Breath.

Beautiful.
http://www.flixxy.com/okinawa-churaumi-aquarium.htm

Wordle.

Alice.

Ohhhh, I am so excited!!
http://www.filmofilia.com/2009/07/22/alice-in-wonderland-teaser-trailer/
The trailer is at the bottom.

Beautiful.

forty-five thoughts for my daughter and my virtual daughters
By Francesca Lia Block. (via galadarling.com)

i always believed if i had blond hair, pixie face big breasts everything would be all right not realizing that culturally idolized beautyis not only fool proof but potentially dangerous
if you believe in your own unconventional beauty when you are young you will accomplish twice as much and suffer half so
turn off lightbulbs and light a candle
walk don’t drive
plant a tree
wear sunscreen
dancing is an antidepressant
kindness is the new status symbol
every day please try to eat something green and something orange that grow out of the ground
tell me how mad you are that your father and i parted i will always listen though i can’t ever take away the pain
expectations are for what you yourself create
they rarely work when applied to others
turn off the television
tv is a depressant
yoga is an antidepressant
don’t feel guilty about wanting pretty things
they would not be so alluring if you weren’t supposed to want them just don’t value them over compassion
use your words even when you are a grown-up and people no longer think it is entirely acceptable when you say, that hurt my feelings
if you can digest chocolate eat it sometimes
same goes for ice cream(i don’t really need to tell you those things do i?)
do your homework because it is part of the game but
don’t spend too much time worrying about grades
fall in love with someone kind who loves your bodyand your mind
if you have a dream that won’t let you go, that tickles your solar plexus, heed it
turn dark feelings into paintings or poetry or dancing
music is a kind of food
if you are sad talk to a happy woman who loves you it will always help
move your body when you are sad or angry
avoid the following:genetically modified ingredients parabens sodium lauryl sulfate mercury in certain fish neurotic thoughts about food(is that a contradiction?)
love your curls though they tangle your pale skin though it can burn in the sun your nose though it is broader than someyour sturdy legs and feet
forget barbie she does not possess imagination
remember you are a botticelli angel
the planet we live on is perfection
love her like a goddess
love yourself as her daughter
there is a planet full of different kinds of beauty
the idea that only one type of woman is beautiful is blasphemy
of everything i brought to the world in these forty-five years you and your brother are by far the most astounding
because of this i will always love your father
matter never vanishes, only changes
remember that when someone you love dies
your round head on my breast when you were bornis the memory i will keep with me when i leave this body
when i am gone i will still be near you
this is how i know: when you were born it was not a meeting but a reunion

Babies.

Whenever we go anywhere Nonie has to collect all of her babies. Especially now that she is in the big girl bed, she has to have like 8 stuffed animals with her. I had to dig her out this morning.

I took these picture on Friday when we were getting ready for school. She insisted everyone go with us.

I can't really blame her since it is genetic. When I was growing up (okay, I still do this) I would ALWAYS have to take a bunch of books or sketch pads or something BECAUSE GOD FORBID I GET BORED FOR ONE MINUTE.

Ideas.

I love the Internet. No, seriously. Like a deep undying love.
Here are a few things that I have found that are inspiring me. My apologies in advance because I have NO idea where I collected them.
Enjoy.

Celebrate.

We journeyed down to Florida for the last time over the fourth. As of this time next week the in-laws will have sold their house in Florida and be on their way to their new house exactly 9/10 of a mile away from us. We are very excited. Here are some pictures from the festivities:

Nonie in her towel toga.

This is Nonie's classic big lip. Whenever she is sad or upset you have about a 30 second warning while the big lip unfolds.

Nonie decorated her grandparent's house for the fourth.

She is such a fashonista.

Bounty.

I never anticipated the joy I would have when cooking and serving my own homegrown food. Nor did I know how much BETTER it tastes.

Tonight I made baked chicken that had been stuffed with fresh mozzarella (from our local Italian butcher) and homemade pesto (we have a ton of basil in the garden. I poured some- get ready for it- HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE under it. I have been wanting to make sauce this whole summer and we finally had enough tomatoes. Okay, almost enough tomatoes. I had to supplement some canned organic crushed tomatoes.

As a side, I made Squash Carpaccio. I used the mandolin to slice zucchini and summer squash super thin and layered it with finely minced red onion, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and fresh herbs. It was topped with just a sprinkle of grated Parmesan and it was fricking amazing. I don't think I have ever had raw squash and it is so much better than cooked!

I am so proud of the meal and it is really inspiring me to plant a bigger garden next year. So, go plant some veggies! Even if you have to plant them in a pot or in a community garden...just DO IT! It is so worth the (minimal) effort.

Gratitiude.

How do you raise children to be grateful? Is it a learned behavior? Can children even grasp the concept?

I have had the same New Year's resolution for the past three years-to write more letters. As with most resolutions this did not happen...until this year. I decided that I would start sending letters to the people who have impacted my life and thank them. Have you ever really thought back on all the people who have helped you get to where you are? It is a very humbling activity because you realize that you could not have gotten where you are without the help of friends and family. I have only checked a handful of people off my list, but I am still working on it. I hope that it will be a practice that I keep for the rest of my life.

As I have worked on my letters, the larger concept of gratitude began to intrigue me. Mainly, I wonder if true gratitude is something that you can't begin to appreciate until you are old enough to understand the world outside of you. Children (and let's be honest- some adults) only see how things affect them and everything is in direct proportion to themselves. This is a basic physiologic development. I think back and although I was appreciative of things while growing up, I didn't really have a deep down sense of gratitude. Maybe it boils down to whether or not someone feels entitled. I am not sure.

So, I digress back to the original question...is it possible to instill your child with a sense of gratitude or does it naturally develops over time? It is such an important value to me and I want to be able to raise Nonie to understand that life will bless you and life will challenge you. Either way, the lessons you learn have to be appreciated. More and more I have begun to feel that in order to be happy you have to recognize the small part you place in the grand scheme. But, like the smallest cog in a wristwatch, it won't run without your contribution.

List.

I was inspired earlier this year by Maggie at Mighty Girl to publish my life list. Recently, Intel decided to sponsor her list (isn't that AMAZING?!?!) Here is my list....which is always in progress.

The List:
1. Scuba dive
2. Raft or tube in an underground cave
3. Visit the Paris catacombs
4. Grow veggies- DONE!
5. Do improve comedy
6. Finish my old scrapbooks
7. Speak French fluently
8. Learn proper knife skills
9. Explore Jr league
10. Show at a gallery
11. Become a good quilter
12. Teach some sort of class
13. Have one moment where EVERYTHING is put away
14. Write a children’s book
15. Attend a ball
16. Join PEO- DONE!
17. Sew a quilt on machine- IN PROGRESS
18. Sew a quilt by hand (full size)
19. Take singing lessons
20. Take Tim to London
21. Try a sensory deprivation tank
22. Map ancestry on both sides- IN PROGRESS
23. Try 20 new fruits
24. See the northern lights in person
25. Sell a painting to a stranger
26. Start composting
27. Start collecting rain water
28. Find or start a charity that I really believe in
29. Run a marathon
30.Do a motivational speech in front of strangers
31. Learn to take great photos

Project.

Here is the latest project: Beau made the dresser, we bought the drawer pulls at Anthropologie and I painted it to match Nonie's room.

Beau also made one for the next door neighbor's daughter. We were thinking about approaching some of the local kid's furniture stores and boutiques about letting us put a couple samples out to see if there is any interest. I think Beau would LOVE to do this sort of thing as his full time job.