How I Survive

Boys beanies (My favorite to date!): Logan M Styles****Use code CHAOS30 for a discount!!!****I am most definitely not the best mom. Nor am I the most patient. But with 2 boys under 3, a very busy husband, and pregnant with baby boy #3, I wanted to share a few things that help me survive and keep me sane on a daily basis.1. Paint, play cars, build forts, make cookies...etc. I am seeing that my boys need variety at this age...like way more than I would think. And right now while being pregnant that is SO HARD for me to do. The last thing I want to do is clean up after 5 minutes of painting, then dump out all of their toy cars when 3 minutes later they're over it, then make lunch and clean up after that and so on. You look at the clock and only 15 minutes have passed! You get it. It’s exhausting. BUT, I know that when I do alllll those things with them, they’re happier and so am I. They’re kids...and I need to remember while I just want to lay in bed sometimes, they are all about toys and learning and exploring. I just need more coffee afterwards :)2. Meal plan. It’s sooooo nice when I’m not scrambling last minute to make meals. The more prepared I feel, the better mom that I am because I’m more relaxed. If I had all the money in the world I’d hire a chef or do a weekly meal service! Ha! But taking a few minutes and planning my meals always helps. I do lots of crock pot recipes and lots of big meals so we have leftovers. I am not one that loves to cook every single night of the week! And I have definitely forgot about dinner more than once and we all ended up eating cereal. Oh well!3. Give yourself grace and put on a movie! That’s right..I said it. Make your kids some snacks in a bowl, throw on a movie, make yourself something yummy, sit back, kick your feet up and relax. Do that every other day if you need to that week! It's so sad to me when other moms say “I know I shouldn’t, but the kids had a movie marathon today. I just really needed a break.” Who cares! If they’re active, social, developing, and happy, turn on PBS or Cars and just give yourself a break. You don’t always have to make the perfect holiday treats, do all the holiday crafts, and take all the perfect pictures. Give grace to yourself!4. I’m all about a clean home and de-cluttering. When I spend 10 minutes at night (our house is small) to clean up the house and light a candle, I feel like super woman haha :) I bought bins to help with the clutter and organization. I got a huge storage thing to throw all their outdoor crap in, and I even bought a beanbag that’s for stuffed animals! Genius! Simple stuff to make my house look clean even though I haven’t vacuumed or actually “cleaned” in days.5. Get outside!!!! In the winter it’s particularly hard for me to get all that snow gear on and take them outside because then they get cold and are over it in like 10 minutes. But...it’s worth it. Parks, a walk, your backyard, a friends backyard, whatever. Just get outside. Fresh air always helps me refocus. Even if it is for 15 minutes.6. Community! With a husband in medical school and being on the road to become a doctor, we don’t see him a ton. I desperately need my girlfriends! Best part is, they all have kids so we all hang out and the kids love it and play together. Having cozy days at home with just my boys is always a special treat, but play dates, walks with friends, story time at the library and random get together helps me SO MUCH! Invite other moms in your life.7. Which brings me to my last thing: showering and putting on makeup. If I have days at home where I know I won’t be leaving the house, I most definitely will stay in my sweat pants and I won’t put makeup on. If I get out though and have plans, I will “get ready.” As a college volleyball player, I honestly didn’t care about how I looked. Having zits was my biggest concern. But now that I’m a mom and pregnant again, I need to take care of myself. I truly believe that if you feel good about yourself by getting dressed, making your bed, throwing on some mascara, and you look presentable, you’ll feel better about what crazy stuff happens in your day. And I get it, there’s not a lot of time to actually get ready. That’s why just getting dressed and throwing on some makeup is a big deal! Haha :)If I do just a couple of these every day, I feel semi accomplished ha! We all do what we can. I'd love to know how YOU get through your busy and chaotic lives! Comment below!Most of all, know that you are doing a great job being a mom to your babies. If you have a week where you need to relax, stay inside, watch movies and eat cereal for dinner...Oh well! If you get out every day with your kids and look amazing while doing it, good for you. Every week is different. Grace mamas, extend it. And start with yourself.