Tuesday thoughts about back-to-school

 It's a beautiful Tuesday!

What are you doing on this gorgeous day?

Thoughts of back to school are on everyone's mind.  We're in the middle of no tax on school supplies and clothing this week, and everyone is shopping.  

Young adults are getting ready to leave for college. High schoolers are finishing up their 40 hours of volunteer activities. Middle schoolers are gearing up for the awkward wonderfulness of the first day of school. 

The elementary school kids are getting their school supplies and are so excited!

Moms are worried about bussing and transportation.  It appears that there are a couple hundred bus-driving jobs available in AAC, because the students will all be starting school at the same time.  I see the wisdom, but it's a hard thing to deal with when you don't have those positions filled.  And no, I don't want to do it LOL.

With that being said, here are some REALLY great tips for getting your kids to school on time, written by Marissa LaScala and Caroline Picard of Good Housekeeping.

• Have a designated spot for all of their stuff.  You could do this easily with an Ikea trunk to sit on, and a couple of hooks.  This way, they have a place for jackets, bookbags, shoes, etc.
• Have your kids help pack their lunches the night before.  It helps to set the routine of getting to bed.
• Make it easy for them to know the time everywhere they go.  You can put one on the bathroom wall, the hallway, their bedrooms, the kitchen, and anywhere else you can think of.
• Simplify breakfast.  Have on hand cereal and fruit, granola bars, overnight oats, or frittata muffins in the freezer.  Just pop those babies that you made on Sunday night, and a bacon egg and cheese bite is theirs for the taking.
• My favorite one:  add incentives for getting out the door on time by saying on Friday afternoon, we can stop by that bakery and each of us gets a treat!

I think that these are great ideas and so easy.  I wish I had thought of these 15 years ago!

Happy Back to School, y'all!

It's Still Summer, and Your Skin Still Needs Protection by Brandie Bates

Brandie Bates is a local Mary Kay consultant and contributing guest blogger, and strives to help her clients have the most beautiful skin.  Skin care is her specialty, and because she understands the science behind the incredible formulas that are specific to Mary Kay, she's able to help you as time marches on, but keeping your skin looking youthful.

As summer is coming to an end, and this new school-at-home time commences, we still need to get outside and have family recess!  The sun doesn't stop just because school starts.  With homeschooling, you might find yourself working in the backyard in the cool of your patio, while your kids are doing homework in the yard.

Whatever you may be doing, you need protection from the sun.  You need Mary Kay’s line of  sun care products.

When you’re outside, you need all-over body protection, and Mary Kay Suncare SPF 50 Sunscreen is everything you need.  This amazing sunscreen absorbs so quickly, leaving your skin soft and moisturized.  If you have dry or sensitive skin, you can blend this with your regular moisturizer to add extra protection and moisture. 

With up to eighty minutes of wear that is water- and sweat-resistant, you’ll be able to get things done and not have to reapply it so often.  It’s a great time saver, and your kids won’t complain when they have to stop running through the sprinkler every half hour, which, when home-schooling, means that recess in September is just as much fun as being home on a Tuesday afternoon during summer vacation.

Another fabulous product for those who love the sun is Mary Kay’s Sun Care Lip Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 15.  Perfect for every season, it provides moisture for your lips and great protection from the sun.  Best yet, it’s fragrance free, so those with even the most sensitive lips can wear it with no problems.  Applying it to your kids' lips will be so much easier, and bonus, no chapped lips.

For the crazy days when you do forget to grab the sunscreen on those day trips for education, there’s cooling, refreshing relief in the form of Mary Kay’s Sun Replenishing Gel.  Non-sticky, it goes on like a lotion and moisturizes and heals your sunburnt skin.  Its light scent is perfect for anyone to use.  Best of all, it just feels so good on your hot skin.

Finally, for the moms who want the sun-kissed look without being in the sun, or going to a tanning bed, there is a perfect product from Mary Kay, called Subtle Tanning Lotion.  It gives skin the moisture it craves while subtly enhancing its natural tone for a healthy glow, and no dreaded streaks and blotches.  When used daily, you can build the perfect color in about a week.  The divine scent is a luscious coconut/honeysuckle fragrance.  It's perfect to use all year long, especially when you are looking to have a momentary escape to your favorite beaches when meditating.  Let's face it, with kids homeschooling, and you working from home, you'll be able to enjoy a few moments at your own private beach and come back with a tan!

As you can see, Mary Kay's line of sun care products are perfect for any time of year.

                    Time Marches On, But Your Skin Doesn't Have To.

With warmth, 
Brandie Bates
808-383-1338
Call me for your consultation today.  

Easing back into a routine AFTER school begins!

     There are all kinds of Getting Back to School Lists.  No matter how many times you get to go through it, those first couple of weeks are just rough; getting used to a new morning routine, hoping the bus driver remembers to pick up your child, after school snacks and activities, dinner, homework, and bed.  There are also the weekends.

What’s a mom to do?  You have to navigate through all of this WHILST maintaining your personal routine, and pray that your children sync with you, and not the other way around.

     

     1.Start off the morning with easy, fun breakfasts.  Here are 35 delicious dishes that you and your kids can pre-make for the week.  Some are even awesome for after school snacks.

     2. Pick simple clothes to wear.  I know you did back to school shopping, following the rules that the school sets, and you know you love those first back to school outfits.  Hopefully you set these out the night before with your children’s help.

     3. Bus, walk, or carpool?  If you’ve never put your kids on the bus, it can be a little bit anxiety-inducing, especially if you experience the bus completely forgetting about your kids.  Make sure you know where the bus stop is, and the best walking route.  If you carpool, make sure you know where the drop off area is, and make sure that your kids are ready to jump out as soon as you stop. 

4.  After School Snacks can be easy to make, delicious, and full of nutrition.  Here are 16 awesome snacks you can make with your kids, and so much better than snack cakes and chips.

5.  After-school schedules depend on your work schedule, and the personalities of your kids.  Some kids do well by coming home, getting a snack, and getting right to homework, so they have the rest of the evening to relax.  Other kids need to run and play hard right after school; all of that sitting and learning has made brains ready to explode because they need to move.  A snack, a physical activity, dinner, and then homework is a schedule that might make more sense. You’ll figure out pretty quickly what works for you.

6.  School night dinners can be pretty daunting.  I found that meal planning helped so much… Thinking about dinner 5 minutes after work is too much.  However, I know that not everyone plans their menus.  Here is a website full of possibilities, and I don’t think one needs to have kids in school to make these.  So many look sooooo delicious!

7. Evening routines can be so crazy.  Scouts, church night, sports, music lessons, and so much more can run havoc on those evenings.  Those are the nights you want to make your schedule as easy as possible.  Leftovers for dinner, clothes set out for tomorrow, and quick showers will help the next morning be easier, because your chores after dinner will be less.

8.  School lunches.  Crazy time, amirite?  So on the nights that look like the described ones in tip #7, plan for your kids to get school lunches.  Did you know that making lunch for your kids is a silent reminder of your love for them?  If you’re looking for something beyond the #basiclunches of #PBJ, this website is something you want to check out.  Easy to put together the night before, and so much fun to eat.  A simple love note on a post-it makes an extra touch.

9.  Homework is everyone’s favorite thing to do!  What do you mean, you’d rather be hung by your toes and have your leg hairs plucked individually from a scary buffalo-head-wearing salsa dancer?  LOL.  Having a distraction free area helps, but giving a 45 minute time period of working, and then 15 minutes of fun time, like a dance party.  Playing music with binaural beats can help focus; there is plenty from which to choose on YouTube.

10.  Time management is not an easily achieved skill for many people.  Helping your child put a schedule together is helpful in a kid version planner.  It may help the arguments as well, when you work with them to set up their schedule.

I hope that these different ideas help.Let us know!