Sealed with a Whisk

'Roid Rage, Grief and a New Normal

2016-09-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, Fall. It's on its way, I can tell! Apologies for the delay in updating. Life has taken us by storm in these recent weeks.

First, let me say thank you to everyone for the incredibly uplifting words of support after my last post. We are surrounded by love, and trust me when I say that we feel it.

Week before last we had our follow up appointment with Dr. Perry (pediatric nephrologist) to see where we were with Ayden's treatment. His body responded immediately to the meds, which was a great sign and a huge relief. Within days of being discharged from the hospital he had let go of loads of pent up fluid and his swelling vanished. Dr. Perry took one look at him and said she could almost guarantee he was in remission just based on appearance.

After spending some time with Dr. Perry asking more questions and taking more notes in my nerdy NS binder (I tend to be a bit of a control freak and need to compartmentalize my anxiety into something tangible), we were sent down to the lab one floor down to get blood drawn and submit his urine sample. Now, lab work is never a pleasant experience, but this was really stressful. The employees and techs were all very nice, but nobody seemed to know who was on first. When I mentioned the urine sample I was met with a blank look and then the tech stammered something about having no order for a urine screen. "He has kidney disease; of course we are screening his urine," I said. Another tech piped up and said, "The CBC will check protein levels." I wanted to ask her what planet she was from. Instead I said, "Again, he has kidney disease. We have to screen his urine to make sure there is no protein in his urine." ...

"Okay, we'll call the pediatrician for clarification."

"The pediatrician didn't order these tests. "

*crickets*

"The nephrologist ordered these tests."

*more crickets*

"Dr. Perry. She's one floor above us. Name should be on the order... I can go get her---??"

The tech ended up hand writing Ayden's name on a specimen cup.

The blood draw was equally enjoyable. The phlebotomist could've been Doogie Howser's younger brother. After sticking my baby in one arm he turned to me and said that he didn't think he got enough blood so they were going to stick him a second time. He must've read the fury on my face because he went and got someone more experienced, and she got it in no time flat. In between screaming bloody murder and choking on his own sobs, Ayden kept saying "I wanna go hommmmmmme!!!" It was awful. Again. As soon as we got in the car to leave I called Dr. Perry's nurse and asked that she touch base with the lab to make sure everything was sorted out.

Pre-game. Happy.

Post-game. Not.Amused.

The next day the nurse called and said that Ayden is IN REMISSION!! We were overjoyed at this news, to say the least!! He finished one more week of daily doses of steroids and is now tapering for the next four weeks. He will be considered in remission unless/until he relapses. We will regularly test his urine for protein and will call the neph in the event that happens. So for now, his diagnosis is nephrotic syndrome caused by Minimal Change Disease or NSMCD.

One of the side effects of steroids (besides the awesome mood swings/roid rage) is a compromised immune system. We have been trying to find the delicate balance between not keeping our kid in a bubble and letting him be a kid. In spite of our precautions he caught a cold last week. This sent me into sheer panic. I loaded him up on Elderberry and thankfully his cold was very mild and his urine screens are all coming back negative. (PHEW)

This whole process has been a learning experience in so many different ways. Not only are we learning about his disease and treatment we are learning to navigate our own emotions. Having our baby diagnosed with a rare disease has thrown us into a tailspin of grief. For the past couple weeks I have found myself in a terrible mood. I'm cranky, irritable, anxiety riddled and exceptionally impatient. It finally occurred to me that the reason for this is that I am angry. I am filled with a carnal wrath that I can only liken to a mother bear defending her young against danger. I want to confront this NS Monster and rip its gnarled claws off of my baby and snap it in two. I am furious that my baby is going through this, that he has been robbed of his "normal" childhood and now will face the rest of his life with this disease. I am both devastated and angry that he will be that weird kid with the weird disease and the weird medicine that makes his face swell. Childhood is hard enough without having to be the fat faced kid or the weird sick kid that can't eat the snacks everyone else can because he has to watch his sodium intake.

Those eyes, tho <3

While we were at the pediatrician's office last week to make sure his bug wasn't anything more serious, the dr. asked us how we were doing in all this. I tried so hard to hold back my tears but couldn't. I told him it felt like we are in mourning. Ayden's normal life died and we are mourning that tremendous loss all while being forced to accept a new normal that is anything but. The ped had tears in his eyes when he said, "I think you've said it the best way it can be said." In all his years of practice he has had only one other patient with NS...

I know that Ayden was given this life for a reason. He was meant to be our son, he was meant to have this disease and we were meant to navigate these uncharted waters as a family. Victoria Strong, mommy of Gwendolyn Strong, recently blogged about the emotional process of expecting her third baby after losing her firstborn to SMA, and in her post she said, "...life can't be orchestrated into comfortable predetermined paths of our choosing." That truth hit me hard. Try as we might, we cannot control every aspect of our lives. We are in God's hands, and He mapped out our journeys before we even took our first breaths. The most we can do is trust, and I will freely admit that I am struggling greatly in that.

Earlier this year a friend's young daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I reached out to her and asked how she coped through the anxiety and worry. Part of her response in particular has given me immeasurable comfort: "It's a grief process, that life isn't what it was. But that doesn't mean it won't be great."

Amen to that. NS cannot keep my baby down. His life will be GREAT.

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates // A Little Life Update

2016-08-16T22:00:00.000-07:00

Phew. It's been a whirlwind few days. Actually weeks. Warning: long and heavy post alert. If you follow me on Insta or Facebook this will be a recap with a bit more detail.

At the end of June I had scheduled a week off of work for some R+R/time home with my loves. I had planned a ton of fun day time outings for Ayden and I while R was at work and was looking forward to spending a lot of time in my yoga pants. Top knots + no makeup fo life!

All that changed when Ayden woke up grumpy from his nap one day and then had a fever by bedtime. We noticed his tummy was a bit bloated and that he just wasn't himself the next day. A few days later we took him to pediatrician after he still wasn't 100%. The ped said it was likely a stomach bug and some constipation, told us to ride it out and give him some probiotics. We went home.

By that weekend things were still miserable; Ayden was showing no signs of improvement and was a hot mess. Long story short, after three trips to Urgent Care during which he was poked, prodded and tortured in every way possible, he was finally diagnosed with lower lobe pneumonia. (Note to self and other parents: lower lobe pneumonia presents with g.i. symptoms. Who knew.)

The following week we saw the pediatrician as a follow up, who said in hindsight all the pieces now fit and would indicate pneumonia. Womp. He also went over the blood work that was done at Urgent Care and said there were a couple of things that looked off (low protein, somewhat low calcium) but that we would revisit in a month after Ayden's little body had a chance to recover fully. Perfect. We went home.

Fast forward to the end of July. I had another week off of work (I have a crapload of vacay to use up) and Ayden was feeling great, so we finally got to do some of the fun things I had planned previously. We had a great time going to the beach with friends and tidepooling, visiting the museum to see Sue the T-Rex, going swimming, etc. We ended the week with a family trip to Avila Valley Barn, which was super fun!

Duck lips?! Seriously?!

The first week of August came, which meant Fiesta here in Santa Barbara. We had a blast at the park with Ayden even with all the dried grass and dust flying around. However, later in the week Ayden woke up with puffy eyelids. This had happened when he had pneumonia, too, and the dr. had said it was likely an allergic reaction to the bacteria causing his illness. At that time the swelling went away quickly with Benadryl. So, off to grab the Benadryl I went. By Friday there was no change and his appetite was pretty crappy. Ayden's personality was still normal and he was happy, so we figured he just needed stronger allergy meds, so I put a call in to the pediatrician.

We got to the ped's office at 10:45 on Friday. We didn't get home until after 3:00p.m.. While we were there, the doctor said he was concerned that this was much more serious than an allergy, that the swelling would have responded to the antihistamine if that was, in fact, the case. He suspected renal issues. c r a p. He ordered blood work and a urine sample. Waiting for a toddler to pee on demand is like watching paint dry, first of all, and when it comes to having to pin your baby down to have his blood drawn... ugh. No words for how awful that is. This time R held him for the draw and the whole time Ayden was crying "MOMMY!!!! MOMMY!!!!" as I told him through my own tears that I was close by and that it was almost over. Freakn worst. The ped told us to go home and that he would call us when the results were in. We went home.......

When we got home Ayden and I snuggled up on the bed and fell asleep. The next thing I knew, R was gently rubbing my arm and whispering, "Babe... Babe... The doctor called. We need to go to the hospital." Ayden's lab work came back and was alarming. His protein and calcium were still low, and there was protein in his urine. The pediatrician called the nephrologist (kidney specialist) and they both agreed that Ayden needed immediate attention. They called the hospital and warned them of our situation so that they would be ready for us. We frantically packed bags and got ourselves out the door. Friday night was a blur of nurses, needles and beeping machines and a diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome. Simply put, Ayden's kidneys aren't working properly; instead of holding on to protein and using it for energy, it is leaking into his urine, causing swelling due to fluid build up in his tissues. This explains the low protein levels in his blood.

Saturday afternoon the hospital pediatrician said that Ayden's blood work showed a tiny bit of improvement, so the nephrologist said he could go home and gave us strict instructions to see her this week. (By a miracle the nephrologist planned to be in town this week. She is actually with UCLA Children's Hospital and comes to Santa Barbara only once each month.) We have an appointment this Thursday morning and will see where Ayden's progress is and will have more of an idea of what to expect in the coming weeks/months and how to handle it. In the meantime Ayden is on steroids and a very low sodium diet (what does that even mean?? I need a number, people...) to help his kidneys heal.

The nephrologist was kind enough to call me Saturday before we left the hospital. She had been consulted and kept up to speed on every facet of Ayden's treatment by the incredible nurses and doctors at Cottage Hospital. She said that nephrotic syndrome isn't super common in kids as young as Ayden and that while it usually is outgrown by puberty, we can expect recurrences throughout his childhood, as flare ups are often caused by infections (i.e.: a cold, etc.) While we don't know for sure what caused Ayden's case, she suspects that the pneumonia was the trigger.

The only upside was the huge playroom on the pediatric floor!

Of course my kid won't sit still for the pic ;)

Special delivery!

HOME BOUND!!!

Needless to say, it has been an overwhelming few days. Anxiety is at an all-time high. Seeing my baby laying in a hospital bed and hooked up to an IV was surreal. It sounds so cliche, but it felt like something that happens to other people, not us. I felt the strangest, saddest connection to the other parents in the pediatric unit. There is an unspoken bond even between strangers who have sick kids in common. And that is a bond that I never thought I would feel at this magnitude.

We are so blessed by the incredible amount of love and support we have received throughout this ordeal. The messages, calls and texts were pouring in. Ayden even got a surprise delivery at the hospital of some new trucks gifted to him by some of our friends and had some special visitors.

We are remaining as positive as we can (R more so; I'm an anxious sort...) and are grateful for the amazing care Ayden received. My mom said it perfectly when this all started: The Lord knew before we did. My aunt later said that this was not a surprise to God. We know that this was part of Ayden's plan even before he was born and that everything that happens is for a reason. We have faith that everything will be okay and are so very grateful to have the UCLA specialist on our team.

I will update once we know more. In the mean time, please keep Ayden in your prayers. As Forrest says, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.

National Cancer Survivors Day {Honoring and Celebrating the Warriors I Love}

2016-06-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 5, 2016 was National Cancer Survivors Day. It's no secret that I have been touched very closely by cancer over the years (see that little blue ribbon in my signature? For you, Daddy.) and when the lovely Heather Von St. James reached out to me about collaborating to raise awareness, I was honored, to say the least.

Heather is not only a champion and advocate for cancer awareness, she is a ten year survivor of pleural mesothelioma, a very rare cancer of the lining of the lungs. At just 36 years old, and just three months after giving birth to her daughter, Heather received her devastating diagnoses and was told she had 15 months to live. Imagine that for a moment. Her life as a mom had just begun and she had been handed a death sentence. She fought like a warrior and is now dedicating her life to raising awareness and advocating for mesothelioma research funding. You can read more about Heather's incredible journey here.

We all know someone who has been touched by cancer in some way. It's a cold and ugly truth. Maybe it's the elderly gentleman who lives down the block, your childhood best friend, or even closer still. Cancer is all around us, and at times that fact is overwhelmingly real.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008 is a date that is forever burned into my memory. For months prior to this date, I had had the nagging feeling, a premonition, that someone I love very much had cancer. I couldn't explain it, and I still can't, but I just knew. The evening of May 6 was the same as any other evening; my then-boyfriend/ now-husband, Robert, was at work and I was at home with our dog Chico. When my phone rang and I saw it was my mom I didn't skip a beat - we spoke every night. Mom and I chatted for a while about who knows what and then Daddy got on to chat. After a while, though, his tone suddenly changed and he said something to the effect of "I have to tell you something." I knew immediately what he was about to say. Please don't say it. Don't let it be... "I have cancer. I have prostate cancer."

My whole world stopped in that moment. I have no idea what he said after that or even how we ended our conversation. The next thing I remember is being at the hotel where Robert works, walking towards him, sobbing. My dad has cancer. How did I get here? Did I drive here? I really shouldn't be driving like this. My dad has cancer.

We were blessed that my dad's cancer was found very early, and surgical intervention was all that was needed to eradicate his tumor. I am extremely happy to say that he has been cancer free for over seven years!!

Christmas, 2008. You can find our t-shirts here.

After I received Heather's email about this collaboration I started thinking of those in my life who have fought or are still fighting cancer. I was humbled and heartbroken to realize that there are so many that I've lost count over the years. This post is for each and every one of them.

Even though National Cancer Survivors Day has come and gone, that doesn't mean the celebration can't continue. Please join me in celebrating and honoring the warriors in your life who have fought the evil beast and won! Post a photo of you and yours celebrating and make sure to use the hashtag #CelebratingSurvivors. Please continue to pray for all those still in the fight of their lives.

In honor of my Daddy, Steve Chaparro.

In loving memory of Erica R.

Mother's Day Roundup! {Mommy's Wish List 2016}

2016-04-20T23:00:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is almost upon us! I got such good feedback on last year's Mother's Day Roundup so I thought I would give it another shot this year.

Since becoming a mom, I am discovering daily just how much my mom did/does for our family. So many thankless jobs, large and small, come along with the territory when you're a mom. My mom sets the standard as high as it gets, and I am so proud to be her daughter! Every day I try my hardest to achieve her level of grace, humility and love.

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing mommas out there!! XO

Anthropologie Capri Candle

Anthropologie Capri Blue Candle You know that amazing Anthro smell right when you walk in the door? Yep, that's this. The perfect light scent for the whole house.

Source

Simply but pretty earrings I'm loving these beauties! These could easily be dressed up or down.

Vanity Tray

Marble vanity tray Does mom have a collection of random face creams, earrings and candles littering the bathroom counter? (Raises hand) I've been hunting for the perfect vanity tray to corral my stuff and I think I've found The One. This is the perfect size and it's gorgeous!

Glam sunnies!

Sunglasses How stinkin' cute are these?! I am in looooooooooove with the white!! They also come in aqua or lavender! Sign me up for all three :D

Luxe hand cream

Lavender hand cream This stuff is a staple in our house! Locally, we find it at Pierre La Fond in Montecito, but it can be found online at the link above. It is so luxurious and leaves hands feeling like velvet. The lavender oil gives just the right hint of relaxing scent without being overpowering.

Magnetic Knife bar

Knife Bar/Good knives This may not seem exciting to some, but to my fellow foodie mommas, this will make your heart go pitter patter. One of the most important tools in the kitchen is a good knife, and equally important, proper knife storage. Choosing a knife as a gift is probably best done with the recipient, as it's best for them to get to hold the knife and find the one that best fits/feels good.

Source

Pretty cell phone case How beautiful is this case!? Gotta get my hands on this, for sure. Another fun idea: personalized cell phone case with photos of mom's loves!

source

Luxe body oil What mom could resist? This is definitely high up on my wish list. Can be found at Urban Outfitters and has been featured on people.com!

These are just a few ideas to get the inspo flowing. More fun ideas: pack a picnic, umbrella and some outdoor games and drive mom to a surprise location and spend the day together; book a massage/facial/mani/pedi and have dinner ready when she gets back; make her favorite breakfast and surprise her with flowers and handmade cards; take a day trip to a local u-pick farm... have fun planning!

XO

Vacay, s'il vous plait!

2016-04-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

{Photo overload warning!} Hello lovelies!! We recently took our first family vacay (yes, first!) and got to head up to the beeeeeeeautiful Pacific North West for a few days! YAY! Hubby and I hadn't been on vacay since the year we got married so needless to say we were waaaaaay overdue for some r+r ;)

I was super nervous for Ayden's first flight. Nobody wants to be that family with that kid on the plane. Thankfully he was 100% perfect. He was so excited to get on the plane that he took off running down the jetway and grabbed a stewardess' hand and waltzed onto the plane like he owned the joint, announcing "I go in da skyyyyyy!!" When we touched down in Bellingham he said "Das fun!" That kid cracks me up. The flight home wasn't quite as exciting for him, but he did great about 95% of the time, so we'll take it.

If you follow me on Insta or SnapChat you probably saw some of the fun and beauty I posted while we were in WA. There is nothing like the gorgeous green PNW!! Yes, it rained, but we also got some bright sunshine and warm Spring weather, too.

My parents live across the street from a golf course, so Hubby got to get some club time in with the guys on Monday! (they got rained on for a good 20 mins. Die-hard golfers are a different kind of crazy ;) ) We visited a friend's new/still-under-construction home and Ayden got to drive a tractor which totally made his life. We also got to ride in a firetruck and tour the fire house in Birch Bay, so as you can imagine, Ayden was super stoked. He's a truck fanatic, that one. A boy's boy through and through!

My parents got some solid quality time in with the munchkin, which was totally priceless. I'm so glad they got to spend time with him and get in some good snuggles. Ayden is obsessed with them and is still asking for GrammaPop! The first thing he said every morning when he woke up during our trip was "I go see Gramma!!" We'd open the bedroom door and he would bolt into the living room to go find my mom - and we would go back to sleep. WINNING ;)

We had a fabulous trip and time went way too fast, of course. Here's a little photo overload/vacay inspiration for you. Put Washington on your must-see list! XO

Gorgeous trees in my parents' front yard

Whatcom Falls, Bellingham, WA. GO.HERE. It's amazing!!

The view from mom & dad's kitchen table!

Camera Roll Roundup {Spring has sprung!}

2016-03-16T00:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday, loves!! Spring has SPRUNG lately in our neck of the woods! We did get a couple days of major stormy weather (looooooooove!!!) but now it's warm, sunny and very springy.

We have been busy with random things here and there, but I haven't had a chance to post an update in a bit. Camera roll roundup is where it's at for us busy mommas ;) If you follow me on Instagram or SnapChat (mrsrkm2011) you may have seen some of our shenanigans from the last few weeks. We recently took a day trip to San Luis Obispo (about an hour and a half north of us) and took Ayden to the Children's Museum there. We first visited last summer when he was 17 months old, and he had even more fun this time around. Afterward, we went to lunch and got ice cream in downtown SLO, and on the way home we stopped at the Ostrich Farm in Solvang! Ayden.was.obsessed.!! We fed the (giant) birds and Ayden thought it was absolutely hysterical! I think my favorite quote of the day was Ayden saying "Ostrich have stinky bommom (bottom)!!" haaaaaaaaaaa!

Have a fab rest of the week! We will be jetting up to the Pacific Northwest this weekend to spend a few days at my parents' house - YAY! Ayden has never been on a plane before and is super excited. And we are of course BEYOND EXCITED to see my parents, as we haven't seen them since Ayden was two weeks old!!! He keep saying "I ride airpwane - see GrammaPop!" =0) Sooo cute! I'll be posting on Insta and SnapChat, so be sure to follow along =)

And now for some major photo overload --

XO!

Paper lanters going up in memory of our sweet Erica <3

#OvarianCancerSucks

A little beachy family photo op ;)

Ayden says those little wooden peeps are Daddy and Mommy =P

2 year well check! #healthyandhappy

SLO Children's Museum!

I totes need one of these ;)

"Ice cream mustache!!"

My new BFF has a stinky bommom.

And now the Natural History Museum in SB!

Yes, that is a tarantula 6 inches away from my baby's face.
Yes, it still gives me the creeps.

I mean....... <3 <3 <3

This guy is obsessed with SnapChat =P

GQ Baby ;)

Boys will be boys... ;)

Friday Faves + V-Day Inspo! {smooch}

2016-02-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

Happy FriYAY! Woohoo! For some reason it's basically summer here in SB this weekend - not a drop of rain in sight... Raging El Nino, I tell ya ;)

Thank you for all the bday love on FB and Insta!! I had a great day and am so excited to finally be 21. ha.

Here's a little Friday Fave action/Valentine's inspo for your V-day week! Hubby and I don't do presents for V-Day; our birthdays, Christmas and our anniversary are all within a couple months, so it gets to be a bit much. However! That doesn't mean I can't share a bit of inspiration for wish lists, right?? Right :D

Obsesssssssssssed! Just scored these babies on major sale at Revolve!
I think I need the black pair, too, yes?

Bday cuppies for the win! :D #treatyoself

Seriously addicted to Pressed Juicery Freeze!

Kendra Scott statement earrings! Yes!

I know it says they are for men, but what chic wouldn't rock these???
Comme de Garcons + Converse ! ! !

A little sparkle never hurt anyone :D
Nadri pave studs for $45!

Who doesn't want their house to smell like Anthro??

And for the Gents in your life... ;)

Hubby's fave workout top! He loves the long sleeved version, too!

Hydro Flask
These are worth every penny! Perfect for the guy on the go!

Jack Black SPF Face Moisturizer
LOVE JB stuff!

Proper running shoes!
Hubby lives in his Brooks. Worth every penny!

Camera roll roundup

2016-01-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

I know I'm totally slacking when it comes to keeping the good ol' blog updated, so I thought I'd try a little something new. I'm ALWAYS taking photos on my phone, so each and every day is pretty well documented there. How about a little Life-Via-The-Camera-Roll? Why not?

2016 is off to a pretty good start. The Hubs and I celebrated our FIFTH wedding anniversary last Friday and got to go out on an actual date to happy hour for the first time in way too many months! Woohoo! The only damper on the day was that Hubby realized he sat down his Oakleys at Sports Authority the week prior and walked away without them. He was suuuuuper bummed :(

Over the weekend we had friends in town from WA and Ayden loved having playmates! They had a fabulous adventure at the Sea Center out on Stearn's Wharf and later that evening we all went to dinner and ice cream. Not too shabby for an almost-two-year-old (cue the mommy tears...)

Here's life lately via the camera roll! XO

Nope, I haven't seen any chocolate...

I mean... <3

Basically!

Breakfast isn't complete without beans and a toy farmer ;)
(Adorbs kitty plate made by my daddy!)

Sea Center or bust!

Can't beat a Santa Barbara winter sunset :)

Uh... comfy?

My cutie afternoon date...

... who hijacked my smoothie ;)

<3 !!!

2016! And holiday recaps

2016-01-06T15:52:00.002-08:00

{Long post alert!}
Happy New Year! (What?!) I hope everyone is having a fabulous start to the year!

My apologies for being silent for a while. I really try to blog when I feel inspired, and while I did have some ideas and recipes to share, I have been making it a point (or at least trying) to be more present and focus on the here and now with my family. More on that in a bit.

The holidays were upon us SO fast, amirite?? Suddenly it was Halloween and before I knew it Thanksgiving was long gone and Christmas was staring me in the face saying "Ready or not, here I am!"

Ayden has been growing and changing so much that it's nearly impossible to keep up. He talks non stop from the moment he wakes until bedtime, knows over 200 words, and is putting words together. We were impressed when he would point and say "gloves" when one of us was doing dishes. Then one day he said "Daddy's gloves" and blew our minds. That same week he pointed at his binky (a monkey Wubbanub) and said "Please--have--monkey" !! What? Who is this man child and where is my tiny baby? I am daily in awe of this little creature that we made. I can't believe I carried him, gave birth to him and that he is the little person he is. It's incredible!

Christmas Day at the Santa Barbara Mission ~ checking out the live nativity animals!

Bubble time is the best time ;)

Thanksgiving was going to be a quiet thing at home with just the three of us. My brother- and sister-in-law were hosting and Hubby's parents were driving up to San Mateo to be with them. Then Hubby sent me a text "I'm thinking of driving up for the day" meaning all three of us drive 5 hours one way, have Thanksgiving dinner, then drive back.

Let's do it!!

With a toddler!?

YOLO!

Were we crazy? Probably.

Road trip! Hubby loves selfies ;)

The drive up was easy and mostly uneventful. Mostly. At one point some lunatic ran us off the road, and although Hubby expertly got us out of a fishtail and back on the highway, I found myself envisioning the worst and burst into tears. I was still rattled when we got to R&B's house. Brother Bear promptly made me an aperol spritzer to get me into the holiday spirit, which worked. ;) Ayden and his cousin D had a blast playing all afternoon! D has an arsenal of really rad toy trucks, as well as a train table. Translation: no prying those boys away for anything! They ran around screaming and yelling, played in D's rocket ship tent, jumped on the couches and rounded out the day with a bubble bath.

Post-dinner lego sesh

Dinner with the family was amazing and we celebrated Lita's birthday with cupcakes after dinner. It was a great day! The drive back... well, that was a different story. We assumed A would sleep the whole way home since it would be bedtime. He fell asleep not 2 minutes after we hit the road. Score! Then he woke up 30 minutes later... and was awake and screaming the rest of the 4.5 hours. Can't win 'em all ;)

Fa la la la la...

Christmas was approximately 5 minutes after Thanksgiving and I found myself totally unprepared despite having lofty expectations of getting my shopping done early and sailing through sans stress. Hubby's birthday was the 2nd and we both had to work. While I got to surprise him with some sweet Lulu swag, we never got to actually go out and celebrate. :( Major fail. Next year - err, this year- Imma do it up BIG, babe. Vegas, anyone?

Decorating for Christmas is always one of my favorite things to do, but this year was super fun since I knew Ayden would totally dig it. After he went to bed one night I made some extra chocolatey hot chocolate (I'll post a recipe sometime!) and put on my virtual elf ears and got to work. It was so fun seeing his face light up at the snowmen everywhere and the sparkly garland and lights.

Elf sighting at Home Depot!

Best. Day. Ever.

When it came to tree shopping we made the rookie mistake of taking the toddler with us. It went as well as you can imagine. Total bust. We decided to try again the next day and have him spend some time at the grandparents' house while we shopped.

I'm always of the go-big-or-go-home mind when it comes to Christmas trees. I want a huge, full Nordmann fir taking up half the living room. We couldn't find any decent ones that weren't crazy expensive, so Hubby suggested a tiny tree. I was meh about it. The little trees just didn't feel like Christmas to me. We spent over an hour digging and looking through tiny trees and somewhere along the way I really started to love them. We decided on one with a super spindly top and loaded 'er up and took it home. Ayden was in love with it! He kept saying "Oooh, treeeeeeeeee!!" and petting the branches.

Toddler free tree shopping! Yayuh!

It passed inspection ;)

We celebrated Christmas a weekend early, as R&B&D came down to visit. Santa got Ayden his very own giant fire truck like D's, along with a wooden recorder that may or may not have been hidden the very next day. ;)

Christmas day was a relaxing day at home with just us three, which I loved. Ayden had even more presents to open and we got to FaceTime with my parents while he opened his presents from them. He is totally obsessed with the dinosaur-transporting truck they got him!

"You smell like beef and cheese. You don't smell like Santa."

And now here we are - 2016! A new year with a clean slate. I usually make half-hearted resolutions like " I'll be more organized" or "I'll stop spending frivolously" and those are broken within the day. lol This year I want to focus on family. I want to be more present and in the moment with my loves, and work harder at unplugging. If I constantly have my nose in my phone I am going to miss these beautiful fleeting moments of Ayden's early childhood, and no email or status update is worth that. I also want to be better about taking photos of us as a family. I have 16,000 photos on my phone (no joke.) mostly of Ayden. There needs to be more of the three of us, even if it means stopping random strangers and asking them to take a photo of us (something I always feel awkward doing).

Phew. Didn't I warn you it was a long post? If you've stuck around, thanks for that! I hope this year you are met with many blessings and complete happiness.

XO

*MUAH!*

Fall Family Photoshoot with Kiel Rucker Photographers

2015-11-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year!! Yeah, I know that's really a Christmas song, but honestly it doesn't get better than Fall. I absolutely love autumn!! Southern California has yet to get the memo that the season has changed; it's still up in the 80s every day, so our boots and scarves really haven't seen much action ;)

We recently had the opportunity to team up with Kiel Rucker Photographers for a (long overdue) family photoshoot. If you've kept up with me for a while, you know that Kiel has been our close friend for years and the only person we trust with our family photos. When Kiel told us he brought on a family/portrait photographer we were excited to work with her, knowing that Kiel would only work with the best of the best. The lovely, bubbly Leanna did not disappoint! Ayden took to her right away and wanted to keep holding her hand. Lady killah! She was so easy to work with and immediately had us comfortable in front of the camera. She has a fabulous eye for a great shot and captures light just beautifully.

Leanna is booking family photo sessions for the holidays, so if you are in/around Santa Barbara and surrounding areas make sure you get in touch with them ASAP to book your session! The package is a great deal and they even set up a personal gallery for you at Minted.com so you can create holiday cards in a snap (winning! Christmas cards are always a stresser, amirite??).

Here's a little peek into our session, as well as their promo with booking info. Pro family photos are so worth the investment and their package is a killer deal! Check 'em out! :)

For this child, I have prayed. {18 months}

2015-08-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

This sweet, darling boy is 18 months old today! The saying goes "The days are long, but the years are short." I actually find the days to be screaming by at warp speed, and the months even more so.

When we found out we were having a baby we were overjoyed. We, of course, had the new-parent butterflies and worries, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I had a few of those "What have we done?" moments along the way, worried that life as we knew it was forever over (it is, in a good way) and that we'd become washed up old farts the minute our baby was born. (We probably have, but, hey, we aren't complaining.)

I spent hours and hours daydreaming about our sweet baby, wondering who this tiny person would be, whose nose he/she would have, what personality traits we would pass on to him/her. We went back and forth on whether or not we should find out the sex or wait and be surprised the day of the birth. It was such a tough decision. Part of me was so curious and REALLY tempted to find out so we could register for all the gender-specific stuff, but the more we thought and talked about it we both wanted that big moment at the birth of "It's a _____!!"

I prayed and prayed for a boy. I've always wanted to have a boy first, you know, the big brother, protector of the tribe, right? I thought that if I focused enough on having a boy, it would happen. I convinced myself through and through

that it was a boy. I dreamed we had a boy - YAY! It must be a boy! And then I dreamed we had a girl - oh, wait... Then Hubby dreamed it was a girl. Then the grandparents started dreaming it was a girl.... What the??

Toward the end of my pregnancy I had a sudden moment of panic, realizing I didn't know this child at all. Who was this kid?? I remember telling R "We are going to bring home a complete stranger!" (Now that I think back on it, that's pretty funny.) I was truly frightened by the prospect of this total unknown being, and felt horrendous guilt at the same time. I'm Mom! I have carried this baby for nearly 40 weeks in my body; how do I not know him/her?? I'm a horrible mom already.

And then he was here. R exclaimed "It's a BOY!!!" and I burst into tears. The nurse brought over this purple, wrinkly and very upset baby boy and placed him on my chest. I looked down at his puffy little face, all smushed up and angry. We got this. I don't know you very well yet, but we got this.

Every day since has been a pure blessing. I often look at Ayden in complete awe. We have been blessed with a healthy, happy boy who is growing leaps and bounds, curious about the world around him and fearless in facing it. He is all boy - fall-in-the-dirt, wrestle-on-the-ground, crash-his-trucks-into-each-other BOY.

He's also a total love muffin. When he wakes up he greets me with a wide-open-mouthed grin, wraps his chubby little arms around my neck when I pick him up, and gives me a tight squeeze with his head resting on my shoulder. Throughout the day he loves to stop what he's doing to rush up and bear hug my legs while I'm cooking, or tackle hug from behind while I'm kneeling down picking up his 17 million blocks off the floor, or run full speed at me, arms wide open, when I'm sitting on his playmat. True love.

Ayden's vocabulary and comprehension have soared in recent weeks. Seemingly overnight he began understanding everything he hears (eek! Ha!). He is a little sponge, taking in everything around him. He imitates sounds with surprising accuracy, bats his eyelashes at me after he throws his food on the ground (stinker!), loves to read books, work on his flash cards, and dance like Axl Rose. He likes to supervise as I cook. The other day I gave him a wooden spoon and a saucepan to play with and he walked up to the stove, stood on his tippy toes and reached up with his spoon to "stir". He will point at whatever I'm cooking and say "Mmmmm! Please!" and has recently taken to bringing LaraBars to us to open saying "Please! Please! Please!"

I could write a novel about this boy. Suffice it to say, he's amazing. We are truly blessed. Happy 18 months, sweet boy!! Now, please stop growing up.

Summer Fruit Crisp

2015-07-23T10:11:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about summer is the fruit. We have been going through nectarines and peaches like they are going out of style! My Tiny Human likes to share a nectarine with me for dessert. Sometimes waiting for his turn doesn't happen. :)

Making a crisp is pretty much my lazy way of achieving a pie without the pie. A crisp can easily be put together in just a few simple steps and cooks up quickly. Like a pie, you can use essentially any fruit you have on hand, and of course serve it up a la mode if that's what suits your fancy. I would have but we didn't have vanilla ice cream and Trader Joe's was out (wha?!).

Most times a crisp will call for brown sugar; I swapped that out for the low-glycemic coconut sugar so I could feel a bit better about dessert. Coconut sugar tastes very similar to brown sugar (to be honest, it tastes exactly the same to me) but has trace amounts of some nutrients and vitamins, and more importantly is not going to spike blood sugar levels like refined sugars do. It does not taste like coconut at all, and it can be swapped for brown or white sugar 1:1. It can easily be found in most grocery stores these days (I get mine at Trader Joe's.)

This is a great dessert to make for summer parties or barbeques. Grab your favorite fruit and get to crispin!

XO

Summer Fruit Crisp
| Prep: 10 mins. | Bake: 20-25 mins. | Serves: 6-8 |
3 Peaches, peeled and pitted
1 Nectarine, peeled and pitted
4 oz raspberries
1 c rolled oats
1/3 c coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
2-3 tbsp coconut oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom of a baking dish with coconut oil. Slice the peaches and nectarine into 1/4" thick slices and place in the baking dish. Sprinkle raspberries over top.

In a small bowl, combine the oats, coconut sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add in the coconut oil and mix with your hands (topping will be dry-ish and crumbly.) Top the fruit with the oat mixture and lightly press down into the fruit. Bake for 20-25 minutes until oats are lightly golden brown. Or a little extra golden brown in my case. :D

Parmesan Roasted Zucchini

2015-07-02T15:12:00.002-07:00

Happy July! The holiday is upon us and I know people everywhere are preparing to beach it, grill it, chill it and of course, drink it! This used to be the case for us until a certain little someone came along. :) Now we are home before the fireworks, which is just fine by this momma. Last year Ayden was just shy of 5 months old on the 4th of July and we tried to watch the fireworks but the poor guy was falling asleep on us. We packed it up, headed home and beat the crowds. Winning!

To date, my most popular and most pinned recipe on Pinterest is my White Wine Sangria, pictured above, which is perfect for patriotic holidays like Independence Day! Today I'm sharing with you an equally delicious and easy recipe that would be great for any gathering or holiday. Last week while I was making dinner with a hungry toddler clinging to my legs I had the inspiration to make a quick appetizer to hold us over until dinner was ready. We had some zucchini sitting in the crisper that was just begging to be used up, and after a quick toss with olive oil and parm it was ready to roast.

Toddler approved!

This would be a perfect appetizer or side dish for the summer months. Chop up any leftovers and toss it into pasta salad - it's delicious cold! Served with white wine sangria you're sure to please the crowds. ;)

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!

XO

Parmesan Roasted Zucchini
| Prep: 5 mins. | Bake: 5-7 mins. |
3 small/medium zucchini, ends trimmed
2 tbsp. olive oil
Grated parmesan
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then in half lengthwise again. Toss in olive oil. Arrange on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, pepper and a generous amount of parmesan. Roast 5-7 minutes, or until desired tenderness.

Weekend Recap {Fun on the FarmStead}

2015-06-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

"I'd rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world." George Washington

George was definitely on to something. There's something so honest and pure about being on a farm. In this day and age we have become so accustomed to everything being easy and convenient that it's easy to forget where our food comes from and how much work goes into it.

This weekend was all about getting back to the roots, so to speak, of good, wholesome food. Saturday we spent the afternoon in the valley. We stopped in Los Olivos for a quick mini cupcake (did I say wholesome food? oops.) and then made our way to our favorite U-Pick farm, FarmStead (formerly known as Classic Organic). This little gem, tucked away on the coast just north of Gaviota, has been a favorite spot of ours for years.

FarmStead operates on the Honor System, just as it did when the original owners began all those years ago. (They recently retired and moved out of state, leaving the farm in the capable hands of the new owner.) Inside the market are loads of fresh picked veggies and fruits from their fields, or if you're in the mood to get hands-on, you can walk outside to the main field, grab a basket and pick your own produce!

The farm is home to several very friendly goats, pigs, chickens and llamas and we spent a good amount of time making friends with them while Ayden pointed and said "Fff!! Fff! Fff!" That boy loves animals. As soon as his feet touched the ground he marched right up to the fence and stuck his hand in to pet the pigs. One of the pigs had two tiny baby piggies at her side. They were absolutely darling!

Oink.
Alternate caption: Pigs don't eat baby fingers, do they??

There was another family with children visiting as well, and Ayden instantly made friends with them. Isn't it interesting that children can be complete strangers yet find common ground with their peers in a matter of seconds? I often wonder what life would be like if adults were the same.

cutie pies!

The most delicious berries in the field: my boys!

Sometimes you need to just get dirty. Ayden had no qualms about that and was quite comfy sitting in the dirt being a messy little boy. I love that about him. We loved our time at the farm and will definitely be spending more time there as the summer goes on. If you find yourself in the area definitely make a point of visiting this tranquil little spot!

XO

Our Weekend {A Wedding + I Madonnari}

2015-06-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Well, hello there, June!! You sure snuck up on me, just like all the other months.

We've had a lovely couple of weeks/weekends and I've been soaking up every minute with my boys without really taking the time to put a blog together. Let's chalk it up to Writer's Block ;)

On Saturday we attended a beautiful backyard wedding for some friends, which meant date night for Mommy & Daddy! Abuelito and Lita came to hang out with ADogg for a few hours so we could sneak away sans diaper bag. Nick and Kelsey's wedding was absolutely gorgeous! You know those weddings you see on Pinterest with the spectacular flowers, perfectly strung patio lights, lanterns around the pool, candles in mason jars and hand-lettered chalkboard signs for the drinks? Yeah, this was that wedding. Absolute perfection. I was trying not to be a total weirdo taking photos of everything.

I think this is my favorite detail of the whole wedding!

Husband says, "You look like a Baron."

After an ice cream date on Sunday we stopped by Old Mission Santa Barbara to check out the finished I Madonarri drawings. For those who are not familiar with it, I Madonarri is an annual street painting festival. Hundreds of artists spend several days working on their drawings and the end results are astounding. I can barely draw a stick figure and these artists make their drawings come to life on a large scale on asphalt! It's incredible.

Eyes on the prize... Nom nom nom

After wandering the art for a while we posted up on the lawn and relaxed in the sun while A ran out his wiggles like the little wild man he is. :) A guy drove his RC car up to him and A was fascinated and chased that sucker like a lion chasing a gazelle. He also got to meet two pups who covered him in kisses. Needless to say he was pooped out when we got back to the car.

Have a great rest of your week! XO

.swoon.

PapaLounger

Cystic Fibrosis Month {#TeamTayTay}

2015-05-20T21:14:00.001-07:00

A little (ok, a lot) late in the game now, but I just learned that May is Cystic Fibrosis awareness month!! What the heck is Cystic Fibrosis, you ask? Read on.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects the lungs, digestive tract, liver, pancreas and kidneys. CF is caused by an inherited defective gene and causes decreased function of major organs due to the buildup of abnormally thick mucus. In the lungs, this causes difficulty breathing, inflammation and repeated infection due to trapped bacteria. In the pancreas this causes an inability to release the enzymes needed to break down and absorb nutrients, leading to malnutrition. Patients often suffer chronic pancreatitis.

Why is CF on my radar? When I was in gradeschool many years ago (ahem) I read Robyn's Book, a published diary of a young girl with CF. I can't remember how it ended up in my hands, but I remember being so engrossed in her story. Fast forward to April of 2014. While interviewing potential nannies for our newborn babe, Hubby and I met a sweet young woman named Taylor who answered our posting on Care.com. Our 20 minute interview lasted nearly three hours. We sat chatting with Taylor like we were old friends, talking about her four younger siblings, her affinity for all things southern and country (hello!) and love of chocolate. When we got in the car to leave I told Hubby, "I LOVE HER. She's the one." The following month I went back to work and Taylor began caring for Ayden.

In the 13 months that we have known Taylor she has become family. We were included in her birthday celebration with her family and friends last fall and have spent countless hours just hanging out. Ayden absolutely adores her and we love her to bits.

Taylor has Cystic Fibrosis.

Several times over the past year Taylor has endured painful bouts of pancreatitis. These attacks occur without warning and last for several days, sometimes weeks, and leave her doubled over in excruciating pain. Each flare up lands her in the hospital where she is put on IV nutrition in order to rest her pancreas. She is given anti nausea medication and pain meds and is monitored while she waits out the storm.

Over the years Taylor doctors have tried a laundry list of medications, supplements, enzymes and treatments in order (hopefully) minimize her symptoms. For a good while it seemed that things were working. However have been different in recent months. In the past seven weeks Taylor has been hospitalized three times. She is currently in the hospital suffering greatly. Her specialists have come to the conclusion that they have exhausted their resources here in California and are sending her to Boston for a specialized experimental treatment. In order to do that she must be completely detoxed of all medications, including pain killers. As I type this, she is going through the process. It is nothing short of torture.

There is no cure for Cystic Fibrosis. The purpose of today's post is to raise awareness and ask for your support for Taylor. I know there are many many causes out there that deserve attention and research, and CF is certainly no exception.

Please keep Taylor in your thoughts and prayers. Feel free to leave a note below and I will be happy to share them with her. :) She needs all the encouragement and love we can shower her with!

Thank you!! XO
#TeamTayTay

Ayden + the Jellies, 2.0

2015-05-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

Another weekend has come and gone, my friends. But it was a lovely one. It was sunny and summery out all weekend (my apologies if your area is still stuck in winter mode) which called for a family ice cream date :) Then it was off for our adventures!

Several months ago we took Ayden to the Sea Center down on the pier. He was only 6 months old at the time:

iPhone pic + low light, sorry. But those arm rolls!!

We took him back this weekend and had so much fun. While he enjoyed checking everything out the first time, he could only ride around in our arms as a spectator. This time he had a blast! He was walking around like he owned the joint and thought the touch tanks were the greatest. things. ever. The very first stop was the shark tank where he met baby Jaws ;)

They were actually pretty cool, albeit a bit spooky-eyed, and they feel like wet sandpaper. Ayden's thoughts on meeting a shark? "Ooooh!"

"Oooh!"

The jellyfish exhibit is so cool; the whole exhibit is dark, only lit with blacklight (fun for the inner hippie!) and is home to some really neat creatures. Watching the jellyfish float around is oddly relaxing. I feel like I could lounge in a hammock and zone out watching them, sort of like a real life screen saver. Ha!

smurfs.

Kiddo had some serious wiggles to get out when we were done at the Sea Center and he took the pier by storm. I told Hubby we need to put a pedometer on Ayden, as I'm pretty sure he walked close to a mile on the pier that afternoon! When we got home he crashed out and slept in late Sunday morning. We were hoping to get out on the water, but the wind had picked up and the water was pretty choppy. Hopefully this weekend we can!

Sunday there was a car show downtown. The owner of Hubby's company is an auto enthusiast and always has one of his classic cars in the annual show. We like to make a point of stopping by to see him. He was busy collecting his awards when we made it to his spot, but his car was gorgeous! Definitely worthy of the awards :)

As soon as we got downtown I grabbed the camera to start snapping away and found a dead battery instead. WOMP. So, Ayden's first car show = all phone pics. Such a bummer. Note to self: make sure to check the camera battery before you leave the house.

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend! How will you be celebrating? BBQ on the beach? Maybe at the lake? If you need a beverage idea for your Memorial Day gathering, here's a great one. To date it is my most popular and most pinned recipe and was even featured on BuzzFeed!

In our day-to-day it is so easy to forget that we owe our very livelihood to thousands of brave men and women who have given their lives for our country. It is truly the ultimate sacrifice and one that they make for complete strangers. I can't imagine that kind of selflessness! Without their courage we would not know the freedom we have here. America is the land of the free BECAUSE of the brave!!

Have a great week and long weekend! XO

Mother's Day {Feeling Loved}

2015-05-13T11:06:00.002-07:00

What a difference a year makes! Look how much my sweet babe has grown since last Mother's Day:

I had such a lovely Mother's Day. My sweet hubby surprised me with the yoga pants I've had my eye on - woohoo! (time to step up my yoga game...Ha!) We did a repeat of last year's Mother's Day adventures. I adore Los Olivos, a tiny little town about 30 miles north of us in the Santa Ynez Valley. It's home to Clairmont Farms, a beautiful family-owned lavender farm tucked away in wine country. It's one of my favorite places. When I married the love of my life we had sachets of dried lavender from their farm as favors for our guests and to this day I still have people tell me how much they love theirs.

Peek-a-boo, Belly! =D

After visiting the lavender farm we went into town and stopped at our favorite spot, Enjoy Cupcakes in the Sarloos & Sons tasting room. We love this little spot and Ayden of course loved his cupcake treat and sitting at the special tiny table, just like he did for his birthday.

These two! I can't even... <3

Just outside the tasting room is an open grassy area where energetic one-year-olds can run free. A couple of other kids were playing there and Ayden so badly wanted to crash their game of tag ;) He was determined to walk all over town and was quite unhappy with me when I wouldn't let him run out into the street. I'm such a mean mom like that.

My must-see spot when we are in the area is Los Olivos General Store. This darling little shop has a bit of everything, from kitchen goods to kids' books to eclectic jewelry. I found a candle there that smells like gardenias, aka Heaven, so had to grab that up. I had it lit the minute we got home and the whole house smelled divine!

My sweet boys are the light of my life! I'm so incredibly blessed to be theirs. My loves spoil me each and every day and Mother's Day was no exception. What a lucky girl I am :)

Taking photos with a toddler is so easy... said no one ever.

Before I close, I realized I forgot to include a very special Mother's Day gift idea to my Wish List post! For my birthday this year my sweet daddy surprised me with a gorgeous custom wood and glass wall hanging. It is seriously so so beautiful! The heart is layered fused glass with my sweet boy's face on it. This would be such a lovely gift for Mother's Day, mom's birthday, baby's first birthday, Valentine's Day, Christmas, you name it! After I pushed and prodded, he decided to open an Etsy shop - YAY! These custom wall hangings can be found here. AND, because I love ya, if you mention that you found his shop through my blog you will get 15% off of your order! Woohoo!

Have a great week! XO

:::Mom:::

2015-05-10T00:30:00.000-07:00

Mom.

There is something inherently comforting in that word.

Mom is home. Mom is warmth. Mom is nurture and love and safety. Mom is the smell of supper on the stove as you step into a cozy warm house. Mom is the kiss on the tear streaked cheeks of a little girl who fell off her bike. Mom is the middle of the night hug when bad dreams strike. Mom is the soft place to land when friends exclude and boyfriends don't call. Mom is the cheerleader of all endeavors, from jog-a-thon laps to planning a wedding. Mom is forgiveness when it's not deserved (or even asked for). Mom is love in its truest form. Mom is the heartbeat of the family.

To say my mom is a blessing in my life is a colossal understatement. From near and far she has always been my go-to, and I can't remember a time that I didn't want to call my mom to hash out the day's triumphs and struggles. Now that I'm a mom I understand just how much my mom sacrificed (and continues to) for our family. She somehow managed to keep our house meticulous, keep the laundry caught up, keep track of our schedules, cook every meal from scratch and work full-time, and always - always - had hours and hours to bake, read, play, watch movies, sew and shop with me.

As an only child I depended on my mom a lot when it came to my entertainment. I must have been such a pest! I was constantly asking her to play games with me, take me here or there, bake this or that with me.... the list goes on and on. Every Easter she would hide and re-hide (and re-re-re-hide) the eggs for me to find. She put up with my endless requests to play "store", played countless hours of Yahtzee, Mall Madness, Mouse Trap and Life with me, and watched the same goofy kid movies with me repeatedly. Every morning she would get up before dawn to pack my lunch, make my breakfast and get everything situated for my day and even took the time to curl my hair before school every day when I was in high school. She also happens to be drop dead gorgeous. During my waitressing days the boys I worked with would fight over whose section she was going to sit in when she came in for lunch. "Is your hot mom gonna come in today??" And did I mention she's a legit hero? Yep, true story. Check out this babe:

"Is green the only color these come in?"

There isn't a single day that goes by that I don't think of my mom a hundred times. In everything I do with my son I strive to be as patient, present and thoughtful as she. I hope I can be even half the mom she is.

Mom, I love you with all my heart! I am forever grateful and honored to be your daughter.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Weekend Recap {Just Plane Fair Fun}

2015-05-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

Ayden went to the fair for the first time this weekend! Yes, the fair is in town and we would be remiss if we didn't take our bear cub out into the melee to check out all the fun. While fairs are notorious for loads of fried junk food, there was one stand of legitimate mexican food, and Hubby got a great looking shrimp cocktail.

Ayden was fascinated by the giant rides, especially the ones that go way up into the air. We stood watching several of them for quite some time. Every once in a while he would say "Oohhhhh!!" and point at the people/cars in the air.

Our munchkin loves animals, so we spent most of our time checking out the 4H area meeting goats, chickens, alpacas and even a little pig. There were tiny pig races (?!) just inside the kids' carnival and they were the cutest little things! Ayden says "ooffff, ffff, fffff, fffff" for pretty much every animal and was cheering on the little piggies with lots of clapping and "fffff"s.

And the best part was my hubby coincidentally wearing a t-shirt that said "BACON" on it.

Sunday we took a drive out to the airport to watch the planes take off and land, another one of A's favorites. He points at the planes and says "Ohhh!! Oooooh!!! ooooh! OHHH!!!" and searches the skies when he hears the loud engines from afar. That kid is going to either be a vet or a pilot at this rate. ;) It was crazy windy out but seeing his little face light up when he saw the planes made my heart melt.

In other news, Mother's Day is THIS WEEKEND! In case you missed it, there's some great inspiration for celebrating the moms in your life here.

Have a fantastic week! XO!

Mother's Day Inspiration {Mommy's Wish List}

2015-05-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

I truly love being a mom. For as long as I can remember I have dreamed of being a wife and mom. When I was little (okay, and not so little) one of my favorite things to do was to play with my baby dolls. I loved changing their clothes, pretend bathing them, swaddling them, etc. One of my best friends lived next door and we would get the dollies together for play dates and hash out our daily trials of being moms. HA! Talar, if you're reading this, hurry up and have babies so we can pick up where we left off. ;)

A few months after returning to work after having Ayden, a coworker made a comment that has stuck with me. She has worked with me for over ten years and said to me, "I have to tell you; you have blossomed since becoming a mom. Your happiness has grown so much and it just radiates from your face. You seem blissful." She hit the nail on the head. I am blissful. I have perma-bags under my dark-circled eyes along with constantly messy hair and clothes, so the fact that she finds me radiant in any way is comical, but I am completely content in my role as wife and mom. It's like I've finally landed my dream job. Only it's not a job, it's a privilege.

I absolutely love all thing feminine and soft and have had my eye on so many pretties lately. It occurred to me that lots of people out there may be at a loss when it comes to tokens of appreciation for the moms in their lives. Hopefully these will provide some inspiration. Now, go give your mom a hug! =)

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Luxe De Mer "Beach Beauty" I am head over heels in love with Luxe De Mer.. I found this skincare line through the lovely Amanda at Marshalls Abroad and I'm hooked. Their rosewater toner is addicting (is it weird that I crave the smell of it??) and their oil cleanser makes my face feel like velvet. I'm dying to try their Jasmine Body Polish. I love that they are a local small company, too!

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PlumPrettySugar floral robe: These are sure not your grandma's floral robe! PlumPrettySugar gets alllll the heart eyes. Everything in their line is so lovely and feminine. I'm also loving this adorable tote/eye mask/headband set.

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Honest Company soy candle: I'm on a total jasmine kick right now, and I'm willing to bet this gardenia jasmine candle smells divine. As far as I'm concerned, Honest Company can do no wrong. I adore all of their products! I recommend their stuff to everyone who will listen and I'm not ashamed to sound like an infomercial. ha!

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Birthstone n ecklace: I have a serious thing for jewelry... necklaces in particular. A lovely tribute to mom would be a keepsake of some sort with babe's birthstone.

Custom name necklace: Hubby surprised me with this gorgeous custom necklace for my birthday this year. I looooooove it! Each of Zella's custom pieces are hand stamped and painstakingly polished to perfection. I love that I get to wear my son's name so close to my heart.

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Her favorite flowers - lots of them: There is nothing wrong with the timeless classic of gifting flowers. Moms love flowers! I don't know a mom anywhere who wouldn't love to get a few bunches of her favorite flowers to place around the house. Hit your farmer's markets and you will find a variety of the best in-season blooms. Some of my absolute favorites, peonies, are in season right now - yaaaay! Think big, fluffy, feminine bouquets with hydrangeas, peonies, ranunculus, lilies...

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Letter Stud earrings: I know, more jewelry, but are these the cutest?! Anthro does it again (everything there is perfection, let's face it). Super cute idea, and would be so fun to get mom the letters of all the loves in her life.

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Framed photos: Print photos of some of mom's favorite memories and frame them in lovely frames like these beauties from Anthropologie. Moms love nothing more than showing off their sweet ones!

I hope you find this list helpful. Remember, celebrating Mom doesn't mean spending like crazy. Think of how much she would love getting a handmade card from the kids, breakfast in bed, an interruption-free bubble bath... the possibilities are endless.

XO!

Tropical Acai Bowls {Is it Summer?}

2015-04-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

It's been hot here lately! I think Mother Nature has confused Spring and Summer.

We had a super lazy weekend in the heat and I knew I didn't want to spend loads of time in the kitchen. Hubby and I love acai bowls, and so does Ayden. He is so excited to share Daddy's bowl and says "Mmmmmmm!" when he gets his bites!

There's a great place here in town to get Acai bowls, but at around $9 per bowl it's not exactly economical to do on the regular. Plus, the bowls are so easy to make at home and I don't even have to change out of my pjs. Winning!

Acai is easily found in the frozen section in many markets. We get ours at Costco because it comes in super convenient smoothie packs that are the perfect portion. Usually I would make my own granola, but haven't had the time do lately. We love Nature's Path granola and always have some on hand. You can switch up the ingredients in this recipe so easily to use what you have in the house. Fruit will of course be best when it is in season, so peruse your farmer's market for the best selection.

Tropical Acai Bowls

| Prep: 5 mins | Serves: 1 large or 2 small bowls |

1 smoothie pack frozen acai

1/3 c (ish) frozen pineapple

3-4 strawberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 coconut milk (sub OJ, pineapple juice, coconut water, water)

Toppings:

Granola

fresh fruit

honey

shredded/flaked coconut

Place acai, frozen pineapple, berries and liquid into a blender and pulse until smooth. Pour into bowls and top with the granola, coconut, fruit, etc. and enjoy!

Equally delicious: chunky baby thighs.

...and cheeks.

Weekend Recap {Earth Day}

2015-04-20T15:54:00.001-07:00

Swoon + swoon again! <3

Is it just me or are the weeks zooming by?? Time really does fly when you have kids ;)

We had a fun and busy weekend. Saturday we stopped by a friend's barbeque get together and Ayden got to hang out with his girlfriend Olivia :) After that we made a Target & Babies R Us run. We are on the hunt for a straw cup for Ayden that doesn't leak. We bought a few, brought them home, and the dang things leak so bad. All of them somehow form a suction on their own and bring liquid up through the straw and before I knew it there was milk everywhere. What the heck!? Soooooooooooooo annoyed. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Ayden and I went to music class on Sunday morning. Peanut, a local maternity + kids' store downtown, has weekend music classes for the littles and this was our first time attending. Class starts right at nap time, so it was a bit difficult to get there in one piece. Ayden thought the whole thing was a bit sketchy at first but once the guy brought out puppets for the kids to play with he was won over.

(excuse the crummy quality phone pics)

This weekend was also Earth Day which means Alameda Park was completely decked out with booths/tents, music, beer gardens, food trucks and even a rock climbing wall and obstacle/circuit course for the kids! Hubby does circuit training three times each week so it was super cute seeing Ayden "circuit train" with the same type of stuff (geared for fun, of course). He thought the ropes were just the raddest things ever and even went back to them for a second round after playing with the other stuff.

Across the street at Alice Keck Park there's a large pond with turtles, ducks and Koi fish. Ayden made a beeline straight for the water's edge and wanted in. It wasn't enough to stand at the very edge and admire the ducks, he was wrestling us to dive in. He made friends with the most adorable little boy, Tashi, who let him play ball with him. Ayden loved the ball and was shrieking "BWAAAAH!!" every time Tashi kicked it. So cute! Future soccer star! Watch out, Beckham ;)

After Earth Day we went up to the Rose Gardens and Ayden got to meet a couple super friendly dogs and then crashed a picnic where he stole a tangerine. HA! Luckily we ended up knowing one of the picnic-ers and she didn't mind sharing.

Picnic crasher!

Hope you all have a fantastic week! XO

Weekendin'

2015-04-14T09:55:00.001-07:00

We had a very relaxing weekend after an eventful Easter weekend/week with our besties. I took a vacation day on Thursday, their last day in town, and it was so great to get to spend time with them. We ate lunch at one of our favorite sushi restaurants and Ayden tried teriyaki chicken for the first time. We may have created a monster there ;) After lunch we went into Lululemon and I fell in love with some camo print capri yoga pants and a fabulous yoga jacket, to the tune of a cool $216 for the pair. Why do I do this to myself?

After shopping, Marianne and I got to sneak away for some girl time and got mani-pedis at Aqua. It has been sooooo long since I actually got a mani-pedi and I felt like a new woman afterward!! I've totally been pulling the "I can't cuz I'll wreck my mani" card, too, because I want my beautiful nails to last as long as possible. :D We regrouped after our spa treat and had a fun dinner at Petrini's where Noah and Piper took selfies with Ayden and played peek-a-boo in the booths while the grown-ups ate.

On Saturday Ayden spent some time at Hubby's parents' house and we got to go on a kid-free ice cream and shopping date. I love getting to spend quality time with my man and actually hold his hand when we're walking around :) Ayden had fun playing with Lita and his Abuelito took him to meet the horses near the house. He must've had a lot of fun because he was sure tired when we got him home!

Sunday we went to the zoo - and boy was it! It was Kid's Day and it was complete chaos. The crowds were unbelievable! Ayden and Daddy slid down the hill while Mommy recorded.... and all was fun and games until Ayden got to the bottom of the hill and his box tipped over. Face plant! He bit his lip and was so sad. Momma still feels horrible ='( He didn't want to go back down the hill after that (who can blame him) so we moved on and went to go see the giraffes. There's a brand new baby giraffe that we got to see for the first time and she is SO cute!!! She was the "tiny" one of the bunch - standing at 6 feet 4 inches tall - and was staying close to her momma. Such a cutie! Next time we are there I promise I'll get some photos of her.

Okay, last Momma brag moment before I go... Ayden learned how to sign "more" this weekend! Now whenever he has gobbled up all this food he puts his hands together to sign "more" and is so proud of himself! This morning he was doing it when he wanted bagel instead of the eggs he had on his tray ;) Stinker!
Hopefully this video will work:

Hope you have a great week!
XO

Easter Weekend!

2015-04-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

What a lovely weekend. We spent all weekend outside, and I have a rosy shoulders to prove it! (oops) Warning: many many photos in this post. :D

Saturday we went on a family ice cream date when daddy got home from work and then walked down to Granada Books to check out their Going-Out-Of-Business sale. I'm of the old school and I need to hold a book in my hand and flip the pages, so it makes me sad to see bookstores close. We did get some cute books for Ayden for a good price, though.

After the bookstore we drove up to the Santa Barbara Mission rose gardens to see the beautiful rose bushes in bloom and catch some sun and fresh air. Incidentally, my Love proposed to me in those very gardens. It's a special place for us. =) Ayden crawled around like a prisoner freed. ha! He got some puppy kisses from a friendly poodle and found a stick that he thought was delicious. We were cracking up because he looked like he was smoking a pipe as he chewed on the crooked stick! One of his new things is "sharing" with us. I just love it. He investigates something and then looks up at us with his huge brown eyes and offers it to us. Melts my heart.

Ayden loves to "walk" while we hold his fingers and did lots of that at the park. He kept making a beeline for the thorns on the rosebushes, though!

Happiest in Daddy's arms :) Can't say I blame him.

Easter Sunday was a busy, fun day. Some great friends hosted an Easter party with amazing barbeque and Easter egg hunts for the littles AND the grown ups, complete with confetti eggs and a rousing game of Battle of the Sexes (ladies won!). Ayden even had his very own Easter basket and got to "find" some eggs. He doesn't quite understand the concept of "his" eggs and everyone else's ;) Our besties are in town this week and Ayden got to snuggle with his auntie Marianne for the first time. He was loving every minute!

Egg thief!

The kiddies ran around like crazy and were exhausted at the end of the day. Such a great Easter =)

Happy week to you all! XO