by Sarah | Mar 21, 2019 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Blogging Life, Disney, Disney Mom, Make-A-Wish, Redefining Perfect, Universal, Universal Studios Mom
Our Make A Wish trips to Disney were full of so much spectacular magic, fun, and family bonding.
It brought us our son back from his moody depths.
It kept ME off my computer/phone/internet/everything for a whole week without any signs of withdrawal.
We arrived home with tale upon tale of the amazing things that happened.
Then there was that one night.
See, at Disney we have a habit that isn’t the best.
We forget about food.
Yeah, I know. Weird, right?
We’re just so busy doing all of the things, that we forget to shove food down our gullets.
So on this one night we were at the Magic Kingdom and someone pointed out that they were hungry. Erik and I realized that the last time we’d eaten had probably been at breakfast back at the Village at about, oh, 8AM. We were staring down 6PM at this point.
Oops.
We were basically in the middle of the park at that point, trying to decide where to head. Two kids were staring at maps to see where we should go, when se spotted Casey’s.
Me? I’m not a big hot dog person. I essentially only like one brand of hot dog, and that’s it.
BUT…it was there. It was easy, and I figured a chili dog wouldn’t be horrible. We WERE dining at Disney, after all…
Right?
So, in we all traipsed, making a quick study of the menu and ordering our dogs and some drinks. We find a table in the bustling restaurant and hunker down to eat.
One bite in I realized that just because we’re at Disney doesn’t mean it’s good.
Slowly as we all ate, I realized I was not the only one wearing a “color me disappointed” face. We were all sort of dissatisfied with the hot dogs. They tasted like those pink dogs you’d get at a gas station. Utterly flavorless and dull. The chili didn’t even liven up mine.
We all just kind of stared at each other, and started chuckling.
Then Denver thought he’d salvage his dinner in some way. He asked for some cash to go get one of those brownies on the menu. Because it’s BROWNIES.
Can’t screw that up.
Right?
Plus, Denver LOVES him some brownies.
We continued chatting as he made his way through the line. Sipped our drinks and waited.
When he returned to the table, he had a sort of shell-shocked wide-eyed look about him.
Confused, I asked him what was wrong. Were they out of his brownies?
He held out his hand to reveal the amazing, spectacular brownie he’d gotten…
A Cosmic Brownie…in the wrapper.
I mean…
WHAT?
We all busted out laughing. I mean, seriously.
He ate his brownie, we went about our fun, still laughing about how horrible our dinner was…but at least our bellies had food in them again.
To this day, nearly 5 years later, all you have to say in this house is “The Worst Meal Ever” and we laugh and go on about it. It’s that familiar joke families bond with.
So while the food was NOT great and I never recommend Casey’s to people that ask for Disney suggestions…
The MEMORY is the greatest. It still bonds us in laughter and love.
That is the magic of Disney, folks.
Truly.
by Sarah | Mar 20, 2019 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, I'm A Writer, Redefining Perfect, Wordy Wednesday
I’ve officially been an author for about 6 years now. Been writing as a life choice for probably 10.
I thought I’d share a helpful (or not) list of what it takes to be an author.
It’s simple, really. Or not.
1. Go to school and take a creative writing class.
2. Start from scratch and learn as you go through blogs, books, and tips on how to craft.
3. Take a Course from a successful author with lessons on writing, advertising, blog building, and more (I can even tell you where to find one)
4. Do none of those things, or all. It really doesn’t matter how to learn, as long as you learn.
5. Know that no one is ever done learning (this applies to everything)
6. Sink hundreds of dollars into a cover artist.
7. Buy a lesser expensive premade cover from a site.
8. Spend thousands on a top of the line editor.
9. Do your research, ask around, and find someone that will do it for less.
10. Spend hundreds on advertising before, during, and after release.
11. Spend less than $100 on advertising.
12. Spend less than $50 on advertising.
13. Spend nothing, and rely on word of mouth.
14. Before you’ve even published a book, get a street team and start generating buzz.
15. Wait until 1,2,5,10 years into your career and realize you’ve been missing out on some valuable resources and start implementing them.
16. Plot every single detail of your novel.
17. Write by the seat of your pants.
18. Get to know your characters with in depth interviews and regular check-in conversations.
19. Let those damn characters run amok and throw you for a loop on a regular basis.
20. Follow every writing rule to a T.
21. Throw those damn rules out the window, some of the best authors in the world do.
22. There is no rulebook. This list is a fallacy for no matter what you do, someone will ALWAYS tell you you’re wrong.
There is really only ONE True Rule.
LOVE THE CRAFT. LOVE TO WRITE. LOVE TO BUILD WORLDS. DO IT FOR YOU. DO IT BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU HAPPY.
by Sarah | Mar 19, 2019 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All of Us, Blogging Life, Redefining Perfect, Top Ten Tuesday
Continuing our countdown of my dream family vacations, we hit #3 on the list…
Albuqurque for the Balloon Fiesta
This is another thing my parents have done numerous times, but I’ve never seen first hand.
Can you imagine being there as hundreds of hot air balloons in all shapes and sizes and colors take off into the air? It fills me with wonder just imagining it.
I mean, sure, I’ve heard wonderful things about Alburqurque in general and it’s a beautiful area and there’s plenty I’d like to see there…
but the BALLOONS!!
Yes, I know…I’m waxing poetic over hot air balloons, but they’ve always fascinated me and captured my imagination. It’s not for nothing that a hot air balloon ride is on my bucket list.
I would just LOVE to see this, and share it with my kids. This happens every year around my wedding anniversary – so maybe one day we’ll get to go for our anniversary. That would be awesome.
Have you ever been to the Balloon Fiesta? What was your favorite part?
by Sarah | Mar 18, 2019 | All About Denver, All About Erik, All About Family, All About Home, All About Kennedy, All About Me, All About Molly, All About Ripley, All of Us, Blogging Life, Disney, Disney Mom, Florida Dreaming, Oola, Redefining Perfect, Universal, Universal Studios Mom
*disclaimer* I am writing this over a week before publication. All information is subject to change. I’ll try to update if that happens, but I’m working a LOT, so it’s not 100%
It’s been a month of a whole lot and a whole lot of nothing.
Erik and I both got no’s from our interviews last month. However, they were exceptionally positive no’s as both of the managers liked us and wanted to hire but there were key things preventing it from happening. Both of us were asked if they could keep our resume, and keep in touch in hopes they could find the right fit.
So while nothing happened with those, they had positive feedback and left some hope that they could eventually work out.
I have had another interview in the interim. It went pretty well, but I have not yet heard back.
I’m not worried, though. Every time I think about the move and us getting to Florida I keep hearing “June. June. June.” Every single time.
So, I’m thinking June may be our month.
In the mean time we are starting the long road of packing up 16 years of our lives. I started on my office last week in some time off from work. Packed up all but a few books, with one last large stack to go to half price. I threw away three bags of trash in the process of cleaning out my office. It’s not done yet, but it’s close in there.
The girls took a cue from me, apparently, and cleaned/packed much of their room. I heard a rumor that several bags of trash went out during the process there as well.
No, we don’t have jobs yet. That means we certainly don’t have a house yet…but once things happen, they’ll happen fast and the more we prepare ahead, the less we’ll be pressured at that time. Well, that’s the theory at least. 😉
It’s weird living in a house of boxes…but it’s also nice to be just chucking so much excess we’d built up over the years.
So no major news yet…but it’s coming. In the mean time we are keeping the faith, keeping our hopes up, and keeping busy.
by Sarah | Mar 17, 2019 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Gratitude, Redefining Perfect
As part of my Oola journey, I’m making an effort to be more grateful. My daily planner has a place specifically labeled for Gratitude. I’d like to spread some of that love here, too.
I am grateful for –
Letting go.
New tasks.
Old tasks revisited.
Stacks of packed boxes.
Communicating teens.
Communicating adult kids.
Sunshine.
Warmer days.
June on repeat.
Rows and rows of knitted work.
Hexpoofs.
Graphic novels.
Missing you.
New outlooks.
Skunk medicine.
Bear rattles.
Redefining.
Bartering.
Anticipation.
Hair cuts.
Free hugs.
by Sarah | Mar 14, 2019 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Oola, Personal, Pour Your Heart Out, Redefining Perfect
*~*
A few weeks ago I posted about my ability to hold a grudge.
One phrase has stuck in my head since I wrote that surprisingly cathartic post:
I’m hacking with an ax instead of releasing them with the lightness of a balloon.
In my attempts to get into that Oola state, I was more focused on “this is toxic, cut it out” than HOW I was taking action. By writing it down, my brain latched onto it in a way I didn’t expect.
Then something wonderous happened.
I filled a few grudges with helium.
Initially I likened it to an epiphany…but I don’t think it was. It wasn’t sudden. It wasn’t a light bulb moment. It was that phrase working its way through my mind. Helping me to process some of the feelings I’d been holding onto so tight.
I realized that I’d chopped at that toxic relationship and received nothing in return. Nobody bothered to miss me…
But then…I never thought about if my actions…or inaction, as it were…might have hurt them just as much.
I saw only my side. My pain. My anger. My suffering.
I caught glimpses of happiness in their life and I was bitter that my departure had no effect on that happiness.
The moment I saw what I’d done, how I’d acted and reacted, that grudge expanded with helium. It went from being a dense boulder to a much lighter load.
I’m not saying it’s gone, floated away in the breeze.
It’s still there, but it’s bobbing along with me as I work my way through the rest of my feelings with less pain and anger.
I’m able to say “I miss you” without any malice or bitterness.
I can mean the words.
I can truly miss someone, and not want to re-enter the relationship.
In some cases, maybe I do want to build on the relationship again. In some cases, I have.
I don’t have to.
And that is oddly freeing to know.
I’m feeling much lighter now with fewer boulders, and more balloons.
One day I know a few of them will float away completely. I may not even realize they’ve gone until they’re well out of sight.
And that is just fine.
Because I’ve gone from a brutal axing, to a departure of love.
We were basically in the middle of the park at that point, trying to decide where to head. Two kids were staring at maps to see where we should go, when se spotted Casey’s.
Then Denver thought he’d salvage his dinner in some way. He asked for some cash to go get one of those brownies on the menu. Because it’s BROWNIES.
He held out his hand to reveal the amazing, spectacular brownie he’d gotten…
