Staying up late-lacking sleep

I haven’t slept for 6 years. This is exactly how I spent 4 years of college and 2 years of grad school.

Taking care of drunk friends

Let’s just say having a baby wasn’t the first time I got pee’d on or was forced to clean the soiled clothes of an incapacitated being.

Majoring in marketing

Know your target audience and what motivates them

China Doll: princess, make up, jewelry, dark pink, Barbie, Aurora

i.e. “Time to go to the doctor. They might have a new Aurora book. You can wear my lip gloss!”

Rafael: warrior, baby animals, purple, art, glue, recycle

i.e. “Let’s go to the store- with our new recycled bags! We are like Earth Warriors! Think of all the animals we are saving!”

Social chair of my sorority

As a parent it is necessary to invent, organize and manage fun. I’m even better at this sober.

Bussing a bunch of young, drunk couples to a bowling date party was much more stressful than taking my kids to Disneyland.

Making no money go really far

I used to make a monthly $50 budget work. I still have that mindset.

I apply lessons from advertising class to upsell leftovers.

Bartending

The real octomom: being able to mix two different martinis at the same time while opening beers, taking bills and lighting cigarettes requires the same ambidextrous skill as nursing a baby, feeding a toddler and cooking for a husband.

Thrifting

Thrifting during and after college taught me it is really stupid to pay full price for jeans. It is ludicrous to pay full price for toddler jeans.

Knowing my way around a thrift store means finding Barbie campers for 5 bucks instead of over 200 online.

Ramen noodle soup

My college and bachelorette life mainstay is still cheap, quick and delicious.

Remarketed as “Kung Fu Panda” soup, it is Rafael’s favorite lunch accessory.