One Secret to a Working Mom Success: Make Family Events More Enjoyable With Friends

Better Together: Why Inviting Another Family Makes Activities More Fun #FamilyFun Sometimes family activities can feel like another item on the to-do list. However, doing those activities with another family makes them more fun! Whether it’s a trip to an amusement park , a visit to the local pool , or trip to a pumpkin patch , including another family can multiply the fun in amazing ways. One of my favorite moms to collaborate with is my friend, Ayana Ledford who's pictured above with her daughter Sahar. We have done all of the things listed as seemingly random examples above and here is how including her and her daughter (and sometimes her son too) has made the events more fun. On the date above, Ayana almost left the venue because parking was a nightmare. That said, she hung in there and we would up having a great time!

Take risks and live!



Vacation has a way of teaching us things. Last summer, while returning from my Cabo vacation, I decided to start this blog.

The Cabo vacation began as an act of rebellion of sorts. I wanted to assert my independence in a very obvious way. The irony is, I had been asserting my independence daily for my entire single life by paying my own bills, working, and building a life for myself. Still, that vacation opened my eyes and convinced me that I needed to make a change.

Unfortunately, the feeling was short lived. I still held back from embracing life fully. Indeed, other than starting this blog, I continued to play it safe. I was afraid that I would be consumed by life if I gave it everything that I had. So, I continued to hold back. I would often be polite rather than honest. I would be cautious rather than courageous. And I over analyzed everything rather than following my heart.

A friend recently said that he thought that I could handle anything. Outwardly I agreed with him, but inside I felt dishonest. I knew that I had been able to handle things thus far because of my extreme caution. Also, I had never really invested my heart. So nothing had ever really been at risk.

Well, my trip to San Francisco taught me some things. My friends and I shared stories. And their stories liberated me. (Who knew that “I Never” could be so deep?!) :) They had taken more risks than I had and they were still OK. Moreover, they were more content and having a lot of fun. So, just for kicks, I decided to take a chance.

They say that we only regret the things that we haven't done. Because I have tended to over analyze things I have had a lot of regrets. Well, I decided to flip the script in San Francisco. I decided to be bold instead of being a bashful. I am happy to say that I am still standing. More importantly, I am smiling because I did what I wanted to do instead of thinking so damned much.

Don't worry, I did not dance on any tables and I did not break any laws. However, I did take have a great time. I have no regrets. It's a great feeling. And unlike last year, the liberation followed me back to Pittsburgh.

Let's hope that the momentum continues. This liberation has made this summer the best ever!


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