I'm SO excited to announce that my blog is moving to strivingformissperfect.com!
If you have enjoyed reading my blog posts here about organizing and motherhood, I would LOVE for you to keep on following me.
Here are the social media sites for the new strivingformissperfect blog!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/strivingformissperfect/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/strivingformissperfect/
Pintrest: www.pinterest.com/sfmperfect/
Thank you so much for being so supportive here on blogger, and I am looking forward to your continued support on strivingformissperfect.com :)
XO, Hannah
Loving life as a stay at home mom. Come join me in my journey of motherhood, organizing, minimalism, faith, and marriage.
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Friday, August 31, 2018
Gift Ideas for a 2 Year Old Girl
Arwen just celebrated her second birthday this month and I thought I'd share some of her favorite gifts!
Water and Sand Table
I love playing outside when the weather is nice out so my husband and I got her a water and sand table to play outside! Amazon and Walmart had the same table for the same price, but here is a link to which one we got her.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Step2-Sandbox-Splash-n-Scoop-Bay-Water-Table/20439809
Water Wow
This is from Melissa and Doug and these water wow's are reusable! Great for quiet time activity or to keep your toddler occupied during church. I would take a dry washcloth just in case since you use water to fill the pen up.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/On-The-Go-Water-Wow-Fairy-Tale/50034735
Bubbles
I'm pretty sure all toddlers love bubbles ;) This is a safe and good gift to get for a 2 year old!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SUPER-MIRACLE-BUBBLES-100-OZ-BUBBLES/19598766
Doll House
This is also by Melissa and Doug but this doll house was really appealing because it's made out of wood. It comes with a boy and girl wood figure along with wood furniture. Plus it's gender neutral so even Arwen's toddler boy friends enjoy playing with this during a play date!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Melissa-Doug-Fold-Go-Wooden-Dollhouse-with-2-Play-Figures-and-11-Pieces-of-Furniture/50370812
Stuff for bath time
Bubble bath, color changing bath bombs, and Mr. Bubble foam soap were some of the things Arwen got too. Arwen loves bath time so this was another huge hit with her!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mr-Bubble-Foam-Soap-Original-Bubble-and-Mystery-Color-Twin-Pack-8-Oz-Each/21467458
Disney Princess Stamp Set
Another Melissa and Doug gift ;) Arwen loves crafty things so she had a blast playing with the stamps. After we stamped some stamps on paper we took colored pencils and colored them in!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Melissa-Doug-Disney-Princess-Deluxe-Wooden-Stamp-Set-28-Stamps-7-Colored-Pencils-3-Washable-Ink-Pads/46698002
Did you like these ideas? What are some toys and gifts that your toddler loves?
XO, Hannah
Water and Sand Table
I love playing outside when the weather is nice out so my husband and I got her a water and sand table to play outside! Amazon and Walmart had the same table for the same price, but here is a link to which one we got her.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Step2-Sandbox-Splash-n-Scoop-Bay-Water-Table/20439809
Water Wow
This is from Melissa and Doug and these water wow's are reusable! Great for quiet time activity or to keep your toddler occupied during church. I would take a dry washcloth just in case since you use water to fill the pen up.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/On-The-Go-Water-Wow-Fairy-Tale/50034735
Bubbles
I'm pretty sure all toddlers love bubbles ;) This is a safe and good gift to get for a 2 year old!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SUPER-MIRACLE-BUBBLES-100-OZ-BUBBLES/19598766
Doll House
This is also by Melissa and Doug but this doll house was really appealing because it's made out of wood. It comes with a boy and girl wood figure along with wood furniture. Plus it's gender neutral so even Arwen's toddler boy friends enjoy playing with this during a play date!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Melissa-Doug-Fold-Go-Wooden-Dollhouse-with-2-Play-Figures-and-11-Pieces-of-Furniture/50370812
Stuff for bath time
Bubble bath, color changing bath bombs, and Mr. Bubble foam soap were some of the things Arwen got too. Arwen loves bath time so this was another huge hit with her!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mr-Bubble-Foam-Soap-Original-Bubble-and-Mystery-Color-Twin-Pack-8-Oz-Each/21467458
Disney Princess Stamp Set
Another Melissa and Doug gift ;) Arwen loves crafty things so she had a blast playing with the stamps. After we stamped some stamps on paper we took colored pencils and colored them in!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Melissa-Doug-Disney-Princess-Deluxe-Wooden-Stamp-Set-28-Stamps-7-Colored-Pencils-3-Washable-Ink-Pads/46698002
Did you like these ideas? What are some toys and gifts that your toddler loves?
XO, Hannah
My 2 Year Old's Schedule
Here is how my 2 year old's schedule looks like during the week. This is just for when we are home all day. If we are out doing errands or have play dates, we change up the schedule to accommodate for the event.
8:00 AM Wake and get dressed
8:15 AM Read books and playtime
8:45 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM Screen Time (Daniel Tiger or Netflix)
10:30 AM Play Outside if sunny and craft time if rainy or too cold outside
11:30 AM Lunch
12:15 PM Diaper Change and Read books
12:30 PM Nap
3:30 PM Wake up, Change diaper, and Eat snack
5:30 PM Dinner and Family Time
7:15 PM Get ready for bed (pajamas, brush teeth, story time, and prayer)
7:30 PM Goodnight!
Screen Time
I try to avoid screen time for Arwen if possible, but sometimes if things are a little crazy it's just easy to turn on Daniel Tiger or a show/movie from Netflix while I nurse my 3 month old baby. The most I allow her to watch is 1 hour and if Arwen doesn't seem interested at all or is concentrating on playing with a toy then I just turn the TV off.
Outside Play
I try to get her outside to play as much as possible. We usually get chalk, bubbles, and the water/sand table out for play. Sometimes we just pick flowers, grab hand-fulls of grass, or watch bugs crawl around.
Craft Time
If it's rainy out or the weather is just not great then we usually do something creative. Some of Arwen's favorites are Playdoh, coloring, stamps on paper, stickers, or an activity book.
Books
Arwen's favorite type of books are the type of books that have flaps on the pages. She also really likes the Disney Princess short stories too.
Do you have certain things you do with your toddler during their day? I'd love to hear your ideas and get feedback!
XO, Hannah
8:00 AM Wake and get dressed
8:15 AM Read books and playtime
8:45 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM Screen Time (Daniel Tiger or Netflix)
10:30 AM Play Outside if sunny and craft time if rainy or too cold outside
11:30 AM Lunch
12:15 PM Diaper Change and Read books
12:30 PM Nap
3:30 PM Wake up, Change diaper, and Eat snack
5:30 PM Dinner and Family Time
7:15 PM Get ready for bed (pajamas, brush teeth, story time, and prayer)
7:30 PM Goodnight!
Screen Time
I try to avoid screen time for Arwen if possible, but sometimes if things are a little crazy it's just easy to turn on Daniel Tiger or a show/movie from Netflix while I nurse my 3 month old baby. The most I allow her to watch is 1 hour and if Arwen doesn't seem interested at all or is concentrating on playing with a toy then I just turn the TV off.
Outside Play
I try to get her outside to play as much as possible. We usually get chalk, bubbles, and the water/sand table out for play. Sometimes we just pick flowers, grab hand-fulls of grass, or watch bugs crawl around.
Craft Time
If it's rainy out or the weather is just not great then we usually do something creative. Some of Arwen's favorites are Playdoh, coloring, stamps on paper, stickers, or an activity book.
Books
Arwen's favorite type of books are the type of books that have flaps on the pages. She also really likes the Disney Princess short stories too.
Do you have certain things you do with your toddler during their day? I'd love to hear your ideas and get feedback!
XO, Hannah
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Chores Your 2 Year Old Can Do
I taught my 2 year old daughter (Arwen) to help out at a really young age and now she loves to help out with different chores! I know each child is unique so some of the chores my 2 year old can do may not be suitable for your 2 year old, but here are some things my daughter does to help!
1. Set the table
I have all of Arwen's plates, utensils, and cups in a drawer where she can easily reach. When I am setting the table before eating a meal, I ask Arwen to help me set the table. Arwen gets her own cup, utensil, plate, and she will get utensils (usually either spoon or fork) out for my husband and I too. If there are additional plastic things that need to be placed on the table, I also hand those to Arwen so she can set them too. I think breakable items should still be avoided in case of an accident.
2. Dinner Prep
I usually try to start dinner prep in the morning since afternoons get busy for me. When we are having vegetables for sides, I have Arwen help me wash the vegetables. I lay a towel down on the floor with a large mixing bowl filled with water. I will place the vegetables in the water (like potatoes, squash, cucumbers, etc) and hand Arwen a scrub brush for vegetables. After showing her how to use the scrub brush, she will wash certain veggies for me!
Another vegetable she likes to help me with is the green beans. I usually wash them and lay them out on a paper towel and Arwen will snap them in half and place them in a bowl for me. I think she gets really encouraged by helping because I will brag to her daddy about how Arwen helped me with dinner. Her face just lights up when I say things like "Arwen helped Mommy with the green beans today! Aren't they so yummy?" or "These potatoes are so yummy because Arwen washed them for Mommy!"
3. Cleaning
Sweeping, dusting, wiping off tables, and vacuuming are things that Arwen likes to help me with. After each meal, I usually clean up the kitchen and dining room floor. I have a small hand held broom and dust pan that Arwen will use to help me clean up crumbs from meals. If there are lots of crumbs I usually get the hand held vacuum instead of the broom.
For dusting, she will use her toy duster from the Melissa and Doug cleaning set and dust the TV stand and shelves down stairs.
When I am wiping down the kitchen counter tops, Arwen will want to help by wiping down the dining room table. She just gets on the chairs and wipes off the stains and crumbs from the table.
4. Laundry
There are two ways Arwen helps me with the laundry. By helping me put the washed wet clothes in the dryer and by helping me sort the dried clothes for each family member. When I take out the wet clothes from the washer I put them in a basket so Arwen can put them in the dryer (I always keep a close eye when she is doing this just in case!). She only puts in a few pieces of clothing but I really appreciate any amount she helps me with. When the clothes are dry, I put the clothes in the basket and dump them all in the middle of the living room where I will sort them out by family member. I have a Mommy pile, Daddy pile, Arwen's pile, Ember's pile, and a linen's / kitchen pile. Arwen recognizes her clothes easily so she will pick out her clothes and place them in Arwen's pile. She can't quite fold yet so I do all the folding, but I love that Arwen takes a part with the laundry chore.
5. Clean Up
When Arwen plays with her toys, she knows that she has to pick up everything she gets out or plays with before moving on to a different activity. For example, if we are getting ready to have a snack she will clean up her toys to be able to have her snack, or she will clean up her room before going outside to play. I have been doing this with her since she started to crawl and now it is just habit. She has never thrown a tantrum over picking up or tidying her room because this is what we have been doing ever since she can remember. People always ask me how I keep my home tidy with a toddler and this is my secret! Everything has its place and we always clean up before moving on to a different room or different activity.
Are there some chores that your toddler does additionally to this? I'd love to get some feedback!
XO, Hannah
1. Set the table
I have all of Arwen's plates, utensils, and cups in a drawer where she can easily reach. When I am setting the table before eating a meal, I ask Arwen to help me set the table. Arwen gets her own cup, utensil, plate, and she will get utensils (usually either spoon or fork) out for my husband and I too. If there are additional plastic things that need to be placed on the table, I also hand those to Arwen so she can set them too. I think breakable items should still be avoided in case of an accident.
2. Dinner Prep
I usually try to start dinner prep in the morning since afternoons get busy for me. When we are having vegetables for sides, I have Arwen help me wash the vegetables. I lay a towel down on the floor with a large mixing bowl filled with water. I will place the vegetables in the water (like potatoes, squash, cucumbers, etc) and hand Arwen a scrub brush for vegetables. After showing her how to use the scrub brush, she will wash certain veggies for me!
Another vegetable she likes to help me with is the green beans. I usually wash them and lay them out on a paper towel and Arwen will snap them in half and place them in a bowl for me. I think she gets really encouraged by helping because I will brag to her daddy about how Arwen helped me with dinner. Her face just lights up when I say things like "Arwen helped Mommy with the green beans today! Aren't they so yummy?" or "These potatoes are so yummy because Arwen washed them for Mommy!"
3. Cleaning
Sweeping, dusting, wiping off tables, and vacuuming are things that Arwen likes to help me with. After each meal, I usually clean up the kitchen and dining room floor. I have a small hand held broom and dust pan that Arwen will use to help me clean up crumbs from meals. If there are lots of crumbs I usually get the hand held vacuum instead of the broom.
For dusting, she will use her toy duster from the Melissa and Doug cleaning set and dust the TV stand and shelves down stairs.
When I am wiping down the kitchen counter tops, Arwen will want to help by wiping down the dining room table. She just gets on the chairs and wipes off the stains and crumbs from the table.
4. Laundry
There are two ways Arwen helps me with the laundry. By helping me put the washed wet clothes in the dryer and by helping me sort the dried clothes for each family member. When I take out the wet clothes from the washer I put them in a basket so Arwen can put them in the dryer (I always keep a close eye when she is doing this just in case!). She only puts in a few pieces of clothing but I really appreciate any amount she helps me with. When the clothes are dry, I put the clothes in the basket and dump them all in the middle of the living room where I will sort them out by family member. I have a Mommy pile, Daddy pile, Arwen's pile, Ember's pile, and a linen's / kitchen pile. Arwen recognizes her clothes easily so she will pick out her clothes and place them in Arwen's pile. She can't quite fold yet so I do all the folding, but I love that Arwen takes a part with the laundry chore.
5. Clean Up
When Arwen plays with her toys, she knows that she has to pick up everything she gets out or plays with before moving on to a different activity. For example, if we are getting ready to have a snack she will clean up her toys to be able to have her snack, or she will clean up her room before going outside to play. I have been doing this with her since she started to crawl and now it is just habit. She has never thrown a tantrum over picking up or tidying her room because this is what we have been doing ever since she can remember. People always ask me how I keep my home tidy with a toddler and this is my secret! Everything has its place and we always clean up before moving on to a different room or different activity.
Are there some chores that your toddler does additionally to this? I'd love to get some feedback!
XO, Hannah
Sunday, August 26, 2018
Favorite Clothing Stores for Baby & Toddler
Since babies and toddlers grow at such fast paces, I don't really like spending a whole lot of money on clothing and shoes. I only like to buy clearance or items that are pretty cheap to begin with. Here are some places I like to go to shop for my girls and tips to save some money!
The Children's Place
They are currently doing a 50-60% off sale and you can earn $20 place cash every $20 you spend! You can get the best deals online at thechildrensplace.com and they have free shipping! If you go in-store they will price match for you, but I like shopping online better because they have a lot of online exclusives that you won't find in-stores. Also, if you sign up to get their emails you can get a $10 off coupon too!
Old Navy
I like to check out the clearance racks or sale events that Old Navy does. My toddler didn't have any long sleeves for her size so I went and got her some shirts before the weather gets cooler. I learned recently that Old Navy stores don't price match on items on OldNavy.com and in-store sales work independently from the website.
Walmart
I love the Garanimals brand because their clothes are so cheap. I am huge fan of their shoes as well especially since they are like $5 or so. My toddler went from size 4 to size 6 in no time at all, so the Garanimals shoes I got are still in great condition and will be saved for my second child.
Target
I don't like to pay full price at Target either. I usually wait until they have a sale going on or there are some great deals on cartwheel. I love the Cat & Jack brand from Target!
What are your favorite stores for baby/toddler clothing? Do you have any tips to save money that I didn't mention above? Leave a comment!
XO, Hannah
The Children's Place
They are currently doing a 50-60% off sale and you can earn $20 place cash every $20 you spend! You can get the best deals online at thechildrensplace.com and they have free shipping! If you go in-store they will price match for you, but I like shopping online better because they have a lot of online exclusives that you won't find in-stores. Also, if you sign up to get their emails you can get a $10 off coupon too!
Old Navy
I like to check out the clearance racks or sale events that Old Navy does. My toddler didn't have any long sleeves for her size so I went and got her some shirts before the weather gets cooler. I learned recently that Old Navy stores don't price match on items on OldNavy.com and in-store sales work independently from the website.
Walmart
I love the Garanimals brand because their clothes are so cheap. I am huge fan of their shoes as well especially since they are like $5 or so. My toddler went from size 4 to size 6 in no time at all, so the Garanimals shoes I got are still in great condition and will be saved for my second child.
Target
I don't like to pay full price at Target either. I usually wait until they have a sale going on or there are some great deals on cartwheel. I love the Cat & Jack brand from Target!
What are your favorite stores for baby/toddler clothing? Do you have any tips to save money that I didn't mention above? Leave a comment!
XO, Hannah
Friday, March 23, 2018
Toddler Schedule 19 months
I started putting my daughter on a schedule since she was pretty much a new born. Having a schedule helps me to stay organized through the day and I can usually get everything done on my to do list. I thought it might help some other mommies out there by sharing my 19 month old schedule. I work part time where I can take my daughter with me so I included schedules for both the days I work and stay at home.
8:30 AM Clean up
9:00 AM Screen time or play time with mommy
9:30 AM Outing or errands
11:00 AM Lunch
12:00 PM Nap
2:30 PM Snack time and playtime
3:30 PM Independent playtime in own room
4:30 PM Clean up room
5:00 PM Dinner
6:00 PM Bath time & Family time
7:00 PM Bedtime
7:30 AM Wake Up, Diaper Change, and get dressed
8:00 AM Breakfast
8:30 AM Clean Up
9:00 AM Play time with Mommy
9:45 AM Drive to work
10:00 AM Independent Playtime
11:00 AM Screen time and lunch
12:00 PM Nap
2:00 PM Drive Home
2:30 PM Snack time
3:30 PM Independent playtime in own room
4:30 PM Clean up room
5:00 PM Dinner
6:00 PM Bath time and Family time
7:00 PM Bed time
Hope this helps!
XO, Hannah
Schedule for non-working days
7:30 AM Wake up, Diaper change and getting dressed for the day
8:00 AM Breakfast8:30 AM Clean up
9:00 AM Screen time or play time with mommy
9:30 AM Outing or errands
11:00 AM Lunch
12:00 PM Nap
2:30 PM Snack time and playtime
3:30 PM Independent playtime in own room
4:30 PM Clean up room
5:00 PM Dinner
6:00 PM Bath time & Family time
7:00 PM Bedtime
Schedule for days I work
7:30 AM Wake Up, Diaper Change, and get dressed
8:00 AM Breakfast
8:30 AM Clean Up
9:00 AM Play time with Mommy
9:45 AM Drive to work
10:00 AM Independent Playtime
11:00 AM Screen time and lunch
12:00 PM Nap
2:00 PM Drive Home
2:30 PM Snack time
3:30 PM Independent playtime in own room
4:30 PM Clean up room
5:00 PM Dinner
6:00 PM Bath time and Family time
7:00 PM Bed time
Hope this helps!
XO, Hannah
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