Making The Most Of Summer As A Working Parent

I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t envious of all of the parents that get to stay home with their kids during the summer months. There is nothing worse than waking up on  Tuesday morning with the sun shining and the birds chirping while I have to get myself ready to head to work. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my job and I am very grateful for all of the opportunities I have been blessed with where I’m at, but there is still a large part of me that wishes I was able to spend that beautiful day with my kids and my husband. Instead I head to work and envy the sunshine from inside of my office. If you too feel a similar way, I have a few quick words of advice for making the most of your summer with your family as a working parent.

1. Make a list of your goals & organize them. Make a list of the things you want to do as a family over the summer, (no really, I mean write them down). Once you have your list of what you want to do, check the availability on your calendar and start filling it. I like to see what weekends we have both of the boys so that we are able to plan family events.
2. Evaluate paid time off/ Vacation time. If you are able to use some of your PTO or vacation time to plan some family fun, DO IT! Life is short, and you only get 18 summers with those kiddos.
3. Stay involved. Nothing screams regret like a summer full of sitting on your phone or not spending time involved with your kids. Last weekend my kids double dog dared me to jump into the freezing water, so what did I do? I did something that is completely NOT like me, and did a cannonball into the water. Did it take my breath away? Of course. Was it worth it? Of course. My kids thought it was the coolest thing, and honestly- it’s the things like that which make summer SO MUCH FUN.
4. Don’t be afraid to do “too much”. What I mean by this is that your “down time” is typically your week nights. Since you have to work the next day you are obviously not planning anything too fun during the Monday-Thursday nights. Because of this, don’t be afraid to jam-pack your weekends. Being exhausted on Sunday is fine, it’s the memories that count. We like to see as many people as we can, and do as much as possible (even if that means just camping for the entire weekend and going out on the boat).

Y’all, summertime is my favorite time. There are so many fun things to do, and it seems like the shortest period out of the year. We are really looking forward to taking the camper out this weekend for the first of many trips, and hoping for good weather so that we can hang out on the boat!

I’m going to link a few of my favorite summer time accessories thus far for us/the kids.

• Que Water Bottles- These are awesome collapsible water bottles that really don’t take up too much space. They keep the boys drinks cold! The company supports both national and San Francisco Bay area local non profit organizations to help raise awareness about the environment and they are also huge supporters in finding and promoting sustainable practices to help keep our Earth clean!

Here is a link for 20% off! I highly recommend these to ANYONE and everyone!

• I just recently bought the boys these WEKAPO Inflatable Air Sofa Hammock when I got online looking for camping gear. These things are THE BEES KNEES and I highly suggest for kids and adults alike. It’s portable, easy to store, you can use it anywhere AND IT FLOATS IN WATER! We ordered ours here, on Amazon.

• Last but certainly not least, there is a Limitless Learners Contest going on through Education.com. This gives kids grades K-5th the opportunity to win $500 for college and also win $1,000 for a library or school! All you have to do is fill out a form (yes mom and dad, they need your signed permission to enter), and then go to this website to see what project your child will be doing depending on their grade. This is a fun way to get a jump start on any education costs that may come your way in the upcoming years, as well as a chance for your child to help a local library or their school. It really doesn’t get any better than that.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, we will be back next week with an update from our first camping adventure as well as some other new content. Keep an eye on your emails because tonight I will be randomly drawing the winner of the “Partners in Wine” glasses! Happy weekend (almost)!

Until next time,

//

Em

 

One Year Review!

I apologize for being absent the past few weeks. Not only have we been really busy, but we’ve had a funeral and various other family related matters that have needed our attention.

As of Tuesday June 11, it has officially been one year since I started writing here on Picking Up The Pendrick’s. WOW. One whole year! At the time I had no idea how much positive feedback I would be getting from my friends, family, and complete strangers. The expansion of my writing and creativity has really brought me so much joy, and has really given me something positive to invest my time in. What began as a “journaling activity” to help me relax and sort my thoughts has turned into something so much more than just that. I truly enjoy being able to share advice (whether it’s wanted or not), my favorite products, recipes, and our everyday life journey with anyone willing to read.

Since it’s our one year anniversary I figured I would do a review of the one year here at Picking Up The Pendrick’s (and boy what a year it’s been), as well as another giveaway!

Before I get into the giveaway let’s have a quick recap of what’s gone on in our lives and on the blog since June 11 of 2018.

Brian turned 30!

 

Jayce started 1st grade, and Marek started pre-school.

Jayce turned 6!

Brian and I got married!

& we went honeymooning in Nashville.

We enjoyed our first Christmas married (and our 3rd Christmas together as a family of 4).

I accepted a new position at work. No picture for that, just lots of excitement. 

Marek turned 5.

I graduated from Baker College with my bachelors degree & with my sister! (WOO HOO! We did it!)

We got a new puppy, Nellie!

Yeah, it’s been a busy year. It has my head spinning all over again even thinking about all of the stuff that we jam packed into the last year. This year we plan on having a much more relaxed year, with a few less events. So far this summer in Northern Michigan hasn’t even been warm enough or dry enough for us to really enjoy ourselves outside but once it starts warming up (if it starts warming up) we have plans to camp and be out on the boat!

The boys have been enjoying the trails on their dirtbikes/quads, rain or shine.

Anyway- now that we’ve done a quick recap and a few new updates, let’s get onto the giveaway!

I have two wine glasses with the opal holographic vinyl that say “Partners in Wine”. I’m going to be doing another e-mail automatic drawing for every one of my followers that is subscribed to Picking Up The Pendrick’s via email. If you haven’t subscribed yet, go to Picking Up The Pendrick’s and on the right hand side there will be a box that gives you the opportunity to enter your email. I will be picking an email by this Friday 06/21/2019 at 5pm Eastern Time. (I think that’s what Michigan is in, right?) I will let you know via email if you’ve been the selected winner on Friday! (Shipping is available within the U.S).

I can’t thank each and every person enough for continuing to follow along with us and our lives. I truly appreciate each and every reader, and I hope you will all stay tuned this upcoming year because we’ve got some more fun stuff and news to share!

I hope everyone has a fantastic week, and I’ll be back on Friday with a new one!

Until next time,

//

Em

Surprise Post Saturday! 5 Tips For Making It Through Family Pictures

Hey guys! I know I don’t usually post on Saturdays, but I am dying to share these family photos and these tips that go along with them so I’m doing a little “Surprise Post Saturday” if you will… If you really know me, you know that family pictures are on my list of top 5 favorite things ever. Is it necessary to have family pictures done as much as we do? No. But you guys, the kids change so fast and I just love having cute family pictures to cherish forever. Plus, my walls need frequent updating with new pictures as the boys change so there’s always that.

Since this is CLEARLY not my first rodeo, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite tips for making it through family photos without your spouse killing you, and without your kids causing you to absolutely lose your mind.

• Find the right photographer. Find one who can work well with your kids, is patient, etc. Our photographer Alyson Fink is AMAZING with us and the boys. She has no problem getting in there and moving everyone where they need to be. She’s so great with the kids and keeps them laughing and keeps the whole shoot fun. All of the stress really just goes away when you have the right photographer.
• Know what you want ahead of time and communicate that to your photographer. Pinterest the poses and pictures ahead of time and communicate what you want with your photographer. If there are certain poses/shots that you want, communicate that with your photographer and they will try their best to capture what you want if possible. (I feel like it should go without saying though, to be realistic when it comes to your photos. Don’t be that client who has completely unrealistic expectations, just don’t.)
• Choose your outfit first. I like to pick my outfit first and then plan everyone else accordingly. Selfish? Not really, it has always just been the easiest starting point for me. Plus, if I am feeling confident in something that I am wearing I really worry less that day.
• Bribing your kids is 100% okay. You can almost bet that if we had family pictures done, it ended with the boys getting ice cream. Honestly, it’s usually the only way I can get two kids (boys nontheless) to participate.
• Be alright with candid. The perfectly posed smiling picture is a rare one, and if you can get it, rejoice from the highest hill. The best pictures in my opinion are the candid ones where you kid starts saying “smile where you poop from” and then everyone bursts out laughing. These are truly great moments to capture.

Now with that being said, I’ll share some of our most current family photos from last weekend at Pier Port in Bear Lake Michigan, courtesy of Alyson Fink Photography. I am IN LOVE with them and so happy that the weather and Lake Michigan were able to cooperate for us.

So there you have it, our new obsession! I am so happy with these, and I highly encourage anyone to spend the money and make the investment in family photos. These are memories and years that you will be thankful were captured looking back.

ALSO: I’m linking where I got my dress here because it was so comfortable, it had pockets, AND IT WAS AN AMAZON STEAL!

I hope you’re all enjoying your weekend! I am catching up on cleaning and laundry before our big day of CPL classes that we are hosting tomorrow.

Until next time!

//

Em

5 Tips To Help Rid The Stress Of Your Morning Routine

Mornings, UGH. Just the THOUGHT of mornings sometimes causes my heart to palpitate. Morning routines are easy when it’s just yourself that you need to get ready, however, once you throw kids into the mix- forget about it. Tranquil coffee sipping mornings where you watch the sunrise and take your time are long gone.

Ignore my sign which needs to be moved up still…

Wait, but do they have to be?

I’ve been experimenting with different morning routines with my boys so that we can share with you what has worked best overall for us! So grab a chair and a cup of coffee (if you aren’t running late!)

• Wake up between an hour or 45 minutes before you need to leave. This might sound like a stretch for some, but honestly for myself- I need the time. Not only do I have two kids to get ready, but I have two dogs, and MYSELF to get ready as well. If I roll out of bed and don’t allow myself to wake up for a few minutes, I am less likely to be patient with my kids or my pups. This gives me time to gather my thoughts and get my bearings straight before I begin the day, which leads me to my next point-
• Get yourself ready before the kids. I have found that if I do my hair and makeup routine before I get the kids up, things go MUCH smoother. This way I don’t have to run back and fourth between my bathroom and the kitchen with half of a head of curls to make sure both of my sleepy heads are eating fast enough.
• Wake the kids up at least 30 minutes before you need to leave. I have one child that is very cooperative in the morning, and one child who is LESS than cooperative in the morning. The less cooperative of the two will take 45 minutes to eat one bowl of cereal if I’m not reminding him to eat, and also pretends he doesn’t know how to put his own pants on… Because of this, I need to make sure they have at least a half hour to eat cereal, brush teeth, get dressed, and fix hair before I send them marching to the car. (Disclaimer- I try not to wake mine up much earlier than that because then you leave yourself with less time to get yourself ready, and then every time without fail my kids start playing with toys and getting into things which just prolongs the trip to the car.)
• Prepare lunches and outfits the night before. Y’all, there is nothing more frustrating than trying to dig through a huge load of laundry in the dryer to find you kid jeans WITHOUT holes. ESPECIALLY when you are already pressed for time! Brian and I (usually Brian) makes lunches after the kids go to sleep. That way it gives less time for the jelly to ruin the bread on the sandwich. We also like to set out their outfits at bedtime for the next day. Each kid has a special spot in the living room where we put their clothes, and they know that each morning their clothes will be in their spot. This way we aren’t running around trying to find matching socks and sonic shirts while we are trying to head out the door.
• Put on a fun song/playlist. One thing I’ve found is that if I’m projecting rush and stress onto my kids, they are also rushed and stressed. When we are all rushed and stressed, nothing goes well. Also, nothing like stressing your kids out first thing in the morning to ensure they don’t have good focus all day… I like to put on fun music that they can wake up to. Lately their favorites have been “Something Just Like This” by Coldplay and the Chainsmokers or the Trolls soundtrack. Listening to something fun and upbeat ensures that if nothing else, we at least have a sunny disposition.

So there you have it, the Pendrick’s best stab at a morning routine. It’s been working pretty well, although it’s summer now so this routine is probably going to be less helpful until fall when school starts again…

Also another apology for not posting anything for our Tuesday post, the boys had their first T-Ball game (it was a double header LOL) AND we got ourselves a new family member. MEET NELLIE our German Shepherd!

We are hoping to have it together by next Tuesday for a post, but no promises because it’s a zoo at our house.

Until next time!

//

Em