In this fast-paced world, it’s easy to get sucked into a routine, act like victims or waste time pining for what we don’t have.

Far too often we forget to pause and take a moment to appreciate all that we have.

Many thanks to my friend Alex for this beautiful reminder.

Last Monday I blogged about my love for thrifting.

The Universe clearly heard me proclaiming my adoration for thrifted things because soon after I discovered this gem -

I cannot stop listening to this!

As if that video weren’t brilliant enough, one of my favorite bloggers shared a post on a thrift store challenge.

Got $20 in your pocket? It’s time to partake in the greatest scavenger hunt of all time.

The unofficial Macklemore thrift shop challenge!

There have been days when Manfriend is at work and all I want is a quick run around the block, that I’ve considered just going for a quick dash around the neighborhood. Is it really that wrong? What’s the worst that can happen?

It’s when I ask myself that question the Hispanic Panic sets in and image Grizzly bears clawing their way into my girls’ rooms while I’m taking a lovely stroll by myself.

Though my girls are clearly too young to stay home alone, it is a phase I know nothing about. Here to help is a guest post from the lovely Vivian Geddes.

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Staying home alone for the first time is an American rite of passage, and your child is probably looking forward to it as much as you are (or, as much as you are dreading it). It’s vital you don’t rush this milestone and make sure your child is ready. Consider these things before leaving your kids home alone for the first time:

Honesty and Trust

Without honesty, there’s no way that you can trust your child to stay home alone. Parenting experts from Better Homes & Garden note some children never should be left alone, regardless of their age. Children with histories of discipline problems, lying, stealing and disobeying adults need more supervision. They should not be left alone until you can trust them to be safe and make good decisions on their own.

Maturity

There is no magic age when you’re child is ready to stay home alone. Just because your child can walk home from school by himself and is able to work the wireless home security system doesn’t mean he’s mature enough to be left alone for an extended period of time. According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, Maryland and Illinois are the only states that have minimum age laws for kids staying home alone (8 and 14, respectively, depending on the length of time). All other states leave this decision up to parents. Many children are ready to stay home alone at age 11 or 12, but some may not be ready for this amount of responsibility until they are 13 or 14. Consider your child’s maturity level by honestly answering the following questions:

• Is your child responsible with chores and schoolwork?
• Does your child ask questions and follow directions when he or she doesn’t understand something?
• How adaptable is your child in unexpected situations?
• Do you trust your child’s judgment?

Rules

Establish the rules for when your child is home alone. KidsHealth.org suggest openly discussing what they think they should and shouldn’t be allowed to do. Together, create a list of rules that cover such things as having friends over, what rooms of the house are off-limits, TV and Internet usage, how to answer the phone and what to do if someone knocks at the door. Explain to your child the dangers of what can happen if strangers know they are home alone.

Expectations

Do you want your children to complete all of their homework while you’re gone? Does your child need to be ready to go to a music lesson as soon as you return? Whatever your expectations are, clearly define them for your child before leaving.

Then… Let Go

You’ve reviewed the information here. Twice. They’re trustworthy, honest and responsible. You’ve taught your kids independence, and now it’s time to leave them alone for the first time. Make an emergency contact list that includes your cell phone number and the numbers for the local police and fire departments, poison control, pediatrician, grandparents, neighbors and family friends who live close), and then go it’ll get easier. We promise.

Vivian is a certified doula and midwife. She teaches prenatal yoga and shares tips on organizing safe at-home birthing and other issues pertaining to health and being a loving, supportive mom.

Source

If you know me well, you know the only kind of shopping I genuinely enjoy is for food. Please don’t ever invite me on a girls shopping spree. I will politely decline.

What I love is a bargain, and that’s how I get my kicks.

In the fall I challenged myself to wear every article of clothing I own. It was a way for me to discover which pieces I was lacking in my closet, as well as a way to force me to clean out my closet.

I consider myself a fairly frugal person, and didn’t think I owned a ton of clothing. Turns out I did not wear an outfit twice in 5 weeks. FIVE WEEKS! My wardrobe challenge forced me to wear things I often overlooked. Turns out those items either didn’t fit, or I just didn’t feel comfortable wearing.

It was genius, and I’m so glad I did it. Now, when I’m out an about, I know exactly  what I need. 

This weekend I scored BIG time.

• I got a free cut and color in exchange for my breast pump (my hair dresser is due in April)
• I paid $1 for 4 leotards for the Child’s gymnastics class in exchange for a box of used baby clothes
• I purchased two pairs of slacks (Anne Taylor and Banana Republic), a dress (H&M) and a work top (Worthington) at the local Goodwill for a whopping price of $17. I paid more for 6 items at Whole Foods, and the clothes are in perfect condition!

While my mom accuses me of being cheap and never buying myself anything nice, I get genuine pleasure finding such things in great condition for a steal. Plus it’s good for the planet.

S

o I’ve resolved to only make/sew or buy used items for my wardrobe for the remainder of 2013. 

 Yup. I will not buy anything new for one year. Want to give it a shot with me?

I’ve had a few friends over the years ask me for tips on thrift shopping.  For gals and guys who’ve never done it, it can certainly be overwhelming. Below are a few helpful tips I keep in mind before heading out on a grand thrifting adventure.

• Leave your kids at home. I actually had both of my girls over this successful shopping weekend, but typically if I’m heading out specifically to thrift I leave them at home. Unlike “normal” shopping, thrifting requires a bit more time and patience. You have to weed through unorganized racks and you should always try things on before leaving.
• Know exactly what you want/need. Otherwise, you’ll be completely overwhelmed or unimpressed. You know all of those nifty ideas you keep pinning on Pinterest and don’t actually make? You’ll start to look at run down tables much differently.
• Have a budget. You’d be surprised how many rad things you can find for $20, but it’s also easy to get carried away.
• Scope your favorite stores. It’s always fun to  explore new thrift stores as you stumble upon them, but it’s much more important to become familiar with the stores you’ve had great experiences with in the past. Get to know their layout and be willing to explore departments you might otherwise overlook. For example, I always find killer fabric in the linen section.
• Along these lines, know the store’s inventory schedule. Find out when they get new shipments and which days they offer their various deals. Goodwill and Savers, for examples, will have color-coded sales on certain days of the week.

Hard to believe that just a few days ago we ditched the freezing temperatures in Reno to be in the Bahamas. A lengthier post on do’s and don’ts, likes and dislikes to come – but for now, I hope you enjoy the warmth and beauty that radiates from these images.