Really excited to be working with General Mills today to talk about how we’re getting ready for the FIRST year we’ll have 2 kids in elementary school, and how we’re hoping to keep chaos to a minimum.
The morning rush before school can get loud and panicked at our house real fast, and that was with only ONE child to get out our door and into the school doors by 7:25 am every day. (Yeah, I’m still bitter about that super early start time.)
Honestly, I’m really scared of how it’s going to be with two of them this year. I don’t want the new normal to be sending them both off to a full day of learning after we all yell at each other and run around trying to find what we need.
Mornings are going to have to change, and mostly that means that Kendall (8 years old, going into 3rd grade) is going to have to step it up and be more self sufficient. He’s 100% capable of doing this.
I think so much of his success will depend on how well we empower him, so we’ve got a three-step morning routine that we’ve laid out for him, and we’re doing everything we can to make it an easy transition.
1. Pick Your Clothes, Dress Yourself
Yes, my 8 year old son will still gladly let me pick out his clothes for him. And this is great sometimes, except when he relies on it. What will be even better is if he can choose what he wants to wear the day before, and then set it out so it’s ready to go.
How we’re supporting him: We hang outfits- shirts and shorts/pants – together on the same hanger so he just has to grab a hanger of clothes and he’s good to go. We also provide the kids a single place in the house where shoes (are supposed to) go, hopefully eliminating the frustrating shoe search. We call it the shoe closet, it’s downstairs under our staircase, and yes, it smells awful.
2. Wake To An Alarm
Probably the BIGGEST change is we’re going to expect him to wake to an alarm clock (and not one he calls mom or dad), get those clothes on, and get downstairs in a reasonable amount of time. We’re simply not going to have the time to micromanage two kids in the morning, especially once baby #4 gets here in December.
How we’re supporting him: Luckily, he seems to be buying my story about how the alarm clock is a huge right of passage and totally equals growing up. For now. We also bought him a basic, easy to use alarm clock with no extra features and big numbers. May possibly move it across the room depending on how quick he figures out the snooze button.
3. Make Your Breakfast, And Help Your Sister Make Her’s Too
Breakfast is not our favorite meal of the day around here. I don’t make hot breakfasts for the kids, and they don’t ask for them. It must be genetic because I have never enjoyed bacon & eggs for breakfast. BUT we do recognize that it’s a very important meal, especially for kids, and we always make sure the kids eat before they go to school.
We love keeping General Mills Cereal in the pantry. I don’t feel any guilt over my kids’ first meal of the day being cereal because kids who eat cereal are more likely to meet daily requirements for key nutrients, and it’s the number one source of vitamin D and calcium.
I am also mega impressed that their Big G cereals contain more whole grain than any other ingredient, and by how hard General Mills is working to remove artificial flavors and colors from artificial sources from their cereals.
“Cinnamon toast crunch uses real cinnamon, Cocoa Puffs & Reese’s Puffs use real cocoa, and Honey Nut Cheerios uses real honey for flavor. For color, Trix and Fruity Cheerios use extract from blueberries, purple carrots, and turmeric.” – General Mills
Plus? Kendall can TOTALLY get a couple bowls, spoons, boxes of cereal, and milk out, and make his sister and himself some breakfast, which is going to be immensely helpful mornings I’m stuck on the couch breastfeeding a newborn and finding the toddler’s favorite Netflix show while their dad is out of town.
How we’re supporting him: We always let the kids each pick out their own favorite box of cereal, and now we’re keeping them in the pantry on a shelf that is within their reach. We also moved some cereal bowls and spoons right next to them.
We’re hopeful Kendall will embrace these three steps quickly, and not only will our mornings be easier because of it, but he’ll feel proud of himself. It’s a little daunting to take that leap where you go from doing everything for your kid (I mean, last year I put his socks and shoes on him while he ate the bowl of cereal I poured him) to expecting them to do it themselves. I think I need to get out of our way here, though. He’s got this.
Big thanks to General Mills for sponsoring this post, and also for making a breakfast option that makes my life so much easier with no guilt attached.
When this box of clothes arrived on our doorstep, Leyna was an immediate fan girl. She’s seen me get many a style box full of fashion for me before, and she was so pumped THIS one was for her.
The colorful box, filled with clothing from brands like Limited Too and Seven for all Mankind (along with a couple small toys, stickers and crayons) was sent to us by Kidbox. We are working together to tell you all what this kid’s style box service is all about, and I’m pretty sure a lot of you are going to LOVE it.
At the age of 5, she has serious opinions about her clothes. And this makes shopping with her equal parts adorable and fun/ tedious and frustrating. Unlike her older brother who will still let me dress him every day, she loves to be included, so when I sat down to fill out her Kidbox style profile, I made sure to have her join me.
She helped me choose her “colors to avoid.”
I really wish white would have been an option because life in the Krause family, but the white pieces they did send her are actually adorable enough to make me buy and use a stain stick.
We made sure to reject any denim jeans because Leyna does not do zippers and buttons on pants. I’m certain this is an aversion brought on by years of never actually being able to stuff her chunky butt into anything other than soft and very stretchy leggings.
And she chose her own style personality as Modern/Fab because pink twirly skirts, of course.
I went into this with zero expectations, but was really impressed by how much GREAT stuff was packed into that box for $98. These are high-end brands and really quality and durable pieces. At retail, even on sale, these would ring up for much more altogether. PLUS there is NO styling fee.
Leyna, of course, felt strongly about many of them – mostly good, but there was one dress she deemed “not pretty.” We could choose to send that one back, but I’m going to go ahead and keep it to either donate or see if she changes her mind… as she is wont to do. Plus, by keeping the whole box we get to help send new clothes to children in need. More on that further down.
You certainly don’t have to keep the pieces you or your child doesn’t like, though. Login to your account to let them know what pieces you’re returning, then put them in the prepaid shipping envelope they provide in the box and send them back. You won’t be charged for those.
Here are a few of the pieces she definitely loves.
What she does not love, as has already been established, is taking a ton of pictures for me.
Kidbox ships out boxes 5 times a year- spring, summer, back to school, fall and holiday. You can choose to have yours automatically shipped, but you don’t have to. OH! I think I forgot to mention that shipping is free, too!
The best way to keep up with when they are shipping new boxes is to subscribe to their newsletter.
Coolest part of this, I think, is that when you keep your Kidbox, they work with K.I.D.S/Fashion Delivers to provide brand new clothing to children in need. You have the option of choosing where those clothes go, too! Causes are always changing, sometimes directing to children affected by national disasters.
It’s a fantastic way to discuss giving with your child, and to give them some ownership over that. That part made ME a fan girl.
If you still have questions about how Kidbox works, or wonder if it’s a good fit for your family, they have a thorough FAQ page that should help.
I’ll end with this fun video I hired Leyna to help me with. Always hired, never bribed. Ha!
This post was created in partnership with Kidbox. Compensation and product were provided.
When I finally opened the enormous plastic tub full of all my maternity clothes after Scott retrieved it from the attic, I turned to him and said, “Yeah… this isn’t going to work. None of this is going to work.” I guess I forgot how really awful 95% of it was.
To be fair, some of it wasn’t really awful almost 9 years ago when I first bought it. NINE. YEARS. AGO.
But some of it has always been awful, and I just… I don’t want to spend my last pregnancy (no SERIOUSLY THIS IS IT) in awful maternity clothes. So I saved the few staples that still functioned and looked good, and donated the rest.
Now I have a pretty trim selection, but I am enjoying filling it in with pieces I really love. I may have to wash those pieces every week, but dammit, I love them.
Part of my new maternity wardrobe includes 5 pieces I’ve received from 2 Stitch Fix boxes, and I’m going to share those below. Everything I’m wearing from SF is a size medium/8. All SF links are affiliate.
My first maternity box wasn’t a home run, but it brought me two pieces that I was super happy to keep. The first, the black dress I’m wearing above, is by Loveappella and was $88. I wore this last week in Santa Fe (where this picture was taken- at the El Dorado hotel) for my Keynote speech at the Type A conference.
Here’s a different view:
I love the subtle ruching on the sides and that it’s lightly lined. It’s a substantial dress that is perfect for dressy occasions.
The second piece from my first box are these Kut From The Kloth distressed denim shorts for $68. The are an under belly panel, and crazy comfy with plenty of room to grow.
I’ve paired them with this amazzzzzing flowy black top by Daniel Rainn (the Ivanova Maternity Blouse for $68) from my 2nd box. It is so boho and soft, but also a great summer staple. Seriously obsessed. I’ll take this in 3 more colors, please.
Note: The thing about my first box is they sent me to a special “maternity” stylist. I’m sure she’s lovely at what she does. She did send me two pieces I instantly fell in love with. But my regular stylist? I’ve been with her for a year and a half. I love her. I never want her to leave me. She gets me.
So I got her back for my 2nd box, and I knew she was the one who picked everything before I even looked at the note!
So, all that is to say if you have a stylist you really super love, leave a note saying you don’t want to be passed off to the maternity team. I think/hope that will keep you with them.
Anyway, back to the clothes. Those shorts are actually denim jogging shorts from the juniors section at Target. Yes, they have an elastic waistband. I heart them. (And bought them a size up – L – so I have room to grow this summer.)
The top is Misimu Maternity Ravenscroft Split Neck Blouse for $48. I love how long it is! I specifically kept it because it’s plenty cool for the summer, but will also look adorable with a cardigan over it this fall.
The final piece I kept from my second box is this navy blue Eight Sixty Gabre Eyelet Knit Maternity Dress for $88. Another super comfy piece that also looks professional when dressed up. I have quite a few work related trips coming up, so this will be in heavy rotation. Once it gets chilly, I can throw some leggings under it.
Now, if you’re balking at the prices, let me say a few things.
I’ve been using Stitch Fix for over 2 years now. I rarely blog about it because my real life reality is that I’m rarely dressed with hair and makeup done at a time when I can get my husband to take pictures of me. Most of the time, when I look like this, we are running late to something and I’m lucky to make it there without someone spilling their snack/juice on me.
Over the last couple years, though, Stitch Fix has helped me find my style! I mean, I had no idea I even had one. Now, nearly every single piece in my (very scaled down and minimized) wardrobe is from them. I’m a huge fan, and I’m SO happy their maternity selection seems to be just as awesome.
You can sign up for your first Stitch Fix here.
I’m going to start this by acknowledging that I’m hurting, and I’m pretty sure you are, too. And hurt often plays out as anger and fear. I’ve been keeping this in mind as I’ve received many comments, messages, and emails the last few days.
The last post I put up – the one where I amplified the voices of my friends who are black mothers, who simply wanted to be heard- went live hours before the shooting in Dallas that left 5 police officers dead.
I want to make the timing very clear. That was not a response piece to the shooting. It was published before that. It was a post that was over a year in the making. For over a year, I struggled with if I should use this platform to “get involved.” A week ago, it became very clear that I owed it to the friends who were literally crying for me, a white ally, to SAY SOMETHING. I could no longer just stand with them behind the scenes. And from the moment I decided I would do that, it took me about 24 hours to gather their stories, collect my thoughts, and hit publish- on the only free day I had during the week.
When the shooting in Dallas happened, I was at a hotel in Santa Fe. I was glued to my phone, digesting the news over and over, refresh, refresh, refresh. I cried. I had NO WORDS. Just hurt. A lot of hurt.
I arrived home from my trip, where I had professional commitments followed by a visit with family in the mountains where there is no wifi, last night. My silence here has NOT been because I’m “happy 5 police officers died.” Or because I don’t support my local police. My God.
As I made VERY CLEAR in my last post, I am not anti-police. I am devastated by this violence. Killing police is NOT the answer. I am heartbroken for the families who lost loved ones that night. Believe it or not, the mothers who were quoted in that blog post are also heartbroken and angry this happened.
I AM SADDENED BY WHAT HAPPENED IN DALLAS. I AM HURTING FOR THOSE LOST LIVES.
These two things – my support of black voices and my hurt for the Dallas PD- are not mutually exclusive. They can not only exist without the other.
To end, I want to share a few things others have said so much better than I can.
“You can truly grieve for every officer who’s been lost in the line of duty in this country, an still be troubled by cases of police overreach. Those two ideas are not mutually exclusive. You can have great regard for law enforcement, and still want them to be held to high standards.” Jon Stewart
I really, really hope you’ll watch this or at least read the transcript. I was moved to tears by what Dale Hansen, a Dallas news personality, had to say. This sums up the heart of everything for me.
Also, this post by my friend Jennifer Borget is brilliant and insightful. She is the wife of a police officer, and a black mother. “Why are you supporting my white cop and not my black son?”
Our old white (really bone, I think) colored leather sectional has been a big part of this blog, making appearances in countless pictures over the years.
It was good to us, we loved it. Until we didn’t. Then we wanted it to die in a fire immediately. And by we, I mean the fetus and me.
This change of heart happened shortly after I recorded this video with the Today Parenting Team at Mom 2.0 in May.
Many people commented over the years how it looked “so clean” and how was I able to keep a white couch looking like that? Okay, folks? Please. Pictures on the internet are deceiving. WE KNOW THIS. This couch is proof! Because I promise that nobody who saw it in real life thought I spent my days cleaning that thing.
But it was solid, and it was leather, which is the only kind of couch I ever want to have while there are children (and pets) in this house. And it was going to be pretty expensive to replace.
We made it last for 10 years! It was used when we bought it. It’s had a long run with us. We saved and searched for deals, and thanks to some Memorial Day sales, and a super find in the clearance section at Nebraska Furniture Mart, we were able to replace it. NOT A MINUTE TOO SOON, either, because my pregnant nose just could not with it anymore, and the fetus was thoroughly disgusted.
(Fun story, though- we gave it to a guy who restores leather furniture, and he swears he’ll be able to bring it back to life. So that makes us feel pretty good knowing it won’t end up in a landfill anytime soon. If you’re in TX and want to buy it, it may be for sale soon! I’m assuming he’ll remove the stuck on popsicle sticks from the side.)
Behold, our new living room!
Two beautiful, 100% real leather sofas with clean lines and detached cushions. They are so similar to the West Elm Henry sofas that I adore, but less than half the price. Plus, the loveseat was in the clearance section for an extra $400 off because they repaired a small scratch from moving it off the truck. You can’t even tell. That extra savings put the set just within our budget, and it was meant to be!
Details if you’re interested- Klaussner Tillery Leather Sofa in Chesterfield Whiskey, purchased at Nebraska Furniture Mart in Texas. Our total with taxes, Memorial Day sale, and the extra clearance discount was around $2,800.
The end table is something I picked up from Home Goods for $40. Not sure I love it, but it’s useful, and inexpensive enough that I don’t care if it gets water stains on it. It’s battle enough to keep the kids from eating popsicles on the couch. I’m never going to get them to use coasters.
The rug! Oh, the rug. I love it so much. We haven’t been a rug family because I always just thought they would wind up looking gross and dirty, but this one is so perfect. And it was cheap! And from Target! It’s called the Threshold Woven Rug, it’s certified by Goodweave, and it’s incredibly durable.
Also, did you see that black box hanging out under our windows? For the ultimate final touch, the next step in making this room acceptable to my nose and less disgusting to the fetus, Venta sent us an Airwasher. AIR. WASHER. Wash alllllllll my air. Please! It’s an amazing humidifier and purifier, and I’m really enjoying it’s pet dander removing abilities at the moment since this is the room the dogs spend the most time in.
Speaking of dogs, no, they are NOT allowed on the new couches, and they mostly adhere to that rule. Except when we’re sleeping. Honestly, though, I think the dogs are kinder on couches than the kids are. Viva leather!
The first trimester is OVER!
So now I can mostly talk about how sick I felt without feeling sick just thinking about it.
I’m not a throw-up-er. My body refuses to let that happen. I think I have a mild form of an actual phobia of it. BUT I did throw up once, and it will not surprise many of you when I say that it was while I was brushing my teeth (ever so delicately so as not to let the brush get anywhere near the back of my throat) while using mint toothpaste.
I know, mistake #1 – never use mint toothpaste when you’re pregnant. I’VE LEARNED MY LESSON.
hello products is sponsoring this post because I told them you all HAVE to know about how great their stuff is.
Now I happily brush away with hello products Bubble Gum flavor with fluoride. I know it says “kids” on the tube, but that’s just a suggestion, right? (Actually, it is.)
I started working with hello earlier this year after meeting them and trying out some of their stuff at a blog conference in February. I was so impressed by how well their naturally friendly products actually worked AND how great they taste that I sought them out and told them all about y’all, my readers, because I knew you’d be super into this stuff, too.
So luckily, when the mint episode happened (and this is nothing against their Mojito Mint flavor, which I LOVED prior to becoming pregnant), I had a cabinet full of flavors they’d sent our whole family to choose from, and three of them were completely mint free- Blue Raspberry with fluoride, Natural Watermelon without fluoride, and Bubblegum with fluoride. I tried the Bubblegum first (since it’s what the kids were already using) and it was great! Not a gag or vurp to be had.
So I’m sticking with that for now. I mean, it’s entirely possible it will also become an aversion at some point (thanks, fetus), but I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to find something else from the hello products line to get me through if it does.
Since 4 out of 5 of us are stuck on this one flavor right now, it’s gonna run out real quick, but they are available at Target & Walmart (and other places), so no big deal!
Want to give them a try? Here’s a $2 off coupon.
All hello products are vegan and free of environmentally unfriendly ingredients like triclosan and microbeads. Plus, really, they taste awesome AND they leave my mouth feeling clean and fresh with no gritty aftertaste or film that some other alternative toothpastes have.
I hope you get a chance to try them. I think they’re pretty awesome, and I’m super happy they’re working with me this year on this sponsored post and others.
I’m not sure that Disneyland was the highlight of Leyna’s weekend in California. That honor might go to Duff’s Cakemix and Charm City Cakes West.
You know Charm City Cakes, right? Home to Ace of Cakes’ Duff Goldman? My 5 year old daughter is obsessed with Duff… in that she binge watches all his shows and is actively prepping to become the next Kids Baking Champion.
That tongue means serious business, you guys. She. Is. Ready.
Before we left for LA, I reached out to Charm City Cakes West to ask if we could make an appointment just to peek inside their bakery, and I explained what a HUGE fan Leyna is. The staff was so nice, and pointed out that in addition to checking out Charm City Cakes West, we could actually decorate our very own cakes right next door at Duff’s Cakemix.
So we took Delilah, Morgan’s daughter, with us, and the girls made magical, fondant covered creations.
Yup, in addition to a few colors of buttercream frosting (complete with piping bags), and a couple candy toppings, they got to choose two colors of fondant. I can not begin to explain how that word has haunted me the last few months- FONDANT.
Leyna is obsessed with the idea of decorating cakes with fondant. I CAN’T EVEN BEGIN TO FROST THEM WITH BETTY CROCKER VANILLA FROSTING. She was born to the wrong mother. (But she does come from a long line of bakers and cake decorators on her dad’s side so we can blame them.)
I’m telling you, as soon as I saw online that fondant was provided, along with all the tools needed and professionals to help, I was sold. YES, this was a thing we would do in LA, for sure.
Plus, gotta love a place where you make a huge mess there and then someone else cleans it up for you. After they airbrush your cake pearlescent pink.
Of course we splurged ($2) for the Disco Dust. She is so legit now, y’all.
And then?! The fun wasn’t over because we got to pop in next door and check out the bakery!
The girls promised to be VERY good and not touch anything, so they got a little up close with a real-life Charm City Cakes creation, inspired by Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs.
Mark, the manager, was incredibly gracious, and I’m so thankful for the time he took to talk to the girls and show them around. I mean, you can’t really tell here, but they were super happy.
And shortly after that, Leyna and I took her cake (boxed and bagged) through LAX security and onto the plane. It safely made it home to Dallas, and we’ve all had a piece (or three).
Scott asked me to “sniff out” where the dog peed in the playroom last week.
Let me pause to breathe through these emotions I’m feeling right now.
Alro, our 7 month old English Mastiff, has taken to marking spots… spots that have carpet. Beyond this, he is also terribly disgusting and eats mud/poop frequently, and he farts a lot.
OMG you guys. I don’t know if I can get through this post. Just thinking about his smells is making me so sick I want to cry. BRB, gonna go hold this Fresh Wave gel under my nose real quick. It’s on my desk for a reason.
This post is sponsored by Fresh Wave.
I was in a really agitated, frustrated, disgusted state of first trimester smell overload when Fresh Wave reached out to me about working together on this sponsored post. Never before do I think the stars have so perfectly aligned. I was like, “YES, LET ME TELL MY PEOPLE THE POWER OF YOUR SMELL ELIMINATING STUFF! And also, please send it all to me as soon as humanly possible.”
And lo, they did. And it was good.
A huge basket full of Fresh Wave products (that I didn’t get a chance to take a proper picture of because I ripped into like a kid on Christmas) arrived at my door a few days later. We’ve been in a serious relationship ever since.
That Fresh Wave candle has been burning every day, so it’s time for me to stock up on some from their website. I’m going to run to Target and get another one of those gels sometime this week. They work REALLY well, but it’s not because they cover up the smells with artificial fragrance. Instead, they use plant oils and water to actually remove odors from your home. That’s super great, especially right now when too much “good” smell can be even worse than some bed smells when it comes to my nausea.
Plus, it’s just better for you to not be breathing in synthetic fragrances all day. All Fresh Wave products are phthalate free, and don’t contain harsh chemicals.
They do have a bit of a scent to them, from what I’ve noticed with my hyper-sensitive nose. It’s very mild and almost earthy, though. So far, it hasn’t made me sick at all.
We steam cleaned the carpets as best we could, and now I’m spraying spots that still bother me with the Odor Removing Spray. (Though, honestly, I’m convinced we’ll have to replace the carpet at some point.) It’s enough to keep the smell from making me rage… most of the time.
Oh, so much rage.
This dog! He was totally, fully potty trained, and now this? Brilliant timing. Thank you for regressing at the exact moment I am cursed with a super nose.
We are meeting with a trainer tonight and we understand it’s puppy behavior that can be worked through. Do not fret, he’s our forever dog, and we do love him deeply. I just… you guys, sometimes my own children disgust me to the point of not wanting to touch them right now. So these feelings toward Arlo are normal, I’d say.
I also feel a lot of rage when it comes to the smell of our laundry room (where the litter box is), and for now a Fresh Pod stuck to the back of the door is helping a bit.
I basically have this stuff everywhere, and I could use more. GOOD NEWS! As I mentioned, you can get the gel, spray, and packs at Target (!!) and more Fresh Wave products at Whole Foods, Bed Bath & Beyond, and some other places.
It may seem a little crazy and over the top how excited I am about odor removing products, but this is the struggle of MY LIFE right now. I actually cry when I smell some things, it makes me that sick. Clearly, I am the rational voice you are looking for when it comes to making purchasing decisions (or I represent your current struggle, as well, and I’m SO sorry).
Huge thanks to Fresh Wave for sponsoring this post and sending me all your miraculous science-y products.
“Aren’t you scared it will happen again?”
That’s a question a few have asked since announcing my 4th pregnancy. I’m not offended by it. I’m open about dealing with postpartum anxiety and OCD. This is a part of my life, and many people know that.
I pretty much know it will come back because it always does. I think it was there after my first, and I was able to manage it without a diagnosis because… I guess I just white knuckled my way through it with only one child to take care of.
I know it was the worst it’s ever been after my second. And then? I found Postpartum Progress, and I recognized the symptoms in me, and realized this had less to do with my ability to mother and more to do with needing help.
After my 3rd, it came back, and I knew it. I saw it. I looked it in the face, told it to fuck off, and called my doctor. I was on Lexapro within a day.
And this time, I’m just as prepared all because I KNOW what it looks like, I know where to go, I know I have support.
I’m not scared because I’m empowered. I’m empowered because of Postpartum Progress.
So here I am, for the third year, asking you to help me support this organization that does more than anyone to empower and educate people about maternal mental health, and then moves those people to take action.
It’s time for the 3rd annual Climb Out Of The Darkness fundraiser, and while I’ll be climbing from the elliptical at my local gym, it’s not too late for any of you to find a team near you or start your own!
If you can’t participate in that way, I would love for you to consider donating to my COTD page. My goal is $500, and this year I’ve teamed up with the lovely Samantha Auburn of Auburn Jewelry to give one custom sterling silver pendant to one donor, to be drawn at random on Jun 30th.
I’ll leave you with this video I created for Postpartum Progress last year, with the help of their 2015 & 2016 Warrior Moms Conference sponsor Cotton Babies.
Postpartum Progress is saving lives. Please help us reach more people by supporting the Climb today! You can read more about Climb Out Of The Darkness here.