Sample Sale.

This has been a busy week! My writing skills are lacking, and so I will leave you with this!
images via Paulfrank.com

Happy Memorial Day.

Bembo's Zoo is a fantastic typography work that plays with letters to create animals for each alphabet letter!

You

Do you lay your head on the pillow at night, and your mind races with all of the things you didn't get to do, and the things you did do? Did you do them right, did you say that right, did she seem weird when she said that to you? Judging, analyzing, stressing... Quiet your mind, get in control. Empty it.

I would pray for a while at night and I still do, but after my prayers are finished I move to a place of quiet solitude. A place within that is so deep, I can call it my own. This is where everything is for me, this is where I live. It's not within these four walls.

When you turn within and take control, your need to control things around you suddenly seizes. This message keeps coming to me loud and clear. Your inner self holds the key to your complete happiness. Your life mirrors the way you see the world. Your inner happiness spills out to others and then returns to you. My husband has been telling me this for a long time now, and maybe it is just now sinking in. But everywhere I turn this message is right in front of me. I love this moment. He handed me his book today and had me read his favorite part. It was exactly this, we are on the same page.
I took Van to the Self-Realization Fellowship Ashram Center in Encinitas this week. I let him run around barefoot in the meditation gardens, while I sat watching him play. It is easy to quiet your mind in a place like this. It is amidst the chaos and the noise where we find peace, that is the true challenge.

Organic

Your all so stylish, you inspire me! Thanks again for being with me and celebrating my move all the way across the country!

Hey have you seen Rogans new line at Target, it's impressive & organic cotton! I am so excited.
check out more of the stylish duds here.

This is Home.....

So I have to admit that I have watched American idol religiously this season, I have never been a fan until now! I am a little torn between the two David's but I must admit David Archuleta won tonight! Last week David Cook sang dare you to move by switchfoot.
Jon & Tim are friends of Conner's. We were lucky enough to have Jon sing two songs at our wedding.
Anyhow this is Switchfoot's new video "This is Home" from the Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian. It strikes a chord with me at the moment. You know how you hear a song and you make it into exactly what your going through at the time? I have been doing that lately.

I find comfort in music.
I've come too far
Now I won't go back
This is home

Nostalgic already

Today I got a little emotional when Van and I were playing in his room, we made a fort out of sheets and played with his toys in there. I tried to take the moments and capture them in my memory. His room, the breeze blowing in the window, the curtains billowing. The music floating through the air. I started thinking about all of the hard work and energy we put into designing his room. Conner worked so hard on it. The thought of leaving the first home we owned and the place we brought our son home scares me a lot. There has been something really nice about being in our own little bubble out here. Change is hard on me, I start missing a place before I am even gone. I know it will all be fine but the waiting is harder than the arriving. I look around at this beautiful place and know it will live on in my hear and mind forever.

I just read this article and I am getting nervous about flying my dogs across the country in the middle of summer.... What should we do?
Our only other option would be to have Conner drive cross country with them when he comes in August. He will be out of the country for about two weeks in July so we would need to board them in a kennel and I think that would cause more stress on them than the scary six or seven hour flight across the hot country....

Vangenius

Van and I work on his vocabulary a little everyday, he is just like a little sponge learning all sorts of new words. I really like using these flash cards. I bought them in Puerto Rico, but they are available everywhere!

She's Fresh.

So here I am at 12:58 am, still awake. I just repaired some major problems to the site. But after a few hours I think I have it fixed now. Here is a preview. At the moment it is basic. I just got the framework in there and now I am going to spice it up with some design elements. It looks so stale to me.... But it has been a long road to get this far. Man building websites is a tough job, but I am slowly learning the ropes of the information super highway! zzzzzzz

HAPPY 60th Pop Pop

I hope we can play ball together soon!
I miss you so much. xoxoxox your grandson VAN

HAPPY MOM"S DAY!

To all of you wonderful mother's out there that work 24/7 and don't expect much in return. You are so loved and appreciated. Have a wonderful day today and take a deep breath and remember that you are perfect in every way just the way you are.

Blessings.

Postpardum depression

I went to mamafest this week with some friends from my strollerstrides class and I was moved to tears by Michael Spangler's talk on losing his wife to postpardum depression.

Just as every woman is different, every woman's childbirth experience is different. And since the vast majority of new mothers eventually get some sleep, feel comfortable caring for an infant and fall into the rhythm of being a family, those who don't feel only more isolated and alone.

That's what happened to Annie Spangler. A naval officer, a pharmacist, she was stunned to find, at 46, that she didn't feel in control. One day, it got to be too much.

His story is life altering and it will change the way you feel about anyone close to you having feelings like these. I am making a point to support this cause, please help out in any way you can.

Love and Marriage.....

Conner and I celebrated four years of marriage yesterday, we had a mellow night at home, with some of our favorite foods. It's amazing that four years seems so long, but in the grand scheme of things it is really so short. We have gone through so much already in these four years of marriage. I do know that when we were hugging each other yesterday and looking at Van I felt so much energy and happiness for the moments we share and what we have built together. I have some beautiful flowers from my mom and sister, and lilly's from Conner. I got a gift certificate for a massage too! Good luck this weekend in your surf contest, Dad! We love you.

It's a relationship...

This coming week is a big one, Conner and I celebrate 4 years, mothers day, and Van turning 14 months old (Next Monday). Oh and I planned a little going away party for myself with my closest friends that I have made here. It is Saturday night! So I am looking forward to having them all together in one place with me for a night, so I can give them a little gift and celebrate having them in my life.

I do miss my most lovely friend so much, she is in South Carolina and I have not seen her in too long. I just stumbled upon this photo of us together before any kiddos were in the picture. Now I have a one year old, and she is growing a little one in her tummy. I am so excited!!!

I feel GOD working in me everyday, I have a relationship with him that I constantly maintain. I tell him things that I would never say aloud, he listens.... This relationship is not a certain religion in my mind. I speak to him even in my unconscious states. Sometimes when I am asleep I wake in prayer. I have found peace lately amidst the chaos. I have found that I am the only one who makes my days, and the better I am for myself the better I am for those I love. Yes I am working on myself, I am not going to lie. It is an ongoing process, but having a child look up to me makes me want to be a better person.

Clean baby.....

Van can hold his breath under water now, he is a little fish? He is just now grasping how to come up for air when his swim teacher pushes him towards the wall.

I love it when Van is clean, I met a girl at Van's swimming lesson the other day and she was using her non disposable diapers and she told me all about how to make my own baby wipes. I looked it up when I got home and altered the recipe a bit, and it works great. No harsh chemicals and Van's skin is soft with no irritations! I am using earthfirst 100% recycled paper towels from costco! These paper towels are not bleached using chlorine so no harsh chemicals on baby's bum or face.

Making your own baby wipes will not only save money, but you will know for sure that no harsh or drying chemicals are touching your baby's bottom. I found this article on about.com

Here's How:

1. Cut the roll of paper towels in half with a knife and remove the inner cardboard core.
2. Mix liquid ingredients in container.
3. Place the paper towels in the container with the cut side facing downward.
4. Secure lid tightly and allow to sit until all liquid is absorbed into the paper towels.
5. Turn the container upside-down and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
6. Open container and 'start' the roll by pulling a towel from the inside of the roll.
7. Wipes are now ready to use.

Tips:

1. These also make a great gift for new parents. You can decorate or personalize the container and, of course, be sure to include a copy of the recipe.
2. Save the other half of the roll for use next time you make wipes.
3. Make sure the container is closed tightly after each use to prevent drying out.
4. When your baby is older and his skin is less sensitive, you can add about a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol to the mix.

What You Need:

* Round plastic container (Rubbermaid #6 or #9 works well)
* Thick, strong roll of white paper towels
* Sharp knife to cut paper towel roll in half
* 2 cups water that has been boiled and cooled to room temperature
* 2 Tablespoons of castille soap - I like Dr bronners baby mild soap
* 1 Tablespoon olive oil
* 3 to 4 drops of tea tree oil or grapefruit seed extract (you can find this at any health food store)
* 5 drops of lavender oil for scent and relaxation

Downward Dog

I am seeing a lot of this,
and this lately. It's a new take on talk to the hand. It happens mainly when I am saying no or be careful. It's Van's way of protesting. He does know how to make me smile!