five {optional} tips for smarter parenting

full disclosure: if this post smells like it's sponsored that's because it is. 

say WHAT?

I know. And so if you'd rather skip it ... I completely understand! But if you stick and click around ... I'll be your biggest fan.

Before you think I've gotten comfy sitting on my high horse about being some sort of parenting expert please know that I went to the store twice this week to buy toilet paper and came out with about nine things other than my intended purchase. I know you know but I have to reiterate that I'm not a pro on any front - parenting or other. So take these with a saltshaker or leave them altogether. Or - mixing and matching is always an option too. Here are just a few ways I've found that make my life a little tiny bit easier with small children underfoot ... all the time.

1. diaper delivery - A lot of you have told me time and time again that I should order our diapers online. After taking 8 trips back and forth and back and forth from the van to the house after a Costco run last week I finally decided that 7 trips sounded a lot more pleasant and that you were right. Just as I started to wave my white flag I got an email about writing a post about ordering diapers from this website. Happy coincidence! I ordered some packages at 3am on Wednesday morning (love you, Phoebe!) and they got here on Thursday around noon.

Awesome. They have free shipping on orders over $50 which is great for people that order a lot of diapers at a time ... like us. They also have wipes and sippies and bottles and all those fun necessities. I'm an idiot and completely forgot to use the coupon code WOWHUGGIES for $12 off my order but ... you should use it in my forgetful place. I even sprang for some princess pull-ups for Julia with the hope that nap and bed prep would feel a little less like a marathon. It worked ... for now.

2. Smoothies! If I'm not able to get a meal ready for the kittens in a timely manner (usually in the morning because I wake up when they wake up - I'm working on being an earlier riser) before they start melting and pawing around the pantry and gnawing on my kneecaps I can throw a smoothie together and into three cups with straws in about two minutes. The kids are happy sipping away and blowing bubbles (I pick my battles and this is not one of them) and I'm relieved to have purchased 5-10 minutes to throw an actual meal together. They love this fruity smoothie and I sub out the coffee for almond milk in this one too.

3. Smart Shopping - Or semi-smart. When I go to Costco I buy the massive bags of shredded mozzarella cheese, kale, and fresh bell peppers. As soon as I got home and have the time I chop up the bell peppers and put big handfuls of them into sandwich bags and then into the freezer. Same thing with the cheese and the kale - minus the chopping, obviously. The kale is then ready to go for smoothies, the peppers are ready for just about anything (omelettes, burritos, casseroles, etc etc) and the cheese doesn't get moldy sitting in a huge bag in the fridge for 15 days.

4.  Church Bag - We try really, really hard not to be tardy for Mass - especially when we hit up the speedy 30 minute hospital Mass because it's never good to walk in during the Gospel when you're just two minutes late. We've streamlined things slightly in that we have a bag that stays in the car with book, diapers, and wipes. No more rushing around asking if the kids picked out their books and asking Simon to find the disappearing act that is the three open bags of wipes. Also, if we are ever out and my bag is experiencing a bizarre clean diaper famine - we can borrow from the church bag. It's kind and generous like that.

5. Shoes - I recently and happily found some shoes that are not rain boots that the older kids can put on all by themselves.

Getting the kids out the door can take many moons but if I can ask Julia and Sebastian to put their shoes on que solo ... the process is slightly faster. I know these are super trendy and maybe a little bit ugly but they wash off easily and don't hurt Sebastian's W I D E feet which is a huge feat because every single shoe under the sun "huwts!!!" him and send him into a very unnecessary toddler rage.

Thanks for reading, thanks for clicking, and thanks for being the best readers on the w-cubed.

We lucky.

And if you have any time-saving tips for a novice like me ... I'm always all eyes. I promise to listen this time. Cross my heart and pretend hope to die.