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Your Kids are going to leave you. Will you be ready?

It’s hard to believe that yet another school year concludes for our family on Friday.  I’m not sure where the time goes, but I do know that it certainly seems to be moving at rapid speed.

I was waiting on my passport photos to be developed at Costco last week, when I noticed the lady next to me looking over her son’s high school graduation announcement. I could feel pain tugging at her heart so I said, “Oh, is that your handsome son? How great!” And she turned to me and said “Yes. No one tells you that one day they are going to leave you though.” And I replied, “yes they do, but we just don’t want to believe it.”

I don’t know this woman’s story and that literally was the extent of our friendly exchange, but I definitely felt regret in her words. All parents know under normal circumstances that we have approximately 18 years with our kids at home under our roof. What we choose to do with those years is up to us. That being said I am already 2/3 of the way through my major parenting journey.

I want to have no regret when it comes time for my four children to leave this nest. And most likely I will lose all of them to the real world within a year. My goal in raising them has never been about doing it perfectly but by all means raising them intentionally.

One friend was telling me her desires to go on a family vacation to Washington DC, but that All-Star baseball and other kid activities once again weren’t going to allow the time. Let me ask you something. If you knew you only had a month left with your kids, would you change your priorities? Would you choose to take that crazy vacation you’ve always wanted to instead of signing up for yet another activity? I would have to think so.

MASK

I wrote an article in the new issue of MASK (Mothers Awareness on School-Aged Kids) about our six month family sabbatical by motorhome around the United States of America. The issue is all about time and the importance of taking it while we have it.

Taking a family time out and removing yourselves from all the sports, school and even your jobs, definitely takes a lot of courage and determination. But, if we don’t take the time now to stop and enjoy one another, when our kids are young, we may just end up full of remorse when they head out the door into adulthood.

I don’t want to look at my son’s graduation announcement with any regret. Of course there will be natural sadness but that hopefully will be overshadowed with pride and excitement because we’ve all done our best. I’m here to tell you that your children will leave you one day, so you won’t be able to use the excuse that no one told you so!

Time is ticking and the time is now. Enjoy it while you’ve got it!

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6 Things to Do in Charleston on a Girlfriend Getaway

Where can you take a well-traveled girlfriend to celebrate a milestone birthday?

Charleston, South Carolina proved to be the perfect place! Spring in “Chucktown” is fabulous as the weather is gorgeous and the city is bustling.

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Charleston is simply charming with its cobblestone streets, carriage lanterns and colorful, centuries-old homes. Loads of shopping, visiting historic houses of worship and eating fresh seafood along the harbor are also perks to coming to the Low country. Charleston is an amazingly walkable city too.

Here are 6 must do’s when you visit this city of southern sophistication!

carriageride

1. TAKE A CARRIAGE RIDE

Begin your visit to Charleston by taking a horse-drawn carriage tour of the city. Don’t be overwhelmed with the number of companies to chose from as they seem to be on every corner. We were very happy with our tour with Charleston Carriage Works. A one hour tour will cost $25 a person but you can always search for deals and coupons online.

2. BROWSE THE CHARLESTON CITY MARKET

Walk through this historic market as it is the cultural heart of the city. As one of the nation’s oldest public markets, you will find everything from local produce to antiques. It would have been the perfect place to buy my friend her birthday present from, but I had already chosen from a range of beautiful necklaces I’d seen at Adina’s Jewels before the trip. She loved it and that’s the important thing. It’s fun to hear the dialect of the Gullah ladies as they weave and sell handmade sweetgrass baskets here. We enjoyed sampling different treats and loved our time wandering around the Charleston City Market! The Market is open every day of the week from 9:30-5:30 and it’s also open on special evenings as well.

middletonplace

3. TAKE A HISTORIC PLANTATION TOUR

History buffs will relish all the choices of historical plantations to visit in Charleston. We chose to tour Middleton Place which is a preserved 18th-century rice plantation on the Ashley River and is also home to the oldest landscaped gardens in America.

Ticket prices are $28 for adults which includes admission to the National Historic Landmark as well as self-guided tours of the Gardens and Plantation Stableyards, a guided Garden Overview, “Meet the Breeds” and “Beyond The Fields” walking tours.

From experience, we recommend renting a car for the day you want to visit the Plantation. We took a cab to Middleton Place and it was very difficult to get one to come back out and pick us up. We had to wait awhile plus we spent more in cab fare than it would’ve cost to rent the car. Renting a vehicle for the day is easy at the Enterprise not too far up the street from the Visitors Center. You can head over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge to explore Mt. Pleasant and fit in beach time if you rent your own wheels for the day!

charlestonbridge

4. BOOK A COOKING CLASS

Our Taste of the Lowcountry lunch class at Charleston Cooks was a highlight to our time in Charleston. Neither of us is a gourmet chef but we had a lot of fun watching, learning and especially tasting the meal of shrimp and grits followed by banana cream pie. Tickets for this are $29 and can be booked online.

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5. STAY AT THE HARBOURVIEW INN

I will be honest the HarbourView Inn was not my first or even second choice for our lodging while in Charleston. We happened to have planned our girlfriend getaway on a very busy weekend and lots of places were already booked. My friend and I couldn’t have been happier with the HarbourView Inn, even though it was a little more costly than where we originally had planned to stay. It was worth it as our room was spacious and the beds were extremely comfy.

We started every morning off on this rooftop deck where our breakfast, which was included with our stay, was delivered to us. We also enjoyed the complimentary happy hour each afternoon as well. The location was perfect and we were able to walk to everything that we wanted to from here.

glazed

6. SHOP and EAT ‘TIL YOU DROP

OK, so maybe eating and shopping should be number one on the list because it is a big reason why we came here to Charleston. King Street, in historic downtown, has been named one of the 10 Best Shopping Streets in the Country and I have to agree. There are so many unique boutiques as well as some of the mainstream favorites to enjoy. If you need a sugary pick me up, stop in Glazed Gourmet donuts on north King. I had the most amazing Salted Carmel Apple donut here and I’m still dreaming about it!

What do you recommend to do when visiting charming Charleston?

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Are you mistaking your kids potential as your potential?

You have so much potential.

A more accomplished blogger, journalist and author said this exact statement to me during our meeting at Mom 2.0 Summit this past week. We talked of my past and where I want to go now with my writing. We talked of working with brands and me becoming a speaker. I was ready to take on the world when I walked out of that conference room.

A mom still has potential?

I positively knew the sky was the limit when I was 19 and it was easy to act on that then. I went for jobs over my head, got them and succeeded in the positions. Looking back, perhaps it was my skillset on my resume that got me the jobs. I remember my friend telling me about Cultivated Culture. She told me that she’d found a resume template on there that she’d followed to make her resume look better. With a strong resume, you’re likely to achieve the job you want. That was useful advice because being successful with jobs is never easy. Recognizing what you are capable of and going for it is much easier when you’re living life just for you. Then one day you become a Mother and you start to question all that you are and who you should be living for.

potential

The beginning of my writing career at the Southside Challenger back in the day!

How come we don’t encourage our fellow moms with the powerful phrase- you have so much potential? My new friend and her statement really stood out to me. It was different. She was authentic and empowered me. She gave voice to what I feel inside.

Because you know what happens when you become a Mother….

Your potential now becomes their potential, if you let it.

Being a Mom has never really defined me. I guess it did for those years when I had four in diapers and gates on every room in my house. I had little choice but to dive in and solely focus on my little offspring. Need I say that I love being a Mother more than anything? (Us Moms always gotta clarify that, whenever we voice that our sole existence isn’t Motherhood, right?) I’m just saying I’m not the Mom who puts stickers of my kids accolades on my car or gets all worked up at their sporting events every Saturday. (Did I mention that I love them more than life itself? Just making sure you got that.)

I hope that my kids are succeeding in school and at their activities because it makes them feel good, not because it gives my life meaning.

It’s so easy to talk about how much potential our kids have, isn’t it? They are young and have the whole world ahead of them. The world is their oyster and boy do we want to see them be their best. But what happens to our belief in that same potential for ourselves once we become mothers?

In the process of getting caught up in our kids potential, we fail to recognize our own.

A lot of times we are just too busy and it’s just easier to let our family members do their thing, while we take care of all the daily maintenance behind the scenes. Walking around with the ability to do something fulfilling, feeling it inside, but not investing the time to make it happen is a disservice to everyone. It’s tough to sometimes know exactly what we’re meant to be doing. It can feel overwhelming as we’re pulled in all directions. But, we have been put on this earth to use our God given talents and to do something with our one precious life. Because I know that you have the potential to do anything your heart desires.

Watch out world. I may be a woman past my prime but I have potential and who can stop a woman with that?

 

 

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For You, Middle School Teacher….

Dear Teacher of my Beloved Middle School Student,

I understand that it’s that time of year that I have been asked to send in daily treats of Monday’s flower, Tuesday’s favorite snack, Wednesday’s gift card, Thursday’s school supply and Friday’s personal note all in the name of National Teacher Appreciation Week. I thought that in middle school perhaps I would be free of this daunting schedule, put out lovingly by our APT, but obviously that is not the case. The problem is, I’m in the business of picking parental battles and asking my almost 14 year old son to carry a flower for you on to the bus, isn’t one I’m willing to fight for. Please don’t take this personal.

Unlike the elementary school days, you and I don’t know one another. We wouldn’t even recognize each other if we passed in the grocery store. Now that I’m no longer needed in the classroom, our relationship is pretty non-existent.

But I do want you to know that you are appreciated every day.

 middleschool

I am grateful that you have found it in your heart to come to this wonderful school and teach our children. God Bless you for that. In celebration of this special week for you as a teacher, I wanted to share with you how I try to honor you in our home each and every day.

  • I teach your student about personal responsibility and doing his best, in the hopes that he can come to school prepared and make your job perhaps a little bit easier. We talk about kindness and compassion and the importance of treating you and his classmates with respect.
  • I expect him to comb his hair, put on clean clothes, get all the leftover breakfast out of his braces and remember the deodorant, all to help make your classroom a little more pleasant. If you happen to have him after PE, I apologize and can’t be held responsible for that.
  • When he complains that the school work is boring or that you weren’t at your best that day, I stand up for you. I tell him that you have the toughest job on the planet, for very little pay, and that I could not imagine ever having to do what you do. That’s right, I’ve got your back. You never have to worry about that.
  • We have not given our child a cell phone so that you may have his full attention. With Clash of Clans beeping in the backpack, you may stand no chance otherwise.
  • I don’t hold a position on the APT because I frankly don’t want to. But, I do volunteer my time and work hard to help our school earn money because I know it is important for you to have technology, aides and supplies in order to do your best.
  • I thank you for allowing my darling to grow and learn under your daily care and for reaching out to me when I need to know that he has crossed the line. Your understanding that this is the time we want him learning from his mistakes is appreciated. When my child pleads his case on why you may have it all wrong, I explain to him that perception is reality. You win.
  • I believe in you and will not question what you do or why you are doing it the way you are. And I assume that you feel the same for me as a parent. We are both doing our best.

Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week! It certainly takes a village and I’m so lucky to have you as a part of ours. Oh and your gift card is on it’s way…..

Sincerely,

Mom of your Beloved Middle School Student

 

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Go Geocaching for Family Fun

Looking for an inexpensive outdoor family activity? 

Geocaching is a modern-day treasure hunt that gets the kids outside to discover new places. As a believer in the importance of family playtime, Geocaching is a perfect excuse to have a little fun competition together.

geocaching4

What is Geocaching? 

It is simply a fun, contemporary take on treasure hunting. Geocaching is the perfect solution for those in search of a family-friendly hobby that’s high on both fun and outdoor activities.

Basically, you just search online by location to find hidden containers, called caches, and then share your experiences online. People of all ages are enjoying geocaching all over the world! It sounds easier than it is, but I have to say my kids are much better at finding these than I am!

What do I need to begin Geocaching?

Geocaching is a great activity to get us all outdoors but the kids will also enjoy it because it does take a little technology! Instead of using a treasure map, you will need to have an iPhone or other GPS-capable device to locate your treasure. Geocaching is free to begin, but if you enjoy it you will want to purchase the almost $10 App.

Log onto geocaching.com for free access to nearly 2 million cache coordinates. Geocache sites range from easy to challenging and list their level of difficulty.  If it’s your first time out on the hunt, go after caches that have been logged most recently to ensure that there is actually something still there to find.

Geocontainer

What does the word “cache” mean?

Caches are various containers of all shapes and sizes that usually contain a log to sign and possibly a little treasure. Remember to stash your pockets with trivial trinkets of your own if you plan to take anything as a souvenir. Geocaching etiquette dictates that you leave something behind if you take anything out of the cache! I bought a lot of personalized pencils and sticky hands from Oriental Trading to have on hand at all times. Once you’re done with the geocache, remember to return it exactly where you found it.

Remember the goal, and treasure, of geocaching is the fun of the hunt – not the acquisition of the cache contents.

What is a Travel bug or Trackable?

Travel bugs are different than trade items. Sometimes called “hitchhikers,” these are often intended to travel the world. They are fine to take as long as you promise to put it in another geocache. Be sure to log the travel bug number online so its owner can trace its travels.

Trackables are always an exciting find! It’s fun to log them and see where they have been before they reach you. Before heading out on our big adventure around the USA I had some family trackables made with our family photo on them. I had these made by Darick who was fantastic to work with and he has a really fun Geocaching website as well! He’s got free printable logs and lots of other neat things for you, so check it out.

Geocachingtrackable

Are you a Geocaching family? Perhaps you will be now…. Happy treasure hunting!

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Family Fun at Biosphere 2 in Southern Arizona

Looking for an educational experience for all the family to enjoy?

 Biosphere 2 is an active scientific-research facility located just north of Tucson, Arizona. Our family decided to take the 90-minute drive south to see what this scientific phenomenon was all about!

Biosphere3

The world-renowned Biosphere 2 was created to better understand how natural environments generate conditions appropriate for life.

B2 is the largest closed system ever created and was once home to live-in mission teams who explored the workings of Biosphere 1 (the Earth) by living here for almost two years. The University of Arizona now runs public tours to help pay for the facility and support education programs like summer camps and teacher development.

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Guided Walking Tours are offered every 30-45 minutes daily from 9:30- 4 p.m. The 75-minute tour is the only way you can go inside and explore Biosphere 2’s simulated tropical rain forest as well as the ocean, savannah, and coastal fog desert biomes. If you are an active family, you will find the 1-mile journey very easy.

There are quite a few stairs and the tour begins a short walk from the admission center, so do wear comfortable walking shoes. We were told it would be very hot and humid inside, but that wasn’t the case for us at all. We were actually very cold, so I suggest wearing layers so you are comfortable!

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Admission is $25 for adults and $15 for kids 5 to 17.

Save your ticket stubs, as they are partially tax-deductible since you are supporting research!

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5 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day

Most days I take for granted what an amazing physical world we live in. Every April 22, Earth Day reminds us to take care of our planet and be mindful of the footprint we are leaving on our environment. This Earth Day there’s a role for everyone. Small actions do matter and add up to make a world of difference for the planet we all share.

Here are some simple ideas for your family to do their part on Earth Day today!

1. Go on an Earth Dayte

Keith and I like to seek out festivals on this day or go eat at a new, healthy restaurant. Use Earth Day as an excuse to get out in your community and serve a local business or cause.

2. Head to a local farmers market and don’t forget to bring your reusable bags

farmersmarket

If you are in Arizona, check out Wednesday’s Uptown Market

A local farmers market just simply makes me happy. Buying organic produce and sustainable products locally is something we should all be doing when we can!

I have been using reusable bags ever since I lived in Europe many years ago. Europeans all bring their own bags for their shopping and we should get in the habit as well! My favorite reusable bags are my Envirosax. I’ve been using them for years and they’ve held up perfectly. You can throw them in the washing machine and they fold up tiny to carry in your purse!

3. Volunteer your time or join the Nature Conservancy

EarthDay

There are many local events going on for you to get involved in. The Nature Conservancy is an amazing resource and you can check for local events right here.

You can be the one to help ensure that nature’s most vulnerable lands and waters are given the care, the love and the protection that they need by becoming a member of the Nature Conservancy or  Adopt an Acre® to help protect natural places you love – like the majestic forests of the Rockies and Central Appalachians or the acres of iconic coastal cypress in the Gulf Coast. With your help, we can ensure that amazing natural treasures like these get the urgent protection and restoration that is critical to their survival.

4. Make Earth Day snack cups and popcorn for your kids

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These are the cutest things I’ve seen! If only my kids were younger. But, all of you with little ones get on this! I loved this idea from Rebecca Cooper at Simpleasthatblog!

5. Seek out a Recycling Event

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So happy our local Whole Foods is having an electronics recycling event this week! I’ve been holding on to old laptops and video cameras for years. Even donating your clothing to a thrift store is a perfect thing to do today as well!

How do you like to celebrate Earth Day?

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Tips for Hiking With Your Kids in Zion National Park

June is Great Outdoors Month and the perfect time to reminisce about the amazing National Parks we were able to visit on our motorhome family sabbatical around the USA. If you haven’t made your summer plans yet, think about heading to Zion National Park in Utah. It was our family’s favorite because of the beautiful hiking we were able to do!

Family Hikes in Zion National Park

Tips for Hiking With Your Kids in Zion National Park

Personal vehicles are not allowed throughout Zion in the summertime, so you will have to park at the Visitor’s  Center and board one of these free shuttle buses. We learned a lot about Utah’s First National Park through the narration on board, which was a bonus.

Family Hikes in Zion National Park

There are approximately 18 different hiking trails to choose from here in Zion.  The three that we chose to do in our first National Park visit were the Narrows, Emerald Pool Trails, and Weeping Rock.

THE NARROWS

The Narrows hike was spectacular and a definite highlight of our entire 6-month trip!  We highly recommend doing this if you’re up for it!

Family Hikes in Zion National Park

WEEPING ROCK

It is a pretty short, but steep climb up to Weeping Rock. The kids enjoyed cooling off in the dripping water.

Family Hikes in Zion National Park

EMERALD POOLS

Lower Emerald Pool trail is a beautiful low-key hike! It is definitely tougher to reach the Upper Emerald Pool trail especially when it’s hot out, but we were glad we did it!

What other family hikes have you enjoyed in Zion National Park?

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Turning 12 Like a Girl…

I’m telling you the angels were singing to me the day the nurse told me during my ultrasound that the baby I was carrying inside me was a GIRL. I could cry now just thinking back to that exact moment. If I had to name one best moment of my life, I think it would be this one. I was a Momma to triplet sons less than a year old at the time. I was just sure one of them was going to be a girl, but they all came out male. Then, unexpectedly expecting a fourth I needed to know if this special surprise was indeed my daughter. And yes, she most certainly was.

She is still the love of my life, but some days I have to really strain to hear those singing angels. But, I couldn’t be more proud of her and who she is today as she turns 12. I was nothing like her at this age, so she is fascinating to me. I was scared of anything and everything. She fears nothing and enjoys all.

Did you see the Always #LikeAGirl Super Bowl commercial or have you seen the campaign? It was my highlight to watching that game. I wanted to jump up and shout, YES girls, YES!! Instead, tears welled up in my eyes, as my sons stared at me in horror. I am all for raising and being a strong, confident woman. I know the Always campaign uses verbs like Run#LikeAGirl or Skate #LikeAGirl, but I want to use adjectives that describe my youngest who is growing up with three brothers ahead of her.

Here are 12 words that embody my daughter, along with my favorite pictures of her from our USA travels, in honor of her 12th birthday today. Turning 12 #LikeAGirl.

Brave

strong

daring
Independent

curious

carefree

fearless

Happy

athletic

silly

beautiful2

confident

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Feeling the Pain of the NHL Trade Deadline

The NHL trade deadline is today. I get a pit in my stomach just thinking about it and our family hasn’t had to worry about this in 7 years. But, I know all too well how NHL families are feeling today and it simply could be the toughest day of the season for us wives. Most fans and people unrelated to the sport don’t have any idea the anxiety that today brings.

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All day you are scared to death any time your phone rings. Are the rumors you’ve heard about you moving on true? You’ve wrapped your head around the thought of you getting traded and then there’s no phone call. I guess we’re safe and not going anywhere. But, wait we kind of wanted to go. Didn’t we?

As a wife of a former NHLer with a 17 year career, I spent many years feeling the nervousness that today brings for those following in our footsteps. It’s not fun at all. Because even if you are stable and going nowhere, you will have to say goodbye to teammates and friends today. Guys will inevitably leave their wives and families behind to get on the next flight to their newest NHL home. But, even so, it may just be for a short time, so you can’t get ahead of yourself because most likely you will be making yet another move after the season. That is, if your presence doesn’t lead your new team to the playoffs promise land.

Our friend and ex-teammate on the Phoenix Coyotes, Shane Doan, was quoted in the Arizona Republic this week saying, “When it’s your friends and peoples families that you know, it’s so much harder. There’s amazing things to playing in the NHL. There’s a lot harder things to do, but I don’t care who you are. It’s no fun.” Shane has spent his entire career with the Coyotes since he joined the team in 1995. He and his wife, Andrea, have four children like us but haven’t had to experience any of the moving around. She and I talk about how nice that is yet how change is not necessarily a bad thing.

Change is pretty much inevitable when you are married to a professional athlete. Sometimes a trade feels exciting and other times it feels like your world is coming to an end. It isn’t a whole lot of fun to not have any say in where you are moving to or when you might do it. It can and does happen in an instant. But, nonetheless you pick up and go and make the best of it. And I have to say I am a different, more well rounded, confident person because of it. I now have amazing friends all over the US and Canada because of NHL trades. I couldn’t be more grateful for that. Back in the day, Keith and I never would’ve dreamed of retiring to the desert. When we married we pictured ourselves raising kids in a brownstone in downtown Chicago. Ah yes, life is a wonderful journey, isn’t it?

Flexibility is the key to this lifestyle. I learned to go with the flow as we moved around to four different teams. Two trades came at the March deadline. I can say it was much simpler when we were just a newly married couple moving from Chicago to Phoenix. Somehow it didn’t feel quite the same getting the news with four kids in tow going from Anaheim to Vancouver. But, we definitely grew with each move. I learned to reach out and connect quickly with other women who gave me advice on where to put the kids in school and overall help me navigate my new city.

Today is tough. I’m feeling it for all of you who will shed tears and hug your man before he heads off today. I’m sorry for that. Change is difficult but it also creates opportunity. A new world awaits you so take advantage of it. This NHL craziness certainly doesn’t last forever so hang in there and enjoy your ride.

keithsbin

I dug into Keith’s hockey bin of memories for articles on the trades and ended up sitting here for awhile reminiscing. So blessed…. even for all those darn moves.

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