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New Year, New Me // Simplifying in 2018 with Curbside Delivery

January 8, 2018 by Rachel 45 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GiantEagleDelivers #CollectiveBias

Welcome, 2018! This year brings lots of changes for my growing family! And I’m happy to report that, thanks to some serious growth and self-reflection, there are some things I’m just leaving in 2017. For instance, having too much on my plate.

My one “Goal” for 2018 is to Simplify. Simplifying doesn’t have to mean becoming a minimalist or refraining for doing anything fun. There are so many other ways to simplify your life, so I’m going to share some creative, no-nonsense ways you can simplify to be more present in 2018!

1.  Keep track of time spent doing all things. 

One of the major ways I keep my life on track is by using Google Calendar. Not only is it simple, but it syncs to my iPhone calendar automatically and I can keep my husband in the loop by sending him Google Calendar invites to things we have scheduled (because, let’s face it — he isn’t going to remember unless he sees it pop up on his phone).

But besides the obvious “doctor appointment” notifications, I also schedule time for laundry, cleaning the house, and — here comes the kicker — downtime.

You read that right — I purposefully block off downtime in my Google Calendar and it is non-negotiable! So what if sends me someone an invite? Sorry, I’m busy.

That’s right. Give yourself some time to breathe and make it non-negotiable!

2.  Unsubscribe, unsubscribe, unsubscribe!

I cannot even begin to tell you how many “Hurry! Super Sale!” emails I received this holiday season. Truthfully? Very few of them were ‘super’ in any way; and most of them were from the same handful of retailers. It’s… daunting. And totally and completely unnecessary.

Do yourself a favor and take a few minutes today to unsubscribe from the junk. Do you really need to know everytime that retailer has a 15% off sale? Probably not. And if you don’t want to miss their sales, subscribe to their Facebook notifications instead.

Simplify by cleaning out that inbox and I promise you’ll feel so much better about checking your emails! 

3.  Get comfortable saying “No.” 

If you’re like me, the times I feel most overwhelmed are the times I’m most over-committed. It took me the last 5 years to become comfortable enough saying “no” to things that just don’t serve me or my family.

But a few years ago, I read something that really struck me — that when we say “I’m too busy…” for something, we’re really saying “It’s not a priority.”

So I’ve turned that around to suit me — if I say yes to too many things, I won’t have time for the things that really serve me and my family. And, honestly, learning to say no has been a godsend. However, there is still a learning curve for my friends and extended family. It takes a bit more understanding on their part to see why we’re unable to commit to everything.

Try to simplify your schedule by saying ‘no’ more often.

4.  Take advantage of Giant Eagle Curbside Express Delivery Service.

One of the things I found most difficult with two children is running errands. Grocery shopping became the bane of my existence. The lugging of children out of the car, into the shopping cart, dealing with tantrums, and navigating other shoppers. It’s exhausting.

The allure of having a personal shopper select the freshest, best products for me, based on my online shopping cart, was too much to contain! I first tried out Curbside Express last year and have since hopped on the bandwagon for Curbside Express Delivery! Yes, delivery! As in they deliver your groceries to your home! Squeeee!

It’s so easy to use. I use my Giant Eagle card to log in to an online account where I’m able to personally shop for items ranging from fresh fruits, to frozen foods, to paper products, to deli meats and cheeses. I can even use my preloaded e-coupons and and other sale items!

From there, a Personal Shopper does the shopping for me and I wait for the scheduled delivery (yep, I even get to choose the time and date of delivery!).

I loved that I was able to try it for free the first time and that I was able to add to my shopping cart online during my spare time (which, let’s face it, is when the kids are napping). And delivery was a breeze! Remy was eager to check out what goodies had been delivered and I couldn’t help but bask in the happiness that we didn’t even have to get out of pajamas to get groceries!

Do yourself a favor and simplify your shopping routine by using Giant Eagle Curbside Express Delivery Service.

5.  Save time cooking by using a pressure cooker.

Look, my husband has been “team pressure cooker” for the last 5 years, and I’m on a recent convert (hello, popular electric pressure cooker!). But anything that cuts down on the time it takes to prepare a healthy meal for my family is a win.

Some of the pressure cookers also have a slow cook feature as well, so if you’re looking to toss something in the crock pot in the morning and have it ready by the time you arrive home from work, this would be perfect at helping you simplify your meals.

6.  Take 5 minutes out of your evening to plan your day tomorrow.

Take 5 minutes out of your evening routine and sit down with a pen and paper. Nope, don’t open your email and create a task (you’ll get too distracted from your inbox).

Keep it simple and short. Write down a few must-do’s followed by a couple of action items. You’ll go to sleep with a plan to attack the next day and less stress in the morning. Simplify by planning ahead.

7.  Purge items that no longer serve a purpose to your family.

This is a big one. Like any family, we’ve accumulated ‘stuff’ over the years. Kids stuff, kitchen stuff, other stuff… and it rarely continues to serve a purpose, right? So get rid of it!

I’m not suggesting you do this all in one day. But if you come across something and you realize you no longer need/use it, toss it. Or donate it. But don’t sit and wait for it to become useful again. Simplify by minimizing.

So cheers, 2018. Let’s do this. I’m ready to live more simply and enjoy my family and time for myself!

Filed Under: #MomLife, Akron, brews + food, busy mom, cleveland, coupon, domesticity, Explore Ohio, finance, money saving tips, NEO, Ohio, review, social media, sponsor, tips + tricks Tagged With: #MomLife, akron, busy mom, cleveland, coupon, domesticity, explore Ohio, finances, food, health, life, money saving tips, NEO, ohio, review, sponsor, tips + tricks

Real Talk: I despise the stomach bug.

November 7, 2017 by Rachel 10 Comments

Real Talk: Every single time I have a good grasp on life, a plan of action, and a mission, something goes terribly, terribly, and unexpectedly, wrong. I know that this phenomenon is not something that I, alone, suffer from. I mean, I know it’s just life. But, damn!, the stomach bug has the worst way of (temporarily) ruining our lives.

And last week it did exactly that — it wrecked havoc on our lives. In fact, in the last two weeks alone, I’ve missed nearly 8 days of work. Between Remy getting croup, both kids coming down with the stomach bug, and then catching it myself, we’ve seen our fair share of illness.

It almost just flatout knocked me down. I’ll admit, I did have a couple of breakdowns. Thankfully, my husband saved the day and took great care of all of us! That is, until he came down with it as well.

But perhaps this was the universe’s way of telling me to slow the eff down. Honestly, we needed to. We’re always, always, busy and on-the-go. This kind of halted all of that in a super sudden, super inconvenient way.

I’m just so glad we (fingers crossed) have made it to the other side of the stomach bug.

That being said, I’ve had an awful lot of time to clean my house and I’ve caught a couple of really great deals over the last week!

Did you know that now through November 11th you will get 25% off any toy from Target!?! Just text TOY to 827438 and a mobile coupon will be sent to you! It can be used in-store or online! 

Oh! And the Target Black Friday ad is already out, so you can plan ahead. Check it out here.

So yeah. I may have gotten an early jump on Christmas shopping this year!

Have you started any shopping for the holidays yet??

Here’s to a new week! Hopefully one filled with happiness, laughs, and possibility — and definitely NOT the stomach bug! 😉 xo

 

Filed Under: #MomLife, Christmas, coupon, family, life with a toddler, mommyhood, money saving tips, parenthood Tagged With: #MomLife, being a mom, children, Christmas shopping, coupon, family, mommyhood, money saving tips, motherhood, parenthood

How To Totally Ruin Pinterest Crafts in 4 Simple Steps //

July 5, 2017 by Rachel 45 Comments

Let me quickly set the stage — Ari wants to do a Fourth of July craft and I want to oblige. I mean, I’m a crafty mom, right? I do a quick pinterest search, locate a ‘firework’ paint craft, and gather our supplies. Easy peasey!

Or, it should have been. But guys — here’s the truth behind all of those cute, messy, Summer crafts — your children? They aren’t cute; they aren’t easy; but they are messy. And your toddler? They won’t care. Not even a little bit.

So I’m sharing with you what I learned the hard way. How to totally ruin messy Summer crafts in 4 simple steps.

Step 1. Take that easy Pinterest tutorial and expect your toddler to listen (and follow) simple instructions.

Step 2. Set out the supplies, including the paint, and turn your back for approximately 5 seconds. (There’s a 99% chance your toddler has just stuck their hand in the paint)

Step 3. Verbally guide your child through the instructions, letting them get creative and messy. (They will get messy because they’ve decided to just paint the table).

Step 4. Grab your Viva Paper Towels and Clorox spray so that you can clean the mess (Toddler is now painting a tree. No, not painting a tree on the paper; like, literally painting the tree….)

There may have been tears and voices raised. But now I realize it’s kinda funny. I know it is. And after my four year old and I cleaned up the mess, together, with our Viva towels and Clorox spray, I laughed. I mean, what else could I do!? I couldn’t actually be mad. He was doing what he was supposed to do — being a kid + getting messy.

And, luckily, I have saved a ton of money on the Viva towels and Clorox spray when I partner the low prices at Walmart with the Ibotta app rebate savings! So it’s definitely a double-savings win.

This time I took the kids with me to Walmart, but lately I’ve been using their convenient grocery pickup — which saves me both money AND time (which, let’s face it — is the most important thing for a busy mom!).

At the end of the day, I have a happy kid, a (sorta) craft, and a freshly-cleaned table. What else can a mom ask for!? (hint: more sleep).

So tell me — what’s your biggest “Pinterest fail” and how did you clean it up!? 

 

Filed Under: #MomLife, busy mom, children, coupon, crafty, deals, fun, life with a toddler, money saving tips, parenthood, pinterest, sponsor Tagged With: #MomLife, busy mom, children, coupon, crafty, deals, fun, life with a toddler, money saving tips, pinterest, sponsor

Little Mover, Big Changes // Adjusting To Life With A Spirited Child

January 1, 2017 by Rachel 34 Comments

I’ll be the first to admit it — Our first born, Ari, did little to prepare us for the wild side of parenting. See, he has always been very cautious and mild-mannered. Certainly, our second child would be just as chill, right?

Wrong. Oh, so, wrong!

Miss Bea is a handful — has been since the day she was born.

At every milestone we’ve thought, “Okay, well I’m sure she’s going to relax/start sleeping/not be so wild or crazy now, right?” And each time she would remind us that she is who she is — a wild one.

And now our little wild one is on the move.

Honest to God, with the exception of two baby gates, we never had to baby proof our home whatsoever for Ari. He just didn’t get himself into dangerous situations.

Miss Bea is … different.

So here’s how we’re prepping for our very mobile, nearly-walking, speed-crawling, spirited child:

  • All of the baby gates! Though our home is small, it seems as if you can’t move a few feet without having to unlock some sort of gate to get through. And that’s been a bit of a godsend. I can safely leave her in a contained space while I wash dishes/use the bathroom/change laundry.
  • Plug covers, and drawer and cabinet-stoppers. My sister’s home was just built with those electrical outlets that have built-in baby proofing. And I am so jealous. Because, for the life of me, I cannot seem to get those darn plastic thingys out of the outlets when I need to plug the vacuum in! While, I’ll admit, we did do this for Ari out of caution, he never once actually went for an outlet. But this Miss Bea, she’ll get into every cabinet, every drawer, every space she isn’t allowed to be. So we’ve covered every outlet and we’ve locked every kitchen cabinet and drawer, in hopes to keep her out of spaces she shouldn’t be.
  • Practice the art of doing things quickly. I’m not saying this in jest; I know that if I set her in a contained area, I have about 30-45 seconds to literally run to the other room to grab that item, before she’s gotten herself into something unexpected. So my husband and I have learned to move very, very, quickly.
  • Use Huggies ® Little Movers to prevent yucky leaks. This child has had more blowouts than I care to count, and now that she’s on the move, we needed extra protection.We’re lucky to have a Sam’s Club membership so that we’re able to pick up Huggies ® Little Movers biggest pack ever — a 2-month supply — so that we only have to fit in a trip to the store for diapers once every couple of months!

    That’s a huge bonus because that means the best protection for leaks plus I only have to drag both kiddos out to Sam’s Club a handful of times per year!

  • Giving her a safe space to play. Supervised playtime, in a space that is as safe as can be expected, is a fantastic way for our little one to learn what she is capable of. That’s right — it’s not all about preventing her from doing things; plenty of her growth and learning at this stage is from just freeplay.
    Our current favorite ‘safe-play space’ is a Little Tikes alligator ball pit. It’s (conveniently) set up in the middle of our living room. Ari has added about a dozen extra toys to the ball pit, just for giggles. And I really do just love watching them play together in it!

So parents, tell me — what is your favorite way to help a spirited child learn and grow while still keeping them safe??

 

And if you’re not a member of Sam’s Club yet, go check out their membership plans and see how you can save $6 off of the cost of a 2-month supply of Huggies Little Movers — that’s two months for $61.98!

Filed Under: #MomLife, babies, busy mom, children, coupon, deals, family, life, mommyhood, money saving tips, Oh baby!, parenthood, pictures, Remy Bea, sponsor Tagged With: #MomLife, babies, baby girl, being a mom, busy mom, children, coupon, deals, family, life, mommyhood, money saving tips, motherhood, oh baby, parenthood, pictures, Remy Bea, sponsor

Shop Savvy With Groupon Coupons

November 17, 2016 by Rachel 5 Comments

Well, with the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, it’s clear we are officially entering into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. And, for my family, this year will be different from every previous Christmas. See, every other year, I’ve had full-time employment. This is the very first year that I have been a half-SAHM and half-working mom.

In previous years I have worried less about how to save money on Christmas presents, but this year, I’m pinching pennies like crazy! And Groupon Coupons has helped me find discounts on products I have already been looking to purchase!

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Searching for coupons is super easy. Once you find a Groupon Coupon you want to use, a simple click brings up the code to use and the website for the store. Completely hassle-free!

I recently used a Groupon Coupons for Wine.com and Express to shop for my sister and my mom (Hi, Mom! Pretend like you didn’t read that — it’s a surprise! ;))

Wine.com is currently offering $20 off your order of $250 or more. We always do a wine exchange with family, so buying in bulk is definitely the way to go this time of year! And I don’t even have to leave the house to pick it up! It’s shipped directly to our house!

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And Express has a Groupon Coupon exclusive code — 15% off both in-store and online. Let’s be honest — most of my shopping is done online (because dragging to children through the mall just isn’t ideal), so this was a perfect way for me to pick up a new sweater for my mom (act surprised, Mom!).

So before you start your online Christmas shopping check to see how you can save money using Groupon Coupons!

What are your favorite ways to save money during the holidays?

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Filed Under: busy mom, Christmas, coupon, groupon, money saving tips, sponsor Tagged With: busy mom, Christmas, coupon, groupon, money saving tips, sponsor

Easy Gift-Giving with #GrouponGoods

October 30, 2016 by Rachel 18 Comments

groupon

Back before having children I felt like my gift-giving game was on-point! I mean, I had energy to plan and prepare for birthdays, Christmas, and everything in between. Now? Now my life is full of uncertainty. I was barely able to plan and prep for my own kids birthday this year, let alone anyone else’s!

And nowadays I have countless nieces and nephews to buy for, but, quite frankly, little clue what to actually get for them! (Having kids that are four and under means I’m totally and utterly clueless what is fun and popular for older kids!).

Over the last year I’ve purchased nearly every birthday gift from Groupon.

screen-shot-2016-10-30-at-12-01-32-pm
The options for gift-giving are endless on the Groupon Goods section of the site! From books, to dolls, to baby gates! And don’t you worry, there are plenty of gifts for adults, too! The ever-so-popular adult coloring books and, my personal favorite, wine shipments!

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It’s a great way to shop for all of the special people in your life, from babies to adults! Even my very hard to buy for husband has enjoyed goodies courtesy of my purchases on Groupon Goods, especially on the electronics section!

So for once I’m not concerned about the holidays coming up. My gift-giving needs are completely covered — and I don’t even have to leave the house while I’m saving money! I call that a major win.

What’s your favorite thing to shop for on Groupon?

Filed Under: busy mom, Christmas, coupon, gift, gifts for kids, groupon, holidays, money saving tips, review, sponsor, wine Tagged With: busy mom, coupon, gifts, gifts for kids, holidays, money saving tips, review, sponsor, wine

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