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my life

Life Lately & Our Trip to California in Photos

January 19, 2016 by Allie Casazza Leave a Comment

Hiiii!

Gosh I feel like it’s been ages since I sat at this space and just let myself pour into it. Our vacation really threw me off, and as refreshing as it was, I’m so happy to be back home and in my normal routine! I want to share a little bit about what’s been on my heart lately, and then I’m gonna dump the best photos from our trip!

So, right before Christmas, my dad called me and asked me if Brian and I would be willing to bump our planned March trip to California up to January. He offered to pay for our plane tickets if we did. Obviously we took him up on his offer! He booked us for two whole weeks and the trip was fairly last-minute, so the whole thing was one big blur to me. 

I have to say that I hated flying with the kids, and would absolutely choose the twenty-two hours of driving that we did with them over the 4+ hours of flying and the layover each way. Emmett is just at the worst age for being forced to sit in one spot for that long, and he was screeching and frustrated and miserable for most of the flight time, despite all the things we did to prepare. Our kids just love the car and do so well in it, I think we’ll commit to road tripping back home every six months for now, and revisit the flight idea when Emmett is older. 

I was apprehensive about going back. I was worried about how being back there and spending time with friends and family would make me feel. I thought maybe being back where things are comfortable would cause me to hate our decision to move, and dread coming back to Arkansas. 

I was very wrong about that. 

Going back was so fun, so refreshing, so comforting, but somehow I felt even more confident about our move, and after the first week I couldn’t wait to get back home. I saw California as a wonderful place full of people and places I love that I get to visit every six months and take a break from the rhythm of daily life. I loved the beach and breathed it in so deep, but when I walked back to the car with the waves at my back, I was okay. I was thinking of how good it would feel to go home and see the mountains again. I didn’t look over my shoulder like I did when I walked away four months ago. I didn’t need to, and that felt good. 

One of the things I realized while there, is that I haven’t been truly settling into our new home yet. The first three months were at first total chaos, and then anxiety coupled with a lack of action. I wasn’t really committed to new friendships, to my area, to making Arkansas our home like I did when we lived in California. I realized that it’s time to bury my feet in the ground, put down some roots, dive into friendships and homeschooling and church, and start living here. Exploring the area isn’t enough, I have to treat this place like home because it is! This is where God has led us and I don’t know how long He will have us here, so I need to be all in. 

I can wait patiently for our next trip to Cali. I can look forward to my toes in the sand and my family surrounding me again, but I don’t feel like I’m hanging onto the life I had there while physically standing on new soil. I feel present and settled and at peace. I feel ready to live. 

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Filed Under: faith Tagged With: faith, my life

Life Lately & Our Trip to California in Photos

January 19, 2016 by alliecasazza Leave a Comment

Hiiii!

Gosh I feel like it’s been ages since I sat at this space and just let myself pour into it. Our vacation really threw me off, and as refreshing as it was, I’m so happy to be back home and in my normal routine! I want to share a little bit about what’s been on my heart lately, and then I’m gonna dump the best photos from our trip!

So, right before Christmas, my dad called me and asked me if Brian and I would be willing to bump our planned March trip to California up to January. He offered to pay for our plane tickets if we did. Obviously we took him up on his offer! He booked us for two whole weeks and the trip was fairly last-minute, so the whole thing was one big blur to me. 

I have to say that I hated flying with the kids, and would absolutely choose the twenty-two hours of driving that we did with them over the 4+ hours of flying and the layover each way. Emmett is just at the worst age for being forced to sit in one spot for that long, and he was screeching and frustrated and miserable for most of the flight time, despite all the things we did to prepare. Our kids just love the car and do so well in it, I think we’ll commit to road tripping back home every six months for now, and revisit the flight idea when Emmett is older. 

I was apprehensive about going back. I was worried about how being back there and spending time with friends and family would make me feel. I thought maybe being back where things are comfortable would cause me to hate our decision to move, and dread coming back to Arkansas. 

I was very wrong about that. 

Going back was so fun, so refreshing, so comforting, but somehow I felt even more confident about our move, and after the first week I couldn’t wait to get back home. I saw California as a wonderful place full of people and places I love that I get to visit every six months and take a break from the rhythm of daily life. I loved the beach and breathed it in so deep, but when I walked back to the car with the waves at my back, I was okay. I was thinking of how good it would feel to go home and see the mountains again. I didn’t look over my shoulder like I did when I walked away four months ago. I didn’t need to, and that felt good. 

One of the things I realized while there, is that I haven’t been truly settling into our new home yet. The first three months were at first total chaos, and then anxiety coupled with a lack of action. I wasn’t really committed to new friendships, to my area, to making Arkansas our home like I did when we lived in California. I realized that it’s time to bury my feet in the ground, put down some roots, dive into friendships and homeschooling and church, and start living here. Exploring the area isn’t enough, I have to treat this place like home because it is! This is where God has led us and I don’t know how long He will have us here, so I need to be all in. 

I can wait patiently for our next trip to Cali. I can look forward to my toes in the sand and my family surrounding me again, but I don’t feel like I’m hanging onto the life I had there while physically standing on new soil. I feel present and settled and at peace. I feel ready to live. 

 photo new sig.png

Filed Under: faith Tagged With: faith, my life

Life Lately, God’s Gangster Voice, + Why He’s Still Good

December 1, 2015 by Allie Casazza Leave a Comment

Life lately is rain. Like, literal rain from the sky. A downpour that seems constant.

Being born and raised in So Cal, when it rains I stare blankly out the window and cross everything off my to do list because life cannot be lived if it’s raining. Here in Northwest Arkansas, apparently, it rains a lot and people just keep on going, living and doing life things. This includes leaving the house, which is both jarring and shocking to the California girl in me. Even today as our family left to go see a movie, it was raining so hard that it felt illegal or something. I kept peering out from underneath my protective hood, looking for signs of life. There was a guy walking his dog, a girl jogging (really?! you’re jogging in this???), and even a mom with her kids under the canopy at the picnic tables across from our house. Life can go on, even if it’s raining. Good to know.

Life lately is also some metaphorical rain. Brian and I both expected life to get a lot easier when we moved out here. Some things have been a million times better, like his work hours, but other things have remained difficult or gotten even harder.

How could you, God?!

I’ve found myself cranky, even a little bitter over some of it. I have had to sit in the dark on the couch in the dead of night and lay it all out for Him. The confusion, the thoughts I have, and how pissed off He made me on more than one occasion recently. It’s okay, He can handle my emotions.

God never promised easy if we follow His call on our lives. I know this, but I somehow thought our “big leap of faith” made us exempt.

God we moved all the way out here! Away from everyone we know and love! How can you not bless all of everything in our lives immediately?!

Oh humanity, you make me into such a moron.

God called us out of California and into Arkansas.

I know that for sure.

He blessed us with better work hours at Brian’s job, enough money to make it, and the promise that He’s got something big for us out here. At what point did I hear, “Get choself out to the mountains, girl! I’mma give you all the best everything! It’ll all be butterflies and rainbows and unicorns fo sho!” (I don’t know why I gave God a gangster voice. I get weird when I’m confessing something humbling. If this offends you go ahead and click away. I’ll understand…)

I think so often we (or, um, just I) fill in the margins of God’s voice. We hear Him give us a promise and we add in all the extra frills because the promise alone isn’t enough.

It’s a heavy lack of gratitude, at its best. 

Why would I ever expect perfection in my life as a result of following God? Getting that would mean He gave me a way out of needing Him, of needing a Savior. That goes so far from His character, and believe it or not, His total goodness.

When God calls us, there’s a reason, even if we can’t see it. There’s a lot of hope in His call, but never perfection. In this fallen world we face hard trials and take deep cuts. So what’s the point? Why follow the call in the first place if it’s still going to suck sometimes?

Because even if not, He is still good. (Daniel 3:18)

Even if the things I think or hope will come to pass don’t come anywhere near my life, even if I give up everything I own and love and follow His call and I lose even more,

He is still good. 

He is still good because He has promised that, eventually, His plans for me will make me prosper. (Jeremiah 29:11)

He is still good because His love for me never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:8)

He is still good because He will never leave me in the mess of life, or any other time for that matter. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

He is still good because He has poured out His blessings upon me, even if things are difficult at the moment. (Psalm 34:8)

He is still good because He adores me with a rich passion that I cannot even fathom. (1 John 3:1a)

He is still good when things seem unfair because of His love for me, and because love does not delight in evil. (1 Corinthians 13:6)

He is still good because His ways are higher than mine. (Isaiah 55:9)

He is still good because He is God. (Psalm 100:3)

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 

Romans 5:3-5

And so I shut up, I stop expecting what is uncharacteristic of the God I love and serve, and I stop complaining about all He has blessed me with. So I run with purpose in every step and move ahead strong, trusting in His high ways and great plan, because my humanity is so weak, and I need a big God like Him.

Filed Under: faith Tagged With: faith, my life

Fitting In Quiet Time + Favorite Devotionals

November 25, 2015 by Allie Casazza Leave a Comment

I take a breath and give the day to the Lord, asking Him to use me and energize me and help me. I read the short daily excerpt from my all-time favorite devotional

Springs in the Desert by L.B. Cowman. Then I read the daily word from

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. These two little books pack a punch and get my heart prepared for the day without making me feel like I have to set aside a ton of time in this chaotic season of my life.

I also love that each book offers Scripture for the day. Honestly, as much as I would love to dig deep into the Word every morning, my life at this point just doesn’t allow that. Soaking in a few verses is just what I need to start my days. I can read those passages and meditate on one of them as I get going, letting God’s Word reach my heart. Even if it’s only one verse, it’s enough and He honors my time spent seeking His face.

Podcasts & Midday Breaks

One of my favorite things in life right now is so simple- taking a midday break. Normally the baby is napping and the older kids are busy with something (coloring, homeschool busy work, a movie, playing with toys, doing a chore), and I will get out my trusty headphones and turn on a podcast. I can’t even express the joy this simple practice has brought to my stay-at-home motherhood. I only wish I had thought of doing this for myself sooner! I get a dose of inspiration right in the middle of the day and it refocuses me and reignites my purpose every time. It is absolutely my biggest piece of advice for other moms!

My favorite podcasts right now are:

Life-Giving Words with Sally Clarkson

God Centered Mom Podcast

The Influence Podcast

InspiredToAction Podcast

All you have to do to find these gems is search for them in iTunes! If you don’t have an iPhone, I have no idea how you’d find them, but I would just Google them!

Another little tip…

Some days the kids have too much energy and I can’t even get into the kitchen to wash dishes and listen to a podcast. Those are the days I need a midday break more than ever! If the weather allows, I take the kids to the park even if it means naps aren’t on schedule, and let them run around. I pull out my headphones and listen to something refreshing while I push Emmett on the swings or follow him around the play equipment.

Whatever it takes, I really try to make a midday break happen at least a few times a week. I cannot say that I have ever had a bad day when I made time for that.

Prayer & Listening for God

I am sure when my kids are little older and my life isn’t so completely chaotic, I will have time set aside for silence and prayer, but right now I don’t. I know that’s not what you usually hear from articles about being a Christian mom, but I’m just being honest. Right now I pray in the shower, when I’m driving, in the middle of the night, when I’m washing dishes, when I’m walking back and forth through the house putting laundry away, when I’m locked in the closet and I just need Jesus now.

In this season of motherhood, I pray as I go throughout my day, but I do not have a set block of time for it. I have tried forcing that and it only led to a lot of frustration, so instead I asked God to meet me where I’m at and help me walk with Him in this time of my life, and this is where I’m at now.

When I do need quiet and I need to hear the voice of the Lord on a particular issue, I wait until I can get silence, and usually I take a long shower and just sit in His presence until I get some clarity. Maybe that seems awkward to you, I know it’s nothing fancy, but it’s what I do and it has simplified my life and brought me a great deal of peace, and it works for me.

That about sums up this part of how I do this mom life thing. As always, if I skipped something or you have a question, just leave a comment. I will always see it and I love responding to you 🙂

One last thing for the mama who never takes time for herself…

Friend, God wants abundant life for you. He made you to desperately need time with Him and time for yourself. Your well is empty and you are unable to give your family what they need. That’s not your fault, it’s the way we work as mothers. You can let go of the guilt that comes with doing something for yourself, even if there’s someone in your life making you feel guilty, let it go. It is your job to raise your babies and love on your husband, and it is simply impossible to do your best when you’re running on empty. Press pause, take a breath, and do something small for your tired spirit. I’m saying a prayer over you right now.

Filed Under: faith, intentional living Tagged With: faith, motherhood, my life

Life Lately [+ the deets on our big move]

October 6, 2015 by Allie Casazza Leave a Comment

We sold pretty much everything, and rented the smallest U-Haul trailer [it was 5’x8′] which fit our mattresses, table and chairs [taken apart], and a few other favorite items like my beloved bicycle art, and the boys’ bunk beds all taken apart. We didn’t even bring dishes or silverware, so I do mean we sold pretty much everything. We got a hitch added to our minivan and were ready to go!

We had been renting our house, and were on a month-to-month lease, so we were able to get out easily without the need to sell a house or anything, which was a huge blessing. The night before we were going to leave, we were sleeping at my parents’ house, and Hudson and Emmett were tag-teaming the destruction of our trip. They were both waking up every half hour or so, and the plan was for us to get as much sleep as possible since we were supposed to leave at 3AM. Well we had to adapt, so we slept till 5 and left then.

Bonus: Starbucks was actually open by then, so of course I made Brian stop right before we got on the freeway. He was thrilled.

And so the road trip to our new life began…

Everything was really dry and ugly for awhile.

We got In N Out one last time in Arizona. Goodbye my looooooooooooove!! *insert sobbing emoji*

The kids did beyond amazing. I really couldn’t be happier with how well they handled so many hours in their carseats. The whole two days of driving, they were seriously perfect. It had to be God because that is not what I was expecting from my kids. Not even close.

Chicken did great too.

We stayed at a hotel in Oklahoma City that night, and when we got there we realized we had landed a reeeeally nice hotel on Priceline. We had no idea. When we walked in we clearly didn’t belong, especially with how disheveled we were. But staying there was great and we all got some good sleep that night.

My great grandpa, Elum lives in Arkansas, about an hour from our new home, so of course we met up with him on our way in. It was such a treat for him to meet his great great grandchildren, and I am so thrilled I got to see him again! PS. The Waffle House? YUM.

Settling In

After much looking online, discussing, praying, and thinking about it from every angle, Brian and I decided to forego a house and rent a two-bedroom townhouse. We just didn’t feel the need to get all the space we might want right away, having to deal with shoveling snow from our property [which, since we’re both born and raised in Cali, we are so unprepared for], and collecting a bunch of stuff before another inevitable move whenever we buy. We are in a season of chaos and major change, and in this season, we have found that what we crave is simplicity.

Our townhome is perfect. It’s two stories, the kids are all in one room via a triple bunk bed and Emmett’s crib, and the hard oak flooring makes me giddy every time I come downstairs. Choosing this type of house meant no fuss, no huge empty walls or spaces begging to have money spent on decor, no room to bring in a bunch of junk… it’s somewhat close to

tiny house living

[a dream of mine], and I love it.

My mom flew in the day after we got to our new house, which was awesome because she spent six days helping with the kids while Brian and I did what we needed to do to get set up. We had four full days before Brian had to start work, so we went to IKEA [the closest one is in Kansas, eep!], and stock up on groceries, and explore the area a little before life had to start again. We got a sofa and some other things we needed to function, everything else will be slowly added in as I thrift and shop on the weekends.

I have to say, getting rid of all of our stuff was the most liberating thing I’ve ever done. We threw away so much junk that was taking up closet space and sold so much, this fresh start is like water to my thirsty soul. I am so glad we chose to go this route rather than paying to bring all our things over here with us! Also, I don’t think I was a true minimalist until the move, because I honestly didn’t realize how much random crap I still had in my hallway closet. That was humbling.

Fast forward to today, two weeks from the big move, and we now have a TV, we started our home school year yesterday [we decided to wait until after the move to begin, and more on that later], we are getting back to our normal schedule with naps and meals and errands, Bella has started horse riding lessons again out here, and we are starting to feel like we know our way around our little area. We are in love with the beauty of “the natural state”, and we both agree there’s a beautifully heavy peace over every part of our beings since we got here. God. is. so. good.

Thank you lovely readers of mine for being patient with me as I got through this big step in my life and took a blogging break. I missed you all and cannot wait to share more of our adventures with you!

Filed Under: faith Tagged With: my life

Life Hacks for Moms

July 2, 2015 by Allie Casazza Leave a Comment

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Like I’ve said more than a few times before, motherhood is pretty much total chaos. We are all struggling to find balance, choose joy, and raise our babies to be the best human beings possible. I don’t like it when mothers put themselves against one another; I think we are all in this thing together, and since it’s a pretty tough gig most days, I think we should encourage and lift one another up.

One way I like to do this, being a busy mom of four kids age six and under, is by sharing what helps make my gig a little less chaotic. Nothing makes me click away from a blog post faster than a snooty blogger chucking smug parenting advice at me, and while I’ve only been a mom for 6.5 years, I get asked “how do you do it??” a lot. Maybe my tips won’t work for you, maybe you’ve got your own good thing goin’, that’s cool. But on the off-chance that something I’ve figured out on my own personal journey sparks something in you, I’d like to share what helps me out.

Running Errands

I’d say this is probably the area that has been the biggest frustration for me in daily mom life. One kid is whining while another is pooping and another is crying for a snack and yet another is lost somewhere in the store. Serenity now! I have finally figured out a few things that work.

  • Bring lollipops. Seriously, I don’t care how health-conscious you are, how bad they are for their teeth, when you have to get everything on your Target or Costco list and you’ve got a herd of cave-people to bring with you, lollipops are Godsends.
  • Be a crazy person about who stands where. Bella always walks right by my side, Leland holds onto the left side of the cart and walks, Hudson sits in the seat part, and Emmett is in the Ergo on me. And nobody moves from their assigned locations. It just has to be that way or I won’t be able to get a thing done; all I’ll be doing is telling the kids what to do and what not to touch. There’s already enough of that even with their location assignments, it would be total chaos if I didn’t have them set up like that. They know if they move from where they’re supposed to be, they lose their sucker and have to spend ten minutes in their room when we get home. Don’t mess with the shopping cart locations, people.
  • Go fast, mama. I organize my shopping lists beforehand whenever I can, that way I’ve got my list in order of the store’s layout, and can move like a breeze down the aisle, grabbing what I need and reaching checkout before the lollipops are gone. It doesn’t always work out this way, but when I plan ahead and am organized, it usually does.
  • Go first thing in the morning. This is the time of day that my kids are their best selves. I may be my worst, as I am not a morning person by any means, but the kids are at their best, so I grab an extra large cup of coffee and we head out as early as I can get everyone dressed, fed, and out of the house.
  • Save technology for the checkout line. My kids always start to get antsy at the end of the shopping trip, and I’ve found that when I hold off on letting them watch YouTube on my phone until we’re checking out, it’s a lot easier. Unloading a cart full of crap while wearing a baby isn’t easy, but knowing the other three kids are happily crowded together at the front of the cart watching funny cat videos allows me to do what I need to do quickly, without interruption.
  • Park near the cart corral. I have to. Leland hyper-focuses and will walk into an oncoming van, Hudson wanders…I need to be able to just get everyone straight out of their car seats and into the cart.

Housework

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “Cleaning with a toddler in the house is like straightening papers on a desk with the fan on”. It’s true. But kids aren’t toddlers for very long, and even while they are, we’ve got stuff to do and a house that needs keeping. I go into a lot more detail in my book, Mama Needs A Reboot, but here are some of the bullet points that help me.

  • Clear dishes, wipe the table, and sweep underneath it after every meal. No exceptions, just do it.
  • Teach your kids to pick up after everything they do. After a little while it’ll be a habit for them and less work for you. Win-win.
  • Start the day on a productive note and it’ll keep you going that way. Right when you wake up, make your bed, then start a load of laundry, then have your coffee. I promise you’ll feel like you’ve got it all together and it really only takes up a few extra minutes.
  • It takes twenty-seven days to form a habit, so form a good one. Choose one thing that you wish you had a habit of doing every day. Maybe it’s making your bed in the morning or running the dishwasher every night. Whatever you choose, make it something that would make your life a little bit easier, write yourself a reminder or set one in your phone- make sure it will get your attention at one point every single day- do it for a month and it will become a habit.
  • Keep the kitchen sink clean and the house will feel clean. This is a trick I learned from Fly Lady that’s so simple but really works. When I keep the sink free of dishes and food, I normally end up treating the rest of the house the same way and having less to clean up at the end of the day. Clean as you go, keep your sink clear, and you will feel great about your house and be ready for company at the drop of a hat.

Feeling Good About What You Do

If you feel defeated all the time, you’re going to lose your drive to do what you need to do, and if you’re like me, you might even start to struggle with depression. When I feel good about what I do every day, when I am reminded of my purpose and feeling accomplished more days than not, I do this motherhood thing really well. How I feel affects everything. Here’s what works for me:

  • Make a list of only 5-7 things that need to get done each day. This keeps you from setting unrealistic expectations for yourself and keeps you focused on what really needs to get done rather than what would be nice to have done. Your goal should be to tackle important tasks and feel accomplished at the end of the day, not to make a giant to do list and feel defeated when bed time rolls around. Having a longer list doesn’t mean you’ll get more done, it just means that’s how much more you’ll feel you failed, even if you actually got stuff done that day.
  • Hit restart any time of the day you need to. Sometimes a totally crap day comes around, and no matter what you do or how prepared you were the night before, things don’t go as planned and you feel like you got dragged nine blocks by a semi by 9AM. When this happens to me, it is so helpful to pause, mentally hit the reset button, and give myself a fresh start to the day. Maybe it’s your big cleaning day and you needed to tackle your chore list, but your baby woke up with a fever. Maybe you were gonna work on a project after the kids went to bed but your husband came home after a horrible day and needs you. Reevaluate, move your priorities around, and hit restart. I’ve done this in the morning, the afternoon, even at night. Sometimes you just need to start over, so go ahead!
  • Get the kids dressed from head to toe. Most days I get myself at least somewhat put together, because I feel good when I’m dressed, but there are plenty of days when I’m gonna be cleaning and I don’t even bother. Either way, it really helps me feel “on it” if I’ve got my kids dressed. Usually after breakfast (which is always at 8:00 in our house), I’ll have the older kids dress themselves and I’ll get the younger two changed out of their jammies. Then I have them brush their teeth and I do all their hair. When they’re put together, I feel put together. It’s a simple thing that helps me a ton.
  • Smile at the starers. I used to think I was a little paranoid, but now I know people actually are very rude sometimes. They stare, mouths gaping at how many kids I have, they ask my age (whaaaa??), they make rude comments on my lifestyle choices, they’re obsessed with what’s going with me while I walk through Target, and I really don’t get it, but it’s rude regardless. I’ve learned that smiling back at them puts an ends to it usually and lets them know that I don’t care and I’m good and I’ve got this. Even if Bella is asking a thousand questions and I’m about to lose my stuff. Just smile….
  • Let the little things go. This is my weakness, but I try to keep the big picture at the front of my mind. In the end, will it really matter that Hudson brought his juice into the living room and spilled it on the rug? When all is said and done, will it really matter than someone had a stomach flu explosion all over my new leather couch? Everything is fixable and none of that stuff really matters. So I try to let it go, Elsa style.
  • Schedule yourself some breathers. If I know I am going to get the young ones down for naps at the same time, and I have Netflix ready-for-hire at the same time and can get lost in a novel for an hour in the middle of my day, I feel so much better! If I know Brian is bringing home a bottle of wine and we’re gonna binge on Seinfeld reruns, I can handle whatever chaos the day brings me. If I know at the end of the week I’ve got a sitter coming over so I can go thrifting with a cup of coffee for two hours, then I am really on top of things that week. Taking care of me is important. I always say you can’t give to your family out of your well if it’s empty.

When You Have Somewhere to Be in the Morning

Why are most events for moms so early in the morning?? 9AM, really?! It is so. hard. to get myself and four children fed and dressed and presentable and out the door by 8:45, but sometimes that’s what I have to do to be somewhere I need to be. I never used to be late, like ever. But since Emmett came along, I have been about 10-20 minutes late to pretty much everything, and I’ve had to be okay with it and just do my best. There are a few things that help me get out of the house without screaming bloody murder or cancelling the event altogether though, so… that’s good.

  • Pack everything the night before. This doesn’t always happen, because I honestly really don’t need another thing to do at the end of an incredibly long day. When I do pack for the next morning the night before, I never regret it. I get diapers and wipes in the diaper bag, PBJ’s made if we’ll be out during lunchtime, sippy cups filled, apples sliced, shoes by the door, and supplies like the park blanket, lawn chairs, etc in the car. This can shave like thirty minutes off a chaotic morning!
  • I lay out everyone’s outfit, including mine, the night before. Similar to the point above, but another morning-saver. There have been so many mornings where I’m rushing around, looking for something to wear that ends up being dirty, or I’m unable to find somebody’s other shoe. I save my time and my sanity and spare my kids from seeing Mean Mommy when I have everything prepared the night before.

If you made it to the end of this post, I applaud you. You’re either very desperate for help or you just really love me. Either way I hope I helped! If you have a question, leave it in the comments. I’ll always get back to you 🙂

Filed Under: motherhood Tagged With: #MomLife Hacks, motherhood, my life

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