Don't Cry Over a Spilled Cart

We've been spending some quantity time at our home improvement store lately and I'm going to be honest, it's not my favorite thing. Full disclosure, I'm not a great shopper in general.🙅 I am, however, a self-proclaimed people watcher expert.  At these kinds of stores, you'll see couples looking at paint samples, people in work clothes gathering supplies for some kind of project, people filling their carts with gardening supplies and so on. Some may look happy, some have a look of determination and some just look overworked/overwhelmed. All have personal stories and motivations for being at a home improvement store on any given day.

On this particular visit, we were looking for some kind of lumber or lumber alternative to create a base for a shed we're putting together. Naturally, we go up and down the aisle as The Huz decides this might work, no it probably won't and ok, this will do.  It can be a tedious process that I often have low patience for but I know that The Huz likes my company and moral support for these kinds of projects. So, I go and try my darndnest to be a kind and patient wife. 😜

I noticed a guy with a scarf mask gathering his stuff and filling his cart...lumber, planks, those kind of heavy materials. We were near the exit and the side check-out area just because our final purchase was in that vicinity. As that scarf mask guy exited, he made a sharp turn with his cart and all the contents (big heavy wood pieces & more) just spilled. I remember making a gasping noise as he frustratingly looks at what just happened to him. Everyone around just seemed to go about their business. The Huz and First-Born, who at the time were looking for a cart just outside the exit, saw the whole thing & immediately walked over there to help.  They started picking up his (heavy) purchases and placing them back on the cart.  Their action may have spurned two workers to go out there and help as well (they may have also gone out there on their own regardless of The Huz and the First-Born, but that's just how it happened).  I stayed back because I can't lift heavy things and would only be in the way. I could only see them, not being within earshot. When they re-entered, I felt compelled to take a picture (above) just because I felt proud of their kindness. 

Since I didn't hear what happened, I asked and The First-Born said the scarf mask guy was flustered and stressed that all his stuff fell. But he was thankful for their help. I hope that he felt just a little less stressed and alone knowing he had help at that time. Who knows what his story is and why he was at the store, by himself, at that particular time with all those heavy materials? But at that moment of need, he had help. And my guys were there to offer it.  

Sometimes, it really is just the little things, the little moments--a blip in time. And we never know how one small gesture, one kind word can make someone feel. So, just choose kindness. Sending light & love to everyone! XOXO 😘

     

 ERetail LLC

California Disney Adventure 2021

We've had quite a jam-packed trio of days exploring Downtown Disney, Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure in California.There are many picture opportunities, experiences, merchandise, food, and people watching.

Taking our selfie game to whole 'nother level.

If you're a Disney fan of any sort, there is definitely something for you to get excited about. There's a huge Disney merch store right near the entrance of both parks. There's also plenty of restaurants that offer savory and sweet options for whatever you're craving. The Jazz Kitchen Express has pretty delicious beignets at reasonable prices. However, with the exception of a few good deals every once in a while, most things are pretty pricey.

We're no pickle fans, but the bloggers convinced me to try this pickle corn dog & I convinced the boys to try it with me. The verdict: the initial bite was pretty ok.  But as it kept going the ratio of hot dog-pickle-and breading was off and it wasn't super great.  Would be try it again, probably not.  But do we regret trying it at all--no, we don't. 

 

Our time at Disneyland was jam packed and because of the light lines, we were able to go on all the rides we wanted to. We started off the day with practically walking on to Space Mountain then proceeded to Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion,  and Pirates of the Caribbean all with about 20 minutes or less wait-time. We lucked out and got an afternoon boarding pass for Rise of the Resistance which we already knew was going to be great since we enjoyed it first in Orlando.  It's definitely a must-see attraction if one can score a boarding pass.

We ate at Galaxy's edge with the boys and I choosing to eat the popular "Ronto Wraps" and The Huz getting the pot roast. We ended up coming back for dinner to the same spot to eat the "Chicken Yip Yip".  The food is pretty good, although quite pricey.

When the Youngest was a toddler, he absolutely adored "It's a Small World". We had annual passes so every time we'd go through the turnstile, his little legs would lead us straight to the attraction. Now, as a teenager, the ride simply has a special place in his heart, as it does for all of us because of those memories.

Other notable memories include the First-Born and I getting soaked riding Splash Mountain. We theorize that they must've turned the water level up because we've never gotten that wet on the ride before. Good times.  We ended the night as we begun it, with a repeat ride of Space Mountain. We were all super tired, but so extremely satisfied.

The next day was dedicated to Disney's California Adventure. We were able to snag an early boarding pass to the newest attraction "Spiderman's Webslingers". 

It's an interactive, fun ride. I don't usually do too well on these, but apparently, my random webslinging was pretty good, this time. 😆

 

Avenger's Campus has some visually appealing structures and the occasional Marvel Superhero popping up here & there. If you're a fan of this genre, it's pretty fabulous. We ate at Pym's Test Kitchen & sampled some of their themed foods. To be perfectly honest, my family and I weren't too impressed with the tastes and the prices are quite high.  But it's a good experience to have, at least once.

The First-Born has to take a picture with his jet. 😆

The Ancient Sanctum is where Dr. Strange appears & is a great place to take pictures.

We had such a great time on our three-day stay in Anaheim, CA. We will always love the East Coast attractions in Orlando, but we wanted to take the time to appreciate what we have on the West Coast too. We're fortunate to have access to both. 

But most importantly, I'm super thankful for the opportunity to spend time with my very loved and adored family. I cherish all moments with them and feel blessed with all the memories we make with each other.  Even though my whole body aches, especially my feet & legs, it's all so very worth it. 😍

As always, sending light & love out to you all. XOXO

Don't Doubt Your Worth

I've heard some crazy assumptions and unkind things said about me from even way back in elementary school, then as a parent at two small knit communities and then from others in our lives. I don't willingly attract or welcome these crazy energies (at least not intentionally), but I also don't make much of an effort to make corrections about gossip because ultimately it is no one's business but my own.  And if people are willing to believe what "they've heard", then that is their prerogative. The saying that you can only control how you react to things has been my guide in life.

When I was at the delicate age of 8th Grade, I fell victim to some class bullying and apparently, there was a rumor that my best friend at the time and I were lesbian. As an adult, of course, those rumors would never bother me because, first, I see nothing wrong with someone's sexual orientation & second, it's either true or untrue & in this case, it's untrue. It wasn't the rumor itself that hurt, it was the fact that untrue things were being said about me with unkind intentions. I didn't choose to be heterosexual.  I just am. And today, I consider myself an ally to the LGBTQ community. Love is love and I hope people find it in their lives.

When we decided to move our children in their 3rd & 5th grades from one elementary school to another, there was apparently a rampant rumor that we moved due to the firing of a music teacher.  Although, we didn't agree with the events that went down, our actual decision was so much more than that one event.  We would never make a decision that strongly affects our boys based on one thing--it will always be a well-thought out plan of action that includes pros and cons.  That's just the way The Huz and I operate. Moving our boys was the right thing to do. And I've never regretted that decision and on the contrary, feel blessed by the courage I had to gather in order to uproot the boys from what felt like a comfortable yet toxic environment. The new location, with its similar small community, had it's own issues and was far from perfect, but it still felt like that's where we needed to be.  And I felt like because I had learned so much from previous experiences, I just let those crazy energies surround me instead of penetrate me.  I feel the most content and happy when I just keep my head up and steady, focusing on my family.

I've learned over the years to follow my instincts about people and be choosy about who surrounds my energy most frequently (because it's difficult to completely avoid toxicity).  It has caused me to disengage or simply cut-off people that don't serve to bring joy and light into my life. With all that being said, I still choose to be kind to others because I think it's very possible to do that and be kind to yourself.

And if people choose to participate in gossip (and they will), it's ok. Just choose what makes you happy and what is the correct path in YOUR journey. As I dispense that advice, I'm also still a work in progress...

As always, wishing everyone light & love! XOXO 😘

 

 

Individually Empowered and Inspired

Living in the age where Social Media is the norm, many of us have self inflicted ourselves with the burden of comparison. As a Mom (and I'm positive many can relate), I feel like I've been surrounded by conversations, humble bragging and weird general life competition for years and years. And I've made every effort to make sure I check myself so I don't personally jump into those rough waters that feed the ego and assent to feeling inadequate. If distancing ourselves from toxic personalities, even if they are "family", is what is beneficial then that is what needs to be done in order to tend to our very delicate mental health. 

We are all so different--our motivations, our interests, our love languages--all expressed so uniquely and all as valid and as wonderful as the next person. I heard someone once say, "Everyone wants to be surrounded by a bunch of friends and be social".  To be fair, this particular person is someone who is pretty close-minded and judgemental, but I also think that his opinion is also often misguidedly shared by others who don't understand the concept of being an introvert and truly being happy & content with one's own company. Like Brooke Hampton's quote above says, "...it's not our job to decide what (inspiration & empowerment) looks life for anyone else."   

In my personal enlightenment journey, I try to encapsulate the idea of not judging others especially for their life choices I know no background of, their clothing choices (sometimes, it's a knee jerk reaction, but I try to dial that back) and any other elements that have nothing to do with me--which when you really think about it is just about everything.  Other than what's in our own mind, we have no idea what is in someone else's thought process, what they've been through or what their mental state truly is. 

Find your happiness. Decide to be you & do you. Do what empowers YOU, what makes YOU thrive, what gives YOU comfort. And don't worry about or judge others (or try super hard not to) for what they decide makes their lives full and complete. Finally, try to disregard when others judge you--because they always will. As I exclaim that thought, I myself have to constantly remind myself of this valuable tip. 

Take a deep breathe and practice self-care. Sending light & love to you all! XOXO 😘

ERetail LLC

Sifting Through the Ashes

We were woken from a fairly deep sleep on a Friday morning with our blaring house alarm. It's happened before so that wasn't what made this particular morning different from all the others. The Huz screamed, "Oh no, the shed is on fire!" and I startled up with surprise and fear. I woke our boys and told them quickly what was happening & they got up as well.  It happened so quickly.  It spread throughout our stand-alone shed in the backyard & engulfed it almost immediately. It spread to our backyard tree and was dangerously close to our house. I called 9-1-1 and begged them to hurry up.  Meanwhile, The Huz was desperately trying to wet down our roof so that the fire wouldn't destroy our house and the boys were either trying to help put out the fire or gathering precious belongings.

As the fire seemed to get bigger and bigger, I felt myself feeling more & more afraid and in the midst of that fear I hysterically called 9-1-1 again to beg for their help. Turns out the firefighters had already arrived and were about to do their thing and put out the raging fire. Through my tears I saw a big cloud of grey smoke as the fire was immediately doused and calm descended on our property.  It was a big blur, but I remember just staring at everything with my hand over my mouth. 

My family and I huddled together in the front while the firefighters checked all throughout the house to assess any damages.  I honestly just felt numb and super sad for my guys since it was their shed that just burned down and they had so many cherished possessions in there.  Yes, we were all safe and that is the most important thing.  But I wanted to allow them to grieve for their things.  Things they've collected from our travels, as well as memorabilia and toys they valued. They know that these things are just material things and the preservation of our life is of the most value, but I acknowledge the hurt they feel.  And I'm sad for them.

I think we were in still shock, but we immediately went into fix-it mode and headed to our nearby home improvement store to gather all the materials we would need to fix the fence that was part of the casualty of the fire. All four of us teamed up and worked for the whole day and completed the fence late into the night. 

We didn't give ourselves much time to really think about how these events have impacted us, instead focusing on how thankful we all were that our house wasn't part of the casualty of the day.

I think we'll be processing our feelings for quite some time. I have to closely monitor The Huz who tends to lovingly take on so much responsibility for us. He blames himself for not putting out the fire and saving all their stuff--easily dismissing that if it wasn't for his tenacity, our house may have gotten caught up in the fire. I, for one, will always be grateful for him and although he'll never see himself as the hero I see him, I'll at least try to make him accept the fact that he's not responsible for the material things that were lost. 

On a side note, one of the hero firefighters recognized me from Middle School (I guess I didn't age too unrecognizability. LOL!) and it was nice to catch up with him and allow me to sincerely express my gratitude to him & his colleagues.

We're still hurting and probably will continue to process our feelings in future times to come.  It'll be a journey.  

Wishing everyone light & love as usual...and make sure you appreciate the wonderful things & people in your life! XOXO

    

Within The Walls of Your Own Home

As I'm in the midst of parenting teenagers/young adults, I find myself reflecting more and more on the importance of motherhood and all the challenges, triumphs, joys and fulfillment that comes with it.  

As a child, I leaned toward being more obedient and hardly ever got in trouble in school.  The Huz, however, was more mischievous and leaned toward resisting authority.  He's got a lot of funny shenanigan stories, but I'm sure at the time it wasn't very amusing to the adults that had to deal with his behavior. When we had our own kids, I always thought that their personalities and behaviors could easily go either way.
 

My First-born was always very energetic. So as a toddler, we made sure he was always busy--playing, running around--so his energies would have a place to go.  When it became time for him to go to Kindergarten, I worried that he would have a hard time sitting still & paying attention. Fortunately, he adjusted pretty well (although he still needs outlets for his energy) and I don't have any stand-out memories of having to deal with behavior problems (at least on his end) in school. 

My Youngest was a much calmer baby, but super alert, sensitive and emotional. Through a recommendation from a friend, I was able to find and enroll him in a great Pre-school program sponsored by something similar to a HeadStart (or it might've been one, I can't remember).  One day when I picked him up, I was approached by the teacher and told they had a hard day because the Youngest refused to write his name again & again (a practice exercise) because he said, "I already know how to write my name. I don't need to do that". I remember closing my eyes and thinking, here we go...I'll be that parent that gets called to meetings in the Principal's Office. (Yes, I'm a big worry-wart).  So, we got in the car and I spoke calmly to my then four-year-old and I told him I know what happened today and that he needs to follow directions and do whatever assignment the teacher tells him to do.  He said the same thing to me, "but I already know how to write my name."  I told him that I know that, and he knows that, but in school, you have to keep practicing, keep learning and following directions. I also told him that he will have a hard time if he keeps arguing with his teachers.  School is largely about following rules.  I never yelled at him.  I didn't even scold him. I just talked to him on his level and explained what is expected of him in school.  Then when I dropped him off the next day, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.  When I picked him up, I wasn't sure what to expect. When I spoke to the teacher, I held my breathe to see what report I would be receiving and she proceeds to tell me, "I don't know what you did, but he didn't argue with me today.  Just did his work."   Wow.  What a relief.  And it's been that way ever since with him--just explain things and he pretty much gets it. 

Over the years, I'm not going to sugar coat it and say that it's been complete smooth sailing.  Raising kids is never that easy.  They will talk back.  They will be moody. They will challenge you.  Have I had my fair share of yelling and repeating things...yes & yes!! I mean, I still do. I've also attributed many of my grey hairs to this tough job called parenting. The teenage years are not a joke (and mine are relatively mild mannered, and still...).  Parenting never stops.  The worry continues.  The process is on-going.

But my boys are kind. I love being able to say that and really mean it.  They are both accomplished kids with many achievements under their belts and God-willing, more goals to set and complete.  And I pray for them and I cheer them on...silently and loudly--whichever is most appropriate at any given time (LOL).  They are growing up and they are having to figure things out on their own--making life choices and accepting the rewards and/or consequences of those choices.  But their hearts are kind. They are humble. They have empathy and compassion for others.  

The Huz and I are proud parents. 

As always, wishing everyone light & love! XOXO 😘

Pretty Ugly Beautiful Person -- A Poem Appreciation

A big shout out to the poet Abdullah Shoaib for creating such an impactful poem illustrating the instability of body image.  When I read the poem from top to bottom, I feel such an empathy of sadness for anyone who may feel this way about themselves--even if it's feeling this way in moments of time which people do occasionally.  But reading it from the bottom up fills me with hope.  Because feeling bad about yourself can and should be a temporary moment in time. A moment when you can turn around and decide that you are beautiful and worthy of being loved.  

I love this kind of artistry--a poignant piece that effectively illustrates the highs and lows of one's self esteem. 

Remember, "there is beauty inside...that matters" and you are a "very beautiful person".  

Wishing everyone light & love! XOXO 😘