break.

Isaac started running a fever last night and poor little guy has just been miserable ever since...the fever comes and goes but the crankiness is 24/7. :) I finally was able to slide him off of me (after letting him sleep on me for a long while) so I decided to use my little "break" to blog.

The other day I was watching a video of a speech given by Steve Job's (if for some reason you don't know who he is, he is the reason why Apple Computers is what it is). In the speech he said, "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life."

I found those to be some pretty powerful words and have been thinking about that ever since. In 5 days I am turning 27. The year my mother "officially felt old". :) WELL, I must say while aging does not bother me at all, I have been regularly contemplating WHAT I am doing with my time...and not just my time, but I have been thinking about Billy and our children as well. I consider myself blessed, because even at a young age I have always felt that I had a good sense of who I was and no problem being my "true" self.

I want to make sure that not just I, but my WHOLE family is living their own life. Life is too short to be chasing down things that don't really matter to us. I am fortunate we have been able to send Colby to Faith Christian, where I also went to school, and as much as I love it, I don't want Colby to ever feel (like lots of schools can and do) that there is ONE way to be or ONE career that defines success...truthfully all I really want for any of my kids is for them to know and love God with all their heart. Anything else is secondary.

And then there is Billy...he's already done all the hard work to live out his dream...worked his butt off as a dad, boyfriend, employee and student while putting himself through school at Chico State. Took on an intern and graduated while making the dean's list every semester. And yet for the financial security of our family he has stayed at Sam's and has worked there for almost 11 years!

Well. I think its time that changed. If there is anything that I want for my birthday, its for my family to live OUR lives....not anyone else's idea or version of what they think our life should be.

And I'm not going to lie. It's scary. Terrifying, actually. But we've already began making some changes around here and I've already started to see the benefits of carving out our life.

So I feel like I've just been all over the place with this post...and I think I need to try and rest before Isaac is up again...but I just felt the need to write out some thoughts...

I would love to hear from anyone out there. I know my blog has readers because of all my daily views, though no one ever wants to comment!!! BUT If you do decide to comment I'd love to hear your thoughts....who out there is living an authentic life? Who else is living THEIR own life..and not somebody else's? Advice, feedback...I openly welcome all comments!

whole lotta love...

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! This morning I woke up to the sweetest gift from my husband and I received some fabulous drawings from my littlest love bandits.

I always wondered if there were special perks to being married to an artist...turns out there are! He water colored the lollipop hearts onto this card and I must say I was impressed with the hand lettered "Happy Valentine's Day"...there's no way I could write that nice! But what I love the most is that Billy bought me a plant...I love flowers but they always die so quickly...in the planter, Billy stuck this little plant stake that says, "Grow Old With Me." It makes me smile every time I see it. And as sappy as it sounds, I think its a good reminder that in order for something to grow..whether it be a plant or a relationship...there has to be nourishment and care...and some sunshine doesn't hurt either. :)

Instead of a card I wrote my message to Billy on this red inflatable heart...I also bought this "Happy Valentine's" kite from an artist in Barcelona (last two pictures in this sequence are her photographs). Isn't it cute? I set them up with a bag full of some of Billy's favorite candy. I know Billy doesn't probably care too much about kite cuteness, so I am sending him off to my spa next week for a massage...which I think every hardworking man deserves. :)

There's also a giveaway going on over at the Hair Pretties page...contest closes on Friday night so be sure to enter!

The sweetest thing.

Seriously one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen...I think I want her! How cute is she wearing the *keeps me searching for a heart of gold* hair pretty?

You can view more of her talented mama's work (or book her for a session) right over here.

Birthday Month!

*how sweet is this photo I received in an email ad from Tiffany's?

How in the world is it already February? While I really am not a fan of Winter, I have to love February because it's my birthday month...and my niece's..and my friend Sarah's! So I am always determined to make February a fun month.

Billy says he has my birthday "all planned out" so we will see what the day holds! In the meantime, can spring come now??

Christmas.

Today I got 2 packages in the mail and 2 shipments from UPS. Being that I forgot about some of the items I ordered, it felt really nice...almost like Christmas again even though 99% of the items were for the boys, it was still really fun opening everything.

My new boots also arrived and I am in love all over again...I had the sand colored boots 4 years ago and I took them on our vacation to Laguna Beach and when we came back home I never got them out of the back of the car and so one day I just told Billy to throw them out instead of bringing them in! In my defense I was pregnant with Micah at the time and i am telling you I make horrible decisions when I am pregnant! BUT I am happy to announce my feet can go back to being as comfortable as ever. Colbs and Billy think they are so ugly..but they don't understand how comfy they are! And it just goes to show what a good husband I have because it was Billy who tried to surprise me with a new pair for Christmas but he didn't know which pair I wanted and since we never made it into Don's Shoes together with our crazy schedules, he finally just ordered them for me...and my feet and I are both very thankful for that :)

The boys' new clothes also came in and I never thought I'd say this, but I think I almost enjoy shopping for them more than myself...and they aren't even girls! Good thing J.Crew makes such cute boy things and in all of their sizes because I love for them to all match!

And speaking of J.Crew I am loving their new look book online (where I found the above image) and I can't wait for the catalog to hit my mailbox!

Other than being overly joyous about my mail this week, we've been busy with lots of projects...I'm looking forward to making some big announcements (God willing!) soon!

Happy weekend everyone!

Getting ready to make some waves!

So proud of these ladies! And men! :) When Amy first contacted me with some questions when Mommy Tsunami was first starting out I knew I wanted to do something to help with their cause. Because Billy and I know the value of good design and how it can help legitimize a business (or in their case, an organization), can help with communicating a message, and how a logo specifically puts a "face" onto something that makes it easy for people to remember..well....we decided to help by donating our design services!

We met with Amy (a respite worker) and Mary (a grandmother who is the primary caregiver for her grandson who has developmental disabilities) and from that meeting designed the Mommy Tsunami logo and later a flier to promote their walk from Yuba City to the state capitol to remind officials of the Lanterman Act: an act to keep those with disabilities out of institutions and in their own homes and communities.

The letters in the Mommy Tsunami logo are all hand drawn by Billy and we incorporated the wave (which they hope their movement will make) into the wording. We included a rendering of the state capitol to help explain their cause and mission.

They want to see a shift in the way the politicians are handling the budget cuts. They are calling out for accountability....and so I had to share this video they recently posted online.

So proud to see them pushing forward for a great cause and must say, I'm pretty proud of that handbill you will see Amy holding in the beginning, and of course the logo at the end. :)

Great job everyone!

Make sure to find Mommy Tsunami on facebook and join the walk...any part of it...if you can!

Friend.

Today I got to visit my good friend Sarah. I've known her since I was a freshman in high school and she was a "youth leader" at church! I LOVE her! We always have the best time when we are together...she is always encouraging, supportive, and she is wonderfully crafty and makes amazing things so we get to talk about all that too!

Right as I pulled up to her house little Isaac fell asleep. I thought for sure he'd wake up and forget all about his nap but he happily dozed right back to sleep on my lap while we sat talking on the couch.

I love this picture Sarah took and was so sweet to post it to my facebook. He looks so peaceful here but trust me...he makes some really grumpy faces in his sleep too. Can't believe how fast he is growing up!

Colbs.

Yesterday Colby turned 8 years old! I can't believe it! On the way home from my mom's last night, he said, "Mom. In 2 years I'll be 10! That's weird to think about." Um...yes! That's VERY weird to think about so I think I'd rather not!

I only brought our instax camera to my mom's house so I'll have to wait to scan in the pictures to post any.

I just wanted to make sure I documented the day and what Colby is like at 8 years old.

Right now...

*Colby is missing both of his top two front teeth :)

*is obsessed with Little Big Planet and calls it "LBP" and he creates levels and writes in the description for them things like "heart this"...kills me!

*still wants to be a fighter pilot. This has literally been his dream since he was 2. Not even kidding.

*has excellent penmanship (no idea where he got it from)

*is a big help and can handle many responsibilities

*is quite the lego brick master if I do say so myself

*wakes up entirely way too early on every single day of the week

Happy Birthday son. I love you and love watching the man you are becoming. I am so proud of you.

a week in...

So. Here we are...first week of the New Year has come and gone...We are pretty excited over here because we went down and got our 2011 business license! We have set financial goals we need to make in order to be able to design full time and open a design studio...and I am so happy to announce that even though we are only doing this part time with NO advertising, for the first week we have succeeded our FULL time financial goal! I hope this is just the start to a great year and I really have to give all the glory to God.

Also, at the end of December I shipped out an order of couture headbands I made especially for Meg Fish. I'm sure you've heard me rave all about her work right on here on my blog!

Looks like they arrived just in time because she was using them as gifts for all her newborn baby girl clients (how sweet is that?) and today I was tagged in this sweet photo! This adorable little girl is the daughter of the wedding photographers over here.

Also excited to announce that the full page ad we designed for Moments To Remember Photography studio (we also designed their logo too :)) is now circulating in this month's issue of Me and Mine.

I should really be in bed right now but my husband is up watching Tombstone and so I figured I'd catch up on my blog reading while the movie is on :)

2011: let the journey begin!

I love New Years and making (and even more so keeping) resolutions. What a great idea to set aside time to think about how to better yourself. I am always up for the challenge!

This year we have some pretty exciting goals. As individuals, as a family, and as business partners (Billy and I).

One resolution we have as a family is being more proactive in our goal towards minimalism. This year, maybe more so than any years past, we have a strong desire to DO more and BUY less. I am not opposed to owning things...I just want to own fewer, better things. We do not want our children to think that one's goal in life is to own anything and everything or that happiness can be bought off a shelf. We don't want them to think that a person's worth is in the car they drive or the house they live in. I am really looking forward to implementing a minimalist approach this year...I think only good things can come from it!

A personal goal I have is to spend more time with my kids. Ha. Sounds silly for a "stay at home" mother, right? But I have found sometimes it is easy to lose your way. You mean well but it doesn't turn out well. This year I refuse to let hobbies (like making hair pretties) become my life. It only stays fun and something I want to do when it it simply something I enjoy doing at night while my husband has some quiet time of his own. When it turns into pulling all nighters to complete orders or looking at my kids as a "bother" when they ask me a question because I am trying to complete orders, well then its time to get my butt in check. Hair pretties aren't going anywhere...but my kids are only little now. My first priority will always be to be a wife and a mother and this year I am cutting back in other areas to make sure that my husband and children know that they are second to none.

A business goal we have this year is opening a design studio. My husband is awesome at what he does. And I'm not just saying that because I married him. Trust me! I am his biggest fan but also his biggest critic...I know how hard he works and how creative he is because I am blessed to get to work right alongside him. There is nowhere in this town that you can go and get the expertise and talent that he has to offer. We think this area deserves that kind of excellence and so we are working to have our studio open this spring...I'm not the kind of girl who likes to say things before they happen so I'm not going to say too much more on this one!

But really, we have SO much to look forward to this year...these are just a few resolutions! We know we can make all the plans we want, but we know that ultimately it is God who has the say....and we are a-ok with that idea!

Happy New Year's everyone!!!! Anyone brave enough to share any of their resolutions? I'd love to hear how you are going to be a better you in 2011!