tips

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Emergency Car Essentials

mandylouhead - Checklists - November 24, 2024

Emergencies can come in different sizes and shapes. Especially in cars and with children. An emergency can be anything from being stuck without a clean diaper to way worse. Therefore, I have made a list of 31 essentials to keep in your car in case of an emergency, and I will add to it as I think of more.

This post may contain affiliate links. This means, I may receive a small commission, AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, if you make a purchase through my link. Read full disclosure HERE.

First aid kit
Jumper cables
Insurance card
Pen
Notepad
Phone charger
Wipes
Diapers (if you have a baby)
Screwdrivers
Tissues
Paper towels
Bottled water

13. Trash can

14. Walmart bags

15. Blanket

16. Snacks (ones that won’t melt)

17. Hand sanitizer

18. Sunscreen

19. Some cash for emergencies

20.Extra shoes or flip flops

21.Flashlight

22.Umbrella

23. Hairbrush

24. Window scraper

25. Hair ties

26. Female products

27. Tire pressure gauge

28. Seat belt cutter

29. Glass breaker

30. Flair

31. Jacket

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Mom Must Haves: Essential Finds For the Busy Mama

mandylouhead - Children - November 24, 2024

As a mom, it is hard to know which items you can trust for your children. You want to give them the best, but don’t always know what that is. Here at My Other Shoelace, we desire to help you get the best quality products. All the products here are items that I have personally used and love.

This post may contain affiliate links. This means, I may receive a small commission, AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, if you make a purchase through my link. Read full disclosure HERE.

Ryan & Rose Cutie Dose - Baby Medicine Dispenser Syringe

4.2 *

1k reviews

Don’t you hate how the syringes are too short to reach the bottom of the medicine bottles!? Well, Ryan & Rose makes a syringe that is extra long so it can reach the bottom of the bottles. I found these after having to pour medicine into a medicine cup and then suck it into the syringe. This a game changer when you have a sick kiddo.

No Touch Thermometer

4.5 *

102k reviews

We had tried soooo many different thermometers and were constantly frustrated because you never knew if you should add a degree or not. This no touch thermometer takes the guess work out of it. It lights up green for no fever, yellow for low grade, and red for a full blown fever.

NOTE: This thermometer does have to be calibrated with each use, so be sure to read the directions on the package (it’s very easy to do).

Huggies Simply Clean Fragrance-Free Baby Wipes

4.7 *

61.7k reviews

I am a HUGE fan of Huggies Simply Clean Wipes. When my babies were little, they were allergic to everything. They were allergic to every scent… even the clean scents. Well, these are scent free, and alcohol free. Alcohol free means that they can be used on diaper rash without burning the baby’s skin, and even used on the baby’s face. Trust me… you’ll love these!

Take N Toss Toddler Sippy Cups

4.5 *

14.7k reviews

When my oldest daughter was a toddler, they had a massive recall on a TON of sippy cups. They were all unable to be properly cleaned and therefore growing mold. I checked ours and threw out everything that was moldy. Take n Toss was the only thing that was left standing… so it became all that we used. BONUS… they are super cheap, so if you leave one behind you can replace it for $1 or less.

Zacurate Pro Series 500DL Fingertip Pulse Oximeter

4.7 *

230.5k reviews

I have an asthmatic child who gets croup every time she gets sick. When she was small, it was super scary. Having a pulse-ox machine at home was a game changer. Suddenly, we could tell if she could make it to the doctor or ER, or if we had to call 911.

DISCLAIMER: My model came from Walgreens as we got in the middle of the night when she was sick. The linked one is higher rated and silicone covered. I especially if you have little ones, I recommend ordering one that you know is rated high and can be shipped to you before you actually need it.

There you have it… essential finds for busy mamas! I may be adding to this list as time goes on, so be sure to check back. If there’s anything you think I should have on this list, shoot me a message at [email protected]. I only promote products that I personally use and love, so it may take me a while to try it out (assuming my kiddos aren’t too old now). Happy mommying!

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101 Self-Care Ideas: Elevate Your Well-being

mandylouhead - Mental health - November 18, 2024

There are a lot of different ways to practice self-care. We often say we don’t have time, we are too busy, or (for the mom’s) we don’t have a babysitter… and we can’t do anything special for ourselves.

I am here to show you that there are MANY ways to practice self-care. Some of which can be done in a few minutes with a child crawling on your lap. Some require more time and focus, but both are important.

Here are 101 self-care ideas for you to use to elevate your well-being today:

This post may contain affiliate links. This means, I may receive a small commission, AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, if you make a purchase through my link. Read full disclosure HERE.

Unfollow someone on social media that is negative all the time or just plain stresses you out for no reason at all. Don’t explain anything- just unfollow them.
Paint your toes- freshly painted toes just feel nice.
Wash your face- everything feels better after you’ve washed your face. Even if you only have time to splash it with a little water… it’s better than nothing.
Take a day for yourself- this is hard to schedule, especially if you have kids. It can also be hard to focus on yourself for an entire day- if you can’t do a full day (for whatever reason) start with an hour or two.
Make (or find) a new Spotify playlist.
Listen to music you love.
Cuddle with your kids or pets.
See a therapist
Go through old pictures and maybe print some out
Write a note to someone- showing gratitude is good for the soul
Write in a journal
Read or listen to a book or podcast
Do a puzzle
Learn something new
Go for a drive
Go for a walk
Buy or pick yourself flowers

18.Go to bed early/ take a nap

19.Drink water

20.Take your prescribed meds, vitamins, and supplements

21.Create a budget

22.Go through mail (if you are like me, you probably have a stack somewhere in your house)

23.Write down positive affirmations and repeat them to yourself daily

24.Attend a church or worship service

25.Read your Bible

26.Exercise

27.Make a lunch date with a friend

28.Take a break from social media

29.Call a loved one to say hi

30.Declutter your email

31.Set boundaries

32.Light a candle (out of reach of kids and pets)

33.Clean something

34.Declutter something

35.Turn on some music and dance

36.Get a massage

37.Go to the gym

38.Go swimming

39.Go for a hike

40.Stretch

41.Start a garden

42.Sing along with your favorite music

43.Go kickboxing

44.Volunteer

45.Host a game night

46.Go on a picnic

47.Have a movie night

48.Take an art class

49.Visit a museum

50.Have a beach day

51.Meditate

52.Do yoga

53.Start a journal

54.Start a blog (email me for my best tips)

55.Laugh- watch a comedy and laugh your heart out

56.Pray

57.Read inspiring books

58.Read devotionals

59.Create a vision board

60.Say no- sometimes it’s hard, but it is important to say no at times

61.Take an online course (Udemy has lots of free courses)

62.Connect with peers in your field

63.Set goals

64.Attend a conference

65.Attend a workshop

66.Do some mind-mapping

67.Watch a webinar

68.Enjoy your favorite coffee or tea

69.Get into comfy clothes

70.Binge watch your favorite show

71.Eat a healthy meal

72.Listen to a sound machine

73.Make a gratitude list or journal

74.Practice deep breathing

75.Paint or draw

76.Sit in the sun

77.Eat your favorite meal

78.Eat your favorite snack

79.Take a bubble bath

80.Go to the library

81.Wash your bedding- then crawl into bed while they are still warm

82.Give someone a hug

83.yourself a hug

84.Make a list of inspiring quotes

85.Spend time with an inspiring person

86.Watch the sunrise/ sunset

87.Perform a random act of kindness

88.Brush your teeth

89.Take a deep breath

90.Rearrange a room

91.Write a letter to someone

92.Do a face mask

93.Organize your clothes

94.Visit a new place

95.Try a new hairstyle

96.Have a make-up free day

97.Start writing a book

98.Karaoke

99.Stretch

100.Start a DIY Project

101.Watch a documentary or a new movie

There you have it! 101 self-care ideas. If you have more ideas that you would like me to add, email me at [email protected]. I hope you are able to find some way to relax today. Best wishes!!

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A Day In The Life: A Mom, Wife, Blogger, and Tired Human

mandylouhead - Children - November 17, 2024

I’m off work tomorrow and have a lot to do, so I thought it might be a good day to do “a day in the life.” This will be a day in the life of a mom, wife, new blogger, and human being that’s exhausted from a long couple weeks. I have the day off work, so the plan for tomorrow is to have the maintenance guys come and work on an issue with our windows. I should be able to get a lot done while they do their thing. Let’s see if I get a nap.

This post may contain affiliate links. This means, I may receive a small commission, AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, if you make a purchase through my link. Read full disclosure HERE.

The Night Before

8:30pm Everyone is in bed and I’ve been writing for my blog for the last couple hours. Want to go to sleep, but my brain won’t shut off. Too many creative juices flowing I suppose. Not a bad problem to have for someone wanting to start a blog. Plan to get 10-12 blog posts written out before I start adding things to the blog itself. We’ll see when it actually goes live.

8:35pm Watching Gilmore Girls as I type this. Think I’ll send a message to a friend and let her know about all the progress I’ve made. She’s my biggest supporter… no matter how many times I try the same things… she’s always there supporting me. Hope you have a best friend as great as mine!

8:50pm. So, I messaged her, but haven’t heard back… and now I’m getting really tired. This is how it always works. We’ll be mid conversation and I’ll just stop responding because I fell asleep. I think she knows I don’t mean to do it, but maybe I should talk to her about it. Communication is key!!!

9pm Just remembered that I’m supposed to be putting a Walmart pickup order through for the morning. Gotta do that now.

9:09pm My friend messaged back. We’ll see how long I can stay awake to talk lol.

9:18 pm Asked her if it bothers her when I fall asleep while we are talking, and then told her I think I’m going to fall asleep soon. Going to try and sleep now.

9:38pm. So, I had to get up and go to the kitchen to make my to-do list for tomorrow. Came back and ate some pretzel sticks. Friend messaged back and said we’re good. Going to try and sleep again. We’ll see if I can.

Btw, watching the episode of Gilmore Girls where Rory graduates from HS. “Those are strings Pinocchio!” I don’t remember a lot of the episode names, but this one stuck with me. Will probably go to sleep after this episode.

9:50pm Was almost asleep and realized I forgot to take my meds. Had to get up and take them.

2:40am Guess I finally got some sleep. Woke up to go to the bathroom. Grabbed half a protein shake and a bel vita bar. So tired.

Morning Time

5:40am Woke up to my alarm clock without hitting snooze. Yay! Time to make lunches and fill water bottles.

My youngest was getting headaches at school everyday for over a week. We had her eyes checked and they were fine, and we found out that she wasn’t eating her sandwich at lunch. So I started making a Jack’s pizza every morning that she doesn’t like the lunch choices so she will actually eat. All that to say, I had to make a pizza this morning for her lunch.

6:00am Time to wake up my youngest. She is very cranky today. Complaining about me “burning a hole in her eyeballs” with the closet light. Lol.

6:15am Youngest complains she isn’t feeling well. She asks for the puke bowl. Two minutes later she is throwing up. Looks like my day is going to be a little different than I expected.

6:20 She asked for her reflux medicine (I was planning to have her wait to take it, but she was ready for it now)

6:25am I drank half a protein shake for breakfast.

6:40am. Took the dog outside and then fed him.

6:55am Said goodbye to my hubby. Started a load of laundry. Took out the trash.

7:10am. Youngest asked for breakfast.

7:25 We drove my oldest daughter to the bus stop so she wouldn’t have to sit in the cold. While there, we saw the maintenance guy. I don’t want him to get sick, so I let him know I have a sick kid and he might want to stay away.

7:45 Drove to Walmart for my pickup order. Came home and unloaded the groceries.

8:00 While switching laundry, my youngest (who is home sick) tried to get on the computer. I told her no. She got upset. Apparently I “yelled at her.” I almost never raise my voice, but I raised my voice just a little and said, “Kid, you have no idea what being yelled at is.” This sent her into a complete meltdown. Spent the next 10 minutes explaining to her that while sick, she needs to be in bed trying to get better, not sitting at the computer.

8:15 I had to call the school to let them know my daughter won’t be at school today because she was throwing up

8:20 While starting the next load of laundry, my youngest yells, “I’m gonna puke!” So I run in with the bowl. Have a feeling it’s going to be a long day.

8:30 I sit down and get a chance to type this all out, while eating a fruit roll up. Probably forgetting something. Probably not the best day to do this kind of post, but going to try and stick with it.

8:40 I heated up some Jack in the Box tacos and took my morning meds. Not the most healthy breakfast, but trying to make something quick so I can get stuff done. My daughter keeps showing me YouTube clips on her phone. I feel myself getting overwhelmed.

8:48 My youngest started playing the Stewie “mom, mama, Mommy!” Clip from Family Guy. Does that give you any idea how my day’s going?

8:52 I think I’m going to try and take a nap. Just kinda feel like it’s going to be a necessity today.

9:35 I took a little nap. Kiddo woke me up to make her food. Going to try to sleep again.

10:05 Got a phone call from my oldest daughter. Something happened at school. She was upset and wanted me to come get her. I asked if she was sick. She said no, but she would tell me when I got there. Had to have the youngest get ready and head to the school to pick up her sister.

Challenges of Being a Mom

10:20 Got to the school and she wouldn’t tell me what was wrong. I had her sister get in the car and she told me someone made a rude comment about her clothes during PE and then she was distracted and not playing right so her teammates said they wouldn’t pass her the ball because she doesn’t pay attention. Poor kid was just having a rough day!

10:45 Got home and switched the laundry. Started the last load for the day…. Or at least it’s the last load as of now. It’s hard to remember to type all this stuff out. Glad I don’t have to do this everyday. Can’t believe it’s not even 11 yet.

11:25 When I have six loads of laundry to fold like I will have when I’m all done with laundry today, I sometimes break it down and fold one load at a time so I don’t get too overwhelmed. So, I just folded one load to get started. Still need to put the stuff away, but we’ll get there eventually.

11:50 Just finished reading some articles on Pinterest about blogging. Made lunch for one of the kids. Then took the dog out to use the bathroom. Think I might try to get another little nap.

12:20 Had a PB&J sandwich and read some more articles on Pinterest.

1:40 Well, I spent quite a while working on research for a post and then started to write it. Then I made a chicken taco and ate that and some pretzel sticks. Now I’m watching a movie with a kiddo and might take a nap (she’s playing a game on her phone).

4:00 Looks like I was able to get a pretty good little nap in. Still super tired. I think I mentioned at the beginning of this post that the last 3-4 weeks have been super busy. I had a kiddo home sick for a whole week (which is far from a break) and then I was working 5 days a week and Drs appointments an hour away on my off days. I feel like I need to just take a day and just sleep it off, but there’s too much to do.

4:11 Switched the laundry out of the dryer. Had my oldest daughter switch the load from the washer to the dryer. Now, I’m going to turn something on the TV and fold some clothes.

Had one kid get in the shower. For those with littles, let me just encourage you with this… there will come a day when they can give themselves showers and you can sit and watch tv. That day may be far in the future, but just know that it is coming.

5:00 Had a protein shake and then the hubby called. He was on his way home from work. I updated him on our day so he knows what he’s walking into.

Then had the other kiddo get in the shower.

5:22 hubby is driving home in the dark and it’s raining, so we’ve been watching Life 360. What should only take 50 minutes (if there’s no traffic) has already taken an hour and he’s still half an hour away. He has trouble seeing in the dark and almost hit a deer the other day, so I’m a little nervous. Thankful that he had the idea to turn on a tracking app for my peace of mind. STL driving is no joke. Don’t know how you people do it all the time. It’s definitely not for me.

Finishing Up The Day

6:06 Finished folding the laundry, had the kids put theirs away, and I put mine and the hubby’s away. Hubby got home from work and ordered food from the bowling alley and I’m headed up there to get it in just a minute.

6:46 Picked up dinner, ate, and now watching TV with the fam.

7:50pm Watched TV with the fam for a while, then got everyone ready for bed. Youngest has had melatonin, her reflux medicine, and her night time inhaler. Now everyone is getting settled. We are watching Best Friends Whenever while winding down.

I’m so ready for bed. While it was fun writing down everything I did for a whole day, I’m glad I don’t have to do it every day. It’s definitely hard to remember to write everything down as it’s happening.

8:05 My alarm went off at 8pm to take my night meds. Taking them 5 minutes late, but still remembering.

8:10 I got a message from my friend asking how my day was. We talked for a while before I went to sleep.

So, that’s 24 hours… a full day in my life. If you are a mom, wife, or just a woman who takes care of her home…. I hope this encourages you. You are not alone in your struggles. We ALL have endless piles of laundry, times we need a nap, and days that do NOT go as planned. We are all doing our best. Best wishes, friend!

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The Financial Pitfalls of My 20s: How I Got Back on Track

mandylouhead - Financial - November 17, 2024

Are you tired of living paycheck to paycheck? Do you work hard week after week, only to end up frustrated with little to show for it?

While you love your parents, do you find yourself repeating their financial mistakes and unsure how to break the cycle?

This post may contain affiliate links. This means, I may receive a small commission, AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, if you make a purchase through my link. Read full disclosure HERE.

My 20s

I remember being in my early 20s. I was no longer a “child” and was frustrated with anyone who treated me like one. I was young and wanted to figure things out for myself, but I didn’t really have anywhere to go for help without getting judged for it.

I felt like I was stuck out in the world trying to figure things out for myself. That’s why I’m here on My Other Shoelace… to make sure you aren’t alone trying to figure it all out for yourself.

Future Posts

Before we go any further, I want to invite you to message me at [email protected]. Send me the questions you need answer to, the problems you need help with, and the how to’s that you need explained.

It may take me a while to find the right answers, but I will try my best to get you the quality responses you need and deserve… and I will never call you out.

Just to be clear, this is a family friendly blog, so anything that doesn’t fit in that category won’t be answered publicly.

Money

During my 20s, money was probably one of, if not THE biggest problem I had. I just didn’t have enough of it to get to everything, and I felt like it was a huge hindrance.

Everything required money- from the apartment I lived in, to the gas I put in my car. I worked full-time, but just kept getting deeper and deeper in the debt… making huge mistake after huge mistake.

1. Credit Cards

Now, credit cards in and of themselves are not evil. Used correctly, credit cards can help build your credit score and actually help you in the future. The key is to use them for emergencies only and pay them off every month.

In my 20s, I had 3 credit cards and they were all constantly maxed out. Not only were they maxed out, but I was only paying the minimum each month.

Where it Went Bad

The credit cards would occasionally charge interest fees before I got a chance to pay the bills, and it would trigger over-the-limit fees. This would cause the bill to be more than I could afford and I would have to wait until my next paycheck to pay it. This would sometimes trigger a late fee charge and I would just be stuck in this cycle.

It was so stressful, and I couldn’t go to anyone for help, because I was the one who charged up the credit cards. As you can tell, I was in a never-ending loop of credit card debt. Getting to the point where I could pay them off was extremely hard, but one of the best things I ever did.

2. Overdraft Fees

Back when I was in my 20s, banks would charge $35 for every purchase you made if your account was below or went below zero dollars. This was before the days of online banking or even having email on your phone, so you wouldn’t even get an alert about being below zero or for each overdraft. You would, however, get a postcard in the mail 3 days after the fact.

I remember one day I overdrafted $10 in gas, $3.50 at McDonald’s, and $4 at Starbucks, triggering $105 in overdraft fees from one day. All because I forgot to record one tank of gas in my register.

See, I always TRIED to balance my checkbook, but I would forget something here or there and it would throw me completely off. I would get so far behind from overdraft fees that I would have no choice but to turn to my next “financial mistake.”

3. Payday Loans

This financial blunder is when you borrow money against your FUTURE paychecks. As in ones that you haven’t gotten yet. This takes living “paycheck to paycheck” to a whole new level.

Instead of having to go 14 days on one paycheck, you are getting that money early (for a huge fee), and almost guaranteeing that you will need to take out another payday loan before your next payday.

It became a long, agonizing cycle. I ended up getting so far in debt with this one that my mom had to lend me money to get out of it. I don’t know how I could have done it without her.

4. Bought a Brand New Car

It was my first year of teaching and we were having a Christmas play that night. I remember driving into the parking lot and everyone was looking at my car with the loud exhaust. It was so embarrassing.

I think it was later that day that I drove my completely paid off car down the street to the car lot and signed papers for a brand new 09 Nissan Versa. It was the cheapest possible car I could get with absolutely NO frills. That thing didn’t even have a radio.

I spent miles upon miles with a boombox in the seat next to me, just so that I could pretend that I could afford a brand new car. My finances were such a mess that I couldn’t even afford to fix the heater less than two years later when the wires overheated and melted together (not covered by warranty). It was stuck on heat in the middle of summer… such a mess.

Take my word for it… please don’t buy a brand new car. If you must take out a loan- do a TON of research and find a reliable used car.

5. Going From Hourly to Salary (without comparing the wages)

The last financial mistake I will list here is when I went from making a good hourly wage to signing a salary that was MUCH less per paycheck… just so I could get the summers off.

See, when I got the job teaching, I had negotiated a good hourly wage, but when I decided that I wanted to have the summers off, I didn’t negotiate. I assumed my boss would give me a salary that was equivalent to what I was making.

Oh boy… was I ever wrong! She went low assuming that I would negotiate, and I just accepted it. I ended up having to work after school AND during the summer for the hourly wage just to make up the difference.

Good Decisions

While I made a lot of bad financial decisions in my 20s, there was one decision that I made that turned it all around. I decided to take on extra work to actually get ahead for once.

I got a second job delivering pizzas in the evenings and on the weekends. Delivering pizzas put a little extra cash in my pocket at the end of every shift, so it kept me from overdrafts and needing things like payday loans. I was able to use the cash to put gas in my tank without worrying about all that could happen.

Not only that, but I also started cleaning for a friend. I cleaned her house every other weekend, and having that extra money gave me the freedom to breathe a little bit. I was working MANY hours between the three jobs and I used the money from her to “treat” myself to a quick tanning session every couple weeks.

Added Bonus

I can’t promise that it will work out for everyone the same, but in my case- delivering pizzas was where I happened to meet my now husband of 12 years. All-in-all, taking on the extra work turned out good for me.

Things I wish I Knew Sooner

When you find yourself in the hole financially, there are NO “easy” ways out. Your best bet is to find a side gig (in addition to your current job), that pays cash tips at the end of the night. Jobs like Dominos, Doordash, cleaning houses, or waiting tables. These kinds of jobs are your best bet to get ahead.
Once you have a steady stream of money coming in- you have to make and stick to a budget. Schedule out when you will pay each of your bills, and live off the leftovers. Don’t spend what you want and try to pay the bills later.
IF you truly do not make enough to get by and working a side gig is not an option, then you might have to take a hard look at your current position. I am NOT saying to quit your job. What I am saying, IF you must, spend some time and energy redoing your resume and try sending it out to see if you can find a new position that will help you meet your needs a little better.

I hope with all my heart that you are not stuck in any of these financial holes, but if you are- I want to encourage you- there is light at the end of the tunnel. Working hard now to get ahead will only benefit you in the future.

The Night Before

Morning Time

Challenges of Being a Mom

Finishing Up The Day

My 20s

Future Posts

Money

1. Credit Cards

Where it Went Bad

2. Overdraft Fees

3. Payday Loans

4. Bought a Brand New Car

5. Going From Hourly to Salary (without comparing the wages)

*Good Decisions*

*Added Bonus*

Things I wish I Knew Sooner

Good Decisions

Added Bonus