When Life Hands You The Unexpected, Count Your Blessings!

November was a BUSY month for our family! Dylan started PA Cyber School, so there was a big adjustment period for him and for me. All of his work is done online, so he's home with me full time. We also celebrated his 15th birthday! (That post is coming!) We're currently on the hunt for a new private speech therapist for Liam, we got a kitten, and, well, we have five kids, including a baby. There is NO extra time for anything!

We absolute love the holiday season! My family was so excited for Thanksgiving this year, but it didn't go exactly as planned. Actually, far from it. Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving with our families, we ended up staying home as the flu swept through our family.

Needless to say, it was a stressful two weeks. I just kept reminding myself to count my blessings, and focus on everything I was thankful for. Despite the illness, we made the most of it, and enjoyed our time together!

Holiday Gifts 2019 - Tablift

I was gifted product in exchange for my honest review.

The countdown is on! Only 23 days until Christmas. I come from a big family, and I have a big family, so there are a lot of holiday gifts to buy for the wonderful family members and friends on my list!

I discovered some awesome products this year, so I'm going to share a few of them with you each week leading up to Christmas. I buy gifts for people of every age and ability. I hate buying the same type of gifts over and over again, but often fall into that trap. I'm always on the lookout for something new and different!

The tablift is perfect for almost everyone on your list! It's perfect for tech lovers. It's perfect for people who have limited mobility or special needs. And it's perfect for people who travel. If they have a tablet, they will love it!

25 Must-See Christmas Movies (and shows) To Watch With Your Family

Happy December! I can't believe Christmas is less than four weeks away. Even more so, I can't believe it's the last month of the year and the last month of the DECADE! Why does time have to go by so quickly?

Speaking of time, I don't have much extra time these days. Five kids, including one who has special needs and one who is a baby, keep me VERY busy. The past few months were even busier than usual, so I really struggled to keep up. I miss blogging so much, so I think it's time to rejuvenate my blog!

My December calendar is very overwhelming, but the most important thing to do this month is spend time together as a family. My big family makes tradition and family togetherness a priority. One of the ways we come together as a family is through regular Family Movie Nights! Christmas is our favorite time of year (well, it's tied with Summer), and we have so many favorite Christmas movies and shows. I listed our favorites to share with all of you!

Fall Favorites

It's nearing the middle of November, and while everyone else seems to have decorated for Christmas already, I'm still fully embracing Fall! If there's anything having five children has taught me, it's to quit rushing things, and enjoy the moment. I love everything about the holiday season, from Halloween to New Year's Day, but I'm still enjoying pumpkins, Fall decor, and our Thankful Tree! And on Thanksgiving night, you will find all of us in Christmas pajamas!

If you read my last post from last month, you already know that life has been very chaotic around here. I just haven't had time to blog, and I had to fight through the guilt and realize that I would get back to it when I had a chance. Life has changed even more since I wrote that post three weeks ago. I now have a teenager at home with me every single day, doing cyber school. I'll share more details on the why and how soon. It's still very new to us!

Currently, my nap-protester is actually sleeping, my sick self is stuck on the couch trying to get rest, and my kids are off school for the next two days. It's surprisingly calm in my home for 8 PM on a Sunday night. It's the perfect time to share a few of my favorite things this Fall!

Back To School & Big Changes

Over the past 6 weeks, life has been a whirlwind. The back to school season is always incredibly busy, but it's even more chaotic with four kids in four different schools AND a baby. I attempted to stay current with blogging, but failed miserably, and that's okay. I needed a break, and my one week break turned into three!

Life is finally calming down (a bit), so I figured it was time to get back to writing. I have so many updates to share, so I figured I would put them all in one post before moving on. Life has been very busy for my big family, and I haven't really had a moment to breathe!

Here's life in a nutshell over the past 6 weeks:

• My kids went back to school, and there were big changes this year!
• Lily became a cheerleader, and gave up dance for tumbling. She loves it!
• Coen is growing at an alarming rate. This last first year with my last bonus baby is going entirely too quickly.
• It's Down syndrome awareness month, and I haven't shared a single post. I do have a big one coming up!
• I started working out again - REALLY working out, and I'm finally getting my pre-baby body back. I'm also getting back into photography, and have SO many pictures to share.
• My parents had some health scares. My dad had a mini stroke, and my mom had a seizure. They are doing well now, but it was scary and stressful. 
• Life with 5 kids is just busy. Really busy.

Keep reading, and I'll fill you in on life lately!

How To Set Up A Shared Bedroom For A New Baby And Their Older Sibling

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #StayConnectedwithVTech #CollectiveBias

When we found out our fifth baby was on the way, it was a huge surprise! With 6 people living in a 3 bedroom home, room sharing was a given, and we knew we had to rearrange our room configuration to include a 7th family member. We ended up adding a bedroom to our basement, letting our teenager move into that room, and turning his former bedroom into a shared bedroom for our new baby and our 5 year old!

Although our newborn would be sleeping in a bassinet in our bedroom for the first 6 months, just like our other children did, we still needed to set up a safe space for diaper changes, clothing changes, playtime, and daytime naps. We put a lot of thought into our two youngest boys' shared bedroom, and it worked out well! Our baby has slept in his crib a few times at night, but we're getting ready to transition him to the room full time very soon.

While we were setting up a shared bedroom for our boys, we focused on three key factors: safety, comfort, and function. There were 5 1/2 years between our baby and his older brother, so we had to make sure our 5 year old still felt special, and our newborn was completely safe. With the help of fun multi-age toys, comfortable play areas, safe beds, and a video baby monitor, we're able to ensure that the transition to full-time room sharing is as easy as possible!

Homemade Peanut Banana Oatmeal Baby Food + The New Guidelines For Introducing Allergens

I received this product for free from Moms Meet for review. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

When Coen was born, I told myself to savor every moment, because babies don't keep. An entire year of infancy stretched out ahead of us, but I blinked and half a year was already gone. Coen is now 6 months old, and he's nothing like the helpless newborn he was just a short while ago. He's rolling, sitting, standing with support, trying to crawl, getting teeth, eating baby food, and sipping from a straw cup!

Gone are the hours upon hours I spent breastfeeding him. Now some of those nursing sessions are supplemented by solid feedings. Instead of pulling out my breast pump, I'm pulling out the blender to make homemade baby purees. So many changes happen within that first year of life. It's exciting and bittersweet at the same time!

Speaking of changes, a lot of changes have occurred since my four older kids were babies. Start solids at 4 months, start solids at 6 months, start solids between 4-6 months, skip purees and do baby led weaning, don't give eggs or peanut butter until 12 months...it's hard to keep up! Coen's wonderful pediatrician recommended starting solids at 4 months (we did) and slowly introducing foods, then adding eggs and peanut butter to his diet at 6 months old. Research shows that feeding peanuts between 4-6 months could prevent babies from developing a peanut allergy. We followed the recommendation, and it was so easy to do!

Family Fun & STEAM in Pittsburgh at MuseumLab

This post is brought to you by The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.

When I was a child, my dad used to take me to The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. I LOVED visiting a museum that felt like it was built just for me! Years after I grew up, I visited my favorite museum with my first baby. I vividly remember the excitement I felt when I took him there for the first time. It was as if I was sharing a piece of my history with him. There have been four more first visits since then, but it never gets old!

My first baby is nearly 15 years old, my last baby is 6 months old, and we have a tween, an 8 year old, and a 6 year old, who has a developmental delay, in between. We have kids in every stage of development, and it's difficult to find a place to visit that they all enjoy. Thanks to a great new addition to The Children's Museum, it's now a perfect spot for my entire family!

In April of this year, The Children's Museum added MuseumLab, which is located next door. It was created to grow along with families, and is specifically geared toward kids over the age of 10 and adults, but is great for multi-age families like mine. It is a STEAM-lover's dream spot, and inspires kids to use their minds and be creative while having a LOT of fun! 

7 Easy Ways To Stay Energized Through The Day

I received this product for free from Moms Meet for review. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

Mornings. You either love them or you hate them! I wouldn't really consider myself a morning person just yet, but I'm slowly becoming one. I have to wake up really early, so I rely on a regular morning routine to stay energized through the day!

My days are busy from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed. I need lots of energy to keep up with my five energetic kids! I'm not going to lie - I rely on a cup of coffee to start my day, and occasionally have one in the afternoon if I need a little boost. 

Although I definitely have off days when I'm sick or staying in all day, I try to follow the same routine every morning. I actually notice a drop in energy if I don't follow my regular routine! Here's what I do each morning to keep my energy level up:

How To Create A Portable Homework Caddy + Homework Tips

Today, my crew headed back to school! Life is already busy enough, but soon, we'll be adding school activities and homework to our to do list. I'm reluctant to leave Summer behind, but I already prepared for the upcoming year! 

One my favorite organization tips for the school year is to create a homework caddy. I put one together back in 2015, and it became a permanent staple on our kitchen counter. All of my kids use it year-round. I loved our original homework caddy, but over the years, I tested different setups, and found one that works really well for us!

Last week, I cleaned out our portable homework caddy, and restocked it with new supplies for the upcoming school year. It's currently sitting on our counter, ready to go. Honestly? It's the ONLY thing ready for back to school! (Long live Summer!!!)