Three Little Birds

I saw this border fabric
(swatch is on the far right) over at the Purl Soho blog and thought it would be a great supplement to the Dwell Peeps crib set (image below left) that I already have.
I could add it as a crib skirt to the boy-ish "peeps" and maybe, just maybe convert that boy bedding into a much softer version for my little baby girl who is set to arrive in April. Check it out and let me know what you think. I ended up purchasing the pink ruffly lantern decorations (which I featured in a previous post) for the ceiling so that she'll have something frilly and fluffy and PINK to look at. I found it on ebay, naturally and am very excited. I also ended up allowing myself to by one more pink item. I went over to Style Child and FINALLY got to buy something girly. I love their selection of boy clothing, but set one foot in the store and you'll see how adorable the little baby girl items are. I went in on "Black Friday" and scored the set for 30% off, an unexpected plus. If you find yourself in the Hillcrest area of San Diego you should stop by and help support the local biz.

Guess What?

My Wish Came True.
I'm having a little girl.

Wishful Thinking...is Great!!

So I am almost through my 1st trimester, YAY! In a few short weeks I will be:

1) Over my constant, tiring state of nausea
2) Getting back into the swing of things
3) Welcoming my first little baby girl niece into the family
4) Finding out the sex of my baby #3 by Thanksgiving
5) Stuffing myself silly at Thanksgiving while living a nausea-free life, UGH!
6) Hopefully, I will be purchasing lots and lots of pink.

If #6 proves true, (which I have a strong hunch it will) I'd love to design a nursery like the one pictured above which can be found here. I adore the pink, coral, fuchsia and orange paper lanterns of different textures. They light up my day. If indeed it is a Pink Thanksgiving this year, I will have to finally break out my splurge of a sewing machine and start quilting. I've found plenty of inspiration over at Soulemama and of course my dear friend Marie is a constant source of inspiration to me (I know I'm not alone here). I'll have to dedicate a whole blog entry just to her one day. She is magnificent and looks lovely in bright red lipstick without a hint of any other makeup.

So I'm about 9 weeks off from getting to know baby #3 a little bit better. Currently blessed, but feeling quite down about my morning sickness status. So forgive a little wishful thinking on my part. Dreaming in idyllic shades of blush helps take my mind off of the not so inspiring parts of pregnancy. Wandering into the land of dress patterns, things to knit and ric-rac, pom-poms and fringe helps pass the time in delightful ways.

Okay, how cute are these.

The LOVES of my life!

Going Green

I'll admit I've been slacking on the posts as of late. You know, actually I've been feeling a bit green and am afraid that this all day, all night dance won't halt for another month or two. You see, I've done this dance a handful of times before and although the finished production is absolutely divine, the steps are grueling. I was not born a happy dancer.

Today I saw the heartbeat. Visually, one of the most beautiful things any expectant parent could wish for. I'm surrounded by the talent of my husband's artwork, daily dazzled by the sight and sounds of my children, yet seeing a little flutter on a very dated black and white screen brings tears and relief.

So forgive me if I don't update as often as I should. I'll be back in the swing of things in a few short weeks.
Please direct all "pink" thoughts toward my uterus.

oxo

Cabin Fever

Everyone should rent a cabin on a lake, if not for the serenity, for the opportunity it offers your children to fulfill your desires for them. This past week my kids caught frogs where the cat tails grow, went fishing, swung on a rope swing in an idyllic pond, drove a boat (with help), saw a lightening storm, rode on 4-wheelers a.k.a quads, rode in a tractor that had satellite radio, saw a sky so filled with stars that it was hard to find the big dipper, blew marshmallow shooters, made s'mores by campfire, swatted mosquitoes, jumped on a trampoline, found a lightening bug and put it in a jar next to their bed (freed the next day), ate hot dish and corn, drove the town garbage truck (just one), hit up an indoor water park, walked the sculpture garden, witnessed the indoor amusement park at the Mall of America, and finally, shot off a rocket that went almost 1000 feet up into the sky.
It was glorious! Thank you dear family for having such a wonderful, adventure-filled, down home vacation. Can't wait to do it again next year.

Seriously J Crew?

Okay, I know that the Eighties are back and they are probably as exciting for today's generation as they were for my generation, but PUH-LEASE! Seriously? The neon anklet with heels? Why did you have to go there? Madonna already went there aeons ago and there is no reason to re-visit. None. I could go on about the day-glo checkered, hunter-plaid flannel shirts (not featured at J Crew, YET!) but I'll stop short and just focus on those dang anklets. If any of you spot me on the street wearing a pair of those, will you smack me across the face with a dead fish? Thank you.
I'm done now.

Photo credit: courtesy of J Crew peeps

Check out my friend's Blog

My dear friend (and Michael's publisher) RuthAnn Thorn has just created a blog that is about being a first time mom over 40.
She is one dynamic woman! In addition to raising her child Isabella, she runs a very successful publishing company Crown Thorn Publishing and several galleries, Exclusive Collections Fine Art, with her husband here in San Diego. I know several women that were first time moms (or raising toddlers) at 40 and balancing their careers and family life at the same time. It is a full plate. So cheers to RuthAnn and you should all check out her blog and encourage her to write more entries.


Photo Credit: Photo by Rian DeLane of Sunday's Child Photography

Oh, if we could all do this for a change...

(Photo of me and Evs taken by Peta Maze, courtesy of http://www.debsphotographs.com/photoblog/)

On Parenting

I came across the following excerpt today and it really touched my heart. I found it on the GOOP blog. Read on...

"I don’t know if I’m pulling rank here: I’m speaking now as a grandmother, not an active-duty mom. But my four grandkids have given me a second chance to learn the lessons that I missed the first time around. Or maybe it’s simply that the passage of time lets one see the forest, not just the trees.

The single most important thing is to take time to LISTEN to your children – as fellow human beings, not just as your charges or pet projects. There’s a wise little human soul in there, ageless in heart even while young in time. Follow her lead. Listen to what she says and DOESN’T say. Don’t just manage her, but allow the things she’s interested in to open and energize your own heart. That’s the secret of eternal youth."

Here is my favorite part...

"Second, don’t be afraid to be real with your children. I’m not speaking so much here about being honest with your feelings (that’s generally good, but don’t forget that as a parent you have a primary responsibility to hold a safe space for your kids, and your self-expression should never overwhelm or frighten them); rather, I’m talking about being transparent about what you truly love. For eighteen years my own mother managed, scolded, imposed manners, dragged us kids off to Sunday school, arranged lessons in necessary social graces, chaperoned parties and supervised homework. And yet, for all that gray blur of duty, the one day I truly remember from my childhood was the day she simply gathered up her beloved oil paints and marched us off to a local arboretum. As my brother and I explored the gardens, I watched her a short distance away, poised before her easel, golden sunlight streaming down her face, completely entranced in what she was doing. How I loved her in that moment! And the unspoken lesson on following your bliss has remained with me for nearly six decades."

-Cynthia Bourgeault

Cynthia Bourgeault is an Episcopal priest, writer and retreat leader. She is founding director of the Aspen Wisdom School in Colorado and principal visiting teacher for the Contemplative Society in Victoria, BC, Canada.

Photo of Evs by Michael Flohr

Best Game Ever

Sidetracking from my normal babbling and sticking with the bragging I have a little news to share; Michael Flohr had the best golf game ever and I was there to witness! We played golf with our dear friend/adopted family member Steve Long and Corey Johnson yesterday at Balboa Park 18-hole. (Corey's wife, the lovely Adriana is my cupcake baking business partner and friend.) It was Steve's birthday and we all got up at the butt crack of dawn to play. Steve likes to play eeeeaaaarly.

Let's skip to the chase shall we?
Michael Flohr scored a 77!
Best game of his life and he played it with me.
It felt so good to see him so happy and I felt good because, although half of my game was in the toilet, the other half wasn't bad!
Not a bad way to celebrate Steve being born. Even though it was a looooooooooooooooonnng time ago. (hee hee).

In other news, I have been making a conscious effort to do more for myself and less for others. Okay, okay, kidding about the less for others part, but very much serious on the me part. Hope I can keep it up. I'll need your encouragement, so if I can get a "hell yeah!" every now and then, it would be appreciated. I need ideas. How do you carve out some "me" time for yourself when you've got a family to manage?

Blank Canvas

Well, I'm about to do a little braggin'. Get ready and settle in. My Hubs, a.k.a the very talented artist Michael Flohr just got back home from a whirlwind show schedule. He had a remarkable show here in San Diego this past weekend and then two days later flew to Breckenridge, Colorado for another very successful show. (Enter the bragging). Whilst at the Breck gallery, he set up a half-painted canvas to be completed by the end of the two day show. He finished it faster than he had anticipated. It sold. So the next day he set up a blank 16x20 white canvas on his easel. He turned around after setting up his palette and there was a red dot placed upon it. Red dots in the art world mean SOLD. We are all about the red dot.

So Michael Flohr sold a painting before paint ever touched the canvas.
For approx. $8500.

(Applause)

Way to go honey, I'm so proud of you and your amazing talent.
I am also certain that I am not the only one who feels this way.

Searching

I feel it in my throat, my gut and it has been occupying my mind for some time. I'm searching. Trying to identify what the hole is that I need to fill. (alright you dirty minds, move onward) Sigh. So many good things in my life. I should be full. Why am I restless? Do I already know the answer? Am I scared to face it, scared to try? Hmmph, will keep you posted.

Now on to something really juicy.

Tomatoes.
My homegrown lovelies. Check out the first of the crop.



I ate it right after I snapped the picture.

And yes, it was warm and vibrant, it's sweet, pungent, lingering fragrance was like silk against my tongue.
The perfect flavor of summer.
Can't wait for the purple cherokees and the brandywines to come in next.

( Pictured L to R: Sweet 100's, Brandywine, Purple Cherokee, Stupice (the one I devoured), Seeds of Change Basil in foreground)

Late Night Tweets

No, I'm not talking about Twitter. Lately around these So. Cal. parts the birds have been singing at night. It happens every summer that I've lived here in my little 1912 craftsman bungalow. Tonight I'm up past midnight, post knit night bliss, and had so much fun with the gals that I'm not quite ready to go to sleep. Apparently, I'm not alone. Who are these happy little night birds who chirp into the early a.m.? Their soundtrack leading me to my dreams. Chirp, chirp, chirp. So friendly and sweet. I am reminded of the afternoon naps I'd take as a young girl in Texas while visiting my Grandparent's house. I'd fall to sleep listening to the song of the Whippoorwill bird.

I think my next post will feature my first crop of the season, my tomatoes! Juicy and simply delicious. If you are a tomato lover, drool on...

Adorable!

Just spotted this adorable knit lobster on PetitePurls.com via Soulemama. I have knit a couple of toys animals for my boys (two dinosaurs, a pink bunny and a cupcake). I think a lobster or two should be next on the list! I have a knit night coming up this week and this could be just the thing to start on while gossiping, guzzling wine (or beer in my case. lately wine has been making me horribly nauseous. boo.) and laughing my a** off.

Knit night is great. Once a month I get together with a bunch of really cool ladies of varied ages. This group of women, we might not have even befriended each other if it weren't for knitting, and they are the COOLEST group of ladies! We are all of varied backgrounds, life-choices, ages and we have such a great time together. The kicker is the Hubs thinks its just a harmless bunch of old folks that get together and knit.

If you are a knitter or aspire to learn, there are many established knitting groups out there. To find one in your area just go to Ravelry.com and sign up. Or locally, there is a "knit up" the first and third Sundays 3p.m. at the Whistlestop Bar in SouthPark. A great place to go and get Knit-Faced!

A Tree Fell on Me and I Walked Away

I hesitated to write this post because I know that the owner's of said tree feel SO bad about it and I really don't want them to. BUT the subject is just so random and odd and filled with luck that I couldn't resist. Forgive me.

You see, a tree fell on me last Sunday. It had been cut off to about 5 or 6 feet high and a very inviting hammock was attached to it. I joined my husband and infant on the hammock and BOOM, first the hammock collapsed. Thud! Bodies hit the ground, and a split second later a horrible, guttural yell came out of my mouth. I couldn't see anything but black. I couldn't talk, I could only gesture with my right hand. All I felt was immense weight and pain on my upper right leg and the thought running through my head was, "get this off of me as fast as you can" (unbearable).

A friend suggested I write about this on the blog because of the so many "what ifs" that didn't occur. She said, "Praise God" a couple of times when we talked about the details. And it got me thinking about the luck (or divine intervention) that took place that day. The tree landed on the top of my thigh, the thickest part of my very thin body. The trunk was about as wide as the length of my entire thigh. I am a very long legged gal and the trunk was probably about a foot and a half or so wide; it took up most of my upper leg. Had the tree landed two inches in either direction, it would've crushed my right knee or to the north, my hip. The force and weight of it was remarkable.

I mentioned the weight of the trunk. Other people that were there did too, saying that it was so heavy that couldn't lift it. My husband is the one that freed me and he must've had a rush of adrenaline. Luckily it was over quickly.
The Hubs said he rolled our baby off in the opposite direction, jumped up and pulled the weight off. He doesn't remember how heavy it was.

The What-Ifs:
I wrote them all down and just erased them.
Don't want to think of them anymore. They are too gruesome.

I just want to be thankful that it happened to me. Thankful to God, thankful to luck, thankful to nature and gravity. Thankful it was not anyone else I cared about in my place. Each day since I became an unwitting logger, I watch it grow. The purple and yellow badge that seeps it's way south across my skin reminds me daily how thankful I am. How it the outcome could have been so very different.

Photo courtesy of http://www.paintthatshitgold.com

Eeyore Birthday

Whelp, it has arrived. I am officially 36 years old today and I've been feeling low about it all week. Not because of the number or the way age affects one's appearance, I'm comfortable with the way I look; this birthday just seems like a turning point. I'm sure I am not the first person to go through this (after all it IS called a mid-life crisis), yet I can't escape the doubt that has nestled in the deeper parts of my mind. I mentioned in my earlier post about the incessant wanderlust within me. It tugs at me pretty consistently and just won't go away. Sometimes I can suppress it for years; it always creeps back up.

I chose the path of getting married to a very kind, exceptionally creative man and then helped him to create two wonderful little souls. I proudly wear the roles of wife and mother but along the way I've forgotten me. Pre-life me. The things that were very important to me before I chose to make other dear people/things more important than me.

And I'm feeling it pretty hard right now.

Thirty-six. Not so old. Not young or fresh. Still hopeful, pensive, lanky. Not a girl, a woman. Full of familial responsibilities. No career, no personal direction. Homemaker/Husband-manager. Talent unused. College degree unused.

Quite aware of how incredibly lucky it is to have the luxury of choosing to be being a stay at home mother.

Honored to have a husband whose business license states profession as "artists, performers and writers" and whose artwork pays the bills and then some.

Yet still, lurking beneath: unsatisfied. scared.

How do I begin to do things for myself, when I barely have the time to manage the family? Is that selfish to surface these wants now? I've always wanted them, I've just put them off and postponed them for so long.

This birthday has really got me in my head. That is why I am calling this birthday, the 36th, my Eeyore Birthday. It is eleven o'clock in the evening, it is almost over. Soon to pass and won't be reminded until next year.

Today I:
Went to Balboa Park and watched the clouds change shape for hours.
Ate a PB&J sandwich on the grass next to my husband.
Read.
Surrounded myself with friends and their kids and the movies "Baraka" and "The Bicycle Theives" (choices which I think freaked my friends out just a little bit, but left me pleasantly satisfied)

My Madsen Is HERE!

It arrived and very quickly I might add. The above photo shows all of my boys in the new kid mover, a.k.a Madsen cargo bike.

For those of you who don't know, I used to be an avid cyclist. When I say avid, I mean every day, mountain or road, loved it. Loved it so much that I took off for two months on a solo road bike trip across the Pacific Northwest and ended up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. (Gorgeous country I might add). Freedom and a bike with a trailer lugging camping gear across a variety of mountain terrain. (I still hope to do a family trip some time either by bike or airstream). Since I've gotten married, it has been the longest I've ever stayed in one place at a time. SO, I feel like I always have this incredible wanderlust boiling beneath my surface and I have to tame it, because you can't just take off on a whim once you have a family (although some sadly do). I am hoping that the Madsen will offer me a compromise of sorts between lifestyles, pre-life and now-life, life with husband, kids, dogs and cats.

The test ride that we took yesterday confirmed the kids excitement. They absolutely loved it! By the way, before you spank me for not wearing a helmet, we all usually wear helmets. The Hubs and I were so excited too that we took off around the block without ours. Our oldest really never outwardly, nor voluntarily cares about his younger brother, but after he took his test ride, he told his dad that he should go back to the house and get Evs. Awww, those moments just melt 'ya. A glimmer of hope in a sibling rivalry-filled world. See folks? The Madsen brings people together.

P.S. I even got to ride in the back!

Bandwagon

Okay, I just now hopped on the Twilight bandwagon. Probably because I am a 36 year old mom of two.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about then go here. Twilight is a phenom with the teen crowd (think Harry Potter)
Twilight started out as a series of books and came out as a movie last fall. Another movie is scheduled to release this fall. Folks, I just passed by the book while I was at Costco, it was only $6 so I picked it up and thought, "what the heck, let's see what the buzz is about". I have two kids under 4 running around all day long needing my attention. It was a 500+ page book and I read it in 3 days. It was jaw dropping. I think what made it so interesting was the incredible dynamic of forbidden love. Think Romeo and Juliet but with vampires and in my opinion much more of a connection. OH that is another thing, I don't consider myself a vampire-novel-movie etc type of girl but dang, this book has got me hooked.
Additionally, what has me so inspired that this is a book created over a summer by a mom of three boys. Read her story here. She has done a great job writing and keeping her audience hooked. I can't say enough good things about this series and I look forward to making the time to read the next book!

I bought a Madsen!

I'm very excited about towing the family around town in this


Instead of this


For more information go here.

photos courtesy of Madsen Cycles and some random minivan pimping website

Photo Booth Junkie

Hello, my name is Melissa and I am a photo booth junkie. I have been one since my early twenties and I don't plan on changing, I really don't see why I should. When I lived near the Mission in San Francisco, one of my favorite things to do on the weekend was head up to 16th and Valencia and pop into this store where they had a vintage photo booth. I'd cram into the booth with whichever one of my friends was with me at the time and sometime it would be my dog Charlie-Toast. We'd be out on a walk and would pop in for a quick photo op. I love those photos of him, young and shiny. A reminder of the good 'ole days. C-Toast is almost 12 years old now, he has a lot more gray and moves at a much slower pace. (Don't we all)
I have photos of my husband kissing my belly, before we knew we were pregnant and then him kissing my very round pregnant belly. Four little frames which captured the hope and excitement of the arrival of our first son. Strips of both of our sons, of great grandparents and cousins and friends. Those images won't fade over time. All of those cheap, digital rip-offs trying to dupe unsuspecting paramours, hoping to capture their moment in black and white, or a faded color strip. You won't fool me and hopefully with this tidbit of information, you won't break anymore hearts either.
To find the nearest ''old-school" photo booth near you, go here.


Photo courtesy of Ron Cowan on photobooth.net

Family Photos

This past Christmas my mom bought us a family photo session with photographer Deb Schwedhelm. Her work is amazing and I am so inspired by her story. She just picked up a DSLR camera only 3 years ago! Folks, she has a thriving photography business and she is a stay at home mom to 3 kids while her husband is deployed. Incredibly talented, she utilizes all natural light and oooooh, if I could peek inside of her head to know how she sees things artistically, I'd consider myself lucky. Very talented. Read all about her here. And to sneak a peek of our family portrait, which is SO fitting for our goofy family/lifestyle go here and scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Yummy Eats: Hoppin' John-ish

Okay, I had to post one of my favorite easy to make meals. It's a one pot dish and if you serve it up right with some cornbread, it is complete. It is a take on Hoppin' John, a Southern dish and it is easy as pie.

You take a Trader Joe's Turkey Kielbasa and cut it into bite sized chunks. (or spicy Andouille sausage, but I have the kids to think about so Kielbasa it is...) Throw it in a skillet with a little bit of oil and an onion and 3 cloves of chopped garlic. Brown those up. Then throw in a can of rinsed Black-Eyed peas and two Bay leaves. Stir in a can of no salt diced tomatoes with liquid and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add a 1/2 cup of broth, veggie or chicken. After 10 minutes of that, spoon in 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar and a pinch of salt to taste. Now, here is the good part; Throw in 2-3 cups of mustard greens in the mix and stir it up. Let it simmer for a minute and then either serve over rice or cornbread or just dish it out as is, lemme tell y'all, it is easy and it is GOOD! And it is even better if you have some okra to mix in. I didn't so I just had to deal. Hope you like it, low in fat, high in fiber and good 'ole Southern Luck.

Photo credit: from http://www.andthesethygifts.com

Trains

Hi all, National Train Day is coming up so if any of you have interest in that sort of thing, or have little ones who are, check out all the info here. Los Angeles is hosting an event at Union Station Mother's Day weekend. Choo Choo!

Texas

I just returned from a wonderful trip to Texas. Austin, more precisely and it was terrific! The weather was great and it made for a fun filled mini-visit. Naturally, I am partial to Texas as I am a Texan (and very proud of that). I dipped my toes in a creek and almost caught a frog, but it slipped through my fingers. I walked amid old live oak trees, found cicada wings, stared at bluebonnets, went cave exploring, licked a sno-cone, munched on Dunkin' Donuts, rode a miniature train and ate smokey BBQ, all with the kids in tow. It was so nice to share the memories of my childhood with my children and husband. There is something very special about the land out there. The people. The FOOD!

Living in Southern California I mourn that my kids will probably never swim in a lake on their home turf (most of our lakes are all reservoirs boats can go in, but people can't). They might not ever see fireflies glow in the warm summer nights or hear the hum, hum, hum of cicadas or the glitter of sparklers waved in the nighttime air.

Perhaps I'm waxing nostalgic a bit. What my kids do get to experience is an idyllic So. Cal. neighborhood where friends are abound and conversations over the fence are many.

Plus, we've got a whole big ocean of sunsets.

TV is LAME

Okay, maybe it is just the television programing that my husband watches. It is such trash! I usually skip it. Tonight, however, one show caught my eye. That show was the worst car wreck ever. It is called "I Was Bitten" on Animal Planet. It is so gross, yet very informative, very graphic, verrrrry disturbing. Tonight I learned about something called Botfly larvae. Look it up and learn about how and where this little creature lays it's eggs. Enough said. Don't hate me. And wear your mosquito repellant.

True Love

Em: "Mama, I really love you"
Me: "Why, because I gave you a cupcake?"
Em: "Yes"
Me: "Is that the only reason you love me?"
Em: "Yes."

Ah, l'amour.

Sundays

There really is no excuse for missing out on this. After all, I can see it from my house! When I don't go, I feel this immense guilt.
Church? Nope, I'm talking about the Farmer's Market on Sunday. photo courtesy of Hober's photostream on flickr

I am set when I go with the kids. I go up to the big orange coffee truck and get a great cup of Joe. Then I walk up and get a portable breakfast for all of us, walk a little further up and plop down on a mat in front of the musician's tent. They play anything from bluegrass to alt. country and I soak up life as the kids dance and clap their hands. After sitting a spell, we go on the hunt for veggies and the last stop I make is for the organic vendor's "I swear I just killed it yesterday" $20(!!) whole chicken, with a foot thrown in for free (for the kids to look at)! Wild huh? Sunday roasted chicken, recipe here, with a bounty of veggies for supper. It's become quite a tradition. What are your favorite things to buy at the Farmer's Market?

Pink for my Boys

Today I decided to make pink pancakes for my boys, in honor of Valentine's day. The experiment was this: add beets and ricotta to the mix and see what happens. Vibrant pink! I loved it so much! I think next time I will add some kind of very sweet fruit to the batter to mask the beet flavor. Hope your Valentine's is spent with those you love, or things you love to do.

Magazine Junkie

It seems that as a busy mom of two boys, the only time I can indulge in reading magazines without someone in the home needing something from me, is when I am alone. AND the only time I am alone is when I am in the bathroom. Baths are few and far between, and you can't bring a mag in the shower so that leaves one place to catch up on my "news". That, my friends, is the toilet. Seeing that I loveeeee reading cooking magazines, it really grosses me out to read one of those while my buns are resting on porcelain, SO, I'm in a predicament. When do you find time to read magazines, or do you find time at all?

To Move, or Not To Move?

Short and simple today, we are in a predicament. We looooooove our house and our neighborhood, but with our growing family, the house/yard has just become so small. We are planning on having another baby someday and would definitely need another place. Bigger homes in our desirable neighborhood are just soooo expen$ive. We're talking over a million, easy. So what's a girl to do? Can't I walk to coffee and have an acre? All kidding aside, we know how lucky we are to even have a home in these times.

I think we'll just hold out in a stall position until we find a great fit. What do you say?

Cheers to Our New President!

Whomever you voted for, be proud of our country and of our new leader. He is my President and yours. Congratulations, United States of America!

Maui Getaway

A one week getaway from it all trip to Maui! Sounds great? Well, it was! The Hubs had a one night show in Lahaina and the rest was pure laziness. I loved every minute of that recharge trip. I feel fresh and healthy. You would too. Check out this view:


Which often times lead to this...


Aloha, mes amis!

A Stone's Throw from Middle Age

Whelp. I am officially there. Middle age, that is. Since my last post I have endured another bout of mastitis and most recently, kidney stones. I had always heard that they hurt, but what a whopper. It was horrible, excruciating and hopefully, over.

I've had two kids and I have to say, it is a toss up between which is worse; childbirth or kidney stones. Ugh. So that said, my wish for the new year is to feel great. I had this thought on New Year's Eve...if I were taking my last breath, what would I wish I'd have done? Several things came to mind. And, in case you are wondering what those were, here they are:

1) To lighten up. I am pretty happy go lucky, but out of the two (the Hubs and I) I am much more serious. Sometimes I can put value into something that just needs less gravity.
2) To take my dear, old dog for more walks. A daily walk to the coffee shop just doesn't cut it. He deserves different scenery.
and he's got a heart of gold.
3) To take more day trips with the family. Before kids, I had this intense wanderlust. I still do, but often the Hubs and I get bogged down by the effort of it all. I know that I'll have regrets if we don't travel more, so as a compromise: more adventures!
4) Last but not least, to make the time to make love more often (blush). Those of you who have toddlers know what I mean. You are so drained, emotionally and physically that all you wanna do is go to sleep. But paying attention to one another is so important. (This goal probably goes along with goal number 1 too. Lighten up, have fun).

I am so young, even if kidney stones officially confirmed my middle-agedom. When something stands in your way of attaining your dreams remember something my auntie always says, "this too shall pass"