Archives for January 2014

the magic of night, the magic of new

January 29, 2014

There is something so magical about the nighttime for me.
I come alive at night, I find hope at night, I find purpose, inspiration, and meaning in life.

It’s as though every night is a new year for me.
Every night I think over my day and I reflect on what was good.
What wasn’t good.
Where I went wrong.
Where I went right.

I sit on the couch and I think over the choices that were made, the moments that were had, and I love it.
I look over at my husband fast asleep on the couch beside me, because even though he’s tired, he still…after 11 years…wants to be next to me as much as possible.

And then I think of those silly insignificant moments I showed frustration.
The things I got annoyed at that I know I’d truly end up missing if they someday stopped.

But somehow, the magic of night gives me hope.
I consider all that I have, all that I long for, all that I dream of…
and at night, I believe in all of it.

At night, I believe tomorrow will be different.
I’ll be better.
I’ll do better.
I’ll love better.
I’ll make healthier, wiser, more loving decisions both for myself and for others.

I believe all that, and I promise myself…tomorrow will be that much better.

But sometimes tomorrow isn’t all of that though.
Sometimes tomorrow brings more of what the day before had, only worse or harder.
I mess up bigger.
I repeat the same selfish mistakes.

But then night comes again, and it all comes back to me.
Reflection.
Hope.
Magic.

Or maybe it’s God.
Maybe in the busyness of the day, in the craziness of taking things into my own hands, I lose a bit of Gods power.
I miss out on His magical presence.

But at night…
when all is still and quiet and I’m still and alone…
I am overwhelmed in His presence…

And it’s magic.
It’s hope.
It’s God.
And it’s Good.

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struggling with doubt ~ the simple act of looking up

January 27, 2014

Struggling with Doubt ~ the simple act of looking up

It’s no secret that 2013 was a year of struggle for me, especially in the area of Faith & God. I found myself questioning everything. And I mean everything.

It got to the point where I wondered if I was even a Christian anymore, because how could a Christian have the kind of doubts I was struggling with?

I spent many nights crying, either due to fear or exhaustion over it all, and just wishing I could go back to the simple place of “have faith & believe.”

Yet I had so many questions. Big questions. Hard questions. Unanswerable questions.

Truthfully, and this may be hard for believers to hear, during all that I wasn’t even able to read my Bible. I’d open it up and just stare at words that were familiar, yet seemed so distant as well. I was afraid to read, afraid that what I’d understand from it wasn’t correct, and once again I’d be lost.
Even more so than I already was.

I was going in circles.
Painful confusing circles, where after a bit of time, I just needed to sit down from the motion sickness of it all.

And when I sat down and I quit trying to figure it all out, I simply looked up.

And there it was.
The answer.

The toughest questions I had, were suddenly answered in the simplest act of just fixing my eyes above.

The beauty.
The wonder.
The majestic views this world has to wonder…
It can’t be explained away.

There is just something beautifully bigger than us that we will never really truly be able to understand from where we stand right now.

We can give ourselves a title based on our beliefs and studies: Christian, Evangelical, Conservative, Calvanists, Armenians…. but the truth is, we will never fully see the Big Picture until we are face to face with the Artist Himself.

And now?
I feel as though I’m finally on the other side.
I know what is true.
And what is left, I don’t need to try to make sense of right now.

He’s given me what I need to know in this moment, and it’s enough for me.

I’m simply choosing to look up.

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finding my purpose ~ celebrate how you were created

January 22, 2014

Finding My Purpose

It is amazing what taking some time off can do for someone who claims to be a writer.
It’s like going on a tropical vacation and coming back rested, tan and ready to…vacation some more.

Ha.

It’s true though!

But after taking some time off, I truly found myself so ready to be back to my blog, back to writing, back to my first love.
I have really been spending time praying, studying, seeking wisdom and advice from those nearest and dearest to me that I truly love and respect, and it was good.

I had questions presented to me that I had never truly pondered over before, and it was good.
It was tough, but it was necessary.
The tough moments usually are.
And I spent many late night hours writing a bunch of randomness that would never make sense to anyone but me, so that I could finally…at last…sort out my thoughts and goals and hopes and dreams.

And while all of that is still swirling around my world and my head and heart, I knew it was time to come back.

And just as any well rested vacationer should do, I plan on easing back into it all.
Maybe 3 posts a week, 4 if I’m inspired… and that’s enough for me for now.

My purpose here though, remains the same, as the heart God’s always given me is the heart I always will have:
To create a place, where any person who longs to be known for who she truly is, flaws and all, can come to feel loved and less alone. And most importantly, feel celebrated regardless of what isn’t right or what may still need to be changed, because we are complicated and always changing, and we just want to love and be loved.

Yes, we can get deep and meaningful and angsty and emotional.
But also, we can also switch right from that to the lastest makeup we love or what the heck just happened on The REAL Housewifes of blah blah blah.

We’re complex. We have many places and spaces our hearts and mind travel, and I don’t feel a need to limit it to one niche.
Because there is fun to be had, meaning to be found, laughter to be experienced, and simplicity to be enjoyed in the little things of life.

We’re searching, learning, laughing…all while playing with makeup & skincare, and doing our best to find a balance to it all.

This is our place to go, whatever place you’re in or journey you’re on, where someone WILL get you.
Someone WILL accept you.
Someone WILL help you learn, will laugh with you, and will say the two little words you always longed to hear…

“Me too.”

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what i loved & where i’ve been: black belts, positivity & healthy hair

January 17, 2014

What I Loved:

*How to be a black belt/4 Steps to Accomplish Your Goals: When I saw on Facebook that my dear friend from way back when I first moved to Southern California, Mike Powers, had the opportunity to do a Tedx talk, I was so excited to hear what he had to share. Years and years ago, he had been the voice of wisdom and comfort during a tough experience, and I’ve always truly appreciated his friendship. Jimmy was also intrigued given that Jiu Jitsu is a big part of our life, as both Jimmy & Taylor have been going now for years, and continue to train at least 3 times a week. Over the years of Jimmy’s training, I have had the pleasure of listening to him liken the lessons of Jiu Jitsu to our real life. Listening to Mike, I realize that maybe Jimmy could give a Ted talk of his own one day. Whether you have any interest or affiliation with the martial arts or not, Mikes talk is encouraging & incredibly inspirational, and in 15 minutes I can tell you that you’ll be that much more motivated to go after your goals and dreams!

*Glow of Grace: I’ve heard it said many many times that it can be hard to find genuine girls in the YouTube “beauty guru” world, and while I have experienced that firsthand a bit, I have to say I have been truly blessed to come across some of the sweetest ones out there. They’re lovely, Godly, unaffected, and genuine in their care for others. Rachel, of Glow of Grace, is most definitely one of those girls. Not only do I love her heart for the Lord, but she has amazing makeup tutorials and the best beauty recommendations! Her sweet genuine spirit will capture you, and I know you’ll all love her just as much as I do!

*Lies Women Believe & The Truths That Set Them Free: I have spent this last month pouring over this book every night before I drift to sleep. It’s one of those books that just settles your heart and mind, and allows your spirit to get right where it needs to be. I’ve confessed that I’ve been one to battle negative and discouraging thoughts, a lot of which I think I learned and picked up from childhood. It’s been a struggle to first acknowledge that they are, in fact, not truths after all…but even tougher to make the switch into reminding myself what is TRUE. It’s a journey I’m on, and even though I’ve finished this book, I can tell you I will be referring to it quite often as I continue to learn and grow. In fact, I pulled out a journal/notebook, and plan on spending time going through all that I highlighted and journaling through what I learned, so as to really drive it home. I honestly believe this book needs to be read by EVERY woman I know, whether or not they think they have battles in their thought life. It’s just THAT good.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Where I’ve Been:

*On the SheKnows Mommalogues this week I showed off my Shoe Collection, which I have to admit, “Collection” is quite the appropriate word.
~ We talked about whether or not our kids have their own computers…can you guess my answer???
~ There was also discussion about our favorite winter activities. Um, I live in Southern California and it’s been in the 80’s-90’s this week, so I’m not too sure what winter activities are anymore. What’s the deal with the weather lately???
~ And finally, today, we’re talking about the things our husbands do to drive us crazy. Please watch this and tell me I’m not alone!!!

*On my Le Musings of Moi YouTube Channel (where I’ll be posting 3x a week):
~ I shared my latest Health & Beauty Haul from Vitacost, which included a ton of new to me products that I’m already majorly loving. If you’ve never shopped at Vitacost…oh man, you don’t even know what you’re missing out on!
~ I also filmed a Day in the Life where I unboxed (show & tell) all the surprise beauty packages that came in, as well as discussed the deeper things in life such as ANT Therapy & Wednesday tantrums. It was quite the exciting day!
~ And todays video is a collab with my dear friend, Trisha from A Glittery Life, where we are sharing our Best of Hair for 2013. And not only did I include the products that did major things for my hair, but I also included some tips & tricks to keeping your hair healthy!

*On Instagram, I’ve been posting Truth Quotes & Pictures once a day that have really been inspiring and speaking to me. This quote definitely has to be one of my favorites for the week, especially in light of our #GetHealthyJanuary month. We’ve not been perfect, but this quote keeps us going!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This weekend I’ll be emersing myself in the beauty/makeup world at IMATS with some of my most favorite YouTube friends, and while I have no idea what I’m in for, I’m definitely excited for all that I’m about to learn!

Have a blessed weekend guys!

xoxo

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superfood smoothie recipe for even the pickiest kids (and parents)

January 13, 2014

Over the last few years my family has slowly made the change to go extra clean and healthy in our grocery purchases. We only buy organic, and I read the ingredients on EVERYTHING. If there isn’t a health benefit, it generally doesn’t go into the shopping cart.

That’s not to say that we don’t eat UNorganic or UNhealthy sometimes too. But, when it comes to what we buy at the store, it’s rarely junk. And Trader Joes, Whole Foods & Sprouts seem to be our go to stores.

On the flip side, Jimmy & I both despise cooking and so often times we’ll find ourselves at Rubios or Panera for some take out, because eating taking out is the closest thing we can afford to having a personal chef.

One day, one day…

All that said, our kids have sllllloooooowllllly become accustomed to eating things that aren’t the normal grocery store items.
For example, they love roasted seaweed, coconut ice cream is a treat, and green superfood smoothies are a daily MUST HAVE.

In fact, Taylor begs me to make them nearly every single day, and I do because it gives me such a peace of mind in that if they eat nothing else of substance the whole rest of the day, they will ingest all that they could possibly need in one single SUPERFOOD smoothie.

So for todays #GetHealthyJanuary post, I wanted to share our most made and loved recipe. I first got the idea from one of my dear friends, Kendra, and am constantly making little tweaks here and there, but the basics always stay the same.

1 cup Pineapple chunks (from Costco, because we go through so much!)
1/2 cup Mango chunks (also from Costco)
1/2 cup Orange Peach Mango Juice (Trader Joes) *any juice works, as we change it up!
1/2 cup plain or coconut water
1 cup Frozen Kale (We buy the organic bag from Costco and keep it in the freezer so its nice and cold. Plus it lasts longer!)
1 teaspoon Spirulina powder
2 tablespoons Chia Seeds or Flaxseed (1 tablespoon for my kids)
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar (1 tablespoon for my kids)
OPTIONAL VARIATIONS WE’VE ADDED: Protein powder, 1/2 banana, 1/2 apple

Recently I was talking with another friend who was struggling with her own very picky children, and she had no idea how to get them to eat healthy. I gave her this magic recipe to try, and a few days later she texted me that it had been a GIANT SUCCESS!!!

If you happen to be like us, or our kids, and you struggle to get in all your “health” each day, try making this most delicious smoothie and watch the health benefits happen before your eyes!!!

Also, if you have a smoothie recipe you’re obsessed with, leave the recipe in the comments, as I’d love to try it next!

xoxo

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what i loved & where i’ve been: submission, wine, and workouts

January 10, 2014

Included in my 2014 goals, is getting back into the habit of posting on my blog at the minimum 3 days a week. I’m trying out the whole content calendar thing, which is actually incredibly helpful at keeping me on task, organized, and inspired.

One of my favorite types of blog posts to read myself are the ones where the writer shares what they loved reading/watching/learning about on the World Wide Web throughout their week. I love this for so many reasons, as it allows me to discover new and interesting things I might never have found myself.

All that said, my plan is to make Fridays the day to share with you all that I was drawn to, inspired by, thought a lot about and overall just loved during the week. On the list could be blogs, blog posts in particular, YouTube channels or specific videos, workouts I loved, recipes I tried, and so much more.

Basically if it was a major moment of my week, I want to share it with you…my online besties.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

What I Loved…

Candace Cameron Bure’s “S” Word (link is to her latest interview) ~ There’s been a whole lot of chatter this week about Candace using the word submission in her latest book, Balancing it All, and a lot of it hasn’t been so sweet. (I shared my own take on submission last week on the Mommalogues, and we’re not so far off). I realize that there are many opinions on this (you know what they say about opinions…they’re just like ___, everyone’s got one!), but I have to say I’ve been extremely proud of her for how well she has been handling it all. This interview especially made me smile because it truly shows her dignity & grace, which are just two of the reasons I’m proud to call her a friend. Now can we talk instead about her incredibly adorable wardrobe on this press tour? I mean…hello???

{Now, does this look like a face you wanna mess with???}

Shannon Sullivan/Glamour Wonderland (YouTube) ~ Speaking of sweet people. Oh my word, I don’t even know where to begin with the cuteness of this girl. When I got a notice that she had followed me on Twitter (I’m trying to get more active there this year!), I clicked through to see what she was all about, and instantly I felt as though I had found a new friend. (that’s not creepy at all, right?) She is absolutely adorable, has the sweetest most genuine demeanor (she’s a retired disney character), and I love love love her natural product & health tips. This is a girl you guys need to take a moment to get to know. You will love.

14 Hands Red Blend ~ Yes, you read that right. I just listed a wine. I’ve never been much of a drinker, in fact I think in 2013 I maybe had a total of 10-12 (ish) drinks all year long. But, as I age, (or is it the homeschooling?), I am finding that a nice glass of wine after a long day is just a lovely thing. And this week, this was the wine for me. But, I’m new to the wine club, so I’m always up for suggestions!

Suzanne Bowen Fitness ~ In the last month, I’ve recently started adding in Suzanne Bowen’s Barre Method into my workouts a few times a week, and I am so impressed…and SO sore! I love non-traditional workouts, and her barre work is insane but in the best way ever. It’s basically like you’re working out with a friend, which I love, and I am seriously hooked. You guys HAVE to go check out her website where you can try her streaming workouts for free!!! I HIGHLY suggest the Tabata cardio workout, as it kicked my everything twice this week, and I still can’t wait to go back for more! (fyi: No barre is needed!)

Marriage Today ~ I’ll be the first to admit that marriage is hard work. It’s tough having two imperfect people bound together for better or worse, yet expecting happily ever after. A friend recently shared this website with me and I think whether you have struggles yet or not, this is definitely something to listen in on for words of wedded wisdom.

Dr Oz 3 Day Detox ~ And lastly, in the theme of #gethealthyjanuary, I put my Vitamix to work this week by doing the Dr. Oz 3 day detox. It’s by far the easiest and yummiest detox ever, and is the perfect way to jumpstart those New Years health goals! If you end up trying this, you have to let me know your thoughts!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Where I’ve Been…

On the SheKnows Mommalogues we were busy discussing…
~ Kindle or Old Fashioned Books? (what do you guys prefer?)
~ Our kids latest craft projects (I think I failed this one!)
~ Zumba vs. Yoga (Brilliant idea in 3, 2, 1….)
~ What our typical Saturday morning looks like (alone, alone, alone.)

On my Le Musings of Moi YouTube Channel I posted…
~ Yay or Nay: Reviews on products I used up (or just couldn’t use anymore!)
~ New Years Resolutions & How to make them WORK! (cause I can’t talk about this enough!)
~ Current Drugstore Lip Obsessions (I mean, seriously, I could throw away every other lip product I own now. I won’t. But, I could.)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Now it’s your turn!
Where have you been and what have you been loving?
Share with me!

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12:1unstuck ~ get healthy january

January 6, 2014

It’s a week into the New Year, and I still have that giddy butterflies excitement you tend to experience with new. I love when it still shows up with Jimmy, and it’s a feeling we all tend to long for and cling to whenever it so desires to show it’s face.

The New Year is like that for me. It’s a new relationship, a new love, and it is filled with hope and passion and potential.

Last week I shared how 2014 was to be a year of Getting Unstuck, and how we, as a family, are going to make each month intentional by focusing the 30-ish days to a different theme, goal, or value. We had a little impromptu family meeting where we threw out the idea to our kids, and the excitement was contagious. Everyone had their own ideas and desires to throw into the mix, and within minutes a list was created, and a plan was formed.

And because we’re Americans and also because of the gluttony that came with the Holidays, we chose to make Getting Healthy the focus of January.

Although for us, getting healthy is so much more than just eating right and being active, while those are still definitely among the top of our list. But, in addition to that, we long to get healthy in our minds and spiritual lives as well. Though we intend to delve even deeper into those areas in other months, it’s always good to start positive habits as early as possible.

Though all of this, we’re keeping the mindset of striving towards excellence all while maintaining a heart of grace. We realize we may not perfectly achieve our goals, but what’s most important is that we never stop trying. If we mess up, or begin to get off track, we’ll pick ourselves up, learn the lesson and move on towards better moments. It’s called, Getting Unstuck.

So the question on our minds and lips this month, whether related to our actions, thoughts, food, or activities will be:
“Is this healthy for me, or can I choose a better way?”

I’m excited and more than ready to be mindful of this, and my plan is to share here every Monday our tips, tricks and examples of how to make this month (as well as the rest of your life) a more healthy & happy one! I want to document this year as much as possible and make it a year of intention, a year to remember, a year to Getting Unstuck.

Are you in?

And, as always, if you have any ideas, tricks & tips as well, please be sure to leave them in the comments so that we can all check in to feel motivated and inspired!!! Also be sure to use the hashtags #12in1unstuck and/or #making2014count with your posts!

xoxo

*** for those of you that like to keep up with my YouTube channel, here’s a link to todays video: YAY or NAY? Reviewing Products I’ve used up (empties)

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12 in 1: a year to getting unstuck

January 3, 2014

I love New Years so much.
So much!

I love new.
I love markers.
I love fresh starts.
I love hope.

Every year for as long as I can remember I’ve always made a detailed list broken up into categories.
And then I think and pray over the New Year asking God to show me all the areas where I need growth and change.

I still have my lists from previous years all in one place, and I love looking over them to see where I’ve grown and where I still have yet to grow.
It shows me my sticky spots, and it proves how amazing God truly is at bringing strength and change.

It’s no secret that 2013 was tough.

And so this year, I truly long to make things different.
To fully make and embrace change that has meaning, that is necessary.
To get unstuck.

{via}

When I began to think over my resolutions, I started with my usual list of categories:
Mind, Health, Spiritual, Family, Work.
And then I stopped.
It didn’t feel right this time, I needed something different.

I considered choosing a word…
but that didn’t fit either.
It just didn’t seem enough to truly help me accomplish what I knew God was putting on my heart.

And then in that same week I was struggling with my list, I happened upon my dear friend Laura’s (Hollywood Housewife) post, as well as a TED talk from Matt Cutts, both inspiring messages about making changes in 30 days.
My heart felt alive with hope, and I knew that God, in the last minutes of 2013, was revealing to me exactly how I was to make 2014 count.

I knew this year needed to be more than just about me.
I had such a desire to include my family, bringing us together to shed bad habits, create healthy ones, and allow us to remember all that is truly important in this life we are living.

So how are we, as a family, going to make 2014 count?
It will be by doing this…
12 in 1: A Year to Getting Unstuck

Each month we’ll be embracing a new focus, habit, or theme and commit to being intentional in making it a part of who we are and how we live.
12 habits to put on in one 1 year’s time…dedicating ourselves to getting unstuck.

We’re starting January off with Health (more on this next week!), while the rest of the months have yet to be assigned.
But our family list includes: No Spend (unnecessarily), Kindness/Service, A Month of Learning, You Are What You Think, The Great Outdoors, Books Over TV’s (get it? like “Forks over Knives…”) and Organization…
(have other ideas? let me know in the comments!)

It’s a way to not only set goals, but to ensure they actually happen.
It’s a way to truly make each month memorable, to make each day count.
And when 2014 wraps itself up, we’ll be able to look back and know we did everything we could to live with intention.
We did everything we could to get unstuck.

And we did it together as a family.

~ While we’ll be doing this as a family, I plan on incorporating the themes and our journey through them into my blog and YouTube channel as well. This has always been a place to say, “Me Too…” and I think it would amazing to walk this journey together!

YOUR TURN!!! HOW IT WORKS:

~ First, head to each of the hostess’ sites to check out our posts!

~ Share your own answers to one or all of the following prompts as well!:

1. What is something you want to change, or a goal you want to set for the New Year, and what is your plan for making it happen?

2. Many people choose a word to reflect on, live by, or aspire to for the New Year. Let us know your word, how you decided upon it, and how you hope to incorporate it into 2014.

3. I will make 2014 count by…

~ You will then link up on any ONE of the hostess’ sites. Our links will be interlinked which means that your post will be displayed on all of our sites.

~ Share on Instagram with the hashtag #making2014count

*** This is a fun way to get some inspiration, make new friends, increase your readers and hopefully find some sweet ladies to connect with! ***

THE HOSTESSES:

1. Summer Saldana
2. Casey Wiegand
3. Kelli Murray
4. In Honor of Design
5. Little Baby Garvin
6. Small Fry Blog
7. Oh Dear Drea

HOW TO LINK UP:

1. Write your blog post
2. Copy your URL that links back to your blog/post
3. See where it says “Click here to enter ?” Click there and follow instructions!
4. Mingle other posts and make new friends!

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