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03/30/2017

Disneyland in One Day with Toddlers {Part 2}

Yesterday, I shared how to prepare for a one day trip to Disneyland with toddlers and what helped us make it to lunchtime.

I really thought skipping my daughter’s nap was going to make the afternoon and evening be full of eye punches (if you read yesterday’s post, you know what I mean), but seeing a show while eating lunch really was a great substitute for her nap.

With all the excitement of Disneyland, both kiddos weren’t going to nap at all (I already had that in the back of mind). With all the fun things to look at, I wouldn’t nap either if I were a 1 year old (to be candid, I wanted to nap. But, what’s that? Moms don’t nap). But doing Disneyland in one day, skipping a nap is ok with me. We are there for an experience not naps.

So, here are the rest of my tips and what helped us make it until 9:30pm (plus we drove home):

How to Do a One Day Trip to Disneyland with Toddlers (Part 2)

03/29/2017

Disneyland in One Day with Toddlers {Part 1}

The last time, I went to Disneyland was when I was 3 months pregnant with my son. That was about 4 years ago for my birthday. My hubby and I would go all the time before kids. We’d go for a day date. We’d go for a couple hours (when we were pass holders) to ride our favorite rides and then have dinner. It’s one of my favorite places to go. My hubby even proposed to me in the Blue Bayou restaurant 10 years ago (so it holds a really special place in my heart).

On Saturday, my hubby called me while in Long Beach, CA for work and said, “Pack your bags Babe. We’re going to Disneyland on Sunday to surprise the kids!”

What?!

My mind went a million different directions at the same time. Automatically to the worst possible scenarios. Like: my son is going to run away from me like he does sometimes at the grocery store; and, I’m not going to be able to find him in the sea of people. Or my kids are going to throw tantrums a few hours in, which will make it a nightmare experience causing us to have to leave the park (meaning, we spent a good chunk of money for nothing). You know where the mom brain goes.

But, I took a deep breath and told myself, “I am going to think positive thoughts and do this!” So, I got excited! And I packed our bags in less than an hour, loaded everything, got gas and became Disneyland bound!

I called my hubby while on the road and gave us a pep talk, “Babe, we have to go into this thinking it’s going to be a way different experience than when we use to go all the time. We gotta be realistic. You know our kiddos aren’t going to wait in a line that’s more than a 30-minute wait.” He agreed.

So, without anymore pre-story, here is How to Do Disneyland in One Day with Toddlers:

How to Do Disneyland in One Day with Toddlers (Part 1)

02/16/2017

I AM a MOM {Making Motherhood Important}

“Oh, I’m just a mom,” is usually what I say when someone asks me what I do for a living. Then, the conversation gets a little awkward after that and we quickly try to change the subject. But, why? It doesn’t need to be that way.

We went to our favorite restaurant for breakfast this weekend and my husband asked a young guy handing us water, “are you our waiter?” He replied, “No. I’m just a busboy. ”

I was so quick to correct him: “You are not just a busboy. You are a busboy.”He smiled from ear to ear.

This made me think, “Why am I so quick to correct him about what he does; but, when it comes to myself, I’m just a mom?”

“I’m just a Mom,” makes motherhood not important

When I tell someone that I’m just a mom, I’m telling her that it’s not important. All the things I do daily (making breakfast, refereeing a fight over a toy, giving hugs and kisses, reading stories, teaching my kids about life, etc.) become not important. So, if she isn’t a mom and maybe has been considering becoming one, I might be giving her some doubt.

I need to change my answer. We all do.

01/31/2017

8 Diaper Bag Items to Have with You Always

This weekend we went on our first mini family vacation. It was a blast! But, the first night at a restaurant didn’t go so well. I forgot one of the most important diaper bag items I try to keep with me at all times (snacks).

When my kids are at a restaurant, they are hungry NOW. So, if I don’t have crackers, they start reaching for the salt and pepper shaker (then cry after they try it), the sugar packets (if they succeed at getting it open, well, they end up eating 3 of them), and the butter in the butter tray (the wrappers are shiny and who doesn’t like butter?!).

You can kind of guess how that dinner night went. I had squirmy, loud children until the bread basket came out (which is a nice way to put what happened. The wait was only for 10 minutes or less – but 10 minutes can seem like an eternity).

So, I wanted to put a list together of what diaper bag items I try to keep with me at all times to hopefully help you avoid my restaurant situation (or disasters during errands and outings).

8 Diaper Bag Items to Have with You Always

01/25/2017

7 Ways to Find Purpose as a Stay at Home Mom

There are those days I feel like I’m just a mom. Just a mom who’s purpose is to wipe poopy bottoms, clean runny noses, cook and wash laundry – a robot sometimes (Beep bop boop. “You want breakfast? Beep bop ding. Here’s your breakfast.”}. But, I’m tossing that negativity in the trash.

Being a Mama is so important. It’s so purposeful. We just have to see it. We are raising little ones to go out and be someone great for this world. That’s not something to take lightly. We are helping them to become who they were born to be. If we look at Mama as our ministry, it becomes so purposeful to be a mama.

I pray this every night, “Lord, help me become the mom I need to be for my children. So, I can help them become who You want them to be. Thank you for choosing me to be their mom. Amen.”

Sure. I mess up. But, there’s always grace. I get caught up in feeling like I’m just here for everyone else. But that’s when I need a 15-minute break to do something I love (a recharge and a moment to be thankful). I have purpose, a wonderful purpose. And so do you, Mama.

When I get caught up feeling like I’m just a robot, I like to do the following to remind myself that I’m not.

7 Ways to Find Purpose as a Stay at Home Mom