Hey y'all!
After years and years of preparation, I thought I would be able to handle the day my step daughter turned 13! Turns out... all those talks we had, pep talks I gave myself and all the blogs I read about what happens when your child becomes a teen have severely failed me!
Don't get me wrong...
A lot of the blogs, books and articles I read offered some sound, reasonable advice that I could learn from and try to incorporate into the future.. but what they didn't prepare me for was the feeling of fear and hopelessness that eventually cloud my mind.
We all know turning 13 is a major milestone in a kids life and it can definitely be equally as challenging. They are still technically a kid but tip toeing around the block to adulthood. Yes, they have a lot of growing and learning to do still, but they have begun the process of outgrowing their innocence.
At 13, they are in middle school and let's face it... they are exposed to more "grown up" things than one would hope at that age. And that's ok. It presents opportunities to talk, engage and understand your child as they stagger through this awkward time in their life.
What's not ok is the things they are leaving behind or forgetting.
At 13, the kisses begin to go away and the thought of any form of parental affection towards them in public makes them cringe. The sweet look of pure joy when you lift them up or tickle them becomes a sigh of " MOM" or "DAD".
So, as always.. this post is dedicated to my birthday baby, Phoenix!
My sweet P is so talented, kind, funny, beautiful and truly a gift. Every moment with her brings a sense of completeness and joy within our family. Phe is a great big sister that continues to teach, encourage and love her siblings!
This is 13:
1.What excites you most about turning 13?
Nothing really
2. What is your favorite school subject?
Math
3. What is your favorite color(s)?
pink + burgundy
4. What is your favorite food?
chicken + macaroni
5. What is your favorite book?
I don't have a fave book
6. Who is your favorite artist?
Ariana Grande, WDW and @etcetera.art
7. Who inspires you to be great?
@etcetera.art, my grandma
8. If you could do one thing forever, what would it be?
Nothing
9. Who is your favorite teacher?
Ms. Kempfe or Mr. Derrington,
10. What are you afraid of?
Any bug larger than a gnat + the dark + dying + deep vast large bodies of water.
11. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Someplace in Africa, Japan or France
12. What is your favorite song(s)?
so am i + i still do + idontwannabeyouanymore
13. What do you love the most about yourself?
my talents, my hair, and my intellect
So, there it is.. the beginning of a new chapter. I am officially a stepmom to a full on TEEN. I'm literally tearing up as I write this lol.
Phe, daddy and I love you so much! You will always be our baby no matter how old you get or how many mistakes you make. You make us proud in so many ways that it would take more than a post like this to list them. We love your confidence, smile, your drive, your ability to teach and guide those around you. Keep being Phe and never loose sight of what's real. fake or yourself!
Happy 13th birthday my love!
Want to see how much Phe has changed since 12? Check it out here.
Hey y'all!
As the new school year starts to approach, I have begun planning, sorting, over thinking and doing everything possible to "feel productive"... meaning I have been pinning away ideas for this years lessons! Thankfully, we are able to homeschool with Youtube and it has been a great supplement!
I am pretty shocked as this is going to be our 4th year homeschooling! Thailand is starting her 6th grade year, Baltimore his 3rd and Italy is in 1st! Talk about a whirlwind! Back in 2016, I was literally in tears as the subject of homeschooling resurfaced. Mostly because the school Thailand was in at the time was absolutely AMAZING! All the teachers, students and the environment was like a dream. I was so sad to not only take her out but also move out of state, which was also a contributing factor as to why we started!
However.. here we are! To be honest, during the end of year 2 I found myself in love with it! I love the freedom it provided, the fact that my kids could control some of what they learned and that Thai could have the 1 on 1 time she needed with her work! It really became a part of our lives and we wouldn't want it any other way!
Want to know what curriculum we used? Check out our homeschool curriculum: Pre-K - 4th here!
Now, on to the reason you are reading this, you want to know the best youtube channels for homeschooling! Homeschooling is not just workbooks, lesson plans and extra curriculars. Like PS, the teacher gets sick from time to time and they need to phone a sub... in a HS case, the sub is YouTube! So, to make your search a little easier, I have compiled a list of our favorite YouTube channels for homeschooling!
1.Homeschool Pop- Homeschool Pop is definitely my go to channel! I love that it covers a wide variety of topics and it even has grade level playlists! Homeschool Pop is channel that has comprehensive and fun videos!
2.Art for Kids Hub- Art for Kids Hub is a great channel to supplement your homeschool art class! They have a wide variety of fun, colorful and easy to follow videos. They are a great choice for your art lover!
3.Free School- Like Homeschool Pop, Free School covers a wide variety of subjects that will fit right into your homeschool curriculum! I really love their Famous Artists for Kids playlist!
4.Free School Early Birds- We haven't used Free School Early Birds yet but after seeing a few videos, I think it's safe to say it is awesome! This channel is meant for Pre-K learners but it has great videos on animals and stories older kids will enjoy as well.
5.KidsHealth.org (how the body works)- The Kids Health How the Body Works series is my absolute favorite health/science channel! The HTBW videos are around 4-7 minutes and are fun and adventurous! Join Chloe and the Nurb as they travel through the body to show you how it works!
6.Ted-ED- If you have heard of Ted Talks, then Ted- Ed should be on your list as well! Ted-Ed is great for older kids and focuses on history, nature, math and even riddles! Ted-Ed videos will be making their debut in our household this school year!
7.Fun Science Demos - Have a future scientist or one that doesn't want anything to do with it? Fun Science Demos is a fantastic YouTube channel that explores science in a fun, visual way in under 10 minutes!
8. 20 Online (kids workouts)- Need a way to keep active while homeschooling? Check out 20 Online! This Youtube channel has kids 20 minute workout videos! They only have a few videos but these can be rotated daily or a few times a week!
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| MoveToLearn |
9. MovetoLearnMS (Dancing)- Move To Learn has tons of fun videos you and your kids can get moving to! They have simple dances you can learn, learning while moving videos and exercise videos!
10.Crash Course Kids- CC Kids is a cute and entertaining YouTube channel for homeschooling! They cover topics like gravity, properties of matter, life science and more! Have an older kid? Check out the original Crash Course YouTube channel for literature, history and more!
11. National Geographic Kids- Nat Geo Kids is another great YouTube channel for homeschooling! Their videos cover animals from all over the world.. above and below!
12. 5 Minute Crafts KIDS- Some of these crafts on this YouTube channel do require assistance if you have younger kiddos. They cover DIYs, hacks and experiments!
13. Books Read Aloud For Children- We all know just how important reading to your child is so that makes this YouTube channel a definite must have for homeschooling! Books Read Aloud has a variety of books read aloud for your kiddo.. including classics like Goodnight Moon!
There are millions of channels on Youtube and I know there are even more great Youtube channels for homeschooling! What are some of your favorites? Let me know in the comments below!
Hey y'all!
What's the one thing you and pretty much every woman hates the most about new shoes? That's right... the pinching, the squishing, the aching and every other painful and uncomfortable feeling those beautiful things create!
But what if there was a way to " break them in" before you even stepped foot out the door? What if you could whip out those favorite pair of shoes that your foot maybe got a little to big for ( like me, thanks kids lol). Thanks to this life changing hack, you will be able to stretch your high heels quickly!
This simple hack will not only have you dancing in your new shoes, but dancing in them comfortably. :)
After having Italy, I gained back a lot of my weight and a lot of it went to my feet as well. Ever since then I have struggled with shoes of all types, especially high heels!
Stretching your high heels allows you to relieve some of the discomfort that comes along with new shoes or any tightness that occurs. Not to mention it is super simple as well!
You can literally do this anywhere with only a few items from around the house. All you need to stretch your high heels are two pairs of socks, your pair of high heels and a hair dryer! That's right.. a HAIR DRYER! Super long list I know lol.
There are two ways you can use the socks. One being you can put both pair of socks on your feet and then try to squeeze your feet into your shoes or you can roll each pair into a seperate ball. I prefer to roll them!
The best way to roll them in my opinion is to fold them into 3's with the toes being last. I don't know it it's just my socks, but they seem to have some sort of "cap" that holds them into place.
Next, if you are rolling the socks, take them and stuff them into the front of your high heels. For this tutorial, I am using my newest* heels. The straps across my toes pinch my baby toe and it is completely painful!
Then, taking your hairdryer, heat all the areas that you are wanting to stretch. Make sure you focus on the areas that hurt the most! Heat the areas in increments of about 5 minutes then take out the socks and try them on. If you are satisfied with the comfort then that's it! If they are still a bit snug, add the socks and heat again.
Finally, once you are done stretching your high heels, you will be able to walk in confidence... comfortably!
Unfortunately, I forgot to snap a before photo so there was really no point in showing an after one! I can't believe I forgot so please forgive me.
Have you ever tried to stretch your high heels? Will you try this? Let me know in the comments below!
Today, I want to talk about something a little different. Marriage and the things I wish I knew before getting married! I usually stay away from the topic of marriage because I personally don't feel like having my marriage showcased for the whole world to see. I feel like somethings are meant to stay private and to me, marriage is one of those things.
However, I DON'T mind sharing some of the things that I have learned in my (almost) 13 years of marriage.
So really quick, a little history lesson about my husband and I! If you don't know us then you may be shocked to learn that we got married at the young, tender ages of 20 and 18. Yes.. 20 and 18!
We met when I was only 16 and we never dated until I was 18. Somewhere in between that time frame, we lost contact and reconnected shortly after my 18th birthday.
A lot of people thought we married each other randomly outta the blue or that we wouldn't last, but we knew where we wanted to go in life and we knew it was no accident that our lives crossed paths again.
God clearly had plans for us that we couldn't see!
While I was wrapped up in the thought of marrying the man of my dreams, there were some things I didn't know... if I had, I definitely would have been a better wife, friend, parent and so on.
So, if you plan on getting married, are newly married or just as seasoned as I am take a look at some of the things I wish I would have known before getting married and hopefully they can help you a well.
Which brings me to my next point...
2.Baggage will always be present- Weather you like it or not, your spouse had a history.. long before y'all met! Depending on how you look at it, baggage can either be a good thing or a bad thing. Thinking about all the issues, people, and experiences your spouse went through before you, has made them who they are... and if you're married, I think it's safe to say you love them! Accepting the baggage will strengthen your bond more than you might think!
3. Your spouse is also your best friend-Yes I know this is obvious, but back when I was 18.. I didn't even think about my husband being my friend. To me a friend was one of my girls I grew up with or someone I would swap pregnancy stories with. I thought the friendship title was only reserved for someone I wasn't married to. Thankfully, I realized sooner than later that my husband was my best friend. We talked about how he made me feel, how the kids made me feel, how other people made me feel, my dreams, my fears, bought me chocolate, watched chick flicks and supplied me with wine when I had a bad day! If that's not a best friend... then I don't know what one is!
4.Your Spouse is more important than your kids- This may be an unpopular one, but I truly feel that your spouse is more important than your kids, meaning that they should come first. Hear me out first! When you and your spouse are happy, getting along and showing what real love looks like, your kids in return will be happy, getting long and show you real love as well. You and your spouse have to be one in order to parent your kid peacefully and lovingly.
5.It's ok to ask for permission- I'm a firm believer in respect and while some people may view asking your spouse for permission as a form of being " controlling" or "getting in ones business".. I think it shows that you are considerate. I think when you ask your spouse "is it ok if..", "Can I go with..." or "Do you mind if.." you are reassuring yourself that you are not overbooking yourself, forgetting plans y'all made and showing that you care about them and what makes them comfortable. What if your spouse doesn't like someone that you know because they always bring you down? What if they had something special planned for later? What if y'all planned on finishing a project Sunday afternoon but you forgot and were off at brunch somewhere? I'm sure they would not be the happiest person in the world for a moment. It is OK to ask for permission!
Look, I don't have a perfect marriage and I don't want y'all to think that I am on here trying to be holier than thou. Trust me, I am far from it!
My husband and I have been together for over a decade and while it gets easier, marriage is still a combination of work, compromise and 100% commitment!
How long have you been married?
Do you plan to get married? Let me know in the comments below!
Hey y'all!
Have you ever wondered "how can I make hair gel?" or " how can I make natural hair products?"? Then look no further! I have found the best recipe for the best, natural hair gel.. EVER!
Growing up, I always struggled with my hair. I didn't know what to put in it, how to style it or really anything. But as I got older, the internet became more and more relevant for finding out information. Yes.. I'm that old! After many trial and errors, I found products I loved and products that treated my hair accordingly.
However.
Now that I have 3 girls with a ton of hair, hair products leave this house as quickly as they come in! So, once again I was determined to use the good ol' internet to find ways that I could keep all of our hair healthy and maintained without going broke!
Thankfully, I found this...
Now....the REAL reason you clicked this post/pin/link!
You want to know just what is the best natural hair gel EVER! No I am not overselling this or trying to set you up for failure. I truly love, love, LOVE this hair gel. I love this diy hair gel for a few reasons but to keep this short, sweet and to the point, I will give you my top 2!
#1. It's easy! Making this natural hair gel is probably easier than buttering toast. I'm what you would call a "Wannabe -I -Yer". I love making things and being creative but my hands just can't always execute lol. This DIY however is easy enough that even I can do it. I was even actually able to teach my 12 and 10 year old how to do it!
#2. IT'S STUPID CHEAP! This natural hair gel costs less than a latte and can last for what seems like months. Between my girls and I, I make about 1 batch that will last roughly a week and a half. And we have a ton of hair! I forget the actual break down of the gel once it's made but I know it costs less than a dollar a batch.
You only need two ingredients for this hair gel but essential oils are optional and can be added as well!
For this diy hair gel, you will need :
Whole flax Seed
Water
Pot
Measuring cups/spoon
Container
Small hole strainer/pantyhose
Now, to make the gel!
Next, once your mixture is close to the consistency that you want (not to runny/ not to thick), let cool and simply strain the liquid using the pantyhose or strainer into your container. I would recommend waiting about 3-5 minutes to make sure it has cooled down some so you don't risk getting burned if any gets on you!
I misplaced my mini strainer and I didn't have any pantyhose on hand.. SO I improvised! PS this French Press works just us well!
Finally, let the gel cool completely and use as you wish!
PRO TIP - Make sure your gel is refrigerated after every use! If left out, it will spoil and trust me, that is the last thing you want in your hair!
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| Before (no gel) |
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| After (with gel) |
