My little ninjas! These two jump all day!! I swear they never get tired 🙂

Love the red lining against the black on this tote!

Obsessed with these studded heeled sandals.

DETAILS: COACH MARKET TOTE | GRAPHIC TEE (SIMILAR HERE) | STUDDED ANKLE-WRAP SANDALS (ALSO LOVE THESE) | GOLD COACH WATCH | STUDDED BANGLES (SIMILAR HERE)

It’s Mother’s Day week! Motherhood is one of my favorite things to write about! In no way am I an expert, but it’s one of the things I am most passionate about. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve looked forward to being a mom. It wasn’t until I became one that I realized, holy cow, it’s not as easy as it looks! I’m constantly in the struggle of making sure I set enough time aside for the kids, that I’m present and they know how much they are loved. If there is anything I’ve learned it’s that it is a 24-7 balancing act and I fail A LOT, but I’m always trying to make it better! I wanted to share 6 tricks I’ve learned to making life easier, happier, and a little less crazy – both in motherhood and my career.

 

Write it out. There are some days where everything seems to run smoothly, but more often than not it feels like a tornado inside my head, lol. Between running things at ILY, shooting or wrapping up projects for the blog, and balancing the kids and Cody, there’s no such thing as a slow day.  On days when I feel frustrated and cluttered, a lot of it is just nonsense running through my head. When I sit down and write things out, the list is ALWAYS shorter than it seemed in my head.

Minimize. I am a big believer in the power of decluttering – I’m a work in progress but it’s crazy what a difference it makes! I was in the habit of throwing everything in my purse so I had anything and everything wherever I went, but now I realize that having a cluttered purse, closet, car – really anything – just adds more stress. No mom has time to burn. especially not digging for keys while she’s trying to get the kids out the door to school or running late for a meeting. I love having this Coach tote. It’s classic and timeless – the perfect mom bag! It fits the essentials: my laptop, wallet, chargers, wipes for kiddos, and a snack to curb my sweet tooth. (Or to share with B – he’s always asking for treats!)

Mix business and family.  I definitely have times when I have to set aside time specifically for each – like shutting off my phone during family time or having Cody take the kids out to play while I knock out some solid work hours. But when it’s appropriate, incorporate your kids in your projects. A lot of times they are excited to help! Last week I ended up working late finalizing a gallery wall for a home shoot we had early the next morning.  Mara was excited to help (or avoid going to bed, not sure which one :). So I had her pick out the pictures she liked the best and she taped al the photos inside the frames. It was a simple way to mix work and family life, but she was excited to help and it was a fun mini project for us to do together.

Don’t compare yourself. Especially nowadays when you factor social media into everything, it’s so easy to compare yourself to those picture-perfect Instagram feeds or to your neighbors, people you work with, etc. No matter who you might be tempted to compare yourself with, you’re never seeing the whole picture. When you’re having one of those days, shut out the distraction and spend some one on one time with your babies.

Extra Hugs. Be that annoying over-affectionate mom. Ok, maybe not that extreme, but don’t skimp on the hugs and kisses. All that time goes by so fast! B told me he was too big to sit on my lap the other day and I about cried right there!! Of course he didn’t mean it but it made me realize how fast he’s growing and how soon it will all change! Don’t miss those moments for extra love.

Strive for perfection. Settle for excellence. The idea of a super-mom – one who doesn’t meltdown, meets all of her work deadlines, never gets upset with her kids, has a perfect house, cooks every meal, and never forgets to brush her kids’ teeth before bed – she doesn’t exist! Every day is a balancing act and just like marriage or any relationship, it’s ok to have hard times. They just make you stronger. The real super-moms are the ones that can admit when it’s hard and learn and grow from it, not pretend like their life is perfect or something that’s not real. It’s those lessons you learn through the failures that make you a super-mom.

More gift ideas for mom for Mother’s Day (or yourself :):

XX, Christine