• Surviving Hand, Foot, and Mouth | Round Two

      by SimplyHollyJo on December 20, 2018 , No Comments

      I hate hand, foot, and mouth. It really messes up my schedule.  As I discussed in a previous post, the boys came down with hand, foot, and mouth previously. Then about a month and a half later…spots started showing up on Wyatt’s diaper area. Okay, at first I thought it was just diaper rash. Maybe I left his diaper on too long? No biggie.  I sent him off to stay the day with Grandma and Grandpa like usual. He came back the next day and I went to change his diaper again…red and white blisters everywhere.  NOOOO!!!!! I think a […]

      Crunchy Living, Family Wellness, Kids, Motherhood
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    • Surviving Hand Foot and Mouth Disease

      by SimplyHollyJo on December 3, 2018 , No Comments

      I survived hand, foot, and mouth disease, and this is my story. They always tell you that adding kids to any equation means getting sick more often. “They” do not lie. Growing up I had my share of illnesses. Obviously I started out as a kid as well! But as a teen and beyond, I didn’t get sick much. I would get maybe one cold a year, and I got either a stomach bug or food poisoning on the first day of senior year. Fun stuff. In college I started dating Joey when his sister was only 5 months old. A […]

      Babies, Kids, Motherhood
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    • Staying Out of the ER | A Daily Mom Goal

      by SimplyHollyJo on November 6, 2018 , No Comments

      So life is hard. Parenting is hard. It’s all just hard. It can be super amazing at times, boring at other times, and just plain hard. So often times I will get to bedtime and I’m just happy I survived the day. Lately when one of the kiddos is doing something dangerous…which is most things when you have a big head and uncoordinated body…I tell them some variation of “be careful” (usually trying not to actually say those words,) followed by “Mommy doesn’t want to go to the ER today!” Goals. We should always have them. That’s one of mine. […]

      Kids, Motherhood
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    • Detox Baths for Kids | How to Cure the Ickies

      by SimplyHollyJo on November 1, 2018 , No Comments

      I love detox baths. I always have. Warm water, Epsom salt, baking soda, and peace. I always keep Epsom salt and baking soda right next to the tub, and I often have some sort of herbal mix around as well for added benefits/fun.  Detox baths are great for muscle soreness/cramps, releasing toxins, relieving stress, helping skin issues, aiding digestion, and more. All you have to do is slow down and relax in the tub.  Training the Next Generation Because it was so normal for me, it didn’t take Liam long to join in on the detox fun. When he was […]

      Babies, Crunchy Living, Family Wellness, Kids, Motherhood
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    • My Project 365 | August 2018

      by SimplyHollyJo on October 11, 2018 , No Comments

      Project 365: August 2018. We moved from Texas to Kansas. Joey was gone for practically two weeks. There is cardboard everywhere. Our Texas house went on the market. Mommy’s favorite toy is chalk. We bought our Kansas house mainly for the giant, two shower-head master shower. Tons of new family time with my family, but definitely missing time spent with my awesome in-laws.

      Kids, Photography
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    • My July in Photos | 2018 Project 365

      by SimplyHollyJo on September 29, 2018 , No Comments

      July. We bought a house. We took our first kid free vacation in years. We spent as much time outside as we possibly could. Itty Bitty slept through the night for 3 weeks straight. THREE WEEKS! Then it ended painfully. But he’s been back at it since mid-late August. That’s right son. Mama is not fun to be around when she’s sleepy!  

      Kids, Photography
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    • How to Photograph Your Kids | Everyday Mama

      by SimplyHollyJo on March 29, 2018 , No Comments

      So you want to photograph your kids…I mean who doesn’t?! Let me give you a few tips: 1: Have Realistic Expectations Know your kids’ abilities and limits. Don’t expect them to pose perfectly for you if they are toddlers or simply always on the move. You MIGHT get some fun posed shots when they are older, but personality always comes into play. There is also the dreaded “photographer’s child syndrome” where it’s almost impossible to get a good shot because your kid currently wants to throw your phone or camera at the wall and run away! 2: Take Photos. A […]

      Kids, Photography
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    • Christmas Themed Baby Photos | Photographing My Kids

      by SimplyHollyJo on January 11, 2018 , No Comments

      I love an excuse to take Christmas themed photos! And when you already have themed outfits from the first kiddo, you must subject the second kiddo as well! This time around a had a few more props and ideas to help keep things fun and new for Itty Bitty. He isn’t always the most excited about photos, or being posed. I don’t really blame him at that age. His brother was no different when I did his shoot either.  For the Santa suit he was somewhat interested because he loves Gigi’s little Melissa and Doug couch. Sitting up on that […]

      Babies, Kids, Motherhood, Photography
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    • Making Time for Myself as a Mom | Photoshoot Fun!

      by SimplyHollyJo on January 4, 2018 , No Comments

      Mom’s have this great ability to take care of others. We often are running around wiping noses, making dinner, doing chores, running errands, and generally just going all the time. During all of this hustle and bustle its easy to lose ourselves, or forget to work in time to “feed” ourselves. Everyone has something, or multiple things that bring them joy and peace. For some it’s reading, or sports, or simply being outdoors. Whatever it is, we all try to make time for it in our lives to stay mentally healthy and happy. My personal joy is art. Specifically photography. […]

      Babies, Kids, Motherhood, Photography
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    • The Minimalist in Me

      by SimplyHollyJo on December 11, 2017 , No Comments

      Some will read this and think I’m crazy, others will think, “good luck while having kids!” No matter the reaction, this term has been on my mind a lot the last year or so. I’ve always been intrigued by the minimalist movement, and I was kind of thrown into it last year. We decided to move, which meant showing our house. I needed a way to make sure I would be ready for sudden appointments. So I packed up half the house. I got rid of things, and I boxed things up and put them in closets. I reduced the […]

      Cloth Diapers, Kids, Motherhood
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    • Stop Buying My Kid Toys | The Abandoned Playroom

      by SimplyHollyJo on June 5, 2017 , No Comments

      Ok, you don’t HAVE to, but don’t be surprised if he hardly touches it, or if it leaves the house. When hubby and I moved this year, we were house hunting for a place that included a toy room space. Hubby wanted to contain toys away from where he spent his time in the evenings and on the weekends. I jumped on the wagon, thinking it was a great idea. Eventually we found a house that had a dinning room we didn’t need, but was conveniently located next to the kitchen/living room, so that I could keep an eye on […]

      Kids
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