Slowing Down! – Recap 2018

Happy new year everyone!

Time is flying by and everything is going so fast.
Treasure every second!

Here is an overview of our treasured memories of the year 2018. We hope you had a great year and a wonderful new years eve.

May 2019 bring you all the love and happiness in the world!

Love,
  Jolanda, Michiel,
Miley Haley & Quinn

Music in this video is by:
Meydän – https://soundcloud.com/meydansound/

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Happy Christmas and a Merry New year!

Wohooo Happy everything with lots of glitters and such!

Like every year we made our traditional “best wishes video” With a little sparkle!  Upcoming months will be finding glitter everywhere… but it was SO worth it!

Enjoy the holidays!

Love,
Jolanda, Michiel, Miley Haley & Quinn

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Stress-free Christmas dinner with kids

The Christmas holidays are filled with cozy nights, twinkly lights, cuddles by the fireplace, pumpkin spice and lots of family and friends.
But if you have kids, you know it can also mean a lot of planning stress, kids completely overstimulated by all the excitement and people, and you still need to put out a nice dinner and look like you’re not having a nervous breakdown!
So here a few things that will make your life as a parent a bit easier with kids at the Christmas dinner table!

1. Make it yourself easier. 
I know, we as healthy parents want to put a fresh-made dinner on the table for not only the adults…also our little ones.
My advice!? Make sure you have a ready-made biological baby meal ready. Like this one from Kruitvat home brand available in Holland and Belgium. With all the excitement of the Holliday season, you may find your kids eating nothing so well at the Christmas dinner table. There is just too much happening (and just maybe there was a little too much candy before sitting down at the table.) So if your little one refuses to eat the fancy stuff you made for them you will be happy to know that you have something healthy they will eat for sure!
We are one of those Ripley parents who will cook dinner for the whole family and the baby just eats along with everyone but if there is cooked in a whine or if there is raw meat or fish Involved (which is often the case with festive dinners) I rather have my baby eat a healthy ready-made-dinner. We just like to heat it up and scoop it into a fancy cup because treat should be presented in style! And as a Ripley baby, she will eat it herself. With her little spoon, or little hands.
This way you won’t have to stress about it. For us, it always has been a lifesaver especially when being invited to dinner at friends or family, a ready meal in your bag saves you a lot of stress if they don’t have anything baby-proof on the table.

2. O’h no! What a mess
Relax! Kids will be kids! And you know those little outfits can be washed, so no stressing about it! For the dinner table mess on the little faces and hands (and diaper changes as well) make sure you have 99% water baby wipes standing by. These amazing wipes from Kruitvat (available in Holland and Belgium) have minimal ingredients and 0%pafum and 0% alcohol. We just love to use these natural wipes for all quick kid-messes cleaning purposes. The fabric is super think, soft and they are really affordable! These wipes are making our lives just a bit easier.  At home we always have them standing by close to the dinner table and whenever we go somewhere, a pack of these is always coming with us.

3. Talk to them!
Wouldn’t you get bored if you get ignored the whole evening? Include your 6+-year-old kid in the table conversation sometimes.
For the littlest ones, break free from the grown-up conversation and give them some quality attention for a good 10 minutes.
If there are some other kind family members who would do the same sometimes it will make all the difference!

4. NO don’t touch that!!!
Put some Christmas decorations on the table they are allowed to play with. Like snowglobes or little Christmas trees. Instead of yelling “no don’t touch that” the whole evening you can create an inspiring playfully setting around the kids where they can be distracted.

Blog post continues under these 3 photos:

5. I’m bored!
Please don’t put them behind a screen and turn them into zombies the minute they get bored. Make little goody bags with an activity pack that they can have when they have enough of eating. You could for example put in a little puzzle, some coloring materials a little toy, disposable camera, a little pot of play-doh, activity book, you name it. (just don’t put in bubbles. bubbles will end up in the food and the soap will be emptied on their clothes or on the couch. trust me, I’ve been there)
By the time they are tired and done with the activities, there will be dessert! And then after dessert while everyone is having drinks they will be so tired you maybe can let them reload a bit with a holiday movie on the tablet in a cozy corner with some pillows and lemonade.

6. It’s taking sooo looonggggg
If you are sitting down longer than one hour (which is often the case with us) and they are done eating or playing sitting down, they will get restless. They are kids, their bodies and brains are not designed to sit still this long. Let them off the hook so they can go and (quietly) play away from the dinner table.

7. Ready for bed
If you were invited to dinner somewhere else, your kids will be exhausted once you get in the car, and they probably will crash there.
Take pajamas and toothbrushes with you, so you’ll be able to quietly transfer them sleeping from car to bed. You’ll have them all brushed, cleaned and in their pj’s ready to sleep through the night right before getting in the car.

8. Expectations.
You will all be sitting there at the perfectly set up table with their perfectly styled outfit and the kids will play, and the grownups will all be taking and launching and everyone will be smiling and it will all be just a picture of perfection.
Wake up. This is real life, not your Instagram feed. Somewhere along the evening something will burn, someone will have a tantrum, something will spill, someone will say something awkward, someone will smear some food on some furniture, someone will wipe his or her nose on your arm (moms, this happens to every one of you right!? It’s not just me!?)  and someone will say “mom, I’m bored”. But you know what… You will enjoy it anyway! Because you are together with the people you love most, you have lots of delicious food and everything is perfect just the way is.
Real life perfect.

These where my 8 kid-proof Christmas dinner lifesavers to get through these holiday dinner parties with a smile!
Did I miss something that should really really really be in here!?
Please let me know your best advice in the comments so we can all advantage from them.

Have a lovely holiday dinner!
x Jolanda

Thanks to Kruidvat for being our partner on this post. As usual, all thoughts & opinions are our own.  –

Blog post by Jolanda Marti
Photography: Wild & Boho

Photo’s of our first Christmas dinner this year: 

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10 ways to fight off the “Blue monday” blues!

10 ways to fight off the “Blue monday” blues!

The days are short, no Christmas or new years eve to look forward to, it all went by so fast and all your left with are some extra pounds!  The weather isn’t really making your day, most of the new year’s resolutions are already out the window… which makes you feel shit about yourself. So much to do and it feels like the summer is so, so far away! And you just feel so extremely tired and unmotivated and just maybe a little down.

Well, maybe you have a mild case of a little winter depression. Don’t worry, it won’t last that long.
The most depressing day this year is tomorrow! (January 15)
But here’s the upside: If thats the low-point, it’s all up from there! This year is only getting better from tomorrow on!
So YAY to that!

But first surviving the low-point, Blue Monday coming up!
Michiel and me went out to get some quality time together with coffee and conversations at Coffee & Cacao in Monnickendam!

Get ready to fight the blues with us! These are my 10 tips to cheer up your spirit upcoming weeks!

About the BLUE MONDAY
Blue Monday is a name given to a day in January (typically the third Monday of the month) claimed to be the most depressing day of the year. This date was picked taking many factors into consideration, including weather conditions, shorter daytime, debt level (the difference between debt accumulated and our ability to pay), time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling of a need to take action.

Blue Monday this year (2018)
is on January 15.

Photography: Michiel Fook & Jolanda Marti
Location: Coffee & Cacao   Monnickendam, the Netherlands

1- Meet friends

Chill out with your friends, talk to them, have a drink, compare stories, talk about the fun stuff like:  vacation plans, remodeling the house plans, getting a puppy and all other exciting things/hopes/dreams/plans coming up. And talk about the less fun stuff like things that are going bad, negative feelings, and problems. A friend can help you put things in perspective and can help you think of a way to make it better. But at the least, you can get things off your chest and gives you a moment to vent! And that in itself tends to help a lot to make you feel better!

Have a drink, eat, talk, laugh, cry and toast to an amazing year to come!

2- Spa Sauna day

That tension will just fall right off your back in a few hours of pampering and warm temperatures!
You deserve this! After all those months of hard work, you are allowed to treat yourself!

This is the best time to reload, just when you need it the most!
So if you could afford to go to a spa at least once a year, this would be the perfect time to plan it in.
This way your visit to the spa will have maximum effect. I’m sure it will make you feel so relaxed, inspired and positive so that you’ll be able to get back in the ring and hit the ground running on whatever challenges are lying ahead upcoming months!

3-(‎Bring the kids to grandma and) Go on a date!

For all the childless people: Get off the couch and go do something FUN!!! That’s your excuse!? Go NOW! Have fun! Or if you’re tired of that stuff: Pick up your little neeses and nephews (you will make their parent’s day) and skip to point 3 of this list!

For all the parents: Yayyyy we are going to grandma and grandpa Kids!!! Sleepover! So Exiting! The kids will be over the moon!
And we are too! What would we do without our social safety net, our parents, our friends, our family! So grateful to have them in our lives! And don’t be afraid to ask for a bit of help when you really need it! We parents often go on and on way too long before breaking down… Look after yourselves and your relationship, take the time to talk to each other. Especially with 2+ kids, you will need a break from being a parent sometimes to be a partner instead, give each other your undivided attention.

We love our kids to pieces, but there are things we miss doing together. Before there where kids, it was just us two. And you had the time to do things without entertaining a kid or you could plan a day out with all fun grownup things!
Remember the last time you could just sit at a table for two and enjoy a cup of coffee and a conversation, followed by a visit to a museum? Or go out to dinner and watch a movie after? Or… whatever you would like to without having to worry of whatever your mini is doing… But just for a little moment just be the two of you again.

And guess what!? After a few hours, you’ll see! You will miss them! And when you go and pick them up, you will have the energy to be more fun and patient parent for weeks to come!

 

4-‎ Bake cookies a cake or something else!

Yes! Nothing gives the house that cozy warm happy feel to it than the smell of fresh baked cookies or big delicious apple pie!
This is also amazing to do with your kids. Its fun to do when you’re making it… it smells amazing when your backing it and it makes everyone happy when you’re eating it! Yay! (writing this makes me hungry)

5-Movie Night!

Do a Netflix movie night at home with blankets, homemade popcorn and hot coco!
If you’re going to be a couch potato… be a proper couch potato like a pro! Make things as decadent and comfortable as possible!
Turn that couch into Movie watching heaven! Wait until the kids are asleep and Watch at least 2 movies with your favorite (healthy) snacks!

6-Go outside!!!

Put on your warmest coat and go outside! Take a walk in the park or go on a hike through nature! I know its tempting to stay indoors under a cozy blanket, but going outside will give your body and mind the chance to reload, get some movement, breath some fresh air and get some of that vitamin D in your system!

A walk outside may just give you that little extra energy and positivity to get other stuff going that will get you back on a positive track again!

7- Go swimming!

Yes, you heard me! even doh its cold outside! Especially with the kids! Go and make some swimming bags, put on your swimsuit and go to an indoor tropical swim-paradise! Just use that imagination and act like you’re on a tropical island adventure! Play, jump, have fun! And be in the moment! when you’re back home everyone will get all fuzzy and tired and everyone will sleep like a rose that night! On behalf of your kids, can i just say… Best-Day-Ever!  And happy kids = happy parents!

8- Get creative!

We love to watch our favorite tv series or watch a movie, but a few times a week we leave the tv off, put on some nice music, pour ourselves a drink and just get creative! We do or create whatever we feel like. Like a nice and relaxed art-jam. Most of the times its just the two of us, but over the years we have organized a few art-jam-nights with friends so we can be creative and inspire each other. Being creative is such a wide concept, it could be a drawing, painting, writing, brainstorming on some ideas in a notebook, making new clothes, doing something with your interior, it can be a small project or a big one, and if I could, I would love to make music. (something that’s definitely on my bucket list) but I don’t have those skills yet, so we just keep it at just listening to music for now!

Being creative is great for stress relief. Everyone is talented in some way or another! The problem is that people tend to stress on the fact that whatever they are creating should be “good enough” and that is such a big roadblock. Art cant be wrong, as long as you enjoy making it! Don’t be so hard on yourself and try to have fun!

9- Take care of your health!

Yes I know you’re tired and feeling like eating junk food on the coutch, and that is’n the end of the world. But try and balance that out with lots of delicious fresh fruits and veggies! Combine that with a nice workout or a yoga session and you will definitely feel better and energized with and get all those nice endorphins flowing! That way it’s okay to relax and chill out and eat cookies on some other nights and you get the best of both worlds. Having those two in balance will make all the difference. No extreme health and workout regimes or extreme couch potato-laziness (and all the guilt and tiredness that come with that).

Finding the right balance is hard in the dark winter days after all the holidays already far behind us and still a lot of winter days to go.
But a little bit of movement and extra vitamins will give you the kickstart you need to get up and smile again.

10- Bring some green into the house.

Most of the trees outside have lost their leaves months ago and it will still take a few months for the new fresh leaves to grow back.
Plants are air purifiers. They help remove dangerous compounds from fuels, furnishings, and clothing. They help you feel healthy, happy and fights depression! It also makes you focus better, brings out your creativity and calms you!

So go and get yourself some plant-babies!
Tip: look for palms if you’re looking for some low-maintenance greens in your home!

 

So tell us!? Have you got a bad case of the Blue Monday Blues?
Do you have additional tips? Leave us your experiences in the comments!

x Jolanda

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2017 Recap!

2017 was amazing! Looking back at the past 12 months and so much has happened! We are so thankful for everything and everyone we have in our lives! We are grateful for all the experiences we had and even the difficulties we encountered because we learned from them!

Feels like we are on the right track, let’s continue 2018 and make it a good year filled with positivity and inspiration!

I will be checking in more often from now on! And we are switching from Dutch to Englisch from now on! Subscribe on our youtube channel to be updated on all new videos!
Have a Happy 2018 everyone!!!

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