Giftapalooza | Gift Guide + Giveaway!

GiftapaloozaHeadder.jpg

December is almost upon us and this is your friendly reminder that even though you have a MILLION and one things to do in the next few weeks, it’s important to take care of YOU, too! To help you do just that, we’ve partnered with a few of our favorite brands to make holiday shopping easier with special offers on awesome gifts that can be given (or kept for ourselves!) - check out this gift guide, complete with discount codes on many items!

AND - we are giving away a HUGE bundle of gifts from all these brands worth over $1100, so be sure to click below to enter!

DETAILS ABOUT THE GIVEAWAY!
Here is a complete list of prizes included in the bundle:
Project Repat | $110 credit for a custom blanket
Go Sili | 2 cups and a bowl ($40 value)
As You Wish Jewelry | Handstamped “JOY” Necklace ($34 value)
Mama Needs Box | One curated self-care box ($39.99 value)
STARTplanner | 2019 Daily Hustle Planner ($60 value)
STARTdetoxing | One “Maintain” Box for gut health & wellness ($148 value)
Start Balancing | One copy of Start Balancing Book ($23.95 value)
Starbucks | One pound of Holiday Roast + One Coffee Mug ($33 value)
Jam Threads | $50 credit
Holy Motherpreneur | One copy of Holy Motherpreneur Cookbook ($39.99 value)
Shock Your Potential | One copy of Michael Sherlock’s book
Sarah Happ | Lip Scrub holiday set ($58 value)
Melinda Maria | Handcrafted ear cuff ($48 value)
PuraVida | Bracelet trio ($15 value)
Sarah Hamilton FACE | Set of facial products ($260 value)
Thirty One Gifts | 2 medium utility totes with 1 insert ($110)
Kristen Hewitt | One copy of the gratitude journal ($20 value)


5 Things To Do When You Are Stuck In a "Mommy-Rut"

MommyRutHeadder.jpg


We all have that friend who makes motherhood look effortless as she shows up to preschool drop off each morning fully dressed with her make-up and hair looking like she just stepped out of a magazine… How does she do it?! 

Even if you don’t want to get all dolled up for drop-off, (and we totally don’t blame you - you do you!) we have a few tips to help you get out of your mommy rut:


SLY_WK46Shower.jpg

Ok, it sounds funny, but I promise you washing that baby vomit out of your hair and putting on some fresh yoga pants will make you feel like a new woman! 


SLY_WK46StrengthInNumbers.jpg

Find other moms and talk about something besides your kids! Remember that woman you used to be before kids? Maybe you had a passion for fashion or were a foodie at heart? Finding other moms with similar interests outside of your kiddos can help you get your identity back!

SLY_WK46ShakeitUp.jpg

Every day does not have to be the same! Libraries, Parks, Play Dates and Museums can all offer a free or cheap break in your schedule and give your littles something else to focus on than the fact that sister just stole their goldfish crackers.

SLY_WK46GetHelp.jpg

Do you ever feel like you just can’t stay on top of it all? At Start Loving You, we are HUGE advocates of self-care. If you feel like you get lost between the cooking, chores and bedtimes and you don’t remember the last time you had a massage, saw the inside of a gym or did something just for YOU, it might be time to splurge on a cleaning service or meal prep service so that you can take some time to fill your own cup! 



SLY_WK46GetItOnthecalendar.jpg

Schedule some fun things to look forward to: Date Night, Book Club, Play Dates or a mommy-only trip to Starbucks.  Whatever gives you something else to focus on when you are putting your kiddo back to bed for the 895,475th time that night, sometimes just knowing there is a break in sight can really help! 

No one ever said motherhood was easy, but making small changes in your day-to-day can really help your perspective and help you feel more connected and supported!

Some of the things we use on the daily, created by WOMEN! 

Blog_inventors.jpg

DID YOU KNOW??  

PAPER COFFEE FILTERS // MELITTA BENTZ

Coffee-lovers have a German housewife to thank for their grit-free cups of joe. Melitta Bentz filed a patent for a paper, disposable coffee filter in 1908. She came up with her filter after piercing holes in the bottom of a brass coffee pot and lining it with a piece of blotting paper from her son’s school notebook to catch the grounds. Prior to her invention, the only ways to get one's morning coffee fix were to make it unfiltered and scoop out the grounds, use a cloth filter and wash it after each use, or to use a brewing method that left a bitter brew—all methods which were messy and a daily hassle. After receiving her patent, Bentz began selling the filters out of a shop in Dresden with her husband and two sons. The coffee filter company Melitta still bears her name today. *


DISPOSABLE DIAPERS // MARION DONOVAN

Marion Donovan made life a lot easier for generations of parents when she revolutionized the diaper industry. By 1946, the 29-year-old former Vogue beauty editor was a Connecticut housewife and a mother of two. The cloth diapers that were ubiquitous at the time were messy, and while rubber baby pants locked in moisture, they also left nasty rashes. Exasperated with what was available, Donovan set to work creating a waterproof diaper cover on her own. The "boater" was made from nylon parachute cloth, and it kept cloth diapers from leaking without irritating babies' sensitive skin. Consumers were smitten, and in 1951 she received a patent for the invention. Her next idea was even more innovative: diapers made from durable, absorbent paper that were intended to be thrown away. After struggling for years to convince the male executives she met with that her product was useful, the idea was taken up by Victor Mills, who used the concept to found Pampers. *

LIQUID PAPER // BETTE NESMITH GRAHAM

Bette Nesmith Graham was a single mom working as an executive secretary when she invented the answer to the typo. Prior to the age of autocorrect, setting copy correctly on the first try was essential to a typist’s job. But for Graham, that was easier said than done. She came up with a solution to her sloppy typing habits after observing a man painting a sign in a storefront one day. Whenever he made a mistake she noticed he'd cover up the blooper with the same paint he used for the background coat. Feeling inspired, Graham went home to recreate the scene on a smaller scale. She ended up creating "Mistake Out," a white, water-based tempera paint solution that matched the color of paper. She started out bottling the stuff in her garage with her son (and future Monkees musician), Michael Nesmith. After changing the name to Liquid Paper, her invention grew into a patented enterprise. Despite her success as an entrepreneur, she didn’t quit her secretary job—though she was eventually fired for accidentally typing the name of her own business in a company memo. *

http://mentalfloss.com/article/92879/10-great-things-invented-working-moms


The Dishwasher // Josephine Cochran

Is there anyone more resourceful than a mom? When Josephine Cochrane wanted a device that could wash dishes faster than her servants could, while still protecting her china, she decided to make one herself. She created the first dishwasher - a motor-powered, spinning copper boiler that had wire compartments for plates and cups. In 1893 her invention was exhibited at the Chicago World's Fair.

Tips to freshen up your face for fall and get your glow on!

Introducing Sarah of Sarah Hamilton FACE


37410047_2568631476495750_7205955159812210688_o.jpg

We have 5 of Sarah’s favorite healthy skin tips for you!

Yes! We know, you have heard it a million times, but here it is for the million and first (because it is THAT important!). Use sunscreen! 365 days a year! Non-negotiable! My favorite brand is Elta Md.  My whole family uses their products. Look for one with a minimum of 5% zinc or titanium oxide. 

Use a retinoid or retinol at night starting in your mid-twenties. It’s the best topical anti-aging product out there. Check out my Blog “For the Love of Retinoids” on why you should use them and what they do.

Wash your face every night - twice! Once to remove make-up, second to remove the last layer of dirt and oil. This gives your skin a clean slate so your products absorb better.

 Eat a diet high in Omega Fats (or a high-quality supplement - my favorite is NutriGold and Source Naturals) and low in sugar. Sugar breaks down your collagen. This anti-inflammatory diet will give your skin that healthy, beautiful glow!

Starting in our 30’s, we start to lose collagen so invest in collagen-stimulating treatments like microneedling, laser and Sculptra. They will help rebuild and boost your collagen which is the protein that gives us youthful, wrinkle-free, healthy skin.

And SMILE - there’s nothing prettier than a happy person!

Body positivity for our kids...

Photo Sep 18, 10 59 04 AM.jpg

Earlier this year, Reporter Kristen Hewitt went viral for her stance on short-shorts for her daughter (read here). As any mom knows, teaching positive body image can be tricky with today's media constantly bombarding us. Today we want to share 5 ways you can send the right message to your child about their own body image:

  1. Talk about who they are instead of how they look.
     

  2. Encourage a healthy lifestyle (eating and exercise) but don’t obsess over it.
     

  3. Lead by example.
     

  4. In sports and school, foster self-worth by letting your child know you value them because of who they, not how they perform.
     

  5. Teach them to embrace their imperfections.

A child measures his or her own value by how others perceive them.

The one thing children can excel in is being themselves.

How to calm the school and sportsgear chaos in your home!

sydney-rae-408416-unsplash.jpg

This week’s goal:

Turn a jumble of homework, sports gear and lunch boxes into an organized system!

As you hit the reset button on a new school year (some of you as far back as early August, ouch!) - there is no better place to start organizing than your pile of kids’ school stuff! Whether you have a kindergartener or a teen, your home will soon resemble a hurricane of papers, water bottles, snack sign-up, soccer cleats and more. Take a few minutes this week to tackle these little piles and you’ll see your hard work add up to a big difference in your own peace & quiet.


Find a spot in your mudroom, pantry or by the front or back door where you can hang up bins or baskets for each child’s paperwork. Be sure it’s at a height that little ones can reach.

Here are a couple of different organizers we found for a great price! HERE and HERE

Iron-on a name tag or letters (like THESE!) that can be personalized for each child and you’re winning at this “file” the papers away game! This is a great spot for your kids to put the papers or permission slips they need to have signed. I also store the classroom info sheet from Back To School Night in ours for easy access to the class schedule, teacher contact info, etc.http://www.mabelslabels.com 

Choose the most convenient spot that your child will actually use. Again, the mudroom or back door entry might be perfect - a good choice is wherever you walk into the house from the car so that it’s easy to grab things and/or drop them off before bringing dirt into the house ,etc.        

When considering how to organize the balls, cleats, shinguards and more - it’s always easier to do so by CHILD, just as you would their hanging homework files. Grab some great custom bins you can personalize (anything with your own name on it makes it more fun!). Here are just a few examples:

  1. Personalized storage bins like THESE  or THESE
     

  2. Storage cubbies like THESE that can have custom Mabel’s Labels Tags attached to personalize them for each child.

Isn’t it a mother’s worst nightmare to buy that cute GAP poncho or cool Nike jacket for your kiddo and then find that they LEFT IT ON THE PLAYGROUND??? Worry no more! Pick up some of these simple labels, add your kiddo’s name and quickly iron-on. Voila! 

Let’s love the environment together and choose reusable options to pack snacks, lunches and water. We love THIS one and THIS one, but there are great options all over the internet! 

Are your littles so little that they’re at daycare or pre-K? Check out THIS awesome label pack just for that.

Let us know if you tackle your pile and how it went! We want to know!