farmers market recap // thoughts on motherhood

((When in doubt, you pack up the kids and take a trip to your local Farmer's Market. Believe it or not, this past weekend was not only my first experience at a Farmer's Market, but it was the first for the cubs as well; which made it that much more special. We are normally extreme homebodies. Home is our favorite place to create joy and memories but it's always nice to get out and about and explore new and exciting things. The cubs had an absolute blast. We bought organic cookies and walked around exploring the different veggie tents. We drank fresh, cold-pressed juice and smelled all the beautiful flowers. This mama even brought home some pretty gorgeous snap dragons. We even got to roam around and explore through their garden.


The fun didn't stop there though. Afterwards we headed out to lunch and headed to our local park where the cubs got to see wildlife, run free range on the playground and through the open fields. Play a guitar, which belonged to a very sweet young man that we all got the pleasure of meeting, Hi, Brent, if you happen to read this! We went out for italian ice and this mama made sure she stopped by the perfect little juice spot for fresh kombucha. It was a Saturday very well spent and enjoyed.))


When I get asked advice about motherhood, I can only give my opinion/advice based off of the personal experiences I have had. Every day is different, every child is different and every mother is different. The way I may teach my children, works perfectly for us, but might not be another mothers preference. That is the beauty of motherhood, though. We all come from different walks of life and we all handle different yet similar situations and experiences how we feel fit. We should embrace the differences because ultimately, we are all just trying to do what is best for our littles and ourselves. I have to say that no matter how choose to you raise your children, what you teach them, how you spend your days with them, if it's making them happy and it's making you happy, I raise my mama hat to you because this mom gig is not easy and it takes a strong, willing woman to put in work.



Simplicity and intention IS the theme for our lifestyle and I will continue to share and encourage anyone who comes across my blog and finds interest. Only because the light in their eyes and the high vibes put out by my cubs on Saturday, proves enough for me to know that they don't care about how much money we may or may not have, they don't care about owning 20 different pairs of the same shoes in different colors, they don't care if we have one tv or 4. Having materialistic things don't phase my children, and I've worked day in and day out to make sure they truly understand the value of life. FAMILY. LOVE. KINDNESS. SHARING. TRUST. MEMORIES. HONESTY. GRACE. JOY.


We've replaced unhealthy habits like watching too much tv, eating too many sweets in one sitting, not cleaning up after ourselves, spending too much time on the internet, etc... and we have replaced them with more intentional and healthy habits like: Reading more, WAY more. Choosing fruit over sugary candy, remembering to spend 15-20 to pick up after ourselves and spend as much time out in nature, exploring and learning something we didn't know the day before. It's perfect for bonding as a family and it's such a wonderful way to help your littles learn that there is so much more out there than what meets the eye. Our earth truly is an extraordinary place with so many wonders and opportunities waiting to be opened and explored...

You know, out of everything I have learned as a mother, the one thing I take with me each and every day, whether it be a good day, bad day, okay day, a lock yourself in the bathroom an hour before daddy gets home kind of day, or the most perfect day; PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE.
I used to think that was a load of crap. It isn't. It's the truth. And it isn't easy. Hell, some days I want to give up and hop off the patience band wagon, but I don't. You want to know why?


Our littles can feel the exact same emotions we do. They get angry, sad, frustrated, annoyed, overwhelmed and fearful just as we do. It's our job to sooth those emotions for them though. We are quick to feel what we are feeling and act upon that to nip whatever the situation is in the bud but we fail to realize that if we just calm down long enough to breathe, show sympathy and compassion and be patient enough to listen to what our littles are feeling, the situation can go from a category 8 hurricane to a very subtle, calm wave in the ocean. Where no one is yelling, no one is crying. You're open ears and open heart and your babe(s) feels safe and calm enough to open up and express.
It's one of the greatest feelings as a mother, when you learn to control your own ego to understand the energy of another. Especially when that earthling is a small piece of you.

Without learning to tune into my patience, I wouldn't be half the woman or half the mother I am today.


I hope you are all having a wonderful week filled with so much grace, intention and most of all joy.
You deserve every ounce of joy. Create it, feel it, be it and embrace it.


Until next time,

All my love.

choose happy.

Anyone else like reading your favorite YouTuber's video comments? Well, I do. I know it probably seems a little strange and I promise you that it isn't every video. Only specific videos, like "How to Become a Morning Person" or "Ways to be Happier" and although I am quite the sucker for videos like that, mostly for the good music and the awesome editing, I find that some of the "TIPS" or "ADVICE" in these videos are common sense. Honestly, I don't even know if it's humane of me to be repeating any of what was asked, but then again, none of us know who these people are, and this is my personal space to write whatever the hell I feel and so I'm going to...

One of the many questions repeated was "Can you make a video on how to be happy with yourself and happy with your life?"

Not to mock and I say this with the deepest love: Are you freaking kidding me?! 

Or there was "How do you find happiness?"

Come on, really? My heart is yearning to just swoop these broken souls up into my arms and squeeze them as tight as I possibly can. Not because I feel sorry for them, but because these people are so wrapped up in their egos and their consciousness is swarmed with so much clutter and universal blockage that they fail to see that HAPPINESS, isn't something you find. It just isn't. Happiness isn't lost, therefore we have no viable reason to be "looking" for it. Understand?

You lose your keys, therefore they need to be found, so you go looking for them.

Your phone can be lost because it is an inanimate object. It's something that can be found.

Happiness, however, isn't inanimate, it's a CHOICE.

Believe it or not happiness is something we create. And it can be created in large quantities or small. Whatever you choose. The most important thing about happiness though, is that you are creating it and that you are CHOOSING it, every single day. Maybe not all day everyday, but just a little ounce everyday, makes for a much happier being, which in turn makes for a much, much happier life. And the best part is, it's not something you had to go looking for because it's been in front of you the entire time. Now, obviously I am not going to sit here and say that choosing happy is all peaches and cream, only because I am human, and I completely understand what it is like to be in a funk and find it hard to snap out of. What I will say though... If you make that conscious decision to choose happy thoughts instead of swarming your mind with so much negative, it can do so much for not only releasing stress and reducing anxiety but it does wonders for your self esteem.

It's learning to train your conscious mind to automatically catch a negative thought and replacing it with something that makes you feel good about yourself. Replacing those negative thoughts with something wonderful that happened to you that day or thinking of something you are grateful for or excited for in the upcoming week or month. And at first, catching yourself mid negative thought or word can be weird because personally, I stop myself out loud... with a "oh crap! You shouldn't say that. Now take it back and say something good!" And I do, even if I'm not alone. It's okay if people think you're weird. Everyone is a little weird. Weird is good. Haha.

Just do me a favor? Stop reading this for just a second. And stop everything else you're doing...
Texting.
Watching tv.
Drinking your morning coffee/tea/water.
Just stop.

Grab a piece of paper and a pen or pencil and I want you to jot down THREE positive things about either yourself, how you're feeling, something you re grateful for, someone you're grateful for, an event you're excited for. Doesn't matter how big or how small. Just THREE positive things.
Got it? Okay now, I want you to hang that somewhere in your home out in the open, where it can be seen every time you walk by. As your day continues, I want you to add THREE or and then THREE more after that. Sounds easy right? Thats because it is.

Okay, now at the end of your day you should have NINE positive things written on your list.
Before you go to bed tonight I want you to look at that list of NINE and I want you to say them out loud THREE times, and don't just say them. Feel them and believe in them. After you have done that I want you to say this affirmation before you drift off to sleep or continue your nightly routine...


I have a truly wonderful life and I am blessed.
I am worthy of all things great and I deserve nothing but the best.
I am strong and I am grateful.
I won't ever give up no matter how tough things get.
I am smart and I am fully capable.
I am brave. I am beautiful. I am free.


Truly feel this affirmation. Be this affirmation, because it is TRUE. You are all of such capable, beautiful, strong and brave, beautiful beings! Do not waste your energy on unnecessary negativity. Embrace your energy, conserve your energy and use it for greatness. YOU ARE THAT GREATNESS. Every single day.

Don't ever forget.

seeing life differently.

You know, as I sit down to write this post, I don't think I really have a plan as to where it's going but I've had a lot of thoughts running through my mind today and the inspiration keeps flowing so I'm just going to write what I'm feeling. It dawned on me today how drastic and quickly people change. And not necessarily other people, I suppose, but how quickly we change, within ourselves. When I think back to the person I was in high school: just wild, young, completely reckless and daring.. Although, at age 17 those things are fun and you really just don't care how you're living, who you're hurting or what you're doing. I was very simple minded. I was selfish and boy did I love to gossip. (What teenager doesn't?) What I'm really trying to express though is how closed minded I was to the possibility of life. There is so much more out there to learn and explore and to think that the only thing majority of people fill their heads with are "I cant's" and "I wish" and "That sucks" and "But I don't have" and it weighs on my soul much more than I thought. Only because, WE CAN.

As 2014 was coming to a close, I had made the conscious decision to change my ways and to open my heart, mind and soul to new possibilities and things of the unknown, and you know what happened? I got exactly that! I cannot quite explain the consciousness shift but I can tell you, there was one, some like to refer to it as a "spiritual awakening" or "enlightenment" I don't care what you call it, it happened to me and it has been an experience of heart wrenching and gut clenching and soul opening, opportunity knocking, can't sleep because I think I'm going crazy, cry over every feel and think I'm going crazy some more. You know though, I think it's an experience every great, successful, big hearted, crazy enough to change the world people have experienced. Until you can see that there is a world much bigger and more beautiful than what is seen with just your two eyes, gosh, you are missing out on all the beauty.

You fall in love with everyone and everything. You see beauty in the most simple things and you laugh. You laugh a lot more than you used to because you realize that without laughter, everything seems so mundane. And the mundane, becomes extraordinary, because it's he way you see it. See, it's all in your perspective of this life. You choose to be happy and you choose to see the good or you choose to live in misery and you choose to see the bad. Our world may not be perfect but the way you view it, makes all the difference. It's when we start thinking of others feelings and emotions before we think with our ego. It's when we make that conscious decision to open the door for that lady who has 5 kids and can barely keep herself together. It's letting that elderly man go ahead of you in line at the grocery store because he has two items opposed to your full cart of groceries. It's the simple, Hi, I hope you're having a great day to a random person on the street. Those are the things that should light up your day. Those are the gestures that mean ten times more to that person than you know.

It's funny because there are several persons I know who think they find their joy out of owning a 7 bedroom house, with 3 cars sitting in their driveway and a walk in closet full of clothes big enough to supply for an entire orphanage or family shelter, and not help one single person. And then, at the end of the day, they are still left feeling empty. You know, that hole in your soul that makes you feel like you're missing out on something so much bigger? So, they go out and buy more stuff and more stuff until, they have any and everything materialistically they could ever dream of and still left there. Empty. Not a very good feeling to have. Just remember though, when your time comes to leave this life you're currently living, all of your crap will still be here because you can'y take it with you.

We need to get back to what matters most and that is not buying loads of shit and not focusing so much on how much money we have or how long we have to wait in line for the next iPhone. (Don't get me wrong, I love my iPhone. That isn't my point though.) We need to get back to our real happiness. The real focus in life and that is spending time with the ones we love. Getting out in nature and soaking in as much sun as we can. Laugh. Sing. Dance. Eat amazing food. Yoga. Meditate. Cook. Bake. Write. Read. Swim. Bike. Smile. Run. Fall and get back up. Roll down hills. Experience life. Do crazy unexpected things that you can laugh at. Make memories! Make as many memories as your little heart can hold because that's what's most important! Those are the experiences you remember. Cherish the people in your life every single day. I don't care how often you talk, don't talk, see each other, don't see each other. Our connection and relationship with the earthlings in our lives is what matters. Earthlings, memories, and experiences, because in all honesty, what else matters?

Stop stressing about how much you hate your job and stop complaining about why you hate betty and why Jim is a douche, and if you aren't happy with your pay grade, do something about it.

Stop spending all of your time on the internet and online shopping when it's 75 degrees outside and your kid has been pulling at your leg for 20 minutes to go outside and play at the park. Take them outside.

Stop complaining about how so and so has this and has that and start focusing on yourself. Be happy for those people. Jealousy kills very slowly.

Start focusing your mindset on yourself and your happiness. And for god's sake start living a meaningful life that gives you REAL purpose.

Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone and if we don't let go of our ego's now, I can tell you that there would be a lot of regrets and negative energy floating around this world.

We are all cut from the same cloth and we are all made from the same energy.

Even though we may look different and our actions and character make us appear different, in reality I am just like you and you are just like that person you might not like. Suck it up.

Love everyone. For everyone and everything are s o u l s. And to yourself, remember how you want to leave this world remembering you.


xo.

seven must-do's to OWN your life + LOVE it.

Happy freaking fri-yay earthlings! CANNOT appropriately express my excitement for the weekend finally being here. This mama has gotten a total of maybe 3-3 1/2 hours of sleep all week and I'm definitely paying for it today. Never-the-less when inspiration strikes I CANNOT pass it up, so today I am here to share with you 7 vital MUST DO's to help you rock at your life because lets face it, every now and a again, we all need something to boost us back in the right direction. Now, I personally practice these steps every single day, because what would be the point in sharing them with you if I wasn't practicing what I preach? Correct? So, without further a-do....

GET OUT OF YOUR OWN HEAD. I mean it just how it sounds, when it comes to us trying to get anything done, we are our own worst enemy. In order to accomplish any kind of goal or dream or task in life we must first know and believe with every fiber of our being that WE CAN. Stop filling your head with doubts and negative notions because one cannot and will not have a positive life with negative thoughts. I understand that this can sometimes be easier said than done but if you practice this every single day, you will master it in no time. My best advice? Every ime you feel a negative thought coming on, immediately think of something positive and switch it around. I am a FIRM believer in the law of attraction and you get back what you send out to the universe ten fold so seriously watch what you're thinking because you're creating every second of your life right now.

ESTABLISH AND SIMPLIFY A DAILY ROUTINE. You want to be successful at anything in this life then it all starts with your daily habits. Sometimes we wake up and go through our days on auto-pilot and not even realize the unhealthy habits we are creating. We want our conscious self to be in control of our actions but in reality, our subconscious controls everything. That's what we are trying to shift here. You need to try going through your day being consciously aware of every motion your taking and when you notice yourself doing something that isn't benefiting you, write it down and then try replacing it with something that's going to help you get to that next step, not quicker, but smarter. Be intentional about your routine. AND DON'T MAKE IT COMPLICATED. Keep your routine as simple and intentional as possible. If what you're doing isn't benefiting you in a healthy way or setting you up for success the next day or that upcoming week, get rid of it.

EAT HEALTHY AND MOVE YOUR BODY. Honestly, this is a no brainer and it definitely should have been my first on this list but it doesn't make it any less important. I couldn't be any more serious when I tell you that everything, your happiness, your attitude, your energy, your relationships, your entire outcome in life can DRASTICALLY IMPROVE if you take the time to feed your body right and exercise at least 30 minutes a day. SELF LOVE IS and should always come first. I don't care what anyone says or how you feel about it. You make the time for the things important to you. ITS CALLED PRIORITIES. You need to make yourself your NUMBER ONE priority. Period. Nothing will run smooth through your life if you aren't taking care of your well being. Trust me on this, bad personal experience that I won't ever go back to but that's a different story. Just love yourself. It's not about how you look physically but how you feel mentally and emotionally. You just function through life better.

ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY ENERGY. By this I mean anyone, everyone and everything that isn't supporting you, lifting you higher and helping you grow, GET RID OF IT. You want to stay in sync and on the same frequency as the universe and the vibes you're trying to keep. Allowing people or situations to put you in a certain mood or mindset is only setting you up for failure. I don't care if it's family, long time friends, your neighbor, your boss, the crazy cat lady in your yoga class, DONT WASTE your TIME or ENERGY on anything serving you no good because its bad business. Misery loves company and it's not a good space to be in.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT/JOURNALING. READ books that are going to help you build your self esteem and create a stronger mindset. Just 15-20 minutes of a good personal development read puts me in the highest mindset to crush any and all goals I have set for that day! When you feel inspired, write it down in that moment, because you don't want to forget it later. You can always use it at another time. Personal development has been a game changer in shifting my life around because yes, some books may contain those things we already know deep down but they are powerful affirmations our subconscious mind doesn't just pull up on a daily basis. You have to train your conscious mind to start being in control. I have a few personal favorites I would love to share if anyone is interested.

SPEND YOUR TIME INTENTIONALLY. Again, our habits become our lives and we need to make sure that we are living our days intentionally. It's easy to get on Facebook and instagram and scroll through your feed and before you know it an hour and a half went by and OH SHIT, you still have a list of like 9 things you were supposed to get done but didn't. I'm a social media freak, don't get me wrong, my job runs through social media, but theres a time and space for things like that. Set a schedule and set a side time for extra things like that. I'm telling you, efficiency is everything.

TAKE ACTION. Okay, so my last little tip here is probably the MOST VITAL and of course we all know why. Plans are just dreams if you don't put any work into them. You need to take all of these tips, find a way they can work for you and then MAKE SHIT HAPPEN. You can have a positive attitude all day but having a positive attitude isn't getting a task done. You have to find that passion and love every second of it because if you don't, the motivation and determination can slide down hill so fast that you're stuck wondering where the hell time went and why you're stuck in the same place you were six months ago. The universe only works if you do. Believe you can do it, like WHOLE heartedly believe you can conquer the effing world and then you go out and you do it. Live your life with DRIVE. Make every single day count. When you wake up, have that fire in your belly and when you feel it fading, think of why you started in the first place and what you want your outcome to be. Your life is what you make it. Go to bed feeling accomplished and happy and FULL OF LIFE.

The human spirit is capable of such beautiful and powerful things if we just learn to dig deep and tune into that power. Use it for good and create a life by your own design. You are the master artist of your life. Create something so breath taking that others are addicted to that magical light.

and remember that you are beautiful, you are brave, you are strong and you are a force to be reckoned with. Don't ever forget it. xo.

three simple tips to simplifying + minimizing your life.

KNOW YOUR INTENTION. Living a simple and minimal life goes so much deeper than thinking you have to rid of all of your belongings (but getting rid of things is a pretty good start) and pitch a tent in the mountains, although that does sound like the perfect little life. Living simple is about intentionally making the decision to part ways with the things that you feel no longer serve any purpose to you. You need to have the mindset of quality over quantity. Just take a second to think to yourself... do have things that you haven't used in over a month? Do you have multiples of something in different colors but you couldn't pass it up because it was just too cute? Do you find that you convince yourself to buy this or buy that because the deal is just too good to pass up? Trust me, I know the feeling. Until, I had to take a step back and realize that I was surrounded with so much clutter of "things" but still had an empty feeling, which led me to buying more because I thought that in doing so, I would fill that "void" or "hole" or emptiness I was feeling. So, be intentional with WHY you want to simplify and make sure you're doing it because it's going to help you put your energy towards what's really most important, whether that be more time with family or picking back up on a hobby you haven't done in years or trying something new. Something to get you connected again with nature and those who matter most.

GET RID OF UNNECESSARY ITEMS. Obviously, a part of simplifying and minimizing is getting rid of things you just DO NOT use. We tend to old emotional attachments to 'stuff' because society has dug it into our brains that we are basically nothing without owing tons of things. Don't let stuff define you as a person. You are not that $400 Kate Spade purse and you are not that $100 pair of sunglasses. All that money you're spending on materialistic things could be used to something so much more important, like a vacation or road trip, renovating your house, or saved and put away for an investment you might have. If you haven't used it atlas twice in 30 days, get rid of it. If you haven't worn something in 2 weeks, get rid of it. If it's been sitting there collecting dust or you've just forgotten you own it, get rid of it.

CREATE A WHITE SPACE. And by this I mean, a clear space in your home where you can go and relax and not have to stress or worry about your day or events that have happened previously. Living simple and minimal, like I said goes deeper than 'stuff.' It includes your relationship, mindset and overall everyday happenings. Use this as your sacred space. Only allow positive energy and keep the decor as simple as possible, but that doesn't mean it can't be cozy. Make it a space of purity and cleansed air. Make sure before stepping into this space you are not carrying in any negative vibes or energy. Also, you want to make sure you are completely unplugged in this space. Keep all electronics out. Part of living simple is learning to take time away from your phone, laptop, tv and internet. Just breath, and slowly get back to yourself.

So, there you have. Straight and to the point. These tips have been life savers for me because I am still new to this minimal lifestyle but it's a lifestyle I have grown to love and I couldn't ever go back to the way life was before. With doing this I have grown SO much happier with not only myself and my home but my relationships and using my finances for more important things that don't clutter up my space. I have more time with my family, I spend more time in my own thoughts and I'm more connected to universe than I ever have been before. It's beautiful and I am SO grateful that I have found this new, sustainably way of living.
I hope that these tips were helpful and if you do decide to try them out, please keep me updated.I hope that you beautiful earthlings have the most magical day and remember that you are beautiful, you are brave and you are a force to be reckoned with.Don't ever forget it. xo.