Workout Wednesday

Check out:
-THIS MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:

-THIS WORKOUT MOVE: 

The Modified Plank
The plank pose is a personal trainer favorite because it is simple enough to perform anywhere, and it works your body’s entire core. It also can help to elongate the spine, strengthen the arms and wrists, and increase balance.  

To Perform a Modified Plank: Begin by facing the floor on your hands and knees. Inhale and draw the body up and walk the hands forward until you are on your toes, and your hands are beneath your shoulders. Tighten your stomach muscles and try to maintain a straight line from your shoulders all the way to your heels. Exhale and breathe slowly with the neck relaxed and the eyes looking toward the floor. Hold the pose for 15 seconds, and then release. Repeat 2x.

-THIS YOGA MOVE:

Cow

Cow is a great stretching pose that stretches your back muscles. Begin on all fours on your mat ensuring that your hands are just under your shoulders and feet are under hips. Spread your fingers and tuck your toes to stretch your feet. Begin with a flat back and slowly lift and round your spine by tucking your tailbone and pushing your butt out. Take your gaze to the ceiling. Take a deep breath, and on your exhale, return to starting position.

 

-THIS SNACK:

Frozen Yogurt Covered Fruits (find the recipe here)

-THIS CUTE SHIRT:

Buy it HERE!

ADD THESE SONGS TO YOUR WORK OUT PLAYLIST: 

80's- Pat Benatar- Hit Me With Your Best Shot

90's- C&C Music Factory- Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)

2000's- The Black Eyed Peas- Let's Get It Started

Now- Taylor Swift- Shake It Off

xoxo Kelly

Mommy Monday- Bath Time

Jameson is the happiest each night when he takes a bath. He giggles, tries to sing, and splashes absolutely everywhere. You can see here that his smile says it all.

 

Here are a few bathtime pointers and hacks for you:

1. Use your booster seat as a bath chair-

I received this booster seat from a friend before Jameson arrived and it works perfectly in the bath tub since he is too big for a baby bath but not big enough to sit on his own. You can purchase one HERE.

2. Toy Tips-
If you are like me, you probably have a million little toys that look something like this floating around your tub during bath time: 

   

Toys with any opening where water can get inside are at risk for some serious, disgusting mold. Here are two methods for cleaning and sanitizing your bath toys:

Vinegar Cleaning- Vinegar is a wonderful natural disinfectant and is safer than bleach so I would give this a try first. Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar with a gallon of water and let the toys soak for an hour.  Scrub the toys down with a sponge and squeeze the water out of each toy and let them dry. 

Bleach Cleaning- Soak the toys in 3/4 cup of bleach with one gallon of water. Let the toys soak for an hour, scrub them down and squeeze the water out and let them dry.  This seems to release more mold than the vinegar.  Rinse the insides of the toys multiple times to rinse the bleach off.  

*Once you have to clean the toys, you will realize how "not fun" it really is. You can prevent water from getting into the toys by using a hot glue gun and putting a little bit of glue on the opening. If you do this when you first buy a toy, you never even have to worry about cleaning the insides. 

3. Bath Time Storage-

This is how we keep most of Jameson's stuff in the bath tub. It was much cheaper to buy 2 hooks and a dish drainer than to buy a fancy bathroom toy storage organizer. 

4. Bubble Bath DIY-

Homemade Bubble Bath Recipe (older kids and adults):

• Recycle an old bubble bath bottle (large, or use a large mason jar)
• Fill the bottle or jar with water
• Add 1-2 ounces of Glycerin (around $2.99)
• Grate a bar of Castile Soap (psa $0.99)
• If you want to make it scented, use a few drops of your fave essential oil or perfume
• Shake Well

Homemade Tear-Free Bubble Bath Recipe:

• Recycle an old bubble bath bottle
• Fill up half the bottle with water, and the other half with your fave tear-free baby shampoo (I prefer Johnson’s or Baby Magic)
• Add 4-6 tablespoons of baby oil
• Shake Well

5. Music-

We love listening to music during bath time. It is a fun addition to an already fun time. You can listen to FREE music through Pandora. Our favorite station on there for Jameson is  "Toddler Radio."

I hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any bath time pointers for me, please feel free to leave a comment. 

xoxo Kelly

Savory Saturday- Healthy Game Day Appetizers

There is no question, It is definitely football season here in the McGuire household. One of my favorite parts about this time in the past has been the food. You know, wings, nachos, pizza, fries. All the really bad stuff for you. This season I have obviously been trying to find healthier choices than what I have chosen in the past. These three recipes are sure to please and are an excellent choice when trying to put a healthier spin on everyone's favorite recipes.

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

• Ingredients

1. 1 can black beans
2. 1 can yellow corn, or yellow and white corn
3. 1 can of Rotel
4. 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
5. about 3 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro
6. a dash of lime juice (or squeeze one lime)  

• Directions

1. Open can of black beans, place in strainer and rinse off excess "juice". dump in bowl.
2. Open can of corn, place in strainer to drain off excess water, then dump in bowl with beans.
3. Open can of rotel and add to beans and corn.
4. Add onions and cilantro and stir. Add lime juice to your taste.

Just add your favorite chips and you are all set!

Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

• Ingredients

1. 1/2 Cup water
2. 1/2 Cup milk
3. 1 Cup of flour
4. Small head of cauliflower
5. 3/4 C Frank’s RedHot Sauce (the Buffalo style is great if you can find it). 
6. 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
7. 1 Tsp. garlic powder 

• Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper…or just spray the sheet with cooking spray.
2. Cut the cauliflower into florets (yields somewhere between 4 & 6 cups)
3. Whisk together the water, milk, flour, and garlic. Coat each floret with the batter, letting any excess drip off.
4. Place the coated florets on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for approximately 20 minutes (until the batter edges start browning).
5. While those bake, combine the hot sauce and melted butter.
6. Once the florets are baked, remove from the oven & pour the hot sauce mixture over. Carefully turn the pieces to make sure everything is well-coated. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Then, serve them up just like you would buffalo chicken wings, with some celery and your favorite ranch or bleu cheese! Obviously, the texture and flavor is a bit different than a boneless chicken wing. But, the taste was great! So, if you’re craving a buffalo taste without all the calories of fried chicken wings, or you need a vegetarian option, these are great! 

 

Baked Zuccini Fries

• Ingredients

1. 3 small zucchini, or 2 large
2. 1 cup panko crumbs
3. 2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
4. salt
5. ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
6. 2 eggs

• Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Start by cutting your zucchini. Cut off each end. Then cut the zucchini in half and then lengthwise. Set one piece on its end and cut it in half lengthwise. Cut that half in half. Cut that half in half. Stack the planks on top of each other and cut into strips. Lightly sprinkle with salt.
3. Combine panko crumbs, italian seasoning, and shredded parmesan cheese in a shallow pie dish.
4. Whisk the egg together and working in batches dip each zucchini strip into the egg and coat well in panko mixture.
5. Set on a the cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 until lightly brown. Can be dipped in marinara sauce, ranch, or your favorite dipping sauce.

xoxo Kelly

Thrifty Thursday- DIY Hair Mask & Face Mask

I love doing beauty treatments, but I hate paying for them. I have tried out a few recipes the past three weeks for both hair and skin and I want to share with you my 2 favorites. 

DIY HAIR MASK

When it comes to natural hair care, I have found that some of the most basic and inexpensive solutions are actually the best. This simple two ingredient hair mask featuring coconut oil and honey, is my favorite way to deep condition and bring some joy back to dry, damaged, unhappy hair.

Coconut oil acts as a wonderfully nourishing conditioner when applied to the hair and scalp.

Coconut oil actually heals your hair. Unlike other popular cosmetic oils such as sunflower and mineral oil, the chemical structure of coconut oil enables the fatty acids to actually penetrate the hair shaft and rejuvenate the hair from the inside out. Filled with medium-chain triglycerides, coconut oil physically replenishes and adds volume to the hair, rather than simply adding a synthetic coating as many store-bought products do.

The duo of coconut oil and honey actually lock in moisture. Honey is classified as a natural humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and retains water molecules. The added coconut oil helps to seal in this action. Thus, when used as a mask, the two condition deeply and leave the hair looking shinier and feeling softer. 

The coconut oil and honey are free of fragrance, pH balanced,  and filled with natural enzymes and minerals.

Here is a quick tutorial:

Step 1: Mix 1 tablespoon of organic coconut oil with 1 tablespoon of organic honey.
Step 2: Microwave 15-20 seconds until coconut oil is softened. (Coconut oil is solid at room temperature.)
Step 3: Mix well.
Step 4: Apply to wet hair. (In the picture my hair is wet and I am about to apply my hair mask.)
Step 5: Put a shower cap on or use a grocery bag. (Sorry for the typo in the picture.)
Step 6: After 30 minutes, rinse with warm water.
Step 7: Shampoo and condition as normal.

Apply the hair mask once a week and your hair will be softer, shinier, and look healthier over time.
PLEASE NOTE: Coconut oil can make tubs and floors very slippery! It will drip, even with a plastic bag or shower cap on, so be careful.
 

DIY CINNAMON AND HONEY FACE MASK

You may already know just how wonderful raw honey can be for the skin (and the body.) Honey has antibacterial properties and aids in all kinds of healing. In raw form, honey also contains skin softening enzymes. It acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, which can reduce swelling and redness in skin. It is also great for soothing acne scars and preventing infection. When you add a bit of cinnamon to the mix…things get much more exciting (and beneficial!)
 
Cinnamon is a wonder spice. It boosts healthy circulation, which plumps and clears the skin. It also helps clear the skin and boosts healthy detoxification by bringing in more oxygen. When used internally, cinnamon aids healthy digestion. All of these benefits are part of the healthy skin equation.

Because most of us already have them items in our kitchen, this mask can be made anytime for glowing skin results! This mask is super easy to make and you can feel the skin calming properties as soon as you put it on! Your face will feel tighter and your pores will look smaller just after doing it once. 

Step 1: Combine both ingredients in small bowl.
Step 2: Apply to damp, clean skin for at least 20 minutes. 
(Today I will be leaving it on for 30 minutes because I am doing both treatments at the same time.)
Step 3: Rinse thoroughly with warm water and follow with appropriate moisture or treatment product. 
 
TIP: you can also add in 1 teaspoon of nutmeg for more clearing benefits.

CAUTION: While this mask is extremely beneficial and gentle, it does contain stimulating spices. Therefore, it should not be used more than once weekly and should not be used on extremely sensitive or broken skin.  

It is normal for your face to be red after a face mask, my end picture from both treatments is after I got out of the shower and did my normal hair and makeup routine.

Let me know how both of these recipes work for you!

 xoxo Kelly

Teach It Tuesday- Discovery Bottles

One of my favorite things to do is "teach" Jameson. Even though he is only 6 months old, there are so many ways to exercise his little brain. When I started looking around on Pinterest for ideas, I decided to make my own discovery bottles. 

Discovery bottles help with the development of fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination as children shake, toss and turn the bottles to observe the result. They give children the opportunity to explore little exciting items through a bottle that they would otherwise not be able to play with because of them being choking hazards. As Jameson grows, we will be able to do more things with these bottles other than just sitting on the ground and moving them around. I think it will be fun to play with them with a black light and table light when he is a few years older. 

Here are instructions on how you can make your own set replicating mine. Of course you can make your own, just use your imagination and the possibilities are endless.

These are the 6 that I created:

1. Multicolor small star beads/ shades of blue holographic shades of blue sequins/ water- This bottle is designed for noise, color, and movement discovery.
   
2. 1/4 of a bottle of vegetable oil (or you can use baby oil) and 3/4 of a bottle of blue water (water with a few drops of blue food dye)- This bottle is designed to introduce the concept of seperation of liquids.
   
3.  Small jingle bells/ Metallic twist ties- This bottle was designed just to spark visual interest.
   
4. Glitter, neon iridescent pom poms/ multicolor, multisized buttons- This bottle is designed to introduce early math concepts and encourage visual stimulation.
   
5. 3/4 bottle of green water (water with a few drops of green food dye) / 3 drop of dish soap- This bottle is designed for shaking and creating bubbles and froth.
   
6. Water/ A lot of extra fine silver glitter/ red, "diamond shaped" crystals (found in the Walmart floral section)- This bottle is designed for discovery of noise, beautiful movement and disbursement.
   

After you fill them with your "ingredients", you should seal them with a hot glue gun and if you are a worry wort like me you can add some duct tape around the lid as well.

I hope seeing these discovery bottles has helped spark some ideas of your own. If you make a set of bottles I would love to see them! Take a picture and leave it in the comments. These are sure to be a hit in any house with curious children. 

 

xoxo Kelly

Fluff Friday- Goodbye Disposables, Hello Cloth

To be honest, if I would have had my baby before my oldest sister had her baby, I am not sure that he would have been cloth diapered. I didn't even know that cloth diapering was still a "thing" until I observed my sister and brother-in-law cloth diaper my nephew. I quickly discovered that cloth diapering just keeps getting better with time. Here are questions and answers to some of the questions that I hear the most.

Do people really still use cloth diapers?

• YES! With all of the choices now available, cloth diapers have become as easy and convenient to use as disposable diapers. If you are hesitant about cleaning them,you have options. There are many cloth diapering delivery and washing services so that you can pay someone to clean them and even sometimes supply them, or you can just wash them yourself (which is what we do in our family.)

 What are the Benefits to cloth diapering?
1.) You WILL save money.

• You can expect to spend $1,500 to $2,000 or more on disposable diapers by the time your baby is out of them.  (If you buy premium or biodegradable options, that number could reach $3,000.)
• If you were to buy 20 of the most expensive cloth diapers available, you would still be spening less than $400. So now factor in detergent and water bills and you are STILL saving more than half of what you would be spending on disposables. 
• Our money that we save by cloth diapering helps us fund other areas of Jameson's life. Swimming lessons, music lessons, you know, the fun stuff.  
• You do need to know that while cloth diapering will save you money in the long run, it does require an investment up front. (I will talk about this in detail in a later post.)

2.)  You WILL prevent waste.

• The average child will go through anywhere from four to eight thousand diapers in his or her life
• Disposaables are the 3rd most common consumer product in landfills today.
  That means that about 3.4 million diapers end up in landfills each year.
• A disposable diaper may take up to 500 years to try to decompose. 
• One baby in disposable diapers will contribute up to at least 1 ton of waste to your local landfill. 
• Many people are turning to cloth diapering in an effort to reduce waste.
• The environmental footprint of disposable diapers is staggering - See more at: http://www.mamanatural.com/why-cloth-diapers-are-better-than-disposables/#sthash.9vLt4mfy.dpuf
   The enviromental footprint being left by disposable diapers is sickening.

3.)  It is convenient for our family.

• Not only am I completely comfortable using, washing, and prepping our diapers, my husband Sean is also. For us, it is a no brainer.
• We are a 1 income family. Cloth diapering gives us as opportunity to plan for the unexpected. If for some reason Sean were to lose his job, we have everything that we need to properly diaper Jameson until he is ready to potty train. 
• Our house is set up with a good system for washing and drying the diapers (more detailed post about this to come.)
• Cloth diapers are more absorbent and contain baby "blowouts" better. Simple as that.

4.) They are safer for your little ones bottom.

• Most disposables are bleached with Dioxin, which, in animal studies, caused nerve damage, birth defects, increased rates of miscarriages and changes to the immune system. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified dioxins as a probable human carcinogen.
  Next up is Sodium Polyacrylate, the super absorbent gelling material, or AGM, that allows your baby to go long periods in one diaper. Sodium Polyacrylate has been linked in the past to toxic shock syndrome, as well as allergic reactions, and it’s is potentially lethal to pets.
  AGMs are also linked to an increase in childhood asthma and a decrease in sperm count among boys.
  Now, big diaper manufacturers point out that these chemicals exist in very small doses in the diapers, and so don’t post a risk. And, sure, more studies need to be done. But Mama Natural says, why risk it?
  - See more at: http://www.mamanatural.com/why-cloth-diapers-are-better-than-disposables/#sthash.9vLt4mfy.dpuf
   Most disposables are bleached in Dioxin, which in animal studies caused nerve damage, birth defects, an increased number of miscarriages and even changes to the immune system. The US Environmental Protection Agency has classified dioxins as a probable human carcinogen.
• Sodium Polyacrylate  which is what is put into a diaper to allow your baby to go longer periods of time without a diaper change being needed. It is a gel like material also referred to as AGM and has been linked in to past to toxic shock syndrome, allergic reactions, not to mention that it is potentially lethal to pets. AGMs are also linked to an increase in asthma in boys and also a decreased sperm count.
• I understand that the manufacturers of these diapers assure consumers that these chemicals are only applied in small amount but seriously, why risk it? I think Jameson appreciates the soft, cozy material rather than scratchy material.

5.) They are so stinkin' cute.

• Colors, textures, patterns, once you get started, you will become addicted. "Fluff mail" is always an exciting part of the day once I get it. 
• Jameson spends lots of time in just his diaper. I can't get enough of him like this. Take a look for yourself and tell me he's not the cutest. ;-)

I will be posting in depth about cloth diaper lingo, brands of cloth diapers, washing and caring for them, the nitty gritty poop details, and all kinds of other topics relating to cloth diapering in the coming weeks. If you have a special question or request, please list it in the comments. I would love to help! 

Workout Wednesday- How My Journey Started

First things first. This post has me feeling the most vulnerable that I have ever felt in my whole life. That's not even an exaggeration. It's extremely difficult for me to make this information public knowledge and I am scared out of my mind to hit "publish." Here goes nothing. 

Here is a little bit of history to get you caught up in my current health situation.

I have never been "tiny." I had an extremely active childhood and that continued through all of my schooling. I played a lot of sports in high school, each one ending because of an injury. My weight through high school fluctuated between 145 lbs. and 160 lbs. 

I graduated in 2009 and by the time that I got married in 2011, I weighed 170 lbs. I felt ok, but not particularly healthy. 

 

2 weeks after I returned home from our honeymoon, I got extremely sick. Because of how sick I was, I had to be put on numerous medicines just to get my sickness to "slow down." These medicines caused me to gain a huge amount of weight as I was on them for over a year. 

  (This is towards the beginning of my sickness.)

(This is towards the end, when we were getting my sickness under control.)

In April of 2013, I really tried to start getting into shape. At this point, I was the heaviest that I had ever been weighing in at 220 lbs. I started to workout and eat healthier and before I know it, I was starting to feel so much better. I found out that I was pregnant with Jameson about 6 weeks later and because of my history of miscarriages, my doctor advised me to stop working out until later in my pregnancy. I continued to make sure that I was eating healthy when I was able to eat. I struggled with Hyperemesis Gravidarum which is basically extreme morning sickness. I struggled up until the time that Jameson was delivered. I was 215 lbs. at my last appointment before Jameson was born.

6 weeks later I weighed in at 205 lbs. 

Now I am 6 months postpartum.

I decided something really needed to change when I got on the scale and was 205 lbs. 6 weeks ago. From there I decided to thoroughly exercise clean eating and some hard cardio workouts. I have been at this for about 6 weeks now and am down to 193. I am proud of the progress but am looking to make this a lifestyle change not just a short commitment. Long term I would like to see myself at a healthy 165 lbs. I am motivated to get this weight off and really trying to be patient with myself because I know that it took me more than 6 weeks to put on.

There are 3 major components to my weight loss success thus far:

1.  Clean Eating. 90% of the groceries in our home are organic and most of them are also gluten free, dairy free, etc. I do not think that you need to eat gluten free or dairy free if you do not have an allergy but I do believe that sometimes the healthier alternative with food choices may be gluten free or dairy free. A lot of my motivation when it comes to this is that I want to make sure that when Jameson starts to eat with us, we are setting a good example with our food choices and are proud of what we are feeding him. Our local grocery store makes it very easy to shop and eat organic because they have an entire aisle devoted to Organic living. We visit a few other aisles to get our fresh produce and a few other things, but we try to avoid most aisles just simply because of the temptation. I really, really love food.
2. Working out. These two words don't feel like they give my two hours of hell each morning justice. I bust my butt every morning from 9-11 at the YMCA. I chose to get a membership at the YMCA because they provide fantastic childcare for Jameson while I am working out. I really devote myself to some hard cardio for those two hours. I hate every second of it an my only secret is that I watch Netflix the entire time. Thank goodness free wifi is included in my membership. I will eventually change up my workout so that it is not just cardio, but for now I am just trying to get this weight off of me and this is working for me. 
3. Support. My husband Sean works out with me and motivates me at home. He is really encouraging when it comes to clean eating at home assisting with meals when I need a little break. I also have multiple friends on their own weight loss journey. This helps tremendously. My family checks in with me quite a bit too. I love all of the accountability and I am blessed to be surrounded by so many encouraging people.

*Side note: Sean has a "reward" program that he has set up for me for every 10 lbs. that I lose.
-10 pounds: New workout tank. 

(ACHIEVED! Woohoo! This is the one that I chose.)
I found it at Target Clearance but you can buy it online here:
- 20 pounds: New workout outfit head to toe. Headband, Shirt, Pants, and socks.
- 30 pounds: A new pair of extra expensive "fancy" jeans.
- 40 pounds: Shopping spree! By this time, I will definitely not be fitting in my current clothes. This is something that I am really looking forward to. I mean, what girl wouldn't be excited?

Ok back to business...
A few of my weight loss goals moving forward:

1. I would love to have lost 25 lbs. by the time the new year arrives. This is a steep goal and I will be happy with anything that I achieve, but I am going for it full force. 
2. Ultimately, I would love to see myself at 165 lbs. This would be a total weight loss of 40 lbs. From there I will focus on toning up. I think that I have the potential to weigh anywhere from 155 lbs.- 165 lbs. This would bring my total weight loss goal to close to 50 bs. 
3. I am currently a size 16 in pants. I started at a size 18 and would love to end up at a 10 or a 12. I am curvy and don't mind the double digit pant sizes at all, but lets be real, I have some room to improve. 

 One of the tools that I am using as encouragement on this journey are these 2 jars:

I transfer a pebble from the "Pounds To Go" jar into my "Pounds Lost" jar every time that I lose a pound. This is a great visual for progress along the way and I would encourage you to make a set to keep you accountable if you are on your own journey. 

I got all of my supplies from Walmart. It cost me about $10 to make the set. They were very easy to make. First, I layered some scrap book stickers and put them on my jar. Then, I added the adhesive tape around the lid. I got my pebbles from the floral department. Right now there are 12 in the "pounds lost" jar and 28 in the "pounds to go" jar.

Let me know if you have and questions or words of advice for me as I am still new to this whole "healthy lifestyle" thing.

 xo Kelly

Mommy Monday- Baby Paperwork Organization File Tutorial

For my first "Mommy Monday" post, I want to share a little secret with you... 
I am obsessed with organization. Like, I really have a problem. 

Between preparing for Jameson's arrival, then giving birth to him, and then 48 hours taking him home (which was so totally terrifying exciting), I was given what felt like one thousand pieces of paperwork. Where the heck was I supposed to put all of it because every piece of it was apparently "important."

I am going to be completely honest with you. My pile of baby paperwork sat on a shelf stacked tall, collecting dust, until recently. I had to find a solution because I was completely overwhelmed with where to start and I knew as Jameson grew, so would the paperwork.

I started to search around and found this gem on amazon, the  Baby Briefcase Paperwork Organizer.

 

I thought the idea was great but who in their right mind would spend $35 on this? 

Well, there are 136 customer reviews at this time so I guess more people than I thought.

But, If you are like me you want to make your own version for a fraction of the cost. And I did. Check out this sweet baby paperwork organization file. Wow, that was a mouth full.

If you don't have a solution for all of your paperwork, make this now! I have created a step by step tutorial and seriously, this is easy peasy. Those papers really are important and need a "home" somewhere. I am making a few so that I can have them ready for baby shower gifts. 

You have a few choices when purchasing supplies. You can go the inexpensive route and get everything from the dollar store (literally every item is $1, how freaking awesome is that?) Or you can get the cutesy, printed stuff from Target, Walmart, or any office supplies store. (All of my supplies are from Walmart and I spent less than $10.) 

Also, you can purchase printable labels if you want them to be perfect, but I just wrote mine out because I'm lazy frugal. Maybe I should just say my handwriting makes it more personal. HA. Here you go:

You will need:

• 13 file folders
• 13 labels to fit the file folders
• 1 accordian file with 13 pockets 

Ok, first step: Decide what you want to label each folder. The possibilities are endless. Perhaps you want to have an entire file for before the baby gets here and one for after. Or maybe you are just like me and just need the "right" labels for your baby that is already here. 
The categories that I use for Jameson's personal file are:

1. Birth Certificate & Social Security Card
2. Pediatrician Visits
3. Immunization & Vaccination Records
4. Other Health Records
5. Insurance Paperwork
6. Receipts/Warranties
7. Manuals 
8. 529 Account (College savings account) 
9. Savings Bonds
10. Keepsakes

Additionally, I have 3 blank labels just in case a category presents itself a little later down the road. I am throwing a few blank labels into the back just in case our category situation changes.

This is made to be customized specific to your needs or the needs of the person receiving this as a gift. A few other ideas for categories are:

• Milestones
• Nursing & Feeding Info
• Parenting Articles & Pamphlets
• Thank You Note Tracker & Gift Registry
• Ob/Gyn Paperwork
• Birth Announcements
• Milestone Photography
• NICU
• Bank Account Info

Your second step:
Print or write your new labels, slap them on the folders, put your folders into the accordian file, and then fill the individual files with all of your paperwork. That's it. Now hopefully finding what your need will go a little bit faster each time you need it. 

Just an extra word of advice: 
For baby showers gifts I send a bunch of idea labels, along with some blank labels and let them pick which ones fit them the best. I enclose them all in a cute card to go on top of the specific gift. Then when they read what the gift actually is, they can see all of the labels already made up. 
Here are a few pictures of one that I am prepping for a baby shower now:

I would love to see your finished product and the categories that you chose for your files. Leave me a comment and let me know how it went. 

 xo Kelly