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I could never find the right toy organizer that was neutral and small. Everything was too tall or bright colors. So I set out to DIY my own and it came out so great, and cheaper, and easier than I could have ever imagined!
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I pulled together all the directions and shared them in a blog post yesterday! So head there to gather the materials and make your own this weekend!! And be sure to tag me while you're doing it so I can follow along. I love seeing other women create 👊🏼💪🏼👏🏼
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#playroomdecor #playroominspo #playroomorganization #playroomideas #montessoriplayroom #playroominspiration #toyrotation #toddlerplayroom #toddlertoys #toddlertoy #toddlerplay #toddlerplayideas #toddlerplaytime #playmatters #playbasedlearning #learningthroughplay #diyforlittlelearners #diycraft #diyplayroom #toyorganization #toyorganizer #theplayroom #playroomdecoration #nurserydecor

This little playroom setup is from last year when

This little playroom setup is from last year when it was just me and Lachlan and I was so pregnant I could barely move. Rotating the playroom was a priority because it gave me much-needed time to rest while Lachlan played. So even though I could barely move, it was so worth it! Aaand I think it's definitely time to bring that little DIY ghost garland back out! What do you think??
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On the shelves:
→ Pound and Tap Bench with Slide-out Xylophone. Always a winner! Lach's played with this one since he was about 9 months old.
→ Counting Bears and Sorting Cups. Lachlan can sort the bears or he can use them as characters as he's playing. Small parts like these are the best!
→ Large foam dice and a small basket of pom-poms. The dice double as blocks AND a great base for subitizing. Subitizing is an important math skill for kids. It's the ability to instantly recognize a number of objects without actually counting them. So supporting your children by introducing them to the patterns helps build their numeracy. The pom-poms are there to match the dots (one-to-one correspondence), or they can be small parts to build creativity. Lachlan loves filling his dump truck with them!
→ A basket of toy blocks and some tongs. I snagged them over 2 years ago, and they're still the most affordable blocks I've found ($12)!
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#appleslicesllc #appleslicesactivities #babyactivities #babyactivitiesathome #montessoriathome #learningathome #littlelearners #homeschoolmom #homeed #homeeducation #homeeducator #toddleractivitiesathome #invitationtolearn #everydayplayhacks #earlylearning101 #loosepartsplay #earlychildhoodlearning #familychildcare #childmindersofinstagram #inhomechildcare #teachemyoung #simpleplay #sensorybin #preschoolathome #sensoryplayideas #playislearning #homeschoolcurriculum #learnathome #homeeducation #charlottemasonliving

My first weekend away since our babies were born,

My first weekend away since our babies were born, and I didn't realize how much I NEEDED this time—just some space to clear my mind, breathe, and not be touched 24/7. I can't express how much I love my life as a mom, but sometimes taking a minute to step away and regroup is precisely what you need.
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I know not everyone can sneak away like this. And I get it. Our weekend away wasn't easy. I drove 6 hours by myself to drop our kids off with my inlaws and then went 2 hours South to meet my husband. Tomorrow I'll drive back to pick them up, and then we'll all drive South again. I'm lucky that I could take Thursday and Friday off work. And that my inlaws are so great with our three kiddos! I take none of that for granted, but if you can make it happen, get out. Date your spouse. Take a breather. Sleep in a bit. This weekend for ME was very needed, and phew - I am grateful for it and all the people that made it happen.
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How do you make time for yourself, even if it's not as frequent as you would like?
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#stayathomemomlife #stayathomemom #stayathomemoms #stayathome #workathomemom #workathome #workathomemoms #mamapreneur #ohheymamas #wifefmomboss #wahmlife #learnathome #learningathome #playathome #mynameismama #motherhoodrising #motherhoodunited #letthembelittle #honestlymothering #motherhoodintheraw #momentsinmotherhood #momminainteasy #momcommunity #motherhoodthroughig #honestmothering #watchthemgrow #worldoflittles #letthekidsplay #letthemplay #motherhoodjourney

Let's chat about travel! I'll be honest, I don't h

Let's chat about travel! I'll be honest, I don't hesitate to pull out the iPad when we need it, but this morning I made a 5-hour road trip with all three kids by myself, primarily screen-free, + it went pretty well. Double tap if you want to know what made it possible!!
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#1. WE MADE DECISIONS THAT BENEFITED OUR FAMILY:
- Our children are much happier in the mornings, so we left early (5 am!) 😴☕️
- Snacks + drinks are a must. A fun Paw Patrol drink or peanut butter crackers helped pass the time!
- My son and I went to the Dollar Store yesterday, + he chose small toys that he wanted! (there are SO MANY great options there, and it only cost $6, but they entertained him for a while)
- THIS IS ESSENTIAL: I placed each toy in a brown paper bag. I've noticed he's more likely to engage with the toy if I hand it back to him in a small paper bag. (Like unwrapping a gift!)
- I gave our toddler one paper bag every hour-ish (depending on his mood), + he opened the bag and pulled out the toy/activity.
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#2: RECOMMENDED SCREEN-FREE TOYS:
- Small notebook + a pencil bag with crayons + stickers
- Fun drink in a new water bottle
- Foam bath animal toys
- Glow in the dark wand (especially for early mornings or late nights, when it's dark outside)
- Small stuffed animal
- Simple handheld car
- Bubble popper fidget toy
- Baby doll + pretend baby bottle
- A nut + bolt toy set
- Board books! (I grabbed a few new ones I knew he would love)
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Don't forget to save this post so you can come back before your next road trip! And let me know your favorite (and cheap) travel activities below!
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#travelingfamily #mclellanstravel #kidswhotravel #travelwithkids #parentswhowander #familyadventure #strongerthroughtravel #independentplay #independentplayideas #simpleplay

✨L A S T C H A N C E✨
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I’ve teamed up with some incredible accounts to gift one lucky winner the following ⬇️
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✨ flisat table
✨ Krystal kettle gallon bucket from @treasurebucketsco
✨ sign language resin letters from @shurleyfunsensory
✨ 3 figurines set from @safariltd
✨ play tray from @inspiremyplay
✨ kinetic sand
✨ play dough from @wilddough.co
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⏱ TAKES 4 MINUTES TO ENTER:
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🌟Like and Save this photo
🌟Tag your friends, each tag is 1 entry
🌟 Answer the question>>> Would you rather go apple picking or to a pumpkin patch?! 🍎 🎃
🌟Go to @openplaygifting and follow the directions on their post!
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🌟BONUS: Share this post in your stories for 10 extra entries and make sure to tag @openplaygifting so that we can give you credit.
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📌 Details: This event will run from Monday September 13th to Wednesday September 15th at 8PM EST and the winner will be announced within 48 hours after the gifting has ended.
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#appleslicesllc #appleslicesactivities #toddleractivities #toddleractivitiesathome #montessoriathome #learningathome #littlelearners #homeschoolmom #homeed #homeeducation #homeeducator #invitationtolearn #everydayplayhacks #earlylearning101 #loosepartsplay #earlychildhoodlearning #familychildcare #childmindersofinstagram #inhomechildcare #teachemyoung #simpleplay #sensorybin #preschoolathome #sensoryplayideas #playislearning #homeschoolcurriculum #learnathome #homeeducation #playsavedtheday

Three things I learned "going viral" this week.
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1. It turns out you don't have to wear pants on Instagram. I wasn't wearing pants when I filmed my "viral" reel because I flippantly came up with the concept while hanging out in bed. I threw on some earrings and filmed it real quick. Trust your instinct and go with it when an idea comes because that's where the best stuff is.
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2. My followers are the most fantastic, and nothing can convince me otherwise. Suddenly I was dealing with hurtful comments and rude people. Which I am not used to at all because, as stated previously, my followers are amazing. It was a tough pill to swallow as a self-proclaimed people-pleaser, but I had to realize I can't please everyone, and even though my reel was a joke, not everyone would understand that.
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3. There is an exception to every rule! In my reel, I stated that "boy and girl twins are fraternal twins, as they do not have the same DNA. A boy has XY chromosomes, and a girl has XX chromosomes. So there is no chance that they could be identical." Well - that's not always the case. There are rare instances where identical twins start as identical males with XY sex chromosomes. Shortly after the egg divides, a genetic mutation occurs, leaving one twin with the chromosomes X0. This twin will look female but have developmental concerns. The mutation doesn't affect the other twin. (healthline) And another possibility is identical twins who have one sibling that identifies as the opposite gender and transition to that gender. These are entirely plausible and possible exceptions to my statement and essential to acknowledge. My reel was about our baby boy/girl twins and was meant to be a joke - I can't comment about any other twins!
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So while going viral has been great - it doesn't come without some lessons! What lessons have you learned this week? I'd love to hear, no matter how big or small. Let me know below. (#gococks🐔🏈)

🌈L A S T C H A N C E🌈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I’ve teamed up with some incredible accounts to gift two lucky winners the following ⬇️⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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✨ $300 wooden toy bundle from @greenelephanthome for TWO winners!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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⏱ TAKES 4 MINUTES TO ENTER: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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🌟Like and Save this photo⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🌟Tag your friends, each tag is 1 entry ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🌟 Answer the question>>> What is your favourite fall drink?! ☕️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🌟Go to @openplaygifting and follow the directions on their post! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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🌟BONUS: Share this post in your stories for 10 extra entries and make sure to tag @openplaygifting so that we can give you credit. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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📌 Details: This event will run from Thursday August 26th to Saturday August 28th at 8PM EST and the winner will be announced within 48 hours after the gifting has ended.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#independentplay #independentplayideas #toyrotation #shelfiesunday #appleslicesllc #appleslicesactivities #toddleractivities #toddleractivitiesathome #montessoriathome #learningathome #littlelearners #homeschoolmom #homeed #invitationtolearn #everydayplayhacks #earlylearning101 #loosepartsplay #earlychildhoodlearning #familychildcare #childmindersofinstagram #inhomechildcare #simpleplay #sensorybin #preschoolathome #sensoryplayideas #playislearning #homeschoolcurriculum #learnathome #homeeducation #playsavedtheday

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