30th Birthday Dread

So it happened. The dreaded turning of the big 3-0. I can't say exactly why my resistance was so big to 30 years old, but it always has been.

It makes sense that at 18, "my turning 30 year old fears" consisted of things like grown up responsibility, expectations of settling down, and 'bigger picture' focusing… Clearly, these views were a reality, a year later, but yet, 30's gloom still has lingered through the last 12 years.

Still, I don't know how to express or justify these feelings into words, but I'm sure someday, reflection will bring perspective on this milestone birthday and the significants of it as well. But for now, my going with the idea that my 30th birthday is like most people's 40's "big gulp moment" {as my friend Erica put it} and I'm just mature and wise beyond my years.

Despite that avoidance of acceptance, the overwhelming show of love from my friends and family's birthday wishes, their thoughtful gifts received, and supportive texts and call, did wonders in softening the blow of the day's purpose.

In these 30 years of mine, I've made it a point to surround myself with people who are worth my efforts and allow myself to selfishly pull from the natural goodness they bring to this world daily…. but when this generosity of theirs is focus it on me, I can't help but find it humbling.

I'm very lucky to have all of them part of what has made up the good in my first 30 years of life and can hope I am just as lucky to have them as what I'm sure will be the best parts of the next 30…

{Don't even get me started on my thoughts of 60!!}
Happy Sunday!

Goodnyou? Giveaway

I'm not just over the moon excited to have Second Sanctuary back to sponsor another Goodnyou? Giveaway, but also for Beverly and her shop, to be the first host of 2013!

That's setting the bar pretty high, if I do say so myself.

This time around, Second Sanctuary is giving away one of her shop's new products called The UnderCover©.

It's a take along like blanket, that your child can bring with them to sleep overs, when they visit the grandparents, or even in their own room, to help protect leaking through during those, sometime, unfortunate night time accidents.



It's something that I know we will, and have already, benefited from.

Calvin's caught in the middle age, where he's not quit consistent enough to ditch the nighttime diapers, but wants to be like the big boys, especially when he's with his cousins, and doesn't want to put an overnight on. This is what I would refer to being caught between a rock and a hard place, at a 4 year old's level.

Beverly, is being so kind to give away one of these to my readers. All you have to do to be entered, is hustle over to Beverly's Second Sanctuary shop on Etsy {CLICK HERE} and then find her on Facebook {CLICK HERE} and "Like" her page. {If you already "like" her facebook page, just leave a comment on it to be entered to win}

That's it!

Giveaway will be open for two weeks {ends February 4th} and then the winner will have their choice of their UnderCover© being made in one of the following fabrics: soccer, trucks, emergency vehicles, cheerleaders, horses, astronauts, or cats.

Simple as that, my friends!

Happy Monday!

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Giveaway ends at 12:00 PM on day of winner announcement {February 4th}. Any entries after 12:00 PM on announcement day will be void. Although the sponsor has thoughtfully provided their product for our lil' old giveaway, thoughts and opinions on the product itself, are all mine, mine, mine.  

Sanity In The Slow

There hasn't been much rush to this year, yet. I don't have any expectations of it staying this way, but it's nice to feel as though I've conquered the "taking life in easy strides" for a little while. Right now, it's easy for me to have this outlook, because there isn't anything pressing.

I've been spending this down time doing the things I always wish I could curl myself into, when things feel so rushed.

Like...

…Skype Dates…

I don't do often, but when I do, I love it and wish I made the efforts to do it more. My last session was as therapeutic as ever and I laughed until my stomach hurt….I looked like crap and didn't care. We talked about how sometimes life sucks and didn't regret saying opinions we really didn't mean...We were stupid…. in that way you only can be with a best friend… It both warmed my heart and made it sad…. It was a nice escape and much needed to say the least.

…Nature Break..
I pulled out the cross country skis for the first time during an unexpected baby free afternoon. I didn't do laundry, paint any trim, clean the kid's closets, or finish the work they never give me enough time to think during… I just went skiing before Wesley got home from school…

then took him out for a date before getting the littles back.

...Family Getaway...

to NH with Nate's side of the family for what is becoming an annual Richardson Family Retreat. It was a quick down and back weekend, but we all got what we needed from it… The cousins connected more memories, the men bounded over football, and the women shopped.

My sister-in-law and I spent a little too much time in the 'bounding over beer' process and I'm not quite sure I've fully recovered yet… That's not saying I would hesitate at all, to proceed with this process again.

…Organizing…
all the areas I let get completely unorganized throughout the rest of the year, because they can be easily hid behind cupboards or doors, no one but myself gets into.

Yes, there is still plenty to be done, but the urgency isn't underlining at all… I give myself another week before I realize, it's during the urgency I thrive in accomplishment… until then, I'm loving the pieces of sanity that come with this slow.

DIY Picture Coasters

This year for christmas I really focused on giving personal, meaningful, preferably homemade gifts. One of my most favorite gifts that was given, were the picture coasters to my parents from their grandchildren.

I'm in the process of making some for myself and can pretty much guarantee they will be a hot go-to gift for next years giving season.

The hardest part was finding the 4x4 tiles, but my uncle pulled through in a big way, 3 days before the Christmas morning deadline. It was gravy from there…

All I did was…..

Mod podge the surface of the tile.
Place 4x4 printed Instagram pictures on the tiles.
Mod podge over images.
Mod podge again, once dried.
Mod podge one more time, once dried, for good luck.
Place 4 small circular felt dots in the corners of the bottom of the tiles.

Viola! 

New Year Ducks In A Row

Although I've expressed my bah-hum-bug feelings for new year's and their resolution a time or two on the blog, that doesn't mean I don't look forward to the potential that a new year brings.

I love the clean slate feeling that comes with a year's age.
I love the lull of the slow pace that subsides after the rush of the Holiday's.
I love the center focusing that relines with a year full of purpose.
I love how the first month of the new year, is designated to playing catch up for the last 11.

I always find myself using the month of January to aline all my ducks back in a row. Back up photos, upload forgotten memory cards, organize office shelf, restock inventory of bi-folds and balm tubes, and email inboxes dwindle down their junk mail intake, with efforts put toward unsubscribe to all the nonsense streaming in.

This year has had a different feeling with it's realignment though. I think it has something to do with my babes being a year old, less dependent for their day's all and a bit more of self independence coming with it.

Wouldn't it be nice if I went on about how I'm looking forward to embrace this 2013? Thriving in the growth that will come with it?

Yay…..I agree, it would be rather delightful to be in that place, but the fact that I had a near panic attack New Year's Eve around 2:00 PM, that required a best friend to talk me off the ledge of an emotional break down, via 911 text message, tells me this year will be less than embraced.

But for now, I'll avoid the dread of it all. Play catch up on uploading phone photos, organizing desktop folders, updating blog headers and placing inventory orders.

Happy Sunday.
2013, be kind.