When you know something is off and struggle to figure out what it is or HOW to fix it, can be so frustrating. The worries, the anger, the endless energy and the dramatic waves of emotion that seemed to change throughout the day, was jus too much. It was too much for Gabriel and it felt helpless as a parent to watch your child struggle. It was like he had so much going on inside his body that anything happening on the outside (with his sibling, friends, etc) would send him into a meltdown; The instant rage and screaming followed by tears. It was exhausting for everyone and left me feeling defeated. 

​I was introduced to Dr Sadey through a friend and it was almost instant that I knew THIS could be it! Her passion for helping families, the focus on sensory issues, putting the kids first; I finally felt as though my concerns were being heard. Our first appointment at Lux Life was a difficult one. We had been in this similar place before- the adjustment, and it just triggered him. He was not budging, he was not going to get the adjustment. Negotiating, calming, we were adjusted first to show him that it didn’t hurt... but he had his wall up. Angry, crying and really just scared.  Dr Sadey spoke to him so calmly, was patience and understanding; there was no frustration or pressure, just kindness. She was building trust with him and it was working. That day he had his first adjustment on the couch in the waiting room.

View my testimonial & Dr. Sadeys kind words HERE.

STOP BUYING MY KIDS GIFTS!
If this isnt something that youve said, it is definitely something that you have heard over the past couple of years.  Presence over Presents.... right? Maybe you are like me and enjoy a good combination of both. I LOVE seeing my kids eyes light up when they open that toy theyve been asking for and I dont feel bad about that. I also love getting out of the house (ESPECIALLY in the middle of a Wisconsin winter!) so, experience gifts are great to have! **note: my quotation and apostrophe key is not working on my keyboard- so chill**

 Anyone you ask will have their favorite local gymnastics & athletics club, so why not sample them all? From weekly playdates to Ninja nights... there is something for everyone AND every age to enjoy! A great way to experience them all. 
​
Air Force Gymnastics
 Gymnastics classes for Preschool to school age. Award winning boys & girls competitive team program. OPEN GYM and Kids Night Out (better know as PARENTs night out!) and Birthday Parties!
 
​Tri-County Gymnastics and Cheer
Gymnastics teams & classes, Cheer team & camps, After school club that included free-play, snack & homework time, No School Day & Summer Camps!, Birthday parties, field trips, open gyms and MORE!

Fusion Athletics
We offer Unlimited Tumbling Classes, Jump Classes, Flexibility Classes, Stunt Classes, Ninja Classes, All Star Cheer, All Star Prep, Intro to All Stars and Performance Teams!

Green Bay Elite Cheer Co.
Green Bay Elite Cheer Co. is a fun and exciting gym focused on the sport of cheerleading. We offer tumble, cheer, and conditioning classes. We offer space for birthday parties, Kids Night Out & Playdates!

Starz Gymnastics Academy of Green Bay
Preschool & Recreational Gymnastics Instruction 
Competitive Girls Gymnastics Team USAG Levels 2-10 & Xcel, Birthday Parties & OVERNIGHT Birthday Parties, Field Trips & Playdates!

Vacation while traveling with kids is not quite a 'VACATION', you're basically just parenting in a different location. So let's call it a trip. We are taking a TRIP with kids, in the case a ROAD TRIP. This is part one (of I am not sure how many?) and I am starting with PACKING! We have three children, 6-4-2years old and this is our story:

1. Anytime you take a trip or go on an adventure with kids, TAKE NOTES. I created a notebook where I documented everything from the food we packed, games & activities to rest stops along the way. WHY? Because next time around, it's a great reference tool. Learn from your successes & mistakes!

2. After reading through my notes from 2018, "Pack real food, not just snacks" stood out the most. We are taking a 17hr road trip and trying to make minimum stops. 

3. TRAVEL AT NIGHT ONLY. This was also a note that stuck out and also a few 'cherished moments' to help me remember why this is so. Traveling with LITTLE kids is far different from road-tripping with friends or really, anyone over the age of 18. 

4. Simplify your travels, sometimes convenience is worth a few extra bucks.

​5. Take better notes.

1. NOTE TAKING: Some important things to reference at jot down may seem unimportant at the time but during the trip could be useful! We made sure to document different Gas stations & rest stops along our way and knowing which exits would have food or places to stop/stay the night (if needed). "Pack more DVDs" this had two reasonings... one being entertainment (obviously) and secondly, to help with the kids sense of time. Since my kiddos don't quite understand "15 more min"or "10 more hours", we break down the timeline by "3 more movies". Seems silly, but it definitely helped the kids understand where we were at with our travels.

2. Packing REAL food and road snacks. This was a big one because my kid's favorite phrase is, "I am hungry".  So instead of the typical chips & licorice, we opted for mini-MEALS. We wanted to have sandwich making options, yogurt, home-made 'lunchables' and trailmix. Our thought was created snacks that were filling and met the "sweet & salty" cravings!
​TIP: REMEMBER napkins, spoons/forks, plates, etc!

3. Traveling at convenient times for your children seems counter productive and in reality, this benefits your mental state. Knowing your children's cues for naps, hunger or active times play a huge role in how successful your road trip will be. We optd to travel in the evenings knowing that our youngest (2years) would be hitting his afternoon nap and probably wake for dinner, while the other kids had all morning to burn out some energy and ready to rest.
TIP: Take time to pull-over and rest, stretch your legs or get re-situated. Frustrations rise while trying to parent when actively driving.

4. Simplifying your travels, knowing your route, especially... TOLLS. Will you be going through a tollway? We found that opting for an I-Pass would be a great option to bypass all the tolls, which could also be used on E-pass and a few tolls further south. We saved a hour minimum bypassing the tolls with the pass; no stopping or waiting, frantically trying to find the correct change or which lane to get in. Convenience is worth a few extra bucks.

5. TAKE BETTER NOTES! One thing I learned while looking through my notes last year was the lack of detail. Some rest areas are better than others- why? HOW MUCH GAS were we spending? Did we stop for food outside of what we packed? I knew that I would need to be taking note WHILE on the trip vs. recapping after the trip. 

Getting ready for the day shouldn't be a challenge and yet, it is. Why?

Before having children you could find me dressed-up everyday, nothing fancy but definitely put together. Then, baby arrives and its like a switch that is mysteriously flicked off. "What's the point?" I found myself asking, "It's not like he (the baby) cares what I look like." Which is true, mostly. 

Second baby comes... and then 3rd, suddenly I can hardly recognize myself. I am comfortable. I am home with my kids 90% of the time, actively parenting and always on the go; the cliche of 'mom hair + yoga pants' is all too real-life. And yet, I am happy. My kids are great, marriage is great and love my job (all generally speaking)... but I know in my heart-of-hearts, something is missing.

It's me. I miss ME. After 7 years of pregnancy and parenting, suddenly I am lost. What the heck happened? Time goes so quickly and didn't even notice that I disappeared. 

February I challenged myself to get up, dressed and READY everyday. no matter HOW I felt or WHAT I was going... It takes 21 days to create a habit, and here we are. Why? Because taking care of myself is important and I needed to make ME a priority! What I discovered? I feel better, I feel confident, I feel apart of me coming back to life. AND, my kids have no figured that this is the norm; we get up and get ready EVERYDAY. 

I feel great and a the 'challenge' has made a big impact in myself. A challenge IS A CHALLENGE, it is not easy to make change & create a habit. It is worth it. Love yourself and you will feel it. What self-LOVE challenge will you set for yourself?

I felt we had pretty average seats. We were located to the left of the performance and about half way up; I felt we had pretty good seats. Would I have paid more for better seats? We had a great view of the show and I don't think any higher or lower would have changed that. Now... they do offer floor seating which was like, rink-side. Honestly, I am not sure that my daughter would have enjoyed the performance anymore being that much closer; She would have thought they were waving directly AT her, so maybe. I did notice that there was a special group that got to be pushed around ON the ice during the show.. I would consider that, she would have thought that was cool. Overall, I don't think you would be disappointed with any seat you get at the show. It's amazing and a great view from any location!

The show for us started at 7, I left at 6(ish) to get parking taken care of. GO EARLIER! The seats are selected, so it wasn't like I wouldn't get a good seat but there was a snow storm happening so I wanted decent parking. I would have left much earlier so that we could walk around and really enjoy the shops & buzz happening all around, since it was her first time. Parking was $7 (if you are able to find out parking costs ahead, thats helpful!) which I thought was decent pricing for directly in front of the convention center. 

It's Disney on ICE... that should be a clue that it may be chill. Lots of children will be in costume, so I suggest layers. Obviously here in Wisconsin, you are entering the building from being in a blizzard so chances are you've dressed accordingly... and it's still a good reminder. DRESS UP!! It is so fun to get the kids in the mood and boost excitement with a pretty dress or outfit featuring their favorite character! 

There are lots of different Disney on Ice performances so make sure you are going to a show that the kiddos will for sure enjoy! There is nothing more frustrating than spending $$$ on an event to end up with bored children. Here is a list of shows & locations!

With a children's event, you can imagine the SWAG they are selling at every turn. SO... be prepared. Inform your crew IF they will be getting a treat or gift, to help prevent disappointment (it's bound to happen). Also, pack you child's water cup (even if it's empty). This helps save the cost of overpriced water or buying a sugary drink. If you don't want concession food, eat before hand. It can be a long show for little kids (they do have an intermission) and having a full belly can ease the boredom munchies.
TIP: At the end of the show they offer a program swag bag- this included a t-shirt, crown, program and some other goodies for only $10!! If you want to treat the kiddos, hold off until the end for a discount!

You paid good money for the show... the food, drink and swag. This is a big night, maybe not for you but for the kiddos. It's probably late, they're tired (maybe cranky) and my greatest take away from the show was JUST RELAX and TAKE YOUR TIME, the wonder in my daughter's eyes while watching the show was my reminder of WHY we came. Leaving early demonstrates your priority, creates a rushing-energy and heighten the chances (if not worsen) an over-tired, over-sugared child's actions. There are going to be long waits leaving just as there was arriving; be prepared with conversations of favorite parts of the show, singing songs or activities you can print in advance HERE! IT WAS A FUN NIGHT is the impression you want to leave with you kids!

Rage Cleaning.. You know, where you are just so pissed, "WATCH OUT KIDS, MAMA's COMING THROUGH!" and everyone hides in their rooms. Yeah, that is rage cleaning. Maybe my rage cleaning is equivalent to you going for a run or organizing your cupboards. Its like a release... all this built up energy, emotions (mostly anger or frustration, or both) and just letting it all out through cleaning. It's productive, right? 
 
Maybe it's not HOW we are channeling our energy but WHAT is triggering the action itself. A few weeks ago on Midweek Mental Check, we talked about coping. Rage Cleaning would definitely fall under that category of coping while actively parenting, OR however you channel that built up energy. WHATEVER YOU DO TO COPE IS A GREAT STEP to follow knowing our TRIGGERS.

Let's take a step back. WHAT is causing us to Rage Clean & WHY do we let it effect us. Again, channeling our energy into something like Rage Cleaning is a positive action and we just need to identify our triggers that cause it: 
Kids. 
Partners.
Work.
Housework.
Loss of identity.
Money.
Family.
on.. and on... and on... right? Look deeper. WHAT is it about the kids, or your relationship or work? For me it's when the kids are too loud (slamming doors, running, throwing things) and my husband's lack of patience with the kids or a sudden change of plans when I already felt confident in how my day was going to go. These are the types of triggers that we need to identify within ourselves in order for us to take the beginning steps in our maternal mental wellness. 

"I have MOM BRAIN so bad today, I cannot remember anything..." -Sound familiar? For most moms, this may be the continuation of 'pregnancy brain' and then for some, this is something entirely different. 

MOM BRAIN.

The second that baby arrives in your arms, it begins. So much LOVE, plans for the future... and then the worry sets in, but you're so happy.
It may not be immediate. You may not even realize something is changing; that YOU are changing. SUDDENLY you find yourself questioning everything from "should the baby be making that sound?" to "Doesn't he even care?" or maybe, "Am I being unreasonable?". Sound familiar?

It's MOM BRAIN and you're not alone. 

Yesterday I kicked off a new series: Midweek Mental Check that happens every Tuesday LIVE on Facebook. I started the series to help mothers, like myself, who struggle daily with big emotions of motherhood. We will be discussing topics like relationships, the worries, and the self-hate we are constantly carrying around (along with so much more!). My goal is to bring awareness to Maternal Mental Health, talk about the hard stuff and remind you that YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Yesterday was an intro to Maternal Mental Health and how you (we) cope with our emotions, feelings and actions in different situations. A lot of times we don't get the time we need to cope. How do you cope with a situation that is active? That's parenting, right? ITS HARD. So if we take a moment to stop, acknowledge and become aware of our responses... only then are we able to create change.
I Challenge you this week to think about the ways you cope in situations {The good, bad and ugggglllly}. Maybe share it with your partner, start a journal or share here with me! 

Playdates. Love em or hate em, chances are you have been to a few. You get the kids ready, snacks packed and mentally prepare yourself for a few hours of kids-at-play... bonus for adult interaction. Right?

I am sure you know what it is like showing up and just hoping your kid has fun, makes friends, shares or whatever. However, when I show up... I hope I don't have the biggest kid there. For me, there is nothing quite like surveying the room and seeing that I have the biggest kid because I know what that means. Constant reminders to be mindful of people around you, "remember to be gentle" and the looks between us of "that's a little loud bud". 

And then it happens (it always does), someone wasn't paying attention and got knocked down. No matter whose fault it was... He's the bigger kid. Not necessarily older, but he's bigger. Is it something I create in my own mind? Looking around, wondering if they are discussing my son. Oh man, just waiting.. no WANTING to hear, "Where's his mom?... Shouldn't he be in school? Seriously?..." Anything. I am mentally preparing myself for a battle, when really I am just going to end up making him say "sorry" followed up by me saying "sorry". ​

Since he started walking, this is how it's been; family get togethers, playdates with friends. He even asked me once, through tear-filled eyes, "why is everyone always mad at me?.
What am I suppose to say?
Because you play just as hard as everyone else, you're just bigger?        ....you laugh just as hard as everyone else, you're just louder?
    ....you jump, run, hop, skip, fly, you're just... just.. just???

This past week we were at a playdate and there was no question that he was the big kid. TAG is always a fun game, right (insert eyeroll). Everyone is running and screaming, laughing and the whole thing is just chaos. As the big kid, he is the one that stands out to the other parents... and it happened. He clonked heads with a smaller girl. He sheepishly mumbled sorry and ran to me, where I told him to really go say sorry. I saw the looks, I can assume the comments and had I heard a single one, I wouldn't have been silent. I talked with the mom, who immediately assured me, "no problem! they're all running and playing!". 
Thank you. Thank you for the understanding, kindness and overall "no biggie" attitude. 
..................To the other moms.
I hope there never comes a day where you feel like the 'odd mom out' because Motherhood is hard enough without judgement.

So to the mom at the playdate with the big kid. I see you and you can play with us. 

PART TWO of our Holiday Gift Guide for Gifting Yourself! Today is all about Beaut + Fashion... for most of us, we feel like we lose part of our identity when we become "mama". Some of us have to wear so many hats that when we try to describe ourself, we don't even know where to begin! SO! Here a a few helpful places that really help you feel like YOU!

Mint Salon    Talk about great atmosphere and talented (funny, down to earth & awesome) stylists!! I may be biased, considering I am a makeup artist here.. but for real. We are an awesome group of women! There are few things better than a good shampoo  with a fresh haircut and leave feeling beautiful! The salon is definitely kid-friendly, with a few of us having kids ourselves, and can understand it isn't always possible to take the time away for yourself! Did I mention the stylists are wizards at kids haircuts? #endbowlcuts Mint is a little over 4 years old now, and Caroline is an amazing business owner, boss, friend & mom! If you know Caroline, you can agree that she is refreshingly real & hilarious.