Filofax Fixation

So.... I have recently become a raving Filofax lunatic. I scour the internet for beautifully decorated pages, search for cute stickers and washi tape. I love it. I've always loved paper planning throughout my life especially in school. I always had a school planner. I tried to go digital and insisted that everything go through my iPad but it is just not the same as having something you can physically touch and feel and look at and decorate! I don't know there is just something so soothing and comforting about a physical planner. I swear my Filo has become like my binky.

I searched the internet and spent weeks debating what kind to get. I was really on the fence between getting a Filofax and making a custom Arc notebook planner or just finding a regular bound planner. I ultimately decided to go with the personal sized Filofax. Its something I can add to and update and pop into my purse. I was more hesitant about the arc notebook because I'm not sure it can take a beating like the Filofax can.

They sell Filofaxes at the art supply store and I visited the Filofax about 3-4 times and compared the personal size and A5 each time before finally deciding on the personal size Saffiano in Aqua. 

Here are pictures of my initial set up. I really love my fitness section but its a little bulky. 

I used calendar pages from a small planner from Target. Then decided I wanted something that was more of a blank canvas that I could add my own personal touches to. I loved all the creative pages I was seeing on Instagram and Pinterest. I scoured the internet to find the best planner paper, as for me, the Filofax pages it came with were much too thin. I like the heartier paper. Kiddy Qualia at Etsy makes some fabulous pages.  I like the thickness. I've ordered the lined rainbow, plain rainbow and eventually the monthly pages. I may be selling or giving away some of the colorful pages. Although they look great I actually prefer the plain white and now I have way too many. I also ordered pages from Piaric https://www.facebook.com/Piaric. I love the font. I am currently waiting on those pages to come in. And I will decide which to use for 2014. In the meantime I made some that look similar to hers on the plain white Kiddy Qualia paper. And I have thoroughly enjoyed decorating them. It's so soothing for me. I love paper planning anyway, but this decorating of the Filofax pages makes it an art form. I just love love love it. 

I emptied out my Filofax and just put in the essentials for now. I think I am going to create a separate fitness binder as well as a budget binder. And I combined notes & my lists tabs. Here are some of my current pages and the inserts I've ordered. I'm feeling it out for the next month and deciding how to set up for 2014. 

These are the pages from Piaric.
Available at: https://www.facebook.com/Piaric

Kiddy Qualia pages
Available at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KiddyQualia

Thanksgiving week decor

The schedule I'd ideally like to follow
printed on Rainbow Kiddy Qualia paper.

My monthly page for November. I designed the template,
 printed it on plain white Kiddy Qualia paper.

December Filofax montly decor. 

Well my fellow Filofax fanatics. Until next time! 

Cute DIY Breastfeeding Gift

Hello,

So a very good friend of mine is adding a bundle of joy to her family and it happens to be a sweet baby boy! Being a momma to a lil stud myself, I know they are so much fun and momma boys. But, I knew she was going to get so many gifts consisting of bottles, clothes, bibs Ect. Of course being a supportive breastfeeding momma to my friends, and only wanting them to try to breastfeed because it's best for them and the baby, I decided to make her a simple but cute breastfeeding basket. 

So this is what I did for her! 

 

Starting with the obvious. 

Nursing pads. 

Hello, every women needs these! 

Especially after like the 3 day your milk is like Niagra falls. At least mine lol. 

This are disposable because I wasn't sure how she might feel with reusable. But, at least these will help for a couple weeks. 

Wash clothes. 

Because again, your going to leak. I can't espress that enough.  

No seriously! I remember I was at my meeting ( Kingdom Hall) and thought I would out beat the leaks. I wore a thick padded bra and a black shirt and black sweater over all that. After Leland nursed
and I went back into the auditorium my letdown came in and strong. Thankfully at the end of the meeting a friend of mine hurried to me and covered my chest with one if Leland's blankets. 

So again, your going to leak. Seems like its happen to almost every momma. Relax, it happens! 

Next item was...

A notebook. 

A handy dandy, notebook. 

Sleep deprivation will let us forget what breast we nursed and times we did. 

I used some apps but nothing really helped like going back to the old fashion note pad. 

It's really good to write down all the times you've nursed and which breast and how  long. 

Will prevent matisis and engourment. 

Facial cleansing towels.  

This was cute and thought it would come in handy. 

Deodorant. 

When baby comes home there's barely anytime for anything. Including a shower. 

All our time goes to nursing, trying to catch up in sleep, and staring at the baby all day. 

Quick deodorant fix, makes everything all better. 

Aveeno lavender and vanilla lotion. 

I started using this product for Leland after bath to soothe his skin and help relax him before bed. 

This was for her bundle of joy. Great product line. 

Lastly, this is what it looked like ready to present. Viola!! 

I hope she enjoys it and that baby boy that's coming soon! 

All products were purchased at target and total was about $22. 

Small items in the dollar section. 

What are your thoughts? What would you add into it? 

Leave a comment and share. 

Ps, here's the cute momma and daddy to be. 

Xoxo,  

Sasha 

Back to School: All about Lunches

Hello all you foxy mamas out there making the world go round! So going along with my Back to School theme, we've added some new items to our lunch repertoire and an exciting new app! 

I'm always excited to integrate my iPhone into anything I do. I am also always looking for ways to feed my baby girl the most nutritious food possible. It definitely can be challenging. Over the years she has gotten much pickier. And in the past I have had the tendency to pack a sandwich with a mess of prepackaged snacks. This year I was so happy to find La La Lunchbox via Apps Gone Free (which is also an awesome app to check out)! 

La La Lunchbox Review:

So La La Lunchbox allows you to create a lunch virtually so that you can plan your child's lunch accordingly. You can create a lunchbox for each child.

Once you create a lunchbox, you fill the lunch with 6 items. At least one item in each category, Fruits, Veggies, Protein, and Snacks. They give you ideas for each category and you can add your own! This has really helped me balance out my daughters lunches. Instead of a sandwich and a bunch of random prepackaged snacks I have been forced to think about what her favorite fruits and veggies are and include them in her lunch.

 This app also helps me to make sure I'm adding variety to her lunches. 

 You can view the lunch you've virtually packed at a glance. 

 You can add items not listed!

 It will even create a grocery list based on the lunches you've created for the week. 

Overall I love this app and its a nice addition to my organization arsenal! 

Next: Actually packing the lunch! This year we opted for a cute and practical lunchbox. Well made and well insulated and perfectly suited to house the Rubbermaid Lunchblox.

Rubbermaid Lunchblox Review: I love these little guys. I purchased ours at Walmart for about $8. The icepack sits on the sandwich block and I believe that makes a world of difference. My daughter used to complain of soggy cheese on her sandwiches, despite adding an icepack. With these lunchblox we no longer have that problem. Its nice how the blox click together as well. These fit much better then some other disposal brands that were bulky and didn't pack well. 

I also find that freezing her juice pouches also helps to keep her lunch cool and is a refreshing treat at lunchtime. I also include a reusable water bottle that she keeps in her backpack. 

One traditional I love passing on is that of the lunch note! I used to adore getting these notes from my mom. Typically I have hand written them on a sticky note, however we stepped it up this year. I found some fantastic note templates that we have filled in with special messages and I also include stickers to make it fun!

I found these on Pinterest. http://pinterest.com/pin/218776494371682452/

Last but not least I created a School Checklist and attached it to her backpack. I'm going to have to add glasses to the list, as she forgot them once. There is nothing worse then packing a lovely lunch and leaving it on the kitchen counter! So far this has worked wonderfully! 

Well until next time foxy mamas!

Control freak much?

Hello, 

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I promise to get better. Me and Lynette are still trying to get use to working together and the schedules that work for us as bloggers. 

Today I wanted to mention what happen to me last week and why I decided to write about it. 

During my pregnancy, both Chris and I agreed on how we were going to raise our son. Always on the same page. From breastfeeding to homeschooling even disciplining! Well, after Leland was born at that very moment I didn't want no one  to watch him because no one can ever be as good as his momma! I know by first hand as a women once we know we are pregnant it becomes an instant protection for our unborn child and once that wee one is born into this world even more so! 

Anyways this is wht happen to me this past week. 

I had to pick up an extra shift from work and Chris had to watch Leland that morning. Hence, he had worked a long night shift the day before. I knew he was tired and I felt bad too. But I had no one to watch boo. 

But he was ok with it. 

I left to work at 730 am, Chris and Leland were just getting up. 

I started breakfast for them and left for Chris to finish. 

Now this is what happened... 

8 am: calls Chris. "How's boo?" 

"Fine, watching his show" 

"Ok, call me if anything" 

11am: texted Chris. "How's boo?" 

.....no response...(5 min later) text iPad.....no response. 

I panic. Don't ask me why? I just start to think of the craziest scenarios! 

About 10 min later I call, call, call. 

 

"Yes babe?" 

"Everything ok?" 

"Yes!" 

"Did he poop? What color? Did he eat? Please make sure he eats and has plenty of water. And not to much tv. Play with him. Maybe outside in the pool! Or run errands with him. Remember nap time is between 12&2. Only an hour. Love you!" 

Chris is so use to this and so loving he just listens to me ramble and says yes babe I know, I will! 

(I love him, he rocks!) but I also could tell I was getting out of hand. So he shares with me with a text that he is Leland father and he can take care of his own son. 

:::heart falls!::: how can I be so inconsiderate. I felt so bad!!

Sometimes, I know I'm a bit overboard with whoever watches him. But I'm so scared something will happen and I'm not there to help him or hold him if he's scared. Thankfully I trust the very chosen few who do watch him! 

 But still... I apologized to Chris for not trusting him and explained to him that it's not just him. I do it to my mom, his mom and his sister. I just want Leland to always be safe! What can I say... I love my boo so much! I read this quote that stuck with me, "our children are our hearts walking out of our bodies" and this is so true! 

So I am currently working on this particular control issue! 

Until then my loves enjoy some daddy and son pictures from the past couple days! 

P.S Leland loves loves loves his daddy!! 

Love, 

Sasha 

Back to School

Hello all you Foxy Mamas out there! 

First, I'm so excited to be blogging with my lovely sister-in-law. We are like two peas in a pod. Learning to be amazing young moms. I'm 27 years old and mother to a beautiful, smart and sassy 7-year old. I've been a stay at home mom, working parent and college student. We have had one amazing ride thus far. I'm married to the man of my dreams. He could sometimes be my polar opposite but you know what they say....

 Well enough about me. I'm super psyched because SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION. I get so excited for the start of school. School shopping, freshly sharpened pencils, adorably packed lunch boxes, little yellow school buses full of happy children. I just LOVE it.

 Now that my daughter is 7 and going to second grade, I have learned a thing or two.

 Here's what has worked WONDERS for us: Structure. Structure. Structure. The single most important tool for staying sane has been setting a routine. Our first year, when she went to Kindergarten was DEFINITELY a learning experience. It was totally hit and miss. Some days she would wake up like an angel... but most were full of morning battles, tangled hair, mis-matched socks and the occasional piece of dry toast while running out the door just barely making it on time. Not every day was like that buuuut... way more then I'd like to admit. I'm happy to report that is no longer the case. We have got this down.

I was looking to end the morning madness. I scoured Pintrest for ideas, and found some great routine charts from IheartOgranizing.com. (LOVE her website). We've tweaked the schedule to fit our needs and our mornings are amazing. Everyone knows their role and what to expect, its been a total transformation. Not to say that there isn't the occasional bout of whining, but its a far cry from the morning nightmares of years past. We timed the routine, and it takes about an hour each. We can now relax in the morning knowing we have enough time to happily complete our routines and get out the door, fed, well dressed with time to spare!

 This is the little command station on her wall. Its got her AM routine, PM routine, calendar and checklist of cleaning chores.

The cleaning checklist every night insures that her room doesn't get out of hand. I included things I would normally have to nag about like "pick up your shoes by the door." These little chores are usually done within 10-15 minutes and make such a difference. No more looking for lost sneakers while rushing to school.

I hope this helps! Being proactive is the best defense against morning meltdowns!

Totally Awesome, Incredible Two's!!

You can never under prepare or over prepare to become a parent. In fact, you really can't "prepare" until you've become one. There are so many parenting styles out and books to teach you to become the best parent, but in reality being the best parent is not about other parents excepting the way you raise your childern, but rather, your children seeing you as the best! And that's what matter's the most! What your child will remember you for. It took me a while to really understand what I just wrote and to be honest, I still have to put that in practice because of the person that I am. <<People Pleaser ALERT>>

This month of August we became 2! By we, I mean both Leland and I. We both are learning together and that's the fun part. I want Leland to remember me for letting him be him. So here are some things we have taught each other and continue to learn: 

Listening:  For Leland- he will listen and then do. In fact, we both are learning sign language together! Super Awesome Language! (post later). As for me, I'm learing to listen to his request more. Since he is speaking more, he is able to share with me what he wants to eat, drink and sometimes he can tell me stories about airplanes and cool trucks. 

Cleaning: Leland has this fasination with cleaning. Absolutely loves to sweep and wash dishes! however i might suspect he likes that part because he gets to stick his feet in the sink and "play with the water". For me, its teaching me to always clean. To show him, a clean house is how to live and please God. (btw, my house is not always clean, its a work in progress) 

With pop pop

Cars oh cars: I think cars is in a man's genes. I'm learning that playing with cars is pretty rad, especially when mommy makes bridges and even sometimes we go inside the trucks and listen to all the cool sounds the have. <<HONK HONK>>

Photography: A picture says a thousand words! I'm learning to really appreciate every memory and moment. I'm constantly snapping pictures.<<SNAP, SNAP, SNAP>> In fact, I think I've become a professional photographer. Leland has learned to take selfies lol and poses for me now. He understands mommy takes a lot of pictures, but if he's not willing to I will respect and understand that.

Swimming: My mother in law bought this awesome swimmy thing and little by little he is learning to swim on his own! PROUD MOMMY MOMENT!  No expensive classes, just on his own. You see when they explore and when their ready, they learn on their own. As for me, swimming has showed me it's a serious workout, even more when you add a toddler. But I also now have an excuse to play old school games. Marco... Polo...Marco or how about sharks and minows. 

Sharing: This is something we are learning as we go. At this very moment everything is "mine" and I'm trying to Found a balance of how to teach him to share and understand it's still his. Any suggestions please feel free to share. I will get back to this when we are better at it. 

Hands on: We are loving to touch everything and anything! Leland is so independent that he wants to do everything. And I'm kinda ok with it! As long as it's safe of course. Here's an example: wants to open the door or buckle his seat belt. By all means go ahead smart boy! 

What has it taught me? Patience. because I can open the door and buckle his seat belt in a jiffie, it will take him 10 mins. But again, that's ok for me because he's learning. 

Let them be, let them learn. You see when we see them getting into things it's just them wanting to see if the switch turns something on and see the toilet go down. The world to them is so innocent and huge! They have the right to know. and well that's my advice to you newbies, explore with them and you will see how much you thought you knew wasn't really a lot. Let them teach you a thing or TWO. 

Well, that's the lesson we have so far since we're TWO and all. Hehe.

See you next time. 

Momma and Leland.