Escape Adulthood

Delight in the Little Things

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17 Simple & Free Ways to Have Fun Today

Lucy teaches me every single day that the simplest things can be fun, things that don't cost any money at all. For example, good times were had recently on our deck by simply filling a bowl with water and splashing around in it. Like I said... simple things. Enjoying oneself doesn't always have to be this big ordeal. Why not incorporate simple acts of fun into your day-to-day? Here are 17 simple and free ideas to get you started. Pick one today. 1. Crank up your favorite tunes. 2. Eat lunch outside. 3. Leave a note for someone. 4. Drink from a straw and blow bubbles. 5. Pose for a goofy …

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Bored is Good

I remember certain summer days during my childhood in which my brothers and I, all out of ideas of what to do next, would complain to my mother that we were officially bored. I don't remember getting much sympathy. It's been a long time since I was really bored. I love what I do, and there's always an impossibly long list of things that need to be done. And, frankly, it's kind of hard to be bored in our "always on" society awash in laptops and smart phones and iPods. Well, sometimes I’m bored when I'm with Lucy. …

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Invest In Small Delights

Often as adults, we get trapped into the thinking that we have to constantly chase the "bigger and better," especially when it comes to vacations. Well, that can get expensive. In this video, I share some thoughts on escaping adulthood by investing in smaller, but no less gratifying, delights: [flv:http://www.kimandjason.dreamhosters.com/clubkj_stuff/misc_videos/tampa_little_things.flv 450 325] iPod Version (20 MB) …

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Miles of Smiles

In February we started traveling with Lucy. Jason and I have "busy seasons" in our travels for our speaking gigs so rather than being apart for six weeks we decided to make it work as a family. In Lucy's short four months of life she has now been on 20 flights, visiting 12 different states. Comparing our travels BL (before Lucy) and now, we have determined one thing: Life is so much more fun with a baby! The biggest thing we noticed is that people are so much more friendlier now. The roughest, toughest looking hardened adults are instantly transformed into the biggest softies when they see …

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Tips from Texas

They say everything is bigger in Texas. We found this to be true in regards to childlike enthusiasm. Jason finished up three programs in the lone star state this past week and we had the good fortune of meeting a young woman named Carrie. The first night she showed up donning two different colored Chuck Taylor's. You know how I love Chucks! She explained that her best friend who is away at college has the same set. They bought them together, wrote poetry on them and swapped colors so that they each have one of each color. How cool is it that they both wear the same size?! What's even cooler is …

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Shall We Dance?

We read recently that around two months of age a baby starts to recognize repeated events. It's funny how we have naturally implemented goofy games and such into different parts of Lucy's day (like Jason's attack of the zurbert monster on her ultra-soft belly, each time he changes her dipe). Well, a new routine we've started is something I want to invite you to try, whether you have kids or not. After dinner, before bed, each person in the household gets to pick a song... and you all get to dance. Depending on your mood, you could rock out and release some energy (a great stress reliever), you …

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Celebrating Laughter

Lucy hasn't officially laughed yet, but she sure is doing a lot of smiling. One of our midwives told us that in her experience working with the Navajo people, there is a custom in which the first person to make a newborn laugh is obligated to throw the family a huge party to celebrate the occasion. According to their tradition, it's considered the moment in which the baby is fully present and "in the world." I think that's pretty cool. …

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Doing Nothing

We've gotten lots and lots of parenting advice over the past year. A majority of it has been unsolicited, but for the most part, it has all been very well intentioned. By far the most common bit of advice has been something along these lines: Cherish every moment; it all goes so fast. Honestly, I pretty much discarded this one as obvious and irrelevant to me. I mean after all, I'm a motivational speaker for crying out loud; it's the same sort of advice I've dished out for years. I concluded that the givers of this advice all meant well, but clearly didn't know how I roll. …

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Keeping it Light

In less than a month, on Valentine's Day, Jason and I will celebrate fourteen years of being a couple. Yep, we had our first date on February 14, 1995, eating dinner at Monical's Pizza in Princeton, Illinois. How far we've come. I've learned a lot from him over the years and now that we've become parents I find myself learning tons more about him and from him each day. It's pretty cool. One thing I've noticed is that Jason, being the creative type, has invented all sorts of little games and routines with Lucy. He has a variety of things he does with her at the changing table (like "eating …

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You, Happier.

With Christmas only five days away many of you may be feeling some extra pressure to get everything done in time. Are you overwhelmed? The reality is, you've got a lot going on right now. It's inevitable. Don't forget, kids are also feeling the pressure. Remember those childhood fears that maybe Santa would put your name on the naughty list? Did he really see everything? December was always filled with warnings from my parents that "Santa's watching!" It's important to gain some perspective on the holiday, as we run from store to store finishing up the list. While on our maternity leave, …

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