Posts by Wendy S

About Wendy S

+Wendy S (also known as @mapsgirl) is a mom to two daughters. They are the inspiration of this blog.Passionate about child passenger safety, Wendy has been a certified Car Seat Technician in Ontario, Canada since 2008.

Travel Essentials to Take to Hot Climate

May 23, 2022 by Wendy S

Photo by Craig Adderley from Pexels

When travelling to a hot climate, you often need to take extra precautions to ensure that you stay safe and comfortable throughout your trip. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few essentials you should definitely pack for your next trip to a hotter climate than you’re used to.

Merino wool

This might sound strange to some people, but Merino wool is great for just about any climate It keeps you cool in hot climates and warm in cool climates, so you should always pack some wherever you go.

Moisture-wicking underwear

Moisture-wicking underwear will keep your most delicate parts dry and comfortable no matter how hot it gets. So, you can explore your vacation destination without having to worry about freshness or getting any itchy heat rashes which can be oh so annoying.

Eye drops

If you are prone to getting dry eye, then it is a really good idea to take moistening eye drops to hot climates with you. Hot weather is a particular trigger for dry eye, and as you know, it can get pretty irritating and uncomfortable, so you really don’t want it to ruin your vacation. That’s why you really should not forget to pack eye drops.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses will also help to protect your eyes, this time from the damaging effects of the sun’s rays.

Water bottles

Taking your own water bottle with you will encourage you to keep dehydrated. Just bear in mind that, in some countries, tap water is not safe to drink, and if that is the case, buying bottled water throughout the day is likely to be safer.

Cotton clothing

Not only does cotton clothing enable your skin to breathe, so that you are less likely to overheat, but it dries very quickly. So, if you get hot and sweaty, you can wash and dry your clothing in no time at all.

Lightweight shoes

Your feet can get really hot in a warm climate, so it is a good idea to pack sandals, along with a good pair of lightweight sneakers or trail shoes, depending on what kind of activities you are likely to be getting up to.

Lots of sunscreen

Of course, one of the most important things you should pack when travelling to a hot climate is sunscreen. Lots of it. You should never be out in the daylight hours without having lots of sunscreen on. The risk of being burned is so very high that you absolutely cannot afford to skip even one application.

It might be a good idea to also pack some alive vera gel because, if you do get burnt, it will help to soothe your pain significantly.

A sun hat

A sun hat will help to stop you from overheating, prevent your head from burning, and provide you with some much-needed shade when you’re on the beach, so be sure to bring one along.

With these essentials in your suitcase, you can be sure that you’ll have a safe, comfortable, and most important of all, fun time, on your next hot climate vacation.

The 6 Things To Keep You Focused on Your Fitness Journey

May 23, 2022 by Wendy S

Photo by Annushka Ahuja from Pexels

You have planned your cardio workouts and invested in the clothing or equipment, but you are still struggling with your fitness regime. Sound familiar? If you’re finding it hard to stick to it, you are not alone. The fact is there can be many reasons why we don’t stick to our fitness journey. We can fall off the wagon because it’s too difficult or we hit a bad run in our lives, but there are many things you can do to keep yourself focused, including the following:

Consistency With Your Diet

We all have a focus on getting fit, which means that we think we’ve got to exercise and everything else doesn’t matter. The reality is that nutrition is more important. Have you heard the expression “abs are made in the kitchen?” If you hit a bad patch in your life, ensuring that you stay consistent with your diet, your hydration, and your supplements can help you to feel energized, while also reminding you that you are on this journey which doesn’t happen overnight. When it comes to supplements, there are plenty out there, since 2007, Steel Supplements have been providing supplements for plenty of people looking to achieve their fitness goals, and there are also plenty of supplement websites that provide invaluable exercise support. Even if you’re not able to exercise for whatever reason, keeping your nutrition dialled in means you should still see the benefit!

Work Out With Someone Else

Motivation can be a major factor, so if you go and exercise with someone, you’re more likely to stick to it, so it can become a habit. The benefits of having a buddy can go beyond motivation. For example, you can spot each other so you are both working out with the proper form. And when it gets to the point where it becomes a habit, you can start to mix it up and incorporate that friendly competition! This is another key motivator so many athletes have at the forefront of their minds. Even if your workout buddy can only do 21 push-ups, you aiming for 22 can be a little thing that really ignites your mindset.

Mix Up Your Training

If you hit a plateau, which everybody does at some point, mixing it up can really achieve better results. You don’t have to stick to the same things but you can try any of the following:

Boxing workouts.
Medicine balls.
Using your body weight.
Resistance bands.

And the list goes on! Because when we get into the same old routine, we’re not shocking the body, which means that we’re not stimulating growth or adaptation.

Setting Yourself Clear Goals

Many people decide that a goal is “to get healthy” or “lose X pounds,” but these are very muddy goals. When you set out clear goals, this gives you a better idea of how you need to meet these goals. For example, for anybody that is looking to train to get into the fire service, the criteria are laid out; they have to lift a certain amount of weight over their shoulders, which means that anybody that is looking to go down this career path will focus more on their shoulders, as well as their cardio training. When you start to set yourself clear goals, this will dictate the program, but it also keeps you building towards it.

Remember Your Mindset

There are going to be times when you won’t want to exercise because you’re too tired or you’ve had a long day, but the fact is you just need to shut up and train! Feeling confident about your progress is usually motivation enough on those difficult evenings when you don’t want to hit the gym, but it’s also important to note if you’re feeling demotivated because you are plateauing, because there is such a thing as overtraining! If you are doing too much, think about having a rest for 48 hours and see how you feel after that.

Get a Personal Trainer

If you are keeping an eye on your finances right now, this is not necessarily a worthwhile option, but there’s a lot to be said for having a personal trainer in your life as they will help you stay focused, but they have the qualifications and experience to ensure that you are hitting your goals.

Keeping the focus on your fitness journey is not always easy. One of the biggest things you need to do is to start slow. Exercise is not about doing everything all at once, but giving it time, so while you might be chomping at the bit to lose weight or lift your body weight, the reality is that the route to complete fitness is a gradual one.

20 Kitchen Hacks to Make Your Life Easier

May 18, 2022 by Wendy S

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

As a busy working mom, I am often finding ways to make life easier by being more efficient. Sometimes it is difficult to plan ahead, and I admit, I have often failed at this. But I am human. Our family tries our best to work as a team. With work, school, sports, choir, Pathfinders, and band, things can get tricky at times. So keeping ourselves accountable and working together is key.

In general, anything that we can do to make our life more efficient helps to reduce stress. Here are some kitchen hacks that make things easier for our family:

If you’re short on counter space, try hanging a pot rack from the ceiling. It’ll give you extra room to store pots and pans, and it’ll also add a bit of style to your kitchen.
Don’t let your knives get dull – sharpen them regularly with a sharpening stone. It’s easy to do, and it’ll keep your knives in top condition.
Get organized with a spice rack. This will help you find the spices you need quickly, and it’ll also free up space in your cabinets or pantry.
Invest in a good set of baking tools – they’ll make all the difference when you’re baking cookies or cakes.
Keep your kitchen clean with a daily cleaning routine. Wipe down the counters, sweep the floor, and wash the dishes – it’ll make a big difference in how your kitchen looks and feels.
Make mealtime easier with a slow cooker. You can throw all of your ingredients in the pot in the morning, and dinner will be ready when you get home from work.
If you’re short on storage space, consider using mason jars to store food. They’re perfect for storing dry goods like flour or sugar, and they look cute, too!
Keep your fridge organized with labeled storage containers. This will help you find what you need quickly, and it’ll also help keep your fridge clean.
Prevent kitchen disasters with a fire extinguisher. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and a fire extinguisher can help put out a small fire before it gets out of control.
Make sure you have all the essentials – a good set of pots and pans, some basic kitchen utensils, and some good-quality knives. These things will make cooking much easier.
Get a dishwasher – it’s worth it! You’ll save so much time by not having to wash dishes by hand, and your dishes will come out clean and sparkling every time.
Get a set of measuring cups and spoons so you can make sure you’re using the correct amount of ingredients. This will help you make better-tasting food, and it’ll also save you money.
Use an oven thermometer to make sure your food is cooked at the correct temperature. This will help you avoid overcooking or undercooking your food, and it’ll also help prevent accidents.
When cooking, use fresh ingredients whenever possible. They’ll taste better and they’re usually more nutritious than processed foods.
If you’re having guests over, set the table the night before so you’re not rushed in the morning. This will help you entertain your guests more easily, and it’ll also save you time.
Make sure your kitchen is well-lit so you can see what you’re doing. This will help you avoid accidents, and it’ll also help you cook more easily.
If you’re short on counter space, use your walls! Hang a pot rack or install some shelves – this will give you extra room to store pots and pans, and it’ll also free up space on your counters.
Keep a clean kitchen towel on hand to wipe up spills quickly. This will help you keep your counters clean, and it’ll also save you time in the long run.
When cooking, use a timer to keep track of how long your food has been cooking. This will help you avoid overcooking or undercooking your food, and it’ll also help you stay on schedule.
Put your shopping list on a whiteboard in the kitchen! When you run out of something, put it on the whiteboard right away. When you are ready to go shopping, take a picture of that list with your phone so you can cross-reference it while shopping.

These kitchen hacks will help you save time and energy, and they’ll also help you create better-tasting food. By using these tips, you’ll be able to enjoy your kitchen more and stress less.

So what are you waiting for?

4 Tips for Healing your Soul if you have Experienced a Loss

May 16, 2022 by Wendy S

Do you feel as though your soul is in need of some healing? Maybe you have experienced a loss but you do not know how to go about dealing with it, on a personal level. Either way, it is vital to know that there are things that you can do to try and help yourself.

Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

Be Present

It is normal for you to want to escape from the feelings of grief that you have. It is also normal for you to want to turn to things that you feel may numb you. This could include comfort food or even shopping. Instead of doing things like this, you need to try and pour all of your energy into something more positive. This could be your work or your creativity. If you can do this, you will be able to heal yourself.

Raise Awareness

Do not try and push the pain away. Instead, try and bring awareness to it. Try and do what you can to relax in the midst of all the chaos, and also try and use it to your advantage. Now is the time for you to try and build yourself to be a stronger person and prove to yourself that you can work through just about anything. Now may even be the time for you to look into cremation jewelry crosses so that you can begin to heal your spirit as you work through the difficult time you are going through.

Plan for a Special Day

It is an excellent idea for you to look to your calendar. Map out any days that you may feel triggered on, and also take the time to learn how to cope. Nourish and even comfort yourself on days like this and also find healthy ways to cope. It may be that you try and spend more time with your family or that you simply try and reach out more. If you can do this, then you will soon see that people are in fact there to support you, and this can work wonders if you are on a spiritual journey.

Know that Grief is Fluid

Grief is fluid. It can change over time and there is no set path that you can follow to get through it. Sometimes you may move to denial and then acceptance, but shortly after you may find yourself feeling angry again. Either way, you have to know that grief is always changing and that you are never going to experience things in a logical or linear order. The sooner you can accept this, the more leeway you can give yourself when it comes to coping and this can work in your favour in general.

If you want to help yourself, then remember that talking to someone, or a friend is always a good idea. You may find that they can then give you the support that you need and that you can also count on them to pick you up when you are feeling down, so keep that in mind if you can.

Organizing A Move Abroad In Three Simple Steps

May 13, 2022 by Wendy S

Organizing a move abroad might seem like a daunting task, and it can be, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a range of different things that you have got to get sorted, but if you can manage to keep a level head and not freak out, it’s not going to be too difficult. If you don’t know how to even begin going about this process, it’s a good thing that you have come across this article. Down below, we’re going to be looking at some helpful advice, so keep reading if you would like to find out more.

Photo by Marina Leonova from Pexels

Find Somewhere To Live

If you know that you are going to be moving somewhere new, it would make sense that you start looking for somewhere to live as soon as possible. As such, this is the first thing that we will suggest. Even if you are just dipping your toes in the water to begin with and seeing what’s out there, at least you are starting to get some sense of what to expect for your price range.

You can contact a real estate agent, tell them what you need and ask them to look at some properties for you. Then, you can arrange to go and see them yourself, deciding which, if any, are a good fit for you.

Ship Your Items To Storage If Needed

If you haven’t found a place to move into but you are no longer able to live where you currently do, we recommend getting your items shipped into personal storage in the country you are moving to. This makes it a lot easier for you to stay somewhere temporarily until you find somewhere permanent.

When you do find a place, you can hire a company such as Allied Van Lines to come and pick up your items, helping you move them into your new home. As soon as you have the move-in date you should start looking at companies like this to find out who is available.

Correct Documents

The final thing that we are going to mention in this article is that you need to ensure that you have the correct documents for travel, and the right to work in that country. Make sure that you take a look at the requirements online, fill out all of the necessary forms and wait until all of the documents are approved before you start planning a whole life in a new country. We promise you that it’s better to wait in case anything is denied or needs redoing.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now have a better understanding of how you can go about organizing a move abroad without making the process too complicated. Of course, it’s a stressful time with all the new changes that are going on, but you’ve got to keep your head on and maintain your organizational skills to avoid it all falling apart. We wish you the very best of luck and hope that you manage to keep it simple.