Life is Beautiful

Motherhood, Sewing, Family

Dressing Up as My Korean Ancestor!

~ Etc.

 

 

 

These are the photographs of my grandmother. I didn’t get a chance to know her much because when I was born, she was paralyzed and couldn’t speak and then passed away when I was about 8 years old. Several years prior to me being born, she was hit by a semi-truck on her way home from church on a Sunday and was in a coma for over a year. The truck driver took her to the hospital but since she was unconscious and without any form of I.D, they had no idea of knowing her identity so there wasn’t much they could do.

My family having no clue what happened to her or where she was, looked for her for over two years until she was conscious and coherent enough to one day tell the nurse her name when the nurse was more talking to herself and saying something to the lines of, “Oh, you poor lady, you can’t even say your name or know what’s going on.” Then she was startled when my grandmother suddenly said, “I know who I am! My name is Jung-Su Ok!”

I still remember driving around everywhere for hours looking for her, my mom and my grandfather lifting the newspapers of the homeless people who were sleeping on benches, to see if it was my grandmother under it. I was too young to understand then but now looking back, I cannot fathom the devastation or the fear my mom and my grandfather must have felt! But they never lost faith or hope and eventually, found her and brought her home. I saw my grandfather take such gentle care of her and saw how much my mom sacrificed to be her caretaker.

I am in awe of the strength my family had and the excellent care they gave her until her passing. I learned a lot about family values, loyalty and the immense love we should have for our families, through my family and I am so grateful for their amazing example.

 

I had the chance to work with Relative Race, a great family show about finding their long-last relatives while on a race across the country and are given clues and challenges along the way, to help promote season 4. They had the idea of dressing each of us as one of our ancestors and talk about our memories of them and I chose my grandmother. I had to rummage through some old boxes to find photographers of her and two days after I found the photos and sent it to BYUtv, they had the set ready and my wardrobe picked out and MUA’s waiting for me and I was so impressed!

Would you like to see the photos from the photoshoot?

 

Each one of us were transformed into our ancestors, what do you think?

 

The day I went into set to receive a transformation was the day my dad passed away exactly one year ago. So as you can imagine, I was very emotional when talking about my grandmother who has also passed away, and I just kept crying. If you watch the second video, you’ll be able to tell by my shaky voice. But it was a great experience and I believe our ancestors are very involved in our daily lives, more than we realize, and I felt close to my grandmother and also my dad that day. It was a special day for me.

Relative Race just aired their premier of season 4, if you’ve never watched it, it is very entertaining, heartfelt and uplifting. So you are definitely missing out and you should check it out! You can watch all of their past episodes for free here: http://relativerace.com/sarah

 

Watch this video below for behind the scenes of the photo shoot

 

Watch this video below for the full interview by BYUtv!

 

 

 

So what do you think of the photo shoot?

 

Our family’s top 7 favorite board games

~ Etc.

 

 

This post is sponsored By Kindercare. Thank you for your support!

 

 

I am a big believer that when teaching kids how to learn, it should be done in a fun, creative way. It’s especially important for young kids to associate learning with fun because it instills in them the excitement and the love for learning from the very beginning which will shape how they view learning for the rest of their lives! When they associate learning with fun, they will more likely engage in learning willingly and happily.

 

My favorite way to teach my kids is to play board games with them. Whether it’s with the whole family or just me and the child, it’s one of my kids’ favorite things to do to as a family and it’s a win-win for me because many board games teach them to learn in one way or another, whether it be geography, adding or subtracting, counting numbers, reading, team work or strategy and negotiating.

 

Here are my family’s top 7 favorite board games. My kids love them and they always want to play these games and never get sick of them. Me on the other hand, I am about done after 15 minutes into the game and I am squirming on the inside with boredom. Haha, anyone else? I do it for the kids, it’s all about the kids.

 

My family’s top 7 favorite board games
  1. Sleeping Queens – invented by a little girl herself, this one is my kids’ favorite game of all time.
  2. Uno– the classic Uno, you can’t go wrong.
  3. The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game – this game is really cute and helps with coordination and motor skills.
  4. Exploding Kittens – I have never personally played it but my girls played it at their aunt’s house and have been raving about it since.
  5. Monopoly Junior -because the regular Monopoly goes on way too long. This one is a lot shorter, hallelujah!
  6. Polynesian Voyage – my 5 year old son loves this game!
  7. The Settlers of Catan- this is for older kids. I can’t wait until they’re all old enough to play this game!
 
This little boy right here recently turned 5 years old and will be starting Preschool this Fall. We decided to hold him back a year since he has a Summer birthday. Jay was adamant on holding our son back a year, mainly because of sports, but if you ask him, he’ll never admit it! After asking many moms and teachers, most did seem to agree that you never meet a parent whom regretted holding their child back but you do meet parents who have regretted sending their kids a year early, especially for boys. So after agreeing with my husband to hold our son back a year, it was very important for me to look for a Preschool that would still challenge him mentally and he wouldn’t get bored and tune himself out.

 

Because having him be challenged in school is important to me, Kindercare is a Preschool I would feel good sending my son to. What initially started in 1969 for mothers starting in the workforce because they needed a place to take care of their children, has evolved 50 years later into a well-established and respected schools all across the Nation.

I have been impressed by their school’s statistics such as kids enrolled in their kindergarten programs test at first-grade levels in both reading and math, they know that it’s not all about academic but in order to be successful in the rapidly changing world today, kids need skills like creativity, collaboration and critical-thinking. They also emphasize in “executive function” skills, which includes things like mental flexibility, perseverance, and focus. I love that!

I feel like these skills are even more important than, dare I say being book smart in the world of day! These traits and qualities will get you farther in life and in the work force and I love that Kindercare notices that and makes it it’s utmost importance next to academic learning. Read about their blog post about how Kindercare kids test better and are better prepared for school.

 

I had the chance to talk with a KinderCare Legacy Award Winning Teacher, DeeDee over the phone where I got to ask any questions I wanted and here are the things I was impressed with, upon talking to her.

 

  • Lunch and snacks- KinderCare follows the healthy plate consisting of a green, fruit, protein, milk or water and no juice. They provide plenty of fresh veggies and fruit. Certain days they offer everything vegetarian, they use all whole wheat instead of white flour such as whole wheat pancakes and they try to cut down on sugar by offering only a small portion of syrup or using butter instead of jelly.
  • It is not a daycare, it’s more a preschool.
  • There are absolutely no worksheets. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this.
  • Each student keeps a journal.
  • All the learning is done through music!
  • They teach not only academics but also social and emotional learning as well.
  • The students learn Spanish, geometry and algebra even at an early Preschool age, catered to their understanding.
  •  I asked how they discipline, this is probably the most important factor for me. DeeDee said they never shame or embarrass the kids for feeling emotions and acting on their emotions and teach them that it’s okay to feel unpleasant, it’s okay to feel upset, mad or sad. The teachers encourage the students to use their words so the teachers can understand how they feel, and instead of punishing them, they believe in redirecting the kids’ focus and attention to something else. I was very impressed with her answer and want to use the rule of distraction on my kids as well!

 

I still cannot believe my little baby is half a decade old. I hope at his new Preschool, he’ll learn to thrive and enjoy his time there by developing strong academics, and other just-as-important life skills as well. I love him so much. And I need to stop looking at these old photos or else I’m going to want another baby!

Zok Relief | A Cure for Migraine/Headaches

~ Etc.

 

 

This post is sponsored by Zok Relief, an amazing product that cures headaches or migraines instantly! I know you’ll love it as much as I do and I’m so excited to share this product with you!

 

cure for headache

cure for headache

cure for headache

 

Watch this video or read below. To view fullscreen, click on the title of the video.

I’ve suffered from migraines since I was 6 years old. My mom even took me to see various doctors to see if there was anything we could do and my mom even bought me a very expensive, special pillow to see if it would help. It didn’t. None of the doctors ever found anything wrong and in the almost 30 years I’ve suffered from migraines, I tried essential oils, drinking a ton of water, sleeping, but none of themworked so I just take medication whenever I felt it coming and planned on doing so for the rest of my life.

Then Zok Relief reached out to me and asked if I’d like to come in to see Dr. Hatch for a migraine curing device so I can share it with you. I highly doubted this so called device would really cure my migraines so I said why don’t you send me the device first and then I’ll try it out and see if it really works. Then I will see if I want to take the time to come meet with the doctor. They sent it to me several months ago and it just sat in my kitchen until about 1 1/2 months later when I actually got a migraine. Super skeptical and highly doubting that it would really work, I tried it thinking what have I got to lose? I puffed some air into my ear and then BOOM. It disappeared instantly. My migraine instantly went away! You should’ve seen my face, my eyes got really big and I looked at Zok and thought, “Whoa, what is this? WHAT IS THIS???” and then contacted them and said I’d like to meet with Dr. Hatch to find out what this device really is and why it works!

Dr. Hatch was so impressive to me and after seeing how honest and noble of a man he was, I love this product even more. Watch the 20 second video below to see how this device was invented. To view full size, click on the title of the video.

 

 

And here is an in-depth explanation of how our brain works and why the Zok works, explained by Dr. Hatch. To view full size, click on the title of the video.

 

And a simple instruction on how to use Zok. There are two different ways and it’s up to you which one. Dr. Hatch says he usually does the first method shown in the video, he deflates the device, then puts it inside the ear and then holds it there for 20 seconds.

 

 

Dr. Hatch said to use it on the side of the ear that hurts more, so if your right side is throbbing more, then use it on your right ear. Or do it on both if both are hurting! I have used it 3 times now over a period of several months and it has worked every time. My girls have had headaches and it’s worked for them every time as well. The first time I used it, the headache did come back a few hours later but it’s like that for me with medication as well. So you can use it again, and I make sure to drink lots of water and rest. I think the best case scenario is to take care of ourselves to prevent the migraines from coming in the first place, by making sure we get enough rest, meditate or drink plenty of water but if a migraine comes our way, the next best case scenario is to use Zok. Each of the times I’ve used it though, I did not have a throbbing, intense headache but it was only in the beginning stages so I can’t tell you from personal experience if it’ll work for a very intense headache/migraine. But Dr. Hatch has treated many patients with minor to severe migraines/headaches and has had a very high success rate. I think if it doesn’t get rid of it completely, even if it eases your pain while you’re waiting for the medication to kick in,  it’s worth the $22!

I asked Zok Relief if there was any way they could offer a discount for my lovely readers because I want every household to have it and they agreed on a discount! It’s regularly $29.99 but with my code: SARAH25 it is only $22 AND free shipping! This deal is for pre-orders and it’ll ship out in August. So go grab one before they ship it out and it won’t be free shipping anymore!

BUY IT HERE: Zok Relief and use code: SARAH25

 

And after you receive it, come back and tell me how much you love it! It really is a life changing device.

 

5 Ways to Help Your Kids to Love Reading

~ Etc.

 
 

This post is sponsored by Kindercare, a preschool I’ve been very impressed with. Thank you for supporting this blog!

 

 

Getting a high-quality education was one of the main reasons why my parents immigrated here from Korea when I was 2 years old. My dad came to get a Ph.D for himself and so that his children can receive a better education. So getting good grades and a good education was always instilled in our family.

 

When I became a mom, I knew I wanted to instill that same importance to them as well and one of the best ways I could think of was to make sure my kids learned to love reading. So since they were very little, I read them many books but I didn’t just read to them, but incorporated fun, creative ways to make reading really fun and exciting. Now my kids have a strong love for reading, and my oldest child reads so much and wants to read during family dinner or even when her friends come over to play that we are constantly telling her to put her book down!

 

Here are 5 ways I made reading fun and exciting.

 

 

1. If they’re too little to read by themselves, listen to an audio book! Harry Potter is our family favorite and my kids couldn’t wait to be able to read the book when we were done with the audio series. Road trips are a great time to listen to them so you can listen for a longer period of time without having to pause frequently.

 

2. Act out parts in the book! Not just with using an animated voice or switching voices for every character, if there’s a part about a bathtub, have everyone huddle up inside the tub to read. If it’s about tickling or hugging, tickle or hug them as you read those parts. If it mentions dancing, twirl around or have a silly dance party!

 

3. Incorporate yummy food into reading. If the book mentions pizza, have a family pizza night or have them make their own pizzas. If it mentions popsicles, stop the book and have everyone run to the freezer to grab a popsicle so they can eat it while you resume reading. Food always makes everything more fun!

 

4. Read in a special setting. If it’s during Halloween, read a scary book in the dark with a flashlight, under the covers or in a hiding place. Go to a beautiful park and sit under the tree in the shade to read while sitting on a blanket.

 

5. Go to the library and have them pick out their own books. Don’t limit what they can and cannot read(as long as it’s appropriate of course), whether it be a comic book, a book about Captain underpants, a book with only pictures and no words, a book much below or higher than their reading level, it doesn’t matter! They’ll love the freedom and the independence they have when coming to the library and they know they can pick out whatever book they please.

 

Reading is so important in paving the way for our kids to have a higher-quality education, especially while they’re young. Reading helps with spelling, grammar, writing, eloquence, creativity, and being more open minded.

 

And just like reading, choosing the right Preschool for your child is so important. But it can be very overwhelming!

 

But I found this article by Kindercare very helpful in what to look for in finding a Preschool that’s best for your child as well as the rest of the family.

 

And I’m not going to lie, I am looking forward to school starting so I can get some alone time. I don’t want Summer to go any faster and I am enjoying my time with them but Summer can be crazy! And it’s important for us mothers to have our alone time regularly. I was feeling very burnt out being a mother a few weeks ago and as I was complaining in my head, I had an epiphany that in that moment of feeling burnt out, exhausted, frustrated, and annoyed, it’s in that very moment I become a better person.

 

My two oldests will be in school full day and my youngest will go to Preschool but I haven’t nailed down which school he will go to, I’ve been procrastinating. It can be so overwhelming because there are so many options! I’ve been looking into Kindercare for my son and have been so impressed with their program such as starting this year, Kindercare’s registered dietitian made big changes to their food program of not serving juice, fried foods or sugary snacks but introducing healthy, wholesome foods and also food from different cultures as well like Chinese lo mein, Indian chickpea biryani, and a southwestern rice-and-bean bowl. I love this! I’m a firm believer that having kids try new foods from different cultures makes kids be more open minded, be less picky eaters and helps them to appreciate the beautiful cultures that are out there. I also love that they clean their toys not just at the end of the day but throughout the day to make sure it’s clean and sanitary.

 

There are so many other things I’ve found that impressed me with Kindercare and I feel really good about sending my son there.

SOCCER SEASON

~ Etc.

 

 

I am participating in an influencer program on behalf of Claritin®. This program is paid for by the makers of Claritin® and I have received compensation for my participation. All opinions expressed are my own. *Use Children’s Claritin® as directed on packaging

 

 

Soccer season is upon us! When Jay signed our daughter up for soccer, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought it would be a more fun, casual, once a week kinda thing but turns
out… it was a 3-day try out and if you make it onto the team, it’s practice 3 times a week. That’s half of the week! It took me a lot of grunting to realize it’s something she loves and I need
to just get on board and support her and do it happily.

Soccer season also means it’s summer season and while I absolutely love summer and seeing everything come to life, I dread one thing that always comes with it, which is allergies. Allergies
suck so bad. Do you get them? I get it really, really bad. And unfortunately my oldest daughter has it too and she’s the most active kid out of all my children! She is busy with soccer (did I
mention it’s 3x a week? Want to make sure you got that), piano, swim, and gymnastics. So it’s really important that she is feeling her best.

I have been taking Claritin® for a few years now so when I found out they sell it for kids, I got the Claritin® RediTabs® for Juniors for my daughter, available in the healthcare isle near the Target pharmacy. It offers a non-drowsy, 24-hour allergy symptom relief! Yay, a win-win for me and her!

Cartwheel always has great offers available on Claritin® products, make sure to check here to see if one’s available before your trip to Target!