Ashling Drew, Author at Joyful Messes

Breastfeeding Nutrition: Why Eating Healthy is Vital to Your Breastfeeding Journey

Having a baby is one of the most joyous moments in a new mother’s life. Smelling that sweet newborn and providing the best nourishment for your baby through breastfeeding are some of the happiest times. The postpartum phase as a new mama can also be a time of stress and anxiety as you learn your newborn’s feeding cues and other important signs. All babies want to be cuddled and cared for. This also means as a new mama, you need to be in your best physical, emotional, and mental state to be able to best care for and nourish your new baby. The proper nourishment in the postpartum period is so important- from positive affirmations to eating a healthy diet. As your body heals in this postpartum period, fueling your body with the best nutrients is essential. Milk production requires an extra 250-500 calories per day in breastfeeding mothers. If…

10 STEM Toy Gifts for Kids that Make Them Smarter

I can’t tell you all the toys I’ve purchased that sit un-played with just hours after they’ve been opened. Or, the toys I surprised my boys with, only to find that I was totally wrong, and they aren’t fun. I don’t buy many toys now, and this year for Christmas, I don’t plan to either. This is what’s on the list because they are toys that will challenge their minds, keep them quiet, help us engage as a family, and more. These aren’t toys at all, yet offer so much entertainment! This post contains affiliate links. Guess Who? We’ve been playing this ever since I found it at the Goodwill. A super simple game that we can play together. The 4.5-year-old plays one side, and the three-year-old helps me on my side. I can literally see my 4.5-year-old’s mind working as he tries to guess my card and sound out…

9 Essentials You Forgot In Your Diaper Bag

Oh, the diaper bag. I’ve had a few now that I am a mom of three boys. I put together a list of nine items I NEEDED at some point but never remembered to pack. This isn’t your usual diaper bag essentials list of diapers, wipes, binkies, and bibs. These are items you will want, that nobody mentions! I get bored of carrying a diaper bag, so I often switch back and forth between purses, backpacks, and diaper bags. It depends on my mood and where we are going. A backpack is often my go-to because I need to be hands-free with my little ones. this post contains affiliate links Packing the diaper bag is always the hardest part. When you are a first-time mom, everything goes. Clothes, extra socks, and shoes, wipes and more wipes, extra bottles, toys, hats, burp clothes, 20 diapers…you know just the whole nursery. Here…

12 Gorgeous DIY Christmas Decor Tutorials

I love attempting to make my own gifts and decor. Even if it doesn’t turn out, I have a sense of accomplishment knowing I made it myself. I also love the process of creating something, so here I have some totally gorgeous DIY Christmas decor tutorials to really make your home magical this year! If you love DIY, you will also love my post, The 10 Prettiest DIY Christmas Gifts You’d Never Know Are DIY. That one is huge on Pinterest now, so make sure to save it for later! DIY: MINI CHRISTMAS TREE TOPIARIES by Joanna Gaines DIY PAPER BALL ORNAMENTS by Nalle’s House DIY SEQUIN PILLOW by The Proper Blog DIY HOLIDAY BAR CART GARLAND by The Merrythought DIY CLOCK ADVENT CALENDAR by Thrifty and Chic DIY ADVENT COUNTDOWN by Sisters Suitcase Blog DIY CHRISTMAS TABLE DECORATIONS CENTERPIECE by A Piece of Rainbow SHARPIE & DROP CLOTH CHRISTMAS…

The Ultimate Family Christmas Pajama Sets

One of my all-time favorite family traditions for the holidays is the pajamas! I am so excited, I am already shopping for family pajama sets now. I found some great sets out this year, and of course, I had to share them with you all, so you can order now, and enjoy them a few days before Christmas. Or just get a bunch and never get out of your pajamas. Here’s the Ultimate List of Family Christmas Pajama Sets Honest Baby Holiday Family Pajamas Nordic Matching Family Pajamas Polar Bear Pajamas Holiday Lounge Set Plaid Pajama Set Matching Family Christmas Pajamas Dr. Seuss Grinch Family Pajamas Disney The Nightmare Before Christmas Family Pajamas Striped Christmas Pajamas ELF Tee and Striped Pajama Set Ekouaer Christmas Family Matching Pajamas Have fun shopping for pajamas! I know I can’t wait to get ours and snap some photos for this year. Is holiday card-making…

12 Designer Diaper Bags for Under $100

As a mom of two, I’ve been through a few diaper bags. I have even completely boycotted diaper bags for a while because I just wanted to carry a purse. I decided not to pack all the stuff and try to be minimal. Well, all the “stuff” just wound up on the floor of the car and on the way back. I was digging around the car, rather than a diaper bag, which is just too much. We mamas need diaper bags, and we need all the goodies to keep our little ones happy. I still haven’t bit the bullet and purchased one over $100. Because of all the spills, messes, beach trips, and parks, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. So, I’ve shopped lots of bags, and I thought some other mamas out there might appreciate a list of diaper bags that look designer without the designer…

Tips and Tools for Staying Organized and Focused

It’s the new year, and that means it’s time to get organized and plan for an amazing year! I’m motivated and ready– are you? In order to accomplish your goals this year, you need to get organized. So let’s jump in and learn about tips and tools for how you can stay organized and focused in 2023! Tips and Tools for Staying Organized and Focused in 2023 This simple organizational tips will help you find ways to stay organized and focused for this year and beyond! Plan In all things, plan. I know this may seem obvious, but it’s the single most important factor in whether a person meets his or her goals and experiences success. Success and achievement do not happen by accident. Planning takes many different forms and impacts every aspect of a person’s life. The first step is to have a planner. This can be a traditional…

Christmas Cookie Roundup – Festive & Fun Christmas Cookies

These fun and festive Christmas cookies are a delicious way to get everyone in the holiday spirit this year. These cookies are cute, easy to make, and super tasty. These holiday cookies are also a fun way to get the kids and the family involved with holiday baking. As everyone gathers in the kitchen to create and decorate their favorite Christmas cookies, just think of how many memories will be made! These cute Christmas cookies are perfect for holiday parties, family gatherings, or just to enjoy as a sweet treat throughout the day during the holidays and festivities. Don’t forget to leave some out for Santa! 1. Christmas Wreath Cookies These Christmas wreath cookies are shaped and decorated like a beautiful red and green Christmas wreath. 2. Sour Cream Sugar Cookies Simple and delicious, these easy-to-make sugar cookies are cut out into holiday shapes and decorated with cream cheese frosting.…

Gifts for Kids Who Love to Help in the Kitchen

Having kids who love to cook is a blessing. If you start teaching them while they’re young, by the time they are teenagers, they’ll be comfortable enough in the kitchen to be cooking for themselves on a regular basis. Part of helping grow their confidence is making sure they have their own supplies to use for their cooking adventures. Working side by side with you is easier when they have their own tools to use. If you are looking for holiday gifts for kids who love to cook, then you’ve come to just the right place! I absolutely adore having kids in the kitchen. In fact, I put a list together of some great gifts for kids who love to cook. Super Foods for Super Kids Cookbook – One of the best parts of cooking with kids is the opportunity to get them to try healthy foods. Just like with…

Kids 8-12 Christmas Gift Guide

As we get closer to the holidays, we start putting our Christmas lists together. It’s important to make sure that everyone is covered. For me, buying for the preteen kids is always the hardest. They are just old enough to be starting to have definite ideas about what’s cool and what’s not. They don’t have that wide-eyed excitement about Christmas anymore, and they are already educated consumers! When you’re shopping for savvy preteens, you need to think outside of the box. Let’s face it; you’re old and out of touch. If you’re trying to buy the latest music release on CD, you’re already doing it wrong; preteens are going to want streaming music. And sometimes, you want to put a little more thought into a gift than just buying a gift card…again. So for Christmas this year, I decided to put together this educational gift guide, focused on kids who…

Ashling Drew