by Joey | Apr 12, 2024 | Mom stuff
*disclaimer
I have a 2.5 year old son. I also work full-time while keeping him home with me. I’m not going to lie, it’s…hard.
Like, really freaking hard.
We also decided to eliminate screens at the start of 2024. So for the last 4 months, I’ve been a full-time work from home stay at home mom to a toddler without the help of my trusty co-parent: Ms. Rachel.
SOS.
Like with anything, some days are better than others. But you can bet your bottom dollar that those tough days have inspired me to do just about all the research there is to do on how to keep this wild creature living in my house entertained (and off my keyboard).
Let my trial and error give you a leg up. These are tried and true favorites in this house (and they help me keep my sanity…and my job). These are the “big guns” I pull out when I really need to focus on what I’m doing. (You know, to like, write another book or figure out the merchant account services for my business. 🤪)
Toddler toys that actually keep them busy
We got this toolbox as a gift from his cousin who is about 6 months older than him for his second birthday. When I texted a few days after his party with my profuse gratitude (and praise for the life-saving toy), they replied that it was a well-loved toy in their house, too, so she knew it would be put to good use. I’ve since learned that they’ve gifted this same toolbox multiple times over, and I can see why.
This made its way under the tree for Christmas, and it was one of the first things that captivated his attention that day. That’s saying a lot because I mean…it was Christmas. But he really enjoys not just using it properly, but he also likes “resetting” the beads by pulling them from the cones & putting them back into the pull area.
Reusable sticker books (we like this one, this one and this one)
I mentioned this in a recent blog post where I shared how we eliminated screens for our toddler. These come in handy in so many different situations. I love them for when I’m on a meeting at home, but we’ve also brought them with us to restaurants and to relative’s houses that are…we’ll just say…not kid friendly.
We live in a seriously remote area. Everywhere and anywhere we need to travel takes no less than 25 minutes. The kiddo has always done well in the car (thank God), but this book is his favorite thing to play with in the car. He’s also learned so much from it. He was borderline speech delayed, which is what prompted the purchase of the book in the first place. I now hear him repeating words and sounds from the backseat which is just a total bonus.
My water obsessed child would play all day in the dog’s water dish if I let him. So take this recommendation with a grain of salt — but this is functional sink came with so many things that getting bored is just not an option. I will say, prepare your space with towels if your child is as messy as mine — but I would buy this sink five times over if I could. He couldn’t believe the faucet worked the first time he turned it on.
Ok, this is a cheat because we don’t actually own it. But a friend does — and it’s on our wish list because any time we see these friends, the kiddo totally ignores all living creatures (which is saying a lot because he is dog and cat obsessed and they have both) for the entire duration of our visit.
He asks about this toy at least once a day.
I mean, this is probably a super obvious one if you’re a toddler parent. But if you’re a toddler parent that is like me, you might be resisting. The idea of a water table did not seem appealing to me for a few reasons — but honestly, all of those reasons went right out the window once I actually set it up.
Now, I couldn’t imagine getting through our day without it. I have had to learn to embrace mess and the fact that the toddler will likely have to change clothes a few times a day. But truthfully, I much prefer that to battling him all day long.
My mom bought this for the kiddo. Initially, she offered for us to take it to our house — but our home is small, and we try to visit my mom’s house a few times a week. We decided to keep it at her house, and it was absolutely the right move! Going to visit Grandma’s is even more exciting! He starts talking about his trains the second we pass a certain point in our journey. He knows exactly where we’re going and what he’s going to get to do.
The train table has also proven to be a big hit with his (much much older) cousins. When everyone was visiting for the holidays, I even spotted the cousins who are in their 20s playing with it.
Play kitchen (ours is discontinued, but this one is similar)
I feel like this one doesn’t require a lot of explanation because most everybody has a play kitchen of some sort. But as I mentioned before, our house is very small. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about giving up real estate to a play kitchen. If you’re also on the fence, do it. I promise, with the right accessories (we like this food cutting set and this pretend kitchen play set), it’ll keep the kiddo busy for quite a while. Bonus: as a sensation seeking kiddo (if you don’t know what that is, here’s an explanation), he likes to squeeze himself into the oven. I feel like any time I tell this story I have to over emphasize that it’s his play kitchen oven because I worry a bystander will overhear and think I allow my child to hang out in our oven. I do not.
My sister-in-law (I’d say my brother, but we all know it was my SIL who sent the gift) gave this to the little sometime after he first started walking. He didn’t quite grasp the concept of the game, but he knew he liked the clubs and balls. Well, now he actually uses it as a golf set in the backyard and he can busy himself for hours setting it up and putting around. Bonus: he also uses the golf caddy bag as transport for many other things — and a lot of times even that will keep him busy — filling it with pinecones or rocks and relocating them around the yard.
Okay, that’s it for me for today! If you have a tried and true favorite toddler toy that isn’t shared here, drop it in the comments below! I know I and the other moms would appreciate any and all recommendations!
Until next time, friend! XOXO
by Joey | Apr 10, 2024 | Joyful by Design
*disclaimer
Confession? I was a pretty insecure person most of my life. It’s been quite a journey for me to find myself, establish confidence and feel worthy to take up space. And it’s definitely an ongoing journey.
Truthfully, something just sort of clicked and I got totally fed up feeling weak and less-than.
As you know, I got hurled into a pretty scary career change at the start of last year. It’s been fun and exciting, sure. But it’s also been an experience that has given my self-doubt and insecurities super powers.
Recently, I noticed that I was making a lot of my decisions based on fear and doubt. But when I was journaling the other night, a mindset I relied on a lot last year came bubbling back up to the surface:
Nothing actually matters (in the best possible way) and no one cares that much (in the best possible way) so I might as well just live the life I want the way I want.
There are a number of things that have helped me along my journey over the years (some of which I discussed in a recent Youtube video), but that mindset always helps to untether my limitations.
Quotes that will empower you to be and feel confident
A ship is safe at harbor, but that’s not what ships are for. – John A. Shedd
“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” – Nelson Mandela
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” – Dale Carnegie
This goes along nicely with what I always say: confidence comes from doing. I never once considered this concept until I actually started pursuing the things I wanted to do and realized like “whoa, wait…I’m getting this!” Something that really unlocked that feeling for me was when I started doing the C25K program back in 2014. I was the most inactive person on the planet at that time. So to actually be able to run, even a short distance, was so empowering!
“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius
“A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because its trust is not on the branch but on its own wings.”
– Charlie Wardle
I didn’t realize how true this quote could be until my layoff last year. I didn’t know I could trust my wings, but the wings definitely took over without a second thought when the branch broke. I think the thing that really helped me in the midst of that experience was my faith. I made a practice of reading the bible years ago (I need to get back into it), but there are a number of bible verses to help you fight fear, and the more familiar you are with the word, the more ingrained it becomes in you. And I swear that’s what held my foundation together when my knees got swept out from beneath me.
“Stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and start being excited about what could go right.”
– Tony Robbins
I used to brag about being a champion worrier. What a horrible thing to be so proud of. I’m a pretty optimistic person, but I also have anxiety that drives me to think through every worst case scenario. Only recently have I started to really let myself dream about how well everything could work out. And you know what? I’ve already seen a difference in the experience I’m having just based on that shift alone.
“Don’t take criticism from people you wouldn’t take advice from.”
– Kyle Freedman
I talk about Brené Brown’s 1 inch square piece of paper in this Youtube video.
“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”
– Suzy Kassem
Can confirm.
“Limitations only live in our minds. But if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become limitless” – Jamie Paolinetti
“You can have anything you want if you are willing to give up the belief that you can’t have it.” Dr. Robert Anthony
“If you think you can do a thing or you think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
I’ve heard this quote a million times. I’m sure you probably have, too. But do you know the story of Henry Ford? I only became familiar with it last summer and holy cow he means it, you guys. He means it and he lived it. If you don’t know his story, you should really check it out sometime. It’ll inspire the pants off of you.
“Anything is possible once you believe you are worthy of achieving it.” Jason Pockrandt
“A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. It just blooms.”
— Zen Shin
“You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving yourself and see what happens.”
— Louise Hay
“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”
— Dolly Parton
This reminds me of the Avett Brother’s song Head full of doubt/Road full of Promise that says “decide what to be and go be it.” It seems so simple, huh?
It’s funny because I truly believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that you deserve to feel confident. That you deserve to take up space. That you are amazing and the world is a better place because you’re in it.
Now if only we could all collectively remember that all the time. 🤪
That’s it for me today, friend! Now go be the badass I know you are! Until next time! XOXO
by Joey | Apr 8, 2024 | Wine Down
Who else hadn’t ever heard of a podcast before Serial swept the internet? 🙋🏻♀️ I actually remember hearing about it and wondering how the heck you were supposed to consume it. It wasn’t until someone explained to me that there was an app, you search the title, and then each episode plays kind of like an audiobook.
Huh, I thought. Interesting. I then proceeded to devour the series like everyone else on the planet.
It’s funny how you remember certain things so specifically. I was living about an hour away from my parents at the time, and my dad had just been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Christmas was very important to him, but getting their tree up just kept getting knocked down their todo list.
So I volunteered to go and set it up for them. The first day, I joyfully listened to Christmas music and chatted with my family.
But then the tree proceeded to fall down no less than 5 times, requiring me to drive all the way back to my parents’ house and start from scratch each time.
So I have vivid memories of the juxtaposition of setting up a Christmas tree while listening to a murder mystery.
Anyway, since then, I’ve been obsessed. I specifically like true crime series that tell an entire story start to finish.
While I know this is such a popular genre, I don’t feel like there are a ton of podcast shows that do this well. But here are a few that are top of my recommendations list (and I’m picky…like really picky).
True Crime Podcasts that I couldn’t get enough of
A girl starts a blog to document her cancer journey and it becomes wildly popular, attracting an audience who is willing to open their wallets to support a young, charismatic Christian mom during her time of need. The thing is, though, Amanda isn’t sick. This podcast reveals the journey to uncovering her lies and holding her accountable.
Besides being totally interesting (I was part of the blogging community during Amanda’s time online), this podcast is so well done. They hired a voice actor to read Amanda’s (now removed) blog posts, and her performance was outstanding!
I wanted to savor the episodes because it’s rare that I find a podcast these days that captivates me in this way. But of course, I devoured it because I just couldn’t. stop.
Imagine being behind bars for a gruesome crime that you aren’t denying. But no one knows the whole story. And what the public doesn’t know could change everything.
Two women tell the story of a young woman who is behind bars for killing her very own father. The young woman appears as herself throughout the show via prison phone calls like Adnan a’la Serial.
Each episode delivers a new blow with new secrets revealed.
It’s just before Covid, and Kenzi is looking for another gig to bring in some extra cash after an unexpected medical bill.
Enter: this charming British father looking for a nanny for his darling little girl.
The interview goes well.
Very well.
So well, in fact, that they both agree to forgo the nannying opportunity to instead explore the chemistry that neither one of them can deny.
It’s a modern day romance filled with twists and turns, with guest appearances from Federal Agents and lies. Lots and lots of lies.
Kenzi, who is a captivating storyteller, bares all as she shares intimate details of the dream romance that turned out to be nothing but a horrible nightmare.
A 21-year-old Mississippi man, briefly home from a the boat he worked on, was found dead in the bathroom of his apartment; a single gun-shot wound to his head.
Local police ruled his death a suicide after conducting a 45 minute investigation.
Substantial evidence would suggest otherwise. With a cast of characters one might expect to find on an episode of Breaking Bad, the narrative told reveals that there’s more to the story. So much more.
A mother desperate for the truth to come to light and an investigator, committed to seeking justice, investigate and share the details of Christian’s suspicious death.
Adea Shaboni is a young aspiring Hollywood actress and model. She’s also missing.
She vanished from her apartment complex near Hollywood’s walk of fame in February of 2018.
Her family, desperate for answers, seek the help of journalist Neil Strauss to find out what actually happened to Adea.
The full story, which came at great personal risk, is finally told.
In 2005, a beauty queen high school teacher doesn’t show up for work one morning, raising concern from all those who know her.
Tara Grinstead, chronically reliable, is no where to be found.
A documentarian takes on the challenge of finding the truth as he embarks on his first ever podcast project.
The captivating story, which is expertly told, suddenly takes a turn as the story turns into an in real time investigation.
The truth is revealed. And those responsible are held accountable.
And the podcast is to thank for solving a case that was previously described to be as cold as Alaska.
There are a few others that I enjoyed but aren’t quite as high up there on my recommendations list: Sh!t town and Down the hill just to name a couple.
If you happen to have a recommendation that isn’t on this list, please share it in the comments below. I would love to find new shows to listen to!
That’s it for me today! Until next time, friend! XOXO
by Joey | Apr 5, 2024 | Real Life
*disclaimer
There was a time where I just didn’t get the hype of online shopping. We’ve already established I don’t like shopping for clothes or dressing myself, but that translated to all online shopping initially.
Hold on…I’m pretty sure I can hear my husband (and bank account) laughing in the distance.
Boy, have the times changed. We live in a very remote area. Popping into a store just isn’t a reality out here. But Amazon? Oh, Amazon. At this point I should probably add a place at the dinner table for our Amazon delivery driver.
I love knowing what people use regularly, especially if they actually improve their lives. For instance, the first item on this list is because a YouTuber I follow had a baby just before I did and she just happened to mention it in a video and I was like oh, my Gosh — that’s a solution to a very specific problem we’re having. Sold.
Amazon products that actually made my life easier
I bought this thing so fast once I realized it existed. At the time, it was a much needed solution to a baby monitor situation we were having. (I know, we were weird but didn’t want a monitor that connected to our phones. The unit would die so quickly, but I didn’t want to have to be attached to a wall. And of course, as a first time mom, I wanted that monitor ON MY PERSON at all times. Enter: this portable charger.)
While that was our original purpose for it, it serves a whole myriad of solutions. It has every type of cable you might need and a regular USB and a USB-C port that you can plug other cables into as well. We use it daily and probably need to buy a second because we fight over it.
Okay, confession? This was a rage-induced purchase. Something happened at work that pissed me off so much that I literally bought a vacuum cleaner without thinking twice. Yes, I realize it’s probably weird that a vacuum would be my go-to. But I promise, if you know me, like really know me, you’re nodding your head right now going yup, that checks out.
That rage-purchase was 2+ years ago, and I still claim this is the best gift I ever gave myself. Our son was an infant, and we had a dog and a Maine Coon cat. We’ve since added a golden retriever to the mix. I do a lot of vacuuming.
The hubs installed it in the kitchen for me, which also happens to be pretty central in the house. And I use it multiple times a day. There was also a period of time when the little demanded to play with it on the regular — and surprisingly the battery is still holding up even after all that abuse.
If you keep convincing yourself that you don’t need a cordless vacuum, let me stop you right there. Because that was me for years and years. I wish I would have just have given myself the gift of ease years ago. You won’t regret it, I promise.
I honestly don’t know why I bought this. Like, I can’t think back to the reason it ended up on my kitchen counter at the start of 2023. But dang it, I’m glad it did. I use it for everything. This little friend keeps my frazzled mind organized, keeps my toddler entertained, provided critical assistance in eliminating screens for the toddler (see how here), and so much more. My husband even figured out how to watch ESPN plus on it!
Do you need it? Probably not. Will your life improve because you have it? For sure.
I know everyone is buying those pebble ice machines. And trust, I’d love to get one eventually. But this ice cube tray is what has actually stopped me from splurging on the machine time and time again.
So here’s the deal. We have an ice maker in our refrigerator. In fact, it was the ice machine that got held at gun point by my husband on our second night in our house (ask me to tell that story…it’s hilarious and terrifying).
But we have a Samsung refrigerator. And if you know, you know. And if you don’t know, well. Consider yourself lucky.
We went about a year and a half just not having ice in the house. Occasionally, I’d remember to buy a bag on my way home, but who wants to have to remember to buy a bag of ice on the way home? Not me.
A friend used this ice cube tray in front of me on a marco polo one day and that was it. I was sold. (Some might say I’m easily influenced. Whatever. It’s worked out in my favor.)
Anyway, if you have a need for ice and don’t want to splurge on the pebble machine or a new fridge, we like this one so much we have two.
You’re not living under a rock. You’ve seen a veggie chopper before. You might have even wondered if you need a veggie chopper. That was me. I’d see it and think huh, that’s cool then keep scrolling.
I make two dishes for lunch pretty often. The first is a greek bowl (with cucumbers, tomatoes & onions in it) and what circulated the internet as “The Jennifer Salad” that was later revealed not to be “The Jennifer Salad.” This dish has a buttload of cucumbers in it. I chop a lot of veggies throughout the week.
And I thought to myself, is it really all that time saving to use a chopper? Isn’t it easier to just use a knife because doesn’t the chopper then open up a whole new cleaning can of worms?
The answer, my friends? Yes, it does actually save time. And yes, it does make my life easier. And cleanup? Well, it’s all dishwasher safe so that’s a breeze. I can chop all the veggies I need for the week all at once to store in plastic bags in under 10 minutes. You gotta love that.
Our house is small. And storage is super limited. I like to pretend I’m an organized person, but if I don’t have a simple system in place — things go sideways…fast.
I needed two very specific storage solutions, but again, you know me and I don’t like to spend money. I don’t even know how I found these, but they’ve worked out perfectly and I’ve been so happy with them!
The first solution: I needed somewhere to store my hair stuff (specifically, my shark flexstyle & all the accessories) in a way that made grabbing it to use simple. This has been PERFECT! I’m able to store the barrels in the side appropriate side pocket, so I know exactly what I’m grabbing without having to think. I have it hanging on the inside of the door of our linen closet in our bathroom but it would also work perfectly on the inside of a cabinet door.
The second solution: I needed somewhere to store plastic bags and other random odds and ends in the kitchen. I use plastic bags to dispose of meat containers (I don’t put them in our house trashcan because they stink almost instantly). I have one of these hanging on the back of our appliance closet and it’s been great!
Okay! That’s it for me! Until next time, friend! XO
by Joey | Apr 4, 2024 | beauty
What I’m about to say might shock those of you who have been hanging with me for a long time (thank you, by the way). But since becoming a mom, I hardly do my nails anymore. I’m sad about it, honestly. But the reality is I just want to sleep whenever I have a free moment from parenting or working.
(Side but slightly related note: I wish I could tell you how often I think about the fact that I once wrote a blog post saying I never leave the house with chipped nails and neither should you. Okay, 2015 Joey. What the heck did you actually have going on in your life? She’d *apparently* be horrified to know that not only do I infrequently do my nails these days, I also leave my house with chipped polish pretty much any time my nails are done.)
Shortly after my son was born, I gifted my (ridiculously large — seriously, no one human being should have that much nail polish) regular polish collection to my teenage niece. I was a parent for like 0.2 seconds before I realized that there was just no chance I was risking a regular polish mani in this war zone. Not even with my beloved fast drying Seche Vite top coat.
I knew right away that gel would be the only way to go for me. At least for the foreseeable future. I prefer gel, anyway. I also kept all of my dip powder stuff, but I didn’t take the time to do dip nails all that often even before I was a parent.
Doing a gel manicure takes nearly no time at all. But removing a gel manicure is a whole different story. I do really love the Aliver Gel Polish Magic Remover — and as easy as it makes the removal process, even that is a bit more of a commitment than I’m willing to make these days. And there’s no way I’m sitting around with aluminum foil wrapped around my fingers for 20 minutes. Nope. No way.
OPI Funny Bunny Gel DUPE
I had high hopes, but I was equally skeptical. I didn’t really do any research before I decided to try myself, which is really unlike me. I didn’t want to be swayed, honestly. I wanted to will it to work because how perfect would that be? It seemed like the perfect solution if it really worked. So did it?
How to use a peel off gel base coat?
I bought this peel off gel base coat from Sally’s. I’m sure there are proper instructions somewhere. I didn’t follow any proper instructions. I just went with my gut. I used the gel primer that I always use when doing a gel manicure in hopes that would help in some way. Writing this now, I’m not actually sure what I thought it would do, but I’ve used the peel gel base coat several times now, and I’ve used the primer each time.
Once I have the primer on, I paint one layer of the peel gel base coat. The layer is somewhere between generous and thin — I would say to use the typical amount you would use for any normal base coat.
Unlike a regular gel base coat that will cure under a light, the peel gel base coat does need time to dry. I usually wait about 90 seconds after applying to go in with my gel polish. I then polish my nails like I normally would with a gel polish. Usually two coats of color and one coat of top coat, curing 60 seconds in between each coat.
I used the ASP Make it peelable base coat from Sally’s. Other options that can be found on Amazon: Makartt peel off base coat, Beetles Gel Polish Peel off base coat — all of these options have great reviews.
How long does a peel off gel base coat last?
This is what you really want to know, isn’t it? It’s what I was most curious about. Truthfully, the results vary, but I typically get a normal wear out of the manicure. For me, that’s 5-7 days. I’m on a computer too often to deal with the click clacking that comes with too much growth, so I’m happy with that wear time. I’ve also gotten 14 days out of a manicure. I have, however, also had a manicure peel up within 72 hours.
I think it depends on a few things:
- Gel brand & how it’s applied (Thick layers? Thin layers? All the way to the edges? Capped?)
- How precisely the peel base coat is applied. I’ve found I get the best results when the base coat and the gel polish are evenly applied — meaning that the gel polish covers the same areas that the base coat does.
- How much time my hands spend in water. I’m a mom, so I spend a decent amount of time washing dishes and cleaning — that doesn’t seem to compromise the wear time at all. I did, however, one time soak a bunch of stickers off of cups, and the polish did start to peel up when I started to pick at the stickers. I completely expected that though.
- If I take care of the manicure like I would any other manicure with daily lotion and cuticle cream application.
How to remove a gel manicure with a peel off base coat?
I usually wait until I notice some lifting and then just go right on in and peel like normal. Some will come off all in one piece, others won’t. It’s kind of hit or miss. I have had to go in with a cuticle pusher a few times to start the peel when I was impatient and wanted to change the manicure before any lifting began. I will say this: before the polish is ready to peel, it’s pretty difficult to peel which is a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you want.
If you think you’re going to use a peel gel base coat to swatch a bunch of polishes for content with quick removal in between, think again. Peeling the polish immediately or even shortly after application is nearly impossible.
Will a peel off gel base coat damage my nails?
I have not experienced any damage. At all. In fact, I was certain on the occasions that I had to essentially pry the polish off that I would see some evidence of damage. But that hasn’t been the case in any circumstance. My nails are stronger and healthier than they’ve ever been. I’m sure that’s mostly due to supplements I’ve been taking and the fact that I don’t keep my nails polished all the time anymore — but also to the fact that when I do polish my nails, I use a peel gel base coat.
Closing thoughts: is a peel off gel base coat worth it?
In my opinion, yes. The peel gel base coat seems to be the solution to this season of life for me. If you want to be able to do your nails and keep them looking nice for about a week but also remove them easily, a peel gel base coat is the answer.
Happy painting, friends!
