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FAMILY GAME NIGHT!

Some of my favorite childhood memories involve board games, family and laughter. This seems to be a thing of the past for many families. We get so busy, have screens to distract us and sometimes, it is just easier to hang out and watch a movie.

I have learned over the years of nannying that kids LOVE game nights!! Each child may have their favorite game and we are so lucky to have so many options. We even have full stores dedicated to games in most large malls. If buying a new game is not for you take a minute to look online and learn a new card game, or charades. SO many options are out there.

SOme of my all time favorite games for the various ages are

Preschool- Candyland, Dr Suess- The Cat in the Hat, I can do that

Elem. School, lower- Tripoley, Sequence, Sorry, and Charades

Elem School, upper – Clue, Pictionary, Life, Monopoly

Older Kids/adults – Catan, Ticket to Ride, Boggle, Scrabble, and of course Trivia Pursuit

If you have a favorite game to play with your family please comment to this article and let’s see who has some great options.

Outdoor Activities

If I plant it, will it grow?

Hello all! I find myself in quite the good mood despite the extreme (northwest extreme) heat and the fact it’s a Monday. Work was ok, traffic was pretty decent (is school officially out for all districts?), dinner was fairly quick and easy…in my book those are all feats to be recognized and rejoiced in when kicking off a new week. The icing on my Monday cake was my wander up to the my rooftop to check on my “garden.”

First let me digress a smidge. As previously posted, I’m a tiny bit of a garden nerd and am eager to see what is successful in our new home. We have a rooftop patio that is almost always exposed to the weather elements and a shaded downstairs patio currently occupied by garden rocks, concrete pavers, and one large pot containing the Lilac I have fostered and loved for over 12 years without ever being able to plant in the ground (hmmm, is this a reflection for my life stages? too deep, nevermind that one).

Around my birthday, I splurged hard core at the local garden/hardware store (it’s a locally owned business so I was just supporting my community, no judging). I bought some containers, and soil, multiple veggie starts, some fuchsia plants, and maybe a strawberry or two…ok, it was a lot for anyone who knows anything about the PNW weather. Our winter was not very forgiving and buying all this in not quiet spring was a garden optimist lotto which I was very aware. I spent a warm March day, digging and planting my little friends and prayed that they would survive and be heartier for their early outdoor start on the rooftop (one day, I would like it to be similar to a secret garden, an oasis in the city). I water and watched and hoped and pruned…

Today, after the incredible heat of the weekend, I am so proud to announce I have peas enough for a side, tomatoes will be more then my family can handle in one season (i foresee pintrest and “what to do with too many tomatoes” board in my future), my fuchsias are in full bloom and my strawberries are almost as big as store bought! It makes my heart smile to go from container to container and see the newest bud, vegetable or flower, imagining the wonderful meal I will enjoy, and taking pride in my hard work with amazing rewarding payoffs.

It’s true in my book that I enjoy eating the food I grow a little more then store bought. I love seeing and being a part of the process from start to finish. Observing how the slightest changes such as time of day for watering, what the soil was prepped with, or moving the direction or location of one pot, result in a amazing visible rewards. It’s a personal achievement I can share around the table with my loved ones and/or give back to the community I live in through donation. What’s your favorite part about getting into the garden? I’m curious to know if I’m the only one this jazzed about a little dirt and seed?

Tip(s) of the Day: Plant the things that bring you joy…When I’m overwhelmed in the nursery and not sure where to start, I turn the selection process into a sort of grocery list. What things am I grabbing from the produce bins that are staring me in the face at the nursery? I realize I’ll probably never be able to grow bananas or coconuts in Seattle but we eat spinach, tomatoes, and herbs almost daily…why buy them over and over when i can plant them once and have my own little store available when I need it? Psst…I also love the bulbs of spring flowers so almost all my containers have a layer of bulbs beneath the veggies. When fall comes around, simply remove any dead/dying plants and you’re set for a beautiful spring (and a reminder to start looking for the next season of vegetable starts!). Feel free to share your garden tips too! Who doesn’t love a little insider hint?

Outdoor Activities

Get outside and get active!

Summer is all about enjoying your free time and the awesome weather. During the summer it is easy to find oneself lying on the couch and taking in hours of the day time programming you miss while at work or school, sleeping in until noon, or finding excuses like “it’s too hot out” to stay inside.

I challenge you to get outside and get moving. Summer is full of activities we aren’t able to do in the wet months of the winter. Find a park with walking/hiking trails (think Seward, Greenlake, Marymoor) and pack a picnic. Head to one of the local beaches and go for a swim, or better yet, rent a kayak for a couple hours and work on those biceps. Hop on your bike and explore a new section of your neighborhood. There are even a couple of ways to trick yourself into getting those steps…visit the zoo or arboretum, join a friend at a local market and walk the booths.

Summer is all to fleeting in our neck of the woods, make sure you take time to get out and see the sights while getting fresh air and vitamin D!

Tip of the day: Make plans with someone else. You are much more likely to follow through with your outdoor activity if you are held accountable. Plus its always fun to take in some amazing views or try a new sport with some one else!

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Partners and Prospects

As you listen to conversations this time of year you are likely to hear people talk about childcare. Kids are out of school for the summer, they had to adjust work schedules, or hire summer help or maybe their nanny is getting married or moving on.

This is where YOU can partner with us! When a transition is taking place in a family we are here to help. We are proud to offer a FREE phone consultation to answer any questions you may have. That time is yours nothing held back so prep your questions and let’s chat. We also offer many tools like parent-nanny contracts either broad or personalized to your specific needs. This can be done at start of employment or if you realize it is a key piece you are missing we can help you set that up easily.

Our goal is to partner with families and nannies to help everyone succeed! Whether you are weeding through prospects or ready to partner with that perfect fit let Wholeness-Nanny and You guide you through the process.

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Our key to success

Since starting this business I have been asked countless times what is the purpose? What do we offer that is different and how can we be SO confident in our success?

The answer is simple! With over 35+ years of combined childcare experience we have a unique understanding of what parents want, what nannies need and what is ideal for the children. It all comes down to clear expectations. When Parents and nanny are all on the same page the children will thrive!

We spent months developing our intake questionairre to include every detail. Working through this with parents equips them with the clarity to know EXACTLY what they are looking for. When a nanny is hired by a family that knows what they want and has spent the time to figure out what they expect from a nanny in ALL areas of the job you will see a drastic difference. Nannies choose this line of work because they want to work with children, and they thrive on giving the best of themselves. If they didn’t want to do that they would stay baby sitters or maybe do a childcare job that doesn’t require the details of what each family needs.

Clear expectations allow both Parents and Nannies to THRIVE!!! They know how to work together for the common goal and are not distracted by the little differences that come up. The outcome is a family with children that feel safe, secure and loved. Wholeness- Nanny and you has the experience in “the field” to insure insights that will create relationships of longevity and THAT my friends is the key to SUCCESS!

Food/Recipes

Snack lunches aka the Bento Box

Here’s to another week of trying to come up with some clever lunches to pack for the family. It’s a big task to come up with something everyone will enjoy, that is quick and easy, and will also have the nutritional value I want to see in my meals. I sometimes just give up, through up the white flag, and say “I surrender!”

When this happens, there is only one solution for my family. Snack lunches! No, not sack lunches…snack lunches. I’m sure you’ve seen the cute boxes that are coming out for lunch packing. Compact boxes with multiple compartments and tiny little tubs that fit inside. These are known as bento boxes and I love them! I am seeing them packed into more kids lunch boxes and am thrilled by the outcome.

These boxes, if packed correctly (aka to your likes) is like opening a treasure chest! Inside each of these boxes can usually fit 4-5 small items and are easy to arrange. The idea is to have multiple snacks that make up a complete meal. A few nuts, a spot for carrots and hummus, a couple crackers, a small tub peanut butter day one. Day two: some grapes, cubes of cheese, cucumber, pretzels, and a little chicken salad.

I am still floored that i can prep a handful of fruits and veggies on the weekend, make a quick stop by the bulk bins (nuts, dried fruit, granola, etc) on my grocery run, and mix together a simple salad and have my weeks worth of lunches done. I also don’t mind that on my lazier days, I can tell the family to fill up their own boxes and know they will be eating healthy of their own accord.

I dare you to go and pick up your own box (these aren’t just for kids) and try it out for a week. If you are anything like me you will get a natural high from knowing you’ve cut down on waste (no more little plastic bags), improved the nutrition value while controlling the portion sizes of your meals, and can have lunch ready in under 5 minutes!

Tip of the day: These little guys also work wonders on hiking trips or outings to the park. If there is one thing that quickly ruins my day, it’s the hunger factor. Having one of these prepped and ready to go on any adventure ups the enjoyment factor without upping the hassle.

Outdoor Activities

Time to get dirty!

Summer is literally around the corner and that means one thing to me…GARDEN TIME!! I’m a little bit of a nerd when it comes to the garden, I’m just a beginner in the world of green thumbs but I love it! This coming from the girl who is terrified of spiders and has a bit of a disgust for all things dirty, creepy, crawly, and stinky which is kinda what gardening is all about. During this time of year, I put on my big girl pants (as well as gloves and some uncared for old clothing items) and get digging.

I say I’m a beginner although I’ve been trying my hand at this gardening thing for over 15 years. As it goes, becoming an adult I moved every couple years…change in roommate, increased rents, addition of pets, addition of love, etc. Despite my constant (well, near constant) efforts to make each spot a true home complete with a garden, learning a new location is a rather trying thing for a gardener. Just when you figure out the soil, and sunlight, tackle the relevant pests, and adjust the watering amounts to have a thriving garden, you move and get to start all over. It’s been disheartening in an area where every where you turn people have their own vegetable garden, green wall, and fruit trees to sustain themselves…I want in on that!!

I recently moved yet again, but this time it’s more of a forever home which meant I was adamant that there would be space to garden and grow my own flowers and food. We found a wonderful spot with a decent rooftop patio, small shaded garden below, and tons of opportunity for indoor gardening. And so it begins…again!

This year , with the excitement of knowing I can do what ever I want and try what ever I want, I did a few things to prepare for gardening. We eat a lot of eggs in our home, hard boiled, quiche, bacon pasta, the list goes on and on…I bet you can guess where this is going, we save our egg shells! Once cracked open and empty, I wash out each shell (I personally am not terribly thoughtful about this) and leave them to dry on paper towel. Once dried I pop them into a sealed container, I use a plastic one instead of a bag that will get cut by sharp edges of shells, and then take my steel coffee mug and crush the heck out of the shells. Side note- I do tend to save up the shells and pick an unusually stressful day to do the crushing, pretend I’m smashing away all the negative. My other go to and I’m sure this will not surprise any of you who have read any of my other posts is coffee!!! YAY! Once I’ve brewed that pot of coffee I save the grounds and left them dry out, a baking sheet works well for this as it speeds the process having a thin layer. Again, i prefer to store the dried grounds in a sealed container. Once it’s time to prep my soil and add my seedlings to the garden I take these two garden delights with me and add them to my soil. I use the coffee more sparingly as I’ve found some plants aren’t as keen to it. The egg shells are awesome for adding nutrients like calcium into the soil for your veggies but also does a super job keeping away things like snails and slugs when place around the base of your plants (saved my tomatoes one year).

I love knowing that I am giving my garden a free boost from things I would have just let the city compost. I’m always into the idea of using items to the point of exhaustion, if it can have another purpose, WHY NOT?

Tip of the Day: Another easy trick when prepping your garden is to insert small tubs of beers throughout your garden, it gets those slimy guys attention and steers slugs away from your newly planted little ones.

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Staci’s bio – owner, co-founder

HI all! Welcome to Wholeness Nanny and you, we are so glad you found us. We look forward to getting to know you and your family. But, first, let’s help you get to know us! I am Staci. A single, homeschooling, doTERRA lovin mama. I have been a nanny for over 20 years and have such a heart for the work I have done. My passion for sharing natural solutions with essential oils has grown just like the kids I have nannied. When it came time to find the next family I opted to help other mom’s (and dad’s) wade through the hiring process to find that perfect fit rather than find a new family myself. Thus was born our business.

When I am not working I can be found enjoying the beautiful islands of the PNW, savoring the perfect Americano at a local coffee shop or cooking up a feast for friends and family. I love being a mom and have enjoyed creating a career that allows me to use my experience and knowledge to support other families.

Parenting

Happy Father’s Day!

Wholeness- Nanny and you wanted to take a quick minute to say Happy Father’s Day! We don’t want to take up your day but just wanted to let all the fathers out there know how appreciated you are!

I want to give a huge shout to the men out there who do not have their own biological children but are “dad’s” all the same. To the coaches, teachers, mentors, step parents, neighbors, and the like who take time to be outstanding role models for our young people, thank you! Thank you for often going “unnoticed” or “unrecognized” as being the father figure you are but do not under estimate the power of your presence in the life of the youth you encounter.

Today’s tip: You are a hero, you are changing someones life, and you deserve to enjoy today along side all the men who have the title “Dad.”

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got the travel bug? Me too!

I can’t believe it’s already mid -June already and I am so itchy…to get out of town that is! I’ve totally been bitten by the travel bug but this year my timing is a little off. I’ve had to come to the realization that I’m not hopping on a plane anytime soon but that doesn’t mean I can’t load up the car and hit the road for a couple days!

Packing aka “loading up the car” has always been tricky for me, I hate to be uncomfortable so i try to pack for ALL weather, locations and possible scenarios which leads to overpacking…every time! It doesn’t matter if it’s an overnight at the in-laws, camping on the coast, Mexico…I will always have more then i need and never enough of the things I really need! I am the only one who has this problem? In all honesty, I actually feel like I have made huge improvements but still will find at least a shirt or two still folded and untouched upon return home from any trip. I suppose I’d rather over pack then deal with the anxiety of realizing I forgot a most important item at home (despite my husbands constant reassurances that stores exist every where).

All this talk has me mentally packing my weekend get away bag! Where are you off to next?

Tip of the Day: Don’t worry about the clothing items as much as the toiletries. There is nothing worse then getting to your destination and finding out you have no toothpaste or prescriptions! Things that are specific to your daily well being should be the main focus when packing, also keeping in mind where your destination takes you…great to have face wash if you have a sink, if not maybe grab your brand of wash in the wipe form.