Tuesday Tip: The Fall Wardrobe Changover

Last week one of my friends asked how we tackle the change of seasons and corresponding closet changeover.  It's a good question and although I'm still working the kinks out of the system, I've come a long way from a few years ago when poor Liam was still wearing Crocs (with socks!) in November because I'd dropped the ball and forgotten to buy shoes.  So, with the days growing shorter, the nights growing cooler and all five of my kids growing like weeds, here are a few of my tactics for tackling the fall closet changeover... this one's for you Britta!

1. Keep your hand-me-downs handy and well-organized. While the picture above is admittedly not pretty, it accurately captures my basement bins of hand-me-downs.  They line the shelves, ranging from 3T to Size 6 and organized by season. There's even an "overflow" bin filled with coats, boots and mittens.  The bins have been filled by various sources... our own hand-me-downs from Liam that will one day fit the triplets, the slightly worn garb of neighbors and friends and even a few new items picked up at bargain basement prices... which leads me to  the next tip...
2. Buy in advance, on sale and online.  Since most of my kids' clothes come from those  basement bins, it is a special treat to buy something new.  And, since I work full-time (and even if I didn't, couldn't stomach a trip to the mall with five tykes in tow!), most of the shopping we do is online.  While it pains me to get those backpack catalogs in July, I've started to pay attention to them.  They offer pre-season sale prices, free shipping and a great selection.  And, if you can afford it, now is a great time to stock up on summer gear for next year... just be sure to store it neatly so you can find it when Memorial Day 2012 rolls around.
3. Give your kids a choice.  I'm constantly amazed at the strong opinions of our little "Lyons Cubs" and have learned the hard way that some battles just aren't worth the fight.  If someone wants to wear rain boots on a sunny day, fine.  If someone is now boycotting pink, that's fine too; it's just not worth it to start each day arguing about what to wear. One way to avoid the morning mayhem is to involve your kids in any back-to-school shopping you may do.  Let them pick out one special outfit or a few new basics.  In our house, this process includes a stack of the aforementioned catalogs and a marker.  They mark up what they want (often the entire catalog or recently with Ciara, anything that is turquoise!) and then we decide together what they will get.  Making the process collaborative and inclusive goes a long way toward eliminating those early morning battles.
4. Don't forget the shoes. This is my weakness.  I just can't keep up with how quickly their feet grow and am often surprised to find they only have Crocs in November or boots in May.  Shoes are especially challenging since it's critical to get the sizing right and this can be tough to do from home as I navigate my online options.  That said, I've come across  few tools to ensure the perfect fit right from the comfort of my couch.  For those of you with an ipad, check out the nifty new Pitter-Pad app; for those of you without (like me!), check out the Lands End Fit Chart.  Your kids will be glad you did.
5. Think snow. Now. While we can't predict the weather, one certainty is that your little ones will want to frolic in those first falling flakes and when they do, they will need a warm coat, snow pants, boots, a hat and gloves.  Now is the time to stock up on these items -- we tend to get ours on sale, from a second hand shop or, fortunately, from friends who have kindly helped us fill those hand-me-down bins!

It's hard to believe that summer is waning and fall is almost upon us but hopefully with these tips in-hand, you'll have a seamless transition while enjoying the best of both seasons.

Tuesday Tip: Surviving Summer's Last Hurrah

I sense that summer is coming to an end and I have mixed emotions about it.  On the one hand, day camp and swim team have ended, the kids are eternally "bored" and the heat and humidity have pretty much lost their charm. On the other hand, I really love the beach, the pool, our more relaxed summer routine and the longer days that allow me to cram more into my busy life. 


As you may know, last week we were on vacation; our annual trek to Cape Cod included building sand castles, collecting hermit crabs and eating lots of donuts, ice cream and pizza. It occurred to me while we were away that these last weeks of summer are a bit like the last days of disco -- reckless, carefree and full of overindulgence.  As we get back into the swing of things this week, I've created some Lyons Den ground rules for surviving these lingering summer days while maximizing the enjoyment they bring. 

1. Back to Basics:  Some simple rules that were suspended for summertime are now back in session.  Bedtime is at 8:00, reading time is mandatory and snack time has to include a "healthy" option -- some yogurt, a piece of fruit or maybe some cheese and crackers.  It's been grand playing with the kids long past their bedtime and looking the other way as they stuffed themselves with "fruit" snacks and chocolate chip granola bars but with the start of the school year a month away, now is the time to start the good, healthy habits that will start the year off right.
2. No More Nos:  I'm at the point where the shrill shriek of my own voice is annoying.  I'm sick of saying NO!  "No running in the house.  No biting. No, that poop did not "just fall out" on the floor!"  Ok, well, that last example may have been oversharing but sometimes potty training triplets has some nasty side effects.  In any case, I'm sure I'm not alone in the overuse of the "NO", especially as summer marches on and the kids seem ever more committed to push us to our limits.  But, with just a few weeks left, I'm doing my best to practice what parenting experts have been preaching for ages and turn these negatives into positives.  As in "Outside would be a great place to run if you want to!"  or "If you feel like biting, here's an apple!" (This is a great way to work in that aforementioned healthy snack!) and "That's great, I'm so glad you didn't poop in your pants!  Next time let's try to make it to the potty though, ok?"
3. Have fun. I literally wrote this down on our family calendar.  I also wrote down the bedtime reminders, snacking rules and a prompt to locate and read the library books that have gone MIA.  That said, summer isn't over yet and I'm all for sneaking in a few more ice pops, offering lemonade instead of milk with dinner and milking every ounce of enjoyment we can out of the summer of 2011 before it becomes a fond memory.

Back to School: Inspiration for Organization!

With Back to School just around the corner, I’ve been inspired to get organized. To get REALLY organized. My “big boy” will be starting first grade in a few weeks, my little lady will be starting preschool, and God only knows what’s in store for the triplets this fall. As my work schedule grows ever more challenging and our home life grows busier by the day, I find I am increasingly driven to control the controllables.

The past few weeks in the Lyons Den have been like nesting on steroids. I think it all began when one of my friends got one of those nifty label makers. It was barely out of the box before I was on the doorstep asking (possibly begging) to borrow it and admiring her handiwork as evidenced by a drawer full of neatly labeled spices and kitchen staples. With the coveted label-maker in hand, I spent several nights staying up until 1AM organizing our basement full of hand-me-downs… 2T Fall/Winter, 2T Outerwear, 2T Spring/Summer, 3T Fall/Winter… you get the picture. And, I must say, it is now a very nice, neat looking picture in an otherwise cluttered basement!

With the hand-me-downs under control and a clear sense of what the kids need for fall (not much!), the next item on the agenda was Project Paper Control. I hadn’t realized that my piles of paper (in the kitchen, in the dining room, on my desk, etc.) were a problem until one evening, while watching a Yankee game rerun (which is another problem altogether!), Liam called me in to watch an infomercial for something I think was called a “FileMe.” He excitedly yelled, “Look Mom, you gotta watch this! This is JUST what you need so you can find what you’re looking for!” Really? He’d picked up on this? The fact that I can often be spotted shuffling around, muttering to myself “where is the form for soccer sign up?” or “did they really send a school calendar?!” or “Dammit! How did I miss Silly Hat day again?!” At only five years old, the kid had keenly identified the kink in my otherwise well-organized chain. Paper.

Paper! It enters our home in droves – it arrives in the mail, sneaks in backpacks, springs forth from our printer and I swear, on occasion has even sailed through the window disguised as an airplane. What to do with it all?! Clearly, my neatly stacked piles scattered throughout the house weren’t working – as my charming five year old so astutely pointed out. Since I didn’t catch the end of the FileMe ad (it was rudely interrupted by a BiteMe episode courtesy of the triplets), I was quite pleased to be the lucky recipient of some new filing products from Smead : a Stadium File Folder and set of Super Tab Folders. With these items (and that label maker which I have yet to return!) in hand, I gleefully tackled Project Paper Control – and did so with great success, if I do say so myself!

In the kitchen corner that used to house an overflowing basket of last year’s birthday cards, Candyland directions, Exersaucer warrantees, recipes torn from magazines, an outdated sanitation calendar and a handful of Snake tattoos (not mine!), there is now a neat looking filing system that I think would meet with even Liam’s approval – for he, as the oldest “Cub” in our “Den” has the most to benefit from a well-organized Mom. He now stands a fighting chance of actually getting his soccer uniform, not going to school on Columbus Day and arriving at Sunday School on the right day… which, oddly enough, isn’t Sunday!


With my new Smead file system in place, there is finally a home for the many papers that periodically pile up. There’s a file for bills (Pay Me), 401K statements (File Me), Harvest Festival announcements (Remember Me) and that 20% off Hannah Anderson coupon (Redeem Me!). Additionally, Liam and Ciara have files for school and, as with any good system, there is room to grow. Should this be the fall that Kevin, Declan and Cormac actually sign up for story time at the library or take a toddler music class, there will be a place for their paperwork – and it won’t be in a pile on the dining room table.


Thank you to the kind folks at Smead for providing me with these superb samples... and, a $20 Target gift card that I'll likely use to buy more! With my new system in place, we’re all looking forward to a successful school year – especially since I now have a fighting chance to remember Silly Hat Day, Pajama Day, Friendship Salad Day or whatever else they come up with to send some paper home and keep busy moms on their toes!