Vasilisa's Gift Guide! — livingnotes

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Happy Saturday!! Don’t these smiles look so great and don’t you wish these toddler-preschoolers ALWAYS got along?!
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Walking this path for the seventh time, here are my essentials to making a toddler and a preschooler like each other all the time ( or at least, most of it 🙃):
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🔸personal things.
The fastest way to a scandal is to tell a toddler or a preschooler to share THEIR thing. Sharing is important but that’s not the most effective way to teach it. Toddlers and 4-5 year olds are defining their space and boundaries, they have to have their “own” things.
So, I double up. I have the same two bottles, the same two cups, the same to spoons - you get it. Because I guarantee you if you buy two different ones, neither will play with/use what they have and they will always fight over that one something.
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🔸 personal space.
Unless I have to have two kids sleeping, I absolutely LOVE using a riding board for an older child on a single stroller vs a double stroller. Especially today, when there are riding boards kids can sit on. They are my lifesavers: two kids have their own space, and neither is feeling overwhelmed by the other, nobody wants the other’s stuff, etc.
When you have 2+ kids, I found it to be extremely important for them to have time to just be alone. That’s when they learn by absorbing, make logical connections, etc.
While little kids need a trusted figure of an adult to feel secure, they, too, need time to just be, without anyone playing with or stimulating them.
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🔸 personal needs.
The fastest way to calm an upset child is acknowledge their problem and address it, even if the “tragedy” is a banana peeled the wrong way.
Being a toddler and a little kid is hard! They comprehend enough to know what they need, but they can’t always express it the way for others to understand. A happy child is a child with needs met.
Remember, though, that happy and spoiled are two different things.
When happy and content, both, toddlers and small kids, are a lot more patient with each other. They don’t see the other as an additional “threat” to their little world, which is what we all want at the end.🤗
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What are your key essentials?
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🔸РУССКИЙ НИЖЕ🔸
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#parenting

Real women hold each other’s skirts up when the world turns upside down 🙃
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I am raising strong women.
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Among all trends of “learning to be feminine”, trends of “being a woman that inspires her man”, etc, I am raising strong women and here is why.
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A strong woman knows that she can achieve anything.
A strong women has confidence that is based on her own perception of herself, not outside opinions.
A strong woman won’t bent to someone else’s will.
A strong woman chooses to be in a relationship because she wants to, not because she needs someone to pay her bills.
A strong woman thrives by empowering and inspiring others.
A strong woman lives to succeed in HER path and find HER happiness, rather than succumbing to societal expectations.
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And, contrary to a popular thought, a strong woman doesn’t overpower men.
She simply stands shoulder to shoulder with them.
Equally.
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Also... to address the popular belief that strong women don’t let men be “real men”: a strong woman, when in company with men, only draws her own chair or opens her own door because men around her have no manners.
Let’s not confuse the two.
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dresses @nununuworld .
🔸РУССКИЙ НИЖЕ🔸
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#women #family #citykids #empowerment #heforshe #familyovereverything

Happy almost Friday! Didn’t post on purpose yesterday so that as many of you as possible saw the previous post.
Tell me, how many of you took time for yourself? How do you feel?
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In stories are my objectives for the day! For those of you, who asked to write my schedule, it’s nearly impossible. If you see yesterday’s objectives and today’s, you’ll understand why :) Completely different things, completely different schedules, so, I, literally, re-evaluate daily what’s happening today based on what happened yesterday.
Case & point, it rained yesterday, unexpectedly, so some of the things I was hoping ( not planning, just hoping - I have that category too ) on squeezing in did not work, so the morning today had to change to make up for that.
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Maybe I will run a week’s worth of those, what do you think? Do you want me to?
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PS: for those who DMed from stories, cooking/cleaning/etc are such every day things, I don’t even think about them. Of course, we eat and clean and all of that.😄
But they are such basic things, like brushing your teeth or making bed. I don’t even think about them. 🤗
Food is simple and fast. We like healthy recipes and they don’t take long to cook. If we cook them. Spring is the best, because we do a lot of raw food recipes, bodies crave that light food. And cleaning/laundry is basic. Throw it in the washer, the sticky point is to remember to put it in the dryer.😂
I only put to wash jean jackets + riding pants because we need them today, otherwise it wouldn’t make it on the list.
So, there! No tricks, promise 🤗
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🔸РУССКИЙ НИЖЕ🔸
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#familyovereverything #summertime #pooltime #family #citykids

Take time for yourself today.
Yesterday’s lost got a lot of replies with one similar question: “how do I not loose it when I have everything going on in my life and kids are throwing tantrums on top of it”.
The answer to this is TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF.
Today. Right now.
Remember that before you were a friend, a wife, a co-worker and a mom, you were YOU.
The most important person in your life is also you. Not in a selfish way. But in the way they keeps you whole.
Only when you are whole and recharged you have the strength and the ability to give more to others.
There is no other way around it. Trust me, I have tried, and failed, and learned that “I” had to come first before I could give to all who needed me.
So.
Put the phone down. Think of a few things you really wanted to do for yourself, choose one and JUST do it.
A business won’t go bankrupt if you take a 15 minute coffee break to just close your eyes and recharge.
Drop the laundry pile and go outside with your kids to run and laugh.
Order a pizza or grab a TJ’s frozen ones for dinner ( they are delish!) and have an extra long nap with your baby.
Do whatever you can, just DO something.
Today. Right now.
And then come and tell me after how you feel.
I promise, that all the stress you are feeling right now is going to lessen 10x if not disappear completely, and you will have 100x the power, the patience and energy for all you need.
You cannot pour from an empty vessel.
Always remember that.
❤️
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🔸РУССКИЙ НИЖЕ🔸
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#nature #selfcare #wellness #family #familyovereverything

One of the most important goals I’ve always had in life is a connection to and strong relationships with my kids.
Over the course of the last 16 years, hitting a bump or two along the way, there are a few things that, now as a mom of 7, I think are essential to have:
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🔸 being relevant.
connecting to kids won’t happen if you don’t know what’s going on. It is essential to remember that we, as their parents, differ from previous generations of parents.
We live in a time where world has advanced and changed immensely in very short few years, and it is NOT going to slow down or go backwards.
These changes trigger fear, fear of unknown, which is expected and typical to any human, BUT if we let that fear ride ahead of us, the generation gap between us and our kids will widen and heads will be budded.
Staying current is essential.
So, get on IG more. Get on Snapchat. Figure out WHAT it is that attracts kids to it. Find GOOD in it, because that’s what kids are seeing there too.
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🔸 understanding kids interests.
Know what kids love and make it be a part of your life too.
It’s easy with 2-4 year olds. If you say “I’ll show you how to do it!”, you are practically their hero even if you have NO idea what you are talking about. That just comes built-in with that age.
Things become a little more challenging when kids hit 10+ year mark. They may love something you cannot relate to whatsoever.
The key?
Make it be relatable to you too.
Have a karate kid? Take martial arts class or two, so you can speak the same language.
Research sports, topics etc that your kids love, and make them be a part of your life too.
Yeah, it’s tough. Especially when you have to do it after a full working day when all you want is relax. But “tough” that is what parenting is by default. I will tell you, though, that the relationship you have will be nourished by this, and it is worth all the effort. Trust me on that.
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to be continued...
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What do you, guys, want to add to this above?
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🔸РУССКИЙ НИЖЕ🔸
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#familyovereverything #family #equitation #equestrian #horsebackriding #citykids

ATTENTION all LA Friends and those close to LA!
Come to California Strawberry Festival this weekend! Come and have fun yourself, help the planet and help others, too.
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@ZapposForGood, the give-back group at Zappos partnered up with @striderite to help families in need.
You can give your gently loved or new shoes, and even clothing, a second life as part of this exciting weekend of fun.
All you need to do is bring them with you to the California Strawberry Festival, and drop them in one of the many donation boxes. They will be sorted, cleaned and even refurbished and then passed along to children and adults around the US and even across 127 countries around the world.
So help us to share LOVE with other little-ones and big-ones too Just. By. Bringing. Your. Second. Hand. Shoes. Or. Clothing. With. You.
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Feel free to bring items with you if you’re attending OR just spread the word on your IG!
There will be a fun branded foam pit for kids to play, and I will be there with my little kids in the second half of the day! If you see me, come buy to say hi!
I’d love to meet you in person!
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РУССКИЙ НИЖЕ
#shoes #style #family #familyovereverything #weekend #summertime

#ad Let’s continue the discussion on treats at home. I partnered up with @blackforestusa to raise this topic. I firmly believe in making conscious choices for healthy foods and treats. For example, when we are offering treats for the kids we like to give them choices that are made with high quality and natural ingredients – like @blackforesusa gummy bears, which are made with real fruit juice and colors from natural sources.
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For me, I believe that teaching kids early on how to recognize good ingredients will help them make good choices themselves when it comes to treats, and that principal actually can apply to many things in life.
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If you haven’t already, go over to the blog. Let’s expand more on this topic. What are the most important things for your family when picking treats?
#SoJuicySoGood #family #familyovereverything #citykids #treats

IG POST #1 CAPTION:

#ad Friends, here is my favorite of my partnership with @blackforestusa!
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To celebrate National Love a Tree Day which is today, May 16th, Black Forest committed to donate $100,000 to the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to plant 100,000 trees across U.S. forests that have been impacted by wildfire.
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To kick off the campaign, Black Forest is donating $50,000 to NFF, and will match the initial donation with YOUR help!
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Beginning TODAY, May 16th, Black Forest and I invite you all to join in this initiative to restore our nation's forests.
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To participate, you can go to @blackforestusa on Instagram, tag a nature-loving friend and plant a "digital" tree in the comments section on a dedicated National Love a Tree Day post. For every bear-heart-tree emoji combination commented through the end of May, Black Forest will donate an additional $1, up to $50,000, to plant a tree!
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Let's see how many trees we can plant together!
#loveatreeday #nature #savethetrees #planet

In 16 years of motherhood and being a working mom I’ve learned one thing: sure, you can do it all by yourself, but if you find your “village”, the quality of life becomes infinitely better.
Per your requests: mom groups and how they worked for us:
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🔸 we had 5-7 women with similar situations: husbands gone all day, little kids, a million things and responsibilities to do.
Agendas of our groups changed and evolved as our needs changed, but we had it all, from watching each other’s kids to cooking dinners for each other.
🔸 what we did for each other:
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🔸Watching each other’s kids.
We would call to see if another mom needed to have her kids watched and take it from there.
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🔸School/activity pick up/drop off.
Simple, not hard and SO helpful.
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🔸Daily duties.
If someone had a hard week/stressful time, other moms would take over daily duties.
We each would cook a little extra at a designated day and bring that to the family, so mom’s stress level was less.
If needed, we would step in to help with laundry and cleaning, especially if there was a new baby in the family.
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🔸Fun things for kids.
Different moms have different approaches to how they interact with kids. Just getting together and having each mom take turns at hosting playtimes was a great developmental opportunity for kids: they learned new social skills, learned something fun and just had fun.
To me personally, as a mom, seeing how other moms approached kids and different situations was very insightful.
We often done themed playtimes: music, arts, etc.
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🔸Checking in.
Just checking in on each other. That seems like a small thing, but it is one of the most significant pillars. Things get tough. Sometimes you just need someone to care about YOU and to give you a listening ear, maybe some advice. There is also something about realizing that others deal with the same things you do.
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These things seem so simple as I write them, but let me tell you, the impact of having a group that will support you is huge.
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Curious, how many of you have something similar? Do you help each other?
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РУССКИЙ НИЖЕ.
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#motherhood #life #family #familyovereverything

#ad Have you guys seen the blog today yet? The girls and I had a lot of fun creating a little magic with @blackforestusa gummies and Justin wanted to jump in and share because he actually lived for a time near the town of Black Forest in Germany as a kid, pretty close to where Black Forest took its inspiration from.
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Did you guys know that Black Forest Classic Gummy Bears received an award in 2019 the for innovation and quality? Go over to the blog for a discussion about treats, kids, and how to teach them to make good choices!
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#sojuicysogood #family #familyovereverything #citykids #life

How many of you want do something but there isn’t ever any time for it? Sounds familiar?🙋🏼‍♀️
Let’s talk about creating space and finding time.
When things get overwhelming, it’s super easy to keep on running from one thing to another without accomplishing anything.
Who’s been there, done that?🙋🏼‍♀️
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Here are a few things that I learned along the way that help me:
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🔸writing everything down and sorting things in “have to do” and “want to do” columns.
First, I see if my have-tos and want-tos can coexist somehow and merge them together. For example: I would leave earlier from home to pick up kids from school, put the little baby to sleep in the stroller and go by a cafe to have a few minutes to myself. Baby got the fresh air time, I got my much needed few minutes to myself, and kids got picked up on time.
Then, I see if I can cut some “have-to”s down to a minimum.
We grocery-shop almost daily. This has turned out to be an amazing solution. First, it actually saves time. We rarely make a shopping trip, we just stop by on the way to/from other things. Second, hard to deviate from the list when it’s just 2-3 things you need. Third, when kids are with me, and don’t get bored - it’s takes 5 min tops.
Win-win on all accounts.
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🔸 GET TO KNOW your neighbors and create mini-support groups.
I can’t emphasize how essential this is.
I often hear “well, we don’t have any friends near by”.
MAKE friends. Reach out. Get to know them. I guarantee there is someone close to you who you could team up with and help each other out.
In my early years of marriage and motherhood we had groups of 5-7 women who would baby-sit for each other, cook for each other, carpool, etc.
This frees up at least a couple hours a week for things you want to do for yourself.
Yes, in exchange you have to do the same: baby sit their kids, cook for two families at once, but that’s just what it is.
We can’t endlessly receive without giving back just the same as we can’t endlessly give back without receiving a replenishment.
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There are other things that help me, but this post is getting long. Do you like this topic? Should we continue?
What helps you?
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РУССКИЙ НИЖЕ
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#familyovereverything #nature

Motherhood.
Trying to figure this thing out since 2003.
Happy Mother’s Day to you all!❤️💐
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“Only” took 32 snaps to get this one. 😂Posted a couple of outtakes in stories!
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Материнство.
Стараюсь разобраться, что же это такое с 2003.
С Днём Матери всех вас! ❤️💐
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«Лишь» 32 кадра и вуаля! Несколько outtakes/смешных кадров в сториз!
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#mothersday #family #familyovereverything #citykids #wphfamily #семья #материнство

#ad Re-creating a scene from the Beauty and the Beast? Check!
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Except, the modern situation looks a little different. There’s a pirate instead of a Beast and the book is Elia’s Trip to the Alphabet Zoo, personalized by @Shutterfly.
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This book is the most favorite already, and I totally flopped as a mom. I should have ordered two because Evyianne has been grumpy ever since.
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P.S. For those of you who asked, I put another link in Stories to the books.
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#MyShutterfly #family #familyovereverything #citykids #bookstagram

🔸Year 2003.
Every morning, after kissing Justin off at bright and early 5 am to his AF training, i kept my fingers crossed that the closing door of our small and very cheap rental with ultra thin walls would not wake up sleeping Nikola and I would have a couple of hours to study and prep for the working day ahead.
Some days it worked. Majority of the time it didn’t, and I would end up rehearsing the steps in the living room with my baby attached to my hip.
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That year I learned to adapt to circumstances. Later in life, this knowledge allowed me to continue to climb up despite of challenges.
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🔸Year 2006.
A variety of health issues mixed with normal life difficulties and preemie care topped by PPD made their grand appearance at the least expected moment.
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That year I learned that self-care and care for personal wellbeing are essential. This knowledge saved me more than once in years that came after.
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🔸Year 2008.
A decision to go against the grid brought a wave of criticism and challenges that, too, were not expected.
That year I learned that standing up for what you believe in is the most important thing and, in time, brings its reward.
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🔸Year 2011.
Another wave of challenges almost knocked the ground from under my feet.
This year was the turning point in my life, and thanks to years 2003, 2006 and 2008, I knew the direction to take.
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I’ve learned that while life could and IS very stripe-y. I used to fear that another “dark stripe” would come, and tried to avoid it at all costs. Until I realized that even the darkest of the stripes brings something good with it.
Any photographer knows that darks is what makes colors be more vibrant.
It works the same way in life too. ❤️
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РУССКИЙ НИЖЕ.
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#family #familyovereverything #citykids #life #style

#Ad When Belle runs her errands in the morning. Except, that modern-day Belle’s favorite book is: Elia’s Trip to the Alphabet Zoo, personalized through @Shutterfly.
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Suggestions from Belle’s mom: book-absolute must have for every kid, baguette-optional, but is fun too.
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Jokes aside, go watch Stories. These books are fabulous. We go a long way back with Shutterfly. Some of my favorite wall art has been created through them from some of my most favorite pictures. These books though! They have lots of different stories to choose from, and you should see how thrilled Elia is that it is just her book. Go watch Stories.
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#MyShutterfly #bookstagram #disney #belle #familyovereverything

3 things I’ve learned since becoming a mom, things I would tell my younger self, when I was trying to desperately figure out this “balance” thing while juggling two toddlers, work and marriage:
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🔸 you can’t prepare for motherhood. You just can’t. No matter how much you read, baby-sit or help with your friends kids, when you become a mom yourself, a wave of absolutely unexpected emotions, unexpected events, etc just swallows you.
And it’s absolutely ok. For as long as your head is making it above the water, you are doing great!
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🔸 the best way to raise kids is to give them a lot of freedom. This way the rules and boundaries carry 10x the weight.
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🔸 your children are only “yours” for as long as they are growing inside of you and for a few short years after that. Enjoy this time no matter how sleep-deprived you are. Somewhere around ages 3-5 they turn into independent little humans and your role is to encourage them and teach them how to fly high. It’s heartbreaking on one side, but their happiness is worth it all.
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And as far as balance... balance is relative.
Do that which benefits and makes you and your family happy first. There is no set “bar” we have to reach. Everyone is different. For as long as you go to bed knowing that you’ve done your best today, YOU HAVE the balance you are looking for.
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Do I have moms here? Can you relate? What did motherhood teach you? What would you tell your younger self?
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PS: @elizabetharden just released new scents in the White Tea Fragrance Collection – White Tea Vanilla Orchid & White Tea Wild Rose. It’s absolutely beautiful! If you are looking for a gift, bookmark. Non-sponsored whatsoever. Recommendation from my ❤️
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🔸РУССКИЙ В КОММЕНТАРИЯХ
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#whiteteamoments #motherhood #family #familyovereverything #mothersday #mothersdaygifts

Tech & kids.
This is one of my favorite pictures of @nadyahill, because this is her in her element, happy beyond what I ever imagined happy could be.
She and Yeva spend hours training and practicing, they record videos so they learn from mistakes, they can spend hours slowing down the videos and breaking it to segments, looking for what they can improve, and mastering their skills with at a very fast speed.
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How is this related to technology?
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Because the ability to do what they do IS made possible by the technology of today.
Their online education (excellent education system, too, as we had a chance to compare this year) is what gives them the freedom and ability to have more time practicing at hours that are best for them.
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Videos that they take with their phones, also thanks to technology and making smartphones so accessible, make it possible for them to see if what they think they are doing is REALLY so. Also, they create fun little videos just for our memories, too.
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Then there is Youtube. And hundreds of tutorials, competitions, etc that they watch, analyze, and break down step-by-step actions that most successful riders do.
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So, just here we have :
professional training, creativity, analytical skills and passion, all made possible and fueled by modern technology.
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I’m very pro tech, guys. This is just a small grain of sand of good technology brought to us. We just need to teach kids how to use it.
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What do you think about this approach? And how do you deal with gadgets in your family? Do you have rules?
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русский ниже, в комментариях .
#equitation #horsebackriding #equestriansport #citykids #familyovereverything

My agenda of the day: change the world.
Anne Klein’s agenda of the day: inspire women to be bold and fearless in their determination each and every day. #annekleinpartner
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Did you know that since 1968, Anne Klein has been a source of inspiration for women to be leaders and to achieve more than anyone thought possible, to be the changemakers that drive the world we live in?
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The mission behind their designs is to make everything in the life of the modern woman easier and more simple so she can use her time where it matters most. Whether it is sending astronauts into space, running a high-fashion magazine, or being the CEO of her household, whatever path she chooses, Anne Klein’s mission is to support and inspire the best in her. .
Now that you guys know this, how many of you are going to check out @AnneKleinOfficial ’s collections?
I did! This watch is from the Spring 19 line, and they had some other ones that I really, really liked. There is one that comes with a set of bracelets, and is very affordable. I put a link in stories to the exact watch.
Let me know what your favorites are!
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#WomenWhoDo #mothersday #family #style #fashion

Modern girl: multifaceted and always multitasking. 😉
Let’s talk modern life, childhood and kids.
This new generation is not like any other.
Even 20 years ago it was a common understanding that one would get a profession, get good at it and that would set one for life.
Not today.
They have 10x more expectations, 10x more the technology, and 10x more the drive to accomplish things.
The world is changing so fast, that juggling more than one profession at a time has become a common thing, and the new, upcoming, generation seems to not only like it, but they don’t even understand why would someone limit him/herself to just one choice.
Is this a good thing? Is that a bad thing?
Is the technology to “blame” for this shift or is the technology is what makes it possible to achieve?
Is this a chase for unachievable that steals the childhood from growing kids or is this a new way of living?
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What do you, guys, think? Let’s talk!
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*русский в комментариях
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#citykids #generationz #familyovereverything #family #equitation #equestriansport

Dec 9

Dec 9 Vasilisa's Gift Guide!

Here is to another gift-guide and now it's Vasilisa's turn!

Her picks are some of my favorites and the French theme that seems to be trending is adorable!

Vasilisa's favorites are:

Silvie Doll:
http://bitteshop.com/collections/soft-toys/products/sylvie

Play silk:
http://bitteshop.com/products/silk-scape-blossom

Book set:
http://bitteshop.com/products/all-aboard-6-title-set

Notebook:
http://bitteshop.com/collections/preschool

Mice set:
http://www.mailegusa.com/products/guardian-angel-mouse

And additional mice:
http://www.mailegusa.com/search?type=product&q=mice

JUJUBE doll diaper bag ( adorable!!):
http://www.shop.ju-ju-be.com/itty-bitty-be-tokidoki-unikiki-2-0/

Paris play mat:
http://bitteshop.com/collections/preschool

Here is to abundance of choices for gifts and stocking stuffers!

Happy Holidays!

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