update

Here is the real story.  I have not weighed myself exactly since that last freak out attack.  I did but it was the next morning because my very wise daughter says “mom you know you weigh more later in the day, you really should revisit and weigh in when you wake up tomorrow”  Seriously what on earth would I do without my kids?  They all seem to have this tremendous common sense that I lack.  Let us thank motorcycle man for the common sense gene.  He is really great at common sense, which a good friend of mine likes to refer to as “practical sense”  I have very little of it.  Ask anyone who knows me.  Don’t take your practical sense for granted, it’s a gift, trust me. 

Anyways, I was 5 pounds less than my big freak out attack two weeks ago.  In fact I want to say thank you to a good handful of people who reached out to me in my melt down.  Who encouraged me and lifted me up, who also shared similar stories and feelings on their current health status.  I’m grateful I can share myself on this platform for whomever will read my lengthy words.  

A few people told me not to measure my success by the number on the scale and as this might work for some, I just find I need some sort of gage and reality check.  The scale for me works.  It doesn’t for everyone. 

Things have been good.  I have not weighed myself as mentioned above but I have noticed and maybe it’s in my head but I feel like I have noticed my waist shrinking just a little, making my hourglass figure come a little more into recognition.  I have gone on nice long walks, I have swam and done exercises in the pool, I’m still strong on my water intake and I have eaten still what I love but trying to cut back on my portions or only eating half my meal when we eat out at restaurants.  Don’t worry, I’m not wasting food, I eat the other half for breakfast or lunch the next day.  This technique worked for me many moons ago.  It’s a slow process but it’s a process in which I don’t feel deprived. 

I posted a picture on social media this week of me in a super duper rad tank top.  I proclaimed to the world that I do NOT wear tank tops but it was very, very hot and I was going to go on a walk and so, I figured what the heck.  Plus the friend I walk with wouldn’t mind, she wouldn’t mind at all.  A few beautiful souls told me my arms were nice, that they were strong in fact.  UHHH What?  I don’t wear tanks tops because my arms are not exactly my best asset.  That being said, it totally encouraged me.  Like encouraged me so much I’m determined to actually keep lifting the weights we incorporate in our water routine. THANK YOU those who told me my arms were nice and strong.  I’m one of those who works way better with nice words rather than mean ones.  I’m an encourager and I work best being encouraged. 

Lastly, do any of you know all about the LuLaRoe clothes?  I had heard about the soft as butter leggings and the easy fashionable dresses.  My friend Sara, invited me to an on-line party.  I finally caved and bought some of those leggings and the MOST FUN dress.  The leggings are everything I heard they would be.  I’m not sure I want to take these off.  I need more.  well…I want more, let’s put it that way.  And the medium dress I ordered for sizes 10/12 is a little bit snug.  The arms feel super duper tight and the rib cage section and most especially boob section feel like a second skin.  However I’m not returning it.  Because I have decided it’s my first reward dress.  I’m going to get into this thing so I can breath in it.  I will wear the most fun tights with it and maybe even some funky boots because the cassette tape design is way too cool to return.  I guess the thing about LuLaRoe is all the sellers have different stock, so I can visit other LuLaRoe friends to see what they have and I suppose that’s the beauty of being a consultant with the variety of inventory everyone gets.  

That’s all.  How are you and your health journey, any good stories to share?

It was not perfect however we did take some strides in the right direction.  Monday we got a new baby human in the family, her name is Juliette Rose and she is so precious.  She is a week old today!  Last Monday feels so far away, we spent the day at the hospital since the weeee hours.  We made good choices though, splitting meal with my mom and taking steps whenever possible. 

Abbie and I went on a few good walks, some really great swims and all in all it was a good week.  I ate sweets, plenty of them but I moved and did things I love most especially the swimming part.  When Abbie and I went on our walks she wanted to shave off time and we did.  I don’t really like the power walks very much, I get all sweaty and red but I do love the reward of swimming when we finish up.  Motorcycle man was gracious enough to shoot a few pictures of me and Abbie in the pool yesterday.  I think I could live in the water like a mermaid.  I’m at such peace there.

Pippi Power

 A long while ago I commissioned a beautiful soul to hand make me my favorite tiny super hero.  When Pippi arrived a few years back I would carry her with me where ever I went.  I loved to take her portrait on adventures we took together.  I know it seems so strange for a mid forty year old woman to be hanging out with a doll.  But ya know.  It's me.  I have given my kids some advice and this is one of my favorites "NEVER EVER LOSE YOUR CHILDLIKE SPIRIT"  It's so important.  It keeps me young, it keeps my giggling.  It adds years to my life.  

Recently I read Pippi Longstocking.  I had never read Pippi Longstocking, I just watched her films dubbed over when I was a kid on VHS. I underlined some fabulous Pippi quotes as I mostly enjoyed reading this book while I floated in the pool.  Here are some of my favorite lines:

Mother was now up in Heaven, watching her little girl through a peephole in the sky, and Pippi often waved at her and called, "Don't you worry about me.  I'll always come out on top."

"tiddelipon and piddeliday"

"yes indeed, she certainly seems to be cut from the same piece of cloth!"

"waste not, want not"

"I always like to tidy up a little as soon as I have eaten"

"But nightshirts aren't dangerous, they don't bite anybody except in self-defense"

"I'm going to be a pirate when I grow up - are you?"

"I certainly should have been a skating princess, grace and charm I have at least"

"my name is Pippilotta Delicastessa Windlowshade Mackrelmint Efraim's Daughter Longstocking"

She even inspired me recently to paint her portrait. 

finding inspiration while I walk my heart to better health

Last week I took another stand.  Just sort of fed up with how I have been feeling, how my clothes are not fitting and stuff so many of us experience.  I decided to start moving again.  I have been taking small walks.  Just to get out and get some fresh air and vitamin D.  The first day I walked with littlest and only girl. As we were walking with great intent I spotted a feather.  I said "oh I want to pick up that feather so bad"  And her response was this "why don't you?" "Well I have a mission, my mission is not to be distracted but to just briskly walk"  I love the minds of youth because then she says this "but you love to pick up feathers, so why not pick it up?"  And that's when the light-bulb went on.  She is so right.  I love to find feathers, hearts and watch shadows and smile at birds.  I'm out walking and that's the most important part.  I can walk and still do the things I love because if I stop doing the things I love that's when I stop liking my walk.  So this week I collected all the things above in this picture.  Look I even found a broken heart. I saw a monarch butterfly, a flying grasshopper, a dragonfly and lot of sparrows.  I know my path can be boring, I walk the same loop over and over and it also has trash and dead grass and dirty sidewalks with dog poo but I still find some really cool little treasures right?  So believe me I KNOW how hard it can be to just walk out the door and move a little.  I'm taking it so slow.  Normally I would beat myself up over that too, like it's just not good enough, I should be doing more but I'm doing far more than I was sitting in front of my computer screen, of having my feet kicked up with a glass of wine while I mindlessly watch reality t.v.   as HOME DEPOT SAYS....LET'S DO THIS!

what do you love?

What do I love to do?  What do you love to do?

I love water.  I love our little above ground pool and most especially if it feels like bath water.  I can walk straight in and float on my back, do some handstands…like literally all the things I dream of doing on land but have yet to accomplish.  I don’t think floating on land is actually possible but the hand stands are!  I love our pool so very much I even painted a little portrait of it.

And on the subject of painting.  I’m loving that too.  I decided to sign up for an art journal on-line course.  And while I don’t seem to be following the course exact instruction I have found that I love painting in my little journal.  A new friend suggested I take the class (thank you Cynthia!!) I was for sure intimidated.  I didn’t want to spend very much money either.  I had a good supply of acrylic paints from kid’s school projects of the past.  I only needed a few new paint brushes (purchased inexpensively from our Japanese dollar store)  Gesso which I had never in my life heard of (this primes the pages) and I picked up a very small journal because I didn’t want to overwhelm myself.  The art journal I have discovered is a beautiful release for me, therapy in a way.  I hum while I paint and for the time it takes me to paint out a page I feel unstressed and I literally don’t think of anything else except the painting itself.  My ideas often are NOT original.  I will get ideas from Pinterest, or magazines and then make them my own, by adding things or taking things away, using different colors.  The idea’s I find are good staring points.  While other times I will look at Pablo and paint him, or the pool in my back yard (like above) or even the time I tried to paint my own self portrait.  It’s a mix of both.  I sometimes feel bad for taking other people’s ideas but I shouldn’t because the entire idea behind the art journal for me is a healing experience and it’s for me, it’s in a book for goodness sake, I’m not painting these and hanging them on my wall. Below is my latest.  It was not my idea but I added flowers and a few other things that made it my own. 

My video project with 22 Limes

password:     love

To keep our video practice alive after our year long time capsule class with Xanthe, Christina and I have decided to do small video projects throughout the year.  Our last project was a 5x5 with the sounds of the natural environment.  Our next video project was for Mothers Day.  It’s nothing fancy for me, it’s just a documentation of what we did on Mothers Day which for me was generations of woman.  I’m blessed to still have both my grandma’s in my life and on Mothers Day we took grandma to a steakhouse and did some local shop hopping in her town.  Grandma had her daughter, her daughter had her daughter and her daughter had her daughter…lol  It’s a light hearted take on our day of spending time with each other.  I can’t wait to see Christina’s aka 22 limes Mothers Day too.  I have linked the video above and to watch it, there is a password, the password islove

let's go!

I have tried and failed, tried and failed so many times.  But I just can’t stop trying.  I just can’t.  Recently inspired by a new friend I made this year I jumped on the scale this afternoon.  Oh heavens!  Why on earth is it that every time I avoid the scale I know things are not so good.  Yes, I had not weighed myself all year, let alone really worked consistently at improving my health.  I just sort of gave up on the whole idea.  It’s so much easier to draw, read, write and float in the pool then to actually eat good things for my body and move, like as in…go for a walk a few times a week.  

If anyone of you friends and family out there have followed my “so called health journey” for any length of time you will know, I’m always trying this and that but for some crazy reason I have yet to jump on a plain oldhealthy LIFESTYLE.  My diets are never too drastic.  I will juice a while and my skin will just glow, radiate even! But then..burn out.  Cleaning the mess every morning, barreling though produce.  I can’t take it any more!!  Or I will wear my fit bit and get all crazy about getting in my 10,000 steps a day, even if it means walking at 11:30 at night up and down the sidewalk in front of my house or doing laps in my living room to get those steps in.  GEESH.  Why does it take me so long to get this thing down?

Today I decided to jump on the scale.  Yep, I know, I know our weight doesn’t define us BUT, a reality check was completely in order.  I just had to know where I would be starting.  Cause I think I may be starting.  yet again.  The news was horrible.  Just absolutely not good.  In fact dare I say, I’m a teeny bit heavier by a pound than I was when I was going through that great depression and anxiety a few years back?  I’m back there and up one.  No wonder I feel tired a lot yet can’t sleep at night, no wonder I feel heavy when I walk across the floor and only two pairs of jeans barely still fit.  NO WONDER!  I’m just going to say it.  I’m 190.  I’m five foot four and supposed to be a relatively petite person and I’m 190.  Not good. 

I’m not saying a complete failure because as far as life goes I’m a decent person.  I just struggle with taking care of myself.  I think sadly a lot of us gals struggle with this.  I’m taking another stand.  Maybe my baby steps will work.  I have been working up to this for months…heck all year I have been working up to this.  I just know it takes being mindful, caring about what goes into my body to nourish my health.  It takes great intention.  My health goals will not accomplish themselves.  They need a working mind and body to get behind the plan.  Here I go.  Today is a new day.  Let’s see if I can accomplish this once and for all and forever.  One day it’s got to click.  

Bless you if you got through this entire post.  It’s a long one.  Lastly I want to share some of the success that has happened so you know it’s not all bad.  I planted a small garden, I began to art journal, I took a photo class to improve on my photography, I even got published this year! I have kept up with my summer Bible study spending time in the word each and every day except my day of rest.  My legs that were covered in sores and rough with thick skin are 95% better than they were last year at this time.  My anxiety levels are still high.  I think if my health gets aligned that may help my anxiety problem too.  I had to conclude with a little good news.

things lately

I have not blogged in a while.  I have been keeping myself  busy with the new art journaling I have been doing, I have kept up with my photo a day and in fact today I’m on day 276.  The mother daughter weekly portrait project has been neglected but not forgotten.  I just got smart and realized once a week is way too ambitious.  I’m a slow learner.  So instead of naming them as week this or that, it’s now portrait number what have you.  

I have had lots on my mind.  I think it’s the biggest culprit of not being able to sleep sometimes.  I just have a million thoughts whirling in my head.  This is common I know for many people.  I’m not alone.  

My anxiety is still high.  Especially high these days.  I know God is happy to take the anxiety from me if I just hand it over.  However being human is tricky and I so often selfishly want to hang on to that anxiety.  My legs the bottom part are so much better today than they were a year ago today, but I have just picked other spots to well….pick on.  

There is so much I strive for these days.  How to be a good mama, spouse, daughter, sister, friend.  I want to be well rounded…which these days physically is easy to do.  I don’t want to be so well rounded physically.  

I cherish little moments like meeting my sisters dear friends when we threw her a shower for our highly anticipated new little bundle that is due next month.  Or simply meeting a friend for coffee, or taking a Sunday drive in the bug with motorcycle man, sitting in a quiet house while I paint, enjoying the lavender I ordered with this months produce box. There are so many moments that I can focus on that I’m grateful for.  Each morning since June 6th I have sat quietly by myself in the mornings reading Acts and this has been so good.  oh my goodness or this, just now THIS.  The text that arrives this morning at 11:06….”I miss your hugs”  afterhe must have read my prior text…”I miss your face”  

But still there are those few things that I have allowed to take a little joy away.  The things that cause that anxiety.  I get sad that certain relationships are not the same.  Watching the news can totally just crumble me and then that aftermath…the people who argue and drop friends and family because they can’t see eye to eye.  Those things. 

Today the boys ran to get new tires for the jeep.  I’m thankful we have the resources to do that.  It has left the house still so I can write out my thoughts.  I made the best tasting breakfast this morning as I sat to also read articles my Aunt mailed to me which had me giggling and also tearing up.  These emotions of mine.  I have realized it’s just best to let them flow.  Even as I cry at the news of a dear mentor of mine who has lost her brother-n-law suddenly and very unexpectedly and gives me that solid advice of telling those around me that I love that I DO LOVE THEM and to spend that time, any time at all I can spend.  I embrace her and cry and that’s okay to do because we need to not hold back.

But still those torn relationships, the ones that feel unrepairable in this exact moment.  What to do with those?

I share one image today.  It’s my breakfast because I also strive to be healthy, this has been a life long journey.  I always go full forge ahead to burn out and so this time I’m taking it slow.  Which seems easy enough but this has also been a lifelong challenge for me…to take things one moment at a time.  Chapter one.  Don’t diet.  Next week is chapter two…eat whole foods.  The book is called “One Simple Change” And normally I would sit and read at least half the book and try and implement 35 changes at once but this time…once a week and one moment at a time.  

Anyone who has taken time to read this today, thank you.  Your story is important too.  I would love to hear your story.

clean room

This is how it began.  My mom came over today to help me clean.  She is really the sweetest kind of mom you see because we talked this week and I was overwhelmed with Abbie's promotion, work, stuff on my to-do list and really truth be told, it’s that time of the month so I’m pretty sure my hormones had a lot to do with what felt out of control.  She offered to come help dust my shutters and do some general cleaning in our big hang out room.   The three generation cranked some Beatles and cleaned and sang…well mom and Abbie are the singers not so much me. It’s never very much fun to clean but because we cleaned as a team it didn’t feel as tedious.  when we finished up I took a picture of the room.  I noticed the plant in the corner.  We both cleaned the plant, she dusted it’s leaves then I wiped them down with a damp cloth.  

Then I got a little closer and admired all the hearts. 

See, like this one.  Only if you look you will see they are literally all over this pretty house plant. 

I got closer and admired the new leaf beginning to emerge. 

Then I got a step ladder and took a shot from above.  

I can’t figure out which shot will be my day number 261.  I’ll have to think on it a little harder unless maybe someone puts in a vote:)

I still have the kitchen to deep clean, the bathroom and the dining room but I can spread it out a little I guess, I also need to get the littlest and only girl a bathing suit.  She is off for vacation without us this weekend.  All that being said, I found our cleaning today to be quite fun.  I can breathe in deeply and smell the freshness.  Mom made that fire place mantel look nearly brand new!  The floor feels nice under our feet and for today it looks quite nice.  Thank you mom.  I never ever want to take the things you do and the love you give so freely for granted.  I appreciate our time with each other. 

the little yellow book

I realize this moment is very staged.  But there is a story.  I usually have a story.  Firstly the little tiny basil plant is something I’m trying to root so I can replant since my basil has gone to seed.  Mama Bear told me this trick.  It’s so sweet in that tiny bottle.  

Today I met up with a friend who was willing to drive my way, she brought this yellow book,  copyright 1954 of “Around the World in 2,000 Pictures.”  Then she slips a beautiful feather bookmark inside the yellow book, the book that is fairly old…just fairly old and smells delicious.  I swear “they” whoever “they” are better not ever, ever do away with books.  There will be quite a rebellion out of me, mark my words.  That being said.  I still love to hold real books in my hand.  Love technology as you know but a real book.  Nothing like it.  

Back to this story.  The feather bookmark is where San Francisco starts, the Golden Gate Bridge…1954 have you.  How things have changed since 1954.  Like I would know…I wasn’t even born but these pictures inside this yellow book show me just how much this world has changed since 1954.  Day 146

It's been about one month

He left on April 15th, that used to be the day taxes were due.  It’s been just a little over a month.  He landed a job, he landed an apartment.  The job part was easier than the apartment. I guess it’s hard to find an open apartment in San Francisco. 

I teased him when he was looking, “if you find an apartment with a claw foot tub, I just may have to move in with you”  They found an apartment with a clawfoot tub.  They did!!  A really deep, really old tub.  It’s magnificent. 

And even though the apartment only has two windows facing another building, one in the bathroom, one in the living space, it’s relatively a light and airy place, the high coved ceilings help make it feel spacious. 

I remember Austin telling me “mom! it even has one of those elevators with the metal cage!” I think the timing was perfect.  They got word that they were approved the day before his 21st birthday.  What a perfect birthday gift.

I’m a mom.  I get nervous.  I miss him like you couldn’t believe, he is my first born.  He came out with wonder in his eyes.  So quiet and just took it all in.  He has not stopped taking it all in.  He notices things.  He especially has a heart for people and notices people who can be invisible to some.  He sees them and this works well because his love also has a big heart for people.  They both help people together and I couldn’t be more proud. 

We were talking on the phone this past Friday…Friday the 13th in fact.  I had not heard his voice in 6 days and so I called.  I took a chance and just called.  He answered.  It made my night to hear him talk about his plans, how he needed renters insurance and was considering a second job.  It was like he grew up into a full fledged grown up over night.  I even said to him, “Austin, I’m so proud of you”  I heard the smile in his voice and he sort of didn’t know how to respond to that.  I am proud.  I’m nervous for him just because I know life can be hard.  I wish life wouldn’t be so hard but it is.  It just is. I feel as if it gets more difficult the more the years go by.  Things seem more expensive.  I said to him not too long ago...."if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere"  I believe that.  

5x5 on 5/5

I really love that my creative friend Christina encourages us to keep creating.  We both took a film making class with Xanthe last year and in case you may not know who Xanthe is, she is an amazing creative film maker from England.  We both adore Xanthe and admire her creative talent.  So we practice and although all our films may not be masterpieces they are practice and they are special to us because they include moments of our lives.  Christina thought this month we should try a 5x5.  This just means that we film five clips five seconds long each, we put them together to create one 25 second video.  The other catch to this is, there is no messing with the sound or adding music.  It's just simply the sounds of the clip.  Then I thought, why not reveal our 5x5 on 5/5!  That put a little pressure on a deadline so we each have already talked about how certain idea's didn't come to be.  I was in San Francisco this weekend and it was pretty full of helping our son move into his new apartment, more of a work weekend but we did make a little time to do the tourist thing and drive over the Golden Gate, walk around a little bit.  It was for sure the tourist thing to do but I don't care, I'm a tourist in my own city already anyway.  ;)  

Christina and I keep different hours, I know she will be posting today as well but maybe not as early.  So if you click to see her film, you may need to revisit later if it's not up yet.  

reflections on my 45th year

So basically each time I have a birthday I love to reflect.  Reflect on the year I had prior the brand new year I will be starting.  I like to say that yesterday I completed the full year of being 45 and today is my first day of being 46.  It’s a little crazy to think that I just jumped over that mid way mark and I’m ever so much closer to 50.  However as my daughter wrote me yesterday…age is just a number and you are young mom, really young!  I love the way she thinks.  In my mind I do feel very young. 

I like to take a self-portrait.  Last year much like this year the day was full.  Just filled to the brim with blessings.  I received lots of beautiful personal messages wishing me a happy birthday.  Motorcycle man always spoils me each year.  We work together and I love it.  He is downstairs I’m up.  He has placed flowers on my desk on my birthday for as long as I can remember us working together.  Which has been an awfully long time.  This time it was a very sweet basket of daisies.  This is my favorite flower even since I was a child.  This has never changed.  When I find things I like I stick with them.  When I woke up he had the most darling mug ready for coffee, it read “this coffee is making me awesome”  I loved it, then later on he gave me a nice wine glass that read “does this wine count as a fruit serving?”  He really knows me well.  We had poke for dinner and watched our favorite shows.  It was a perfect night.  I received some very thoughtful and personal gifts from those who know me well and it just couldn’t be more perfect.

I reflect on the year prior.  I probably gained some weight since my last birthday.  Our oldest first born boy moved out on his own, our littlest and only girl is in the last year of middle school. Our second born is a Jr. this year and started driving, these things are all new.  I got published a big dream of mine which came true!  I got to meet some beautiful photographer souls that were on my dream list. Angela, Andrea, Laura, Debbie and Allison. Isn’t that just the most crazy thing ever?  Life is good.  I discovered FINALLY the true reason for my sore legs, I finally admitted to that weakness.  They are so much better now.  Not completely healed but better than I have ever seen them in the past 5 years.  I made some new friends. I went on some epic awesome adventures, we drove across the states to Arkansas, we saw the Grand Canyon, we went to a family reunion in Indiana, I went back East with my girl and got to see New York for the first time and revisit D.C.   We stayed in awesome Yurts in Big Sur,  my friend from Seattle came to California for a visit and I got to meet her and her family at the beach, a new girl came into our lives full of sunshine and positivity, her name is Crystal.  I got to see my niece and her family from Michigan and her mama too! I got to witness friends get married. Tessa moved back to California.  My niece up north got accepted into a great university in Michigan because she is an awesome softball player and so the scholarship is full!! Abbie and I started a mother daughter portrait project. We took some wonderful trips to the moon with my moon gang. So much more.  It helps me to remember when I photograph something each day.  I can look back on the year and smile.

That's a little bit of what I can remember, which seems like a lot of bit.  Believe me I don't travel much so the fact that I was in Indiana,(even a layover in Georgia) Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia trips me out big time, totally not my normal. I look forward to what my 46th year will bring me.

April - Taking Stock

MADE:   A commitment to join an on-line photo class

COOKED: What I realize is, I don’t cook many things out of the ordinary.

DRANK: Slightly addicted to Dripp’s Spanish Latte.  Had it twice this month!

READ: Reading a book called ‘5 Habits of a Woman Who Doesn’t Quit” it’s a Bible study based on the book of Ruth.

SURPRISED BY: How beautiful people can be.  I had a notary job and since part of the party didn’t show up and we couldn’t complete the notary, the man paid me for my time.  More than I charge for the one signature I was going to notarize.  I at first told him it was okay.  But he was insistent on how my time is valuable.  I accepted when he said take the kids to frozen yogurt with it!

RECEIVED:  Beautiful post cards from Chicago from a pen pal in a project called “love notes” it’s keeping snail mail alive.

LISTENED TO: My Brightest Diamond

ADVENTURES:  Headed to San Francisco early this morning. To see our first born and his new place.  Help him get situated.

WISHED: San Francisco was like 30 minutes away.

ENJOYED:  My coffee date with my cousin Jeanie whom I always enjoy spending time with (1st Spanish Latte) and then the very next week got to meet up with a beautiful friend I went to school with from 8th-12th.  She was uplifting then and even more so now.  She gave me thoughtful gifts and it was such a great time to catch up.  (2nd Spanish Latte)

WORKED ON:   practicing shooting pictures.  I practice every single day. 

DIDN’T: walk as much as I wanted

WATCHED: My friends 1 second per hour video a day in her life. We each made one.  It was our video project for April.

NEEDED: To play a tiny bit of catch up on our mother daughter portrait project.  But I said this recently “it’s a 52 week project…doesn’t mean it has to be 52 weeks in a row”

CELEBRATED:  Austin turning 21 in my own way, without him physically being here. I can’t believe I have a 21 year old man.

BOUGHT:  the most happy rainbow cardigan sweater

FELT: Worry of a mother, I know I’m not supposed to but I’m as human as they come.

DISCOVERED: my teacher for photography lives nearby and we have quite a lot in common so we may just meet for coffee! It’s a small and beautiful world it really is.

The beginning of his 21st year starts TODAY

When first born turned 18 I made a list of 18 things I love about him. I decided to catch up that list and now I have a list of 21 facts that make it so easy to love him.  Happy birthday brave man.  You left to follow your dreams, to spread your wings and take flight in a beautiful California city.  You will succeed.  You have everything within you to succeed. 

1.  He is compassionate

2.  He is good at solving problems

3.  He has gorgeous clear blue eyes

4.  He is affectionate

5.  He stands up for what he believes in

6.  He is good at conversations, never at a loss for words

7.  His mind is creative

8.  His heart is huge

9.  He is thoughtful

10.  He has a cool silly laugh

11.  He is a realist

12.  He is down to earth

13.  He is unique and doesn’t mind being so

14.  He is good in the kitchen

15.  He loves animals

16.  He is a solid and dependable friend

17.  He has good ideas

18.  He is my oldest, first born son whom I adore we were all blessed the day he was born.

19.  He is LOYAL

20.  He loves music 

21.  He is BRAVE

Austin, a man named Marcus Solero said it pretty well “A possibility was born the day you were born and it will live as long as you live.”   The world is a better place because of YOU.  the password for video is   love

And just cause...I posted last years birthday video because I still can't believe you have gone from that tiny little baby boy to a grown man.  I'm so proud of you for being so brave, for moving to a beautiful city, for being so patient in trying to find a place to live, you showed a great deal of perseverance. God's timing is just so perfect, you got news on your apartment the day before your birthday.  Like a big huge birthday gift for you.  

Love MOM

week 15/52 mother and daughter portrait project

I can’t even explain to you how much I LOVE this project.  I feel very thankful too that Abbie is game to do all the things I ask of her.  This is the first week we actually purchased props.  This week we went to Goodwill and picked up a few blouses that we thought may look old in a photograph.  We didn’t spend too much and we are stoked with the results.  As usual we each like different pictures.  We took about a dozen and narrowed it down to 4.  She hated the blouse we found for her to wear so her favorite picture also is without that blouse.  I have other ideas floating around in my head.  We are a little behind too but I’m trying not to fuss about it.  I wonder what the next portrait will be??  

her favorite

my second favorite

April 12th....my day in seconds

There are so many things that can happen in one day.  I’m doing a mini movie project with 22 limes. 

We each picked one day in our life to document, approximately 2 seconds within each hour. It’s the tiniest of snippets of our day.   60 seconds makes a minute, there are 3,600 seconds in one hour.  3,600 possible moments that can happen.  I notice also that I can do quite a lot in one hour.  My day from waking to slumber is on an average about 16-18 hours.   There are 61,200 seconds in a 17 hour day….that’s 61,200 possibilities but I will only show you 38 seconds of my entire day from waking to slumber. On this particular day I went to bed early by 10:00.

 I can't wait to see Christina's day because she has a lot of creative juices that flow through her veins. The password for this short clip is LOVE all caps❤️

picture blog

Pablo is like "what's going on mom? my whole world is a changin"

Did I ever tell you that one time I got a ribbon and was named "Grand Duchess of Sparkle and Shine" yep that totally happened.  

 And when Austin was 4 and we drove up the coast and found this little wine cellar named after our first born and 17 years later, I still have the same bottle on my dresser that used to be my friends when she was in elementary school and her mom gave it to motorcycle man as payment for helping them move.  Let me just state for the record "I HOLD ON TO THINGS"  things that mean a lot to me. 

Please tell me every mother saves her children's teeth in a Russian hand painted lacquer box, that her mom brought back from Russia and gave her as a gift.  A very, very generous gift. 

The sentimental gifts and charms I save.  I cleaned out my closet.  Tossed out clothes and purses, I let go of old books and shoes but I kept these special things because they help me to remember the friends who thought of me when they put them into my hands to hold 

The dish of stones and hearts and worry rocks and glow star.  I dusted them off and set them back on that old dresser that holds a story.  

The minute you hang your shirts to dry and realize, "I must like the color blue!"

And I obviously.... "I LOVE red"  So you see things are changing.  I'm ridding myself of "stuff"  I'm mentally preparing myself for another chapter in this life.  Things change and luckily I'm good with change.  It just takes me a minute to adjust but I'm always willing. 

mother daughter portrait project 14/52

I decided this blog post I would share some good quotes by some strong women. 

Whatever you do, be different – that was the advice my mother gave me, and I can’t think of better advice for an entrepreneur. If you’re different, you will stand out.”– Anita Roddick

“The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”– Ayn Rand

“If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.”– Oprah Winfrey

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”– Maya Angelou

 

she shoots film and shows us the world through her eyes.....she is damiec and I got to meet her

I can’t believe it’s been a month already since I took that trip with my girl to the East Coast.  I absolutely loved every waking moment of that trip, sleeping moment too for that matter. It was because of this trip I was able to check a few things off my dream list.  Mainly meeting a dear soul I had known for the past five almost 6 years now.  It’s strange how this world works and often hard to actually explain the word “connection” unless you actually experience it.  How do you connect with a stranger who lives over 2,000 miles away, literally on the other side of the United States?  Whom you met on a photo sharing site none the less?  The INTERNET!!  Scary for some I know but even though I’m really grounded, I’m open to interacting with strangers.  Strangers who often end up becoming friends.   Debbie is one of these friends.  

How I admired her eye.  I remember complimenting her photo’s in the beginning and she confessed to me that she used a point and shoot digital camera.  She didn’t even have a “real” camera in 2010 when we were visiting each other’s daily images. She was using a Fujifilm point and shoot and  her photos were interesting, intriguing, fully pulling me in each time. Because the secret of photography in my opinion isn’t about the equipment so to speak, it’s about the EYE.   As time went on, she did upgrade her camera until most recently and actually for a while now, she went back to film.  Pure FILM.  She has to shoot with intention, she has to be selective and she has to take her time.  I admire her so very much, you have no idea.

So when I finally got to meet her, March 8, 2016 and hug her for real, look into her face, hear her voice. It was a dream come true.  Even better than that, she walked me around Georgetown, she talked about its history, her history too.  She shot with her film camera, she even shot portraits of me in the alley behind a famous jazz bar.  I was so impressed with her confidence and how she shot film at night.  I hope to see those images someday.  I shot too but with my digital.  We talked about mutual friends and other photographers we admired.  The limited two hours went far too fast but it left me feeling content, full and very happy.

I asked her if she might jump with me?  She smiled and told me how she just could never seem to get much air when she jumped but she would for sure jump with me….because it was ME! It’s always tricky with that timer.  I didn’t bring a tripod or remote.  So we had to time that timer just right.  For sure there was laughter, there is always laugher when one jumps and see’s the silly facial expressions and contorted weird body freezes the camera captures.  

We have watched each others children grow up via images shared, written notes of encouragement, we have opened up with each other on a level I again can’t begin to explain.  It’s like she knew all of me before we ever even met person to person. 

It for sure was a strong community of supportive and creative women, who were ordinary regular people, who happened to share the same passions.  We had found each other and it felt so right.  I still have my little red man.  I was a fortunate one who received a little super hero from Debbie.  I carry him in my purse, I take pictures of him every so often.  It’s interesting this world that opened up to me. Although it has changed quite a bit and we all have sort of moved in different directions, there is no denying it was a time in our lives that helped us all to find ourselves, go back to our true selves.  I know I couldn’t have done it alone.  It took a tribe of creative woman to get me there and I will forever be grateful.

Debbie has sent me many gifts in the past, one of them was a handmade photo book.  I have decided to print the images I took with her that night and put them in that photo book.  She made sure it had plenty of red with polka dots.  I love red.  My old screen name used to be RED.