Category: 💜 Grown-Up Dreams

Grown-Up Dreams explores the evolving chapters of love, family, and self-discovery. These stories capture what it means to grow up while already grown—to navigate parenthood, partnership, and purpose with humor and heart. Each muse reminds us that dreams don’t end when the kids move out; sometimes, that’s when they finally begin.

Skylar as a young child smiling inside a TV frame. Caption reads, “Look at me, Mom—I’m on TV. Skylar, our own Little Miss Sunshine.” Main image for blog post about parenting grown-up kids and letting go. Our Little Miss Sunshine All Grown Up: Passing the Torch at 21
💜 Grown-Up Dreams

Our Little Miss Sunshine All Grown Up: Passing the Torch at 21

Stephanie Ortiz4 Comments

When Real Life Outshines Little Miss Sunshine We’ve just unpacked the car from our August road trip—bags, laundry, trash, and the stuff Skylar didn’t want at school that came back home. Skylar is in Nashville, celebrating her 21st birthday, and we’re here. How did we get from playdates and birthday parties with family to birthdays… Continue reading Our Little Miss Sunshine All Grown Up: Passing the Torch at 21

Skylar singing the National Anthem at the Sixers game—living out her Taylor Swift dream at age 11. From 13 to 31: Outgrowing Taylor Swift’s Lucky Number
💜 Grown-Up Dreams

From 13 to 31: Outgrowing Taylor Swift’s Lucky Number

Stephanie Ortiz2 Comments

Sometimes our children’s dreams begin with someone else’s magic number, only to discover their own constellation along the way. And this is really a story about outgrowing lucky numbers—the ones we chase, the ones we inherit, and the ones our kids eventually outgrow. The Power of 13: When Dreams Take Root My ten-year-old daughter Skylar… Continue reading From 13 to 31: Outgrowing Taylor Swift’s Lucky Number

Two parents smiling in front of the University of Kentucky sign on a sunny day, embracing a kid-free college road trip. A College Pickup Reunion: The Unplanned Route Home
💜 Grown-Up Dreams

A College Pickup Reunion: The Unplanned Route Home

Stephanie Ortiz4 Comments

From backroad detours and toothbrush mishaps to a college pickup reunion that made every mile count. This post is part of my Reunion Series—a collection of stories exploring the winding roads (literally and emotionally) we travel to reconnect with the people we love. In this chapter, I’m diving into the college pickup reunion—that bittersweet, often chaotic road… Continue reading A College Pickup Reunion: The Unplanned Route Home