Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Carrots (Finding Joy in the Little Moments)

" Ca-wets, mama! Ca-wets!"

Yes, carrots she demanded, at ten in the morning, as it rained outside. I tried to tell her to wait for lunch, but when my little one gets an idea in her head, she's never easily persuaded to let it go

So we strapped our rain shoes on and went outside.

"Wain, mama! Wain!"

I told her I would stay in the garage and watch her while she danced in the rain, but the twinkle in her clear blue eyes kept me from staying still.

The excitement on her face and the pure joy she experiences in moments like these sends me shooting back to my own childhood. I danced with abandon beside her, around our little court yard, as the rain came pouring down. And she was happy.

We eventually made it over to our garden where my husband and children have spent many weekends planting and harvesting our vegetables. 

The little one and I admired all the green leaved bunches, sprouting out of the earth, and I slowly picked two little carrots for the littlest one in my house.

It is these special moments that I don't want to forget. These moments are magical. They are what keeps my mama energy tank going. They keep me present and they keep me alive.

For life is always a bit more joyful and a bit more colorful through the eyes of a child.



Monday, March 24, 2014

{Highlight Reel} Birthday Edition

We've been busy since last Monday. My parents have been in town and this past weekend kicked off my birthday celebrating; because one day of celebrating just isn't enough...


The preppings of a St. Patrick's Day feast.


A trip to the San Diego Zoo. The flamingos are their favorite.


I dressed up for a tea party. Please ignore the mess(eek). I just wanted to show some solid proof that I looked nice this week...


Early birthday celebrating at Stone Brewery. I tried Quail Knots or the first time and they were amazing! 


Wine tasting in Temecula. We saw three wineries total.


At Calloway Winery, with my dad. 

And Happy Birthday to me! 

Xo

Sunday, March 16, 2014

{Highlight Reel} Lego Men, Koi Fish, and the Most Frustrating Place on Earth...



Four score and seven Lego years ago... 

We found all of the Lego men you can collect from the movie; and Let It Go has temporarily been replaced with Everything Is Awesome! 

When I told bear to pick up her Legos last week, her response was: Everything is Not awesome...   


San Juan Mission


The Koi fountain was the highlight. Forget the history and beauty, large fish always trump history... 

We met some old friends at the mission, that was actually the real highlight of the trip. 


Reunited and it feels so... Silly... 


We met my parents at Disney on Thursday and Friday. I spent most of Friday hiding in the hotel closet, trying to get the little one to nap. It was the most frustrating place on earth that day...

Luckily I had my trusty companion. David Sedaris does not disappoint. 

And that's that. 

Happy Week!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Gratitude


I am asking for gratitude today. I have been stuck in a pretty negative place and I know the only way out is through gratitude.

Once our mind dips into a negative spiral it is really hard to get it to stop. It likes the negativity and feeds on it. Those *gremlins are alive and kicken' it in my mommy exhausted brain.

It all started on Saturday, I had one brief moment of insecurity and it has been a game of dominos ever sense. I kept trying to negotiate with it but the more you fight yourself to stop thinking about something, the more you think about it.

"Don't think about pink elephants!"

Are you thinking about pink elephants?

Of course you are.

But I've cried my tears and it's time to climb out of this hole and reach for gratitude.

What are you grateful for? What are your blessings? It is easy to get carried away with all the things that are going wrong. The minute we chose gratitude, is the minute everything changes.

Gratitude is the moment when God picks me up, wipes my tears, and reminds me that I am exactly where I am suppose to be.

We can either chose to see all that is wrong with the world or we can chose to see all that is right. I chose right. 

I am grateful for this life.