Author: theoctopusmama

Interview by Ana Rubenstein

Have you ever thought about leaving everything behind and becoming a full-time traveler with your family? I personally fantasize about it sometimes but not sure I have what it takes to live this lifestyle. Brittany Kirby and Chris Horn though are two of these courageous human beings. Since October of 2017, they have been traveling full-time around the USA in their RV and so far they have covered 18 states along with their three little explorers Fisher (6), Boden (3) and Miles (8 months). Brittany recently shared with me a little bit about this experience, and I hope you enjoy learning about it as much as I did. Maybe you will even feel inspired to join this lifestyle? Continue​ on reading

By Ana Rubenstein

At the beginning of 2019, I made the commitment of bringing organization to my life but I had no idea how to start. At first, I was overwhelmed and even afraid of telling people in my life about what I was up to. “What about if I fail again or can’t keep up?” This thought was always in the back of my mind. I finally found the courage to share my 30-Day-Decluttering Challenge with my friends and family, with readers of this blog, and with my followers on social media. As I did it, some of them became my accountability partners by asking me how my project was going, and, most importantly, by sharing how I inspired them to organize and declutter their own houses. Wait? What? Me? My mother would never believe this actually happened. It did and my community keeps encouraging me to become what I always wanted to be but never thought I could: an organized person with a house that sparkles me with joy. Continue on reading

By Ana Rubenstein

I am starting my year doing something that I love, writing, and something I often feel uncomfortable doing, making requests. So, here it goes, today I request you make time to do something that you love or that brings you joy, and something that scares you even just a little bit. Are you up to it? The second request is that instead of using the expression “I want 2019 to bring me….”, you start sharing with people in your life what YOU are bringing to 2019. Maybe more patience with your kids? More organization to your house? More time for yourself? Better relationship with time? Better nights of sleep? Passion to your relationship with your partner? You name it! The sky is the limit. Continue on reading

By Ana Rubenstein

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”  Dr. Seuss quote

While everybody else has been so excited about Christmas, decorating their houses, shopping and wrapping gifts, baking cookies, building gingerbread houses and getting prepared somehow for this holiday season, I am still here asking myself what is so special about Christmas? I know there is religious significance, but still feeling left out, I started to ask myself why I cannot get excited about giving and receiving beautifully wrapped gifts, happy about decorating plastic pine trees, looking at colorful lights, singing carols and even moving that Elf on the Shelf around my house? Continue on reading

By Ana Rubenstein

When I was a little girl, my mother taught me about Guardian Angels. I learned that they were these invisible, kind creatures that would help me whenever I needed them. They must have done a very good job with me when I was growing up. I never had a major accident,  injury or any major personal losses when I was young (knock on wood). However, as I got older, at some point I stopped believing that they exist. Lately, though, I have been finding Guardian Angels everywhere, all the time. And before you think I am crazy, I need to tell you that they are not invisible and they don’t have wings. Guardian Angels are all those caring, kind, giving, ordinary, real people among us. They can show up as neighbors, teachers, doctors, nurses, family members or even as strangers. Continue on reading

Do you ever call your children Drama Queen or Trouble-Maker as a joke or maybe when you are really frustrated with them? What about calling them Disorganized, Messy, Shy, Hyper or Aggressive here and there? If so, I invite you to create a “label-free world” starting by declaring a battle against negatively labeling your children or somebody else’s. The reason behind this invitation is that our children might become who, we parents, teachers and caregivers, say they are or who they hear us saying that they are. But why not offer our kids opportunities to be different than what we perceive them to be? They might prove us very wrong. Continue on reading