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Simple as That

Making Everyday Beautiful

Erica Layne

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  • My husband finishes his family medicine residency in June and I don’t think I can convey exactly how excited we are to be at this stage of the whole medical school journey.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ We’re headed into the next few months with a lot of anticipation and some nervousness as we prepare for yet another move but we’re feeling so grateful to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣ ⁣ We wanted to plan a big family trip to commemorate the completion of this 8 year undertaking and had hopes of going somewhere exotic. Turns out, when you’re applying for a visa (the immigration kind) extension you can’t leave the country so we’re heading to Kauai in a few months. ⁣⁣☀️🌴🍍 ⁣⁣ ⁣ Randal and I went to Oahu a couple of years ago together and loved it so we’re really looking forward to exploring Kauai with the kids! I know it’ll be right up our alley with all kinds of things to do outdoors and plenty of hiking trails to explore.⁣⁣ ⁣ ⁣⁣ I’ve been doing some research but would love to hear from you if you’ve been to the island. What do we need to see and do? With my dietary restrictions in mind can you recommend some places to eat? We want to go on one excursion...what have you done that was totally worth the money?
  • #sponsored I could see the mix of excitement and uncertainty on her face as we rode the chair lift up the mountain. ⁣ ⁣ And I couldn't blame her, because strapping a board on your feet and trying to get down a slick, snow-covered hill? That's intimidating!⁣ ⁣ But this wasn't the first time she'd tried something that stretched her. She's rappelled down cliff faces, mountain biked some challenging terrain, and hiked more miles than most people twice her age.⁣ ⁣ But still, new things are rarely easy, and neither of us were pretending that this particular adventure would be.⁣ ⁣ But I have to tell you: A couple of hours later, she was gliding down the snow looking more natural on that board than I did! :)⁣ ⁣ I thought, as I watched her snowboarding in front of me, about much I love that she's so willing to try something new. I love that she's willing leave a warm, comfortable home and brave frigid Montana temperatures. And I love that she's willing to fall and to get discouraged—and to try again and again until she's overcome her fear. ⁣ ⁣ Because stumbling is a part of the process. We're all going to fall; it's a given. But it's the getting back up and trying again that matters most.⁣ ⁣ Thank you to @speckproducts for the phone case that allowed me to capture so many special moments from this weekend—without fear that I'd drop my phone while riding the chair lift or while pausing, mid-descent, to catch a shot of the newest snowboarder in our family. ;) #speckmoments https://izea.it/arwZHPN
  • We’re headed out on an adventure this weekend. Winter road trip here we come! ❄️⁣ ⁣ We’re going to log at least 16 hours in the car and I want to bring an audiobook (or two) along to listen to as a family. ⁣ ⁣ The trick is finding something that’ll keep everyone engaged from the youngest (age 9) all the way up to the teenagers. ⁣ ⁣ I’d love some recommendations! ⁣ ⁣ One book that’s on our list of possibilities is The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.⁣ ⁣ #familytravel #wintersdventures #goexplore #getoutside ⁣
  • I know that games are designed to keep kids online for far more hours than could ever be considered healthy. ⁣ ⁣ I know that if it’s up to them, many kids will gladly trade screen time for time spent with friends, family, and the great outdoors.⁣ ⁣ I know that even relatively innocuous pictures and videos my kids see online can cause them to draw unfavorable comparisons that eat away at their self-worth.⁣ ⁣ But I also see the GOOD that the internet brings into our family's life.⁣ ⁣ I love that because of the internet, when we come home from a family hike and are wondering about the rock formations we saw earlier in the day, within moments we can be learning about geology and history at once.⁣ ⁣ I love that when my children discover role models they can look up to, we can dive in deep and learn from these people’s experiences.⁣ ⁣ And I especially love that whenever we need a dose of spiritual inspiration, incredible resources are only a few clicks away.⁣ ⁣ It’s a balancing act—an important-but-difficult line to walk, as parents. Visit the link in my profile (or swipe up in stories) to read 5 things I'm doing to help keep my kids safe online. I hope it helps your family, too. #SaferInternetDay #BeInternetAwesome #Sponsored
  • Our kids don’t need to be entertained or enrolled in all the things to be happy. In fact, the real magic of childhood is what happens in between the events written on our calendars. ⁣ ⁣ I sometimes feel like the odd parent out in my conscious decision not to over-schedule my kids. Sure, some days I worry that they’re missing out. That I’m holding them back by not buying into the idea that they need to be in activity A, B and C in order to have a bright future.⁣ ⁣ It isn’t easy to silence the voices that make me think we should do more and chase more. In fact, most days it feels like a constant tug of war.⁣⁣ ⁣ But the moments when I trust my instincts, ignore what the world outside tells me I SHOULD be doing as a mother, and instead follow what I know is right for my family (even if it means going against the grain), these are the times when I’ve felt most at peace.⁣⁣ ⁣ Here’s to finding the courage to miss out and creating more space for the magic. ✨
  • When we really think about it, we all know that we'd rather connect with the people around us than the screen in our hand...but the pull is real.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 10 things to do with 10 minutes—instead of checking your phone:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 1. Take a walk around your neighborhood.⁣ 👟 ⁣ 2. Read a book with your child.⁣ 📚 ⁣ 3. Light a candle and turn on some music. ⁣🎶⁣ 4. Make a healthy snack.⁣ 🥕 ⁣ 5. Gather supplies for a creative project – if you follow my stories you’ve seen some of the fun my girls and I are having in our art journals.⁣ 🎨 ⁣ 6. Go to sleep ten minutes earlier. You all know how I feel about sleep!⁣ 🛏 ⁣ 7. Get to know yourself better by taking a personality test.⁣ 📝 ⁣ 8. Do a random act of kindness.⁣ ❤️ ⁣ 9. Do some stretching.⁣ 🧘‍♀️⁣ 10. Write in your journal.⁣ ✏️ ⁣⁣ ⁣ If we could soak in any of those experiences in 10 distraction-free minutes, imagine what we could do with an hour? A day? A weekend?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ I’m determined to unplug from my phone more often. I know WHY I want to. Coming to the HOW and the WHEN is a work in progress. ⁣⁣ ⁣ How have you set up boundaries with your own phone use? I’d love some advice. ⁣ #neverstopexploring #visitcalifornia #timetoconnect #meetthemoment #forgetyourphone #unplug #mindfulness