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Filed Under: Daily, Dear Diary, REAL LIFE

THAT PLACE

That place, which maybe isn’t this place in the photo above, for you. Maybe your place looks completely different. We all have one, some of us have a few and some of us maybe haven’t found it quite yet. It’s that place where you feel most at home, most joyful, content and whole. Maybe it’s a calming place, that resets your day, a comforting place that makes you feel safe and secure, maybe a fun place that brings joy into your day, or an inspiring place that makes your creative juices flow?

I’ve been thinking a lot about ‘that place’ and where it lives in my daily life. I realized I have a few different spots where I feel totally in my element, but three really big ones that stand out everyday. One of those is anytime I’m with my people, it is a safe, secure and an extremely joyful place. Being on my mat (the one above also happens to be metallic gooooold) because it’s calming, humbling, and it gives me strong solid roots for the rest of my life. And when I’m creating, because that fire in my belly is inspiring and I know I am fully in my element.

I have really been focusing on the small parts of each “place” the tiny little moments that make up the whole she-bang. And I’ve been trying my best to spread those tiny bits around the rest of my daily life, try my best to make my entire day feel a bit more like THAT PLACE (I’ve said it too many times, I know). There are small things that make up or help create those places in my life that make me feel whole and happy. Small things that I try to carry with me when I find them, that make the rest of my time exponentially more wonderful and hopefully give me more strength to fight through the inevitable hardships.

Is there a place where you feel totally free, maybe it’s something as simple as reading a book? I’m not really talking that glass of wine at the end of a hard day sorta place, that is a different (yet also very enjoyable) place. But is there a moment where you feel most like yourself and you are able to just let everything else go? What are the little parts that make up those moments?

What is “That Place” for you?

*It’s been a while since I went all Dear Diary on you, I’m always unsure about hitting publish on my DD posts. This past month has been one that was truly filled with life for us, birthday’s, new babies and a few too many goodbyes. All of it, has really made me stop and look at all the tiny moments so much more closely, and sometimes a good old word vomit all over the blog is just in order.

Filed Under: Daily, Dear Diary, REAL LIFE

What Came After Being A Full Time Stay-At-Home Mom

Oh hey there! (nerd alert! I felt like a picture of me looking over my shoulder deserved a proper intro).

Thank you to all of you who sent me questions last week! They were super helpful, inspiring and insightful – much more than I expected, so thank you! One of the most frequently asked questions (FAQ page, material) from last week and life in general is: What do you do with your day now that the kids are in school, what is “work”? And I thought since it is asked so often and I haven’t really answered it yet (I talked a bit about it here but also, not really) it sorta deserved its very own post even if it is a little dry ( I mean, super duper interesting and exciting), but hey I spiced it up with an over the shoulder photo!

Filed Under: Daily, Dear Diary, REAL LIFE, YOGA

ALL TO MYSELF

I get asked the question a lot and I know its because I went from 60 to 0 on the social sharing scale lately. Yes, I do still practice yoga and yes I literally (I know, that word has lost all it’s meaning lately) practice every single day. I am 100% addicted to it, it has grown to be such a huge part of me and my daily life that my day just does not feel right or complete without it (that’s the short answer, but I feel it’s gonna get a bit longer winded). I finished a 30 day yoga challenge at the studio, a few weeks ago (31 classes within a 30 day stretch – I eye roll at my self for being such a keener too, it’s ok), and it totally changed the way I feel about my practice (I’m trying to work on a post about how it changed me, but without all the touchy “feelings“).

I’ve reached this point where, this practice is so apart of my daily life that when I miss a day I feel like I didn’t sleep, or eat or something else that’s important to sustaining human life (dramatic, maybe a little). Like it’s very possible that it just might fit next to ‘shelter’ on my basic humans needs list. Or if I were asked the question “what would you bring to a deserted island?” I’d probably say my mat, no lies. I crawl out of bed to make that 6:30 am class every week day and then early on the weekends because I absolutely love it and because I need it, I’m like a coffee addict who gets a headache when she doesn’t get that fix of caffeine but instead of coffee it’s my daily yoga practice that puts be back where I need to be.

We live in the age where sharing is apart of doing. Where it’s not just about what you know or do, it’s about what you share. Along with my practice (which is mostly a sweaty hot practice, see photo above) becoming so ingrained and important to me and my everyday, it’s become this thing that feels much more personal and much harder to post and share nonchalantly about. I don’t know if that makes sense? I plan to still share whenever it feels natural, I actually love talking about it to anyone who is willing to listen – but sometimes (more specifically, just these days) shouting out about all the things just doesn’t feel right to me.

For me, my practice has become like one of those things we love with every part of our being (like families, babies and partners- but not as much as the love we have for them) and sometimes you want to keep those things you love with every part of your being, just to yourself to love and enjoy. To shelter those moments and hoard them all to yourself. Sometimes holding memories, moments and things all to yourself is better than sharing, sometimes it feels like it makes them even bigger and better when they are just for you, like you have this giant lovely secret that no one else knows about.

That’s the long end of how I feel about my practice and of course my heart filling family (I had a feeling it was gonna get long and winded) sometimes yelling about every moment makes them feel bigger and better, but for me in this moment this is what comes natural.

*Ha! Two posts in a row with my feet, I promise this isn’t a theme – total and complete accident, scouts honor!

Filed Under: ADVICE AND INFO, Daily, Dear Diary, REAL LIFE

GROWING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY

Have you seen this quote? Every time I come across it in my Pinterest feed, I think “Seriously!?” then I get a little sad because then I think about my kids growing up in this computer age.

I had this post in my drafts for sometime, it’s been on the tip of my brain for a long time. Every time I talk about it or go to write about it, it instantly becomes a touchy subject and seems to come out all wrong. Most anything that relates back to parenting, becomes a touchy subject because there is no one way to talk about it – there are millions of sides to the parenting story because we are all different individuals doing whats best for our own little individuals. So because I think and am interested in how to navigate childhood in this technology age, I wanted to talk about it but not preach but rather share how we handle raising our 2 kids in this age of technology and then ask you how you do it. This is what works for us, and our kids with their temperaments, dynamics and at their current ages (it all plays into it). Which may not work for our neighbors, for you, or the family across the world. Everyone’s circumstances and family dynamics are totally different, so something that might work for you might not work for me and vice versa. Basically, no (I mean, NO) judging but this is what works for us. And I’d love it if you would also share how you raise your kid(s) so that this doesn’t have to be a sad childhood quote? Make sense?

The way I see it, the basic skills it takes to use an iphone, a tablet or a computer, are pretty innate (when you are young, key) and they don’t really need to be fostered (like other skills in life that do need to be). The importance of learning how to play, share, read, be social, be empathetic and interact on an eye contact human level, feel much more important and are skills that need fostering and attention. From my personal, everyday experience I know that it takes no time to acquire the skills to use an iPhone or iPad (I was blown away when my kids first used my phone) and it also takes no time to become addicted to using them (again, from personal experience).

Filed Under: Daily, Dear Diary, REAL LIFE

BEST OR WORST

Chris has this special ability when taking photos, he captures some of the best images of everyone and everything. But when it comes to photos of me, they are either hot or freezing cold. I find myself cringing at 50% of the photos he snaps of me. I often used to ask him to delete photos, embarrassed because I didn’t like they way I looked. But then one day I realized (I think someone actually had to point it out to me) he doesn’t see what I see, he thinks they are all just as perfect as the 50% that don’t make me cringe (these photos fall into the best 50%). And just like that I never asked him to delete a photo again, because even though I still quietly cringe 50% of the time I’m mostly just so happy to know he still sees me through his love fogged eyes.

And on another sappy note. Today I sent both kids off to school, Harlow for the very first time. I’m a sappy sentimental, emotional mess today. I miss those stinkers something fierce, why do they need to grow up so fast?!

Filed Under: Daily, Dear Diary, REAL LIFE

A NEW SEASON

Changes happen pretty much every week when they are babies and every other month when they are toddlers, the rate we are hit with growth and changes in the first couple years is pretty intense and unfair (time can be so unfair). There has been many changes that have been extremely emotional for me, some that still bring teary memories to my eyes; when nursing my babies came to an end (TEARS), when they started walking (stop growing), when we said goodbye to the stroller (that change was an end to an era) and when they started saying all those (previously) hard to pronounce words, properly (and so many more in-between). Our home is inching closer and closer towards what feels like a really huge season change, maybe the biggest since bringing our babies home that very first time. Hopefully I didn’t make that all sound more dramatic than I intended, but it feels rather dramatic from where I’m standing.

This moment in time seemed so very far away and then all of a sudden, BAM we were here. Next week, both kids will be in school full time. My main and most important role as a Mom, will forever be changed (dramatic much). It will still be just as important, but it will be forever different. I am mixed with so many feelings of anxiety, sadness and even a little bit of excitement – basically I’m a bit of a basket case. It’s so bittersweet to watch kids grow and each age really is more amazing than the last, yet you wish they would hold just a little longer in each of those moments – this is another one of those, HOLD ON, moments.

Sending babies off to school, means I have much more time for me. Over the past 4 years of staying home with the kids, I have tried very hard to keep what I felt was ME intact and not lose sight of who I am – even though my family is my whole world and plays a gigantic role in helping to define who I am. I tried to not let my talents, skills and passions get mixed up (while focusing) on the crumbs, scrapped knees and peanut butter sandwiches. I feel like I’m in a really good spot, I don’t feel lost but I also don’t feel found (but I many never fully feel found and I’m sorta okay with that). I will be so sad to send both kids off to school, but am excited to be able to come back home and work during daylight hours and then be there to walk them home and talk about their day when school lets out.

I feel like I have big dreams for my life/career and maybe now I can give those a bit of my daylight time. I am excited to spend more time in this space and my brand collaborations, growing and hashing out ideas I previously just flat-out didn’t have time for. Excited to be able to devote more time to hello bee and my columns there. I am really excited to be able to focus and give more to my freelance work (a mixture of mostly apparel design/development and some graphics and social/marketing) and hopefully move quicker, with more gusto (and less fright) towards other business goals and dreams (which totally aren’t ready to be shared). And of course, yoga – still every single day, but with no more missed days sprinkled in.

When I think about all these things, I get really excited – but then I look over at my kids, hear them giggling and see the giant mess in every corner of our little home and I get super sad and very nostalgic thinking it won’t be like this every single day. And just like when nursing ended, they started walking, we said farewell to the stroller, and they learned to say “friends” not “fwiends” – it will never be like “this” again (well until next summer).

photos by King and Harlow

Heart and Habit

THAT PLACE

What Came After Being A Full Time Stay-At-Home Mom

ALL TO MYSELF

GROWING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY

BEST OR WORST

A NEW SEASON

DAMN, THESE POSTS ARE GOOD!

CULTIVATING YOUR
SIMPLE, STYLISH AND
CONTENT EVERY DAY.

DAMN, THESE POSTS ARE GOOD!

CULTIVATING YOUR SIMPLE, STYLISH AND CONTENT EVERY DAY.

CULTIVATING YOUR
SIMPLE, STYLISH AND
CONTENT EVERY DAY.