Category: Uncategorized

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.

Growing up reading was one of my absolute favorite things to do. I could spend hours getting lost in a book, completely unaware of the passing of time or what was going on around me. I still love getting immersed in a great book but as I have grown up, the time allow myself for this favorite hobby has dwindled to nearly nothing. If you had told 10 year old me, “in 20+ years what you read in one day will take you 3 months,” I would have laughed or cried but certainly not have believed it…oh how the time flies by!

Keep this in mind and encourage those little readers to make time for a book break daily…yes, even in the summer! What better way to begin or end your (their) day than letting go of reality for a moment and drifting away to another world? Fostering a love of reading is fostering a love of learning, growing, and adventure! No matter the age, the preferred genre, the length, just encourage and support your little ones to always expand their minds. Books and/or reading materials are so easy to keep on hand while out and about or stash in multiple favorite “down time” spots around your home.

Today’s Tip of the Trade: Visit your local library…OFTEN! They often have story time, book reading challenges, awesome recommendations, cool clubs to join for free and an AMAZING return policy on books 😉

So you are looking for a nanny? In this area that means you have had  3 choices:

1) Contact one of the local Nanny agencies

2) Ask a friend(s) for their nanny

3)Place an ad or search online sites and newspapers to find the right person

UNTIL NOW!! We are here to give you another option. Finally YOU the parents can stay in control of the entire process with a secret weapon in your pocket! Hire Wholeness -Nanny and You to lend a hand in the area(s) that challenge you or you are not sure of and save money on agencies fees while feeling secure in your decision.

Here at Wholeness- Nanny and You we will meet you where you are at. If you just need help getting background checks or providing a contract that outlines the specific details of the job between you and your new nanny, WE CAN HELP! If you aren’t sure what questions to ask a prospective nanny or what red flags might pop up on an application, WE CAN HELP! If you have questions and just need an experienced ear to give you some guidance  WE CAN HELP! Of course, what we do best is guiding you through the process of understanding that to find the perfect match for your family, clarity is key. We offer an extensive Intake Questionaire that gives you a crystal clear idea of what you want in your home ranging from discipline, chores, activities, and priorities.  When you can set an expectation with a new hire of exactly what it is you want for your child when you are away you are setting yourself up for a nanny/family relationship with longevity. That is our goal! We offer a free 15 min consultation and will gladly answer any questions you may have in that time.

Helping families find nannies that go beyond the ” I am good with kids” mentality to finding a nanny that is wanting to be in your families life for a long term relationship, THAT is our mission.

Daily Trick of the Trade- There is no risk involved in leaning on those that have a passion to help in areas that are not your expertise. Contact us today.

Where has the day gone?? Between work, commute, doctors appointments, errands, and a stop at the gas station I’m just now getting home to my family. I know I’m not alone in this routine so for all of those who just are glad the day is nearing an end…

Today’s trick of the trade: Learn to prioritize! make to-do lists, decide what is reasonable to accomplish given the days schedule and don’t stress what doesn’t get checked off, if it’s that important, it will find itself on tomorrows To-Do list. If that list never seems to get checked off take a look and see what can be delegated to someone else, it really is OK to say there isn’t enough hours in the day or energy in this body to “do it all”…why not let some one else help out? You might find you’ve got more time to play with the kids, get in a workout, maybe even have a date night?! Time is precious, spend it with the ones you love, doing the things you love!

As already mentioned, I’m not really a morning person-there really isn’t any thing I enjoy about this time of day (well, I don’t mind knowing coffee is in my immediate future). To me, mornings are a just the judge for day, make one wrong move and I just know my day is going to be one hurdle after another. To avoid this I try my best to prepare for the day ahead before I head to bed. Lunch made-check, coffee set for auto brew-check, any “out of the ordinary items” in/near my work bag- check, smoothie made-check!

Smoothies have saved my mornings! Every night, I take 5 minutes to open my freezer and grab a cup of fresh frozen fruit, a scoop of yogurt, handful of spinach (oh yes I did), and a little ground flax seed and dump it all into my little fighter blender, top it with a little juice and viola! Notice this recipe is super exact? Not! That’s the beauty of a smoothie, add what’s in season or what you love with a tad of liquid and a thickener (if desired) and you’ve got yourself a breakfast on the go. I like to blend mine the night before as to avoid the horrible noise and morning excuse of “no time so no breakfast.” If I’m really honest, I usually chug mine in under 2 minutes while pouring the to-go coffee and grabbing my lunch from fridge. I don’t recommend this for everyone, or for everyday but it’s a super quick and easy way to add vitamins and protein into the mix early in the day.

Daily Trick of the trade: Adding greens into smoothies is super easy and barely noticeable if you add in a couple blackberries (honestly only 5 will do the trick). Those berries will turn your brown algae smoothie into a purple delight! Adding flax seed ups the fiber and help your little ones stay regular (use sparingly when first adding, no need to flush the system!). These two little additions will make your heart happy and your kiddos healthy, double bonus to start the day!

Do you ever head to bed thinking you’ve got the most stellar plans for the next day? Maybe a trip to the park, a ferry ride, a bike riding adventure complete with kites and picnic baskets? You hype the kids up, sending them to bed with dreams of sunshine and slides only to wake up to gloom and doom? Ahhh, that good ol’ Seattle weather got you again, didn’t it?

Whether you’re a long time resident or new to the area, the weather around here never fails to surprise. There is a saying that we can easily get all 4 seasons in one short hour and it is so true! It makes planning anything around here a bit of a challenge. Packing for the park: jacket, sunglasses, umbrella, sunscreen…wait what? Umbrella AND sunscreen, what kind of list is this? It’s the list of Seattlites. One quickly learns to search out spaces that have indoor and outdoor appeal, always have a backup plan/bag in the car, and never assume looking at the sky will indicate how to proceed with your plans if your timeline extends past the immediate 15 minutes.

This summer, visit back often to find fun activities, brainstorm for those unexpected rainy days, and even find a hint on how to include those summer fruits and veggies into your little ones diet! With over decades of childcare experience, Wholeness- Nanny and You has a couple tried and true tricks of the trade we’d love to share you all of you!

Todays trick of the trade: Keep extra rain boots, a towel, and change of clothes in the car for those short lived summer showers…who doesn’t love an impromptu dance in the rain? Let the weather work with you, not against- who cares if your hair gets wet or you make-up smears…it won’t matter once you hear the giggles going and have made the best out of another Seattle weather day.