tuesday's teachings

become the student:

"children are fascinated by the ordinary

and can spend timeless moments

watching the sunlight play with dust.

their restlessness they learn from you.

it is you who are thinking of there

when you are here.

it is you who thinks of then

instead of now.

stop.

let your children become the teachers,

and you become the student. 

your children may frequently change the focus

of their attention. 

but this is not restlessness,

its curiosity.

when they are doing something

they are doing only that

until they move on to the next thing.

watch them.

let them set the pace.

see what you can learn."

words from: the parents tao te ching 

previous tuesday's teachings here! 

the 2012 academy awards

in my opinion, the woman of the 2012 oscars brought nothing but their  a-game tonight! from nominees & presenters, to tv personalities & supporters, these lovely ladies completely took my breath away one right after the other. here are my absolute favorite looks of the night:     

who was your favorite of the night?

the hunger games

just reserved 5 seat for march 22. have you gotten your tickets yet? 

people, its going to epic. 

independent spirit awards

since the independent spirit awards are held in santa monica, california, its more of a laid back red carpet (after all, it is purple instead of red). i couldn't help but notice a certain theme this year.. florals! i love all these fresh & fun prints! its a good way to tone it down & relax before the oscars tomorrow!  

zoe saldana

anna kendrick

rashida jones

elizabeth banks

shailene woodley

essie nail polish

i'm a nail biter, always have been. there have been a couple of times in my life (like when i found out i was pregnant with jude) that i ditched the habit cold turkey. its hard for me to stop without a good reason. its a horrible, nervous habit, i know. (i feel like i'm sounding a lot like a smoker) 

anyway.. with all these pretty nail polish colors out there, i'm determined to do it again! i want to be able to match my nail color with certain outfits & moods that i am in. i've always loved opi but these essie colors are so fresh & lovely! which shade is your favorite?      

5 things

{kneaders balsamic sweet onion jam}

{new cheese plater with harmons cheese}

{judes new zara shoes}

 
{costco children's books}

{gifted turquoise bracelete from mexico}

i miss you..

 

more than ever. 

tuesday's teachings

clouds of light:

{my absolute favorite}

"they look so small and frail
but they are so great and magnificent.
they are born of the same womb
that birthed the cosmos
and knitted together the galaxies.

if you could see them as they truly are, you would be astounded.
you would see not little children,
but dancing clouds of light,
swimming in an ocean of love.

they are so much more than what you see.
as are you.

life can seem mundane.
but it is not.
children can seem ordinary,
and troublesome,
and fraile.
but they are not.
you may feel alone,
and separated,
and powerless.
but you are not."

words from: the parents tao te ching
previous tuesday's teachings here!

rio

obsessed doesn't even come close to describing how jude feels about the movie rio. in his little world, the very definition of love would be rio. surprisingly enough, i'm still not sick of it after the thousandth time seeing it. collin on the other hand is about to break the disc in half. 

life through a cell phone lens

tuesday's teachings

happiness is contagious:

"if you always compare your children's abilities to those of great athletes, entertainers, and celebrities, they will loose their own power. 

if you urge them to acquire and achieve, they will learn to cheat and steal to meet your expectations. encourage your children's deepest joys, not their superficial desires. praise their patience, not their ambition. 

do not value the distraction and diversions that masquerade as success. they will learn to hear their own voice instead of the noise of the crowd.

if you teach them to achieve, they will never be content. if you teach them contentment, they will naturally achieve everything.  

we all want our children to be happy. somehow, some way today, show them something that makes you happy, something you truly enjoy. your own happiness is contagious. they learn the art from you."

words from: the parents tao te ching 

happy valentines day to all you love birds out there! 

and a happy, happy birthday to one of the best people i know- i sure love you brooke valentine! 

notebooks & journals

a while ago i found this idea on pinterest & immediately wanted to do it! a few months later, i'm just barley getting around to buying the perfect journal to use. since i'm going to be needing a lot of them (one for every couple of years) & eventually giving them to jude, i wanted to get ones that were pretty classic looking & definitely durable. i found the perfect one. but ill get to that in a minute. while on my search, i stumbled upon some darling little notebooks & jotters! take a look..

jotters! from wit & whistle:

  

all hearts from cleanwash: 

airstream trailer from red tile studio:

stitch journal from mateo ilasco:

oh my! i could take some serious notes on these pretty little things! but unfortunately, non of these were what i was looking for when searching for jude's journal. thanks to a cup of jo, and her advertising for pinhole press, i found exactly what i was looking for! 

kinda perfect isn't it? the best part is, with the option of choosing a picture of jude for the cover, it can serve as a yearly photo album as well. there are more then enough pages, its definitely a keepsake & its only $20 dollars! $25 when you add shipping but definitely worth it when you get something so personal. 

so all you momma's out there, if your looking to do this as well, i recommend getting this journal. it will be something you and your little ones treasure for many, many years to come!

playing for change

a friend at work showed this to us last night, and now i want to share it with you. the concept of playing for change is a wonderful one & will be sure to touch your heart. 

this is their inspiration:

"Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world."

pretty amazing, isn't it? check out there website here & read about their cause! 

the parent's tao te ching

the parent's tao te ching has a very special place in my heart. i've read it many times and will continue to read it many more. its one of those books that no matter how many times you've read it, it teaches you something new, something that applies to you at that moment that didn't before. it has given me a peace of mind when it comes to being a first time mom that i haven't been able to find anywhere else. it is the only parenting book that i would suggest to parents- new & old. it is the only one you need. oprah winfrey said: "i give all my friends with children the parent's tao te ching- a reminder of what matters when raising little ones." the teachings of the tao, are a way of life, a practice of being at one with the greater good in every aspect. this book focuses on parenting: 


"few things in this world are as important as raising children. in every age, every era, every time and place, children are our treasures, our future, our immortality- the vital link in the chain of humanity."


"making babies- having children- is a capacity bestowed by biology, but raising them well is an art we learn by doing. 'mature adults don't necessarily create children' the proverb goes, 'but children help create mature adults.'"


"children are not vessels to be filled, but candles to be lit. so are parents. so are we all. by listening to the wisdom of the tao as we raise our children, we raise ourselves and lift our spirits."
{quotes from the foreword, written by: dan millman}

because this book has so much depth & countless ,wonderful teachings, i wouldn't be able to sum it up this quickly. i want to start a weekly 'tuesday's teachings' which will be either a page, paragraph or line from the parent's tao te ching. something that has helped or enlightened my views on parenting, and could possibly do the same for you. the lessons taught in this book can easily be applied to everyday life, weather you are a parent right now or planning on it in the future, what you gain from your reading will help improve you as a person, which in turn, helps you become a better parent. 

byu basketball

jude & tristan had a blast at the byu basketball game on thursday! it was jude's first time ever going to a sports game, so you can imagine the thrill his little heart felt with all that excitement! i'm just glad he was in awe instead of terrified because this was the first of many games his daddy is going to want to take him too. glad you boys had fun, we sure did watching you enjoy it! 

oh, and here is a video clip of jude having some of momma's mexican (spicy!) candy. i guess he likes spice just as much as his momma & aunt b. and its kinda hilarious how he eats it, i don't think he has the licking a lollipop thing quite down yet. we will get there baby boy, i'm sure there is plenty of lollipop sucking in your future.