Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

Recently, we took our 1 1/2 years old toddler on his first flight. Before, the trip we backed his little suitcase full of activities: a water coloring book, finger puppets, books, stickers, and toy cars. My husband loaded up some YouTube videos we knew he would like. 

But, we didn't need those things. With some positive parenting tips, including, preparing him for the flight, and this one last-minute buy, we were all set!

What is the one thing? 

A couple days before the flight, I was scrolling Instagram and saw one mom post about window gel clings and how her toddlers kept busy for hours playing window grab at home.

I even did an Instagram story Q & A, and my cousin suggested window gel clings. I thought that they would be perfect for the plane. 

I hurried to Target, and there were a ton of Halloween themed ones for only $1.

Did they work?

They worked better than expected. My son played with them, and only them, for almost all four plane rides. 

He loved putting them on and taking them off. Plus, the Halloween themed gel clings were a hit because we had been talking about Halloween and seeing Halloween decorations out and about. 

Granted these were only $1, so we had to throw them out when we got home because they had fallen apart and were dirty, but well worth it.

How else can you use them

With the holidays coming up, you can use them on road trips or to entertain toddlers at family gatherings. 

They are great if you have to cook dinner and need something to keep your toddler occupied.

You can do storyboards with them, practice the ABCs or numbers, and teach about holidays, animals, transportation, etc. 

This article contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. 

I think we can all admit that we could stand to use more happiness in our lives right now. Our students could use it more than ever.

With the last semester spent on remote learning and secluded from their friends and with the upcoming school year looking to be anything but normal, we need to start thinking about how to address their happiness.

​Discovery Education has a great video about the 6 Key Components to Happiness, but here is a break down of the components and a few mini lessons to go with it. ​

1. Mindfulness
Our brains can move a mile a minute and jump from one thought to the next. Rarely, do we stop to just breathe and take those deep breaths that fill our lungs up with air and settle our minds.

Our students can have a lot of fears, anxieties, and stressors affecting their lives right now. Starting the class with a mindfulness activity can set the mood for the remainder of the class and even the whole day.

Take 5-10 minutes to practice breathing exercises or to do a guided meditation (check out this list of  Great Apps and Websites for Movement and Mindfulness in the Classroom). Remind students that, like anything else, mindfulness takes practice.

The first try they might find their minds wondering for four out of the five minutes. That’s okay. Tell them to allow those thoughts to creep in. Acknowledge them and then send them off on a drifting cloud.

​The key is to build a habit of this. Implement it into your lessons 2-3 days a week. You will start to see results in your students’ attitudes and demeanor. 

2. Gratitude
Research has found that people who practice gratitude are overall kinder humans, have stronger immune systems, and even sleep better.

Some easy ways to incorporate gratitude into your classroom is to have a Thankfulness Wall. Give students post-its and have them write two things for which they are thankful. Have them stick it on the wall.

Maybe on Fridays, students can share aloud if they want to. You can even just keep a pile of post-its near the wall and encourage students, whenever they are feeling thankful, to write it down and post on the wall. Another gratitude activity is to do thank you texts.

At random times, tell students to take out their phones (or if they don’t have devices, a piece of paper) and send a text to someone telling him or her that they are thankful for them.

Furthermore, students can start a gratitude journal and use it as a warm-up. They can list four things they are thankful for and why. That idea is a great way to get students in the right mindset for teaching and learning.

​3. Positive Outlook 
A positive outlook is very much associated with gratitude. The more gratitude you express, the more your outlook switches to a positive one.

The Mayo Clinic lists some ways to change negative thinking to positive thinking.

A good idea for the classroom is to hang an anchor chart of negative self-talk on one side and then how to change it to positive self-talk on the other side. In addition, get students journaling on what is going well in their lives.

​A lot of times students focus a lot on the negative and drama in their lives but neglect to realize all of the positive in their lives. Invite students to share those good things more. 

4. Generosity Generosity is all about science! When we help other people, our brains release oxytocin which naturally puts us in a good mood.

Generosity can be as simple as giving someone a compliment or holding a door open to as complex as building houses for other people. The possibilities are endless.

Teachers can give students a generosity bingo card and have students try to fill out as many as they can. Classrooms can do a 30-day Generosity Challenge with a new act of kindness a day.

​Even still, classes can take on a class project for the semester in which everyone works together to do an act of good deeds. Some ideas include: 

• Buying lunch for someone
• Inviting someone new to join your lunch table
• Planting a garden
• Community cleanup 
• Leaving encouraging messages in the bathrooms
• Writing letters to soldiers
• Visiting nursery homes
• Helping out at a soup kitchen

5. Human Connection
The human connection piece is so important. Even the most introvert of persons still wants to feel included and involved with other people. With social distances and the cancelation and shut-downs of many places, teachers have to get creative. Some ideas include: 

• Virtual lunch gatherings 
  • Invite students who you know who could use some positive interactions to attend as well as a few students who are your leaders.
  • Use the lunch to talk about issues in the school or some happiness projects to do in the school.
  • I have done this when everything was normal. I would take a group of students to a pay-what-you-can restaurant. The owner gave out free meal tokens to students. We would go every month. 
• Host small lunches in your classroom and play games with them. Uno, cards, chess. 
• Club Fairs where every student has to sign up for one club.

6. Sense of Purpose
Lastly, we all like feeling like we matter. We want our lives to have meaning. Give students opportunities to explore their potential, showcase their strengths, and foster their talents. Do career-inventories. Do personality tests. Show them what kinds of jobs they can have. Highlight what they are good at doing by giving them that role in a group project. Take them to career and college fairs. Show them that they matter because they do. 
I hope these help move your students along to happiness. 

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

We all know the toddler years can be full of fits, frustration, and total meltdowns. We even have terms coined terms for these years - The Terrible Twos and Threenanger.

But despair not, parents, not every day has to be a temper tantrum nightmare. I have 5 positive parenting tips to make your AND your toddler's day a little bit easier

1. Prepare for what's coming

Recently, we had to give our son some iron drops. The first time we did it, it was awful. It ended in a lot of tears. We had to force the drops down his throat, and I felt so bad. 

The second time we did it, we snuck it into his milk, but he wasn't born yesterday. He knew the milk tasted funky, and he refused to drink milk for a couple of days. 

The third day, I realized what we did wrong. We didn't prepare him for what was to come. So, I sat him down and showed him a video with kids taking medicine.

I let him hold the medicine bottle and dropper. I talked in simple to understand language about taking medicine. 

Guess what? It worked wonderfully! In fact, now he loves taking his medicine. I still cheer every time he does it because it makes him so happy. 

Prepare your toddler for what is to come. Doctor visits, dentist appointments, an airplane flight, Sunday church, etc.

Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Michelle Tangeman, agrees. 
​

2. Gossip about Your toddler within earshot

While getting our son to take his medicine, I would gossip to his stuffed animal, Prayer Bear, every night before bed. 

I would say, "Guess what Henry did today, Prayer Bear? He took his medicine! He is such a big boy! I was so proud!" 

I would exaggeratedly whisper this loudly to his little bear making sure Henry heard me.  He would beam and get excited!

Toddlers love this when they "catch" their parents gossiping about how good they have been. 

3. Set a timer

Toddler's have no concept of time, so they need a visual or auditory cue for when something is about to start or end. 

Either use the timer on your phone and give it a fun name like Mr. Dinger or buy a sand one and then set it to go off to let your toddler know when an activity is finished. 

Use a timer for 

• Mealtime
• Before it's time to go up for bed
• Time-ins
• A time out
• Playtime or an activity
• Quiet time
• Bath time
• Storytime

4. Play the fool

Toddlers don't get a lot of wins in their day. Mom and Dad are constantly telling them what they can and cannot do. Toddlers need a win. It builds confidence and improves their self esteem. 

What to do? Play the fool. Or, as Dr. Harvey Karp calls it, play the boob. 

How do you do this? It's simple. Make a silly mistake over and over and then let your toddler be the one to correct you. 

"Does your shoe go on your head? No? Silly, Mommy!"

"Where's Henry? Is he under the block? No! Is he behind the pillow? No! Where could he be?" 

Your toddler will be grinning in no time at how much smarter he is than Mommy or Daddy.

5. Practice patience

Toddlers have no concept of what it means to be patient or wait. To set them up for success and prevent fewer tantrums, start practicing building up their patience in this practice of patience stretching. 

When they want something, act like you are going to give it to them, but then at the last second slap your forehead and say, "Oh wait, Mommy forgot something. She will be right back. Wait. Wait Wait." Usually, I throw the sign language in for "wait" too.

Then, I turn my back on my son and count to 5. After counting, I turn back around and give my son what he wants and applaud him for his "good waiting." Gradually, I work up to 10 seconds of waiting. 

This might sound cruel to you, but this is actually teaching your toddler how to be patient for those times when you really can't be at his or her beck and call. If she gets frustrated during this time, teach her how to take "Magic Breaths" to make the waiting easier. 

Hope these tips help! Leave some of your positive parenting strategies in the comments. And subscribe to get more positive parenting and sleep strategies. 

Buy Dr. Karp's book to get more positive parenting strategies. 

Anyone can do the Challenge, but it is geared toward moms who have children older than 1. I write it as a mom for moms.

But if you are looking for ways to better your life, change your lifestyle, be more productive, or live each day present then this is the Challenge for you. 

This Challenge isn't for those who are going through a big life transition such as a new marriage, new baby, new job, or a new house. The Challenge takes commitment, preparation, time, and energy. It is hard, but the end results are worth it. 

The Add One-A-Day 30 Day Challenge is a lifestyle challenge. Every item added each day is researched-based and intended to improve your life in some way. Not all of the challenges will work for you, but in the end, you will leave the Challenge with new ways to better your life. 

It works like this: On Day 1, you will complete one task. On Day 2, you will complete two tasks - what you did on Day 1 and something new. On Day 3, you will complete three tasks - what you did on Day 1, Day 2, and something new. So on and so on until you reach Day 30. By Day 30, you will have done what you completed on Day 1 30 times.

The first 15 days are the most important to changing your lifestyle. They focus on sleep, eating, and exercise. That's why they are in the beginning because they are intended to be done more, so you build a habit. The second half are helpful changes to sprinkle into your life occasionally. 

Anywhere or anytime! 

If you are not going through a huge life transition than anytime is the right time to start. Stop waiting for that perfect moment. You'll never find it. There's always an excuse to not start it.

​Start today! But I suggest giving yourself 5 days to prep for the Challenge. 

I'm always looking for ways to be a better version of myself, and with this Challenge so can you. 

If you are looking to be happier, healthier and more productive, do this Challenge. 

With this Challenge, you are guaranteed to get long term results if you put in the work. No more gimmicks, no more fad diets, no more quick fixes. The Add-One-A-Day 30 Day Challenge gives you long lasting benefits. 

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

What is the Hatch?

The Hatch is a sound machine controlled through your smart phone.

It has eleven different sounds to choose from and ten different colors to chose from.

Parents can program when sounds can come on and turn off.

The product guarantees better sleep with its soft light and white noise. It also grows with your child.  

Should I Get One? 

I originally opted for a cheaper sound machine, but my mom recommended the Hatch to me after someone recommended it to her. I'm so glad that I made the switch. 

The Hatch has been amazing. According to Harvey Karp's 5's, babies need loud shushing in the first 3 months and even beyond to replicate the sounds of the womb. 

Inside the uterus is loud. There is noise 24/7.

Then, one day, your cute little baby is plucked from its comfortable, cozy home and expected to sleep in utter silence in the picture-perfect, gigantic nursery you created . No way! Imagine how terrifying.

Get a sound machine and turn it on for bedtime and naps.
When nighttime feedings were decreasing and we were aiming for that all-night stretch, we would feel dismayed when our son would start to wake and whine.

Then, we learned to try pausing first, followed by turning up the sound machine without even leaving our bed (phone-controlled sound machine for the win).

Worked. Like. A. Charm. Our son was back to sleep in no time, and we could breathe a sigh of relief.

The Hatch also plays an important role with bedtime and daytime routine. We have a getting ready for bed sound (water) and color (pink) and a naptime sound (lullaby) and color (pink) and then a bedtime and naptime sound (wind) and color (orange).

Our son has been conditioned when he hears those sounds that he knows it's time to get ready for nap or bed and soon go to sleep. 

We are still using our Hatch at 21 months and plan to even use it longer. 

​When our son gets older, we will use our Hatch for quiet time. The controlled lights will let him know when quiet time is finished (perhaps a green light) and when he has to stay quietly in his room (perhaps a green light). 

The lights will also tell him when it is time to get up and get Mommy and Daddy. 

​The Hatch is easily one of my favorite products as a mom. I give it 10/10 stars. 

Buy a portable sound machine for traveling. 

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

What is the Snoo?

The Snoo is a smart sleeper bassinet designed by Harvey Karp's Happiest Baby company. It combines three of the 5 S's - safe swaddling, gentle swinging, and a white noise shushing sound - to replicate the calming sensations of the womb. It guarantees a good night's sleep for you and your baby. 

I first read about the Snoo in Harvey Karp's book, "Happiest Baby on the Block," and instantly was intrigued and in awe of such a product. 

However, to shop and buy a Snoo it will run you $1, 395. To rent it costs $129 a month. Is there a price on sleep? 

Should I Get One? 

I hemmed and hawed over whether I should get one, but I decided to wait to see how my son slept with the 5 S's on their own. The Snoo was too costly for me to justify splurging on a sleeping device if my son already slept well. 

My son ended up sleeping well with the 5 S's and advice from sleep expert Cara Dumaplin of TakingCaraBabies. Although in a moment of weakness, I almost purchased the rent option in the middle of the night after two sleepless nights with my son. He ended up sleeping well the next night and pretty much from there on out. 

What Other People Say?

I ended up having a friend find one for half price on Facebook Market Place, and she purchased it for her baby. 

She loves it and says it definitely provides her family with the extra sleep they need. 

Her son LOVES the gentle rocking motion!

The swaddles have holes for the arms if your baby doesn't want his arms pinned down in the swaddle, and the swaddles keep the babies on their backs, for a good night of safe sleeping. 

She definitely recommends this product to all parents. The science behind it is proven, and when a baby and the parents get sleep, everyone is happier. 

She gives it 8/10 stars. 

I have been two Boston two times. One time, my cousin's boyfriend (now husband) was living and going to dental school there, so we took a road trip to the city. The second time, it was our first stop on our New England road trip. We stayed with my cousin and her husband who live in Weymouth. I love the city. But my cousin, Amy, loves it more, and her words describing the city are truly poetic. 

"The word of the Lord by night. 
To the watching Pilgrims came, 
As they sat by the sea-side,
And filled their hearts with flame." 

Ralph Waldo Emerson's opening lines of his poem, "Boston Hymn. There were no truer words written. 

Boston is the greatest city in this country. Sure, an exaggeration to some, but it is truly what Bostonians believe. There is a certain swagger in the streets of Boston, perhaps developed over time and adopted after the initial Sons of Liberty, as they strutted across the cobblestones on their way to the South Meeting House. 

I digress. To explore Boston properly, one must simply follow the Freedom Trail. You can book a guide or book a bus tour, but if you are moving on a budget, it is a very walkable city. 
​
Let's just pretend you booked a room at the amazing downtown hotel "The Godfrey," which is in the shopping/theatre district and a walkable distance to so many of the city's wonderful sites. There are another amazing hotels, but I'm just pretending you are staying here. 

I start at the BOSTON COMMONS & PUBLIC GARDEN. The Commons once had a dangerous past, as criminals were hanged on the square. Nowadays, there are food trucks, water fountains, an ice rink in the winter, gatherings of hipsters, free Shakespeare performances in the summer, and access to the T (the subway system, which you genuinely don't need unless it's cold and rainy and your venturing out of the city/have tons of luggage). There are beautiful views of the dome of the State House and Beacon Hill from the Commons. If you are a lover of history and Instagram-worthy pictures, venture up the hill and wander through the streets of Beacon Hill. Louisburg Square and Acorn street are two of the most photographable places. You can also book a tour of the State House. 

Down the backside of Beacon Hill towards the Charles River, is the Esplanade, a beautiful park with a walking/cycling path that winds all around the river. There are often performances there! But you also just see views of the river, and follow the path towards Back Bay for shopping in one direction, or head towards the North End in the other direction. While the shopping is great in Back Bay and it has some amazing row houses, I would opt for the North End myself. It is my favorite part of Boston. 

Oh! throughout your travels, you will see a brick path in the sidewalk- that is the Freedom Trail. You can hire a guide, or you can follow it. If you choose to follow it from Boston Common, it will lead you past some great sites: Granary Burial Ground (Sam Adams' & John Hancock's graves), King's Chapel (sign up for the crypt tour if you love creepy things), Old State House, Boston Massacre Site, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House & my personal favorite place in all of Boston, the North Church. All of these are along the same path and they are free to stop outside of. If you want a full tour, it does cost money. Recently, the North Church started requiring tickets just to go in. So you can purchase a pass that goes to all of them, or purchase individual tickets for the places you care most about- I recommend Paul Revere House & North Church. 


Fanueil Hall is the home of Quincy Market, so that's a good place to stop for lunch! Don't expect to sit and eat a table, because it's crowded, but it is definitely worth the experience. Regina Pizza is a famous and perfectly delicious pizza place in Boston. The original location is in the North End, and I recommend going, but you can also grab a slice at the Quincy Market location. 

All along the harbor of Boston is the Harbor Walk, which is a path that takes you all the way around the city. You could literally spend a day just walking the Harbor Walk, which goes all the way into Charlestown, across the Harbor, where Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution are. If you are a nautical person and like to be near the water and see boats, you can literally just do this and stop for food and fun things along the way. The Aquarium is also along the Harbor Walk. OH, and if you like some cheeesey historic fun, you can cross a bridge and stop of the Boston Tea Party Museum, and participate in a reenactment. They also have beautiful tea shop where you can sample teas and eat scones in the middle of the harbor. LOVE IT. 

You should end your day with dinner in the North End. There are so many Italian restaurants and bakeries, and the air literally smells like Italian food. Having traveled to Italy, it feels like you are walking around a small Italian town, as you walk around the North End: older Italian guys sitting in folding chair outside of cafes, drinking espressos, Italian grocery stores, religious shrines on every corner, and festivals to saints every other day. Some of my favorite places to eat are: Il Panino (amazing food, lots of seating, prices are more expensive than an Olive Garden, but won't break the bank), Regina Pizza (duh), La Summa (a family-run restaurant filled with black/white family photos), and the famous, cash-only, two-hour wait line, Giacamo's. Just go there at 4, and have an early dinner- worth it. Get dessert at Cafe Vittoria, Modern Pastry or Mike's Pastry, or Bova's. There are always long waits at Modern & Mikes, so I usually get a breakfast pasty at those two. 

Lastly, just some other food recommendations in other parts of town: Ice Cream- J.P. Lick's (Beacon Hill), Irish Pub- the Black Rose (near city center), Burger- J.M. Curley's (downtown/theatre district), The Gallows (South End), Coffee- Cafe Nero (downtown) & George Howell (inside the Godfrey Hotel). Also, you can visit the Boston Public Kitchen for amazing local vendors- cider donuts all year long, and more George Howell Coffee. This is near the north end and near Quincy Market. Steak: MOO. Yeah, it's called Moo. If you are in the mood to drop $50 on a steak, then this is the place to go. I know this sound sort of sarcastic, but it's the best steak I've ever had in my life. And the bread! oh the bread. Maybe you could just get the bread and then do a dine and dash? 

Don't forget seafood- a lot of people love Union Oyster House for its history and its great seafood. I'm not a seafood expert, but I am a lobster roll expert. So I'm only going to recommend one place: James Hook & Co. It's worth the price, and the best lobster roll outside of Maine. I'm not kidding. Don't try another place, and don't let the outside of the building fool you. Grab one for lunch on your walk around the harbor. 

There is just so much more...

Or you can ignore all of this and do a Duck Tour...because those are funny. 

I can't hold a candle to Amy's knowledge of Boston. She is quite the tour guide and when we went there, we traversed all across the city with her as our leader. 

A few things that she didn't mention that I enjoyed while there were Fenway Park and something really meta, drinking a Sam Adams at Beantown Pub while looking at Sam Adams grave in the Granary Burying Ground. 

As a lover of baseball, Fenway Park is a stadium you have to check off your list. It's one of my favorite ballparks (read my ranking here) dues to it's nostalgic feel and passionate fans. I have taken a tour of this stadium on one occasion and the next I watched a game. Both, I recommend doing. 

If you have some extra time, take a ferry to Martha's Vineyard for a quaint island feel, some good lobster rolls, and a leisurely bike ride. 

Hopefully, Amy's words inspire you to visit Boston! 

I am going to rank the 50 states from my least favorite to my favorite. I have no reason to write this list other than I just feel like it. Yes, it is going to be bias, but I am going to do it as kindly as possible. If you rather read a very crude and obnoxious list, read this article from my brother instead.  Remember this is all in good fun. 

50. Iowa
Honestly, what is there? I can't even think of one attraction worth going to. 

49. Nebraska
Corn, wheat, flatness. No thank you. 

48. Kansas
The only reason Kansas is ranked above Nebraska is the mere fact I can pretend, "There is no place like home," while clicking my heels together like in the Wizard of Oz. But, I've never felt like doing that, so that's why Kansas is 48. 

47. Mississippi
It is 2020 and they just rid of the Confederate flag in their state flag. Live in the past much, Mississippi? 

46. Alabama
More like Sweet No, Alabama, I'm not going there. 

45. South Dakota
They have the Badlands. Enough said. It literally has bad in the name. 

44. Oklahoma
I think of cowboys and tornados when I think of this place, and I don't want to think of those two things. 

43. North Dakota 
It's basically Canada. 

42. Missouri
Would be higher, but St. Louis is here. I have an unexplained deep disdain for St. Louis. 

41. Indiana
The whole state reminds me of Pawnee. 

40. Rhode Island
Yeah, it's pretty, but it is so small. I can get the same thing from Maine, Massachusetts, or Connecticut. Next. 

39. Delaware
It's basically Maryland, and if I wanted to go to Maryland, I would go to, well, Maryland. 

38. Idaho
Potatoes are yummy, but when you think of Idaho, does anything besides potatoes come to mind? Nope, exactly. 

37. Wisconsin
Cheese and Steven Avery. I guess I can think of worse things.  

36. Wyoming
Like my brother said, I imagine the whole state to be in Sepia like an old Western film. Which would be cool for a minute. 

35. Georgia
It's hot, humid, and in the way on your trip to Florida. Savannah is its only saving grace. 

34. Arkansas
It has the most racist city in America, but Bobby Bones is from here and my cousin now lives here, and she makes it look pretty beautiful. But I can't let it crack the 30s. 

33. Kentucky
Beer, bourbon, bacon. Not too bad, if it wasn't the stepbrother to my home state of WV. Kentucky is always trying to one up us on obesity and no teeth. 

32. Connecticut
Ok, Connecticut, I let you get to 32, but basically you are small and too expensive like Rhode Island. You get pretty much the same deal in your surrounding states. 

31. Virginia
It's not the same as West Virginia. I don't care if you have cousins in Virginia when I tell you that I am from WV. You're the older sister that thinks she is too good for everyone. Get out of the way, you are blocking my route to WV from NC when I want to visit home. 

30. New Hampshire
It's not as good as Vermont or Maine. Sorry, not sorry. 

29. Louisiana
Everyone is always going on about Louisiana, but I think it's overrated and humid. 

28. Ohio
Ugh, the only reason Ohio is so high there is because I practically lived in Ohio growing up. I felt obligated. 

27. Texas
Bigger doesn't always mean better, Texas, so I refuse to put you in the top half. 

26. South Carolina
SC makes me think of Myrtle Beach and South of the Border, and I shiver just thinking about those places. But, it has Charleston which is pretty cool. 

25. Nevada
Meh. The states to the left and right of it are much better, but, overall, Nevada isn't bad. Lake Tahoe looks pretty nice. 

24. Minnesota
Never been. Has a lot of lakes, and I like lakes. 

23. Michigan
Never been. Has a lot of lakes, and I like lakes. 

22. Illinois
Not sure how this state squeaked into the Top 25. I think for the mere fact that Chicago is there. The rest of the state, no thanks. 

21. Florida
All right, Florida, you made it too far. Your run ends here. You're too messed up to go anywhere higher. I have some family here and some of the beaches are pretty.

20. Maryland
This state is pleasant not sure why, but I find it satisfying. 

19. Alaska
This state is really pretty, but it's cold, but again, it's really pretty.

18. Hawaii
I would rank this beautiful state higher if it didn't feel so disconnected to the rest of the country. Imagine being there for the fake missile alert and thinking, "Oh crap, I'm stuck." 

17. Montana
I've never been, but would love to one day. Pictures make it look gorgeous. 

16. Tennessee
Bobby Bones lives here now, Nashville, and The Great Smoky Mountains. 

15. New Mexico
It really is the Land of Enchantment. 

14. Washington
The Pacific Northwest has some great scenery and backdrops. 

13. Oregon 
See above. 

12. Arizona
Slightly too hot in the south of the state, but Sedona and The Grand Canyon make up for it. 

11. Vermont
I find this state charming. 

10. Massachusetts
Football, baseball, and history. This state knows how to win, and I respect that about them. 

9. Utah
Those arches are pretty cool. 

8. California
LA makes this state a tad bit of obnoxious, but everything else makes this state #8. 

7. Maine
There is something about Maine that I just love. Maybe it's the lobster, the hiking, and the views. 

6. Colorado
Mountains! 

5. New York
Love the people and the sports teams no matter how much they stink. 

4. Pennsylvania
It will forever hold a place in my heart. I went to college here. 

3. New Jersey
It will forever hold a place in my heart. I was born here. 

2. West Virginia
It will forever hold a place in my heart. I was raised here. Country roads take me home. 

1. North Carolina
Carolina, keep calling me home. My home now. It's where I met my husband, and we had our son. 

It just goes to show you that the people make a place. All kidding aside, I love every state that makes up this great country. I would love to visit every state and get to know the people and their cultures, traditions, food, and lifestyle. The United States is at its best when we are what our name suggests, united. 

After I had a year of letting go in 2019, I decided that 2020 was the year of putting myself out there.

I had written a children's book (more on that later) and was given some advise that I needed to join social media and be an active participant on it.

I had been dragging my feet with joining the photography platform. I don't have any photos to post. I'm not that interesting, I mused on more than one occasion.

​But, I am so glad I succumbed to the peer pressure and joined the site. I have learned five major lessons in this year. 

1. Failing Is Inevitable But Often Opens Doors To New Avenues
I set out on this journey to publish a children's book. I have not done that yet. Of the upward of 40 + publishers I have sent my edited and reedited and reedited one more time manuscript to, I have heard back from three and they were a no.

I have not given up, and it looks as I will have to go the self-publishing route, but I am thankful for this failure. 

Failing with the children's book has led me to discover that I really like blogging. After posting blogs on my own website, I tested the waters with guest blogging.

Some big name sites like Scary Mommy, BluntMoms, The Mighty, Motherwell Magazine, and Her View From Home accepted my work. Soon some of my work was getting thousands of shares, and I even started getting paid on a regular basis for some of work. 

But what you don't see for every success is about ten failures. Some of my published articles got rejected five, six, seven times before they made it onto a site. Some never do.

An article I wrote in the spring finally just got accepted to be published after I sent it to an 11th different publisher. Failure isn't fun, but it is inevitable and very valuable.

​After every failure, I have learned lessons to help me improve. As Bobby Bones says, "Fail until you don't." And when you are doing something you love, it's very hard to fail.    

2. I had no real idea how Instagram worked.
I am so glad I had no clue how Instagram worked or I would have never joined it. Here is what I was clueless about. ​
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          A. More Like Lauren Barrett Creeps
I need to come clean. I did, in fact, have Instagram before I had Instagram. After my husband, James, got tired of me borrowing his phone to stalk the members of the Bobby Bones Show, a radio/podcast show that I am obsessed with in a totally normal and healthy way, I made my own burner account if you will. I had no pictures, no information, and no posts. I only used it to creep on Bobby Bones, Radio Amy, Lunchbox, and Eddie.

But, then, people I knew kept popping up under the Suggested for You list, so I hypothetically started to click on them and potentially viewed their stories on perhaps more than one occasion. I had no idea that people can see who views their stories!

For the record, I don't look, but I was so embarrassed by my faceless lurking once I found out when I got Instagram. 
          
          B. No Links For You! 
I also had no clue that you couldn't post links on Instagram. The date was October 24, and I finally decided it was time to make a post with a link to one of my blogs. The blog was about tips to de-stressing your life. I pressed post and waited.

My mom, a technology novice and social media newbie, texted me that she couldn't open my link to my blog post. Exasperated that once again my mom couldn't comprehend simple technology, I went to have a look for myself.

And much to my dismay, I couldn't click on the link nor could I copy and paste it. What!!

A quick Google search showed that you can't use links in an Instagram post.  The phrase, "link in bio" suddenly made sense. What a fool I was! Such a posting plebeian.

I felt like that emoji with her palm in her face. I have learned from my amateur ways and now use the popular line to direct people to my blogs.

I have also learned that you can, though, post links in your Instagram Story if you have 10,000 followers. Only 9,500 to go! 

          C. Holy Filters! 
I knew that Instagram was notorious for their filters and photo editing, but I was unprepared for the sheer amount of alteration you can do to one photo. Not only are there upwards of fifteen filters, all with their subtle differences, but there are ways in which you can change the saturation, tilt, contrast, brightness, structure, warmth, color, and fade, among other things that I have no clue what they are.

Literally, you can spend hours doctoring one photo to get it just right, and then when you go back to look at the original one it's like you have two entirely different pictures.

Talk about option overload and decision fatigue. If I do decide to go with a filter, I usually don't venture much farther past Juno before I throw in the towel and pick one.

Overall, I do like the editing abilities like adjusting the brightness because I am not really good at taking clear photos. 

          D. Damn Scams! 
Lastly, I am a sucker for those FaceBook ads. They get me. That's how I discovered Lulus and Shein. I thought Instagram would be no different.

The beginning of fall was right when I joined Instagram, and you know what that means. Sweater Weather! As I was absentmindedly scrolling through my feed, the most adorable sweaters popped up. "Ohemgee," I shrieked, "I've literally got to have them." None of that was said, but for the effect of the story pretend that I did.

After discovering the super cute sweaters, I hemmed and hawed for a bit, even going as far as to ask the girls on the Cross Country team what they thought.

"Soo cute," they squealed (They didn't but you get the idea). My decision was made. I bought them. I anticipated their arrival. So many basic places I could wear them. To the pumpkin patch. To our Fall Mountain Getaway. A football tailgate. Frolicking in the leaves.

But after a month they still hadn't arrived, and every time I tried to track the package I was directed to a Chinese site. I had been scammed!

Eventually, they did arrive, but they looked nothing like the advertisement and the material was so shoddy that they didn't even bother to affix a tag to the inside. So I had been scammed and a lesson learned. Don't trust everything on Instagram. 
​
P.S. The website is Flookmiki for any of you who might be duped like me.

3. Social media and blogging can be tiring
As much as I love blogging and social media, it can be very tiring and mentally draining. I've learned that I have to take breaks.

There is so much more to blogging that's behind the scenes. I've had to learn about SEOs, keywords, tags, affiliate links, analytics, subscriber links, opt-ins, call-to-actions, guest posts, and other very boring but important words to making a blog and website grow. 

I have had to set myself up with my guidelines and rules. I only get on social media three times a week.

I abstain from it all other days. I shut off my laptop and phone an hour before bed, and I don't get on my phone at dinner.

​These breaks are a necessary time to regroup and clear my mind from all the noise on social media that can sometimes be overwhelming. 

​4. I had to stop caring what people think
When you decide to put yourself out there as is the case with blogging, you have to stop caring what people think about every little thing. I've had to stop caring about all the unwritten rules of Instagram like how often you should post, what kind of filters to use, how many hashtags to throw out there, how many followers and likes one should have, and if my son or I are wearing the same outfit twice.

If I started to care about all those trivial details, I would start to get into my head and second guess what I write and post. 

Sure, doubt creeps into my mind every now and then right before I hit the post button.

Sometimes, I almost convince myself to play it safe and be comfortable and just skip a week.

​But, I set a goal to post every week, and I was going to honor that goal. I couldn't let hypotheticals of what people might think stand in my way of what I love.  

5. Women are very talented
If Instagram has taught me anything, it's that I am amazed at the talented, positive women (and men) out there.

It's full of women showcasing their talents. I see women starting business. I see women writing and blogging and sewing and designing and traveling. I witness women being great moms and wives and friends and daughters and aunts. I've looked at posts in admiration of women taking beautiful photos of their children and planning cute, carefully crafted themed birthday parties for their children.

I've viewed stories of women decorating and making over their homes. I've liked posts of women selling products, modeling clothes, demonstrating a workout routine, and making food.

I've been in awe at the women standing up for what they believe in and pouring their heart and soul into their causes. Instagram is so uplifting! 

Sure, social media is often a "best of" or highlight reel and if you dive deep enough, you probably will find a dark abyss of a lot of negativity and fakeness.

But the Bible says, "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Women shouldn't let anyone stop them from sharing their talents with the world.

I'll never be the type of mom who can take those cute photos of their child with all the props and signs nor will I ever throw a Pinterest party.

I'll never have the skills to design a room or refurbish a piece of furniture nor will I ever make a gourmet style meal, but I can appreciate those women who can.

​When you stop comparing yourself to everyone and instead root for all those women out there, Instagram is a inspiring, beautiful place full of people just doing what they love. Isn't that what we all want?  

 Thanks for following me on my year-long journey of posting a blog a week.

I will still continue to do so for the time-being, but in the year to come I would like to expand a bit by posting more videos and building an email list for a monthly newsletter and then just maybe I will take a break. 

​My dad was born and raised in New Jersey. I was born there too, but I left when I was 4 because we moved to my mom's hometown in West Virginia.

However, I still have family in New Jersey, so we through the years we made frequent trips there. My family lives 30 miles from NYC, so we have been to the city quite a bit. 

Over the years, I have done almost every touristy thing in NYC. Awed at Times Square, rocked around Rockefeller Center, visited 30 Rock, strolled through Central Park, attended Broadway Plays, gone up The Empire State Building, shopped FAO Schwarz, gone to Mets and Yankees games, rode the ferris wheel in the Toys R US, browsed Saks Fifth Avenue, explored Madame Tussauds, people watched in Washington Square Park, ridden the subway, taken the train in, eaten street meat and pizza, and toured The Statue of Liberty.

I love the City So Nice, They Named it Twice so much. I never would want to live there, but I love the people. I love their tough, resilient attitude. It's a great city full of all kinds of people. I highly suggest going there. Here are my five favorite things I have done in the city. 

5. Capture the Flag
Some friends and I drove into NYC and took a ferry to Governor's Island to play Capture the Flag with hundreds of people. We dressed up in camo and paint. Only in New York City. 

4. Fountain Search
This is very similar to my #1, but my cousins, brother, and I walked around the city to find famous fountains. It is always fun to leisurely walk around the City. 

​3. Broadway Plays

I saw Hairspray and The Drowsy Chaperone​. Both were fantastic. See a play on Broadway. 

2. Mets Game
I'm a big baseball fan and love the Mets. Traveling to Flushing, Queens to catch a game is the best. I love to be among the diehard fans. 

1. Christmas Tree Search
I love The Amazing Race, so when my dad and uncle dropped my cousins and me off in the middle of Times Square and told us to run around the city in a certain amount of time and get pictures in front of ten famous Christmas trees, I was in my glory. NYC had just received a ton of snow, so it was wet, snowy, and cold. We had a blast running around the city like wild women. We did it in the nick of time. We even had to sprint to catch the train back home. What a rush, and I honestly felt like I was on the show.