A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A BADASS MOM

{ Me & Carly at my bachelorette party }

AS WE KNOW I’m sort of clueless when it comes to mommyhood.

Like very, VERY clueless.

I’m always asking my sister, Faye ( << she’s coming on the podcast soon! ) & my girlfriends, Jackie & Carly, random questions. Sometimes I think they think I’m BAT-SHIT CRAZY because of the questions I ask…eer, let’s just say I don’t know a lot about babies?

SO to switch things up tonight, Carly ( who you’ve met here//here//here//here//here ), is sharing all her secret mommy tricks with TSC readers who are moms, pregnant, or considering mommyhood.

That’s right, she’s going to give us some FABULOUS TIPS. Over to you, Carly:

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Hi guys, it’s Carly!

Becoming a mom has been the most incredible experience of my life. I always knew I wanted to be a mom and I love my boys so much it hurts! There is really no feeling like it. All that said, being a mom is HARD. Taking care of little people can be overwhelming and at times, just plain exhausting. I want to share five practices that make mommyhood a little easier for me.  

Establishing some set routines and practices throughout my week makes it possible for me to take care of my people ( myself included ) as well as all the other important stuff that needs to be handled when you’re a mama.  

CARLY’S TIPS FOR MAKING #MOMLIFE MANAGEABLE:

{ MORNINGS }

I try to make every morning very similar because kids crave structure. One of the favorite times of the day for my family is morning time. Breakfast is our time together. My husband Adam (who is super helpful and an awesome partner, by the way) wakes up everyday with Rio. I usually nurse Dante then head downstairs shortly after.

Rio often helps me make smoothies and we drink those first, then Rio and Adam play while I make breakfast. We make green smoothies and a big breakfast every morning, religiously. I think drinking green smoothies daily has impacted our health tremendously and it only takes 5-10 minutes, tops. So it’s doable, but if you are really crunched for time in the mornings you could make a batch at the beginning of the week and freeze them. This morning routine gets our day off to a good start and because Rio is getting so many nutrients right at the beginning of the day, I know he will function well regardless of what happens the rest of our day.

I realize mornings are busy for a lot of people, but this works for us. Making green smoothies has become therapeutic and drinking them helps all of us feel awake and alive. We all feel ready for our day after breakfast time. Establishing this smoothie/breakfast routine gives us time to talk about the day ahead and Rio always knows what to expect. We also have a bedtime routine that we stick to very closely after dinner time. Having some sort of routine throughout the day helps kids feel secure and keeps me feeling sane.

{ ESSENTIALS }

By essentials, I mean the stuff that really HAS to get done. Sunday is my day for this. I usually go to a yoga class then hit up my favorite farmer’s market & one grocery store  (Trader Joe’s or Costco are usually in rotation). My husband knows that yoga is essential for me to feel healthy and grocery shopping is something I really enjoy doing on my own. So we work it out so that on Sundays, I usually have a good 3-4 hour block all to myself after breakfast. This time is sacred to me. Going to these markets alone is so helpful because I don’t feel rushed and I can focus because I don’t have to worry about the kiddos.

All mamas have different things they really MUST get done during the week in order for their world to work. Figure out what things you can get done with the kids in tow and what things you need to do on your own. Then work with your partner to figure out a plan. Most days of the week I can’t make it to a yoga class or the gym, so I do a walk with my double stroller. I love walking and being outside when I exercise so I’ve figured out a way to do it with the kids and it’s a great workout.

Prioritizing what is essential for me has really helped me figure out how and when to get it all done.

{ SELF CARE }

Self-care is about finding some time to do what makes me happy. Going to the farmer’s market and grocery store does make me happy, but they are also essential errands. Taking care of yourself means finding some time to do the things you enjoy, things that are wants, not needs. Maybe this means having dinner with girlfriends, going to the movies without kids, getting a pedicure, reading or writing, going to the gym or to a coffee shop, going to the library, getting your hair done, or getting a massage or facial.

I get a massage once a month and it is heavenly. And because I know it’s just once a month, I really look forward to it. It is in the calendar and nothing (well almost nothing) trumps it. All mamas have different things they want to make time for.

For me, it’s important to find a couple hours a week where I’m doing something by and for myself.

{ MEAL PLANNING }

Feeding my family healthy meals is extremely important to me. In order to do this, I need to have a plan. I start by thinking about what I made the previous week so that I can do different things the next week. Throughout the week, I make a grocery list in my phone as I think of things or come up with ideas. By Sunday, I have a list pretty much completed. I have separate lists in the notes section of my phone for every place I shop. These lists include everything I purchase from each store I frequent. I usually put a checkmark next to what I need for that week. This is super helpful to me because I used to always forget things I needed or forget the list entirely.

Since we eat a primarily plant-based diet, I always try to switch up the veggies I use weekly. I try to buy what is in season at the Farmer’s Market and go from there. I always make sure I have 4-5 different veggies to work with for the week. Examples of veggies I almost always have include spinach, carrots, onion, celery, sweet potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and broccoli. Plus a couple different greens like kale, collards, romaine or chard for smoothies. Since I have a Tower Garden, I don’t always have to buy my greens. I buy eggs at the Farmer’s Market too. I also try to switch up the fruit I buy every week and I always have tons of bananas (for smoothies and baking- bananas are so versatile!) and always frozen fruit (organic strawberries and blueberries from Costco) for our smoothies. I always have apples; Rio and I each eat one a day. I make sure my pantry is stocked with items like brown rice pasta, lentil pasta, beans, oats, lentils, nuts, rice, marinara sauce, quinoa, etc.  I plan meals for the week based around what veggies I have.

Mom Tip: If I’m stuck or not feeling creative, I rely on my good buddy, Google. I type in the ingredients I have to work with and I can almost always get a fresh idea or recipe. Or I just text Lauryn for ideas.

I usually only plan 4 dinners a week. We usually have leftovers a couple times that week and maybe take out or out to dinner once a week. For breakfast we always have our green smoothie and usually eggs or oatmeal powered up with veggies/seeds/healthy fats. Lunch is usually light because we have huge breakfasts-think hummus and veggies with apples and nut butter, avocado toast, or maybe if we had oatmeal for breakfast we would do eggs for lunch and vice versa. Sometimes we eat lunch on the go, so sliced bell peppers, cucumbers and blanched green beans are easy veggies to throw in a baggie and eat without making a mess. I always put an apple in our lunch bag too, and maybe a Mamma Chia pouch or a Perfect Food Bar.

Planning meals for the week makes life so much easier.

{ DATE NIGHT }

Sometimes I’m so busy momming ( It should be a word, don’t you think?! ) that I don’t feel like I have time to connect with my husband. Fortunately, my parents are amazing and offer to help us all the time with my kids, so we recently scheduled a date night every other Wednesday. Dressing up & taking time for ourselves has been a game changer!

When Rio was born, we didn’t have family around, so we rarely had a night out. I can totally relate to anyone who doesn’t want to leave their kids with a sitter. I am that mom. One really great thing my husband and I did when we were in that situation was had a date night IN. On Friday nights after putting Rio to bed, I would make dinner or we’d get take out, open a bottle of wine and talk. We would eat at the dining room table without TV and hang out together while the baby slept. We had to make it a point to catch up and connect.  We looked forward to Friday nights all week.

“Date Night” doesn’t always have to happen at night or even away from home. It’s about making time for each other every week, regardless of when, where or how. We are convinced that our weekly dates keep our relationship healthy.

These are the things that help me stay on top of my mom game. Mamas- figure out what works for you and don’t forget to take care of your own needs!

Our babies will be better for it.

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Huge thanks to Carly for all her mommy tips ; ). If you guys are mamas you gotta follow her on Instagram: @thepreggerspantry & on her blog. Be sure to follow along on Snapchat because I’m going to see her Friday & you guys will meet her two kids, Rio & Dante!

Happy Sunday, I’m in bed ready to read my latest book ( << it’s good so far! ).

x lauryn

+ I’ll be on Instagram LIVE on Wednesday at 10:15 am PST sharing my makeup organization tips. See you then!

SHOP THE MOMMY ESSENTIALS: