Sheree

  • Ninja tips for squeezing THE MOST out of a budget airline flight

    Ninja tips for squeezing THE MOST out of a budget airline flight 2

    Ninja tips for squeezing THE MOST out of a budget airline flight I’m not a fan of airlines that nickel and dime you for every little single thing (think: drink, snack, picking your seat, 3″ more legroom, and even your carry on.) Geez. But, you can find some killer deals on many sites. The catch? At those prices, you may have to pack ULTRA light because it’s an extra $40-$50+ each way for a carry-on bag. (The first checked bag is usually cheaper, so if you must bring a lot of stuff, check it instead of carrying it on). Just remember you do get a free “personal item.” So here’s what I’ve done and you can too:

    • First, find flights by being signed up to each airline companies email list and keep an eye on their sales.

    They tend to be frequent and sometimes they have high promo codes.

    • Once you find the flight you want, get it.

    But do NOT sign up for any of their extras. I never choose a seat (& in case you’re wondering- I do this even if I’m traveling with my children. In my experience, flight employees will always keep family seats together. I bring my own snacks and water or just go without. (Okay let’s be serious LOL. It’s me… I ALWAYS have snacks)

    • Use a comfortable backpack

    It should fit all the way under the seat in front of you, vertically or horizontally.

    • Travel-sized everything!

    Bring a comb instead of a brush. A little pill bag with some tooth powder in it instead of a tube of toothpaste. Just a small amount of the necessary toiletries in travel-sized containers, which can either be refilled at the destination or just buy a little bit of stuff as needed. It’s cheaper to buy $5-$10 worth of toiletries, or even a clothing item or two at the destination if you have to, than to pay $100 or more round trip to bring your stuff from home. • Bring lightweight, synthetic (I.e. fast-drying fabrics) clothes that you can easily wash–even in the sink, if necessary–and re-wear. So now, you’ll have maybe 3-5 outfits and plan on doing laundry a few times while traveling.

    • Use packing cubes to help organize and compress clothes.

    Always roll rather than fold (you can fit more in that way). I’ve tried using vacuum bags, but they are too bulky and don’t use up all the luggage space wisely.

    • Wear your bulkiest clothes and layer them if you can.

    I’ve worn regular pants over leggings, a longer shirt over a t-shirt, etc. It’s usually cold on the plane anyway. Also, layering is a good way to go if you’re traveling in the cold months.

    • Try to only bring 1 pair of shoes

    (the ones on my feet) but if you need to have an extra pair for some reason, absolutely wear the bulkier ones on the flight and pack the lightest ones in your bag (as compressed as possible). I found a really comfortable pair of flats that I can pack in my bag for dressier occasions, and wear my favorite running/walking shoes on the plane. Or in the colder months, I’ll wear my dressier boots on the plane and pack a light pair of running shoes for more comfortable walking, or the gym.

    • A jacket with a lot of pockets will be your best friend.

    You can load it with the kinds of things you’d normally have in your purse (which you may ot otherwise have–at least not during the flight–since you’re only allowed one personal item), plus any extra stuff you want to bring that doesn’t fit into your bag.

    • Skip the souvenirs

    (If your return flight is also on a budget airline) Or if you buy something, then something that you brought from home gets thrown out or donated (first choice) to make space. So, if you know you’ll probably want to get a t-shirt, simply pack one of your old t-shirts and just dispose of it to make room for the new one. Same principle applies if you’re going to a conference and know you’ll likely return with some cool swag or a couple of new books or something.

    • If you end up with more going back than what you came with and can’t part with any of it, go to the post office and mail a package to yourself.

    If they’re books, you can send them for pretty cheap via media mail. If they’re clothes, they are usually pretty lightweight. Unless it’s a huge package, it’ll probably be less than $30 which would be your minimum for bringing it back on the plane (checked bag).

    • Only take what you know you will absolutely need and use on the trip.

    No “just in case” items. So this usually means just your clothes, laptop, essential toiletries/meds/vitamins (just the amount you will need for the trip, in pill bags), plus your phone and wallet (pared down to minimum as well), chargers, and a small external battery to recharge my phone on the go. Bring an empty water bottle (any that can be flattened or has a clip to attach to your backpack will do..no need to get fancy here) and a little snack or two for the flight. If there’s enough room you can toss in a magazine for entertainment (many airports in Europe offer a magazines for free, you’ll see them on the wall near your gate) But there’s always the phone if your bag and jacket pockets have getting too full. Go ahead and download the Kindle app for good measure. It’s free and you don’t need a Kindle for it!

    passengers on budget airline

  • How To Raise Grateful Children

    How To Raise Grateful Children:

    It can be so challenging nowadays to teach thankfulness and gratitude in a world full of ‘deservers.’

    I sometimes think especially as parents, it can be tough to admit or even notice when we have a selfish deserving spirit as well.

    What comes to mind immediately for me is my mother. I grew up poor with minimal financial resources in NYC. So as you can imagine, it was easy for us to focus on the things we didn’t have or ‘needed’ instead of focusing on what we already had.   I can vividly remember my mother playing the lotto in *hopes* she may win…Or how we would work so hard to save money for nice ‘things.’ And constantly visualizing the items we could have one day.   Now, as a parent, I see how unhealthy this is for our children.  

    Here are a few ways we can cultivate gratitude in our kid’s lives:

    Teach them how to be thankful

    Not to always have a ‘wanting’ spirit. Gratefulness. Gratitude. I think it can be quite tricky these days to train a child to show appreciation.

      Instructing our children to be specific in their gratefulness can allow them to hone in on what they have received! So, with my oldest, I’ll have her say- Thank you, Daddy, for taking me out for ice cream! Oppose to her prior normal- Thanks, Dad! (after having her cup of gelato)

    Teach and be clear on the differences between wants and needs

    Showing our kids the difference between needs and desires is so important.

      It’ll help them build awareness of the world around them and teach empathy and compassion along the way. Demonstrating our needs first as a priority will help prepare our kids on how to budget and what’s most important overall.

    Teach God’s word

    Since I follow Christ, I think it’s crucial to help my kids read, learn, and interpret the Bible.

      We believe it’s the infallible word of God. And if you’re Jesus girl too, then you know what I mean. Teaching our kids what He says, means so much more than what we could ever say or demand.

    “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

    “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds” (Psalms 9:1)

    Teach about poverty

    This one is one of my favorites.

    I firmly believe that everyone should have the experience of serving others in surroundings other than their own.

      Poverty-stricken surroundings, areas lost of hope, etc. Do you know what I mean? ‘Those’ neighborhoods…

    Teach patience…Learn to wait!

    Oh, this is a BIG one!

    grateful children

      I never realized how much I was hurting our daughter by NOT teaching this…I was ignoring (not purposely) such a crucial area for growth. You see, before we had our second daughter, I never had a pressing reason to make my child “wait.” If she was hungry, bored, tired, frustrated-whatever it was, I tended to her needs immediately, because there honestly wasn’t a reason not too. But, oh, how awful this was! I quickly learned (as my husband pressed on about this) that she wasn’t developed in the ‘waiting patiently’ area (he was right…again! lol)

    Parenting is a learning curve.

      I truly believe as we raise up arrows, we are also cultivating a learning heart within ourselves.   So take heart

    xoxo

    Sheree

    What do YOU think? Share it in the comments below.

    raise grateful kids
    happy satisfied child

  • How to have a happy home

    In your average home, mornings begin in one of two ways.

    Scenario 1 – beauty, smiling, cleaned, and food cooking like Martha Stewart just stopped by.

    Or Scenario 2- like someone else I know… not me. Groggy with toddlers crawling over you, either tapping your face and shoulder profusely as if they are checking to make sure you’re alive or showering your face with a million (stank breath) kisses.

    Again, not me. (In my best Gobber voice)

    This is what sets the tone of the day. If you’re the first mama though, rock on mama because this. is. the. life! & I know your days will go a lot smoother than the latter. BUT, if you’re the second mom, again, again, not meeee, then what the heck are we I mean- you – supposed to do?

    Here are a few things I work REAL HARD to do so I can maintain a happy home (& you can too)

    Express gratitude

    As best you can, always remind yourself & be on the lookout for ways you can be thankful.

    Woke up this morning- check

    The weather is beautiful- check

    No snarkiness between the kiddos in the first 20 minutes of the day- check

    Kids got dressed AND put on their shoes somewhat on time- check

    You get the point.

    And I know this may seem silly or even a bit useless/unworthy but I promise you these daily small small actions add up to be so much more. That coin jar may just have a penny now but if it had 10,000 pennies in 30 days from now? That’s something.

    Attitude

    In college, I had an advisor stress this- if there’s a circumstance you can’t change then change your attitude about it. I won’t tell you that you can’t change the conditions in your own home; however, there are times when we aren’t prepared or can’t change the things that are happening.

    And this is where attitude comes to play. Having a positive attitude also has the huge ability to make any sour situation do a 360.

    Follow scripture

    This is for those that follow Jesus. If that’s you, it’s simple. We have a book. A manual. THE book that can and will absolutely guide us through every situation in our lives.If you’re new to all of this (and/or haven’t read the bible in its entirety…no judgments, I haven’t either) and you don’t know where to start… here are some quick ideas:

    1. Web search. Seriously just type your question away into the search engine of your choice with the words ‘bible verse that support….’
    2. Quora, Reddit, or other apps/websites like these. Type your questions and check back later for peoples thoughts and responses
    3. Ask around (if you can) Some good places to start are church, friends that share your beliefs, etc
    4. Bible or a bible app. In the app, type in a focus word that is included in your question, and you’ll see all the verses that have this word ‘pop up.’ Or look in the front or back of your Bible, look for the index, resources, etc.

    Say yes more

    It’s sooo easy to see all.the.things. that need to get done and quickly give a well-justified NO to our littles.

    Like, no, I can not play hide and seek again for the 37th time. Or allow you to watch another episode of Dora the Explorer (its been 2 hours since the first) or jump on the bed while singing ‘no more monkeys jumping on the bed!’ (don’t you remember what happened the last time? #epicparentingfail)

    Instead, search for ways to say yes! I promise you this isn’t too difficult. It’s a matter of reframing your thoughts and words to match.

    Case in point:

    CHILD: May I have cereal for breakfast? (side note: I don’t buy cereal in my house for breakfast lol, and it’s rare when I allow them to eat it in the morning. I buy it for snack time. I meal prep and give them this instead)

    MOM: NO! (What the old mama Sheree would say) Yes, after you eat your breakfast 🙂 OR Yes, when you get home from school OR Yes, at ___ o’clock.

    CHILD: Continues away, content….no fights. #winninggggg

    Stop expecting praise or constant words of affirmation

    This comes off a bit harsh & I know it’s not what every momma really wants to hear. But, even if words of affirmation is your love language- fuhgeddaboudit.

    Remind yourself that this IS your job. You ARE required to do everything you’re doing. When you shift your mindset to this, it gets a lot easier, and praises become a bonus, not an expectation.

    Give your home a fresh start, new look, etc

    An easy way to do this is by rearranging the furniture. (Those with OCD don’t need to have all the fun. Lol) P.s. It’s totally acceptable for me to say that by the way because I struggle with this.

    Swap out your decor to match the current season.

    Keep 2-3 sets of curtains and change them a couple of times a year. It’s incredible the difference light / dark curtains can have in a home!

    Create a tradition

    Go simple and easy here. It doesn’t need to be extravagant. Something as simple as ‘game night’ every week (you pick the day) is something!

    Consider having themed meal nights. Every Friday could be pizza night, Saturday Salads, Sunday Stew/Soup, Monday Meatballs, Tuesday Tacos, Wednesday Waffles…okay I done. LOL (I just realllly freaking love food!)

    A ‘tradition’ could also be a habit. Think about mornings, afternoons & evenings…what’s something you could do as a family during an allocated time of the day? (Think prayer/meditation/exercise/journaling/reading etc)

    Be on the same page

    There’s nothing quite as frustrating as an argument between your spouse because your views lie on different ends of the spectrum.

    Create a writing space

    In a perfect world, everyone would agree or be able to communicate effectively in the midst of arguments. Because this isn’t the case, an effective way to combat this is to have a safe writing space. A place where parents and children can write or draw their emotions, their point of views, whatever’s on their mind. After that, everyone can get together to talk about what’s been written (or drawn).

    Share hobbies and interests

    Obviously, we’re all not going to enjoy the same things at the same level. However, it doesn’t mean we can’t put our best foot forward to engage in what’s important to our family members.

    Don’t compare!

    One of these days I’m gonna have to write an article on comparison. But for now if you take nothing away from this…remember this:

    Never never ever ever ever compare your spouse, your child, your family, or your life to other families. Just stop. Just don’t.YOU, your family, your circumstances, your lives, are unique and special & should be celebrated and never compared!

    Pray (or meditate) more

    When we operate from a place of peace… from a place of love…it goes beyond all understanding. We’re able to pour goodness into the world. Sprinkle kindness into our relationships and give dashes of beauty here and there.

    You are absolutely capable of overfilling yourself with happiness.

    happy family laughing

  • 5 Ways to Easily Find a New Church After Moving

    5 Ways to Easily Find a New Church After Moving

    Moving to a city can be just as much scary as exciting.

    You feel alienated if there’s no family or friends within a few hundred miles. Not to mention all the challenges you’ll face.

    Like finding a suitable home, transportation, schooling options, language barriers, just to name a few.

    But if you believe in Jesus then, finding a community of fellow believers where you feel welcome and at home can prove to be a difficult task depending on where you are in the world.

    But it doesn’t have to be a burden, and I’ll share some ways our family has coped with moving so frequently and still finding ways to feed our faith.

    For some reason, everyone treats churches like a buffet (I’m not judging. Totally understand. It’s just a strange phenomenon I’m sorta trying to wrap my head around).

    We go and pick at what we like and don’t. And if it doesn’t suit us, we keep searching until we find another and another. I guess I wish it were easier.

    Nevertheless, here are some tips in finding your new home:

    5 Ways to Easily Find a New Church After Moving 3

    Look Up the Sermons Online

    Many churches offer their sermons broadcasted online. This gives you a chance to watch the pastor and any speakers and get a feel for the church without having to waste physical time and energy in going week after week.

    Read Through Their Website

    Almost every church will have a website where you can reference their doctrines and beliefs. They’ll also be list activities that the church provides & any ministries that they are apart of. You’ll also most likely get a chance to see photos of the actual church building.

    Now, these strategies may not actually apply to all churches. I’ve found several cities within Europe where there was no website to reference… in which you’ll need to use social media to find the church and find out more about it.

    Get Recommendations

    This one is a simple as it sounds. Ask around. This is simple enough if you’re relocating for work or with family or friends. However, is you’re moving alone or with your immediate family with no resources in the new city then, you will literally have to step out of your comfort zone and ask around ask people you meet in the market, people you see in the street and store. Don’t shy away from making conversation. Children are great ice breakers, and this may be easier if you do have small children that you’re able to take to park to school or then you can meet other families.

    Seek Out Directories

    Remember those big yellow information books that are always placed in front of your building or home on your local community? Well, now we finally have a use for them besides laying them down as a table stand or paperweight! Go ahead and look up your local churches.(I’ve found them in every country & city so far)

    Now say you’re in a new town or city you’re not familiar with almost every city has an online directory that you can find. Try typing the name of the city+state+province+country and directory into the search engine of your choice.

    If this feels you do the same as above, take this information into social media. So for example, if you wanted to look on Instagram, you will open up the Instagram app and type in the name of the city you’re in and church and see what search results pop up.

    Rinse and repeat for Facebook Twitter Pinterest and any other social platform you can think of.

    Take Advantage of Sundays (&weekdays)

    If all else fails, you can just do it the good ol’ fashion way and go to church on Sunday. You could simply walk around and just be a true tourist in the city that you’re moving into until you walk around and find a church.

    To make the most of your Sundays, you could see if churches have different service times and plan your day around attending the different churches at different hours of the day on Sunday.

    Many churches also have midweek services that you can attend and take advantage of those if Sundays aren’t a good time.

    If you go to church-how, do you find your new “home”?

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