Teachers deserve all the praise and much more. I've appreciated V's teachers before the pandemic forced me to facilitate my child's learning, but now even more so. V's teachers created lessons for the remaining weeks of school that contain activities for each subject. Each Monday-Thursday we find new lessons on her school iPad, while Fridays are catch-up days. I struggle with not only balancing ... Read more
New Tailwind for Instagram Features to Try
** This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. I have shared in the past my experience with Tailwind for Instagram to improve and simpify my Instagram posting process and increase my engagement. The Hashtag Finder feature has been immensely helpful in switching up my hashtags and expanding my reach, as well as ... Read more
Things That Won’t Be the Same
These past couple of months have been eye opening. Every day I see social media posts by people wishing life would go back to normal. "When this is over ..., " they say. But some things won't be the same. Some of our behaviors will change, and some should. I've been thinking about some of the ways life will look different from now on and things that won't be the same, some minor and some ... Read more
Mother’s Day Gifts That Give Back
** This post about Mother's Day gifts that give back contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise! Now more than ever I am looking to support businesses that are giving back to their communities. With Mother's Day approaching, it's the perfect time to find a gift that is meaningful and ... Read more
Master Bedroom Reveal: Before and After
** This post about our master bedroom reveal features a gifted item from Photowall. This post contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Floradise! Our bedroom is becoming a relaxing sanctuary for us and that's taken some time. It is not 100 percent finished, but it's close enough to share and about as ... Read more
Working From Home With Kids During the Pandemic
You would think that since I've worked from home with at least one child at home for a few years now I would be a pro at it now that both my girls are home every day, but I am not. The truth is the reason I was able to do it before the stay-at-home order was that one of my girls was in school until 3 p.m. and that I hired a babysitter to come over and care for my youngest on my busy workdays. Now ... Read more
Keeping Kids Entertained With WE Events Chicago Craft Kits
Like so many parents, I've been looking for ways to keep my kids entertained and happy during this difficult time. It seems so unfair to them to tell them they can't go to playgrounds, attend swim lessons, play with friends or see family members in person, even though it's necessary. At the same time, I have tried to support local businesses, so I picked up some craft kits from WE Events Chicago ... Read more
Baby Shark 2nd Birthday Party at Home in Quarantine
** This post about our Baby Shark birthday party contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made after clicking these links. Thanks for supporting Floradise! A few months ago I began planning Addi's Baby Shark-themed second birthday party. I ordered decorations and invitations in January and February before it became clear that friends and family would not be able to attend because ... Read more
What’s in My Kids’ Easter Baskets
** This post about what's in my kids' Easter baskets contains affiliate links. I'm trying to keep our daily life as normal as possible given the circumstances, and that includes planning to have an Easter egg hunt at home and give the girls their Easter baskets. This year I purchased their Easter basket gifts ahead of time, in early February. Luckily I have not needed to go anywhere to shop for ... Read more
How I’ve Been Keeping My Spirits Up During the Pandemic
This scary time makes self-care all the more important. I've been trying to keep my anxiety down as much as possible by remembering to take care of myself when I can. The number 1 thing I think that helps is to adjust my expectations. It's not necessary to try to be productive or have it all together right now. We're doing the best we can, and that's enough. Some days are harder than others. Some ... Read more