Moms | the pixel boutique | blog, web & print design

Archive for moms

wake up

By Nicole · Comments (7)

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

I had a huge reality check yesterday. Nothing horrible or life threatening happened…just a simple cross country meet.

I don’t know if it was because this was the first meet of my now high school freshman and the fact that he is that, just hit me anew.

Or maybe it was because I’ve been mostly cooped up at home in the past eight weeks and my recovery has been a little slower than I’d like it to be.

I don’t know, but whatever it was from, I was hit with two huge emotions watching that tall, lean boy run his heart out in the 100+ degree heat, making me wish I hadn’t left my sunglasses in the car.

{Warning…a bit of transparency lies ahead…if you’re here for a premade theme or tutorial, just look away…}

One…

My time with these boys is so very limited. It is speeding by faster than I realize the majority of the time. These years of homework, cross country meets, family dinners, my influence…they are fleeting.

And two…fear.

Fear that I haven’t done enough…taught them enough…prepared them enough…been enough. Will they be ready to face this big bad world on their own some day? When I’m not there to protect them and guide them and remind them? Will they know without a shadow of a doubt that, next to their father, I love them more than any other human beings on this planet? The reality of my humanness glares me in the face at times.

I forget to sign permission slips and agendas.

I yell sometimes.

I don’t always make a vegetable with dinner. And…I don’t buy organic.

I haven’t exposed my kids to enough culture.

I get lectured at the dentist because they don’t floss enough.

They don’t always get As and Bs. And Cs.

The list could probably go on for a few posts.

But I have to know that somehow this frail offering I give is taken and transformed and renewed every day into something worthy and good…no matter how imperfect.

every “Thank you, mamma”…

every “I want to help!” in the kitchen…

every “I love you”…

every smile and laugh and giggle…

every snicker and roll of the eyes at my bad jokes and even worse dancing…

every kiss good night that is never, ever missed…

makes me think its all going to be ok.

Comments (7)

the working mother’s best friend: bountiful baskets

By Nicole

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

Last November I discovered Bountiful Baskets, a produce co-op. Have you heard of it?

Photo credit: InspiredRD.com

Here’s how it works.

You place an order the first part of the week, depending on your state’s deadline, and pick up your order on the following Saturday. You can order the typical “basket” or upgrade to an all organic offering. They also offer non-produce as well as in season “extras”. The Nine Grain Bread is addicting, by the way.

The value is unbeatable. For $16.50 (plus $3 for your first order to reserve your basket), you get two laundry baskets full of fruits and vegetables.

Now I’m a total Costco girl, and to use the words of my father, I’m usually of the opinion that “if its not at Costco, its not worth getting”. But, when it comes to produce, I still think I get a better value with Bountiful Baskets…plus I’m not eating apples for 35 days and then some.

Here’s why I think Bountiful Baskets qualifies as a WMBF…

Its a great value
If you plan your menu around what you get in your basket, you dont have to wonder if you have fresh produce for your recipes
You get to try things you may not otherwise…like mangos, butternut squash and kale, to name a few
It forces you to get creative with your meals and break out of the same boring chicken dish you make 4 times a week
You’re supporting local/semi-local growers

Some things to keep in mind if you plan on trying Bountiful Baskets…

You’ll need to think ahead a few days, which can be hard if you’re like me and cant think past tomorrow.
You’ll need to be able to pick up your basket in the 20 minute window they give you (but you can always have a friend pick up your order)
You’ll want to read up on storage and freezing tips
You may want to check out inspiredRD, who does a fabulous job each week of giving you recipe suggestions based on that weeks’ offerings

So as a happy Bountiful Basketer, I’d wholehearted recommend it for any busy mom wanting to give her family a healthy serving of fresh, local produce each week. Check out the locations page to see if there is a co-op site near you.

The Working Mother’s Best Friend: Spongables {Giveaway}

By Nicole

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

UPDATE: This giveaway is closed! The winner is #37, Shannon!

Moms often put themselves last. So for this first installment of The Working Mother’s Best Friend I’m starting with the last…first.

Spongeables is a fun and innovative product that combines the soap and the sponge in one little package. Lasting up to 20 washes, Spongeables releases just enough sudsy goodness each time you use it.

Offering dozens of different shapes, sizes purposes and scents, there is something for everyone in the family…even the dog. My family used a couple of different products and I was pleased with the interesting smells and how it actually worked. One thing to keep in mind is that because it is filled with soap between washings, it does “leak” and can leave a white residue in your shower. I would recommend a soap dish or leaving it over the drain.

Spongeables have plenty of options to help you take a few minutes out for yourself…whether with the Pedi-Scrub or the Hearth Shaped Shower Gel. The cute Ducky Duo would be a great thing to stock up on as gifts for new moms. Check out all the fun things they have at their website, spongeables.com. And, you can follow them on Twitter.

WIN IT! Enter to win 5 Spongeables to pamper yourself (and one for the man in your life…). One winner will receive:

Peony Passion Heart Shape Shower Gel in a Sponge
Citron-Eucalyptus Pedi-Scrub Foot Buffer
Olive Oil, Prickly Pear Extract & Shea Butter Clean Power for Men
Grapefruit Zest, Pink Pepper Anti-Cellulite Body Wash
Lavender Nectar Ultimate Spa in a Shower

To earn an entry do any or all of the following:

Comment on this post telling me which Spongeable you would love to try
Follow Spongeable on Twitter
Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page
Like Spongeables on Facebook
Like The Pixel Boutique on Facebook
Tweet about this giveaway using the hash tag #Spongeables up to once a day

Giveaway ends Monday, March 21 at midnight. Good luck moms (…and go treat yourself to something special)!

The Act of Being A WAHM

By Nicole · Comments (2)

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

Being a work at home mom is a dream come true for me. I have been doing it for 13 years now (on and off, but mostly on), since my oldest son was born. Even though my kids are in school, I still choose to work at home, for myself, rather than entering the workforce. It is as much a commitment, though, as a privilege.

The benefits of being a WAHM are many…

I can set my own hours and work in my jammies.

I can work almost anywhere (with wi-fi).

I can take a day off and chaperon a field trip.

I can take on as much or as little work as I want.

But as much as I love my ideal situation, it is not without its challenges…

The schedule flexibility is a double edged sword. There haven’t been many vacations taken without my laptop.

Dinner and deadlines sometimes happen at the same time.

I have to be the accounting/sales/marketing/administration department all at once.

But by far the biggest challenge is finding balance. The balance between family time and work. Husband and children. Housework and health. Shopping lists and sports. The list is endless.

It is a constant challenge, this balancing act. And I am certainly no expert. But I have figured out a few strategies along the way to help me keep some sense of order…

Schedule, Schedule, Schedule - iCal is my biggest asset. In it, I have everything I do listed. I schedule walks, dinner menus, soccer practices, grocery runs, work projects…everything. Looking ahead each week means no surprises (or at least fewer ones). Getting a system established helps you keep track of all the things you have to accomplish and get into a routine.

Set Time Limits – Do you ever notice how computer time is warped. 20 minutes suddenly turns into 2 hours. When you have little ones vying for your attention, that cant be healthy. Set a timer. Work for an hour, then play a game with them for an hour. Don’t let the clock dictate you…you dictate the clock.

Say No – How many committees are you on? How many charity events do you help plan? There are so many things to be involved in…worthy things. But no one can do 100 things well. Pick a few things to be involved in, and do them well.

Don’t feel guilty to say “I would love to help, but I am already involved in X, Y and Z”. Weeknights are always busy for us and I have no problem saying “I’m sorry, we’re busy” simply because we have dinner and a tv show planned. If you have the freedom to do so, schedule your work as well. I don’t take on new projects during the weeks that my kids are on break. I am a WAHM, not an indentured slave.

Don’t Feel Guilty About Putting Yourself First On a Regular Basis – When I fail to take time to exercise, relax or just have some alone time, I fail to give my best to my family and my work. Take time…on a regular basis…for yourself.

Get Some Help – Amazingly, children can do chores. And so can husbands. (I know. You can thank me later.) Enlist the help of other family members to do housework. Or hire someone to come in to do it. Trade babysitting time with your friend or ask grandma to watch the kiddos for a few hours. Its amazing how people are willing to help if you just ask them to. Don’t be Superwoman. You don’t need to do it all alone.

When You Get Off Track, Get Back On…Quickly – Life doesn’t like to play fair sometimes. Kids get sick. You get sick. Holidays come. And everything can happen all at once. When it does, carve out a tiny bit of time to sit down and get a game plan. Instead of stressing and getting down on yourself about how behind you are, get a plan of attack. Sometimes I think we waste more time stewing about our busy lives than actually having busy lives.

How about you…are you a WAHM? What is your biggest challenge? What’s your best tip?