Flower Friday Flashback

These are from a trip to Sedona we took in July of 2012.  It was amazing.  Sedona is one of my favorite places to visit, at all times of the year.  July is their rainy season right before the monsoons, we had a little dose of that.  Anyway, I think that's why the tress were blooming like it was spring.
These colors kind of fill me up, with all good stuff.

I will leave you with another quote, just 'cause I am feelin' it.

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 
― Maya Angelou

So, go do something nice for someone.

If you want to.

The Excitement Continues

I'm working hard to get my new website done and I am feeling great about this year.

I also am feeling really clear in my head, more so than I have in a long time.

I am starting to find the balance between "not over thinking it" and still doing good work, which for me, is huge.

I also fell in love with a quote that I am repeating in my head, well, not word for word, but, you know, I am paraphrasing it.

Check it out...

January--A Month Of Classes

January has been really good to me. I have been busy learning new stuff and trying new stuff.
Stuff like, this E-course Blog Love from A Beautiful Mess and this one, Blog (Design) Love, which is next on the list.
I have also been reading through this organizing guideline, POYEL, to organize my entire life!  Who doesn't want that?!
I have reached out to a couple of friends who have mad Photoshop skills to help me with a couple of items I haven't been able to teach myself.
And I have been re-learning how to cook, using a plant based list of ingredients. Which has turned out to be surprisingly easy and delicious and I have lost a few (pounds not friends!) in the process.

What new tricks do you have up your sleeve? I always wanna know.

Pulling It Together

Happy New Year.  I am excited for 2013.  Of course I am always excited for the new year.  I love the idea of a clean slate.  A fresh start.  Starting anew.  I have been thinking of what the new year holds for me and my family and the phrase that keeps coming to mind is..."the year of living differently"...I live well now and we have a good, happy life, but there are most definitely some changes I want to make.  Little changes that will produce big results.

Here are just a few changes that I am looking forward to: Organize my home and create a peaceful and inspirational space for me and my family, get a better sense of what I want this blog to be, become a better photographer, create photos and paintings that are a sincere expression of my vision, spend meaningful time with my kids.

So, here we go, straighten our ties, put on some sparkle and be ready for what 2013 has in store and what we can create for ourselves.  What's on your slate?  I want to know.

xoxo

PS The photo is from the Holiday pics I did of the girls.  I will most definitely post the session soon.

These Are Not The Hard Things

There are some things in life that are hard. Hard to deal with, hard to understand, hard to manage. Most of what we say is hard is not. Really. Hard at all. I hear it though; that relationships are hard, that getting your kids to do homework is hard, that getting up and going to work is hard, going back to school, what to make for dinner, driving in the rain. These things are not hard. These things are called blessings.

Lest you think this is a preaching post, it is not. It is a call for accountability. I am guilty of some of the above and more. I want to move forward from this very easy to fall into negative way of thinking and I am asking for your support. Let's work together to find the beauty in all of the little things in life that we are so lucky to deal with. I am so grateful that I have two beautiful little girls who absolutely adore me. I have a husband who is funny and sweet and present (and hot). I have friends who will help me out at a moments notice. I have a mom and a stepdad who have been so ridunkulously supportive and generous over the years. I have nieces and nephews and cousins and brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles who call me and text me and visit me all the time (more visits please). I have a home, a car, a warm bed and grocery money.

So. If you hear me start to bitch about any of this stuff, just slap me. Okay, so please don't slap me. You can tell me to lighten up or just give me a look or tell me you don't want to hear it. I will do the same for you, except the slapping part-unless you don't stop and then I just might slap you. No, I won't.

From the weekend.

Inspired

This photo is probably three years old.  I bet I have over a hundred photos of the girls jumping off of things.

It is somehow very inspiring.  Go on--jump--be bold--take the leap. That's what I keep hearing in my head.

Ok, I will.

PS--this pic is processed using Totally Rad Actions....check it out....I love their filters.

Success

I have been working hard----on many, many things.  I always do, with family and friends and kids and jobsssss and creating happiness around me. I have no choice, the same as other women and men with and without kids all around me, there is always in there some form of hard work and "busyness".

So, this is not a post about work and the always present and spoke of "busyness".

This is a post about the success that comes out of the hard work.  Money, well wishes, folks telling you that you are great, what you have created is great?  Yes, for sure, that is good.

What I am really talking about is the moment when you quiet your inner critic and you let all the little stuff go and stand back and you say to yourself....and your work partner...."hey, good job, we did it, we did what we said we would do and we did it with hard work, style, grace and a can do spirit"......that's the success of it.

The bonus is we still had time to run home and grab a shower.

If you are in LA, come to the show tonight.  1638 Wilcox Ave (just south of Hollywood Blvd.) 5 to 9.

xoxo