Domestically Challenged

Gluten free dining at...Olive Garden?!?!

I would have never thought it, but Olive Garden, the bestest Italian restaurant, has a gluten free menu.

I had the Mixed Chicken Grill and it was DELISH!!! I was so bummed when we arrived, because I knew I couldn't eat the breadsticks and I couldn't eat the chicken parmagean and I couldn't eat.....

Then the waitress brought me a gluten free menu. I was floored at the choices!!

I highly recommend it for your gluten free dining!

Just the Tip Tuesday...Getting Ready for School

I'm not sure about where you live, but here in AZ within the next two weeks most of our schools will be back in session. As a teacher, I am a little bummed since I am not a morning person, but as a parent I am thrilled. My kids need routine and it's just too difficult to give them the amount of structure they need during the summer.

Now that school is almost here, I am trying to work on our new routine. Today's tip is to put some thought into your new school year routine. One of the things I will have to consider for the first time is how to do homework with TWO ADD kids at the same time. While this thought frightens the crap out of me, I know it's something I need to think about before we get into the school year.

I also need to think about our sports schedules, my writing schedules, our daily commute and silly little things like cooking and cleaning. As much as I hate to admit it, we do eat out a lot during the week. We have two places by us in particular that we can get dinner for a family of 4 for under $20 with leftovers for my lunch. For the convenience factor, it's worth it to us.

Another consideration is how to manage our mornings better so I don't have to get up as early. For some idiotic reason, getting up at 5:45 sounds WAY better than getting up at 5:30, so this is a goal for me. This will entail getting my daughter's meds in her in time to help with the morning chaos.

I will post an update to my schedule next week and would love to hear how you schedule your time during the school year. Leave it in the comments! :)

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While the kids are away...

This weekend, my kids are staying with my inlaws. Being that I am completely neurotic, I am a wreck knowing that they are driving my kids around. Not that I don't trust them, it's all the other people that i don't trust.

To make matters worse, my husband is having poker night. So, instead of enjoying being kidless, I'm sitting in my bedroom while the testerone wafts under the door.

I love my kids to death, but it's been a looooong summer folks. When you have two ADHD'ers and they go without routine too long, it's just a recipe for trouble. One minute they are playing together and being the best of friends. The next minute, I am separating them as one is trying to rip the others face off. It's enough to make me start glancing at the liquor cabinet and this is before they even eat breakfast.

This weekend, I get to be kid free and while I know I'm going to enjoy it (especially catching up on sleep) but I think it''ll be a bust. You know how it is, you anticipate sleeping in so much that you wake up at 6AM and stare at the clock swearing.

Despite this, I plan to have a good time relaxing before we have to get back to school. The kids are more than ready and while I don't look forward to waking up early, I do look forward to getting back to our routine. My kids thrive on it and as much as I hate to admit it, it will make a big difference to have them worn out with a day of school.

So, while the kids are up in the cooler country wearing out my inlaws, I am looking forward to pretending to sleep in, watching a movie without interruption at any volume I want and leaving the house without 30+ minutes of prep.

Just the Tip Tuesday...A Day Late

Yes, I know my Tip Tuesday is late, but I have a great excuse. Actually, I don't have an excuse at all. I just slacked off yesterday. My brain is a little fried with the end of summer break in sight. My tip comes from something I tried this morning before my brain exploded.

You see, my kids have been fighting. A LOT. They are both anxious to get back to school and being ADHD, they need the routine. This morning, rather than do what I did a few days ago (which was to put them on Kid Lockdown in their rooms) I did something they didn't expect - I took them for a morning swim.

They both thought I was crazy when I came out from breakfast dressed to swim, but then they were so excited they forgot to fight. The pool was nice and refreshing and they got to burn off some of their energy.

So peeps, my advice for the day is to do something different. Do something that will throw your kids off, instead of ripping your hair out or reaching for the martini glass (it can wait for a few more minutes). Your kids might be so off kilter that they stop whatever the behavior was.

Blog Love Friday - Parent Hacks

I love a good blog. It's a nice addition to the day, a way to break the monotony and stress of life. This Friday's blog love goes to Parent Hacks.

This is a website where you can get "parenting tips from the real experts: actual parents." I love this site! They have helpful posts on all areas of parenting - you can even look by age.

Here are some of my favorites:

Store hairbands on a carabiner - This is freekin genius! And being a hair band whore advocate, this works great for my daughter and I!!

Bungee cord + shopping cart = brilliant solution for shopping with two young kids - Wish I had thought of this when my kids were younger, as opposed to trying to juggle everything and failing miserably.

Stuff plastic bags inside a paper towel roll to keep them handy in the car - Another brilliant tip. This might have saved me here.

See you all soon - have a fun, safe and sane weekend!!

Review Wednesday - Lavender Aromatherapy Pillow Mist by Bath and Body Works

I have kids who have trouble sleeping. Well, I take that back. I have one that  has trouble sleeping and one that sometimes has trouble sleeping in her own room. I have also been known to have a bout of insomnia from time to time weekly, so this has been a wonderful product.

What could be so wonderful that it gets me, of all people, to buy a total girlie type scent with unabashed vigor?

Enter Lavender Pillow Mist by Bath and Body Works. This is not something I would normally buy for myself...until I tried a small trial of it. This stuff is amazingly relaxing. My husband likes it (though he did tell me it smelled like a stripper - I let it slide) and now everyone in the family hijacks it all the time.

This is so popular, I even bought the room spray. It doesn't work as well as the pillow spray (it smells great, but doesn't induce sleep like the pillow mist) but it sets the mood for relaxation.

When I can't sleep, I just spray my pillow and then I am enveloped in it's relaxing aroma. My son will use it up to about 4 times a week, so I made sure to get the industrial bottle.

Anyone else have any simple sleep aids they want to share?