The Sea

"Look at that sea girls---all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen.  We couldn't enjoy it's loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds."  L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Finally...GOOD homework!

Tonight my thing one, Jake, told me for part of his homework he has to memorize a poem.  Honestly, I sort of zoned out what with all the other things on the to-do list between 6 and 8p.m. in our house.  However, my ears perked instantly when I heard him begin to recite these beautiful words by Marianne Williamson.  If this is "homework" bring it on!!  I will happily memorize this poem right alongside my son.  Shine on!

A Return to Love

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

~ Marianne Williamson



On not having it all...

Last night I watched a cute new show with a couple of my favorite female comedians - Christina Applegate and Maya Rudolph called "Up All Night".  It was the pilot episode and focused mainly on introducing us to the characters, but I have hopes this little show will turn into something.  The premise of a successful couple raising a baby who have no clue what their doing is fun and it helps that I adore the cast.




Quotable quote from the episode came from Maya Rudolphs character who said:

"At a certain age a woman has to choose between her ass and her face.  You can have a good face and a fat ass or you can have a tight ass and the face of skeletor.  You can't have everything." 

Word.

Here's to not looking like skeletor.  Amen.

Be Valiant

One of my favorite things is coming across inspiring quotes.  I love the power of the written word to change, motivate and encourage. 

The following quote was on Brene Browns blog yesterday and I find it resonates deeply with me right now.  Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

The Man in the Arena

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;

who strives valiantly;

who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;

but who does actually strive to do the deeds;

who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;

who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

~ Theodore Roosevelt

You Become...

I love this passage from The Velveteen Rabbit because it is such a good reminder to continue in the process of being real.  In a world that values "nice" over kind, smooth over wrinkly, and young over old- for me it's a daily choice to show up and be real.  Some days are more successful than others, but I can only hope that as I practice being myself and loving who I am, being real will be the only choice that makes sense.

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real, you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out, and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real, you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

One of my Favorites...

"Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency for me."
Although I've never actually used this quote in real life I think it's a good one and remind myself of it quite often.  I think we all have been around people (and been those people ourselves!) for whom daily life is constant chaos of continually scrambling to make it work.  For people pleasers like me it's so hard to say no when the great fear is not being liked.  However, as hard as it might be I believe practicing these kind of boundaries only makes for better, more honest relationships in the long run.  It takes strength to say "no" when you're expected to say "yes".  It also requires knowing and respecting yourself.  Tough stuff. 

via nestahome

Freedom

"With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?" ~ Oscar Wilde

via saranorris

Happy 4th of July all!  Go be FREE!!



Let the Sunshine in!

via bonnierose

"An authentic life is the most personal form of worship.  Everyday life has become my prayer."

~Sarah Ban Breathnach

Crazy Awesome!

Today I thought I'd share some of my favorite "crazy" quotes alongside art from the amazing  Emily Martin.  I love the feel of Emily's paintings -  sort of vintage/creepy!  I can't help but wonder about Emily's own personal story when looking at her art, which for me makes it extra special.  Enjoy - and let your freak flag fly today!

"The only difference between me and the rest of the population is that I acknowledge how crazy I am and they're all in mind-numbing denial." ~Unknown

"The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness.  Think of your three best friends.  If they're okay, then it's you" ~Rita Mae Brown

"For me, insanity is super sanity.  The normal is psychotic.  Normal means lack of imagination, lack of creativity." ~ Jean Dubuffet


"I prefer neurotic people.  I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface."~Stephen Sondheim

"I'm a neurotic --in the sense that I live in my world.  I will not adjust myself to the world.  I am adjusted to myself." ~ Anais Nin



Private Retreat

 So, I'm currently in the process of re-vamping my bedroom.  I love our loft-ish style bedroom with it's exposed brick, big windows and cozy sitting area.  In fact I love it so much that I haven't really done much with it.  The space is so great in and of itself that it hasn't really been a huge priority to me.  That, and I realized that historically I've put my bedroom last on my list of decorating hierarchy mainly because no one but me and the immediate family really see's it.   But, why should that matter?  Shouldn't I treat myself to a great room  -- just for me?  I think so!  So, in the spirit of bedroom's here's some I find extra inspiring....

*all images via sf girl by bay, design sponge, and apartment therapy

Now, if I could just manage to score a weekend off in my own bedroom - that would be heaven.  Because everybody know's there's nothing like your own bed!

                              I have never taken any exercise except sleeping and resting

                                                                ~ Mark Twain



The audacity of authenticity

It's a new year and like many people I've been thinking a lot about fresh starts and new and inspiring ideas.  I wasn't really sad to see 2010 go - it wasn't my favorite year.  Mostly because I lost an amazing friend named Lorelei. 

Lorelei was a huge mentor in my life and taught me more about authenticity than anyone I've ever met.  She lived a truly honest life even through her battle with brain cancer.  She demonstrated vulnerability.  In fact she became in the end a picture of how beautiful vulnerability is.  She lived large.  She didn't sugar coat the pain, but instead by embracing it she modeled fantastic beauty and joy.  I miss her so much!

I think Lorelei would have loved the book I just read by Brene Brown called The Gifts of Imperfection.  When I read what Brene has to say about authenticity, my thoughts naturally go to Lorelei.  So as my kick-off to sharing some of my thoughts about the book I have to begin where the journey in many ways began for me.  Knowing Lorelei and witnessing her battle with cancer these past two years has changed me.  I cannot help but embrace this life I've been given in a new way.  Petty differences and drama are exhausting to me and I simply don't want to waste my time on them.  I have a renewed passion for living a wholehearted life!  And one of the fundamental ways I'm resolving to be more wholehearted is by choosing authenticity. 

Brene notes that authenticity is not something a person has or doesn't have - instead it's a choice:

Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are.

Choosing authenticity means

* cultivating the courage to be imperfect, to set boundaries, and to be vulnerable;

*exercising the compassion that comes from knowing we are all made of strength and struggle; and

*nurturing the connection and sense of belonging that can only happen when we believe that we are enough

Authenticity demands Wholehearted living and loving--even when it's hard, even when we're wrestling with the shame and fear of not being good enough, and especially when the joy is so intense that we're afraid to let ourselves feel it.

Mindfully practicing authenticity during our most soul-searching struggles is how we invite grace,joy, and gratitude into out lives.

I'm aware as I write this list out what a tall order living an authentic life really is!  I've had some practice and for me even though it's not easy all the time , I can't imagine living any other way.  It's a choice and a process and if we're lucky I think the more we practice it the closer we get to our true selves - the selves God designed us to be.  I know this because I've seen it.  Cancer ravished my friends body and eventually took it but her soul became brighter and brighter.  In the end - she shined.

We begin to find and become ourselves when we notice how we are already found, already truly, entirely, wildly, messily, marvelously who we were born to be. - Anne Lamott

 

Better with Butter!

I must confess that as recently as five or so years ago I didn't use real butter in my cooking (or baking) much at all.  I'm not really sure why except I guess I was a product of some movement or other which listed all the horrible things about butter and why margarine is healthier.  Fast forward to me now and I'm a complete and total convert to real butter.  I even bought a cute little vintage butter dish that's out on the counter for spreading toast and the like.  And as it happens with *most* things that are real - once you've been converted there's no turning back!

Last night I made chicken fettuccini alfredo for the little fam.  Now I have to admit that even I was a tiny bit floored by the amount of butter in this recipe and I'm sure it *could* have been cut down a bit.  HOWEVER, since it was Sunday and my first time making it I decided to heck with it and followed the recipe exactly except I didn't add the tomatoes.  The result was rich, creamy, decadent and delicious!  Not something I'll probably make too often because it's so rich - but I'll definitely return to it when nothing but the "real" will do.

~Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo~

Ingredients

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pound fettuccini pasta
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
• 3 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat combine chicken, 2 tablespoons butter, garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from skillet and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Saute onion, 2 tablespoons garlic and mushrooms until onions are transparent. Stir in flour, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and half-and-half, stirring until smooth and creamy. Stir in Parmesan and Colby-Monterey Jack cheeses; stir until cheese is melted. Stir in chicken mixture, tomatoes and sour cream. Serve over cooked fettuccini.

"If you're afraid of butter, use cream"  Julia Child



p.s.  For more on my thoughts on real vs. fake keep reading this week - I may even contradict myself  - GASP!:)

Thanksgiving 2010

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”



"Smile, breathe, and go slowly"

Thich Nhat Hanh

Wishing you and yours a wonderful day!  Happy Thanksgiving!

INFJ baby!

Hello internet.  If you are taking the time to actually read my humble little blog then there's a good chance you already know me.  And if you in fact know me then you also know that I'm more of an introvert, reserved, quiet, internal processor kind of girl.  It seems to me that the above attributes often times have negative conotations.  I have struggled to accept myself and my quiet little ways for a long time now.  I think often times I'm mis-understood because I'm quiet and quirky. 
I love personality tests and awhile ago I took one to see where I would land.  Turns out I'm an "INFJ" which stands for Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging.  The description of my personality type actually helped me feel a lot more "normal" about myself!  The following is a snippet that I relate to closely and has also at times gotten me into trouble....
"INFJs are deeply concerned about their relations with individuals as well as the state of humanity at large. They are, in fact, sometimes mistaken for extroverts because they appear so outgoing and are so genuinely interested in people -- a product of the Feeling function they most readily show to the world. On the contrary, INFJs are true introverts, who can only be emotionally intimate and fulfilled with a chosen few from among their long-term friends, family, or obvious "soul mates." While instinctively courting the personal and organizational demands continually made upon them by others, at intervals INFJs will suddenly withdraw into themselves, sometimes shutting out even their intimates. This apparent paradox is a necessary escape valve for them, providing both time to rebuild their depleted resources and a filter to prevent the emotional overload to which they are so susceptible as inherent "givers." As a pattern of behavior, it is perhaps the most confusing aspect of the enigmatic INFJ character to outsiders, and hence the most often misunderstood -- particularly by those who have little experience with this rare type"
So yes - another good reminder for me today to stay with myself - even if it is a bit crazy!

p.s.  I love being enigmatic:)