Month: May 2022

Life
7 Easy Things to do on Sunday to Have the Best Week
- May 31, 2022
Mondays can be hard. Starting off the week feeling like you are already behind can be even harder. Putting a little work into your Sunday routine to get your life in order is really worth the time and effort. Here are 7 things to do on Sunday to set yourself up for a successful week.

1. Prepare your meals

This doesn’t have to be some elaborate meal prep ritual. In fact, the simpler the better in my opinion. I will be honest that when Sunday rolls around, I do not want to do this. But I know that it’s one of the most beneficial things I can do to make my week run more smoothly. I am ALWAYS glad to have it done.

I usually prep my lunch for 4 days and my breakfast for 2 days at a time. Fridays are usually free days and I just have whatever I’m in the mood for or whatever we happen to have. I have about 3 different choices for breakfast and maybe 5 for lunch. I just rotate through them each week depending on my mood.

I don’t do anything fancy or time-consuming. I’m usually done in an hour or less.

2. Do a 15-minute tidy up

Starting off the week with a clean house really helps me feel more relaxed and on top of my game.

I usually just take 15 minutes to clear off the surfaces in my house. I also try to make sure there are no dirty dishes leftover from the weekend.

It’s true what they say- outer order really does create inner calm.

3. Make sure clean laundry is put away

I will admit that laundry is one of my most dreaded tasks. It feels neverending in my house. I’ve really been making an effort to improve in this area.

I recently started a new laundry system where I do one load of laundry each weekday from start to finish. I try not to let myself get into bed until that one load has been washed, dried, folded, and put away.

I put the clothes in the washer as soon as my kids leave for school. I have a timer set on my phone for when it’s time to switch the clothes to the dryer, and when it’s time to take them out to fold them.

So far it has been working pretty well for me, but I’m still a work in progress. I start out really strong at the beginning of the week, but I will be honest that I start to slip a bit as the week goes on. If I do have any clothes from the week that still need to be put away I make sure I do that on Sunday so I have a clean slate for the week.

4. Do a weekly review

Set aside some time on Sunday to review the upcoming weeks. Some things to think about during your weekly review:
- Check your schedule and add any important items to your planner
- Do a brain dump of items that have been on your mind
- Review your goals and set your action plan for the week. What small actions can you take to get yourself closer to your goals? Block time for those actions in your schedule
- Take the time to visualize the way you want your week to go. If there are any important meetings or events coming up during the week, take some time to think about how you would like them to play out.
- What were your “wins” for the previous week? What went well? This helps to train your mind to focus on the positive, and give yourself credit where credit is due.
5. Check your inventories

Go around your house and check your inventory of those essential items you use on a daily basis.

I like to make sure we have enough in each area that we use these items. This will keep you from constantly feeling like you are refilling things at the most inconvenient times. There’s nothing worse than realizing you are out of toilet paper just a bit too late.

Some of the things I check in my house:
- Paper products- toilet paper, paper towels, and printer paper.
- Hand soap and dish soap
- Pantry Items- I have clear plastic storage containers for things like cereal, rice, sugar, flour, etc. So I just take a quick look to see if anything is running low.
- Coffee and coffee filters- It’s really not pretty if we run out!
6. Restart and clean electronics

We have a timer set for our router to reboot each Sunday morning before we are up for the day. I also reboot all our phones and tablets and wipe them down to clean them. This helps to make sure things are running properly.

7. Take some time to unwind

I like to think of this as rebooting myself. It’s important to take some time to relax before the chaos of the week starts again. Some of the things that I like to do to relax on Sundays:
- Meditate
- Stretch before bed
- Read
- Exercise
- Puzzles
- Spend time outdoors
It’s not always easy to find the time and energy to get these 7 things done, but it is definitely worth it. If you’re not currently doing any of these things, try choosing one to start with. After you have mastered that for a couple of weeks try adding another.

Once you have a Sunday routine down your weeks can be so much smoother.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you do for your Sunday routine. Thanks for reading!
Disney Parks
15 Disney Park Bag Essentials
- May 28, 2022
Packing your Disney park bag is an art. You want to make sure you have everything you are going to need, right? As Benjamin Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

On the other hand, you don’t want to be lugging a huge heavy bag around all day in the blazing sun.

After a lot of trial and error, here are the must-have items you are going to want to make sure you pack for a day at the Disney parks.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase an item through one of my links, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Top 15 Must-Have Items for Your Disney Park Bag

1. Portable phone charger

From Genie + to mobile order to snapping pictures by the castle, you will use your phone A LOT during your day at Disney.

You are definitely going to want to have a portable charger to make sure you don’t end up with a dead phone battery before you make it to the fireworks.

I have always had a good experience with Anker products. I find they work well and are reasonably priced.

Anker Portable Charger

2. Water Bottle

Staying hydrated is so important while you’re at Disney. But you don’t want to end up wasting time and money buying bottled water every time you need a drink.

We love to pack these water bottles because they are Disney-themed and keep your water super cold even on a really hot day. They are easy to fill up when you stop for meals or snacks. We also pack the smaller version for our kids.

Simple Modern Disney Water Bottle

3. Sunscreen

This is another item you are definitely going to want to pack unless you want to spend your vacation with a painful sunburn.

You can buy sunscreen at the parks, but you will end up paying way more for it. I like the spray sunscreen because it is so easy and quick.

Banana Boat Sport Performance Cool Zone

My absolute sunscreen for my face is the one below. I use it year-round as a makeup primer and it also protects me from the sun.

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen

4. Lip Balm with Sunscreen

While we are on the topic of sun protection, don’t forget your lips! The heat and air conditioning can make my lips really dry.

This is my favorite lip balm to use when I’m going to be out in the sun.

COOLA Organic Liplux Lip Balm and Sunscreen

5. Sunglasses

I can’t be trusted with expensive sunglasses, especially on vacation. I like these because they look great, and they’re inexpensive enough that I can have a backup pair if they get lost.

SOJOS Classic Round Sunglasses

6. Rain Ponchos

Ok, I will admit this one isn’t super exciting or fun. But neither is paying $100 for ponchos for your family in the park when it starts to rain. Plus, if you are superstitious like me, just having these in your bag makes it more likely you’ll have sunny weather, right?

HAGON PRO Disposable Rain Ponchos

7. Cooling Towels

These are great to have to help you cool down on a hot, sunny day.

I like this brand because they cool really well and they are lightweight.

Mission Original Cooling Towel

8. Misting Fan

Misting fans are awesome for two reasons. 1.) They are really refreshing when it gets hot. 2.) They can provide endless entertainment for your kids while you are waiting in lines.

On our first trip to Disney with our kids we broke down and bought a misting bottle in Magic Kingdom. It was expensive, bulky, and leaked all over.

Since then we won’t be caught in the parks without packing our own.

HandFan Portable Handheld Misting Fan

9. Reusable Straws

Disney has phased out plastic straws because of their environmental impact. If you are like me, and can’t stand soggy paper straws, you may want to consider packing reusable straws. These are great because they are dishwasher safe.

Softy Straws Premium Reusable Drinking Straws

10. Reusable Storage Bags

These are great for packing snacks to bring with you to the parks. We always like to have goldfish crackers and pretzels with us in case someone gets hungry.

Bring some empty bags to pack up those giant cookies or treats that your kids don’t finish so you can save them for later.

These bags are also great for keeping things dry in the rain or on water rides.

Reusable Food Storage Bags

11. Lightweight Sweatshirt

It probably seems like you won’t need a sweater in Disney World, but the air conditioning can get pretty cold.

I can’t tell you how many times someone in our group gets cold at night while we’re waiting for the fireworks to start. You can save yourself from buying a $60 sweatshirt by bringing your own.

Hanes Women’s Full Zip Slub Cotton Jersey Hoodie

12. Minnie Mouse Ears

There is something about wearing a pair of Minnie ears that makes the day feel more fun.

I like to pack these in my park bag because they are lighter and a bit smaller than the version you can buy in the parks. They are a lot less expensive too!

Mouse Ears Bow Headbands

13. Hand Sanitizer

This one goes without saying nowadays. While there are still sanitizer stations all over the parks, they are often empty. I like to have my own with me, and this one smells nice.

Everyone Hand Sanitizer Spray

14. Wipes

I always have wipes in my bag, even now that my kids are a bit older. They are great to have for sticky hands, drippy ice creams, and dirty tables.

Babyganics Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer Wipes

15. Autograph Book

Disney meet and greets are back, YAY! You can now hug your favorite characters in the parks and get them to sign your autograph book.

Bonus tip: Bring a sharpie or a chunky pen to make it easier for costumed characters to sign.

Disney Mickey and Friends Autograph Book

There you have it. These are my picks for what you really NEED to bring in your Disney Park bag.

Leave me a comment and let me know what is the most important item you always bring with you to the parks?
Life
How to Create a 2022 Summer Bucket List
- May 23, 2022
With the school year winding down and the unofficial start of Summer rapidly approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about making my summer bucket list for this year. I typically have these grand plans of all the things I want to do during summer. Then we get to the end of August and I’m disappointed that I’ve done virtually none of them. That’s why I started writing my ideas down. You’ve probably heard of a summer bucket list. You may have even created one for your family. Family summer bucket lists are great, but this year I want to encourage you to create a list just for you as well. Now, I don’t mean adding a few items for yourself onto a list for your kids. I’m talking about creating your very own list. Why? Because chances are you’re not going to get to everything on the list. And guess which items are going to be the first to get cut? Most likely it’s going to be the ones for you. If that doesn’t sound like you- congratulations! But if you’re anything like me, you may sometimes struggle to make yourself a priority as a mom. That’s my number one reason for having a list that is all your own.

Before you begin

Before we get into some ideas to get you started making your list, here are a few suggestions and guidelines to consider.

Make it fun

Set aside some time to create your list. Maybe you want to get together with some friends to create your lists together over takeout and wine. Maybe you want to create your list alone in bed with a cup of tea. Whatever your preference, set the scene and make it enjoyable.

Only include items you enjoy

This should not be another to-do list or a list of chores. This should purely be a list of ideas for things you can do to make your summer feel more fun and magical. If organizing your closet brings you joy- awesome! Otherwise, don’t add that to your list. Don’t add something to the list because you think it’s something you SHOULD do. Also, don’t add items to the list that you think SHOULD be fun for you. What is fun for one person may sound like a nightmare to another. For example, my sister loves to go out dancing. I’ve always felt like this was something I should enjoy because she has so much fun doing it. As an introvert, going out dancing actually really stresses me out. It took me a long time to realize that it’s ok that this is not something I would add to my list.

Set realistic expectations

As I already mentioned, you’re probably not going to cross everything off your list. That’s ok! No pressure. Remember: this is all about fun!

Creating your list

If you’re anything like me, it may not be easy to come up with a whole list of activities you enjoy. We tend to spend so much time thinking about caring for others that we often don’t take the time to think about what really makes us happy. If that’s the case for you, here are some questions you can ask yourself to help get your ideas flowing.
- What do you wish you had more time to do?
- What did you do for fun as a child?
- If you had a whole week off to yourself what types of things would you do?
- What do you see other people doing that makes you a bit jealous?
- Think about a time that you had a lot of fun. What were you doing?
Don’t censor yourself

When you are brainstorming ideas don’t restrict yourself. Write down anything that comes to mind. You can whittle down your list later. Now is the time to let your creativity flow.

Sort into categories

Once I have a good list generated, I like to sort my ideas into categories. This helps to determine when I will fit things into my schedule. Once determine my categories it usually sparks more ideas on things I want to do. Here are some categories you could use.
- Outdoor activities
- Indoor activities or Rainy day activities
- Solo activities
- Activities with friends
- Free activities
- Books to read
- Movies/Shows to watch
- Things to eat/drink
- Places to travel
Complete your List

Once you are done generating ideas, create a finalized list. Since I’m addicted to my paper planner I usually dedicate a page in my planner and use colorful pens and stickers. You’ll want to make sure you put your list someplace you will see it. Out of sight, out of mind. I also like to leave a little space in each section of my list in case I think of more ideas as time goes on.

Start scheduling in your fun

Start to add some of the bigger activities to your calendar where you can. The dates don’t need to be set in stone, but you have to start somewhere. Otherwise, you won’t end up doing any of the activities, and may just end up feeling bad about yourself. Don’t just use the weekends, sprinkle some joy into the workweek as well. Hopefully, you will have a good mix of little things and bigger activities to choose from. Here is a list of ideas to help you get started.
- Make ice cream sundaes
- Do a jigsaw puzzle
- Watch fireworks
- Go on a hike
- Make s’mores
- Read 10 books
- Unplug for 24 hours
- Go to a baseball game
- Spend a day by the water
- Have a movie day in bed
- Enjoy some live music
- Go to a farmer’s market
- Have drinks on a patio
- Learn a new skill
- Clean out your closet
- Do a DIY facial
- Read a book by the pool
- Visit an amusement park
- Go camping (or glamping)
- Get a pedicure
- Visit a friend you haven’t seen in a while
- Redecorate a room in your house
- Go strawberry picking
- Have a water balloon fight
- Go to a water park
- Make tie-dye shirts
- Go to a drive-in movie
- Go horseback riding
- Take a nap
- Play mini-golf
Again, these are just ideas. Fill your list with things you love. I hope this helps add some extra fun to your summer. Leave me a comment and let me know what activities you’re adding to your list!
Disney Resorts
Is Staying at a Disney Resort Really Better?
- May 12, 2022
Disney’s Boardwalk Resort

Congratulations, you decided to take your family to Disney World. Great! Now what? Buckle up, because that is just the first of many decisions you’ll make when planning your trip. One of the most important, and challenging choices is whether to stay offsite or at a Disney resort. The best choice is going to vary depending on the needs of your family. Here are a few factors to consider to help you make your decision.

What is your budget?

Budget is one of the main considerations when deciding whether to stay on Disney property or offsite. Many people automatically assume that it will be cheaper to stay offsite, but Disney does have some reasonably priced rooms. Accommodations and food can certainly be less expensive outside of Disney property. However, it’s not always the most cost-effective option.

It’s important to establish an approximate budget for your trip, and consider any extra costs you may incur by staying offsite. Those costs can include:
- Rental car
- Rideshare costs
- Resort parking
- Theme park parking
How many people are you traveling with?

A major factor you will want to consider when deciding whether to stay on Disney property is the size of your travel group. Many Disney resort rooms only sleep up to 4 adults and a young child.

There are still plenty of options for larger families. Here are some good choices for onsite resorts that will sleep 5 or more adults.

Value
- Art of Animation: family suites (sleep up to 6 adults)
- All-Star Music: family suites (sleep up to 6 adults)
Moderate
- Coronado Springs: a variety of suites (sleep 6-8 adults)
- Cabins at Fort Wilderness (sleep up to 6 adults)
Deluxe

Most Deluxe resorts offer suites and/or villas that are great for large groups. A few of our favorites:
- Disney’s Boardwalk Inn: rooms, suites, studios, and villas (sleep 5-9 adults)
- Animal Kingdom Lodge
- Bay Lake Tower at Contemporary Resort: villas (sleep 5-12 adults)
Another option for larger spaces onsite is to rent Disney Vacation Club points.

In terms of offsite options for large groups, a great choice is to rent a condo or home. Having a kitchen also allows you to prepare some of your meals at home and save some money. We chose to rent a house through VRBO last year with a group of 10. We were in a resort community about 15 minutes away from Disney and had a ton of space to spread out. I will admit, I was concerned about having major FOMO at the idea of not staying at a Disney resort. In the end, it really was the best choice for our group during that trip. And our vacation was still just as magical.

Transportation

One of the huge benefits of staying at a Disney Resort is the convenient use of their transportation services. Even though the complimentary use of Magical Express is no longer an option, you can still have a pretty seamless transition from the airport to your resort.

Once you are on Disney property you can use the busses, monorails, ferryboats, or Skyliner to get around. Personally, I love the fact that I don’t have to drive or park at all on my entire vacation when staying onsite.

Many offsite hotels offer free shuttles to the parks. It’s important to check out the details of the shuttle schedules to be sure that those will work with your plans. Renting a car, or rideshare services are also an option.

Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort

Extra Perks

In recent years, the perks of staying onsite have been reduced. The free use of Magical Express has ended. The Disney Dining Plan is not currently being offered. In addition, guests staying at a Disney Resort no longer receive complimentary magic bands.

Even with those reduced offerings, there are still many little perks and benefits that onsite guests receive. These include:
- Early Theme Park Entry
- Extended evening hours for Deluxe resort guests at select parks on select evenings
- The ability to book Individual Lightning Lane selections at 7 am rather than at park opening
- Discounted magic bands
- Disney Dining plan (when available)
- Ease of charging to the room
- Ease of taking a midday break
- The magic and theming of being inside the “Disney Bubble”
Do you plan to visit other Orlando attractions?

One more thing to think about when making the choice to stay onsite or offsite is whether or not you plan to visit other Orlando area attractions. If you plan to visit Universal Studios, SeaWorld, or any other attractions, it could make sense to stay outside of Disney property. Universal Studios offers a lot of great benefits to guests staying at their resorts. They also offer a good range of hotels at various price points.

Conclusion

Making the decision to stay onsite or offsite can be difficult. If you take the time to think about what is most important to you for your vacation. Overall, here are my recommendations.

You may want to stay onsite if:
- You plan to spend most of your time in the Disney parks
- You don’t want to rent a car or worry about driving
- Disney theming is important to you
- You don’t want to cook or clean on your vacation
You may want to stay offsite if:
- You have a strict budget and want the least expensive option possible
- You will have a car or don’t mind using rideshare services
- You are traveling with a big group and want lots of space to spread out
- You want a kitchen to prepare your own meals
- You plan on visiting other Orlando area attractions.
Truthfully, no matter which option you choose you will be in store for an incredible experience. Happy planning!