Mamma Works

Time for a Toy Room? Have you been wondering how to regain the space in your living room?  Do you want to encouraged your kids to play, but hate to clean up the mess?  Then it might be time for a toy room in your house.  As someone who lives on a tight budget, I thought that a toy room was out of reach for my house.  Until, my children showed me how it was possible. My little ones are six and two.  And up until a few months ago, they coexisted in their own individual worlds.  Recently, my two year old has been more engaging and my six year old has discovered his patience.  So, now they are buddies.  (Smiles, as this warms my heart, obviously!) One night not too long ago, I discovered my two year old in bed with the six year old.  He must have gotten scared and crawled into bed with him.  At the time, they had separate rooms.  (The boys' rooms are closer to each others than my room is to theirs.)  Awe, can you imagine it? ...

Honest Company Product(s) Review In the past, I reviewed the Honest Company as a diaper delivery system, and now I want to sing the praises of most of their products.  I am in love...again.  What a goof ball I am. This post includes a review of the following items:  Diapers, Wipes, Shampoo & Body Wash, Face & Body Lotion, The Healing Balm, and the Surface Cleaner.   The Diapers I absolutely, 100% LOVE these diapers.  For you Huggies moms (and dads), these diapers are as well manufactured at the Huggies Snugglers, with the internal weight of the Huggies Snug N Dry.  In terms of my babe, they are perfect, not too bulky/hot, but not too light either. BUT, unlike Huggies, these diapers arrive at your door AND they are a more responsible choice.  They are made with  Plant-based (PLA) inner & outer layers and s ustainably harvested pulp.  They have no harsh chemicals, fragrances, or latex. Amazeballs.  Also, these diap...

by Gretchen Lindell, EdM, MammaWorks Find Gretchen on Google+ Afraid of Priceline? NOW AVAILABLE: View/Download/PRINT a .pdf of this entire post.  Happy Vacationing! Are you afraid of using Priceline, because you don't know what type of hotel you are going to end up with?  Do you wish you had the guts to try it, because you'd love to save some serious cash on your next trip?  Well, this post is for you!  I'm revealing a secret way to use Priceline that has saved customers hundreds of dollars and allowed them to stay in quality hotels in areas that they chose. To begin with, I have used this method many, many times, and I have shared it with my friends.  It is really AMAZING...you just have to be willing to take a few minutes to learn this incredible strategy.  Since I am giving you this strategy, please be kind enough to use the Priceline link at the bottom of this page to make your next purchase.  (Your click will help support the conten...

by Gretchen Lindell, EdM, MammaWorks Find Gretchen on Google+ Did you recently get promoted to a management role?  Or is your team just not trusting you and not buying into your vision.  Well, I'm here to help.  For many years, I was the dean of a small local business college.  I've since left that position to pursue other adventures (another post for another day).  As a dean, I learned many management lessons in a very short period of time.  To be clear, I studied to be an educator, not a manager.  I was 32 when I took the position and also a first-time mom.   When I took the position of dean, I was surprised very quickly with the complexity of the position.  As the dean, it was my job to manage all of the college's faculty, to oversee the curriculum and its development, to oversee student success, and to generally oversee other issues as necessary.  I am someone who is driven for success; so, learning management became my top pr...

It was a rough couple of years, wasn't it.  My husband and I thought we were prepared, with three month's salary in the bank.  Ha!  Three months?  What about weathering unemployment for two years, due to the Great Recession?  Luckily, we were able to hold onto our house and cars, unlike so many others out there.  But, that came at a price.  We had to cash in one of our retirements, and I had to go back to work to support the family.  We traded paying childcare costs for having health insurance.  In addition to the monetary losses, the strain unemployment put on our relationship was intense.  But, after FIVE years, we are very slowly, moving to a better place in our lives. In 2009, my husband lost his secure, professional position that allowed me to work from home while caring for our first son.  While we were blessed with a supportive family and friends, the last five years have been incredibly difficult on my husband ...

I don't usually tell you flat out what the "best of" something is without comparing it to something of equal attributes, but I had to bend the rule for this post.  My friend, Melissa, gave me this hand soap for my birthday, and it is the best all-natural hand soap I have EVER used!   Here's the list of things not included in the ingredient list: No parabens, No synthetic dyes or fragrances, No triclosan (which happens to be a pesticide and is in most antibacterial soaps--YUCK!, No phthalates, No PEGS, No petroleumderived ingredients, No animal-derived ingredients. This soap is gluten-free and vegan. This is the best smelling soap in the entire world. Every time I wash my hands I have to smell them. They smell like pure peppermint. After I smell them I feel invigorated. It's like getting my hands clean and aromatherapy at the same time. The price for this soap is at a higher price point than I usually like, however, it's not outrageous for all t...

Every mother knows that potty training is a stressful time for parents and children alike.  However, with some preparation, the generally traumatic time can be made easier for all. That's how I started this post let's see, um, four years ago!  Yes, this topic has remained in my Draft box for 4 years!  I guess it's not as easy as I originally thought.  However, since number 2 is on his way to going #2 on the potty, I thought it was time to revisit the topic. My first child was a dream to potty train.  Here's the scenario, "DS, you want to go on the Big Boy potty?"  DS said, "Yes, mommy." And he went.  Of course, we had some minor accidents, but for the most part, he caught on like a pro. Now, #2, he's an entirely different story.   Me:  "#2, want to go potty on the Big Boy Potty?" #2:  "No." OK, so I wait about a week and try again. Me:  "#2, want to go potty on the Big Boy Potty like Daddy and Big Brother? #...