July 2018 / Mainly Marta :: A Motherhood + Lifestyle Blog

SLIDER

Welcome

What started as a digital diary to document a newfound journey as a stay at home mom / wife has quickly evolved into my own little corner on the internet where I share all that life brings my way -- the good, the bad, and everything in between. Thanks for stopping by; I hope you stay awhile!

7.30.2018

7 Things To Do When You're Feeling Stressed Out



Sometimes life can get brutal with all the projects, tasks and commitments we assign to ourselves which I thought I'd share some ways you can combat stress when you're drowning in the pile of work or those pesky laundry baskets.

1. Stop & Re-Evaluate.

If you're feeling worn out, stop what you're doing for a few minutes and re-evaluate the situation. Is the stress worth it, is the way you're feeling helping the situation, and would you be accomplishing less if you weren't stressing out right now? More times than not, the answer to all these questions are no because stress is a distractor and a mere roadblock to success.

2. Breathe. 

It wouldn't kill you to take a deep breath every now and again. No matter what is going on in that busy life of yours, it's always okay to take several moments to take a long deep breath. I always fine this an instant relaxer. I mean, breathing is something we take for granted, so why not take a few moments to really focus on how amazing our lungs are and fill those babies up with some air!

3. Take Time For Some Self Care. 

It's always nice to know that later, you've got something rewarding waiting for you. Plan a staycation, a spa day or a nice chunk of time to do whatever makes you happy -- read a book, watch a movie, grab some coffee, go for a walk in a pretty park, or just grab some extra zzzz by taking a nap!

4. Eat Some Chocolate. 

Because who has ever frowned while eating chocolate?! I mean honestly, I have never seen a person not smile when eating chocolate! Just remember to not go overboard because you may be frowning later when you step on the scale.

5. Make A Plan. 

One of my favorite ways to combat stress is make a plan. I grab my calendar, my fancy pens, and I start planning and brainstorming on how to accomplish what I need to do in order for my task to be complete. I set up a timeline and then I commit to it.

6. Exercise. 

When I'm stressed, exercise is often the very last thing I think about which is exactly why it's the perfect way to combat stress. It's a great way to release tension and just forget about what's going on. So grab some headphones, turn on some upbeat music and break a sweat and all the stress will drip away too

7. Start Over. 

Sometimes we're stressed because things aren't going in the direction we want them too and to that I say -- okay, fine, let's start over and do it right. There's no shame in wiping the slate clean and starting fresh with the thoughts of what didn't work out last time in the back of our minds.


7 comments

7.23.2018

Review :: The Ollie World Swaddle


When I had Felix, he was a master at escaping swaddles. No matter how tight I swaddled, within minutes, his hands were out and free. I had to give up swaddling pretty early on with my firstborn and that presented sleep challenges as he would scratch his face, wake up startled and start to cry.

When I gave birth to Marcus, I was hoping that he'd stay all wrapped up in a swaddle, but like his big brother, he was a master escape artist. I was feeling defeated when I remembered that I had something stored away in the closet that might help -- the Ollie World Swaddle. One morning, when Marcus had woken me up a little too early, I grabbed it and put it on my wiggly baby.

At first, I had a hard time putting the swaddle on and reading the fairly simple directions seemed like a chore, but that was probably because it was 6:05 am and I was running on four hours of sleep. Once I figured out how to put it on, I watched the baby try to escape.

I'm happy to report that with the Ollie World swaddle, I have found a product that I now rely on. It's an amazing product that delivers what it promises. I am now getting more rest and so is baby.

+ For More Info / To Shop Ollie World Swaddles :: Click Here +


* product received compliments of brand, but review is my honest and personal opinion.
No comments

7.20.2018

The Blog Hotline :: An Introduction To The Series


Hi guys! I'm so excited to be introducing "The Blog Hotline" -- where on the second of each month, I'll be posting a blog post about the grit and grime behind social media, blogging and collaborating with brands.

When I first started blogging, I kind of just thrust myself into the realm with no prior knowledge. I reached out to a few insta famous mom bloggers who either didn't respond or gave me extremely vague answers that was essentially no help.

At first, I ran into all sorts of problems -- slow growth, gimicky collaboration requests, and the urging temptation to buy followers so I could catch up with people who seemed so far ahead [ gasp! -- we've all been there whether we want to admit it or not ], and the loneliness of trying to build a community when cliques and super inclusive mom groups rang within the halls of mom blogger instagram.

Even though I had no idea what I was doing, I went ahead and did it anyway. With a good amount of research, mistakes and restart ups, I made my blog become a little source of revenue. It's been a wild ride, but we're still on it and I'm honestly loving this platform.

I'd love to help other moms who are aspiring to blog or are feeling a bit lost. I'll be talking about all kind topics like...

  • instagram growth 
  • blog traffic / numbers
  • contacting brands 
  • giveaways
  • media kits
  • and so much more! 

It's my way of giving back to the community because without each other, we're essential nothing on this platform. If there's anything you'd like me to address in the series, let me know in the comments by sending me a message by filling out the contact form (found on the side if you're on a desktop or keep scrolling down if you're on mobile).


The first official post in this series goes live 

T H U R S D A Y :: A U G U S T 2 @ 7 A M P S T


.... so mark those calendars mom bosses and get ready to be equipped with information and tools to get your brand / blog where you want it to be!




3 comments

7.11.2018

Review :: Binxy Baby Shopping Cart Hammock


Having two under two brings a lot of chaos to the mix, but there is no great chaos than trying to go shopping with two under two. That my friends is a true H A S S L E. The screams, the tears, the dirty stares from my wonderful fellow customers, trying to fit everything in the cart -- it all piles ups and makes a mom want to never venture out and go shopping ever again!

I have found a fix to one of those problems and it's having Binxy Baby's Shopping Cart Hammock which you can attach to your cart. I love this product because it is a space saver and you don't have to deal with fitting all your groceries around a clunky car seat.

Besides the cute pattern and the fact that it's such an easy set up, I also really love how comfy and cozy baby is in the hammock. He literally slept the entire trip -- I kid you not. The only issue I had was big big brother was trying to feed baby a Rice Krispy treat, but I just slid and secured the hammock towards the end of the cart and problem solved!

The hammock holds up to 50 lb of baby, so this a product that I know I'll be using in the future because it really does save me a lot of room and the need for two shopping carts. For moms who don't want to deal with moving baby from and to the car seat, the hammock also can hold your carseat with baby in it -- seriously the neatest thing and a must have for all moms.

TO GET YOUR OWN SHOPPING HAMMOCK  ::  CLICK HERE +

* product received compliments of brand, but review is my honest and personal opinion. 
No comments
© Mainly Marta :: A Motherhood + Lifestyle Blog • Theme by Maira G.