Excuse Me Mama

Mamahood

Migraine Relief with the Cryosphere

by

Cryosphere, T-shirt, Headboard

The day started out like any other day. The dirty laundry was piled high, house was a mess, and the kids were wrecking havoc. The snacks were flowing, the floors were sticky. But then, I started to feel it coming on. The all too familiar pain was dull but constant at first and then slowly intensified. My eyes and forehead were pulsing and I knew I needed a dark room, stat. My sweet husband took over and I collapsed into our bed.

Miracle Migraine Tool

I opened my eyes to a cool sensation on my forehead and my husband handing me this strange metal rolling ball. “Try this,” he said. And while it didn’t look like something I would normally use, I was willing to try anything. To my surprise, as I rolled the ice cold metal ball across my forward, the tension was soothed. The rolling ability allowed me to reach and massage my temples, forehead, and head, easily. Unlike ice, it didn’t leak water and it also wasn’t too cold that I needed something between it and my skin. I laid in bed thinking, “why was I just learning about this miracle migraine tool?” “When did my husband discover this?” I began rolling it across my tired and puffy under eyes (#momlife) while simultaneously racking my brain on all its other potential uses.

Cryosphere Ice and Massage Roller by Recoup Fitness

To my surprise, this miracle rolling ball stayed ice cold for 6 hours. 6 HOURS! That means, no dumping out a leaking zip lock bag with melted ice or refreezing a defrosted ice pack. I don’t even understand how that’s possible but it’s true. Even after my migraine subsided, I continued to roll it because it just felt that good. It turns out, my husband didn’t buy this to relieve migraines or depuff his under eyes. It actually has a whole separate purpose.

The Cryosphere 2-in-1 ice and massage roller design delivers ice cold muscle relief intended for your whole body. It accelerates recovery for damaged and inflamed muscles and injuries, helps with blood and lymphatic flow and relieves joint pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms. It breaks down lactic acid build up all while providing natural stress relief. Simply put, the Cryosphere really IS a miracle worker. Not only am I going to be stocking up on another for our freezer, but it will also be my go-to gift from now on! If you are a sufferer of migraines or headaches, or pain or stress, treat yourself to one of these, I know you won’t regret it.

Click here to shop the Cryosphere along with other Recoup fitness products.

Click here to shop the Cryosphere on Amazon.com

Toddler Learning

by

Keeping littles busy at home is a full-time job. Between the questions and the snacks and the boo boos and the tantrums…you get me. Homemade activities are great but sometimes, we just need the work done for us. Below are my favorite toddler learning tools, games and activities that we are using – and best of all, they’re all available for purchase on the beloved Amazon.com.

Click below to shop!

How are you keeping your little ones busy learning at home?

Treat Your Mama

by

Photo: Megan Kaplar Photography

Mother’s day is right around the corner! I may be biased, but especially in the middle of a pandemic, a lot of mama’s out there are needing to feel some extra love. Between the mess on mess around the house, the tantrums, the home schooling…I could go on and on… let’s just all agree this Mother’s Day is a great time to spoil the mama’s in our life. Click the images below to shop!

The Cozy Mama

Here are some tried and true cozy favorites of mine. I consider myself a self proclaimed cozy connoisseur so if cozy is what your mama likes, shop below and she’ll be happy.

These are buttery soft. I have multiple pairs and I get excited just thinking about them.
These are same as above, just different colors. Love Love.
These are my all time favorite long pajamas. Cozy & long enough for tall mamas.
I literally LIVE in this robe. It’s amazing.
Clouds for your mama’s tired feet
Same slippers as above just different colors -On Sale!

The Skin Care Lover Mama

Nothing is more relaxing after a tiring day than a little TLC for your skin and hair. Here is my go to skin and hair care gifts.

Silk hair ties don’t break your hair or give you headaches.
Silk pillow case takes care of your skin and hair while you sleep.
Roll away the puffiness & tired eyes.
This is a magic stick. I wear it under my eyes every day.
Tried and true. My favorite under eye masks out there.
My newest face mask obsession. Hydrates & makes your skin soft and perfect.
This lip mask smells & feels so good.

The Athletic Mama

Is anyone putting on real outfits these days? Comfortable (and cute) workout gear is a must and the only thing that is (sometimes) convincing me to workout. Here are some of my favs.

Cute hat to cover up the not so cute hair days.
Super soft & lightweight – perfect for Spring & Summer
My favorite workout bra. Tons of colors – On Sale!
You can workout in these and also lounge. Comfy & flattering!
The only shoes I workout in. Love these so much – On Sale!

The Fancy Mama

Jewelry can always win over a weary mamas heart, amiright? I am a fan of a few pieces of good quality jewelry that can withstand time and water (and two toddler boys).

My tiny hoops I wear in my second hole. I never take them out.
I love this ring! It was a gift from my best friend and its gorgeous.
This is my cross necklace that I never take off.
Mini initial necklace. You can personalize it initials of kids/grandkids/spouse – you can also have initials added as your family grows!
Mini initial bracelets – you can add letters as your family grows!
Chain link bracelets are perfect
to wear alone or stacked.
I love this brand! I have several bracelets from here that I wear in a stack on my wrist.

Disclaimer: While gifts are nice, I think I speak for all mamas when I say gifts aren’t the only way to win us over. Just some quality time alone is always an amazing gift. Sleeping in, uninterrupted time for coffee and a book or binge watching our favorite shows (I’m smiling just thinking about that… #momlife).

Thanks for stopping by! How are you planning to love on the mom’s in your life this mother’s day?

The Very Best Birthday Gift

by

Birthdays for little ones are often filled with stuff. Lots of stuff. Toys and books and games (oh my!). And while the stuff makes them happy for the moment (or week, or month), few of the material gifts we give our kids are something treasured and valued for years (or in my house…hours).

For Breccan’s first birthday, I started the tradition of writing him a letter. I have done it every birthday for both him and Kai. I do it on the evening of their birthday, after everyone is asleep. I sit in bed, write, and usually cry (because my baby is a little less of a baby). I reflect on who they are, their little personality and all of their amazing qualities. I put it all in a letter. I don’t do this because it’s easy or because I have nothing else to do. I do it because I want both of my boys to know exactly what they were like at this age and most of all, how incredibly loved they are. My hope is that one day, I am able to give each of them a huge stack of these letters that they can treasure for years and share with their babies.

So, here’s my challenge to you. Write your kids a letter. You don’t have to like writing or even be good at it. It doesn’t even have to be a birthday letter. Just use your voice and put on paper how much you adore your kid. It’s that easy. They won’t care if it’s perfect or eloquent, it will be real and your voice and for that, they will love it.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Talk about their personality. Are they shy? Extroverted? Sassy? Caring? Tell a story that shows their personality. I love including direct quotes to include their voice.
  • What are their interests? Favorite songs, books, shows?
  • Talk about their growth and development. What can they do now that they couldn’t do last year?
  • Talk about how they interact with and love their siblings or family members.
  • If it’s a birthday letter, talk about how you celebrated their birthday! What kind of party? What was their favorite gift?
  • Most important, talk about how much you love them. Explain exactly what you love most. I also always end their letters with an encouraging bible verse.

Let’s get writing!

xo,

Jenna

Let’s Talk SPF

by


While this is not the most exciting post, it is one of the most important. SPF is something I couldn’t have been less interested in during my teen years. I actually didn’t like it because it interfered with my tan. Now, as a 31-year-old mom, the thought of that makes me cringe. My aging is much more of a reality and I now know how important SPF is and the dangers of sun damage. Below are the SPF’s my family is using and loving.

Quick + Easy Face SPF

CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Lotion + SPF 30

Guys need SPF too. My irish husband used to fight me on this until our most recent dermatologist appointment where he had some pre skin cancerous cells lasered off of his face. It was a patch of dry skin on his forehead, we didn’t even notice it but thankfully our excellent derm caught it. Speaking of dermatologist: GO IN FOR A CHECK UP. Adults should be going at least once a year. If you need a good recommendation for one in the NOVA area, let me know, we love ours!

Back to the SPF: Gayle doesn’t like anything too greasy or thick (he says all lotions make him sweat), so we tried a couple and fell in love with this one by CeraVe. Its a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid (really good for your skin) + SPF, its affordable and doesn’t make his face sweat and he wears it every day! I actually love this and use it sometimes too! It protects your skin while making it look hydrated. Guys (and gals), trust us and buy this and start using it EVERY Morning, your future face will thank you.

Fancy Face SPF

Murad City Skin Age Defense SPF 50

I probably could have come up with a better header for this but this one made me smile. When I turned 30, I started taking my skin care seriously. Any research you do on skin care and anti-aging will tell you the number one thing you can do for your skin is to keep it out of the sun or protected with SPF. I’ve tried lots of different sunscreens and right now, this is my favorite for my face.

I like it because it mixes well with my face products and sits well under makeup with no pilling. It’s lightweight so it doesn’t make your face feel heavy and it is so good for your skin. It is pricy but a little goes a long way and a bottle will last you 9 months to a year. I apply this after my serums and moisturizer, before my makeup.

All Over SPF

Sun Bum Sunscreen

Sun bum makes the best body SPF’s. They smell good, are easy to apply, protect your skin, and are free of all the bad chemicals you don’t want in your sunscreen. They come in sprays, sticks and different SPF amounts. Check it out, I think you’ll love it.

Kid SPF

ThinkBaby Sunscreen

Breccan has sensitive skin and when he was a baby he would have allergic reactions to sunscreens. Our pediatrician said its common because of all the chemicals that are in sunscreens. We tried out a bunch of natural sunscreens but I would gag applying them because the smell was awful and they were so thick and hard to rub in. Then a friend of mine recommended ThinkBaby and we’ve never looked back. Its a mineral sunscreen without any chemicals, it smells amazing, it’s easy to apply and it keeps my fair skin babes nice and fair. It is by far the best kids sunscreen out there.

I hope this helps! Enjoy the sun + protect your skin!

Outfit details: swim top, shorts, sunglasses, hat

xo,

Jenna

Treat Your Feet

by


Allbirds

These shoes are best. Cute, comfortable and low key. The perfect athleisure shoe. My favorite styles are the Wool Runners for fall/winter and the lighter weight Tree Runners are perfect for the spring/summer. They come in lots of colors and the brand in general is eco friendly and adorable. Full disclosure, I own 3 pairs and Gayle owns 2. And it’s quickly become one of my favorites gifts to give. If you are looking to treat yourself or someone you love to a new everyday sneaker, this is it.

Smallbirds

But the real reason for this post is to tell you about SMALLBIRDS. Smallbirds are Allbirds shoe line for toddlers. Breccan’s feet are wide and thick, Kai’s are narrow and long and we’ve tried so many different toddler shoes and experienced all the problems. Falling off. Wearing down. Too narrow. Too tight. Too uncomfortable. Too hard to clean. Too hard to put on.

I am telling you, these shoes solve it all and are perfect for all little feet. They are machine washable, made out of a super soft and breathable wool, they stretch with growing feet and best of all, can be worn SOCKLESS. Need I say more? Having to keep track of all the little shoes is hard enough… but throw in SOCKS? I can’t even. These shoes are amazing and our boys love them. Breccan calls them his “comfy shoes” (why own anything else?)

Sadly, Allbirds is discontinuing their Smallbirds line (WHY?!). So, follow my lead and stock up on all the sizes and colors. NOW.

It’s Potty Time!

by


We waited to potty train Breccan until right before he turned 3. He was ready but I was overwhelmed with the thought of taking it on. Kai is still in diapers and Breccan pees just about every 5 minutes so having access to a potty all the time made me nervous. But, with Breccan’s 3 year checkup approaching, I decided it was time. So, I listened to half an audiobook on potty training to pump me up, did the research, bought all the potty things (see below), and put a start date on my calendar.

To all you moms and dads out there who are thinking about starting/about to start: it was easier than I thought. I feel like a lot of people act like it’s a daunting punishment but in reality its exciting to help your littles master such an important life skill! We did lots of potty dances and celebrations and I have a smile on my face just thinking about those first few days. I am already planning on potty training Kai soon-ish because the thought of no more diapers is amazing! YOU CAN DO THIS!

xo, Jenna

1. Baby Bjorn Potty

If you want to buy a “little Potty” this is the one. Its sturdy and easy to clean. We have a bunch of friends who have used it and love it. We had planned on using it but after bringing it home and sitting on it once, B told us it wouldn’t work because his “butt cheeks don’t fit.” Homeboy gets it from his Dad.

2. Toilet Seat with Built-in Potty Seat

Since the small potty was out of the question for us, we opted to put these toilet seats on our toilets and I’m so glad we did. They are discrete and we don’t have to clean out a little potty a dozen times a day. They are easy to install and come in different colors and sizes to match your toilet.

3. Squatty Potty

The credit on this one goes to my husband. He’s all about the Squatty Potty. I tease him about it but in all reality it has made for a great step stool for Breccan. It’s the perfect height (it comes in a couple sizes), and can be pushed back to hug the toilet when you’re not using it.

4. Car Potty Set

Little bladders and public restrooms make me anxious. Especially with another little (who likes to touch and lick everything) in tow. This travel potty stays in our car and is worth every penny. It comes with bags and wipes and saves us from many public restrooms.

5. Portable Potty Seat

This fun little toilet seat topper is in my purse at all times (#momlife). It’s perfect when traveling and when you have to brave public restrooms. It sits on top of the toilet seat making it smaller so they can comfortably sit on it.

6. Piddle Pad

This is in B’s carseat just in case he has an accident. So far he hasn’t but never say never.

7. Potty Books

I bought a couple fun books to give B on the day we started potty training. We spent a lot of time in the bathroom those first few days and having new relevant books to read was exciting and fun for him.

Don’t Blink

by

We have two beautiful boys, Breccan (3) and Kai (almost 2). We are quickly closing the gap of baby on toddler to toddler on toddler. I am tearfully getting rid of all the baby clothes and gadgets (I see you Marie Kondo), while simultaneously embracing this new phase we’re in.

Honestly, these days it’s all about survival. Convenience and survival. My boys are active and lively. “Uptown Funk” plays on repeat and there are endless boo boo’s to kiss, train tracks to build and sticky counters to wipe. The days can feel long, and then you blink. It feels like yesterday I was bringing my first baby home from the hospital. Now, my baby items are dwindling and my “baby” won’t respond to me unless I call him “Bruno Mars.”

If I’m being honest, my secret to this controlled(ish) chaos is online shopping. I don’t even want to imagine what Mama’s did before Amazon. The thought of actually having to tow two kids who don’t want to sit in a shopping cart, or wear shoes (or sometimes pants) to the store, multiple times a week, can make a sane person crazy.  Don’t get me wrong, we love our Target runs, but generally out of choice (and for the in-store Starbucks), rather than necessity. Amazon Prime has let me explore all the things that I need (and don’t need) as a Mom. Our sweet delivery man knows us by name. I’m looking forward to sharing all the things we can’t live without right now. Okay that’s dramatic. We could live without them, but I don’t want to have to. From potties to shoes and books and toys, I’m rounding up our ride and dies right now and will be posting them soon!

xo, Jenna