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<h1 class="site-title"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/" rel="home">Bracelets and Ballcaps</a></h1>
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<article id="post-152" class="post-152 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-mommyisms">
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<h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/storytelling-superpowers-creative-fuel/" rel="bookmark">Storytelling Superpowers & Creative Fuel</a></h2> </header><!-- .entry-header -->
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<p>I am hoping that idea slow and steady wins the race rings
true in this situation. As I have
mentioned in a previous post, I am slowly but surely working my way through
Gabriela Pereira’s DIY MFA. I believe
that we have had over ten writing prompts and I am just getting to prompts two
and three. </p>
<p>One of the writing prompts posed an interesting question:
What’s your storytelling superpower?
This is something I haven’t really thought about before because a
‘superpower’ gives the impression of some extreme power or ability. Could this be something that every writer, no
matter their ability level, possesses? </p>
<p>The DIY MFA website has a fun online quiz, which you can
take at <a href="https://diymfa.com/storytelling-superpower">https://diymfa.com/storytelling-superpower</a>,
that helps you to determine your storytelling superpower. I actually took the quiz twice and both times
the results indicated that my storytelling superpower is a classic
survivor. At first look, I wasn’t
entirely sure that I agreed with this.
Signature story types listed for the survivor included shipwrecks and
battles against nature. This did not
seem to match up with much that I have written so far and is certainly not a
match for the story I am working on currently.
My survivor stories seem to match up more with the ‘overcoming adversity
narratives.’ More specifically I like to
write about, and read about, everyday life and the ‘everyday hero.’ I relate to stories about families and all
that that entails. I relate to stories
about following your dreams and doing what it takes to see them through, even
in the midst of everyday life.</p>
<p>The writer with the survivor superpower is described as
being a person drawn to creating characters with heart and determination. I believe creating characters with heart and
determination comes from knowing and loving family and friends with these
characteristics. Many of the people I
admire and look up to are survivors in one way or another. </p>
<p>This relates very well to the next writing prompt: What feeds your creativity? I am naturally a quiet person, so I tend to be a day dreamer, a people watcher, and a listener. I am an introvert and like to recharge on my own. Watching my sons and listening to their crazy imaginations are also inspiration for my writing. Sometimes I just hear a few spoken words or sentences that set an idea in motion. </p>
<p> I keep notebooks near my bed, in my bag, and near my laptop. I will make a quick note on my phone if something comes to me. I find that cute pens, journals or notebooks, and good music also are good motivators. I also like to change my work spot. I don’t always like to sit at a desk or a table but will carry my laptop to different places around the house and will also take it when we go on trips. The things that fuel my creativity change from day to day. What fuels my creativity today, may or may not be the same tomorrow.</p>
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<span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=49&d=mm&r=g' srcset='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=98&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' /><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/author/admin/">Amy</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/storytelling-superpowers-creative-fuel/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published" datetime="2019-02-15T02:47:33+00:00">February 15, 2019</time><time class="updated" datetime="2019-02-15T02:47:37+00:00">February 15, 2019</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/category/mommyisms/" rel="category tag">Mommyisms</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/storytelling-superpowers-creative-fuel/#respond">Leave a comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on Storytelling Superpowers & Creative Fuel</span></a></span> </footer><!-- .entry-footer -->
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<article id="post-141" class="post-141 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-mommyisms">
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<h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/a-new-adventure/" rel="bookmark">A New Adventure</a></h2> </header><!-- .entry-header -->
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<p>I have recently started a new adventure in hopes of improving my writing and sharing it with others. I shared my writing for the first time in my adult life this past summer and was surprised and excited to place second in a local writing contest. That gave me the push I needed to hit publish on the blog I had been dreaming about and working on for a long time. Since then I have taken a break. It wasn’t entirely intentional, as life just happens, and I have been working on some things that I haven’t shared or finished yet.</p>
<p>This adventure has taken another turn and I am now
participating in the DIY MFA Book Club with author Gabriela Pereira
online. As we work through the book, we
are also given writing prompts every couple of days. I will be sharing my journey here on the
blog. Below I have combined the first
two writing prompts:</p>
<ol><li>How did you become a writer?</li><li>Tell about a time when you had to honor your reality.</li></ol>
<p>How did I become a writer? I have loved getting lost in a good story for as long as I can remember. Not only did I love to read, but some of my favorite memories of elementary school were assignments where we were asked to create our own stories. I vividly remember second grade writing assignments where we drew three completely unrelated words from a bag and were asked to create a story around them. I remember stories of a safari, a dancing pencil, and a punk Cinderella in my early writing years. As a middle schooler we went through the process of illustrating one of our stories and creating a book jacket for one of our writings. I wrote a story about a girl who befriended the ghost of a little girl who lived in her house many years ago. As a child, I just knew I wanted to be an author when I grew up.</p>
<p>Then, for some reason that I can’t explain, the writing stopped for years. I have many things I have started and never finished over the years. My sons, currently 8 years and 10 years old, also love to write stories. My oldest loves to write about events in history and historical fiction stories. My youngest loves to write about short graphic novels about sports and video games. It is so fun and inspiring to see them enjoy something that I have always loved.</p>
<p>Awhile back my youngest son and I had a conversation about being a writer. He asked if he could be an author and I told him anyone can be an author. I took that as an opportunity to remind myself of a childhood dream that I once had as well. I framed some of my childhood writing, as well as some things my sons wrote that completely crack me up, and put them on a shelf in my office. Since then I have been writing more regularly. My kids have reminded me that no matter what others may think of my talent, or lack thereof, I should write because it makes me happy. If I can’t show my kids how to follow their dreams, who will?</p>
<p>When was a time I had to honor my reality? I think everyone who is a writer struggles with finding the time to write. We are parents that help with homework, chauffer them to all their activities, wash the clothes, and work on top of all that. I haven’t shared much of what I have written and the excuse of being too busy definitely has truth to it, but some sense of fear also plays a part. My current reality is that, although I may be busy, I can make some time to write each day and if not each day, then each week.</p>
<p>My youngest son has recently taught me a huge lesson and I am sure that he doesn’t even have a clue he has done it. You see, my son is small for his age—he could probably be mistaken for much younger than he is at times and he is in the third grade. His ultimate dream is that he wants to play in the NBA. The amazing thing is that he doesn’t really see it as a dream, but as an absolute, that this future is going to be his. He has shared with me that kids have told him in the past that he isn’t any good at basketball and that he will never be in the NBA, but he has really never let that do anything other than momentarily shake him. He speaks in absolutes. It’s not IF he is in the NBA he will… but WHEN he is in the NBA he will… He has planned for many extenuating circumstances, including how he will go to college in the off-season if he gets drafted right out of high school (uhhh, I don’t think so honey!) or how he will play for Baylor and then go into the NBA once he graduates from college (there you go sweetie, you’ve got the right idea now). </p>
<p>I think many of us could take some pointers from a
determined kid. They have the enthusiasm
of someone who has not yet been disappointed or had the seed of doubt creep
in. Common sense tells us that if we
don’t believe in ourselves no one else will either, but that is sometimes so
much easier said than done. My son is
honoring his reality. He knows he is
small, but he has a passion and knows that hard work and determination can pay
off. </p>
<p>I am honoring my reality by combining the first two writing prompts into one post, since writing daily isn’t my current reality. As a parent of two growing and busy boys and a mother who also works full-time, writing may not occur every day, but I will make a point to set aside time every few days or even once a week. </p>
<p>If you are interested in learning more about DIY MFA or ordering the book, you can find out more at <a href="https://members.diymfa.com/product/diy-mfa-book/">https://members.diymfa.com/product/diy-mfa-book/</a>. </p>
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/DIY-MFA.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-144" srcset="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/DIY-MFA.jpg 600w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/DIY-MFA-300x267.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px" /></figure></div>
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<span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=49&d=mm&r=g' srcset='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=98&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' /><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/author/admin/">Amy</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/a-new-adventure/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published" datetime="2019-01-30T03:13:23+00:00">January 30, 2019</time><time class="updated" datetime="2019-01-30T03:13:26+00:00">January 30, 2019</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/category/mommyisms/" rel="category tag">Mommyisms</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/a-new-adventure/#respond">Leave a comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on A New Adventure</span></a></span> </footer><!-- .entry-footer -->
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<article id="post-135" class="post-135 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-little-mens-musings category-mommyisms">
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<h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/books-a-family-pastime/" rel="bookmark">Books: A Family Pastime</a></h2> </header><!-- .entry-header -->
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<p>My favorite pastime for as long as I can remember is reading a good book. I remember that as a child my absolute favorite place to go was the library. I counted down the days until it was library day at school. My parents knew that trips to the local public library would be regular occurrences. I loved it when the book fairs came to school and could barely contain my excitement when my teacher passed out a crisp new scholastic book order form. I loved book stores and a great treat was a brand new book.</p>
<p>As a parent, it makes me so happy to know that I have passed the love of reading on to my children. It makes my heart happy to know that every time we pass a book store, the boys will beg us to stop and look. My boys have that same thrill when they get a new (or used) book, when they walk up and down the aisles at the bookstore looking for that new adventure, and when that crisp new scholastic book order form gets sent home in their backpacks.</p>
<p>We read to our boys before they understood the words they were hearing. The shelves in their rooms held board books before they came home from the hospital. They have been blessed with amazing teachers in their early school careers that have nurtured their love of books and helped them to become early readers. Their love of books not only spans the fiction genre, but also history, sports, science, travel, and even math! Yes, my oldest son has bought books about math by choice. He loves the challenge of a good math problem.</p>
<p>My favorite book growing up was <em>Anne of Green Gables</em>. I read it for the first time when I was nine years old, and I know this because I still have the book and on the inside cover, in my nine-year old handwriting, I wrote my full name, address, phone number, and age. I guess I must have felt that if I lost the book, someone may return it to me if they found it with this information on the inside cover. Anne with an ‘e’ made me feel like anything was possible. She had this vivid imagination that helped her to see the silver lining in every situation no matter how dismal it really was, or just how dismal it seemed to her. I have read this book multiple times over the years; as a kid, a teen, and an adult.</p>
<p>I recently asked my boys what their favorite book or type of book was and their responses were quite different, but perfectly align with their personalities. Neither one of them could name one specific book. My youngest son loves silly adventures and my oldest loves historical fiction.</p>
<p>As summer winds down, I find that I haven’t read as much as I would have liked, but I don’t necessarily have a summer reading list because I read all year round. We did, however, experience a bucket list item that had been on our list for some time now. We got to visit one of America’s top five most beautiful University libraries according to the BBC. The Armstrong Browing Library on the Baylor University campus in Waco, Texas was also ranked #24 on the 50 most amazing college libraries according to <a href="http://www.collegerank.net">www.collegerank.net</a>. Ironically, we visited this amazing library on National Book Lovers Day. Walking through this beautiful library made me wonder how great it would feel to sit and read a good book there. My oldest son said if he was a student at Baylor, it would be one of his favorite study spots. You know you are a devoted reader and book nerd when a great thrill of your summer vacation is visiting a beautiful library.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-138" src="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC00450-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC00450-300x169.jpg 300w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC00450-768x432.jpg 768w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC00450-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC00450-1200x674.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px" /></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-137" src="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC00437-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC00437-300x169.jpg 300w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC00437-768x432.jpg 768w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC00437-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC00437-1200x674.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>Books have so many functions in my life, and I truly feel that they can do the same for everyone. They entertain and help me to escape when I am feeling the stress of everyday life. They encourage and inspire me; they make me laugh; they make me cry; and most importantly, they make me feel like anything is possible.</p>
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<span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=49&d=mm&r=g' srcset='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=98&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' /><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/author/admin/">Amy</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/books-a-family-pastime/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published updated" datetime="2018-08-22T01:33:35+00:00">August 22, 2018</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/category/little-mens-musings/" rel="category tag">Little Men's Musings</a>, <a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/category/mommyisms/" rel="category tag">Mommyisms</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/books-a-family-pastime/#respond">Leave a comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on Books: A Family Pastime</span></a></span> </footer><!-- .entry-footer -->
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<article id="post-129" class="post-129 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-mommyisms tag-national-sisters-day tag-sisters">
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<h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/happy-national-sisters-day/" rel="bookmark">Happy National Sisters Day</a></h2> </header><!-- .entry-header -->
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<p>I have to say that our family has some of the best dynamic duos. I love watching my sons play together. Listening to their conversations brings a smile to my face, and quite honestly, they are sometimes hilarious. They share a room right now, by choice, and there have been many nights this summer when they should have already long been asleep, but are chatting about sports or their plans for the next day or the future. Listening to those conversations, it is hard to get mad that they should be sleeping, because I know they are creating memories they will remember for the rest of their lives. I remember long conversations with my sister and many of the things we played together when we were little. We still to this day share our plans and hopes and dreams for the future, even as adults.</p>
<p>One of my first memories is of my sister. I remember looking through the window at the hospital and having my sister pointed out to me. We are a little over two years apart and I remember nothing before she was born. The impact she has had on my life is something that cannot be put into words. She is my sister, but also my best friend, and even though we have had our differences of opinion, she will forever be one of the most important people in my life.</p>
<p>I remember that we could fight like cats and dogs, but were also fiercely protective of each other. I remember sharing clothes with her and her visits to my college town before she joined me there. I remember when she graduated high school and joined me at college. I remember when she was there for me on my wedding day and I remember the day she got married. I remember telling her when I was pregnant with my first child and how excited she was for me. I remember when she told me when she was pregnant with her first child and how excited I was for her.</p>
<p>I tell my sons all the time when they are arguing that one day they will be each other’s best friend. This is one of my greatest wishes for my boys. When they are older, I want them to reflect back and remember some of the greatest moments of their lives and how they played a part in those greatest moments for each other. This is what I have with my sister. On this National Sisters Day, 2018 I want to wish all of those dynamic duo sisters out there a very Happy National Sisters Day, but most of all I want to say Happy National Sisters Day to my sister and best friend. Thanks for always being there and always being you.</p>
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<span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=49&d=mm&r=g' srcset='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=98&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' /><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/author/admin/">Amy</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/happy-national-sisters-day/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published updated" datetime="2018-08-06T02:58:15+00:00">August 6, 2018</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/category/mommyisms/" rel="category tag">Mommyisms</a></span><span class="tags-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Tags </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/tag/national-sisters-day/" rel="tag">national sisters day</a>, <a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/tag/sisters/" rel="tag">sisters</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/happy-national-sisters-day/#respond">Leave a comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on Happy National Sisters Day</span></a></span> </footer><!-- .entry-footer -->
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<article id="post-114" class="post-114 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-little-mens-musings category-mommyisms tag-christmas-in-july tag-elf">
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<h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/christmas-in-july-the-arrival-of-elfis/" rel="bookmark">Christmas In July: The Arrival Of Elfis</a></h2> </header><!-- .entry-header -->
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<p>June 25<sup>th</sup> has come and gone now with multiple social media reminders that Christmas is only six months away. Now comes the Christmas in July sales in some stores and the Christmas movie specials on some tv networks. It seems ridiculous to be talking about Christmas in the one hundred plus degree heat of central Texas, but in my family we have definitely had the Christmas in July fever. It reminds me of the entrance of The Elf on the Shelf in our home. His arrival was approximately two years ago, as he was ordered online during July when he was deeply discounted.</p>
<p>Both of my boys had asked about an Elf on the Shelf the previous Christmas multiple times and I am really not sure why we hadn’t bought into this tradition sooner. I am sure the $30 price tag had something to do with it, but I will tell you it is worth every penny. Below is a recount of the events that transpired approximately two years ago. I warn you now, the ridiculous process that ensued over naming our elf is sure to leave you rolling your eyes, shaking your head, or laughing hysterically. Between my boys and my husband, nothing is ever a simple process.</p>
<p>Picture it….Castillo household…July 2016:</p>
<p>I guess Christmas in July has arrived at the Castillo household. Our Elf on The Shelf arrived yesterday and the conversation has focused around what to name our beloved elf. Brooks came up with Elfis Presley and Holden came up with Albert Elfstein. I think we are going to have to use Random.org to settle this one as both names are completely adorable, imaginative, and a perfect fit for the boys’ personalities. Brooks loves music and has recently discovered Elvis Presley. I really would like for him to take music lessons as I truly believe he is musically inclined. He learns the words to songs so quickly and since he was tiny he could sing along to songs and even if he didn’t know the words, he had the beat down so precisely that you could figure out which song he was singing. Holden is our brainiac (though I believe deep down Brooks is as well, it just doesn’t interest him to show it) and Albert Einstein has been his idol or hero for awhile now. Very fittingly, he was given the Albert Einstein award in his second grade class by his teacher. Mark my words, Holden and Brooks’ names will be prominent in their respective fields one day. I know that every mom has a bias toward their children’s greatness, but my children are truly amazing. Just ask anyone who knows them. Well, I definitely got off my point, but the Elf talk is all consuming at our house right now. I think he has arrived just in time as we may be using him as a behavior incentive long before the holidays begin.</p>
<p>The Next Day:</p>
<p>So the big decision has been made. Our elf shall be named Elfis Presley. Now just how was this decision made, you may ask yourself? Believe me the decision making process may well be the most absurd thing I have ever witnessed. My husband had suggested we use the website random.org to make the decision so that it could be done in a fair (and technologically advanced, I might add) way. Whatever happened to the age-old drawing a name out of a hat method?? While presenting this idea to the boys, he asked a series of questions that started the madness: are we just going to do this once or do we want a best out of 3 or 5? Or, do you want a best of 7 like they do in sports? Seriously???? Well, of course the boys chose the best of 7 method! This is how Elfis Presley beat out Albert Elfstein 4 to 3.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-118" src="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Elfis-games-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Elfis-games-225x300.jpg 225w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Elfis-games-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Elfis-games-1200x1600.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 85vw, 225px" />Present Day:</p>
<p>I can tell you that we have gone through two Christmases now with good ol’ Elfis Presley and he has been a great addition to our family traditions. I did have to set some ground rules with Elfis before he made his inaugural trek to our home from the North Pole. He would NOT be making a mess in our house. I did not feel my boys needed any more ideas regarding questionable behavior. Our elf, however, was given the go ahead to send warnings should he deem any behavior questionable. I will tell you that Elfis’ warnings worked like a charm, and I now welcome him with open arms shortly after Thanksgiving.<img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-116" src="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Elfis-warning-179x300.jpg" alt="Warning from Elfis" width="179" height="300" srcset="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Elfis-warning-179x300.jpg 179w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Elfis-warning-768x1287.jpg 768w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Elfis-warning-611x1024.jpg 611w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Elfis-warning-1200x2011.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 179px) 85vw, 179px" /></p>
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<span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=49&d=mm&r=g' srcset='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=98&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' /><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/author/admin/">Amy</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/christmas-in-july-the-arrival-of-elfis/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published" datetime="2018-07-04T01:52:09+00:00">July 4, 2018</time><time class="updated" datetime="2018-07-31T01:20:56+00:00">July 31, 2018</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/category/little-mens-musings/" rel="category tag">Little Men's Musings</a>, <a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/category/mommyisms/" rel="category tag">Mommyisms</a></span><span class="tags-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Tags </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/tag/christmas-in-july/" rel="tag">Christmas in July</a>, <a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/tag/elf/" rel="tag">Elf</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/christmas-in-july-the-arrival-of-elfis/#respond">Leave a comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on Christmas In July: The Arrival Of Elfis</span></a></span> </footer><!-- .entry-footer -->
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<article id="post-27" class="post-27 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-mommyisms">
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<h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/choosing-your-words-carefully/" rel="bookmark">Choosing Your Word(s) Carefully</a></h2> </header><!-- .entry-header -->
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<p><img class="aligncenter wp-image-111 size-medium" src="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/brave-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/brave-300x225.jpg 300w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/brave-768x576.jpg 768w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/brave-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/brave-1200x900.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px" />New Year’s Resolutions…I fall into this trap every year and every year is the same. I resolve to work out more. I resolve to lose weight. I resolve to keep the house clean. Every year I start out strong for a few days and every year, I fail miserably and am ready with a list of excuses as to why I didn’t follow through with them.</p>
<p>I have also realized that New Year’s isn’t necessarily the best time for me to make resolutions. I mean, why does it take a new year for me to realize there are things I want to accomplish in life. I have also found that the very idea of New Year’s Resolutions comes with this intense pressure and comes at a time for me when I am pretty exhausted and I already have a huge to-do list looming in front of me. To me, New Year’s means taking down and packing up all of the Christmas decorations that were slowly put up over the course of nearly a month and a half. This alone is a daunting task. I don’t know about you, but in our house, I am ready to begin the Christmas festivities the day after Thanksgiving. That time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is my favorite time of the year and once New Years hits, I realize that I have another whole year to go before that wonderful time of year comes again.</p>
<p>New Years also means that I have only a couple of days to get my children back into some semblance of a routine after being off of school for nearly two weeks. This is a scary thought and is met with a great deal of resistance. The kids have had two weeks of later bedtime, which means sleeping later in the mornings, and are also coming off of the one night of the year that it is actually okay for them to stay up as late as they want.</p>
<p>This year around New Years, I read a lot about choosing one word for your resolution. This seems to be easy, and broad enough, that surely I can’t fail, right? Here we are six months later and I have decided to choose two words and one word is inspired from my youngest son. His teacher challenged him to write resolutions (with a gentle nudge to steer clear of goals related to video games) when they went back to school in January. He resolved to play more with the dogs and play more basketball. His single word resolution: brave. This is truly inspiring to me because brave is not a word I would use to describe myself. I am the queen of what ifs, which means I am always prepared with a list of worst case scenarios. I have had some things already facing me this year that I needed to be brave about and if my youngest can resolve to do so, then so can I. My second word is ‘create.’ I resolve to pursue a long list of creative endeavors this year, one of them being this blog. I also resolve to create memories and moments with my family. I think we typically do this as a family, but I want to continue to be more mindful of these moments.</p>
<p>Yes, I realize this comes much later for me than for most people, but have decided that the summer time works well for me to work towards accomplishing goals. In the summer time, I have time off of my day job and my boys have a much more relaxed schedule, so the time is there to realistically work towards goals I set for myself. This is the time of the year in which I don’t have as many excuses to reach for when I am feeling lazy or burned out. I also find that this is the time of the year where the burn out does not come as quickly or frequently.</p>
<p>Here is my challenge to you. Find your time for resolutions and goal setting. They don’t have to come at the time that is typical or common for everyone else. I have found that goal setting works best for me mid-year because it is my time when working towards these goals doesn’t appear so daunting.</p>
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<span class="byline"><span class="author vcard"><img alt='' src='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=49&d=mm&r=g' srcset='http://2.gravatar.com/avatar/e70ee93183750e1514771ffe20a45e7a?s=98&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-49 photo' height='49' width='49' /><span class="screen-reader-text">Author </span> <a class="url fn n" href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/author/admin/">Amy</a></span></span><span class="posted-on"><span class="screen-reader-text">Posted on </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/choosing-your-words-carefully/" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date published updated" datetime="2018-06-19T18:43:01+00:00">June 19, 2018</time></a></span><span class="cat-links"><span class="screen-reader-text">Categories </span><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/category/mommyisms/" rel="category tag">Mommyisms</a></span><span class="comments-link"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/choosing-your-words-carefully/#respond">Leave a comment<span class="screen-reader-text"> on Choosing Your Word(s) Carefully</span></a></span> </footer><!-- .entry-footer -->
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<article id="post-24" class="post-24 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-tips-for-travel tag-food tag-local tag-travel">
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<h2 class="entry-title"><a href="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/travel-tip-explore-like-a-local/" rel="bookmark">Travel Tip: Explore Like A Local</a></h2> </header><!-- .entry-header -->
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<p><img class="size-medium wp-image-32 alignleft" src="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/blog-steak-board-169x300.jpg" alt="" width="169" height="300" srcset="https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/blog-steak-board-169x300.jpg 169w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/blog-steak-board-577x1024.jpg 577w, https://braceletsandballcaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/blog-steak-board.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 169px) 85vw, 169px" /></p>
<p>When exploring a new town or city, we always like to do both the touristy stuff and the stuff that locals do. Some of the best things we have experienced (and eaten) have been at local, off the beaten path places. One rule we have established as a family when we aren’t in our home town is: never eat at a chain restaurant. If we do break that rule (which occurs only occasionally) it must be a place that is nowhere near our home. Some of our most memorable meals have been at places that require us to leave the main tourist heavy part of town. In case you are wondering, yes, we LOVE to eat and, yes, we consider a meal at a good restaurant to be a memorable part of our trip. In fact some of the best meals come from the most unassuming buildings with nothing else of note around them. A couple of places that come to mind are Gypsy Joynt in Galveston and World Cup Café in Waco. Both were absolutely amazing.</p>
<p>Going off the beaten path and thinking like a local will also often save you some money. We have found that meals seem to be higher priced in the tourist heavy parts of town. I think this is part of paying for convenience. When you are hungry and the options are right there in front of you, I think you are often more likely to spend more money. This does often require some planning, but if you find the one in your family that doesn’t mind doing a little bit of research and planning (in our family it’s my husband), it is well worth it.</p>
<p>On a recent weekend trip we visited Harlingen, Texas and first decided to take in some history. My oldest son is a total history buff and is an encyclopedia of facts. He loves learning new things and retains everything he hears. He truly is a sponge. My youngest likes learning new things as well, but history is truly Holden’s jam. We visited the Iwo Jima War Memorial. The boys were able to get a history author’s autograph and get their picture taken with a veteran who fought at Iwo Jima. I love watching Holden at places like this. He took notes during the short movie they showed and walked around taking pictures, kneeling down like a professional photographer trying to get just the right angle.</p>
<p>A memorable moment from this weekend: Brooks was completely disappointed when he ordered chicken strips and steak fries and found out he was not getting chicken and steak!</p>
<p>Things to keep in mind when traveling:</p>
<ul>
<li>Find out what makes a town or city unique</li>
<li>Visit local attractions</li>
<li>Visit historical sites</li>
<li>No chain restaurants (or at least choose a place that you couldn’t eat close to home)</li>
<li>Go off the beaten path – spend some time thinking like a local and not a tourist</li>
</ul>
<p>In a recent conversation with a friend, we shared that there are so many things in our area that we haven’t done or experienced, that are on the typical to-do list of a tourist or someone vacationing in our area, and how much we have missed out experiencing. I am definitely not knocking the excitement and wonderful things that we do as tourists, but I also realize there are many gems that make a place so special that only the locals know. This is why when my family goes on a trip, we try to experience a town or city as both a tourist and a local—we experience the best of both worlds.</p>
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