Create

As of late, I have had a lot on my mind. And not much on my blog. So sorry. I've had to make a few big/hard/good decisions and things are slowing down around here. In a good way.

One of the things that keeps circling my brain is this lovely quote:

"When you don't create things, you become defined by your tastes rather than ability. Your tastes only narrow and exclude people. So create."


I have been applying this quote to everything....

1. Creating people. Before I had my daughter I enjoyed children.... for about 1 hour. Alone time, sleep, and ME ME ME were my main focuses. Becoming a mom opened my heart to the world. Suddenly I had instant friends, an inability to watch the news, and compassion in place of irritation toward the parents of the screaming kids that seem to always be directly behind me. Creating people creates understanding .

2. Creating art. I recently painted some artwork for our apartment, and I was shocked at how ignorant I was of the vision, talent, and courage artists posses.

3. Creating a home. I've noticed the more I try to carve out a special place for my family in this little basement apartment, bringing functionality, beauty, and comfort, that I'm not doing it to impress those that come, but to welcome them. It's my dream to provide a safe, loving, and comfortable home that shows not only my family, but anyone that comes through our door, how happy I am that they are in here.

Isn't it amazing that creativity it directly linked to compassion, courage, and love for those around you? It's never about taking, but about giving. Giving something new and beautiful where there once was nothing.

I'm turning a new leaf in my blogging life, and I hope you're ready. I want it to be a little more personal, a little more conversational, and a little more me.

See you on Tuesday!

She is my favorite part of every day...

Running Away

We have had a hard week.

It seems like our hard weeks are coming almost weekly these days, and I find myself counting down the minutes until the summer of 2008 packs up its pretty greens, bright mornings, and endless disappointments and hits the road.

I had high hopes for this summer. Soaring, lofty hopes that I tied to a bright kite and ran full speed, sending them higher and higher, never looking back.

The summer of 2008 cut my string and stowed my hopes in a somewhere, someday place. A place "where everything will work out" and where "a door will open." It seems like timing is everything in this place, and our timing is always off.

So, we are running away.

Where, you ask?

Portugal? Oregon? New York?

We have no idea, but it will definitely be a today place.

And I couldn't be more excited.

We will keep you posted!

These are a few of my favorite things....

Melanie from the super swank blog, You Are My Fave, posted a list I put together of my favorite things. Go check it out!

Oregon

I don't have a Hippie Friday post this week...... I think my grooviness is at an all time low. But I am really excited about my Oregon pictures, so I guess I'll post those:

We borrowed my little brother's new camera for our trip, but the battery died on the first day and he failed to give us the charger....so we had to buy a disposable camera for the rest of our vacation. I couldn't even remember how to take a picture with a manual camera. I have become so dependent on the screen on the back, I kept forgetting to look in the view-finder. But I did like the fact that I wasn't just snapping away, because with only 54 photos, I really needed them to count.

Cape Lookout State Park


Sela dancing at Cannon Beach
The rest are from our disposable camera. These ones are my favorite, I was so shocked that they actually worked out.





Sauvie Island.....yummy berries and the prettiest place in the world.






Happy weekend, folks! I'll see you next week!

soft, a little slouchy, and the perfect shade

I am so over the brightly colored, vinyl covered, boxy excuse for a mom+baby EVERYTHING bag. Seriously. They just scream, "I'm carrying my weight in goldfish crackers and sippy cups, and I'm too overwhelmed to even think of cleaning one more thing."

Most days I totally understand. Some days I wish I lived in a bubble with vinyl jumpsuits, because I'M TOO OVERWHELMED TO EVEN THINK OF CLEANING ONE MORE THING.

But lately, as Sela is gaining more independence, and the amount of baby arsenal I'm lugging is increasingly less, I find myself at a loss. I can't seem to find a decent bag for my lip gloss, keys, wallet, and phone.

So I've been browsing the handbag/tote market, and I am LOVING the knew looks for fall. Just a little slouchy, lots of pockets(good ol' sippy cups), and really soft. But most of them come with a pretty hefty price tag, too. A price tag I can't justify because:
a) we are poor
b) I'm the budget creator+enforcer
c) it still needs to carry wipes and such

Enter Big Buddha purses. So pretty. So soft. So on my wishlist.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Brian Dear

The happiest birthday wishes to my wonderful, sweet(with just a touch of sarcasm), and unlikely best friend.

Who says hippies and nerds can't make it work?



He is a good person through and through, and I count my lucky stars that we make it work every day.

Happy Birthday, Brian!

MIA

Hello, my lovelies! Sorry I've been such a lousy blog buddy, I wish I could say it's because I'm vacationing again, but I've just been extra busy doing tons of little things. A few exciting things like buying new lamps, rugs, and pillows for our living room, some DIY projects like making a coffee table/ottoman, and buying original art for the first time! There are posts in the works, I promise!

In the meantime, I picked up this book yesterday....


The styling is fabulous, the food sounds delicious, and the overall feel is just wonderful.

Sample Meal:

Country Vegetarian Lunch
-Rich Root Soup with Green Tarragon Drizzle
-Pouched Mushrooms with Egg Noodles
-Roasted Butternut Squash, Red Onions, Baby Potatoes, and Fennel with Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce
-Parmesan Cookies
-Blackberry and Apple Pie with Real Custard

See what I mean? YUM!

Fran Warde organizes everything in easy to understand menus and recipes, and the photography by Debi Treloar is just stunning.

I'm ready for party, anyone interested?

The Number One Reason I Can't Wait For A Two Bedroom Apartment

Isn't this room creamy, dreamy perfection? I have had such a crush on that Anthro Cirrus Duvet, but I am pretty sure it would be covered in blueberry smears and crushed goldfish in a matter of days.

Everything we own is machine washable for a reason.

This OFELIA throw from IKEA may just suffice until the Swan family gets a little more breathing room.

above photo from apartment therapy

Things We Did: Powell's City of Books

This is book lover's mecca.

Powell's is the biggest used and new bookstore in the world. It takes up an entire city block and there are 122 different subject titles. Needless to say our little family spent quite a bit of time in this Portland hot spot.

The children's section is unbelievable. So many great titles that I have never heard of, tons of classics, and many of my own childhood favorites. We were able to find 2 books for Sela to help her remember her first BIG vacation.

Iggy Peck, Architect

I wanted something to signify Sela's first time in a big city, with building as high as she can see, and Iggy Peck, Architect is perfect. The illustrations, by David Roberts, are GORGEOUS. The text, by Andrea Beaty, is hilarious.
click on the pages to read the text.

Seriously, look at Iggy's groovy mom!

The second time we stopped at Powell's was the same day that we said good-bye to the ocean. I was a little heartbroken and I wanted to find something special about our time at the ocean. I had originally planned of getting Flotsam by David Weisner, but while I searching I found:

Wave
by Suzy Lee.

This is an incredibly sweet book. It perfectly captured Sela's curiosity, delight, and love as she met the ocean for the first time.

Hello, hello!

We are back.

Oregon was wonderful, beautiful, and absolutely perfectly perfect.

If I ever move to Portland I am NEVER EVER EVER leaving. The second we were within city limits I made a pact with myself to kidnap my family and hold them hostage in that lovely city until the day we die. I want every day to be Powell's City of Books, Voodoo Donuts, berry picking, farmer's markets, Alice in Wonderland re-enactments in the park, and impromptu street festivals. THE CARS YIELD FOR PEDESTRIANS! Even if you look simply like you're entertaining the thought of crossing the street, the kind people of Portland STOP! Can you believe it? Me either. And they recycle. EVERYONE recycles. Not just the crazy lady who's been harping about global warming since before I was born, but the entire city has their glass, paper, and plastic separated and waiting in front of their shops, restaurants, and bars. Portland cares, and it's so great to see.

It is a shiny, pretty, wonderful city that just plain feels good.

Not only that, but Sela was nothing but sugar-coated sunshine every. single. day. I was anticipating awful-coated high pitched screeching with a side of flailing limbs and a fair share of biting. 13 hour car ride and all she did was sing and smile.

Oregon may just be the salvation I've been waiting for.

I have lots of things to share, but I just wanted to say hi.

So, hi.


photo is of Cape Lookout State Park. Taken by yours truly.