The Struggling Workin Mama
Today I realized it’s almost mid-June and I feel the summer months are already getting away from me! My girls are in daycare year round and I work full time so we are not on a traditional summer break, but we only get so many warm months in Chicago I want to make the most of it! I feel if I write down my top ten items it will not only inspire you but hold me accountable! Plus, I’ve heard so much about putting what you want to do out in the universe to make it happen, so here goes!
I remember the first time I received a note home from daycare about “summer camp.” At first I thought it was a cute idea, to change the schedule up a bit in the summer and have camp activities, then I saw the extra cost on top of tuition and got a bit weak. In addition to cost, it means extra clothes at daycare for your child to participate fully. After scrambling to find what I needed that first year, I’ve rounded up five essential items to purchase so you’re child can enjoy the activities and you can feel comfortable they are safe and protected outside!
Above photo taken at the Chicago Botanic Garden
Whether you live in the area or are just visiting, with the amount of things to do in the Windy City, choosing can be overwhelming. Factor in children and it gets even more complicated. As someone who has lived in the city for over 5 years and the surrounding suburbs the rest of my life, here are some of my favorite outdoor activities with kids.
If you’ve been following along on Instagram you know my family and I were in Florida this past week. My husband and I are not ready for a full blown Disney trip, however my oldest has been talking about “the castle” aka Magic Kingdom a LOT lately (thank you Disney channel!) With Disney World being an hour and twenty minute drive away from where we were staying, we decided to spend one day at the Magic Kingdom. This seemed like a great compromise for all.
Imagination. We all have it right? Me? I’m not so sure. For as long as I can remember I have never understood “playing pretend” or “make believe.” As a child I had friends who wanted to play house or pretend to be princesses in far away lands and I can recall struggling through it. Being imaginative takes a lot of confidence as you are doing something that is not who you normally are. For me it left me uncomfortable.
Sometimes not even the floppiest of hats and the best pair of sunglasses can protect you from the shade being thrown on social media. We all have that friend or family member or person from high school who feels the need to post a picture with a snarky caption or ruin a picture with a selfish comment. While social media can be a great way to connect with many people both near and far, it also can bring a lot of negativity.
With my oldest, I’ve successfully weaned her from boob and bottle, transitioned her to a big girl bed and potty trained. Nothing scares me more though than taking away her binky. She is very low maintenance and adapts to change better than most people I know (adults included!) but ever since she was little the binky has been a great source of comfort. Currently she only has her binky when she’s sleeping and in the car but thought of permanently taking it away makes me very nervous.
Last weekend I realized that Easter was in a few weeks and I hadn’t bought anything for Easter baskets. We don’t go crazy with gifts for Easter, to be honest I’m still recovering from Christmas and Olivia’s birthday, but in addition to hiding eggs filled with candy and coins I usually pull together a few items for their actual basket.