When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

When I was younger, my mom, my sister, my cousin, and I decided to take a weekend trip to Disneyland. We were so excited to get away, just us girls. But, of course, life had other plans. Our hotel stay was less than ideal. Imagine being woken up not once, not twice, but three times by the sound of fire alarms blaring throughout the night. Each time, we’d jump out of bed, throw on some clothes, and stand outside waiting for the all-clear, then go back into our rooms and try to sleep–only to have it happen again. It was exhausting, frustrating, and, honestly, a little ridiculous.

By the third round of alarms, my cousin had had enough. She looked at us all, threw her hands up, and said, “I’m not going this time.” We all just burst out laughing because, honestly, what else could we do? We were so tired and just wanted to enjoy our girls’ trip, but at that point, the fire alarms had become our unwanted companion. The whole situation was frustrating, but in a weird way, it was also kind of funny. Instead of letting it ruin our trip, we made the best of it and laughed through our exhaustion.

That night, we definitely didn’t get much sleep, but we learned a lesson, one my mom often said: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. We could've let the whole ordeal make us grumpy, but instead, we took it in stride and found humor in it. We still had an amazing time at Disneyland the next day, and whenever we talk about that trip now, we laugh at how ridiculous the fire alarms were–and how it turned into a memory we’ll never forget.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

I’ll never forget the Girl Scout trip when my mom and I spent the night in the manatee exhibit. I was so excited to sleep next to the manatees, imagining how cool it would be to wake up with them swimming around. But, of course, things didn’t go as planned. The floors were super hard, and the bright lights from the manatee pool didn’t exactly make it easy to sleep. I was exhausted, but so was my mom. She wasn’t thrilled about going there in the first place, and by the middle of the night, we were both ready to be anywhere but on that hard floor.

Even though my mom wasn’t excited about the trip to begin with, she totally made the best of it. She brought extra blankets, pillows, and even snacks to try to make us more comfortable. She didn’t want to be there, but she was going to make sure I had a good time, even if that meant sacrificing a good night’s sleep. I really appreciated how she didn’t let the situation ruin the night–she found a way to make it work, even though everything about it was less than ideal.

By morning, we were both more than ready to head home, but I still look back on that night fondly. It was a perfect example of her saying, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” My mom found a way to make the night memorable, even with all the discomfort. It wasn’t about how hard the floor was or how little sleep we got, it was about how she went out of her way to make it fun. 

Begin with the end in mind.

Hi there! We’re so excited to welcome you to our blog. My sister, my mom, and I have created this blog to share the wisdom, encouragement, and love that my mom has said many times over. Our mom has always had a saying for every situation, and over time, we’ve realized just how much these words have shaped the way we think, act, and navigate life. So, we decided to share some of her best quotes with you, along with the stories and lessons behind them. We hope this blog becomes a place where you feel inspired, supported, and encouraged-just as we have from our mom’s words.

One of the sayings my mom has said to us is: “Begin with the end in mind.” It’s a simple but powerful reminder that everything we do should be purposeful. Whether it’s a big decision or a small task, thinking first about where we would like to end up, helps guide us toward a successful journey. We want this blog to be a reflection of that idea: an intentional space where we can share ideas, encourage one another, and lift each other up. We want to share the highs, the lows, and everything in between-and we want you to be part of it. This blog isn’t just about us, it’s about building a community where we can all contribute our stories and find support when we need it most.

So, as we begin this adventure, we’d love for you to join us. Maybe you’ve heard a saying from your mom (or someone important in your life) that has helped shape who you are today. Or maybe you’re just looking for a little inspiration or encouragement. Either way, we’re glad you’re here, and we can’t wait to connect with you. Let’s start this journey, with the end in mind-and even better, together we’ll all learn something new along the way.