mommyhood

Name: Grilled S'mores
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 7 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 2 slices of white bread; 1/4 cup of mini marshmallows; 1/4 cup of chocolate (dark or milk); tablespoon of butter

Making the most of Quarantine Halloween

September 28, 2020 by Rachel 21 Comments

Twenty-twenty will forever go down as the worst phrase of our generation. As a mom of young kids, one of the worst things ever is knowing that my kids know that something is going on. I mean, my 7 year old and my 4 year old both keep saying “…when COVID-19 is over, can we….?” And it absolutely breaks my heart. But we’re all doing the absolute best that we can given the circumstances. So I have made it my personal mission to let my kids know that Covid doesn’t have to stop the fun. And that’s why I’m making the most of quarantine Halloween!

Trick-or-no-treat?

Our city is still very much on the fence regarding trick-or-treating. But I am not. Our neighborhood gets really busy — which we have always welcomed. But this year I am less than thrilled about the potential for kids coming and going and pushing around. With a heavy heart we decided against traditional trick-or-treating this year. And, honestly, I think that’s what’s best. My kids will have another Halloween and trick-or-treat. But, Covid is a wildcard. And I couldn’t live with myself if something happened.

So what should we do?!

There are so many ways to make the most of Halloween. Kids don’t really care about trick-or-treating. Heck! My kids usually only last 15 minutes! But they do love celebrations — and candy! So that’s what we will do.

How we’re celebrating

We will still dress up. I will admit — I don’t like how much adults ‘love’ Halloween. I’ve always hated the idea of adult Halloween parties. But I will dress up this year for my kids. We will have a big at-home party! My kids and I will be setting up the most perfect candy charcuterie board for Halloween.

What you need for a candy charcuterie board

Assorted candies
Small containers
Large cutting board or platter

Candies may include:

Twizzlers
M&Ms
Candy Corn
Candy Pumpkins
Jelly Slugs
Halloween Pez
Bloody Bites
Spooky Lips Lollipops
Assorted snack size candies, wrapped or unwrapped

Choose a board or serving dishes for the charcuterie board.
Place loose ingredients (small candies, loose candies, etc.) into bowls or individual dishes. Place those bowls on the board or buffet first.
Arrange other candies around the bowls.
Add assorted tongs or Halloween decorations.

Tell me this…

How are you planning on making this the BEST Halloween ever for your kids?!

PIN FOR LATER

PIN ME - MAKING THE MOST OF QUARANTINE HALLOWEEN

Tips for Going On a Camping Trip with a Baby

July 16, 2020 by Rachel 23 Comments

What’s more exciting than taking your toddler or baby on their first camping trip? It’s a great opportunity for the whole family to enjoy, have fun, and bond over a hot campfire and roast marshmallows. Camping also so happens to be one of the few ‘safe’ ways we can travel and explore right now. Whether you’ve just started camping, or you’re an expert, there are a few ways to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Here are my tried and true tips for going on a camping trip with a toddler or baby. Let’s make that camping trip with a baby a success!

Do Weather Research

When going on a camping trip with a toddler or baby, you need to be conscious about the weather. Young children are super vulnerable to weather conditions. It wouldn’t be fun to spend the camping trip huddled inside the tent. Doing some basic research will help you in the long run!

Do a Test Run

When you feel that you’re ready and everything has been prepared, do a camping test run in the backyard. That way you’ll be able to catch if there are any snags with the camping gear. It will also be a test run for your toddler or baby to spend the night in a tent.

Bring Familiar Toys

If your toddler or baby is uncomfortable, giving them with a familiar toy will make them happy and calm them down. Only take a couple of familiar and favorite things. By giving your child their favorite toy, you’ll be keeping them busy — and it will give you more time to prep the campsite!

Do Your Research on the Location

As any parent knows, kids (especially young ones) are naturally curious. So if they see wild berries, they might try to eat them. As soon as you get to the campsite, make sure to check for any harmful plants, like wild berries. If you do find any harmful plants, make sure to warn your toddler about them. In addition to warning them, you need to check up on what your toddler eats at all times. Especially if they have the tendency to wander off!

Choose a Campsite With Lots of Activities

Toddlers are filled with energy, so they need to be kept busy. If you only sit around the campsite all day, they’ll surely get bored quite fast- and naughty! When there are many activities at your campsite, your toddler will have a wonderful experience and they’ll definitely want to come back again the next year. It’s best to plan these activities in advance to avoid potential disagreements with family members once at the campsite.

Take a Mat for Crawlers

If you have a young child that’s still in the crawling stage, make it a priority to take a large enough mat for them. It will stop them from crawling in the dirt and potentially hurting their tiny hands. If you have a pack and play, that works as well!

Take a Headlamp

To avoid your little one getting scared at night, and to keep them calm while you move around the campsite- take a headlamp with. A fun headlamp would also be fun for them, as well as aid in reducing the anxiety that the darkness may cause.

Take Sunscreen and Bug Spray

You may be able to stand a sunburn, or a few mosquito bites- but your toddler or baby on the other hand may not. Especially if your child hasn’t had a sunburn or been bitten before. If they experience such a thing, it may cause them distress to a certain degree where they would end up avoiding camp. Young children are quite vulnerable to the sun’s rays, so take the necessary precautions like keeping your child in the shade. When you buy sunscreen and bug spray make sure that you buy the right ones- such as ones that are made with natural oils and don’t contain DEET.

Put the Electronics Away

Once you get to the campsite, put the electronics away. If you give your toddler or baby a cell phone or tablet to keep them busy, the whole purpose of going on a camping trip would be defeated. Only bring your camera along to snap photos during outdoors family time.

Pay Attention to Children Near the Campfire

It’s easy to assume that your child knows not to go near the campfire. But the truth is they don’t. If you’re not mindful of what your toddler or baby is doing when they’re by the campfire, don’t be surprised when you see them going straight for it! If you plan on having a fire, sit and tell your child that they can sit near it, but they remain seated in a designated spot. Of course, you still need to keep an eye on your child just the same.

PIN FOR LATER:

Tell me — what tips would you give to parents going camping with young children?!

The Perfect Summertime Grilled S’mores Recipe

June 20, 2020 by Rachel 34 Comments

With Summer plans in limbo for everyone, we’re all scrambling to find fun things to keep our families busy. What better time to get creative with Summer recipes, am I right?

All three of my kids are in this really picky ‘grilled cheese’ phase. You know the kind of phase. It’s where literally all they will eat is plain old grilled cheese and nothing else.

The funny thing about kids is that no matter how much they refuse real food, they will never ever turn down sweets. To tell you the truth, neither will I! I mean, we all love sweets, am I right?!

The great thing about ‘Summer recipes’ is that it doesn’t have to be Summer to create them. As much as we would like to be around the campfire, life doesn’t always work out that way. In fact, on the best of days a good backyard campfire can quickly be ruined by a quick rainstorm or a fussy toddler. So, why not bring the backyard favorite indoors?

For instance, a fun family favorite is S’mores. Everyone loves s’mores, right? Even I, someone who doesn’t really like chocolate, LOVES a good s’more. Truthfully, I prefer a non-traditional s’more with chocolate caramels instead of a chocolate bar. But a s’more is a s’more!

Tips for getting your s’more on indoors!

My first tip is this — don’t eat the chocolate (or the marshmallows!) before you start your s’mores! This is the most important and most difficult task!

My second tip is to use real butter. Margarine just doesn’t fry up and crisp the bread the way that real butter does! And I prefer salted butter — it just gives it a little salty-sweet flavor combo that is extra delicious!

Yield: 1

Grilled S'mores

Have this decadent and RICH Summer recipe year-round!

Cook Time 7 minutes

Total Time 7 minutes

Ingredients

2 slices of white bread
1/4 cup of mini marshmallows
1/4 cup of chocolate (dark or milk)
tablespoon of butter

Instructions

Butter one side of each piece of bread with real butter (works better than margarine).
Place 1 slice of bread onto a frying pan
Set the heat to low (electric level 1 or 2). The process is slow and steady!
Place chocolate chips and marshmallows on top of the slice of bread and top with second piece of bread (butter side up).
Cover with lid to frying pan until chocolate starts to melt.
Flip over once chocolate is melted. Fry other side until it is toasted (lid off).

Notes

This is completely addictive. I am warning you! Also, feel free to try with peanut butter cups or your favorite chocolate (like peppermint patties or ROLOs!).

As you can see, this recipe is simple and easy. I wish I could say it was also healthy, but it most definitely is NOT!

So tell me — what is your favorite chocolate for s’mores — milk or dark?

Invest in their future on 529 Day!

May 25, 2020 by Rachel 29 Comments

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions herein are my own.

We have been on a roller coaster lately. Times of uncertainty have been upon us and our children are going through something that will forever change their lives. Their education has been transformed overnight. Parents are working harder than ever to keep up with working and schooling, whilst also planning for the future.

There isn’t just one way to educate

Education happens in so many ways. Over these last few months, I’ve come to not only appreciate my children’s educators even more, but I’ve also learned that education comes in so many forms. Playing outdoors, making kitchen science experiments, and even planting a garden are incredible ways of learning. My 7-year-old even took part in an online coding camp!

Education doesn’t stop at school

We all now know this (whether we wanted to or not!). Our children are always learning, always listening, and always growing. Literally every single part of their days are spent learning about the world around them. And it’s our job to help nurture the process of education.

Invest in your child’s future with Ohio’s 529 Plan

As an adult with a decent amount of student loan debt, I can attest to the fact that the cost of higher education can be daunting. Regardless of your child’s age, opening an account with Ohio’s 529 Plan right now is the perfect way to invest in their future education.

Ohio’s 529 Plan can be used across the country at both 2- and 4-year programs and technical schools. Using the College Saving Planner you can see how an investment of any amount today can truly help cover the cost of schooling later!

Your child doesn’t need to know what they want to be today. My son still says he wants to be a YouTuber. But tomorrow he may say he wants to be a video game engineer. And, heck! He’ll probably at some point say he wants to be an electrician. The point is, any financial investment in Ohio’s 529 Plan today will help him to be whatever his heart desires. He can use the funds for a 4-year school as an engineer, or he can use the funds towards a technical school to be an electrician.

You only need a few items to start the process of opening Ohio’s 529 Plan and you do not need to be a resident of the state of Ohio! In fact, if you are an out-of-state grandparent or relative of a child and would like to give the gift of education, this is a great way to start. You can open and contribute to the plan for the beneficiary of your choosing.

Ohio's 529 Plan - Invest with Confidence

What better time to make an investment in Ohio’s 529 Plan than on May 29th?!

May 29th, or “529 Day,” is a day to highlight the importance of higher education. Ohio’s 529 Plan has partnered with BlackRock Investments to host a webinar (which you can find here) to provide helpful tips on how to save and prepare for the future during a volatile market. The webinar is completely free and will provide you with all the tips to help you invest in your children’s future with confidence!

The benefits of investing in Ohio’s 529 Plan

Investing in Ohio’s 529 Plan means you’re accruing tax-free compound interest towards your future education expenses. You’ll also receive a tax deduction of up to $4,000 per year for each beneficiary. You can use this tool to see the real Cost of Waiting to see just how much your money can grow by investing in an Ohio’s 529 Plan versus a low-interest savings account.

But what about market turbulance?

Ohio’s 529 Plan has teamed up with BlackRock to discuss this very thing during a live webinar on May 28th. You can register for this webinar at no charge here.

Check out my video for information on how to get started!

Tell me — how many of you could use $250 to start your Ohio 529 Plan?!

PIN ME - Invest in your children's education with Ohio's 529 Plan

5 Foods That Will Help You Sleep at Night

May 5, 2020 by Rachel 20 Comments

Sleep is essential for living a healthy life. Tossing and turning nonstop can lead to a variety of adverse health effects, such as an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, among others. Sleeping disorders, such as insomnia and sleep apnea, along with lifestyles that limit the amount of sleep you get per night, can cause you to feel groggy and irritable. Luckily, food might be your answer to catching some shuteye and sleeping peacefully at night. If you’re suffering from sleep deprivation, try one of these five foods below to help you get the rest your body deserves.

PIN ME - 5 Foods To Help You Sleep At Night

Chocolate

What else is there to say? It’s sweet, delicious, and the best pick-me-up after a long day. While dark chocolate does contain caffeine, it also contains serotonin. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that’s responsible for helping you feel more relaxed and tired. If you’re counting sheep at night, try eating a chocolate sleep aid. Just make sure it’s dark chocolate and not milk chocolate! Milk chocolate doesn’t contain serotonin and can actually make you feel more awake.

Furthermore, dark chocolate has many attractive health benefits that make this the perfect treat to eat day and night. It is high in antioxidants, which aid in cognition and memory formation, and also help reduce the risk of heart disease! So eat the chocolate!

Chamomile

Herbal teas, such as chamomile, is a great drink to sip on before bedtime. Chamomile tea is proven to improve sleep quality. It contains apigenin, an antioxidant that is responsible for making you feel tired and can reduce insomnia. This study even found that those who drank chamomile tea before bedtime fell asleep 15 minutes faster than those who did not drink chamomile tea and reported fewer instances of waking up during the night.

Along with the ability to whisk you away and into a solemn slumber, chamomile offers many additional benefits, such as:

● Reduces symptoms of depression;

● Improves skin health;

● Boosts the immune system;

● and Reduces inflammation that leads to diseases like cancer and heart disease!

Turkey

The fourth Thursday in November is one of the best days of the year. Why? Because it’s Thanksgiving! This means endless mounds of food, desserts, drinks, and conversations with friends, family, and loved ones. As you may know, turkey is often the centerpiece of every Thanksgiving Day meal, which means you’ve probably experienced the after-effects of eating turkey.

Have you ever realized how tired you were after indulging in your Thanksgiving meal? Filled tummies with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans? That’s because turkey contains an amino acid called tryptophan, which causes the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin to increase in production. This increase in melatonin will make you feel more tired and will reduce the chances of you waking up in the middle of the night. So, before bed, try making turkey sandwiches or a turkey loaf for dinner!

Kiwi

One of nature’s greatest candies are kiwis. Kiwis are a delicious and nutritious fruit that are packed with healthy vitamins like vitamin C and vitamin K. Additionally, they’re a great food to have if you’re having trouble sleeping! Packed with serotonin (just like dark chocolate) they help regulate your sleep cycle. Kiwis are also full of antioxidants, such as carotenoids and Vitamin C, which help reduce inflammation and promote sleep.

Along with these sleep-aiding benefits, kiwis also:

● Improves digestion

● Lowers cholesterol

● Reduces inflammation

● Fights heart disease

● Clears out toxins

● Lowers blood pressure

Nuts

Tree nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, are also great foods to eat before bed to get some shuteye. Walnuts, in particular, are filled with the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin. Additionally, walnuts house healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids that convert to DHA, which aids in the production of the sleep-enhancing chemical serotonin. Along with that, walnuts provide over 19 vitamins and minerals, making them an extremely healthy nut to snack on.

Almonds, like walnuts, can also help you sleep at night. Almonds, too, are filled with melatonin, which will turn your brain’s lights off to help you drift away to dreamland, and provide 19 percent of your daily needs of magnesium, which is thought to improve sleep quality and reduce insomnia.

Time for bed

If you’re struggling to sleep at night, try eating one of these five foods. However, if insomnia or other sleep disorders are keeping you up at night, it’s always recommended to see a doctor or specialist who can provide professional treatment.

Learn From Home, Right Now with iD Tech Virtual Camps

April 3, 2020 by Rachel 29 Comments

This post is sponsored by iD Tech. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Here in the United States, our lives have been completely upended in the last 30-ish days. We went from ‘business as usual’ to basically living, working, and schooling with just our immediate family.

This has created an unprecedented amount of struggle and stress for so many of my friends and family members. We are all learning how to live in our new-normal, and we’re basically doing this one day at a time.

Creating normal in times of crisis.

During this time, it’s really important to create some sort of normalcy for our children. Their lives have been upended just as much as ours, if not more. And we need to be ready to make some changes to keep them healthy, happy, learning, and thriving.

Homeschooling versus Crisis-Schooling

Most parents across the country have been thwarted into the new role of ‘teacher.’ For some, this may come easy. For others, like myself, this remains difficult.

Time and time again I’ve heard friends refer to this time in our lives as “crisis” schooling, not homeschooling. And it’s true. Educators, administrators, and parents across the country are now adapting to a totally new way of learning and teaching.

We’re doing our best, given the conditions. But our children are used to so much routine in their lives. They are used to seeing their friends. Our children are used to laughing and playing with people who aren’t their siblings. They’re used to being social creatures!

Enhancing their education and social experiences

My previous intentions for this upcoming Summer included sending Ari to several camps, including one at Case Western Reserve University for coding. But things have changed so quickly. I needed something to stimulate Ari’s learning now.

Virtual Tech Camps from iD Tech allow him to learn from home, right now.

iD Tech offers online courses to sharpen and develop tech skills from the comfort of our stay-home order! These specialty designed courses, aimed at children ranging in age from 7-19, are structured, week-long sessions, and are offered in various time zones. The small classes (max 5 students) are taught by adult instructors from top universities like Stanford, Caltech, and NYU!

Courses, which include everything from Python, Java, Minecraft, Roblox, AI, Unreal Engine, Adobe, and 3D modeling, are offered in both small group camp and online private lessons. iD Tech is here to help families that are suffering from being ‘cooped up’ by offering Online Private Lessons in which the student can invite a sibling or friend to join them for free! How cool is that?!

Our experience with iD Tech Virtual Classes has been amazing

I quickly signed Ari up for the Minecraft World Designer course. Like most kids his age, he has been a tad bit obsessed with videogames like Minecraft for a long time. However, this course is created to teach him actual coding to make his own worlds!

Virtual Camps from iD Tech - Learn from home, right now

His three fellow classmates and instructor meet every morning on a virtual ZOOM video chat to learn level design and problem-solving. This has been helpful in so many ways. Not only is he learning about something he’s passionate about, but he’s interacting with kids his age. The first morning after class he kept referring to them as his friends. I cannot tell you how awesome it is to have this connection during such a trying time.

The week-long course stretches out in spans of 2-hours of classwork and two-hours of self-paced learning (without the ZOOM call and instructor). Not only is he building skills which will benefit him in the long term, but he’s engaging in something constructive — and that’s something he can feel proud of at the end of the day.

Sign up today and receive a discount of $125 off of your registration!

Need a boredom-buster or more routine in your kids life? Registration is open for all of iD Tech’s Virtual Tech Classes right now — which means you can start as early as Monday! Sign up here and use code RACHEL125 to save.