Building Blocks of an Effective Morning Routine

We are all different and we all have different needs but here I am listing the basic building blocks of an effective morning routine.

Wake Up First

Sounds simple right? I find my morning routine works best when I am awake 60-90 minutes before the rest of the family. Even now with 3 adults in the house I am usually up an hour to an hour and a half before Ron and Jordan. Why? It takes time to wake up and be ready to deal with other people. Each step in your morning routine is helping you prepare for your day ahead and being awake…and pleasant is a wonderful way to greet your family each day.

Hydrate

Your body has gone at least 8 hours without much needed hydration. Start your morning with an 8oz glass of cold water BEFORE dehydrating it more with a caffeinated beverage. Water wakes up your body internally and re-starts your bodily functions.

Stretch and/or Exercise

I am not a morning exercise person but every morning I do some basic stretches to get my body moving and work out the kinks after a good night’s sleep. Some of you would rather head to the gym, jump on the treadmill, such as the under the bed treadmill, or go for a run first thing in the morning. If that is you, go for it.

Reflect and Give Thanks

I start my day with a time of Bible study and prayer. This time alone on my comfy couch with my Savior is the most important time of my day. This centers me and focuses my mind and heart on what is truly important.

Do the Hard Thing

There are a few household chores that I hate or even tend to forget, so I added them to my morning routine. I hate emptying the dishwasher. I know it only takes a few minutes but I just don’t like to do it. Now if it needs to be emptied, I do it right after my Bible study time. Then it is done and nothing will pile up in the sink because there is room in the dishwasher for them. I also do my laundry as part of my morning routine. I start a load as soon as I get up and
I move it after my Bible study time voila, laundry done for the day…and I didn’t leave it sitting in the washer for hours!

Self Care

Do you like to shower in the morning? Do it early a nice cool shower will wake you up and get you moving. Take a few extra minutes getting ready for your day. When you feel good about yourself it helps you move through your day with confidence. If you are looking to buy a self-care kit, you may visit the UnboxMe homepage for more options.

Breakfast

Whether you eat breakfast alone or this happens after the family is awake and they join you at the table, eat a protein rich breakfast to help propel you into your day.

Mom Maven’s Morning Routine

Remember, my morning routine will look different than yours. My household is myself, my 20 year old college student son and me. I have been where you are, remember, we homeschooled for 16 years, my mornings haven’t always been so “me” focused.

• 7:00am Wake-up (Mon-Friday)
• Stretch
• Start laundry if needed
• Mix up my Plexus Slim with 12 oz water, take my Accelerator and X Factor
• 30+ minute Bible Study and Prayer time
• Move laundry if needed
• Empty dishwasher if needed
• 20 minutes of reading time while enjoying a cup of hot cocoa. I usually read a Christian Living or Business book during this time.
• Breakfast-usually eggs and toast or a P96 shake while scrolling through Facebook.
• Get dressed
• 8:30am Hubby gets up, he has been watching the news in bed for about 30 minutes
• 8:30am Mon & Fri out the door to my morning chiropractor appointment. Tues, Wed, Thurs get some housework done
• 10:00am Into my office and start the work day managing my blog, my travel agent clients and my Plexus team.

I hope this post has been helpful. Another great way to prep for your day is by having an effective Evening Routine. I hope to get a post up soon about how my evening routine, which is shorter than my morning routine, is helping me sleep better and start each day off smoother. If you have any questions or comments please, I love to hear from you!

The post How to Create a Morning Routine that Works for You appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Their cotton/spandex blend make all of The Girls clothing comfortable…and machine washable. I love the boot cut pants and the lace capris! There is something for every woman with sizes ranging from XS-3X.  I think the short sleeve tummy control top is my favorite top on the site…but there are so many to choose from.

You can wear these clothes to the gym, running errands, to work or out on the town…they are that versatile. Now-December 22 you can use code “holiday20” at checkout to get 20% off your order and they offer free shipping on orders over $75. If you don’t trust your man to pick out the right clothes for you…no problem, ask him for an eGift Card from The Girls and then you can do the shopping later!

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Moms are always multi-taking and it is nice when we can find a product that is versatile enough to keep up with many of our needs. The DRIA Cover is not only multi-functional, providing versatility for moms-on-the-go, but it’s also fashionable.  Adria O’Donnell wanted a solution to feeling comfortable and stylish when it came to maternity wear.  After being inspired by a beautiful Italian scarf she owned, she came up with the elegant DRIA Cover.  It was the perfect cover-up while she was pregnant, and after giving birth to her daughter she realized that it was great as a nursing cover as well.

The DRIA Cover’s flexible material is not only chic but breathable and light weight.  Its silky blend allows for the cover to veil the nursing infant while wholly covering the mom, creating discretion and comfort, unlike other nursing covers or aprons.  DRIA Cover fabrics range from casual chic to limited edition designer fabrics such as Roberto Cavalli or Missoni.  The luxurious swathe is wrinkle and button free, so women can just toss it in the diaper bag and throw it on whenever they need.

Not only is the DRIA cover great for nursing moms but it also acts as a shield from the sun and unfavorable weather while covering strollers and infant car seats.  The handle on the car seat and stroller can be accessed through the neck hole, while still allowing women to peek in at their sleeping baby.

Adria O’Donnell soon realized that more moms needed something like the DRIA Cover.  When she noticed a mother with twins on the side of the road struggling to provide coverage on the stroller from the fierce sun, she immediately pulled over and gave her a cover.

I wish the Dria Cover was around 15 years ago when I had my last baby…and I know what will be on my gift giving list for baby showers! The Dria Cover does so much and looks great doing it! The cover comes in12 beautiful patterns and is available at DriaCover.com for $49.95-$179.95 depending on fabric choice. Stop by the website and order one today.

The post Dria Cover Multi-Tasks Just Like Mom appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Anyway, I had a great time at the Tampa SmartMoms Solutions Roadshow. It was great to catch up with old friends like Connie of BrainFoggles, Stefanie of Mommy Musings, Daisy of Dr Mommy Chronicles, Tracey of Suburban Diva and of course, Maria Bailey of Mom Talk Radio. It was also great to meet some people in real life that I have only tweeted with up til now like Monica from My 3 Crazy Monkeys, Heather from Frugal Southern Living and Saph from Frugal Wife Blog. I love networking with other moms so today was a much needed respite of mom time for me.

Included in the mom time was learning time. Maria Bailey shared with us information on lots of great mom inspired products and companies such as LikeWear, BioGaia, ZippityDoo’s and more!

Daisy Sutherland aka DrMommy spoke to us about following your passion, helping others and creating products or services that help you support your family.

I learned a lot and received some awesome product information and samples and over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing them with you via reviews and giveaways!

If you hear that a SmartMoms Solution Roadshow is coming to your area, make a point to attend. It is a very fun and informative event.

The post Tampa SmartMoms Solutions Roadshow Recap appeared first on The Mom Maven.

During this free two-hour event, hosted by my friend Maria Bailey, they’ll be showcasing products and brands that are designed with Moms in mind! From an innovative green cleaning device to health and wellness solutions for the whole family, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in interactive demonstrations and touch and feel the products for yourself. And since prizes always liven up any party, you’ll have the chance to win great items to take home!

In addition to hearing from brands across the country, you’ll also take away advice and insights from a local mom expert presentation. You can be sure there will be plenty of time left over for my favorite activities networking and socializing!

May 13, 2010
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
The Ramada Tampa Westshore Inn & Conference Center
1200 North Westshore Blvd
Tampa, FL 33607

I hope you’ll join me as I host the SmartMom Solutions Roadshow! To RSVP email Melanie at myerman@bsmmedia.com and let her know you heard about it from The Mom Maven. Also, let me know you are coming by leaving me a comment on this post! I want to make sure I meet you in real life!

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I have 1 of these books to give away! The winner will be chosen by Random.org on 2/26/10 at 10pm.

Mandatory 1st Entry: Tell me why you love being a SAHM and/or WAHM. If you aren’t a SAHM or WAHM tell me why you want to be one.

Bonus Entries:Leave a separate comment for each entry.

• Tweet this “SAHM/WAHMs are Power Moms! Win the book from @MomMaven http://bit.ly/9EX1Ou” (you may do this 1x a day
• Fave this blog on MomFaves.com
• Subscribers and Public Followers each get 1 entry for each

The post Chicken Soup for the Soul: Power Moms appeared first on The Mom Maven.

We checked in at The Pirate’s League, which is in Adventureland near Pirates of the Caribbean, at 10:15am for our 10:30am appointments. We were shown 6 pirate looks to choose from. I chose the Empress and Jordan chose a more rough and tumbled pirate look. We were then whisked away inside what used to be the East India Trading Company’s storeroom. These savvy pirates, under the leadership of Captain Jack Sparrow, knew that instead of random pillaging and plundering it was easier to just take over the storeroom and set up there as their new Pirate League base of operations. First we must claim our new pirate identities. This is accomplished by turning the Captain’s wheel, which rolls 2 dice, which when used in conjunction with a cyper book and the month of your birth determines your pirate identity. (check out the slide show below to find out our pirate names).

Next we were escorted back into the main part of the building where the pirate transformations take place. We even got to see my friend Shari from CrazedMommy and her son as they completed their pirate transformations and headed out to explore the World Showcase at Epcot. After waiting just a few minutes, we were assigned to our Pirate Masters who would be in charge of our transformations. Jordan’s look included him having a black eye and his Pirate Master asked him if he wanted to get it the hard way or the easy way. He said the easy way so they called over a 2nd pirate master to hold Jordan still while the 1st one pretended to punch him in the eye and give him a black eye! Jordan was also told that since he was getting a black eye and a scar he needed to create a back story about the fight(s) that left him with these problems. He was also told that if anyone commented on his face he should say, “You should see the other guy.” The other guy in Jordan’s backstory was…a skeleton, very creative.

My Empress makover required a lot of choices be made. I had to choose nail color, eye shadow color, lipgloss color, which jeweled tattoo to wear, bandana color, eye patch color and bag color! Now, these are not major choices for a grown adult but…when you bring your child to The Pirate’s League I suggest you either discuss some of this ahead of time or you help them make these decisions. I ama girly, girl wannabe. The last time someone else did my nails and make up was 18 years ago for my wedding! It was fun to be pampered, even if I was becoming a pirate. Hmmmm maybe next time I can go to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Any way… once our transformations were complete,we took the pirate oath and were sworn in as pirates! Next, were were taught sword etiquette and given our swords. The last stop was shhhhhhh…this is a secret…we went into Captain Jack’s secret sanctorium…shhhh don’t tell anyone about it but it was COOL! You have to see it for yourself!

We left the Pirate’s League with some booty and a treasure map too! The Pirate’s League is a fun experience and I think every pirate lover needs to do it at least once in their lifetime. Last time I walked through the parks in my tiara and princess sash and was treated royally by cast members and guests. Wandering the parks as a pirate is a little different. We did get to ride up front on several rides because the ride operators said they wanted to keep an eye on the pirates and make sure we didn’t leave with any extra booty. We were stopped by several guests wanting to know where we got our “Pirate Makeovers”, and we received several comments from guests my favorite being a little girl who pointed at Jordan and said, “That guy is a real pirate.”

Eliza Pilferfish

Enrique Foulstench

The First Mate Package – $49.95+ tax includes:

• Bandana
• Choice of Facial Effect
• Fake Teeth
• One 5×7 picture

Empress Package-$49.95+ tax includes:

• Bandana
• Vibrant & Bold Makeup Makeover
• Face Gem
• Nail Polish
• One 5×7 picture

The Captains Package-$124.95+ tax includes:

• Choice of pirate costume
• Choice of Facial Effect
• Fake Teeth
• Three  5 x 7 pictures

You can book your visit to The Pirate’s League by calling (407) WDW-CREW.

Thank you to Charles Stovall, Erin Catalano, and the entire Disney Media team. Thank you for this awesome opportunity!

The post A Pirate’s Life for Me! appeared first on The Mom Maven.

THANK YOU!

Leanne Jakubowski of Walt Disney World Social Media and Leanne’s Life

Laura Spencer of  the Walt Disney World Moms Panel

Mary Haupt of Walt Disney World Marketing and Special Events

Maria Bailey, CEO of BSM Media

Tanya McNally of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel

Also a very big thanks to the amazing staff at Disney’s Yacht Club resort, as well as all of the resorts, restaurants and attractions that we visited on our whirlwind, magical weekend.

I also want to thank all of the MagicalMoms who were part of this weekend. It was a real treat to meet online friends in real life. I know I have made some new friends for life.

Daisy Sutherland of DrMommyLLC

Shellie Ross of Blog4Mom

Shari Keating of Diary of a Crazed Mommy

Stefanie Faquet of Mommy Musings

Melanie Edwards of Modern Mami

Leigh Caldwell of ThemeParkMom

I can’t wait to see you all again!

The post Thanks for the Magical Memories appeared first on The Mom Maven.

From the website:

Welcome to EverythingMom.com, a central gathering place for today’s busy mom.  We’ve made it easy to discover the best of everything mom all in one spot.  Through our features, tools, content and community, we empower moms to discover their own special blend of getting things done while nurturing themselves and their family.

By joining, you will have access to and recieve the following for FREE:

• Social networking community that easily facilitates mom-mom connection
• Individual profiles inspiring creativity and self-expression through photos, videos and more
• Robust blogging platform that helps moms share their stories
• Free Mom Directory to support finding and promoting mom products, businesses, blogs and resources.
• Fresh tools such as Horoscopes, Printables, Pregnancy Calendar, Ask Dr. Kelly and Games
• Weekly newsletter highlighting the best of EverythingMom

Moms with Blogs or Businesses, we want to promote you for FREE:

• Free lisitng in our Mom Directory
• We feature mom blogs and mom businesses in our weekly newsletter

There are great groups to join including: Homeschooling, Book Club, Travel Club, Get Fit, Grocery Savings, Connect with Parent Experts and More. Are you thinking about starting to blog but don’t know where to start? Start a blog on Everything Mom! They are great. My blog over there is Mom Maven’s Memos, come check it out.

I was chosen by EverythingMom.com to be one of their first 20 Mom Influencers! I treat that title with the honor it deserves. I spend as much time as I can on the site answering questions that are asked of me in the groups and forums as well as updating MomMaven’s Memos regularly. Stop on over and check us out.

*This post is the opinion of it’s author. I was not asked to write it nor was I compensated for writing it.

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“What more could a son ask from his mother than her continued support and love?” writes Chicken Soup for the Soul: Moms and Sons contributor Johnny N. Ortez. “Nothing can compare to a mother’s love, and being a mama’s boy is a good thing. My mom has been the rock of my life.”

Inside Chicken Soup for the Soul: Moms and Sons, you’ll also read about:

• How Connie Hill’s son honored her for being a working mom

• The meaning behind Cheryl Costello-Forshey’s “no hug” rule – and how a son decided to break it

• Why Kirk Hill took his mom out on a date

• Why dinnertime is the favorite time of day for Lynn Fredericks, single mom of two sons

You can buy the book here or you can enter to win it from The Mom Maven.
How to Enter Since today is Mother’s Day I’m not going to ask you to jump through any hoops. Just leave me a comment telling me how many years you have been a mother and the ages of your sons. That’s it, no bonus entries either.

This giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be drawn on Friday, May 15th at 10pm. Good Luck

The post Day 10 of 10 Days of Celebrating Moms-Giveaway for Moms with Sons appeared first on The Mom Maven.