend to go check out one or two and take advantage of the perfect fall family photo opportunities, too!

7- Have a pumpkin carving contest- Make it a yearly family tradition to carve or decorate pumpkins the week before Halloween! There are a lot of free jack-o-lantern patterns online. Here are some free ones from Pumpkin Masters and Orange and Black Pumpkins.

One of our carved pumpkins from last Halloween!

6- Support a local family 5k or 1-mile fun run- The fall & holiday season not only kick off lots of fun activities, but also many sweets, goodies and heavy meals. Look for a local community fun run that will not only support a great cause but will help your family stay fit and healthy throughout the months.

5- Make Halloween Treats together- Come October I'm ready to start smelling the warm aroma of baked goods and especially that familiar smell of pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Here is an amazing recipe to try from Two Peas & Their Pods. Mini-me and My-girl are already becoming accustomed to my love for chocolate and baking. Wrap a loaf or two up and swing them by a neighbor's or friend's house. They will love you for it!

Credit Image: Two Peas & Their Pod

4-“Boo” your neighbor- Try this fun take on a "Secret Santa" and make this a new Halloween tradition with the fam. To start a Halloween "Boo", leave a small gift basket, a "Boo" poem, the instructions and a "Boo" sign at a neighbor's doorstep. The neighbor receiving the Boo posts the "We've been Boo-ed" sign on their window (so that others know they've already been "boo-ed") and is then asked to "Boo" two other households, which leads to a spooktacular neighborhood chain reaction of neighborly love.

Image Credit: Organized home

3- Make Halloween crafts-Enjoy your time with the kiddos by making a few fun crafts to frame and add to your fall decor. Here is one we'll be making soon: 

Image credit: Makegreat.wordpress.com

And here is a wonderful site with lots more for you and your family to try: 100- Fall Activities & Crafts for the Kids.

2-Have a pumpkin party with the family. Have a pumpkin-themed dinner and party with your family and friends! Here are a couple of websites to get some ideas flowing:

-Homemade Simple

-Wants and wishes design

1-Watch Halloween movies- Nothing makes me more happy than eating caramel-covered popcorn while cuddling up with my loves and watching a Halloween movie. I’m typically a big chicken, but I love a good Halloween kid flick. Some of my favorite movies were It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and Hocus Pocus. Here is a list of some of the best Halloween movies for the kids, ranked from the least to most spooky from Reader's Digest. 

Image credit: Best Halloween Movies for Kids from Reader's Digest

Happy Halloween!!

Thankful Thursdays: These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

The other day my little girls were dancing around the house singing at the top of their lungs "These are a few of my favorite things," from The Sound of Music. We laughed and sang together as we skipped through the house as if WE were the Von Trapp family.  It was one of those many let-it-all-out goofy moments for me as a mom.  I’d like to say that I wasn’t goofy like this before having kids, but nope, not much has changed for me. If anything, my goofiness is now exponentially greater after having kids. BBH and I may no longer belt out our 311 or Cake songs together…but we are definitely known to belt a Disney tune or two now. Moments like these make my life not just happy, but joyful.

"Happiness is rising bubbles-delightful & inevitably fleeting.

 Joy is oxygen-ever present." -Danielle LaPort

Sometimes while my kids are asleep and I sit down to decompress, I think about the moments that make up my whole day and what made this day so special and miraculous. I think about the things that truly make me thankful to be a mom and have defined me as a woman. And these are a few of my favorite things:

I’m thankful for hope & faith.

After spending several years trying to overcome infertility, I had many moments of sadness and despair. With every failed attempt or procedure to get pregnant, I would feel a weight that made my heart very heavy. But hope and faith buoyed my spirit up and became the antithesis to my burdens. Consistency of faith and hope cleared my mind of doubt and helped me take another step forward, even when I wasn't sure if I could. Now my hope and faith help me on a my daily journey through motherhood as I do everything I can to raise my girls to be the best they can be.

I’m thankful for prayer.

In my faith, we believe that we are sons and daughters of a loving, eternal Heavenly Father. We can pray to him and build a relationship with him through consistent prayer. I'm thankful that I can pray to Him to express my gratitude for all that I have and to ask for help with my shortcomings. I can pray to Him to help me be a better mother, wife, sister, friend...a better me. 

I’m thankful for my mistakes and for second chances.

Motherhood has taught me that I’m not perfect and that I must grow everyday. It teaches me that I will always make mistakes and that’s ok, as long as I learn from them and become better. It humbles me and shows me my weaknesses. For every weakness I see in myself, I realize that I can make it a strength if I only recommit myself to be better. I'm thankful for second chances that allow me to be the mother and woman I strive to be.

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family...What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.

--Elder Russell M. Ballard, "Daughters of God," General Conference April 2008

I’m thankful for love and vulnerability.

From a very early age, I've always wanted to be a mom. But I never fully understood what that meant. What does it mean "to be" a mom? There are so many words that can define a mother. For me, being a mom just cannot simply be defined by words alone, but by most importantly, verbs. The best verb to describe motherhood is pure, unconditional love. It's a love that is vulnerable. I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to love my girls and husband as much as I can, everyday. I'm grateful I have them to teach me how to love. 

I’m thankful for the messes.

Sometimes I feel like cleaning my house is a continuous Groundhog Day ritual. The same messes re-surface and I’m on my hands and knees a lot every day, picking up my toddlers' crumbs and spills. I read an article one day that made me think differently about the those seemingly monotonous and messy moments. It made me realize that being a mom is so much more than cleaning or the day-to-day grind. It's about loving, unconditionally and sincerely. I'm thankful for the messes, because I have children to clean after and to teach them how to help me and others. I'm thankful for the messes because they teach me how to serve. 

Photo credit: newhealthom.com

I'm thankful for the minutes.

The first time I held mini-me and my-girl after they were born, I made a promise to myself that I would enjoy the minutes, because each minute makes up the moments and eventually those moments make up special memories. Time is fleeting and I wanted to make sure I soaked in as much of them as possible and to never have any regrets as to where I invested my time. I promised I'd never take the opportunity to finally be a mom for granted and to love as much as I could in the time that I had. It's in the short minutes that memories are made, love and tenderness is expressed and kindness is shared. 

"We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love." -Mother Teresa

Think About It Thursdays: Love = Not just One, But Many, Many Verbs

 Today I had a pregnant “mama” pause while reading a book to my girls. Have you ever had one of those before? For me, it’s the lapse of time between being awake and starting to dream before fully falling asleep. This usually happens to me at least a dozen times throughout the course of my day as I read the same books over and over and over to mini-me and my-girl.  But today, I started to day dream about a few of my favorite memoires with my amazing BBH.

In two weeks we celebrate 9 ½ years of marriage. Yes, the countdown to our 10^th wedding anniversary has begun. It seems like we blinked an eye and we’re 10 years in. As cliché as it may sound, I don’t know where the time has gone. It made me think about where we currently are in our lives and where we want to go in the future. After almost 10 years of marriage, I know two things: First, there are no guarantees that things will go as we plan- in fact we can count on some things NOT going as planned. Second, I’m ok with that. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but in the end, if we’re doing our best, we will find success…it just may look different than what we thought it success might have looked like. Over the course of our marriage I have found four life-savers that have helped us continue to find happiness and to perspective in our marriage.

1) Don’t underestimate your short-term goals. When  BBH and I were first married, we read a marriage book that discussed the importance of talking about certain things, like the number of kids you want, what your likes and dislikes were, and that we should set long term goals. Having a desire to start our marriage off on the right foot, we decided to make these long term goals together. Important long term goals like: “We’ll have “x” amount of kids by the time we’re “x”-aged old”, buying a home, finding a cure for cancer, owning a Mercedes Benz… you know, the usual long-term goals with a few superfluous ones. We were young:  23 and 24 to be exact. The world was our oyster. We were ready for whatever curve ball came our way and were excited to start our lives together, hand-in-hand. Even though we had our plans and long-term goals, life wasn’t panning out the way we thought. Kids didn’t come as fast as we wanted, we lost a couple of loved ones, etc.  As we grew in our marriage, I realized it was our short term goals that kept us going. For example, monthly budgeting goals, being active in our church, daily praying and scripture study, and regular dates were some shorter-term goals that made all the difference as we faced harder challenges in life. Short term goals effects strengthened us and eventually made a few of our long term goals successful.

2)  Be proactive about effective communication.  I think one of the hardest things to do is to effectively communicate with a friends and family. The best thing I’ve learned about communication came from a Communication 101 college class I took 15 years ago: A message is only fully communicated when both parties can effectively listen to one another. When I pause to listen, process, and understand what BBH is saying, I am a better communicator, willing to first understand his perspective, then tactfully share my own feelings in a successful manner. In Victor B. Cline's book, How to Make a Good Marriage Great: Ten Keys to a Joyous Relationship, he says: "Effective communication is more than just ‘talking,’ it is the type of interaction that gets the job done: solves problems, builds self-esteem, enhances the relationships, relays important messages, reinforces mutual respect, and helps bond the couple together as an effective unit.”

3)   Be Positively Positive. Sometimes when life’s problems or disagreements come we can become discouraged. Discouragement can lead to negativity. Negativity in marriage can be poisonous and can cloud perspective and reality. We may start to attack the person instead of the situation. I found that when I think positive about my husband, I’m choosing to remember the best parts of him and not a silly misunderstanding we had over something. When I choose to be positive, I’m also choosing the best part of myself, as well. 

4) Eat. Love. Pray. – Not in that particular order, although it sounds good. Take time for one another. Get a babysitter, go out on a date and grab a bite to eat.  Cook together, or find other hobbies you like to do together. Love is not just one verb; it’s made up of many different verbs, many actions that show how we much care about one another. The small things make all the difference. I can’t count the number of times BBH has come home after working 12 long hours and has happily helped me bathe and dress the girls at night. Or the times he gets up to make dinner without me having to do a thing. He cherishes me by what he does on a daily basis. He loves me through plural verbs. I hope that I can always follow his example of love and service. Lastly, pray aloud with one another and pray for each other privately. We pray for patience, perspective, kindness, love and foresight.

  As Thomas S. Monson said: Choose your love. Love your choice.

Tech-KNOW-logy: A letter to my former high school students and my future teenage children

Dear former students and future mini-me & my-girl:

I remember a time when cell phones were the size of bricks and were scarce...like I only really saw Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell use one...

Zack Morris. Very cool (in the 90's).

I remember when a word processor was so much cooler than a type writer and I would to use it to type up my school papers.

Word processor...I can't BELIEVE I used to used these

I remember when instead of seeing people attached to their cell phones, I’d see them listening to music on their walk-mans or boom boxes or perhaps (gasp) not using any gadget while walking.

Loved walkmans..P.S. my first cassette ever was Vanilla Ice, baby.

I remember a time when I had to use a payphone to call someone (yup..don’t miss that one).

I remember when I would walk on my college campus in the late 90’s and could lock eyes with almost anyone and say hi to them because we didn’t have many hand-held distractions back then.

I remember when I was watching an episode of one of the first reality TV shows ever, called the Real World on MTV, and thought: Are there really people that stupid who would want to expose so many intimate, personal details of their lives on television?

It doesn’t seem that long ago. Ok, well maybe it's a little longer than I’d like to admit.

Of course, now we all live in one of the most cutting-edge and exciting times. You are part of an amazing generation. Your potential is limitless and your options are vast.

Never before has the world been so small. We can go on a business trip and “be home” via skype to read a bedtime story to the kiddos. We can “face time” family and friends from wherever we are in the world. 

Image credit

We can save the planet a little bit more by uploading a textbook on our phones instead of reading the real, printed version.

We can get the latest news without having to read a newspaper or turn on a TV.

We can share videos of natural disasters to learn from them and to warn those who might be in its path of destruction.

We can share do-it-yourself videos and recipes on YouTube to help others achieve similar or the same results.

So many advantages...and yet there are disadvantages, too.

When I taught you in high school, I was amazed and saddened how so many of you would write your assignments in texting language, like “UR”, “2nite”, “IMHO”, and “GR8”, instead of writing the proper word.

Some of you could text what seemed like one hundred words a minute, but couldn’t sign your names properly at the age of 17…one year away from adulthood.

A few of you could practically hack into the FBI mainframe database but couldn’t find the words to talk to that student sitting right next to you.

There were so many of you who shared way too much of your lives with people you never met before. You shared videos, posted pictures, made weird duck faces and laughed at the comments made by anonymous trolls.

Instead of watching the now numerous reality shows available, you are the star of your own reality show with just touch of a button on your phone.

Several of you could define “web words” and slang such as defrag, hot-spots, cached-out, or ping…but couldn’t explain the difference between their, they’re or there.

Image credit

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not ragging on being tech-saavy. I love what technology does for us. I truly love how it does make the world a little smaller and how it can re-connect us with loved ones. 

I love how it allows us to take a sneak peek into the lives of people of different ethnicity, creeds, and religions, and has the potential to teach and preach tolerance and love. 

I love how I can type, better yet, speak an address into my phone and almost instantly receive driving directions to my next destination. 

I love how I can find recipes and find blog after blog written by amazing, uplifting people who help me be a better mother, wife, daughter, sister…a better me.

But there’s this nagging feeling that I have with technology and it has to do with lack of balance.

We need to balance our tech-lives with more moderation and with more wisdom. We need to be careful not to become so addicted that we lose sight of the incredible advantages our gadgets can provide.

As I sit back and think about how far we’ve come with technology, here are a few thoughts that come into my mind based on my real life experiences with observing you all . As we continue growing with our ever-changing technology, let’s KNOW how to use it:

K- Keep it real. I mean really real. Take a break from updating your Facebook status or playing one more “instance” in your role-playing game of choice and try re-connecting with your RL (real-life) friends in other ways. Call a friend on the phone to hear their voice for a change (and to have them hear yours) instead of texting. Have a face-to-face conversation with a loved one. Send a handwritten note to someone who needs it. Have meaningful family time without glancing at and worrying about your phone.

N- Say “No” to divulging too much. Technology really is a double edged sword. Due to how small the world now seems, it gives us instant accessibility to anything and everything…and anything and everything has access to us. By being prudent in what we share online, we can protect ourselves a little more from others who want to gain access to us and to the people in our lives. Limit the personal information you share. Be respectful of others and don’t share their information or pictures, either (without permission). Be safe and selective of what you share. Don’t be impulsive. You never know what will come back to haunt you 10 or 15 years from now when you’re trying to land that dream job or when your own children start to “google” your name.

O- Be open with your parents about the information coming to you via your phone (and what you’re sharing, too). A lot of kids forget that their parents care about them. Truly care and love them. One of the worst things kids do is make choices that alienate themselves from their parents and families or make choices that make their parents distrust them. When inappropriate comments, pictures or other information are coming your way, have the courage to be open with your parents. Talk to them. Also, it’s important to note that cyber-bullying is a huge threat today with real consequences for some teens and their families. Your parents can be huge components and catalysts to helping you get the negative out and the positive back into your life.  

W- Be weary of who you give your number to. This is similar to not divulging too much of your personal life with others. If you start to give your cell phone number to everyone, everyone has access to you. That means they can potentially harass you by sending pictures or messages you don’t want to see and read (until you block their number). Remember, even private texts can become public. Don’t respond to people you don’t know, either. I'm not saying never share your number with anyone...just be sensible.

If you've already made some mistakes, learn from them. Be an agent of accountability and responsibility. Act for yourself, rather than be acted upon by others. Just use that good ol' noggin and KNOW what you're getting into. 

With love,

Someone who cares: Your former teacher and...for a couple of you, your loving mom

10 Tips for a Successful Back-to-School Week

With school around the corner for so many of us and our kids, we mamas here at TETO thought we’d share some tips to help make those first school days a success for you and your families:

1) Get back to the daily grind: We all know that a free-spirited summer can interrupt those normal routines we established during the last school year. To prepare for those upcoming (and sometimes dreaded) early school mornings once again, spend the last two weeks of the summer getting back on track…starting with their bedtime routine. By having them go to bed a little earlier, they’re bound to wake up a little more optimistic and ready for that first back-to-school morning. This goes for parents, too. When mom and dad are well-rested in the morning and feel un-rushed, it makes for a more smoothly-run home. When everyone can wake up refreshed, they can follow their morning routine even better! Jen's I heart Organizing morning routine chart is an example of a great way to get your child's morning routine up and running.

Jen's I heart Organizing Morning Routine Chart

2)  Dress for Success. The first day of school can make parents and kids anxious for many reasons: maybe your child is attending a new school, they might be nervous about meeting new teachers, a new school route, tight schedules, homework, upcoming tests, etc.  To help out with some of those pre-school jitters, let your kids choose what they want to wear the night before. If you’re really ambitious, on Sunday night, let your kids choose what they want to wear for the whole week. And if you’re even just that more amazing, encourage your kids to set aside clothing items or accessories they might need for that after-school activities like ballet class, soccer practice or swim lesson throughout the week. When they know where to find their “stuff”, you don’t have to spend so much time in the morning searching for things around the house...which can lead to frustration for both parent and child.

Image Credit: Kangaroom Joey & Jane Organizer

3)  “Bomb”-tastic backpack- Have you ever noticed how mid-way through the school year your child’s backpack looks like an explosion of papers and mess? Maybe your child has thrown his/her backpack onto the floor when they get home? Start them off right by finding realistic ways to organize their backpacks.  Some families use mudrooms to organize their children’s school belongings after they come home. Others utilize family “command centers”  in their kitchens or family rooms to keep them better organized. Their child might even have their very own folder to place school documents and homework assignments for their parents to review. Either way, ask your child for their input on how you can help them be more organized this new school year. They might have a suggestion or two!

Image credit: Lund Family Back-to School ideas

4) Back-to-school dinner. Plan a special dinner for your kids the night before school starts. Whether you go out to eat or stay at home for a cozy dinner, ask them what they would like to eat and make it a fun event for the whole family. When your kids see how excited you are for the new school year, they might even get excited, too.

5) Goals are on the menu. During that first week back-to-school, have your kids make and write down goals or draw pictures of things they want to accomplish for the new school year. Laminate the goals and use them as dinner place mats. This will act as a daily (or weekly if you don't want it to get too casual) reminder for you and your kids to know what your family and their personal goals are for the new school year. It can be as simple as “keeping my backpack organized and tidy” to a more involved goal like “getting A’s in most of my classes”. Have them write down what necessary steps need to be taken to be successful and to meet their goals.

Image Credit: Be prepared not Scared: Goals Placemat

6) Menu Planning- Let the family be involved in the weekly menu planning. With younger kids, they can choose a couple of meals they would like to eat that week. If it becomes overwhelming or difficult, make a list of breakfast, lunch and dinner options and have the kids choose from the list the meals they would like to eat. By having the kids more involved with menu planning, it takes the guessing out of “what’s for dinner, Mom/Dad?” And, you might even make some fun family memories as you cook together. You can make or buy a menu board like the one below from Robby Gurls Creations.

Image credit: Robby Gurls Creations-Menu board

 7) Family Time- With hectic new school schedules and extra- curricular after school activities, make time to unwind with your family. Reserve one night out of the week to hold a family council and to discuss important upcoming activities and put them on the calendar, family goals, lessons learned for the week, positive experiences, etc. After discussing events and important matters, make it fun by playing a short and simple game with one another. By spending quality family time together, communication lines can stay open and it can potentially help keep each other in tune with what’s important.

8)   Brain Freeze – Have you heard that summer can turn a brain to mush? It’s easy to forget lessons learned, even for adults, and even more so after after a hiatus. Even if the summer is almost over, take some time to search free online resources that will help your kids review some of the curriculum from the previous year, or pick up a couple of school workbooks to refresh those minds. Also, try getting in contact with the school administrators and teachers to see what additional information you can find about your child’s grade’s curriculum and how you can better prepare your kids for the new school year.

9)  Clean the house and stock up on supplies- A week or two before school starts, take some time to clean the house and get rid of used clothing, shoes your children have outgrown, and other school supplies. Once you can start with a clean slate, you’ll know what clothing, school or house supplies your kids really need for those first days of school.

10) Appreciate teachers- The back to school time can be nerve-racking for your child’s teacher(s), as well. Reach out to his/her teachers with a kind, uplifting email or note letting them know you are here to help and to provide additional contact information. Most teachers appreciate and even welcome open-communication with their students’ parents. Teach your kids to warmly greet and shake their teachers’ hand on the first day. First impressions from the kids and their parents can make a hug difference on that first week of school!

Image Credit:  North American Montessori Center

Here's to a wonderful new school year!