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Our End Of The Summer SoCal Family Getaway at Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa

Hey everyone! So it’s been a few days since we got back from our annual end of the summer family getaway. This year we closed our summer by staying at the Omni Ranchero Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, CA.  I found this place to be a hidden gem for young families like us so I wanted to take a moment to share our experience with you guys as well as some tips and info we picked up.


Right now (End of August) is considered to be off season for the Coachella Valley so we were able to book rooms for a lot cheaper than usual. Our stay cost us about $180 a night plus resort fees (as opposed to $350/night). My oldest didn’t start school until today so the timing was perfect for us.

Here’s a short clip of our room. We didn’t opt for something super close to the pool for budget reasons but the 3 minute walk wasn’t unbearable. (Even in 106 degree weather with 3 kids).

Just a few tips/info for your stay with little ones at Omni Ranchero Las Palmas Resort & Spa Kiddie Pool

  • They have a separate adult pool so you don’t have to worry about you’re kids splashing to much or being ‘too loud’.
  • Your child CAN wear their own floatie even in the lazy river BUT they must hold on to a tube or be holding on to someone in a tube.
  • You must be 42″ or taller to go on a water slide.
  • Under 42″ must be with an adult in the lazy river.
  • Lazy pool area closes at 9pm, family pool closes at 10pm.


For this trip we spent 99% of our days in Splashtopia

This section of Omni Ranchero Las Palmas Resort & Spa includes the following:

Family Pool – where we watched Space Jam at night for the Dive-In movie
Water Slides – my toddler wasn’t tall enough to ride but my 6 yo said this was awesome

 

 

Splash Pad – My 6 yo spent hours jumping in the lazy river and running through the splash pad


Lazy River – where I spent most of my time lounging with baby Maverick
My toddlers favorite spot! Sandy Beach just off the lazy river
There were literally giant holes dug up by the kids here just the day before. This is the next morning after. Love how they keep everything well cleaned and maintained.

I ran into the pool area at 9:01am (pool opens at 9am) just to get clean photos for you guys! Hope they come in handy.


If you’re bringing a baby to Splashtopia here are a few tips:

  1. Yes, you can bring a portable crib for your baby to lounge in! I wasn’t smart enough to think of this but I saw a few moms with cribs during my stay. (Why didn’t I think of that?!)
  2. Bring a spray bottle with water so you can mist your baby if it’s too hot. (it was 106 when we went!)
  3. Yes, babies in swim diapers are allowed in the family pools.

You don’t have to swim all day

Omni Ranchero Las Palmas Resort & Spa offers a schedule of events like Morning walks, Mermaid University, Poolside games, Ceramic Woodcraft painting, Omni Murder Mystery, Dive-In Movie, and Designer S’mores.

Of course, some of these activities are an additional fee

Ok, going on to my last tip:

If you’re going to hangout by the lazy pool here are the best spots:

Lounging by the lazy river? Try these spots.

Here’s why: Although all seats are covered by over-sized umbrellas, these spots are closest to the mist fence, offer the widest range of view and the waiters/waitresses walk by here a lot. When I walked in at 9:15am (opening time  is 9) these spots were the first to be taken.

Conclusion

Thank You Omni Hotels! We loved our stay and the kids can’t wait to go back. This was only our first trip to Omni Ranchero Las Palmas Resort & Spa. I would say it’s a beginning to an annual tradition for our family. Have you visited before? Did you guys enjoy your stay?

Disclosure: Yes, I have ads in my blog post! This is because if you click on the ads and buy something from Amazon using my link, I’ll get a small commission with absolutely no extra cost to you. This is just so I can continue to blog. Let’s be real here, blogging can cost money. Thanks in advance for any and all support. Much peace and love.

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Eczema mom here, Here’s my experience with Eczema Honey Co.

I didn’t expect Eczema

You expect the sleepless nights, the teething, colds and fevers, baby proofing the house etc… but little expect eczema. I sure didn’t. It’s a day to day struggle just to keep my baby’s skin hydrated and I’m SO glad I have the opportunity to collab with Eczema Honey Co and share their product with you.

Eczema Honey NUT FREE

Ok, ok. I know you’re probably rolling your eyes right about now thinking “Another collab? I wonder how much she got paid to post about this product.” If you’d like to give me just a moment to explain my story please read on.

I’ve probably dropped a good $1000+ on lotions at Target and Walmart. I’ve spent even more on doctors and treatment regimens. I regularly search on Google and Amazon day in and out for new eczema related products. I’ll spend every last penny I have if it means my baby wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. If you’re still reading you’re probably in the same or similar shoes.

If you’re like me and have a child with Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis) you’ve probably seen the ads on your Facebook or Instagram feed for a product called Eczema Honey. I was seeing tons of positive comments, reviews,  and posts online. Like anyone else who’s been disappointed over and over again with lotions and creams that just don’t work, I shook my head, saw this as another ‘too good to be true’ product, and scrolled up.


 

Then a surprise

Someone I actually knew purchased Eczema Honey and told me about their results: Clear skin in 14 days. Healed her baby’s red and chapped skin from the inside out. From that moment on I was eyeing this product and started researching what could be making it so effective.  What kept me from purchasing right away? Fear of being let down and being $30 poorer.

A couple months after that Eczema Honey Co reached out to me for a collab and words couldn’t even describe how excited I was for this! I received my package just a day or two before leaving for NJ just 2 weeks ago.

Here’s a look at my Eczema Honey Co. package when I received it

Well packaged, clean and modern. The items I received were the Nut Free Eczema Honey Healing Creams. Maverick isn’t allergic to nuts as far as I can tell but it’s good to know this product is produced at a completely separate facility than the Original Healing Cream which contains nuts.

Application of Eczema Honey

On the directions there are 2 ways to apply Eczema Honey onto the skin.

  1. Rub a dime sized amount on the effected area 1-3 times a day.
  2. Apply a thicker layer for a 20 minute mask. Wash off with a warm towelette for a moisturized finish.

I went with method 1 just because I wasn’t sure how I was going to apply a mask on a 8 month old without getting it everywhere.

Texture and feel of Eczema Honey

When you first open your jar you’ll see it looks more like a light ointment than a cream. After I applied Eczema Honey onto Mavericks face my hands felt sticky… tacky? Something of that sort. It is explained as so in the directions that came with my jars:

“This is the natural lipd bi-layer that is created once the cream soaks in. This layer acts as a protecting barrier and ensures the healing process.”

The first ingredient is Organic Pure Honey and it also contains Organic Grated Beeswax so the texture and feel were definitely expected, but did I like it? No, I don’t like the feeling of this product on my hands for too long so I wash them  after applying it on baby Maverick.  It’s possible that you’ll be able to ignore the tacky feeling if the Eczema Honey was applied to a different area like the face. I haven’t tried it.

But does it work?

Yes and no.

No, because Eczema Honey Does Not Cure Eczema, Nor do they claim it does.

But YES, it definitely has a way of locking in moisture and helping the healing process

For us, Eczema Honey has been more effective than the following products:

Of course, everyone’s skin is different and what didn’t work for us can definitely work for you! Read the reviews on Amazon and other sites and make a balanced decision about your purchase.

You can save 15% off every jar when you subscribe to Eczema Honey Co.

This is great because you’ll never run out of Eczema Honey and you’ll receive your discount. You can choose to receive your product once a month or once every 2 months.

Get Started By Clicking Here

Applying Eczema Honey (and other products) on Maverick

Ok, so let me get into how I’ve been applying products on Maverick lately. Before I do this let me go over our situation.

Maverick is currently 8.5 months old. His eczema is concentrated on the following areas:

  • Cheeks
  • Inside and around his ears
  • Sides of his head
  • Upper torso
  • Back of his neck
  • Inside the folds of his arms and legs
  • His wrists and hands
  • Ankles and top of feet

He suffers from flares that start off as red skin that looks like he was slapped. This quickly escalates to a weepy wet looking rash that is inflamed and hot to the touch. Once the flare can calm down a bit he has patches of dry flaky skin left where his flares were concentrated. He has a sensitivity or allergy (not sure yet) to eggs.

NOTE: I must add that I am not a doctor! You need to check in with your doctor before trying anything you find online. Period.

Here are my current steps to calm down Maverick’s Eczema flares:

1. Keep cool. When Maverick Is having a flare his skin is red, inflamed and hot to the touch. I use a wet paper towel or spray bottle of water on the skin to help cool down the flare. And YES, IT DOES MATTER WHAT KIND OF WATER YOU USE! I’ll get into more details on this soon! It’s way too much info to squeeze into this post. Stay Tuned!

2. Hydrate and lock in the moisture the best you can. Once the skin is wet (or straight out of the bath too!) lightly pat dry and use a lighter lotion or something of the sort that will seep into the skin quickly. Currently using (Eczema Honey) This alone doesn’t work as effectively… we need to use a thicker emollient on top to trap the moisture onto the skin. Our doctor suggested Vaseline but there are tons of options out there that aren’t as sticky and won’t stain your clothes. I have been using Vanicream for this step and love it!

3. Be diligent. It’s hard work to keep up with your baby’s skin drying out. When your baby has a clear day that’s when you need to focus even more on hydrating and try to extend the amount of time between each flare. I will do the above steps 2-3 times a day. In between I will use some Vanicream if I notice the skin looking dry.

Let me add (confess to) this too:

When Maverick’s flares get too crazy, like a lot crazier than usual, I’ll use the steroid ointment he was prescribed.  (please no mom shaming!) We will usually have to resort to this every 10-14 days. I just can’t watch my baby scratch and scrape layers of skin off just because ‘I need him to heal naturally’. Personally, I believe that the healing process can be amplified if you focus on first STOPPING THE SCRATCHING and taking care of the skin even more on the ‘clear’ days rather than slathering on a bunch of stuff when you’re in the middle of a flare.

That’s just me and my opinion tho.

When it comes to eczema each child is different and what works on my 2nd won’t work on my 3rd. Both of my eczema baby’s react differently to certain foods and even lotions so your situation may not align perfectly with mine. I hope if you’re in need of some advice,  and just plain and simple opinions and info you’ll be leaving my page with just that.  When it comes to Eczema, I truly feel like the more knowledge you have of your product options the better choices you can make for you and your little one.

Eczema Honey Co provides a product that helps to heal and protect the skin  naturally. Although this is a collab, this is an actual product I am using on my kids daily and love. Check out their IG @eczemahoneyco and sign up for emails on their site for promotions ❤️

YES, I do need to make a living. This is why I have links and ads in my posts. If you do decide to purchase anything using my links I will get a small commission for each sale at absolutely no extra cost to you. This will provide me with the ability to continue blogging and doing what I love! Thanks in advance and have a wonderful day!

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HELP! Melted Crayons In The Dryer And It’s All Over My Clothes! – How I fixed this issue – Top load washer / Front load dryer

Ok. If you’re reading this you’re probably doing what I was doing just a few days ago. You washed a bunch of clothes and threw them in the dryer to find out there were crayons in your load. The melted crayons are not only all over your clothes, but smeared all over the inside of your dryer. You’re probably searching the web for a miracle fix for this issue, so here it is! (NOTE: I have a top load washer and a front load dryer)

BEFORE: I’m just using this 1 T-shirt as an example, but my entire load of laundry pretty much looked like this. Red, Blue, and Yellow melted crayon EVERYWHERE!

First Clean your dryer

  1. Remove all of the clothes from the dryer.
  2. Clean your dryer. I just used Clorox wipes and scraped off all of the melted crayons inside of the dryer. Get as much of the crayon off as possible.
  3. I couldn’t get my dryer white again, I still have a little bit of color on the walls but I kept cleaning and wiping until nothing was coming out onto my paper towels and wipes.
  4. Get clean towels (I grabbed 3 large white ones that I didn’t need anymore), wet them with clean water, wring out water, throw them in the dryer and tumble dry on high heat.  This should get most all or most of the leftover melted crayon off.
  5. Repeat step 4 until no more crayon is coming of on your clean towels.

Once your dryer is clean, rewash your clothes

  1. Get the biggest pot you have and start boiling clean water.
  2. Throw all if your clothes into the washer again and use the HOT water setting.
  3. Once your clothes are soaked, open the top and add your usual amount of Tide detergent, 1 cup White Vinegar, and about a quarter cup of Dawn Dish Soap. Next pour your pot of boiling water inside.
  4. leave your clothes soaking for another 10-15 min and then run the cycle.
  5. Repeat steps 1-4 again as needed.

When you get your clothes out there should be no crayon left on your clothes!

AFTER 1 WASH: 99 percent of crayons are gone and the tiny spots that are left were so light I could barely see them. This method of cleaning melted crayon saved my a$$ at 1:30 AM. Hope it can help you too!

Hope this helps someone out there because it sure as hell helped me. Please let me know in the comments if this method saved you too!

*Disclaimer: YES I do have affiliate links in my writing, meaning if you purchase something while using any of the Amazon links above I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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Neon Lights Photography – FREE Instagram Stories Templates download

Hello hello! Good evening world <3 I thought it was about time I posted another set of free Instagram stories templates. I’ve been getting a lot of requests to make templates with real photos (not just patterns) so I’ll be working more on this during the next few months.

I know it’s been awhile, I’ll try to post these type of blogs more often!

As always, any requests or suggestions are always appreciated! Feel free to write in the comments below or DM me on IG, @because_mom_life

Scroll all the way to the bottom of this post for a full list of other Instagram Templates I’ve uploaded.

To use these templates:

  • Simply click on the image you want below and it will take you directly to a larger image file.
  • Save the image onto your device and upload them into your IG Stories!
  • Customize with your own text / gifs and post
  • Follow me for quick updates on new template releases
    click here: https://www.instagram.com/because_mom_life/

Thanks + much love,

Janet

More FREE Instagram Stories Templates:

3/13/18 Instagram Stories Templates – Free Download

4/9/18 Moon, Space and Stars Theme Free Instagram Stories Templates – Instant Download

4/30/18 Pretty Floral Inspirational Blogger Instagram Stories Template Free Download

5/9/18 Spring Watercolor Flowers FREE Instagram Stories Templates

 

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Bubba’s Fine Foods – The perfect snack for my family

About a week ago Bubba’s Fine Foods sent us a package of 5 snacks to try

I had never heard of them before so naturally, I had to do a little bit of research. And…You can’t really say you’ve researched a food without trying it right? So there I was “researching” on the sofa and within just a few minutes I was left with an empty bag of Garlic Parm Banana Chips. Lol oops! (so yeah… I filled my empty bag.. ok, bags… with paper for this photo)

I never tried flavored banana chips before so I’m not sure if these are the best out there, but they’re really freaking good! Savory, crunchy, and addictive – did I mention they’re 100% real food and no refined sweeteners? There are very few snacks out there with these elements and taste – I’m definitely customer for life.

What I love about Bubba’s Fine Foods is that they’re made with REAL ingredients which means REAL flavors and they pack a great source of energy for my kids. We snacked on the granola, ‘nana chips, and snack mixes all day at the pool this weekend.

Out of my entire package, the Bourbon Vanilla Ungranola was absolutely my fav.

Perfect for topping yogurt bowls with fruit (for the kids) and then topping a bowl of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream for me…after the babies went to sleep (it’s called self love, mama)

 

Can’t wait to make a batch of energy bites with these!

Does anyone else have kids that constantly ask for snacks?

I feel like I’m walking into the kitchen every hour or more…. In the morning to early afternoon I can get away with fruits and some veggies but after 3 servings of cherries or baby carrots with ranch — my kids want the real goods. I’m not talking about the organic stuff I keep out in their view: They start asking for all the goodies I’m hiding in the top cabinet or on top of the fridge lol They want the potato chips packed with nasty oils, the artificial cheese, chocolate and candies (and yes, we have these type of snacks in our house because.. we’re human?)

Here’s where I whip out my bags of Bubba’s Fine Foods Snack Mixes.

Again, real foods with real ingredients.

They taste SO good and I feel good giving these to my kids.

Note: These didn’t last long, buy 2.

I currently have the link for this product on my Instagram: www.instagram.com/because_mom_life

If by chance you’re seeing this a little late and the link was removed, go to them directly at https://bubbasfoods.com/

Bubba’s Fine Foods Snacks on Amazon!
*** If any of the above information was useful and you are interested in purchasing anything mentioned in this post please use my Amazon links provided below and throughout my writing! By doing this I am able to receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost to you and I will be able to continue blogging and doing what I love to do! TIA – Janet.

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Sometimes the best thing in life is $4.75 – Random Mom Thoughts

I’ve decided to start a section in my blog with random mom thoughts.

The other week I took my kids to the park and let them play. I parked far away from the playground so we were able to walk past a pond and enjoy the scenery. Sunny skies, cool breeze, kids happy = happy mama.

A lot of my friends (especially those with 1 or less kids) tell me I’m a ‘super mom’ for doing simple tasks like going to the park with 3 little ones. But let me give out a little secret: It’s WAY easier to go out with little ones than stay at home. When you let kids run and chase each other without having to yell at them to stop, when you don’t have to walk into the kitchen every 3 minutes to make a snack, when you don’t need to regulate your kids fighting every 5 minutes: life is better. Without all the mess of the house, the piled up dirty diapers, nasty day old dishes, the screaming and crying… there’s a chance to witness moments like this photo. And I live for these.

I love taking my kids to the park.. ESPECIALLY if the park is about a 15 minute drive away… because chances are: I’ll grab a Venti on the way (Thank goodness for drive-thru’s) AND my kids will even take a nap in the car on the way back home! ‘Super Mom’ my ass… it’s more of a survival tactic.

(p.s: I parked far away from the playground so my kids would be a little more tired at the end of their playtime) you’re welcome.

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Baby Food 101 – Mavericks 6 month solid food feeding schedule

Hello everyone! So this month has been absolute craziness for me. I’ve been bombed with work, school volunteer stuff, parenting, surgery and of course Maverick started officially eating solids this month. Baby food and prep can seem like a daunting task at first, but it’s really fairly simple. I’ll save you the long intro and jump right into it.


 

Here are my 5 basic rules for baby food:

  1. No Honey until they are 1 year old. Click here to read why.
  2. Make sure it’s not a choking hazard and be with them when they’re eating
  3. Try to avoid major allergens until 8 months
  4. Slowly introduce new foods
  5. Be consistent and trust yourself

There’s a number of ways you can start your baby on solids

Buy Pre-made baby food from your grocery store: This is probably the easiest route but the most costly (especially if you’re looking for organic). Baby food manufacturers clearly label all products by stage. (Stage 1 = first foods 4-6 months, Stage 2 = 6-8 months and so on). Each container or pouch of food will likely cost $1.00-$4.00 and won’t last more than 1-3 feedings at most.

Make your own baby food purees at home: You’ll need to do a little more work (cooking and prep) and a little research but, first time foods are pretty easy (one ingredient) and you can make batches of food that will last weeks. Another upside is that you’ll know exactly what’s in your baby food. Initially you’ll be spending more if you don’t have the right equipment and containers for your baby food but in the long run it’s definitely more cost efficient than buying pre-made foods. Another thing a lot of people ask me is if I use all organic foods… Nope. I do what I can but I’m just too poor for all that Whole Foods Stuff all the time.

Baby-led weaning: This is when you skip spoon feeding your baby all together and let them jump right into feeding themselves (which will take a few tries at first) but it lets baby explore different textures and discover tastes with their own hands. You’ll still need to consider safety and do a little research before starting this but like anything else – trusting your motherly or fatherly instincts is key.


Whichever way you decide to feed your baby, it’s perfect!

If you’re a first time mom or dad you’re probably wondering which way is the best way to feed your little one. Truth is, there is no right or wrong answer! Whatever works for you, works for you. As long as your baby is happy, healthy and developing a like for new tastes, you’re on the right track.

So what did I decide to do?

I use a combination of all 3. Why? Well, because I just do whatever is the most convenient for me at the time. Too busy (or in my case too tired) to make food? Buy it. Wanna save money on a particular trip to the store? Use fruits and veggies to puree. Too busy to spoon feed? I give the baby something safe to handle in his high chair while I attend to my 2 older kids during meals.

Mavericks Everyday Feeding Schedule:

Although you’re introducing new foods, this doesn’t mean you stop breast or bottle feeding. Continue with your bottle or breast feeding schedule and don’t switch out for cow’s milk until 12 months or until your pediatrician  recommends. Note: Having solid foods in baby’s belly will most likely have him or her drink less milk and that’s totally normal too.

Here’s an average feeding schedule for Maverick:

He is currently 19lbs and will be turning 6 months in exactly 7 days.
Every baby is different so don’t be shocked if your baby eats more or less.

5:30am: wakes up and drinks about 6oz formula and knocks out again
9am: breakfast, baby food (1 cube, I’ll explain this below)
11am: 6oz formula
2-3pm: all 3 of my kids have a snack- great opportunity to have baby self feed
4pm: 6oz formula
6-7pm: dinner, baby food 1-2 cubes and/or bits of stuff from our dinner table.
10pm: 6oz formula
11:30pm:  if he’s fussy and hungry i’ll give him about 2 more oz of formula if he’s not knocked out for the night already

Maverick will sometimes drink 1 bottle more or less in a 24 hour period. When he’s super fussy I feed him a little more. Is this considered right? I don’t know, but it’s been working for me! Use common sense, if your baby is spitting up after every bottle or feed, definitely feed less.

What do you use when preparing your own baby food purees?

I’ve had a number of new moms ask me this question so I’ll post the answer here. I’m a very minimalist kind of mom and don’t want or need any of the fancy gear. Although I have tried a lot of the baby food makers and stuff I found it easier to clean a blender and pot than a product that does both at once. But that’s just me.

Here’s what I currently use

  • Pot with lid
  • Steamer that fits into my pot
  • Blender
  • Silicone baby food containers

You most likely have the pot, steamer and blender at home already. The silicone containers that I have are from 6 years ago with my first child. They are from a brand called Goodies. I found them on Amazon awhile back but can’t find them anymore. Luckily since then, tons of new companies made very similar products. I’ll link everything in a bit.


Preparing foods is easy

  • I start off with a little water in my pot and put the steamer in there.
  • I chop up whatever I want to cook and throw it in.
  • Close the lid and cook. Easy.
  • You’ll know when everything is done cooking when you can poke through with a fork (in my case a chopstick) easily.
  • Remove from heat, open the lid of the pot and wait for things to cool down a bit.
  • Blend. Mix in a little water if your puree looks a little too thick. Too watery? Add some baby rice cereal.
  • Pour your puree into your silicone container and throw into the freezer. Store up to 2-3 weeks.

When feeding…

  • You can easily pop out 1 cube at a time. They say don’t microwave but I do for 20-30 seconds (because mom life).
  • Usually my cubes are still half frozen so I mix everything until it’s all thawed.
  • I take a spoon and do a little heat test by putting some food on the back of my hand. Too hot? I wait for it to cool. Too cold? I add a teeny bit of hot water to warm things up and do the test again.

Some tips:

  • One cube for me is about 2oz. This info is provided by the manufacturer of the containers so read through the instructions.
  • I like to make single ingredient purees because they are easy to make combos later on. Example: I made carrot puree today and a peas puree a week ago. Take 1 cube of each and thaw you’ll have a carrot and peas puree. This is super helpful for when you’re starting to add meats to your babys diet. (chicken and peas, turkey and carrots etc.) A few other of a favorite combos are blueberry/beets, butternut squash/apple/banana, and Parsnip/apple.
  • You can add cinnamon! So when I only have carrot puree but want to mix things up for the baby I thaw out 1 cube of carrot puree, add some water and baby rice cereal and a teeny pinch of cinnamon. Totally changes the taste and baby loves it. Easy.
  • If your baby gags or doesn’t seem to like a certain food, it’s ok and totally normal! I usually try feeding Maverick the same food for 2 days in a row. If he doesn’t seem to like it, I stop and try again in a few days.

Links to purchase:

*** If any of the above information was useful and you are interested in purchasing anything mentioned in this post please use my Amazon links provided below and throughout my writing! By doing this I am able to receive a small commission at absolutely no extra cost to you and I will be able to continue blogging and doing what I love to do! TIA

My Fav Pre-Made Baby Foods

Earth’s Best Organic Stage 1 Baby Food, My First Veggies Variety Pack (Carrots, Peas, and Sweet Potatoes), 2.5 Ounce Jars, Pack of 12

Plum Organics Stage 1, Organic Baby Food, Variety Pack, Prunes, Mangos & Peaches, 3.5 ounce pouch (Pack of 18)

Amazon Brand – Mama Bear Organic Baby Food Pouch, Stage 1, Pear, 4 Ounce Pouch (Pack of 12)

Plum Organics Baby Stage 1 Bowl, Organic Baby Food, Mango & Quinoa, 3.6 ounce bowl (Pack of 12)

Once Upon a Farm Organic, Cold Pressed, Refrigerated Stage 1 Baby Food, Variety Pack, for 5+ Months, 3.2 oz (Pack of 24)

Silicone Baby Food Trays Pretty Much Identical To Mine

 

Silicone Baby Food Freezer Tray with Clip-on Lid by WeeSprout – Perfect Storage Container for Homemade Baby Food, Vegetable & Fruit Purees and Breast Milk – BPA Free & FDA Approved

(The clip on lid is SO essential. It’s such a small detail but it really helps lock everything in with no spills in your freezer!)

Best Homemade Baby Food Storage Container Freezer Trays – Reusable Food Container Silicon Tray With Clip on Lid Silicone Baby Food Storage Containers Kids Food Plate, Purple

Best Homemade Baby Food Storage Container Freezer Trays – Reusable Food Container Silicon Tray With Clip On Lid – 2 Pack Bundle With 2 Bonus Spoons – BPA Free FDA Approved 2.6 Ounce – Green & Orange

 

*So yeah, obviously I’m not a doctor or anything and the above information is mostly trial and error type things I’ve picked up with my own kids. Definitely, Do a little research and find what works best for you and your little one. If in doubt, ask your pediatrician. Please let me know of any new trick and tips in the comments below!

 

 

 

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Spring Watercolor Flowers FREE Instagram Stories Templates

Hello again everyone! I had the chance to quickly get on the computer and make a few more Instagram stories templates for you. I’ve gotten a lot of requests for more florals so here they are! Scroll to the bottom of the post for a list of past templates and links!

To use these templates just click (or tap if you’re on the phone) the image you’d like and save. Upload them onto your IG Stories and customize with your own text and gifs.

As always, if you can please tag me on your post, please do! I’d love to see how my templates are being used.

Much love + have a great week everyone!

-Janet

More FREE Instagram Stories Templates:

3/13/18 Instagram Stories Templates – Free Download

4/9/18 Moon, Space and Stars Theme Free Instagram Stories Templates – Instant Download

4/30/18 Pretty Floral Inspirational Blogger Instagram Stories Template Free Download

7/21/18 Neon Lights Photography – FREE Instagram Stories Templates download

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Pretty Floral Inspirational Blogger Instagram Stories Template Free Download

Time for another freebie Insta-Story template download!

This time I was able to get some great flat lay style images for you guys! I’ve made a small collection of 7 Instagram Stories Templates that feature bright whites and floral layouts.

I’ve left white spaces blank intentionally so you can write in your own text when using these templates on Instagram.

Again, I wanted to thank all of you who have been showing me support and love. Another shout out to all of you who have been coming back to check out new templates and tagging me on Stories with love.

Feel free to click on the gallery below and save any and all Instagram Stories Templates. I’ve also included the links of my previous template bundles. Enjoy!

Have a wonderful week everyone!

-Janet

More Insta Stories Templates by me:

3/13/18 Instagram Stories Templates – Free Download

4/9/18 Moon, Space and Stars Theme Free Instagram Stories Templates – Instant Download

5/8/18 Spring Watercolor Flowers FREE Instagram Stories Templates

7/21/18 Neon Lights Photography – FREE Instagram Stories Templates download

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How I Made My DIY Pom Pom Baby Mobile For $11.00 – Tutorial And Inspiration

So I was out shopping at the Irvrine Spectrum Center the other day and bumped into this adorable Pom Pom Baby Mobiles by BlaBlah Kids. Ok, so this is definitely one of the cutest things I’ve seen for baby nursery in awhile. But, for $170.00 ($144.00 at some retail stores and online if you’re lucky) it’s WAY out of budget for me. If you could afford this, that’s freaking awesome! But I wasn’t about to buy a mobile for $100+. I have better things to spend money on… like food, toys for my kids and maybe some workout gear that I’ll never get a chance to wear to a real gym.

While taking a closer look I realized that this could totally be made at home

Since a friend of mine is having a baby soon I figured I would take a shot at this. If the end product came out well I could even gift it.

Honestly, there are a lot of tutorials for Pom Pom Baby Mobiles online so I just Googled around for ideas. I spent about 3-4 hours on this project but it’s mostly because I kept having to get up (because mom life for real). If I sat down and stayed focused I could make one of these in 2 hours tops (excluding the time I spent to actually go buy the supplies needed). I had to edit all of my videos with music only because… #1 I was pretty much either yelling at my kids to stop fighting or they were crying… #2 I might have cussed a little too. oops.

Supplies Needed For Your Pom Pom Mobiles

  • 10″ embroidery hoop *$1.77
  • 5″ embroidery hoop *$0.97
  • 4 yarns *$1.50 each = $6.00
  • pack of mini glue for glue gun (I actually only used 1 stick which I thought was amazing) * $0.97
  • ceiling hook * $1.29
  • duck tape
  • toilet paper roll
  • glue gun
  • bobby pin*If the item has a price next to it, it means I purchased it. Everything else I had at home. I spent a total of $11.00 at Walmart for this project. Had I purchased everything on this list I would have still spent less than $20.00.

    I purchased everything in-store at my local Walmart.

    Ok, so this was actually the very first time I made this and I just kind of winged it. I forgot to take photos of a couple steps. I’m sorry in advance for that.

Pom Pom Mobile Instructions

  1. Start by making your pom poms.

    I used this tutorial from YouTube. This person used 2 toilet paper rolls but I only had 1. I cut my toilet paper roll in half (length-wise) and taped them to make 2 skinnier rolls. I wrapped 2 yarns around my toilet paper rolls 120 times. Tied my yarn like the video tutorial below. Just note: Cutting yarn is SUPER messy. I would advise doing this outside if you can as I had little threads and yarn dust ALL over the place and was breathing it all in. My pom poms came out to about 2.5 inches wide after all the trimming and making them even. I made 8 pom poms in total: 3 with beige + beige peach brown mix, 2 with beige and light blue and the last 3 with light blue and navy.

    And here’s my video:

  2. Cut some more yarn into the lengths you want for your mobile. I didn’t measure and just eyeballed it and tied a knot 5 times at the end.

  3. Attaching the yarn to my pom poms was a little tricky. I ended up using a bobby pin to thread my yarn into my pom pom.

  4. After I threaded my yarn through my pom pom I hot glued the knotted end of my yarn and secured it into the middle of the pom pom.

  5. Making the mobile: I wrapped my beige yarn all around the 10″ wooden embroidery hoop hot gluing all the loose ends. I tried to make sure the gluing was all done towards the inside of the hoop.

  6. Next I wrapped my 7″ embroidery hoop in light blue and navy and made a loop at the very top so you can hang the finished product.

  7. Ok, so here’s where I messed up. I attached the strings with pom poms onto the 10 inch mobile before attaching it to the 5 inch hoop. That’s a big no. Attach the 2 hoops together first. Next hang your mobile somewhere and then tie the strings with pom poms on the mobile.

  8. I tied the yarns with pom poms at the end to the 10 inch mobile in various lengths. You can get creative here but I chose to do a waterfall type of shape. I did this step sooner than I should have so you can see my finished product looks a little bit lopsided. Oops!

Conclusion

Does my DIY Pom Pom Baby Mobiles look perfect?

Absolutely not. I’m sure the people who make these type of baby mobiles in a factory are far more skilled than I am. BUT from a distance? Yeah – I guess it’s close enough.

Would I do this again?

Yes! Ok, so this project is really tedious and it makes a hell of a mess but the end result was cute! How do you not love pompoms? On a scale of 1-10 I would rate the difficulty of this project as a 6. It doesn’t take a whole lot of skill… just a LOT of patience.

I love the fact that you can customize the colors and overall design of your mobile to match any nursery theme. Another thing I saw were these animal shaped pompom tutorials…. see where I’m going here? Picture a baby mobile with little poofy animals.

This would be freaking the cutest thing!!!

>> Click here to check out my Pinterest Board for Animal Pom Pom Inspo <<

This was my first tutorial for anything ever so please excuse the fact that a lot of pictures and video is missing. I’ll be sure to do a little more next time! So, what do you think? Do you think you would ever make a pom pom baby mobile? Let me know in the comments below!