leap and the net will appear.

It's leap day and I'm  feeling slightly obligated to make the most of this extra day... although, if you really think about it there's nothing extra about this day. This day would exist whether it's labeled February 29 or March 1. I mean, it's not like we are all going to live a day longer or anything like that. Can I get an amen? Which reminds me of how much I hate those nagging feelings of obligation to do certain things. For me, the end result is most often guilt not action. I wonder what that says about what motivates me? Any shrinks reading this? 

But what I do know about today is that it's sunny and warm and spring is just around the corner and that alone is enough motivation for me to smile. 

So, yes, happy leap day... or better yet, happy day. 

What motivates you?

image source

link love.

• I can't get the above image out of my head. It's such a beautiful testament to the natural bonding experience that is breastfeeding. Before I became a breastfeeding mother I never imagined that I would become so passionate about the experience. Image from my The Bambino Pinterest board.
• Speaking of feeding our babies... making big headlines this past week was a study that found high levels of arsenic, a chemical linked to cancer, in foods containing organic brown rice syrup, including some baby formula. This finding prompted us to throw out some "snacks" we had in our pantry for Jack. The results are somewhat debatable (as they always are) but why take the risk? Check your pantry and toss that stuff out, too. via TODAY
• "Mom, I'm Fat:" One Mother's Inspired Response to her 7 Year Old.  This Mom handles a delicate issue with honesty and grace. I can only hope that I would be able to be as real if/when I ever encounter similar scenarios. via Rachel Simmons
• When Do Babies Sleep Through the Night? Don't feel bad if your baby isn't sleeping through the night. Most don't until two or three years of age. Our culture has unrealistic norms and expectations around this issue. via Mothering
• Depictions of Nature in Children's Books Down by Half Since 1960. "These findings suggest that today's generation of children are not being socialized, at least through this source, toward an understanding and appreciation of the natural world and the place of humans within it." And that makes me sad. via Treehugger
• Making the internet rounds for good reason Why French Parents Are Superior. This article has me examining my (our) parenting style(s) and questioning some notions I take for granted (in a good way, y'all!). I enjoyed this article so much that I have the author's book Bringing up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting on hold at my local library.  Can't wait to dive into it.  via The Wall Street Journal 
• Are you familiar with Dan Savage? Do you love him, too? Here's a must see video of his for anyone in a committed relationship or working on/hoping to get into one...  The Price of Admission. "The list of things you're not willing to put up with you really have to be able to count one hand and it can't be superficial bullshit like chews with his mouth open, as disgusting as that is." And so many other fantastic gems of wisdom. Good reminders.
• What about Margaret Cho? Familiar with her? Apparently, she recently "lost her shit" and in this piece defends herself. She's fierce, tough, honest, and vulnerable. I respect that so much. One comment really struck a chord with me, "All the kind words in the world can lose their meaning when someone hits a deep, unhealed wound." A-fucking-men! via Jezebel
• And to leave on a positive note: The Grand Canyon Bans Bottled Water Sales. I love when rational decisions are made despite pressure from money wielding lobbyists. That's a victory! via Treehugger

Hope you enjoyed the links. I'm considering making this a regular thing. What do you think?

saint valentine.

May your Valentine’s Day be filled with love, understanding, and contentment as you journey through life with those you hold dear. xo

image source  leLOVE

find the paths of peace and a repose that is sweeter than sleep.

Rocky Mountain from Matt Brass on Vimeo.

I stumbled on this beautiful video shot at Rocky Mountain National Park. RMNP is practically in my backyard. How lucky am I?  Every scene in this video is familiar. Somehow it all feels like mine in some sort of non-possessive way. 

It's been nearly sixteen years since I packed up the car and drove into the sunset. I miss Chicago but Colorado is definitely my home. 

"Go into the Parks and get their encouragement. Among the serene and steadfast scenes you will find the paths of peace and a repose that is sweeter than sleep. If you are dulled and dazed with the fever and the fret, or weary and worn,--tottering under burdens too heavy to bear,--go back to the old outdoor home. Here Nature will care for you as a mother for a child. In the mellow-lighted forest aisles, beneath the beautiful airy arches of limbs and leaves, with the lichen-tinted columns of gray and brown, with the tongueless eloquence of the bearded, veteran trees, amid the silence of centuries, you will come into your own."  Enos A. Mills, Father of Rocky Mountain National Park

See other amazing videos by Matt Brass here.

this is only a test.

Remember fire drills in school?

I always loved them because 1) we got out of class and 2) we went outside.  Since I grew up in the midwest we also had tornado drills. Those weren't nearly as much fun because they required us to remain completely quiet while either crouching under our desks or lining up in the hallway. And at that age having to remain quiet is akin to torture. 

But looking back I understand how important these drills were. If there had ever been a real fire or tornado we would have all been well rehearsed about what to do. That's really important in a time of crisis ....to avoid panic... otherwise, the results could be disastrous.

I've been thinking about those drills lately since Jack's now starting to eat real food... and by eat I mean play with and spit out and throw and mush and occasionally accidentally swallow the food.  But what if he were to get a piece of food lodged in his windpipe; I mean, what if my baby was choking. I start to panic just thinking about it. Would I know what to do? Would I react fast enough to save him? Or would I just fumble around helplessly trying to figure out what to do? I want to be prepared. I want to know that if we were ever to find ourselves in that situation that I would be able to help him without having to even think about it.

So I watched a few videos and I felt like this one was the best. 

Then I practiced on Jack.  

And now I feel more equipped to handle that crisis if it ever happens.  

This drill is over and we can all go back to class now.

If you have a baby you should watch this video, too. Taking two minutes to watch it could save his or her life. Literally.

coming and going on the earth.

Today I saw this amazing video of a record player that plays slices of wood; a fir tree and an ash tree to be more precise. I want to imagine that each note was a significant event for that tree... perhaps a local fire or a particularly rainy spell or maybe just the passing of a new season. It's beautiful really.

YEARS from Bartholomäus Traubeck on Vimeo.

It reminded of this video where someone took a photo of birds on a wire and translated it into a lovely song.

Birds on the Wires from Jarbas Agnelli.


Maybe there's a song that nature wants you to hear. If so, are you paying attention?

the most constant of friends.



by Kyle Kirkpatrick




by Paula Swisher





by Guy Laramee



Our family lives in a modest sized home. Just over 1000 square feet. I like to say that it's very European of us. Occupants include my husband, our son, myself and two 70+ lb dogs. With all of the stuff that goes along with this many bodies our place can oftentimes feel cluttered. So we're constantly trying to make the most of our smallish living space; which usually means getting rid of stuff and purging our belongings. One of my most difficult purges required me to choose which books to keep and which to donate. I love my books. Each one holds a special place in my heart. But I managed to distance myself from the emotional connection and ask myself which were *most* important to me.  Then I only kept the ones that I absolutely positively could not stand to part with. I got rid of a ton. It felt good.

Wouldn't these projects be a beautiful way to repurpose some of those old books that you love but can't stand to part with.

all images via Colossal

idle hands are the devil's plaything.

My husband is nagging me about my lack of blog posts.
And by "nagging" I mean, he asked me why I haven't been posting lately.
I told him I don't want to put energy and brain power and time into this project right now. Maybe not ever.

But I need a creative outlet.
I die on the inside if I'm not creating something.
Photographs.
Cute little onsies for friends - well, their babies, not them.
Art for our walls.
Booties for Jackson.
Scarves for everyone and anyone.
Stuffed owls for every single baby and kid we know.
The list goes on and on.
Seriously, I need creative outlets or I die on the inside.

Here's a sampling of some new creative projects I'm considering....

Sewing these adorable ankle biters for Jackson with the most adorable robot fabric I purchased months ago that I can't figure out what to do with because it's so adorable and I don't want to waste it on just any old project. But this might be the one.

Sewing bunches and bunches of these bibs. Jack needs them.  All our friends who have babies need them. And maybe I could sell the extras? Every baby needs cute handmade overpriced fair priced bibs, no?

Building a climbing wall somewhere in this tiny condo because, as it is, we are all climbing the walls and since Bill and I are climbers I figure that Jack needs to start sometime soon, right?  I mean, he's super close to crawling so climbing must be right around the corner. Or so we hope.

Any other ideas to throw at me? I'm always up for some good suggestions.

get cool boy.

I first saw West Side Story in grade school when we took a field trip to a local high school for their production. I was completely spellbound. And have been since then.

West Side Story is an American classic. With awesome choreography, beautiful costumes, and one of the best scores ever written.  Set in the 1950's, it provides a glimpse into a bygone era. It's a timeless story that touches on a host of still-relevant social issues; racial tension, gang violence,  class struggles, and immigration.

Tomorrow I get to see it on stage once again.
And am so looking forward to it!

Have you ever seen West Side Story? Do you love it as much as I do?

All images from Vanity Fair

re-created scenes from

the film version with

Jennifer Lopez and friends.

Photographer Mark Seliger.

23° 26'



Happy Winter Solstice.
The shortest day of the year. 
The longest night of the year.  
Longer days ahead.
I'm definitely celebrating!
How about you?

Image: Hairpin for the Stars

Taken near the top of Berthoud Pass, Colorado

cold & flu season + baby =

[1] Boogie Wipes [2] Johnson's Vapor Bath [3] Nasal Syringe

[4] Vicks Baby Rub [5] Pedialyte [6] Cool Mist Humidifier

[7] Vicks Digital Thermometer [8] Boba Baby Carrier [9] Saline Nasal Spray

Here we are in the midst of cold and flu season. Jack's first. And sadly, like most babies, he's in the process of building up a strong and healthy immune system (translation: he's been sick a bunch).  Current stats: One flu down and still bravely suffering through his first cold. 

Despite my tendencies to lean towards minimal-consumerism I quickly realized that I like having some products on hand to help ease his symptoms and make him as comfortable as possible. I mean, who wants to see a miserable baby? Not me. And since putting him in a bubble is unrealistic (and actually worse in the long run) I broke down and bought some stuff.  Listed above are the products I've found extremely helpful so far. I mean seriously...  I don't think we could have survived the past few weeks without these things.  

Lastly, although not listed, the best thing in life right now: letting Jack hang out in the bathroom in his bouncy seat while I take a long hot shower so he can inhale the steam.  Cause apparently in our family, when baby is sick so is everyone else in the house.  And is there anything in this world that feels better than a long hot shower while nursing a nasty cold? Speaking of, what does a stay-at-home Mom have to do to get a sick day? Hello? Anyone?

I hope you all stay healthy during this cold & flu season! But if not, consider trying some of these products. Just because they're marketed for babies doesn't mean they won't work for us adults. Trust me; those boogie wipes will feel awesome on your tender nose.

fins.

Fins will be thirteen soon.  She now spends most of her days sleeping. And dreaming. She can't hike with us anymore. And it's hard for her to get up and down stairs.  We still walk her most days.  Her walks are shorter and slower than they used to be.  But in her dreams she's running again. In her dreams her body is young and nimble and pain free.

I'd love to be able to transport myself into one of her dreams.  If I could I'd play fetch with her for hours on end. Or take her for a super long hike until she's so tired she can't even keep her eyes open.  Just like we used to do.

But since I can't do that I'll just lay down on the floor with her and give her kisses and pet her until she falls back asleep.  All the while softly telling her how much I love her.


A beautifully heartwarming story of a 15 year old rescued dogs gift to a grieving man

scarf season.

One thing I love about this time of the year is scarf wearing. 
But I always end up wearing them the same old way. Boring.
This video goes through 25 cool ways to wear scarves. No old lady scarf wearing techniques here.
I think I'll try all 25 in the next month and find a couple new faves.

a collection of starlings.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Magical.

food rules.

#4.
If you're not hungry enough to eat an apple,
then you're probably not hungry.

from Michael Pollan's Food Rules: Illustrated Edition

no title.

late afternoon autumn light pouring in the bedroom window.

baby at my breast.  he has just fallen asleep.

so relaxed i could close my eyes and nap right beside him.
instead i take it in.

the sounds of the neighborhood kids playing outside. the rhythmic pounding of hammers from the roof workers across the street. a dog lets out a heavy sigh.

the smell of crisp autumn air from the open window cuts through the warm air in the house.  today was the first day of the season we turned on the heat.

anticipating bill getting home from work to hear all about his day. a glass of wine. how was work? i'll tell him about everything jack discovered today. he has mastered the back to tummy roll. finally, we'll sit and just be with one another.

back to the present moment and one last kiss to baby's soft warm forehead before i slowly slink out of bed. careful not to wake him. tiptoe out of the room. glance over my shoulder to get a final glimpse of it all again.

can i freeze this scene? can i just savor it forever?

such an utterly ordinary moment. and so perfectly delicious.

raising a reader.

A few weeks back I was involved in a conversation about the importance of reading to your baby. I'm assuming that we can all agree that this is beneficial, right?

But then someone else said that it's equally important for your baby to see you reading; to model your love of reading. This helps make reading an everyday common thing for your little one; not something grudgingly done only when you have a book report to write. And since reading equals greater odds of success I naturally love this line of thinking. It's helped me to remain guilt-free while indulging in one of my greatest pleasures.  Cause here's the thing - as a newish Mom who has opted to stay home with baby I've put a fair amount of pressure on myself to devote a vast majority of my entire self to baby. Most of those things I love to do have been temporarily put on the shelf until Jack's a little more independent (Is this normal? Probably. Is this healthy? Not sure. I can save that for another post.) But now when I cozy up to a book I am confident that I'm doing what is right for the little guy. Winning!

Just finished reading:

Currently reading:

“Reading was my escape and my comfort, my consolation, my stimulant of choice:
reading for the pure pleasure of it, for the beautiful stillness that surrounds you
when you hear an author’s words reverberating in your head.”

—  Paul Auste

bittersweet.

happiness.

{from Pinterest; originally pinned by Stephanie Mooch}

Yesterday I finally gave in and joined Pinterest. Just what I need... another social networking site. But I justified it by reminding myself that after 3ish years on Twitter my interest in that platform is slowly waning.  Chances are good that I'll let that account slowly fade away just like summer is currently doing. Can you believe summer is almost over?

Anyway, I had Pinterest dreams last night; that's how excited I am about finally joining. Pinterest dreams! That's not right.

P.S.  Check out my guest post on Campfire Chic. It's part of Kam's Around the Campfire Blog Party.
My post is titled How to Guide: Camping With An Infant.  So much fun!

you are loved.

When I saw these precious phone wallpapers on one of my favorite blogs I felt the urge to let you all in on a little secret.

It was while I was (un)gracefully stumbling through a rough patch a few years ago that I found it crucial to say nice things about myself to myself.

So I programmed a quiet loving message to appear on my phone whenever I turn it on. It simply states:

You are beautiful and amazing

And years later that message remains on my phone.

Just a tiny gentle frequent reminder of the importance of self-love.

the start of a lovely weekend.

image via she saw things

dreaming.

image via kevin_cyr

image via Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

Is it completely unreasonable to want to live in one of these with my husband, son, and two dogs?
Probably.
But something about it is really appealing to me lately.
Maybe it's the ability to just pack up and move your entire house on a whim.
Or maybe it's the lightness you must feel from down-sizing.
Or perhaps it's the knowing that there's no excuses holding you back from pursuing all those adventures you've always dreamed of.
Sounds good to me today.
I would insist that our first landing spot be somewhere on a warm secluded beach.
After that, I'll just sit back and enjoy the ride.

pop.

Via: Term Life Insurance

wordless wednesday.

the year's last, loveliest smile.

Dear baby Jackson,

I know right now it's still summer. Just the second season of your life. But today I thought of autumn and I got so excited knowing that we'll soon get to share your first autumn together.  

You need to know upfront that your Dad and I love autumn. It's our favorite season of all.

When your Dad was young autumn meant it was hunting season.  He spent many hours in his deer stand and hanging out with his buddies in their duck blind.  For me, autumn meant breaking in and showing off a new pair of school shoes.  And picking up leaves from the ground to press in books.  Your Dad and I both have many fond memories of autumn.  We'll share them all with you someday.

But now... it's time for you to create your own memories.  And here's a tiny sample of what you have to look forward to.

In autumn the trees will lose all their leaves.  And the sun will start to go to bed earlier. Our shadows will get longer.  And if we're lucky the snow will begin to fall. (I can't wait for you to experience your first snow.) On the colder autumn days your cheeks and your nose will turn pink from the chilly wind. The geese will fly down here from somewhere much further north to spend the colder months at our local lake. (You can lay in bed and hear the geese honking as they fly overhead.) The dogs coats will become darker and thicker. We'll  get to wear warm hats and bulky sweaters.  And slowly but surely autumn will drift into winter... but I'm getting ahead of myself.  For now, let's enjoy these last days of summer with joyful anticipation of what lies ahead.

Love you, kiddo.
xo
Mom