momonthegoinholytoledo

5 Signs you are an Overscheduled Mombie

April 15, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

I am showing all the signs of an overscheduled Mombie, are you? Here are 5 Signs you are an Overscheduled Mombie:

1. No time to get the maintenance done on your 2^nd home a.k.a vehicle

I had a mini panic attack while trying desperately to find a two hour window when I could get our 2^nd home, our SUV, in for some much needed mechanic work. How on Earth was I going to make this happen? I need the car for morning drop-offs, preschool pick-up, play dates, dr. appointments, school pickup, after school activities. If only there was a mechanic that came to your house around midnight, took your vehicle, worked on it, ran your credit card, and then left it in your driveway so it was ready to go in the morning, could you imagine? A girl can dream. So, I have a vehicle that has been neglected maintenance for far too long and if I don’t get it in I won’t be able to maintain our busy schedule but because of our busy schedule I can’t find a window of time to get the work done…can you relate to this dilemma?

2. You look and act like a Zombie

I told myself years ago that I would never be “that mom”, you now the type, they look like Zombies with their dark circles under their eyes, expressionless faces, they have lost the will & strength to carry on a conversation, sometimes even have trouble forming words! Shuffling one child to baseball practice, another to dance, while going through the drive-thru with the 3^rd before their piano lesson, only to do it all over again in a half hour. No, that wasn’t going to be me or my family. We were going to sit down every evening for dinner together, discuss our days, and after the children had cleared the table they could play with their friends outside, you know, a real life Leave it to Beaver type of a family! I was going to have more control over my children’s scheduling, they would have limited activities, and faith would remain of utmost importance. I had it all figured out back when my children were still in preschool. And then they grew!! And life threw us some curve balls.

3. The Family Table is a distant memory

After working at his old place of employment for 15 years my husband got a new job, one that involves travel. So I can kiss those dreams of all us sitting down as a family every evening goodbye. But that’s okay, we all need to make sacrifices along the way and we made this decision together and felt it was the best for our family but that doesn’t mean it is easy. And that idea of the children clearing the table and then going off to play with their friends, yeah, not happening. Why? Well, it’s rather simple, most of them are either at a different parent’s house, at afterschool care, or at an after school activity. So what do you do? Can’t beat them, then join ’em! And that is precisely what we did, though I didn’t realize it in the beginning. It was more like that frog in hot water analogy; it was a slow progress to arrive where I am today, as an official Zombie mom= Mombie!!

4. Your Priorities are askew

I rationalized ALL of it! First and foremost, of utmost importance is my children’s faith life. God has entrusted me with these miraculous little souls and I want to do my best to make certain I guide them and provide them with a faith driven life (you will see the irony of this in a few sentences). And since they do not attend a Catholic school I made certain they were enrolled in religious education classes. Thus, religious education classes were not open to a discussion attendance was mandatory and only once a week for 1-1/2 hours. That in addition to the rosary and reading the bible in the evenings was going to provide a nice foundation for their Faith lives during weekdays.

But then our kiddos started learning about all the other fun activities that other children were participating in, like chess club, boy scouts, swimming, basketball/baseball (seasonal sports), etc. And I rationalized it all….sports are a great way to teach teamwork & get some exercise, chess club is a fun way to exercise your brain, etc. And then suddenly in the evenings we were way too tired for the rosary and reading the bible so I did the next logical thing, or so I thought at the time, I had my daughter join Little Flower Girl’s Club because there she could learn about the virtues and about the Saints while I rushed her sibling around. Mind you the idea behind the club is that mothers and daughter spend this time together but I couldn’t be in two places at once so my mom offered to attend. Did I just delegate my child’s faith life entirely onto others? YEP! And here’s the REAL KICKER, Boy Scouts, Little Flower girls club, and religious education all fall on the same day & times (ever been in 3 places at once!?) and since my children’s faith is of utmost importance to me I would clearly make certain they attended religious education class, right!? WRONG!

5. You have lost sight of the true Joys of Motherhood & are hearing your kids but NOT listening to them

I have to be 100% honest, before Spring Break I felt tired, overstressed, unappreciated, I was feeling like a motherhood failure. I figured it was just me; something was clearly wrong with me. I had never ever considered the thought that the problem might be with our schedule. But then we had Spring Break and no extracurricular activity and guess what I found over that week? I found the joys of motherhood again. The fog lifted, I had more patience, I wasn’t angry or stressed, I enjoyed hearing and ACTUALLY LISTENING to my little ones thoughts, dreams, questions, etc. I wasn’t simply waiting for silence and replying or nodding my head…I could actually process what they were saying, form a complete thought, share, and patiently await their reply, it was the most refreshing feeling!! I so enjoyed our leisure conversations over meals, no rushing off with dinner in hand or grabbing food on the go.

Solution: If it’s broke FIX IT!

Things need to change. In all this running children around and being the sole caregiver at home I have practically lost myself…gone are the days were I would attend book club and get out a couple times a month. This schedule is wearing me down and I think the family is suffering. But I think what really pisses me off is the fact that I know things need to change but I have almost found comfort as a Mombie because it is familiar. I am literally sitting at the intersect of change & comfortable, I could maintain the same course and sink further into my Mombiehood or go for change. But change is scary; I can’t even see the road ahead…which is really scary for a gal who lives in NW Ohio where it is so flat you can see miles ahead. Haha!

So, are you showing any of these signs? How do you keep your family from overscheduling? How do you say no without feeling guilty?

5 Signs that Spring has Officially Arrived!

April 13, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

5 Signs that Spring has Officially Arrived:

1. The ladies are exposing more skin. Time to ditch the scarves gals!! Let your necks feel the fresh air. And grab those open toed shoes! Get a pretty pedicure and rock those strappy sandals! Eeee!!! Thank goodness, I was getting close to burning my boots…I mean I adore them, but after 5 months of boots a gal longs for some toe exposure, am I right ladies!?

2. Baseball, baby!! Sons playing catch with dads in the front yard, baseball practice at school, and best of all, OPENING DAY for the TOLEDO MUD HENS!!!

Even Will Ferrell’s Excited for the Toledo Mud Hens Season to start!

3. Everyone be all up in their grills!! The neighborhood smells amazing! The grilling starts around 2pm and goes all night….the amazing aroma of steaks, burgers, hotdogs, veggies, fish, etc. grilling is euphoric! Man how I missed that smell! YES!! It is back!

4. Color the town green!! The salty dust of winter, the dull boring hues of leafless trees, and the gray cloudy skies are being replaced with color! The various shades of green are magnificent!

5. The neighborhood is alive! Dogs barking, kids running around, moms pushing strollers, runners running, families walking down to the park, neighbors stopping by to chat…sometimes through the window…corner lot, I tell ya! Haha! But I must admit, I LOVE IT! It is like being on a movie set and someone just yelled ACTION, the neighborhood booming.

I just love Spring! Next on my list, flowers…I am literally counting down the days till Flower Weekend at the Farmers Market. Lookout marigolds here I come!

So what are some of your favorite signs of Spring? Are you wearing your sandals? Feels amazing, right!?!

Petting Sharks in Kentucky!?!

April 11, 2015April 11, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

Lookout Kentucky here we come!!

Woot Woot!! Newport Aquarium!! We have arrived and are precisely 205 miles from Toledo…kids got a kick out of the sign, had to take a pic!

Our little biologist nearly lost her mind! She was beyond excited to see the number one thing on her list, the Shark Rays, which to be honest, I thought she was just making up; I didn’t even know they existed. But she was right, they do exist and they are such a magnificent creature.

A cross between a Ray and Shark, duh! Wonder where they go the name? LOL! So we zoomed past most of the World Rivers and Shore Gallery aquariums in order to make certain we had the chance to see the Shark Rays being fed and boy am I glad we did, it was so awesome! They fed them lobster. Here is a clip (don’t worry it is short, promise).

How cool was that, right!?

Then our next big MUST SEE was Shark Central where we could pet a shark….we did manage to stop briefly to see this guy…..he was HUGE!

Then we rushed by other tanks in order to PET SHARKS! The children were so excited, even the little one who was so terrified of a thunderstorm that she literally made herself sick & threw-up was overjoyed at the idea of petting a shark. What have I done to these children? Haha! They each ran up and claimed there spot and listened to the handlers instructions. As the handler jokingly said, “Use only two fingers to pet the shark so that you still have three fingers left for future use” , I started to wonder what kind of mom was I, I am letting my children pet sharks!? I glanced around at the other adults and children in the crowd; they all seemed to still have their digits in tact so I figured what the heck and joined them! The shark felt unlike anything I had imagined. I always thought they were smooth and silky to the touch. Boy was I wrong, they were actually quite rough.

Then it was on to the Penguin show where we learned about all the different types of Penguins, their diet, climate, mating, etc. we learned so much!

And at the end the handler who was located inside the exhibit had a microphone outside the exhibit so she could hear questions from the crowd. And wouldn’t you know all 3 of my kiddos had questions. Haha! I was not surprised that our little biologist had a question and it was a great one, one not covered or discussed during the show. Her question was what are predators of the Penguins? Our son, the 1^st grader asked why the King Penguins were not as active as the other Penguins? And then the preschooler, I was a little nervous about her question. God only knew what she would ask. She already asked me if we could have one for a pet and I had to break the news to her gently, so I knew she wasn’t going to ask if we could take one home. Then I started wondering what other crazy thought, idea, or family secret she might share in public over the microphone. Preschoolers and microphones are a horrible combination it is like drunks singing karaoke; you never know what is going to come out of their mouths!! So she proudly walked up to the microphone, cleared her throat, and clearly expressed that she liked the handler’s bows in her hair. PHEW! That was a close one! Lol!

We had such a wonderful time at the Aquarium we were sad to leave but not before hitting up the gift shop! The children save up money from birthdays and holidays for these rare and special occasions. So we spent 4 hours at the aquarium and I am fairly certain one of those was in the gift shop. I firmly believe God gifts you with such remarkable souls, little souls that help make you a better person and on that day he was making me a more patient soul. Haha! Our little biologist eventually made her final decision and we headed off to dinner. Dinner at Red Lobster, anyone see the irony in that? Haha! But man was my salmon and shrimp delicious! Then we went back to the hotel and swam like fish!

It was quite the aquatic day. I shall treasure the memories for always because we will go back again but I will never go back again with a 9, 7, and 4 year old.

Thank you for the memories Kentucky!

Flowerpot & dirt or Cake?

April 6, 2015April 6, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

Nailed it! Well, mostly nailed it! We decided to make something for Easter dessert this year. Something way outside my comfort zone…I totally ditched the security blanket! Instead of grabbing something from Costco we went big! We made something! Something fun, bright, & delicious! We decided on a flowerpot & dirt cake, complete with faux flower. We were still in the April fool’s day spirit when we decided on this one and thought it would be fun to fool the guests (and apparently myself, lol!). So my little assistant, my 3^rd grader, and I went to work. We made a list of everything we would need to pull of this sweet cake!!

Need:

White cake mixes (I am a semi-homemade type of gal)
Buttercream frosting
Raspberry filling
Package of Oreos
Fondant
Dye for Fondant

Lucky for us we literally have a Cake Supply store right around the block, we are talking walking distance! I love living here…we are minutes from 2 bowling allies, cleaners, pet groomers, party store, half dozen restaurants, etc. This location is unbeatable, I so appreciate the convenience! So we stopped in and they helped us locate all the necessities. We purchased everything and headed home with much enthusiasm to get started.

While my little assistant was in school I started the cake. She was much more excited about decorating the cake than baking it. So I started mixing the ingredients together and hit my first bump in the road, two minutes in and I didn’t have any vegetable oil! So I took a chance and substituted coconut oil. I figured it would either add to the flavor or not work at all and that was the gamble I was willing to take at that time…after running around getting everything else in order for Easter I was not about to run out just for vegetable oil. Looking back maybe that was a pretty big gamble but, spoiler alert, it totally worked!!

When my little lady got home we started the decorating process!! We were so excited! It was a special experience because we made certain it was just the two of us, some quality bonding time. Some fun! We started by kneading the fondant, extreme kneading is probably a better explanation, it was some tedious work. Then we added the dye, a terracotta color to make it look like a clay pot. And 5 minutes into it both our hands were dyed terracotta, like we literally tanned just our palms. Bahahaha! It was at that moment that I remembered the lady at the cake shop saying something about getting gloves. We made some fun memories decorating that silly cake!

We layered the cakes, white cake, buttercream, raspberry filing, cake, buttercream, etc. then we carefully measured and cut the fondant to place around the cake.

We placed half the package of Oreos in the food processor and grinded till it was the consistency of dirt. Then sprinkled on top of that cake and added the flower!! Eee!! We did it!!!

I will be the first to admit that we spent way too much time & money on that cake but it was totally worth the experience, the memories, and our guests were most definitely worth it!

If we were ever going to make such an intense cake I am glad we did for Easter, such a magnificent reason to celebrate!!

Simple & Jazzy Mason jar Vases

April 3, 2015April 3, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

I adore a simple, yet elegant, table-scape and the Mason jar vase with a burlap wrap is the perfect inclusion!

It is so simply to make these! All you need is:

Mason Jars (I like varying heights; it adds more depth and dimension to the table-scape)
Glue Dots
Ribbon and/or Burlap (I like to add some layers to a few)

When deciding on the mason jars I recommend varying the heights and always have an odd number…thus, 3, 5, or 7 jars…depends on the size of table.

Simply wrap burlap around jar, allow overlapping slightly, just under ½ an inch so there is space for the glue dot. Cut the burlap. Place glue dot on jar. Wrap cut burlap piece around jar and add a second glue dot to adhere the burlap.

Repeat step with ribbon and overlap ribbon on burlap. I only overlap half the jars to allow for a bit of color, pattern, and texture.

And then add water, plant food, and flowers to jars. If you are adding roses like I am you might want to prepare them a day or two before the event so they are open and gorgeous the day of your gathering.

Also feel free to add fun beads, fake pearls, etc. to the jar, jazz it up as you please. Have fun with it!

Time to DITCH the SECURITY BLANKET Linus!?

April 2, 2015April 2, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

Time to DITCH the SECURITY BLANKET Linus!? Sometimes we get caught up in the mundane, the routine, it becomes our comfort zone, our security blanket. Want to truly feel alive? Ditch the SECURITY BLANKET! Do something that scares you a little today…maybe talk to a stranger in the checkout line, wear bold colors, speak up & give your honest opinion, go to that workout class, start that project, start a group, or in my case do a segment on the news…it is totally outside my comfort zone ! But once I get up there I feel amazing and afterwards I feel like I really accomplished something…I feel alive!!

This life is such a miraculous gift! Live it! Turn off that negative talk in your head & push yourself to live a little on the other side of your comfort zone. This magnet is on my refrigerator and is a great reminder to me every morning to live my life…tomorrow is not promised so don’t put anything off.

What has always scared you a little? What is holding you back? What are you going to do today that is outside your comfort zone? Maybe it is adding a comment to this post? Go for it!!

(Just to clarify, this means outside your comfort zone not outside your moral compass.)

The Pick Up Line

March 30, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

I am super excited to have Guest Blogger Brandi from withBrandi here today!! She is an amazing & relatable mommy blogger. The kid-friendly foods & activities she shares are brilliant & fun! She is a glass is half-full type of gal with her positive outlook and one of those rare peeps who you instantly feel a connection with…to sum it up, she is pretty awesome! And she has a way with words…but don’t take my word for it, read on. Enjoy!!

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Do you come here often? I know you, don’t I? Can I buy you a drink? Single pickup lines fortified by liquor courage to start up a conversation, a conversation that could lead to a relationship, or at the very least a fun night out. Oh the wonderful world of dating. AMEN, after more than seven years of marriage the days of pickup lines are over, but are they?

Can we just admit that meeting good quality mom friends can be just as challenging as finding the right one and I don’t know about you but having mom friends is vital to my sanity.

If you think about it meeting a new mom friend really isn’t too much different than being in the single world.

The Radar

I’ll see a mom at the park or in the grocery store line whose demeanor or child interaction just screams friend quality. Or maybe she orders my exact order in front of me at Starbucks. Or I overhear her on the phone using the same tone of voice as I do when talking to her husband about this or that.

Of course there are tons of other ways to meet great moms besides the random sightings. So many great online resources to find mom groups. I’m a member of a national and local group, Mom-mentum. I’ve also been known to turn a virtual friend I connect with through blogs and turn them into an in-person friend, including our very own Kat.

The Pick Up Line

I have classic mom pick-up lines I use. “How old is he/she?” or “What school does he/she attend.” referring to the child. “Busy time of the year, right?” This pretty much works anytime of the year, because let’s face it as a mom it’s a given you are busy All. The. Time.

If you are looking for friendships with other moms, don’t ever be afraid to reach out. One of my closest mom friend was from a conversation in line at our local deli shop.

Last Call

Sometimes it’s a dud attempt, but sometimes when the friend universe aligns a meaningful conversation takes place, sometimes so much so that contact information is exchanged and a friendship begins.

The Date

The first date with a mom may be a little nerve wrecking. What if we don’t have enough in common? What if our kids don’t get along? What if junior has a complete and utter embarrassing meltdown?

It’s worth the chance. It really is. You never know what great lifetime friendships can be forged if given the chance.

Yes, mom friendships are a lifeline for me. I have learned to stop googling for resources and support and turn to my friends who are on the motherhood track with me. When the daily drudgery is drowning me, I can always count on my mommy friends to re-energize, refocus, and recharge my spirit. Motherhood can be lonely. It just can. Sometimes it’s tough to make the time for friendships when there’s nap time, rehearsals, practices, kids getting sick, but having others who understand that is the beauty of friendships in motherhood. There’s just something about knowing I’m not alone on this mom island that makes life more doable.

So come be friends with me. withBrandi and be certain to stay up-to-date by liking the Facebook page.

Brandi Walerius is the author of withBrandi.com, a dealership wife, mom to boys, entrepreneur at Black & White Consulting, content writer, HR and business consultant, passion seeker, former college cheerleader, outgoing introvert (yeah, it’s complicated) and a believer in pink, early mornings, coffee as a necessity, and happily ever afters.

Vlog: Things they don’t tell you before you have Kids

March 29, 2015March 29, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

What is something you wish they would have told you before you had kids?

Wanna get your hands on one of those Holey Toledough Handcrafted Gourmet Donuts? Click here

Top 10 Kid Approved Spring Break Destinations in Toledo

March 28, 2015March 28, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

I asked the kiddos to make a list of the top 10 things that they would like to do over Spring Break in Toledo.

Here are their requests: (click on each to be linked to the website & get hours/cost)

1. Aquarium at the Toledo Zoo (Finally OPEN!! I can’t wait to see it! Eee!)

2. Mud Hens Game

3. Walleye Game

4. Ritter Planetarium

5. Imagination Station Dinosaurs (Special Spring Break Hours!)

6. Fun Factory

7. Toledo Museum of Art’s Family Center

8. Indian Creek Zoo (Weekend Hours only)

9. In 2Art

10. Build it! (Egg Hunt April 3rd..$7 & kiddos receive a LEGO bunny & 1 hour of open play, register today!)

And I must admit I am pretty impressed…these are all activities that are also fun for moms & dads too! There are some great family destinations on this list! Props to the kids!! Let the countdown to spring break begin!!!

5 Reasons Why you need to Book the Easter Bunny (Discount included)

March 24, 2015momonthegoinholytoledo

5 Reasons Why you need to Book the Easter Bunny

In the past most parents would take their children to the mall to wait in a long line for a very long time to visit the Easter bunny. Then pay way too much for a photograph of their child either screaming or looking in the wrong direction with a Bunny who looks as though he has seen better days. And then half the time the darn photo would fall out of the cardboard frame on the way back to the car! Ahh, the memories!! Haha! But that was the 80’s now we have options. This is the day and age when information comes to you and why should the Easter Bunny be any different?

Here are the top 5 reasons why you should have the Easter Bunny come to you this Easter:

5. Hygiene! This Bunny isn’t the Mall Bunny! God bless the Mall Bunny but who knows what kind of germs may be lurking on his furry coat…we are talking snot, boogers, spit up, etc. (I am reminded of a funny line from Baby’s Mama, “is that chocolate or poop?” Haha!) No thank you!

4. Convenience! No more having to work around the Mall hours. Schedule a visit around your family’s Easter gathering…around your family’s schedule.

3. You can be Lazy! Or not! So you don’t feel like going out and getting the kiddos candies & treats, no worries, the bunny can bring it, no joke!! The Easter Bunny can bring treats for all the kiddos for only $2 a child!! Just make certain you count accordingly…and even if you don’t that Bunny is so on top of things he will probably have extras (true story! I miscounted and didn’t have enough baskets but the Easter Bunny saved the day by bringing extra treats!). Or, if you do have everything ready to go you can make arrangements with the bunny to deliver it to your child!!!

2. Economical! Instead of the single pic from the mall you can get as many as you would like!! In fact they encourage you to get as many as you would like! Also, there is something absolutely magical about allowing your child time to warm up to the bunny (like my daughter needed) and even engage in a conversation. One of the little girls at our gathering told the bunny she was sorry she didn’t have carrots for her, it was priceless. And all us adults thoroughly enjoyed watching the 2 year old take it all in…it takes time to make memories, they can’t be rushed and this Bunny understands that it is more than just a photograph. The price can’t be beat, $75 for a half hour and if you split it with other guest it can be even less! (Also if you mention Mom on the go in Holy Toledo you will receive a 10% discount!!!)

1. Memories! Memories to cherish for a lifetime! It is not only the expression on the toddler’s face, or the preschooler’s screech of excitement when the Easter bunny walks through the door but it is the expression of pure joy on the grandparents face knowing they were able to witness such a treasured moment. The Easter Bunny isn’t just for the kids but an experience for all!

I am so thankful for our memories of our visit with the bunny, I shall treasure them for always. thank you so much Fairytale Memory. Schedule your visit today!! Click here and be sure to mention Mom on the go in Holy Toledo to receive 10% off!!!

Also, why not think outside the Easter basket….the Easter bunny is also fun for Baby showers around this time of year, Church events, work events, playgroup events, possible proposal (what girl could resist an engagement ring for the Easter bunny?), etc.