Homemade Bubble Bath Goo

Yes, you read that correctly. Bubble Bath Goo! It’s kind of like Playdoh that can go in the bathtub and you can add your own essential oils as well (lavender is particularly great before bedtime to help calm down that rambunctious little one).

This simple creation is a great (cheap) way to add bubbles, calming scents and some fun to a bath! The kids will LOVE IT!

My son loves bubble baths and adding bath bombs to make the water colorful but none of those items are cheap and I worry about the ingredients that are in some of them. Scrolling through Pinterest the other day, I found a great recipe for bath goo and thought we would try it!

Ingredients:

1/4 c. Bubble bath
1 tsp coconut oil
1/3 – 3/4 c. cornstarch
Essential Oils of your choice (optional)
water based food coloring (optional)

*Note: I used Mr. Bubble because that’s what I had readily handy BUT it has it’s own scent which didn’t necessarily mix very well with the Calmness oil I added. Next time I will buy some scent-free, organic bubble bath instead.

Instructions:

Mix Bubble bath, melted coconut oil, essential oil and food coloring to a bowl and stir until blended. *If you want a marble effect with the food coloring you can wait and add it after adding the corn starch.
Once blended, add cornstarch, starting with 1/3 cup and adding more as needed until you have a solid consistency. *You can use a spoon to stir but honestly it is much easier to just use your hands to mix in the cornstarch plus it will be easier to feel the consistency.
You’ve added enough cornstarch when it becomes a “solid” ball though, it will still lose its shape almost like it’s melting into your hand.

Storage:

Store for up to 7 days (maybe a little longer but it gets a bit dry) in an airtight container.

It was quick enough to make though, that you can easily do it while the water is running in the bathtub.

Using:

Put the kid in the tub and hand them the ball of GOO!

That’s it!

There is a good 10 minutes of Goo playtime before it dissolved completely!

His skin was super soft when he got out of the tub and the Calming oil blend really helped him relax (which is super impressive since he has ADHD and is very rarely calm). He actually got out of the tub and cuddled up with a blanket on the couch for a good hour and that NEVER happens!

If you try it, let me know how it turns out and what your kids think of it!

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Ways to Save Time: Imperfection

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT!

Striving for perfection is not a bad quality. Its a great way to live BUT when you have kids perfection isn’t always possible. Sometime you have to be adaptive and just let it go.

Sorry! I couldn’t pass up that opportunity!

But seriously, perfection can waste so much time its crazy. Trying to get that perfect Instagram photo or making our kid’s school art project look like a realistic giraffe but the eyes just aren’t in the correct position no matter how many times you try.

And no, I would never be guilty of those things *MASSIVE EYEROLL*

But getting that perfect Instagram picture? That can be one of the biggest time drains EVER! Try getting a good picture of a 6 year old with ADHD where he isn’t making a goofy face. I dare you!

This is what my actual Photo library looks like. I have to take at least 10 pics of him every time in order to get 1 halfway decent one. LOL!

For my son, I will take a million and more pictures and never apologize for it nor for the time it takes because my focus is on him and I’m spending time with him.

I have no makeup and wrinkles…and you know what? I don’t care because my son looks adorable!

You want to know where I waste a TON of time? On pictures of myself.

This angle is bad. I have a double chin in this one. I’m making a weird face in this one. My hair is sticking up in this one…and on and on and on. I try to take one picture of myself for an Instagram post and suddenly, not only am I being way too overly critical of myself but I’m spending 30 minutes trying to get it just right.

We all know this is the reality either way

Granted, I know that not everyone does this but we all have things we end up wasting time on that are unnecessary.

We all get caught up in this time trap occasionally (or ALL the time) and Elsa really has the right attitude. Just Let it GO! The kids won’t remember if things were perfect but they will remember if you were overly frustrated/upset at something because YOU wanted it to be perfect.

The point I’m trying to get across is that being a mom isn’t perfect. It’s messy and dirty and time consuming so there is no reason to waste time trying to be make every little thing perfect.

If you can’t get the perfect Instagram photo use the best one you have and just glue the eye back on the giraffe art project so that is semi-resembles an animal and call it a day.

Embrace your imperfections and get on with your day!

Ways to Save Time: Prioritize

Write down the things you need to get done daily and prioritize them from most important to least important.

Lists seem simple and cheesy but they really help to prevent feeling overwhelmed.

Writing out a list helps you visualize what needs to be done and allows you to prioritize.

On Monday, laundry may be #1 on the list because everyone has been sick and needs clean sheets and non-germy clothes
On Wednesday, grocery shopping may be #1 because there is no food left in the house

Lists also make it easier to see where certain “to-do” items might overlap, meaning you can plan accordingly and get it all done more efficiently.

For example:

I would physically change my list to this:

Now, I makes more sense. I can do the household chores like ironing and cleaning the bathroom at the same time and personally, I would do them first to get them over with.

Next, I obviously need to leave the house and I would prefer to make sure I finish it all in one trip versus forgetting and having to go out again.

And last but not least, my peaceful, most enjoyable task of the day is sitting down to write. It is my “reward” for finishing everything else but also, now that I don’t have those other things weighing on my mind, I can relax and concentrate.

Reality Check

We all know that this strategy won’t always work. Kids get sick, you get a flat tire…you know, LIFE happens.

And I will be the first to tell you that I don’t always stick to this BUT I can also promise you that on days where I do make a list and I prioritize it, I am at least 75% more likely to get most of the list done. (Give or take!)

Save time: Make a list and prioritize it

Ways to Save Time: Mom Life

Is there even time to be a Mom?

There are a few common utterances that every mom EVER has said: “I don’t have time” or “Where did the time go?” or “There aren’t enough hours in the day.”

We have all said it. We have all felt the pressure of time and not getting things done. We have all cried because running out of time is overwhelming and we just can’t get it all done.

Laundry, cleaning, cooking, going to the grocery store, helping the kids with homework, etc. And that’s just the essentials of daily life, right?

That doesn’t include working on the baby book that has been sitting untouched since Connor was 2 months old, or working on that fun Pinterest project that is supposed to help develop kid’s brains, or even just taking a few minutes for yourself to shower and feel pretty by putting on some makeup.

It’s tough. It really is. There is no easy answer when you have kids. Every day is unpredictable and no amount of planning can help you fit everything you want to do into every single day.

But don’t give up hope completely. There are plenty of tricks and ways to improve your time management skills to at least prevent you from feeling overwhelmed in mom life.