i thoroughly enjoy the noise and business that comes with being a family of 6. however, there is a fine line between business and complete chaos. for me, there is also a fine line between going with the flow and wanting to lock myself in the bathroom. (i mean, do your cleats really have to be on the counter while i’m making dinner? right?)
there are certain times of the day that tend to get a tad too close to crazy and for those times i’ve found 2 things that really help. ONE, making items the kids need easily accessible (pencils and sharpener for homework time, etc.) and TWO, using a tray. they make everything look put-together + organized without having to be high strung about it.
here is a look at our brekkie tray….
confession. i borrowed the VERY cute tray above from a friend for pictures because our big one is, well, fugly . on the lookout for a new one if you know of a good place to find one!
O N our B R E K K I E T R A Y :
1. hand warmers + vanilla protein powder to sprinkle on cereal…. hard boiled eggs are another easy way to get protein in the a.m. 2. mama’s coffee creamer + kid’s fave bowls 3. a good morning sunshine kind of mini print (or a note) 4. fresh fruit + a small pitcher of milk to make it easier for them to DIY. also makes clean up more manageable if they end up spilling. liquid measuring cups are a fantastic alternative 5. a jar of cereal 6. tilly’s hair ties… the only time of day she sits still which makes doing her hair a cinch.
keeping an arts and crafts tray stocked and ready is also helpful. it makes clean up easy and the kids from tornadoing through my craft supplies. i try to swap supplies and change things up every couple weeks to keep them engaged, but crayons, paper, scissors and tape are a perfect combo.
right now we have stamps and letter writing materials…
1. pencils 2. twine 3. kid safe scissors 4. stamps + stamp pads 5. note cards + easel paper 6. goodie bags + envelopes 7. address labels, washi tape + scotch tape
hmmmm, maybe it would be fun to post new craft tray ideas every other week or so in insta.gram, #youtrayme??? let me know if you are down! would be fun to see what kid craft goodies you have
also, let us know (in the comments) how you tame the chaotic moments in your home!?
and if you are looking for a homework tray idea, check out our video on mom.me.
xo . rae
ps – images by my talented homegirl stacy jacobsen.
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