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Lessons from Stranger Things from a Terrible Parent

5 Aug
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Hi I’m Abby.
And I’m a terrible parent…
Apparently…
According to someone who doesn’t know me…
And because I let my kids watch stranger things…

So I posted this video yesterday on my Instagram account, LMMBlog, where I share things about my family, lifestyle, and decor, which I also share here.  Obviously, Stranger Things is not really decor related, unless you are totally into the eighties, which, if I’m being honest, it’s majorly growing on me.  But, I digress…

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cg28rOXgFL9/

Over the summer we headed to couple special Stranger Things experiences.  First, if you don’t know much about Stranger Things, I think you should watch it.  If your kids want to watch it, watch it with them.  It’s brought our family together for more cozy sofa time watching, listening to the soundtrack on family jeep rides, taken trips back in time like the one I shared above, and actually since we started watching the show together, we’ve probably enjoyed MORE togetherness than we would have had not watching it as a family.

STRANGER THINGS IN BLOOMINGTON INDIANA

In a nutshell, Stranger Things, is about a group of friends located in Hawkins, Indiana.  After Will, from the group of friends, strangely vanishes, the others as well as his mother Joyce (Winona Ryder), desperately search for him.  The small town starts to reveal many secrets at play including a secret lab, portals to another world and monsters.   All set in the eighties when parents were less around and kids were more latchkey.  No iPads, cell phones, GPS, not even digital cameras.

FAVORITE STRANGER THINGS MERCH

While it may seem scary to some, even some older people, my kids didn’t find it scary.  They somewhat laugh at the demogorgons.  Listen, everyone interprets things differently.  We see this in our everyday lives.  You can see it with foods we like or dislike.  Or see that with friends we like or dislike.  So why can’t we watch shows that we find scary or not scary?  It’s not like I let them watch NOPE.

I also ask them constantly if things are too scary or if it bothers them.  And we’ve never had issues with nightmares, or not sleeping (other than not going to be because of FOMO) in our house… We actually love our kids dearly so we wouldn’t purposely let them watch or do things that would hurt them in the long run.

STRANGER THINGS EXPERIENCE CHICAGO

But I will say, we do like to experience things WITH our kids.  They’ve been by our side since they were born  We rarely do things without them.  I think we’ve hired a babysitter about 5x in our 12 year marriage.  We don’t have a close support system of family to utilize so the kids just come along.  By doing so, it’s actually allowed them to experience things that some kids their age haven’t.  But I did that growing up too, I was lucky to be exposed to things at a young age and I believe it’s actually helped me along the way.  So this is just one of those things we do WITH our kids.

When I watch Stranger Things, I actually see a few amazingly special qualities.  Yes, there are monsters, but like I said, they don’t scare us.  We walk right up to them, just like Hopper I guess.  And honestly, I find them quite creative.  They have details that are both beautiful AND disgusting.  It’s ok to expose kids to things of all sorts.  I believe it makes them a more well rounded humans, which is our job as parents.  To prepare them for LIFE – good and bad!  If we shelter them from scary things ALL THE TIME, then when will they learn how to handle those situations?!  Or how will they know how to do things WITHOUT us.  It’s ok to sometimes be uncomfortable.  It helps us decide on the things we like or don’t like.

JOY OF CHILDREN

But in this show, I see growth of friendships, inclusion, problem solving, working together, love of friends, love of family, GREAT LOVE, and there’s nothing wrong with any of those things.  I see kids interested in science and math.  I see kids who don’t care that they are a little nerdy or goofy because they have the rest of their nerdy and goofy tribe right there alongside of them.   There are actually so many lessons I think you learn from this show, not all listed in this post.

Also grief is shown in such a true way when Max loses Billy and the conflict she has with it a, and that not everyone has the same home life, and that sometimes it’s ok to go against the grain.  All of these things are really great lessons.  We don’t always get to see some of these things, and if we do, they aren’t always portrayed in a accurate way.  I think this show does a great job of showing the difference in lifestyles, opportunities, etc… especially as it was in the eighties.

I think if you watch this show outside of the fact that it’s a scary show about an upside down world, you’ll see something more magical.  The Duffer Brothers may have put together a group of misfits, but man it’s so cool to watch these characters grow and all WITHOUT direct parental supervision.  I hope my kids can grow up to be something like Will, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Max, Erica, Nancy, Steve, or Robin.  We pray that they someday know the love that Joyce shows for her boys as well as Eleven when she takes her in.  Let’s hope they know themselves enough to feel like they can act like Eddie does in the cafeteria.  And I hope they find true friendships like those of Robin & Steve or Eddie & Dustin.  I hope they can be brave when they need to be.  I hope they learn that normalcy is overrated.  There are so many GREAT moments in this show that show that go deeper than the scary elements of it.

 FAMILY ROAD TRIP

So yea, sorry that I watch a show, together with my family, that shows my kids how to love others, shows them true friendships and how they can have ups and downs, shows them how to be creative, shows them how to solve problems and mysteries, shows them how to utilize resources they have on hand without going and buying something new, and shows them that they can be empowered to do things themselves {usually} without adult intervention.  Sorry I’m watching a show with my kids that’s actually showing my kids that it’s ok to not depend on their parents 24/7.  Sorry we parent differently, but that’s ok because I know we all do and I didn’t call you out on anything…

If deciding to watch with your kids, I’m not a pro,
but I’d ask these questions before and while watching Stranger Things:

1. Before – Do YOU want to watch this?  If they don’t, move on until they go to bed.
2. While – If anything scares you, we can turn it off.
3. While – If anything scares you, I can cover your eyes or you can pop under the blanket.
4.  We can turn it off at anytime.
5.  While – Remember, all the scary things are make-believe and not real.
6. While – I’m right here.

But I guess, yea, this all makes me a terrible parent according to one person who doesn’t know me on the internet.

C’mon, don’t be a Dingus!

 

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A little about me…

Hey There! I'm Abby. Some people started calling me "Little Miss Martha" a few years back and this blog followed. I started it to share my DIY wedding progress, but it's now evolved to include other good things. Read More…

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Abby || Lifestyle Blogger
Happiest 1️⃣1️⃣th birthday to this Sweet c Happiest 1️⃣1️⃣th birthday to this Sweet child of mine!  Love you to death Ella and I hope you don’t kill me for some of these pics since your last birthday!  It’s amazing how much you have changed and grown in just one year! 💕

Happy Birthday Ella! 
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#happiestbirthday #turning11 #elevenyears #2012baby #onthisdayinhistory #tweengirl #happybirthdaytoyou
When @abigailmackboutique was interested in collab When @abigailmackboutique was interested in collaborating, I knew this print was pretty much perfection in summing up my current life.  So… if you are still here hanging out or new here, welcome to the shitshow!  This piece will probably end up floating around my house, but I do feel like it’s 💯fitting for me.  And with my quirky design sense, I think it also works well in a bathroom but my hubs isn’t keen on that idea 🤣. The other gold foil print I love of #abigailmackdesigns is “Everything is Fine,” because let’s be honest, that’s also something that’s constantly going through my head over here!

I used to feel like weekends were a way to catch up on what you couldn’t get done during the week.  You know… like cleaning, prepping, watching Netflix etc.  Now though, as I get older and older, I’m learning that my weekends are really just an attempt at mentally preparing for all that will go wrong during the upcoming week and continually thinking “Welcome to my Shitshow.” LOL

Does anyone else feel like this?! Maybe this is why I have such high anxiety on Sunday nights…

Print #gifted by @abigailmackboutique 
Check out her other pieces here:
https://abigail-mack.myshopify.com/

#collaboration #welcometotheshitshow #lifeunexpected #lifeisstressful #justrollwithit #laughitoff #weekendscreatestress #momlife #justmomming #goldfoilprints #decoratewithhumor #funnyprints #sillyprints #sarcasm101 #abigailmackboutique #socialcat
Do you like black rooms?! Bathroom things happen Do you like black rooms?! 

Bathroom things happened. I know I shared sneaks before, but I’m not timely ok?! You should know that by now!  So… even though some said don’t do it, I did it. 
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#blackrooms #paintitblack #moodyrooms #halfbath #designupdate #halfbathmakeover #builderupgrade #ilikeitlikethat #dontdoit #ididitanyway
Lately, Olive has been my little shadow. She’s Lately, Olive has been my little shadow.  She’s going through something, and she must always have me in her sightline.  I’m hoping it’s just a phase (because it’s only while we are home together), but that means she’s not sleeping in her own bed.  She’s never been good at sleeping/staying in her own room, so we have been trying all kind of things and our latest try was a new #snugglepuppy.  I feel like we’ve tried it all at this point, BUT the @SnugglePuppy_Hero is super soft and cuddly and has a real heartbeat so we figured it might help. 

✨And she loves it! ✨

Although she’s still not sleeping in her own bed, she has been sleeping with it every night since Christmas and she truly enjoys the beating heart.  Something about it really does help with calming her down before bed!  It helps with bedtime struggles and making bedtime less stressful so we are still making progress with extra #snugglepuppyhero snuggles!

The Snuggle Puppy Hero is perfect for anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed kiddos.  It’s BPA free, super soft, and for ages 3 & up. 

#gifted #snugglepuppyhero #snugglepuppy #anxietysupport #originalsnugglepuppy #snugglepuppy #dreamdreamdream #kidinfluencer #sensoryplushtoy #sensoryplush #giftideas #sleepwell #sweetdreams😴
If you’ve been watching stories, you know that s If you’ve been watching stories, you know that some things went down this weekend in the bathroom… So I figured it was time to share my mood boards for the space. 

We currently have to keep the pedestal sink (but hope to change that out down the road) and we hit a few hiccups with the board and batten plans so black was the big change for the weekend but that doesn’t mean we are DONE…

Swipe to see 3 different design options and comment below which is your favorite!
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#moodboardmonday #bathroomdesigns #bathroomdetails #bathroommoodboard #bathroommakeover #halfbath #paintitblack #boardandbatten
Starting the week off right by getting a walk in w Starting the week off right by getting a walk in with a friend yesterday and this morning with a great breakfast and signing up for the Franciscan Health's Inspiring Women Community - @InspiringWomenFH. Health & Wellness is top of mind this year and I know this program is going to give me the right amount of inspiration to improve mind, body and spirit on this journey! 

I'm so excited to partner with @franciscanhealth for this free program for all women (living anywhere) that'll keep you inspired, motivated, and promoting your overall wellness!  As a member of the community, you'll receive specially curated content like recipes, inspiration, and the Inspiring Women magazine not to mention invitations to special members-only events. 

Want in?! 
✨Link in bio to sign up ✨ or visit inspiringwomen.org
And if you do sign up, comment “Yes!” below because it's always fun to know who's joining in too! 

I've been wanting to start a blog series about the women who've inspired me along the way and this might be the little push that gets us there!  Keep an eye out for that on the horizon, but until then, I hope you'll join me and @InspiringWomenFH in working on our overall women's wellness! 

#sponsored #wellness #mindbodyspirit #women #healthandwellness #inspiringwomenfh #inspiringwomen #motivatingmonday
Hey Y’all! It’s been a while and some of you Hey Y’all!  It’s been a while and some of you have been here forever, and others are new around here, so I think it’s time for a quick into to me!

Hey Friends!  I’m Abby ✨

Welcome to Little Miss Martha.  I used to be all Martha-y and so the name stuck.  Then I got married and had kids and now I’m a little more Semi-Homeade with Sandra Lee… IFYKYK. I think both these references probably date me. 

✨Things That Make Me Happiest – sitting at home, drinking coffee, perusing gorgeous spaces, reading home magazines (yes they still print those), styling décor, decorating for celebrations, and listening to entrepreneurial podcasts. 

✨Current Occupations – wife to Mike, mom to Ella & Olive, Dog mom to Louie, Blogger, Fairy Coordinator (@adoptafairyco) + full-time job as a civil servant. 

✨In A Past Life – Vintage Rentals Owner (@maevevinteage), Starbucks Barista, Professional Figure Skater.

✨Astrological Sign - Cancer

If you’ve made it this far, and you know me, share something I may have missed in the comments below! 
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#introductions #allaboutme #welcomefriends #hiabby #dearabby #quickintro #pinnedpost #sogladyourehere #heythere #littlemissmartha
Off we go! Back to our routines and back to busin Off we go!  Back to our routines and back to business at @goldfish_carmel!  This year is we are letting the girls pick a few things they really want to do and one HAS to be a physical activity.  Anyone else do this? 

For the moment, that’s swimming for Olls!  And she’s blowing my mind!  Hahah Get it?! The song choice?! 😂🏊‍♀️ But seriously, I love watching her progress with great feedback from the staff and am so excited for how ready she’ll be for pool season this summer! 
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#sponsored #goldfishswimschool #swimclass #letsgoswimming #justkeepswimming #goldfishcarmel #readyforpoolseason #swimmingskills #lifeskillsforkids #stayactivestayhealthy #activekidsarehappykids
Weakness - ✨ Dollhouses ✨ I think just the tin Weakness - ✨ Dollhouses ✨
I think just the tiny mini things make me happy. So when this dollhouse was basically staring me down as I walked in the door of @homegoods today for the first time in like 2 months, she quickly made her way into my cart. But seriously, how do I hide this from the hubs?! 
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#dollhouses #dollhousesofinstagram #homegoodsfinds #kidsplay #dollhouseupgrade #rattandollhouse #rattanlovers #beautifultoys
Anyone else back at it in the “gym” this week? Anyone else back at it in the “gym” this week?! It’s been a long time since i’ve walked these steps and it’s time to get back at it!  One of my ‘23 goals is to feel comfortable and good in my own skin again…It’s also been a while since that’s been the case too! 

So this week i made the first steps back onto the treadmill… If you’ve been around, you might remember i’ve been having some major foot pain which really got me down and now I’ve decided to push through and try some new things because interestingly enough, while I hate sweating, I like the after workout feeling!  So this week it’s walking, next week it’s walking more and hopefully i’ll be back to running soon. 

So with that being said, I hope you all are tackling your goals this week and every week do ‘23… and remember, you have to start somewhere and somewhere can be small… It takes a lot to make small strides sometimes, especially if you’ve been out of the game for a while but you’ve got this! 

*And I plan to add strength and weights - anyone have a good at-home program they love?! I’d love to hear! 
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#gettingbackontrack #gettingbacktome #gettingbackinthegroove #mommasgonnaloseit #2023goals #losingweightmotivation #losingweightishard #gottastartsomewhere #youvegotthis #uncomfortable #exerciseathome
Are you goal setting this year? Taking it one day Are you goal setting this year?  Taking it one day at a time?  How are you tackling new years resolutions this year?!! As per usual, I’m behind. I am taking it slow over here trying to get organized in my thoughts so I can have a successful year mentally, physically, and of course here, with Little Miss Martha. 

2022 ended a little darker than it started and not for any other reasons than I just lost track of what I was doing and wanted. Plus like 10000 gray days from Thanksgiving to Christmas didn’t help.

But I’m taking a min and taking it easy with 2023. Keeping my goals focused around me, my family, and my home.  Here are the things I’m hoping to accomplish or even just start over the next 12 months!  Fingers crossed for a great 2023 and I’m hopeful there’s a little more sunshine on the horizon! 
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#2023goals #welcometo2023 #startfresh #anewyear #newgoals💪 #keepitsimplethisyear #stayfocusedonyourgoals #bemindful #dontlosesight #progressnotperfection👌
Calm has returned to our home… In the last week Calm has returned to our home…
In the last week we survived bitter temps, a winter storm, seven additional bodies in the house, Christmas, a few accidents 🤣, and lots of laughs… 
It’s nice to have everyone around for a while but i will say i’m looking forward to enjoying my last few days off sitting back and enjoying this view…. 
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#christmastimeishere #winterwonderland❄️ #holidayhouse #houseguests #holidays2022 #sitbackrelax #timetoclean #guestsaregone #happyholidays2022
We had a lovely Christmas afternoon with all the f We had a lovely Christmas afternoon with all the fam together!  So glad we have been able to spend time together this holiday season 💕 Hoping everyone else had a great holiday and a very merry Christmas too! 
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#happyholidays2022 #christmasvacation #bighappyfamily  #merryxmas🎄 #christmasday🎄 #familyallday #4generations #fourgenerations #wewishyouamerrychristmas
This holiday season (or at least break so far) has This holiday season (or at least break so far) has been full of sickies here and because of that, we haven’t been out and about as much as we’d like!  But if we were  going to head out, here’s a few throwback pics of where we’d go…
1. @childrensmuseum - Jolly Days and more! 
2. @connerprairie - A Merry Prairie Holiday
3. @carmelchristkindlmarkt 
4. Jingle Rails @eiteljorgmuseum 
5. @newfieldstoday for Winterlights
6. Christmas at the @indianapoliszoo 

So… there’s one more good-ish weather day here before Xmas (and before 4pm🥶)… what are you still needing to check off your winter break or Christmas bucket list?! 
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#holidaybucketlist #christmasbucketlist #winterbucketlist #aroundindy #thingstodoinindianapolis #visitindy #holidayhappenings #merrychristmaseveryone
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean the swim Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean the swimming has to stop!  Actually, water safety is very important no matter the temp outside!  And why not take it all in as a family?! Goldfish Swim Schools (Carmel) offers open swims every Friday from 1p-2p, and one Family Night Out per month from 5p-6p or 6p-7p!  How often do you swim together?!! 

Find out more info about @goldfish_carmel on their profile! 
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#goldfishswimschool #goldfishcarmel #ad #sponsored #swimmingpools #swimminglessons #justkeepswimming🐠 #familyswims #letsgoswimming
There’s really nothing like the glow of warm Chr There’s really nothing like the glow of warm Christmas lights on the tree at night when you turn out all the other lights…  Something about those twinkling lights is just magic. 

And even though I truly am disliking almost all of my old, mismatched, minimal Christmas decor this year, I’m making the most of it!  Side note that has nothing to do with Christmas decor — I’m also taking in every single episode of @disneyplus @thesantaclauses!  Anyone else watching that show weekly and loving it?! I guess I really missed Tim Allen. 
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#thesantaclauses #disneyplus #christmasdecorating #trimthetree #christmaslightsatnight #christmasiscoming🎄 #seasonofgiving #christmasmagic✨ #webelieve #mostmagicaltimeoftheyear
Who’s ready to get back in the kitchen this holi Who’s ready to get back in the kitchen this holiday season?! I made chocolate chip cookies over the weekend with Olive and made a mistake on the brown sugar calculations 🤣🤦‍♀️… They were extra fluffy and totally still edible but wondering what you all will be baking this season?! Share your fave bakes below! 
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#bakingrecipes #letsbake #inthekitchen #letsmakecookies #holidaycookies #christmasbaking #christmascookie #holidaytraditions
Kick-off the holiday season the cutest downtown - Kick-off the holiday season the cutest downtown -  @fortville_in!  Winterfest 2022, presented by 3Rivers Federal Credit Union is this Saturday Dec 3rd!  Enjoy live music, a festive parade and tree lighting, food vendors, Santa, photo ops, a kids’ zone and local shopping.  This Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 from 12p-7pm! 

Opens at Noon
Parade at 1:30p
Tree Lighting 6pm

Happy Holidays! 
@fortvilleparks_rec 
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#fortvilleindiana #fortvillewinterfest #winterfest #aroundindy #smalltownusa #beautifuldown #fortville #holidaysarehere #visitindiana #indianatowns #fortvillefun #bundleup #winteractivities #beautifulsmalltown
Earlier this week, we were invited to a magical ev Earlier this week, we were invited to a magical evening at the @childrensmuseum to visit #jollydays in its final season, chat with the big guy, and enjoy a little stress free time with the girls! 

Watching the girls interact with Santa was adorable. Ella (who’s a recent non-believer 😥) played along while Olive told the big guy she’s looking for a “cooking baby” under the tree 🤣

I don’t know what it is about the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, but you just feel at home there. From the characters to interaction to the colors and the fun, it’s maybe one of the best places on earth. Ok, but seriously, it’s fun for everyone and there’s almost always something you’ve missed!  Check out #attcm in my highlights for all the Children’s Museum fun! 
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#santaclausiscomingtotown #indianapolischildrensmuseum #jollydays #finalseason #kidsfun #interactivemuseum #winterwonderland❄️ #magicofchristmas #sitwithsanta #visitindy #aroundindy #dontmiss
Life is tricky and complicated at times and gettin Life is tricky and complicated at times and getting back into routines can be a struggle, especially on busy weeks like this one!  What's the constant in your daily routine?! One daily routine I never stray from is coffee.  Coffee. Is. Life.  Said like "Football is Life" from Ted Lasso... But seriously, I wake up, go downstairs, and start the daily brew every single morning.  Now, that brew comes quicker than ever with my @simplygoodcoffee brewer.  Everything about this brewer is enjoyable.  It's pretty.  It's quick -6 mins!  And it makes 8 cups in those 6 mins -- and if I drink it fast enough, that's a whole pot just for me! 

It took a lot for us to move on from our old coffee maker -- just ask my parents who waited patiently EVERY time they visited for their first cup as our brewer tuckered along slowly.  But now, we are back in business and and my favorite part is the temperature!  Sometimes I would go out to get coffee just because it was HOT, but now I just brew another pot!  The taste is great and I'm really happy with this new addition to my daily routine! I can't wait to see our coffee loving family enjoying a hot cup on Christmas morning! 
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#simplygoodcoffee #simplygoodbrewer #coffeeinminutes #olson #brewme #coffeeislife #coffeelover #coffeeislove #coffeeeveryday #dailyroutines #morningroutines #dailybrew #socialcat #sponsored
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