What a Mommy Can't Live Without- Taylor Cornell
I'm currently sitting here at my kitchen table typing this post. In the background, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is playing on the tv for the 2,435th time. Sheridan is coloring about 20% of her coloring book and about 80% of her body (self-expression, right?) And Odessa is eating Cutie oranges and as well as throwing them on the ground. I'd have to say it's been a pretty eventful day...haha or not. I love to hear how other mommies handle their days. From working mamas to stay-at-homers there's things that we hang on to that helps us thrive as mommies. I know for me, my girls sleep with noise makers. I know at one point they need to be weaned from them but for now, they drown out trucks driving into our yard, the dogs barking and my vacuuming. Another is fruit snacks...or baby crack as they are called in our house. I can get Sheridan to comply to just about anything when there's fruit snacks involved. Put your shoes on...and you can have a fruit snack. Pick up your toys...and you can have a fruit snack. Brush your teeth...well, that's not one of my better bribing techniques, kind of counter-productive. Haha!
So I reached out to a couple of the beautiful mommies that I know to share with us those things that they can't live without. They range from rodeo moms who are traveling all over the country, to SAHM's, to teachers and they're all amazing mommies who seem to thrive and not just survive!
Taylor is a beautiful, Colorado mom who has little girl, Kinley and has a little boy on the way. Here she shares with us a few things that she loves:
1. In my opinion, Coconut Oil is a must-have product to have on hand, especially during pregnancy and motherhood. I buy Spectrum (I think they all say organic) refined virgin coconut oil, which is the fatty oil extracted from the meat of a coconut. The list of uses for this product really might be endless! To name a few of my favorite: soothes stretching pregnant belly, hair deep conditioner, take orally to ease nausea or increase milk supply, soothes dry baby skin/diaper rash, rub on gums for natural teething pain reliever. And, there are probably one hundred additional uses for it that I haven’t listed! We most often use it to prevent and treat my daughter’s mild diaper rash and to keep her little bum soft and moisturized. Whether you have small children or not, grab yourself a jar of coconut oil next time you’re grocery shopping. This is such a versatile product!!
2. The Boon Grass Drying Rack has turned out to be such a great, simple product that I bought for bottles when my daughter was a baby, but have used it for the past two years!! Though it just appears to be a new take on a drying rack (but much cuter), it’s truly a gem! The “blades of grass” are strong enough to hold anything from baby bottles (and a gazillion pumping supplies that need washed every two hours) to plates and glasses. I’m pretty sure its intended purpose is for baby supplies, and it really was a game changer in that aspect because it freed up my other dish drying rack and worked much more efficiently to hold and dry quickly! This product is also super easy to clean and comes in grass-green or white. I would highly recommend everyone from moms-to-be to empty-nesters run out and get the largest size your counter will fit!
3. Now I am no pro to the essential oil industry, but I do know there is one product that has proven itself to be a sanity-saver for me as well as a big relief to my two-year-old: the doTERRA Essential Oil Diffuser. I can’t say that I know enough to have a brand preference (I have some Young Living oils as well), but I was given the doTERRA diffuser and “Breathe” oil and it has been amazing for stuffy noses of all ages! You simply fill the diffuser to the waterline and add a few drops (I often add a few extra depending…) of essential oil, plug in and turn it on. There are even multiple settings allowing it to run ALL night! There have been several nights where my daughter, Kinley, has woken up in a panic because her nose was all stuffed up and she couldn’t breathe. Each time, when I ran my diffuser next to her bed she slept peacefully the remainder of the night. Moms, you know what that means… I slept through the night as well! The diffuser and oil are a bit of an investment, but I can honestly say it was well-worth the money!
4. Sea Bands! Holy smokes… if you are prone to nausea, battling morning sickness, traveling, or have kids (they come in Kids size too) that get car sick, YOU NEED THIS PRODUCT! I have dealt with all of these (except the latter) and when I discovered Sea Band products, especially the actual wristbands, it was a life-changer! I wore them the entire time with my first pregnancy (even to sleep!) and now that I’m on my second pregnancy, I probably own four pair and always have them with me. Throughout my entire first pregnancy I suffered with severe nausea and tried EVERYTHING under the sun. These worked best! The bands look so simple, just a cotton/elastic-type wristband with a plastic bead that presses into the pressure point of the wrist. So effective!
5. Slow Cooker Shredded Italian Chicken isn’t at the very top of most diet plans, but it’s yummy, family-friendly and couldn’t be easier! If you’re looking for an easy, flavorful meal prep to have ready when you get home from a full day of mommy duties, this is it! My mom actually came up with this recipe and it’s one of my family’s favorites!What you’ll need:
- 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I often use frozen)
- One large bottle of your favorite Italian dressing
Place frozen chicken breasts in slow cooker and top with bottle of Italian dressing. Let cook on low for 8 hours. If possible, shred the chicken an hour or so before. This allows it to soak up all the yummy juices! Serve over noodles, or with bread and veggies. Also makes great leftovers! I included a before pic…
I'm always on the look out for great crockpot meals, so this one is definitely going down in my book.
Thanks so much Taylor!
Stay tuned for more mommy-must haves in the following weeks.
Cooped Up Cowboy's Wife- Candace