Peace is Available in Each Moment

Have a great weekend.

besitos, xo

Teaching your children GRATITUDE through photography.

I just love when I can sit here in silence while BOTH my kids are sleeping. MMMM.... so refreshing to just be alone for a few moments before these two wake up and life gets hustling and bustling again. We all need a little moment right? I can actually hear my thoughts in my head.
Well...I have a thought I have been wanting to share for some time now and that's teaching children how to have a grateful heart.

Want to incorporate gratitude in your child's life? Give them a camera.

Ask them to snap shots of things they are grateful for and see what they come up with. Heck- do it yourself and see what you come up with! If they are too young to really get what gratitude means- tell them to shoot things they love and that make them happy. Most kids can understand that. 

Babbaco has their gratitude boxes you can buy which includes this camera. Little man snapped shots last week...

And I am just DYING to see what is on this camera! With being sick all week we haven't left the house much and I haven't made it to drop off this disposable camera! Sheesh-I forgot what photography was like back in the days when you had to WAIT for your photos! It's so hard!!

Anyhow- we are going to paste his photos in a little mini gratitude journal. So, get a camera and start letting them take some photos. I will show you what we come up with once the photos are back!

besitos 

xo

What an Elephant Taught me about Motherhood.

Ever since we went to Thailand, I obsessed with elephants. They are so remarkable. Did you know that scientists have found that elephants are capable of complex thought and feelings such as love, grief, and joy? 

I am especially fascinated by mother elephants. 
 Did you now that Elephants live in Matriarchal families made up of other female and calves and are headed by the oldest mother?  A mother Elephant is pregnant for 22 months! Yikes 22 months!! Mother and child remain in constant touch with one another for many years as the baby still suckles milk until 4 or 5 years old or until the tusks become a problem! If a calf strays too far from his mother- she will retrieve him and keep him close. She is often found hugging and wrapping her trunk around her little one, carrying him over obstacles, bathing and gently scrubbing her calf, dusting him with dirt, and protecting him from predators or the hot sun. Isn't that so cool? There is a great deal more info on this elephants emotions here if you want to know more. 

Well, while we were in Thailand we got to get up close and personal with the fascinating creatures. 

 Please note that Little Man sorta froze during his first encounter with the elephant... 

But he got a lot more comfortable as time went on and loved feeding them sugar cane and bananas!

Going to our local zoo will never compare to this day.    B E S T   D A Y   E V E R !!!

 I have learned a lot from a mother elephant. 

Recently, I have heard several comments from family members about how my son is a "mama's boy" and needs to get over it. I admit, it is true...he is. But is that so bad? 

 He wakes up every morning and crawls into bed with me where he showers me with kisses, hugs, cuddles, and "I love yous" until we are ready to get up. He prefers being with me to most other people... but loves playing with his friends and family members that he has a relationship with. (Many of the comments were from people he doesn't see very often) 

What do you think? 

Is it so awful to have your son actually enjoys to spend time with you and shows affection towards you... okay maybe a lot. But what if it DOESN'T stop him from exploring his world with others and friends. He loves his friends.

My personal and processional opinion? First, I want to hear from you.

In a book I love called: The book of Nurturing by Linda and Richard Eyre- and in one of their chapters they talk about parenting like an elephant's trunk- it has the ability to be firm and set limits yet be gentle and flexible. That is how I want to be as a mother. 

So in summary:

An Elephant taught me:

 Our love needs to be nurturing with hugs and cuddles each day.

Our love has to set clear limits and firm when needed.

Out love must shower them with approval and dust them with confidence regularly. 

We must be protective and alert and warn them loudly and clearly of danger.

Our love should remove barriers in their path and pick them up when they need us to but also let them walk the path under their own power when they are ready.

Our love must be versatile and flexible, seeing children’s needs and willing to be sometimes tough and sometimes tender.

What are your thoughts on having a "mama's boys?"

Besitos,

XO

Flashback Friday..."I Once Thought"

I am one of those people who always has/had multiple passions. I blame it on being a Gemini! Therefore, I have started several blogs in my lifetime with different topics. As any smart person would know- having more than one blog makes it difficult to keep them all up on a regular basis... HOWEVER, I can't seem to push the delete button or let them go! I started in 2005 people... there are memories there!

So my dilemma is: do I keep them or let them go? 

What name do I keep?

(Weeds to Wishes or The Diary of a Dame...?? )

I am trusting that whatever needs to happen will...and for now my focus is here.

With that, I am introducing

 "Flash-back Fridays" 

where I will look back on some of my fondest memories from the past.

Here is one of my favorite entries I wrote on May 19th, 2010 here on what I had learned about being a mother in just 3 months.

Dear Diary,

Little Man is fast asleep and I can’t take my eyes off of him. I listen to the rain and thunder crashing down around us... something about that sound makes me slow down and contemplate life. (after thinking of The Sound of Music song of course) Hmmmm… I wonder… as I stare down at my little babe… how can life look so different today than it once did?

I once thought

I once thought I was fearful… now I am fearless.  

I once thought I had respect for my parents… now I know what it means to honor them.                                    

I once knew I was strong… but now I have discovered an inner strength I never knew I had.

I once thought passing gas was disgusting… now it’s so cute.

I once needed an alarm clock...now my baby sets my schedule.

I once would wonder why parents of a screaming child couldn’t get control of their child… now I empathize with them.

I once thought of showers and makeup as a daily routine…now they are luxuries.

I once thought there was no such thing as love at first sight… now I realized  I can love a complete stranger. 

Those are my thoughts as I lay down to sleep tonight. Good Night.                                                 

                                                                                         

 Love, 

    Cristi Dame

Besitos, 

xo

Home and Life Orphanage Thailand

I guess now that is officially the middle of the month and I am finally feeling awake (well, sort of) it's time to move past December’s Challenge and actually accept that it is January. Does anyone else have a difficult time adjusting to a New Year? I always feel like I am not quite ready to accept that the holiday season is over. 

Well, I thought I would conclude December's Challenge with some photos of one of the orphanages we visited while we were there and some things I learned as a mother during our visit.

We arrived at Home and Life Orphanage and were greeted by their lovely staff with smoothies and pastries.  We met Root, the owner and manager, who left his career as an engineer to start Home and Life with his wife Rasa right after the Tsunami in 2004. There were many displaced children without parents, homes, and money at the time and he felt the need to do something about it. Truly such a great example of "Living for Others."




 Today, most of the 26 children are from families who have been affected by the Tsunami and are unable to provide for them and want to give them a chance at a better life. Root's philosophy is to create a "family environment" and really considers those children and staff members as family.

P.S. Have I mentioned that Thai people are so sweet with children? Little Man got plenty of attention and treats during his stay!


If you recall in a recent post (here) I spoke about wanting to teach my children to always be "anxiously engaged in a good cause."

 I have learned that children are never too young to grasp that concept... not even a two-year-old and we all know that for a two-year-old to share let alone give up candy and toys is a MIRACLE! I was blown away with Little Man's ability to grasp the concept of sharing with those who are in need of our help.



Refusing to eat a single piece of candy because he wanted to "Save it For the Kids," he anxiously was handing out toys, candy, and school supplies. He could have done that all day long!



Consequently, throughout the entire trip he continually was pointing out and wanting to help someone he saw in need. On a stop from a local convenience store he saw a man who appeared to be sick and asleep on the street. Little Man reached into his pocket and gave him the shiny new coin that he had just received moments earlier. We couldn't believe how much this TWO-YEAR-OLD was willing to share with others... that to me is "Anxiously Being Engaged in a Good Cause."

Root gave us a tour of the orphanage and told us more about the history of the foundation. One of their latest achievements is their coffee and bakery where many of the children are taught skills and how to work and manage money. The Bakery helps pay for the Orphanage.

We were able to see their garden, playground, and the rooms where the kids slept which have all come from funds they raised as a foundation. Even some of the buildings were hand built by staff and the children!

During the conclusion of our tour, Root showed us some art work that the children had done. He mentioned taking the kids to have an art lesson in a neighboring city. I was blown away with how skilled and beautiful each one of the pieces were!

 He talked to me about wanting to raise more funds to put towards their art lessons and a possible art gallery at the foundation. As an art lover myself, I loved that idea! Since then, my mind has been busy thinking up ways on how to help him make that possible. 

So, stay tuned.

Meanwhile, if you are interested in doing a service project and raising funds for an orphanage- I highly suggest contacting Home and Life. There is still so much need.

You can find out more info on their website: http://www.homelifethailand.com or follow them on facebook here.

 More Thailand update to come!

besitos xo,

Slowly coming out of the fog...

With a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats in my lap- (why are they so good and not so good at the same time- is it because they only have one side of frosting?) I feel wide awake. But I mean WIDE awake!

Wide awake because we just got back from the most amazing trip to Thailand!! And yes it is the middle of the afternoon over there. (no wonder why I am hungry)

The thoughts of Buddhist Temples, canoe rides, elephants, orphanages, monks, thai food, beaches, floating lanterns, and markets all dance in my mind. I can't wait to tell you more about it and show you images of some of the sweet people and children we met in Thailand.

For now, I best force myself to go to bed.... despite the fact that I am dreading waking up in the morning. The adjustment has been rough... I feel so foggy and tired pretty much all morning until like 6pm at night.

Anyhow-  I've missed you... I have so many new things to share including my challenge this month... but that will have to wait- perhaps tomorrow... I'm slowly coming out of the fog.
xo

Nothing like a cousin...

Little Man and I have been hanging out with cousins this week.

It's amazing how they can be the BEST of friends and the WORST of enemies from one moment to the next.


What's even more amazing is the instant love and concern they can have for one another. After their little brawl over the green chalk, Little Man consoles his cousin by putting his arm around her, patting her back, and giving her a kiss on the shoulder.

There is nothing like a cousin.

What are you doing for your three day weekend??

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend!

besitos
xo

Grandma's Peaches.

Today Little Man and I went for a walk outside and he felt a slight breeze on his face and he said, "It's wind mom."

 Then a few moments later he followed it up with, "It's good."

Yes, it is good I thought. I would have never even noticed it if he hadn't pointed out to me.

I love how children live so much in the moment and really experience life aroud them like it is their first time.

One thing that gets me excited every time as if it were the first time I ever had them are these:

I love peaches... but not just any grocery peach...I love fresh juicy peaches from my grandmother's tree.

 And I just read 5 ways to use them here on how does she.

besitos,
xo

This couch...some may see a weed- I see a wish.

I am over here today on How Does She revealing my office makeover using the Chip it program from Sherwin-Williams. If you don't know what that is- check out this post here.

This is the color scheme I decided to get inspiration from to make over my ugly boring office.

...And it all started with this guy.

This is was the first thing to enter into my new space. I adopted this fabulous piece from a local antique market for a great deal...well that is because it needed A LOT of work. 

I have to admit to you that when Mister saw this couch...he pretty much told me it was a lemon and to just scrap it. He didn't think that it was worth the hassle and money of repairing. Not really what I was hoping to hear...but I then reminded him of his love for old vintage cars- one in particular that is taking up space in our garage and only been driven a handful of times.

He never said another word about the couch again.

There as no way I was going to give up on this little couch... although I have to admit- he was right... it needed a lot of work... and possibly money. When we took a look at the inside frame- it was still in it's original padding... which looked to me like a nest of nasty hair pulled out of a drain. Sorry... gross... moving on.

Oh and the fabric was the hardest part...I searched and searched for a fabric that was actually in stock (I had only a week to find what I needed) and just as I was about to give up- I found this.  Little did I know that birds would be a huge theme in this room- I'll explain in another post.

Tada- Here is the couch finished thanks to Best Upholstery. I was happy to see the colors from my color pallet coming together.

I moved my desk and placed the couch in this corner close to the natural light. I envision myself curling up to read. 

Relief. It's done. And despite what the mister says...I love it.

xo besitos,

P.S. Don't forget about the giveaway going on right now until the 30th right here for the coolest Babbaco Box by Jessica Kim - You don't want to miss it!  

Talking Photography at Evo

Much traveling this summer has left little time for some blog love... BUT...with so much needed break- I AM BACK and feeling more energized than ever!  I'm ready to share great photos and stories that have come my way.

Most recently, I had the honor of attending and teaching photography workshops at the Evo Conference in the beautiful mountains of Park City, Utah last week. Being new to the mommy blog world- it was quite a fun experience being surrounded by social media power houses tweeting and instagraming their experience of the conference.  Together these women came to enjoy a weekend full of great company, empowering speakers, fun activities, amazing sponsors, and delicious desserts. Who could as for anything more?

Well, besides blue wigs and superhero capes...

and maybe mickey mouse. 

Little man couldn't believe his mom was so lucky. 

I just adore teaching! 

The topic I was asked to speak on was "Getting your Camera off AUTO and onto MANUAL."

Sounds scary for some I know... but I am here to tell you to DO IT- take off those training wheels! Remember that you are in fact smarter than your camera and that it's not as scary as it may seem. I dare you...double dog dare you. 

Why do such a thing you ask?

#1 reason for me is to become a more mindful photographer.  You will become in tune with your surroundings and subject and begin to feel instead of just looking through your viewfinder. 

Questions to ask yourself to evaluate as you set your camera settings is: Is your subject moving quickly or standing still? What is the quality of the light like? What are you wanting to portray in your photograph? What story are you telling?

After our presentations- we were able to take a group out to downtown Salt Lake City and downtown Park City to practice some hands on. We gave them the assignment of looking for lines and circles in their surroundings. 

Here are some I snapped along the way. 

"Don't forget to get down on the ground- What does the world look like from that view?"

  

"Pay close attention. Lines and circles could be right under you."

 Someone asked how to get blur in the background. 

"I like to open up my aperture which means lower the number. Remember: The LOWER the number- the MORE light is let in. So, an aperture of a 1.4 let's in MORE light than a 7.1."

"Look up."

"Or right in front of you."

 

More lines and circles

Don't be afraid to take photos of random scenes. Each tell a story and leave the mind thinking and feeling something about that scene. For instance, in this photo- I am left wondering what the waiter by the door is thinking and who left their bikes out, what is that man looking at on his phone?

Hope you had a great week!

Look forward to an amazing product review coming up next!

besitos, 

xo

P.S. I have to give a shout out to my friend Kris who came out with me...well actually drove and assisted me as I was sluggish and loopy from pulling an all nighter the night before. 

Friends don't let other friends drive drunk  sleepy.

 Kris- you rock.