If your kids were up at the wrong time, cranky at the wrong time, and melting down at the wrong time this week...same.
Daylight savings with little ones is always painful. It messes with their sleep, their moods, and honestly ours too. The routine that was finally working? Suddenly it takes a little more effort to hold together.
For me, I get up early to prioritize my workouts and morning routine and suddenly my kids are awake trying to join in (which I love but also means my quiet time is suddenly gone).
But here's what I want you to remember (and I’m telling myself as well): this is temporary. Your kids will adjust, your mornings will even out, and that routine you worked so hard to build is not gone. It just needs a week or two.
So as difficult as it may be, embrace the chaos, (try to) find patience, and on the positive side enjoy the extra daylight! Which is what makes it all worth it for me.
If you have any tips, send them my way. I’d love to hear them!
Alright, let's get into it...
Your Date Night Spot
If you haven't been to Ironwood in Laguna Hills yet, you have to add it to your list. The heated outdoor patio with views of the Saddleback Mountains alone makes it worth the drive and getting a sitter for. It's one of those spots where you sit down and can actually relax. The food is seasonal, made from scratch every night (which is a huge selling point for me), and honestly everything we've heard about is as good as people say. The lamb shank, the chicken schnitzel, the mac and cheese skillet. If you want to do it right, I highly recommend order a bunch of things to share. The vibe is warm and lively, with just enough energy where you find yourself wanting to stay for one more drink.
They open at 4:30pm every night and reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends.
Family Friendly Fun On The Ocean
This one is so fun for kids and I feel like not enough people know about it. Every Saturday morning at Dana Wharf in Dana Point, kids ages 3 to 12 can do an art lesson on the water with world renowned marine artist Wyland on the boat before taking off for two-hour whale and dolphin watching adventure. The art lesson starts at 9am on the boat, Wyland teaches via video feed, and then at 10am the whale watching trip begins right after.
Here's how booking works: you purchase your adult whale watching ticket first (parents need a whale watching ticket too), and then you add the child art lesson combo for just $16 per kid. After the art lesson, kids can submit their drawings to be judged by Wyland himself for a chance to win prizes, including a grand prize of a signed framed piece of his art worth up to $3,000. Every child also gets a free gift for participating.
Dana Point is literally called the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World so if you're going to do a whale watch, this is the way to do it. Head to here to book your tickets. It runs every Saturday through April 25th.
Coffee Shop I’m Loving
If you haven't been to Oslo Coffee Co. in Ladera Ranch yet, put it on your list for this week. It's a mother-daughter owned coffee shop on Crown Valley Pkwy and it’s so cute in there. The whole vibe is Scandinavian inspired, warm, colorful, not the typical minimalist coffee shop aesthetic you see everywhere. Think curvy Danish imported furniture, globe lighting, a pink espresso machine and a terrazzo bar. It feels like somewhere you actually want to sit down and stay for a while.
The menu is where it really gets fun. The Scandinavian latte is their signature, cardamom steamed milk, smooth espresso and a sprinkle of Icelandic lava salt. There's also a dark chocolate marzipan latte, a white chocolate cardamom latte, and seasonal drinks that people genuinely get excited about. And if you go on a weekend, get the cardamom buns. They're made fresh by a local Swedish baker every Saturday and Sunday only, they are soooo good but they sell fast out so go early!
Oslo is open every day 7am to 5pm.
This week is always the hardest part of daylight savings and by next week you'll barely remember it. But while you're in the in-between, embrace the chaos and know your routine is coming back soon. Do something this week that makes the stress feel a little better. Go sit at Oslo and sip a hot coffee for an hour by yourself. Take your kid to Dana Point on Saturday morning and watch them light up on that boat. Make the reservation at Ironwood and enjoy a relaxing date night. These aren't big gestures, they're just small decisions to stop putting the good stuff off until things feel more together. Things never feel perfectly together. You know that.
Hit reply and tell me what you ended up doing this week. I genuinely love hearing from you and it helps me know what to keep putting in here.
See you next Thursday.
