Are you suffering from mom burn out? Do you struggle just to make it through each day? Moms everywhere are breaking down because they are too chicken to say, "No".

"No" may be a tiny, two-letter word, but it can be your secret weapon. And you can say it. Here are some ways you can say "no" without feeling guilty about it:

Sorry, I’m taking a break.

The number one reason why you should say, "no" occasionally is simply that you deserve a break. You are chef, chauffeur, dish washer, and more. You job never ends on any given day of the week. You deserve a break. If you feel bad for saying "no", say, "Sorry, I’m taking a break".

My schedule is full.

We tend to jam-pack our schedule full of activities, leaving time for nothing. Cut back on your kids activities. Start a car pool and share driving responsibilities. Do whatever you can to free up some time in your schedule.

I don’t have time.

You’re headed out the door, rushing to the next appointment when the telephone rings. What do you do? Do you come to a screeching halt and answer the phone? Let’s say you do, and it’s a family member, calling to dump their latest woes on you. Do you stand, tapping your foot impatiently while you roll your eyes and listen to the sob story? This is a typical scene for many moms.

I have another commitment that day.

Say it and mean it. Regularly schedule in time with your family or time alone and if someone ask for your help during that time look in your planner and tell them you have another commitment.

Instead of rushing to be everything to everyone, stop. Ask yourself if you truly have time for whatever comes up. If not, say no by walking away, turning off the ringer on the phone, or not answering the knock at your door.

Always remember that you are a mom—not a super hero. When you have to say no, people will understand; if they don’t at first, they will get used to it eventually.

Editor’s note: Still having trouble putting your foot down? Sometimes, we just need some extra guidance, a listening ear or a gentle and loving kick in the butt. You might want to give Aurelia Williams’s free coaching session (affiliate) a go. She’s a life coach and mom of 3 who has adult, teen and school age children so she definitely knows what she’s talking about.

Article from BlogEnergizer.com

 
As the parent of a little one, you’ve probably seen the cool Baby Genius toys and items at Walmart. But did you know that Baby Genius has some free downloads for you?

Yep, they sure do. You can download 21 short songs and a song book to help your little darling get ready for school or daily routines!

It’s free! Go get it!

I’ve been noticing that pink and brown themed baby rooms are incredibly popular right now (right along with pink and black). It’s not your “normal” baby girl color scheme! Searching pink and brown on sites like Amazon will bring thousands of cute pink and brown crib sets, clothes, accessories and anything else.

One cute crib set I found was the 9-Piece Baby Crib Bedding Set in Pink and Brown French Toile and Polka Dot by a company called JoJo Designs. It’s super girly but doesn’t scream “baby” to me. You can even find a matching polka dot and french toile diaper bag to go with your crib set!

A couple other really pretty pink and brown nurseries:

• Boutique Pink & Brown Suede Crib Bedding Set
• SoHo Pink & Brown Floral Garden Crib Nursery Bedding Set
• Soho Pink and Brown Infant Bedding Set
• Brown Pink Star & Moon 13-pc crib bedding set
• Bella Brown and Pink Baby Bedding – 9 pc Crib Set
• Even more pink and brown nursery ideas!

Then there are the clothes! Xander lived in these baby pants when he was little. They made diaper changes super easy especially when paired with white onesies. I also love those BabyLegs Leg Warmers – I’ve gotten them both for Xander and friends’ children and they are awesome for keeping the kids warm but also making for super easy diaper changes.

Are you planning a July 4th party or a summer get-together? If you’re like most Americans, your plans probably include food and drinks. Here are a few items to help you save money while you celebrate.

Eco-friendly Solo products – grab some savings on eco-friendly cups, plates, and more.
Heinz 57 – $1.00 off coupon
Hefty Waste Bag – $1.00 off just “like” the page to print yours out.
Scott paper towels - printable coupon saves you $1.00
Off Power Pad Lamp – buy one, get one free (up to $10 value) with printable coupon.

I am getting SO EXCITED for this movie!! I mean – I might be a Twi-Mom but that fandom doesn’t come NEAR what I feel about the Harry Potter series!

Drool over the trailer with me:

Deathly Hallows Part I comes out this November (actually – 10 days after my due date!) and Deathly Hallows Part II comes out July 2011! So EXCITED!!! I’m trying not to read the book again because I was so disappointed with how Half-Blood Prince was brought to the big screen. We shall see though – maybe they learned their lesson and will cover more being that the final book is two movies.

But speaking of The Twilight Saga and it’s newest book to movie Eclipse … Are you going to see it in theater’s? I already bought my tickets and will be seeing it on Wednesday at 7:30pm. I love making fun of the tween girls who howl at the screen! I saw New Moon three times at the movie theater and I think Eclipse is going to be a much better movie!