From the category archives:

For the grown-ups

A Year Ago Today

by Stacy on February 16, 2010

I can hardly believe an entire year has passed since I packed away my military uniforms and donned my full time mommy gear. A decision, my husband and I worked towards for three very long years before we could justifiably make me staying home full time with our children work for our family. Each and every one of those days leading up to that monumentus three year mark grew harder and harder for me to get up in the morning and force myself to go to work.

I know this is an issue each and every mother goes through when returning to the work place. I also know, each and every one of us has our own distinct set of circumstances, but I’m here to tell you if what you really want is to be with your children, the Mother Bear inside of you will find a way to make it work. Even if you are about to have your third child by the time you get there :)

All the saving we did, the sacrifices we made, the changes we’ve implemented. Each and every one of them …. was worth it. A million times over, a trillion times even.

Nothing could have prepared me for the rewarding, invigorating, awe-inspiring journey I was about to take and while I won’t claim to admit its all sunshine and roses, my memories are far more filled with special moments than dirty diapers or tantrums (today’s breakdown at the supermarket included).

I’d like to slowly let you in on my secrets, how we did it and why, in almost every aspect, we’re thriving now on a one income family and not sacrificing any of our wants for our children.

One of those, “If we can do it, Anyone can do it” type of feel good stories. :)

I hope you’ll find something in our story you can take with you and incorporate into your family’s way of life.

But for today, I thought I’d share a few of the reasons why I couldn’t imagine life any other way:

Brotherly Love

That Brotherly Bond

Big Brother

See what I mean?

Close As Can Be

The Three Musketeers

Puddle Jumpin

Afternoons of Puddle Jumpin’

The Fam

And All-Together Family Outings

That’s what my dreams are made of :)

  • Share/Bookmark

{ 5 comments }

DIY Outdoor Summer Living

by Stacy on June 11, 2009

I was thrilled to see BHG coming up with affordable and adorable DIY projects. Take this patio for instance, it’s full of DIY projects and upcycling ideas I can’t wait to try.

DIY Beverage Table

DIY Bottle Chandelier ~ my personal favorite

DIY Candleholders

Another DIY idea I’d have tons of fun with ~ DIY Life Size Checkerboard

So many great ideas packed in one outdoor space, be sure to check out the entire article, Budget Friendly Outdoor Space, for even more great ideas.

  • Share/Bookmark

{ 0 comments }

The Pleasure in Today

by Stacy on March 23, 2009

KSW Spring Mosaic

A Prayer in Spring

by Robert Frost

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Excerpt from The Station: A Reminder to Cherish the Journey , Robert J. Hastings

“It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are thieves who rob us of today.”

“So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less.”

“Life must be lived as we go along.”

What a perfect motivation for Spring 2009, I’ll have no problem keeping up the eating ice cream and going barefoot part of the deal. I’m even looking forward to swimming in more rivers (although mine might be swimming pools) and laughing ALOT more, The part I’ll be working on this season, letting go of dread and regret. How about you? Ready to take a leap of faith and enjoy your life?

A brief moment for reflection and praise in honor of springtime- courtesy of all these wonderful folks on Flickr

1. Happier than happy square, 2. Perfect Gift, 3. Florecitas….., 4. Before the Smile Stealer Attacked, 5. Mrs Potato Head, 6. Rings colour, 7. Soft Pink, 8. EASTER CUPCAKES, 9. AMIGURUMI FROG, 10. mess making, 11. Anak ke dua?, 12. Bleeding Hearts on the vine, 13. Stripey Walk, 14. calendar wintersemester 2007/2008, 15. Untitled, 16. Cake Detail, 17. Flicka in Switzerland, 18. Reading, 19. Untitled, 20. Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine., 21. Colourful Houses, 22. Contrasting Leaves, 23. Tre Monti Cherries 6, 24. Childportrait test, 25. finer gauge Shroom

  • Share/Bookmark

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Ten Ways to beat Stress RIGHT NOW!

by Stacy on December 12, 2008

Photo: J Crew

Ever had one of those days? Do you sometimes feel as if you’ve had a chain of those days or as if things are piling up on you all at once? Often times we add to a stressful situation and actually make things appear worse than they really are. After all, our ability to handle any situation is 90% attitude, 10% circumstance. 

Fortunately for us, Andrea from the ShortcutSleuth.com has come up with 10 really great ways we can overcome stress RIGHT NOW. I’m delighted to share an excerpt of these tips with you now.

1. Let the small things slide.  -  I promise you’ll feel better for it in the long run, Andrea tells us to “Figure out what really matters and choose your battles.” 

2. Don’t set unrealistic goals - OK, I have a feeling we’re all guilty of this one, but when Andrea points out that, “if we expect too much” from ourself and others, “then we always set ourselves up for disappointment” it makes me reconsider.

3. Learn to say ‘no’ -  I’m not sure about you, but this is a really tricky one for me. Still Andrea is pretty convincing when she says, When you’re only doing the tasks you really want to, you will be more effective and less stressed.

4. Take time for yourself every day.    We’re so accustomed to doing for everyone else that sometimes we forget to focus on what we need, want and like.  If we make ourself a TOP priority, then it is easier to handle the source of stress in our lives.

5. Let yourself be a kid again -  This is a point we should all take close to heart. Andrea is so right with this one, have you ever noticed how a child can go from end of the world bawling to barrel of laughs in 0.001 seconds? We were that way too…. once. Let you child be your guide and try to reclaim this lost ability. Take the time to just let go and be spontaneous.  Do something fun and let yourself laugh!  For a few minutes, just forget about all of the responsibilities you have as an adult and in no time at all you’ll feel rejuvenated.

6. Keep a sense of humor - Sometimes when things aren’t so great, you just have to look at things and see the funny side of them.  The saying that “laughter is the best medicine” rings true for many of us.

7. Take time to exercise.  Not only does exercise keep you in good physical and mental shape, but it also produces endorphins that make you feel good and relieves stress.  Plus, exercising is a great way to focus on ourselves, if even for a moment. 

8. Eat healthy.  When your diet is well-balanced, you just plain feel better.  When we’re stressed, we tend to reach for comfort foods or foods that are not the best for us.  They may make us feel better in the short-term, but maintaining a healthy diet will make us feel better overall.

9. Call a friend.  When things are going badly, find the friend that you can count on for a good laugh or that helps you best put things in perspective, and give her a call. 

10. Take a time out.  When things are about to reach a breaking point, take a time out to regroup.  Just like we put kids in time out so they can calm down and think about what they’ve done, time outs can work wonders for us as well. 

This has been a summary of Andrea’s original post, 10 tips to Stop yourself from losing it

Have a few stress busting tips of your own? We’d love to hear them, leave a brief comment or email us at kidsstuffworld@gmail.com

Stacy

  • Share/Bookmark

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Something for the grown-ups

by Stacy on November 21, 2008

So it occurred to me today, a website that appeals to parents should occasionally discuss some well, you know grown-up things. Like ways to unwind and relax after a long hard day with the kids, or ways to get together with friends you just don’t see as often as you’d like to anymore, and maybe even perhaps a few stories about how to get involved in your community and regain that smalltown atmosphere we’ve all been missing.

When I saw the idea for this rustic, outdoor get together posted on The Little Things, I knew it had to be the first installment of our new section. So, what do you say, are you up for an old-fashioned Harvest Party?

Country Harvest Party

It looks amazing, right? The inspiration board for this party was put together by Jess of The Finer Things. She took me back to a time when I used to know everyone in my community and if we weren’t related by blood – we at least claimed to be and everyone called everyone Uncle So and So and Aunt Whatever because that’s just the way it was. If you’d like to experience something like this yourself, Jess suggests a cozy and casual get-together complete with a bonfire, smores, and maybe even a hayride. Conjure up enough folks for a game of tag football, or assign folks to bring hot cider, marshmallows, hot dogs, and buns and have yourself a weenie roast. This event is marketed towards the grown-ups but it would be a great time for kids of all ages too

  • Share/Bookmark

{ Comments on this entry are closed }