Girl Crushin': Sarah Joy from Love Sarah Joy

This week I am so excited to introduce my friend Sarah Joy to all of you. I just adore this lady- she is so, so positive and every single day I find myself looking at her photos on Instagram and feeling inspired. She is truly a ray of sunshine, as I'm sure you can tell from her words and photos below. So excited to have this sweet mama on my blog today!

Name: Sarah Joy from Love Sarah Joy & love_sarahjoy on IG

How I fill my days: The majority of my days are spent learning the balance of life with a toddler and a newborn. Wow! Did I really think that I was busy with one?!  Along with that, my husband and I have been revamping our home little by little (we live in my childhood home) and there is hardly a day that goes by where I don't change, add, delete or edit something. We are turning the house I grew up in to the house our children will grow up in.  I cannot put into words how special that is for me.

What I'm currently working on: I am working on our oldest daughter's second birthday party! It's days away, and four weeks after her actual birthday (yikes!). I am going to play my I-have-a-newborn-and-haven't-had-a-full-night's-sleep card and pretend there was no laziness involved. In the end of the day, I am just excited that we will be able to celebrate another year with our darling Audrey. We are having a Disney's UP-inspired party, with grape soda pins for our fellow club members & a few DIY's if I can manage it.

Who or what inspires me: My children inspire me. Every day I desire to be the best version of myself. Realistically speaking, I am the same person as I was before I had kids, with the same faults and the same downfalls. But what's changed is the fact that there are these two precious little souls that live under our roof, who rely on me as a mom and  are affected by my actions. That makes everything different now. I know that I will never come close to being a perfect mom and I fail on the daily, but I am their one and only mama. It is the greatest privilege I have come across and I never want to stop trying to be better for them.

3 current favorite blogs to read: Smile and Wave, Cakies, and Cup of Jo.

Henry, 4/52

"a portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Henry: my little bookworm- always wanting to read, but lately wanting to read "all by myself" more than ever.

See previous portraits here.  

 

Little Adventurer.

There's just something about spending an afternoon in the woods, surrounded by trees and sun, and nothing more than the sound of rustling branches and our boots crunching on fallen leaves and pine needles. And then of course mix in some growling from Henry (I'm a BEAR, Mommy!) and tons of laughter. We're aching for spring over here, but since it's still awhile off, we'll take a sunny day bundled up from the cold wind. Let's just not talk about how it snowed the rest of the evening once we got home!

Henry loves being in the forest, and we're lucky enough to be surrounded with some of the country's most beautiful national parks and wildlife areas. Northern Arizona is a great place to be all year round, but this time of the year is especially gorgeous, as nature begins to wake up a little bit from our cold winter, and we get to enjoy those first glimpses of spring, however fleeting they may be.

Lately I've been trying to do something new with Henry every day, whether we just try out some new art materials at home, or go on a little adventure like this. It's a fun challenge to come up with new ideas and I can't even wait until the weather totally warms up and we can do a lot more exploring.

xoxo

Weekend Links

Before I get into the links, here are a couple of reviews from some fun products we received over the past week. I received both sets of items below for free, but was not paid to write these reviews. Enjoy, and happy new week tomorrow! 

Ever have a chickpea? I really, really love those little beans, so when The Good Bean in Berkeley, California contacted me about sending us some of their roasted chickpea snacks I was excited. Both their beans and their Fruit & No-Nut Bars are gluten-free and non-GMO, and one serving of our chickpea snacks has as much fiber as 2 cups of broccoli, as much protein as an egg, as much folate as 3 cups of spinach. And I can tell you from experience (literally we tried 5 bags and 4 bars) they are so, so good. I would say my favorite bean flavor is the Sea Salt and the bar would be the Apricot/Coconut. Delicious. You can find them online, and also newly in your local Sprouts local market.  *note: The Good Bean's website seems to be down for the time being, but be sure to check them out in the future.

A rad company called InstaThis contacted me a few weeks back about sending our family some of their plaques. We received this one last week and fell in LOVE! Seriously, the quality is so good and it looks absolutely perfect in our home. As you know I'm obsessed with photos and I love any new way to display them, and this is by far my new favorite. This one is on wood, but they also offer an acrylic option. My friend Katie also reviewed the plaques on her site this weekend too! Love, love them.

A few weeks ago skateboard filmer Ricki Bedenbaugh was in a skate related accident which resulted in a skull fracture. Make a $20 donation and get a “Keep Pushin’” t-shirt. All donations will help Ricki get back on his feet. Join Sheckler Foundation & Athlete Recovery Fund to Be The Change!

And here's another cause to donate to, if you can- baby Nora Jane and her heart surgery.

Love this DIY painted blanket tutorial. I think this will be happening sometime soon. Picnic season is just around the corner!

Hank released some of his solo stuff last week. I'm always so in awe of him and his passion to create.

Obsessed with these tents. So pretty. And guess what? Half price shipping to the US until 1/31.

Saw, Snapped, Shared. Beautiful images.

10 great desktop backgrounds.

Raw, vegan, salted peanut butter cookies. These look great!

Here's the Worldwide Regrets Counter for Misplaced Priorities. Wow.

Does anyone else love Kelly Ripa? I think she's fabulous- I really enjoyed this interview.

What a beautiful print!

I'm not much of an "extreme couponer" but Chrystie shares SO many amazing deals here.
  
The "22 Most Fabulous Beyoncé Moments From The Inauguration." Just yes!

Portland, NYC, where ya at? Love these pillows.

Prettiest napkins ever.

Give me all of the Lulus. So happy to have them as my sponsor- cutest items ever!

I need to make this salsa. 

The sweetest fox dress! If I had a little girl, I would definitely be getting one of these.

My friend Hannah recently started a blog. This post was beautiful- a bit about missing the hospital post-cancer.

4 blog resources for beginning bloggers! Very helpful. 

Lost ending to Kubrick's 'The Shining' (one of my all time favorite movies) revealed.

Inspiration for days. And weeks. And months. So good!

Loved this Disneyland post on Clare's blog.

For my gluten-free friends: GF Samoas!

Apparently. What a fun series!

A small business gift guide for him and her. Love this.

The best (free!) Valentine's Day fonts.

My pal Leandra has a new blog, and this time it's in English I can enjoy it too! ;)

 And finally, what women lose in their fight to be thin.

xoxo

3 Things.

 One of my Twitter friends said that Henry looks like a Jolie-Pitt here. I kind of agree! Those lips! Love him.

1. The past few days have given us these little glimpses of spring (until today, but let's ignore that). Tiny little bits of warmth, sandwiched between freezing cold days that make us say "OH! Spring is coming!" But then of course, it will snow again (probably in April), and it will be incredibly disappointing, at least until the real spring days come. Unfortunately I am one of those people that get sick of seasons pretty quickly. I love fall but at the end I'm ready for some snow! And I love winter but towards the end I'm in desperate need of super sunshine-filled days and walks downtown without a jacket. This year I'm trying to be in the now and embrace it all but you guys? I'm cold.

2. So Henry is really into trains. He has been for awhile but lately it's at an all time high. Henry also happens to love music, and we listen to Raffi a lot while driving. On our way back from Phoenix Henry was having us listen to this particular Raffi song about trains a million times in a row, so I decided to search on Spotify for train-related songs to give us a break. I accidentally clicked on the first one that popped up, which happening to be Ozzy Osbourne's Crazy Train (it starts with him yelling "ALLL ABOOOOAAARD!") and Henry fell in love. So now my two-year insists on only listening to Ozzy in the car, and this song in particular. It's the funniest thing in the world to hear him singing "I'm going off the rails on a crazy train!" True Life: My Toddler is a Metal Head.

3. The other day while in the car Hank and I were having a conversation about crazy things happening at that very moment, somewhere in the world. I love doing that, like thinking of the the most ridiculous thing you can think of and then wondering if that particular thing could be happening RIGHT NOW, somewhere out there. Do you ever do this? Someone tell me I'm not alone! But I just got to thinking about this and all of the weird and funny things people talk about with our partners, all of the inside jokes and strange things only that other person gets, and it made me so happy to know that somehow Hank and I found each other in this great, wide world. And I feel lucky. "We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” Perfect, right?

xoxo

 

Favorite Things: Gifts for a New Baby

Baby Henry. SO CUTE! 

I feel like there is a serious baby boom going on in my world right now! Is it the same in yours? And every time a friend or family member welcomes a new little one into the world, there's nothing better than giving a super thoughtful, super awesome gift. I'm all for following along with baby registries (I mean, washcloths and crib sheets are necessary), but I always like to add on something special, or maybe deviate all the way and surprise the new mama with some really neat items.

In the spirit of my new niece Lucy being born, I thought I would share my most favorite baby gifts from around the web!

First of all, have you heard of Little Hip Squeaks? Hands down my most beloved Etsy shop (or any shop really), and I can tell you from experience LHS items are the softest, best quality little baby things in the world. Seriously, get a load of those headbands! Amy, head Hip Squeak, is always coming up with new items and new prints, and this next season is so full of cuteness I can't even take it. I love making sets of leggings, hats or headbands, and a blanket (she sent Henry the cutest blankets ever!), or even just adding on a headband as a fun topper for a baby gift.

Secondly, Freshly Picked Moccasins.  We've tried all sorts of moccasins before tying out Freshly Picked and I can say that these are the best quality and the most comfortable of any of the many we've put on Henry's feet. I love that they're made by a fellow blogger and I also really love how even though they may be a bit pricier, they're such great pieces that can absolutely be passed down kid to kid, and really hold up! Henry has worn his gray and red pairs a million times in all sorts of weather, walked a million steps on all sorts of ground, and they still look great. Plus, have you seen the new spring colors Susan shared on Instagram? So perfect. We love Freshly Picked and appreciate them sending us some moccs to try out.

Another favorite shop is Gingiber, who I discovered when they became a sponsor of mine. I am absolutely in love with everything in their shop, but especially the adorable (and well-priced) pillows. She also has prints, calendars, wall decals, you name it. A total one stop shop for a new little one, and mama. I'm especially in love with this fox pillow.

Another fabulous go-to gift is the Mini Book of Names and Faces from Pinhole Press. We are HUGE fans of Pinhole in our house, and always love their high-quality, unique products. For Christmas they sent us calendars for all of the grandparents, and then we got this book for Abe and Lauren. It's SO cute and really simple to make using their website. You just upload the photos you want to use, and create a mini-board book. It's really the cutest idea!

Some other items I love: this personalized embroidery hoop, these milestone baby cards, and this adorable alphabet onesie from Hello Apparel!

I've also gotten Moms diaper cakes (check out these awesome ones at eDiaperCakes.com), and those have gone over so well! Adorable and functional- perfect for a new parent.

Do you have any go-to items for new babies? I'd love to discover some new, fun shops and items so feel free to share in the comments below!

xoxo

frozen yogurt cones and that newborn baby smell

I swear, every Sunday night Hank and I are already looking forward to the next weekend. I wish our whole life was a weekend, although I guess then it wouldn't really be a weekend. Special things need to stay special, I think. But this was a good one. It was full of baby snuggles with our new niece, and so much family time. We had a date night planned for Saturday night but instead decided to stay in with my parents' and enjoy dessert on the couch. Just as wonderful.

It's funny- we've had some fancy weekends, some busy weekends, but I think the most fun weekends always seem to be the ones where I don't ever get out of my comfy at-home clothes. Simple is best.

This past weekend was full of those kind of simple things: frozen yogurt cones, that newborn baby smell, a certain toddler learning how to roll down grassy hills, and belly laughs- lots of 'em. It was the best kind of weekend, and it's Monday night and I'm still smiling from all of it.

And before I sign off, here's my Try-Make-Do: I tried a new dish at my favorite Thai food place in Mesa (it was a fail, but at least I finally branched out!), I made Henry smile even more than usual with all of the time we spent outdoors, and I got a chance to have a whole afternoon to myself. It was so wonderful. Who knew a solo trip to Target could be so therapeutic? And miracle of miracles, I somehow emerged without buying a thing, which most people know is a definite feat when talking about the black hole of cute (yet unnecessary) Target items.

xoxo

Weekend Links

I'm kissing slavery goodbye with Radiant Cosmetic's lipsticks this month as part of their awesome campaign. Be sure to visit their site to learn more and to take part in making a difference.

Homemade chocolate chip cookie dough larabars from one of my favorite food blogs. Delicious!

10 shocking secrets of flight attendants. Thanks Elizabeth!

A winter picnic! Love this.

How to dwell small.

Tina Fey and her secret to success.

IKEA in February, so good.

A links post in a links post- getting crazy over here.

Love this for Valentine's Day, or any day really!

Can't wait to see this movie.

Thanks for sharing this beautiful video, Rachael. 

Oh, Dr. Wayne Dyer- you're so wise!

Does your family have a shared mission?

Enjoyed this beautiful post on Lindsay's blog.

A 50 year visual history of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar. 

Some fun "Currently" posts to check out: one and two.

So many cute things for little ones. I can't take it!

And speaking of little ones, DIY glittered baby shoes for $1. Awesome.

Coconut oil. Old news for some, but still worth the read.

My favorite photographer. If you're in the area, book away!

One step at a time.

So many cute Valentine's cards!

50 slow-cooker recipes. Bound to find at least one you love in this round-up.

I love Oprah!

Obsessed with these tea towels, and this shop.

Oh Mara, always so beautiful.

Summer colors- yay Casey!

I LOVE reading about Erica's adventures. Here's a little bit to get you hooked: "Stella and I traveled together with Stella's nanny into Central Java, by train, bus, bicycle rickshaw, and pony cart."

Laurie Breaker is amazing. Still loving our stamp of course.

Current favorite blog. So much inspiration.

*I also thought it would be fun to start a new tradition every Friday, and ask all of you to share one link you've loved over the past week in the comments below. I think it will be a great way to find even more neat things all over the web. I hope you play along! 

xoxo

Girl-Crushin': Marlyn of Little Red Bowtalk

Another week, another fun lady to share with all of you. Marlyn is a new friend of my and I adore her cheerful photos on Instagram daily. Her blog is also a new favorite of mine too! I love her adorable style and enjoy following along with her everyday- her site is a sweet place full of positivity, and the world definitely needs more of that. Thanks for taking part, Marlyn!

Name: Marlyn Pena of Little Red Bowtalk and littleredbowtique on Instagram

How I fill my days: I try to stay as busy as possible everyday. I usually have a to-do list of the places I need to go and the things I need to do. Most of the time, I stop by the post office first thing in the morning to drop off my orders for my shop. Throughout the day you can find me at home working, cooking, cleaning, planning, and blogging. I love to turn my records on and just get stuff done! At the end of the day, you can find me relaxing with my hubby watching a movie. That's definitely my favorite part of the day. Staying busy is important to me. I believe that the busier I stay, the happier I will be. That way I will have no time to sweat the small stuff.

What I'm currently working on: I am a tax preparer, and as all of you know tax season is coming up. So I'm getting ready for that. I am also looking to make a big update to my online shop. I have so many ideas on things I want to make and things I would love to sell. I also have been coming up with many new ideas for my blog. Last year, I left my blog idle for the longest time and that was no fun. Now that I have been blogging regularly, I feel like I'm working towards something that I love. Something for me.

Who or what inspires me: I have been inspired by so many things lately! I love seeing the creative ideas that people come up with! It makes me want to create different things myself. However, much of my inspiration comes from blogs that I read. The blogging community has some of the most talented and creative people. I love the outfits, recipes, DIY projects, and lifestyles I see!

3 current favorite blogs to read: M Loves M, Selective Potential, and Skunkboy Blog.

Henry, 3/52

"a portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2013" 

Henry: bath time dinosaurs are the best kind of dinosaurs.


See previous portraits here.

Currently.

a fitting photograph for this post! At Pink's in LA with Adie.

Watching: So much right now. Are you ready for this? And if you want to know how I find the time to keep up with these shows, I am an insane multi-tasker during naptime. Blog, television, lunch, all at once. Luckily Henry still takes 3 hour naps so there ya go. Anyway, here's my current love list: Hart of Dixie (obsessed, especially with Lemon's wardrobe), The Biggest Loser, Parenthood (always- and how great is this season?), Revenge, all the Housewives (no shame) and The Bachelor, of course.

Thinking about: how some people are just so naturally inspiring. Do you know anyone like this? There are a few women that I know who are just effortlessly original and always creating things that wow me. It's hard to put my finger on it, but they're just very special people who are true artists. I admire that quality so much, and I just have been thinking about the whole concept of creativeness and making things, and I really feel that we're so lucky to live in a world where all of this beauty is at our fingertips (and eyeballs!). I've also been thinking about how much I like hot dogs. Quick topic change, did you get that? But I was thinking about how sometimes the most simple foods are the most delicious and there are these hot dogs I buy at Trader Joe's that are simple (as far as hot dogs go), and just taste amazing on their own with some mustard. Heavenly. Then I got to thinking about the first baseball game I ever went to (the original Yankee Stadium, uh-huh!) and the hot dog I got there. And then I got lost in thinking about food and memories attached to meals and items of food. So long story short, I love super inspiring people and a good, old-fashioned hot dog.

Reading: I've been reading so much more than usual lately and just finished a great book by...Nicholas Sparks! This time I read Safe Haven, and it was amazing. I always feel a tiny bit embarrassed admitting how much I enjoy his books, and I felt like it was a dirty secret of mine as Lit major and later a grad student. I think sometimes (okay most of the time), his writing is viewed as "beach reading," which I totally agree with, but I think they're great books and always make me feel something. I really enjoy his writing, and Safe Haven was especially good- it might just be my favorite Sparks book yet! This week I also reread the first two books in Allie Condie's Matched series (Matched and Crossed), in preparation for Reached, which I finally started this afternoon during Henry's naptime. I really enjoyed the first two books, and if you're a fan of YA dystopian literature absolutely check this series out. I'm only about 1/4 into the third book but I'm loving it so far. I'll keep you posted.

Celebrating: So today is kind of a big day! My Dad turned 4 years old (I'll explain). While Facetiming with him earlier today he said "Henry! Did you know I'm only 2 years older than you?" Yup. Seriously, today is his "rebirth" day. Four years ago he was pronounced dead (twice if you want to get technical) and he really believe he was reborn and got a second chance a life. Which he totally did. Without going into the whole story he has a massive heart attack and fell and hit his head insanely hard, resulting in not only the horrible heart situation but a very serious head/brain injury. He was in a coma for days after being brought back to life twice, and wasn't expected to function normally ever again. Well guess what? He's better than he ever was, and lucky for him (and us) he gets a second chance to do it all again. So cool. So it's a special day, and it's neat to recognize it and celebrate!

Making me happy: Valentine's Day- one of my favorite holidays, making plans, Crossfit and more specifically, the power snatches I did today (favorite!), my new camera- more on this later, babies, babies everywhere!, thinking about spending this next weekend holding newborn Lucy, our adventure of the month that's coming up so soon, the excitement that comes with feeling inspired to create, writing more, Henry and that infectious smile, spending more time at our local library, and the warm(er) day we had today. Thankful for so much!

So, how about you? What are you up to today? Feel free to do your own "currently" post on your blog and link back in the comments for everyone to check out. And thanks again to my dear friend Megan for providing the original inspiration for these posts.

Henry, 2/52

"a portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Henry: in our library's play area, choo-chooing his heart out.

See previous portraits here.

Our Weekend, on a Monday

Okay first of all...LUCY'S HERE! It was the most amazing weekend in the entire world. I got to witness my sister give birth and it was truly life-changing. To be honest I was a little freaked out at first- I am insanely queasy when it comes to anything involving blood so I wasn't too sure...but I knew I wanted to be there for Lauren so I got it together and put my game face on. Surprisingly I didn't get faint or feel sick even once. There's no other word to describe it other than AMAZING. Since I gave birth to Henry via emergency c-section I never got to experience a birth like Lauren had, and it was such a bonding moment for all of us to be in that room together. I'll never forget it, and I feel a very deep bond with that little lady. I can't wait to be the best Aunt ever. And let's talk for a second about how beautiful she is! Look at that hair! Abe is Costa Rican and she definitely got his darker features. Such a perfect doll.

As far as my "Try. Make. Do." project, I kind of failed miserably because I was in a hospital for most of the weekend. I plan on trying again next weekend, but I guess I kind of did do some of it, so I'll share.

Try something new: Um. Well, does watching a birth count as trying something new? I feel like it should.

Make someone smile: I made Abe smile by my incessant treat giving. Smoothies, beef jerky, I'm your girl.

Do something for myself: I had a couple of great workouts in my parents' gym on my own, and it felt so good to lift heavy with just my music and me. I love Crossfit most of all, but one of the things I miss about my old workouts is getting lost in the music on my headphones. It was nice to revisit that place.

So that's my half-assed attempt and NOT what I had in mind for the project's first week. Forgive me? I'm looking forward to taking it more seriously this upcoming weekend and taking my camera out for a spin, somewhere else other than a hospital. But on a related note, the hospital my sister delivered in was so nice- it was more like a hotel than a hospital. Insane.

I hope all of you have had a great start to your week. Tomorrow I am hoping to take Henry's 2/52 portrait- loving this challenge. Have any of you signed on? Don't forget you can visit Jodi's blog and follow along too...she's the originator of this great idea!

xoxo

Weekend Links

Today is such a special day because this evening my sister is scheduled to have her baby! It's past her due date and she'll be induced tonight at 8pm. I'm so excited to meet little Lucy and I'll be sure to post an update later this weekend.

I wanted to take a moment talk about a stamp I'm currently obsessed with. Yes, obsessed with a stamp! Laurie Breaker sent us one of her custom creations the other week and since then I've been finding excuses to send out mail whenever possible. It's just so pretty and perfect, and so much easier to use then the address labels I've always kept stocked. Plus, it lasts forever with a quick ink change once it runs out. I obviously blocked out our address, so be sure to check out her shop to see her designs in their full glory. I highly recommend Laurie's shop (and Laurie- she's so sweet and professional!)- the turn around on the custom design was insanely fast and the stamp is of the best quality. One million thumbs up!

And now, some links!

Wanted: Mars Colonists to explore Red Planet? Whoa...

Who doesn't love saving (a LOT) of money? This site is insane, and I'm so excited to be working with it's author Chrystie this month.

Isn't this the sweetest video?

Get $2 off your first order of Stickygrams with code FRIEND0IA9!

A beautiful quote.

13 things to do in downtown Phoenix.

"You should start a book club"...what a wonderfully inspiring post!

Instagram-friendly soft cover books. Love these!

Happy birthday, sweet Poe! And happy birthday to my beautiful friend Katie.

What a great, inspiring Tumblr blog.

My new favorite Etsy shop. And my always favorite shop.

Moxie Girl? Delia*s? Ring a bell anyone? If so, you need to read this.

"New mama" is a good look for sweet Jen.

These shoes just arrived in the mail and I love them! So perfect for spring. This dress is gorgeous too.

Adore Liz, adore these photos.

Stop by and say hello to My Brown Baby. Always chock full of interesting posts and great writing.

This pillow is the cutest thing I've ever seen! Henry needs one. And if you need one, take 30% entire purchase (pillows and anything else in the shop) with coupon code "SOMETIMESSWEET."

This post has inspired me to work on my photography more. I love the little peeks into Sara's life.

Obsessed. And I wish they came in my size!

Mint chip ice cream cake. Yum.

Such lovely colors on one of my favorite blogs.

All of the discussion about teachers and guns is both interesting and mind-blowing to me. Here's another article.

The top five gadgets for an eat-clean kitchen.

Love Emily's Mid-week Randomness posts.

The quilts! The sheets! I can't even choose a favorite item from this shop.

Happy weekend everyone. xoxo

Try, Make, Do. A Weekend Challenge.

This weekend is already going to be a good one for a few reasons, but I thought I would go with this whole sense of "adventure" I'm trying to capture this year and try some new things. And these things might not be necessarily adventurous, but I think even getting out of my comfort zone a little will be beneficial...and fun!

The idea is simple. I won't plan anything in advance, but this weekend I'll aim to do these things, and let them unfold along with the weekend:


1. Try something new.

2. Make someone smile.

3. Do something for myself.


I'll report back here on Sunday evening with stories and maybe a couple of photos. Try, Make, Do. Won't you join me?

Girl Crushin': Sarah Fortune Gill

Yeah! Week Two of this new little series, and I'm loving it. This time I am so excited to have my bud Sarah on the blog. She's an incredibly creative and inspiring woman who just happens to be the mama of the cutest little girl in the world! I've been reading her blog and following her on IG for what seems like ages, and she always manages to make me smile with her gorgeous photos, adorable family, and witty self. Really, she's the best and a perfect girl-crush to take us into our second edition. Thanks Sarah!

Name: Sarah Fortune Gill of Blog: www.sarahfortune.com and on sarahfortune on Instagram

How I fill my days: I'm a mom, but I also work full-time, so my days are constantly jam-packed. Any free time is spent with my one year old, Iris, who is at the stage where she's into evvverything. From the trash to the refrigerator, she keeps me on my toes - and I love it. The world is so fascinating to her right now and all I want to do is experience it with her. In addition, my husband runs a local news/arts/entertainment website, so as a family we stay pretty busy keeping up with all things local. We love our little town (Fayetteville, Arkansas) and always try to enjoy things in our community like the farmers market, walking around the town square, and spending time with friends. As for my career, I work at Saatchi & Saatchi X which is one of the leading shopper marketing agencies in the world. I work in two different departments there - production services and public relations, so I'm constantly learning about multiple sides of the advertising world. Agency life is incredibly fast paced, so between my work-life and family-life there's never a dull moment in my day.

What I'm currently working on: I wish I could say I had some amazing things in the works, but as cliche as it is, I'm working on trying to find more time for me. I often feel like I spend my days doing everything for everyone except myself. I love blogging and traveling, so my goal this year is to do more of both. Photography has always been a hobby of mine and I've managed to keep that going, especially as I document the day-to-day of Iris (mostly on Instagram). Now I just have to start planning those roadtrips, charge my "real" camera, and save some time to blog about it.

Who or what inspires me: Other working moms that have found a way to not only balance their family and career, but also find time to have a creative outlet. As I'm still trying to find that balance myself, it's inspiring to see others who make music, run successful blogs, create art, or cook something other than mac & cheese.

3 current favorite blogs to read:

(food) Bev Cooks
http://bevcooks.com/

(family) Dear Baby Blog
http://dearbabyblog.com/

(fashion) Tulip Louise
http://tuliplouise.blogspot.com/

Henry, 1/52

"a portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Henry: waiting patiently for an after-nap cookie. Chocolate chip, of course.

I'm so excited to start this project (with one week eventually having two photos as I make up for this late start), and I have to thank Jodi and my sweet friends Sarah and James for the inspiration. This will be a wonderful challenge. I encourage anyone else who would like to play along to do so, and take a photo a week of anything- your child, yourself, your partner, your home. 

xoxo

Right Smack Dab in the Middle

It's weird, isn't it, how when we're right smack dab in the middle of something we don't realize just how important that moment might be. Or how even when we're just living- just doing our thing, day after day, it's tough to take a step back and know that where we are is someplace so good, someplace we'll one day look back upon with so much fondness.

Hank and I rented our first place together in the summer of 2005. We'd been together for about a year, and after a particularly eventful July and August I packed up my things and made the trek to the town I now call home. It was an out-of-character move for me and I remember my Mom and friends asking, "well, are you sure?" But I was sure, as strange as it was at the time. I was positive this was the right move for me, the right choice even for a girl who was more often than not unsure when it came to matters of the heart. But I did it, I made the decision along with Hank, and I drove myself up to that little town, car full of my belongings.

It was a tiny, tiny place up there over that antique shop, and old too, having been built in 1917. It was charming of course, in the way only a falling apart, ancient building can be, but to us it was new and fresh and all we saw was a beginning. We made that tiny place our tiny home over the next year, the kitchen that was only three steps long, the miniature living room, the even smaller bathroom, and our bedroom-closet that was literally only big enough for a twin bed, with no room to walk on either side.

We spent our days that year in such close quarters, we lived and loved and built the foundation of us in that little apartment. We'd get tarts at the bakery downstairs, we'd go on midnight walks around the square, we'd sit on the stairs in the hallway for hours, stealing internet from nearby businesses. I think back to those nights in that twin bed, limbs tangled together in that small space, trying to stay warm as the ancient furnace died more than it worked. And as much as I loved the simple romance of that first place on Cortez Street, I remember thinking about how badly I wanted to move into a bigger place, onto our second home, to see what was coming up next, right on the horizon.

Life went on and we experienced all of those "nexts" we dreamed of, and now as I sit here at my computer with my husband at work and our baby asleep in his crib, I think about that time- I recall that little bed in that little space, think back to when we'd sit around and talk forever about the dreams we had for our life and ourselves. It reminds me how looking back, everything seems so clear, but when you're in it, sometimes it's hard to know where you're headed. I have a tendency to want to rush, to get to the next thing, the better, the best, but I think sometimes it's good to just sit back and enjoy the journey you're on, the place you're at, the tiny bed you're in. It reminds me of this. To just stop and embrace the now, which might just be the beginning of so much more than you know.

xoxo

Post Office. Or, I'm a Paranoid Weirdo.

remember when we all used to round the corners on our photos? 

It was Saturday evening around 5pm and my family and I had just finished dinner at Smashburger (my first time there- loved it!) and I thought it would be a good time to dash over to the post office and mail a pesky return I'd been holding onto for a week. I love those automated post boxes, don't you? A funny story in a funny story, my Dad didn't not believe in their existence until about two weeks ago when I swore up and down that YES there were these ATM-esque self-serve postal machines that allow you to skip the entire 20-person deep line and mail your package yourself. He laughed at me and said he didn't believe it...until he saw for himself that yes, Virginia, they really do exist. TOLD YOU DAD.

But anyway, I thought that Saturday night would be a great time to use the magic machine and get that godforsaken package off of my to-do list once and for all. I went into the empty lobby, package in hand, a canister of Mace in my pocket, equally ready to mail my parcel and to defend myself against some strange man sure to jump out and attack me. And you should know that I'm not even kidding- I think my parents have instilled such a fear in me of "bad things" happening (remind me to share the whole story my Mom would tell me growing up about hair dye and a public bathroom) that I'm virtually always looking over my shoulder for a stranger or worse, a VAN. But yes, I'm in the lobby, at the magic machine, ready to mail, when a man comes in and says "hey Miss, I can mail that for you, if you want to see if it fits into the slot over there in the metered section." First of all, points for the miss vs. ma'am, but hold up Mister Stranger, why on earth would I give you my package to mail for me? I looked at him puzzled for a moment and said something like, "oh no, I'm good thank you very much. I'm going to just put it over here where it belongs." He looked puzzled for a second and took two steps closer (I, getting two finger-lengths closer to my pepper spray), and said "No, see you don't understand, I need to mail your package for you if you want it to go out."

Hmm. The only thing I could think was that this man must be out of his mind and forcefully mailing others' packages must be this thing, but there was no way he was taking this Lulu return from me without a fight. He said again, "I'll mail it. Just get your postage." I again said no thank you and as he stood there, still staring at me, I got kind of freaked out and said quickly, "and if you could just let me mail this on my own that would be wonderful, thank you so much" all awkwardly jumbled together. I don't think it was rude of me to say that, but the second it came out of my sort-of-scared self's mouth, I noticed he was looking at me like I was the crazy one. He gave me the strangest look, turned around and as he did, I noticed there was a cart next to him, filled with those official mail bins, filled with mail. The kind postmen use when they collect mail from mailboxes. The kind they are happy to fill up with your mail. Oh.

Before I could say a word he was gone, cart and all, and there I was with the magic self-serve postage machine, unmailed package in hand. All I could think to do was yell into the mail slot, "Sir! I'm so sorry! I didn't realize you were a postal worker! Sir? Hello?" But my postman friend was long gone.

I got my postage, and me, my package and my pepper spray walked over the metered slot and dropped it in.

Hank and I like to call instances like this "Larry David moments." Have you ever seen Curb Your Enthusiasm? If you haven't, you must. But afterward, all I could think about was how much of an LD Moment this really was. So friends, remind me next time to not be such a paranoid weirdo, okay? Lesson learned.

xoxo

Weekend Links

First of all, some great news for those of you who miss my Tattoo Tuesday. My friend Natacha reached out to me and asked if she could continue the feature over on her lovely blog every week, and of course I thought that was an awesome idea. Be sure to head over and check it out - so happy TT has a new home and someone to keep it going. Lots of love, Natacha!

Secondly, have you heard of Sugarwish? I hadn't but I am SO excited now that I have. It's the neatest gift idea. Here's how it works: you send your gift recipient a Sugarwish e-gift card, they receive the card and go to the site and select their candy, then it arrives at their front door. So quick and easy. We tried out the service last week and fell in love, especially Mr. Sugar Tooth Hank over here. Try Sugarwish out and let me know what you think! And on a side note, how cute is their branding? Adorable packaging.

And lastly, Pinhole Press graciously had us try out a few of their products over the holiday season. We made a few different things, including calendars for grandparents and a sweet little book for Lauren and Abe. I hadn't worked with Pinhole before but I am so blown away with the quality of their products and quick turn around time. I'll be sharing the book we made next week, but get a load of this gorgeous calendar! Great printing on heavy paper. I highly, highly recommend Pinhole Press to all of you. Black and white photo below by Emily Snitzer, by the way.

----------

Look at this little fox calendar! Dying over its cuteness. And better yet, save 30% on entire purchase with coupon code "SOMETIMESSWEET." Ahh-mazing!

The best book lists of 2012. A list of lists that's worth checking out. And here's a another book list to check out too.

I love ALL of these. I couldn't pick a favorite if I tried.

Speaking of love, these blankets (and everything else in the shop) kill me.

Lux is one lucky baby! What a lovely nursery.

How to be deeply, blissfully happy. Thanks Cristina!

2013: a tipping year for climate change.

20 ingredients Alicia Silverstone of The Kind Life can't live without.

Armed Teacher Training. Thoughts?

Totally enjoyed Kaelah's goals post.

And more on goals, are you choosing the right ones?

You say goodbye, I say hello.

28 powerful questions for a happy life.

Why libraries matter.

Check out Feathers & Sinew, and be sure to enter code "DREAM15" for 15% off your total order.

Loved the 12 Dads of Xmas feature on The Hipster Dad. Hank was featured this year too. So sweet.

"The days are long but the years are short."

And finally, new favorite blog: E Tells Tales.

Girl-Crushin': James of Bleubird Blog

In the New Year I wanted to do a new short and simple feature where I could share some of the women in my life that completely inspire me. I thought it was totally fitting to start with one of my favorite people, a woman who is part of my life both online and off, and whose spirit and love for life inspires me all of the time. James is a hard-working and dedicated mother who, besides homeschooling her two oldest children, makes time to raise her large family, always has her hand in creative endeavors, and still manages to have time for a good old fashioned phone chat now and again. James is the perfect first "girl-crush," and I'm pleased as punch to have her on Sometimes Sweet today.

As this feature grows and evolves I'm looking forward to sharing these little looks into different ladies' lives (from both online and off), and learning a bit about what their days and own inspirations look like. Enjoy!

Name: James Kicinski-Mccoy of Bleubird Blog

How I fill my days: my days are pretty full. I spend them with my four children Julian, 12, Milla Plum, 9, Birdie, 2 and Sailor Rhodes, ten weeks. I homeschool, so we spend a big chunk of our days at home reading and learning. We also like to keep it fun with games like chess, building forts with Birdie, baking, listening to records, art projects and little trips to the parks and museums in our city. We obviously can't fit all of those things into every day but we try to switch things up and do what we can, when we can. I love the freedom that homeschooling gives us.

What I'm currently working on: during down time, of which there is very little, or late at night I work on personal projects and things for my blog. Right now I am developing two products for brands that are pretty exciting. I'm also working on finding a house for our upcoming move to Nashville.

Who or what inspires me: other mothers! I am so inspired to see how other moms do it, especially moms who have big families like myself. It's so nice to see how their families work, the traditions and day to day happenings that take place and the relationships that they have with their children. We all learn from each other. It's really inspiring.

3 current favorite blogs to read: Soulemama, Oh Happy Day! and Shutterbean.

Teacher.

In all of my schooling, all of the places I've been, it's astounding to me that my greatest teacher of all would be a 2-year old by the name of Henry.

He's been teaching me things before he was even here- during those 9 months of pregnancy, and when he was just a possibility and an idea.

It's crazy to me what I've learned over the past three years, all of things I found out about myself, all of the contradictions and truths and clarity.

Henry's taught me that I am enough. Just me. In my pajamas, playing on the floor, no makeup and no fancy clothes.

That we don't need the newest things, the shiniest toys- all we need is a cardboard box and some wooden trains to run along our makeshift track, and we're set.

He is a constant reminder to be present and in the now. I only get so long with this little guy being so little (as I'm reminded every morning when he magically seems bigger than the night before), and I want to be there for every second- not wasting it away worrying about inconsequential things or on my phone or computer.

He keeps me in check. Last week Hank, Henry and I were driving and Hank and I were having a discussion. There must have been a tone to our voices because from the backseat Henry said, "Be nice guys!" We just about died laughing but it reminded us that there is always someone listening and learning.

Henry reminds me to slow down, to appreciate the small things, and to laugh often. To take a minute and notice the ducks on the pond, to wave to the big semi driving past, and to always make time for a snack break.

He's taught me that I am his greatest example. The other day he was playing to with his trucks and he was "putting them to sleep." I heard him say "oh, you are a good truck and I love you so much" in his toddler speak. He kissed them and tucked his little blue truck in, and I realized that he is taking in all of this love we give him and it's become a part of his everyday. And it reminded me of that quote- "how we speak to our children becomes the voice in their head."

It's amazing to think that this little love is only two years old. I feel like he is wise beyond his years and understands so much more than he is even able to tell us. I'm lucky to have been given the privilege of being Henry's mama, and I can only imagine all the fun (and learning!) that's in store.