The Opinionated Wife

Mormon Mom Planner by In The Leafy Treetops

Sydney November 29, 2017 0 Comments

For as long as I can remember, I have kept track of my schedule in a notebook, planner, or calendar. I'm also an avid note-taker. I kept journals growing up, and always made sure to track my children's progress in their baby book. When I go somewhere where information is given, such as church, something work-related, or IEP meetings, I always take my notebook and nice pen. Here is where my planners come in. My planner is another great way for me to keep notes and ideas, in one place and to keep track of my busy schedule. The contentment I feel after being able to jot down home/sports/school/church events for myself and our kids, and also my work schedule, is one of the best thing ever! It makes me feel like I can breathe better. A huge weight off my shoulders. Organization = perfection! I have been following the planner community for a while, and have started to fall in love with a few different brands.

Melinda Christensen is the face behind In The Leafy Treetops and the brilliant idea of the original Mormon Mom Planner. She is an LDS mother of 6 little ones. After trial and error, and many revisions to her own journal + schedule + planner - a three-ring binder in the beginning - she finally managed to perfect a journal-writing, schedule-keeping, list-making, idea-storing, lesson-planning, family-organizing planner.

Recently, I was sent a 2018 Mormon Mom Planner & some adorable accessories to review, and boy, am I excited to share with you this amazing creation!

Right out of the package, I noticed the awesome spiral-bound, full-color pages, heavy duty cover, and thick tabs that make it easy to navigate. There are plenty of places to write down everything you'd possibly need to and sprinkled with a beautiful collection of inspirational quotes tucked amongst the coordinating colors and patterns. Sitting at 6” by 9” and 1.25 inches thick, this planner includes everything a mom could possibly need. I don't want to miss anything, so I've included the list of what the Mormon Mom Planner entails, according to the In The Leafy Treetops website:

Year at a glance calendars

A Few of my Favorite Things page - lets you keep track of what makes you unique. Also included is the 'Year in Review' page where you can record highlights of the year that you want to be sure to remember.

Scripture Reading Charts for all of the Standard Works

Visiting Teaching Pages to help you remember and keep track of the sisters you visit

Holiday Planning Pages (Traditional U.S. Holidays such as New Year's, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas

Financial Management Sheet for getting out of debt, tithing, and savings plans

Birthday and Anniversary spread

Thank you card tracker

Monthly Planner (unique and simple) with squares large enough for any handwriting, notes column, and a mini preview calendar of the next two months.

Monthly Goals & To-Do Planning spread

Simple Budget section each month

Relationship Improvement page each month

Sunday Lessons & Teaching Pages help you in your gospel study by giving you section for notes and an outline of each week's lesson.

Weekly Spread with a simple and powerful three row design. Each weekly page also includes a daily checklist for prayer, scriptures, as well as note sections for meal plans, ideas, and inspirations

Year in Review spread

Quotes and scriptures to inspire you throughout the year

Note pages (2-3 pages at the end of each monthly section)

Back to School planning pages

Summer planning pages

Monthly Planning Matrix (versatile spread to use how you would like, i.e. exercise, meal planning, shopping lists, work, gratitude, etc.)

The Living Christ & Family Proclamation

Family Focus - This planner is designed around the importance of the home and family.

Family Night Planning pages help you keep track of assignments and be deliberate in your preparation, as well as a notes section for family council items

Additional note pages at the end of each month with a grid pattern

Medical and Healthcare pages where you can track doctor appointments, pharmacies and medications and emergency contact info.

The Home & Family section has it's very own tab, and is exclusive to the Mormon Mom Planner.

It includes:

Together Forever – a spread dedicated to your marriage.

“All About Me” page

Child Tracking pages to keep track of everything from shoe sizes to present ideas for their next birthday.

Family Ideals and Goals, including plans for chores and housework

Financial Management and Debt-elimination

Emergency Preparedness

Home maintenance and cleaning schedule

Vacation planning sheet including a packing list and meal planning

The Mormon Mom Planner isn't the only one available from In The Leafy Treetops. There are several other planners and a wide assortment of products available for purchase.

• Know It, Live It, Love It

Similar to the Mormon Mom Planner, minus the “Mom” part. This planner has everything the Mormon Mom Planner has – with the exception of the Home & Family pages or the Family Home Evening Sections. It's perfect for any LDS woman who doesn't yet have kids or is now an empty-nester.

• Simple

Same easy-to-use design, and about ¼ inch thinner than the Mormon Mom version, this is a non-denominational planner. It still has all the other goodies, but doesn't include the Family Home Evening pages, Sunday pages, Home & Family section, pages for tracking scripture reading, or the scripture quotes throughout the pages. Perfect for anyone – but especially for mom's who want a smaller planner that's easier to tuck anywhere, someone who likes simple planning without extras, college student, teenagers, or empty-nesters to name a few.

• Horizontal

Exactly what is says – a horizontal version of the Mormon Mom Planner, so it has a left-to-right spread thanks to the wide boxes. Giving a different look and feel as well as a tad more space for the weekly sections. Weeks in the Horizontal planner start on Monday, rather than Sunday.

• Mom-On-The-Go

This one is a super functional, non-denominational, though still Christian-based planner. So Bible reading charts, inspirational quotes, emphasis on the importance of Home & Family, the daily checklists for prayer, notes, menu-planning, as well as inspirations. Since it isn't LDS-based, there aren't Family Home Evening pages or Sunday lesson pages with LDS curriculum.

• Unbound Mormon Mom Planner

I think this is a fantastic idea! In The Leafy Treetops offers an unbound, unpunched version of the Mormon Mom Planner. Meaning – you can punch the pages to work with “any a5 notebook, Franklin, Websters or disc bound system”! How cool is that?!

• Laminate Bookmarks

At $4.99, the thick and durable laminate bookmarks make marking your spot easy! 5 beautiful designs to choose from.

• Stampers

Currently selling for $5.00, the band stampers are a fun, quick, and easy way to add commonly-used words and phrases to your planners pages!

Go look through In The Leafy Treetops beautiful products and come back and let me know which item is your favorite!

Minbie bottle & nipple review

Sydney B. June 19, 2015 0 Comments

When I was given the chance to review the Minbie nipple (and bottle) I was thrilled. As a mom to a breastfeeding baby, I am exhausted. But as a mom to a breastfeeding baby who won't take a bottle, I am fried. I knew the second I saw the photos of the Minbie that this would be worth a shot!

When we opened it, I was so ecstatic to find that they mailed it to us all the way from Australia! How awesome is that?!

Inside the packaging was a nice letter from Minbie. A bottle (which I had no idea was coming!) and a 3+ month nipple. The bottles are available in either 120ml glass or a 210ml BPA-free plastic. The nipple is made from a high-quality silicone. They are available in a wide range of flows from x-tra slow for your newborn to advanced for your baby who is 6 months or more. The newborn feeding kit is perfect as a gift or first time mom. It includes a plastic bottle and slow flow nipple.

https://minbie.com/product/newborn-feeding-kit/

I right off the bat was very intrigued by the design - it's an elongated nipple that seems so much like what a breastfeeding baby is used to - Winning so far!

So was Palmer, apparently. Because I had barely pulled it from the packaging when she scooped it up and started sucking on it! I have given her a bottle three separate times now, each time from the Minbie, and each time she has drank it like a champ! The Minbie has helped our non-bottle-taking 9-month-old to take a bottle as if she has had one since 9 weeks! Fabulous!

I liked this diagram the best from the Minbie website, to show just exactly WHY Minbie is a better nipple design than other nipples. Why it's best for a baby transitioning to a bottle. Or even a baby transitioning FROM the bottle to be breastfed. I think the best part is the elongated nipple - it sits farther back in the mouth, just like a mother's nipple does! We are only a few weeks in, and the real test comes when she takes the bottle from someone besides me! Hopefully all goes as smoothly as it has thus far. If you have a baby struggling to take a bottle, you really should order the Minbie here. If you have a baby you have been supplementing for some time and want to wean back to the breast, you should consider giving it a try! Thanks again to Minbie for giving us a chance to review this amazing bottle + nipple, and giving mom a chance for some sleep!