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2017 WENDY CORREEN SMITH. Powered by Blogger.

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Week Two of Home Isolation & Filled With Hope


Hello, friends.

Here we are, week two of home isolation. Magnolia asks me daily about leaving & each time I say we have to wait because there are a lot of sick people right now. Moments will pass and she'll ask if the people are all better yet. It's just too hard for her to understand. The hardest part is definitely missing playtime with her cousins & friends from music class. I found out today we will be doing online music class using Zoom, something small for us to look forward to each week. On Sunday we prayed at a time scheduled for global prayer, we lit a candle & held hands, fully believing in a miracle to come. And I also believe that as life slows down for all us, that life is being sprinkled with many more miracles. I hope that you can see & feel them all around you. This is such a special time. A time to take walks & breath in the fresh air, eat dinner as a family, do arts & crafts every single day, have dance parties in your pajamas, stay up later than usual & take long naps with your babies.

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Day Five of Home Isolation


Magnolia & I are on Day Five of home isolation. Ryan is going to the office each day & while it makes me nervous for him to be out of the home right now I know he's taking every precaution that he can. We are very grateful he is able to continue working during this uncertain time. He goes to work & then straight home to us. Someday our grandchildren will study about the year 2020 and it's kind of mind blowing to live in this moment right now, knowing that so many individual & leadership decisions & actions are truly making history. I just pray we are doing it right! I heard the President speak this morning about a possible generic drug to treat COVID & it sounds very promising. Praying so hard they have found a treatment that will save lives all across the world.

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From the Confetti Filled Desk of Magnolia Caroline, CEO


From the Confetti Filled Desk of Magnolia Caroline, CEO

It is with much consideration that I'd like to inform The Smith household, specifically my mother Wendy, that during this time of social distancing and home isolation that effective immediately and until further notice, my daily two hour naps have been cancelled. Rest assured that my usual wake time of 5:30 am will remain in effect. The wellbeing of my family means everything to me, and in implementing this schedule change I can assure you to be blessed with my sparkling soul 24 hours a day seven days a week. I will continue to monitor the situation & should there be a schedule change you will be notified immediately.

Sealed with a princess kiss xo
Magnolia Caroline, CEO - The Smith Household
Three years old



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12 Things We Will Be Doing At Home While We Try to Flatten the Curve


My Fancy Nancy picked out this costume to wear to Disney on Ice in a few weeks. An event cancelled like thousands of others across the country. We are planning to do our part in "flattening the curve" and staying home for the next few weeks. As of today, Ryan plans to go the office for work, but as we've seen things seem to be changing by the hour. Other than him going to work we won't be doing much else. Magnolia & I will make the best of our time at home doing some of the ideas I'm going to share below.


1. Play, Make Believe, Create: dress up & dance parties, water coloring painting, singing, lots of playtime in her playroom

2. Learning: work on colors, shapes, ABCs, counting
Pinterest has so many ideas to make learning fun for all ages
Did you see Scholastic has made online & interactive learning free? Link here

3. Baking: we have the stuff to make chocolate chip cookies & banana bread

4. Cleaning: wash all the bed linens, organize & clean closets to get ready for spring/summer, clean floors, stay on top of cleaning surfaces (counters, door knobs, phones), all things spring cleaning

5. Eating Healthy: vitamin packed smoothies, chicken bone broth, staying hydrated, fruits & veggies, herbal teas, gargle warm salt water

6. Prayer & Meditation: the free app called Insight Timer is amazing for guided meditation; I've been using it for years & highly recommend it

7. Music: we will have relaxing music on all day to keep the mood calm & switch to Taylor Swift for dance parties

8. Movies: obviously lots of movie time & did you see Frozen II has been released on Disney early?

9. Books & Podcasts: Magnolia has recently become obsessed with reading lots of books, her attention span grew like crazy over the last few weeks & I have tons of Podcasts saved & ready to listen to when she's napping

10. Spa Days at Home: this is great time to do self pedicures & manicures, apply face masks, take hot epsom salt baths

11. Rest & Nap: our bodies need rest to boost our immune systems, I'll be taking guilt-free naps with her when I feel like I need it

12. Fresh Air: take a walk, sit outside & listen to the birds singing, watch the trees & flowers begin to bud, let the little ones do chalk drawings + blow bubbles, get their bikes + scooters out, spring is coming

Hoping we can all slow down & make the best of this. Take care & stay safe!

xo
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Unicorn Rainbow Playroom Design Ideas


A dedicated spot for make believe, a place where all the childhood magic can happen, I've come to the conclusion that playrooms are a requirement for homes with children! Magnolia's playroom is full of unicorns, rainbows, soft colors, & a collection of toys that make her room one of my favorites in our whole house. When her cousins come over they can play in here for hours & I love peeking in on them and watching their imaginations run wild. We have an Alexa in here & the kids love to request their favorite songs as they play. At the end of this post I've linked all the main items in her room & the pink play kitchen is currently 50% off. Our favorite book list can be found here.











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My Mom's Birthday


My mom's birthday is today & we all got together on Sunday to celebrate her. She's been in Colorado for her last two birthdays & so it was extra fun to have a little party for her this year. The weather this weekend was full of sunshine & a cool spring breeze. Breathtaking! My mom, Magnolia & I did  some shopping on Saturday, picking up fresh flowers & stuff to make a cake for Sunday. Magnolia was in charge of the cake decorating, and her motto "you can never have too many sugar sprinkles!" Our celebration was very low key, we all went out for pizza for lunch first & then back to our place for cake & gifts. The kids got to run around outside & they were intoxicated with the fresh air. The birthday cake sugar high was surely adding to their excitement to be free & run wild under the sun.

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Spring Cleaning - 10 Habits to Keep a Clean & Tidy Home


Spring cleaning is coming & since I get asked all the time how I keep a clean + tidy home with a toddler, I thought it'd be fun to share a few of my everyday habits that keep my house in shipshape (as my grandma would say).

And before I get started I want to say two things. One, I'm a stay-at-home mom & I know that is a huge factor. If I had to leave the house for work every single day I know that there would be areas neglected. And I would be an anxious mess. Two, to each their own, I know that many people can relax & embrace the mess. Sometimes I truly envy the mom that can sit down and breathe surrounded by a clutter of toys. There are days I wish I could. The world needs those Type B personalities to balance the Type As of the world.

I was raised by a mom & grandma that made cleaning & picking up an everyday duty. My mom was the deep cleaner that would not rest until every single room was spotless & my grandma was the one that insisted on every single thing in her home having a "place." I took after them both, probably more like my grandma in that every single thing has a proper place in our home. Looking back I can literally tell you exactly where everything in my grandma's home belonged, from decor to items stored in closet/cabinets/drawers. I'm the same way, if something new enters our home then it immediately has a place that it belongs, often times replacing something else.

Just in time for spring cleaning, let's get started with my Top 10 Daily Habits to keep a clean & tidy home.


1. The Floors - This is a big one for me. I have to have clean floors. No shoes in the house, because if you really think about what is on the bottom of them it's quite gross to walk around with them on. Did you know that 96% of shoes have fecal bacteria E. Coli on them? Now that we have wood floors on the main level I can make one exception to the shoe ban and that is when we are having a celebration. It's easy enough to clean the hardwood floors after a party, but certainly no shoes on the carpet ever. I sweep the floors every other day & I currently use the Swiffer wipes once a week. I'm on the hunt for a new hardwood cleaning system.

2. Kitchen Cabinets & Counters - I wipe down the counters at least three times a day. And as I'm cleaning them I look for spots on the white cabinets & clean them up as soon as something gets on them. By doing this I never really have to do anything major to the cabinets, they just stay clean always. I make my own all purpose cleaning spray with Rocky Mountain Oil's multi-purpose concentrate, it's just like the Young Living Thieves but a fraction of the price. I usually add in an essential oil to make it smell even better, with spring coming I'll use more of the citrusy scents like grapefruit, lemon & lime.

3. Toys - Magnolia's toy collection is growing & my best suggestion for the toy mess is to have a dedicated spot in each room of the house for their stuff. In the living room, inside of our TV cabinet we keep her dress up clothes + play shoes & puzzles. In the loft upstairs she has a basket full of books, her chalkboard easel & an area to store her strollers & baby doll stuff. Baskets, closets, & drawers are a great way to keep it all organized & out of the way when not being used. The majority of her toys are in the playroom. More about it next...

4. Playroom - The playroom toys all have a "spot" and I usually do the cleaning up in there at least once a day & always before bed. The closet is where I store all the plastic toys that come with one million pieces (the toys I swore she'd never own - eat my words), art supplies (water colors, paper, stickers, glitter, etc), outside activity items, & learning resources. The key to an adorable playroom is to only welcome lasting pieces into the space. I put a lot of thought into her key items, like the pink kitchen, table & chairs, dollhouse, piano, chair, & wall decor. Invest some time in the initial organization & then clean up will come naturally. When something new comes into the space either replace it with something else or make sure it has a spot to be placed when not in use. Birthdays & Christmas are a big deal with all the new toys, make sure to dedicate some time to how it will all be stored. Another tip, with the younger ones, store some of the gifts before they are unpackaged and save them for a rainy day. Kids don't appreciate 20 brand new toys all at once!

5. Decor Items - Swapping out the holiday decor & freshening up a room as the seasons change is very easy to do if you have all of your stuff stored in a dedicated spot. Take care to pack things up nicely before sticking them in a cabinet, closet, basement & then you'll be able to pull them out next year looking like new. I'm just starting to pull out our Easter & spring decor items & it always makes our home feel cozy & fresh with the newness.

6. Laundry - We all have our very own laundry baskets for clothing & linens + towels are kept seperate. Ryan actually does his own laundry on Sunday (yes, not only does he get the #1 dad award but also #1 husband award). I usually do mine & Magnolia's on Monday's & then towels and linens are done as they accumulate. I think staying on top of laundry is the secret. Don't get a week behind. Also, hang dry your nice stuff. We have this Ikea towel rack in the laundry room & it's perfect for air drying clothes on a hanger. By the time it's dry, it's already on a hanger & ready to be put back in the closet. Highly recommend it!

7. Clutter - The best way to prevent clutter is to throw things away on a regular basis. I never ever let mail sit around. I go through it the very second I get it out of the mailbox, and usually 90% of it is trash. When toys are broken or not used, they are thrown away or donated. And back to what I mentioned above about everything having it's place in our home, I feel that philosophy prevents clutter. Countertops, kitchen table, coffee table, dresser, everything is kept clear of stuff that doesn't belong. It's really just making the habit of not allowing things to hang around when they aren't being used or bringing joy to your life. Ryan & I both have an odd fear of becoming hoarders so we always err on the side of trashing or donating things we aren't sure about. Preventing clutter makes cleaning so much easier. I should have made this my first point, because it's probably the most important. If you stop clutter before it starts then cleaning is actually a piece of cake!

8. Donating - I feel like we donated half our house before we moved. I certainly donated over half of my closet. Getting into our new house was like breath of fresh air because so much stuff we weren't using was given away. Spring cleaning is the best time to start in one room & work your way around while deciding what needs to go. Another great habit is to have a box in your home that you can fill up monthly with items you want to donate & have a place you like to drop off at each month. We often drop off at the Salvation Army & I will connect with friends that volunteer with organizations that are in need. Also, H&M takes old clothing & textiles. If you take a bag of stuff into them they'll give you a 15% off coupon to use on your entire purchase. I always take them a bag before shopping, I love a good coupon!

9. Stations - I've been using the word "station" for everything lately & Ryan gets annoyed by it so now I say it even more to tease him. At our old house we literally had boxes of light bulbs in the kitchen, garage & basement. Then he'd go buy more when we needed some becuase he didn't realize we already had them. At the new house I was insistent on having a dedicated station for all the extra light bulbs and so now we have one shelf in our basement just for them. This idea is great for all the random household items. BECAUSE, everything needs a spot or station, even light bulbs, wrapping paper, outdoor toys, cleaning products, brooms, art supplies, keys/wallets/purses, shoes, coats, etc. Have a spot for everything & your life will be easier!

10. Mood - Setting the mood for your home should be a daily ritual & will keep you feeling uplifted & energized to maintain the daily habits. Mamas, you set the mood for the whole entire family! We normally have music playing throughout the day, the diffuser going, a candle burning, fresh flowers scattered from room to room. Crack the windows & enjoy the cool spring breeze & listen to the singing birds. You want your home to feel like a cozy place to make memories with the ones you love. If you need help unwinding after a long day, my very favorite background music is Spa Radio on Pandora.

I hope this helps & that you've gained a few new ideas for spring cleaning. I do believe a tidy + clean home makes all the family members feel a sense of calm & comfort.

Happy spring cleaning xo
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Life Lately


Hello, friends! In Kansas City we are starting to get a little taste of spring with sunshiny days that get up to 60 degrees & the birds are singing like crazy & all of the plants around our house are starting to turn green. The welcome of spring is always a happy one, but I think we are even more excited than usual because it'll be our first one in our new home. Any chance we get to go for a walk around our new neighborhood we take it & our pink poodle is bringing smiles to everyone that crosses our path. One day a group of teenagers stopped their car, rolled down the window & took a video of us with Valentine. I'm sure we are on Snapchat or TikTok somewhere, ha!

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