F is for Family

Family, home, travel, life

Laundry Room Craft Corner

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Quarantine life has inspired some Spring cleaning and finally getting to my Laundry Room Craft Corner project I’ve been putting on the back burner. In my pre-Covid days, my happy place is crafting, home reno projects, refinishing furniture and trips to Michael’s. I’ve been itching to get the “other” side of our laundry room done.

When we first bought our house we were so excited with the extra large laundry room. But just like any room that isn’t outfitted to reach it’s ultimate potential, it became the dumping ground for anything that didn’t have permanent home. Including a desk that I planned to use in my son’s room.

Back in December, I went on a deep dive on Pinterest and planned out my laundry room craft corner. I searched small craft room, craft nook, laundry craft room, among tons of other queries. Occasionally, I’d walk in the laundry room, look at the corner and be scared away by the “immensity” of the clutter that had collected. During a big sale, I purchased my craft cart and then it sat and sat. Now that we’ve been locked in the house and among other stresses, I decided to take out my frustration on the clutter.

It was well worth the wait!

Before Craft Corner Makeover
The very scary BEFORE!

Supply List:

My Needs:

  • Cricut Storage
  • Craft Storage
  • Gift Wrap Storage
  • Esthetically Pleasing (let’s face it, if it’s not exciting to see it looking pretty…it’s not going to stay organized)

My husband needed to run to Lowe’s because we’ve been having a leak in one of the bathrooms so I begged asked him to grab me some pegboard and hooks while he was there. Happy wife, happy life so…

My plan was to get this beautiful area done with little to no intervention needed from my husband. Especially since he was working on his own project. HAHAHAHAHA! <that’s what the universe said about that!

Craft Room Progress

FAIL 1: I had measured the area twice and looked up dimensions online. The board was much bigger than anticipated. I had to ask him to cut off a few inches…oops.

FAIL 2: I ASSumed that I could just prop it up to the wall and between even weight distribution and the cart, all would be great!

IT WAS NOT GREAT! At 12:51 AM, I experienced my biggest DIY fail to date. Everything came crashing down. Busted ball jar, Cricut to the ground, cart on the ground, everything from the pegboard was everywhere.

SECURE IT TO THE WALL!!!! Please, pretty please… gravity does not care about DIY aesthetics. With it now securely fastened to the wall. It’s beautiful, it’s functional and it’s totally worth the take 2.

Finished craft area
A few hours before the EPIC fail but the Craft Corner looked great!
Before and After DIY Makeover Laundry Room
F4Family.com Laundry Craft Corner Final

Quarantine Reflections

Quarantine life!

Going strong and on a pretty good schedule. The new “normal” still feels odd. We wrapped up one holiday (Easter) where we weren’t surrounded by both sides of the family. We kept the most important traditions and still made it special for the kids. And we are entering another holiday, Mother’s Day. Some things have opened back up, others haven’t.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say that part of me enjoys this new normal. The pace is slower. The introvert from my introverted-extrovert is happy to nest in place. I miss the ease of running errands and seeing my PTA Mamas, friends and family we haven’t seen for a while but I enjoy having everyone important to me close and within arms reach. 💗 (and when we feel on top of each other, a 30 min run helps bring me back around!)

Long Term Change?

There are times I sit and wonder what long term affects will all of this have on our every day lives and on our children. Will they look back fondly at the time at home? Will this spur a new generation of germophobes? Will we keep a slower pace or rush back to filling our times and days with as much as possible? I hope the last one is a permanent change towards a slower pace. I hope my children remember this as a time where we spent more time together, happily! I also know that this is a very privileged view of time at home. This isn’t the environment that all children in our community are facing and that is definitely still in the back of my mind often.

For the families struggling, I know that each day drags on and adds more stress to this situation. For them I hope they are finding their moments of peace and happy. For those household that NEED to get back to “normal”, I diligently stay home and remind myself that this sacrifice is nothing compared to what others are sacrificing during this time. My husband and I have donated and raised money for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida during this time because it’s the little that we can safely do for our community. If you have the option, please find ways to reach out to your community in any way that is safe. Spread kindness, not germs.

2019 Gift Guide: Best Outdoor Toys for Kids

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Welcome to the 2019 Gift Guide for Best Outdoor toys! My goal for this year is to get my kids great toys that can keep them entertained outdoors. We have a play set in the backyard but we may be hitting the age where it isn’t quite keeping their attention like it used to. So these are the things I have my eye on for the holidays.

1) Kidz Xplore 20 Pack

2) Hokilands 45ft Ninja Slackline Monkey Bars Kit

 

3) Bikes

4) Roller Skates

5) Tree Swing

2019 Gift Guide: Top Toys for 3-6 Year Olds

This post contains affiliate links. While I may make small commissions from purchases you make, you are NOT charged any extra for items purchased. These links and commissions help my small blog stay afloat and hopefully grow! Thank you for the support.

By mid October my kids were already in “Santa List” mode and putting together their top holiday toy wish list. After sifting through their list (and the list I made *for* them), I’ve put together a list of toys that I have my on eye on for this 2019 Holiday Season. As a single fixed income household, good deals are key. That means, Mama is on the hunt!

This list is geared toward kids ages 3 and over. Mine are 5 and 8 years old. I will add that my 5 year old is still all about some little kid toys. His list falls to a “young 5” crowd.

 

Toys for kids ages 3-6

Paw Patrol, Marshall’s Ride and Rescue

 

Paw Patrol, Mighty Pups Super Paws Lookout Tower

Lego, Toy Story 4 Roller Coaster

Hot Wheels Criss Cross Crash Track Set

 

Disney Frozen 2 Elsa Musical Doll

 

Disney Toy Story 4 Forky Creativity Set

Adding Clean to Your Beauty Routine

Clean living isn’t just about the kitchen and it doesn’t mean you have to trash your current beauty collection in one go. In the past, I’ve made clean living decision in my kitchen but making the move to clean beauty was a little more stressful. A lot of research and some purchases that I regretted lead to finally finding a few brands I trusted at prices that didn’t totally break the bank but also didn’t compromise quality. My current go-to brands are Beautycounter and Tarte, and I’ll give you my break down on how to introduce clean beauty into your current beauty regimen.

Why Clean Beauty?

Clean beauty is tricky because some brands just can’t hold a candle to the performance/pigment and quality of the standard Sephora or Ulta line-up. That’s where my research prowess came in. My search criteria were quality 1st and price 2nd. I tried a few Whole Foods beauty products and the price points were ok but the quality of the products just didn’t make me want to make a permanent switch. This all came at a time where I was almost out of my tinted BB Cream and had already collected some samples from Sephora and Neiman Marcus.

Incorporating Clean Beauty

Beauty products are chock full of harmful ingredients and little regulation in the industry has allowed this to fly under the radar. Your skin absorbs these toxins and can cause a number of health issues and have been linked to cancers. Finding brands that avoid these ingredients is another small way to avoid exposure to harmful chemicals.

My biggest beauty issues are dry, dehydrated skin and the start of fine line (ahhh for over 35 skin!). Quality comes into play big time with dehydrated skins as it can become a highlighter for lines and set into every crevice. Finding a way to balance my skin with natural products was a struggle.

And this is where Beautycounter made it’s debut. I was a fan of the products overall but had used them mostly for my kids. Once I found the Beautycounter Overnight Resurfacing Peel, it was a game changer! It helped to exfoliate gently and allow my skin to finally let in moisture. THANK YOU! This is my personal hero product and my biggest recommendation. It’s like a facial without the price tag.

Next, I found my foundation. I was having a hard time considering this purchase because I fell in love with one of my Sephora samples. I was originally looking at a tinted moisturizer but once I got my hands on the Beautycounter Hydrating Foundation, I was sold. It went on smooth, not too heavy (which I prefer) and it’s build-able for when you need more coverage. It was forgiving for my fine lines and what more can you ask for?

Lastly, one of my favorite pallete’s is Tartelette Toasted. The colors scream fall. The pigment is fantastic, tons of colors for different looks. It’s a nice way to round out the start toward clean beauty.

Tips for Creating Better Content

*This post has been sponsored by Ketsum Bilt, please see my disclosure for further info.*

I’ve recently taken a step back from my content creation to “study” just how my favorite content creators use in Social Media and Blogs for creating better content. In this fast paced, media centric industry, it’s easy to get bogged down with just spitting out content and not necessarily taking the time it needs to curate well rounded, professional posts. As I’ve looked to diversify the media and content that I share, I’ve realized that photos and video are just as impactful as the written words that accompany them. While diving down the rabbit hole that is the interwebs, I came across Kestum Bilt who’s experience, and expertise resonated with everything I had been uncovering.

Create an Authentic Story

A recent podcast I stumbled upon mentioned the importance of story telling in content creation. Of course I know this, it’s what I’ve done hundreds of times, especially as a Knowledge Manager/Content Creator. My job was merge the Knowledge, factual information from subject matter experts and create the story that helps this information make sense to clients. Telling a story is what helps readers and people connect to content. It was easier to do with other people content. But wasn’t really a practice I’d brought to my personally created content.

But that doesn’t stop with written or graphical content. It’s just as important for videos and photography to tell a story as the words we put into our posts. Peter Guzzo, an award winning Director, Executive Producer and Creative, has proven this over and over in his work. His heart wrenching PSA on Human Trafficking in Tampa shows just how powerful creativity and story telling can be.

Peter Guzzo, Director of Kestum Bilt.
Photo courtesy of KestumBilt.com

Creating your own authentic story, creates better content. Find the moments in your life or the images and videos you take, that make you think and feel. In the end, those are the moments that will connect you to your followers.

Create a Calendar

If you don’t already, plan out a monthly calendar. This will help you put together a solid strategy for creating better content, keep you on track with editing and create a cohesive story. Providing an overview picture of your Social Media and Blog helps take off the pressure that can trigger creative block. This is one of the areas that I didn’t follow as much in the past but have been putting into practice to help guide keep me on track and organize the zillion ideas floating in my head. Strategy and planning are key!

Focus on Quality

What do you love about your favorite content? What makes this content better, stand out? Take an honest look at the things that make you pause for a second when you scroll on through your Social Media feed. What do they have in common? Most likely, it’s a well-lit video or photograph, it’s showing or telling you something that’s easy to understand and it feels genuine. This what you should strive for in your own content. Maybe it’s time to invest in that ring light or a better camera.

Bring in a Professional

Don’t be afraid to collaborate with an expert! One of our fatal flaws as content creators is avoiding collaboration. Not wanting to let go of our work and put it in the hands of someone else can keep us from moving our content from good to great. It could be fear of not having our vision come together, not being heard. But with the right partnership, you can find collaborators who listen and understand you vision. It can save you time and stress.

However, not everyone can take the ideas they have and execute a winning strategy. Experts like, Kestum Bilt, bring years of experience (25+ if you are a numbers person) to their clients. They not only help with production and editing, they work with you to develop a creative strategy that fits your brand and share their passion and craftsmanship to elevate your content. Don’t be afraid of letting other help you in creating better content.

With locations in Tampa, Atlanta, Miami and Nashville they have worked with many recognizable brands such as Napa Auto Parts, Cooper Tires, HSN, Margaritaville and more. Kestum Bilt’s experience and execution speaks for itself. They are the experts to take your production content to the next level!

Don’t forget to Pin for later!

To Amazon Prime or Not to Prime Days….

Amazon Prime Days are here!

(DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH MEANS WE MAY RECEIVE A COMMISSION TO IF YOU CLICK A LINK AND PURCHASE SOMETHING. PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR DISCLOSURE POLICY FOR MORE DETAILS.)

Amazon Prime Days are back! Now the decision to Prime shop or not to Prime shop. I was warned ahead of time, by my husband, to try and not go overboard. (Ha!) I’ve done my best. I went ahead and bought a Firestick 4k because our Roku is about to bite the dust any day now and since we are cable free…this is a must. I also found a great deal on a pair of shoes for back to school. It’s been quite a while since my previous shopping review and we’ve moved from work apparel to back to school shopping. Life is funny that way. I was hoping to find some more back to school supply items but those deals may need to wait for another day.

But these gems are still taunting me!

If you haven’t heard about the magic of the Revlon Volumizing Hot Air Brush, let me fill you in. According to the interwebs, it’s magic and will turn any bad hair day around. Some of my favorite Instagram bloggers have been talking about this gem for some time, landing it on my radar. I’m just not sure I’m ready to pull the trigger just yet…but that price!!!! The struggle is real.

 

Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Hot Air Brush, Black

Another FOMO inducing product is the Ring Doorbell. I was team “need it now” up until some recent reviews and now I’ve been going back and forth on grabbing the OG camera/doorbell or going with a different off-brand brand with better camera quality.

Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell in Satin Nickel, Works with Alexa

Drop me a comment with the “must haves” you scored already or did you skip the shopping frenzy all together?

Toddlerhood Times Two

Like all working Mom’s, I have a huge load to pull with juggling my full time day job with my full time life job of motherhood. With that responsibility, I also get the privilege of getting out of the house and gaining a little perspective on my situation when work offers some down time. Hence, my reflection on life with toddlers…
It’s my observation that people are either all about the “baby phase” or all about the “toddler phase”. I fall into the latter. Tiny babies are adorable and all but the lay-there-and-be-cute thing gets old, quick. Toddlers on the other hand…now that is what I call FUN! Admittedly, there are those times that make you want to pull your hair out and chug wine straight from the bottle but it’s definitely interesting and much more fast paced once they are on the move.
I’m currently living with a threenager and a brand new toddler. The 3’s are quirky little stage that sneaks up on you. Everyone warns about the two’s, you make it through that and the three’s just smack you in the face like a ton of bricks! The sass and the meltdowns and the attitude and the whining just comes at you in epic proportions.
The one year old, oh yes, the new toddler. They are just learning how to make a ton of noise and nothing is more fun than making the biggest mess on the planet. Surprisingly, this is when they start to get a little bit of an opinion but they don’t have words so, redirection is a little easier. However, if they are set on something and you can’t seem to understand them…you’re in a world of hurt.
This is what went down recently to spur this mommy rant. The little dude decided that he wanted into a cabinet that I had determined was off limits. The negotiations started out tame, “no , no Jackson. Mama says no”. This progressed to a minor power struggle which ended with me getting bit (yes, he bit me!)  and the little dude in tears of frustration.  This scuffle parlayed into an equal test of wills, moments later, with my older toddler about turning the TV off. At this point it dawned on me that “communication” as I know it has ceased to exist in my household. 
This was further confirmed while I changed a baby diaper and heard “can I play Playdoh?” yelled from the other room. My retort, “no Ma’am, we are getting ready for bed”. I continue to hear very familiar noises of Playdoh “tools” being laid out and offer up a warning shot, “no Playdoh, it’s bedtime”, only to come out and see every Playdoh utensil sprawled out on her play table. Clearly, I must speak another language or in a decibel that can’t be heard by small children or dogs.
While getting them both ready for bed, I start pulling out jammies for both kids and realize they have outgrown almost everything they have. Earlier that morning, it became clear that new shoes will also be on the shopping list coming up. It’s getting hard to keep these two clothed while retaining any semblance of a paycheck…sigh.
Post bedtime, I almost always watch TV with my husband and play on Pinterest. It’s both fun and depressing because so many of these Pinterest activities and mommy blog suggestions seem like amazingly good ideas if I had the time or cooperation from my children. But I feel like it’s a place where I can sort and dream about all the fantastic things I could do and occasionally it inspires something great. It’s a must do for the toddler Mom because it can be done in the wee hours of the morning with coffee in hand or late at night with glass of wine…both necessary staples in the life of toddler Moms! Good luck surviving to all you fellow toddler Mommies out there. Send me your best typical toddler moment stories!

Toddlerhood Times Two

Like all working Mom’s, I have a huge load to pull with juggling my full time day job with my full time life job of motherhood. With that responsibility, I also get the privilege of getting out of the house and gaining a little perspective on my situation when work offers some down time. Hence, my reflection on life with toddlers…
It’s my observation that people are either all about the “baby phase” or all about the “toddler phase”. I fall into the latter. Tiny babies are adorable and all but the lay-there-and-be-cute thing gets old, quick. Toddlers on the other hand…now that is what I call FUN! Admittedly, there are those times that make you want to pull your hair out and chug wine straight from the bottle but it’s definitely interesting and much more fast paced once they are on the move.
I’m currently living with a threenager and a brand new toddler. The 3’s are quirky little stage that sneaks up on you. Everyone warns about the two’s, you make it through that and the three’s just smack you in the face like a ton of bricks! The sass and the meltdowns and the attitude and the whining just comes at you in epic proportions.
The one year old, oh yes, the new toddler. They are just learning how to make a ton of noise and nothing is more fun than making the biggest mess on the planet. Surprisingly, this is when they start to get a little bit of an opinion but they don’t have words so, redirection is a little easier. However, if they are set on something and you can’t seem to understand them…you’re in a world of hurt.
This is what went down recently to spur this mommy rant. The little dude decided that he wanted into a cabinet that I had determined was off limits. The negotiations started out tame, “no , no Jackson. Mama says no”. This progressed to a minor power struggle which ended with me getting bit (yes, he bit me!)  and the little dude in tears of frustration.  This scuffle parlayed into an equal test of wills, moments later, with my older toddler about turning the TV off. At this point it dawned on me that “communication” as I know it has ceased to exist in my household. 
This was further confirmed while I changed a baby diaper and heard “can I play Playdoh?” yelled from the other room. My retort, “no Ma’am, we are getting ready for bed”. I continue to hear very familiar noises of Playdoh “tools” being laid out and offer up a warning shot, “no Playdoh, it’s bedtime”, only to come out and see every Playdoh utensil sprawled out on her play table. Clearly, I must speak another language or in a decibel that can’t be heard by small children or dogs.
While getting them both ready for bed, I start pulling out jammies for both kids and realize they have outgrown almost everything they have. Earlier that morning, it became clear that new shoes will also be on the shopping list coming up. It’s getting hard to keep these two clothed while retaining any semblance of a paycheck…sigh.
Post bedtime, I almost always watch TV with my husband and play on Pinterest. It’s both fun and depressing because so many of these Pinterest activities and mommy blog suggestions seem like amazingly good ideas if I had the time or cooperation from my children. But I feel like it’s a place where I can sort and dream about all the fantastic things I could do and occasionally it inspires something great. It’s a must do for the toddler Mom because it can be done in the wee hours of the morning with coffee in hand or late at night with glass of wine…both necessary staples in the life of toddler Moms! Good luck surviving to all you fellow toddler Mommies out there. Send me your best typical toddler moment stories!

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