How To Unload the Dishwasher Fast depends on how your kitchen is organized. Be efficient by placing like with like and setting yourself and your family up for success!

Listen to the podcast while you work and think about what you can do to make your mealtime routines faster!

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1. Gather your laundry and supplies.
2. Prepare your children for the experience.
3. Take along activities for the children.
4. Take along a lunch plan for the children.
5. Fold your clean laundry into baskets.
6. Go home and put everything away.
7. Make sure your laundry problem is fixed.

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Why organize kid clothes?

Digging through a mountain of clothes in your child’s closet/dresser is a pain. Especially so if sizes are mixed, half the clothes are out of season, and you can only find half of the outfit you’re looking for on Sunday morning!

Keeping things (relatively) organized is the best way to save some frustration and make your mornings easier! And as a busy mom, anything that makes life easier… yes please!

Here are 5 Steps to Organize your kid’s Clothes:

1.      Keep a designated basket/box for outgrown clothes.

Whether it’s an empty diaper box or a cute decorative basket, keep an easy to access receptacle near where you keep your child’s clothes. When putting clean clothes away, sorting clothes, or just come across something that doesn’t fit- throw it into the basket.

2.      Sort through and put clothes away each time your child moves up a size. If you’re getting new clothes out, put the old ones away.

When your kid outgrows a size of clothing and it’s time to get out a new size, put the old ones away first! Some things may still fit, that’s okay. But once something is too small, put it in the basket, as time goes on all the too-small clothes will phase out of the dresser and into the basket.

Once a size is completely phased out take the clothes from the basket, sort items that need thrown away or donated and then store the rest in a tote in an out of the way space in your home.

By continually doing the work to keep too-small clothing away from the clothes that are actively being worn, it keeps your drawers clear for the clothing that you really need access to. And since you’re working at it as you go instead of all at once, it’s a much easier task.

3.      If clothes are out of season, put them away.

Same as with clothes that are too small, when the seasons start to change gradually phase clothes out.

As it gets warmer and your child starts wearing more short sleeves or dresses, throw the long-sleeved items and long pants that aren’t being worn anymore into the basket of unworn/too small clothes.  (keep a few pairs of pants and long sleeve shirts out for cool days, but put the majority away)

4.      Hang nice outfits, church clothes etc. keep the rest in drawers/cubbies/baskets.

I love dressers, so I sort each child’s dresser into one drawer for pajamas, one drawer for bottoms, one drawer for tops, and a drawer for socks & underwear.

My toddler doesn’t have a dresser, so we use a cubby shelf with organizer bins/baskets. Find a system that works for you and organize the clothes how you like!

5.      Don’t keep excess clothes.

Grandma bought clothes, aunty bought clothes, and your friend from work sent a garbage bag of hand-me-downs. You don’t have to keep it all! When you have too many things it just adds to the mess.

Sort through the clothes and keep what you like, what fits your life, and what your kid will be comfortable in. Put the rest in a box to donate or put in storage for the next kid. If necessary, make a list of anything else you need to buy to fill in your child’s wardrobe.

You’ve got this mama!

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Going outside with your baby + toddler

When you have a baby and a toddler, getting outside and doing fun activities can be hard. One child wants to run and explore and get into everything, while the other needs held/carried/in a stroller. It can be exhausting to manage!

It’s easy to dread going out with your babies, it’s a lot of work! But getting outside and having some active fun in the sun is incredible for your health and mindset, even if it’s just 15 minutes!

Getting out the door with a baby and a toddler:

Getting out the door is your biggest hurdle, but you’ve got this!

Check everyone’s diapers, grab a snack for your toddler, throw a jacket and some shoes on everyone and get out the door! But don’t forget your stroller or a baby carrier unless you feel like toting a baby around without a break for the next hour.

What am I going to do outside with my baby and toddler?

We love unstructured playtime outside, but it does get boring sometimes. So below I’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite activities + some that I want to do but haven’t yet!

Spring Activities for Young Children

Spring activities feel a little more limited to me. Where we live the weather is often erratic, with a few warm days and a lot of cool rainy days. Here are some of the things we love to do though!

• Walks in the stroller: We do this allllll the time. I have a double stroller that I just strap both kids into and away we go! I keep it short, so my toddler doesn’t get bored; and then let her run around in our yard and explore while I follow her around with baby brother still in the stroller.
• Riding baby bikes/trikes in the driveway: My toddler loves anything with wheels, so baby bikes (the kind with 4 wheels that she can propel just by pushing w/ her legs) keep her busy for quite a while! We also love our Radio Flyer tricycle that has a detachable handle I can use to push her around.
• Toddler led walks/yard exploration: Strap baby into a baby carrier and let your toddler run and explore in the yard/park/wherever. My almost 2yo could spend the whole day happily just running around picking up sticks, playing in the dirt, and constantly asking me “what’s that?” Guide your child to learn boundaries, safety, etc. but supervise without hovering, to let them explore and wander within those boundaries.
• Yard Work: Last year when my toddler wasn’t even 1 yet, our favorite spring activity was yard work! Picking up sticks, mulching, etc.. I’d let her crawl around the yard nearby, or sit in a stroller or pack ‘n play watching me. I didn’t get my work done very quickly, but it was fun! And Brynlee loved riding in the wheelbarrow or “helping” by throwing tiny handfuls of mulch from the pile into a bucket.

Summer Activities with Babies and Toddlers

Summer is one of my favorite seasons. Warm sunny days, where even if it’s going to be a hot one, you can squeeze in some outdoor fun first thing in the morning!

Some of our favorite summer activities are:

• Kiddie pool/sprinkler/play with hose
• Beach play/sandbox
• Camping
• Going to a 4-H/FFA fair to see all the animals
• Going to the park on playdates/swinging on a swingset
• Grilling and eating outside
• Exploring the farm and seeing all the animals at Grandma & Grandpa’s!

These activities are just a quick outline of what we like to do in the summer. Really though, our favorite thing is to just hang out outdoors with the people we love!

For just being outside and having fun, keeping outdoor toys and activities on hand will keep your toddler busy for ages! Some of our favorites are listed below.

Outdoor Toys & Activities for Young Children

• Baby bikes (propelled by feet), trike w/ handle
• Sidewalk Chalk
• Bubbles
• Balls of any kind
• Baby Slide
• Child size yard tools: trowel, rake, shovel, etc.
• Beach bucket w/ shovel (my toddler loves to just carry a bucket around and fill it with twigs, acorns, and rocks… had to teach her not to pick up deer droppings!)
• Sticks, rocks, mud, acorns, dandelions

Have Fun!

Being outside with yours kids is fun. Is it more work? Yes. Do I sometimes run in and out of the house 15 times before we have everything we need to be outside? Also yes. But it’s so worth it, and the kids love it!

You’ve got this, mama.

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Life with Littles

When you have young children and babies, it can be hard to find extra energy to give your spouse. 

The hardest for me was always the first 3ish months after having a baby. Newborns are SO needy, and when you breastfeed, they’re on your body all the time! 

Add in an active toddler, and you’re exhausted. You spend your whole day, every day, tending to the needs of these tiny people, and barely meeting your own needs. 

Nothing Left.

By the end of the day, you’re exhausted in every sense of the word. Mentally, physically, emotionally. 

I remember feeling SO drained at the end of the day. Bedtime was a nightmare with 2 under 2 at first. When I would FINALLY get the little ones to sleep, I’d drag my tired body to bed, without a shower because I was too tired.

Bedtime was when I finally had a moment alone with my husband to give him my attention, and I felt guilty that I was exhausted and had no energy left for him. 

I wanted to do better, give more of myself to my husband than the exhausted shell that was left at the end of the day. I needed time and space away from the kids, to give attention to myself and my husband.

Enter: Date Night.

We don’t have a set weekly date night or anything like that. Our schedules are too sporadic. But we try to go out together fairly often, usually 2-3 times a month.

It’s not about the date itself, where we go, or what we do. It’s about prioritizing each other and our relationship. 

We acknowledge that we need to be intentional about spending time together away from the kids. 

Sometimes I’m the one that says “hey, we need a date this week!” And other times it’s my husband who suggests it. 

Either way, it’s something we’ve talked about. Communication is important, and voicing your needs and expectations together is important too. 

My husband and I are both happier when we prioritize spending time together and talking in a setting where we can give each other our full attention. 

When mom and dad are happy, everyone in the home is happier. A happy marriage helps make a happy family. 

Beyond date night

Date night is our most intentional time together. 

But lately we’ve been squeezing in time after the kids go to sleep too. Just staying up a little later and watching a movie together feels good, we’re doing an “us” thing. Something that has nothing to do with the kids.  

Being intentional about your marriage doesn’t have to be serious, or a stiff scheduled date night, sometimes it’s as simple as sending funny texts or memes to each other throughout the day to stay connected. 

It’s so easy to get wrapped up with your young children and give them ALL of you. I certainly do it. Being a mama is amazing, but being intentional about being a wife too can be just as rewarding. 

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Coming Home from the Hospital

Bringing our babies home from the hospital was always SUCH a feeling of relief for me. No more poking and prodding and being woken up by nurses every 2 hours! Woohoo! 

This feeling was amplified x100 when I was able to bring Jasper home after our weeklong hospital stay following his birth. It was the LONGEST week of my life, and I have a huge appreciation for any NICU mamas out there or moms of babies with any health issues. You ladies are STRONG. 

Coming home is a relief! 

But it can also be a little scary.

I was excited and nervous to see how my 15-month-old daughter (Brynlee) would react to her baby brother. I knew deep down that she would love him, but she was young, and I was kind of scared she’d poke his eye out. 

Turns out she didn’t really give a hoot about the baby at first; she was just glad to have her mommy back! 

Home alone with Two under Two

Being home with both of my babies was one of the best feelings ever. It was hard when they both wanted me at the same time, but my husband was there to help. 

And then he had to go back to work…

Sharing mom

The biggest struggle I faced in those early weeks with my 2 under 2 was caring for my babies who both often needed/wanted me at the same time. 

Each family will face their own unique issues in balancing their young one’s needs. In the evenings, my two often wanted only me; leaving my husband unable to help like he wanted to, and me trying to juggle both babies. 

Urgent vs. Important

Since my days were spent with both children needing me simultaneously, I often had to choose which child’s needs were more urgent. Dirty diapers came before nursing the baby, and soothing the crying gassy baby came before settling the toddler for her nap. 

There were so many times when both would fuss or cry, and I’d have to make that split-second decision of who’s needs were more urgent.  I didn’t always make the perfect choice, and there was a lot of whining and crying in my life during the early weeks. But we survived. 

You have to do what works for YOU. 

The early weeks/months of life with 2 under 2 are spent in survival mode. At least that’s how it was for me. But taking it hour by hour and day by day makes it doable. Focus on the task at hand and remind yourself that every week will be easier as your children get older. 

It won’t always be pretty.

Instant oatmeal, microwaved lunches out of the freezer, and a thrown together freezer supper. 

Crying babies, huge feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion. 

Leaky boobs, covered in spit up, toddler wiped her face on your pants. 

I promise, it will get easier. 

Your biggest enemy right now is yourself. 

You HAVE TO think positively.

Wallowing in your overwhelm, complaining to friends, dwelling on the things that aren’t how you wished. These things won’t help you. YOU are the only person who can control your attitude, you can choose to make the best of your days or be miserable. 

Choose to stay positive and keep putting one foot in front of the other. 

The first weeks are HARD. But one day you’ll blink and realize that you’re doing it, and it’s easier.

Tips to Getting Through Tough Days

• Put on upbeat, uplifting, or inspirational music.
• Light a candle or diffuse an essential oil (lavender before baby’s nap time is my favorite!)
• Let go of your to-do list. Laundry and dishes can wait- focus on the essentials: Feed the kids, eat something yourself. Change the diapers. Don’t let the house burn down.
• Call for help: even if you can only get someone to sit with the kids for 30 minutes while you take a shower, DO IT. And don’t feel guilty about it.
• Nap when the kids nap: this can be hard, especially if your toddler and baby won’t nap at the same time. But on the rare occasion that they do- take advantage of it and sleep!
• Get out of the house. Some days all you really need is a change of scenery. If you have somewhere to go (mom’s house, and friend’s house, etc.…) do it!

For more tips on getting through tough days with a baby, check out this post. 

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I forgot I did family pictures with 2 under 2 (plus my 5yo step-son!).

It’s like that sometimes.

When you’re so busy with your babies and life, you do what you gotta do, and you just make it work.

In those months or years afterwards when you reflect, those moments come flying back and you think “wait, I did that?” How did I do that?! Wasn’t it hard?

Yes. It was hard. But in that season of life it was just another thing. Because everything was hard.

Making supper is hard, both kids whining, one hungry, one tired. You find a system that works and just DO. Not much thinking, mostly doing. Surviving.

We prioritize the things that are important to us.

Family pictures are important to me. My babies are little, and they grow so fast. I’d do anything to freeze a few moments in time.

We’ve done family pictures every fall for the past 3 years, each year adding a new member to the family.
The first year I was the new addition, Jack surprised me during pictures and proposed.
The second year, Brynlee was a baby.
This year, Jasper was the baby. 

Family pictures have become a meaningful event, capturing the changes and growth in our family over the years. 

It’s a day I use to acknowledge and be grateful for the changes a year brought. 

Family pictures can be hard, especially with 2 under 2

Doing family pictures with young children in general can be a challenge.
Doing family pictures with 2 under 2 (especially with additional children) is organized chaos.

Like doing anything with 2 under 2, preparation is key. Imagine your family picture day and identify ways you can prepare for it beforehand. Think of any issues you may have and prepare a solution ahead of time.  

Get yourself ready WAY earlier than you think you need to.

I laid out outfits days in advance. Had snacks ready to go and scheduled 2 of my sisters to come help with the kids during the photo shoot.

I had the kid’s things laid out and ready but got myself ready first. I was ready probably 2 hours beforehand so that I’d be able to relax and leisurely get the kids ready instead of rushing. 

Wait until the last minute to dress the kids. 

Toddlers are professionals at getting their clothes dirty, and babies have blowouts. I had everything else done but waited until 15-30 minutes beforehand to quickly throw their clothes on. 

Manage your expectations

I was hoping for some great pictures, but when it came down to it, I kept my expectations low. Bare minimum I hoped for just 2 good pictures.

Surely my little family could all smile at the same time for 2 pictures? Right?

Tips to a successful picture day

• Keep it fun: Plan special snacks for the kids and/or a reward for when you’re done.

• Plan supper ahead of time: Put a crockpot meal in, plan on going out to eat, or get takeout/delivery. Anything to make your day simpler. 

• Communicate your expectations with everyone. For example: telling your spouse “I need you home at ‘x’ time to occupy the kids so I can get ready.” 

• Pick an experienced photographer who knows how to work with kids. 

• Enlist help: To get a variety of pictures and pictures of just you and your spouse, it’s helpful to get a family member, friend, or babysitter to help wrangle the kids during your photoshoot. 

• Schedule a longer amount of time to accommodate for the kids. For my family pictures with 2 under 2 I scheduled a 90min time slot with our photographer. This gave us time to take a break in the middle of our photoshoot for the kids to warm up and have a quick snack! We were also able to enjoy our photoshoot without feeling like we were on a time crunch.

• Plan your photos in a familiar environment. We did ours in our yard. Plan either to do it somewhere the kids have been before or show up early so they have time to warm up and explore a little bit before pictures start. 

Have fun.

Picture day can be stressful for the mom. Planning outfits, getting everyone dressed, last-minute ironing husband’s shirt and trying to wrangle everyone out the door.

Keeping realistic expectations, planning ahead, and being prepared for that toddler meltdown will make the day easier on you.

Plan a special treat for yourself too, whether it’s a yummy coffee or tea, or a glass of wine. Picture day can be hard, add little bits of fun to it! 

You can do this mama, and the pictures are so worth it! (even if they were taken 4+ months ago and you still haven’t printed them. *cough-cough* oops.)

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