The Great Kaysby

Self Care

From a young age, we are taught that putting ourselves before others is selfish. However, I have realized that I cannot be my best self for others if I don’t make time for self care. Wouldn’t you agree that you’re better in all areas of life when you’re also taking care of yourself? I know that I’m a better mom, wife, teacher, etc when I take time for self care!

I know I’ve talked about self care before, but I feel like reminders about it are always important. Reminder number one, if you’ve not had a checkup in a while, then making a doctors appointment for an annual exam can be a great start to self care. Reminder two, taking note of your physical health and noting changes can be crucial! I’ve been off of soda for a week and a half, and I can tell a difference in my digestive system (I was addicted to Diet Coke). I can also tell you when I haven’t drank enough water. Without adequate water in take, I feel less energetic. Third reminder, exercise is key to self care. This is one I really need to get back to because my walking and yoga have really been slacking. The slacking has led to being less energetic. Finally, this is your reminder to take time for things that make YOU happy. Read a book, paint a picture, play a game that people think is silly (I love the Sims), try something new, watch a show that makes you laugh, pamper yourself, etc. Do something that brings you joy at least once a day! I’m not a wellness expert, but I can assure you from my experience that these small steps to self care can make you feel better!

I hope these reminders help you remember that self care isn’t selfish. I know that it can be hard to put your needs first, but sometimes it is necessary!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Self Care

I hope these reminders help you remember that self care isn’t selfish. I know that it can be hard to put your needs first, but sometimes it is necessary!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

“Like a Bat Out of Hell”

2022 knows how to punch us while we’re down, am I right? Omicron is ravaging us, we’re mourning Bob, the weather is causing chaos, and this morning 2022 got us again when we woke up to the news of the death of Meat Loaf. I’m glad the weather had already cancelled school because I wouldn’t have been worth a hill of beans if I’d have had to work. Instead of doing anything productive, I spent the morning listening to Meat Loaf and reminiscing on great memories connected to his music.

Hot Patootie – my first experience with Meat Loaf came when I was 15. Me and some friends closed ourselves in our drama teacher’s office and watched part of The Rocky Horror Picture Show because a couple of us had never seen it. I enjoyed the beginning of the movie so much that I begged my parents to rent the VHS from Video Vault that weekend so I could finish it. For most people, Tim Curry is the scene stealer in the movie, but for me it was Eddie as I was yet to know Meat Loaf’s name. I totally understood why Columbia “very nearly loved him” over Frank.

Paradise By the Dashboard Lights – Following my enjoyment of RHPS, my aunt introduced me to the music of Meat Loaf. The first song she played for me was Paradise. As a teenager I didn’t want to admit to liking “old music”, but there was something about this epic length song (seriously I think Jim invented extended editions) with full on make out and sex noises brilliantly scripted to a baseball announcer that hooked you. The lyrics and emotions were raw, and the instrumental rifts were unprecedented. Needless to say, the next CD I bought for myself was Bat Out of Hell.

Bat Out of Hell – The album was epic! From the time I bought it, we would measure car trips by the number of songs you could listen to during the trip. Driving to school or work? One or two songs depending on traffic. Going to Grandma’s? The album would get us most of the way through Indiana! Me and my parents would crank it up and sing/yell all the words! Later in life this album and the music of Meat Loaf would become one of the first things me and Mr Kisby realized we like in common! You could say that Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth!

Life Is a Lemon – A lot of people don’t know the Meat Loaf songs that came out between Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II, but they are some of my favorites. I was particularly shocked to be on a car trip and the buddy riding with me knew the words to Life Is a Lemon. That was so cool! That also became the day we jammed to Meat Loaf while out driving a tornado! Side note, the best way to celebrate out driving a tornado is stopping at White Castle!

I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) – So many memories of this one! Remember the jukebox at Pizza Hut? Did anyone else have to stick around until this played because they had paid a quarter for it? I also remember this being the first dance song at a friends wedding. We got to watch them for 13 minutes as the twirled around the dance floor all smiling and googly eyed. But my best memory of this song? Four days before LilKsby was born, I was singing Karaoke, and this was my favorite song that I sang that night! Somewhere there’s a video of me with my big preggo belly singing away!

VH1 Storytellers – Now I realize that if you’re under 30, you’re probably thinking what is VH1? It’s where all the good music shows were aside from TRL. The Meat Loaf episode of Storytellers is amazing! I already knew his songs were great, but the stories behind them make them even more phenomenal! I’m not going to spoil the stories, so just check them out on Spotify. Keep in mind the whole episode only had one scripted line: “Welcome to Storytellers.” The rest is just Meat Loaf being real and doing the thing his music did best: tell stories.

I could talk for hours about all of my memories with Meat Loaf songs, but after all of these paragraphs, I imagine you might be getting bored. Also, my phone is almost out of battery. Until my next post, I challenge you to crank up some Meat Loaf, keep rocking, and keep living “like a bat out of hell”!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Dear Mamas of Miscarriage…

Dear Mamas of Miscarriage,

I know I’ve written to you before, but I wanted to remind you that you’re not traveling this stormy road alone. No matter how long it has been since you lost your little one, I know that you still think of them. Sometimes you think of what they would’ve looked like, and what it would’ve been like to hold their tiny hand in yours. You may even have dreams about them and what could’ve been. You’re not alone. I promise you; I understand.

No matter how long it has been, you still remember exactly how you felt when you found out or began to go through the loss process. At times – sometimes seemingly out of nowhere – that overwhelming sorrow will hit you like a ton of bricks. You’ll want to just stop and cry for the little one you never got to hold, and it is okay to cry no matter how long it has been. You’re not alone. I promise you; I understand.

When you’ve had a miscarriage, you can feel completely alone in the world. There is a lot of stigma around talking about miscarriages, but the reality is the only way to stop the stigma is to talk about them. When we experienced our loss, I remember thinking that I would be judged for having done something wrong to cause it, made to feel ashamed for what happened, and expected to never talk about something taboo. However, I found that for myself talking about it was a coping mechanism. By talking about it, I’ve had numerous others open up to me that I didn’t realize were concealing their own stories. You’re not alone. I promise you; I understand.

For the days when the memories hit you like a ton of bricks, you can reach out to me, and I’ll listen.

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

RIP America’s Dad

The curtain closed today for a man who was an integral part of life for many in my generation (kids born in the 80s). As many of us were putting our own children to bed tonight, we found out that Bob Saget – “America’s Dad” – had passed away unexpectedly. There aren’t a lot of celebrity deaths that hit me like a ton of bricks (I think the last one was Robin Williams in 2013, and he is still My Captain), but this one has me thrown for a loop. I’ve struggled this evening with being productive versus sitting and watching shows with Bob in them. Interestingly enough, I have been binge watching How I Met Your Mother again since right before Christmas, and one of my favorite parts has been his hypnotic story telling voice! I’m sure there are a lot of people thinking “How can you be upset about the death of someone you never met?” Simple, I – along with many others – grew up with Bob.

As a child, I was an AVID fan of Full House. I watched the show, read the books, had the posters, collected the trading cards, and owned a Michelle doll. “You got it dude!” I was an 8 year old super fan! During the same time period, we also spent a lot of Sunday nights watching America’s Funniest Home Videos. I remember sitting around with my family, watching, and laughing. At one point, I wanted us to win AFV, but I remember thinking that 10 stamps was an awful lot for a video that I wouldn’t get back. Bob was an integral part of my childhood, and I felt like if I ever got to meet him then it would have been like meeting a long lost uncle. He would’ve made me laugh, but he also wouldn’t have been afraid to punish me if I brought my swimming pool into the kitchen!

As an adult, Bob returned to my life as the Narrator on How I Met Your Mother. Previously I mentioned his hypnotic story telling voice. I appreciated it the first time through because of the comedic genius that he brought to the role without even appearing on screen. This second time through – especially since I’m a parent – I love the genius of the storytelling and at times story omitting while narrating Ted’s life. I know that a lot of the credit goes to the writers, but Bob brought the words to life in such a way that I wanted him to narrate my own “How I Met Your…” story.

Outside of the sitcom world, Bob could be a raunchy comedian. One of my favorite raunchy roles was when he played Abraham Lincoln on Historical Roasts. There was something great to me about seeing the clean cut guy from my childhood make mega adult themed jokes. I felt like watching it was a rite of passage. Like he knew those of us who loved clean cut Danny Tanner as children needed to see him in a different light now that we were mature enough to handle it. Guess what? He was right!

While I continue to process the loss of America’s Dad, I pray that Bob’s legacy will not be forgotten. I hope that he’s cracking jokes in the here after and entertaining the deity of his belief as I type. RIP Bob Saget and thanks for all the laughs!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Virtual Victories

Today I had the opportunity to participate in Ignite 2022, a virtual conference for one of my careers. I know there are a lot of people excited to return to in-person conferences, but I not so secretly hope that virtual conferences are here to stay. In fact, I believe that in some ways virtual conferences are better than in-person. Why? I’m glad you asked! Drum roll please…channels Dave Letterman… “And now, Top 10 Virtual Victories!”

Number 10 – Woke Up in My Bed – Some hotel beds are really nice, but I am much more rested when I get to wake up in my bed with my pillow that knows my head. Plus, not to sound all Goldilocks, but my mattress is just right!

Number 9 – Last Minute for the Win – I am a last minute person which can be problematic with in person conferences. In fact it’s usually why I’m late to the first session of the morning. But with virtual, I’m always on time even if I get out of the shower ten minutes before go time!

Number 8 – Fewer Distractions – Most of the time I have the attention span of a goldfish. There are times that talking to me is very reminiscent of talking to Dory in Finding Nemo. With virtual conferences, I can provide myself with the accommodations that I need for success like a quiet room, non distracting lighting, and stretch breaks to regain focus. I can also watch sitting or standing which can help me.

Number 7 – No Parking Issues – in my garage my car always has a spot! I don’t have to fret over where I’m going to park, if the Valet is going to lose my car (it happened once but that’s a story for another day), or how much parking costs!

Number 6 – Comfy Chair – can we all agree that most conference seats are not meant for bigger people? As a bigger person height and weight wise, I always feel like I’m sitting on the people next to me. I always feel uncomfortable when I feel like I’m up in somebody else’s business. Also, I’ve got back issues, so being at home in my own chair saves me from a post conference chiropractor appointment!

Number 5 – No Idle Chit Chat – I’m what one would call an extroverted introvert. I am good at being social, and I enjoy it in the right doses and settings. However, big events like conferences, open houses, vendor fairs, etc drain my battery. I enjoy them while they are happening, but afterwards I need time to recuperate mentally and emotionally.

Number 4 – Dress Up from the Waist Up – I spent the whole conference in pajama pants! From the waist up I had on a nice shirt, cardigan, jewelry, and makeup done. However, I had on comfy pants! Also, I didn’t have to wear shoes! Wearing shoes all day is for the birds!

Number 3 – Best Concession Stand Ever – Imagine a concession stand with no waiting where water doesn’t cost $4 a bottle and only favorite foods are served! That’s right, the best concession stand is my own kitchen! This concession stand served Caesar salad, pomegranates, Diet Coke, and water! Glad it was all free because I drank 4 bottles of water!!! Best part? I didn’t have to worry about things I won’t eat or am allergic to! My concession stand rocks!

Number 2 – No Line at the Ladies Room – Any time I had to go to the bathroom, there was no line! I could just walk right in my own bathroom and go! Bonus? No questionable droplets on the toilet seat and no cringing because people for some reason forget how to flush in public!

Number 1 – Time With Family – When I attend virtual conferences I get to see my husband and toddler IMMEDIATELY when it is over. There’s no travel time where I’m super antsy and irritable because I miss them so much. All I have to do is leave my office! Approximately 10 steps from my office to my hugs!

What are your top Virtual Victory for Virtual Conferences?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Top Tips for 2022

Since just before the new year began, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting. I’ve been attempting in my spare moments to work on my vision journal, and I’ve realized that it’s meant to be a work in progress not a project completed in one sitting. That said, I’ve also come up with some other tips for 2022 that you might find helpful:

1. Minimize – clean out the clutter you don’t need or that no longer brings you joy. Trash it, put it in a yard sale, or donate it to a worthy charity thrift store. What you think of as junk might be a blessing to someone else.

2. Unplug – Find things to do that don’t require technology. Craft, create, read a book, exercise, get outside…do something besides stare at a screen. I’m preaching to myself on this one!

3. Take Baths – I’m not saying take a bath or shower for hygiene. Well, yes do that, but occasionally fill the bath, light a candle, add Epsom salts or bubble bath, and enjoy the water. It’s relaxing!

4. Renew Your Faith – if you’re a person of faith be it Pagan, Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu, or another faith take time to submerse yourself in your teachings. Take time to remind yourself of your basic philosophies and renew your soul. The soul yearns for growth and renewal to stay strong!

5. Physical Wellness – get a physical, visit the eye doctor, go to the dentist, see a chiropractor, etc. You have one body that could last you for over 100 years so take care of it!

6. Quality Time – Spend quality time with those you love the most. Do so in a pandemic safe manner of course! When you’re spending quality time, make sure you’re present in the moment. This is a big one that I’m working on this year! I miss so much by being absorbed in something irrelevant!

7. Stop Believing the Internet – Say this with me “Just because it’s on the Internet doesn’t make it true.” Make this your mantra. Repeat it frequently, and when you do conduct Internet research check your sources! For example, my background is in the beauty industry, so I hope you would never believe me if suddenly I was trying to dispense brain surgery or aeronautical device!

What’s your tip for 2022?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Real of Reality

Let me say what I know a lot of people are thinking today: I am not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. Negative Nellies will see that statement and think things such as “She’s just lazy and wants to sleep in” or “She’s so selfish! She just had two weeks off”. However, that’s not the case. Just as I know this isn’t the case for all of the people I’ve seen on my social media saying they are depressed about returning to work, have almost cried today over returning, etc. The real of reality is that the core values for work force members are changing abs the values of many employers are not.

For a few decades following the Great Depression, it seems as though the reality of why people worked was solely for a paycheck. They wanted to go to work, make enough money to ensure their family lived adequately, and be able to retire with the pension they knew they would get for x years of service. This reality made employer’s very happy because it meant people working long hours which tends to lead to higher profits.

For members of today’s work force, priorities are changing. Our (I use this in a general sense knowing that it doesn’t apply to every single person) reality is that we want to be valued as people and not just a faceless, nameless human among the masses. We want to feel as though our employers care about our mental and physical health; we want to feel like our priorities that put family above career are important. We are tired of being made to feel guilty for attempting to prioritize our health, the needs of our families, and for wanting people to care more about the well being of others than a profit margin. At the end of the day, many of us are willing to work one, two, or even three jobs for an employer who cares and allows us to live by our priorities as opposed to working for one employer who doesn’t treat us like a person. We’ve realized that happiness and wellness are more important than a paycheck!

For me personally, the real of reality means being away from LilKsby and Mr Kisby, who I’ve spent the last two weeks with except for about five hours, for 9 hours a day. I’ll get to see them for 30 minutes in the morning, then we will have maybe 3 hours before LilKsby goes to bed because he doesn’t nap at daycare. That’s 3 and a half hours with the sweetest most precious boy in the whole world. It’s maybe 5 hours with Mr Kisby, but usually less because of cleaning and prepping for the next day. For someone who believes family is more important than a career, do you see why it’s hard for me to want to return to work even to a job I enjoy? I know I’m not the only mama who feels this way!

So that is the way I see the real of reality. Factor in Covid related anxiety’s with how I’m going to miss my family like crazy, and there you have it. Am I hoping to win the Powerball? Yup. Does that mean I don’t love what I do? Nope. I just love being mama and wife more than employee. Anyone else agree with this real of reality?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

7 Colors

Happy 2022! This morning I began my year by attending a Sankalpa session at my favorite yoga studio with one of the kindest, most caring instructors on the planet. The session involved yoga, guided meditations, intention setting, and snacks. One of my favorite parts of the morning involved the seven chakra zones and thinking of images you associate with those chakra colors. I’m a complete novice when it comes to the concept of chakras, but my reflection this morning was very powerful! So, I thought I would share my experience so that others may feel empowered!

1. Red (Root) = comfort and safety. For this chakra I imagined red hair. In my life my hair, which is red although some bottle assistance is required these days, has always been a security blanket. I’ve always found comfort in twirling or running my fingers through my hair. I’ve also always found safety in being able to hide behind my hair.

2. Orange (Sacral) = Pleasure. I immediately thought of sunrise and sunset! For me the image of the rising or setting sun melting into the horizon is pure joy and calm. During these moments I feel so blessed by everything given to us in this life. It’s the best time to see miracles!

3. Yellow (Solar Plexus) equals strength. This time I thought of sunflowers. Sunflowers always remind me of one of my grandmothers. She lived in Kansas, and she was very much like a sunflower. She was strong and beautiful, and an inspiration of what a loving wife, mother, and grandmother should be.

4. Green (Heart) = acceptance and compassion. I immediately thought of nature specifically grass and trees. There is something about nature that makes me feel like everything is or is going to be okay depending on the situation. There’s also something about being in nature that just fills me up with compassion too. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is, but it’s there.

5. Turquoise (throat) = communication. I immediately thought of the turquoise waters of Half Moon Cay. In these waters you can see the sand below clearly! I pray that I am able to communicate like those turquoise waters. I pray that my communication in the new year is clear, calm, and filled with the same pure spirit as those waters.

6. Indigo (Third Eye) equals intuition and trust. I didn’t actually come up with an image for this one. When I think of indigo, I lean more heavily to the blue part. Blue – my favorite color – just makes me happy. My thought with this chakra is that I hope I do a better job this year of following my gut instead of over analyzing everything!

7. Purple (Crown) equals knowledge and fulfillment. This one made me think of the Princess Diana Beanie Baby. For one, I thought of it because Princess Diana was a great role model. She admitted her flaws (such as her marital issues), but she still found ways to serve the people through humanitarian efforts and leave the world better than she found it. Serving others is very fulfilling for me! Secondly, my second grandma’s favorite color was purple. That’s why as a gift I gave her this particular Beanie Baby. Thinking of her reminds me of all the real life knowledge she had (her highest education was eighth grade) that has helped me in my own life. She’s been gone 11 years this month, but she is still teaching me lessons!

For my readers, I hope this blog post gets you thinking about the chakra colors and what they can mean for you. For me, I hope this post helps me to stay grounded in my values in 2022. Happy New Year everyone!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Stretch Stories

Did you ever have a Stretch or Fetch Armstrong as a kid? Ideally you could pull on them and pull on them, and they would temporarily distort before going mostly back to their original state. My Fetch Armstrong worked in this manner until the day the stretchy inside stuff started oozing out of it. In contrast to this incident, when we stretch, no matter how we’re stretching, we often find that we have a new story to tell. In my experience, while stretching may be difficult, it is a rewarding story in the end.

To start, let’s jump right in and talk about stretch stories in terms of stretch marks. In a world full of creams designed to minimize the appearance of stretch marks, I’m going to be bold and say that I love my stretch marks! Society may deem my tiger stripes to be ugly, but to me my tiger stripes are a reminder that my body performed the miracle of growing a baby! As that baby was growing, I gained 31 pounds, and I don’t regret a single pound of it! Now whenever I look at those stretch marks, I can think about the story they tell of my pregnancy and birthing journey! Side note: I think of my c-section scar as a beautiful thing too!

Even though it cannot be seen, I also think that mental stretching is a great story teller! In my opinion (I’m not an expert) mental stretching can be as simple as doing math without a calculator or as complex as challenging yourself to learn a new language or skill. In either case, when you do these mental stretching activities, you learn things about yourself. Just yesterday, I used mental math skills that I hadn’t used in a while. I was amazed at my brain’s ability to still do it! Likewise, when I started doing brain puzzles again, I was amazed by how quickly they came back to me! They say that mental stretching can also help with keeping your memory sharp! Plus it’s always a great feeling to know that you can do something you thought impossible!

Speaking of things you thought were impossible, there’s some stories that literal stretching can tell! Last summer I took several yoga classes, and do you know what stories I learned from that stretching? One, at 38 I can still put my foot over my head. Two, my body can with correct training do Hot or Glow yoga and reap the benefits without feeling ill. Three, I can stretch and release tensions from my body! When I was regularly practicing yoga, I felt more relaxed than I have in a long time! Now that’s a great stretch story!

How about when you stretch? Do you feel your confidence boosted by instances of mental or physical stretching? Has it been so long since you’ve stretched your body or brain that you need to do it for a reminder of how you feel? What stories do you want your personal stretching to tell in the future?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Hallmark Happiness

We’ve all seen the memes about how all Hallmark Christmas movies have the same basic plot and all end the same way with a kiss. Whether it’s a big city girl who has to choose a “dream job” over love or a sweet yet sassy small town gal who doesn’t even know she’s looking for love, you know there is going to be a happy ending where everything magically works out phenomenally. These movies are highly unrealistic, but they have a way of making you feel good. Seriously, my heart melts so much while watching Hallmark movies! I really hadn’t watched any until last year, and now I’ve watched/listened to 52 of Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas movies (typically I do other things while they are playing, but I’m always able to get this gist). That said, if you want to dip your toes in the Hallmark Christmas Countdown pond in 2022, these are the ten I recommend (keep in mind there will probably be like 25 more new ones in 2022) for some Hallmark Happiness:

10. The Santa Stakeout (2021) – First things first, Tamera Mowry-Housley has been a favorite actress of mine since her Sister, Sister days! She does an amazing job of bringing to life characters who have a serious side and a comedic side. This movie capitalized on that with some LOL comedy while throwing in a good old art heist plot!

9. A Shoe Addict’s Christmas (2018) – Candace Cameron Bure (yet another longtime favorite of mine because I’m a 90s kid) stars in this rom com featuring a lot of designer shoes that I’ll never be able to afford. The storyline is fun if you’re into the guardian angel helps a lost soul find their way plot. What puts this movie in the top ten is who plays the guardian angel: Jean Smart. Her comedic timing is genius! Don’t believe me? Watch any of her comedies!

8. Let It Snow (2013) – One of Candace’s most underrated Christmas movies is one of the best. The setting for this movie – a family owned resort – is absolutely breathtaking! I love all the traditional activities for Christmas that happen at the resort, and this movie makes outdoor snow activities look super fun! I can’t put my finger on it fully, but there was something delightfully heartwarming about this movie!

7. Merry and Bright (2019) – yet another 90s child star is the main actress in this film: Jodie Sweetin! I feel like a lot of people don’t give Jodie the credit she deserves because they get caught up on how she had substance abuse problems in the past. To those people, I must say that you need to make like Frozen and let it go. She’s got great comedic acting skills, and she’s got a beautiful smile that radiates joy! Plus you cannot judge someone’s present life by their past (also a common Hallmark movie moral). Bonus, this movie revolves around a candy factory. Who doesn’t get excited about food at Christmas?

6. Finding Santa (2017) – Another Jodie film! This one is super cute as she goes on a crusade to find the son of the town Santa and convince him to play Santa. The actors who play Santa and the son do a great job, and the hijinks that all of the characters get into will make you LOL. Also, this movie includes Santa School which looks super fun!

5. Switched for Christmas (2017) – I’ve always loved stories involving twins ever since I was an avid Sweet Valley reader back in the day. I legit followed the Wakefield twins all the way from Sweet Valley Kids to Sweet Valley Confidential! Not to mention the previously mentioned love of Sister, Sister! Before I even watched this movie, I knew I’d love it because it involved twins. Throw in a story line where the twins switch places, and you’ve got me hook, line, and sinker! I love the mischievous mayhem of twin swaps! Bonus, the twins are played by Candace!

4. Christmas Comes Twice (2020) – Tamera is the star of this film about a magic carousel that takes her back in time to change the trajectory of her life. First of all, the idea of a Christmas carnival with a magic carousel is just fun. Time travel? That’s an even better story element! Combine the two, and you know it is going to be a good time!

3. Christmas Town (2019) – the last Candace movie on my list that I just rewatched/relistened to this evening! This is the sweetest story about a small town known for its hospitality and Christmas festival!!! It involves communities helping one another, foster care and adoption, and the most welcoming people! For all of you Sabrina the Teenage Witch fans, Beth Broderick plays a key supporting character in this one!

2. Christmas At the Plaza (2019) – This movie is set at the Plaza Hotel, and it involves a super charming story about a lady who is hired to dig into the hotel’s holiday history. The historical element is a lot of fun, and the historical Christmas ornaments are beautiful. However, what really makes this movie a must see is Ryan Paevey. In my opinion he is to Hallmark movies what many saw Rege-Jean Page being to Bridgerton. Before becoming a Hallmark regular, he was a model and soap opera actor.

1. A Timeless Christmas (2020) – Another Ryan Paevey movie! This is hands down my favorite Hallmark Christmas movie! It combines time travel, mystery, and romance! Plus the majority of the film is set in a historical mansion in which the employees reenact the past via living history tours. The early 1900s costumes are stunning, and the period decor is charming! These kinds of tours are something I’ve always enjoyed in real life, so turning one into a Christmas movie makes it even better!

So there you have it…my top Hallmark Christmas movies! What are your favorites?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

“It Wasn’t Your Fault”

December 23 has been one of my least favorite days for the past 11 years. I don’t know if I’ve blogged about it before, but December 23, 2010 was the day that I tried to save my grandma’s life. I can’t tell you what for sure prompted me to call her at the moment I did, but something urged me to call her. Her words to me when she answered were “Call an ambulance”. Long story short, I called for the ambulance (very difficult phone call to make), they took her to the hospital, and after 27 days her physical body released her soul to fly home to Heaven.

Since this occurred, I’ve dreaded December 23. For years, I’ve carried a guilt associated with this day, and I’ve tried to just wait it out as quietly as possible each year. This is also difficult because sometimes I can be an emotional roller coaster. Last night, I was talking about my dislike of December 23 with my family, and my mom said something that I didn’t know I needed to hear. She told me four simple words: “It wasn’t your fault.”

Hearing those four simple words was like a light switch going off in my brain. Those words started to release me from a decade of guilt, and they reminded me that I was just trying to help. I didn’t kill my grandmother by calling an ambulance; I tried to help her by calling an ambulance!

Even with this feeling of release, parts of today were hard. However, I feel like I didn’t dread the day as much. I could see the sunshine through the clouds so to speak, and I could feel the start of healing. I’m going to remember my moms words – “It wasn’t your fault” – and I’m going to keep in healing!

I pray and hope that if there is something that wasn’t your fault that you’ve been harboring guilt over, you are able to start finding peace too.

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Monday Musings

Do you ever find yourself thinking the most random thoughts? Today has been a full day of them for me! Some of the thoughts have been funny; some of the thoughts have been profound. In either case, I thought if I was having these musings on a Monday, then I might as well share them!

1. Jimmy Gibbler – A lot of Fuller House fans were perplexed by Kimmy suddenly having a younger brother named Jimmy. It’s true that Kimmy mentioned older sisters and an older brother named Garth in Full House. Though they were mentioned a handful of times, they were never seen. It should also be noted that their reason for being mentioned was because they were older and Kimmy and DJ talked about the cool stuff they did. Jimmy on the other hand is about 12 years younger than Kimmy. (Stephanie is five years younger than Kimmy and DJ, and in an episode where Stephanie is 35, Jimmy talks about turning 28 soon). This would mean that Jimmy wouldn’t have even been born until season two or three of Full House, making him only five or six when it ended. Growing up, I don’t remember any of my good friends talking much about younger siblings. I also never went over to a friends house to hang with their siblings instead of them. Likewise, I never invited over a friend’s sibling. Therefore, I think it is very logical for Jimmy Gibbler to exist in Fuller House and not in Full House.

2. Turn Signals – Why are they so hard for people to use when driving? In every car I’ve driven, they are in the same place, so it can’t be that people can’t find the turn signal. I get very frustrated when people don’t use turn signals. On the same note, slamming on your breaks, stopping in the middle of the road, waiting a moment, then turning on your turn signal is just as bad.

3. Aldi Is Amazing – This morning, 3 hours before my pickup time, Aldi messaged to let me know they were behind and needed to delay my order. Two and a half hours before the reassigned pickup time, they texted to say they’d started shopping. I also texted directly with the shopper as they shopped to approve substitutions. They ended up being done an hour before my original pickup time and two hours before the adjusted time. Aldi is amazing!!!

4. Santa Photos – A lot of kids are afraid of Santa when they are really little. I get it. I was afraid of the Slush Puppy even though my aunt was the one inside of it. Seriously, I repeatedly punched the Slush Puppy in the tail. As a parent, I’m fully aware LilKsby might also have my issues with mascot style figures. So do I hope for a good picture, or is it okay to think it would be amusing for a picture where he’s crying, screaming at Santa, or running from Santa? Does the latter make me a bad mama or mean I have a sense of humor?

5. Phrases Like “To Be Honest” – When people frequently start a sentence with “To be honest”, “If I’m being honest”, or “I’ll be honest”, do they have a history of not speaking the truth? I’m guilty of using these phrases from time to time. If I use them, I immediately think that I shouldn’t have said them. I also try to teach others to not use these phrases. If I impart any knowledge to those I teach, I hope it is the importance of honesty!

What random thoughts are you having on this Monday?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Stronger Together

From a young age we are taught the importance of independence. We are taught how important it is to be self reliant and not need the help of others. In a lot of instances this is true. It’s good to be able to take care of your own hygiene needs; it’s good to be able to cook for yourself; it’s good to be able to take care of your own basic daily living needs. However, there are times in our lives when we are stronger together and having people work together accomplishes more than an individual can achieve. The Tornadoes of December 10 and 11 are a great example of people being stronger together!

December 10 started out as an ordinary day for me. I was going to work, and that night I planned to have LilKsby watch Santa come by on the fire truck that night. During my second block class, students started asking me if I thought there would be tornadoes that night. I’m not big on paying attention tothe weather – that is more of Mr Kisby’s department – so I said “oh I don’t know”. As the day went on, I realized the threat of storms was very really. When the fire department preventively cancels Santa, you know the weather is going to be bad! The threat quickly became reality as around 10:15 the first tornado warning – yes first – was issued for our area. While taking cover in our basement, I first noticed how important being stronger together in a disaster is. I can’t count how many people were posting about the warnings on social media to make sure everyone was informed. I also can’t tell you how many messages I saw asking if people were accounted for or people saying they were safe. Even once the first warning expired, people were checking in one another making sure everyone had what they needed and offering help as they could.

Two hours later, the second warning was issued. I was sure that this time we would be hit. By pure luck and helpful geography, we were spared. However many were not so lucky. It turned out that during 24 hours and 11 minutes on December 10 and 11, there were 61 tornadoes from the storm system including the Quad State Tornado and the Tornado Family that damaged much of Western Kentucky. The destruction that was seen by the late of day on December 11 was incomprehensible even with pictorial evidence. The light of day was devastating to say the least. However, the devastation once again proved that people are stronger together.

How did a tornado outbreak prove people were stronger together? Simple, people have come together by the multitude to help. Organizations have spear headed donation drives and taken semi truck loads of needed items like diapers, baby wipes, water, personal hygiene items, etc to the impacted areas. Small business owners of food trucks have driven hours to go Western Kentucky just to give free meals to those in need. I’ve heard of people donating blood; I’ve heard of people taking their excavators to help go through the rumble. I’ve seen personal vehicles lined up to take donations to drop off points. I’ve seen people open their homes to serve meals. Dollar donations have also been amazing! The support of people uniting to help is proof that even though we are taught to be independent that we are stronger together!

As time goes forward and areas begin to heal from the devastation, I hope that the importance of stronger together will remain. I hope that we will continue to be stronger together in everyday life and not just during tragedies.

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Thanksgiving Night Thinking

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

The day’s festivities have come to a close, and I find myself in that weird post holiday celebration mode of “What am I supposed to be doing?” You don’t want to just go to bed because it is still super early, but at the same time you don’t want to do anything mentally taxing because it has been a relaxing day. Anyone else in this mode?

Before the pandemic, I would have been trying to go to bed by 10, so that getting up at 4 to go shopping still meant getting 6 hours of asleep! I never would be in bed that early because I’d be too busy picking out the best deals and strategizing what to get. This year even though we occasionally take LilKsby out to non-crowded places, we’re still not taking him out like pre-pandemic because toddlers can’t get vaccinated, and he only keeps his mask on for like three minutes. That said, it really surprised me how much I miss this part of Thanksgiving night! I’ve been lamenting it so much that this evening that Mr Kisby even asked me if I want to go shopping tomorrow. I told him no because I don’t really want to go in stores; I just like the idea of it.

Truth be told, I hadn’t even thought about actually going shopping until this week. The catalyst for change? I went to a funeral visitation for one of my professional mentors. They weren’t very old, and they were a big reason I am where I am today professionally. Their passing has been a reminder of just how precious life is, and how important it is to spend your time doing the things you enjoy with those you love. Even though what you enjoy may seem trivial to others, take time to do it!

I know that I am not the only person coping with loss this week. My hope is that as all of those who are healing from loss find comfort and know that while their hearts will always ache, it will become easier. (I know first hand that holidays after loss can be hard, but they do get easier with time.) I hope that everyone will find a way to do something that brings them joy if not today or tomorrow then one day soon. If this means going shopping, then I hope you shop! If this means singing in the shower so loudly that your throat hurts, I hope you sing your heart out! If this means walking alone in the woods to clear your mind, I hope you walk!

I know that this is some deep thinking for a day usually spent pondering family, food, naps, and TV, but sometimes we just have to get our thoughts out! What things are you thinking about on Thanksgiving night?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby