So, after a successful trip to Walmart this morning with three kids in tow [insert gold star] I've decided to treat myself. We all deserve to be pampered and that doesn't necessarily mean an expensive trip to the spa. With a little bit of prep a relaxing spa session can be had right at home. This pedicure post is the kickoff of our monthly spa session plans. Each month I'll pick a different theme featured around the seasons and holidays.
   One of the best ways to pamper ourselves during the summer is with a nice pedicure. After spending some time in flip flops those feet could use a nice soak and the nails, a fresh coat of paint.
   Setting the mood - The first thing that should happen in order for this to work is children should be busy or not around (if you happen to have little monsters)... this is supposed to be a relaxing time. Once things are calm I recommend finding a quiet spot to have your spa session. Prep your favorite snack and/or drink, I created this Lemon Raspberry Iced Tea recipe just for this occasion. Then grab your favorite book, magazine or coloring book and maybe a comfy pillow too.
   Supplies - You could gather most of these ahead of time if you have a time cap. First you'll need a big bucket or foot bath for soaking (a dish washing bucket works great in a pinch). You'll also need a towel, salts/soak, a loofah or pumice, moisturizer, nail polish of choice and remover if you need it. For salts I recommend our Bath Crumbs, if you don't have any on hand just make sure that you grab some with Epsom Salt in the list of ingredients as they are awesome for feet. I also love using our Triple Butter Sticks for a moisturizer because you can treat yourself to a little massage and the nourishing Shea Butter will leave your feet feeling amazing!
   Dive in - Start off by removing any old nail polish. Doing this before you soak your feet will give your nails a chance to breath and soak. Besides, nobody wants to smell like nail polish remover. Once your toes are ready fill your bucket  about half way with warm/comfortable water. Sprinkle in salts and add feet, haha. While your feet are soaking enjoy your snacks and catch up on that book or meditate if you'd rather. after about 10-15 minutes gently scrub each foot with loofah or pumice to get any flaky patches off. Once your satisfied with your results, rinse them clean and pat dry. Apply and/or massage moisturizer into skin and then wrap them in the towel for about 5 minutes... read some more of that book. after that moisturizer has had a chance to soak in, unwrap feet and paint those little piggies as desired. Make sure you kick your feet up for a bit once you've applied the polish. This will give you another chunk of relaxation time.
   Once you've finished your spa session I hope that you feel relaxed and ready to take on the world... or at least your world. Seriously though, I truly hope that you realize how worthy you are and take the time to do things for yourself. Even if spa sessions aren't your thing, find the time to do something else that you love... something just for you!

   On Sunday I will be releasing a themed post with ideas for an at home spa session. I plan to do this each month with different ideas that will be themed around seasons and events. To go along with these sessions I will be sharing a quick and simple recipe that pairs well with a little spa time. These recipes will be released a few days in advance so that you can gather supplies if needed. The first recipe is a super easy and refreshing Lemon Raspberry Iced Tea.

Ingredients:

• 2 Raspberry Tea Bags (I recommend Celestial Seasonings Raspberry Zinger, it's my absolute favorite!)
• 2C Water
• 1-2 TBSP Honey or Sugar for sweetening (if desired)
  
• Juice of 1 Lemon
  
• A few fresh or frozen Raspberries
  

 
Bring water to a boil then pour over tea bags in a heat safe container. Allow tea to steep for 4-6 minutes, remove bags when finished. If adding sweetener do so now and stir to dissolve. Allow tea to cool for about 10-15 minutes and then refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Before taking the tea out of the fridge slice lemon in half vertically. cut a slice (circle) out of the middle for garnish. Remove cold tea from the fridge and then squeeze the lemon juice into the tea. Stir the tea to incorporate the lemon juice, pour into glass over ice (makes 1-2 glasses). Drop in the raspberries, cut a slit in the lemon slice and place on glass. Sip and enjoy!
   Stay tuned for our first Spa Session post next week!

This one is for all of the Moms out there that are trying to survive and enjoy summer!
   Summer Vacation is in full swing here in Maine which means... the kiddos are home from school and driving me kind of crazy! Don't get me wrong, I love having my little monsters home, but boy am I tired already!
   As moms, I think it's important to recognize when we need a break... all year long, but even more so over vacation. It's nothing to feel guilty about. We work super hard around the clock and have totally earned a little "me time"! I mean... REAL "me time"... not a chunk of time to get caught up on laundry, dishes or a much needed grocery trip. I'm taking about a real "self-care" session! Whether you like to do yoga, read a book, take a bath, color, etc... you deserve the time to yourself! It doesn't make you a bad mom, I promise, it makes you human. We all need a break every once in a while in order to stay sane... or at least close to it!
   Later this month I will be launching a new themed monthly Spa Session post. Each months post will include ideas, inspiration and an easy recipe for either a spa sipper or a snack. I'm super excited, this should be a lot of fun! In the meantime, here are some ideas on how to keep the kids busy while you squeeze in that chunk of "me time".

• Fluffy Slime - I found this less messy than most slime recipes here
• Homemade Kid Friendly Paint - here
• Water - You would be surprised how entertaining a large bucket of water with some cups, shells, dolls, boats, etc., can be. My kids will play for hours on the deck with a bucket of water. Though we can't leave them unattended, plopping in a lawn chair with a drink and a magazine while they play is still pretty satisfying.
• Fort Building - Either inside or out is a great distraction. Younger kids will probably need some help to get started, but older kids can totally design their own... even if they try to tell you that they can't... then it becomes a great problem solving/STEM activity for them (insert wink face).
• Reading - If they've already made a fort why not spend some time reading in it. Add a flashlight for even more fun!
• At-Home Movie Theater - Pjs, popcorn, juice boxes and a good movie usually buy a little bit of quiet time. Of course a living room fort would be a lot of fun added to this activity too!
• Printables - There are lots of free printables to be found on Pinterest to keep kids busy. Another option would be journal/story writing and/or coloring. I have a Pinterest board filled with ideas for this. You can find it here

     I hope this post has given you some ideas because you totally deserve a little time to yourself! If you have any ideas that you would like to share, comment below, we'd love to hear them!
   Hang in there Mamma, you've got this and you're amazing! I hope that you have an amazing summer filled with sunshine and memories. Stay tuned for July's Spa Session post coming out in a couple of weeks!