The best part of leaving my career to blog full-time? Hands down its getting to spend all of my days home with my daughter, Annie. I never in a billion years dreamed that I could have it both ways – a “job” I’m extremely passionate about that pays the bills + getting to be a stay-at-home mama with all the flexibility. I’m so so grateful that I stumbled upon this road through life and wouldn’t change a thing.
Being at home all day with Annie requires endless imagination, creativity, and stimulation – for both of us. We both love the outdoors, going on walks & playing outside. But summertime in Houston is HOT. So hot that even a simple walk around the block can be unappealing depending on the time of day. I’ve been brainstorming indoor activities that the two of us can do to keep us both entertained and cool at home and away this summer season.
I’m a go-with-the-flow laid back type of person so for us, each and every day is different. Especially when you throw work into the mix. I never truly know how long that nap is going to last so I try to maximize my spare time as much as I can. One thing that I can always count on though, is that our Nest thermostat is going to keep our house cool when we need it! And living in Texas, that is a BIG deal! Last month we installed a Nest in our home and I’ve felt like we’ve been living in a Smart House (remember that movie y’all?) ever since! I’m sharing how it’s changed our lives and saved us money in today’s post with Reliant Energy. PLUS, I’m also giving a Nest away on Instagram tonight at 8pm CST so stay tuned for that too!
I’m also sharing several of my favorite indoor activities at home plus a few places that keep us cool out and about in Houston. More below!
Our Nest
Before I get into my list of activities, I’m sharing a bit about our Nest. Isn’t that name fun? I remember when I was engaged to Patrick I bought a pillow for our new house that said “Our Nest” on it. I love the thought of your home being your own little nest and the play on words for this thermostat is just too cute. When I told Patrick we were going to get to try out a Nest thermostat thanks to Reliant this spring, oh my goodness y’all he was just beaming!!!
This stylish programmable thermostat learns our schedule automatically and then makes temperature adjustments to conserve energy. Thus saving us an average of 10 percent a year on cooling costs. (And heating too … which is only like 3-weeks a year down here ha) We have an app on our phones where we can set the temperature from afar and create a schedule too. The other day the city was hotter than normal, talking upper 90s, and Patrick texted me saying he lowered the temp for us from his office. A simple and sweet gesture that was so thoughtful! Sometimes Annie and I can get so caught up in playing and day-to-day activities that I might not think about adjusting it myself and its so cool that he can do it with a touch of a button!
With Reliant’s Nest Program, you can earn rush hour rewards when allowing your nest to adjust itself during periods of high electricity demand, called “energy rush hours.” Reliant offers a $5 bill credit each month you’re on the program from May through October, annually. For more info on this energy saving program, check out this link.
Our Favorite Ways to Indoor Play
I keep joking to friends and family that part of my house is becoming its own “daycare.” Parents send their children off to daycare each day so they can be stimulated by great teachers, endless toys & games all while being cared for in a nurturing environment. With the number of toys that are building up on the other end of our living room, it is certainly starting to look like a daycare space meant for multiple children as opposed to just one! But I want Annie to have as much stimulation and games to play with as other children during the day, even though it’s just the two of us.
A few of our favorite indoor toys that provide hours and hours of fun for this 16-month old are:
Y-Bike: she’ll ride this indoor bike all across the house and gets such a kick out of it. Sometime’s she’ll walk up to it and just push it around from the other side. It’s a great transitional toy for almost walkers to older toddlers too.
Princess Castle: A sweet birthday gift from my girlfriends! I’ve filled it with throw pillows and this castle provides endless amounts of peekaboo and hide & go seek action. It’s also a great place to curl up with a book and a blanket (for both baby and mama hah!)
Toddler Kitchen: Annie has been enraptured by each and every toddler kitchen we’ve stumbled upon in various play spaces. A recent visit to Pottery Barn Kids had her in tears when she left the kitchen behind. I knew it was time she needed her own and I love this white retro-style one from Amazon. It is only $112 (a steal!) and has so many different compartments that help to let this little girl’s imagination soar. It also comes in a pink & blue version too.
Stacking Cups & Balls: Annie could stack cups or move balls in and out of a cardboard box for hours on end. It helps with her fine motor skills and is a simple activity that keeps her engaged too.
Books: Right now she’s really into any book that has a pop-up or interactive feature. Like “Pat the Bunny.” Her favorite part is to put her finger through mommy’s ring. 🙂
A fun little tip for using your nest this summer:
Setting your thermostat four degrees higher when you’re away from home for more than four hours can help reduce electricity usage and costs. And with it being so hot down here in Texas, even the slightest temperature change in your home can make a big difference in cost savings. We typically keep it at 73 while we’re here during the day and adjust it to 77-78 when we’re away or traveling. Reliant provided me with a few great tidbits that I had no idea about before we started using our nest. Did you know that when your thermostat is set below 78°F, each degree cooler may increase your costs by up to seven percent during summer!? This fact alone makes us really want to be on top of adjusting the temperature of our home throughout the day to save money + energy.
An Occasional TV Show
If you’re a stay at home mom, then you knowwwww that sometimes you just need a break! We definitely limit screen time in our home as much as we can but occasionally we will sneak in an episode of our favorite show just to relax in the cool comfort of home. Plus, when else is this on-the-go girl going to let me cuddle her for longer than 2 seconds!?!
Summertime Activities Out & About
I love to get out and about with my mom friends and their kiddos as often as possible. Hot summer weather calls for planning in advance around the best time of day for each activity. We’ll head to the parks in the mornings and the pool or splash pad in the afternoon. (Sidenote, did you know that Houston has 29 free splash pads!? On days where its unbearably hot all day, museum visits become more regular. Our favorite Houston spots are:
Children’s Museum of Houston – they have a wonderful toddler-only section with an indoor and outdoor space
Discovery Green – playground, park, fields, snow cones AND a fountain for your kids to frolic through
Donavan’s Park + Playground in The Heights – a shady early morning oasis
Houston Zoo + Splash Pad – make sure to pack a swim diaper and suit for your kiddo!
Jaycee Park + Splash Pad in The Heights – not only is their a fun playground, but they also have a fabulous free splash pad too
Downtown Aquarium – we still haven’t been but we’re saving this indoor activity for a really hot summer’s day!
Cloud 10 Creamery – An ice cream shop across from Donavan’s Park in The Heights. What’s better than getting all sticky from a cup of ice cream on a hot day? One of my favorite summer treats and Annie agrees.
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If you live in a pretty warm climate too, what are your favorite ways to keep cool in the summer and stay entertained indoors?! I’d love to hear! Thanks so much to Reliant Energy for providing this Nest for our family to review. We more than love it. Thanks to you guys for supporting the brands that make Lone Star Looking Glass possible (and a little cooler this summer too!)
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xo, alice
