Author: Bethany Barrow

Mom Talk Monday: Momtrepreneur Christi Kotter

We are so happy to introduce you all to Christi Kotter of Lily’s Closet for Mom Talk Monday! She is a friend of ours and we love her darling children’s line. The fun geometrics and feathers are adorable and we love all of it from the scarves, skirts, dresses, headbands, burp cloths and slouchy beanies. Get to know this amazing Momtrepreneur and how she makes time with her family count. When we started Mom Talk Monday we knew she was a woman we wanted to feature!

-Tell us a little about your family and why it is special?

Our family started out with Kevin and I as high school sweethearts which I think is pretty special. We have been blessed with two darling little boys, and then were pleasantly surprised with a little baby girl 2 years ago. They are my whole universe.

-What do you do for work/volunteer outside of being a wife and mom?

I recently chose to be a stay at home mom and at the same time opened my own sewing business so that I could both support my family and be home when my children need me the most. The clothing is modern children’s clothing and we named the shop after my little girl, Lily’s Closet. It has been the greatest blessing to be able to work from home. I am so grateful for the bonding time with my children. Aside from that I constantly devote a lot of my time to my church and I love every minute of it.

-Is there something your family does on a regular basis for quality time?

Yes we are devoted San Francisco 49er fans! We love making great food and watching the games as a family. When it’s not Football season we love the outdoors we love to go hunting and fishing together. Family time is our favorite time.

-How do you take time for yourself to recharge?

This is something I think we all as mothers need to work on. We devote so much of our time and ourselves to our family that it’s hard to take time for yourself. But I suppose if there is anything I do it would just be a simple relaxing bath with lots of bubbles and some warm hot chocolate. 🙂 And the occasional pedicure sure is nice.

-What is your go to, never fail and in a pinch recipe?

Oh my goodness this happens way more often then I would like to admit but my “Oh no what’s for dinner” go to recipe is believe it or not Shepard’s Pie. Good old comfort food. However most recipes call for red sauce when making this, but we do it differently and I think it tastes way better!

Ingredients:

1 lb Hamburger

1 Can Green Beans Drained

1 Can Corn Drained

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Cup Milk

1-2 Cups Mashed Potatoes (Instant works just fine!)

1 Cup Shredded Cheese

Brown Hamburger and drain the fat. Put cooked hamburger in a casserole dish, layer on the green beans then the corn. In a separate bowl mix both the soup and the milk, then pour on top the other ingredients. Lastly top with mashed potatoes and then spread the cheese on top. Cook at 350 for 35-40 minutes and enjoy!

-What is the one product you can not live without?

Disposable Diapers! LOL, just kidding, this is going to sound funny but recently I have developed a love for lipstick. Which I never thought I would say however, as a mom of young children you are constantly running errands and half the time you have a questionable mysterious substance on your clothing. You don’t always have time to fix your hair perfectly or put on your makeup so frequently on those occasions I find that if I put on a dab of lipstick it makes me feel a little prettier and like a lady.

Thanks for the opportunity to let me share a little bit about myself. We absolutely LOVE One Small Child, it’s such a wonderful family business. Thanks for all you do. xoxoxoxo

See for yourself some of Christi’s amazing designs!

Arizona Dreamin’ Dress for Baby

Modern Knit Knot Headband (Set of 3)

Lily’s Closet Shop || Facebook || Instagram

If your interested in being featured on Mom Talk Monday, email us at [email protected]. Subject line “MOM TALK”.

How to correctly measure your baby

Sometimes you worry about estimating your baby’s size for ordering the attire for their special day. With the purchase of a simple seamstress measuring tape from the store (very inexpensive) you can measure your little one yourself and order the size you need. Our video shows you how to correctly measure your baby so you get it right.

Preserving your Christening Gown or Suit

Your beautiful event is now over. All the guests have now gone, the decorations have been taken down and all those thank you cards are sent. There’s just one more thing on your to-do list: preserving your Christening gown or suit. So, what are the best methods of storage for your precious gown? Are there any preservation tips or tricks? How do you keep your gown looking crisp for siblings or generations to come? Today, we’ll teach you how to preserve and store your Christening gown or outfit the right way.

Step 1-Dry clean or hand-wash the baptism gown or blessing outfit as directed on the clothing tag. Why? Stains and body oils can irreparably discolor the fabric. If your item calls for a hand wash, avoid using harsh soaps, chlorine bleach, fabric softeners, and starch. Rinse the christening dress or outfit well to remove detergent residues.

Step 2-Once the gown or outfit is completely dry, stuff it with clean, acid-free tissue; this will help prevent hard creases that can weaken the fabric. Fold additional tissue into pleats and slip it between layers of fabric.

Step 3-Place the christening outfit in a 100 percent cotton muslin garment bag. Plastic or vinyl bags are unacceptable for long-term preservation since garments need to breathe. For this same reason, you should not seal or wrap a cardboard box containing heirloom christening clothing. Never pack mothballs with your christening apparel since they can ruin fabric over time. Also, avoid storing the christening suit or gown with metal items. If you have purchased a bracelet for your special occasion, you can find the perfect display frame here. It’s a good idea to label your storage container (if it is not already monogrammed or personalized) with your child’s name and event or birth date.

Step 4-Store the christening gown in a dark, cool, dry place (for example, in a closet or under a bed). Avoid storing the box or bag in places where temperature or humidity may fluctuate seasonally (for example, a garage or attic). The ideal storage place has a relative humidity of 55 percent and a temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is a good idea to check your outfit once in a while to ensure that it is maintaining its beauty. When you handle your christening heirloom, wear cotton gloves–skin oils can discolor fabric.

When you wish to use your treasured christening gown or outfit again, remove it from the storage container and air it out for several days. You may need to steam the item to remove wrinkles; iron only as a last resort, and only on a very low setting.

That’s all there is to it. Now you know how to preserve and store your Christening gown or outfit for generations to come!

Muslin Keepsake Bags

Day in the Life of Mom: Bethany

Highlighting one of our own One Small Child Moms and what a not always normal, but somewhat regular Day in the life of Mom looks like.

5:00am – Accidentally hit “dismiss” instead of “Snooze”. I’ll totally get up….

6:00am – Feed the baby. Finally get up.

6:30am – Bring myself downstairs to eat breakfast and do my daily devotional. Somehow even when I am alone I eat standing up. I stare at the overflowing dishes in the sink from last night. I lay my bowl on top.

7:00am – Exercise to either Jillian Micheals or Richard Simmons. Feeling lazy, Richard it is.

7:30am – “Mommy! Where are you?” I get the kids cereal and turn on a show for them. After a few snuggles I do some laundry, the dishes and feed the dog. Throw away a business card my husband wrote on years ago, no way it’s any good. The garbage man takes it away. Bathe the kids and get them dressed for Preschool. There is at least 1 meltdown and 1 toddler argument. Forget on the way out it’s Show and Tell day. Pick a toy, of course for both it’s the wrong one. Go back in and get new ones.

8:55am – Finally getting in the car, good thing Preschool is only a mile from our house.

9:05am – Get home and feed the baby. Cuddle him tight and really enjoy our alone time together since he is our last. Do a little bit of work and hopefully put on “real” clothes. I don’t…

11:15am – Get home, get lunch ready and do some reading/homework. More laundry.

1:15pm – “Quiet time”. My older two no longer nap. I want to cry uncontrollably over this.

1:30pm – Cleaning and de-cluttering. Doing a “Minimalist Challenge” since all of our junk stuff is starting to drive me crazy. I throw away a few more things I hope my husband doesn’t notice. Husband texts me to ask if I have seen a business card with writing on it, there is a lock combo on it for his work locker. He can’t remember the numbers… “I don’t know where it is.”

2:00pm – Sit down to work. Suddenly hear running water upstairs I don’t recognize… my kids put a whole roll of toilet paper in the toilet and flushed.

4:30pm – Start dinner. Husband calls to say he is on his way home and will promptly be called back to work in about 10 hours. Great. Confess to my card crime.

7:00pm – Get the older two in bed. Praise all that is good and holy.

7:30pm – Dishes/work/attempt to watch a show on Hulu. I get half way through one and promise I’ll finish it tomorrow; probably won’t.

10:30pm – Bed finally. Write my “to do” list on the ceiling like Sarah Jessica Parker did in “I don’t know how She does it”. Maybe I’ll try to watch that tomorrow…

Bethany is our social media consultant and works from home. She has 3 children, ages 4,3 and 4 months. Her husband works on call and is away 2 days at a time, so she has a lot of non-alone time. She dreams of a beach vacation, paying someone to clean her house every week and fall year round. Being with her kids and husband is her favorite way to spend any day.

Happy New Year

After the Holidays

Happy Holidays!

Mom Talk Monday: Christmas Traditions

Today we are rounding up some of our featured moms for Mom Talk Monday: Christmas Traditions. Every family has traditions they look forward to for the whole month of December. But sometimes adding something new can be fun and inspiring.

Katie Lindsay, and her husband set up a fort in their living room with cameo coverings and Christmas lights. Her four boys sleep in it on Christmas Eve while the wait for Santa.

Our own Bethany has a tradition that many families do. Her children receive pajamas on Christmas Eve each year, but they come from a few special someones. Santa’s elves leave the pajamas on the front door step and ding dong ditch so they are not seen.

Jen Haderlie, the new mom of twin girls, loves to go to Starbucks for a cocoa and driving to see the Christmas lights where she lives. After they get home they read the story of Christ’s birth before going to bed.

We hope you take time to make new traditions, while still enjoying the old ones, with your family this holiday.

Mom Fact #5

Holiday Movie Night

Having a Holiday Movie Night in only takes a small amount of preparation to have an enjoyable evening that you can turn into a yearly tradition. Movie theaters are open on Christmas Day every year with some kind of a holiday show for families. But that also requires getting dressed, getting in the car and spending astronomical prices for popcorn. Besides, who wants to get out of their Christmas pajamas anyway? Why not stay in, stay warm and enjoy your vacation at home? I thought you might agree.

Needs:

-Favorite Christmas show (Polar Express is always a good one because of the hot chocolate dance)

-Sleeping bags, blankets and pillows. Enough to fill the floor.

-Hot chocolate bar on the counter with ingredients like: marshmallows, chocolate chips in several flavors, cinnamon sticks, peppermint sticks, flavored coffee creamer, whipped cream and sprinkles.

Bring out some cute containers to put everything in and put on the pajamas! Send invitations out to family and friends you make with the kids. When everyone is over, let all of them sit on the pillows and blankets and cuddle up together. Turn out the lights and have just the Christmas tree on and it will feel magical. If the kids fall asleep there on the floor, leave them! What could be more fun than that? (Just not on Christmas Eve, you don’t want to trip on them while delivering gifts under the tree)

Traditions are part of what we look forward to during the holidays. Being able to share those things we cherish with those we love is a great way to give a gift that has no monetary value. It also shows your children what is so important this time of year, being together and growing as a family, extending the hand of friendship and making bonds. Happy movie night!