"If you want to be happy, be." - Leo Tolstoy

"Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you respond to it." - Lou Holtz

Take if from Jade and Jack...a five and three year old, respectively.

Happiness is always a choice. And for kids, it is the best choice, always. Even during Covid-19...

You may be wondering, "What is it like to be a kid during a global pandemic?" ...

Let's just say, I literally was "Waving Through A Window", like Ben Platt in the 2017 Tony Awards and Broadway Musical, Dear Evan Hansen. Safety first, kids.

Evey Rosenbloom will tell you...it hasn't been easy, keeping her kids safe at all times while also making happiness a priority has been the ultimate goal.

Let's be real, though. Shouldn't these always be the intentions in life?! To choose safety and happiness...Well, yes, of course.

With no school and friends around to have playdates with, Evey Rosenbloom turned her house and backyard into a complete playground for her three and five year olds.

A moon bounce, swing set, monkey bars, and battery operated cars had Jade and Jack completely and diligently occupied, stimulated, and HAPPY.
 

Boredom was not a word that was ever going to enter their vocabulary.

And thank goodness for a sibling...a built-in FRIEND!

To give you some background, Evey is a rock-star fashion designer who thinks outside the box (or the cage). She is known for her electrical light-up wedding dresses, and her wearable art gowns made of odd-ball materials. I actually met Evey in 2017 when I shot some of her dresses with Laura Grier. She legit made a wedding dress out of coffee filters! Creative is an understatement when describing Evey.

Evey creates ethical, sustainable clothing that turns both heads and minds. Her love of vibrant color, crystals, and Japanese fashion, inspired her to create one-of-a-kind custom clothing as unique and vibrant as the musicians, performance artists, and brides who wear them. Her cruelty free fashion work is approved by PETA and the Humane Society and she is also an MSW Candidate, involved in Human Rights campaigns and issues related to Social Justice. She has also written a couple of children's books, Let Yourself Sparkle and You Were Born to Be You.

All in all, Evey believes in pursuing your dreams, living your authentic life, and being HAPPY.

"Happiness is a choice I make everyday,  and I truly hope that I can help other people find these resources because I believe we were all born to be happy."

"And more importantly, happiness is vital. I've seen what stress and despair can do to the body and mind, and how profoundly this framework can help people find joy."

"Trying to keep my kids happy is my number one priority..." 

See below for my interview with Evey:

RR: How has Covid-19 impacted you personally?

ER: "Trying to keep my kids happy is my number one priority, because of Covid-19, they've been unable to spend time with friends and family. They're so little, and before the Pandemic they loved being around people. My daughter would skip through preschool holding her best friends hands, she would strike up conversations with strangers when we went to a restaurant. My son would make everyone laugh with his silly faces, and loved to spend all day at the farm - riding ponies and bottle feeding the baby goats. This all came to an abrupt stop a year ago."

"They haven't seen their friends in more than a year. They've missed out on in-person school, they can't do the things they used to do like ballet, gymnastics, swimming, karate, yoga, going to fun places like Disneyland and indoor play gyms. When they say things like "why can't we see our friends, or go back to that fun place, this is a boring world".... it breaks my heart. Everyday I make it my priority to make sure I see them laughing and smiling and enjoying life, even if we're stuck at home. I try to find creative ways to bring the fun here. Because they're kids, and I want to do whatever I can to give them a happy life, even if we're surrounded by so much darkness."

RR: Did you or anyone you know get Covid-19?

ER: "We think we may have had it last February. I was extremely sick for weeks, couldn't get out of bed and had a high fever that wouldn't go away for days, (even with medication), but it was before they were doing any testing for it so I have no way to know for sure. We are being extremely cautious because every time we've gotten a cold or flu within the last 3 years, my kids and I have gotten extremely sick to the point of needing inhalers and breathing treatments."

RR: What specifically changed your personal / professional life during this time? I.E. What daily routine did you have to adjust?

ER: "At the beginning of the Pandemic, I was glued to the news, watching case numbers rise and reading death tolls. At the time I had recently been diagnosed with Vestibular Migraines, I was having daily migraines and vertigo attacks that left me feeling like I was on a boat being tossed around by a violent ocean, every day, for a year. I could barely walk and it was difficult to see from the migraines. I was nauseous and depressed all the time trying to accept this as my new normal. I spent weeks trying to hide my tears from my kids, wishing I could have given them a happy life. I felt so bad for them. I wished they could have had a happy mom. But they got me. The vertigo was endless. Then I was hit with what I thought must be Covid. Then I was glued to the news watching the horrors unfold with the Pandemic."

"Suddenly, everything changed when my daughter saw me crying and said - 'Mommy, you can choose to be happy'..."

"At first I was blown away by how profound this was coming from a little kid. But then I thought about it, and thought....it's not that simple."

"True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." -  Helen Keller

"And suddenly, I realized: what if she was right? What if happiness could be my choice? and then it hit me that my life was not going to change until I chose to change it."

"I was desperate and determined, so I dove into the research on how to boost joy, and I tried it all. I read everything I could find, written by gurus, scientists, psychologists, economists, and spiritual leaders about how to find happiness. I discovered all the foods known to cause anxiety and depression, and I replaced those with nutrient rich foods known to boost energy and mood, I realized, after reading all the horrible things happening all around the world, I might have been subconsciously blocking myself from feeling happy, because it felt wrong. I adjusted my schedule, sleep and exercise habits to fit the recommended guidelines set by positive psychologists, I developed a gratitude and mindfulness practice, I eliminated unnecessary stress, turned off the news, disconnected from all emotionally triggering social media accounts, and spent more time doing fun activities that are known to rewire the brain and naturally boost joy by increasing the production of serotonin, dopamine, endorphins and oxytocin . (For me that meant- I started making light up dresses again and dusted off my old roller skates)."

"MY DECISION TO CHOOSE HAPPINESS SAVED MY LIFE."

"Today I am skating through the hallways, singing and dancing in the kitchen with my kids." Talk about a COOL MOM!

Evey has made sure to engulf her kids in several backyard activities (thank you, SoCal weather). A Mustang with a motor, bikes, basketball, a moon bounce, tree house, and swing set...just to name a few.

RR: Is there a story behind your mask?

ER: "Behind our masks, I try to make sure we're smiling. Everyday. It's a choice and a priority every single day. If I see my kids frown, or cry, I do what I can to give them the tools to help them change the way they're feeling. Happiness turned out to be the best medicine for me, and I believe that I needed to experience the pain and suffering of anxiety and depression, so that I could discover and share the tools to light myself and my kids up every day, and share these resources with anyone else who wants them."

Check out these "astronaut helmets", as Evey describes them to her kids...it sounds a bit more exciting than a mask, don't you think?

Jack and Jade are ready for SPACE!

Evey bought these "astronaut helmets" because she needed to take her kids to the doctor appointments and wanted to make sure that they avoided any and all exposure to Covid-19.

But underneath, you can see they are smiling.

How could you not with this awesome environment Evey created for them?

ER: "It's funny. I make light up dresses and I used to think that was my mission in life: to help people shine and be the most sparkly version of themselves. But I realized it's deeper than that. I realized my purpose is to help people light up from the inside-out. It's cool, I finally found a use for my degree from UCLA, in Cultural Anthropology and my background in Social Work. I always thought that those were just completely random things I have done. It was weird. I was a light up dress maker with a background in mental health. I never told the people I made dresses for that I also worked part time in psychiatric hospitals and homeless shelters and with youth in foster care. I never really understood how I could be so strongly drawn to both completely different career paths. It's cool that it all makes sense now. Now I am still making light up dresses, while continuing my education through Yale's Science of Well Being Program, and I'm so excited about all of it!"

"Happiness is an inside job." -  William Arthur Ward

ER: "Happiness is a choice I make everyday,  and I truly hope that I can help other people find these resources because I believe we were all born to be happy."

"And more importantly, happiness is vital. I've seen what stress and despair can do to the body and mind, and how profoundly this framework can help people find joy."

Being a creative and entrepreneur, Evey put together a framework to teach anyone how to find joy in dark times, and she is giving it away for FREE at www.YouCanChooseToBeHappy.com...

ER: "It's for anyone, but I made it so simple that even a burnt out mom with zero time to herself could do it." Be sure to check it out HERE!

Evey's book, titled, "Mommy, You Can Choose To Be Happy" will enlighten, inspire, and even make you HAPPY...plus it's FREE! Thank you, Evey.

"Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy." - Guillaume Apollinaire

RR: What do you miss most about life before Covid-19?

ER: "Watching my kids run around with their friends on the playground. Watching my daughter run across the school yard to give her best friend a big hug."
Jade is the friendliest girl you've ever met...she waved at me through the window and then asked me when I would come back and hang out as I was leaving the shoot.

RR: What has Covid-19 made you grateful for?

ER: "Our health and the precious time we have together."

RR: What has been the biggest challenge for you during this time?

ER: "Keeping us all healthy and safe, happy, entertained, and educated, staying on top of laundry and dishes and keeping the house clean, all while my husband and I both work. It's been a juggling act for sure. And I just need to be OK with not finishing everything I'd hoped to complete in a day, the drawers stuffed with mismatched socks and unfolded clothes, and paint covered floors."

RR: What are you most excited for when things return to “normal”?

ER: "Hugs, playdates, family dinners, being able to have someone help us watch the kids for even just a couple hours, riding Splash Mountain."

"Happiness is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes." - Charles Dickens

Thank you, Evey, Jade, and Jack, for allowing me to capture you in your element of pure HAPPINESS.

Whether you're going to "space", riding your bikes, swings, or driving that sweet Mustang, I know you will be making the most of your time together during this pandemic.

Oh, and be sure to look out for JADE...America's next TOP MODEL!

This girl is a natural performer and loves the camera! Agents and Managers...look out!

Oh, and Jack..I know you're only three, but be sure to let me know when you get your driver's license...I want to ride in the car with you!

Finally, a special shout out of appreciation to super mom and motivator, Evey Rosenbloom, for being a shining light and inspiration to all those lucky to know you.

Evey Rosenbloom's book, "Mommy, You Can Choose to Be Happy", can be found online, at no cost, at www.YouCanChooseToBeHappy.com

I know what my next read is going to be!

Stay safe, have fun, and keep smiling, kids.

If you or anyone you know would like to be featured, please direct message me on social media or shoot me an email - I’d love to share your story with the world! 🌎 

And, if you haven't done so already, please follow along this journey with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter - and share it with your community! The whole point of this project is to connect humans during a time of so much uncertainty.

Much love, health, and happiness,

Robin