teens


Juggling back to school with multiple children

back to school tips multiple children schoolcool clothing middle school

On my kids: middle school boys outfit: green top / black shorts / high school girls outfit: athelisure dress / sneakers / middle school girls outfit: blue tee / black running shorts / sneakers /

I have three kids, who attend three different schools. This means multiple start times, multiple end times, and driving all over town! I am definitely a “Mom Taxi!” Ha ha! In order to ensure I can get all the kids to school on time, I need to plan ahead.

The first thing we did to prepare for back to school was to get the kids’ wardrobes in order. I don’t like to buy too much before the first day of school, because when the kids go back, they always realize they need specific items for their closets. I try to stick to buying the basics they need, and then purchase the ultimate IT items that are popular among the kids after they ask for these items. Here in our school district, adidas is the ultimate destination for IT items my kids need in their back to school wardrobes.

All of the girls in middle school and high school wear adidas superstar sneakers. They are the ultimate IT shoes for teen girls! The favorite color combo is black stripes, on a white shoe. You really cannot go back to school without those sneakers!

Another IT item for teenage girls is the adidas trefoil hoodie sweatshirt. Every teen girl needs this sweatshirt in her closet!  Knowing these two items are must-have’s for teen girls, I ensured both of my teenage daughters have them clean and ready for the first day of school. Even if it’s 80 degrees outside on the first day of school, those sweatshirts will be worn-at least around the waist! Ha ha!  A girl has to show she has the ultimate IT item on day one!

When it comes to boys, adidas is also a go-to brand! Boys are not as specific when it comes to clothing. They are more brand driven. My son is starting middle school this fall, so I made sure he was fully stocked with adidas shorts and tee’s. They are the ultimate sporty pieces a boy needs for middle school. My son is all set!

Once they have their wardrobes settled, I purchase the boring stuff such as binders, binder paper, pens, pencils, folders, etc. Then, I need to make sure I plan ahead for dropping my kids off all over town!

it clothing middle school

How to organize multiple drop-offs

The first thing I do to prepare my kids for school the next day is make their lunch. Then, I always make sure my kids have their backpacks packed before bedtime. This way they aren’t scrambling in the morning before school. In addition to packing their backpacks the night before, I make my kids pick out their outfit the night before too. This way the morning is spent washing up, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. I have a schedule to keep!

It’s important to pay attention to when the drop-off line at school gets busy in the morning. I always get to my children’s schools before the drop-off line gets long. This way I can quickly get through the line, and get over to the next school for drop-off without any delays. Once the drop-off line gets busy, anything could happen, and my schedule is bound to get thrown off!

I would say the rule of thumb is to drop off your child twenty minutes before the first bell. Most parents arrive roughly ten minutes before the first bell. That’s when the drop-off circle becomes a madhouse.

I drop off my kids in order of when the first bell rings. This means my high schooler is dropped off first, then my youngest, and lastly my middle child.

When it comes to pick-up after school, I use the opposite reasoning to pick-up my children. Parents start filling up the pick-up circle twenty-minutes before the bell. No way am I sitting in a long line, in a hot car, with my engine idling. I live five minutes from the high school, which is the first bell to ring. I leave the house five minutes after it rings, enabling me to arrive at the school with the line moving quickly. My car doesn’t idle, and I am able swiftly pick up my daughter. Love that!

This leaves ample time to swing over to my middle child’s school to pick her up, then drive quickly through the circle to pick up my son. Once you know the traffic patterns, you can figure out a system for picking up multiple kids, at multiple schools, without being late or leaving your engine idling in the hot sun.

It can be overwhelming to have multiple kids, in multiple schools. Don’t let it overwhelm you! Once you know the traffic patterns, you can easily beat the system, and make the pick-up/drop-off routine smooth and simple.

What are some of your tips for juggling multiple kids in multiple schools? Feel free to share in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

*thank you to adidas for sponsoring this post, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

high school it clothingcool clothing high school


Family friendly luau on the Big Island

luau outfit ideas what to wear to a luau

My luau outfit: bold silver earrings c/o Chico’s / prescription sunglasses / summer lipstick / convertible silver necklace c/o Chico’s / palm print dress c/o Chico’s / summer nail polish / woven handbag c/o Chico’s / ivory espadrille wedges (I own these in 3 colors-love!)

One of the must-do’s while visiting Hawaii is to attend a luau! Luau’s can be expensive, so when I researched which luau to attend on the Big Island, I wanted to make sure it was both family-friendly, and really good! There were several reports from all over the internet which suggested the Island Breeze Luau, on the grounds of the Courtyard by Marriot King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, was one of the top five luau’s on the Big Island. Thankfully, it was located at our hotel! Win-win!

When I realized our hotel played host to one of the best luau’s on the Big Island, I needed to make sure it was family friendly before dropping several hundreds of dollars on tickets. Thankfully, I could tell from their website that they were a great luau for families. Score!

There are two types of tickets you can buy for the Island Breeze luau. They have general admission, and then there is the Hanohano upgrade, which is basically VIP. Oh you know I am all about VIP! So of course, I made sure to buy the upgrade. If you plan on attending the Island Breeze luau on the Big Island, I highly recommend getting the upgrade. It allows you to enter the luau first, and sit in the front. This is key when you have kids who cannot see over the heads of adults. My kids loved being able to sit front row! In addition to sitting front row, you get to line up for the buffet first. VIP all the way bay-bee! You can book it online here.

family friendly luau big island teen outfit ideas luau hawaii best luau big island hawaii

On my husband and kids: Men’s Hawaiian shirt / little boys Hawaiian shirt / floral dress on my teenager / white dress on my tween /

There were so many fun activities to do at the luau. They had games on the lawn, live music, and the last hour consisted of a hula show which showcased hula dances from all the Polynesian islands. It was really well done, and my kids loved it! If you ask what they enjoyed most about Hawaii, they will tell you the luau. This luau is top notch!

best luau big island hawaii kona island breeze luau family friendly luau kona big island hawaii

Of course, when attending a luau, you have to look the part! This dress from Chico’s was perfect. The exclusive palm leaf design was right in theme with the Hawaiian luau. I also made sure my kids and husband had in-theme outfits as well.

We also made sure we put lay’s on before entering the luau. I mean, did you attend a luau if you didn’t wear a lay? It’s a must-do! You must also try poi, I really liked to dip my fish into the poi, I thought it had a nice flavor. Yum!

Shop my Hawaiian Luau outfit:

Shop my husband and my kids outfits:

Have you been to a luau before? Which one did you attend?

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more Hawaii coverage!

Aloha!

Cathy

luau outfit ideas


Holiday Gift Guide 2018: gift ideas for teens

kylie cosmetics lip kits kylie jenner lipgloss liquid lipstick lip liner shop online

holiday gifts for teens: Kylie Jenner Kylie Cosmetics lip kits featuring Kylie Cosmetics matte liquid lipstick and lip liner / Kylie Cosmetics velvet liquid lipstick /

It’s official! I have a high school teenager in the house, and she has informed me of what is hot, and what is not, in the world of high school teens. So, it is with the authority of a high school freshman that I bring you this holiday gift guide featuring gift ideas for teens.

Teenagers are typically the most difficult group of people to purchase holiday gifts for. They only shop at certain stores, and they only like specific pieces from those stores. If you buy the wrong color or item, even if it is from a “cool”store, it could still be a complete bomb.

My daughter has informed me the best rule of thumb is to buy clothing in black or grey. Only certain pull-overs can be ivory. Teens do not want glitter or sequins; so those days are over for these kids! Clothing needs to be plain, dark, and understated; yet still display cool brand names such as “Pink” or Abercrombie.”

The following items were hand-picked by my teen daughter who is a freshman in high school, and knows what is cool, and what isn’t cool. I assembled everything she suggested in the shopping widget below.

Sometimes I cannot clip the dark color, so you might see an item in a light or uncool color. Simply click through and select the darkest color possible; and then it will be cool for a holiday gift for a teen! Be sure to disable ad blocker for my website so you can see the shopping widget below!

Shop holiday gifts for teens

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your teen loves these gifts!

XOXO
Cathy

kylie jenner matte liquid lipstick lip liner lip kit buy online