by Sarah | May 1, 2020 | All About Home, All of Us, Blogging Life, Redefining Perfect
It’s been a rough month for us all. Isolation and quarantine sounds good in theory, but the reality is overwhelming to so many. I have been battling depression, as has my husband, and so many of my friends. We’re trying to keep upbeat and positive in a world gone mad.
In response, a friend of mine started a group on Facebook she’s called “Kindness Club”. We all have wish lists on Amazon and we share happy posts, recipes, and general kindness….and we use those lists to send each other happy mailings. It can be something as little as a couple of bucks, or something bigger. Whatever we can spare to give each other a little cheer.
It’s been an amazing experience, and it got me thinking on other ways to spread a little love and kindness.
Animal Shelters, charities, they all have wish lists too. So I’ve pulled up several of my favorite places, and found their wish lists and plan on donating something to each of them…whether in cash or something off of their wish list. It makes me feel good to do something nice and give someone else some cheer in their mail.
Here’s my current list, and I encourage you to click one of these links, or to find your own favorite charity and see how you can help today. Even the smallest donation is appreciated more than you know.
- Southside Animal Shelter in Indianapolis. They have been on my feed for a long time, and even though I’m no longer in the Indy area, I still want to support them. They have two ways to help, cash donations and an Amazon Wish List. CLICK HERE to help out.
- Humane Society of Marion County. This one is here in Florida. I really, really want to help them out by fostering, but my husband would kill me. Instead, I’m perusing their Amazon Wish List for something to donate.
- Give Kids the World Village. This place means the world to my family and so many others. It’s, unfortunately, closed right now due to the pandemic…but they create magical experiences for so very many people. They don’t have an amazon wish list, but they do have a wish list on their site. CLICK HERE to find it (they are called “in kind” donations). You can also find a few other ways to help out on their site. For more information on how they impact families, check out my story, or my friend Matt’s story.
- Misty Eyes Animal Center. This is where we got our girl, Ripley (her story HERE). They’re a wonderful organization and I’m happy to support them in some small way through their Amazon Wish List.
- Make A Wish. Oh, how amazing they are. Thanks to them we went to Disney/Universal (Twice!), and realized it was our dream to move to Florida. I even volunteered at the Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky branch for a while (until it was time to move). Our kids got to experience some real magic thanks to their Wishes. They have SO MANY ways to donate. Airline miles, car rentals, hotel points…and in-kind donations. You can find all of the amazing ways to donate HERE.
- Black Pine Animal Sanctuary. For all of you Tiger King fans…I hope you’ve learned that places like that are actually horrible for these majestic animals. Places like Black Pine are a sanctuary for animals rescued from people like him, and many other horrible situations. They have lions, and tigers, and bears (oh my!)…as well as a great variety of others such as foxes, wolves, galagos, parrots, turtles, an alligator, and so many others. I was fortunate enough to visit this place on my big 40th birthday weekend. It’s beautiful and all they do is amazing. They have several ways to donate from several different sources (including Amazon). You can find them all HERE.
I hope something in my list inspires you. If you want, just reach out to a friend and see if they have a wish list.
Inspiring each other, and spreading love & kindness….it will help us get through this. Together.
Do you have any charities you can recommend for giving? These are all dear to me, but I’m always open to suggestions!
by Sarah | Apr 7, 2020 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Home, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Blogging Life, Redefining Perfect
I honestly had no idea what day it was today.
Had a minor panic attack thinking I had to work tomorrow (I don’t), and that we were already on Wednesday and I’d done nothing. NOTHING.
I have finals in less than two weeks.
My adult child is living under our roof again (temporarily).
I haven’t been to Disney since February (and I’m officially going to miss my first ever Flower and Garden Festival that I’ve been so excited to see)
I work in health care…and my floor is the Covid floor.
Hubby’s job has been declared an “essential business”, but if they don’t make sales, then they may not stay open.
The girls are both succeeding, and failing, at the homeschool thing…it’s a total yo-yo day to day.
I have 2 kids in the “danger zone” due to their Cystic Fibrosis (atypical though their cases may be) – and I work on THE floor.
I can’t do normal grocery shopping because everyone else is panic shopping.
But it’s okay. We’re all okay.
Right now we are making it by just fine.
We’re all healthy.
My family back in Indiana is still healthy. My family in Buffalo is still healthy.
My eldest is reading a book (WHAT?).
Birthday gifts for our apocalypse birthday girls have been purchased.
I’m baking bread (this is a pre-apocalypse thing I haven’t done since Indiana), and desserts, and making soups.
I’m crafting. I’m writing.
We have food. We have water. We are safe.
The weather is beautiful.
We are okay.
We are in a weird wonderland where we are all mad here.
But we are okay.
The world is changing, I hope for the better. I hope when this is all done we see what can and should be done.
Right now we’re still working through the trauma, and we have been traumatized, all of us…but I hope we do better after this.
I hope we see the companies that did right by their people, and those that did wrong. That we see what we could be, trauma aside, what a world we can live in.
Until then, I hope we are all okay.
A little mad in wonderland….
But Okay.
How are you holding up out there? How are you coping? Have you tried something new? Or are you just trying to hold it together? Either way it’s fine, you take care of you. Please.
by Sarah | Jan 13, 2020 | All About Family, All About Me, All of Us, Florida Dreaming, Redefining Perfect
I’ve been in Florida now for just under 9 months. So what’s up with all of the dreams, goals, and everything involved in the move?
First and foremost: It has been HARD. I mean, really hard.
There’s been wonderful, great, amazing things–but it’s been HARD.
Moving across country, being separated from my family, the girls utter homesickness when they arrived (and some still lingering)…not to mention my job situation?
Hard.
Was it worth it?
Yes.
I truly love being here. I feel so at home. I am where I’m meant to be. I knew life would not be perfect (and said so many times), and I knew that life would encroach on the wonderful things I was looking forward to (and it has). I didn’t expect all of our problems to resolve the minute we crossed the state line. I mostly expected to be home, and some bonuses along the way.
I’ll get the bad out of the way super quick b/c I don’t want to focus on them. My job – it’s a nightmare, but a possible light at the end of the tunnel is coming. Finances – due to several situations (that nightmare job being one of them), it’s taken us longer to level out and get back on our feet than I’d hoped for. Homesickness – primary in the middle teen, she’s fighting tooth and nail.
The good? That’s better to focus on…
Our home: Though we’re paying more per month, it’s bigger, it’s sound, and though the yard needs a lot of work and we have to pay pest control monthly, I really love the house. The girls really love that they each have their own rooms.
Disney: Duh. Though I now haven’t been since November (I hope to rectify this quite soon) we went tons during food & wine, and even stayed on site. We’ve more than made up for the cost of passes, and it’s nice to know it’s right there. It’s a benefit we use often.
Nursing school: Not something I ever thought I’d do, I’m in it to win it. It’s right around the corner too. Considering we’re both putting many more miles on the vehicles, that’s a big benefit.
The Market: Big flea market about a quarter mile from our house. Way too much 45 shit on display, but if you avoid that and head straight for the fresh fruit & veggies on display all year long, it’s a huge benefit.
The school: While I’m not overly pleased w/ the middle school…the high school has been amazing and in a few months I won’t have to worry about any more kids in the middle. The education they’re getting is great, challenging, and the school has been amazing about the IEP. Biggest downsize is that we have to take them and pick them up every blasted day. Is it summer yet? Does Molly have her license yet? Please? Soon?
Erik’s job: Big positive over his last. BIG.
While Erik and I know we aren’t going to settle in this particular area permanently (I want to be closer to water and further south…north-central is meh)…it’s been a good place to land. We plan to stay until the kids are out of school and then cart ourselves further south & west. For now, we’re happy where we are despite the struggles.
It hasn’t been easy, not by a long shot. I feel like we are finally turning a bend, though. I’m trusting that this year is going to shake off some of those bad areas so we can focus even more on the good ones.
by Sarah | Jan 9, 2020 | All About Family, All of Us, Blogging Life, Disney, DisneyTips, Redefining Perfect, Universal
I haven’t been to Disney hundreds of times (yet. Give me a couple years), but I’ve been my fair share.
I’ve done it with crazy intensity, and in a casual jaunt.
I’ve done Disneyland (finally), and Disney World.
I’ve picked up a few tips along the way. And while there are blogs across the web, I wanted to hand out my own Disney advice I’ve learned along the way, and tips I’ll be learning as I begin to go more frequently.
This months tip is for EVERYONE. It comes along with the first thing I say when someone says they didn’t like Disney World…which is always “then you did it wrong.” The biggest mistake is they want so desperately to cram EVERYTHING in. I do mean everything.
Don’t Expect to do it All!
This tip is definitely A-Numero-Uno in my book. I’ve been to Disney World and it’s resorts probably 20 times at this point, and I’ve barely scratched the surface. I’ve heard stories of people that have been hundreds of times, or go practically every day, and still manage to get surprised.
Disney World is an entity all on its own. It’s constantly changing, growing, and adding little surprises to delight guests.
Not to mention the crowds that can quickly ruin your day whether you plan for them or not.
So whether you’re planning a one day visit (see my tip for that), or a long 2 week adventure, you canNOT do it all in that time. Don’t hope for it, don’t try to plan for it. Don’t get me wrong, if you’re there for 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 days – you can do a LOT…but you will never get it all done.
Don’t let FOMO ruin your trip. Or ONIMI* ruin the reflections of your trip.
I promise you, in all of my trips I’ve never looked back several years later and lamented it was a horrible trip because I missed whatever. I didn’t remember and didn’t care. I remembered the fun, laughter, and magic alone.
With that in mind, what CAN you do?
You can plan for Fun. Rides. Food (but not too much, explanation to come). Relaxation (yup, for real). Magic.
Fun: Duh. Disney can be so much fun. There are little side things you can do everywhere. There’s hidden Mickey’s. Or pin trading. Or just taking in some of the beautiful scenery Disney’s grounds crew works so hard on maintaining. They also have the Disney Play app that can add some excitement (though I like to be no-devices at Disney when I can). There’s also tons of Pokestops and Harry Potter inns & such everywhere if you’re so inclined (we allot for a little of this when we visit). Across every park there are fun and different things outside the norm you can do. From scavenger hunts to wilderness explorer adventures and Sorcerer’s at Magic Kingdom. There are endless things to do beyond the rides. I like to pick one or two per trip (I have yet to do the hidden Mickey’s. I need to get on that), like pin trading & admiring the small details to focus on. If you don’t know when you’ll be back, pick one, if it doesn’t suit you go forth and pick another.
Rides: Schedule some fast passes, but space them out a little. There is a LOT of walking in a day, and so many sights to see. You don’t want to schedule your day away and miss the opportunity for the above mentioned fun. The rides are fun, and lines can be long so plan to downloading “Head’s Up”-which has a special Disney game you can download for free once you’re on property. There are people that choose to take on the crazy task of riding ALL THE RIDES (in one day! at all 4 parks!), which I would find too stressful myself, but you do you, I say. If all you want to do is ride rides, then go for it. Get a game strategy on, know that some rides always have LONG lines (hello Peter Pan & Seven Dwarves), and a few don’t do fast passes, or the fast passes go in a flash. Do your research on what you think your kids will like (or if you’re going alone, ROCK ON. That’s so fun). I always find rides my tough one, but my oldest has a fine-tuned strategy that gets him some of the best & most difficult to get fast passes (P.S. He lives super close and goes ALL.THE.TIME.). I like to take my time, and I’m lucky enough to live close enough that if I don’t get a ride, I know I’ll be back soon. If this is your once in a lifetime trip and you have to get that ride, do your research and get online for your fastpasses as soon as they come available. Good luck to you, rides are awesome.
Food: Food is both wonderful and awful and everywhere in between at Disney. There are days I go and never touch a thing, and others I eat everything in sight (Epcot is my kryptonite…I want to sample it all…every time…Food & Wine as well as the upcoming Arts Festival drain my wallet every time.). I offer the same advice here as I did for rides…don’t overschedule. I was so focused on getting reservations for our 2015 trip that I didn’t think about how the one lunch reservation would interrupt our day. I was so worried about making our scheduled times that I barely enjoyed our morning rides. Then the princess breakfast was a flop – the food was great, the princesses beautiful, but neither of my girls would speak a word to any of them – so it was an expensive disappointment. Know going in that just because you’re at Disney and the food costs a fortune (most, there are some sweet low-cost deals that will astound you-that’s another post), doesn’t mean it’s always really good, or even more than dull and tasteless. If you think I’m kidding, I’ll remind you of the story of the best worst meal we ever had. Opinions will differ, but do your research. Keep your budget in mind, and your dining plan, and maybe schedule a couple of meals, but don’t schedule your life away. And remember, you could always order some groceries for your room (or bring them if you’re car-tripping) so you can make your own breakfast or snacks in the room. Our last trip (first on-site stay) we took snacks and soda which really took the load off at the end of the day. Oh, but I DO recommend you take the time to actually eat at least one meal a day. One last tip, get adult meals and share. The heat can make you not as hungry, and in many cases, the portions are big enough to share.
Relaxation: Whether you’re staying at a resort or off-site, make sure you make time to relax away from the crowds (or still in them). This is supposed to be a vacation, after all. Make sure you spend time at the pool, or if you have/are renting a car, take a day to go to the beach. Disney is a HUGE over-stimulation-factory. It’s wonderful and magical, but oy do you need a break now and then, and so do the kids. Make sure to schedule at least one non-park day into your vacation if you can. For one, you’ll save $$, and for another, you’ll get a break from the constant barrage of ALL.THE.THINGS.ALL.THE.PEOPLE. It’s a sanity savor. Inside the parks, find a quiet alcove (they have them, and they’re wonderful when you slip into a low-trafficed spot). It’s a breath of fresh air in a day of everything. Epcot and Animal Kingdom are the winners of quiet alcoves, but if you’re aware enough, you’ll find them at the others, even one right on Main Street, USA. Outside the parks, if you aren’t a beach person, there’s so much to do in the area that it’s easy to take a break and stay close without quite the blast to your senses. Vacations are meant for relaxation and time together. They don’t all have to be done at the happiest place on earth.
Last, but certainly not least…
MAGIC.
This is one I can’t overload you with tips on. The key to finding the magic is to remember what I told you above – you aren’t going to get it all done. So absorb the moment. If you take a look around, you’ll see little moments of magic everywhere. On our last trip I saw two proposals and a wedding…and that was in one afternoon/evening. Cast members, guests, and so many little moments will hold magic if you remember to look for it.
Have you got any other tips to add to mine? Let me know in the comments! I’m always happy to hear more tips!
*ONIMI – my freshly coined acronym for “Oh No I Missed It”
by Sarah | Jan 8, 2020 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Book Reviews, I'm A Reader, Redefining Perfect
Somehow in all of the chaos I managed to read 50 books in 2019. Still not sure how, and though I set the same goal for this year, I’m not sure I’ll manage to make it again what with school and work and kids and hubby and Disney and all of that good stuff.
Still, I’m making an effort, and working to keep a record again somewhere other than Goodreads.
Onto the post:
What I Read
Yes, yes…AGAIN.
Like I said on Twitter recently…I will ALWAYS go home to Hogwarts.
Though I enjoy reading the books myself, there is something fun and magical about listening to the audiobook version that makes me happy and makes driving in this atrocious traffic less of a bother.
(Yes, I know about the controversy and I do not condone or agree with Rowling’s actions…and will never purchase another book first-hand. However, I will borrow the series and read my well-worn copies because the stories go beyond her narrow views.)
I own this and the first in the series in hardcover (GORGEOUS books, mind you)…but the narrator of the audiobooks is such a delight that it makes listening to them fun and engaging.
The second in the series began a little slow, but had its own sort of impact. After the events of Hunting Jack the Ripper, our heroine Audrey Rose is suffering a bit of PTSD. One of my delights in this book is that Maniscalco does not shy away from this fact, or the fact that she should be suffering PTSD in the first place. What was suffered in the first book begets such a thing.
The way she struggles adds an extra haunting note to the story, and the location of Bran castle only increases that feeling. After such trauma it takes AR some time to get her ‘sea legs’ so to speak. Despite the bumbling attempts of the frustrating adorable and obtuse Thomas Cresswell, her struggles remain. When she first picks up a scalpel again we begin to see hints of the AR we know and love. A little less innocent, sure, but still smart and cunning, and almost too daring.
On a personal side note: I totally want to create the tea Thomas mentioned creating…Audrey Rosehips. It sounded delicious.
Yup, another audio, and one out of my normal wheelhouse of books. I used to read a lot of mysteries some years ago…but dropped them in favor of YA and romance and fantasy, etc. Recently, I’ve begun to try to expand what I read again, and this fit the bill.
The story was intriguing, and the result truly had me by surprise. The twist on format, going backwards in time, was done well enough.
The characters were not always likable, and the ending a little sketchy on morality, but I really enjoyed it and was completely satisfied with how things turn out.
It’s not often a mystery/thriller takes me by surprise and this one managed it.
I put these two together, but separate because they are part of a series of standalones, each set in both the near and far future.
ARK was an enjoyable, quick read for me. About a group of scientists gathering every bit of data they can about life on earth (as in plant life) before the big asteroid hits. On their last day before boaring the third and final Ark to depart the earth, the MC stumbles on something amazing. It was touching, heart-breaking, and beautiful all at once.
Summer Frost was good, just not my cup of tea. I found myself having to push my way through it. I enjoy Blake Crouch’s writing, I just didn’t really connect with the story after a certain point. I wanted to, but after the first few scenes it just lost all appeal. Going forward with the collection, though…It’s a fun way to get a glimpse of different authors I’ve never read.
What I’m Reading Now
I finished the first and the second came right along to ease my loneliness.
While COS is not my favorite Potter read, I don’t like skipping books…besides, there’s some lovely details in this one that help.
Plus, where would we be without kitty Hermione?
Plus, as I said above, the narration is always pleasing and it’s a nice way to pass the time in the crazy trafficness that is Florida.
(Book releasing 2/8/20)
I have, admittedly, been “currently reading” this one for a while now. Mostly because I want it to get my full attention and I so rarely have that for book time. I’m a major multi-tasker and this book deserves more.
I really like it, and the way the theory and practices are presented. The author has an easy voice to read, and everything clicks in my head when I read it. I’d like more time to put everything together and into practice.
*This is a book I received via netgalley. All opinions are my own*
I was intrigued by the book when the blurb mentioned the MC is gender fluid. I’d never read a book with such a main character, and the premise of the story (a competition to the death!) while familiar, appeared to have a new spin on it.
It’s a good, quick read when I remember it’s waiting for me (I’m currently trying to find where my Kindle is…I seem to have misplaced it and I don’t like reading longer stories on my phone)…my biggest issue is just what drew me in. Sal is gender-fluid. It’s mentioned in the blurb…but I feel like the first 1/3 of the book is kind of bashing you over the head with it a little. I DO like how those around Sal approach their fluidity, both with and without grace, to identify how to address them.
As for the meat of the story, so far it’s a tangled web of intrigue and action. From essential street-urchin into a death battle with highly trained adversaries isn’t easy…and this book isn’t making Sal a miracle expert at everything. They struggle to survive and fight, and the whole thing is rather intriguing.
I hope to get back to this ASAP…if I could only figure out what I did with that Kindle…
*This is a book I received via netgalley. All opinions are my own*
*~*
What are you reading these days? I’m always looking for suggestions!
Stick around…more updates coming soon!
by Sarah | Jan 6, 2020 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Pagan Me Happy, Personal, Redefining Perfect
Once a month I’ll be posting a new Spirit Animal*. This is both for me to study and learn, but also to help inspire each month.
This month the animal made itself known to me within moments of moving into our new home, because they are everywhere around it.
The Hawk.
The very first animal guide that ever came to me to grant me lessons several years ago was the hawk. At the time it helped me to see that I needed to dive deeper into my spiritual side. I took the lesson and did so, and it helped me immensely. This past 6 months has tested everything, including that very spiritual side.
In the past few weeks, the Hawk has returned again. Sure, hawks are everywhere in Florida — but there are times when they are more than just present. Like when it flies right in front of my face before perching on a light. Or flies alongside my car for a couple of miles to perch in a tree above my house. I’m telling you, sometimes these creatures are beyond insistent.
So it’s time to listen again, to the lessons of the Hawk.
What does the Hawk tell you?
He urges you to look at things from a higher perspective, see the big picture instead of the smaller details.
Study your divination tools and rely on your readings of them. Rapid spiritual development and awareness are often the message he brings.
Use your powers of observation. Focus on the task at hand. Step back and use that higher perspective to see what’s holding you back.
Most importantly, you have a clear vision. Use it.
The hawk’s sharp eye is your guide when he visits. Use how you need it most. To gain a higher perspective, to open your spiritual awareness, the gift of sight from that higher viewpoint. The perspective you need to see everything clearly.
Considering how muddled I’ve felt lately. I’m going to once again dive deeper into my spiritual life, and look at the things that have been holding me back and/or down, and see the big picture. I’ve been so focused on the small details that I’ve lost my perspective.
What animal is speaking to you this month? Do they have lessons for you?
*Disclaimer: I use the term Spirit Animal with deepest respect to the Indigenous people. I have been studying under an amazing, powerful indigenous woman and I respect their beliefs in the highest. I use the term with much honor, and not as a joke or meme. I truly believe these animals come as messengers for me, and try to learn under them. Miigwetch.
