Amanda Mushro — Page 15

Worry about yourself!

November 2, 2015 by amushro

Remember this adorable viral video? The little girl desperately tries to strap herself into her carseat, and when her dad offers to help, she barks back “Worry about yourself!” Girlfriend was on to something!

Parenting in this day and age means you are inundated with people telling you how you should raise your children and judging every decision you make. As a mom, it’s virtually impossible to make it out of toddlerhood without falling victim to the dreaded Mommy Wars. But enough is enough.

Let’s all say it together “Worry about yourself!”

Rather than keeping up with every mom on the block or taking a single side of the judgy-wudgy Mommy Wars, let’s focus on what we are doing RIGHT as Moms.

I’ve often said if I can get my kids through adulthood not marrying someone I hate or doing crystal meth, I will call this parenting gig a success; however, I have to wait a long time for that payoff. So, I’m taking the little winning moments where I can get them and focus on Motherhood: How I Know I’m Doing it Right.

My kids have just the right amount of unhealthy attachment– My kids love school, will happily stay with a babysitter, and will jump into any crazy inflatable jumpy thing or ball pit as soon as they lay eyes on it, but they always, always look back to make sure I’m there. Boo boos—they need me. A snuggle on the couch—me. Waking up in the middle of the night and need someone to vomit on — always me.
When they get a snack or a treat, they always ask for one for their sibling- It doesn’t matter if it is a handful of crackers at home, a lollipop at the hair salon, or a balloon at a birthday party, both kids always ask to take one for the other—always. *Drops mic* *Walks off stage* My job is done here, folks.
They’ve got each other’s backs – While I do not condone violence, I don’t take kindly to older kids picking on my babies. The day some older punk was pushing my gal on the playground, before I could make it over to her and go all Mamma Bear, my boy jumped off the slide, ran over to the hoodlum, and yelled in his face “Don’t touch my sister!” Pretty rad.
Everyone always tell me I have “happy kids”-My response is usually, “lucky you! You just missed their epic tantrum.” Truthfully, my kids are really happy. Most days you can find a sweet smile on their face. And much like their mother, they’re always ready for a party (as long as you have chocolate milk and cake).
They have a really weird and hilarious sense of humor- My main man’s favorite joke is walking into the room announcing “Mommy, I can’t hear you. I’ve got a banana in my ear.” That one slays me and I purposely buy bananas every week just so he can tell that joke with a prop; the potassium is just an added bonus. And my gal tops every outfit with crazy sunglasses, a cowboy hat, furry boots, and a glittery tutu just to make the most mundane tasks, like eating breakfast, fabulous every day. These kids are strange little birds, and they are all mine!

Friends, let me get all Oprah on you now.

Here’s what I know for sure: There is no one in this world who would do a better job of raising, loving, and caring for my son and my daughter. Just like there is no one that is a better Mom for your kids than you. So trust that and the choices you make over someone judging you for a position they are simply not qualified for.

Worry about yourself!

Super Easy, Last Minute Halloween Treats

October 25, 2015 by amushro

My kids have known for months what they were going to be for Halloween (a doctor and Super Girl–seriously their costumes are so stinking cute) and we’ve had spiders, ghosts and those silly cotton cobwebs all over our house and front yard since October 1, but somehow Halloween has snuck up on me AGAIN! In an attempt to get in touch with the Pinteresty- Mom I so long to be, sigh, and the reality that I have zero time, I’ve got five super easy, last minute Halloween treats that anyone can make.

Crazy Candy People-

Want to make a treat for your kid’s class that looks like you spent a ton of time, but is secretly super easy? Then Crazy Candy People are perfect. With a little hot glue or tape attach a lollipop to a tiny candy bar, use Smarties as arms and legs, draw a scary face with a black sharpie on the lollipop, and these treats will be the hit of the party!

Spooky Graveyard Pudding Cups

I love this treat because kids can help you assemble them while at their classroom Halloween party or at home! If you are sending this treat in, you could put everything in small baggies and give the kids instructions on how to assemble or put this snack together as a class. All you need is pudding cups, crushed Oreos, marshmallow ghost, candy pumpkins. What an easy, spooky, sweet treat.

Silly Spider Cookies-

Everything is cuter with edible eyes! Everything! Using your own sugar cookie recipe or the store bought from the tube, follow directions to bake the cookies When done, add a tiny peanut butter cup upside down and use a small amount of melted chocolate to as clue to attach candy eyes (you can find these at your craft store’s baking section). Dip a toothpick into the melted chocolate and draw on the legs. How cute are these cookies?

Mummy Juice Box or Squeeze Applesauce Pouch

Wrap white tape or crape paper around a juice box, applesauce pouch, or even a small water bottle and add googly eyes with a little bit off glue and you have an easy and adorable mummy!I LOVE these and my kids think they are hilarious!

Boo-nana

For this easy treat, cut a banana in half and put a popsicle stick in the bottom. Dip the banana in melted white chocolate, add tiny chocolate morsels for eyes and put in the freezer for 15 -20 minutes. Now you have a spooky ghost banana. Easy and yummy!

Happy Halloween! And remember, as a mom, you get half of all their candy and treats. It’s a rule. I swear!

Oh you know, just me on The Rachel Ray Show!

October 23, 2015 by amushro

In addition to loving a good life hack, I LOVE Rachael Ray–LOVE Her. Check my kitchen, I have her pots and pans, her knives, her adorable EVOO drizzle thingy (obvi that’s not the correct name), and ton of her cookbooks and magazines. I’ve bought her dog food for Suggie and I’ve eaten at a dozen restaurants based on her recommendations. Basically, I think she is just rad so when I was asked to film one of my life hacks for her show… I basically squealed like a little girl, forced myself to be cool..be cool, and plotted a way to make Rachael my newest BFF. Here’s the clip of my appearance on her show and a great hack for this time of year! As always, my kids are the scene stealers and I swear, my house always looks this clean (just don’t look behind the camera because that’s where we stashed everything.)

11 Lifehacks to Manage the Chaos in Your House

September 14, 2015 by amushro

When you’re a mom, you quickly learn to master the fine art of Mommy-Multi-Tasking. You need to make it work, make it happen, and make everyone happy. After having kids, I’m the Super Woman of multi-tasking. Did you know I can braid my daughter’s hair, kick a soccer ball to my son, chat on the phone with my mom, and plan dinner in my head all at the same time? It’s true, and in fact, right now I’m performing open heart surgery and making pancakes for my kids.

All this multi-tasking makes me feel like I can keep everything in this house picture perfect. Sort of like this:

But really, most days it’s more like this:

Even with amazing multi-tasking abilities, there’s never enough time to get everything done. Having a spotless house would make me really happy, but it’s just not realistic. However, I’ve got a few life hacks that will help you manage the chaos in your home and make the most stressful chores a lot easier.

Make garbage duty less of a dirty job by attaching small Command hooks upside down on both sides of the can and loop the drawstrings onto the hooks. Now your garbage bag will always stay in place! Also, line the bottom of the garbage can with yesterday’s newspaper to catch any spilled liquids and soak up odors.
Cut down on laundry sorting by throwing everyone’s socks in a mesh bag. Toss the bag in the washer and dryer and finally solve the mystery of where do missing socks go.
Are you thinking “I just did all this laundry and now I have to put it away?” Yes, you do, but I’m going to show you how to hang clothes in record time.

The witching hour in this house is right before dinner because the kids want to eat ALL THE FOOD NOW, and I don’t want them to spoil dinner with too many snacks. Ease those tantrums with small and healthy snacks while you whip up dinner with my snack bins in the fridge and pantry system. Find it here!
Does your kid have an army of stuffed animals that have waged a war on their rooms? Let them put all those stuffed animals inside a bean bag chair cover for a creative and practical storage solution.
Got a dumper in your house? You know, the kid that dumps all their toy bins the minute you turn your back. Simplify your storage system by putting a picture of a character or type toy that should go in each stackable storage bin. All princesses go in one drawer, trains in another, and blocks in another. Even the youngest dumper can help clean up by sorting the toys based on the pictures.
Have toys taken over bath time? Put a shower tension rod low on the back of the bathtub and attach hooked baskets. The baskets keep everything up and away and let the toys drain so you don’t have to worry about mold. If your kids are older, move the rod higher and store everyone’s shower supplies in the baskets.
If the floor of your vehicle looks like a buffet of snacks, dirt and things you’re not too sure about, welcome to the club, but there’s hope. Line the floor of your car with long rag rugs from the dollar store. The ridges of the rag rugs help catch all the crumbs and falling debris and cut down on vacuuming. You can even use blue painter’s tape or double stick tape to secure the rugs to the floor. When you’re ready to clean, shake the rugs out, throw them in the laundry, vow to never let your car get that messy again, break that vow the next day, and smile because this hack is saving your sanity.
Line all the cup holders in your car with silicone muffin cups. Don’t forget the ones in the back! The muffin cups are a perfect catchall for spills, change, and any surprises your kids left for you. Just rinse the cups when dirty and they’re ready to use again.
Dinner is done, but no one wants to scrub the pots and pans. Just toss a dryer sheet into your cookware, fill with warm soapy water, and soak overnight! The grease and grime come right off with NO scrubbing!
Keep your garbage disposal cleaned and smelling great by filling an ice cube tray with a white vinegar and few hunks of lemon, rinds and all. When the cubes are frozen solid, toss a few down the disposal and turn the disposal on. Your disposal is sanitized, has a fresh smell, and the blades are sharpened by the ice cubes

Now take some time for yourself to relax. Maybe do some yoga, or just wear yoga pants. To be honest, both make feel really zen.

Back to School and Back to Germs

August 27, 2015 by amushro

Since it’s back to school time, you can bet it’s also back to germs time. I’m looking at you, kid that keeps coughing and refuses to cover his mouth, and you, kid that keeps picking his nose behind a book. You’re not fooling anyone! As those big yellow buses pull away from the bus stop and you realize you didn’t put your kid’s PB&J into his superhero lunch box and your hoping no one sees you are still wearing your PJs during preschool dropoff, let’s all send up a silent prayer that all those coughs, colds, sniffles, goopey eyes, and other strange illnesses stay far-far-far away from our kids.

Even though we will try and try very hard, someone is going to get sick in your house this school year. But it’s all cool because you’re a mom that knows what your family needs when they’re sick: a little rest, a lot Mom TLC, and if they need medicine to help them feel better, you’ll find the right ones. But let’s talk about putting those reading skills to good use when it comes to choosing and dosing medicines for your family. Reading the drug labels before you give medicine is something that my friends at Know Your OTCs knows all about. Even if this isn’t your first rodeo, here are the key things to remember:

Reading active ingredients- When you or your kids aren’t feeling well, you might feel tempted to grab several different medicines to help you knock out all of the symptoms, but be sure to read all of the active ingredients in each medicine. You might not realize it, but you might be taking or dosing too much of the same medicine. Taking a pain reliever and a cough and cold medicine at the same time may seem simple enough, but these medicines might have the same active ingredients so this means you have doubled the dose of medicine without realizing it. Double the dose could be harmful to you or your kids. This just means we need to read those medicine labels to make sure we know which active ingredients we’re dosing.

Uses – You know which OTC meds work well for your kids when they have fevers and which OTC meds can relieve your worst headaches, but we have to remember that most OTC meds only treat symptoms and do not cure illnesses. Also, make sure you are choosing OTC meds that only treat the symptoms your kids have. If they don’t have sinus pressure, you don’t need the medicine for sinus pressure, right?

Warnings– Keep it simple: Keep that medicine up and away from tiny hands. An easy way to remember all the dosing info is to set an alarm on your phone. And finally, if an OTC medicine gives a warning that is might make your child sleepy, just put it down and find another. We all love a good nap, or a napping child, but it’s best if that nap comes from some snuggles from mom and not an OTC.

Directions- Even if it’s a medicine you have used a million times, read those directions! Some medicines just aren’t made for your youngest patient. Cough and cold medications are labeled for children ages 4 and over. If you have questions, always call your doctor.
Other Information- To refrigerate or not refrigerate, that is the question. Check the labels for all this info!
Inactive Ingredients- Now that you are checking all the active ingredients, do a quick check of the inactive ingredients too (especially if your child has allergies).

If you are ever concerned that a child has gotten into an OTC medication accidentally, call poison control immediately: 1-800-222-1222

This post is sponsored by the CHPA educational foundation, KnowYourOTCs, but all opinions are my own.

Staying Organized with Snack and Lunchbox Stations

August 26, 2015 by amushro

“How was your day?”

“What did you do?”

“What made you laugh today?”

“Who did you sit by at lunch?”

These, along with 50 other questions, are what I fire off at my kids the very second they get home from school. Some days my kids rattle on and on about the happenings on the playground, but more often they simply give me a few grunts, blank stares, and mumble “I’m hungry. Can we have a snack?” If I leave those two to their own food scavenger hunt, they will dive head first into the pantry, eat a bag of chips, and plop onto the couch in a carb comma until dinner. So I created a snack system that carried over into the kids helping to pack their own lunches in the morning. Now I know they are getting yummy, healthy, and proportioned snacks after school and the dreaded task of packing lunches, has gotten so much easier. Add these to my list of back to school parenting hacks to make snacking and lunch box packing a breeze.

Create a Snack Station

Use small plastic storage containers as your designated snack bin (I got mine at the dollar store)—have one for the fridge and one for the pantry.

For the fridge, pack the container full of snacks your kids love: yogurt, cheese, cut up fruit in sandwich bags, fruit cups, veggies and dippers like hummus, peanut butter or ranch (use small to-go condiment containers for the dips), small portions of meats in sandwich bags, juice and milk boxes and small bottles of water are just a few ideas.

For the pantry bin, portion out bagged snacks like chips, crackers, and trail mix and throw in applesauce, raisins, and granola bars.

My kids know they can have two items from the fridge and one from the pantry. I try to only refill the items once they have eaten everything. This way I know they are getting some variety of food after school. With Snack Stations, I know my kids aren’t over eating and won’t be full on snacks and ignore dinner.

Create a Lunchbox Making Station

Depending on the storage space in your kitchen, use either small, plastic stackable drawers in the pantry or baskets to organize each menu item. While I’m packing their “main course,” the kids are choosing what else will go in their lunchbox based on the numbers listed outside the drawers or baskets. You can use chalkboard paint just a sharpie to write the number on the outside of the container. The rule in this house is they don’t have to take everything, but they need a variety and cannot take more than the actual number (unless it’s a fruit or veggie, then take as much as you want—a mother can dream ,right?)

In the Pantry

Drinks (in addition to water): 1

Salty, Crunchy snacks and crackers (individual bags that I proportioned or the lunch size):1

Apple sauce, fruit cups: 1

Special Treats like fruit gummies or a piece of chocolate: 1

In the fridge

Different cheeses: 1

Yogurt and yogurt drinks: 1

Fruits and Veggies: 2

This system allows them to make choices on what they want to take and they are being responsible (and saving me time) by packing their own lunches.

Also I use command hooks inside the pantry door to store their lunchboxes when they aren’t in use,

I designate a drawer that has everything I need to put their lunch together in one place: plastic utensils, napkins, sandwich bags, and little Post-Its and pens so I can write little notes to my kids. Since my kids are really little, I draw silly pictures and it makes them laugh, which is always rad.

All this talk about snacks has me hungry! Looking to make breakfast a little easier? Check out my breakfast sanity savers!

Back to School Life Hacks

August 11, 2015 by amushro

Sometimes I lie in bed in the morning and calmly think “It might not seem like it now, but we’re already late.” And within twenty minutes, I’m throwing shoes and socks at kids while I bark orders like “Did you brush your teeth? Come breathe on me so I can check.” But not this year, friends. This year this mom is embracing all the sanity savers and parenting hacks to protect my precious sanity and shave a few minutes off our hectic day. Back to school is serious stuff. Just ask these two.

Here’s a few parenting hacks to make the school year start a little smoother.

Breakfast Hacks

Easily cook a dozen eggs for breakfast sandwiches by baking eggs in a muffin tin. Using a lightly greased muffin tin, crack one egg into each cup and bake for 15 minutes on 350 degrees. Build your sandwich with English muffins, cheese and ham. Freeze the sandwiches and wrap in foil for later or heat and enjoy.

Cut down on breakfast mess by mixing pancake mix for the week and putting it into several freezer bags and store in the fridge. Be sure to leave room for the batter to expand. When ready to make, cut a bottom corner of the freezer bag and squeeze the mix into a hot pan.

Have a breakfast smoothie any morning by chopping up and freezing all the ingredients for a smoothie in a individual sandwich bags. When you’re ready, grab a bag and throw the ingredients into a blender and enjoy!

Serve yummy oats and not cook a thing! Mix equal parts milk, yogurt and rolled oats with a banana and some cinnamon. Place in the fridge overnight and in the morning, add fruit or nuts and serve.

Lunchbox Hacks

Never run out of ice packs for lunch boxes again! Grab kitchen sponges from the dollar store, soak in water, place in sandwich bag, and freeze for effective and cheap ice packs.

Never worry food in a thermos isn’t still hot at lunchtime. Fill the thermos or can with almost boiling water and put the lid on. Let it sit while you pack lunches or serve breakfast. Heat the food hotter than you would normally serve it. Dump out the hot water and add the food. Now you have hot food stored in a warm thermos. Perfect for a hot lunch!

Use that thermos for food other than soup. Heat chicken nuggets in the microwave and store in a hot thermos. They will be warm and yummy when your kids are ready for lunch. Just don’t forget the ketchup.

Keep apples from turning brown by using a knife or apple corer/slicer to cut around the core. Put the apple back together and wrap a rubberband around the apple. The apple will still be fresh at lunch.

Clothing Hacks

Choose outfits for the entire week and store each outfit in a section of a hanging sweater organizer. Be sure to include socks, underwear, and hair accessories to make the morning even easier. Write out the days of the week and post on each section for extra site word practice!

Loop a soda can tab on a hanger and attach another hanger to the other side of the tab to create a double hanger. For after-school activities, hang all uniforms pieces and practice clothes on these hangers to save closet space and stay organized.

Bathroom Hacks

Cut an over the door shoe organizer to fit inside a door of a bathroom cabinet. Give each child a row on the organizer to store all their hair brushes, hair products, hair accessories, tooth brushes,tooth paste, or anything else they use to get ready in the morning.

Affix a magnetic strip to the inside of the cupboard door and attach bobby pins and hair bows to the strip to save space and help with organization.

Never lose a hair elastic again by using a caribbeaner clips to store hair elastics and ribbons.

At the Door Hacks

A decorative silverware organizer is perfect to leave by the door so each family member can always grab what they need before heading out the door: phone, keys, ID tags, headphones, wallet, and even a stain remover stick

Change the locked picture on your phone to a written note with your kid’s schedules, pickup times, and drop-off times for a quick reference at the beginning of the year.

Use command hooks or decorative towel hooks inside a closet or on a wall to create a backpack nook. This gives kids the perfect place to hang their backpacks

Create a “last minute” station using milk crates near the door. Using shoeboxes or plastic containers, store socks, hair accessories, change, and quick grab snacks like applesauce pouches or granola bars for those last minute needs.

Homework Hacks

Create a portable homework station for each kid by filling binders or shower caddy with with everything they need to complete homework: pencils, crayons, scissors, glue, and paper. This is great for younger siblings that want “homework” too.

If you don’t have a desk for homework time, use an inexpensive shoe rack to create shelf space on a table

Create a “Mom Command Center” in your kitchen so everything you need to stay organized is in one place: start with a large dry erase board or chalk board paint to create a calendar, folders for all school forms going in and out, places to store kid’s art work, a place to menu plan, and a docking station for your phones, tablets and computers.

Cover all your bases by setting the bookmark on your phone or tablet to all those important sites you’ll visit every day like the school website, Today Show for news and Wake Up with Al for weather.

So here’s to a new school year, never missing the bus, and not having to ask your kids to brush their teeth five times!

This post was originally featured on The Today Show Parenting Team-– check out all of my posts on The Today Show!

Tips for Caring for Curly Haired Kids

August 5, 2015 by amushro

The 80’s and early 90’s weren’t kind to a young gal with curly hair like me. There were lots of bad perms, Christmas tree shaped haircuts, fluffy poodle mullets, and years of school pictures that will never see the light of day. So years later when the Curly Hair Gods smiled down upon me and gave unto me a little curly haired girl, I was thrilled when every single day she woke up like this:

I’m totally kidding! Most days this is how she wakes up. Yikes! Pass the coffee and the leave in conditioner!

On these mornings, her hair looks exactly how I feel, but I was determined to figure out the best and easiest way to style her hair so that my girl would always love her wild and fabulous curls. So here’s what we’ve learned:

Just say NO to shampoo– For curly kids you need lots of moisture in their hair. We only wash my daughter’s hair every 2-3 days, and when she is due for a wash, we only use a moisturizing conditioner and skip the shampoo. Try shampooing just once a week for bouncy, fun curls.

Throw in the Towel- Wrap your kiddos up in a fluffy towel when they get out of the tub, but keep that towel away from curly hair! Since curly hair is so fragile, a regular towel is too heavy for curls and can cause a lot of frizz. Instead, grab and old t-shirt and lightly dry their hair with the t-shirt.

Tools of the trade– Detangling after bath time used to take forever and there were lots of tantrums and tears (mostly that was just me). Now we use the Wet Brush or a wide tooth comb and detangling is no big deal. Do you have a brush? Get rid of it. Seriously, brushes and curly hair do not mix. Don’t believe me? Don’t make me show you my second grade school picture. *shivers*

Bottoms Up- Detangle from the bottom and don’t start at the roots! This causes damage and frizz plus it just hurts! Instead, pile the hair on top of your child’s hair with a clip and work in smalls sections. Working an inch or two from the bottom of the hair near the neck, detangle with your fingers or the Wet Brush. Then move up a few inches and so on. As you finish each section, wrap the hair around your finger to help the curl bounce back.

Morning Bounce Back- My girl’s hair always looks best right after a bath, but who has time for all that work in the morning? Not us! So we’ve created a new system to freshen up her curls. Using a spray bottle with water and conditioner wet the hair. Use your fingers or Wet Brush on hair that is tangled or fizzy. Grab small sections and wrap the hair in a spiral motion. This helps hair to bounce back and regain it’s shape. Air dry wet hair as much as possible, but if you’re in a hurry or for a little extra volume, flip hair upside down, use a hairdryer with a diffuser attachment (never without!) until hair is 80% dry. Too much heat is a no-no for curly hair.

Coiled Care- Deep condition once a week but there’s no need to spend a fortune on expensive treatments. We just lather up the conditioner, put a fancy shower cap on, and let my curly kid play in the tub while those curls get the much needed moisture.

Up Do Safety– Only use ribbon elastics for ponytails and braids. These will cause minimal damage and won’t get tangled in curly hair like regular hair elastics and rubber bands.

Style Tips- When it’s time for a haircut, find a stylist that is comfortable and experienced with curly hair. This makes a HUGE difference, and I usually ask the salon manager for their recommendation. Also sometimes finding the right product takes a lot of trial and error, but stick to sulfate free shampoos and conditioners and think less is more when it comes to hair products. Right now we are using a light weight foam cream that is working well with her hair.

I love her curls. I want her to love her curls. And I promise, no fluffy poodle mullets for either of us. Ever.

I’m On NickMom!

July 30, 2015 by amushro

When I was a brand, spanking new blogger, I pitched an idea to NickMom and patiently waited for a response. Then I got one: A BIG FAT NO. That’s the thing about being a writer, you hear lots of “nos” all the time. I would venture to say we hear more nos than we do yes, but this particular no really bummed me out because I loved the site and wanted a spot on their contributor list.

So I boo-hooed for awhile, and planned on never pitching an idea to NickMom again. But recently I got a little inspiration from another writer that “no” really means “not now.” I love this idea: “no” really means “not now.” So I submitted another idea, NickMom said yes, and I did a roundhouse kick in the air and landed in a split because I was so stinking happy.

Long story longer, here’s the post I’ve going celebrated by eating every cookie in this house. So head over and check out The Nine Thoughts Every Mom has at the Pool