My Ordinary Life: Kayla, Creator of SJB Steal the Joy Back
I’m Kayla — a stay at home mama of five kiddos and creator of SJB Steal the Joy Back. A community for mamas where you’re seen and heard. I focus on de-stigmatizing maternal mental health and empowering mamas to find joy even in the chaos (you can imagine the chaos I live in daily with all these kids🤣).
What is an ordinary moment in your life that you never take for granted?
Good conversations and laughter. After my step-father who raised me passed away from stomach cancer 3 days after he told us how bad it had gotten, I know that even the simplest conversations mean everything.
On a lighter note, I love to laugh and my hubby is like my best friend. We just crack up at the simplest things and then, when it’s not even funny anymore, our laughter has been so contagious we just keep going. I LOVE to make my kiddos laugh too!
What is the kindest thing that someone has done for you?
There have been so many random acts of kindness in my life. One time I was at the dollar store to grab a few items. The man who was paying in front of me dropped a dollar bill. I picked it up and let him know he hadn’t seen it fall. It was my turn and the cashier started to ring my items up. I thought he was just slowly putting the cash away as he grabbed his bags, but he really paid for all my stuff. Little did he know, I was a broke college kid working as a waitress using my credit card for those items.
What is the best part of the stage of life that you’re in?
Right now I’m in my “raising my babies” era after officially closing my “having babies” era. We have five kiddos all together so we made the decision that our fifth would be our last baby. It’s just the best to soak in every moment with him. I know how fast time flies so it’s just bittersweet. He just turned 5 months old and he’s just the happiest baby I’ve ever had.
What is the best thing under $100 that you’ve purchased that has made a positive impact on your life?
Easily “Real Self-Care” by Pooja Lakshmin. She talks about how self care is really about doing the work for your inner self rather than just getting your nails done or taking five minutes to yourself. I’m a huge advocate of therapy and I’ve been through it myself, so I love what the book focuses on and it really had a positive impact on my life!
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Ok.. Ok… don’t make fun, but i’m always down to watch some Kardashians! The new seasons on Hulu are great. In the am before the kiddos wake up or the pm when they’ve all gone to sleep, I like to slip in an episode here and there.
What do you hope that your children remember about you?
I want them to remember I was always there. I want them to remember how much I love(d) them. And most importantly, I want them to remember mama tried her best, even on the bad days.
