How to Have a Great Day

Are you ready to learn how to have a great day, every day?!

Two things have been entering my mind lately: 1. I’m really happy at this point in life, and 2. Most of my days are exactly the same (so, why are they so good, haha?).

I have three little girls who I love dearly, but anyone with little kids knows that day-to-day life with them is pretty rough and demanding. We have a pretty set routine, which I’ll share below, and I think it’d be easy for someone with this life/routine to be… bored? anxious? wanting more? But I really don’t feel like that. Sure, I’d love to take a vacation, but I’m honestly very content with my so-called mundane life.

After thinking more about this and doing some research on what makes life good, this is what I’ve determined allows you to have the best day ever, today (and every day after).

And, my new life motto is “Great days make a great life.” How true is that?! So, instead of focusing so much on goals and what the future holds, I’m focusing on today.

Easy Ways to Make Your Home More Functional

I’m brand-new to being a SAHM. I recently quit my job to stay at home with my three daughters and blog full-time. It’s been a lot of fun and a wild ride, but so far I am loving it!

Luckily, my blog really isn’t a full-time job. I started my blog 2 1/2 years ago and slowly built it up to where it’s making a relatively passive income each month. I post once a week, send a newsletter out once a week (it’s full of fun blogging tips plus a peak into my life – sign up here!) and promote older posts on social media. The rest of my time I’m at home and with my girls.

So, what exactly have I been doing with my newfound “free time?” My older girls are in preschool M-F for four hours per day. The baby is always with me, but she usually takes a two hour nap in the mornings. During this time, I blog or get my house in order. It’s been a longggg time coming, but I’m finally getting to the point where my house is exactly how I want it!

One of my huge goals has been making my home more functional. We have a relatively large house, and I didn’t want any wasted space. Here are my tips to make your home more functional.

Day in the Life of a Full Time Blogger and Mama

Two weeks ago, something pretty cool happened. I was able to quit my full-time job to stay at home with my girls and blog full-time (well, as “full-time” as one can with little kids at home!).

I loved my day job, but my three little girls needed more of my attention than I was able to give them. Since we relied on my full-time income, I knew I couldn’t just up and quit.

Thankfully, I started a blog 2 1/2 years ago and that little blog (the one you’re reading now) is now producing a part-time income. With a tighter budget and the part-time income from my blog, I was able to quit my full-time job to stay at home with my daughters.

You can read my latest income report here >>

I was also at a crossroads with my blog. With a job, kids, a husband and a house to maintain, there was only so much time I could dedicate to it. And no, I’m not one to get up at 4am to blog considering my kids still wake up at night and my baby is up multiple times. Girl needs her rest!!

In order to grow my blog and take it to the next level, I knew I needed to devote more time to it. The only way that I could create more time was by eliminating something off my plate. Since I can’t exactly pawn off one of my kids (haha), my job was the only thing that could go.

So, here I am: Full-time mama and full-time blogger, ready and anxious to see where this blog is going to take me.

I thought it’d be fun to show you a day in my life, as those are always my favorite posts to read! Without further adieu, here is a typical day in the life of a full time blogger and mama.

3 Ways to Pay Off Credit Card Debt Fast

Average credit card debt per household is creeping over $16,000. With sky-high interest rates, simply making your minimum payment every month is no easy task.

We get it. And we’ve been there.

You’re drowning in debt and you don’t see a way out. But we’re hear to tell you there IS a life after debt and you CAN get out of it – probably more easily than you think!

Here are three ways to pay off credit card debt fast.

5 Ways to Make an Extra $500 a Month

What would you do with an extra $500 every month? I personally would save half of it ($250), go out to eat a few extra times each month ($100), and put the remaining amount ($150) towards debt.

Below are five ways you can make an extra $500 a month. Combine all of them for an extra $2,500!

How to Spoil Your Husband without Spending Money

If there’s one person who deserves to be spoiled, that would be my husband. He is truly the most incredible dad to our three little girls. They love him so much that they cry when he leaves and ask for him all day long (aren’t kids supposed to be more attached to their moms?!). He spends quality time with them, reads to them before bed, wakes up with them in the middle of the night, changes diapers and more. I am incredibly thankful to have him by my side.

Today, I wanted to share a list of ways I spoil my husband without spending any money. If you’re looking for free gift ideas or just want to say “thanks” to your man, you’ll want to keep reading!!

Working Moms Morning Routine: 5 Tips to Streamline Your Morning

Being a working mom is no joke. From the moment you get up, your day is nonstop. To make your day run smoother, I firmly believe in the power of a morning routine.

I used to wake up whenever one of my children woke up (it was, and still is, always early). This started my day off on a scrambled foot. By the time I got to work, I felt like I’d run a marathon and my day was just beginning. I knew my routine as a working mom had to change.

For about a year now, I’ve been following a strict morning routine (that actually starts the night before). Below are my five top tips for streamlining your morning routine as a working mom.

Working Moms Morning Routine: Top Tips

Do as much as you can the night before

School bags get emptied out, cleaned and repacked. Lunches get made other than refrigerated items. *Time-saving tip: Make all your sandwiches on Sunday and freeze. Then throw one in each child’s lunch in the morning and the sandwich will be perfect by lunchtime.

Outfits are also selected the night before for both myself and my kids. Make it a part of your bedtime routine for the kids!

I also spend 10-15 minutes cleaning up before going to bed. This could be dishes, sweeping and mopping the floors, throwing in a load of laundry, or quickly cleaning the bathrooms. I never spend more than 15 minutes, but it’s made a world of a difference in both my mood in the morning and the overall cleanliness of my house.

Set three goals for the morning

This tip I learned from Crystal Paine’s Make Over Your Mornings course. I highly recommend her course if your morning routine is in shambles and you need a complete revamp.

Every night, write down three things you want to accomplish in the morning. You can start out with easy goals, like have coffee, fold a load of laundry and have five minutes of quiet time to check emails. Simple.

As you get in the habit of writing down and accomplishing your goals, start challenging yourself. I always give myself one thing to look forward to, such as having 10 minutes to drink coffee in peace, one thing to clean, such as tidying up the play room or sweeping the kitchen, and one thing for my side job (blogging), such as scheduling posts on Pinterest and Facebook.

Wake up before your kids

You knew this was coming, right? Truly the only way to get your mornings in order is to get up before the kids. I know, it’s hard, especially if you have early risers. My kids are up by 6:30 every single day at the latest. I make it my goal to be up by 5:30 which gives me an entire hour, though sometimes I do “sleep in” until 6.

By waking up early, I have time to enjoy my coffee, take a shower and get ready, have a quiet conversation with my husband, catch up on emails, or do some work for my blog.

By the time the kids wake up, I’m looking forward to seeing them. I can spend quality time with them rather than rushing around and yelling. My patience with them has grown tenfold simply by getting up before them.

Allow time for setbacks

Wouldn’t it be nice if mornings always went exactly to plan? Of course! But as any mom knows, that rarely happens.

I’m currently breastfeeding my six-week old baby girl. Some mornings she sleeps through our entire morning and I transfer her to her car seat and we’re good to go. Other mornings she eats on and off for a solid hour. Instead of frantically stressing out when this happens, I am able to relax because I’ve left extra time in our morning routine. I give myself about two hours in the mornings, but it really only takes about 45 minutes to accomplish all my tasks. If things go smooth, I’m able to dedicate extra time to my kids, cleaning my home, or my blog.

Give the kids a routine, too

I keep our mornings exactly the same from one day to the next. I believe this best prepares them for their day, too. They wake up and head downstairs immediately for breakfast. Breakfast is always something easy: frozen waffles, a poptart and sliced bananas, yogurt with fresh blueberries, cereal, etc. We save pancakes and eggs for the weekends in this house 🙂

Then, the kids are able to watch TV, do art or play in their rooms for about 30-45 minutes. This gives me time to get what I need to do done – whether that’s finalizing lunches, getting myself ready, or feeding the baby.

Roughly 30-45 minutes before we leave, the kids get dressed, brush teeth and I do their hair. That time always tends to fly and we are out the door before we know it!

I know mornings can seem so rushed. Trust me, I have been there. And to be honest we still have very rushed mornings with the addition of our third child.

My best advice would be to be consistent and allow yourself plenty of time. I know it’s hard to get up in the morning, but it’s worth it to start your day off on the right foot.

Are you struggling with your morning routine? Share in the comments!

How to Find Time to Blog with Little Kids at Home

I have a 4-year-old, a 3-year-old, and a newborn baby who just turned one month. I’m by no means “super mom,” nor do I try to be. However, I am able to still find time to blog, keep up with the housework and find some time for myself. Today, I’m sharing my secrets on how to accomplish this!

Whether you’ve been blogging for years but are struggling with time management or if you’re a mom who’s debating starting a blog, this post is for you!

How to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom without Changing Your Lifestyle

I think it’s safe to say that working moms would enjoy the possibility of being a stay-at-home mom if it meant keeping their lifestyle the same. I personally am one of those crazy people who actually enjoys my full-time job, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t even consider what it would be like to stay home.

Here’s the thing, though. I think the majority of us working moms would miss having “something for ourselves.” We’d miss contributing to the family financially, and we’d definitely miss socializing with other adults (big one for me!!). If this is exactly how you feel, keep reading.

Life Insurance: Why You Need It and How to Save Money on It

This post was sponsored by SelectQuote, but all opinions are my own.

Life insurance. This is something my husband and I just recently acquired for our family, and I’m so glad we did. We are about to have our third baby, and if something were to happen to either one of us, we need to know that the other person and our children are protected, without having to rely on grandparents or distant relatives to take on the financial burden.