Alot .Of. Tola

It's everyone's fave time of the year, all the kids and even adults dressed as their favorite characters, and of course the never ending supply of candy. But, with all the fun comes a little bit of craziness and the question of safety. We all want our children to dress up, enjoy the day but most importantly we want them safe. So here are a few ways we can ensure their safety while out and about on Halloween night.

• Instead of traditional trick or treating, go for a more intimate group activity. I am a firm believer that there is power in numbers and also it creates better community. So finding local group activities, with a group of people that you know or have been able to build a community with, will help with safety. Activities like local school trunk or treat or coming together with other friends to host your own Halloween party instead. 
• Check your child's bag, this is something most parents are already aware of and I would hope you are already doing but, I think more than ever it is so important for us all to be reminded and not just only say it but practice it too. 
• If you plan to head door to door trick or treating be sure to go over the rules with your child, especially the amount of houses you will be visiting, and basic rules around crossing the streets. Most importantly have an emergency plan and a back up plan, just in case things go sideways. 
• Every child should have a chaperone, more than ever you are seeing older aged kids getting into trick or treating (12 to about 16 years of age) But because these kids are a little older in age and more independent most parents tend to let them be, and not feel the need to accompany them. But I don't think anyone is exempt from an extra set of eyes, to be aware of their surrounding. Also with proper adult accompanying these young adults, they are less prone to get into things they shouldn't be. 

• Wash your hands - My girls know once they get home from school, the first thing they do is wash their hands. Germs are prone to being passed around in those classrooms so by washing their hands, I am hoping to stop those germs dead in their tracks before they can get comfortable in our home. 
•  Being prepared with OTC medicine because sometimes, you really can’t avoid these things. One of my faves right now is Children’s TYLENOL® Dissolve Packs that I was able to purchase at my local Walgreens store. My girls are not big fans of taking med when they are sick, so being able to give them something easily dissolves on their tongues and comes in a kid-friendly, wild berry flavor makes things so convenient. Being prepared with medicine like this makes life a lot easier for me—so the fact that I don’t have to deal with any bottles or have to measure and shake is just perfect. Quick mom note, always remember to follow directions that come with the medicine

• Stay up to date on doctors’ visits. I am making sure the entire family is up to date on all our shots and physicals. This is so important once the kids are back to school because you are able to stay ahead of things before it gets worse—and it’s just good practice, honestly. Be sure to talk to your doctor about any questions or concerns. As parents, we are so good about getting the kids checked out but tend to forget ourselves. Then, when things go south, we are hit a lot worse. 
• Vitamins and juices!!! Fluids are so important at this time of the year, not only to stay properly hydrated but also as extra sources of vitamin c. 
• Disinfecting frequently. Disinfecting wipes are my best friend during this season. Cleaning spaces frequently and thoroughly will help to keep the germs at bay

We all know how hectic things get once the kids are back to school, maybe it’s just me but it feels like my mornings went from chilled and laid back in the summer months to now get up and run out of the door with breakfast in hand lol. And the biggest struggle is trying to make a simple yet delicious and healthy meal for myself and the girls. I have been trying to be more intentional about making sure the entire team can get some type of meal in their bellies in the morning and be energized to start our day, so I thought I would share some simple and easy breakfast ideas everyone will love.

• Scrambled Eggs with Veggies: Eggs are always a hit honestly and the fact that you can prepare for a healthy meal in a matter of minutes just by frying some eggs is forever awesome to me. You can always personalize everyone’s meal to what they like exactly by either adding some cheese, topping it off with some type of sauce or adding some bread or sausages just depending on everyone’s preference. 
• Honey Nut Cheerios Bowls, the great thing about cheerios is they are healthy and good for your heart but then the honey glaze on it takes it from your grandma’s breakfast bowl to now your toddler wants it always. This is honestly my go to choice of cereal for the girls they love it and on a day when we are totally running last minute on things its always my go to. 
• Yogurt Bowl a.k.a DIY wannabe acai bowls lol. I am a big fan of yogurts and especially love me a good ole smoothie bowl. The fact that you get to make it yourself, you get to put whatever twists and turns you would like, and mix whatever fruits taste best to you is a winner in my book. My personal favorite fruits to fix together are strawberry, pineapple and mango topped up with some frozen strawberry and granola you will be well fed until lunch! 
• Toasted Wheat Bread topped with peanut butter and banana! This is my personal favorite, its super-fast and easy to make and oh so yummy. 
• A fruit bowl, some days you just don’t have the time to be putting things on the fire or trying to look around for the perfect meal so a fruit bowl just has to do. Mix a few berries, grapes and even oranges and have yourself a tropical island in a bowl lol 

I am the most un-creative person when it comes to meal preparing or figuring out meals for the family. I have always learnt that breakfast is the most important meal, so I always make it very important to make sure the girls and myself get our first meal of the day and it be something good to hold us over till lunch time. I would love to know in the comments what are some of your go to meals for breakfast? Are you a breakfast eating family or do the intermittent fasts instead?

Its that time of the year again, time for the kids to head back to school and with back to school that also means packing and planning school lunches. If your child is anything like mine, they are probably eating you through the house at the rate and the amount they eat. Oh and I bet they are probably extremely picky eaters, with an opinion about everything they eat. So making lunches fun, delicious and nutritious is most important when packing school lunches in my household. Here are a few things I always keep in mind:

• I like to load up on fruits and veggies, I make the fruits and veggies fun and more appealing for my kids by cutting them into fun shapes. You can always make the fruit more enjoyable by keeping them frozen and added toothpicks or sticks to the end to make a fun fruit Popsicle.

• I also opt for Whole Grain options, changing up the bread for sandwiches from white bread to whole wheat options can add some more nutrition to your child's meal. Thankfully the world has come a long way, and whole grain options are endless and you probably can get anything as a whole grain option from bread to tortilla, the options are endless.  

• I make sure they always have protein options! Protein is an important nutrient for growing kids, so mixing in meat, fish, beans or eggs can add another element to the meal. 

• My kids are fans of dairy so this is easy for me to incorporate and hopefully is for you too! Like these Danimals smoothies or squeezable which are a good source of calcium and vitamin D and the fact they come in such convenient on the go-packs make them a nutritious  option to add in for any lunch box. 

School lunches should be fun and something your kids look forward to, and it should also be nutritious  and good for your child's body. Just making these simple changes can easily make lunch time one of their favorite meals, and gives you the parents a peace of mind knowing they will enjoy a nutritious meal. I would love to know what other ways you make a nutritious  lunch for the back to school season?

So just like that summer holidays are pretty much over, as a parent I know we are all so ready to ship those kids back to school and tag the teachers back in lol But for the kids it can be quite an adjustment to go back from vacation mode to now gotta get used to waking up early again, and prepared for the learning part.  So I thought I would share some ways we as parents can help them to transition from summer mode to school mode, especially for those moms who will be having little ones starting school for the first time this school year.

• Slowly start to transition into school schedule a week or two before school actually start, so that means starting to wake them up early or as close to the regular mornings so their bodies can start to ease into the regular schedule and their aware that there is a change coming up soon. 
• If you have a chance to visit with their new class, school or teacher so your child can interact and get a little comfortable or at least as comfortable as they can get before school really starts. 
• Getting them involved in the back to school shopping gets them excited and aware that its time to head back to school. So being able to pick the items off the school list and picking backpacks can really ease the transition from summer to school. 
• Have open dialogues about the new school, new class and new school year. Just having an understanding of how your child feels about the new school year, will help to know how you can help them and what ways you can help them transition and get them excited about it. 

Motherhood is one of those point in a woman's life that doesn't quite come with a handbook or manual on how to handle it. You literally are winging it everyday and hoping you are doing a good job. And it can be quite a transition to go from being pregnant and now having a baby to take care of, everyone talks about the physical parts of getting ready for a baby, and all you will need to make the transition easier for yourself and baby, but no one talks about how to mentally prepare for baby and lets be real that's the part you need more than anything else.

• Understanding that there will be a lifestyle change, no matter how little or big of a change when you have a baby you can expect that your life will change in some way. Understanding that certain luxuries and freedoms might be a limited, or are just gonna have to be put on hold for the time being due to a new baby. Also simple things like what you eat, even clothing will be affected, understanding that some of these changes might just be temporary and some permanent. Most importantly just knowing that when it could take you 5 mins to grab your stuff and get out of the door, might take about a good hour now lol. 
• Priorities are going to change, when a baby is added to the equation your life literally feels like it has stopped being about you and now about this new baby. So understanding how to prioritize things now, knowing when sacrifices are gonna need to be made, and learning to balance this new role with your life as it was before. 
• Have a clear understanding of the responsibility that is going to be entering your life, everyone knows that motherhood is definitely no walk in the park, but also no one also realizes the reality of it all. Having conversations with other moms, asking questions and just getting a clear understanding. A strong support of other mother's is so needed to be able to share with and learn from.
• Understand that postpartum health looks different for every woman, this is something most women still struggle a great deal with in society. According to the CDC 1 in 10 women experience symptoms of postpartum depression and a lot of the time, most women don't even know what these symptoms are. So just understanding that your postpartum journey and healing won't be the same as the next woman, so just talking to your doctor, and having a strong support system to see you through those bumpy rides. 
• Knowing that relationships will change, this is one that I had to really come to terms with. When you become a mom your life really changes and some of those changes affect relationships and friendships you have fostered over time. So be able to know when a friendship or relationship is dead and be open to letting it go. If not for anything but to enter this chapter of life with ease.