now what?

Ever feel like this?  Just when you think that you have all your ducks in a row-life throws a curve ball.  Or in my case....a lob right down the middle of the plate which I knew was coming.  My youngest started elementary school yesterday. He goes again today.  All day.  For another 179 days.

I have not-so-secretly been anxiously awaiting this day.  If you have ever stayed home full time with small children, you know what I am talking about.  You dream of long stretches of quiet time all to yourself.  You long for the luxury of making an appointment and not have to scramble and find someone to watch your kids.  You are certain you would be a much better mother if you could just get a break every once in awhile.  [Is June available?]  As of today, after 5 1/2 years of being home with my kids,  I have all that time, all that quiet, and my break.  Now what?

Learn to play the guitar that my brother gave me on my 30th birthday [six weeks after my first child was born], organize my garage, volunteer, read, return to the classroom, practice yoga,  reconnect with friends, join Pinterest, start a new career, study Italian, move my big girl camera off "AUTO", run, read?  Now what?

The beauty is I don't have to decide today.  I will get up.  Make lunches, get my boys to school and face my day with a smile.  The rest?  I am not sure yet.  Whatever it might be, I know a few things for sure.  My family is first and foremost in my heart, soul and mind.  Anything I do needs to make me a better woman, wife, mother and friend.  Every day is truly a gift.  As a new chapter in my life begins, I certainly know I am one lucky girl. 

inspire someone

[via jillian michaels]

After watching two weeks of Olympics, I am inspired.  Inspired by the athletes that dedicated endless hours to training, years worth, for the chance to be the greatest [for a moment in time.]  Sweat, injuries, pain, and sometimes blood.  The joy of winning gold was perfectly juxtaposed by the sheer agony of defeat.  No matter the outcome, watching them makes me want to be better.  To do better.
 
Sadly, I will never be an Olympic athlete. [I wanted to be just like Mary Lou Retton for quite a few years, but eventually realized it wasn't going to happen for me.]  However, I can live my life so that it will inspire others.  Inspire others to be great, love themselves, care for others, have fun, laugh at the craziness of life, and a blaze a trail that is uniquely their own. 

team dylan

Have you seen the new Old Navy ads?  Somehow they think that Kelly Taylor, Dylan McKay, and Brandon Walsh will help them sell jeans.  Not so sure about that, but the commercial sure did make me smile.



Current day teens and twenty somethings don't know a thing about this dramatic love triangle.  But I will never forget......

Not sorry to say, but I am still Team Dylan all the way.

[back in the day]

[current old navy ads]

How about you?  Team Dylan or Team Brandon?

quick summer plate

Long days in the sun, on the lake, and at the pool often require quick and easy summer dinners.  Our Sunday dinner was grilled salmon and a quinoa salad.  All ready in less than 30 minutes.

Quinoa Salad [fast and easy to make!]

1 bag of pre cooked frozen quinoa
1 bag of frozen edamame beans- shelled
3 or 4 Roma tomatoes
2 small avocados
1/4 of a small red onion
1 T of olive oil
1 lime

1. Throw quinoa and edamame in bowl and defrost in microwave. Defrost until no longer frozen but still cold.
2. Chop tomatoes, avocados, and onion.  Toss into quinoa.
3.  Add olive oil and the juice from 1 lime.  Toss.

DONE!  Extremely delicious plate packed with nutrients.

tame the brow

Since I was around 8, I have had a love hate relationship with my brows.  It was in the 3rd grade that a boy kindly pointed out, on the bus ride home, that I had eyebrows like the muppet, Bert.  That would mean I was blessed with a dreaded uni-brow!  I took matters into my own hands.  As a young girl, I shaved [pause for gasp.] between my brows.  I now have a more exact method to tame them.  I have them waxed at an Anastasia Brow Counter at Nordstrom.  They use stencils to give your brows the desired shape and then wax around it.  My brow is the high arch brow, but there are many shapes.  I have been dying to share my daily brow routine using stencils.  The ladies at the beauty department helped me out!  Comb, stencil, and go!

[via The Beauty Department]

It takes about 30 seconds per brow, but it makes all the difference for me.  I use the brow kit from Anastasia that has the stencils, tweezers, brow powder, and brow gel [which sets your brows.].  While searching, I found one from Too Faced as well.  No excuses, tame your brows!  They are they are the frame to your face.  Make them as beautiful as you are! 

Anastasia Brow Kit

[buy @ Nordstrom]

Too Faced Brow Kit
[buy @ sephora]

cork it

I save corks.  Do you?  I have bags full and have never done a thing with them.  I came across this and thought, "Hmmmm." 

[via]

DIY.  Learn how to make these mini planters here. 

lost and found

I swear everyday my precious children can't find something. Usually it is their most prized possession [what ever it happens to be that day] and for some unknown reason they don't know where it is.  How can something be so special to you AND be missing? When I saw this quote I had to nod my head in agreement.  My boys can hold back the tears until after I have looked for them and STILL it is no where to be found.  I am sure there is a parenting technique that insists that the child should be the one who looks for the lost item.  Honestly, I don't have time for their lollygagging.  Just add it to the job description for mothers everywhere.  VP of Search and Rescue.