Helping Daddy turn 65 with some love for Canva

*I have not been compensated for this post and all opinions are my own*

This adorable invitation went out to 50 of my dads closest friends last week:

When mom asked for help finding a fun invitation I asked a very busy friend, and when it got close to crunch time, I went to find my own solution. I looked up one of the tools I found at my work conference and decided to put it to good use. Canva is a wonderful free resource for photo editing. It is no Photoshop in it's capabilities, but if you don't own Photoshop or just aren't terribly interested in getting extreme with it, this may be a perfect site to use. I've found it a great resource for blog images, editing photos for Facebook and Twitter, and now inviting our family and friends to celebrate.

So Canva is so sweet and simple, they even offer wonderful premium elements for only $1 each.
Here are the basics:

That's a very rough basic run-down, and with each image I tend to spend lots of time tweaking fonts, altering sizes, and changing elements. It is a great resource for any blogger looking to spice up their blog images.

What is your favorite tool for blogging?

Taking advice from Crazy Eyes

"sometimes the feeling inside me get messy like dirt, then I like to clean things. Those things are like my thoughts, and clean my mind..."

I couldn't help but to rewind and get this quote down. It feels so close to home, so realistic. There are days my brain gets all muddled, my thoughts sloppy and, my personal state of sweet enthusiasm is lost in self-doubt and frustration. This will not be a clean post, it will not be spotless and refined. This post will be muddled.

Work is clear, well the basics of work is clear. My 9 to 5 checklist is filling out just fine, I'm accomplishing my daily tasks and meeting my goals. I've been recently approached with a consulting opportunity, which makes things all blurry. In one way, I really should take the opportunity. Start to make a name for myself, show off my skills, open future doors. But then I could fail... I could be less good than I think. I could be incapable of helping someone else do what I do well.

Home is clear in the daily tasks, checking things off, dinner, dishes, laundry and floors. The easy stuff is being kept up with. Now it's about planning a back lawn for the dogs, getting my garden planted and a yard sale organized. Everything else is half done. My desk isn't organized, the garage could use some work, the deck should be refinished.So many dirty little corner tasks that would make me much happier to be done, but for now they wait.

Family, friends, coworkers are clear on the surface. I text mom every day, keep up with friends each week, and help coworkers appropriately. I could do more. I could go sit with mom more, really talk to her. Friends deserve face time, not just Instagram comments. Coworkers deserve attention, focused attention, not just enough to satisfy them.

P is clear, she does her homework and her chores. We make dinner together, she earns her Netflix time. Again the basics get done. The day to day is fine. Then there seems to be something missing. We're not painting or drawing or doing cartwheels on the front lawn. We're not getting any deeper than the neat clear waters of a good kid, and a decent mom.

Where's my scuba gear, how do I get beyond the clear, clean top layer. Where do I go to find the dirt, and start to clean it. Today I start to clean, from the inside, today will be a day of affirmations, and taking notes from wonderful columns like The Other B Word, and finding inspiration in people like Tiana. If you need to come find me, please bring a mop.

"and you have to start from the inside out, or you step on the clean"

- Crazy Eyes, Orange is the New Black

And then we all went POP

Last Saturday was one of my favorite parties of the year. Skills presents Pop 2014 The Dream   this massive event brings tens of thousands of music lovers together, for a night of glorious dancing, new connections and stunning lights. I would even call it a little Crazy.

There are many negative stereotypes and unflattering mainstream views of the idea of a rave. But in reality, there is something ethereal about events like this rave, party, edm event,whatever you want to call them. In my experience they are a blessed look at the true beauty in all people.

Everyone I met was offering bracelets, sharing stories, passing around water and checking on their fellow dancers. I have new instafriends, tweeps to follow and fan pages to keep up with. I am only now getting fully rehydrated and remembering each and every detail.

There were many things I want to dive into about this party, the memorizing music, awesome light show, and fantastic people... but there weren't the words. I could give you a play by play, my favorite song from each act, I can try to recall all the people we met, the thrill of having a VIP wristband and the wonder of getting to see some of my favorite people. I kept trying to find the words... and then went to visit the event page and found this:

I think this very well spoken young man hit the nail on the head. He speaks to why we attend these parties. It's about feeling accepted and fitting in, no matter who you are. People come with good intentions, people come to dance and laugh, people just come out. It's a wonderful beautiful sense of camaraderie. I feel blessed to be part of such a gracious crowd.

Okay I'll leave you with one song so you can understand just how awesome it all was. Here was the first tracks (one of my favorites) played by the headliner Dash Berlin:

Letting the Crazy In

So Tuesdays tend to be my nights "off". P goes to grandma's and I get to focus on me a bit. My honey works until 10 or 11 so I tend to break into his house (also known as borrowing his keys, with his and his roommates permission) and hang out on his couch. With TV edited movies and sitcoms in syndication. I write and catch up with my favorite bloggers. I appreciate the quiet, and lack of obligation to clean something. So in tonight's glow of Big Bang Theory and getting snuggled by Roommates cat; I ran past the upstairs window to see people on the front stoop. Three odd nomads in from their migration of California.

As Arty, his roommate got home, and a few others came by, we were quickly settled to spend some time catching up and somehow got to telling tales from high school and college. Days long before we all knew each other. The sight made me chuckle a group of kids that never knew eachother then, that lived on opposing corners of campus, well and different campuses for most of us, who strangely seem to have similar stories to tell and views of the last 10 to15 years.

To be honest, we looked a little like the breakfast club sitting there. However there was one thing that we all seemed to have in common that held true. Social construct was not something any of us held ourselves to.We weren't the kids that wanted to fit the mold, we had no desire to plan pep rallies or make the Varsity squad in anything.We'd rather make memories and make things last.

We all spent weekends catching live shows in small clubs, really connecting with strangers, and trying things we may never get the chance to again. (Riding shopping carts down the most crooked road in Napa anyone?) I realized these friends now, like the friends I had in Highschool, taught me that I want to have memories. I want stories to tell my future teenagers that make them want to take a chance on themselves. Maybe go for a night hike rather than to the football game, pickup book instead just an iPhone, watch the sunrise rather than pass-out drunk at 2am. The best stories we had, the real memories, the things that made us smile were the things that started out as crazy ideas. Those moments that made the 'cool kids' think you were nuts.

POP - Sound go Round 2012

Even now, when I leave after a full workday bound for a full night in the city. Plan to go to the desert for 7 days with nothing but what I can pack. When my daughter and I wear feather boas and dance around the house. When I looked in the mirror, 7 years ago, and decided that I princess and I would be just fine alone. These are moments when I forgot convention, I skipped the hesitation that comes with being judged and I threw the door open to crazy. Try it! Next time the voice in your head proclaims "that's crazy" answer it with "that's what I like about the idea."

Getting a plan so we can organize our plan to plan

Source

Burning man shopping has commenced. Tickets have been purchased today and our tent, cot, camp stove, picnic table, sleeping bag, 2 chairs, and various LED lights are on their way to my house. I find myself focusing on the details on the things I can plan and prepare for. On the packing and the checklists... so many lists! I have Need Lists and Want Lists and Already Purchased Lists. Costume ideas,  food ideas, and shoes. Pinterest is a mess, my notebook is a mess. All I keep trying to do is get less messy and working these lists simply provokes more inspiration of more things to be done.

So where is the break in all this ranting to be genuine? I think I found it. I've realized I can ask all the questions, and read all the blog stories, and advice I want. I can absorb guidance from friends and family, and continue to mull over all my lists. I can be prepared physically.

When was the last time new experience you have absolutely no reference for?

However I have no idea what I'm getting myself into. Really no clue. I can't begin to imagine the smells, sounds and actual feelings of being there. I can't prepare myself for the emotions I'll feel. I feel like I'm going in blind and that part is really starting to scare me. This will be the first time in a very long time that I will do something that I have nothing in my past to really compare it to. 

So here I am terrified, of being exposed. Both emotionally and possibly somewhat physically, but openly exposed in a way I never have been before. That this may not be as amazing as the wonderful thing that I have imagined, what if it just isn't good enough. What if its not worth the suffering and I'm not the camper I used to be, and lack of pillow-top mattresses and overpriced coffee actually peels back my tough exterior to expose the city girl that lurks underneath.

I see it going grand. I think I'll be fine to camp and figure out how to make real food while we're there. I'll appropriately press my fashion limits to just beyond my usual level of comfort. I'll take the time to meet more new people than I usually would and find an easy way to get to know them in just a few questions. (suggestions are welcomed). And then there's a little question mark, in the very back of what if?

And all I have now is 6 months (TO THE DAY) to dwell on it.

Genuine, Authentic, Indubitable

In this mixed up effort to find a more organized life I've been realizing that I must decide what it is I want to be, portray and share about my life. Of course, there are things off limits to the blog, but what exactly am I holding back that maybe shouldn't be. There's something to be said for staying super positive, but when does that come at the cost of being genuine.

Here are some things I do know: I want to share more of my real life (not just fluff), I want to share more of my hometown in all it's glory, I want to share more of my love (not just the person, the entity that is our love), I want to share my struggles and successes as a parent. I want to focus on who I am becoming as much as who I am. So hopes dreams goals and aspirations will be presented. Passions, plans and accomplishments will be more transparent.

I think I set out to make this a journal more than anything, and I fell into something more trivial than that. So be prepared for more lessons and explorations. If you'll bear with me it should be a fun ride. I'd like to tie in more of what I do, what I really desire and why I'm here. Hope you'll stick around.

What do you feel most compelled to blog about?

What would you like to write about more?

What would you like to read about more?

radical self-expression and self-reliance

Okay so I have one of my most massive bucket list items planned for this year. On the 20th of February I will be purchasing my ticket to the Burning Man Festival. If you're not familiar with burning man you can click the link to visit their site, but here is a quick synopsis.

source

Burning Man is an annual event and a thriving year-round culture. The event takes place the
week leading up to and including Labor Day, in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. The Burning Man organization (Black Rock City LLC) creates the infrastructure of Black Rock City, wherein attendees (or "participants") dedicate themselves to the spirit of community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. They depart one week later, leaving no trace. As simple as this may seem, trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind.

So I guess heed this is a warning, this whole festival, and prep and planning and packing will be a big part of my life for the next six months. Which means you all get to hear about it. It is part of what is driving my urge to get organized and find new ways to STAY organized. 

Step 1- Paper and Pen - I am one of those archaic types that feels the need to write things down, it helps me remember and feel more productive. I just cant seep to keep focused using my phone's calendar especially since it seems to be all muddled up with Facebook events. So I opt for a non-virtual hardback planner. This is my third year with this brand & format. This design is apparently unavailable on line but the have several others. Isn't she pretty!

Step 2 - Gift culture and contributions.  There is a gifting culture of Burning Man, most vets will tell you the best thing you can do is a smile and contact, but most people hand out trinkets or small necessities while wandering the playa. Everything I've heard says First timers (like yours truly) really don't need to bring anything, but that's not really my style. I'm planning on carrying a bag with essentials to start (lip balm, sunscreen, dusk masks). Now I want to find small hand made gifts to share. Maybe something to help deplete my yarn collection. I made fingerless gloves for my man last year and might make a few different sets to pass out.

Step 3 - List the lists of lists - I have lists. EVERYWHERE. Amazon Wish lists, Pinterest boards, packing lists printed and taped to by camping Tupperware Tubs. I think the next step is to actually make a list of my lists. Sounds a little neurotic but when you live in the desert for a week with nothing but what you bring and or are given you'll really want to be prepared.

Do I have any Burners among my readers?

What would you like to receive as a random gift?

Is there anything you're checking off your bucket list this year?

Hiatus Quelled: let's get reorganized!

I have to apologize, I'm not really sure where most of January has gone. Week 1 started off pretty strong, week 2 was all about the link up, and week 3 I fell off the map completely. I felt defeated.  Then last week work sent me to a conference on direct to consumer wine shipping (sounds terribly exciting right?). A funny thing happened there during the social media session, while it happened to be least helpful from a professional standpoint; this segment became the most insightful from a blogging standpoint.

The segment spoke about planning and organizing your content and how to keep things fresh, even when you're writing a bit in advance. They handed out links and advice on programs that can help you stay organize and what to do with a series. The ideas poured onto my conference notes, new ways to brainstorm, new stories to tell and how to stay on top of it all. A few of the things they suggested were even all-around tools. To do lists, mind maps, and even easy (and FREE) Photo and video editing software.

I am getting up to speed on these amazing new tools and will share the highlights as I find them. I thank you for sticking with me during my hiatus and hopefully I'll be back in stride soon.

What tools do you use to stay organized?

What was the last unexpected source of inspiration/motivation?

You wanna prowl, be my night owl?

So sorry I haven't been here much this week. Work and Little P's first Post-Holiday week back have been taking their toll on my 'down time'.

To join these ladies for this link up be sure to visit: Natasha, Darci, April, and Christina. I'm sharing a little YouTube love this week.

*1*

So tonight, we're going out. Which is long overdue and much needed. I live near this glorious city known as SF. Frisco, the city by the bay or simply San Francisco. A place filled with music, hippies, artists, and the occasional *cough* street person. Not to mention amazing food and some really fantastic nightlife. We have plans to go "owwwwutt tonight", which is long overdue. Ruby Skye here we come. Will have to share some pics and details next week. As a result I cant help but hum this all week:

*2*

 This was passed around work this week and is quite funny. I would loooooose my mind, but it's fun to see someone else get scared.

*3*

This made us laugh so hard we cried this week. I can't quite explain why sister and I looked this up to begin with, but imitating the martians have been part of our conversations this week ever since.  

*4*

This was of huge inspiration to me this week. Although she's a little more artsy than I could ever imagine myself being ?full-time? she certainly makes some great points about the nature of people and how to get your needs met on your terms.  

*5*

Lastly; We also went to see Frozen last weekend, so this has been stuck in my head and sung out loud by Princess all week. If you haven't yet, GO SEE IT! Now, or tomorrow. Now would be best

Happy Friday, promise to be back to the blog world in full force next week!

Sunday Social... You know I love a link-up

I'm joining Ashley and Neely with their link-up today for Sunday Social! (I know I know Link-ups are becoming a habit... they're just so fun)

New Year lets introduce ourselves again
1. What is the name of your blog? How long have you been blogging?
 Wild Wine Country Wonder and just restarted this blog in September, but on and off for 4 years.

2. Why do you blog?
 To share a little more of myself and my life, I've always liked to journal because I can look back and re-experience things, blogging helps with that too. I also live in the Napa Valley and have way too much fun sometimes, I feel more people should get to experience this.

3. What is the first blog you ever followed?
 MY Peacetree was and still is one of my favorite blogs by a single author, she is such an inspiring soul. The collection of submissions from the blog over at Hooping.org is another favorite daily stop.

4. What is your favorite post you wrote in 2012?
THIS ONE, sharing the Chocolate Drizzled Popcorn I made for P's class for her birthday. So fun.

5. What are your blogging goals for 2013?
Taking more pictures to share and try to incorporate hooping. There's just not enough hoop love among blogs

6. Top 3 favorite blogs to follow?
Liv With Roses
 Katie Did What
Live Simply-Live Well

Now go steal these questions and link up with one of the ladies tagged above. I want to know more about you too!

Have a delicious Sunday.

Fantastic Fabulous 5 on Friday

Since I don't want this to be all soul-searching and guilt tripping. I'll finish off the week with a link up. Go check out the ladies listed on the logo for more 5 on Friday fabulousness!

*1*

*1* We took down the Holiday decorations at work and wanted to start something for Valentine's. How cute are these:

You can find the full pattern at: http://www.skiptomylou.org/2009/01/28/crochet-heart-garland/

I'll have to share when I'm done, which I hope will be soon.

*2*

*2* This is a blog post I'm totally torn between loooving and being annoyed with the fact it needs to be labeled. The fact that a Curvy Hooper needs to be considered a separate category stings just a bit. We're all hoopers, we all love what we do, why does dress size matter. I appreciate her sharing and commenting on the fact
that she points out how many people comment on her size, but it hurts a little that its even an issue. Regardless I love her attitude and hooping and general sharing overall and that she calls out all curvy hoopers to put themselves out there for the world to see their amazing talents! Check out Lissa full post here:  http://www.hooping.org/2014/01/curvy-hoopers-video-challenge-2014/

*3* This happened on my Facebook this week: 

*3*

My sister joked that it since Toy Story 3 we all just want to see lost toys returned to their owners. So they don't go all dictator Lotso on a pre-school

*4* Part of this weekend will be dedicated to breaking out one of P's Christmas Presents: a build your own fort kit! Yes, awesome I know, I'm super excited. I'll have to share what we come up with but it looks like this:

*4*

You can find one HERE for the wonderful kids in your life (to come see when they visit you).

*5* This was passed around the office this morning... it sufficiently took up a solid half hour of distraction.

I'll think I just finish things there. Cheers!

Sunsets and Fireplaces

I apologize ahead of time for the ramble:

Picking up P from daycare is always a little chaotic there's usually a handful of other parents, kids tracking down shoes and jackets, and anxiety about getting home. There are constant wheels turning, dinner plans forming, laundry loads being considered, and an overall reassessment of the day. We pop off encouraging remarks in an effort to hurry the kids along, so we're a step closer to the car, to home, to working on all the chaos we think about. I alwasy give P a quick hug, but not much more, we hold hands on the way to the car and talk, but its constant chatter, constant thought, and quite a few distractions.

Today a father walked in shortly after I did, that made me rethink the pickup circus. He came in quietly and stood at the back of the room. His daughter (8 or 9 maybe)  saw him, and immediatly walked over to hug him. Not a quick squeeze, a real solid 10 second embrace. A true I missed you  kind of hug. They had me captivated, even in the chaos among the other children, the scattered art projects, and the noise, they took those 10 seconds to really greet eachother. She gathered her coat, he signed her out and they left just before us.

I chatted with P on the way to the car about her day, tomorrow's field trip, and dinner. We passed the same father and daughter quickly. They were sitting on the bench out side of school, watching the sunset. The sky was a brilliant pink today at 5:20 and there they were, honestly enjoying it. There were a few comments, it's not quite Barbie pink and it would be wonderful to draw something like that. But not much more. They sat in silence, without the dinner timer ticking, without the rush to get home, they just sat and enjoyed. As we pulled away I was jealous and disappointed that P and I weren't sitting there. That by the time we took the 4 minute drive home, it wouldn't be the same sunset, that we were missing it.

I don't want to miss it. The sunset, the greeting, any of it. I want to be calmer with P, less of the working mom that can't slow down for fear of losing pace. I want to sit and not miss the perfectly pink sunset and hear what P thinks of it. Tonight we sat by the fire. No TV and I even kicked the dogs out and just sat there. I didn't ask her questions or prompt her opinion or get out the art supplies so I could force encourage her to express herself. (Not that I'd ever do that).

We sat and she talked and I listened, she talked a bit about her day, the story they read, what she liked in her lunch... then she talked about the fire and the flames. How it licks the top and the little pieces sneak out beneath the wood. She was observing and exploring. This made my  heart swell and hurt a little at the same time. We should do this more.

I've talked about mom guilt before. The realizing you can do better and seeing another parent do things better, the twinge of not being the perfect parent you always wanted to be. I have a great distaste for it, and the lingering questions it makes run around in my head. However on the other foot I have always thought that there is much to be learned from others. That we should observe and mimic habits we appreciate. So, even with the possibility of feeling like a less perfect parent, I wanted to share this sporadic thought process. 

I hope you watch fires, and sunsets, and let the children in your life explain what they see and feel. Its a beautiful moment that I hope to have more often.

Starting 2014 off with a challenge

I don't make resolutions, because to be frank I never quite take them seriously. I'm always amazed that so many people seem to. Many of the bloggers I read did a 'wrap up' of last years goals and how many they accomplished. I was in awe, and just like so many other things lately, I thought, "if they can, maybe I can to". 

So this is my start. However a year seems like an overwhelming amount of time to commit. So I'm starting with a 30 day goal, well joining a 30day goal. Hopefully they'll grow from there, but this seems much more feasible. I hope you take a minute read more about the Hoopy New Year Challenge and consider joining. No time like the present to become a new hooper!



So starting tonight, I will hoop at least 30minutes a day for 30days in January! The hooping.com community hosts these a few times a year so I'm looking forward to joining them. I'll keep you all updated throughout the month and may even add extra little goals, tricks I want to learn or a number of new places to hoop.  I'm looking forward to staring the year off on a good hooping rhythm!

What are some of your goals for early 2014?

Are you a resolution-er or very anti?

Have you ever picked up a hoop?

Things you don't need to know

I started to make a list of accomplishments I completed and things I will miss for 2013, then I stopped. I choose to not dwell on the past, it is what it is. So instead I choose to expand the whole reason for blogging, to share a little more of myself.

Live Run Sparkle shared this quiz posted by Two Thirds Hazel, and I couldn't resist filling it out. I really love a link-up. The whole aspect of filling out the quiz and adding to the link-up made me happy. It speaks to how we bond as bloggers and share our lives. What a funny little action, here are some random facts about me that I'm sure no one really needs to know, but I may have to admit I spent plenty of time visiting others links.

I'm so curious how other see themselves, expressing yourself and describing yourself are really two quite different things. I'm always happy to express myself, that's why I'm comfortable blogging, that's why I write and pretend I can draw in my notebooks, its why I hoop and dance and crochet. I cannot be wrong at my expressions... However, describing is different, I never have been good at describing myself because in some ways I suppose it could be wrong. There's something precarious in exposing what I think of myself. Which was actually something that snuck up on me while filling this out, something that made me feel vulnerable. So for your own entertainment and me choosing to be a bit out of my comfort zone, here is my list of things, no one needs to know about me.

Please share your link if you fill this out, I'd love to hear any of your answers as well.  So for the last time in 2013, thanks for checking in.

My survival guide to Christmas 2013

Along with spreading cheer and organizing my work world, getting home focused and fully prepared for the holidays is another mountain to concur. Reading, the lovely, Livwithroses 25 days of Christmas Bucket-list. Now I'm not exactly that organized, however I have found some great ideas around the web to contribute to this year's wonderfulness.

TO GIFT:

I made these crocheted socks last year for my sister, shes always cold, I've made her two new pairs this year, they take me about 45 minutes per sock so a not too intensive project for gifting! 

I love the idea of gifting more than just a gift. So encouraging my future nieces with an excuse to enjoy a bath I packaged some cute little spa things an these adorable Peppermint Sugar Scrub from Mommy Musing.
For my "always the hostess" cousin, who has a beautiful bar I found this great Mrs. Lilien's Cocktail Swatch Book in the retail shop at work and had every plan to make this fantastic Homemade Limoncello... but who would've guessed it needed 10 days?! Guess it will have to be attempted next year.

TO FEED:

I'm cooking Christmas Eve dinner for my folks and I'd love to share with you my plans... if they had been finalized. However I always love to have something to share to that's easy to make early and pick up after work. Two great appetizers that are tried and true or me: Prosciutto Wrapped Melon and Chevre Fig Spread

TO DECORATE:

I wanted to incorporate some green aspects into our decorating this year... yes besides the giant fir in the living room. This may or may not have been inspired slightly by the Christmas episode of "Glee". So here are some great ideas from a few bloggers I love this Broken Twig Tree, I think it would be a wonderful idea for P to decorate and for the fireplace the Bows on the this Pine Cone Garland make it a delicate and beautiful touch to bring a little outdoors in.   

TO INDULGE:

When all is said and done some of my favorite times with my family is just spent sharing stories and reminiscing. Nothing like some new Spiced Cider recipes to try share.

Now that I feel like I have  hold on things, I'm off to Lake Tahoe on Sunday for a few days!

 What was your favorite find to help you out for the holidays?

Are you traveling anywhere this week? 

What TV show had your favorite Christmas Episode this year?

Bad Sick Mommy

I'm currently in bed, I've been run-down at the end of every work day, by the time I'm home at 6pm I'm weepy, sore, and ready to collapse. All the signs of fighting off some sort of bug. Normal people (from what I'm told) take action. They stock up the medicine cabinet and consume nothing but tea and soup for a few days. Apparently I'm not normal, I despise cold medicine and the lagging wonky feeling it tends to cause. Which is funny based on some past decisions of ingestion I've made in the past. hrmmm

Regardless here I am banished to rest, yes this is my version of rest. After a few hours of crocheting => while watching Netflix this is the next least exhaustive thing I can do. Really I'm bad at this. I don't
know how to not make use of my time. I'm not saying I don't love diving into the couch and wearing out my DVR, but I rarely just watch. I watch while blogging, I watch while working in my art journal, I watch while painting my nails, I watch by doing our laundry, or I watch while organizing bills.

So in order to keep from going batshitcrazy feeling like I was wasting time I decided to do a little research instead. Here are my some of my finds from the bed ridden:

SHOP:
My sister-in-law always seems to have the greatest little shrugs, which are ideal for this crazy California weather. She passed on MissFitClothing's Etsy Shop which has tons of them. I think I know what I'm getting myself for Christmas.

EAT:
I'm a complete sucker for Hot and Sour Soup but never looking into making it, it seemed complicated somehow... but leave it to The Daily Meal to make it easy. This is definitely on my list of meals this winter!

CREATE:
I'm a very intermittent crocheter, fairly decent at it when I do it. I'm in the middle of a beautiful large blanket but found these great pattern for wrist-warmers from Lulu Loves who always has a wonderful project inspiration. but I actually need to finish a project to make use of new inspiration...Here's what I've been working for a few *cough 8* months

READ:
Here are a few blogs that have kept me entertained during my confinement:

Two blogs about beautiful lives and fantastic fashion from great Mommas:

http://livwithroses.wordpress.com/

http://29andnona.blogspot.com/ 

Two hilarious ladies dedicated to fit lifestyle:

http://fit-personality.com/

http://www.hungryrunnergirl.com/

And two beautiful blogs that celebrate general loveliness:

http://www.happinessisblog.com/happiness-is/

http://www.mypeacetree.com/

How do you recover when you're not feeling well?
What's your best Netflix recommendation?

Hooping Love - Fitspiration

My hooping was mentioned in my piece about the collection of fairly random classes . However I guess I didn't quite expand on hooping and how it has become part of my life.
Hooping has created a safe and quiet space in my workout that creates a ray of light even on my roughest days. There is something so meditative about being stuck in a circle and creating expression through movement. A sense of prideful accomplishment with new tricks and a larger drive to keep
trying when it didn't pan out. There's always something new to learn and what's more exciting is someone new to learn from.

There is a super rad "love note"  from a hoop blogger Anah, my favorite excerpt:

"I felt with anyone holding a simple plastic circle. This person could be old or young, any race, any political affiliation and of any gender. If they had a hoop, they were family… period. Just like any family, some felt closer than others, but the love was always there" 

Sure I'll try it!

I have a theory about learning new things... my theory essentially is "why not?" - I want to try everything once. Sometimes only once but still once. This is a theory I try to press on to Pretty Girl constantly so she too wants to try everything, even if it's only once.

Napa just happens to be a great place to have this particular theory.  We happen to have a very wide and sometimes quite surprising range of classes offered. Most of the ones I have tried, and gotten Pretty Girl to try are physical. However there is a whole other group of artistic bases offerings that I have  yet to scratch the surface of.

For me fitness and motivation have never been easy, going to the gym 3 days a week only happened when I had a gym buddy who literally came by and picked me up.  Here are a few of our favorites and why I love them:

  Sunglow Hoop Dance: Lilea has an amazing passion for hooping! She's amazingly willing to share that passion with locals and teach so many adults that you can do it and it just takes a little coaching. She also hosts partys and performs throughout town. Hooping has been a great addition to my fitness regime something easy to do but is great on your core and has childcare built right in!

Dance: Really any dance, but latest discover has been a great class from World Beat Dance Collective. A delicious look into dances from so many cultures from Afro-cuban and Samba to Hip Hop, throw in a Yoga warm up and cool down and my legs are sore for days.

Some of the best classes for Little P have been dance and swim. She loves music and loves to dance so we've tried a couple different sources. The first class we were in was cancelled due to a small class. So she recently started Hip Hop with Young Champions - its turning out to be a great program for her and she's really excited.

Our other big class has been Swim Lessons. We love to travel and I hope to travel wit her as much as I did when I was young. Swim lessons was a requirement for us. So she swim in each of the 7 seas and every pool in every hotel!

Please take the next class you find interesting, try out a class, grab a friend and go look silly. You'll make great friends and be amazed at what you can do.
Or at least just have a great time hanging out!

Marketing to Millennials.... Wait I'm a millennial

I've always had an interest in marketing. A look at how we take in the things around us. No one is immune to marketing. Everyone relates to something about a brand. Whether it be a sensory experience, favorite colors, sounds, smells or textures.

Or just a feeling, that's always a sign of good marketing for me, when I can't quite tell you why I like it. When its more about essence and emotion than tangible aspect. That's when marketing hooks me and makes me think about a brand.

Benefit does a great job of this; their marketing and social media are all fun, bright and delightful. I'm not a bit fan of pink, or their creepy vintage doll heads but their whole image. Sweet, classic, vintage. They constantly use words like "gorgeous" and "lovely", which are things I say. Glorious round soft words that create an environment where every woman feels beautiful. An essence that makes me feel lovely and like I'd fit right in.

This leads me to think about my consumerism. At work, our department is required to seek approval of our marketing team but we rarely get insight into their future plans. Last week we got a look at the coming year, and the targeted market, which just happens to sound familiar. The key aspects are: millennial  (25-40) mostly female, disposable income, and status seeker (which I'd never admit out loud). This slide from our marketing team, was targeted at me.

It actually made me happy. Let me known I was in the right place and solidified my brand loyalty, and that I was working for the right company.

Now if only I didn't have to try to explain the appeal of the essence to the rest of my coworkers. 

Last (well only) summer rain...

It rained on Saturday. Not drizzled or misted with the morning fog. Really rained. From 6am to 4pm it came down steady and we got almost an inch on the valley floor.

For local vineyard managers this isn't the best news. It has all the potential to ruin most of the crops left on the vine. So this rain means we brace ourselves for catastrophe as an industry.

However on a personal level this rain is delicious. This rain comes on one of the few days I don't have my daughter, which is always a little disorienting for me, so the rain made it perfectly acceptable to dive into fall properly. Movies and soup and a well worn couch. I spend the day dressed in leggings and a log sweater and a scarf. I always forget how much I like scarves. 

My honey had to work which I guess was both a little disappointing and selfishly nice. It was good to have a day to reflect, to write and to feel the seasons change. Happy fall!