Fundraiser for The Pratyasha Foundation via Stella & Dot

Hi guys! Those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile, you know that my friend Kristin runs a charity organization that is very near and dear to my heart- The Pratyasha Foundation. I've previously posted about them (see the posts here: 1, 2, 3) and I can't say enough things about Kristin or the work she is doing.  So when my friend Maeghan contacted me about doing a fundraiser for Pratyasha with the company she works for, Stella & Dot, I was super excited.

 image credit to Operation Smile-Peter Stuckings

First, here's a little blurb about The Pratyasha Foundation from Kristin, then read below on how to be a part of the fundraiser!

"I will never forget the first time I decided to make, package and distribute a Sunday meal to the children on the streets in the Indian city of Guwahati that I live in. It was October 2011 and I had no idea that this simple act would literally take me to a slum in an area known as Lakhtokia and change the course of my life. There were children living with their families in makeshift homes all along the rail road tracks and they were so grateful for those unexpected meals. In that first day I felt like my eyes finally truly opened to the level of poverty surrounding me. Fast forward to June 2013 and every single day I feel like I am seeing more and more.

Over this time period these simple meals grew into what is now called Pratyasha (Praat-e-asha) Foundation, and our mission is simple: we reach into the slums and break the cycle of poverty by creating foundational trusting relationships, which, through love, empower those we serve to improve their own lives.

Our Sunday "picnics" are the basis of our relationship with the children and their families; we cook in our home and then serve the meals directly in the slum to around 80 children. The amazing friendship and trust that came from serving these meals every single week has allowed us to dream big. We believe in the importance of simple acts of service such as passing a meal, cleaning a wound and educating on hygiene and health care but over time the question became: how do you truly empower these children to break themselves out of the cycle that living in a slum creates? The only answer is education.

  image credit to Operation Smile-Peter Stuckings

A few months ago we started bringing a small group of girls to an afternoon school program for marginalized children; even there our girls were not welcomed with the open arms we had hoped for. A lot of persistence and love kept the girls going and they did so well that two of them are now in full-time day school. We dream big, yes, but we always start small and we could not be more proud of our girls and their parents' commitment to education. But what about the others? Do you want to know what we really envision? We believe that some day soon we will walk through the slum in the middle of day and no school-age children will be found. None of our children will be working. Every single one of the kids in the slum will be in school, every single one will be receiving the basic rights that all children should have.

It is going to start with a community outreach center opening in early 2014 where school preparation, Sunday meals, a health clinic and vocational training can all take place. We believe that all of these dreams will come true because the change we have already seen is so real. The love that is shared between the kids, the families, ourselves and people around the world is so strong that I can't help but believe that in my lifetime we will witness a total transformation of this community.

I will never forget that first Sunday in October 2011, not knowing what I was doing or what would come of it, not knowing that others like Dani and Maeg and the co-founders of Pratyasha would want to support it in whatever way possible. Not knowing that the railway slum of Lakhtokia and its beautiful children would take hold of our hearts and show us that from the smallest acts, the biggest love can grow."

  image credit to Operation Smile-Peter Stuckings

Kristin also wanted me to give you guys a little more info: the Sunday meals cost around 10-12 US dollars for the 80 kids. The foundation is not sure (because it's not running yet) how much the community center will cost but they project it to be around $200-300 USD/month to run for the weekly meals, health clinic and various programs. They still do everything completely through volunteer work, and all of the programs are free for the kids. The Pratyasha Foundation is a registered non-profit corporation in California as of May 2013, and the 501(c)(3) application is in process with the IRS, so FYI, they are not tax-exempt yet.

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With ALL of that said, here's where we can help.

Maeghan has set up a special Stella and Dot sale site/trunk show where HALF of the proceeds will go to Pratyasha. Every purchase made through the sale contributes and every purchase over $40 is entered to win a Stella & Dot prize valued at $75+. And hello, have you seen Stella & Dot's new summer stuff? SO cute. It feels a little weird including a video like this alongside these photos, but I do want you guys to see what great stuff you can get and help out Pratyasha. So, odd juxtaposition, but it's a must.


This "trunk show" will be running for two weeks, and will close on Monday, July 15th. Once you make your purchase, leave a comment here and let me know what you picked out! And also be sure to like Maeghan's Stella & Dot page, and of course follow along with The Pratyasha Foundation's Facebook page and Kristin's blog.

If you'd like to share about the fundraiser via Twitter, or any other social media site that would be awesome too!

Here's a tweet for easy copying and pasting:

I'm contributing to The Pratyasha Foundation via @danihampton and Stella & Dot. 1/2 of all proceeds go to charity. http://tinyurl.com/mn5od4l

 second image credit to Operation Smile-Peter Stuckings

Happy shopping and thank you for supporting such a great organization!

xoxo

A Good, Old-Fashioned Update

So this photo has absolutely nothing to do with anything below, but I was looking through some photos from last summer earlier and came across this one taken at Coney Island and it made me so happy. It was taken the week I spent with Emily in NYC, and she took me to Coney one day so I could check it out. I loved it. I didn't snap one photo this weekend that would make sense for this post, so random Coney Island photo it is!

I wanted to take some photos today of this belly. It's gotten so big, so fast, but the weather outside is positively gloomy, which makes for not-so-pretty pictures, even of just a belly. However I'm sitting here typing this and listening to so much rain coming down, thunder, lightning, all of it, and I'm ecstatic. This is my favorite kind of weather by far.

So how about a good, old-fashioned update?

Life is good, and believe it or not (I cannot!) Henry will be turning THREE this fall. Now, I know that "this fall" is a ways off, but someone this morning asked me how old he was, and usually I just say "2 and 1/2" but this time I said "3 in the fall." And then I cried inside for a second. It's a weird thing, being a parent. It's a constant yearning to stop time and freeze things but the more you focus on that the faster it all seems to go by. So for me the best thing has to just focus on the now, the stage we're in, and although this morning I had this moment of disbelief that our little guy could ever be turning three so soon, I have been doing a better job of not getting too sad about it all going by. Remind me of this when I have a newborn, and without fail I will be writing about how sad it is that that little tiny newborn stage is over with in the blink of an eye.

I don't write about Hank a super lot on this blog. I feel very lucky to have a strong marriage and to be married to my best friend. And really, what are you supposed to say when things are really good? But lately I've felt even more in love with him, if that's even possible. I keep taking a step back and just thanking the universe that I've gotten to spend the past decade of my life with him and to be able to spend the rest of our lives doing the same. To know him is to love him, and the longer we are together the more and more I realize just how lucky we are to have found each other in this crazy world. And see? This is why I don't write about it too much. I think sometimes I just feel uncomfortable going on and on about something I like to keep close to my heart. But sometimes I do think it's good to shout it to the rooftops.

But something not so good? My Grandma, Nanny, has been getting more and more ill following a heart surgery she had recently, and this past weekend she was taken yet again to the emergency room. She has pneumonia in both lungs, and on Saturday hospice was set to meet with her and my parents but just like it's happened every time, she suddenly started getting stronger again. She's a tank, this woman! She also happens to be my last living grandparent, and the one relative I've always been the closest to. I have the very best memories of her. I grew up spending lots and lots of time with her and my Grandpa, and then after he passed away, she moved from NJ to live with us in AZ. She's lived with my Mom and Dad ever since (I was 15 at the time), and I'm sure you can imagine what a part of our daily life and world she is. I can't imagine life without her.

So yes, life is both good and bad at this current moment, as life usually is. A little of both. It's interesting to me to be caught in this place right now, to have one hand on the pulse of an end of a beautiful life, and another bringing someone into this world. Right in the middle. Charlie is due to arrive in a little over 6 weeks and as the weeks fly by I can only think of how times in my life I'll ever be here again. Never ever. So this is it, the one time my 2 and 1/2 year son will be this age as I am getting ready to have our second child, as Hank and I stay up all night talking about life and dreams and our goals, the time in our life when it feels like everything is beginning, even though we've been going for quite some time. Do you ever feel like that, like the phase you're in is a BIG thing, even though it feels so normal? I want to remember this for always.
 

A Simple Summer Lemonade Recipe with Peeps

Do you guys remember the Peeps post I did this past Easter, about the memories I had on my Grandma giving us hot chocolate with Peeps in them? It was so fun to share that little story, so when Peeps contacted me about posting once more, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share one of our summer go-to recipes.

I've always been a citrus lover, but lemons have sounded especially great while pregnant this time around. Most store-bought lemonade is too sweet for me, so I make my own every few weeks or so for a little treat.

And when Peeps told me they now have their summer flavors out (Sweet Lemonade and Bubble Gum) it was a good tie-in to share the most simple recipe with all of you.

Here's what you'll need:

Juice of 7 large lemons (you can buy straight lemon (not from concentrate) lemon juice at places like Whole Foods, but juicing your own is a lot cheaper)
1/4 cup agave nectar- feel free to use more, up to a 1/2 cup, if you like a sweeter lemonade
1 quart of water

Then, mix it all up in a large pitcher, and enjoy! Don't forget a plate of Sweet Lemonade Peeps to tie the whole look together. Because if you didn't know, lemonade is all about looking cute, right? ;)

Henry also loves when I freeze lemonade in popsicle molds, and you can always get crazy and add any other fruit. Another variety we love is raspberry lemonade. Mmm!

And like I mentioned above, Peeps has released some of the cutest little Peeps I ever did see, in the most fun flavors, perfect for the summer- Sweet Lemonade and Bubble Gum. I'd share a homemade recipe for bubble gum...but is that even possible?

You can pick up these little cuties in any grocery store, and while you have Peeps on the mind, you have to check out some of the other fun things people are doing with their summer Peeps. Check out Ilana's summer-Peeps party (seriously amazing!) and then head over to see Alicia's Peeps fondue.

Thanks for reading, and happy lemonade-ing! And p.s., a portion of every box of Sweet Lemonade Peeps sold will go towards Alex's Lemonade Stand, a non-profit dedicated to finding cures for childhood cancers.

*this post was sponsored by Peeps but as always, all opinions are mine.

I appreciate you guys supporting the occasional sponsored content I share here. xoxo

August 16, 2013.

Right after Henry was born. It's mind-blowing to me to think that in less than 7 weeks we'll be doing this all over again. 

So. We have a date. And I can't even explain to you how weird it feels to know the birthday of our son, to not have those same feelings I had with Henry, the trying to guess if he would be early or late, worrying that my doctor would want to eventually induce me when he was days past his due date. It's strange to wrap my head around the fact that I will wake up on August 16th, get ready, drive to the hospital, and two hours later, have Charlie in my arms. Maybe it's considered the "unnatural" way, but to me, it feels right. Just the way it should be, for us.

I wrote and deleted a long paragraph here about the why and how I chose a repeat, scheduled c-section. I wrote about how I didn't feel I needed to apologize for my choice, and how a baby is a baby and a mother is a mother, no matter how the child arrives. But I realized in doing so I am apologizing in a way, and making something that I wholeheartedly feel is a non-issue, into an issue. So instead I will simply say this: when I was asked by my doctor what my choice was, I chose to have another c-section. And so that's why Hank and I have a big circle on our calendar, around that special day in August, the day I'll go into the birthing center in at 6:45 in the morning, and have our baby at 8:45. Our little clock is now set and now we know for sure how many more days there will be just three, before the newest member joins our family.

August 16th. So excited to meet you, Charlie.

p.s. Have you had a repeat c-section? What was your experience like? I'd love to hear about it.

Weekend Links

 

Goodbye, Google Reader! The day has finally come for my beloved Reader to be gone forever. If you currently follow me via that site, be sure to bookmark sometimessweet.com or add me to your Bloglovin' account via the link above, or any other feed reader of your choice.

Love this messy fishtail updo tutorial from my pal Jenny. Perfect for summer!

Love in the Time of Technology, by Julia Stiles.

Deal alert! Receive 15% off your entire order at Lisa Leonard with code "sweet15." Some of my favorite items: one, two and three.

The very best tweet I've read in awhile.

A fun peek at an entire day in Kaelah's life.

Arizona locals: have you seen the firefly exhibit at The Phoenix Art Museum yet? Henry would love this.

This dress looks like the perfect mix of comfy and cute- via my sponsor, Juniper.

Namibia. Just beautiful!

Head on over to Small Fry to check out their new series, Tiny Tourist. 

Wishlist: the perfect gray tee, this chambray maxi dress, and these sunglasses.

Super into this song, but this Vice article suggests that Miley Cyrus needs to take a class on African American studies.

Orange and poppy seed tea cake. This looks absolutely amazing.

Have you checked out Spilled Milk yet? It's an inspiring blog that brings together photos from different parents, all on the same theme. This time around the theme was "home."

A message to all the parent bullies on the playground.

This is my new favorite shop for prints.

The definitive guide to "Lady-Bros."

Google Reader favorites, via my sweet friend Diana. Love this idea for a post.

Etsy wishlist: these arrows, this quilt, and everything from this shop.

Have you checked out The Beautiful Body Project yet?

Two great quotes: one and two.

It's okay to call a guy creepy...right?

Passionfruit is changing the way bloggers do business. Have you tried it? I'm so attached to the way I currently do things, but you never know...

Instagram video and the death of fantasy. An interesting read.

And finally, some blogs to check out: say hello to Heather, Michael, and my in-real-life pal Nikki (new awesome blog alert!).

Happy weekend! xoxo

2nd Trimester Must-Haves

I thought I would continue my "must-haves" series into the 2nd trimester, and then if anything changes as far as what I've been loving/needing during the third, I'll post once more. You can check out my 1st trimester list here, and as always, please feel free to add to the list in the comments. Enjoy!

1. Target's Maternity Kimono dress. I have this dress in black and LOVE it. It's the most comfortable, flattering dress in the world, and I would wear it everyday if I could. If you decide to order it be advised that at least in my experience it does run a little big. I normally wear a size small, sometimes medium and had to get an x-small in this dress.

2. Belli's Fresh Start Pre-Treatment Scrub. Luckily my pregnancy acne has cleared up but I've been left with dry, sometimes flaky skin. I've been using Belli's Acne Clearing Face Wash and the Acne Control Spot Treatment (both God-sends, seriously), and I will continue to use them, but I needed something to exfoliate too. This scrub is perfect and works so well, and like the entire Belli line it was made with a pregnant woman in mind. I am in no way sponsored to write this, so keep that in mind when I wholeheartedly say that these are the best face products I've ever used. I credit them to giving me back my clear skin!

3. Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter. I started using this during the second trimester with Henry, just applying it at night when I would put on my belly cream. I really think starting so early really helped to soften me up in preparation for breastfeeding and when it came time to do so, I had no issues with dryness or cracking.

4. Boppy Prenatal Total Body Pillow. Now let's be honest, to spend anything over say, $30 on a pillow seems outrageous to me...but when I received this body pillow as a gift I fell in love. And I think if I would have tried it before receiving the gift I might have even been inclined to shell out the cash for it. It's awesome, and it's perfect for the very end of the 2nd trimester and through the 3rd when sleeping starts to get a little tricky. However, a regular old, non-fancy body pillow would work great too.

5. Luna Bar Chocolate Dipped Coconut Bars. If you love Samoas Girl Scout cookies, you will love these. They're a healthier, folic-acid and vitamin-packed alternative to those sugary treats and my go-to when I crave something sweet. As an added bonus you can just throw one in your bag for those times when you're ravenously hungry, which for me has been most of my pregnancy.

6. Liz Lange for Target Maternity Twill Shorts. I have tried SO many pairs of shorts while being pregnant this summer, and the biggest problem has been dealing with an uncomfortable waistband. After trying shorts from ASOS, Gap, Old Navy, and a few others from Target, this pair is the best. Be advised though that the material is very soft- almost like a  tee material, but thick too so it's not obvious that it's such a soft twill. These are insanely comfortable because they have a looser and higher spandex waistband that doesn't dig at all. The shorts are also a good length, and do not ride up on my newly, bigger thighs (thank you pregnancy!) or chafe while walking.

7. Citrus anything. I had to include this because my 2nd trimester has been ALL about fruit, and more specifically, citrus! I can't get enough. If I had more room I'd also add a photo of a nectarine, some cherries, a Pink Lady apple...are you getting the picture here?

p.s. this post is completely unsponsored, but I did use Amazon affiliate and rstyle.me links. 

Long Weekends and Big Lakes

We just got home from a long weekend at the lake, and I actually feel totally rejuvenated. I'm sure most people can relate that sometimes (and especially while pregnant), after a really full weekend I feel like I need a weekend from my weekend. You know what I mean? But this time I got just enough sleep and swam my heart out, which I've learned over the past few years is my body's favorite form of exercise.

We spent Thursday-Sunday on our family's houseboat that docks up at Lake Powell in Page, Arizona. It's a really pretty place, full of canyons and super clean water, and once you leave the dock, most of the time it feels you like could be the only people in the entire world. Hank grew up so differently than I did, and houseboats, jet skis, wakeboarding...these were all huge parts of his childhood. Me, not so much. So it's really interesting to have been immersed in this world every summer since we've been together, and even more interesting to think about our kids growing up in such a way. To say I'm grateful Henry gets these opportunities is an understatement. I'm so happy we are able to spend these weekends and summers like this and it makes my LIFE to see his face light up at he discovers new things, or tries something he might have been previously a little scared of, like jumping off the back of the speedboat or riding on a jet ski.

We spent those four days tucked away in our own little world, which was perfect as we start winding down these last seven weeks of "just the three of us." We swam, we played, and slept in much later than usual thanks to our comfortable bed on the swaying houseboat. I had phone service maybe once per day, for a grand total of ten minutes, and this was a treat as it forced me to just let go of all of things I hold important that really aren't that important at all. Total reality check. It was the perfect 8-months pregnant kind of vacation, and as we spent the last afternoon floating in the water I looked around and all I could think, was "thank you."

Happy Summer, friends!

*all photos taken with my iPhone

  I also had to include a photo of us at Lake Powell from back in the day! I think this was in 2008.

Currently.

Monday morning at our house.

Reading: I'm kind of skipping between a few different books. I was initially trying to finish up The Beautiful Creatures series although I kind of lost steam for awhile. As much as I have loved those books by the third I felt like the formula was way too predictable. But at the same time I do enjoy the storyline and characters so I'm trying to stick with it. I also have a few books on my Kindle I need to dig into including this one, which looks awesome and has been on my list forever.

Listening to: You know when you get stuck in a music rut? That's me right now. I feel like I've listened to everything I love until I'm sick of it, and I haven't found anything new in the longest time! Any suggestions to bands I may not have heard of, send them my way!

Thinking about: the news. I had this conversation the other day with a girlfriend about how we can't figure out if more terrible things are happening than usual, or if we are just more plugged into what's going on the world. I mean obviously global warming has a huge hand in the rise of natural disasters, but aside from that factor, it still seems like so many more of them are happening than I could have ever imagined. And then there are all the terrible things we read and hear about everyday- the shootings, bombings, etc. What do you think? Do you think our world is becoming worse off than it's ever been, or are we just hearing about everything more?

Watching: so Henry takes 3-4 hour naps every afternoon, and I usually spend at least an hour of that doing around the house stuff, another hour or two doing online stuff, and then one of those hours "taking my lunch" and watching an episode of whatever television show I'm into at the moment. Last week in a fit of avoiding watching my DVR-ed Bachelorette episode (seriously, this turned into the worst season ever) I turned to Netflix to find a new show. The new 90210 jumped out at me, so I gave it a whirl and was hooked. It's so great, in only the way a spin-off, trashy, teen drama show can be. And I'm loving it. Have any of you seen it?

Bummed out on: "Bummed out on" is the worst term to use in this situation, but the Doce Wildfire that's been burning since yesterday is just horrible. Right now it's 0% contained and has burned almost 7,000 acres. Lots of homes have been evacuated, but so far no structures have been burned, even though last night firefighters were fighting fires in the backyards of some people out in Williamson Valley. Fire season is a scary thing up here, and all it takes is one careless person, and that's exactly what started this fire. I haven't read the exact cause yet, but they have mentioned it was started by a human...ugh. And tomorrow extremely high winds are expected, so I'm hoping that the firefighters are all safe as they continue to fight the fire.

Loving: okay onto the positive stuff...seeing my parents today on their way home from Las Vegas yesterday, Henry being SO silly and so excited about everything, nectarines (still on that kick), these shoes for Charlie and folding up all of his teeny tiny clothing, only having 8 weeks left until we meet the little guy, planning big video chat dates with my college girls, anything sea salt and chocolate, and the fresh flowers Hank got me last week still looking beautiful- Trader Joe's has the best flowers!

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, 25/52

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

Henry: heading out to the houseboat, in awe of every little thing. To see life as new again through a child's eyes is the greatest gift.


See previous portraits here.  
This is a part of the 52 Project from the Che and Fidel blog.

Weekend Links

Happy Friday! I always feel like doing these posts weekly makes the week go by too quickly- I could swear I was just sitting here, putting together links yesterday...but I guess that's how it goes!

First of all...TODAY'S THE DAY! My sweet friend Amy of Little Hip Squeaks is launching her brand new website, branding, and summer line. Very exciting. I hope you head over and check her out.

Wishlist (baby edition): this blanket, this pillow, and this mobile.

The Barbeque. If you have a minute, be sure to click over and read this article about the author's engagement.

Hey mamas! Have you tried the Ergo yet? So excited to use this with Charlie.

Style Smaller interviewed me over on their site last week, so if you have a moment, head on over and check it out. I love that blog, and it was a fun feature to be a part of!

Disliking Someone is Really Disliking Yourself.

Some "Currently" posts from around the web: Erica, Megan, Bekah, and Karli!

Oh, Leo! This movie looks amazing. And no, I'm not talking about The Great Gatsby.

"The Porch Project." Love this!

DJ Tanner knows best.

Aren't these iphone cases fantastic? The bright colors are so summery.

Flavored Lemonade, 3 ways. I have had the biggest craving for all things citrus this pregnancy, and this post was perfect.

Pretty summertime prints. And pretty paintings.

Have you tried Passionfruit yet? Here's a bit more about them, with a little blurb about me too...even thought I'm still doing things the old-fashioned way! 

My Mom Was An Underground Railroad for Abused Women.

And finally, pop over and say hi to my friend Lindsay. Isn't her blog lovely?

Video: Henry at 2 1/2

I take a lot of videos, but don't always share them here. Today though, I thought it would be fun to share a little bit of a video I quickly shot the other day. It's the perfect capture of Henry right now- a rambunctious, truck-loving, always-singing 2 1/2 year old, full of smiles and songs and stories and giggles. This boy has my heart.



Firetrucks and ABCs from DH on Vimeo.  

On Friendship

I had a discussion the other day with a friend of mine about getting older, and about how one of the hardest things about aging might just be figuring out how to navigate friendships as lives change and people grow and move forward. I've thought about the idea of friendship a lot- it's a topic that's been on my mind often over the past couple of years and for good reason; I think the shift in relationships as we figure our own selves out is fascinating. 

Growing up I'm sure I was like a lot of you, always surrounded by people, busy busy busy- my friends were my world. Ups and downs, my friends were the ones I went to, vented to, made a part of my everyday life. And as I got older I started to distinguish between the different kinds of friends I had formed relationships with. There were school friends, "best" friends (a term I sorely overused), work friends, sorority friends, party friends. And one of the things I really learned over the course of 10 years in my 20s was that it's okay that not all of these groups of people are my closest friends, and really, spreading myself so thin caused me to never give 100% to anyone.

And the most recent revelation- no relationship will ever fit into a box. Just because I have an idea of how something should be, doesn't mean that it should be that way, or will be that way. The kinds of friendships I had at 16, 18, 22...those are now just not possible. I don't have the time to sit and talk on the phone for an hour, or see the people I love a few times a week. I wish I did, but when I do have a free hour so many other things need to fill it- household duties, writing, emails. And so with these life changes my friendships have changed and in turn, become redefined.

This was hard for me to understand for awhile- I used to get sad that I felt so disconnected from certain people, and often felt guilty that I wasn't being a great friend. So many things change relationships- an infinite amount of things- and part of accepting that things wouldn't always be the same was accepting that I was changing too.

It's a weird thing, growing up.

And now at 31 I have a very small handful of people I consider close friends. And that's okay. A few I talk to daily, via text or a phone call here and there. Then there are the handful I might not talk to every week or even every month, but there is never weirdness. We all accept that our lives our busy, and there is no guilt, no resentment, we are happy to spend time together when we can, and all there is is love for one another when we do get to connect. And I think this is the secret to successful friendships, at least for me- the idea of quality of quantity. Of course I mean this in the obvious sense- one great friend over five not-so-great ones- but even more so in time spent. Sure, I might only get to see a close friend once every six months, but when we do get to spend time together, that time is precious and wonderful and so full of US. Less time, but BETTER time.

So that's what friendship is for me right now. Making the most of what we have. Trying to do the best we can, and when we do get to connect, making sure that time is of the best quality. Accepting this, and each other, for the very separate lives we all lead, and knowing that just because we aren't able to see each other as much as we'd like doesn't mean that it has to change the way we feel.

Whatever your age, where are you at right now in your friendships? Do you have a ton of solid pals you can count on for everything? Or a handful of close friends? Are you in yours 20s or 30s? How has friendship changed for you over time?

So many questions. Can't wait to read about your experiences.

xo

CLOSED // A Sweet Giveaway: Juniper Stores

WINNER: Stefanie Gladden! 

 Congrats! I will email you today. 

 Thanks to all who entered!

This week I'm really excited to host a giveaway from a really fun and unique brick and mortar store turned online boutique...Juniper! Juniper carries a ton of cool, super cute items, in addition to their own line of graphic tees, dresses and scarves which were all created and designed by Shawn Hebrank, an award winning Minneapolis tattoo artist. Their items have been called "art you can wear," and have been featured via glowing reviews all over the place.

Juniper isn't a typical boutique, which is evident when you walk in the door and are greeted by vegan treats and tea, or see their calendar, which is full of in-store events like knitting workshops, interactive window displays, and projects with local artists and designers.

It makes me wish that WE had a Juniper in our town, but luckily they also have an online store. And even luckier, today Juniper is giving away ANY item of choice to one winner. Scroll on down to see how to enter!

How to enter:

THREE WAYS TO WIN (choose one or all three):

1) Visit Juniper's website and leave a comment below letting me know what you'd choose if you win! Be sure to include your name and email address too.

2) Follow Juniper on Instagram. Repost ANY one of their photos (choose your fave!), hashtag #juniperstores and include @juniperstores. Then leave a comment below letting me know you posted, along with your IG username, name and email address.

3) Follow Juniper on Twitter, then tweet this:

I entered to win any Juniper item of my choice via @juniperstores and Sometimes Sweet/@danihampton. http://tinyurl.com/msmhzg5
Then be sure to leave a comment letting me know you did so, along with your name and email.

If you enter more than one way, be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry to be counted.

All entries will be entered into a drawing to win any Juniper line item of the winner's choice!

Good luck to all who enter.

And as an added bonus, Juniper is offering 20% off of your entire purchase with code "sometimessweet" at checkout.

I'll choose a winner one week from today!

Weekending

This weekend was a quiet one, full of meals at home and little art projects with Henry. I was gone for four days last week, and when I returned home from my trip I swear, Henry had doubled in size. I always feel like that- that when I am away from him for even a night, he seems so different. It makes me sad but also kind of marvel at how quickly he is changing.

Yesterday was Father's Day, and I know that it's a common thing to say "oh, my guy is the BEST Dad," but really...he is. I could write pages on how neat it is to see the person you love come into this whole parenthood thing. When you've been with someone for close to a decade and for almost all of your twenties, it's really strange/cool/wonderful to be able to look back on everything and then quickly snap back to where you are. When we first met, who would have ever guessed we'd be right here, right now?

Some favorite parts of our weekend: the Farmer's Market on Saturday and Henry buying his own cookies with his "own" money, the juiciest nectarines in the world, making the ugliest yet most delicious pancakes ever (you can kind of see them below), doing a whole lot of glorious nothing at Henry's request on Sunday, and feeling like Henry and I really gave Hank a great Father's Day.

I hope you had a great weekend too!