Melificent

Repairsmith

One thing I’ve really struggled with since becoming a mother is finding the time to get everything I need done. I feel like my to do list just gets longer and longer each day and trying to squeeze it all in can get very stressful and impede on what really matters, which is caring for my family and myself.

 

I commute every day (or at least I did before COVID) for work and need my car to be fully functional so that I can do my job, and also so I can pick my child up from school. Not having “a village” also makes my car even more important, since I am basically the sole individual that can “do it all.” You can feel the stress piling right? That’s why when my car breaks down, it causes all sorts of problems, from “who is going to pick up my daughter?” to “I can’t go to work today,” to ultimately, “now I have to take it in to the shop and lord knows how long it will take.” That’s where Repairsmith comes in.

 

Repairsmith is a mobile mechanic that comes to YOU rather than the other way around in a fully-equipped company van with everything they could possibly need to try and fix your vehicle. You can continue working from the comfort of your home, or have your child home with you as your car gets fixed. You don’t have to think about how long this is going to take and if you are not going to be able to complete your one million responsibilities because you are stuck at a repair shop (that may or may not have WIFI). Or worse off, have to even contemplate calling a tow truck – the mobile mechanic will come to you WHEREVER you may be so that you can get the problem fixed and be back on the road without costly and inconvenient towing needed.

 

Now during COVID, Repairsmith comes in even more clutch since most of us are working from home and can’t afford to take our car in for hours, nor do we want to be waiting in an enclosed lobby with too many people and surfaces that may be carrying germs. You will also only work with one technician (less exposure), and will also build more of a sense of trust and security with this one on one interaction.

 

I know what you are thinking already. This will probably cost a fortune due to the level of convenience, but that’s not the case! Repairsmith offers competitive pricing that’s on pair with your local shops and they do not charge convenience fees or pad the prices of their repairs. Some customers even report that they saved money using their services, which can put a smile on anyone’s face on the daily.

 

Living in the crazy rush that is modern life isn’t easy, but there are definitely ways to make it more so. Repairsmith can take the headache away from car repairs and instead make them quick, easy to schedule and effective with their OEM or OEM-equivalent parts and warranties. And who doesn’t want one less thing to worry about lately?

Chalkola

Coming at you from our corner of quarantine to share some awesome products that may help your little ones stay occupied despite so much time indoors. Luna has recently gotten into drawing (she especially loves pretending she is writing now that she can write letters), and this Chalkola mini chalkboard and set of THIRTY different colored chalk markers is just perfect for her. She had a blast drawing this scene from Moana (that’s what she told me anyways), and I can’t wait to play with them either. I think they are going to make a great addition to drive through birthdays and celebrations. Plus, I always like to have some inspirational quotes around our home, so this will be a fun and unique way to do so, while stretching my artistic muscles too!

Not only am I sharing this awesome new find with you all, but I also come bearing a coupon code. If you use MELISSALS10 you will receive 10% off your entire order! Feel free to have fun exploring all the products here (there are so many great options) and let me know if you were able to pick something out, and if so, how you are creating during this tough time!

Welcome to America, Bluey!

Finding quality TV for Luna is hard, especially in a YouTube world. I know everyone has their own opinions on screen time and how little or how much they let their kids watch and where. It’s an even bigger topic of contention for me, being a behavior analyst, but I take a realistic approach that can be addressed on another day, at another time!

I really love for Luna to watch things with appropriate and relatable lessons, that also teach her how to be a good human. We had funnily enough stumbled on Bluey, an Australian cartoon series, on YouTube of all places (well, let me clarify, Luna stumbled on it). Luna adored it and so did we, but we noticed that it wasn’t available to watch on our Disney+ app, despite being on Disney Junior. So Luna would continue to watch short clips of the few Bluey episodes she could find on YouTube, until we found out Bluey was finally making her way to America to join the lineup over on Disney+!

We were lucky enough to be invited to Bluey’s welcome party this week at State of Kid, and it was so fun! The kids got to have plenty of 1:1 time with Bluey, do some arts and crafts, watch 2 episodes, play games and finally have an epic dance party with Bluey! It was such a fun time in a great space, and Luna is even more obsessed with Bluey than before.

Make sure to check out this adorable show that centers around a very energetic, imaginative and curious blue heeler puppy and her family available on Disney+ now!

Four.

I just cannot believe that I am drafting up another birthday post for Luna. That cheesy saying of the days are long, but the years are short? Yeah, it’s been around so long because it is facts. I don’t want to blink for fear of missing these amazing little moments. I think it’s the reason that I’ve stuck with the 1 second a day app this year – I want to remember all those little, seemingly mundane, moments that aren’t mundane at all.

But back to the birthday girl. Luna, you are pure magic wrapped in glitter + sunshine. You make everyone you encounter smile with your big personality and charm. You hate wearing pants, and would prefer to live your life in the most puffiest and glittery skirts and dresses possible. Every moment of every day is a special occasion for you, and I love that you inherited my lust for living. You wake up, and instantly ask what we are doing – the same exact way your mother woke up every single day before having you. You are fierce and tenacious: if you want something, it will be yours. You will achieve it, and all while having fun.

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Work|Life Balance

I don’t usually blur the line between my hobby (blogging) and my career (behavior analysis), but I feel like this particular topic can benefit us all in this crazy culture that we are living in. For those of you that don’t know, I have another instagram (@behaviormagictherapy) where I share ABA tips + tricks, and I posed the question of sharing my thoughts on work/life balance and everyone replied with a resounding yes. So here I am.

My field (amongst others I’m sure) is renown for blurring boundaries and having severe burn out within the community. Working so closely with families day in and day out can cause you to always be “on,” and I was able to manage this pressure with relative ease for years…until I started a family. The second I became a mom and came back after maternity leave, I felt an insane amount of stress and anxiety with the task of balancing my child, my husband, my hobbies AND still being a kick ass analyst. And yes, although at times I feel bogged down and let my negative thoughts consume me, I know I am still good at my job. But that is because, although I learned to say no to others some time ago, I am just recently learning to say no to myself. And that by saying no to my overachieving, over anxious mind, I can still manage to do a good job without negatively effecting myself and other (honestly more important) areas of my life.

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