El Guapo

Guapie, Guaps, Sir Guaps-a-lot, Fatty Boom-battie, Fatty Booms, Stinky, Big Lump. I think everyone had a nickname for you, because everyone loved El Guapo.

How did he get his name? It’s a story I love to tell.

Our baby Norman really needed a companion and I was determined to find the perfect match. After many disappointing adoption attempts, I thought maybe it wasn’t meant to be. On my way out of the Humane Society something compelled me to check the “adult cat room” on my way out. At the end of a narrow corridor of cages I saw this scrawny, little, crusty, white cat. One of the volunteers told me, “This is Hugo, one of the sweetest cats around.” After snuggling him for a bit and hearing more stories about how well behaved he is with other cats and children, I ask why he’s been left for so long. “Because everyone says he’s too ugly,” is what she told me.

Well F that, I demanded the paperwork immediately. Much to Dave’s surprise I came home with not a kitten, but this boney little guy we blessed with the name El Guapo, the handsome one.

The day we brought you home...

My matchmaking skills were spot-on. Norman and Guapo became immediate best friends. Well, more than that, really if you saw them. They were brothers, a true bonded pair.

This was all part of Guapo’s extreme charm. He made you love him.

Even as he ballooned up to some pretty fatty proportions, he had this way of sneaking up into your lap, thrusting his butt into your face and demanding a good long snuggle.

And your unforgettable toothless "smile."

And you were an amazing "big brudder," as Lucy called you.

There is no denying Guapo you were pure love. You loved to be loved, you loved to give love.

When Norman got sick you were with him until the end. I know that the reunion you two had at the rainbow bridge was a site to be seen. More snuggles and purrs than all the colors in that rainbow could handle.

We love you so much Pappa. Rest in peace, and please give Norman a kiss for me.

2015: Week 1

Happy 2015 everyone! We rang in the new year at a close friend's house, having a countdown with the kids at 8PM to allow them to celebrate. There were poppers and sparklers and we pretended to not notice Lucy sneaking a quick kiss with a friend.

I love new beginnings and opportunities to collectively take accountability. I have many visions for how I hope this year shapes up, because man, 2014, you were rough around the edges.

There were challenges, but I walked away with many things to be proud of and happy memories.

I became an aunt again! Baby Logan joined us in June. I can't wait to meet him in person, he's such a babe.

My BFF got married!

AND my brother-in-law got married!!

On the creative front, this year's August Break photo-a-day project facilitated by Susannah Conway was something I really cherished. Not only did I complete the challenge, I pushed myself to try new design and photographic techniques. The end result were some of the best photos I think I published this year.

On the personal front, I am most proud of the work I did to help raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer. I am so grateful for those who could donate and am so happy to continue to be active with Unravel Pediatric Cancer. Lucy and I are working on a new fundraising campaign to go along with the she.is.beautiful race we will be participating together in March. I love sharing this with her. She's been listening and learning. The other day I got my Unravel bumper sticker and she watched me put it on the car. She said, "I hope a doctor will see this." I do, too.

2015, let's do this.

My word for 2015 is YES. I want to turn "no" into "yes" and make things happen for myself. I hope you will stick with me and encourage me along the way!

xo

Becky

Normikins

Norman, when we first met you it was peak kitten season at the Humane Society. There were TONS of kittens and I was writing down the numbers of all the ones I wanted to hold and “test out” on a piece of paper. Suddenly one of the friends we were with said, “Oh my God, Becky. Look at this kitten.” In a sea of cute you somehow managed to out-cute them all. You were the most darling ball of orange fluff I’ve ever seen. I tossed that scrap of paper faster than you can blink and stood in front of the cage, blocking anyone else from seeing you. You were mine.

We originally brought you home because our angel Charlie was acting up, and we thought maybe she would like a kitten. Ha! She didn’t take very kindly to you, but that didn’t stop you from sneaking up when she was sleeping to try and get a cuddle. After she left us too soon, we thought maybe you needed a friend, and that is when the love affair of a lifetime began.

You were still just under a year old when, to everyone’s surprise I walked in with this bony, crusty, adult cat we lovingly named El Guapo. At the Humane Society they had educated me about how to slowly introduce you two over the course of a few weeks. Again, ha! The suspense was killing me, so I introduced you two right away. You hissed for the first time in your life, Guapo blinked and the rest is a story of endless snuggles, licks and adorable antics.

You were also the first cat we introduced to Lucy. We knew you were gentle and kind and would want to meet the new creature in the house. Since birth Lucy has been surrounded by fur and snuggles--so many of them with you.

A few weeks ago we noticed your eyes were irritated. That led to a cancer diagnosis. As a baby when we first brought you home you were very sick. We nicknamed you “Ducky” because you kept sneezing and it sounded like you were quacking. We came full circle, trying to coax you with chicken broth, baby food and eggs in the end, just like the beginning. We resolved to make your last days as comfortable as possible and took comfort in the fact that we could help you avoid pain.

Lucy and I went and picked out a bed for you, big enough, of course, for Guapo to get in as well for a snuggle.

I think he knew. That day as I waited by the phone for your diagnosis he sat in my lap for hours. And on those low days he was always by your side, a bonded pair for life.

On the last day we knew something was different. You came upstairs again and even jumped on the bed, even though you hadn’t eaten in over a week. By late afternoon your body was telling us it was time to go. I’m glad you spent so many hours sleeping on your Daddy’s lap that day. After checking my camera the next day, I realized you also went upstairs and visited Lucy's bedroom and snuggled in her bed. I think you knew it was your last night with us.

You made it exactly two weeks. Thank you for giving us that. I spent many hours brushing your fur. I knew you would want your mane to look nice when you left. Lucy read you books and sang you songs. Guapo licked your head and hogged the bed.

I was with you and Dr. Johnson as you drew your last breaths. Stroking your beautiful fur, telling you what a good boy you are, looking into your eyes. It was peaceful, and yes, your looked pretty

Afterwards we bought two balloons, one white and one orange. A white one for my parent’s dog Jack who recently passed and an orange one for you. We let Lucy release them and disappear into the clouds as we heard out neighbor’s son practice his violin. He was playing "Pure Imagination," from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

You brought so much quiet, gentle joy to our lives. Thank you for 11 fluffy years of love. We will forever miss you.

There is no

Life I know

To compare with

Pure imagination

Living there

You'll be free

If you truly wish to be

xo Mommy

Last September

Last September I wasn't fundraising for Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. That's because last September I had never known anyone impacted by it.

Last September I would have scrolled past this post.

Last September my friend Libby had four beautiful children.

Last September her eldest daughter Jennifer's biggest worry was likely what costume to choose for Halloween.

Last September Jennifer did not know the word "tumor."

By next September 13,500 more children in the US will have been diagnosed with Cancer.

And the truth it could be the child of someone I know. Or the unspeakable.

Next September a whole new army of parents and shocked on-lookers like myself will take to Facebook asking for your donations.

Because the truth remains it could happen to anyone.

And the truth remains that a cure can only be found with funding.

Funding for Pediatric Cancer Research comes almost entirely from grassroots organizations created by families whose children have been impacted by Cancer.

I support Unravel Pediatric Cancer as their mission is to cure the most complicated Cancers, Pediatric Cancers, so that all of Cancer might unravel.

Please, be brave and click the link to my fundraising page. http://flittering.causevox.com/becky-parker

xo Becky

What the August Break Means to Me

I first became aware of Susannah Conway through my friend Tracy. She thought I might really enjoy one of her photography e-courses. I did, and ended up taking almost all of her courses! “Taking her courses” isn’t even a really good way to describe it. It’s more like participating in one of her creative gatherings. Through them I was able to connect with a whole network of artists, writers and photographers online for which I am eternally grateful. The August Break 2013, Day 10: Red

A few years back Susannah wrote about The August Break which was simply a time for bloggers to take a time out from their schedules and have a collective reset. The following year when she wrote about it again she added the fun component of a photo-a-day challenge, a way to keep creativity going. I wasn't really a blogger, but I sure do love a photo-a-day challenge!

The August Break 2013, Day 17: Touch (photo taken by Lucy)

For me the August Break is a way to reawaken my creativity. I love waking up with a mission, especially a collective one. I love knowing that all these people are walking around trying to find the same thing, and yet at the end of the day we all end up with something unique.

The August Break 2013, Day 6: Diagonals (I miss those shoes!)

I hope some of you will join me and everyone else taking part! I hope you will also take some time to get to know the lovely Susannah. Her blog is a beautiful place. Here’s the list of daily prompts:

I'll be posting my pics here and on Instagram @beckycat1

XO BECKY

The August Break

Susannah Conway, photographer, blogger, author, teacher and all-around cool chick, is hosting the fourth annual "August Break." I think this is a fun exercise, whether or not you blog or take pictures. The idea is simply to take some time to look inside.

This year Susannah has also arranged daily photo prompts to be used (or not). Since I love a good photo prompt project, how could I resist?

I'll be posting a picture and maybe a few words here every day in August following the list below:

If you like to take pictures, even just with your cell phone, you should join in and post daily to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Flickr - whatever your heart desires! I love doing shared photo projects, so I look forward to seeing all of your breakfast's tomorrow :).

xo Becky

1, 2, THREE!!

Lucy turned three this past weekend and we had a super fun party for her. She told me she wanted a "strawberry party," so this is what we did...

Lucy made strawberry decorations...

We also made easy treat bags together...

We got cute Mara-mi table accessories from Target...

Set up a "tattoo booth" with Tattly tattoos...

I made an indestructible piñata that Dave had to finally smash open...

We set up a painting wall...

The kids ate grilled cheese...

And played in the water...

I made these random cheese people...

And a strawberry cake...

An awesome party for my awesome (not so) little girl, Lulu!

xo

Becky

Dear Lucy

Dear Lucy, Today you turn THREE years old! I can't even believe it. I've got to say you have accomplished quite a lot for having only been here 1,095 days. You start preschool this month and you are totally ready. You count to twenty (with only a few mistakes), know all your letters and their sounds, can complete your 50 states puzzle by yourself and paint a great portrait of your three cats.

You've been going to dance for over a year and started ballet a few months ago. You adore your teacher, Miss Christine, and love to hug all your little friends. You also love to bust a move at home to Gangnam Style, anything by Justin Timberlake and the crazy songs you and Daddy make up.

Outside our home you have SO many people who love you. You spend most days with Granny and Grampy while we work - a GINORMOUS blessing to all of us. You look forward to going to see them and Jack every day and often tell us on the weekends that you miss them. And don't forget Uncle Simon! What would you do without his crazy "turkey on a stick" game or general willingness to answer to your every beck and call?

We are lucky enough to have Auntie Fran and Uncle Eric here at the moment with your cousin Lila. The look of pure joy on Lila's face when she sees you is priceless.

Pop Pop is just around the bend and you can't wait to get to his house and play hide and seek, run up the stairs to snoop in the closet or sneak off to play the Baby Grand. And then when Dan Dan and Meredith arrive it's time for you to put on a dance show and beg everyone to come and play.

GG and Bob Bob fly and drive to see you as much as possible. We always get to spend time with them in all sorts of exciting places - particularly when we go to the sea. You're becoming more and more of an out going little lady and I know you are going to ham it up BIG TIME when you see them next month.

And then we also can't forget all your friends! Alex, Emily and your BFF Joss. You two are the CUTEST and it's so much fun watching the two of you grow up together. You've had a few successful (more unsuccessful due to being goofy girls) sleepovers, gone to the zoo, Fairyland and Pixieland - and also had your first haircut her!

We love going on "family dates." Mostly trips out to dinner, but lately to the movies as well. You saw your first movie, Ice Age 4. You made it only about 40 minutes in, but I commend you for sitting through the 50 minutes of previews as well. We've since seen Madagascar 3, The Croods (first movie all the way through!) and Epic. You came to my work and were blown away by the on-site theatre, clearly a movie buff in the making.

Your favorite activities are definitely art, playing with your "babies" (stuffed animals), building forts with Daddy, dancing and making music, "playing puzzle games" (puzzles), reading, playing at the park, eating croissants at the coffee shop and watching silly cats on You Tube.

And of course we MUST mention your three very best friends - Norman, Spencer and El Guapo. Each morning you are greeted with bed snuggles with Spencer, your "naughty cat," with whom you have become the cat whisperer, only suffering a few minor bites and scratches. Norman, your "fluffy cat," tries to get away, but you always prevail in the end, digging him out of his laundry nest for a quick hug and kiss.And then there's Guapo. The cat you call your "big brother," whom up until this year WAS bigger than you. Your "fatty cat" is with you always, begging for snuggles and scratches, pleading for food and treats.

You are a bright, fun, loving and beautiful little girl.

Yesterday I said, "I love you, Lucy. You are my angel." And you responded, "I love you, too. You are my reindeer... and Daddy is my cow."

This reindeer and cow love you SO FREAKING MUCH! Happy birthday Bubba Bean.

Hey goat, what's going on?

This past weekend we went to Harley Farms in Pescadero with Lucy and Pop Pop.

There were baby goats...

piles of them...

PILES of them!

A short walk down a grassy path lead to a shop that sold soaps, lotions, gardening tools...

Pop Pop bought Lucy some paint made from goat's milk (who knew!?).

Then it was time to talk to some goats again...

The water closet is that way...

Next we went inside to the cheese shop next to the dairy and tasted LOTS of goat cheese. It was delicious...

Upstairs was an amazing room that had Simon and Garfunkel blaring...

And a view that overlooked the farm and garden...

On our way out we said goodbye to the goats one more time. Those eyelashes!

Such a perfect day. Thanks Pop Pop!!

xo Becky

happy 2013!

Happy New Year!! A quick look back at 2012...

This year we watched Lucy grow into quite a young lady. She's not our baby anymore (sniff sniff).

We took a lot of walks, many to the mall across the street to ride the cars and take family portraits in the photobooth.

We took Lucy to her first Oktoberfest and I took full advantage of the costume opportunity.

I played around with graphic design more this year - something I hope to continue to improve upon in the new year.

Several of our friends got engaged in 2012 and we attended one wedding. I'm looking forward to many more in 2013!

We spent many evenings enjoying dinners with family. I'm so happy we can live here in California so close to so many people.

Lucy brought sunshine to every situation and reminded me to be creative and to always look on the bright side.

We wore Converse and took pictures to capture where we've been and where we're going.

Lucy turned two and we had a colorful painting party. All Lucy's favorite friends and family were there - including her cousin Lila all the way from New York!

I made my first Instagram coasters.

And continued my love for Instagram in general... Thank you everyone on there for your constant inspiration!

We had a ton of family dates! (my favorite)

We had our smashing, annual Oscar party.

We goofed around with friends. (You know who you are and that I loooove you.)

Dave and I spent our 6th anniversary in Napa and ate at Morimoto's. AMAZING.

Lucy started dance class. She attended a "mommy and me" class with her Granny and graduates this month to Ballerina Princesses!

I was introduced to Susannah Conway online and began her coursework in blogging and self discovery through self portraiture. I met many creative women who have inspired and lifted throughout 2012. I'm excited to be embarking upon the expanded Unravelling 2013 Project with many those same people, and look forward to the opportunity to connect with many more.

My word for 2013 is HEALTH.

Healthy body.

Healthy mind.

Healthy family.

I wish you all a wonderful year ahead!

xo Becky

saturday: a photo an hour

7 AM Snuggles with Spencer.

8 AM

Making breakfast.

9 AM

Grocery list making.

10 AM

Coffee with my boo.

11 AM

Grocery shopping.

12 PM

Heirloom tomatoes, basil, mozzarella and balsamic glaze. OMG.

1 PM

Packing up some of Lucy's old clothes for Lila.

2 PM

Organizing Lucy's hair accessory drawer. (Can you tell she's been napping during these last two photos ?)

3 PM

Playing dress up in a new tutu for dance class.

4 PM

Painting.

5 PM

Adding the final ingredients to the slow cooker.

6 PM

Dinner! White bean soup with andouille and kale.

7 PM

Watching Toy Story with Unkie and El Guapo.

8 PM

Bedtime for Lulu.

9 PM

My turn to snuggle a cat.

10 PM

Nail painting.

I went to bed soon after this. An"early" Saturday night. Another fun day with some of my favorite people and animals. Hurray for Saturdays!!

last sunday - a photo an hour - just because

8AMDaddy was staying at a friend's house, so when Lulu woke up we had mama/daughter snuggles in bed. I love this morning ritual SO much.

9AM

Breakfast, coffee and shopping list making time.

10AM Target! Lucy is going through a phase where she doesn't want to sit in the cart anymore, which is further complicated by her current phase of wanting to hide in the clothing racks and jump out and yell "booya!" at other shoppers. I bribed her with a cake pop from the Starbucks that's inside the store to sit in the cart. A mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do sometimes.

11AM Out for a walk to the park we ran into one of out cats, El Guapo, aka Pappa, aka Fatty Booms, aka Sir Guaps-a-lot.

12PM Winding down before nap time, playing trains with Daddy. We got some new pieces from Ikea the day before so it was a pretty exciting moment.

1PM Decorating. We also got a new shoe storage solution from Ikea (blog post soon) so I of course had to redesign the art on the wall.

2PM Prepping dinner in the slow cooker. What an awesome invention...

3PM Iced coffee time! I recently began drinking coffee again. My friend told me, "it's a slippery slope." So true, but damn, it's just so good.

4PM MORE decorating. Framing some art with frames we got at Ikea. If you need cheap frames, it's the place to go. We got 7 big ones for less than 30 bucks.

5PM High priority work - doing my nails for the upcoming week. These are Sally Hansen Salon Effects (Hiss-terical design) which are so great. No dry time and they last for about 2 weeks with no chipping.

6PM Returning from another walk. The doorstep is the only reliable place I can get Lucy to pose for pictures. Getting her to smile is another story.

7PM Din din time! I made buffalo chicken lettuce wraps. REALLY good.

8PM Bedtime ritual: bath, brush teeth, vitamins, brush hair and 2 books.

9PM Working on a future blog post, practicing my graphic designing.

10PM Turning in early, reading Gone Girl on my iPad.

'Twas a good day!

xo Becky

merci beaucoup. danke. grazie.

Two days ago I received something AWESOME. A nomination for a Reader's Appreciation Award from Allison from Learning to Shine. I'm still shocked that anyone reads my blog, let alone really likes it, so I was overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude. Thank you, Allison, I really do feel like Sally Field winning that Oscar.

The concept of this nomination is to post a quick blurb about yourself in the form of  a"Seven Things you Don't Know about Me" list,  then pay it forward to some other bloggers who also deserve a nomination.

So, here ya go!

Seven Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. I started college as a creative writing major. I had high (unrealistic) hopes of becoming a poet someday. During my fist quarter at UC Santa Cruz I took and intro to film class and fell in love. The next day I changed my major and graduated with a BA in Film and Digital Media, Theory and Criticism.
2. One of my talents includes being able to touch my nose with my tongue.
3. I was born in the UK and moved to the US when I was 5. I am STILL not a US citizen because I'm scared to take the test (and it costs a bunch of money).
4. My favorite board game is Scategories (but only because I ALWAYS win).
5. If I could only eat two things for the rest of my life they would be sushi and ice cream.
6. I've had 8 MRIs, 4 CAT scans, 2 surgeries and 3 overnight stays in hospitals in my lifetime. Hopefully there will be no more of that.
7. I am happiest first thing in the morning when my daughter climbs into bed with Dave and I and we snuggle with our cats.

Blogs I Appreciate

Corbae Cafe

Victoria delights me weekly with her insightful "Enthusiasms" posts where she shares lists of food, events, books, people and products  - things she is really excited about. I love when people whose opinions I trust recommend things. She also has many posts that get me thinking about life in a much more positive way. Her posts on such topics such as writing a personal manifesto and how cats can help you learn the art of relaxation have taught me a lot. Thank you, Victoria!

Rowdy Kittens

A few years ago I saw an episode of Design Star where they had to decorate these tiny houses that were about 7 x 18 ft. Not only did they need to be decorated, they also had to be designed as functional living spaces with a bed, bathroom, kitchen and sitting area. It was FASCINATING and I totally thought these house were just made up for this show. I was shocked when I took an e-course with Tammy and started reading her blog which chronicles her life living in a tiny house! Her musings on simple living are extremely inspirational. Plus she has super cute cats. Thank you, Tammy!

Francesca Russell

Francesca (my sister) has done something awesome. She is one of the only people I know who decided early on in life that she wanted to follow a career path in the arts and ACTUALLY SUCCEEDED.  I hope that one day I can turn to my daughter with all honesty and confidence and say, "you can be whatever you want when you grow up." My sister proves this is true and she is a real inspiration to me. She blogs about her work as a Broadway a stage manager and life as a new mama. I think the theatre world is very exciting, visceral and romantic, so I love living vicariously through her drop dead gorgeous photographs. Plus I get to see tons of photos of my adorable niece. Thank you, Fran!

six years ago today

Six years ago today Dave and I got married! If you ask most people about that day they will remember this - it was 105 degrees!

Photography and images hold a very special place in my heart for so many reasons. On this day in particular because I can look back and see exactly what I remember...

For starters the setting was AMAZING. We were married at Hakone Gardens in Saratoga, California which is gorgeous. If you saw the movie Memoirs of a Geisha you might recognize this scene which was filmed there...

Dave and I spent many of our first dates visiting the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, so these gardens had a very special meaning to us.

My dress was simple, white with chevron detailing, a low back with ribbons trailing in the back...

And I rocked a serious side ponytail...

This is one of my favorite pictures from that day. Dave and I on the bridge after the ceremony, and one of our flower girls Alyssa, caught off to the side photographing us...

Every time I look back at our wedding photos they retell the story over again for me...

Eudora Welty said "A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away."

These moments for me will never run away...

A beautiful day, filled with beautiful people in a beautiful place.

Happy sixth anniversary Dave.

xo Becky

...Most photos in this post by Tess Marie Photography...

lucy turned 2!!!

Last week Lucy turned two years old! It's crazy town to think about all of the huge milestones and events that we witnessed this year:

Your first converse, developing your wacky sense of humor, cultivating your appreciation of music, being naughty (on purpose!), going trick-or-treating...

Going down the slide on your own, appreciating rock, drinking your first beer (just kidding! - this was homemade root beer at you first Oktoberfest!), becoming an artist and your first trip to the beach.

I can't believe this was you one year ago:

Now you are a spunky little toddler who can dance, play with bubbles, tease your cats, bang the drums, watch Puss in Boots, run around, swing too high, search for ants, play pretend, sing along to almost anything and say I LOVE YOU.

I love you, too my Lulu Bean. You are my heart and my joy.

xo Mama

Stay tuned for pics and tips for a 2-year old birthday party!

saturdays with instagram - my current faves

check in

So it’s been 4 months since my birthday and I set a LOT of goals to accomplish. I’m feeling a bit behind, mostly because I’m not sure that will be able to pull it all off. But if I can’t, so what? I made up the game for myself so I can make the rules, too. The first rule of Birthday Goal Club - don’t dwell on Birthday Goal Club. I have managed to knock a few of these out, so here’s a progress report:

1. Take a class with Lulu

Lucy and I took a dance class together. Besides being at 8AM on a Saturday, it was AWESOME! I plan on signing up for more but am taking a little break as I concentrate on my own courses that I am taking.

4. Take more breaks at work

This has been hard and maybe I’m cheating again by putting it on my “done” list as it is very much a work in progress. Something that has been a big help has been my engagement in work outside of “work.” The classes that I am taking make me excited to sneak a peek at Flickr or go outside to search for something to photograph.

10. Get shellac

I promptly got shellac right after I wrote this list, courtesy of my BFF. It was amazing, just like I knew it would be! It lasted for over two weeks - the picture below was taken after 14 days! The only reason I ended up taking it off was because I was itching for a new color.

13. Take Lulu to the beach

Some of our family just moved to Soquel, so we were able to spend Easter in Capitola and take Lucy to the beach for the first time. Part of me felt like an idiot for living where I do and going almost 2 years without visiting the beach with my daughter, but quickly forgave myself when we got there. She loved it, of course, and yelled “sandbox!” over and over again for days after we had left.

22. Take an art class

Although it’s technically a not photography course, Unraveling: Ways of Seeing Myself  is focused on using photographs as a tool for self discovery. This class has reinvigorated my creative spirit and connected me to my camera in a brand new way.

28. Spend more than $30 on a pair of shoes

One of my Unraveling assignments was all about feet - where you are, where you’ve been, where you’re going. In addition to inspiring thought and creativity, it also inspired me to go and buy two very nice pairs of shoes for myself!

31. Take  a picture of myself that I like.

I thought this one would be a giant challenge. Luckily a few recent assignments forced me to take some of my very first self portraits EVER and, dare I say, I like a few??

There’s still a lot of work to be done, and like I said before, I may not finish it all, and that’s ok. It’s actually better than ok because I’m accepting it without feeling bad. I work hard - at home, in my life and in my career. I TRY hard - to be a good mom, wife, friend and person. I put my heart into everything I do and all the people I do it with and that is certainly nothing to feel bad about.

xo Becky

snap happy

The past two weeks I have been emerged in Susannah Conway's ecourse, Ways of Seeing Myself. It's got me thinking all sorts of wonderful, creative thoughts and feeling so much joy. I'm realizing that our photographs say so much more about ourselves than just where we've been and who we've spent our time with. Our images share a piece of what we were feeling at a specific moment in time.

What watching the rain on a warm night from the porch feels like...

What discovering art feels like...

What being with friends feels like...

What being amazed by nature feels like...

What being amazing with what humans can do with nature feels like...

What a hug feels like...

What love feels like...

So thank you for taking random pictures of your cat, your lunch, you fingernails and the clouds. Thank you for posting and sharing a piece of who you are.

Follow me on Instagram, Flickr, Facebook and Twitter and I'll follow you back!

xo Becky

homework

Last week on The Joy the Baker Podcast Tracy and Joy posed a challenge to their listeners - share five of your current obsessions with the world. So, here you go: 1. Nails Inc. Special Effects: At first I thought it was a ploy. What's so special about it? Looks like glitter polish to me. But, oh no! It really is special. This polish illuminates really well against all colors and picks up the light in amazing ways. I have received numerous compliments especially under low lights (most frequently by waitresses). It's really worth it, I swear.

2. The Joy the Baker Podcast: This show has been on for close to one year and it makes me look forward to Thursdays. I love to settle in to a lame task at work, slip on my headphones and escape into the world of unimportant girl talk. Every episode has me laughing and wishing the show was live because I've had way too many "oh, tell me about it!" moments where I wish I could call in. These blazin' ladies also serve up a big chunk of creative inspiration that keeps me going. Listen, you won't be sorry.

3. Instagram: Instagram is a super fun social networking tool that focuses on sharing photos. I love getting glimpses into people's every day lives and sharing a bit of my own. There's something very intimate about this uncomplicated way of communicating that has me smitten.

4. Chevron stripes: It all started on my birthday when I got some storage containers from Target. And then I bought more, and more. And then I got some dish towels, and then I saw this headboard, and oh... This pattern just makes me HAPPY.

5. Up All Night: My favorite new show of the year staring Christina Applegate, Will Arnett and Maya Rudolf. Not only do I love seeing a working mom on TV who actually works, it's hilarious. Also, I'm pretty sure if these characters were real they would all be my best friends.

This challenge was HARD! I had way more things I could have listed, but managed to wrangle myself in. Good job, me.

xo Becky

thirty five

Thirty five things to try and do before I turn 36 (AK!):

1. Take a class with Lulu
2. Hang curtains in dining room (that have been in the closet since before Lulu was born)
3. Redecorate (or actually DECORATE) bedroom
4. Take more breaks at work
5. Eat dinner at the table more
6. Cook one new thing a month
7. Execute a chore schedule
8. Learn (again) how to sew and make some pillows
9. Learn some makeup techniques
10. Get shellac (it looks rad!)
11. Get a facial (I've never had one!)
12. Get a massage (notice a pattern?)
13. Take Lulu to the beach
14. MORE girls nights
15. MORE date nights
16. Finish garden
17. Find a blogging community to belong to
18. Organize my photos
19. Create an original piece of art to hang in my home
20. Open my Etsy store
21. Take better care of my skin
22. Take an art class
23. Start doing yoga again
24. Clean out the garage
25. Hang more artwork throughout the apartment
26. Go on a vacation!
27. Take a day off for no reason at all
28. Spend more than $30 on a pair of shoes
29. Make another photo book
30. Fit into my favorite pants
31. Take a picture of myself that I like
32. Learn to make resin jewelry
33. Host a dinner party
34. Pickle something
35. Get another tattoo (oh yeah)

Here's to another awesome year!