Category Archives: Family

10 Dorm Must Haves

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Five months have passed since our daughter came home for Spring Break and never returned to school as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Here we are in early August and we find ourselves packing to head back to Notre Dame for move-in. Time sure does fly even when you are not having fun (although we have loved the family quality time this quarantine has afforded us). Move-in can be a very overwhelming time as dorm rooms are so tiny (most of them anyway) and it’s hard to imagine where everything will fit. Last year when our daughter first moved in, she had made lists of everything she thought she would need. Needless to say, many trips were made to Target and Bed Bath & Beyond for returns and exchanges. Remember, less is more, especially when living with roommates in very tight quarters. Here is my list of 10 dorm room must-haves for college students. It goes without say that in addition to these items it’s always smart to have a good supply of cleaning products on hand (Lysol, cleaning wipes, etc.), a first aid kit with essentials, an additional phone charger, some cute bedding and wall decor and an Amazon prime subscription for things they can order throughout the year as they become necessary.

Bedside 4-Drawer Storage Cart   By far my daughter tells me this is the best item she brought with her last year.  She says it’s the perfect place to keep her important items near to her bed. They come in different configurations and colors to choose from and they are a huge help.

Night stand

4-Drawer Storage Cart; $50 at Bed Bath & Beyond

Keurig Mini single serve coffee maker College students have a hard time waking up in the mornings.  Having the ability to make a quick cup of coffee in their room before they leave for class, saves them the time of passing by the dining hall or campus Starbucks.  These come in very handy and also come in a variety of colors.

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Keurig K-Mini Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker; $80 at Target

Over the door hanging mirror  This is also a necessity as there is no other place for them to look at themselves once they’re dressed anywhere in the dorm (I have been told this is super important).  My daughter’s room last year thankfully had one on the inside door of the closet, but not all dorm rooms have these.

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Over-The-Door Hanging Mirror; $25 at Bed Bath & Beyond

Command strips and wall ledges These were fantastic. We basically hung up EVERYTHING with these command strips, hooks and wall ledges. Just be careful when it’s time to move out as they can be a bit tricky to remove.

Command collage

Command Clear Variety Kit; $20 and Command Quartz 4 In. Floating Wall Ledges; $12 both available at Amazon

Rolling cart These can be used to store snacks, cleaning supplies, books, jewelry, just about anything.  They come in a variety of colors and the convenient casters let you move it around.

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Lexington 3-Tier Rolling Cart; $30 at Michaels

Foam mattress topper  It is no secret that the mattresses supplied in the dorms are super thin and quite uncomfortable. Your child will have a much better night’s sleep with a mattress topper.  It will make the bed feel much more like the one from home. Here is a good one, a bit pricey but definitely worth it.

TOpper

Therapedic Dreamy 2.5-Inch Serene Foam Performance Mattress Topper; $150 at Bed Bath & Beyond

Bed risers These are definitely necessary if your child’s furniture is not modular and cannot be lofted, which was our case last year. These risers will provide additional space below the bed for portable plastic drawers and allow for extra storage. You can even purchase ones with integrated USB ports and plugs.

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Bed Risers with Power Outlet and USB Ports – 7.25 Inch Size Furniture Risers; $35 at Amazon

Over the door hook rack  This is another item that we purchased last minute and was a huge life saver for hanging coats, robes and even towels.

Over door hooks

Home Basics® Over-the-Door Hook; $10 at Bed Bath & Beyond

Collapsible laundry basket These come in very handy, as again, space is very tight in the rooms and this basket can be put away in the closet or you can stand it up against a wall after you’re done using it. Any item that is space saving is a winner.

Laundry basket

SAMMART Collapsible 3 Handled Plastic Laundry Basket – Foldable Pop Up Storage Container/Organizer; $30 at Amazon

Mini Fridge And last but not least, all college dorm rooms need a mini fridge to store cold drinks and snacks as well as left over food.  I would suggest waiting until you can see the size of the dorm room as many of these fridges vary slightly in size.

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Mini Fridge; $160 at Home Depot

I hope you enjoy your child’s move-in experience.  I know we were all very happy when the room was completed and everything was in its place. I hope we have the same luck this year.

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Gifts for Dad

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Father’s Day is this coming Sunday, and if you’re still trying to look for some creative and different gifts for all of the special dads, grandpas, uncles, etc, in your life, here’s a quick list:

For the ice-cream loving dads, here’s a gift I think is pretty unique.  eCreamery’s Father’s Day Gift Packs. They offer very creative packaging with names such as Property of Dad and My Dad My Hero, and you can choose from a variety of flavors like Peanut Butter Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cups & Fudge Swirls, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cookies & Cream and Brownie Batter.

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Father’s Day Classic Collection, photo courtesy of ecreamery.com

For the man who enjoys wearing some bling, here is a very original braided leather bracelet, available at mynamenecklace.com. You can personalize by choosing the names of the children.

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Men Braided Leather Bracelet with Small Custom Beads in Silver, photo courtesy of mynamenecklace.com

I love the idea behind ManCrates.com. You can choose crates for all types of hobbies, from the chef to the sports fanatic. Man Crates has your manly-man covered.

Man crate

Beer Aficionado Crate, photo courtesy of mancrates.com

Another cute gift for dad from his young kids is the What I Love About Dad Fill In The Love Book Journal, available at Amazon. This is a great way for the little ones to express what they love about their dads:

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What I Love About Dad Fill-Inn Journal, photo courtesy of Amazon

For those dads that enjoy some snacking while watching TV or hanging out outside here’s a good choice, Man Snack Bucket, available at gifts.com.

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Man Snack Bucket, photo courtesy of gifts.com

For the dads that love to plan trips and travel (like my hubby), here’s a great idea, the Atlas Obscura, available on Amazon:

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Photo courtesy of Amazon.com

And last but certainly not least, here’s a cute idea for Dad from his little girl, a key chain and necklace set, available on Amazon:

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There is The Girl she Stole My Heart she Calls me Daddy – Daughter Keychain, Necklace Set – Father’s Day Gift

I hope you find some good gift ideas here. Wishing you all a wonderful Father’s Day with your loved ones.

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Backyard Fun

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Summertime is around the corner (in Miami, it’s already here) and the kids are getting restless. Especially after all of these months of quarantine. If you’re out of ideas trying to keep them busy, here are some fun activities for your pool or backyard/outdoor space.

I hope you and your families have fun with these outdoor activities. As for me, I am truly enjoying my pool time for now and can’t wait to get to the beach as soon as it opens up. Have a safe and fun summer!

Mom’s Day Gift Guide

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A bit of a different Mother’s Day is coming up in a few weeks, as the quarantine continues. While many of us may not be able to celebrate with our moms, we can still send them a little something to let them know how special they are to us (gift cards are always appreciated too)!  Here is my Mom’s Day 2020 gift guide:

I hope you all have a wonderful Mother’s Day this year and get to celebrate with all of the special moms in your life soon.

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Surviving College Road Trips

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It’s that time of year.  College acceptance letters are beginning to arrive and your child will soon be heading on a new journey.  All you can think about is how much you will miss them and if they are truly ready to be on their own. But first, they must choose a school, and choosing the right one will be a challenge for the entire family. It doesn’t help that the complete college preparation and selection process nowadays is beyond overwhelming for both parents and students. There are so many schools to choose from, so many scholarships and programs to consider, SAT/ACT scores, extra-curricular activities, on and on and on, and I will say, not every school is for every student, as with most situations in life.

Our daughter started college last fall and we are blessed that everything is going well so far.  She just headed back to school from winter break and was excited to return (a very good sign).

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Our daughter at the University of Notre Dame during freshman move-in weekend.

We visited several schools throughout the selection process and learned many lessons along the way, here are a few of them:

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Plan accordingly.
So many schools, so little time.  Make sure your child has done research and has an idea of what they are looking for and then as a family, decide which ones are on the short list.  Sometimes there are so many schools to visit, we as parents may try to cram in as many in one visit as possible. Please do not make this mistake. There is usually a lot of driving involved between schools. Additionally, visits can sometimes seem overwhelming with information overload.  At times, our daughter preferred to skip the information session and just tour the grounds (after a while, most of these sessions all start to sound similar).  Also, if you visit too many schools on one trip, you may risk your child being exhausted by the end and not really showing interest in the final few (this happened to us as well).  And if you live in the south, make sure your child visits schools up north during the winter months, as the extreme temperature changes will be eye openers for some!

PPPR Campus Tour Title

Have fun.
Just because you will be visiting college campuses does not mean you cannot have fun (a day trip to Disneyland was a must on our UCLA and USC trip). Visits are comprised of more than just information sessions and campus tours.  Our daughter and a friend from high school were on the same trip and they met up with some students from the university that had previously attended their high school. This provided a great opportunity for them to visit dorm rooms and get a perspective from current students.  Get to know the town, this may be your child’s home for the next 4 years. Where are the nearest restaurants, shopping centers, movie theatres, etc. Do a bit of sightseeing if time permits. There will be something captivating about each school, even those that will eventually get eliminated as choices.

College

Talk.  A lot.
In the evenings, usually while we were having dinner or settling in for the night, we would ask our daughter how the day went and if the school met her expectations.  Many times, schools that she was excited about were quickly dropped off the list and vice-versa.  But let your child express their thoughts and feelings and only provide advice as needed.  After all, this is (mainly) their decision.

I hope you enjoy your college road trips when the time comes.  I would love to hear how they went…

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Great Gifts for One-Year Olds

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My baby niece and goddaughter just turned one a few weeks ago…wow, time sure does fly! She is of course super adorable and I wanted to make sure I got her some cute, age appropriate gifts for her birthday.  It’s so hard to pick and choose, because there are so many cool toys out there, however, they are not always good for babies. After some research and remembering some of my daughter’s favorites when she was a tiny tot, I narrowed my list down to these top picks (just in time for Christmas too!):

  1. Princess Cozy Coupe 30th Anniversary Edition by Little Tikes  $55; sold at various places like ToyRUs, Target, Walmart or the Little Tikes website.  This adorable ride along is also available in various other colors as well.  The website says it’s for 18 months-5 years, but my niece is very tall for her age, so I included this item on my list because I think many one year olds could use it with the correct supervision.
  2. Baby Stella Brunette Soft Nurturing First Baby Doll by Manhattan Toy $27; Amazon.com. This first nurturing baby doll is ultra-soft, has cute, embroidered toes and belly button, and loves to cuddle.  Dressed in a soft onesie that is easy to change, with a removable cloth diaper and pacifier that attaches magnetically, it inspires creative role play for a young child.
  3. My First Purse Playset by Gund $12; geniusbabies.com.  My first purse, makes a precious gift, for little girls who love to play dress-up just like Mommy. My daughter had this toy and absolutely loved it when she was little. It was one of her favorite things to play with.
  4. Walk-A-Long Puppy by Hape $23; Amazon.com. This adorable puppy is ready for playtime, encourages coordination skills, balance, and active play. Toddlers will love taking this silly pup on walks. Non-toxic finishes and child safe materials.
  5. Anywhere Chair by Pottery Barn Kids $100; potterybarnkids.com.  These cozy and comfy chairs come in a variety of slipcovers both for boys and girls and can be personalized or monogrammed.  Also, the chairs are lightweight and have a handle for easy toting from room to room. Oh and machine-washable slipcovers zip off for cleaning. My daughter had a few of these in her playroom when she was young and she loved them.  Another nice chair of this type is the Nod Chair, offered by the Land of Nod.
  6. Caterpillar Spiller by Munchkin $6; fatbraintoys.com.  These Caterpillar Spillers are seven cups that link like a caterpillar, stack like a pillar and pour like a spiller. So much fun they’re sure to be a thriller! All toddlers love these types of stackable toys!
  7. Push N Go Car by Tomy $12; fatbraintoys.com. Speed off into sensory learning with a bulky red car and smooth-rolling wheels. Push down on the cool driver dude’s head, release, and ZOOM! The car goes speeding fast on gripping rubber tires! Bright brilliant colors excite the eyes while smooth contours and sleek stylings get the senses exploring. Encourages gross motor skills, cause-and-effect learning and imaginative play. All kids love toys that move.
  8. Wonder Walker by Hape $90; fatbraintoys.com. Little ones find confidence. Babies happily stand. Toddlers learn to walk. Appropriately named, the Wonder Walker is top-notch excitement on wheels. Set back wheels are steady and strong as your baby pulls themselves up to stand. Solid wooden construction, this rolling masterpiece is built for generations of developmental learning. As if pushing and pulling wasn’t enough, the Wonder Walker is decked out in stimulating hands-on fun. A wooden peg maze is such a delight to operate. Move the tree, house and car up and down the spiral path. Great toy for both boys and girls!
  9. King of the Shape Sorters Toy by Kiddopotamus $25; Amazon.com. Shape sorters are always a big hit with the little ones and this one is no exception with its large shapes that are easy for baby to hold and fit into the shape sorter and large reusable bowl that can be repurposed for many other fun ideas.  And of course the squeaker nose and cute lion face are adorable.
  10. Chunky Wooden Puzzles by Green Start $15; fatbraintoys.com. Perfectly darling puzzles for teaching early skills.  Puzzles are fantastic for targeting developmental skills.  These are bright and colorful and come in 5 darling selections – Silly Squares, Circle Garden, Swish Fish, Big & Little, Shape Parade.  My daughter definitely went through her puzzle stage and loved working on puzzles through the age of 5! I highly recommend these.

I hope my list facilitates your toddler toy shopping whether for birthdays or holidays. What are some of your favorite toddler toys?  I’d love to hear…

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Celebrating Mom

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Where has the year gone? I can’t believe Mother’s Day is in 6 days! I always have a very hard time shopping for Mother’s Day.  After all, in my opinion, Mother’s Day is everyday of the year.  How do you find just one gift to show your love, appreciation and admiration for that one (or several) special moms in your life?  And I think that’s why I always end up putting it off.  So in case this holiday has crept up on you too, and you haven’t had time to shop for that special “mom” in your life, here are some very nice gift ideas that I have recently come across for all types of moms, other than the usual homemade cards, flowers and breakfast in bed (although those are always appreciated too):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And of course don’t forget to tell your special mom how much you love her!  Have you bought your Mother’s Day gifts yet?  What are you giving the moms in your life?

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You’re Just A Mom?

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I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while, but I have to admit it’s not an easy topic for me to discuss.  I am a stay at home mom (SAHM) and my daughter just turned 14 (yes, 14).  While I can certainly go back to work at any time I choose, I think that decision should only be made by my husband and myself, not by anyone else.  I can’t tell you how many times I have heard, “So are you EVER going back to work? What did you get an MBA for, to stay home, you can make a lot of money.  What do you DO all day?”.  If I had a nickel for every time I have heard that, I would probably never need to go back to work. Here’s a quote that I have seen many times all over the internet, and it pretty much sums it all up for me:

Just a Mom...

I would never criticize women who work outside of the home, some of my closest friends have careers they love and made the choice to be working moms.  And I fully support them.  I also understand that many of them have to work if they are single mothers or if they have to contribute to the financial needs of the family.  Then there are the women who do not see themselves as SAHMs and do not have the “patience” (as I’ve heard some say), and would much rather work outside the home and have a nanny raise their children, even when they don’t need to work.  And last but not least, the women who truly value and enjoy their careers, and do not want to give up what they love doing to be at home raising their kids.  My point here is not to single anyone out, we should all be able to do as we please with our lives.  However, I  also do not appreciate when people act as if being a SAHM is a bad choice, or a lazy choice…it’s a personal choice.

When our daughter was born, I had a fantastic job, probably the best one I ever had, and we seriously considered if I was going back to work after my 3 month maternity leave.  For many personal reasons, my husband and I made the decision that I would stay home and raise her, a decision that I have never regretted and fully enjoyed for 14 years.  And no, not because I am lazy, or didn’t want to go to work every day and leave her at daycare (although I surely did not miss those pantyhose every morning). Simply because I very much enjoy being a mother and I did not want to miss out on any of our daughter’s milestones, especially since time goes by so quickly and I would never get those moments back. Of course I was blessed that we could afford to have this option, but at that point in time, as good as my job was, I simply was not passionate enough about my career to miss out on enjoying my daughter every single day.  And I also realized, that no matter how good I was at my job (I was very good) or how much my boss loved me (she really loved me), whatever your job is, you are expendable. You are a number. You can be replaced, and you will be replaced, eventually.

Now that my daughter is a teen and is much more independent, I have been seriously thinking of entering the work force again, at least on a part-time basis.  But I even find this decision a tough one, because who will be home with her during all the school breaks, holidays, teacher appreciation days, early dismissal (sometimes they seem to be out of school more than they are in), take her to doctor/dentist appointments, etc.  Am I really ready to miss her swim meets, school plays, and any other important event that may come up?  I’m not sure yet.

So yes…I am JUST a mother. Not only do I shape and mold my beautiful, smart, loving daughter to grow up to be a kind, responsible, hard-working, functional and respectable adult with morals and manners (which seem to be disappearing in today’s youth), but I also manage and maintain everything in our household, so that it runs smoothly, while caring for our daughter who relies on me for just about everything.  And I wouldn’t have it any other way. My heart melts whenever my daughter tells me that she feels so blessed to have the best mother in the world and that she would be lost without me.
Yes…I LOVE being JUST a mom…at least for now!

Photo Courtesy of RoseHill Design Studio

Photo Courtesy of RoseHill Design Studio

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Are you a SAHM (or dad)? Do you enjoy staying at home raising your kids or would you rather work outside your home?  I would love to hear.

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Sesame Street Day!

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075b4bd30206a5172e75cd67c83714aeWell who knew there was a day dedicated to Sesame Street? I just recently found out and I have to say, it’s a great thing. Sesame Street Day was first established in 2009 to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of its original broadcast. While the special day was initiated in New York, it is now recognized by thousands of individuals from around the world. In fact, the number of followers continues to grow each year. Sesame Street debuted on November 10, 1969 and went on to become the most widely viewed children’s program in the world. I remember watching Sesame Street when I was 5 years old and of course it feels like yesterday that my teen daughter was watching Elmo and Zoe dancing on the screen.  She loved that show so much, it was the theme for her second birthday party.

Here are some fun facts about the show that you may not know:

  • Big Bird’s height is 8’2.”
  • The Count’s birthday is October 9, 1,830,653 B.C.
  • In 1970, Ernie reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the timeless hit “Rubber Duckie.”
  • Ernie wears horizontal stripes on his sweater to make him appear more relaxed; while Bert wears vertical stripes on his sweater to make him appear more uptight.
  • Oscar the Grouch was originally orange, Grover was originally brown.
  • Big Bird’s teddy bear is named Radar, a nod to the character on MASH who always slept with a teddy bear.
  • James Earl Jones was the first ever guest star, he recited the alphabet.
  • All of the Sesame Street Muppets have four fingers, except Cookie Monster, who has five.
  • The episode with Mr. Hooper’s funeral aired on Thanksgiving Day in 1983. That date was chosen because families were more likely to be together at that time, in case kids had questions or needed emotional support.
  • In a 2004 episode, Cookie Monster revealed that back before he ate his first cookie, his name used to be “Sid”.
  • Most people know Rosita as the only Hispanic Muppet on Sesame Street, but few know what she actually is, a fruit bat.
  • The main focus of Sesame Street is a 3 apartment brownstone building (Bert and Ernie live in the basement). The show itself is filmed in Astoria, Queens, but the actual location of Sesame Street has been under debate for years (intended to be a neighborhood in Manhattan).
  • And perhaps one fact that I found very interesting was that Snuffleupagus, spent fourteen years as Big Bird’s “imaginary” friend. Whenever adults would appear, Snuffy would vanish by way of coincidence, and the grownups would disbelieve Big Bird that he ever existed. Because nobody believed Big Bird about Snuffleupagus, and parents tended not to believe their children about imaginary friends, producers were afraid that this disbelief would lead to children being afraid to speak out about sexual abuse.

I’m sure we all know someone who has learned their colors and/or letters by watching this show. So, who is your favorite Sesame Street character? Mine and my daughter’s is still Zoe (and Elmo too!)

Her two favorites!

Her two favorites!