Morning Sickness Hacks

Posted on by thesweetestlittlelife

MAMAS! Oh em gee! I have never experienced the whole “horrible pregnancy puking thing” …. until now.

My first two pregnancies were a walk in the park, this third one is giving me a run for my money. Being desperate for answers I started doing research and reaching out to my doctor for help! I mean I do have two other minions to chase through this first trimester WOO!

The most natural and beneficial cure I have found is B6. (They say to mix it with Benadryl but I just feel weird doing that so I went for the straight B6 with my morning smoothie.) It is not a cure-all but my goodness it has saved me on more than one occasion.

I’ve always taken a B Complex but the direct B6 is so different, I have more energy, focus, and ability to get work done – which was a huge struggle. They are super easy to swallow and small (Which let’s be real is a big deal right now!)

Some other hacks I have found helpful

  • Preggie Pops
  • Seaband Mama
  • Pregnancy Morning Chews
  • Gingerale
  • Frozen Coke
  • Soda Crackers

These subside it, but the B6 has allowed me to continue to work through my first trimester and for that it was too good not to share! 

Get Yours Here

Lets talk Coconuts

Posted on by thesweetestlittlelife

We all know coconuts are the latest health rage! One their delicious, but they have so many fun facts! I received these amazing coconut bowls and it intrigued me to dive in on what else coconut has been used for!

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As it turns out, coconut water is a workable short-term substitute for human blood plasma. There’s even a case where a coconut IV was used in the Solomon Islands to treat a severely dehydrated patient.

In World War I, Coconuts were used to make the gas mask. *Steam activated Coconut Char. They are excellent for filtering toxic chemicals.

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Even now, coconut-fired carbon is still an important ingredient in cleaning up radiation and was heavily used in the cleanup project at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant.

In other countries humans train monkeys to climb and harvest coconuts as it is not an easy task to shimmy up a coconut tree.

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The president of the Philipines built an entire palace out of coconuts named “The Coconut Palace.”

Coconuts can clothe you. Many cultures use them as bras, or other garments in festivals or cultural dances.

Coconuts are a direct substitute for petroleum diesel.

There are over 1300 kinds of coconuts in the world. They can be divided into Pacific and Indian.

In the Philippines, sap from an unopened coconut flower is distilled into quit the cocktail. It’s powerful stuff (easily 80 to 90 proof) but is organic and chemical-free. Lambanog is traditionally homemade.

They can be used for utensils, dishware, and every day life necessities. This my friend is as organic as it comes!

Ready to hop on this coconut train?!

Vibe Coconut Bowls

Discount Code 20Courtney for 20% off!

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Ladies….I’ve got a mom beauty hack.

Posted on by thesweetestlittlelife

As a mom, simple is LIFE. I posted a few months ago about a brand called NUTREE I found which is amazing. For those of us less than fortunate with hydrated luscious locks, sometimes we need a little extra help. I don’t know about you, but my morning routine allows me about 10-15 minutes to be ready to roll and out the door.

My hair alone with out some sort of help either A. goes in a messy bun on the top of my head (Not a cute one, but like a “I haven’t brushed my hair in a week and something may pop out from the bun” look.) or B. I stay up late for an hour the night before attempting to straighten the hot mess in 7 different layers then resulting in being exhausted the next morning.

None of these work for me…… I am a business owner, a mama, and let’s be real I live in a tiny little town and run into someone WHERE EVER I go. Looking like a character out of the walking dead just does not work for my lifestyle.

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This product last me personally for about 3-4 months at a time and takes about 30 minutes to complete. I can take a shower, leave with wet hair and within an hour of doing absolutely nothing but letting my hair air dry have hot beach waves to last all day! If I want to straighten my hair it takes me all of ten minutes, and if I scrunch it a whopping 5 minutes with no frizz. Hello. Goodbye. Let me share my secret ladies. 

Three words…Ready. PROTEIN SMOOTHING TREATMENT.

Ready for how easy this is? That’s the best part….

  1. No need to wash your hair before. Apply the bottle (ok not the whole bottle but soak your hair generously.) Brush it through your hair to where it’s on all the strands generously.
  2. Leave it on for 40 minutes and go do the dishes. (I am all about some multi tasking!)
  3. Rinse 50% off your hair. Blow dry your hair and divide it into 4 parts. (I just make for equal sections on my head.) Apply the flat-iron for 8 – 10 times from root to the middle strands, and from 4-6 times on the ends. we want to be gentle with our ends so they don’t get damaged. keep your flat-iron temp between 380-450. Use 380 towards your ends to not create any damage.
  4. Always use in ventilated areas. Any product that you are soaking in the cuticle of your hair can have a strong smell, do not fret!

Your done, Voila, literally 30 minutes of work for 4 months of amazing smooth and healthy hair. 

Order Yours Today

Instagram: @nutreeusa

7 Easy Last Minute Easter Activities

Posted on by thesweetestlittlelife

 

YOU GUYS, I totally let Easter sneak up on me and didn’t prep amazing crafts and activities for my kiddo to do this weekend!! But hey, this happens to most of us at some point.  Honestly, it happens to me quite often and I’m okay with that.  Because, ladies, we are creative, flexible thinkers. Whether we like it or not 😉  Here are some simple, on-the-fly-but -super-fun Easter activities to do with your kids when you didn’t plan in advance…

Make “bunny rabbit tails” by blowing bubbles.  Try to catch 2 bubbles on the bubble wand…those are bunny ears!

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Take construction paper and draw egg shapes or crosses.  Next, cut out strips of different colored construction paper.  If you have a hole punch, use it to make tiny dots from colored paper.  If you have decorative paper punches or craft scissors with wavy lines, score!  If the kids are old enough, let them draw, cut, and use the punches. They are having fun with an Easter craft while you are sneaking in hand strengthening and visual motor coordination.

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Use sidewalk chalk in the driveway or yard to draw Easter eggs, crosses, an angel, or the tomb with a stone rolled away.  You can work on simple patterns as well (example: 1 pink zig zag, 1 green zig zag, 2 polka dots, repeat).

If you have plastic eggs, use them to make an awesome Easter activity. Write a variety of directions (mostly movement activities) on strips of paper and place 1 into each egg.  For example, you could write, “Hop like a bunny rabbit”, “walk and cheep like a baby chick”, “roll like an Easter egg”.  You could also include things like, “Draw a carrot in the dirt.  Draw it with your eyes closed” (did you know you just worked on awareness of the body in space?).  You are rockin’ it momma!

Use sidewalk chalk to draw a picture of a bunny head with ears but leave out a few body parts (maybe 1 ear and half the whiskers).  Have your kids fill in the missing parts (this addresses visual perceptual skills).

If you forgot to buy the egg coloring kits at the store, no worries.  If you have food coloring, eggs, vinegar, and a spoon & cup at home, you’re good to go.  (Just like when we were kids, am I right?) You can also draw or write on the eggs with a white crayon before dying.  The dye won’t cling to the white crayon…it’s like magic to little kids!  You can use this as a way to work on writing their name or words.

If you have plastic eggs (or the ones you dyed are dry), you are all set to hide Easter eggs.  This will entertain the kids for a long time!  And no, you do not have to put candy in those eggs.  There is a joy in finding the eggs just as they are.

And that’s all there is to it.  It doesn’t matter that you didn’t plan ahead. You are creating wonderful memories with your kiddos while having a blast!

Happy Easter!

— Kristen Rodgers

Easter Baskets on a Budget

Posted on by thesweetestlittlelife

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Easter Baskets do not have to cost a ton to be absolutely magnificent. Lets cut to the chase, the kids are after the candy and the eggs. Every thing else is just a perk!

Lets dive in to some thrifty ways to make every one excited on Easter Morning!

  • Skip the packaged grass  – Use a paper shredder and some colorful construction paper you have in the craft stash.

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  • Get items such as sidewalk chalk, peeps, toys, coloring books, crafts etc at your local dollar store.
  • I love to get my little’s seasonal socks, I hit up the Target bulls eye dollar section and always find the cutest bunny themed socks, headbands, and fun extras to put in their baskets. (You can usually get the giant bubble wands here as well for $1.00)
  • Don’t be afraid to sneak in a few necessities. Does your little need something? Add it in as a perk of the basket!
  • Play the golden egg game. Put $5 in one Golden Egg and candy, change, etc. in the other eggs. The golden egg winner gets the big bucks! In the basket plan a scavenger type plan to find the Golden Egg, add little notes and hints in the basket to help the little’s along the way on the great golden egg adventure. (Lets be real…scavenger hunts are awesome sauce and every  kid LOVES them!)

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  • Re Use your baskets. Michael’s, Target, Wal-mart all have clear out sales after Easter to get rid of last seasons products! (This is your time mamas!) I got a $40 tutu princess basket last year at Michael’s for $10 which I reuse yearly. (You can also DIY and make your own!)

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  • Make your own slime! On the blog we have a super simple recipe you can conjure up in less than 15 minutes and this year slime is everything!
  • Make your own Peep Habitat – You can get all the ingredients at the dollar store and make this for under $5.

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~Happy Easter~

How to Survive Your Kids’ Spring Break

Posted on by thesweetestlittlelife

How to Survive Your Kids’ Spring Break

It’s that time of year again.  Spring break for the kids!  It can feel daunting at first, but don’t worry.  I have a plan.

The first thing you should do is lie down in a quiet spot where you can focus uninterrupted.  Now take a deep breath and let thoughts of Pinterest-inspired crafts, intentional learning through outdoor kinesthetic play, and scavenger hunts with witty yet child-appropriate poems waft through your head.  Take several minutes to feel the creativity and intentional parenting flow through your body. Bask in the solid foundation and lifelong memories you and your children will make.

Now- and this is an extremely important step-

Pour a glass of wine and forget that shit.

Yep, let it go.

And let’s get REAL on how to survive your kids’ spring break.

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First of all, each night of break, keep your child up waaay past their bedtime.  That way, you can sleep later in the morning.  To prevent this from ruining your evenings, tell your kids you have to do the laundry in your bedroom.  Then shut and lock yourself inside your bedroom while watching scary movies.  Before you start that movie you DVR’ed a year ago but haven’t had time to watch yet, stuff towels into the space between the bottom of the door and the floor.  This prevents tiny fingers and Toy Story characters drawn on paper from slipping through that space and inadvertently terrifying you during your scary movie.

Now, get your chocolate from one of the hidden stashes and savor every rich creamy bite of decadence.  Important note, have a piece of broccoli on hand to eat before leaving your room.  Not only will the kids not be able to smell chocolate on your breath, but if they check for food crumbs or pieces of food stuck in your teeth, they will only see broccoli and will not want any.  Well done, momma.  A tiny piece of broccoli is a small price to pay for the continued concealment of your chocolate stash.

The next morning, let your children sleep as long as possible.  To encourage this, put up black-out shades the day before break begins.  Keep insisting to the kids, “It’s not time to get up.  See? (pointing to the window) It’s still dark outside; the middle of the night.”  This may buy you an extra hour.

Daytime plan: Before break begins, you will have contacted 5 different moms from your kids’ classes.  To each you say how much your kids have been begging for a play date with their kids and can you bring them over Monday (Tuesday, Wednesday, you get the idea). Since you have this set up ahead of time, you are ready to drop the kids off each morning at a different house.  Just remember which house so you can find your kids at the end of the day.  (Turns out if you don’t find the right house before nightfall, some parents call the cops).

Pick your kids up after lunchtime.  Now you won’t have to feed them a meal.  Score!  But, there’s still an afternoon ahead of you.  Don’t worry, you’ve got this.  Here’s what you do… Take the kids directly to the nearest park.  Make sure you have your “lemonade” with you to start sippin’.  (During spring break you are in survival mode therefore not required to wait til 5:00).

Now you have reached the point where rookies frequently mess up.  Luckily, you’ve got me to guide you through this extremely crucial step. You MUST pick the right place to sit at the park.  Yeah, it’s that important. After all, you don’t want to be too close to the kids (they’ll ask you to play or push them on the swing).  Equally as important, though, is to discourage other people from talking to you.  Or making eye contact.  ‘Cause ladies, it’s just too “peoplely” out there during spring break.  The best trick I’ve learned is to wear a face mask (you know, like the kind you wear at the doctor’s office when you have a contagious disease).  Also, don’t wear undereye concealer that day.  No one will come near you. Quite possibly not even your own kids.

Once it’s getting dark, take your tired kids home.  Put out slices of deli meat rolled up (we call them turkey or ham sticks to make them sound fancy). Put out pickles and cheese. Done.

Repeat previous steps.

And that’s it.  The key to surviving your kids’ spring break.

You’re welcome.

*Please note this is entirely written for humor and not to be used in real life. Well, except for the chocolate stash part, ‘cause that’s a necessity.  This post will be followed shortly with a round-up of awesome spring break and Easter crafts to do with your kiddos. (For real).

-Kristen Rodgers 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Patricks Day Corn Beef & Crafts

Posted on by thesweetestlittlelife

The fact that St.  Patrick’s day fell on a weekend had me all sorts of ecstatic this year! I love these little holiday as they are so fun for the littles to truly break out their imagination!

Lets start off with the worlds easiest and tastiest Corn Beef and Cabbage Recipe.

Grocery List:

  • Corn Beef (Pre packaged and seasoned is best!)
  • Baby Carrots
  • Colored small potatoes
  • Cabbage
  • Colliander
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Basil Leafs

Place Corn Beef in crock pot first and then place your vegis around the corn beef pour in seasoning (As much as you want for taste) Do remember however that corn beef is very salt naturally so go easy on any season with a salty flavor. Fill the crock pot up with water and let sit for 4-5 hours on high. Then let sit on low for 45 minutes. Delicious, Simple, and less than a five-minute prep time! Now were talking!!! Am I right ladies? 

Now for some super simple and exciting crafts for the little ones~ 
leprechaun Trap 

This can be as simple as a shoe box and some glitter! We went to Michael’s and grabbed a little wood castle, spray painted it gold, and then ventured into their fairy garden section where we found a rainbow and some fencing to make a cage. My son cut a small half hole in the shoe box so when the leprechaun jumps on the box he gets trapped inside! leprechaun Traps are amazing to watch their little imaginations fly free!

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Shamrock Hands

All you need is a piece of construction paper or a white blank canvas, some green paint and little hands.

I have paint trays I use to make it a little less messy and easier clean up!

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Green Sparkling Cider

Not everything  has to cost mula mammas! Out of all the fun things I wanted to create and do the green cookies and sprinkles with the green sparkling cider was the biggest hit! (2 drops of green food coloring in sparkling cider) Bado boom and Bada Bing….

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This is a short and sweet St. Patrick’s Day Post, I hope you all are having a fantastic evening!

How to decorate your mantel.

Posted on by thesweetestlittlelife

Mantels. The struggle is REAL. Its confusing right? A little off balanced here, a little a symmetrical there. For years I struggled with the art of changing up my mantel for seasons, holidays, etc and being succesful. When I sat back to relax and enjoy it, it looked like Santa puked clutter everywhere! We can not have that for a calming area of our houses! No way! No how!

Over the last few months I made it a goal to master the art of a clean and beautiful looking mantel. I want to share some tips, tricks, and hacks to help you in creating the perfect seasonal piece to catch any ones eye.

Ready to be DIY Interior Decorator? Here we go!

First always…and I mean always… begin with your centerpiece or anchor. (This is the piece you are putting in the center.) An anchor is something which is hanging such as a mirror etc. If you are in a smaller space a mirror as an anchor is a fabulous way to really make your space look bigger by reflection of light. A good rule of thumb is it’s the biggest item you are placing on the mantel so you want it to be the real eye catcher!

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Our next step is moving onto what is called the “fillers”. Fillers are little knick knack fun items to fill the empty space around your centerpiece.

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Once you have the fillers in place you have decided to use,  stand back and look to make sure you have nice combining textures and heights in the “filler” section. A wonderful way to add a little height if you have an item that is just too plain solo, you can stack some accent books and put the item on top of the books. Greenery is also a wonderful accent to brighten up or add a pop of color if it seems to be to neutral for you!

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The final step in creating the perfect space for your mantel is the “weight”. The weight is the girth and height at the end of each side of the mantle! THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO MATCH~ for example, currently on mine I have a Big Lantern paired with a smaller one on the left side and on the right side I have a Silver Tall Vase of Tulips! It truly is all about your style and mixing it up!

Spring is  here! Hopefully this helps with a little confidence in creating a beautiful mantle Simply!

Happy Decorating Friends.

You Can Do Hard Things

Posted on by thesweetestlittlelife

This was it.  One of those parenting moments you read about in waiting room magazines. If I said the wrong thing, there could be scarring for life.  Okay, so not really scarring, but this was most definitely an important moment.

Let me back up…

The night before, I realized my kindergartner had brought home a magnet from school that did not belong to him.  It belonged to his teacher. This was new territory for me, but we did the tough talk about taking things that don’t belong to you and made a plan to return the magnet to his teacher the next morning. He was scared to tell his teacher (who is a very kind person by the way). He cried but was able to calm down before bedtime.

The next morning, my kiddo nervously mentioned the plan we’d made together a few times but made it to school with only a few tears.

But then…

As we walked the path to his kindergarten class, I could feel the tension building inside him, and in myself. Suddenly, the damn burst and he broke into sobs, begging me to take him home.  He pulled away, turning toward the direction of the car. “I’m scared” he wailed, over-sized tears rolling down his reddened cheeks. The look of fear in his eyes tore at my heart.

That was it.  That was the big moment when the world stopped turning for a breath and I knew I had to reach down deep for an answer.  An answer that would support him in becoming a secure, resilient person who could face fears without falling apart.  A better person, perhaps, that I have been in much of my life. I took a deep breath.

This is what I said…

“I know you’re scared.  It’s okay to be scared.  And I know that this is hard.  But here’s the thing…you can do hard things.  And I will be there with you the whole time.  Together we can do hard things.”

Did it stop his tears and make it all better?  No.  But I believe it helped him calm himself a little, and I like to think it gave him another piece of solid foundation toward a lifetime of doing things even when they are scary, and knowing that he has the resiliency to get through them.

Since that day, I have thought back on those words and realized…

That advice applies to my life.

And to yours.

Perhaps it’s when we have to dig deep for someone we love more than ourselves that an authentic truth is more easily revealed.  Or maybe it’s revealed in a way that feels more REAL, more personal.  Since then I’ve been reminding myself more often of that authentic truth. That it’s okay to be afraid.  That I can do hard things, and that my God, family, and tribe of friends are always with me.

So to all you amazing women: That thing that you’re afraid of?  I know you’re scared.  It’s okay to be scared.  And I know that this is hard.  But here’s the thing…you can do hard things. Together, we women can do hard things.

– Kristen Rodgers

Bye Frizz – For like ever.

Posted on by thesweetestlittlelife

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Ladies….I love things that simplify my life. As a mom it’s so easy to just let everything go because you’re so busy taking care of everyone else righttttt? Okay so some women are blessed with this naturally gorgeous hair that you just hop out of the shower and go….Well this is so not me. No way. No how. I look more like an angry hamster that got stuck underneath a very strong drying machine. Through the years I have literally tried EVERYTHING…Keratin treatments, brazilian blow outs, professional straighteners, and nothing has worked. I found this product Amazonliss by Nutree which is the real deal. Best part I completed the three-step process in 45 minutes! I know sometimes these get tricky when your DIY and a tad scary if you are confused on a step. I have created a step by step process (with pictures on how you can have silky soft NOT FRIZZY hair that last for months in less than an hour!) Can I get an AMEN to my frizzy haired ladies out there!

When you open the box its broken down into three simple bottles….Labeled by the steps 1.2.3.

The directions are very to the point and have little character pictures (that I tried to mimic real life style.)

Step one – Get in the shower and get your hair wet! Shampoo once with step one (You will get no suds the first go around, leave in for the full five minutes.) When you rinse the first time repeat again and this time you will have suds exploding (Be safe not to get in your eye…it will burn.) Same as the first wash leave in for 5 minutes then rinse. With the second rinse you will literally be squeaky clean. DO NOT CONDITION. Get out of the shower dry off throw a towel on your hair.

Step two has two parts….First blow dry your hair to about 85%, when your almost all dry put on gloves and make sure you are in a well ventilated area. (The product smells very strong once the heat hits it!) Now your ready to put on your glove’s!! Make sure you wear them. Now section your hair into 6 different sections and apply step 2 bottle to each section combing it carefully through with a fine tooth comb. When finished applying product blow dry until completely dry.

Once completely dry, you want to take a flat-iron and go over every inch of your hair until perfectly stick straight.

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Now you’re looking in the mirror like YASSSSS…..Then you read step three….Time to get wet again! Step 3 is a deep conditioner and once you rinse your hair feels like a million dollars, the cuticles feel sealed, the frizz is gone it phenomenal. After my last shower sesh I blew dry with NO STRAIGHTENING just to see what would happen….are you ready for it?

 

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Phenomenal…… I can get out of the shower and run! This is amazing…

Bye Forever Frizz