{Mommy Mondays} DIY Laundry Detergent

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Tish

Over the years people have always asked me how I make my laundry detergent, well according to my sister, Olivia, I’m actually assembling it rather than making it from scratch.  It’s so easy to do that I’ve passed the duties on to my youngest daughter about 2 years ago. It’s a great activity that you can do with your kids.  There are tons of recipes out there but this is the only one that I’ve used.  I found all of these ingredients at my local Wal-Mart.

You’ll need:

  • 1 cup of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda!)
  • 1 cup of Borax
  • 1 bar of laundry soap

And:

  • An airtight container
  • A cheese grater
  • Measuring cup

 

Grate the bar of laundry soap.

Then pour in the Borax and Washing Soda and stir.

Now you’re ready to wash! Just use 3 tablespoons of detergent for a large load.

 

Posted in Mommy Mondays | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Don’t Be Rude…

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Tish

Recently I have come across so many people who don’t understand the protocol when attending events where child care is provided. I am going to give many of them the benefit of the doubt and assume that most people haven’t dealt with event sitters. You may have gotten an invitation and notice that your host has decided on an adult-only function. You start to get a little upset, and dare I say, even a bit offended but then you see in the fine print that your host has graciously arranged for child care. As a parent what does this mean to you? It means that your host/hostess understands either that you don’t want to leave your children behind while traveling or that you may not have options for child care on your own.

The past few weeks, I’ve had so many events where the parents are registering the kids but not showing up. At a recent wedding, we had no kids in the room. NONE. This is totally unfair to the host, the person actually paying for the service. Imagine paying $1,000.00 for 2 sitters to sit in an empty room for 5 hours. If the your host has been gracious enough to offer the service, please be considerate and let her know if your plans have changed.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Kids at the Royal Wedding

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Tish

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

 

There is no denying the the union of William and Catherine was breathtaking. While watching the live broadcast this morning with my daughter I took note of the children in attendance. Most brides wonder how well behaved the children will be during a 30 minute ceremony. I can only imagine attemding a ceremony as long as the Royals with kids in tow, not to mention all of the kids outside of the church that arrived before daybreak to get a glimpse of the bride and groom. Hopefully the parents were fully stocked with activites to pass the time.

Posted in Weddings | Tagged , | Leave a comment

EES on Tumblr

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Tish

There are so many social media platforms and yes, I already use Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, You Tube and FourSquare (wow, I am tired just typing that!) and now EES in on Tumblr at Sitter Suggestions. You’ll be able to find weekly (yes, I said it will be updated weekly) tips and activities on crafts, recipes, games and so on.

Posted in Elegant Event Sitters Inc, Mommy Mondays | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Mogul Mom

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Tish

I’m totally honored to have been interviewed for the latest book by Andrea Clayton Mogul Mom. The book is full of great advice on balancing self employment and kids.

Posted in Elegant Event Sitters Inc | Leave a comment

Miss Me?

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Tish

Wow, this is my first post of 2011 and it’s nearly May!  March was indeed total madness w ith 14 events in a 4 week period in Ohio.  Wedding season is in full swing and that means that things are getting busy and there will be plenty to post in the upcoming weeks. Soon I will be starting a series called Kid Friendly Venues. Stay tuned!

Posted in Elegant Event Sitters Inc | Leave a comment

Looking Back

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Tish

As I sit here on my flight to San Francisco for my last big event of the year, I can’t help but think about how far Elegant Event Sitters,Inc. has come in the last 12 months.  This time last year services were only being offered in 2 states and now I’m up to 18.  Tons of growth in such a short time.  This year has been nothing short of amazing.   

I had the most exhausting summer in the history of summers, traveling back and forth between Atlanta, Kentucky, North Carolina and Ohio.  To say that having 5 weddings in 3 states on the same day was stressful, is a major understatement.   

Early fall brought on the west coast launch and my first events in Seattle. I totally fell in love with the vendors in Seattle.  Next to Atlanta, this is the warmest group of people that I’ve met. So welcoming compared to some of the cities that I’ve been. I also had the best time meeting the best of the best in the luxury wedding industry at Engage! 10  in Palm Beach.  

Image courtesy of Mel Barlow

 

Two of my favorite markets were also launched this year. New York and Los Angeles— on the same day!  Unfortunately, I couldn’t be two places at once so I decided to go west and trust my brand new NYC team to handle two events (including one with the super fab Shawn Rabideau) while I was far, far away. I was told that they rocked and didn’t even need me!   

With growth comes the realization that I can’t do everything on my own. My teams have been amazing and I surely couldn’t do a thing without them.  

AND… EES is also getting a makeover from Lucky and Lovely! The new logo was released a few short weeks ago and the new website will be debuting soon!  

  

Looking forward to great things in 2011!  

Have a safe and happy new year!

Posted in Elegant Event Sitters Inc | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

{Mommy Mondays} Hands and Feet Reindeer Craft

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Tish

I’ve been unsuccessfully trying to get into the holiday spirit but Christmas crafts always seem to put me in the mood!  Each Monday from now until Christmas, we will highlight a simple craft that can be done with all age groups.

As a kid, I used to love making crafts that used cutouts of my hands! I found this cute reindeer on Amazing Moms. It’s super easy and does not require many supplies, which makes it perfect to do with a large group. 

 

You’ll Need:
Large plastic eyes
Large red pom-poms (glitter pom-poms are a fun addition!)
Brown construction paper, craft foam or cardstock paper
Lighter brown or tan paper for the ears (optional)
Construction paper in any color; optional if you would like to glue
the reindeer onto another piece of paper.

How to Make It:
First, with one shade of brown, cut the antlers and reindeer,
using your child’s handprint and shoeprint as a pattern.
Then, cut the ears with the other brown. We used a lighter shade of
brown to add yet another layer to the ears but that’s not necessary.
Glue the antlers together at a slight angle. Then add the ears and glue
the head on last. Glue the eyes and nose the the head and add a smile with a marker.
It’s that simple!

Posted in Crafts, Mommy Mondays | Tagged , | Leave a comment

{Mommy Mondays} Holiday Coloring Pages

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Megan

The holidays just aren’t the same without pictures of turkeys hanging on the refrigerator!  I found some great printable coloring book pages for the holidays on the Parents magazine website.  Your little ones are sure to love the turkeys, scarecrow and pilgrim hats, to name a few!

Check out the rest at
http://www.parents.com/holiday/thanksgiving/printables/coloring-pages/

Posted in Crafts, Mommy Mondays | Tagged , | 1 Comment

{Mommy Mondays} Soup’s On!

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Tish

Cool and crisp Fall weather always puts me in the mood for soup.  For some reason, I refuse to eat soup in the summer months.  I always think of it as some cold weather food. Yes, I am a weirdo. I own that.

My youngest daughter is a vegetarian so I thought that this Creamy Corn and Potato Chowder recipe from Family Fun would be an excellent one to share.

Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 rib celery, finely chopped
  • 5 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
  • 1 large all-purpose potato, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt, to taste
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh dill or parsley for garnish, chopped

 

Instructions
  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan or medium soup pot.
  2. Stir in the onion and celery.
  3. Partially cover the pan and cook the vegetables over moderate heat for 9 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the chicken stock, corn, potato, and salt and bring the mixture to a low boil.
  5. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 7 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and flour.
  7. Stir the mixture into the soup with the pepper.
  8. Bring the soup back to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes.
  9. Serve hot, garnished with herbs.
Posted in Food, Mommy Mondays | Tagged , , | Leave a comment