I’ve been dying to take another Disney Cruise since we got home from our first one last April. My dad joined us this time and we were all SO ready to make some wonderful memories on the Disney Dream. We got to the port super early and scored boarding group 2. That meant that we were some of the first people on the ship! It was a really great first day, despite the kids being a little grumpy. I think they were probably just a little overwhelmed.
Isn’t it great how we moms can just sit back this time of year and let Santa take care of everything? Oh wait… 😑🙄
Christmas may be full of holiday magic and cheer, but it’s also one of the most stressful times of the year for moms. The mental burden of your family’s to-do list is heavy, and we’re all feeling that extra weight on our shoulders. Presents to buy and wrap, holiday meals to plan, groceries to purchase, food to cook, holiday outfits to coordinate, decorations to put out – it all adds up! Not to mention all of the other chores we normally do like dishes and laundry. We also have to make sure our kids have a magical Christmas – Santa pictures, gingerbread houses, elf on the shelf, stocking stuffers, an advent calendar, Christmas cookies, reindeer food – we seriously need our own fleet of elves to help with everything!
Luckily I have a few holiday hacks that can help save your sanity. I’m not saying I’m perfect (I’ll be right there with you at Target on Christmas Eve buying a last-minute gift) but I think these tips will help you save some time and energy!
My son was a difficult toddler. He was super strong-willed, and very aggressive and physical when he didn’t get his way. He really gave me a crash course in motherhood! When he was little, I felt like I was doing everything wrong. I didn’t think any of the discipline techniques I was using were working for him. (But now he seems to be a well-adjusted 7-year-old, so I must have not screwed up too much! Lol! Seriously though, I’m SO proud of him these days.)
When he was going through that stage, I did so much research on discipline, behavior, and how to handle strong-willed, aggressive kids. I read books, talked to other moms, got advice from our pediatrician, and scoured Pinterest for tips. But there were a few things I picked up along the way that really helped me as far as how I handled my son’s aggression in public. Because it’s one thing to deal with an aggressive child all day at home, but it’s a whole different story when you’re out in public under other people’s judging eyes! It took me a loooong time to be able to ignore the dirty looks and the rude comments about my child’s behavior. The people with the strongest opinions about how I should have been handling him really thought they knew what was best. But I was his mama. I was with him all day. And I choose to follow my mother’s intuition and instinct. I eventually figured out what worked and what didn’t.
Happy Friday! I hope you all had a great Halloween. If you’re looking for something fun to do this weekend, you’ve come to the right place. Check out my Local Guide – Things to Check Out Around Atlanta Vol. 8!
Chomp & Stomp Chili Cookoff in Cabbagetown
Harvest at the Station Fall Festival at Atlantic Station
Halloween Costume Contest and Unlimited Play at Tiny Towne in Norcross
Day of the Dead Festival and Lantern Parade in Roswell
Fernbank Forest Nightwalk at Fernbank Museum
Fall Fun at Sleepy Hollow Farm in Powder Springs
Alpaca Day at the Buford Corn Maze
Anime Weekend at the Cobb Galleria Center
7th Annual Global Village Welcome Walk at Refuge Coffee in Clarkston
Vampirina’s Boo-tastic Blowout at Warbington Farms in Cumming
Japanese Maples Colorfest at Gibbs Gardens
Atlanta Christmas Gift Show at the Atlanta Expo Center
Sensory Saturday at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta
In Georgia, more than 20 percent of children are hungry. Beech-Nut is partnering with No Kid Hungry because all kids should have access to real food. Join us at the Fernbank Museum – The Giant Screen Theater on Sunday, November 10th from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. for Beech-Nut’s Million Meals at the Movies – a FREE family movie night fundraiser and storytime, benefitting No Kid Hungry. You’ll also have the opportunity to learn more about food insecurity and how every dollar donated to No Kid Hungry helps hungry children across the United States. Register to reserve your space and to make a tax-deductible donation to No Kid Hungry. You can also donate on No Kid Hungry’s web site by clicking here.
Pictures with Santa should be fun! There is nothing like driving all over Atlanta only to end up standing in a long line surrounded by grumpy toddlers and parents to make you go Grinch. Skip the expensive holiday mini sessions and the trendy Santa photos that all look the same. Instead, visit Santa while enjoying cookies, crafts, coffee, music, merrymaking, and miscellaneous Christmas magic! This year, walk into a Winter Wonderland in historic downtown Tucker and get the kind of holiday photo you really want! Click here to book a session!
It may officially be fall, but here in Georgia, the temperature is still more like the surface of the sun! We’re talking 90+ degree heat. And the pool is officially closed for the season, so we’ve been spending more and more time inside just trying to stay cool. Luckily, my kids are old enough to play together and entertain each other long enough for me to get a few things done each day. When they were little, I regretted having my kids two years apart. But now it’s amazing! I love how well they play together. They still fight (like all siblings do) but I will say the amount of time they spend playing versus fighting is way higher.
When they finally get sick of playing on their own and want me to join in, I always reach for a board game, card game, or a puzzle. I find these activities easier than trying to play pretend. (I can only think of so many things for Barbie to say to My Little Pony…) We’ve started to build up a collection of board games that we all love to play.
Sunshine and Holly is a participant in the DCV Rentals Associates Program and receives a small earning with each booking through the DVC rental links on this site.
