-
New Year Resolutions vs. New Year Reality
New years resolutions are made to be broken, but setting realistic goals for the life you want to live is totally doable. Let’s get this done together.
Has the “New Year, New Me” worn off yet?
You know, the “New Me” who is gung ho into working out, eating right, sitting down to a family dinner each night, one where cell phones aren’t allowed at the table?
The “New Me” whose home is always clean?
The “New Me” that isn’t drowning in a sea of clean, yet unfolded laundry?
The “New Me” who is dedicated to lose the Quarantine 15.
The “New Me” who is going to drink a gallon of water a day and get 8 hours of sleep and go to the gym at 5 a.m. before making the family a healthy breakfast?
The “New Me” who isn’t stressed about household chores all the time, and is super present for the family, and has it all under control?
Yeah. Us too. So quickly we forget… especially when our goals are completely unattainable.
All that may look great on Instagram where some influencer has their life together and tells us how they do it… but social media ain’t real life.
Just because we broke out a new calendar, unwrapped that sparkly new planner to organize our lives, and are now trying to remember that the year is now “2022”, it doesn’t mean that making huge changes to our lives is that easy.
So let’s focus on the really meaningful lifestyle changes, instead of the new years resolutions. We’re here to help you find ways to control the chaos at home, so you can be more present with the family, and feel less out of control.
Because home life is hard. Parenting is hard. Juggling all these responsibilities is hard. At the same time navigating through a pandemic? That’s a one way ticket to crazytown.
So check in regularly, and we’re going to share our favorite tips and tricks for keeping the peace… organizing your home, meal planning and prepping, cleaning the house, and doing our best on managing the family fiasco.
We’re moms on a mission. To help other overworked, overwhelmed, and underappreciated parents figure out this work/life/responsibilities balance thing in order to bring more sanity and less stress to family life.
We’ve tried it all- chore charts and systems, complicated plans on what to clean and when, meal prep plans delivered to our door, weekly meal prep at home, a standard menu of meals to simplify planning.
We’ve hired individuals and companies to clean and help out. Some have been great, others just don’t show up, but nothing ever seems to really fit the bill.
We’ve scoured Pinterest for inspiration. We’ve read every blog and book about organization, meal prepping and planning, how to keep the house clean. We’ve searched YouTube for the answers of how to fit it all in.
And we’ve kinda come up empty.
There is no “easy” way to manage family life and responsibilities. It takes time and effort and dedication to the process. We’ve seen lots of people commit to a week or two of keeping it all together, and then it’s back to the last minute rush to get food on the table, which consists of frozen chicken nuggets and tater tots, and the laundry pile is back to Mount Everest proportions. And there is no judgement… because our freezers have chicken nuggs and tots in them too.
But we created Team MomSquad to fill what we see is a void in helping super busy parents manage it all. Our team of super moms come in and help when things are too much, and can keep it all from getting to be that way.
- We can tidy up around the house… you know, what you usually do BEFORE the cleaning people show up? That mad rush to pick up gym clothes and clean the toilet bowl and put the 50 cups from your kids rooms into the kitchen sink so the cleaning people don’t judge you?
- We can prep meals for your family that they will actually eat. Meals that can be put on the table in 30 minutes or less. Meals with room for flexibility when your son hates onions and your daughter is suddenly a pescatarian.
- We can fold and put away the laundry. Because we know it’s all clean and in a pile. But even if it’s clean and folded and put in your kid’s room, it will end up on the floor again. Unworn. To be washed again. That’s why we put it away.
Because we get it.
What we offer:
- Tidying up and cleaning services
- Grocery shopping and meal prep
- Laundry- in-home or off site (pick up and delivery)
- Mothers helpers to keep an eye on the kids while you are on your fifth Zoom call of the day
- And much much more!
You can check us out on http://www.teammomsquad.com
But that’s not what this blog is all about. This blog is to share the tips, tricks, helpful hints, and roadblocks along the way that keeps YOU from conquering this home responsibilities, being a working parent (because all parents are working parents), living life in the new normal when we’re home a lot thing. We’ll share real life experiences of our clients and what they found useful about bringing in a helping hand. If we think it will help you save time, money, or effort in anything related to family life, we’ll share it here. And we hope that you share what you know in the comments too.
And connect with us on social… we’re on Facebook (@teammomsquad) and Instagram (@team.momsquad).
Here’s to you and your family, and the work you put in day in and day out to care for them. We’re here in the grind with you, and we’re looking forward to doing what we can to support you.
To a 2022 that finds some calm in the chaos!
-
New Year, New Baby
New Year, New baby boy!
Seriously, as a mommy to 4 boys ranging in age from 21 years old to 6 weeks, you have to make a conscious decision to not lose it on a daily basis. Let’s not even mention running on fumes because I’m nursing exclusively. There definitely is a light at the end of the tunnel but having things in place prior to our new additions arrival has made the transition easier. Having live in help while I was pregnant gave me the extra resources I needed to get through.
If you get one take away from reading this, let it be this. GET HELP for the things that you just can’t get to! Employing help will be your saving grace and you embracing this fact will set you up for success within your 4 walls. The laundry, the never-ending list of to dos will not go away. Take steps to embrace ease. Getting help is not a luxury. It’s a necessity and when planned, will be exactly what you need to get back on track.
I could go on and on with suggestions and I will in the future, trust me. For now, I want to share 2 things that have made my life easier at this stage. The randomness of me will be apparent but I don’t care, you NEED these things.
First, laundry receptacles…baskets…hampers, whatever you want to call it. They are necessary and should be functional.
Super cute, super handy… I love them! I got these for my littles AND the hubby. I LOVE THEM! They can drag them downstairs to the laundry room, they clearly state what is supposed to go in them (because boys) and they are color coded so everyone knows whose dirty clothes go in what hamper. LOOK, we don’t need to be out here trying to change the world. Sometimes, changing your reality within your home is each shattering …in your little world.
Secondly, finances and budget. I will admit, I’m a little behind getting everything added to the book but, I just had a baby and am giving myself grace. This budget book is simple, easy to use and is a great way for those of us that like to write things down, to get organized. This budget book , these pens and these stickers will have you feeling amazing about getting your finances order. I also used these removable tabs to make it easier to navigate to each month but they are not necessary.
I’m looking forward to sharing more about the things I personally use in my home to make my life easier. It’s a new year girl! Let’s get it!!!
Team MomSquad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. -
My Meal Prep Madness
I am a control freak.
I can admit it. There’s no shame in my game.
I like to feel like somethings in this crazy, upside down, world gone mad are under control.
Even if it’s something as simple as dinner.
Is there anyone else who hates the greeting when their kids get home from school of “MOOOOOOMMMMM… What’s for dinner?” Why hello, child of mine, who I love with all my heart and I work so hard to provide for… I’m so glad to see you too and yes, I had a nice day, I hope you did too. **FACE PALM**
So I don’t even worry anymore about it. I point to the list, and go about my day.
But the rest of the time, yes, it’s up to me to make the meals. So that means MEAL PREP! My Saturday evening sushi usually follows a day of meal prep… it’s my “good job” present to myself. And wine. A little (or a lot) of wine.
What does my Meal Prep Madness look like? Here’s a glimpse of my process- I’d love to hear yours in the comments!
Friday evening, before or after the pizza YOLOing, I take a quick inventory of my ingredients on hand. And when I say “inventory” this isn’t some sort of complicated checklist… we’re talking “I have some basil that’s looking a little wilty… better do something with that or else I will write it off along with the other thousands of pounds of veggies that I’ve thrown away over the years”. Which, I’ve done a lot less of, thanks to these little beauties…
Some day I will have a refrigerator that takes inventory for me. Did you know that’s possible? I’ll discuss that at another time… in a post I’m sure will have a title like “A Girl Can Dream” and it will be all about my dream fridge.
Once my seriously low key inventory is done, I place an order online with Sam’s Club for pick up the next morning. Believe me, I am a Costco girl through and through… Kirkland Signature is amazing from beef jerky to khaki pants, but until they get their act together with order pick up, it’s off to Sam’s I go. I swear they don’t do it because they want me wandering the aisles of Costco saying “Do I really need 14 lbs of microwave popcorn? Of course I do… I’m saving so much money!” And then I leave with a cart filled with $500 of kitty litter and keto granola.
Saturday morning finds me at Sams Club before they open, because that is how amazing their pick up is. I don’t even go into the store. I sit in my car and listen to 80’s music for 10 minutes of blissful non-kid time until someone brings my stuff out to the car for me. YOU GET ME, SAMS CLUB! COSTCO… GET WITH THE PROGRAM! I WANT TO LOVE YOU AGAIN!
Back at home, it’s time to prep! And I’m not like doing the cooking all day, packaging to heat and eat prep. Because I don’t love feeling like I’m eating leftovers for dinner every night and my husband literally has never eaten a leftover in his life, so that just doesn’t work in my house. Nope, I get everything ready to cook, and move along with my life.
Here’s the end result:
I told you it’s not complicated. I cut up and divvy out our meals for the week- meats and veggies. We eat really simply… mostly a protein, a veggie, and some sort of side like pasta or rice. It’s usually because we’re eating in between soccer practice, play rehearsals, picking up kids and dropping them off… you know the drill. I’m feeding these monsters to keep them alive, not earn a Michelin star here.
I wrap the meats in plastic wrap after I trim them into individual servings and divvy up by who is eating. Like I said, I have picky kids, so some nights it may be salmon for most of the family and a couple chicken legs for the child who is living on the chicken nugget and associated poultry diet., I love love love the sticky plastic wrap stuff. That way, I can freeze it without freezer burn. Please don’t @ me about vaccuum sealing. That takes way too long and requires too much coordination for me. If you do, I salute you.
Then the meals are put in plastic containers and bowls and either thrown in the fridge or frozen. Ready to go for the week. And then my fridge gloriously looks something like this, and I open the door repeatedly to gaze at it’s beauty. Because it means that my weekday evenings are a tad less complicated. With way less clean up.
Occasionally I will take it a step further and make my life even easier by putting the whole thing together, literally ready to go DIRECTLY into the oven with just a tad bit of intervention on behalf of my kids. Because if I make it easy, teenage boys can and will cook. Even if it’s just to get out of having to do the dishes after dinner. I love these foil containers, and I even include the spices and oil so I don’t end up with some sort of concoction that they saw on TikTok. Momma ain’t playing.
I do usually prep and cook lunches though. Either that, or I won’t eat. Or the siren song of Chick Fil A calls to me and it’s nuggets again for lunch. But don’t tell my teenage son. He is so tired of hearing that you can’t live on chicken nuggs alone. Despite the clear evidence that you can.
Lunches look something like this… Chicken Parmesan with homemade marinara and zoodle noodles.
My chicken parm lunch “But wait,” you say. “You feed your family the super boring dinner and you’re making yourself fancy lunches?”
Ummmmm YES. And NO.
First off, my kids are boring and won’t eat Chicken Parmesan. Despite me trying to pass it off as a giant cheese covered chicken nugget.
And second, if I don’t do something interesting with my lunch, I’m not going to eat it and Chick Fil A will win again.
Third… it’s not fancy. Like really really not. I’ll share my recipe in a future post for the parm, the marinara, all of it. It’s so super quick and easy. I swear.
So that’s my Meal Prep Madness, and let me tell you, it works for me. No more “What’s for dinner?” No more last minute scramble to the store. No more Chick Fil A again because I’m feeling lazy and unmotivated. (That’s a lie.)
Tell me what your meal prep looks like!
Team MomSquad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
-
Living My Best Paper Planner Life
New Year. New Me. But also Same Me.
The new year brings new opportunities to leave bad habits behind and embrace healthy ones. So bring on the super organized, super mom!!
Being a full-time working mom is one of the most exhausting things in the world, and when I say a full-time working mom, I mean a FULL-TIME, everything under the sun, working mom!! I work a typical 9-5 job, business owner, mother of 7 (8 if you count my husband), cook, cleaner, accountant, taxi driver, organizer…. Oh, and finally there’s some room for ME! This momma needs her “me” time and I find it during my CrossFit workouts! Needless to say, I work hard every day to be there for my family, myself (self-love and care), friends and maintain my career!
Despite all the technology all around, I’m still old school at heart when it comes to keeping all my stuff in order. I LOVE breaking out my new planner at the beginning of the year… it’s a totally fresh start and for a short period of time, I’m completely organized!
If you’re like me and still use paper and pen to schedule your days/weeks- this planner will be your new BFF! I found it to be extremely helpful and keeps me in line! Not only for my day-to-day craziness, but also as a reminder- say goodbye to late payments and meaningless days!! There’s a handy bill planner log along many more life coaching pages to help you bloom into the best version of YOU! And did I mention STICKERS? Yes, that part of your heart that you left in elementary school with your Lisa Frank sticker collection can now take a permanent place in your every day adulting!
I love office supplies. Pretty pens make me so happy. So with my new planner, of course new gel pens have to help me get organized! I can keep track of all of my kids activities by color. These are super cute and fun to add some brightness to your days 😊. They come in a variety of colors and dry really fast to reduce smudging… love that! No one wants a messy planner, its bad enough that our lives feel that way (eye roll).
Anyway, so far these are a couple of products I’ve purchased this year that have been a game changer in my life. I started the year with the whole “New Year. New Me” attitude and darn it, I was bound to stick to this tacky saying! So far so good 😊! Tell me what you think and if these items have inspired, motivated, or made your life a bit less stressful!
Happy planning y’all!!
Team MomSquad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
-
Follow
Following
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Team MomSquad 