The Stressed Mom

Is it time for a makeover?

Bernice — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:42:23 +0000

So many times moms don’t take the time to do the things that will make them feel better about themselves.

There is something about having a little makeup on and having one’s hair done. I was amazed myself in the difference in these pictures, taken before and after a makeover done by my Mary Kay director.

I encourage you to find a product or a system or product line that works for you. If you don’t know where to begin, I can do private consultations via Skype and help you find what would work best for you. I can even do skin care and makeup coaching via Skype (don’t you LOVE technology?)

I love that as a personal beauty consultant I can help moms feel more confident and pretty on the outside. And it is not shallow that if a woman feels better about her outside, she will feel better on the inside.

Are ready to get a new look?

Does your confidence need a boost?

Contact me today!

25 ideas for making your own 100 calorie snacks

Bernice — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:10 +0000

Most of us only have to look at our own waistline or hips to know that there is an epidemic of obesity in America, and much of the developed world. Yet we have at our disposal all the diet foods and reduced calorie foods we can imagine. There has also been a boom in the production and sales of 100 calorie snack packages of foods.

There are a few problems with these foods.

They are expensive per serving.
They tend to be highly processed.
If they are a low-fat refined wheat product, such as most of the ones in the pic above, there is a good chance there is actually an increased amount of sugar over the “regular fat” product.
There is a lot of extra packaging involved.

As a busy society, we like the convenience of the 100 calorie packs, so how to we overcome the negatives listed up above?

By making your OWN 100 calorie packs at home!

You can be very rigid about the 100 calories if you are adamently trying to lose weight. If, however, you just want some healthier snacks for you and your family that are convenient, you can choose to not be so stringent about counting and weighing the foods you choose.

Below are 25 options for your own 100 calorie snack packs:

25- 100 calorie snack packs made at home

First of all, you may want a supply of small, snack-size zipper bags or small, 1 cup size disposable plasticware (even though considered disposable, these can be reused again and again!) Many of these snacks can be made up for the week in advance, although some may need to be assembled shortly before eating.

29 pistachios
1 cup cantaloupe
1 hard-boiled egg
1 cup of blueberries
15 strawberries and spoonful Cool Whip
3/4 cup fruit cocktail (in lite syrup or juice)
2 cups of microwave popcorn (check the calorie count on the brand you get)
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese and 6 cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup lowfat yogurt with a sprinkling of nuts or granola
2 graham cracker squares with a teaspoon of peanut butter
apple slices and 1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 kiwi sliced into circles
1/2 cup slow-churned ice cream
7 animal crackers
1 cup of canned mandarin oranges
fresh veggies and 2 tablespoons lowfat ranch dressing
1/2 small bagel with teaspoon peanut butter
1 lite string cheese stick and 2 wheat crackers
3 tablespoons hummus with veggies
1 slice lowfat swiss cheese with3 whole wheat crackers
14 almonds
1/3 cup edamame sprinkled with salt
1/2 cup dry oat squares cereal
40 mini pretzel sticks
1 Tbs peanuts & 2 Tbs dried cranberries

Making a supply of these and having them in the cabinet or fridge will help you snack healthier, help provide your children with healthier snacks, and save you money!

What other “100 calorie snacks” do you like to eat?

Helping moms take care of themselves

Bernice — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 03:49:48 +0000

I love helping women. I love to help women in practical ways, in ways that will help them feel more peaceful and rested. To help them feel like they accomplished something. I also like to help women accept that it is okay if they DON’T get it ALL done. It is okay if they DON’T have it ALL together. And I like to let them know that they are not alone and MANY other women feel the same way.

I think that by admitting it and banding together, we can help one another be more comfortable in our own skin. In the roles we have chosen to live, which includes being a mom. Whether a mom to littles, or a mom to grown kids. Because face it, you will ALWAYS be their mom.

Sometimes though, we need to take a step back and do something for us. We need to take care of ourselves. We need to eat right, or at least try to the majority of the time. And doing so will help our energy levels.

We need to get enough sleep. Somehow, we need to make that happen. Unless you have children under the age of 5 or over the age of 15 living in your house, then you probably won’t sleep much. But try!

And you need to have some FUN. Go out with the hubby. Take a craft class. Play in the dirt and grow something. Do something that makes you smile!

And take care of you. Your body, all parts of it. Make sure you go to the doctor and the dentist. Don’t put off checkups and annuals or important tests like mammograms (like I did).

And you want to take care of your skin. Take it from someone who didn’t start taking care of my skin until I was about 42, oh how I wish I had done something before! I was overwhelmed though, at all the different options and ingredients and products available. I actually went to work with one major beauty company for 2 years and learned quite a bit about skincare and taking care to prevent aging from happening before its time.

Many of the “signs of aging” that we see are actually due to sun damage, caused by years of sun exposure. Not necessarily laying out and being on the beach forever, but just day-to-day sun exposure. You NEED to use a foundation and a moisturizer that has an SPF factor in them.

I have recently joined with another major beauty company, Mary Kay. I have seen a different side of the beauty business, and so I love the way that Mary Kay runs their business, trains their consultants, and the way they encourage their consultants to always put God first, family second, and then your Mary Kay business. In my previous company and job, I was pressed to work 80-90 hours a week. So this is a breath of fresh air for me.

I love helping women find products that work for them, and help them to feel good about themselves. To make their skin look radiant and fresh. And I also enjoy helping women learn to do their makeup and find colors that work for them. I have learned a “dash out the door” makeup routine that literally takes 4 minutes.

The great thing about Mary Kay is getting to sit and work with these women face-to-face, and to talk to them about their families and about their dreams and aspirations as you go trough their makeover. But another great thing is that even if I can’t meet with you personally, we can do a consult via phone, email, FB messaging, or even Skype. After a consult, I can send you a few samples to try, or if you like, you can go ahead and order via my Mary Kay website. We have a 100% guarantee, so even if you haven’t actually tried something, you can return it if for some reason it doesn’t work for you.

A Mary Kay special, JUST FOR THIS WEEKEND, thru April 15, midnight. $13 off ANY SIZE order!

Why $13, you ask? Mary Kay consultants celebrate every Friday the 13th, as the company was actually launched on Friday the 13th, September 1963!

Top 10 reasons why moms should exercise

Bernice — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:44:51 +0000

There are LOTS of reasons for exercising, but for busy, stressed moms, here are 10 top reasons why you need make it a priority and fit it into your schedule.

1. Exercise helps you de-stress

2. Exercise will make you feel stronger and more confident

3. Exercise will give you the energy boosts you need to make it through your busy day

4. Exercise will lift your mood and help you combat depression and anxiety. My walking partner and I tease that our walking and talking together is our therapy and much cheaper!

5. Exercise will reshape your body and help your clothes fit better

6. Exercise will help you feel proud, like you have accomplished something, and ready to tackle the next task

7. Exercise to be a good example to your kids

8. Exercise allows you to eat more food (and even even cheat!)

9. Exercise helps you sleep better at night (but don’t exercise right before bed, you would probably have trouble sleeping due to all the endorphins running through your body)

10. Exercise because YOU need to take of YOU so that you can take care of those you love

I have personally struggled with making exercise a habit, but have recently been successful at walking every weekday for 45 minutes. I am feeling SO much better overall because of it!

Linked up with:

Many Little Blessings Top 10 Tuesday
Time-Warp Wife’s Titus 2 Tuesday

My favorite blogs for busy moms

Bernice — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:00:48 +0000

As a mom of grown kids, how I wish I had had blogs to read when I was a mom of 4 little ones at home! I have found quite a few that I love to read, even though my kids are now grown. I hope that they will be an encouragement to you too!

10 blogs for busy moms

Simple Mom, which includes Simple Homemade, Simple Bites, Simple Homeschooling, and Simple Kids

Life Your Way, which has over 10 channels from motherhood to finances to organization

(in) Courage A great encouraging site for Christian women

Inspired to Action Encouraging moms in their most important position and holding them accountable!

Small Notebook Rachel blogs about her little family, her simplicity in life, her simple ways of organizing

I’m an Organizing Junkie Laura and I are cut out of the same cloth! She loves organizing and loves anything to do with organizing, including The Container Store and Ikea!

30 Second Mom Is a easy site full of quick tips for moms, broken down in categories. There are also apps for droid and apple so you can read mom tips on the go! I am honored to be one of the 30 Second Moms!

Peace and Projects Melissa is an aspiring writer who has a simple blog on life and projects and productivity, and more.

Home Ec 101 Heather Solos is a chemist turned homemaker who wanted to share all that she was learning about homemaking with others who never learned!

Untrained Housewife Angela England is a modern day renaissance woman. She is currently writing a book on Backyard Farming. Her site offers lots of useful tips.

A bonus! The Stressed Mom I provide helpful, every day tips and resources to help you manage your family, your home, your life!

Do you have any that you would like to add to the list?

Note- I am an affiliate for many of these blogger’s products. You can find them over on the right side of the screen! –>

For when you don’t know what to write

Bernice — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:00:30 +0000

One of the challenges we face as bloggers is writer’s block. Not knowing what to write about. There are several steps to help you overcome your block and get you merrily writing away.

1. Build an editorial calendar. Using an editorial calendar will help you plan and know what you are writing when. You can use Google calendar, or a WordPress plugin that will build you an editorial calendar.

2. The next thing is to consider if you want to create or participate in a weekly meme. A meme is a blog prompt that is suggested by a large number of bloggers who then participate. For instance, Wordless Wednesday is a popular one, whereby instead of posting words, you actually post 1 or more pictures for your post.

There are many different memes out there, and while they are not for everyone, check out this list over at Mama Dweeb to see if one or more interest you. If you are a regular reader, you may have noticed that I participated in Top Ten Tuesday many weeks. Participating in a weekly meme will give you a topic one day a week.

Finding Post Ideas

3. As far as coming up with topics for posts, list out your categories one at a time on the top of a piece of paper. Then without editing your thinking, for each category, think of as many ideas as you can that would fall under that category. Your goal should be to come up with at least 20 ideas for each category. If you have 6 categories, that is 120 post ideas that you now have!

4. If you are struggling with some of the categories, sit and think about examples and experiences that you would like to share that correspond with a category.

You may also want to look over your categories and see if one or more have been neglected lately. Focus on those categories, or you may want to reconsider them if it is something you rarely write about.

5. Depending on your niche, you could peruse magazines, in print or online, use Google search, or my latest favorite, Pinterest. When your creative well has run dry, spending some time surfing and browsing can spark ideas in you.

6. Consider prewriting posts while you have ideas still fresh in your mind, and schedule them further out, rather than waiting to write when you need something to post. Enter these written posts into your editorial calendar. Then look at the other post ideas you have and plug some of those in your calendar as well. Planning and writing ahead is much better if your schedule tends to be a little hectic. That way you know that you have things scheduled and written.

7. Figure out how you write best. Do you write best one post at a time, daily? Or do you like to sit and write several at a time? Whatever you prefer, learn to use this to your advantage and plan those work times into your schedule.

Do you plan your writing, or do you fly by the seat of your pants?

Where did the day go!?

Bernice — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:00:02 +0000

Ever had a day when you get to the end of it and think ” Where did the day go? I didn’t get ANYTHING done!”

If you are like me, that is at LEAST every other day!

If you would like to figure out a way to keep this from happening as often, read on below.

Determine your MITs

I came across a concept that I have seen several people use, such as Tsh Oxenrider from Simple Mom and Leo Babauta from Zen Habits. The idea of determining your 3 most important tasks that need to get done that day (MITs).

Now obviously we ALL have more than 3 things that need to get done in a day. Hopefully you have at least a basic routine established so that your basic household and family needs are being taken care of. What seems to get away from us are those not so urgent, yet important things that will help us one step closer to a goal we are working on.

It is very simple. At night before you go to bed, or first thing in the morning, make a SHORT list of the most important things you need to get done that day. These may be things that are time sensitive, are very urgent, or they are something that is helping you build toward a better habit.

For instance, right now one of my MITs is to walk on the treadmill for at least 15 minutes a day. Fifteen minutes will not do a whole lot towards helping me lose the 40 pounds I need to lose, but it is working towards the goal of building the habit of exercising every day. I hope that by building that habit, it will grow into a stronger habit of working out for even longer periods a day.

My other MITs will vary based upon what I am working on. It may be a blog post I need to write, a phone call I need to make, an email that needs to be sent.

You will hopefully get more done than those 3 things, but if you can get to the end of the day and say “I got the 3 most important things done today. I DID accomplish something!” it will make you feel a lot more productive!

Getting the MITs done

Find a place to write your MITs. Maybe it is a post-it note. Or an index card. It may be on an app on your phone, or a note on your desktop. Find a place that keeps them in front of your face. Personally, I like the post-it note!

To get your MITs done, it is best to focus on them early in the morning. Maybe before your family awakes. Or maybe after you feed your little ones breakfast. Having determined the most important things will help you know what you need to work on next, or perhaps when you get a free 5 minutes.

Many times we have a little time to actually work on something, but if we haven’t already decided what is the most important thing for us to work on, we may fritter that time away on less important things, or even on trivial stuff. Having your MITS written will help you stay on track.

How do you make sure you are getting the important things done?

A ton of organizing links and making mozzarella

Bernice — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 11:00:09 +0000

Lots of cool stuff to look at this weekend!

Great demonstration over at Simple Bites - How to make 30 minute mozzarella

Great post from incourage.me about something we all need - The Need for Margin

And if you don’t know about the un-conference that (in)courage is having, you NEED to go check it out now! It is a great weekend of women gathering all over the country to participate in this awesome event. The cost is nominal (and this is NOT an affiliate link) I just want as many as possible to participate!

A great post over at Simple Mom for anyone who has ever had a weight problem - How to find true freedom with food

And if you love reading and looking at posts about organizing, (doesn’t mean we are ACTUALLY organized, we just like to LOOK at it and dream), check out this link-up post that Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie is hosting.

Using chore charts to reduce Mom stress

Bernice — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:33:46 +0000

I mentioned in an earlier post about creating Standard Operating Procedures for your home (SOPs). These are very commonly used in business and the concept can transfer over to running your home as well. It helps you and everyone else know what the routine and expectations are in your home, which should in turn help your house run smoother (most of the time anyway!)

Learn to delegate

One major cause of stress for moms is the fact that we TRY to do everything ourselves. We usually would like for others to help us, but we hate to have to ask for it, and sometimes it is just easier to do it ourselves.

Setting up SOPs will take some time and effort on your part, and training of your children, and even your husband! If you are consistent, however, these procedures can help to relieve some of your stress and pressures.

In the first post, we talked about having a morning routine. Part of this routine was the kids knowing what was expected of them, what they had to do each morning before school.

It also helps to have a routine after school so they know what they have to do when they get home. While I do believe kids need free time to be kids, I also am a big believer in teaching kids to do their fair share around the house.

Chore charts for kids (and adults too!)

Kids are very visual and love charts and checklists. And if you have a chart for them to look at, they don’t have to constantly ask you what they need to be doing, or more likely, you won’t have to go find them and nag them with every little thing they need to do.

Obviously you need to find a chart and system that works best for your family, size, ages of children, whether you work outside the home, married or single, all these will have an impact on how your children’s responsibilites should be assigned.

Below are some different options I have found. Check them out and see what might work for you!

First is a simple chart for younger kids. You can download these for free from her site. There is an evening one as well!

I love these magnetic ones!

You can find these at Abbie’s House Etsy shop. The boards are sold separate from the magnets, and the magnets can be customized as well.

Another option for the boards that would save you money is to buy cheap metal cookie sheets and paint and decorate however you would like. Click for instructions for painting metal cookie sheets. I think you could even repurpose rusty pans if you use the right paint!

If you are a REALLY crafty DIYer, you can make these cool clipboards. Even if you aren’t so crafty, I like her system and you could always make at your own level of creativity (my level is low and basic!)

If you aren’t crafty AT ALL, Amazon has a huge selection of chore charts. Some of my favorites are below:

The chore charts and systems above will work well with 1, 2 or 3 kids in the house. In a larger family, it becomes a little more difficult to juggle all the responsibilities, yet it is crucial that you do so to teach your kids to take responsibility for themselves and doing their part as a team.

Many parents like to use reward systems as well, and again these vary widely from family to family. My fellow Atlanta blogger and friend, Kat Roberson from I Heart 7, has 7 children, 5 who live with her full-time. Managing a house that full takes some work, and to become the manager of the work and not the DOer of all the work is so important.

Kat has put together a chore chart and system that teaches her kids not only how to take care of the house, but also that their attitude, behavior, and how they treat one another is important. Click on the pic below to get all the details!

There are truly an unlimited number of ways you can use to help your children learn to do their chores.

Which one is the best for you?

The one you will use!

Try out ones that appeal to you. Tweak them to your liking. If one doesn’t work, don’t give up! Try a different one. And I am sure that Kat will tell you that a system will need to change as your kids grow. What worked last year may need to be altered this year.

But it IS worth the effort. The outcome will be kids who are more responsible, who do what they are expected to, which in turn will lead to less stress for you!

Do you use a chore chart for your family? What has worked best for you?

If managing your family and all their stuff is difficult for you, you may be interested in this ebook*: Family-sized Minimalism

*Thanks for your support!

10 lighter ways to feed your chocolate cravings

Bernice — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:00:40 +0000

Women LOVE chocolate. And I love chocolate. Not just milk chocolate or dark chocolate, but almost ALL things chocolate.

If I were to give in to that chocolate craving every time it hit, I would be as big as the side of a barn. Although some days I feel as though I am close to that!

What I have tried to do is come up with some reasonable chocolate items that I can have occasion and it won’t break the calorie bank. Below are 10 of my favorite:

1. Chocolate skim milk- I have always loved Nestle’s Quik! And as I have gotten older, I have decreased the amount of powder I put in a cup of milk. This is a great one as it has ZERO fat in it.

2. Tootsie Rolls- I have a love-hate relationship with Tootsie Rolls. They do help reduce my craving, but I don’t LOVE them. I keep them on hand to have 2 or 3 and a cup of skim milk when I am dying for something sweet and chocolate.

3. Betty Crocker Lowfat Brownies- I have to be very careful when I make brownies. I love them and could eat the whole pan within a day. Kinda defeats the whole lowfat thing.

When I do make them, I eat one or two, and then bag the rest in individual serving sizes in a little plastic snack bag. And put straight into the freezer. This has worked for me several times, and I only ate one per day! (about 160 calories) Much better alternative than the Mug Brownie calorie-wise!

4. Hershey’s Kisses- Try the new Air Delight Aerated Kisses. They taste yummy, and half about half the calories. (about 10 calories per Kiss)

5. Fudgsicles- There are many different brands and types of these, and are very creamy and chocolately and most are less than 100 calories. And the half-size pops are usually 45 calories.

6. Believe it or not, a Snickers bar and a protein bar/meal replacement bar (not the MEGA protein bars) have comparable nutritional data. If I need to grab something FAST to tie me over til dinner, a Snickers bar can do the trick (the peanuts add protein). And if you are eating a relatively healthy diet, a 280 calorie bar ON OCCASION in the afternoon, will not hurt. I would not, however, recommend eating one as a bedtime snack.

7. Granola bars- Quaker and many other brands make a 100 calorie granola bar with chocolate chips in them!

8. Jello Pudding cups- They have chocolate and many other variations in flavors.

9. Chocolate covered strawberries- Strawberries are coming into season. Melt a half a chocolate bar and dip strawberries in. I prefer cold chocolate, so I put in the fridge for a few minutes to cool before eating.

10. I fell in love with Chocolate Teddy Grahams when my kids were younger and will on occasion buy them. The only way this works however, is if just like the brownies, I package up right away into serving sizes! Perfect with a glass of skim milk!

I think one of the KEY points in eating chocolate and satisfying that craving is MODERATION.