here

farmer's market flowers

here: a little girl plays with cousins and giggles and runs and plays with sidewalk chalk and seems to feel at home

here: the familiar roads of my childhood

here: watermelon as a late-night snack

here: middle-of-the-night thunder cracking, lightning across the sky storm

here: we are all reminded that we exist because of those who came before us

here: "you could almost slice a knife through it" humidity and a sun that seems warmer

here: sleeping in

here: a first time in a kiddie pool, a first blanket fort, a first popsicle

here: simple moments

around here

in the kitchen tonight

Around here, I can almost hear the kitchen calling me...I long to cook more. I am hungry for meals made from fresh food that we eat together at our table. Even though I want to just dive in (like I tried to do in January), I'm starting slowly. Last night was a simple pasta dish. This morning I want to make toast with an egg in the middle because I've been craving it since reading Tara's post. [When trying to find a recipe, since I thought I needed a recipe, I discovered this dish is called "Toad in the Hole" by many. Crazy. Pinned this recipe.] 

Around here, Ellie is obsessed with shoes. My shoes. Her shoes. Daddy's shoes. She tries them on. She puts them on the wrong feet. She giggles. She gets super frustrated. It is equal parts awesome and oh my gosh I hope she figures out how to put all her different types of shoes on soon without so much frustration. 

Around here, I am continuing to update my website. If you read in a reader, I hope you will come over and look around. The colors of this site feel like home. And I have a new banner that I LOVE that was designed by Liz Kalloch. She did such a beautiful job with the design of the pieces of The Gift of This Moment, and I love how she integrated those designs in the banner. The photo in the banner was taken by Vivienne McMaster. More photos and more about our photoshoot soon.

Around here, I'm counting down the days until we start construction on the garage that is going to become my studio/office. Everything is going to change around here when this mama is able to go out of the house to go to work...even if out of the house just means to the backyard. I can't wait.

Around here, I'm adding a few new pieces to my offerings, including mentoring sessions that I'll start scheduling later this summer. Find out more details over here.

Around here, I'm staying open to creating space for more community...in-person community. Ever since it was the topic of last week's Inner Excavate-along discussion, I've found myself seeing different ways to connect more here. I'm kind of giddy about it.

Around here, the rhythm of summer seems to have finally arrived even if it has been cool enough to wear flannel pajama pants to bed.

i didn't take a photo...

I didn’t take a photo of a little girl’s determined face as she insisted on music, no this song, right now.

I didn’t take a photo of joy when the little girl’s arms swayed overhead finding their own rhythm as she moved her hips and stomped her foot, right then left, repeat repeat repeat.

I didn’t take a photo when she giggled and ran into her mother’s arms so they could rock back and forth during her favorite part.

I didn’t take a photo of a little girl beginning to sing as she twirled in circles, her face raised toward the sky.

I didn’t take a photo of a mother’s face filled with so much love that it surrounded them like a forcefield.

I didn’t take a photo… 

I stayed right there soaking up every second. 

*

Sometimes people ask me how I balance capturing “this moment” with experiencing this moment. Often, I just let go of the need to get the photo. I try to open my eyes and heart to take in as much as I can: what I see, hear, feel, hope, know in that moment. When I do this, sometimes I even sense that there is something greater than me shining a light on it all…trust perhaps…love for sure. And then later, if I remember, I try to write down all that I can…letting my words tell the story. 

*

A few songs on our current favorite playlist: 

Don’t Stop Believin’ [Glee version]

Rumour Has It [Adele]

Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard [Paul Simon]

Stronger [Kelly Clarkson]

Love You Like a Love Song [Selena Gomez and the Scene]

The Cave [Mumford and Sons]

Somebody that I Used to Know [Goyte]

Graceland [Paul Simon]

Happy Feet (Musica per i vostri piedi, madame) [Paolo Conte]

Rockin’ Robin [Michael Jackson]

this is what i'm holding close

walking in the woods . photo by jonny

The cuddles and the carrying and the giggles.

Friendships and how they are born and then ebb and flow and how this truly can be beautiful if we choose to see it.

Making more space for clarity and love.

Gentle self-talk about letting go of the comparisons and choosing not to click sometimes.

Piles of blankets on the floor with books and stuffed animals as our companions.

Remembering I am not alone as I continue to create space in my home and let go of what I no longer need...others (perhaps you) are doing this too. Every single day. 

Putting the laptop away and sharing a bowl of popcorn while watching some smart tv.

Several hours alone in my home to work and dance and just be.

Growing our collaboration at Chickadee Road.

The simple act of dropping my shoulders and finding my breath and then letting myself feel rooted to the earth, to home, to what I know. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

softly (leaning into wholeness)

whole heart soul mantra locket

Yesterday, I was thinking about my word of the year and reviewing my practice of thinking about what this time next year would look like if I lived 2012 from a place of wholeness. I began making a mental list of the "shoulds" and suddenly heard these words, "let yourself do it softly."

Deep breath.

As I navigate all that was being away from my family for several days during the last month to so many launches during the last few weeks that I can't even keep up with myself to how I know I need more rest instead of "do" to the ways in which I want to choose love to how I want to show up for myself and those I love, I am going to hold onto these words that seemed to have been whispered through the open window last evening.

Stillness speaks just the wisdom I need yet again...

backyard giggles

leaning into the "in july, i will..." list

::home::

So many giggles on the drive home as we sang with Johnny Cash and talked about what might come next.

Tomorrow, she heads back to "middle earth" and the true re-entry begins.

Self-care prescription for the week: Rest, nourishing food, walks along Puget Sound with my family, and remembering to connect with my kindreds when I feel lonely or a bit lost.

And what about you? How are you practicing self-care this week?

this week

this week has been full of birthdays (ellie's and mine; jon's was last week) and a visit from my mom and more organizing (to continue to create a house that looks like i feel on the inside) and planning (in august the garage is becoming my studio!) and a few adventures and a first trip to the dentist and a few other things.

i am working on the first post for the Inner Excavate-along that starts Monday (i hope you will join us!) and i might have spent part of this evening decorating my journal cover with a lot of gorgeous washi tape (because...well...why not?). and now, i'm finally editing some of the photos taken this week.

i took a lot of photos during ellie's birthday last sunday. we spread out opening presents throughout the day (and a few spread out throughout the week) to avoid too much overwhelm. it was a good plan for her. right before we had cake, she opened her tea set.

on a whim, i decided to get this one that i had been eyeing for a long time. and she loves it and has played with it everyday since. it has also helped her to sit at the table more, which is awesome for all of us (especially since the table is actually staying "cleanish" right now so meals are being eaten by all of us there).

this photo of her getting ready to reach for the sugar bowl as she's just realized it has a lid simply delights me.

you might also notice that she really loves bows. and she wants to wear a lot of them at once. when she gets up in the morning, the first thing she usually wants is her sparkle shoes followed by her bow(s). though now she is loving to switch between the sparkles and her new lizard converse, which look especially fantastic with her party dress, which must go on her body right away whenever she spots it even if that means over pajamas. 

gosh i adore this kid and the way she moves through and sees the world.

and i guess i just feel really moved to say this in case these are words you need to hear today (i needed to remind myself of them a few minutes ago): it's okay to ask for what you need this weekend. maybe you need to sleep in. or rest. or have a long talk with a friend. or eat a cupcake. or get your hair cut. or take a photo walk. you can even ask you to give you what you need.

blessings and light,

liz