Health and Wellness - Not So Crafty Momma

BoxyCharm: October Box

October 14, 2021October 14, 2021by Patricia18 Comments

Every month, I look forward to getting my BoxyCharm box! The box is only $25 per month and it includes 5 full-size beauty products worth well over $100! Keep reading to see what I got in my box this month!

*This post contains a referral link. I may get credit for those who sign up using my link.*

KNDR BEAUTY

Overnight Lip Mask

Retail Price $20

My lips get so dry once the weather gets cold, so this came at the perfect time! I tried it out as soon as I opened the box and loved how soft and moisturized it made my lips feel. It is a little thick and sticky feeling, but I can get past that since it works so well.

MALIN + GOETZ

Resurfacing Face Serum

Retail Price $70

I decided to gift this one to my mom because I already have more skin care products than I can use!

JULEP

Makeup Remover Towelettes

Retail Price $20

These makeup removing towelettes aren’t horrible, but I don’t love them either. They are soft, but have a smell that I don’t like. I would not pay $20 a pack for these.

LAURA GELLER

Spackle Skin Perfecting Primer: Hydrate

Retail Price $32

I just got a primer last month, so I’m not opening this one up until I finish that one.

BEAUTY BAKERIE

Milk & Honey Highlighting Palette

Retail Price $38

This palette is beautiful! I don’t use highlighter on a daily bases, but I will use it. I got a similar palette last month, but I like this one better.

Overall, I didn’t love this month’s box. I did like it enough to feel like I got my money worth, but I was disappointed to get very similar items two months in a row. If you get have a subscription, I’d love to hear what you thought of this month’s box!

Don’t Feel Guilty If You Can’t Do It All! Five Ways To Manage Your Stress

September 14, 2021September 14, 2021by Patricia21 Comments

Raising a family is both rewarding and challenging. Juggling work, the house, and your family can be a major source of stress for parents. Today, I want to share five things you can do to help manage stress levels as a parent.

Reduce stress in your life by setting priorities, taking unnecessary things off of your to do list, and finding time to do things as a family that you all enjoy. Think of activities to help you feel relaxed and healthy, and then try to do at least one activity a day to reduce stress.

If you are feeling alone, reach out to a friend who you can speak honestly with. Chances are, whatever is stressing you out, might not be as uncommon as you think it is. There are a lot of stressful issues that parents face but rarely talk about. Even if your friend can’t relate to what you are going through, it always feels good to talk out tough feelings!

The activities that work best for each person will be different, but they can include meditation, yoga, exercise, reading, or even just binge-watching Netflix. Everyone manages stress in their own way, and it may be necessary for you to try a few activities to see what works best for you.

Most parents feel guilt over something they think they do wrong as a parent. A hectic work schedule, chronic illness, or the occasional yelling incident may be the source of parental guilt. Try not to be too harsh on yourself when you feel like you aren’t being a great parent. Try to focus on the parts of parenthood you are handling well instead of the things you think you are failing at.

It is okay not to be super mom or dad every day. Knowing and accepting that what you do and do not have time for in your life will help you make healthier choices that can lead to a less stressful life.

Being a parent can be hard, but it can be a little easier if you work to reduce your stress levels!

I’d love to hear from you! What is your favorite stress relieving activity? What steps have you taken to reduce stress in your life?

Three Reasons We Skip Bedtime In Our House

August 5, 2021August 5, 2021by Patricia15 Comments

My daughter doesn’t have a bedtime. I know this might surprise some of you, but it is a decision I made less than a year ago that has worked out well for our family. We still have a routine we follow each night, but my daughter and how she is feeling that day, determine what time we will start. Today, I want to talk about three of the reasons why we skip bedtime in our house.

I used to put my daughter to bed exactly at 7:15, but it was often a struggle. One day, I decided to just wing it and let her tell me when she was ready to get to bed. She slept better than she had for a long time that night. Now, it’s not uncommon for her to sleep 12 hours, which did not happen at all when we were setting her bedtime. Taking away the pressure of a bedtime gives children the opportunity to listen to their body and to set their own sleep patterns.

Have you ever laid in bed feeling powerless because you just can’t fall asleep? Imagine how stressful that is for a child! Struggling each night at bedtime may actually cause a child to have long term sleep difficulties.

Letting your child decide when to go to bed puts them in command of their own routine and helps them learn how to develop healthy habits. It’s crucial that children learn how to make good decisions for themselves. The more small decisions we can let our children make, the better they will be able to adjust as they get older and are faced with more serious decisions.

Developing healthy sleep habits in the early years of a child’s life is very important. Instead of a strict bedtime, I’ve chosen to empower my preschooler to trust her instincts and make her own sleep decisions.

I’d love to hear from you! Do you have a bedtime for your children or do you let them guide the nighttime routine?

We Tried Vita Ginseng Kids

January 27, 2021January 27, 2021by PatriciaLeave a Comment

It can be hard to narrow down which vitamins or supplements you should buy for your children. When I am considering what to give my daughter, I am looking for great health benefits, including immune support and an increase in memory function. There are many different types of supplements available, but today I want to share our experience with VITA Ginseng Kids.

**This is a sponsored post through Tomoson. All opinions are ours. We are not medical professions and this is not medical advice. Please consult a doctor before starting any kind of supplement or vitamin.**

I grew up with a Korean Step-Grandfather, so I was already well aware of the health benefits of ginseng. For children who sometimes struggle to maintain a balanced diet, supplementing with VITA Ginseng Kids is an easy way to incorporate extra nutrients into their daily lives. It can be easily mixed into a favorite drink or soft food!

The first thing I noticed about the package of VITA Ginseng Kids was how cute the packaging was! It features little monsters. Once we opened up a packet, both my daughter and I took a smell to see if we could tell how it would taste. It smelled really good!

Next, we opened it up and stirred it into a glass of milk. My daughter really enjoyed it. I took a taste as well, and it wasn’t bad! The easy packets make it convenient to take on the go! At $33 for 30 packets, it is reasonably priced and it has great reviews on Amazon!

I am so happy I found a new way to increase the nutrition my newly four year old gets every day!

You can find it here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VRXHX94