by Sarah | Feb 5, 2019 | All About Family, All of Us, Blogging Life, Redefining Perfect, Top Ten Tuesday
Continuing our countdown of Dream Family Vacations, we hit #9 on my list.
New York City
Oh, New York…it’s been a favorite of mine for a while.
Honestly, growing up I had no desire to ever go. I’d heard horrible things about the crime and homeless and living in Western New York it was just “eh” to me. Never mind that I loved musicals and dance and all things theater…just eh.
Then we lived in Maryland for a couple of years and I took a road trip to NYC to see Cats on Broadway.
And I was never the same again.
I loved every minute of every little road trip I took to NYC (and there were quite a few). Even the time I locked my keys in the trunk and had to pay almost $300 for a middle of the night weekend call and they pretty much destroyed the lock, so then I had to have it replaced. (It was an expensive weekend).
Surprisingly, for all my trips there, I’ve not done a lot of the touristy stuff. I did see the Smithsonian, FAO Schwartz, Central Park and Times Square. No Empire State Building, no Statue of Liberty – and this was pre-9/11 so no memorial, clearly. I pretty much saw Broadway, a few shows (Cats many times) and a handful of restaurants.
I’d really like to go back again, take my girls and really dive into the city that never sleeps. Take them to a show, see the Statue, the memorial…all of the touristy things I’ve never seen…and some of the non-touristy stuff I’ve been curious about. There is just so much there…I want to see more of it.
What’s your favorite part of NYC? Have you been? Did you see a show? Did you go touristy? What’s your biggest city secret?
by Sarah | Feb 4, 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%
We decided on this move in June of last year.
For over six months I have been applying at hospitals all over the area we’re looking at moving to (central Florida – i.e. Orlando area where our son lives).
I have managed to garner an interview and a half in probably 50-100 applications over the past six+ months. It’s been rough with all of the no’s stacking up, knowing a good deal of them likely come because I am here in Indiana.
It’s not easy being entry level and trying to move. They keep touting they want “a quick turnaround” and none of my assurances that I can be down in two weeks, three tops seems to make a difference in their eyes. Although what company doesn’t want you to be conscientious and put in a two week notice?
Frustration is lacing into every second of this for me. It’s tarnishing the excitement and making me doubt it happening.
Then, after six+ months of doing nothing on his job hunt…
My husband finally jumps into the fray. He works in a pretty specific industry with 20 years experience there, but again…pretty darn specific.
He has sent out THREE resumes. Three. About two weeks ago.
In less than a week, he got a call on a potential job.
Four days later, a phone interview.
The job? Not ideal…but if they match his current income…we are GONE.
So fingers crossed.
We could make this a reality.
Our target date: July 2019
Current status: One positive interview for husband, still plugging away for me. Savings is on target. Would feel more confident if I knew tax refunds were coming.
We’re heading toward our dream #Oolalife…we are getting there. Every day another inch closer.
*~*
Edited for update: I have also had a promising pre-interview this past week. No set date for a real interview yet, but hoping to have one soon.
by Sarah | Feb 2, 2019 | All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Crafty Me, Oola, Redefining Perfect, Yarnspiration
I may have mentioned once or twice before that I have some crafting ADHD. In the past year, my yarn-bending has come out full force (along with my pendant making, but that’s another post).
To keep tabs on myself because I’ve had several projects that are YEARS old now (seriously, like 7 years).
My big project this year, was also my big challenge for the year. I’d never taken on a project like this, and I wanted to go for it. I dove in, ordered the yarn and got myself started on the Hooked on Squares Crochet-Along.
Over the course of about six months I worked on 35 granny squares, bound them together and added on the suggested border.
It was very challenging. I had to redo a few squares because the sizing wasn’t working out to match the other squares.
I had to watch videos to understand stitches.
But I finished it, and I’m super proud.
But here’s the thing…it matches nothing in my house. I bought the colors to sort of go with the suggested colors…and because I thought they were pretty. I’d planned it all along as a challenge for myself, but now, I have to sell it. Well, I don’t HAVE to, but I am.
So, since I’m selling…I’m going to show off some pretty pictures here for you of the construction and finished process.
Enjoy!
by Sarah | Jan 31, 2019 | All About Family, All About Kennedy, All About Molly, All of Us, Blogging Life, Disney, Disney Mom, DisneyTips, Florida Dreaming, Make-A-Wish, Redefining Perfect, Universal, Universal Studios Mom
So many times people think Molly and Kennedy are ACTUAL twins instead of Irish twins.
Oftentimes they (and I) have found it rather annoying…
Then…then…then…
You go on a trip to Disney/Universal for the youngest’s Wish.
Because Kennedy is SO in love with the Harry Potter books/movies/everything your very first stop on your very first day is none other than Ollivander’s so you can beat the crowds you’d heard were so crazy and have a chance at your little one getting the most awesome treat of being picked by Ollivander to get her very own wand.
It truly was our first day so we had no idea the true meaning of the magic of our Make-A-Wish badges and buttons…but within the walls of Ollivander’s Wand shop we learned quickly.
We also learned that it can be a good thing that people think Molly and Kennedy are actual twins…
Because when Ollivander selected those that would get their wands –
He picked Kennedy AND Molly.
(Here is where I would insert the video if it was not such a colossal mess of flipping sideways and darkness and not being able to hear everything. Sorry. The tale alone will have to do.)
First, he learned their names, then the wand selection began.
First, he handed Kennedy a wand made of Willow with a unicorn hair as its core. She waved with a “Wingardium Leviosa” and…well…the shelves went crashing down.
Then, he handed Molly a wand of hazel with a unicorn hair as its core. He instructed her to light it…and much to our surprise, she said in a very strong voice despite the crowd “Lumos!” Lightning flashed through the building, loud claps of thunder.
Ollivander used a quick spell to disperse the storm, and turned to my girls, tutting that they were indeed very difficult…
Then, the moment of brilliance.
He picked up the wands before each of the girls, making a statement to their twin cores…before crossing his arms so that each girl got the opposite wand to their first attempt, Molly with the willow and Kennedy with the Hazel…and then…
The moment of perfection, light and wind brushed across them as they found their perfect wands…or the wands found them.
Of course, we happily paid for the wands because they were chosen by Ollivander himself and brought them home with us. They had a prominent place until we began packing up to move. Soon enough, they’ll be on display again…and put to good use within the park itself.
It is true magic to see the wands choosing its wizard…and pure joy that both our girls got to experience the magic…together.
by Sarah | Jan 29, 2019 | All About Family, All of Us, Blogging Life, Redefining Perfect, Top Ten Tuesday
I’ve visited this topic before, but it was in one brief post. I wanted to broaden the stretch of my top tens, to address each answer and give it its own worth. So, without further ado:
#10 on my list is California.
Not a specific location in the state, but California.
When I was in middle school, my parents arranged and took my brother and I on a trip to California. We started in Fresno, drove down the coast, then back up through the state. We visited Monterey, Yosemite, Redwood Forest, San Francisco, and many others. Though boring at times (so much driving), and we never did Disneyland, I still remember that trip with much love and happy memories.
From the sites in Yosemite, the giants of the Redwoods, to the ocean views, and the oddities on display around Fisherman’s Wharf. There was never a shortage of cool things to see.
I would love to be able to give my kids a chance to see the state like that. I’ve always said I never wanted to live there, but I loved to visit California, and it still holds true. There is so much beauty and fun to be had.
I’m thinking a two week road trip, north to south like we did back then, but making it to the original house of mouse unlike my first trip. With so much to see and do, it would take a ton of vacation time, but be so worth it in the end.
Have you been to California? What were your favorite parts?
by Sarah | Jan 28, 2019 | All About Family, All About Me, All of Us, Blogging Life, Pour Your Heart Out, Random, Redefining Perfect
We all know the phrase. We use it all the time when we have little ones, “It takes a village to raise a child.”
I think it goes farther than that – It takes a village…period.
We ALL need a village…or a tribe…we need people.
We need each other.
So why do we resist our village when they rise to help us?
I have a friend, a good friend, who has come to mean a lot to me in the past couple of years. Six months ago they moved many miles so her husband could take a very exciting job that suited him perfectly. After years of being self-employed, they would have regular checks coming in…and he would be doing a job that was pretty darn amazing.
He is now one of the hundreds of thousands of workers furloughed because of the shutdown over the asinine wall.
We’ve had a lot of talks over the past month as she’s grappled with the existence. I made a comment to her that she should put it out there to ask for help from those she’s helped and taught. She’s resisted, and resisted, stating they’re okay right now.
When I went to send her money for an item I’d purchased, I sent her extra.
“What did you do?” Was her response, “You’re saving for Florida!” I reassured her we’d talked about it and were fine with our decision…and she relented and we continued our discussion…and it struck me hard.
It’s long been proven in so many studies and just general truth…we are STRONGER in a community. When we rely on each other.
So why do resist?
We often are afraid to ask, or we feel like a failure or inadequate, so we are too embarrassed to ask.
It also doesn’t help that in today’s society we are full of Judgy McJudgersons ready to tell us how we should have been prepared, we should have done this, or done that…who are super eager to sit behind the anonymity of their computer screens and tell us why you should do it YOURSELF…
But you can’t. Not always.
Friendship is about love and caring and support.
The next time you see someone you know struggling…
Be their village. Not their judge and jury.
Be their village.
They’re going to resist. So stick with something small. A silly card, something you know they’ve wanted off the wall, or just sitting with them and letting them vent without commisserating (i.e. telling them your story of woe to match).
Remember, in a village, it’s not always about YOU. Sometimes it’s about them.
Be their village.
Because one day, you’re gonna need them to be yours.
