Make My Life Easier Thursday: FlexBreeze Fan
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I just went to a backyard party on a sweltering day — but the hosts set up a misting fan just like this one that kept guests cool and comfortable.
This portable indoor/outdoor fan has a misting attachment that easily attaches to your hose. It also runs up to 24 hours cordless, and with the press of a button, adjusts from pedestal to tabletop height. Use it at the park, pool, picnics or anywhere you need a little breeze.
Shark’s FlexBreeze Fan is available at Amazon for under $200.
Sales of note for 9.10.24
(See all of the latest workwear sales at Corporette!)
- Ann Taylor – 30% off your purchase
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; up to 50% off everything else
- J.Crew – Up to 50% off wear-to-work styles; extra 30% off sale styles
- J.Crew Factory – 40-60% off everything; extra 60% off clearance
- Lands’ End – 30% off full-price styles
- Loft – Extra 40% off sale styles
- Talbots – BOGO 50% everything, includes markdowns
- Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
- Zappos – 26,000+ women’s sale items! (check out these reader-favorite workwear brands on sale, and some of our favorite kids’ shoe brands on sale)
Kid/Family Sales
- Carter’s – Birthday sale, 40-50% off & extra 20% off select styles
- Hanna Andersson – Up to 50% off all baby; up to 40% off all Halloween
- J.Crew Crewcuts – Extra 30% off sale styles
- Old Navy – 40% off everything
- Target – BOGO 25% off select haircare, up to 25% off floor care items; up to 30% off indoor furniture up to 20% off TVs
What things do you do to add joy to your life?
If I stop to think about it for a second, I have an incredible life that past me would have been amazed by. But day to day it often feels like I’m just grinding through the routine stressors. I don’t think I need to make big changes, just little ones to help me enjoy all that I have.
I’m 40 and pregnant with my first child (but 4th pregnancy), entering my 3rd trimester. It took a LOT to get to this point, and it’s been a very tough, high risk pregnancy with many hospital visits and even being admitted for a week and a half.
I’m feeling mentally and physically exhausted and pretty miserable. I also feel like I’ve wasted the last summer I’ll have without a kiddo. Due to medical complications and exhaustion, I basically stay inside all day in the AC and try to get some work done, but I do nap every afternoon. And the joking “sleep now while you can” comments from friends and family don’t help. Thankfully my DH is very supportive, but others don’t seem to understand that no, I can’t go to a concert / cookout / beach etc. It gets annoying turning down invitations and feeling like a bad friend/family member but I physically cannot.
Any pregnancy friendly pick me ups I can try? I don’t think I’m depressed, just surprised at how hard it is to carry a pregnancy to term. I really thought it wouldn’t have that much impact. However, I’m not excited about my baby shower. I see it as a chore. I’m not excited about nesting. Everything we’ve bought so far is unopened in the combo office/nursery. It just feels like another chore.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a backpack/carrier you can carry your toddler in that can go on a plane? Our kid will be 3 and we want to hike at our destination so we think a carrier will be easier than a stroller. But he is too big for the ergo.
Class assignments are out and it’s been a busy morning texting with all the moms to see who ended up where. My incoming first grader has a couple casual friends in her class but no besties (which isn’t a shock – I’ve heard they intentionally separate kids who are thick as thieves). For those with older kids, how much should we expect close friendships to rearrange each year of early elementary? One of her best friends from her class last year is a semi-neighbor that we normally have an organized play date with about once a week and the kids often play on the playground together after school. Is it naive to think that friendship will survive different class placements?
i post on here all the time about my 6 year old twins who like to scratch, bite, pull hair, etc. and tease/fight plenty (like yes, let’s fight over who gets which popsicle from the box when they are all the same flavor!) after reading everyone else’s sibling struggles yesterday i thought i would share something that will hopefully remind you that your kids probably do love each other. I overheard my twins talking in the playroom (please note Twin A is one minute older)
Twin B: “Twin A, I love you.”
Twin A: “I love you too.”
Twin B: “I’ll always love you.”
Twin A: “I’ll always love you too.”
Twin B: “Even when I die.”
Twin A: “Me too. Though I will die one minute first.”
Let me start by saying I’ve not read all the books. I’m am over worked, absolutely burned out mom looking for a cliffs notes version to help us with a little sleep guidance for our 8 month old. Other child is 7 and I just don’t remember all the ins and outs.
Baby goes to bed pretty consistently at 7:30 after a bottle (generally passes out at the tail end of the feed) but pretty reliably gets up between 11:30 and 12:30 5-6 nights/week. We give her another bottle overnight and then she passes out until 6:30am. I know it could be so much worse, so I think that’s pretty decent sleep but in talking to some people (friends, siblings, nanny who has raised 5 of her own children) I’m wondering if that overnight bottle isn’t actually necessary and we’re grooming a bad habit…?
With our first, who is 7, we sleep trained (ferber/cry it out) around 6 months and we were golden after that. She really needed it because she was a terrible sleeper/napper and a host of other signs. It really worked. The baby/8 month old is actually a decent sleeper but this overnight bottle has me wondering if we’re creating a habit that she needs to be fed to get to sleep vs being able to just fall back asleep on her own. We haven’t sleep trained because she’s done so well so far, but idk. What would you do?
Also, what is the opposite of sleep training? Like, if we don’t do something, does she just naturally/eventually grow out of the overnight wake ups? “Grow out” is said tongue and cheek because I know toddlers and little kids still get up of course. But, I’m just really looking for confirmation that we’re not setting up bad habits down the road. Appreciate any thoughts you might have!
I’ve been talking about this with one of my best friends (who also reads here, hi!), but my husband and I have very different parenting styles, likely stemming from our very different personalities. I’m very outgoing, warm, affectionate, and emotional and he’s very calm, emotionally stable (no high high’s or low low’s) but can come off as reserved, aloof and distant even though that’s not his intent. Both of our kids have always preferred me, they are now 5 and 7. I work much less than he does so also have a lot more time with them, but it’s just egregious that they never want dad to put them to bed or go on an errand with dad etc. My daughter says he’s way more strict, has little patience for them stalling, he will forcibly seperate any fighting, quicker to yell etc. It feels like to me that 90% of what he does is correcting, disciplining, yelling etc and he is quick to express how difficult they are but I (and the kids) rarely hear how he enjoys them or loves them etc. He says I love you every night, but it doesn’t feel like it to me. I know he loves them logically and without a doubt, nothing is going on that’s overtly bad, but it makes me sad that If i want a break from the kids even at these older ages, I have to deal with one or both being unhappy to be with dad. This is not just at bedtime, even during the day, they would both stay home with me or both go to the store with me etc. Sometimes, I just need to run an errand alone or go to yoga alone and I do it anwyay, but it’s frustrating. I will also note that they are both very outgoing kids and have no issues meeting new people, going to any new camps, doing things that involve adrenalin etc. I’ve talked to him about this and he doesn’t believe their feelings are rational nor does he think I should care. He never puts up a fight if I ask him for help and says I need to do things for myself even if they are unhappy, but i’m like is it so much to ask that the kids be happy to be with dad atleast 50% of the time? He grew up in a dysfunctional family somewhat, his father was a high functioning alcoholic for many years and his mom has had depressive episodes on and off for two decades, so he feels like without major issues like htat, he’s doing a fantastic job compared to his parents. I don’t really know what I’m asking. I feel sorry for him that it’s not easier to connect with the kids, but i also feel annoyed that he doesn’t seem to think there’s any issues with my daughter saying he never gives them hugs or kisses and has such little patience for them. I will caveat that it feels like he is a WAY better husband than he is a father. Anyone in similar situations?
I’m 3rd trimester, due with second kiddo in October, with all the exhaustion and brainfog. But… I think I’m actually bored.
I’m usually very goal oriented, but I’ve intentionally simplified a lot of things because I knew being huge in the heat of summer would be miserable. I put my creative side hustle on hiatus; I’m still working “full time” but totally leaned out. The doctor put the kibosh on any more travel. All that leaves remaining is daily grind chores and chasing a toddler, which easily burns all my free time and energy but isn’t always very fulfilling.
Looking at the calendar, 10 weeks seems like a very long time to just slog through. Any ideas what I can do to give this phase some direction besides just waiting? Even though I am both busy and exhausted?
Planning a birthday party in the park and will have pizza delivered for lunch. There will be around 30 people, half are adults and the other half are kids around age four. What should the pizza toppings be? My kid eats either cheese or pepperoni depending on his mood, so assuming most kids are the same way should I get 4 cheese pizzas and 4 pepperoni to keep things simple? I want to get enough pizza for the grownups too, so should I get some supreme pizzas or other toppings that adults like?