Father & Son

Don't marry a man unless you would be proud to have a son exactly like him.

Sometimes there will be these moments of bright clarity in the middle of play. I'll see Hank and Henry together, smiles and laughter, the sheer joy they bring to each others' lives so apparent, and it stops me dead in my tracks. Hank is a great man; he is kind, compassionate, loving, and truly sees the joy in every little thing. And because of all that and more, he is a wonderful father. Seeing the man I love as a parent has been one of the most beautiful things about becoming a mother, and it's the little moments like the one captured above, that I live for.

Growing up I dated a lot. I dated all sorts of guys; nice guys, overly nice guys, fun guys, some not-so-fun guys, and a handful of jerks too. When I was much younger, and before I figured out that I was worth being made a priority, I found myself trying to make something out of nothing a few too many times. But I wised up, I figured it out. I started to look at my parents' relationship, happily married for 30+ years, and I thought about who I wanted to end up with, what he would be like.

Before I met Hank I had sworn off serious relationships. I was 21 and enjoyed being "free"- I loved dating and preferred to do as I pleased, without taking into consideration anyone else as a major part of my life outside my family and friends. But my entire world shifted when I met my future husband, and suddenly here was someone that I could almost immediately see in my future, as scary as that seemed in the moment.

Those years went by so quickly- we fell in love, I relocated to his small town, we moved in together, we got engaged. And there is one thing I remember so distinctly from our engagement party, a specific moment that stands out above all of the laughter and stories and food we shared that night.  A good friend of mine pulled me aside and told me that her mother once said to her, "Don't marry a man unless you would be proud to have a son exactly like him." She wanted to share this with me because she knew that any son of ours would be as wonderful as the best guy we all knew, and she was so happy and excited for our future together.

I think back to this day often, and that quote has stayed with me through the years. Every time I see Hank and Henry kicking a soccer ball, playing with blocks in the middle of the living room, or even reading a story together, I'm reminded. I see my little man trying to emulating my big man- trying on his shoes, the "dada dada dada," the way he lights up when Hank comes in the door after work. And sometimes, I'll see that little twinkle in Henry's eye when he's about to do something funny and I am reminded 100% of his sweet father. Henry is so young, but I can already see how kind he is, how warm and affectionate his heart is, and how silly and fun his spirit can be. It's amazing. I'm raising a boy who is going to be just like the man I married, and for this, I couldn't be happier.

Just ugh.

{old photo from 2009}

I'm not feeling so upbeat today. In fact, I'm feeling pretty crappy. On a good note though? My mouth is starting to feel better. But the combination of too much time inside, not enough substantial food, no exercise, and having weird medicine in my body from the surgery and afterward (I rarely even take Tylenol for a headache), I am feeling kind of down.

I wasn't sure whether or not to even write this post- I like to focus only on the positive here as much as I can, but Henry is napping and I've reached the end of Pinterest (is that even possible?), so here I am, typing it out. Sometimes I hold back from sharing sadness or negativity because it makes me feel like one, I'm complaining. And who comes to a blog to read complaints?! And two, I know my complaints are not a big deal whatsoever in the span of all of the other things going on in this big, wide universe. But here in my little world, they do seem like a pretty big deal, as most negative things can sometimes do. It's not even like anything is going wrong; mainly I'm annoyed at my mouth, my numb lip and chin, my inability to eat normal food, and the fact that I just feel so blah and depressed. I hate feeling like this- like I have no motivation to do anything. And typing it out makes me feel even more ridiculous for feeling so down about all of it.

SO with that said, I thought you could do me a favor.

I was hoping that you could all leave a comment telling me something awesome that is going on with you! Good news, something that made you smile today, whatever it is that you want to share. I'm excited to get some positivity going again!

Tattoo Tuesday V.115

I wanted to take a moment and share a bit about today's Tattoo Tuesday participant and the work he is doing- after Christopher was a victim in a hit-and-run accident, he and his girlfriend Allie both decided to make positive changes and push each other to create something new. They started a company called D.O.G.T (Defenders Of Good Times) in which they help artists around the world promote their artwork and share it with others. Check out the video and links below for more info- it's such a neat, positive project!




http://kck.st/xpH9qZ
www.facebook.com/DxOxGxT
defendersofgoodtimes.tumblr.com
denfenderssf.blogspot.com

Name: Christopher Collins
Age: 27
Occupation: Owner of D.O.G.T (Defenders Of Good Times)
Age of first tattoo: 18
Favorite tattoo: My head!
Featured tattoo/location: My entire head.
Artist/shop/location of featured tattoo: Greg Christian/Tattoo Faction/Head



1) Tell us about your featured tattoo- is there a background story about why you chose it, or maybe a special meaning?

Getting my head was kind of a big deal..it had to be something amazing and it was kind of me showing myself my dedication to tattoos and how much I love them. It was tattooed at Tattoo Faction(which is the best shop in the world) by Greg Christian(who is my favorite tattoo artist) and he made it fit and look exactly how I wanted it to....it didn't feel the best but worth every single second of it. Tattoos are memories I will never forget and friendships that will never be broken. I got that tattoo for my family and everyone thats kept me going through the years. I'm pretty accident prone so I got a nurse tattooed on the top for keeping me safe all these years!



2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?

I am covered and I could go for days but some key tattoos are the D.O.G.T on my hand because it reminds me everyday that I am defending good times! The tattoos I have for my family are super important....Guadalupe on my forearm for my mom by Chuck Uhler and a swallow with a heart for my sister Carol, tattooed by Cindy Burmeister. I am saving my empty hand for an epic tattoo for my dad because he is my best friend and the person I look up to most in my life! I have a chicken and a piece of fried chicken tattooed on me because I eat chicken and party! I have a matching birdcage tattoo with my amazing girlfriend that Carlos Rojas tattooed and one of her drawings on the other leg that Rob Hamilton tattooed. The "trust no one" coffin on my ribs was tattooed by Mike Hutton inspired from one of his original paintings, Doug Hardy tattooed a peice of Dan Higgs flash on me at Tattoo City in SF. I have an amazing owl with a lucky rabbits foot around his neck that Dave Wulff tattooed. I have a matching tattoo of a gnarly pirate that Dan Wulff tattooed that was his first tattoo using a rotary machine! My knee is a crazy bearded biker skull that Lil Jeff in Miami tattooed on me. Most of my right arm was mostly tattooed by Cindy Burmeister who taught me a lot about life and helped me out a lot. I'm currently working on finishing my back with Dave Wulff and continuing my collection.

3) Do you plan on getting more? 

I'll never stop getting tattooed. Ever.



4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them? Do you have a significant other? Does he/she have tattoos? 

My family is the most amazing family you could ever have and they are extremely supportive of anything I do. It may not be their cup of tea and I'm the only one with tattoos, but they without a doubt have my back no matter what! You always will run into someone that has something negative to say about tattoos or tattooed people; that's a given, I have no desire to gain acceptance from negative people- "I am a Defender Of Good Times"- I don't have time to bummed out over what someone else thinks of my decisions. My significant other IS tattooed and shares the same interest in tattooing that I do and will be tattooing someday soon.



5) What's the most interesting experience you've ever had in regards to your tattoos? 

You don't want to get me started with stories cause Im a rambler but I would have to say my favorite tattoo memory was when Greg Christian tattooed an old Bert Grimm flash design on my forearm. Greg is one of the best people I have met in my 27 years and taught me so much I owe that guy the world! I watched him set up his machines he told me he was gunna use a tight 5 so it looked all "Shitty and shakey" like it would have when Bert tattooed it! It was my first real visible tattoo and it turned out to be one of my favorite things to look at every single day!!! Being tattooed by Greg is one of my top 5 favorite things ever. Theres not enough thanks to express the appreciation I have for what Greg has shared with me.

6) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet? 

You're not going to the store to pick out a new iPhone- you are are putting something on your body that is going to say something everytime someone sees it. Go to a real shop and get a real tattoo, get good tattoos and get safe tattoos.

Weekend links, on a Monday

an old photo of Madeline and me taken in 2008- look how tiny she was!

So my wisdom teeth are officially out, thank goodness. I got them out Friday morning and what was supposed to have been a 45 minute surgery turned into a 2.5 hour ordeal due to my "stubborn roots" or something- it's hard to remember since I was still foggy from being put under.  To be honest, it was much worse than I anticipated and the past couple of days have been more uncomfortable than even my c-section recovery, however crazy that may sound. But on the bright side, I keep focusing on the fact that they're out and now, the worst is over! I had an appointment today with my oral surgeon to check on healing, and he assured me my numb chin and lower lip should return to normal soon, and my mouth is looking a-okay. Now I'm just focusing on being extra careful to avoid those dreaded dry sockets. I'm so thankful for my parents who came up Friday to stay with us, taking me to my appointment on Friday while Hank worked and helped to entertain Henry all weekend.  I was sad to miss all the fun since I was stuck in bed, but I know we'll have another soon when I'm feeling 100%.

While recovering the past couple of days I've been watching a few different things for the first time- Gossip Girl and Gilmore Girls (love both of them!), and I also watched two movies- My Week with Marilyn and Young Adult. And after so much "relaxation" all I want is a busy day filled with errands, a trip to Target, a big sandwich, no mouth pain, and my nice, unswollen cheeks back. ;)

Whatever you did this past weekend I hope you had a great time. I figured I would share some links today, even though it's Monday. Enjoy!

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I posted the winner to the Kelli Murray Art giveaway, so check here to see if you won!

Anita is doing a Shop My Closet for her fashionable daughter Lola Birdie! This week she put up jeans and shoes, and next week maybe she'll be selling some of Lola's amazing dresses or tops. Bookmark it, or follow Anita on Twitter for updates.

Carrot cake pancakes. These looks delicious!

My favorite blog post from the week.

Wouldn't these be adorable favors for a party? Pie to go!

A wonderful essay about being a Mom...and baking bread in a random lady's house. Weird. But it's a great read.

Ireland is at the top of my one day must-visit places, and so, I am totally loving these photos.

Hello, dream bikini. Why do you have to be $200?

Passionfruit has launched- I'm sure you've seen it all over the internet! If you take ads on your blog, you will want to take a look.

Win a Pioneer Woman Cookbook over on Heather's blog.

The Top 20 Bites of 2011 in Los Angeles...I would have loved to see this list before our trip, but luckily we picked great restaurants for every meal.


Oatmeal Lemon Creme Bars. As soon as my mouth is healed I will definitely be making these!


Whenever I want to look at pretty images, I go here.

I love checking out my readers "Currently" posts, like this one!


The Art of Being Happily Single. I passed this along to a few of my single girlfriends and they loved it. It's a good read.

Like Juniper (one of my sponsors) on Facebook and be entered in their giveaway.

My friend Jess took her daughter Rowan camping! Too cute.

Want something else to do with you Instagram photos? How about putting them on custom tiles?

20 quick and healthy snack ideas.

And finally, here's my new favorite blog. Thanks Liz!

Little bits of memory

I can still remember the beginning. That nervous anticipation during those first few long drives to visit Hank, my hands tapping on the steering wheel, my eyes in the rear view mirror checking and rechecking to see if I still looked alright. It was the beginning of our relationship and we lived two and a half hours apart, so I would often find myself making the trek from Phoenix, up the I-17 and into the mountains. That very first drive up is still so fresh in my mind; the Jets to Brazil I had on the stereo, my cracked window, the fresh August air that evening, and me, trying to relax when I was so, so nervous. It almost seemed too good to be true- everything was falling slowly into place, somehow. And then, after talking for hours and hours every night for weeks, writing so many letters back and forth, and finally going on our first date, Hank had invited me up to visit him in his little town. 

It's strange to go back to the beginning of us. It will be eight years this summer and parts of it seem so far away, and yet other moments I can remember in such crisp detail. If I think back I can still see Hank's first date outfit- his jeans, his American Nightmare hoodie, those Vans. I can immediately recall a handful of mornings waking up with him to the Weakerthans he set for our alarm, tangled blankets and tattooed limbs. I can remember the night Hank asked me to marry him, the way the stars shined so, so brightly in that clear February night, the way my breath blew out like smoke and our voices echoed in the empty square. I think back to our first apartment, the smell of new paint and cardboard boxes, and our second, the smell of fresh cut grass through the open windows. I can go back to our wedding day and remember looking down the aisle at Hank through the yellow and the white and all of our family and friends, all the way to the very end, to him waiting there for me. And I can see him when Henry was born, joy filling every corner of his face.

Memories are funny things. They change over time, they shift, they adapt. We keep what we want, small segments of our days, and the rest dissipates into a hazy fog. I hold tight to the things I want to remember- I take a second and try to capture it, all of it. My memories often feel so cloudy, floating in my mind, but then I'll be reminded of something, and one crystal clear moment will bob to the top, up and down, little bits and pieces becoming more clear.  With Hank I have eight years of these memories, good times and bad, trips and vacations and so much togetherness. My life has a distinct marker, a before and an after, and it's amazing to think about everywhere we've been, and to imagine everywhere we're going. And sometimes, when the weather is just right, I can crack my window, turn up the music, and I'm right back there again, 21-years-old at the very beginning.

Flower tattoos design for feminine

Flower tattoo designs are very popular among women. A lot of women who want to have a tattoo most likely choose flower designs. Flower tattoo designs are feminine, and remain one of the most common among women who embrace the art of tattooing the skin.

There are several reasons why tattoos flower designs offer a good option for permanent body tattoo. The flowers are not only beautiful, they are also eternal. That means the femininity of women and diversity. More often than not, flower tattoo designs are colorful, bright and very attractive. They make a good impression on the skin of a woman. The choice of colors is essential in coming up with a great looking tattoo.

Flower tattoo designs are great. Depending on your preference, you can choose to cover an entire area of ​​your body with the design you want or you can choose a flower borders, small for an area of ​​your skin. You can also opt for extensive flower tattoo design that fits in your lower back. This is both sexy and feminine. If you want a smaller design or just a flower of a tattoo, you may have placed on one side of the upper back or upper arm - a common place for tattoos.

There are plenty of accessories that can be incorporated into your tattoo design with flowers. You can choose to add thorns, leaves or even ribbon details. Designs of butterflies and birds can blend well with flower tattoos. Fairies can also be added to create a fantasy theme. You can also choose your own concept and the addition of words or names.

There are many ways to enhance flower tattoo designs. You can start with a single flower, and then after a while when you've decided to have a larger tattoo, you can choose to add more flowers and have a crawling design or other luxury amenities. These designs can also be easily customized and the possibilities of color combinations are endless. This design shows how flexible and diverse flower tattoo is.

Depending on your personality, you can choose a design of flower tattoo in particular that suits you. One of the most common is the hibiscus flower design. We present a summery theme, Hawaiian that is both relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Hibiscus flowers have a taste of the exotic tropical islands to symbolize a very good disposition, lifestyle full of fun.

If you want a special flavor, the lotus flower is also an excellent choice. This flower starts as a bud against the mud at the bottom of the river and gradually rises to the top of the water from sunlight. Soon, develop into a beautiful flower and lovely. On the basis of the beliefs of Hindus and Buddhists, this flower symbolizes the soul's journey to enlightenment. The design of lotus flower tattoo can be used to symbolize deeper a person's personality and spiritual attributes.

Other popular choices include orchids, cherry blossoms and other small oriental wildflowers. In general, the designs of flower tattoos are excellent choices and no time for the tattoo art that can be appreciated by the rest of his life.