What I Wish I Could Have Told Myself As A Teen Mom

I was scrolling through my Instagram the other day and reminiscing while looking at all of my old pictures. I came across this one and it hit me right in my throat. I was at a family reunion, and in my family I was the only one to be pregnant at such a young age out of wedlock. Even though nobody was making a big deal out of it or judging me, in my head I was always self conscious of being such a young mom in such unfortunate circumstances.

At the time of this photo, I had just left quite possibly the most unhealthy relationship I had ever been in. I had been betrayed, cheated on, and treated horribly. We were both so young, we didn’t know any better as 19 year old brand new parents. I was a wreck here, but being held together at the seams by my 3 close friends, and family alone. Well, and by this sweet baby who relied solely on me for survival.

I’ve blocked out most of this time of my life because it was so traumatic that I like to forget that it even happened in the first place, but pictures like this jog my memory and send me back there like it was yesterday. Today I thought, I really wish I could go back in time and tell her it was going to be okay. I was extremely empathetic for myself during this time period.

I would tell her that even though your goals and dreams have been put on hold, you will reach them with hard work and determination. I would tell her that the road ahead is going to be ROUGH, and that NOTHING is going to go as planned, but that GOD has a better plan in mind.

I would have told her that even though I wanted to keep things together for the sake of this little boy, that I would find someone else who would love him even more than I could have ever imagined and that he would thrive in a split household.

I would tell her to trust her gut, and to persevere, persevere, persevere– because that’s the only way she’s going to get it all done.

But most of all, I would hug her. Because nobody really knows how hard it is to be a teen mom unless they’ve been there. Nobody knows the judgment, the drama, the difficulties that they face. Family is everything, because without them I was nothing. Without them I wouldn’t have made it. And a few great friends, because without the truest of those there is no chance.

Also- before everyone starts in on their “it was a decision they made to be a teen mom, blah blah blah” you’re right… It was a choice that was made. And yes, at 18 when I got pregnant I was fully aware of how children are created, but sometimes things happen unexpectedly. Everyone makes their own decisions. Some people choose abortion, some people choose adoption, and some people choose to raise the children they’ve created. I’ve never once regretted my decision to become a mom, because these kids give me reason and a purpose. They add so much sunshine (and yes, stress) to my life, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything on this planet.

To all of you young mamas out there, please be patient with yourself, and remember my favorite French proverb- “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. Remember to enjoy the here and now, and to love that child as much as you possibly can. Remember to be gentle on yourself, and to lean on your family and friends when you need to.

And remember, it’s going to be okay.

//

Until next time,

Em.

 

Back to School- Blended Families

You know how they say that motherhood is a weird thing? Well they are 100% correct on that. I had someone tell me the other day that “the days and nights are long but the years are short” and that hit me with the strongest dose of truth. There are certainly days that seem like they will NEVER end, and nights full of cleaning up messes and tending to sick little ones- yet here I am. With one baby in 1st grade, and one baby in Kindergarten.

Jayce had just turned 3 and Marek wasn’t even 2 when we first met each other. Although that was almost four years ago now, it seems like a lifetime ago. We’ve grown as a family through many different transitions and firsts, and even though Jayce has already been through Kindergarten and is now on his way to 1st, I can’t help but feel differently this year about having BOTH of our kids in school full-time.

Looking back on pictures of the boys from early 2016 is a real reminder that time stops for no one. We’ve spent the entirety of 2019 really practicing spending time being present, and appreciating each moment with these growing kids. It’s hard to believe that this morning we dropped off our two littles (who aren’t so little anymore) both off to the same school, but I’m trying to find that “happy in the sad” situation.

I actually didn’t bawl like a baby like I thought I would. Our oldest child took the lead into the school while our youngest followed him faithfully into his new school. I feel somewhat better knowing that Marek will have Jayce in the event of any kind of disaster- of course I have worst case scenarios running through my mind like crazy… But eventually we are going to be sending our kids into 6th and 7th grade, and they’re going to be embarrassed to drive with us. They aren’t going to want us to come on school field trips anymore, and they’re going to be more into their friends than they are their parents. But today, today is about us parents. Us moms sending our babies to school. Us parents knowing that we aren’t having anymore kids and knowing that our youngest is joining others in kindergarten. It’s a first and last for many of us, and I can’t help but BEG that my child’s teacher/school faculty be gentle with him.

Understand that he’s never been in this situation before. Understand that kindergarten is different when you’re exposed to older grades. Understand that my child has been at the same daycare with the same group of kids for the last 4 years- and doesn’t really know any different. Understand that my child may be emotional, and might not be trying to act out. I’m hoping that my child will fit in great at his first day, but I know my focus won’t be anywhere except what my kids are feeling today.

I see all of these parents on Facebook talking about how excited they are for their kids to be going back to school so that they “finally have time to get stuff done”. Well- I wish I knew that feeling. But as a working mother of two who only sees her kids half of the week and every other weekend, I don’t find it so easy to send my kids back to school.

Here is to any parent sending their kids to school for the first time, or sending their kids to a new school. Here is to any parent sending their kids to a different situation today, and feeling for them deeply in your soul. Whether it be to a new job, to college, to high school, or to kindergarten. It is 100% normal to feel afraid for your kids going into a new classroom, no matter what age. Our job as parents is to take care of and to protect our children- do not let anyone tell you that your feelings of worry are not valid for your child.

I feel for you mamas, and daddy’s. I feel for parents, grandparents, caretakers, aunts, uncles, and anyone else sending a child off to school this morning. I will be keeping everyone in my positive thoughts.

Here are some pictures of my babies as something to look back on the last 4 years…

And now a few first day photos-

Jayce- Age 6 (almost 7)

Marek- Age 5 1/2.

I hope today ended well for everyone!

Until next time!

/

/

Em

Back to School: Favorite Places To Shop For Boys

What probably should have been a “Favorite Things Friday” post is obviously taking place on a Sunday because I can’t seem to stick to my schedule and also because I’ve procrastinated buying the boys their back to school stuff and we didn’t go until yesterday. With that being said, I’ll keep this short and to the point! I’ve received a few Instagram messages lately asking where my favorite places to shop for my boys are, or where I’ve gotten specific shirts and pieces. Well, I’m not one for keeping secrets, especially when it comes to shopping or where I found a good deal.

A very short back story: When I first found out that Marek was a boy, I was so excited. I could FINALLY look for baby clothes at the stores. To my disappointment, when I got to the stores I would find only a tiny back corner section for boys clothing whilst the entire front and center section of the store was jam-packed with girls clothing.

Since it’s a little more difficult (in my opinion) to shop for little boys, here are some of my FAVORITE PLACES to shop for my boys. Most of these places run sales FREQUENTLY. You don’t have to be rich to dress your kid nice, trust me I’m a bargain shopper from way back (shout out to my mom, Mary!).

Nordstrom Rack- Four words- NAME BRANDS FOR CHEAP. We found almost all of our name brand stuff for the boys there. Vans, Under Armour, Nike, Urban Republic, etc. All found there, all for a very cheap price.

DSW– The best place for shoes in my opinion, although this time around we didn’t have too much luck since the one in Grand Rapids was pretty well picked through. Apparently they start school next week so they had all of the last minute parents and guardians scooping up all of the good steals. Among our shoes this year are Nautica tennis shoes which I will link HERE, Sperry’s for our dressy days which I will link HERE, Vans Classic Checker Slip-On’s which I will link HERE, and Nike tennis shoes which I will link HERE.

The very beginning of our haul- not pictured- a million shirts and many more pants, and backpacks.

Old Navy– Old Navy is a staple for the graphic t-shirts. Especially if your kids are anything like mine and obsessed with Mario, Yoshi, Sonic, Batman, Captain America, Spiderman, etc.

Coat- Urban Republic- Nordstrom Rack. Shirt- Old Navy. Shoes- Nordstrom Rack.

The Children’s Place & Abercrombie Kids- I do all of this shopping online because I know the kids sizes and what fits them best. When they run sales, they run SALES- so get it while it lasts! The sizes seem to sell out fast. BTW- These two stores are my FAVORITE places to get jeans/pants. They don’t wear out fast and they’re not made cheaply.

So as you can see, back to school shopping doesn’t have to break your bank. Almost everything I bought for them was half off or more, you just have to put in the effort and know where to look! Not that there is anything wrong with hand-me-downs, or second hand stores such as Goodwill, but why have used clothes when you can buy brand new ones for similar prices???

I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday, and is preparing to have a wonderful week!

Until next time,

//

Em.

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

An Honest Review: Girl, Wash Your Face

I love reading, I always have. So it should come as no surprise that the minute I was finished driving back from my college graduation that I would immediately dig into the long list of books that I’ve been DYING to read once I had more time. I decided to start with the one that came with the most recommendations and highest praise (in my news feeds at least), Girl, Wash Your Face written by Rachel Hollis.

DISCLAIMER: This review is 100% opinion based, with a few pieces of factual information thrown in for good measure. You are invited to feel differently than I about this book, and that’s okay. I have always had broad shoulders, I can handle some opposition in opinion. Moving on…

I wasn’t even halfway through the second chapter before I had realized the awful face I had been making the entire time I was reading, and the complete distaste for not only her writing style, but for the content in which she had decided to dump into this book. Now obviously I am no author, nor do I pretend like I’m some sort of professional or qualified writer, but I found this book to be wildly superfluous and borderline unintelligent. I personally found so much that I disliked about this book but I’m going to sum it up into 3 different sections or points so that I don’t spend my entire day angry at myself for wasting my time on this book.

1. Do you know what a “humble brag” is? If you do, feel free to continue scrolling to the next point, if not I’ll define it here for you. Humble Brag: noun: “an ostensibly modest or self-depreciating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud.” There is some SERIOUS humble bragging going on in this book, and if I have to read one more word about her being a self proclaimed “workaholic” or “very successful lifestyle blogger/social media platform/coach” I might actually start dry heaving. It’s almost disgusting when someone can’t just outwardly say they’re proud of themselves. If you’ve worked hard, put in the effort, and done well for yourself, SCREAM IT TO THE WORLD. Be proud, stand your ground, say what you believe in because you’ve earned it! Instead, Rachel Hollis downplays all of her hard work with her underlying intent that she wants you, the reader, to tell her or think, “no! don’t say that about yourself, you’ve done so well!” Well, I’m not going to give you the praise you OUTWARDLY admit to seeking in your book (chapter 2 or 3 when she starts talking about how she does too much because she seeks praise, which is rooted from her childhood where her parents only paid attention to her when she did something good). You either acknowledge yourself, or you don’t. Simple as that. Don’t throw that kind of pity/attention seeking into a book and expect to not be called out on it.
2. Unoriginal Thoughts/Beliefs- Throughout the chapters, I found myself wondering if I had somehow found a book that had compiled all of the quotes that I had once used in my bio on Myspace in 2006 (when I was in middle school). “You are in control of your own life”, “Stop accepting less than you deserve”, “Comparison is the death of joy.” WHICH CAN WE JUST POINT OUT, SHE STOLE THIS QUOTE from Theodore Roosevelt who once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy” and just swapped out one word to “make it her own”, like really? How original… “The only person you need to be better than is the one you were yesterday”, none of these are really even her own quotes. These are all statements and quotes that she has just regurgitated and thrown out blindly into this book in such an unorganized fashion that my high school English teacher would be seriously scratching his bald head. It is completely unoriginal, and so simplistic (not in an inspirational way either).
3. My third and final point, and then I promise I’ll shut up. There is almost nothing in this book that is relatable to the majority of women out there. She tries so hard to make herself sound like your average woman, but the only things that you can possibly relate to make her sound so incredibly entitled and privileged that I “just seriously cannot”. Examples: Having cavities but being afraid of the dentist? Peeing your pants a little after having four kids? If these are the only attempts that you can throw into your book to show that you’re relating to the average woman, then I’m completely and utterly bored. Rachel Hollis is a motivational speaker, blogger, and “author” (I’ll include that in here very lightly), who claims to not have a perfect life, but the follows it all up with the fact that she pretty much does. The whole thing was very contradicting, and this book is so far removed from what a normal life would even look like for an “average women” her age. Trips to Paris, and having four kids that your nanny cares for so that you can get your work done? Hmm, sorry. Can’t relate. It honestly offered zero insight to real world problems for women, parents, or Christian’s. Side note- I’m still trying to figure out how this book is under the “Christian” category… My brutally honest guess is that she threw a few things in there about her being a Christian so that it would up her sales, because this book is a scam. It’s categorized as “self help” but just reiterates that “you are in control of your happiness and your life”.

My end advice to anyone who wants to read this book? Borrow it. Don’t buy it. In my opinion, it’s not worth your time. If you want my best suggestions for real self help books that offer loads of great advice, insight, and situations that you can actually relate to as a modern day woman and parent? Check out some of these books written by well spoken authors…

Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. Definitely something I can related to better as a working mom, and a lot more original thought put into this one. Definitely more Christian based as well.

Cultivate: “A Grace-Filled Guid to Growing an Intentional Life” by Lara Casey.

An Intentional Life by Karen Stott.

It’s Not Supposed To Be This Way by Lysa TerKeurst.

Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst.

Maybe I’ll review some of these sometime in the future.

Until next time!

//

Em.

 

Favorite Things Friday: Easy Dinner Edition

Is there truly anything better in this world than easy meals? No, I don’t think so. Especially when you’re cooking for more than just yourself. Today I’m going to be sharing one of my favorite dinners to make because not only do Brian and I like it, but the kids LOVE it! It’s super easy, fairly inexpensive, and will last our family at least two days.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie:

Let’s start at the beginning with what you’ll need.

Ingredients for the filling:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small yellow onion (diced)

One bag of frozen vegetables (corn, carrots, and green beans)

One 10.5 oz can of Cream of Chicken soup (I usually use Meijer brand)

Rotisserie chicken (shredded/cut)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Ingredients for the homemade crust: Because let’s be honest, does anyone really like the store bought crust? (Gag)

1 cups of flour

1/2 cup Crisco

1 tsp salt

(cut these together well)

1/4 cup of cold water

(you may need to double this so that you have bottom crust and top crust. roll out and prepare your pie!)

To begin, heat your oil in your pan. Add your diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes until they’re translucent.

Then add in frozen vegetables

Next you add your can of cream of chicken soup (don’t add water, it’ll make it too soupy and your pie crust will be soggy!)

Stir that together, then add your chicken, salt and pepper and mix together.

Let this heat over the oven until mixed together and vegetables are not frozen.

Begin your crust while this warms up over low heat.

I bake at 350 for about an hour (or until the crust turns golden brown). This will depend on your oven and how hot it cooks.

Simple as that!

Super easy and we can eat the leftovers the next day. Win win for me!

Let me know if you end up trying it!

Until next time,

//

Em

 

 

 

 

A Vivacious Valentine’s Day Edition

Valentine’s Day preparation is in full swing over here at Picking Up the Pendrick’s! One of my favorite things about being a mom is being the mom who is “extra” when it comes to just about everything. I love themes, I love parties, and I love holidays (yes, Valentine’s Day is a holiday to me). Normally I would force my boys into helping me make some pretty cool homemade Valentine’s to give their classmates and friends at daycare, however this year we played a slightly different tune.

One of my all-time favorite mom blogs Stilettos and Diapers (Molly Wey), had posted on her Instagram about one of my favorite sites (minted.com) and their “Classroom Valentine” selection. After searching through the Valentine’s, Jayce and Marek were pretty stoked about a few of the different choices. Jayce just HAD to have the pizza hearts and Marek was in love with the ones shaped like a donut. So instead of making them homemade this year, I caved and we ordered them. You guys, they’re SO CUTE too because they have a spot where you can play a game of tic-tac-toe on the back! Of course we are going to include some sort of candy with them, but I just can’t get over how cute they are! (Of course with my luck, Marek’s donuts came with a misprint- They read “I donut know what I’d do” instead of “I donut know what I’d do without you”. However, after calling Minted, they assured me they would overnight some with the correct spelling so that they would be here before Valentine’s Day, Thank God!)

HOW CUTE ARE THESE!?

Next on our list of fun Valentine’s Day preparation activities was a really cool thing for both myself and the kids. Have you ever heard of Education.com? If not, you need to go check them out. We printed out this free download that I will include below of this awesome Valentine’s Day math worksheet (as well as the answer sheet for the adults!) Seriously if you have kids, or if you’re a teacher or work with kids in any way, this is a wonderful way to incorporate learning with this fun holiday. Click the links below for a free PDF version!

Valentine’s Addition Worksheet

Valentine’s Addition Worksheet Answers

Jayce working on the Valentine’s Day Addition Worksheet, courtesy of Education.com!

Let’s love some Valentine’s Addition. Check out education.com for more addition worksheet fun!

Last but certainly not least, I found this shirt for Marek for his daycare Valentine’s Day party. I just couldn’t help myself, thank you so much 5thHeritageFarm on Etsy for this steal! Check out their shop!

I can’t wait to post pictures of him in this shirt from his party!

So there we have it- outfits, classroom Valentine’s, and even some awesome educational worksheets for the kids to work on.

Happy Valentine’s Day, we will be back Friday for another Favorite Things Friday.

Until then,

//

Em

Boredom Busters: Snow Day Edition

Happy Tuesday everyone! In case you haven’t been watching the news or the weather channel, the mid-west has really been taking a beating with this Polar Vortex. Last week my kids didn’t have school once because of the sub zero temperatures. Now of course they were ecstatic the first day, but by the time they called school off for the second day in a row we were running out of ideas to keep them busy. They also already knew that if they thought they were going to stay home and play video games for 6 straight days, they were so very wrong. If you also struggle with things to do in order to keep your kids creative minds busy during snow days, read on for some of my favorite suggestions!

Make/Bake Something! – My go-to is cookies because everyone loves them and they’re usually easy enough to make. It’s easy because the kids can take turns measuring and adding the ingredients, and they can take turns stirring or turning the mixer on. However, if you’re feeling brave or if you have older kids, maybe try homemade pizza! My kids love either of these things, and they are usually pretty excited to help in the beginning (by the end they’ve lost interest and just want me to let them know when it’s done). Let’s be honest, they usually never make it to the second batch but they have fun while it lasts and it’s such a great learning experience.

This picture is 2 years old, but we haven’t gotten any updated baking ones. Coming soon!

*SIDE NOTE! I’ll link my favorite frozen hot chocolate recipe here, it’s definitely worth a try on a snow day, (or any day)*

Movie Theater at Home! – Putting on a good movie and popping some popcorn is another fun trick that passes about an hour or two depending on the movie. You can even throw some candy in there to add to the movie theater affect. (I love getting the dollar boxes of candy at the dollar store, cheap and effective for setting the theater mood at a fraction of the price!)

Crafts! – As we already know, Pinterest is my best friend. I like to get on Pinterest and look for fun crafts that use things that I already have in the house. Once we pull up the image on my computer, we can go through the steps and the boys have a blast making the craft all their own. (There is also nothing wrong with giving them some crayons and paper and just having them color for a while). I’m always surprised at how long they stay busy while crafting, they love it!

Board games! – Board games can be hard for little kids to play, but the boys received a few games for Christmas that they’ve been able to have fun with. Clue Jr. and Monopoly Jr. are just some of our favorite family night games now.

Play Outside! – Of course this wasn’t an option for us since the windchill had it at -20 degrees outside, but normally you could take the kids out and go sledding, on the snow bike, build a snowman (or an igloo if you’re Brian!) We are even lucky enough to live near two of the best ski resorts in Northern Michigan, so taking the boys snowboarding can be an awesome snow day activity once it gets above 0!

Yes, he made this himself.

Snowboarding at Caberfae Peaks

The Snow Bike

Sledding at the neighbors house

Forts, Forts, Forts! – Our boys are obsessed with building forts. They usually create a fort on the top bunk daily, and Grammy even got Jayce a fort building set for Christmas. All of the blankets, comforters, pillows, and some toys. This keeps them busy forever, and they have so much fun! Most of the time they don’t even make it out of their pajamas if they’re in fort-mode all morning, it’s a fun and cozy way to be creative and warm on a day off!

Blanket fort, with a movie inside!

Obstacle Courses! – These can be time consuming, but they’re a blast. I’ll link some ideas to these on Pinterest because none of these are my own ideas but they’re definitely worth trying! Click here! 

Practice Reading & Writing! – Reading and writing doesn’t always have to feel like homework, in fact once you add a cool Melissa and Doug easel, it takes fun to a whole different level.  The boys like to practice writing words, sentences, drawing shapes, etc. We also enjoy reading a few books (they usually lose focus with the books after a little while) but getting a few reading minutes in is fun, especially when they are reading to us.

One of our new favorites!

And finally, just make the most of it. Snow days can be frustrating, especially when they pile up day after day like last week for us. Snow days usually mean for days off from work for parents (often unpaid days off), and changes in schedules which can throw off an entire weeks worth of plans. The weather is unpredictable, especially in Michigan, but making the most of it is what counts! Sooner than later my kids won’t have snow days home with me, and I’ll be forever missing the times where the house was torn apart with every blanket we own on the floor or thrown over top of chairs. No matter how frustrating it can get now, I really am working on drinking it all in, and savoring every moment.

Here’s to hoping Spring actually comes early this year, and that Punxsutawney Phil wasn’t wrong.

Until next time!

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Em