Road Trip Survival Guide (from an expert mommy traveler)

We are on the go so often that sometimes when we load up in the car i have the tumble weed song from  Fievle Goes West playing in my head. Rollin, rollin, rollin, keep rollin, rollin, rollin, rawhide! 

Okay hopefully im not the only one that feels that way. Luckily i have been blessed with two great little travelers. These babes pretty much have been on the go, in the car since the day they were born. Both of them started their long distance car rides at just a couple weeks and the treks have just kept getting longer. Since i consider myself a travel expert i have came up with a few items that you MUST have to survive a trip via car. 

Lets call it the Rollin, Survival Kit

1.Back Pack To store everything in of course, 

2. I am pretty sure this is how miracle worker is spelled-IPad. I know this isn't in everyones budget but if you are brave and run errands and travel a lot with your kids I promise the investment is well worth it.  I can not even count how many times turning on sesame street or an app has saved both mine and Leightons lives.

3. mirror this is for the rear facing babes. It is so nice to know when Em is awake or not and to give me peace of mind that she is still alive when she has been quiet for a long time.

4. head rest this should be self explanatory.

5. coloring activities Hello best coloring inventions ever! So besides playing on the iPad, coloring can keep Leighton entertained for hours and the plus side to both of these, no mess! 

6. Mostly mess free snacks Because your littles will get hungry and you don't want to stop to feed them.

Even though stopping every 2 hours is recommended

7. Books Why not work on those ABC's while you have the time? Not only do we read but we play games. Find a letter or an animal etc. Its like having eye spy in your hands.

I'd love to hear what your road trip go too's are and don't forget to link up!

Have questions about traveling? Feel free to ask! Don't want to leave a comment?

Email me at hello@loveandlife-blog.com

  Hopefully you can find these tips helpful for your summer travels.  Make sure to check out the other mama's blogs for even more tips!  And be sure to link up with us below if you also have a post on this.

Like a Morning Cup of Coffee// From Here to Eternity// The Not Quite Military Wife//

A Cowboy's Life// My Delicious Adventure// Sadie Sky Boutique// Meet the Sullivan's//

Love and Life//  Foxy's Domestic Side// Everyday Love// Life of Faith

July 10:  Keeping your marriage alive with a toddler

July 17:  Favorite summer toddler activities

July 24:  Helping Your Toddler to Communicate (Words, emotions, etc.)

July 31:  Dealing with Separation Anxiety

Aug 7:    Car Trip Necessities

Aug 14:  Deciding when the time is right for baby #2 (and/or how to handle these questions)

Aug 21:  Tricks for eating out with your toddler

Aug 28:  Feeling confident as a mom (How to feel this way, Your struggle with, etc.)

An InLinkz Link-up

9 months!

My sweet sweet Emersyn turned 9 months old on the 1st of August. I couldn't believe it. How has this tiny little baby of mine grown so quickly. In three short months she will be 1! Okay I am going to pretend like i didn't just realize that. She is so little still. Really she is like having a real life baby doll at my disposal. She lets me dress her up, wears her bows, lets Leighton drag her around, push her, hold her and pat her on the head and she doesn't do anything but smile. I hope i don't jinx myself here but i can't say it enough, Emersyn is a dream baby. At 9 months old Emersyn is still wearing 3-6 month clothes. But don't let her size fool you, she has some chunky legs that we cant squish enough. She loves to smile, laugh at Leighton, clap her hands and stand. Yes, stand! She even took 3 steps today with out holding on to anything. (insert eye covering emoji here) I tried to pretend like it didn't happen, but it did. When Leighton was 9 months old we were encouraging early walking, i dont know why we wanted that girl to grow up so fast. I just want my babies to be babies forever now. Em is still a total baby when it comes to eating though. This silly little girl just wants to nurse and that is alright with me. If she is absolutely starving she will take a bottle even though she doesn't know how to drink it very well. She will ocasionally eat kale puffs, bread, or a veggie pouch but those moments are few and far between. Maybe with walking will come eating. We still haven't decided whether or not we should call her Emma. 9 months ago we thought thats what we would name her and here we are still calling her Emersyn. She just seems like such a unique spirit that she deserves a unique name to go with it. 

The Things My Daughter Says

Kids really say the darndest things. I about die several times a day when i hear what Leighton has come out of her mouth. Lately I have thought "I really hope i always remember this" So here they are. I am interrupting the regular Tuesday post to bring a list of crazy words from the mouth of a babe.

These are just from yesterday...

Cover your boobs! Cover your boobs!
(as i fed Emersyn Leighton tried to cover me up. Funny that Leighton knows no modesty herself though.)

It eats a boob, It eats a boob.
(This sent me back to silence of the lambs and uhh Leighton tried to feed Emersyn herself and all i could do was take a picture and of course it was blurry.)

Me- Can i have a kiss? Leighton- We May! and proceeds to kiss my face off.
(maybe just a little too much frozen around here.)

Motivate Me Monday- Be Happy, Be Kind

Leighton is rarely this sweet to Emersyn. 

But today she made her bed, gave her a baba and read her a story. 

Melt my heart!

I have mentioned before that my insecurities tend to get the best of me. I have been working on them and with that here are some new things i have discovered. The more i try to be kind to others the happier i am. Sometimes being kind is scary, not that i want to be mean but its intimidating to go out of my way to say hi to people or smile at strangers or start small talk with the person behind me at the store. We live in a world of busy individuals who don't have time for anyone around them. I have noticed the more i walk around with a smile on my face, hold doors open for people, say hello and compliment people the more i shock them, but hopefully they are all pleasant surprises. If you don't follow Whippy Cake, you probably should. Her blog is full of all sorts of beautiful and this month she is hosting the most amazing online event in honor of her birthday. She is asking to spread kindness. Check it out and this week as i make a conscious effort to be a little kinder i hope you will too.

 

Whats Separation Anxiety?

I am almost serious when i ask that question. Really separation anxiety is not something that i have had to deal with at all. Both Leighton and I came up with this understanding when she was born that we would love a lot when we were together and play hard when we were away. Okay not really but that is how it seems. My little Leighton is a social butterfly, whats the biggest butterfly there is? Maybe one from the rain forest. A queen bird wing or something like that, that is what she is. I can't believe i am going to post this on the internet, but that girl has no problem walking away with a total stranger. She loves everyone for the most part and really loves spending time with her cousins, friends and other family. Even her first week in nursery or first time being baby sat (at 3 weeks) she was like "see ya mom don't come back anytime soon." The lack of anxiety makes me a little sad at times but it is also a huge relief. I have spent several long weekends and even an entire week away and i knew she was alright. I hear a lot of moms say "well i am a stay at home mom so its really hard for my child to leave me." Maybe, maybe not. Personally I feel like a lot of it is in the parents attitude. I make it easy for both of us. Give me a quick kiss, have lots of fun, I will see you soon. I started our goodbyes like this since the beginning. I also really push building relationships with people outside of our home. Our girls love their grandparents, they have friends, we are social and out of the house regularly. All of these things will help them in the long run with whatever separation we may go through and the anxieties that can go with it. Sorry i can't be more help on the subject. I know it is a real thing, I know most children experience it as well as mothers and I hope that with all of the link ups today there is a lot of great advice on how to deal.

Dealing with separation anxiety can be tough for any mama.  Be sure to check out the other mamas in our series for their helpful posts.  If you've got a post on separation anxiety, don't forget to link it up with us below!

Like a Morning Cup of Coffee// From Here to Eternity// The Not Quite Military Wife//

A Cowboy's Life// My Delicious Adventure// Sadie Sky Boutique// Meet the Sullivan's//

Love and Life//  Foxy's Domestic Side// Everyday Love// Life of Faith

July 10:  Keeping your marriage alive with a toddler

July 17:  Favorite summer toddler activities

July 24:  Helping Your Toddler to Communicate (Words, emotions, etc.)

July 31:  Dealing with Separation Anxiety

Aug 7:    Car Trip Necessities

Aug 14:  Deciding when the time is right for baby #2 (and/or how to handle these questions)

Aug 21:  Tricks for eating out with your toddler

Aug 28:  Feeling confident as a mom (How to feel this way, Your struggle with, etc.)

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Favorites- Did Someone Say Sale?

It is still July and already the back to school sales are in full bloom. I would be lying if i said i wasn't on constant sale watch mode and I may or may not have put a few online orders in already. You see i am in middle of redoing my office, starting up a new business and well I just love to shop. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has almost been the death of my credit card but since we are being smart shoppers this year... its paid off already. Here are my favorites so far and if you haven't hit up the Nordstrom sale, what are you waiting for?! It ends August 4th and believe me you don't want to miss it.

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Motivate Me Monday- Realize You Are Blessed

Kaden and I have been struggling to find answers to some of the thoughts consuming our minds lately. All i have wanted to feel was peace and to know we can make hard decisions and that what we choose is right. Answers to prayers are not always so simple. Sometimes they are just plain hard and frustrating and there is not just one right answer. So with a leap of faith we think we have decided on what kind of life we want and how to go about obtaining it. Only time will tell how things will turn out but for now we are happy. After a long week of frustrating conversations and what not we took a much needed trip to our cabin and it hit me... sometimes you just need a break to remember you are already so blessed. Stepping out of our routine reminded me that i have everything i need. A husband who can frustrate me to no end but loves me more and more every day, even with all of my faults. Two beautiful daughters who are my world, the seconds in my days and almost all the joy that fills my heart. Nothing else matters except for them. Our lives are right and good as long as we are together. So my friends I hope this motivates you. Step out of your routine and count your blessings. They are there, your life is beautiful and even the most humbling of circumstances is filled with a life so worth loving.