enjoying the simplicity ...

Ah. The power of a good photographer. Showing you the beauty that lies in the ordinary. The strength of the mundane. Have you ever heard of Jennifer Causey? If not, visit her etsy store called photobird. She creates cards and prints from her Brooklyn abode that free the soul, stimulate the senses, stir the heart. And I bet for her, it comes so easy. I'm sure she's a natural, you can just tell. Jennifer comments, "These works represent my continuous journey to live simply." She adds, "To slow down and discover and celebrate the beauty in everyday life. I am inspired by nature, design, form and color." Jennifer stays true to her mantra, clearly evident in her photography. I can totally see her shooting for Real Simple or Martha Stewart Living. Maybe she does, who knows. I'm smitten by her style. Positively smitten.

It's a journey, but I am trying to learn that Less truly IS more :)

mmmmm ... cupcakes!

mmmmmm ... cupcakes! Perhaps even more yummy (and arguably the best of both worlds) cupcakes that look like ice cream cones! One of my all time favorite stores, Williams-Sonoma , has created a cupcake pan to make these sweet treats ---- no more paper cups. And take this a step further, they also offer a snazzy way to transport an individual cupcake, say .... in a lunchbox?!!! Oh how I love you Williams-Sonoma.

art supplies everywhere ...

We are getting over run with art supplies! I recently found these darling little buckets at Bread and Budder Buckets. These one's tend to be crazy-expensive, I'm guessing I can glue some funky fabric to a metal bucket m'self! I'll bet 90% of moms have had to deal with art supply organization in one way or another. Currently, it's our dining area that houses all little one's art supplies — Mom's art supplies are in a completely separate space however! I don't want to use those catch-all plastic bin/drawer things, but we need to come up with something to (A) tame the clutter of reams of paper, notebooks, crayons, markers, stickers, paints, googley eyes, et al, and (B) keep it where she can get into it without our help (in other words, store in such a way that it doesn't stifle her creativity). Not a huge priority, but we hope to address it soon. Wish us luck!

for those facing infertility...

On a serious note. For the second time, my husband and I are beginning the long process of adopting a child through foster care. (All prayers welcome!!!) It's an emotional rollercoaster for sure, but such a beautiful ending --- which then sparks such a beautiful beginning. I am caught off guard by the old emotions that come flooding back. A while ago, I came across this song "I would die for that". Unfortunately, this will hit home to many of you (like my husband and I) who faced infertility. It is a positively heart-wrenching experience. This song is all that (yet beautiful) at the same time. We are proof there are many paths through this pain. We chose adoption and by the time we traveled through our adoption journey (and met our darling daughter just a few days old), honestly, the sorrow we felt for years was just ... gone. Truly. Miracles happen daily. I believe there is a plan and purpose for each and every one of us. Please have faith and trust God keeps his promises. We know He was, and is, with us every step of the way and I cannot wait to see how He unfolds in the lives of our children. There is no doubt that our Gabrielle was conceived especially for us, we love her completely and she is our child through and through ... being a mom is the best, most rewarding thing I have ever done. I know my husband feels the same way about being a father, and he is such a great father. All children are blessings and we cannot wait to have another child to help grow and love unconditionally.

creat online baby albums ...

A fast and simple way to complete your baby book online at Big Day Books. Sure, baby books can look great - but not if you don't take the time to complete them! (as I stare at a closet full of blank books and a shoebox full of special mementos!) I love these books because they have beautiful covers to choose from and they REMIND you to stay up-to-date. With easy-to-use online templates for dozens of milestones. Log On, Fill in, Print out! Over 30 archival-quality printer-ready pages. Great for creative, tech savvy dads & moms. A monthly email reminder helps keep your book up to date. I especially love that it also has templates entirely focused on the adoption experience. :)

Wonderfully made ...

My little girl is getting to the stage where she loves sleeping on pillows "like a big girl". She is using a toddler pillow I recently found in my grandmother's old linens. Although simply adorable with a beautiful embroidered linen pillowcase... I would sure love this scripture pillow I recently found on Etsy for a backup. I wonder if you can get it without the pom-poms? I also think it would make a darling shower gift idea!

OH bebe ...

Do you love vintage inspired trinkets as much as I do? Do you know someone who is expecting? Well, a mommy-friend just emailed me the sweetest link to this beauty from The Present Past Collection. This exquisite collection originates in old Parisian workshops established over two hundred years ago. The elegant designs are rendered from the original molds that were created from 1900-1930. Pieces are made of "Old Silver" (a unique French process of laying sterling silver over 14k gold plate over a copper base.) All crystals are hand set and each piece exhibits a uniqueness that reflects the art and culture of the past and while holding a valuable place in the present. All for an affordable $45.

meaningful, colorful, beautiful and fun ...

One of my passions is photography. Make no mistake, I'm most assuredly a hobby photographer! I'm a life-loving person and hope my photos represent this. As an Art Director I've had the privilege of working alongside amazing photographers & stylists in my past. I'm drawn to the close-in-cropped-tight editorial style of photography -- pictures that make a statement & tell a story. Perhaps it's years creating print ads, (that and having an unhealthy obsession with my stacks of shiny, glossy home decorating magazines?!!) I don't know ... I just know what I like. These days, as a mommy of a 2-year old, I can relate to the artist who's images I am highlighting today. Her name is Rachel McGinn. I'm finding I love photographing children and everything associated with children. Whether it be an infant just waking from a nap, a jar of gumballs, a collection of muddy rain boots or a pair of sticky hands. To me it's all meaningful, colorful, beautiful and fun.

milestones .... oh how i loved the 80's!

Okay, so my 20th class reunion was this past weekend. For your morning dose of laughter (!) I am enclosing my senior photo (which at the time my friends and I referred to as My Floating Head Pose) a little 17 year old Lisa with huge hair. (can you almost smell the "Aussie Scrunch Spray"?) We didn't have ipods we had cassette tapes, boom boxes and finally sony walkmans, we didn't have Playstation, we had atari and frogger, we didn't text message but passed notes as fast as the mills could could make the paper. We didn't have cordless phones so we begged our parents for the longest cord possible to get some privacy. In my case, I would wind the phone around the wall to the laundry room and close the pocket door. During my years in high school I witnessed the birth of VCRs, Madonna, Leggings, MTV, Banana clips, cropped Guess jeans (that zipped at the bottom and even better if they were ripped), Breakfast club, 99 Luft Balloons and I'm not ashamed to admit I was an 80's rocker, ha ha, again ... see the hair photo. I am one of those people who positively loved the highs and lows and the friendships of my high school years. My heart full of love and often broken, but those were just the best of times. There's an unmistakable bond with the friends you make during such formative years. When I wasn't attending football games or playing volleyball or tennis, I was almost always on the phone with my girlfriends analyzing the latest drama in our lives (which there was never a shortage of, ha ha). If you could bottle the energy found in a teenage girl talking with her girlfriends it would be the best energy source on the market. All in all our Class of '87 reunion was a success. So great to see everyone after all these years, most I haven't seen since our 10 year and some I had wished to see were not there. Loved meeting my friend's children the next day and was also quite nice to spend time with some folks I didn't get the opportunity to know very well while actually in high school. I openly admit it was my loss. As predicted, our 20 year was very different from the 10 year and makes me wonder what our 30 year will be like? After ten years everyone is still trying to figure out who they are, they are climbing whatever ladder they chose and creating an image of themselves. By the 20th, I found that had all gone by the wayside. They understand they are who they are and who they are going to be....and most are comfortable with that. We were all able to go and say, Hey, this is me....take it or leave it! Much more liberating, ha ha. What stinks about being almost 40? What is good about it? Well, I don't like the slower metabolism, that's for sure. Sometimes I feel too busy for my own good. But I do like the age I am now because I know exactly who I am, who I was, and I don't make any apologies for that at all. I am better at not wasting my time and savoring the small joys and simplicities of life. My advice to current high schoolers? You're not the center of the world. Deal with it. Have fun, work hard, and welcome new experiences. Look beyond the person to your left and right and reach out to others. But most of all, don't worry about your hair. Trust me, it's not worth the time! ha ha Where do I want to go from here? What do I want to do? Who do I want to be? I want to be nice and be good counsel for others. I want to love people passionately. I want to feel vibrant and capable. I want to travel more and read more. I want to know God more. Most of all, I want to enjoy my family, be more active and laugh a lot.

... and the winner is ...

How exciting! With an entry from our Maui vacation, our darling little hula girl, Gabrielle, just won the monthly photo contest at The Paisley Pumpkin. In addition, these nice folks are making her a custom boutique blanket as her prize. How cool is that?!!! We chose the pretty in blue chocolate and blue floral fabric and it will have a scrumptious cream colored chenille backing. What a nice surprise... and I should mention it fits nicely with her Mommy's over the top love of cute baby blankets!

your name here.

Personalized stationary is a funny thing. It can seem corporate and steely. Or it can seem juvenile and silly, like the heart-dotted "i". It can also be flat out beautiful. These designs are a little retro, a lot lovely, and a nice reminder to write your thank you notes. (I, for one, am way behind but remain determined!) 12 bucks a set from froy and olo

uber-organized.

Cozi Central. Just found this on one of my favorite sites Daily Candy, Cozi is a fabulous and free shared family calendar. Shopping lists. Send quick text messages to family members' cell phone. Cozi just works. It looks clean, organized and uncluttered, regardless of hectic schedules. Truly could not be easier and now I don't have sticky notes stuck all over my house. Okay. So it seems I'm ever on the quest to be more organized. (Those who know me best probably think that's a good idea?) Personally, I'd much prefer to live my life in the moment and wing it. Hey, if it works it works. Of course if it doesn't work (which sadly for me it does not) I've heard of this cool free program that lets you keep an online family calendar. Anyway, I just made this planner my internet browser's homepage so my lists and daily schedules stare me smack in the face whenever i flip open my life-line, oops, I mean my laptop. Two words: Do This. Just log onto Cozi Central — a totally free web tool made for busier-than-busy parents. The software (which was written by ex-Microsoft whizzes) is a mini command central for the fam.

Oh, and it’s color coded (did I mention I simply adore color codes?!!!) for each member of the family (yes, babies, too), plus centralized shopping lists that can be accessed on your PC or Mac, by text, or verbally via cell phone (from, say, the peanut butter section of aisle thirteen?). No more scheduling meetings. No more double bookings. No more forgetting to pick up the milk. Cozi also lets you delegate tasks to other family members and send them calendar updates and messages by e-mail or text. I almost feel completely on top of things? <smirk>

(giving credit where credit is due! I first found on DailyCandy and artwork created by Sujean)

I see London, I see France ...

Omigosh. How cute are these? I just love little girls in dresses and am always on the hunt for cute diaper covers for Gabrielle. I recently came upon these adorable floral bloomers by Lilypad Babies. Bonus? Your little fashionist-ah can even have them personalized, ha.

Give your artist a new canvas...

Slumber party anyone? Each ColorMe Pillowcase Set comes with 10 fabric markers & matching greeting card(s). All of the child-drawn ColorMe products allow children to express their creativity and create personalized keepsakes for themselves, friends and family members. Built on the simple principle that “Giving is Good,” 10% of our gross proceeds are donated to children's charities. Thank you for helping us Color the World Brighter for All Children!

Photo quilts? Me likey.

Modern, playful, orignal artwork created from your child's closet. First of all. I love symmetry and balance when it comes to my art. I've located an artist who shares my love of design, photography, heirlooms and children's clothing! Friends With A Fish was created by Brooklyn based artist and mother of two, Juliette Conroy. It all began with the idea to save her children's pj's to someday make into quilts. Six years later (and no closer to even learning how to quilt) Juliette decided she would photograph the pj's and make them into artwork for her children, artwork that would complement the contemporary yet whimsical feel of their room, artwork that would be visually pleasing to both the children and the grown-ups in the house. She will also make abstract photos and wedding collages. For me, (someone who would love to quilt but has not a clue nor the patience) .... well, I do know photography, fine art & framing. I can absolutely do this!

Nana Gram

If you’ve ever wished you could send a beautiful hand knit heirloom sweater for that special baby in your life but you can’t knit or don’t have the time to knit, then Nanny Gram is exactly what you need! Nanny Gram is a network of knitters that creates classic, handmade baby clothes using luxury wool. You place your order and it will be shipped within days to your gift recipient with a personal note and beautiful gift packaging. A truly classic gift!

Clean and Polite? Now That's What I Like!

Looking for a great new placemat and good manners to go along with it? Check out the fabulous Piggy Platter by Smarty Parents. It's a placemat and a craft mat! What I love about the Piggy Platter is that fact that you can personalize it to your child's interest. Its clear surface allows you to slide pictures underneath. You can display your child's artwork, a favorite picture from a magazine, photographs, or, purchase the clever "Platter Pix" from the Smarty Parents site and help your child learn ABC's, 123's, Shapes, Geography and more! I LOVE the letter practice sheet. It comes with a child safe dry erase pen so your little one can practice writing letters and then you can just wipe it clean. Speaking of wiping it clean, the Piggy Platter is also dishwasher safe. Whether it's a messy spaghetti dinner or an afternoon of Play-Doh sculpting, the Piggy Platter keeps your table and your child clean! It also has a removable "gutter" to catch the spills or store the supplies. In addition to their Piggy Platters, Smarty Parents offers manners minded board books and music. Their adorable piggies, Penny and Perry, are toddler piglets who are learning the "proper" way to eat at the grown up table. Visit Smarty Parents today, and get your little piggy a platter! Summertime is the perfect time to get crafty, and why not brush up on manners while you're at it! I recommend the Gift Pack, you get a Piggy Platter, 3 Platter Pix, and the It's Neat to Eat board book for $32.95, a fantastic deal! Be sure to check out their "Pig Slop" section for great family fun recipes that are easy to make and neat to eat! They also have a great section about teaching manners to little ones and parent resource articles on how to raise "polite little piggies." Also (if that wasn't enough!) you have the option of donating $1 towards the Feed The Children fund!

When Mom Is Playmate ...

"Mommy, we go swimming?"
Gabrielle asks enthusiastically as she pops up at 7:30am clutching her yellow giraffe.

"Sure Sweetheart," I say giggling and moving her to her changing table. "Right after Mommy makes a giant pot of coffee, starts a load of laundry, unloads the dishwasher, makes breakfast, feeds pups, ... " (I start to tickle her toes) ... "Oh," she says, "Otay." Ever so sweetly (ever so innocently). Clearly I just melt, gain toddler perspective and breakfast that particular morning becomes a form of tea party with fuzzy animal guests. She then proceeds to wear her pink lifejacket around the house all morning, completely content.

Such is the daily challenge. The Mother of One is frequently Chief Playmate. Knowing that kids love to play (and that play is an essential part of their development) brothers and sisters in the family are built-in playmates. While I positively love love LOVE to play with my daughter (and be a part of the wonder she finds in each new day) I do know that playing with other children is a must.

That said, our home has been bursting at the seams with neighbors, nieces and nephews from all sides for almost 2 months. Most recently, I've been watching our nephews (12 & 11) and niece (5) during the day for this past week while Gramma out of town. It has been a switch going from 1 child to 4 for 5 days (ha ha) but I cannot tell you how excited Gabrielle is to wake up and know she has 3 cousins to play with all day long. (Getting her to sleep is another story!) Although we've been positively melting in this 100 degree heat, we've manages to pack in a lot of play time at the park and the pool. Oh, and getting meals/snacks together for "the troops", well, oddly that too I have enjoyed. Once I get the rhythm down, I find my stride. Plus, I like the hustle-bustle having children in the house provides. Not that there hasn't been hectic times, but I cannot imagine not having more children. These particular cutie-pies are all growing up so fast, it has been fantastic getting to know them all over again (and on a daily basis) for this particular age/stage. (A shout out to my wonderful aunts & uncles who did this and more for my sisters and me back in the day!) This has only reinforced the fact we truly want more children and are praying accordingly!

Now .... at 11:30pm, I am off to tweek a logo concept.
Life is good. I stand in awe of how God moves. When we put our trust in Him, He takes all the parts (mistakes along the way included) and weaves them together into something beautiful.

A Mother's Prayer ...

I came across this today and just fell in love with the message.

O Lord,
I need your help today.
I want to care
for those you've sent into my life,
to help them develop the special gifts
you've given them.

But I also want to free them
to follow their own paths
and to bring their loving wisdom
to the world.

Help me
to embrace them without clutching,
to support them without suffocating,
to correct them without crushing.

And help me
to live joyfully and playfully, myself,
so they can see your life in me
and find their way to you.
Amen.

A mother's gift is to give life. But in the daily demands of feeding and forming, cleaning and cautioning, tending and teaching, her gift can get lost in the layers. She needs to remember that her work begins with herself. To be attentive to others, she must listen to her own heart. To care for others, she must take time for herself. To teach self-love to others, she must act lovingly towards her own body and her time. If the finds her own sparks, she will fan them in those around her. If she frees her own spirit, she will help others soar. If she focuses each moment by being wholly present, she will point the way to holiness and to God. And if she truly lives, she will give real life to the world, not only in her children's bodies, but in their souls.

World peace, pure love, one heart ...

This wonderful site One Wish World contains fun and artsy hand made items for women and children. I love the concept, products with heart and conscience. These folks bring to you unique gifts made with the perfect combination of hand, heart and soul. For every One Wish World T-shirt purchased, $10.00 will be donated to the KWATATOTO Orphanage located in Kenya.

"To Accomplish Great Things
We Must Dream As Well As Act"
~ Antole France

A medium of expression ...

I so admire fine art photographers. I enjoy today's talent as well as some of the vintage work by the pioneering masters of photography. My new local favorite, Paul Hernandez. I have always been drawn to figurative black and white portraits. I find them clean, flawless and inspiring. What interest me about photography is the mystery of capturing a moment in time. In this case, fashion photography is more

than pretty people wearing pretty clothes. It reflects emotions and passion. When done right, these photographs are a true form of art and can be completely timeless. Paul Hernandez' career started in the late 80's as a rock band photographer in Seattle during the hay day of grunge music. He moved towards shooting fashion and fine art photography while living and traveling throughout Europe in the 90's exploring and developing his unique style. The art lies in the artist, not the camera. Why is it that with over 60 years of improvements in cameras, lens sharpness, film grain, resolution and dynamic photo software that no one has been able to equal what Ansel Adams did back in the 1940's?

Animals went in two by two ...

For me, this week is even more about kids than ever as i am helping out with our church VBS in the preschool music section. What great fun, these little ones have such tender hearts and it certainly brings a smile to me face. Another thing that makes me smile is this the darling simplicity of this elephant sweater by BlaBlaKids.com !

rain, rain DON'T go away?

How cute are these rainboots from ArteBebe.com ?
I can totally see Gabrielle stomping puddles in these.

Creativity. It's a state of mind ...

My green light is on telling me my creative battery is finally fully charged. (My husband will be so happy!) I smile knowing it has found it's way back to me. I'm inspired daily and my cup runneth over.

The act of creating something, whether it be a logo, a print ad, a brochure, a unique photograph or some other random creative human expression, is one of my most cherished activities.

Once I’m immersed in creating something, I usually maintain that state until I complete a meaningful chunk of work such as finishing a concept [which usually sparks the next, therein lies the dilemma] Or until I run out of time due to a pending appointment, or until I’m overwhelmed by a physical sensation like hunger or exhaustion.

For example, I began designing this capabilities brochure at 9pm one evening. I worked on the bulk of the concepts for six hours straight from blank page to first-client-glance and posted it just after 3am. I remember seeing 11pm on the clock at one point, but after that I lost all sense of time. For those last four hours I never got out of my chair, not even to use the bathroom. I forgot to eat dinner. I didn’t notice that the rest of my family was soundly asleep. Or that the TV went to infomercials, I went to sleep at 3:30am and awoke just before 8am feeling totally refreshed. Okay, after about 2 cups of coffee...... somewhat refreshed. Us artists? We're a rare breed.

Those who wish to sing, always find a song.
~ Swedish Proverb

Water the Garden ...

This door tag from Drooz.com makes me giggle. Just a weee bit classier than a necktie on the door, no?

How true is this. On one hand, my husband and I would love love LOVE more mommy & daddy time --- but on the other, we feel so blessed. We had to wait so long to be parents. We simply cherish the time we have with our little darling and cannot wait for siblings. Even on our nights out, the conversations inevitably make it back to what amazing thing she did today. We know [more importantly, we believe] the best thing we can give our children is Christian parents that are wholeheartedly in a loving, healthy and balanced relationship to model for our little sponge that soaks up every thing she sees.

Sigh, we learned a valuable lesson what back-burnering our marriage can do. Soooooo, a conscience effort has to be made to get us out the door and loving up on each other. HA. How sad is that? That is one of the biggest surprises of parenthood we have faced. You see .... we truly do enjoy each other's company. We are husband and wife, yes, but we are also such great friends with similar goals and interests. For a while we lost that when our focus was entirely off of us. I know, I know, water the garden, right? Even with this knowledge, we both still put off our dates on occasion. Shame on us. There's no denying, increasing communication with your spouse will definitely lead to intimacy and greater trust. Amen!

We're just gonna have to set up a regular sitter at least once a week. Even for a few hours. Ahhhh, adult conversation and time with my man, sign me up! Hiccup? Chad's wacky on-call schedule. Usually need someone at a drop of a hat. Where there's a will there's a way!

“Live a balanced life - learn and think and draw and paint and sing and dance and work and play and pray everyday.” ~ author unknown

Balance. What's that?

For me [and long before children] it's always been about creating balance. With my all or nothing personality (or is it my ADD?) balance tends to elude me. I just get so completely immersed. Fantastic for what I'm immersed in, not so great for what I'm not. 10 years ago, before I started my own design business, it was finding the balance between 12 hour days in an ad agency and my personal life. I was, what you call, highly motivated. Your go-to gal. Deadlines were deadlines and you stayed glued to your monitor until they were completed and then (only then) you could go collapse.

Later, it was finding the balance between working at home and shutting down to actually enjoy being at home. Shortly after, it was cramming all my deadlines into 3 days a week so I could, i dunno, pretend I was retired for the other 4? I would run errands, take care of our home, our farm and all the animals that implies. I recall snickering to myself that I could work in my pajamas while on conference call with New York. Fast forward several years. With great anticipation, we are now a family. We are so thoroughly blessed and incredibly grateful. As far as balance, yep, it has shifted again.

As an infant, my pumpkin slept so much that I could maintain a good pace. My husband, bless his heart, he has watched his motivated wife go through so many stages these last few years. For so long I was spending like i still brought home a full time salary. Dangerous territory with a husband who checked out when he was stressed and a wife who kept causing said stress. Ugly cycle. I've come full circle, (growing up? hmmm. perhaps!) I admit, and I do hunger to stretch my creative legs again as I'm burning the midnight oil tonight, but come morning --- it's all about ponies, princess crowns & cheerios, and I soooooo love that too. Fortunately Chad and I are both on the same page. She has her mommy's guidance sun-up till sun-down. Although I'm quite strict, I'm also the goofiest playmate i know. There's that need again, balance.

Right now, my daughter is 2. I've (all too eagerly it seems?) put my workload in a perpetual holding pattern. Yes there are project exceptions, but mostly mommy-mode-for-me. Recharging my creative battery while wearing my new mommy hat is beautifully decadant. Well, I'm once again bursting with creativity all while truly realizing I am the luckiest mommy on the planet. [did i mention I'm my darling's personal color crayon artist?!!!] and am finding it hard to run a design firm when Bert & Ernie are my biggest (non-paying) clients! I neeeeed the creative outlet my designs bring me. There I said it. I crave the blank canvas of my Quark document. The beauty is, I have never enjoyed my life more than as a mother. To compensate I need to be more selective of the jobs I seek and ultimately the projects I take on. So don't stop calling me my precious precious clients!!! It's a win-win! Downside to my part time gig? translates to way less income. With MY impulsive nature? Being thrifty is not my strong suit, but I am learning (thank you for your recent sermon Pastor Tim) ... stuff is just stuff. period.

In my marriage, my life, my balance ----- my saving grace has been prayer and my faith in God. I'm constantly reminded that when I try to control everything on my own, well... that is when I feel the most overwhelmed and defeated (and depleted). Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." I could not agree more.

And last (but definitely not least) I need to give a shout out to Chad. I do have such an amazing husband who is such a wonderful dad. He makes raising our child that much more fun and that much easier to do because he is so hands-on. But at the end of the day, like all moms, you realize you get through it because you love your children, you love your life and the balance is just found.

Ready, Set, Go ...

I have 4 serious passions in life. Art, Animals, Family & Christ. Wait. is baking a passion? Make that 5!

Been thinking about this whole blog thing for quite a while and have decided to jump in and give it a try. I currently read blogs regularly, so this cannot be too much of a stretch? After seven years my existing graphic design website ( 3SistersDesign ) is in my designer-day-spa getting a complete overhaul. I figure with that undertaking, plus research & bouncing around ideas with my husband to possibly launch an online children's boutique, oh and did i mention help raise our darling 2 year old daughter at the tender age of almost 38? Well, I figure I'll have plenty to talk about --- not that that has ever been a problem for me!

This is to be a quiet place for me. A well deserved 10 minutes for a mommy to gain clarity & perspective, perhaps discover how to manage this balancing act of mine? I've also decided this to be my creative voice so you will likely see art (& artists) I admire, recipes, inspirational quotes. Or even a nod to the latest gadget/child must-have? (hmmmm, she says with gears turning!) Regardless, I am anticipating this will be a total trip (& perhaps very entertaining to bear witness to). I've decided to document my experience. This is my blog adventure. In it my joys & frustrations with parenthood, work & most anything else that goes on in my oh-so-glamorous life. I cannot promise that what I've to say will be in any way better than the bazillion blogs you already read. I'm just inviting you along for the ride.

“If you believe you can, you probably can.
If you believe you won't, you most assuredly won't. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad."

—Denis Waitley