The Balanced Mom

24/02/2023

It's been 7 months of making sourdough bread and even though I'd love to share everything I've learned in the process, I'm back on here with something different to start with!! But don't worry, I'll jump into sourdough, chores, and so much more shortly!

I'm sure many moms can relate when I say it has been such a challenge losing weight after each pregnancy but what I didn't know was how hard it would be this time around. I kept on the most weight now than in previous post partums. Because of that, I have experienced more pain in the last year than I've experienced after any delivery. Just about everything has hurt--- so I decided baby E is old enough where I can finally start losing all the weight-- 30 lbs to be exact!!!

I've tried many things over the years-- from the container method, to sugar detox, to Paleo, to keto.... But I am still resorting to what I think is the easiest method yet the CRAZIEST one! It's the one that I didn't agree with initially until I did more research on it and I'm diving in! I'm going head on ready to get back to my comfortable weight in hopes that the strain on my body will heal, that my body will feel more energized, and that my days will be smoother.

Check out our channel Balanced Mom for the most recent video on how I dived right into this diet and what it looked like the first day!

21/06/2022

Happy 3 months baby girl!!!! I definitely thought the sleepless nights, being up every hour to 2 would only end when you were much much older but keeping you on a routine DEFINITELY helped with teaching you how to sleep longer and longer!! I am soooo thankful for all your sweet snuggles --whether middle of the night or not because too soon, this too will pass and the way you rest your sweet little body as I sing to you at bedtimes will only be a past memory. We all love you sooooo much baby L!!!

12/06/2022

It was 8 years ago when she tried to convince us to get a little Shih tzu. It only took 3 more kiddos and a few more moves to get us on board!! We could have waited for baby L to get bigger but why not have a pup while in the newborn phase!? ;)

Meet our newest addition to the family--- little Cinnamon at a whopping 3 lbs! Most days are challenging balancing a newborn, a pup, and 4 more kiddos BUT I wouldn't trade it for the world because the laughters and sweet memories are all sooo worth it!! They have been doing an AMAZING job taking care of Cinnamon--- and we are loving the new dynamics!

Sickness has hit us this week so our release for the week is coming out today instead! If you want to know more about incorporating effectice technology in your day to day--- check out our channel at The Balanced Mom!

28/05/2022

Baby Lysh is now 2 months old-- so snuggly and cute!! Everyone loves holding our little squeakers!!!! She is eating soooo well and because of it, we can share over 100 oz with another little baby! The journey of BFing was NOT easy by any means (with each one, it was a struggle) but we are soooo glad to help another baby!!!!!

08/05/2022

These precious kids are my greatest joy and blessing!!!! I am honored to be called mommy and that God chose ME for them! The days may be challenging and tiring but yet so rewarding!!

One of my favorite things about mother's day is breakfast in bed--- they all know how much I LOVE it and how special it makes me feel! They surprise me randomly throughout the year also and I absolutely love the token of appreciation!!

Also, this wouldn't be a complete post without saying---Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mom and mom-in-law! Thank you for your love and support!

Subscribe and join us in finding your balance in motherhood!!

02/05/2022

These days are flying by and most days, I feel guilty because I'm in a fog from the exhaustion.

The guilt tells me that I'm wasting the time I have with the rest of the kids--- we've started doing school again, and have really been trying to do special outings together. But the guilt is there, that it's not enough. My one on one time with the kids has dwindled, my nightly resets have been a real struggle-- the newborn phase is by far one of the hardest things because sleep deprivation is soooo hard!

So if you're in the fog and you feel like you're not enough because you're tired, exhausted, so sleep deprived that your body shakes when it's time to wake again--- then pause and remind yourself, it's ok to NOT be enough. Ask Him to fill the gaps and to renew your spirit! And I encourage you to take that moment to slow down, to cherish the laughs, to embrace th chaos, because these days won't last forever. So I'm going to hush my guilt once again and enjoy the snuggles, enjoy these difficult days, continue to baby wear through the exhaustion, and embrace each day, one day at a time because too soon, the chaos will calm and things will be back to a new normal.

Subscribe and join us in finding your balance in motherhood!!

09/04/2022

The newborn phase is HARD work!!! We weren't designed to run on 2 to 4 hours of broken up sleep each night ----and still need to keep up with everything else. The biggest blessing that has made this phase more manageable has been the meal train that was set up for us. It has really helped to give me time to rest and recover on the little sleep I've gotten! Thank you to everyone who was such a blessing in this time--- we definitely felt loved!!!!

As I'm in the thick of it, I want to remind you and me that it's just a phase! It will pass--- even though it's honestly sooo brutal! I've been trying to make the most of my nights by doing something I enjoy while staying up trying to get our little peanut to bed--- Pinterest, listening to a podcast, book, or sermon, editing, reading (as best as my eyes can stay open)... You get the point! It makes my nights easier to tackle--- I still feel horrible the next day but I remind myself that this sweet but difficult phase will pass! Snuggle those munchkins because in a blink of an eye, it will be gone

If you've missed our videos, yes I'm still posting ;) Here's the latest videos if you'd like to check them out:
I've shared tools to make BFing much easier:
https://youtu.be/N1VEOTQ0zOA

Newborn essentials that I use DAILY:
https://youtu.be/ucW4o8SN1U4

My bedside baby basket to keep everything organized:
https://youtu.be/bWQphb5zqtg

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30/03/2022

Welcome baby girl E!! We are so blessed and grateful to have you join our little crew!

26/03/2022

3 weeks early--- baby E came into this world with her own unique birthing story! She was 7 lbs 8 oz so I can't imagine what she would weigh if she came on her due date!!!

We are sooo excited and grateful to have her join our crew--- the siblings have welcomed her with open arms and always want to hold and snuggle her so it has been so sweet seeing them soak up their time together!

I have to admit though--- through all the sweetness, snuggles, and cuteness overload, it has definitely been challenging. Not only was she lip and tongue tie which has made for a rocky start but the emotions, as you can imagine, are absolutely out of wack over here. Recovery has always been a challenge-- and I just have to keep reminding myself that soon enough, the time will come where our season will be balanced again, where tears won't be shed daily, and even the chaos will subside. Until then, we will push through the hard and enjoy the sweet little moments, the little snuggles, and the sweet memories of having a new little blessing in our home again!

If you haven't checked it out yet, new video is up on our channel (The Balanced Mom)-- I wanted to share with you guys the 5 tools that I use to help alleviate and manage the excruciating pain that comes with BFing. I've always heard that it's not supposed to hurt THAT bad but yet again, it does and 5 kiddos later, I've created my own approach to easing the pain and healing in order to have a successful BFing experience!!

Subscribe and join us in finding your balance in motherhood!!

16/03/2022

Baby #5 is coming any day now---- we are a few weeks away from the end of the school year (this is what happens when you skip ALL breaks to make sure you can finish most of the school year before the baby comes).
It's been a tough pregnancy and a much more tough ending to this pregnancy --- pain gallore, barely walking but one thing I'm so grateful for is these little moments that I get to soak up while schooling on the couch. I am more likely to say no to these "messy" activities but with the kids knowing how immobile I am, they've been extra extra careful with helping to clean up-- bless their hearts for being so understanding!!
My bag for the hospital is almost ready to go and I can say without a doubt, I wish I packed all these things when I had my first. I went through soooo many issues trying to BF that I finally feel equipped to tackle any struggle that interferes with it---- and it's all from keeping track of EVERYTHING! cause let's be real, we forget from one child to another!
My lists have been such a blessing-- hospital bag list, baby schedule to follow, meals to make ahead of time, grocery things to order that are healthy and fueling, tackling my BFing issues-----everything is stored in my notes app so I don't have to put in the brain work in that time as I've already done it with the previous kiddos!

New video coming out this Friday!! (switched to Fridays since Wednesday wasn't working for this mama anymore)

As always, we love hearing from you so feel free to reach out-- we are always encouraged by your messages!

02/03/2022

Do you struggle to find the proper balance on how much screen time your child should have?
I know we go through phases where we definitely do! It's all too easy to fall into the trap of relying on screen time to keep our kids occupied. We strive to place healthy limits in our home (for ourselves as well as our kids) so we don't waste too much of our time glued to our devices. If you missed it last week, check out our video on healthy screen time habits we've established in our own homes: https://youtu.be/gWUcF865ILk

And if you still haven't, subscribe and join us in finding your balance in motherhood!!

It can be soooooo difficult to figure out a balance for technology in our homes -- especially when it comes to our kid...

16/02/2022

Are your kids picky eaters? Do you try to make healthier choices at the dining table but the kids are just not on board?? We see how many parents struggle with this (and we've DEFINITELY had our fair share of battles) so we wanted to share with you how we tackle meal-times in our own households!! Check it out on our channel!!

And if you still haven't, subscribe and join us in finding your balance in motherhood!!



LINK: https://youtu.be/9hSWGXlK1PU

meal time a battlefield in your household? Do you want your kids to eat healthier but don't know where to start? I...

03/02/2022

To say that I am HAPPY that I read 1 book this year would be an understatement-- I was the teen who didn't read. Wait a second, I AM that adult that doesn't read! I love to believe I'm a reader but I never was-- yet I want to be so badly. Anyway, as a non reader-- 1 book in the first month is a win! If you ask me how many books I read last year, let's just say your jaw would drop at my non-reading skills. Here's a hint: I've read more books in January then I have in---- nevermind, not worth telling😉 So there you have it y'all--- a little more balance in my life! I'm still rocking at decluttering-- just wrapped up the January challenge (exact number coming next week with everything we got rid of)!

In case you are new here, I have been decluttering since beginning of last year because with 4 kiddos, it felt really stuffy in our home. Well the final countdown video is up on the channel with the number of things we decluttered last year!! The goal was 2021 items and I didn't think we'd be able to reach it---- how many items do you think we parted with last year in total? Check out the video on our channel to see the final count!!!

Video of final countdown: https://youtu.be/tcfsbK9Ed58

 

27/01/2022

I was definitely overdue on potty training this time around--- With baby #5 coming soon, I wanted to tackle it asap! I have always used the 3 day method and heard that potty training a boy is soo much harder so I have to say, I was SUPER DUPER hesitant!!! Between the belly pains, backaches, swollen legs and so much more, I was NOT looking forward to this! If anything, I was concerned and was even ready to throw in the towel at a point!
I'd like to let you know though that in my experience, training a boy was completely easier (Grant it, the girls were potty trained by the age of 2 and he IS 2 so that can be the difference)!

If you are thinking of trying the 3 day potty training method then jump over to our channel for tips and tricks using this method (last week's video) and my day to day update on how experience went this time around!! The 3 day method is seriously amazing, simple, and has been the best option for us!

Here's our journey:
https://youtu.be/XHijMS3HB1E

We've shared you our potty training tips in the last video using the 3 day potty training method-- well, it's time to put them into use with our 2 year old b...

20/01/2022

Potty training can seem like a daunting task to parents. While it definitely requires your time, attention, and patience, it doesn't have to take months or even weeks! Between the two of us, Andreea and I have potty trained 7 kids, each in THREE DAYS. That's it!! That's all it takes!! Hop on over to our channel and watch our newest video to see our best tips and tricks for a stress-free potty training experience. Good luck -- you got this!! 😉

Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/_pgkjHQQg

And if you still haven't, subscribe and join us in finding your balance in motherhood!!

to start potty-training? Between the two of us, we've potty-trained 6 children -- ...

12/01/2022

Even though I wanted to find out at birth---- the news is still just as special! Baby #5 is a .....

https://youtu.be/1eDlqeWKTXg

really wanted to wait and find out the baby's gender at birth but plans changed when we went in for our ultrasound ...

12/01/2022

Baby #5 is coming in under 12 weeks and we are sooo ecstatic to welcome this little munchkin!!! What it will be-- a girl or a boy? Video coming soon--- in the meantime, let's just say the technician gave us too much information at the ultrasound even though she wasn't supposed to

10/01/2022

Day 8 of the January Decluttering Challenge--nightstand(s).

Since we decluttered so much last year, I didn't have much left to declutter this time (it's down to things I actually use!) so I decided to tackle the dresser near my nightstand which definitely had a few things---- the vacuum pieces are stragglers from our upstairs vacuum which broke a few weeks back so definitely don't need these extras! Am I the only that forgets to get rid of the extra pieces when things break?

I also found this lovely steamer glove that we have never used with our steamer--- do you feel the need to keep sets together even if you don't use all the parts of it? It's something I've been working on since last year--- being ok with getting rid of parts of a set if I don't use them!

Best decluttering find? The brand new utensils that I've been wanting to switch to but realized I'm happy with the ones we have so won't even bother opening them since we don't need them!

In less than 5 minutes a day, we will be getting rid of over another 365 items by the end of the month! And you may be wondering why I'm so excited about that--- because we REALLY feel it in our home! We can reset our house in less than 10 minutes and it's so nice living with the clutter, mess, and chaos!


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09/01/2022

It's not too late to get your home in order!! The less we own, the less we have to manage and the more time we'll have for our loved ones!!
Here's day 7---closet(s)!!!!

I purposely left it as "closet" knowing that some people have kids closets, their own closets, entry closets, and other closets in their home--- but the goal is NOT to go through every closet. The goal was to pick a closet or several to find 12 things to donate or toss in less than 5 minutes!!
This is a light decluttering to motivate and inspire everyone to declutter further but to see how quickly you can get your house under control with more than 365 items gone at the end of this month! This way, decluttering isn't a daunting task but an easy one preparing you for what's to come--- more decluttering and organizing!

Scroll right to see what I found that we are passing along---Got our 12 items mostly from going through the last size our little man was in---- why would I hold onto 5 pairs of the same size swimming trunks??!! I can answer that--- because I didn't know which ones would fit him right with his fluffy features ;) but I'm so happy to not have sooo many now-- the other things were found near his closet and I'm sure I can name who put them there ;)

Do you feel like you'd like to take the challenge one step further??! Turn all your hangers facing you and then as you wear different clothing, turn the hanger the regular way. In 4 months, you'll see what you haven't worn! I did this method last year and it was very eye opening! Why 4 months? Because the season changes in about 4 months--- so it'll be sleeveless attire soon after that! Set a reminder on your phone--- "remind me in 4 months to donate/toss clothing left on the backwards hangers"

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08/01/2022

Day 5 and 6 are done!!!! Day 5 was tackling 12 items from the living room or entryway while day 6 was the family room. Since we only have a tv stand in the living room and decluttered over 2k items last year, there wasn't anything left to get rid of so in these our living/family room space. So instead, I tackled the entryway that bothered me the most which is the mudroom entry that we use all the time coming in from the garage! It's really a hodge podge of trying to make it work for our family while we are here temporary but it can really use some love to maximize the space or of course, have less things!

Here are my 25 items that I can part with! Something I learned today is that when we got rid of over 2021 items last year, they were actually legit stuff that could be donated! This January challenge is really showing me that I just have more garbage left than actual stuff that can be donated!

Here's why I say this-- I used to hoard foam bottles because mine kept breaking and my lovely sister in law would send me empty ones so I can reuse them for my own hand soap! Well looks like I got the ratio down of soap to water and I don't need to keep any extra! Secondly, the socks are the leftover socks post our decluttering series from last year and after changing to our new sock system! I will officially never have a mismatched sock pile again and I am so happy about that!!! Thirdly, the key finder was a gift--- a perfect gift!!! But since we've delcuttered and have a home for everything---- we REALLY just don't need it cause I know where my keys are 95% of the time. So if you're local, it's all yours if you'd like to get it!

Have you completed day 5 and 6 yet? Let's see those 12 items from each area for some motivation!!!!! Or just share your progress and/or challenge from today!



06/01/2022

To start the year--- I wanted to share these 5 daily habits that have really really helped me sooo much with staying motivated and on top of motherhood! Does it mean our house is perfect 100% of the time??! No but we can get it reset in under 10 minutes and that's a win-- the goal is to aim for 80 to 95 percent of the time! You can start with aiming for 80 percent and increase your expectations as you get better and better at managing things!

https://youtu.be/2ZLcTXHsEJw

These are the top 5 daily habits that have really changed my day to day life. I was exhausted and so tired with no idea how people kept their homes clean and...

06/01/2022

Day 4 completed! Today, the focus was on toys-- this is a great time to get the kids involved! I asked the kids for 12 items that they don't need or use and this is what they brought me. I didn't have to do anything since they already know our decluttering process. They easily found things that they don't play with so win win! They brought me these 13 items and I'm happy that it's 13 less things to manage!!!

Remember, our culture tells us we must have more and more but the truth is we were NOT designed to manage so much! Think about it, our kids have sooo much but it's not like they are happier with more stuff-- they want our time, our love, and our affection NOT more stuff!

If you have stuff everywhere and are overwhelmed, then let me reassure you that having a clean home IS possible and it starts with something small and simple like this-- 5 minutes a day, 12 items each day! Join me and a bunch of other ladies tackling the January Decluttering Challenge!



06/01/2022

Day 3 is complete-- the focus was under the kitchen sink but since I already went through it all when we moved in a few weeks ago, I tackled the mudroom sink for this challenge! The most interesting thing that I found was shark cleaning pads for a shark mop which I've never owned so mystery remains on where did I get these from and why do I even have them after the first decluttering series last year of over 2k items??!!
Instead of 12 items, I was able to find 14 items ---- out of which are mostly garbage but the great part is that it's 14 less items to manage and that's a win in my book!!!

You're not too late to join our challenge--- if you're overwhelmed with the demands of motherhood and managing your home then come along, we have a wonderful group of about 80 ladies taking up this challenge (which started with 4!). I can absolutely testify for how much decluttering has helped our family--- I don't feel like a chicken with my head cut off anymore and can actually enjoy our space without the mess and stuff everywhere!



05/01/2022

In less than 5 minutes each day, we'll have over 375 items gone by the end of the month!! And even though that is a small amount compared to the 2200 we got rid of last year in our decluttering series, it's 365 LESS items that I'll have to manage!!!!

That's a total win in my book because with homeschooling, 4+1 kiddos and managing the home while working---- I really need to stay on top of our stuff! Otherwise, things keep coming in and this home would be exploding at the seams!

Day 2 was 12 items from the most frustrating drawer or cabinet so I tackled the kids dinnerware area and was surprised that I couldn't find 12 items BUT look at what I did find to make up my 12 items, a rotisserie chicken stand with a tag on it that I've had for over 5 years!! I think that's a hint that it's time to get rid of it!!!

You're not too late to join our challenge--- if you're overwhelmed with the demands of motherhood and managing your home then come along, we have a wonderful group of about 70 ladies taking up this challenge (which started with 4!). I can absolutely testify for how much decluttering has helped our family--- I don't feel like a chicken with my head cut off anymore and can actually enjoy our space without the mess and stuff everywhere!



05/01/2022

Clutter can cause high levels of stress-- no wonder so many of moms are stressed when their home is upside down! It's totally normal! Now the important question is--- what systems do you have in place to manage the chaos and clutter? Is your system working or do you need to try another one? There is nothing more amazing about managing the home than having an actual home that is clutter free and ready for guests to stop by at any point!

We're taking 5 minutes a day this whole month of January to declutter 12 items each day! We focus on one area of our home each day (schedule is in previous post).

Day 1 started with surfaces-- any surfaces! It was a challenge because we really try to keep our surfaces clear- but luckily, our school room table didn't quite disappoint and helped me to get my 12 items. Yes, some are just trash others don't work, but that's 12 less things I need to manage :)
In less than 5 minutes a day,
Day 1 DONE!