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De-Stress Weeknight Dinners: Three Ridiculously Easy Steps

I’ve started out a new series with my friend Chanda where we’re sharing advice and tips for parents on each other’s sites. Today she’s sharing how to de-stress weeknight dinners with three ridiculously easy steps for families that are ready to throw in the towel at 6p.

When was the last time you were cleaning up dinner and thought to yourself, “well that was just a lovely and enjoyable experience?…the kids were good, my food was tasty, and I’m not clock watching until their bedtimes?”

With three kids and my husband working long hours, our weeknight dinners had me feeling like I was in the middle of a Top Chef Quickfire challenge only to deliver plates to an unrealistic and unruly table of tiny judges…

I Was Coming In Defeated

I felt like the odds were always stacked against me because…

I had zero gas left in my tank to put a decent meal together… 

The kids wanted my attention and would go to def comb 4 to get it from me…

By the time my husband walked in the door…

I gave him all the negative feels because why on Earth was he so lucky to get to leave this stress-filled cluster each day??

Then She Crushed Me With Her Words

Our daughter delivered a truth-filled statement that changed it all…

Quickly…

“Mom I wish you would spend more time with me.”

Ugh, nothing like eating a lesson by one of your own whom you are supposed to be super parenting…

She was right…but her specific request surprised me. 

“Will you teach me how to cook?”

My Mom Mindset Was Wrong All Along

Oddly it never occurred to me that prepping dinner could be the ONE space in the day where we could connect because it was always so stressful. It never crossed my frazzled mom mind that dinner could be a time of gathering with joy, laughter, and it could even be a time for me as a mom to decompress from the day too! 

So that’s what we decided to do. Together, we created a weekly meal plan experience. It did not take long at all for the evening tone to change in the house and not long before her siblings wanted in on the action too. This wasn’t your average Monday-Friday meal plan though…

The Clock Watching Stopped

Wanna know what else happened mama? 

I stopped clock watching which meant I was truly in the moment with my kids. 

And…

I started greeting my hard-working husband with the appreciation he deserved. 

The good news?

You do not need a 5 part online course to do this. You do not need to join a mom mastermind. Mama, just start with these three basic steps THIS WEEK and build from there. You are going to plan a meal experience!!!

Rise Up Mom And Do These!

Step #1. 

Schedule two things in your calendar right now! The first is your Sunday planning session where you are going to choose a recipe and map out the kids’ participation. It should take no more than 20 mins. The second is to pick one night this coming week where you’re going to implement your new plan. We love Wednesday just because we don’t have sports and it breaks up the week! Lastly, on this step is to announce it to the family! Maybe post it on the fridge or chalkboard wall it-doesn’t matter just build the hype something fun is coming this week!

Step #2. 

Choose a recipe that contains 5 ingredients or less so it’s easier to plan.

 My plate licker lasagna is a great option. Just sub in regular no-boil lasagna if not gluten-free!

Step #3.

One you pick the recipe, plan three different activities that give your kids a chance to be a part of the fun! For example, if making the lasagna from above here’s how I’d plan out the kids’ roles:

-Ingredient scavenger hunt! Kids bring you what’s needed to create the dish. If you have little littles, place ingredients safely where they can reach ahead of time. 

-Kids wash hands and begin layering lasagna ingredients once you’ve browned your ground beef. One kid is head of cheese. One is the head of noodles. One is head of the sauce department, you get the picture. Teamwork makes the dream work.

-While lasagna is baking, your sous chefs can help set the table and could even set out menus made on Canva or even have them draw out their own menus to place. My kids especially love this step because they feel like they are running a restaurant!!

I Want You To Win!

Is it always sunshine and rainbows every weeknight in our house? No, but I know that I can count on at least one night of the week where dinner is enjoyable. Where I am banking memories with my kids while they learn vital life skills. One night each week as a Mom, I feel like taking a huge victory lap around my kitchen.

One day I hope our daughter will understand how her comment to me, changed our family dynamic for the better and I hope it helps you too mama because I want you to win dinner time too so it helps you look back on these younger years with joy not regret. 

Head over to The Mundil Method to download your free lasagna meal plan experience example. It has everything you need to get started including shopping list, kids’ scavenger hunt, place card settings and more! 

About The Author

Chanda Mundil is an Indianapolis mother of three (11, 7, 5 yo) and wife to her college sweetheart. She knows a thing or two about stressful dinners because on a nightly basis has to navigate 30 food allergies and gluten sensitivities. She is passionate about helping families plan fun yet safe meal experiences and is always eager to continue food allergy awareness. Follow Chanda on Instagram and check out other fun blog posts. 

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Top 5 Tips for Mommy and Me Swim Lessons

This post is sponsored by Goldfish Swim School, though all opinions are my own.

Swimming with babies and toddlers is amazing and a fabulous way to bond with your baby, but if you are not confident in water it can be daunting. The whole point of swim lessons is to teach water safety and confidence to our children. With these tips you’ll feel ready to help your little one learn a necessary life skill. Here are my top 5 tips for Mommy and Me swim lessons.

Top 5 tips for mommy and me swim lessons

Top 5 Tips for Mommy and Me Swim Lessons

  1. Expose your baby to water as often as you can. Between regular weekly swim lessons, splashing in the bathtub and swimming at a local pool, your child will be very comfortable with getting their face wet.
  2. Ask questions in class. Never be afraid to ask the purpose of an activity during swim class. The instructors want you to fully understand what you’re achieving by doing these motions with your child. It’s likely another parent has the same question.
  3. Encourage your baby to be on their back. Your class will likely be teaching floating by having your child on their back with your assistance. This is easier done with a young baby but there will be resistance in the toddler years. Continue to practice this important safety skill with your child no matter how much they complain.
  4. Show a happy smile. You may personally feel uncomfortable in the water or uncomfortable with how your child is reacting to the water. Children can sense our unease so no matter your feelings put on a happy face so baby can learn that being in the water is a good thing.
  5. Enjoy the bonding time. Some days may be hard to get all the gear together and take your child to lessons but consistently going with your baby will be great for both of you. Not only for the sake of adapting to the water but for bonding time with each other!

My daughter started swim lessons at 6 months and has been going weekly for 8 months and she absolutely loves water. We scheduled our swim lessons for Friday morning so we can start our Friday Fun Day off with one of her favorite activities. We’ve loved our lessons at Goldfish Swim School! Check them out to see if there is one near you.

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Keeping Clear Skin Despite Hormones

This post has been sponsored by Cetaphil®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As a mom, you are the last person on your list of people to take care of. And a lot of the time, that means cleaning care. Through the crazy hormones that babies bring, keeping your skin under control is tough. Lots of trial and error went into regulating my clear skin during birth and the months to follow. Thankfully, I found Cetaphil® after my first pregnancy and it was consistent in keeping my skin in check by removing the bad oils and keeping the good.

keeping clearn skin despite hormones

I’m not strict about my pampering routine, but I do make sure to do a mask and my nails every couple weeks. It’s a fun thing to do with my 5-year-old now, so it’s win-win for both of us!

Self Care Must Haves

  1. Giant Headband
  2. Cetaphil® Daily Facial Cleanser
  3. Clay or Charcoal Mask
  4. Essential Oil Serum
  5. Nail Polish with Glitter

For my combination skin, I use Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser from Walmart in the morning when getting ready and at night before bed. Because their cleanser is designed for normal to oily skin, it cleans away the surface oils but retains my skin’s natural oils.

keeping clearn skin despite hormones
keeping clearn skin despite hormones

To try out the Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser or any other Cetaphil product, click here for $2 off your purchase.

Keeping Clear Skin Despite Hormones

For our self-care Saturdays, my daughter and I wash our faces with Cetaphil and warm water before patting it dry. We apply a mask liberally while making funny faces in the mirror. Cartoons are a must while we wait for the masks to dry as we paint our toes with bright pinks and purples and lots of glitter. I’m teaching her the art of multitasking at a very young age. We are now ready to take on the day with confidence in our skin and our toes!

keeping clearn skin despite hormones

As a high-schooler, I was recommended Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for my combination skin. It worked wonders then, and it’s still my first choice for removing excess oil.

Now, it’s super easy to add Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser to my grocery pick-up when I order from Walmart Grocery. It’s pretty much the best invention ever for Moms with little kids. No more being “mean mom” and saying NO to everything they want to buy.

I’d love to hear what kind of ways you add self care into your routine. Is self cleaning low on your list with little ones, too? What do you do in the way of keeping your skin clear despite hormones? Do know that, as they get older, showering becomes more frequent again.

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Top 7 Time Management Tips for Moms

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Top 7 Time Management Tips for Moms

Now that I have two kids I’ve got to use some tricks to keep things running smoothly around the house. I’ve got 7 time management tips for Moms who are in charge of the household.

We’re out of the over exhausted phases of having a new baby. I’m able to figure out a schedule that works for me and my family. As a stay-at-home mom who loves going on adventures with my girls, it’s hard to also keep up the house and my blog. I’m incredibly grateful for the chance to be with the girls before they head to school and also have the chance to work on my passion. I hope these tips help you be able to take care of the things you need to complete but also have time for things that bring you joy.

With these tips, I’ve been able to read two books in the last month and do more painting and sewing. I will remind you, if you are in the early stages of having a baby, these things might not be possible yet, but they’ll still be helpful.

7 Time Management Tips for Moms

10 Minute Clean-up

My number one tip is to do a 10 minute clean-up at the end of the night before your kid’s bedtime routine. You can start this as early as age 3 (or when your littlest knows how to throw toys in a bin). We have our Google Home play Rockabye Baby music 10 minutes before 8p. This tells us we need to stop whatever we’re doing and each take a room of the downstairs and clean it up. In our family, my 5 year old picks up her and the baby’s toys while I heat up a bottle and clean the dishes from dinner. My husband cleans off the table and wipes down the counters.

After 10 minutes we’re able to go feed the baby while our oldest brushes her teeth and read stories to them both for an easy bedtime routine. This clean up has eliminated the anxiety I used to feel as soon as I walked down in the morning. It’s so nice to start the day with a clean house and clean dishes to quickly put away after breakfast. We’re able to manage the house throughout the day rather than spending time first cleaning it before starting our day.

Crock Pot Meals

This is pretty self explanatory. It’s easier to dump some ingredients in the crock pot for 5-10 minutes than to stand and cook a meal. We do one crock pot meal per week during the summer and 2-3 during the winter months. I have more energy in the summer with the sun being out longer so one crock pot meal/week is perfect for me. It’s usually chicken tacos because my husband could eat them every day and be fine with it.

Preschool Sewing Kit DIY perfect for young sewers just beginning. Fine motor skills, patience and focus are all used for this project.

Kid Activities

Set your kids up with some easy-to-access games and activities they can play on their own. These need to be activities they can get out, set up, need no supervision and clean up on their own. Before summer started I researched some of these activities knowing that I would need a little time to decompress after taking them to the pool for the day. Some of our favorites are perler beads, paint by sticker books, ABC Mouse and Kiwi Crate.

Timers

I use Google Home timers for everything. I already spoke about the Clean Up timer we set at night but I also use it to remind me when the bottles are done, when to put on the crock pot, when we need to start getting ready to go to swim lessons. It’s much easier for me to set a timer on my phone or Google Home than it is for me to keep looking at the clock and getting that pit in my stomach about being late or rushed. I hate that feeling.

I’ll also add reminders in Google Calendar about things I need to remember to research or schedule in the future. Stressing about something I can’t take care of right now does not help anyone, so I schedule it for later.

Outsource

So many people think they can do more than they can. Yes, you might be able to do all the things BUT are they getting done well and are you also taking care of yourself. When my husband’s foot was broken I hired a neighbor boy to mow our lawn once per week. My husband has been building the deck in his free time for three months and I’m tempted to call the neighbor boy again.

It’s just mowing the lawn, something I’m capable of but is my time better spent mowing the lawn or doing school with Sophia or taking the girls to the pool? Check your values and make sure your actions are aligning with them. Time is money and if you’re out of time to do everything you want to do, hire it out.

Family Fun in Hendricks County

Schedule Play

Scheduling play sounds ridiculous. In our family, it’s necessary. We’ll get so overwhelmed with house projects, blog projects and work that we don’t make play a priority. Every Friday for me and the girls is Fun Friday and I do not do any type of work (business or house wise). This helps myself and the girls know that although we may not be having a ton of fun on Thursday, we have a great time Friday.

For you, this might look like blocking off a weekend so you can be with your family. It might look like planning a staycation because your family just needs a break. Notice if your ‘play’ is required sports or music lessons or if you’re actually taking a step away from obligations and actually playing.

Balance

Here is my biggest tip. Put everything into perspective. Step back and really look at what NEEDS to be done. Are you feeling overwhelmed because there’s dust on your blinds or you need to clean your car out? Think about what season you’re in and if the deep cleaning is necessary. Personally, I get anxious when there’s clutter. For us, picking up is something that makes our lives run smoother but the dust can wait. The dirty carpets that I want replaced can wait. My family being happy, getting good meals and having fun is the most important thing and the other stuff can wait.

Let me know what tips you use to keep on top of things while running the house.

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Easy Mom Hairstyles 3 Ways

I am working with Eva NYC on this beauty series but all thoughts and photography are my own. 

Easy Mom Hairstyles- Moming is hard no matter if you have babies, tweens, college age kids, you stay at home or you’re working out of the home…it’s all just hard. The thing I’ve learned over the past five years of being a mom, is that getting ready seriously improves my day. The first thing I do when I wake up, no matter what, is to make my bed. One tiny task accomplished first thing sets me up on a good path for the day. After having breakfast with my family before my husband heads off to work, feeding the baby and unloading the dishwasher it’s finally ‘me time’ while my baby naps. I take advantage of this time to speed shower, put on normal clothes and do my hair.

Eva NYC Primer- Feeling like you're running on empty? Self Love

In this season of my life I’m often wearing my hair up keeping it out of reach of the super grip of my babe. While a ponytail is super easy and quick I felt like it was so boring! recently discovered Eva NYC and have been using them while doing my self love care as well as my daughter’s hair. I really love the 10-1 Primer because it’s light on my hair but has so many benefits like detangling, reducing frizz, strengthens hair, softens, cuts drying time, adds shine, nourishes, smooths, and protects against thermal and UV damage. I always use the primer when I blow dry and straighten my hair. Lately I’ve been using the dry shampoo to help hold my style. I have thick hair but once I blowdry and straighten it can fall out of a style easily. The dry shampoo helps give it some texture to hold any teasing or braids I put in my hair.

Eva NYC styling dry shampoo and 10-1 primer are amazing hair products. Easy mom hairstyles that I can quickly do in the morning.

Eva NYC styling dry shampoo and 10-1 primer are amazing hair products. Easy mom hairstyles that I can quickly do in the morning.

Once I’ve got my hair prepped I usually resort to one of three hairstyles that will keep my hair out of my face for my day ahead.

  1. High Bun (playful style that you can switch up with different bows)
  2. Braided Crown Pony (perfect for hair that needs washed)
  3. French Braided Bun (can be used to transition to a girls night out)

Eva NYC styling dry shampoo and 10-1 primer are amazing hair products. Easy mom hairstyles that I can quickly do in the morning.

High Bun

The High Bun couldn’t be easier. If you have fine hair you can always use a bun sock to make your actual bun bigger. I like to use wraps or bows to something extra to this classic look. Sometimes I’ll pull out a few strands and curl them if I’m going somewhere nice.

Eva NYC styling dry shampoo and 10-1 primer are amazing hair products. Easy mom hairstyles that I can quickly do in the morning.
Braided Crown Pony

This could not be easier and it’s incredibly hard to mess up. Mine is not a true crown braid as I do not wrap the braid around but rather start at a very exaggerated part and braid down both sides of my head. I then pull the braid to make it bigger, wrap an elastic making a low braid and wrap extra hair around my elastic.

Eva NYC styling dry shampoo and 10-1 primer are amazing hair products. Easy mom hairstyles that I can quickly do in the morning.

French Braided Bun

If you’re nervous about braids, don’t be. As you can see, mine are rarely perfect but they still do a great job holding my hair back and get lots of compliments. Practice while you’re watching TV and soon you’ll get really good. My biggest tip is to not use a mirror. With this braid I simply teased the top of my hair, braided it back down my head and wrapped the end in a bun. Stays secure but doesn’t give my the headache that I sometimes get with a high bun. I will wear this style in lieu of a french twist because I still can’t get that one down.

Eva NYC styling dry shampoo and 10-1 primer are amazing hair products. Easy mom hairstyles that I can quickly do in the morning.

I think the Eva NYC mini healthy heat pro-power dryer and mini healthy heat ceramic flat iron are the cutest things ever. They’re so perfect for when we travel to Chicago every other month to visit my in-laws. I love that the blow dryer comes with a diffuser as well as a director. The tourmaline-infused ceramic components radiate far-infrared heat and emit negative ions, which lock in moisture, eliminate frizz and speed up the drying process. Also, finding Eva NYC couldn’t be easier. They’re now at Meijer! Super easy to pick up more of my favorite Eva NYC products while I’m shopping with the girls. I’m actually planning on getting a few sets of these travel sized tools to give to my girl friends for Christmas!

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