Rants & Musings
This is a place that allows me to share my thoughts on a variety of topics, not necessarily related to my family, or the challenges we face. These are my thoughts, my feelings, my expressions.
2 Things That Surprised Me When Booking An Alaskan Cruise
Are you thinking about booking an Alaskan cruise? We booked one for this coming summer! We have been on a small cruise before, so when we booked an Alaskan cruise, these two things surprised me the most.
Booking in Advance
The first thing that surprised me about booking an Alaskan cruise is how far in advance you need to book. We went on a Mexican cruise about two years ago and booked it about a month or so before we went, and everything was fine; we had no problems. We could select from many available cabins, dinner times, or ship activities; however, we booked our upcoming Alaskan cruise seven months in advance, and it felt like we were booking late.
By the time we booked, there were only a few rooms left. We could not pick our dining hall times because they were all taken, so we just had to take what was left. Most of the excursions were already booked on the ship, and we will have to book some of our tours through companies in the port.
Lesson number one! If you plan on taking an Alaskan cruise, I strongly encourage you to book a year or more in advance. You can find better room placement, pick your dining hall times, and book excursions from the cruise line.
Sticker Shock
The second thing that surprised me was how much more expensive it was than a Mexico cruise. I was SHOCKED at how much it would cost us to take a seven-day cruise to Alaska. We booked it with discounts when the cruise line had specials, but I was still sticker-shocked.
Lesson number two! Alaskan cruises are much more expensive than your typical Mexico or Caribbean cruise. Know that you will spend more on your booking!
I wouldn’t let these surprises deter you from booking an Alaskan cruise. Even though we were caught off guard and wished we were a little more prepared for these surprises, we still booked our cruise. I have heard Alaskan cruises are incredible, and I can’t wait to go. I am excited about the scenery and the wildlife. It sure is going to be an adventure. My family is also super excited, and my son tells me every day, “One less day until the cruise!”
What I Learned My First Month Blogging
What a month it has been. This blog has had its ups and downs. If you have been reading along, you know how nervous I was about starting this blog (read Have You Ever Been Nervous About Starting Something New? I Am!) I have learned so much just in this first month. Here are the things I learned in my first month of blogging. It has been challenging, scary, exciting, imperfect, and full of mistakes.
Blogging is Challenging
Starting a blog is extremely hard. Creating a writing schedule and creating ideas for blog posts has been one of the more challenging parts for me this first month. This is something new, and I have had to rearrange some things to figure out when to write.
Writing, in general, has been difficult for me. I don’t know where to start. I have so many thoughts I want to share; they are a jumbled mess in my head. Then I read other blogs, and I feel like I am not good at this and want to give up. I would say just keeping this up has been challenging in and of itself. Let’s say that starting this blog has been a lot harder than I ever thought it would be.
Blogging Can Be Scary
Starting a blog is one of the scariest things I have ever done. Opening up to people is scary for me because I am timid. I prefer to stay in my little bubble. I worry so much about what others think when they read my articles. I worry about making sense and if I am getting my point across. I am scared that I am boring and that I sound stupid. Being scared and doubting myself has been the one I have been struggling with the most.
Blogging is Exciting
I have learned that even through all the challenges and the scary parts, it has also been exciting. I didn’t tell anyone that I was starting a blog. That was part of doubting myself, but it was so exciting when I finally launched my blog. When I read my first comment, I was so happy. It made me feel like I could do this. It is also exciting connecting with people going through the same thing you are.
Blogging Can Be Imperfect and Full Of Mistakes
Obviously, from the name of my blog, you can figure out that I am so far from being perfect. This blog proved that. There have been so many imperfect things, but this journey is about learning that it doesn’t have to be perfect.
I have made so many mistakes this first month of blogging. I read other blog posts that tell you not to do this when you start a blog or to do that. For most of those things, I made all the mistakes other bloggers have said not to make. That is how we learn, though, right? By making mistakes.
It has been a long and exciting month and very worth it. I need to remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect. I also have to keep reminding myself that I can’t compare my first month of blogging to someone who has been blogging for years. I hope to continue to grow and learn new things about myself.
Above all, the number one thing I have learned in my first month of blogging is to remember that it doesn’t have to be perfect as long as I am doing my best!
How to Avoid Doing Laundry on the Weekends
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via these links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclaimers for more information.Do you like to do laundry? How about doing laundry on the weekends? Doing laundry for me is on my list of chores I hate to do. It is right up there with cleaning the bathrooms. It is also on the list of things that must be done, no matter how much I dislike it. I would prefer not to do laundry on the weekends, so I have devised a schedule that allows me to enjoy the weekends with my family.
My Weekly Laundry Schedule
Before I start, I want to say that this schedule works for me. The best thing to do is make a schedule that works for you and your life. I am a stay-at-home mom, so this might not work the same for those working or those busy and not home all the time. I hope I can still inspire you so you can have days when you don’t need to do laundry.
I love to make schedules and be organized. It is just something that I enjoy doing. So, of course, that is how I do my laundry with a schedule. Keep in mind that I have three kids. You may have less or more than that. I may have less or more laundry than you do, so adjust this to work best for you. Anyway, here is my schedule.
Monday
Monday is the day that I do my husband’s and my laundry. Depending on the week we had, I have anywhere from three to five loads to wash. I start my loads the night before by sorting our laundry and putting a single load in on a delay to start in the morning before I wake up. My washing machine has a delayed start feature, which is the best thing ever! So, I will put a load of laundry in on Sunday night before I go to bed, and I will delay it to start for 8 hours. Then, I can rotate laundry and start a new load when I wake up Monday morning. It saves me so much time. The rest of the day, I rotate my laundry as soon as a load is done until I have completed all my loads. I also like to fold the clothes as soon as they come out of the dryer. They don’t get done if I don’t, which happens more than I care to admit.
Tuesday
Tuesday is the day that I wash all of the towels we used that week, including the kitchen towels and rags. This can also take a couple of loads. I wash my towels in baking soda and vinegar. This makes it so they don’t get that mildew smell.
Wednesday
On Wednesday, I wash my daughter’s clothes. I have two daughters, so I have a few loads this day. I wash their regular clothes separately and then a load of delicates together. Here is a small confession. During the school year, I wash and fold their laundry, and they must put it away. During the summer, when they have more time, they are in charge of washing their clothes. Also, use a color catcher so you don’t have to separate your clothes. You can wash them all together. This is a huge time saver!
Thursday
On Thursday, I wash my son’s clothes. This day doesn’t take me long because my son doesn’t wear as many clothes as my girls! I have fewer loads this day, and because of that, I will wash anything extra. Sometimes, I have soccer uniforms or swimsuits or some other random things that I will wash.
Friday
On Friday, I will wash the sheets. I just started using the new Lysol Washing Sanitizer, which makes my sheets smell so good. It makes me feel like they get extra clean when I use this.
Saturday and Sunday
On Saturday and Sunday, I relax and spend time with my family! Like always, this is not a perfect schedule, but it is the best I can do!
I love that I have days that I don’t have to worry about doing laundry. Like I said before, this is what works for me. Are there weeks that it doesn’t work out like this? Yes, all the time. It isn’t perfect. I try my best to follow this. Do you have a laundry schedule? I would love to hear how you get all your laundry done during the week! Please comment below!
Discover the Magic of a Girls’ Weekend
I am fortunate to live close to all of my sisters. We all have a good relationship with one another. My mom, sisters, sister-in-laws, and I have a yearly tradition of going on a girls’ weekend. This is a chance to relax, unwind, goof off, and have fun! If you have never done a girls’ weekend, I would highly recommend you do!
This is one of my favorite times of the year and something I always look forward to! We usually go from Friday to Monday, but we accommodate the schedule according to everyone’s availability! Two of my sisters are school teachers, so we typically go in the summer. We try to keep the costs under control, so we usually go to an aunt’s cabin up in Bear Lake, Utah, but sometimes we rent a condo or another place to stay.
On the first day of our girls’ weekend, we go shopping. It is exhausting but very worth it. Once we finish shopping, we drive to the cabin or condo. Sometimes, we have a fashion show to model what we all bought for each other. It is so much fun!
Over the next three days, we do whatever we want to do. We watch movies, play A LOT games, go for walks, and stay up too late. We talk, visit, listen to music, eat breakfast on the patio in the sun, and enjoy the quiet without the kids! I think that is one of the biggest benefits – no kids to care for!
We also eat way too much! We will eat out sometimes, but we usually cook simple meals at the cabin. We bring snacks and treats to share with everyone.
Sometimes we do a favorite things gift. We don’t spend much money on this, so it is small. A favorite things gift is an item you enjoy and want to share with others. It can be a treat, drink, lotion, or nail polish. You buy that item for everyone in your group. We usually wrap them, so it is a surprise. When it is time to give them out, we go around the circle, and everyone explains their favorite thing and why. Then you come home with some new fun items!
Why should you need a girls’ weekend? For us, our lives are very demanding. We have jobs or kids to take care of or activities to do. On this weekend, we get to focus on ourselves. We get to relax and have conversations with other adults. It is the best four days to recharge as moms. Returning home, we feel ready to take on the world again.
I would recommend this to everyone. Find some of your people, go on a girls’ weekend, and focus on yourself for a change! I’m also always looking for new ideas to do on our girls’ weekend. What things do you do on your girls’ weekend?
Why I Hate the Winter Months
Okay, let me make this clear, it isn’t like I hate winter altogether. I can handle winter for a little while. There are many excellent and wonderful things about winter. I do love winter right after it has snowed a few inches and the sun comes out, making the snow look like glitter. That is a magnificent sight. I love to watch my kids playing in the snow, making snowmen. I love making hot chocolate for my kids and sitting in front of the fireplace. If I thought long and hard, I could come up with a few more great things about winter.
But, here is the thing. Winter is seriously the longest season ever. It just drags on and on and on. January through March seems like it takes a year to finish. Sometimes, in March, we can have nice days, and then Mother Nature decides to make it snow again, almost like she is teasing us. We get just a little taste of spring, and then, just like that, it is snowing and cold again.
Two Major Reasons I Hate the Winter Months
The first reason is that I am constantly cold. It seems like no matter what I do, I can never get warm. I mean I am cold year round. I am that crazy lady in the middle of summer who must wear her coat to the grocery store because the air conditioning is too cold for me. I get made fun of quite a bit about how cold I am. At least in the summer, when I am cold, I can sit in the sun to warm up. In the winter, though, I can do very few things to get warm. I am very grateful for my rice bag. I can throw that in the microwave and get warm in a few minutes. I can’t exactly carry it around all day, though, so I can only use that when I have time to sit down, which isn’t very often. Therefore, I am freezing from about November until April, which is no fun.
The second reason is that I always get the winter blues. I always get a little down in the winter. I usually don’t feel like doing much of anything. I don’t like to go out and do things; I typically like to stay home. Staying home, though, always makes me feel even worse. I try to get out, but it is tough to do. I also have a more challenging time in the winter doing things with my children. This always makes me feel guilty, and like I am such a bad mom. Anyone out there who feels the same way, please remember that you are not a bad mom and are doing the best you can. I always have to remind myself of this!
I try to do things to help with the winter blues. I always open my blinds. The natural light makes it not so dark and dreary. As hard as it is, I try to get out of the house. Even if it is just running a small errand. We do family movie nights, and that helps as well. The winter blues never entirely go away by doing these things, but it seems to help. I start to feel better once the weather starts warming up and the sun comes out more.
I would love to hear from anyone who hates the winter and deals with the winter blues. I would love to hear what you do to help you get through these dreadful months.
