I recently had a girls weekend that was so needed and so much fun! I love seeing my girlfriends and cherish the times that we have together, especially as we get older. This trip was the first time I left our younger son (5 months) overnight and I couldn’t help but think about how different this experience was than with our older son. I had a lot of post partum anxiety the first time, which didn’t help specific situations, however I think there are things you can control and do to help with those “first time” experiences.

I thought I would share some things that helped me the first time I ever left our baby and to reassure any first time Mommas that leaving that very first time is hard. Someone once told me “it doesn’t get easier, you just become more comfortable with it”. I feel like that is so true now that I have a second and am just more comfortable overall in motherhood. I would love to know any of your tips!

• Pray. The best way to ease your heart, mind, and spirit leading up to something new
• Have someone who knows the daily routine/ins and outs watch the very first time. For me, that is my husband
• Prep what you can and make it easy on whoever is watching them. Since I exclusively breastfeed I have to make sure my husband has plenty of milk, can reference temperature guidelines, is comfortable with bottle warmer, knows how to wash/dry bottles, knows feeding schedule and sleep schedule, and just has what he needs. If someone else is watching, I always include emergency contact information, as well as pediatrician info, along with a schedule/general information.
• Check In. It is okay to check in to ease your heart and mind. I think it is amazing that we have the ability to see our babies when we are not there, so take advantage when you can!
• Open Communication. I think it is better to let the person know if you are anxious, struggling, or having a hard time so they can be reassuring and understanding of where you are coming from.

I also have more on friend weekends that you can check out here: Friend Weekends, Friend Weekends: Part 2!

As always, sending light and love.

Blessings,

Jac

With only a couple of months left in the year, I am already starting to think about next year and goal set for our family. I have shared many posts relating to finances that you can check out under the Budgeting tab. I thought I would share how I keep track of our monthly spending and what categories I like to place items in. I highly encourage tracking spending. It can be a huge eye opener with where money is going and give a good overall picture and breakdown. I personally like to use an excel sheet to break up each month, however you can do what works best for your family.

Below is an example with pretend amounts and numbers just to give an idea of the organization. I like to be able to compare each month within the year and see what we are spending, saving, and how our investments have changed. This is an easy way for me to see the overall picture without it being too complex. I track down everything we spend, even if it is something less than ten dollars because those purchases can quickly add up!

I would love to know anything that you use or love for yourself or family!

As always, sending light and love!

Blessings,

Jac

As I am beginning my Christmas shopping, I started thinking about activities or craft like things my son enjoys that I like to gift others. I personally like having non toy options and things to do with my kiddos. I also like gifting things similar to these because I never know what toys other kids have. I thought I would share my top five items that are my standard go tos. I would love to know anything your kids love!

1.Kinetic Sand

My older son loves kinetic sand and the different kits. Although it is messy, it is so much fun and an easy gift to give. I like to purchase different kits, or bags of sand!

2.Play-Doh

I feel like playdough is always a good go to! There are so many fun kits, tools and colors that it stays a classic activity for kids. I like purchasing different kits and adding in some fun colors!

3. Mosaic Sticker Art

My son received these last year and absolutely loved them! They are not only fun, but also great for motor skills and zero mess!

4.Puffy Sticker Book

I mentioned these in my travel post here. These are such a great activity for toddlers and can be used multiple times. It is also a great stocking stuffer or addition to any gift!

5.Water Wow

I also mentioned these in my travel post, but I think they are so amazing! Once again there is no mess and an easy addition for a larger gift (I like to tape to the outside) or stocking stuffer. I like to purchase sets to add to multiple gifts for kids!

What are some of your favorite items?

As always, sending light and love!

Blessings,

Jac

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