Monday Motivation

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Friday Roundup

There's no place like home! And I'm glad to finally be back. We've just returned and I'm afraid I'll need a few days of recuperation before I get back to normal life. I came down with a horrible head cold the last couple of days in Toyko. If anyone has every flown with a head cold, you know that landing makes your head feel like it's going to explode and it is the type of terrible thing you wouldn't wish on an enemy. Thankfully, jet lag doesn't seem to be a problem, as I've slept almost 18 hours straight and am waking up early in the morning. I'll take it!  My time in Toyko was so busy, I wasn't really able to blog, but I do have a bunch of fun things to post for the next few weeks-robots, temples, sushi, clubs, fashion, cats, etc. good stuff is coming.

This roundup deinitey includes a lot of things I've been missing while traveling, like I said before, there's no place like home!

While on tour, I kept reading posts about beautiful homes like this one, thinking of doing some decorating when I got back to Seattle.

Has anyone tried How About We... for couples? It's set dates for couples, cookie tastings, cooking lessons, tours, etc. Looks like a fun way for Jason and I to enjoy Seattle.

Photoshopping baby photos for kindergarten admission in Hong Kong. Seems crazy, but I'll the kids I met in HK were super smart.

A balancing bath, for people like me who have missed their claw foot bathtub all month!

Cupcake ATM in New York, as much as I want one of these in Seattle, it would be bad, very bad.

Broccoli, Cheddar and Wild Rice Casserole-this is the sort of thing I want to be cooking now that I'm home.

iPhone tips, some of these are new to me.

Easter cookies with Nutella, yes please.

Terrarium DIY

Healthy snack for people like me who aren't eating sugar.

Puppies and Babies Oh My....

I mentioned yesterday that Myles' love for animals is making me kinda want to get a dog....and then I happened upon this link. Somebody stop me!!! The relationship between this toddler and his puppy is seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Myles: Eight Months Old

Baby Myles is eight months old! He is leaning over on his little arms trying to get the hang of the crawling position. He's got a lot of weight to support though at over 23lbs! This weekend we had sunshine and he is so hilarious to watch in the bright sunlight. We hit up Fremont Brewery and everyone was laughing at what a little vampire he looks like since he has hardly seen the sun his whole life! One of my favorite things about this age is the love he is developing for animals. He loves Rafa and is always trying to "pet" him, which Rafa tolerates. I've maybe never seen him more happy than when my sister's dog licks his little face and hands. KINDA makes me want to get a dog...kinda.

Monday Motivation

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Friday Roundup

Happy Friday! The sun is shining in Seattle and my longgg work week is finally over. I'm excited to enjoy all the spring flowers blooming in the city and hopefully soak up some sunshine this weekend. We are also going car shopping since ours was stolen a month back. Any tips out there for getting a good deal??

Here are some links to kick off the weekend:

Is the "Seattle Freeze" a real thing? Also, 6 things Seattleites should stop talking about.

This made me smile.

Great tutorial on unique and fun Easter Egg decorating.

This apartment in my favorite European city is pretty dreamy.

DJ and Steve reunited!!

For the guys in your life, 10 free ways to improve your style.

CRAZY swimming pool.

Love this lady, genius idea to get through a marathon.

This clip is epic, be sure to watch until the end if you saw American Hustle.

Grammer nerds: awesome Ted video on the Oxford Comma and commentary on the dreaded double space.

(Image from article on how to customize bentwood chairs.)

Welcome Spring!

FINALLY! This is the time of year I always rejoice there is suddenly a light at the end of the tunnel that is the gray and dreary winter in Seattle.  It is officially SPRING- the season of cleaning, showers and flowers, breaks, and baby animals. 

I feel like I cheated a bit by taking off at the end of February, experiencing the last few weeks of summer in Australia and New Zealand instead of the end of winter at home. Honestly though, seasonal depression definitely effects me and I'm not sure I could make it through a full winter in Seattle without traveling when I can and good friends, Netfix, occasional tanning and my Happy Light when I'm home.
Anyway, the worst is over! The sun is coming! REJOICE!

That is all. :)


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The Case For Lunch

This charming new cookbook, Lunch at the Shop, looks like just what I need these days. It was written by Seattle design shop owner and cook, Peter Miller, who for over a decade has made delicious lunches with his staff from fresh ingredients from Pike Place Market. The catch is, they don't have an oven or stove top in their offices so everything is fresh. The book is filled with gorgeous photos of their creations which include lots of delicious looking sandwiches and salads. My work lunches have become so boring and calculated, I need some inspiration!

More on the book here and here.

Resolutions Revisited

I thought it would be interesting to look back at my goals for 2014 and see how I'm doing 1/4 of the way through the year. The short answer, not so well. Oops! But, a good reminder to keep trying now rather than looking back in December and feeling like a failure. 

Thankfully, as I was looking down my list thinking, Floss- nope, drink more water-kind of, journal-that lasted two weeks, etc. finally I got to the last one LOVE and I feel like I'm doing ok on that one. Before we left for tour, I decided to give up complaining. While I know I'm not perfect, and I've probably done a little complaining about bumpy flights, early mornings, etc. over all, I feel like I'm loving the people around me well, being patient, kind, forgiving, helpful- or at least I'm trying my best. 

While migrating from hotel to hotel for a month doesn't easily facilitate day to day routines, it is perfect for spending time with the people you're traveling with and that's been my favorite part of this tour. Having conversations on planes, sitting in green rooms before shows start, killing time waiting to board the next flight. While my life feels a little chaotic, I also feel like I'm building relationships. 

When I'm home, that's when I'll get back to organizing my clothes and journaling, for now, I'll focus on people. 

And now, I'm off to floss my teeth!  

Stitch Fix Box #3

This will be my last Stitch Fix update on the blog, and it was my favorite so far! I kept three out of the five items sent -- my lame photo doesn't really do it justice. 

STRASBOURG SPLIT-NECK KNIT TOP $48 - rETURNED, This shirt was too boring for the price and didn't fit right. Love the color though! 

BARCELONA SOLID SHORT SLEEVE BLOUSE $68 - RETURNED, I actually really liked the fabric of this shirt but it was a bit too big and pricey for a plain work blouse. 

CONNELY SKINNY JEAN $78 - KEPT, Don't like these black jeans as much as the ones I got last month but they actually fit so I'm keeping them!

KAHLO EMBROIDERED RACERBACK TANK $48 - kEPT,  Love the color and fabric of this tank, it's a bit baggy but will be a fun, casual summer shirt. 

RICHLAND TRIBAL PRINT HENLEY BLOUSE $58 - KEPT, LOVE this shirt, wore it to work the next day. 

Monday Motivation

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Friday Roundup

Happy Friday! I wish I was in Seattle to celebrate Teresa's birthday this weekend. Instead, I get a bit of a day off in New Zealand and am excited to sleep in! Here are a few things that have kept me entertained in-between flights and shows this past week. 

"Newborn" announcement for adopted son. I love this.

SAT updates,  for those of you who miss high school.

Vogue on Seattle

Remember "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper"?

Read this and you too will want to be friends with Busy Philipps.

Keith Richards has written a children's book, and it looks super cute.

Interesting facts about songs. #42 is something I often tell people about.

Now you can tip your barista with the Starbucks app. 

Facebook makes you happy? 

Photos above from a show in Brisbane, Australia, check out more of what Jason and I have been shooting at macklemore.com. 

TERESA: IT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY.

You are 30! I'm so sorry that I can't be there with you to celebrate.  

Thinking back a DECADE (wow) to when we we're 20, I couldn't have imagined the lives we have now. You are a MOM and you make it look so easy! Mylo is exceptionally lucky to get to be your son. You're also an amazing and thoughtful friend, wonderful wife, stylish career woman and awesome blogger.

It makes me excited to see where we're at when we're 40. And when we're 80, hopefully traveling from Cape to Cairo by luxury train. Although, not so excited that I want that to come any quicker. Mainly, I'm thankful that when I'm with you we can still act like we're 18 sometimes. 

PS. I feel like there might be a little bit of Myles in your adorable baby face! 

Update On Lent

So I took the plunge and gave up sweets and TV for Lent like I was thinking about. It's only been one week and I already read an entire book! Jenny had let me borrow her copy of Where'd You Go Bernadette and I pretty much devoured it. It actually hasn't been hard to find other things to do in the evenings and with the time change (hallelujah!) they seem shorter any way. Giving up sweets on the other hand....has been a challenge. I LOVE my sweets and getting through the afternoons at work by gnawing on a banana or orange instead of a Snickers or milkshake just isn't quite the same. It's good for me though! I do want to detox from sugar and put healthy things in my body, just easier said than done. This recipe for homemade Samoa Girl Scout cookies looks so tasty, maybe for Easter??

Vegemite

A play by play of Jenny trying Vegemite:

To set the stage, I'm sitting in a cafe in Adelaide. I've ordered fruit and toast and on the side of my toast, is a small yellow packet. It's Vegemite. It's my last day in Australia, I must try it. It's meant to be. Here's how it goes down...

-Skeptically look at package, does it tell you what it's made out of? No. 

-Open package, it smells like dog food. What IS this? 

-Set it down and contemplate if I can manage to not draw attention to myself if I gag while eating it in this cafe filled with Australians who probably love Vegemite. 

-I'm brave. I can do this...

-Spreading it in a small corner on my toast...it's similar to Nutella in color and consistency...

-I quickly eye my coffee, making sure I have easy access to it.

-One, two, three, BITE!

-Ick! Ick! Ick!

-It taste like salty, like someone's sweaty socks that have been put in a blender with a some saltwater. 

-Maybe this is the sort of thing that grows on you? 

-SECOND BITE

-Nope! Didn't grow on me. 

-I gulp down the rest of my coffee, look around to see if anyone is watching the gross face I'm making.

-I can still smell it, wafting up from my plate as I put butter on my second piece of toast.

The next day...

Now that I finally have a free moment and access to working wifi, I've managed to google Vegemite and discovered it's made from leftover yeast made from brewing beer and it's good for you, rich in vitamin B. 

PS. Vegemite is available at World Market if you want to give it a whirl!

Do What You Love

I posted this article in the roundup a few weeks ago about the Do What You Love (DWYL) motto but since then I've had quite a few conversations about it. The mantra "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life" is pervasive among my generation and within the blogging community. I thought the article was thought provoking and brought up the flip side of DWYL and how it impacts those who aren't privileged enough to have that option and also those who are able to do it but aren't fairly compensated.

What do you think? If that version is too long here are some quotes from the article and a summary from Hairpin:

"There’s little doubt that “do what you love” (DWYL) is now the unofficial work mantra for our time. The problem is that it leads not to salvation, but to the devaluation of actual work, including the very work it pretends to elevate— and more importantly, the dehumanization of the vast majority of laborers.

“Do what you love” disguises the fact that being able to choose a career primarily for personal reward is an unmerited privilege, a sign of that person’s socioeconomic class. Even if a self-employed graphic designer had parents who could pay for art school and cosign a lease for a slick Brooklyn apartment, she can self-righteously bestow DWYL as career advice to those covetous of her success.

If we believe that working as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur or a museum publicist or a think-tank acolyte is essential to being true to ourselves— in fact, to loving ourselves— what do we believe about the inner lives and hopes of those who clean hotel rooms and stock shelves at big-box stores? The answer is: nothing.

(DWYL) shunts aside the labor of others and disguises our own labor to ourselves. It hides the fact that if we acknowledged all of our work as work, we could set appropriate limits for it, demanding fair compensation and humane schedules that allow for family and leisure time.

And if we did that, more of us could get around to doing what it is we really love."

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Tour Update

Hello from down under! We've just finished up with Australia, and are now onto New Zealand. I never thought I'd see so many Australian airports! A few of the cities were way too quick, not to mention back to back shows in the same day. But thankfully, we've gotten a few sightseeing adventures along the way, including a lovely day off spent boating in Perth and a rooftop movie night and some shopping in Melbourne.

Monday Motivation

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Friday Roundup

Happy Friday! March is finally here, flowers are blooming and the clocks will change this weekend. I'm a happy lady.

Here are some links to kick off the weekend:

It's National Cereal Day! Seven recipes that use cereal.

Did you watch the Oscars last weekend? The pizza guy was real and got his tip on Ellen. Also, what's your John Travolta name? Mines Theodore Harvis :) Annnnnd Kevin Spacey for the win on the red carpet.

9 reasons to bring back the cocktail party. YES.

What is Buzzfeed doing with all the data they are collecting from those quizzes?

Are creative people more dishonest? 

This breakfast dish looks so yummy.

Loving this "modern rustic" look, need to get some faux fur throws.

What you learn in your 40's...loved this.

What do you think of the new Annie trailer??

Our favorite 90's teenage heartthrobs today.

Watch your name grow and sink with popularity over 100 years, so cool.

Crazzzzy new app that helps you to read faster.

(Image of home for sale in Australia)

Myles: Seven Months Old

My baby is growing up so fast! As you can see, he has mastered sitting up on his own and is reaching forward to try the crawling position. He loves playing with Rafa and my sister's dog, going on walks to see the flowers blooming, eating avocado and broccoli, kicking his legs in the bath, singing with his dad and playing with mama's hair and necklaces. We are all happy that spring is on the horizon and we'll be able to spend more time outdoors! 

Storytelling

I loved watching this video of Ira Glass, host of This American Life, describing how to tell a great story. I'm inherently impatient so I tend to rush to the punchline when I'm telling a story. I like his tip about having a "moment of reflection" to go with anecdotes instead of just a list of events. I'm a big fan of This American Life, I have their app on my phone and listen to it on my way to and from work to calm my nerves on the road. I'm constantly amazed by how they can take a simple story and make it so enthralling.

Wedding Roundup

Yes, it's still the depth of winter for most of you, but if you're planning a summer wedding, you're probably spending the winter dreaming of dining al fresco at your reception, peonies and sparklers. Here are a few links with some great ideas for you...

Great idea for personalized napkins!

Lovely necklace

Flowers in her hair

Something Blue

Water for your guests for those really warm summer days.

I love the decor of this Australian summer wedding.

S'mores! 

Lovely lights

Romantic wedding ideas

Style Me Pretty's favorite honeymoon spots. 

Dried lavender confetti cones made out of pages from books (these make me sad Pinterest wasn't around when I got married)

Inn at Langley, Image via Studio JKoe

Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Month Favorites: Baby Gear

Here is some of our family's favorite gear from the fourth through sixth month stage. I'm thinking at the end of the year I'll have to put together a sort of ultimate registry guide as well, I loved what Cup of Jo posted last week.

1. Boon Bathtub Appliques: These are so wonderful, Mylo is OBSESSED with them. He loves playing with them in the bath but I also throw a few in the diaper bag and around the house for him to gum and play with. I'm going to buy these for every baby shower I attend in the future, one of my all time favorites.

2. Little Giraffe "Splash and Dry" Towel: Jenny bought this for Mylo and I can't describe how far superior it is to other towels we have for him. It's is super fast absorbing, drys quickly, is extremely soft and still big enough for him now. It's a little pricey but so worth it.

3. Jellycat Stuffed Animals: I can't get enough of the Jellycat animals and neither can Mylo. As I've mentioned before he love having soft things by his face while he sleeps and these Jellycat animals are just perfect.

4. Chewbeads: I got two sets of Chewbeads as gifts and thought they were super cute and fun. Little did I know that they would become one of Mylo's favorite toys too. They are nice to have in a restaurant or out and about because they serve the same purpose as a pacifier but don't get thrown on the floor quite as easily.

5. MAM Night Glow Pacifiers: These will be at the top of my "must get" registry items. I happend upon them by accident and they are AMAZING. I put like five of them next to Mylo when he goes to bed and both of us an can find them during the night when he wakes up because they really do glow. MAM was also the only brand of paci he would take as an infant.

6. BOB "Revolution SE" Stroller: We were lucky enough to be gifted a BOB stroller when Mylo was born. I also have the Britax B-Agile (which we love) and thought of the BOB as a fun extra. Boy was I wrong! We use the BOB every single day because the streets around our house are completely uneven and is more suited for rugged terrain. I love having the Britax stroller in my car for trips out shopping, etc and the BOB at home for exercise and long walks on uneven pavement. It will also be great when we are in Northern Idaho this summer!

7. The North Face "Buttery" Fleece Bunting: Another item that we used every single day this winter. Mylo loves to be outside and this little suit was our go to for wintery walks around Seattle. It is so incredibly soft and comfy.

8. Baby Einstein Musical Activity Jumper: We used this as a hand me down from Kenedee and it has been a total and complete lifesaver. Mylo loves to bounce in it and it gives us a break from holding him. He's been using it since about four months (he's tall) and I'm betting he won't grow out of it until he starts walking.

PS. First month and also second and third month favorites.

Seattle Spotlight: Lost Lake Cafe

I may be a few miles away, but if you're in Seattle, you should check out Lost Lake Cafe. It opened a little over a year ago, so maybe you've already been there, but I just discovered it a few weeks before we left and it is easily my favorite 24hr. spot in the city. 

The food is classic diner/cafe fare done well, I'm a fan of the pie and they have some great specialty cocktails, too. 

On top of the great food, what makes this WAY better than hitting up a Denny's at 2 am is the decor. It's a cross between a 50's diner and a hunting lodge, sort of a retro getaway in the middle of Capitol Hill. Check it out. It's always open. 

Teresa, they have waffles. We have to go when I get back! 

Also, they have a happy hour. 

Image @lostlakecafe

Monday Motivation

Do you give up anything for Lent? I have never participated but this year I feel like I need a change in my life and might use Lent as an excuse to get going with it. There are two things that I've been thinking about "sacrificing" this season, one is television and the other is sugar/sweets. Both have become unhealthy habits and are making me feel tired, lazy, and depressed. With the winter gloom I've gotten into a routine of powering through my afternoons at work with sweets and then getting home and making dinner, getting Mylo to bed and turning on the TV every single evening to catch up on my DVR. Now that spring is on the horizon it's time to find a more productive use of my time...I think if I wasn't watching so much TV I'd find time to do the things I actually WANT to do like blog, read, tidy, think, write, etc. Hmmm....decisions decisions.