Signs of Being “Rich” (According to My Childhood Self)

When I was a kid, I had my own measuring sticks for what it meant to be rich. Not money in the bank, not fancy cars, not vacations to exotic places. Nope. For me, it boiled down to two very specific things.

Number one: a two-story house.I grew up in a 1960s ranch-style home for a while, and it was a mixed neighborhood. Our part of the neighborhood was one-story homes, but the next subdivision over? Oh, they had these “fancy” 1990s two-story houses. With staircases. Staircases! To my young mind, if you had to walk upstairs to get to your bedroom, you must be loaded.

Number two: cereal containers.I had a relative who was perpetually organized—like, the type of person who always had clean counters, perfectly arranged cabinets, and not a single junk drawer in sight. (Honestly, I still want to be her when I grow up.) But what really blew my mind as a kid? She didn’t just have cereal boxes. She had cereal poured into clear plastic containers, (this was pre-Pinterest days ya'll). You could see right through them, like something out of a commercial. Forget the crumpled cardboard and ripped plastic bags—this was cereal luxury.

And let me tell you, if you had both a two-story house and plastic cereal containers? In my book, you were basically royalty.

Fast forward to today: I live in a 1990's two-story house, (coincidence, really). I even own the plastic cereal containers. And here’s the kicker—we are definitely not rich. Not even close, but that might be because my 6 kids eat everything in sight, (current status of our plastic cereal containers - nearly empty).

But kid-me? She would look at my life and think I was living the dream, (and in a way - I am, just not the dream I thought I'd be living in the "what will you be doing in twenty years" way).

What did you think were signs of wealth when you were young? I want to know! Put them in the comments!

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As a fellow tired mama, I know what it feels like to put yourself last every single day. That’s why my “Back to You” sessions are so special to me. They’re not about being “perfect”—they’re about letting me pamper you, pose you beautifully, and remind you of your worth. It’s a half-day escape that feels like a spa treatment, and you’ll leave with portraits that make your kids (and you) say, “Wow—that’s my mom.”

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Kristian is a mom of six, Program Manager by day, active Professional Photographer by trade, and a big believer in finding beauty in the everyday chaos.

Life in our house is loud, messy and full of literally everything. Love, noise, laundry, laughter, and definitely could use a bit more grace. I'm happily married to my best friend, grounded in my Catholic faith, and fueled by five to six hours of sleep per night and adrenaline.

I try to find joy in the everyday — even when it's wild, because without the little bit of joy, this life would be unbearable. This space is for the moms in the middle of it all: the ones juggling family, faith, work, and wonder. The ones that need someone else's messy life to make their own seem better or somewhat normal. You're not alone, and you're doing better than you think.

Welcome to Six Sweet Smiles — where we celebrate the mess, the miracles, and everything in between.