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Six Mom Hacks To Surviving Summer Vacation With Kids
This post is sponsored by Always Infinity. All opinions are my own.
Being a mom and running a business isn't always the easiest of tasks when two out of three kids are in school half the day; but throw in summer vacation and it becomes an entirely new ball game. To the mom who wears many hats, adding a camp counselor and travel agent might not seem like a huge deal, but after a week at our house post-school year, it might be more than you bargained for.
Which is why I'm partnering with Always Infinity to share how I tackle summer vacation with three kids AND get work done, even when I’m on my period.. If you have been keeping up with my Insta-stories you may have spotted my unboxing of a ginormous Always Infinity package. Well, that package was filled to the brim with all sorts of mom-boss-approved goodies like wireless earbuds, a notebook, the coziest t-shirt, a UV phone sanitizer and of course, Always Infinity pads!
Truth: You're likely going to get your period at least a couple of times while the kids are on vacation, so be prepared and protected to keep everything on track. For me, I'm a pads gal when it comes to regular life and Always has been my go-to brand since I was pre-teen and starting that 'journey'. They've come a LONG way in the last 18 years and are constantly evolving.
For example, Always Infinity provides a Zero Feel experience made possible by its one-of-a-kind FlexFoam™ core. Ultra-light and form-fitting FlexFoam™ material molds to your body, so you'll barely feel it. Real Talk: the last thing you want when you're wrangling a toddler to change his diaper is to feel like you're wearing a diaper yourself. Right? THAT IS a huge issue when it comes to choosing pads. Don't let the tiny packaging fool you. Always’ most absorbent, thin pad absorbs 10X its weight™. Always Infinity also comes in 5 different sizes to help with all types of flows during your period. I'll admit I get instantly overwhelmed by the Femcare aisle and will just grab and go without really looking at sizing. Some of the time I grab the right size, but there are times where I missed the mark. After having all 5 sizes in front of me to really examine, I totally get it and understand the importance of picking the right size for your unique shape and flow.
Note: The holes in the Always Infinity pad are called Microdots. The Microdots are designed to work with both layers of the FlexFoam core, to quickly draw fluid away from your body through the first layer, and into the denser bottom layer.
As I said above the packaging is super thin and slips easily into your crossbody before you head out on your next adventure. Also, it's pretty. So there's that.
BOOM! your time of the month is covered, let's talk about those
Mom Boss Summer Vacation HACKS.
Because I work from home, I do have some flexibility with my schedule and usually know ahead of time when I have deadlines, travel and/or upcoming events. Sometimes, I get something with a tight turnaround that makes a little bit of a wave to our smooth sailing - so, first things first.
SCHEDULING
It's probably those most important on the list and requires a little brainwork and magic. For the past several years David and I have gotten it down to a science - he takes the boys to their morning activities while I get work done and then we switch off mid-day so he can get his work done. For David, he likes to break it down by the hour but for me I'm a little more lax and tend to lean towards every few hours. Whatever your comfort level, aim for scheduling to your best needs. It makes a huge difference with tackling each day...
THEME
Pick a theme for your summer activities. This year we're aiming for more water-based actives, such as swimming, kayaking and beach getaways.
BASKET OF ACTIVITIES
You're not going to be able to make every day an outdoor adventure, so have a basket of activities handy for days spent indoors. Try your hand at making slime, make a fun recipe and have puzzles, board games and coloring activities ready to go for day at home with the kids. Having a basket saves you a good couple of hours before you hear the infamous "I'm Bored"..
GET CREATIVE
Having three boys at very different ages calls for some serious creativity. If there's one thing my boys can agree on it's snacks and picnics. We constantly find ourselves at different parks throughout the season with our picnic table and spread snacks. Let the kids help with the packing and food choices.
SIGN UP FOR LOCAL E-NEWLETTERS
One of my personal favorite sources for summer activities are our local e-newsletters. New York has tons of (free) activities during the summer and we make a habit to add a lot of them to our calendar. Especially the nightly movies under the stars throughout the boroughs and neighborhoods. Also check your local libraries and parks for events and activities, the boys have taken everything from Track and Tennis at the local parks to Art and crafts at the libraries.
FLEXIBILITY FOR THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT
Ok, not everything is going to be scheduled to a T, but let's be real: that's life. Leave room to be flexible for spur of the moment trips and activities. I love when I finish work early (or maybe even take a mental health day) and go for a spontaneous trip on the ferry to play tourist for the day. It's those impromptu trips that are sometimes the most memorable and fun.
YOU'RE NOT PERFECT
It's not going to be perfect all the time and that's ok. Cut yourself some slack and remind yourself that you're doing the best you can do at the moment.
We're all heading up the next chapter in our lives, whether it's entering summer vacation, becoming a mom for the first time, or heading to college - we all share important journeys, big and small that Always Infinity is here to make sure your period isn’t holding you back in any of this. I'm challenging you to share your Shape My Infinity journey, either here or on your favorite social channel with #shapemyinfinity and see how other women are tackling the next chapter in their lives. Because, we all need a little more women supporting women love in our lives...
Twenty-Five Eyelet Styles To Wear All Summer Long
HAPPY 2nd Day Of Summer!
Jackie and I spent the 1st day of summer trying on dresses and taking pictures in front of the Lilly Pulitzer Madison Ave store while sipping on juice. It was kind of amazing and ridiculously hard to play favorite with Lilly's summer selects. We finally narrowed it down to these two eyelet beauties and we're not looking back. Though, I need Jackie's maxi too because it is amazing!
So with summer styles and eyelet in mind we're sharing our favorite 25 eyelet styles, including these two gorgeous dresses, for today's post! Which is your favorite?
Megan: Indira Lilly Pulitzer Dress (c/o) // Sorel Ella Lace-Up Sandal
Jackie: Melody Lilly Pulitzer Dress (c/o) // BAG Bloomingdales
Twenty-Five Eyelet Styles To Wear All Summer Long
Two Ultra-Flattering Bathing Suits To Add To Your Suitcase
You guys had a lot to say about my suits from my trip and I'm sharing them today!
When packing for Florida, I knew I needed an ultra colorful and flattering suit to add to my suitcase so I turned to SWIMUSA (Miraclesuit's parent company (see them in action here) for one of their more contemporary brands, KikiRio. These colors, styles and fits are AWESOME. My original two suits accidentally got shipped to LA but they overnighted these similar styles and I instantly fell in love. I basically spent the following few days on the beach refusing to take both styles off. Playing favorites? It was hard but I really loved the high neck and high waisted lace up pairing, only because it was a little more practical. Though, I will admit I love how the rainbow one photographed in front of that white fluffy cloud - swoon!
Check them out and pick your favorite...
Summer Trend To Try: Palm Beach Chic & 20 Styles To Shop
After an amazing week in Florida it was hard to head home without some serious inspiration for my summer wardrobe. The prints and colors found on the island were impeccable and still having me swooning, thus this week's post idea was born. Palm Beach Chic. While I wasn't on the same coast as Palm Beach, I definitely found myself some serious palm and floral influences throughout my trip.
Summer Style Staples: Light Denim
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tampax Radiant at Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine.
I'll admit it, I dread that time of the month.
Show of hands, who leans towards darker shades when Flow makes her rounds? Definitely me. Like every woman, I've had my fair share of leaks during my adult life to know better than to wear white and light denim during that time of the month. Plus, the whole needing what seems like a tote bag for all of the essential tampons and pads makes me feel like I'm carrying an additional diaper bag. Ok, I'm exaggerating a little! But you catch my drift.
Four Dresses You Need To Pack For Your Summer Vacation
Oh hey! I'm back from Florida and ready to share some of my looks. First up, the dresses. I honestly don't know what I would have done with out these dresses this week. They were perfect and got a ton of wear, especially the green maxi dress from the Who What Wear Collection at Target.
For me, when I'm on vacation I really want something I can throw on and instantly feel amazing. These four dresses, did just that and weren't a huge spend either. The most expensive one clocks in at $51.
Who What Wear Green Maxi, $39.99 (also in blue)
(Shoes Target, $22.99 // Bag Bloomingdales $50)
Fifteen Summer Wedding Guest Outfit Ideas
Wedding season is here and it's time to pick out your outfit! Gah.
As if you don't have enough to worry about during wedding season, you have the added stress of trying to figure out what you're going to wear to impending nuptials. I guess we should be counting out blessings that we're not wearing hideous bridesmaids dresses, so there's that!
Clink your champagne glasses, bust out your sweet dance moves and avoid the bouquet toss at all costs while Jackie and I share our favorite Wedding Guest Looks this week...
Summer Staple: White Canvas Sneakers
This post is sponsored by Vionic. All opinions are my own.
Summer is officially around the corner and of course it's time to stock upon the footwear staples. I'm sure by now you've rounded up a few pairs of sandals but now you need to set your sights on something a little more practical for those long days out. Of course, I'm talking about a good, lightweight sneaker.