School projects.

You either love them or you hate them.

Guess which camp I am in?

Last month was a busy month for school projects. We’d worked hard creating ginormous maps of fantasy lands and accompanying artifacts central to the story. We spent countless hours building a fictitious character entirely out of soap products. We wrote pages and pages of journals and essays to accompany.

WE WERE DONE.

Or so we thought.

But fate (i.e. sadistic language arts teachers) would have another plan for us. Let me just say, it is a sad, sad day to be a parent when your child dumps the dreaded end-of-year project into your lap. When I read the requirements for each of the assignments my children handed me, I died a little inside.

Not to state the obvious, but every parent knows that their “child’s assignment” is actually their assignment. Meaning, the parent never really gets off the hook. Like it or not, we’re in it for every single moment of torture.

I realize that some parents are pros at coaching their children through these affairs. Some even leave their kids on their own demonstrating a true “sink or swim” parenting philosophy. I’m not like that. (As much as I try to be, believe me.) I always end up in the muck and the mire. In the thick of the cajoling, gluing, cutting, practicing and assembling.

Oh how I dislike educators during those long project work sessions. (What? At least I am being honest.)

So it turns out that both boys had a ridiculous project to complete within days of each other:

• A living museum project as John Paul Jones (father of the American Navy)
• A characterization model of Martin Luther King Jr.

The living museum project required my youngest to write and recite from memory a multi-paragraph speech in first person to be presented in costume at a school event complete with visual aids, a display board and an “on button” to begin his presentation with. Two things about this project terrified me – the “in costume” requirement and the phrase “recite from memory.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that many “father of the American Navy” costumes just lying around. And…. I DON’T SEW. However, thanks to Facebook, I was actually able to score a Revolutionary War getup. Yes, someone actually owns one. (I know, right?)  As for the “recite from memory” part…. TORTURE. No other word for it. Over and over and over and over and fighting and bickering and cajoling. I purchased wine just to get through that project. I’m not even a little ashamed to admit that.

As for my oldest son’s project? We had to create a model of good ole MKL Jr. out of a two liter bottle of soda.

Let me say that again…. OUT OF A TWO LITER BOTTLE OF SODA.

Now, surely this heroic, iconic man deserved a better tribute then to be memorialized using a soda bottle? But alas, a soda bottle the project required. Not only that, the model had to contain at least five physical traits of the character and at least five personality traits. WTH?

That was when I realized I had to call in backup. MY MOTHER. I figured, if anyone could come up with a creative solution, it was my mom.

She saved my life.

And my son’s grade.

Here’s the thing… I am not creative. I’m just not. I mean, I can glue. I can tape stuff. I just had absolutely no idea how to complete that project and neither did my son.

But Mom-Mom did. She whipped us around JoAnne Fabrics throwing Styrofoam, popsicle sticks, felt, yarn and fabric remnants into the cart. I mean, it was out of control. And for the assembly, she carefully guided my son through the process with gentle suggestions and firm reprimands. When he strayed, she took control.

I just stood by and did what I was told. (Despite being wounded a damn glue gun and straight pins. I figure it is a small price to pay for having not having a creative bone in my body.)

And voila! This is what came of it:

Some assembly required?

Brilliant, right? And she didn’t lose her temper or anything. I’m thinking of renting her out to bring in a little extra cash. Give me a call if you need a little extra sanity…

Tags: creating projects, end of year school projects

Once upon a time…Two successful career women decided to trade in suits for supermom capes! Eileen Estok, former Account Supervisor at a New Orleans advertising agency, and Adrienne Rupinta, former Fashion Buyer for Nordstrom. Now, knee deep in the trenches of child rearing, we are forever searching for ways to pull together our love of art and fashion.
 With a friendship spanning over eight years, and a history of artistic ventures, we’re just two great friends who endlessly push each other to strive for a balance between creative expression and freedom from the daily grind. …One day, hipJunky was born!

Over the years, how have you learned to balance career and motherhood?

It’s an ongoing juggling act, but with well-oiled systems, fierce organization and lots of colored pens to manage everyone’s calendar, everything has a way of working out. Some days are more successful than others, but we approach everyday with a ‘can do’ attitude. Like most Moms, we’re masters at multi-tasking. We both come from career backgrounds that were very demanding and deadline oriented (Adrienne, Fashion Buyer; Eileen, Advertising Account Supervisor), which proved to be fertile ground for learning how to manage the chaos. At the end of the day, both of us maintain that our families are our first priorities, so if something has to give, it makes it easier to make the tough decisions.

Is there one particular parenting lesson you’ve learned about raising kids?

EE: I would have to say that learning to appreciate the different personalities and needs of each child, and how to meet them where they are, is an ongoing lesson. My sons Sawyer (12) and Cooper (7), and daughter Piper (4) each has his/her own set of successes, disappointments, triumphs and struggles. I have learned that taking the time to listen to each of them and really hear them is time well spent. They can’t always put their feelings in to words, but a tight hug speaks a thousand words!

AR: There are so many lessons, I could go on for days. The biggest ones I have learned while raising my litter – daughter Spencer (9), son Tanner (7), daughter Quincy (5), and son Kiegan (3), are fairly simple…consistency is key, fairness is a must, and I should treat them with the same respect that I expect from them. I also know, that none of my little people care what time I went to bed and that sleep deprivation affects EVERYONE and EVERYTHING. Making sure I get a decent night sleep (at least a few nights a week) is very important for my juggling act.

Battling stress? Any advice?

Exercise, exercise, and more exercise. It doesn’t always fit in to our schedules, but we try to make it a priority because we both feel more productive when we do! Also, we try to remember that everything is temporary, so take it all in stride. The kids won’t be screaming ‘Mommy look at me…I want…I need’ forever, so now is the time to listen and be present in the moment.

Tools or products you can’t live without?

MacBook, iphone, my calendar, DVR, staying on top of the to-do lists, and lipgloss!

Do you have an inspirational quote, motto or philosophy you can share with us?

We have several inspirational quotes and mantras we tell ourselves:

• When you know better, do better –Maya Angelou
• Building a successful business is a marathon, not a sprint.
• The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results
• What messes us up the most is that we all have this perfect picture in our minds of how things are supposed to be.

 

Favorite resources, books, or website?

Resources for inspiration… Pintrest, Design Sponge, Houzz.com, Décor8, various fashion and DIY blogs that we happen upon

Recent reads…Hunger Games trilogy, The Girl with The Dragon Tatoo trilogy, Water for Elephants, Twilight series

What are you passionate about?

We are passionate about art and fashion! We approach our buckles like miniature canvases, each with it’s own color and style story. A hipJunky buckle can completely change an ordinary outfit into something extraordinary. It’s a welcome change from the expected. We are proud to create such a unique, fun-to-wear product.

We are also passionate about giving back. We regularly donate to fundraisers and causes in our own back yards and beyond. Recently we created a ‘FIGHT’ buckle to raise awareness and dollars for breast cancer research, with a portion of the proceeds donated to support the cause. We have dedicated a page on our website that highlights inspirational survivor stories and will carry the buckle year-round.

Connect with them:

Twitter: hipjunky buckles

Facebook: www.facebook.com/hipjunky


Websites: www.hipjunky.com


Pintrest: hipjunky

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Tags: Adrienne Rupinta, Eileen Estok, hipJunky buckles, working mom

It’s tough when you feel like you’re stuck.

You’re uncomfortable. Unhappy. Stifled. Frustrated.

If you’ve ever been there you know that it is incredibly difficult to try to get yourself unstuck. Especially when you can’t quite pinpoint the cause for your state of mind.

I know this personally. I’ve been stuck for months now.

Happiness was fleeting. Inspiration was challenging. My attitude was lacking.

I just hadn’t  felt… stimulated. It was as if I was going through the motions of my days, stuck in a holding pattern.

Have you ever seen the movie Groundhog Day? Yeah, that. Exactly that. I’m not going to lie to you, it wasn’t pretty in my head. I’ve been quite the miserable wretch.

Until yesterday.

Let me just stop here and profess something to you – I am a woman of  faith. I don’t talk about it much here on the blog. (Although I probably should.) But I am.

And yesterday I received an incredibly inspired message from the big man upstairs:

“Bloom where you are planted.”

That phrase, completely out of the blue,  hit me like a ton of bricks. “Right here?” I thought. “In this frustrating place? I don’t even want to be here. How in the world am I going to do that?”

Upon further introspection I realized that I ultimately had two choices:

• To continue to frustrate myself by cursing where I was and wind up bitter
• OR Till the ground beneath me and see what I could grow under the circumstances

I believe that God has me exactly where he wants me. I don’t know why. I certainly don’t like it, but there is a reason I am here and a lesson I need to learn from it.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

I’m going to take a step in faith and go with this revelation.  Let’s see where it takes me.

Where are you today? Are you stuck in a place that you can’t get out of? I suggest you come along on this journey, gather up your gardening tools and cultivate life around you. Together we may find that the things we long for are right underneath our feet.

Tags: bloom where you are planted, Faith, Groundhog Day, Jeremiah 29:11

My friends and I call it the “tiny little clip of guilt.” The Fitbit Ultra has been my constant companion since opening it up Christmas morning of last year. (As in, I wear it every single day. Without fail.)

Aside from my iPhone, I can honestly say that if I were to lose it or it somehow broke, I would run (not walk) to the nearest Best Buy in order to get it replaced.

It is absolutely that fantastic.

This incredibly inconspicuous  tech device essentially measures your motion patterns to tell you your steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, vertical climbs and sleep quality. It is so much more than a traditional pedometer.

And it is very easy to use. You just clip it on your bra or put it in your pocket. It’s so petite that no one will know you’re wearing it, unlike some of the other models I have tried which made wearing  while sporting professional or evening wear impossible.

And the stats? I am completely addicted to the stats. I have a minimum daily requirement for myself (10,000) constantly striving to do more. As you know, I have a desk job so keeping track of my progress and incorporating physical activity into my day is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Nary an evening goes by where you won’t find me quickly jogging in place beside my nightstand trying to get in the last couple hundred before retiring for the evening. (What? You think that is weird? Okay. You’ve got me there. I probably DO look completely ridiculous jogging in my pajamas. C’est la vie!) 

The Fitbit syncs wirelessly to its base station, so anytime it  is within range, your stats are synced automagically. : ) There is also an app (squee!)  making it ridiculously easy to check on your progress.

For those looking to make changes in their physical activity levels, Fitbit Ultra is key. I never knew how sedentary my work day was until tracking it with the Fitbit. It serves as a motivator and accountability partner all rolled up into one.

And you don’t have to go it alone, either. You can sync up with friends who are using the device as well (competition, anyone?) and even participate in challenge groups for extra incentives. And if you are fond of gaming, Fitbit also awards badges based on accomplishments. What is not to love?

Now, if you are not a data head you will be happy to know that you can now view your stats in a more fun or useful way via  Notch. Notch creates sweet infographics from your Fitbit data. Here’s mine.  Apparently, last month I walked the 157 miles around Halley’s Comet 1.21 times. I know, right?

Connect with Fitbit:

Website: fitbit.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fitbit
Twitter: @fitbit

Tags: fitbit, fitbit ultra review, notch

I write a weekly column on “Tweet Nothings” for Want2Dish.com.  this week I’m talking about the abdicating Mother’s Day to raise awareness of those lost. Read on…

Every 90 seconds, one woman dies to complications in pregnancy and childbirth. (Approximately 358,000 per year.)

For every woman who dies each year in childbirth, 20-30 more suffer from lifelong debilitating disabilities.

Does this shock you? I know that it did me. I had no idea the stakes were so high.

To call attention to those missing, the Every Mother Counts organization has launched a social media campaign asking healthy, present mothers everywhere to raise their voice in silence and solidarity to “disappear” this Mother’s Day.

Model, author and activist Christy Turlington Burns is behind the advocacy campaign emanating from the Every Mother Counts organization which she founded in 2010.

She told MSNBC, “What we’re trying to do is get people to stop for a moment and consider how many lives are lost each day, and Mother’s Day in particular, and to try to generate some of that positive energy and love toward the mother towards every mother… There is something like $18 billion spent on mothers on Mother’s Day alone in the United States. That money certainly could be redirected to reducing maternal deals and improving maternal health around the world.”

To read more and watch the powerful video, click here.

Tags: Christy Turlington Burns, Every Mother Counts, No Mother's Day