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Traveling With Kids

Traveling With Kids

by | Mar 21, 2022 | Julia, One Blessed Momma

Preparation

Traveling with children can be a little overwhelming to prepare for.

Personally, I enjoy traveling with our children. I think it is because while growing up, every summer we used to do a lot of traveling around the United States.

I have a lot of fond memories built spending quality time with my family. My hope is after you read through this post you will feel prepared and excited to travel with your children too.

Questions

When preparing for the trip here are some things to think about:

  • How long the trip will take?
  • How many stops you will be making? I try to estimate 2-3 hour stretches.
  • Do we want to pack our food and snacks or buy on the way?
  • Do we need to make stops that have grass to picnic lunch and let the kids run?

After asking these questions, I zoom in on the map and look at exits around those miles and time patches that have variety of gas and food options we would want to stop at.  I look for grassy options where we can picnic lunch and let the girls run around and get energy out.

Packing

When packing for trips, I recently started using packing cubes which has been very helpful with the girls clothes not getting thrown around in the luggage.

Although this does not eliminate it completely it certainly does help. Packing cubes are not necessarily a necessity. You could also use ziplock bags to do the trick.

Here’s how I organize it:

Cube 1: I pack pajama’s with underwear folded in as one. We usually do bath before bed so it made sense to keep the underwear with the PJ’s. I pack both girls’ pajama’s in one cube so I only have to take one thing out before bed.

Cube 2: I pack a top, bottom, and socks folded as one for my oldest child. I pack some pant options, shorts (weather permitting), and pack either a jacket or sweatshirt for evenings.

Cube 3: I pack a top, bottom, and socks folded in as one for my younger child. I pack the same items but a few extra because she still gets very dirty and some extras in case of an accident.

Currently, I only have 3 cubes but so far this has been very handy. I imagine as the girls get older I’ll have to get more cubes to compensate the size of their clothes.

Also, I have seen people use the ziplock bags for each outfit of the day and then they vacuum it shut to save space.

With swimming suits, towels, and gear I have a large bag I put it all in to keep it all together.

Snacks

***If feeding while driving, always monitor and make sure they are bite size appropriate for your child’s age. Make sure your child is quickly accessible in the event they choke.***

Some of our favorite travel snacks are:

  • Siete Chips
  • Popcorn
  • Bananas
  • Beef Sticks or bites
  • Carrots
  • PB&Honey (place in freezer and then ready to eat)
  • Clementines
  • Apples
  • Made Good Bars or bites
  • Pretzels
  • Venison bars
  • Once upon a farm pouch or Mamma Chia Pouch
  • Trail Mix
  • Banana bread
  • Dried Mango
  • That’s It or LARA bars
  • Reusable Water Bottles and a big jug of water to refill.
  • We also do a surprise drink like the apple juice drinks with the character heads.  They don’t drink juice except or orange juice so this is a special treat.   We also try to only give them this drink within the next hour of a stop because it sometimes makes them have to go sooner.  Sometimes we purchase these ahead or sometimes we let them pick which one they want out at the gas station.

Activities

We do not have a DVD player in the car nor do we have tablets for the kids. Maybe if they’re older it’d be a different story but our 3 and 5 year olds’ are fine looking out the window, cuddling a stuffed animal, snacking or doing an activity in their seat.

We take breaks, we get out and run in the grass and have a picnic when needed.

When traveling with kids with no TV, tablet or phone here are some activities to do in the car to keep the children busy:

  • Wrap up little items or fidgets they can open like a gift. E.g. Poppers, something soft, something squishy, hard toy, slinky, etc.
  • I Spy (Letters, Numbers, Colors, Signs) See Freebie Print out below
  • Memorize a bible verse (use tricks like hand motions or making it in to a song)
  • LCD Drawing Pad
  • Magic marker pack
  • Coloring book
  • Water WOW! books by Melissa and Doug
  • Purchase a new or pack their favorite stuffed animal or toy.  If it’s a new toy save it for when you start your trip so the excitement stays strong and doesn’t diminish.
  • Sing along to your favorite songs or movies soundtracks.
  • Books and CD Books. It’s always fun to pack a new book or hit up the library before you go.

 

Tips and Tricks

The first thing has to be the BEST item we have ever purchased for the car. It has helped us NOT only on road trips but also when we are out and about going to the grocery store, hikes or the playground.

  • It’s an OXO travel potty– It folds up and comes with very absorbant bags. It is perfect for traveling when your kids have to potty and you have to pull of the side of the road or because there is NO WAY you will take them in to that gas station bathroom.
  • Own backpacks– I pack them each a mini backpack bag with their activities in it. It also holds a pair of socks and a change of clothes if needed. I make sure they have a blanket nearby if they get cold.
  • Quick Shoes– If your children are anything like one of mine, their shoes and socks will be off in a matter of seconds. So when traveling I always make sure they have quick and easy shoes they can throw on with or without socks so it makes getting in and out of the car easier.
  • Easy Access– Make sure all snacks and water are easily accessible
  • Drive Early- If you are trying to get a longer stretch of time in driving I highly suggest you wake up early to leave.   It takes a little while for our kids to wind down and fall back asleep but more than likely they will sleep a little longer and you can get at least an extra 2 hours of drive time.
  • Be flexible– So many things can pop up when traveling. They can be frustrating and make it hard to enjoy the trip or you can decide to make the best of it. Just remember the most important thing is you get there safe.

Thanks for sticking with me! I hope this was helpful in sparking ideas for your next trip with kids.

We’d love to hear about how you travel with kids.  What tips and tricks do you have?  Please share them below in the comments!

Download your free printable

Road Signs “I SPY”

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Meet Julia!

Julia is a wife to her high-school sweetheart, a mother to two beautiful girls and a follower of Christ.   She loves crafting, teaching and is forever grateful for a God who is in control of all unknowns and thankful we can have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Legacy of Love

Legacy of Love

by | Feb 21, 2022 | Julia, One Blessed Momma

Proverbs 13:22

“A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.”

What does Legacy Mean?

When looking up the definition of legacy, a lot of money and property came up. For me when I think of legacy, it is all the other stuff left behind. It’s how you made people feel. It’s what was done for them and to them. It’s the moments of generosity shown in love and the advice given.

Update

I recently had my Grandmother, whom I referred to as Grammie, pass away. I think about all the things she left behind. How she treated people and made them feel.

So many people shared with me how, when they were new to the church and visiting for the first time she was the first person to go up and say “hello”.

How simple, YET so monumental in their memory.

What is most important?

It is soooooo very easy, ESPECIALLY with young children to miss an opportunity to meet someone new visiting the church. To make an impact in their lives forever.  I encourage you (along with myself) to also, like my Grammie, get up and meet new visitors.  To talk to people who may need someone to show interest in their lives and to let them know they are important and welcome here.

Forever with me

I am thankful I have the pictures and memories of time spent together, advice and love she’s given that will forever with me.

She used to love going to the bluegrass festivals with my grandfather when younger.

So, my husband and I enjoyed taking her in the later years. Even if we just went for the food and sat in the car mostly just to eat and hear the music.

One of my favorite memories was taking her to Loretta Lynn Concert.  Someone she loved to listen to growing up.   I was so excited to buy these tickets for her and she could have said “no” because she felt uncomfortable or it would have been too many inconveniences, but she said “yes”. 

It created a memory I will cherish with her forever.  I am so thankful she said, “yes”.

Emotion

How do you make people feel when you’re around you?

The emotion when around my Grammie was of feeling special, seen and heard with the attentiveness she gave when visiting her.

Physical

What will you physically leave behind?

Some will leave a house, items in the home, or money.   Some will leave a lot of “stuff” that is meaningless.

What I will forever have from my Grammie are the handmade clothes, blankets and stuffed animals she created.  The ones that came from her heart.  Things I can hold, smile and appreciate.

Other ideas

Maybe you are not creative in that way.  Maybe you love to cook and you can make food for your loved ones.  Or write our handwritten recipes and create a book for them.

Possibly, it is recording your voice and reading to them or even calling to leave a voice message they can hold on to for when they need to hear your voice.

It also very well could be a painting, music, a book, a letter or encouragement, etc.    What do you like to do?  Do it and make it a permanent object.  Your loved ones will be thankful you did.

The Best Part of a Legacy

The best part of a legacy is sharing your faith with others and your children and your children grow up to continue to pass it down to their children. Thus, creating a whole new generation to go out in to all the world sharing the gospel of Christ.

I am so thankful my Grammie raised my father up in the church to meet my mother who together shared the gospel with me and my siblings.

That is a legacy of love that will continue to grow and will one day allow us to all meet up again.

Do You Have a Legacy?

What legacy are you choosing to leave to your children and grandchildren? A legacy doesn’t just happen the day we pass, it is the daily choices we make and invest in the people around us.

Download your free printable

Proverbs 31

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Meet Julia!

Julia is a wife to her high-school sweetheart, a mother to two beautiful girls and a follower of Christ.   She loves crafting, teaching and is forever grateful for a God who is in control of all unknowns and thankful we can have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Ready, Reset, Go!

Ready, Reset, Go!

by | Jan 17, 2022 | Julia, One Blessed Momma

It’s January, the beginning of the year and is usually the time when people make changes to old habits and create new positive ones.

I know for me I have been looking at making intentional choices with my faith, food, family, and finances. A lot of these changes are super simple but for a while have been a challenge to me. I hope you find encouragement while reading this to keep growing by making simple intentional changes in your life as well. Ready? Reset- GO!

Faith

My sister in law invited myself, my mother and my other sister in law to read through the New Testament together. I have been using an app to help read through to keep track of what to read next and bonus, it correlates with their podcast that gives background insight to what you’re reading. What I love about it, is it also has the ability to be audio so you can listen to it all if need be. I love listening to it while in the kitchen washing dishes or cooking dinner.

Thus far, I believe this addition has added to my ability to be productive and has shifted my mindset from being overwhelmed and anxious- to clear and calm. I would see messes all over the house and it would make me anxious thinking of all the things I need to clean up. Or hearing my children argue sometimes would make me overwhelmed and struggle to help them solve in a calm way.

Since making this mind shift, I can now clean and pick items off the floor easily and when hearing my children argue I am able to help them process their emotions in a calm and present way.

Food

My first simple goal for the past few months has been to try and drink water first thing. I know, that sounds so silly like it’d be the easiest thing. But for me, it has been a challenge. We had a pretty exhausting life when my second child was born and I’ve struggled to come out of the habits I created to survive. They definitely served me in the moment, but are not beneficial to me in the long run.

I have finally made that a habit and I can definitely feel the difference. I sometimes don’t even feel the need to drink my coffee, which is a major plus for me. I also try and keep my water bottle with me throughout the day to stay hydrated.

Another goal we are trying to hit is to cook at home all month, eat healthier and save money. Think ahead, pack snacks, bring water or pack a lunch when out.

Finances

Budget life. Oof. We have done the Dave Ramsey program and loved it but we have slacked lately. With inflation and all of the other unexpected expenses coming up we wanted to get better at our spending habits.

I have been trying to find all the extra ways to save money, like using the FETCH and IBOTTA app that turns receipts into gift cards. This month, I really wanted to get a certain gift for my nephew on amazon but it was more than we allotted for so I used $10 from my FETCH app to use toward the amazon purchase. It took the gift amount down to what we could afford this month.

Some great budget people I follow are:

The Budget Mom

Dave Ramsey

https://funcheaporfree.com/

Family

I want easy living. I don’t want to NOT play with my children because I feel like I have to clean. I want quick clean ups, quick meals, one on one time with my children, intentional conversations and quality time. In this area of growth I am still working on finding out what systems work for our family.

Toys- Some systems that have worked thus far are going through toys. Taking out toys they don’t play with, organizing by genre, then rotating toys and only putting out as much as I want to pick up.

Clean- Just do it right then. I am queen of letting things sit because “I’ll do it later”. Yet, have you also heard the saying, “stuff attracts stuff”. So things just start accumulating and growing, becoming more and more overwhelming.

When I’m giving my girls a bath I start cleaning the toilet, sink and floor. If I have to be stuck in there I might as well clean it.

Rest- Allowing myself to rest. Actually lay down in my bed, not on the couch watching TV or surfing my phone but quiet rest.

Help me out, I want to hear about the systems you have in place to keep things running at your house. Please share in the comments below!

Don’t forget to check out the freebie! This has helped me create a visual for budgeting the whole year out of all the unexpected expenses that pop up! Hope they help you too!

Download your free printable

Monthly Bill Tracker

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Meet Julia!

Julia is a wife to her high-school sweetheart, a mother to two beautiful girls and a follower of Christ.   She loves crafting, teaching and is forever grateful for a God who is in control of all unknowns and thankful we can have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Praying Scripture Over Rooms in Your Home

Praying Scripture Over Rooms in Your Home

by | Dec 20, 2021 | Julia, One Blessed Momma

Many have heard the words, “prayer room” before. Some have even seen the movie, called “War Room”. This movie is about a women who uses her closet to go to God in prayer. She surrounds herself with verses and prayers taped on her walls. Today I am going to share with you what my version of “prayer room” or “war room” looks like in my home.

Pray scripture over rooms

I recently came across an idea I had never thought to do, which is to pray for each room in your house. Sure, I prayed for our family and our home, but I have never been specific and purposeful in those prayers.

Set an alarm

I started setting an alarm on my phone for the 1st of every month to go in to each room and pray with intention and purpose for those that enter and spend time there.

At first, my prayers were not as detailed and I was kind of stumbling over what I exactly wanted to pray for. So, I thought, the best place to go was scripture and below are the scriptures I chose to pray over our rooms.

Write them out

I wrote them down and placed them around my house. Now, whenever I go in to the rooms, to clean, help someone get dressed or to take a bath, I pray right then and there. Sometimes, it is the verse or sometimes it’s something more specific that happened that day or I blast to the future and pray for that.

During the times that I find my words feeling vacant I know with the promise of scripture (Romans 8:26-27) I have the Holy Spirit working through my prayers and delivering exactly what needs to be said to our Lord. Boy, am I grateful for that! Thank you, Jesus!

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Romans 8:26-27

New International Version

Dining Room

Romans 12:13- 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

My desire for our dining room is to be where we are thinking of others. Where we invite them in to our home and offer whatever we have as theirs. Or simply prepare food for those in need. Where we invite them over for a meal and they feel the love of Jesus through our hospitality.

Kitchen

1 Corinthians 10:31- 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

This one is for me. I want to remind myself, when I am tired and I do not want to cook dinner or clean the dishes that I am doing it for a higher purpose. There are moments this is a mental struggle for me, especially when I’m being pulled in every direction and it seems the kids are needing my attention every second.  I definitely need the Lord’s intervention on my heart to take a deep breath and be reminded of my why.

Living Room

Joshua 24:15- 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

This one I didn’t have to make a card for because I already have a sign (thank you Hobby Lobby) with the verse on it, hanging above our fireplace. When I truly take the time to read this verse and let it sink in, it hits hard. It puts me right back at the starting line waiting until I say “go”, to refocus and aim upward because it is a very motivating verse for me.

Our goal is that our family grows strong as a unit because God is our base, our number one. I pray we choose activities that will strengthen us as a family in moments of joy and laughter, love and challenges and our girls will always know they can come to us when they need help or have questions.

Bathroom

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Sin is everywhere and I pray that my daughters can grow up with a Godly view of their bodies and not a worldly view. I pray their hearts are pure and continually go to God for their strength.

Play Room

Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

I desire to help my children learn how to treat others with kindness and goodness, how to solve problems and how to love one another. Also, to be welcoming to their friends that come over to play with their toys and remembering that everything we own belongs to the one above.

Bedroom

Psalms 23: The Lord is my shepherd,
I will not be in need.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For the sake of His name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.

I pray my children feel safety, comfort, and peace in their rooms.  While they sleep I pray they have sweet dreams, gain strength, growth and healing of all wounds or sickness.

Master Bedroom

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

My prayer is that we have trust, open communication, clarity, honesty, purity, love and respect.

What will you pray for?

I love that these prayers will change throughout the years and yet still have some parts that will always be.

My prayer for you all is that you are inspired to go in to all of the rooms and pray for your family and home as well. Maybe you have similar scriptures you want to choose or maybe you have completely different needs. We are all at different stages in life. I would love to hear which ones you choose in the comments!

Thanks for stopping by and reading to the end. I pray you have a blessed holiday season.

Below you will find my FREEBIE scripture cards and blank ones as well you can write in your own. Enjoy!

Download your free printable

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Meet Julia!

Julia is a wife to her high-school sweetheart, a mother to two beautiful girls and a follower of Christ.   She loves crafting, teaching and is forever grateful for a God who is in control of all unknowns and thankful we can have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

How to Prepare your Child for Strong Writing Skills

How to Prepare your Child for Strong Writing Skills

by | Nov 15, 2021 | Julia, One Blessed Momma

Being a former Kindergarten teacher, I get asked quite often how important handwriting is for children. First thing I tell them, is to not stress where they are right now. It will come. Start where they are and help them to get strengthen their fine motor skills that will then correlate to writing skills.

What is Fine Motor Skills?

“ Fine motor skills are activities in which you use the small muscles in your hands and wrists to make precise movements. They’re different from gross motor skills like running and jumping, which use larger muscles.” WebMd definition

What Does it Mean to Scaffold?

It means to set them up for success and then as they accomplish and become confident try a step harder.

To “Support every student by breaking learning up into chunks and providing a concrete structure for each.” You can read more about scaffolding in education here.

When you think about it, God does the same for us. He meets us where we are at and never gives us more than we can handle. Thank you, God for being the ultimate teacher.

Scaffold Fine Motor Skills

Below are 10 ways to scaffold and improve fine motor skills that will produce one’s writing technique.

1. Play-doh:

Let them help you make your own, stir the pot, roll it out.  Have them use tools (you can use cookie cutters or plastic spoons/knives—we also like this kit).

As they improve their hand strength just playing with play-doh then encourage them to create items: a pinch pot, bowl with little balls for cereal and a spoon, an animal.

You could also encourage them to roll out in to letters, numbers, shapes, or their name.

2. Legos:

Large blocks such as Duplo’s are a great plays to start.  At first just allow them to explore two at a time and then work toward building towers.  Next build little houses.

As they improve work with smaller items like Lego’s. When children use their fingers to build, stick together and pull a part they strengthen the muscles and gain control.

3. Babies to Barbies:

When changing the babies clothes or diaper they are moving their fingers purposely, practicing control.

As they move past babies and on to barbies or other dolls items tend to get smaller and need more detailed precision like putting tiny shoes on or doing their hair.

4. Band-Aids:

This is one of my children’s favorite activities. They enjoy playing doctor. My one child doesn’t like to put band-aid’s on boo boo’s, nor do they want you to wear one let alone get a boo boo. So, this activities serves two purposes. Helps to expose her to band-aids and see they’re okay but also gives practice in taking the wrapper off and putting the band-aid on paper or you. These create more purposeful finger movement. Band-aids can be easily found at the Dollar Tree or in the dollar section at certain stores.

5. Stickers:

This can have endless possibilities. So many different creatives ideas you can make with this. To make it easier for them, take off the background sticker to make it easier to peel the picture sticker off. You could also just use circle yard sale pricing stickers to save some money.

6. Beading:

When they’re little start with larger beads (Melissa and Doug have a wooden set) and as they get older let the beads get smaller. You could also learn how to do different designs.

7. Crayons:

Again start large. They have ones that start as an egg for a full hand grip. Then triangle shape crayons to help form pincher grasp on utensils, then large round to small round.

8. Chalk:

Start with large chalk and then to smaller chalk. Have you ever dipped chalk in water to get it wet so it shows up darker on paper? If you don’t have a chalkboard you can use construction paper too.

9. Paint brush:

Have them draw a picture with water and paintbrush on chalkboard. Then draw a picture of squiggle lines, shapes, lines that resemble the same shapes of letters. Then do pictures of flowers, sun, animals, trees, clouds. Then write their name. You could also practice with paint. Start with their fingers to large paint brush to smaller.

10. Tweezers:

Pinchers or squeeze droppers make for fun water play or sensory bin additions. Use them to pick up pom poms, beans, letters, numbers.

It takes time

If you can incorporate fine motor skills daily and give multiple opportunities for them to practice, writing can eventually improve.

Remember not all children develop at the same rate. A lot of times, boys develop slower than girls because they don’t have as many small toys to play with to strengthen their fingers. Also, not every child is ready by kindergarten to start writing. They just want to continue play. That’s okay to let them still play while learning. Have them shape play-doh in to letters or their name.
Doing these exercise can integrate in to anything you want to teach them about. They aren’t just for fine motor skills but allow learning through combining ingredients, 5 senses, building, designing, letters, numbers, shapes, counting, cause and effect, patterns, .

Free Printable

Play-doh Mats

After laminating, you can use with play-doh by having them either roll snakes or pinch play-doh off to match the shapes of the letters.   You can also use dry-erase markers to trace the letters.

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Meet Julia!

Julia is a wife to her high-school sweetheart, a mother to two beautiful girls and a follower of Christ.   She loves crafting, teaching and is forever grateful for a God who is in control of all unknowns and thankful we can have a peace that surpasses all understanding.