What it means to be a hero

Veteran’s Day – a day to honor our soldiers at war and at home, a day to remember and reflect, and a day to say thank you.

It is also a day to think about what it really means to be a hero.

Veteran’s Day is a day that is special to me for a couple reasons. First, it’s my dad’s birthday. As a kid I always thought it was so cool he got his birthday off! It’s ironic that Veteran’s Day is my dad’s birthday. My dad is a huge history buff and very passionate about World War 2 and “The Greatest Generation.” My dad is also one of my heros for everything he has done for me and our family – including making the tough choice to serve in the Army Reserves instead of going to Vietnam. If he hadn’t done that, who knows if my brother and I would be here today.

The second reason Veteran’s Day is special to me is because of my grandpa. My grandfather, John Owen Graham (my Owen’s namesake), fought in World War 2 – flying 99 missions in the Army Air Force – choosing to enlist instead of awaiting being drafted.

My grandfather, John Graham is on the far-right.

I found myself wanting to tell my 3 year old Owen about Veteran’s Day and the hero that his great-grandfather was. But, how do you explain war and heroism to a 3 year old? To be honest, I hope he never knows about war. I want to protect him from war and the realities of the world we live in as long as possible. How could I possibly explain why people go to war? I’ve always thought it was ironic that the most developed species – the human race – are also the only ones who harm each other intentionally.

So as I’m getting Owen dressed this morning in his Spiderman shirt – he starts to do his imitation of Spiderman – superhero to kids all over.

After I put his shirt on, I pull him close and say:

Me: “Owen, you know…. your name Owen is from mommy’s grandpa and gampa’s daddy – his middle name was Owen. Owen, he was a hero.”

Owen: (in a hushed and adorable 3 year old voice) “Yea, he was a hero.”

I give him a big hug and kiss, and with tears in my eyes, I realize that he doesn’t need to know about war today. He just needs to know that today is a special day, and that he is loved and safe.

When he gets older I will teach him and Luke about the sacrifices that people make who fight for our country – I will teach them how brave they are and I will tell them the story of their grandfather.

In the meantime, I will hold them close and protect them as long as possible.

The legacy of my grandparents lives on. They both passed away in 2005 exactly one month apart to the day. Below is a beautiful video my cousin put together a little while back about their love story, their legacy and my grandfather’s heroic story.

Yep….he was a hero.

Adventures in cooking – the first dinner I ever made

I think being on maternity leave has made me more domestic, which is why I was inspired to cook my first dinner for my husband. Ever. In 9 years.

9 years? Yep! How is this possible? Well, I’ve never been interested in cooking, I have an issue with touching raw meat, I am impatient, and I have a wonderful husband who loves to cook!

However, a few weeks ago, I got the domestic urge to prepare a meal. A friend on Facebook suggested a site for recipes – Meal Makeover Moms. I perused the site and settled on a dish that seemed somewhat easy and better yet involved just one pot – a crock pot. I could handle that!

So yesterday I loaded Luke up in the car, drove to the store, put him in the shopping cart, and walked around with my list to make my first dinner.

If anyone was watching me closely, you would have gotten a big laugh. I was like a fish out of water. I know the snack and frozen food aisles well – but everything in between is a bit of a blur to me. Luke drifted in an out of sleep as we trolled the asisles of Raley’s. He did open his eyes once or twice and looked me as if to say “Do you know what you are doing mom?”

The answer would have been “no!”

Here are just a few of the thoughts that went through my head as I was shopping (I even said a few of these things out loud – yes I was the crazy lady talking to herself at the grocery store holding a bag of peas!):

• Is there a difference between snow peas and just regular peas?
• It would have been good to not just write down WHAT to buy but HOW MUCH. Whoops.
• Isn’t all syrup maple syrup – surprisingly no! And it’s expensive!
• Cider vinegar – what the heck is that?
• Cornstarch – never bought it, but I was right to look down the baking aisle for it. I have no clue what this is for.
• Stew meat – $5 a pack? Isn’t that kind of a lot? I was pleasantly surprised it was actually labeled “Stew Meat.”
• Tomato sauce is NOT the same thing as pasta sauce – I had no idea! AND it’s on a different aisle too!

Then, I was feeling pretty confident in myself so I decided to make dessert. After a few minutes in the baking aisle I chose something I was comfortable with – a yellow cake and chocolate frosting, and of course sprinkles for Owen. I figured I could bake a cake or cupcakes. I do like to bake! I think I like baking because a) I have a super sweet tooth and b) when you bake, the item is usually around for a couple days, not 20 minutes like a meal!

Heading home, I felt very wifely – I was going to prepare dinner AND dessert!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

MY BACK-UP PLAN: 🙂

The good news is that it wasn’t half bad! I did mess up the cornstarch at the end, but other than that, I think I did pretty good for my first time. I even had a nice french bread with dinner.

Now, the big question is… “what’s for dinner tonight?” AACK! This could be exhausting! 🙂

If you have any cooking or recipe tips leave me a comment below. I am open to new ideas!

Vintage goodies and Paris treasures come to the Bay Area

This past weekend I went to Paris. Not Paris, France (although that would have been a great break away from the kids!) 🙂 No, I went to Paris Flea Market in Livermore, California. One of my friends, Carin Lockrem, a consignor at the store, sent me a Facebook message a month or two ago telling me about this fabulous new/old store in Livermore. She sent me a link and my mouth watered with all the vintage, antique and shabby chic goodies I saw. Unfortunately I was unable to make it to the grand opening last month so when this month arrived, I checked the website and made sure I was able to check it out.

I was totally blown away. As soon as I walked in I was greeted with smiling faces welcoming me to the store. The store is uniquely divided up into rooms oozing with vintage finds from estate sales, “grandmother’s closet,” antique stores, and more. There is everything from furniture, to soap, jewelry, knick knacks, holiday decor, clothing, home decor, homemade items, and more. I realized very quickly that I needed to walk around the store a few times because there was so much to see. Every nook and cranny was filled with fun and unique treasures.

This huge warehouse in Livermore, is truly a piece of Paris! It was really fun to see all the vignettes that were created throughout the store. Upstairs I found a fabulous collection of vintage clothes and accessories along with yummy coffee and treats!

This store is open only one weekend a month; a Thursday evening, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. When I went on Saturday I was told on the Thursday night, the line to the cash register stretched to the back of the store!

Each month the store changes theme and stock. I am really looking forward to visiting next month (December 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th) and picking up some holiday goodies.

On a side note – I have to give kudos to all the ladies running this show. They have done a great job at creating a ton of buzz. The store was packed – and it is not in a place to really get foot traffic (again, think warehouse-type building.) They have a blog and Facebook page, and the word of mouth has certainly brought them a lot of business. The owners also have a store in Walnut Creek I plan on checking out soon as well.

Check out the goodies I brought home – I had to restrain myself!

See you next month Paris! Au revoir!

Everything but the kitchen sink

My husband and I went out on a “date night” last night. I am very fortunate to have parents who are young, healthy, live close by, and love their grandkids more than anything in the world. So when I called my mom and asked if she mind watching the boys for a couple hours so Paul and I could go see a movie – she said YES!

This was the second time we had gone out just the two of us in about 2 months – since Luke was born. We were very excited to have a couple hours alone and to see The Social Network which I had really wanted to see.

As we got ready to get going, I laughed at 2 things:

1. The amount of TIME it actually takes to leave the house once we decide to leave.
2. The amount of STUFF that is required to bring when we leave this house.

As I’m running around gathering all the stuff, I’m shaking my head and smiling. We got pretty used to just having Owen – now adding baby #2 into the mix – you forget all the gear that a little 10 pound baby needs!

Here’s the breakdown:

For Luke (7 weeks old): 4-5 outfits, 4-6 burp cloths, 2 receiving blankets, 4-6 bibs, 1 can of formula, 2 bottles, extra diapers and wipers (my mom keeps these at her house – but just in case), blankie, pacifier, hat, carseat, diaper bag (with more stuff inside!). Thankfully my mom and dad have a Pack ‘N Play, sheets, and an infant bouncy seat at their house – so no need to bring those too. Also it was nighttime, so no need for the stroller!

For Owen (3 years old): PJ’s, potty seat and  “potty snacks” (because, oh yes, in the midst of a newborn we are doing potty training too!), toy train, blankie, jacket, carseat.

For us: cell phones, wallets, purse, jacket/sweater, keys, sunglasses, water bottle

Granted, this date was just 2-3 hours tops. So for all of you married without kids or single – enjoy being able to leave to go anywhere at the drop of a hat and enjoy not having to schlep the kitchen sink! 🙂

On a side note, we had an awesome time out – all the schlepping was definitely worth it! (Thanks Mom and Dad!)

 

Making time for happiness

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about happiness. What makes us happy, what makes me happy, and why some people seem happier than others. I started following Gretchen Rubin’s “The Happiness Project.” I admit, I am not following her plan religiously (c’mon I’m a new mom here!!) 🙂 But, I really enjoy her weekly video thoughts for the week.

It’s really made me think about this thing called happiness. I think happiness is something that a lot of people view as friviolous – not as important as hard work, a strong work ethic or discpline. Those are qualities that people respect. But happiness? Not always.

I think a lot of people regard happiness as a “nice to have” not a “need to have” in life. As I started thinking more of the things that really made me happy, and I realized there were a lot of things that made me happy that I neglected or stopped doing because they seemed frivolous or not as important as my pressing and never-ending “to do” lists.

I’ve realized that when you neglect what makes you happy, you become like a houseplant that you forget to water for a couple days days (or weeks.) You feel wilted and just not 100% yourself. So what have I started doing to be happier?

I’ve realized that being happy is not any one one big change in your life – it’s doing a lot of the little things that make you happy.

Here are somethings that make me happy:

1. Spending more time with the people who matter to me – family and friends.

2. Taking care of myself and my home. Make your home a restful place, a place you are happy to come home to. I’ve enjoyed buying a few new things here and there for our home that make it feel more cozy and warm – a new pillow, new candles. Small luxuries!

3. Holding my baby and not worrying about the dishes in the sink, the laundry to be folded, the toys on the floor. Those will get done – they always will, but my baby is growing and changing literally every moment.

4. Being thankful and grateful for what I have and not what I don’t have. Sometimes easier said than done, but I strive to be grateful. I am so blessed.

5. Reflecting back on how far I have come. Last week I opened up one of my scrapbooks and looked back at the hand-me-down furniture we had when we first got married and our small apartment and reminded myself of how far we have come!

6. Being creative. Taking time each day to be creative and giving that as much importance as anything else. I’ve tried to make time – some days more than others, to be creative. I realized I am a much more complete person when I feed that important part of who I am.

7. Turning the TV off. It’s so peaceful without the drone of the TV in the background! Finding moments of quiet is not always easy in a house with a newborn or a toddler – but when everyone is asleep, I relish in the quietness!

8. Playing with my boys and enjoying the stage they are at right here – right now. I wrote about this a little while back – and I really strive to enjoy every age at every stage.

9. Talking to my husband. It’s easy to feel like ‘ships passing in the night’ – but taking the time to turn off the TV, the computer, put our iPhones down, and spend sometime together just the two of us is key.

10. Planning our next date night out or time away. A vacation seems like so far away at this point. But, I’ve started thinking about it – even if it’s just a night away – sometimes the planning part is as much fun as the actual going away!

11. Blogging and writing. I’ve always enjoyed writing and now making time to write on this blog has brought me so much fulfillment.

What makes you happy? Are you taking the time to do the things you really love in life?I’d love to hear your comments and feedback, leave me a comment below!

 

An inspired idea – let’s get creative!

One of the things I hope to post on this blog are some of the amazing and beautiful things I find online.

I may not always have the time to be crafty, but I love looking at other people’s works of arts – especially paper arts. I have always loved paper. As a child, I loved school supply shopping! And now as an adult, I have quite the stash of pretty papers, embellishments and ribbons. I just need to find the time to use them! 🙂

One of my favorite sites, Two Peas in a Bucket is always chock-full of awe-inspiring handmade goodies. Check out this awesome new product they just got in – it’s a Library Drawer with Index Card by 7 Gypsies.

This is what it looks like “out of the box”:

And this is what it looks like when designer Kerry Barker got her hands on it:

Wow! Isn’t that gorgeous?! I think I may have to get my hands on one of these. I love that instead of a traditional scrapbook, this piece could sit out on your desk or coffee table and you could easily add photos throughout the year to it.  As I work through my never-ending stash of digital photos, I’m thinking that this may be a great way to sort and keep my ‘favorites’ out for display.

What do you think? Would love your comments and feedback below! Also, if you find a fantastic handmade item online, please let me know, and it may be featured on my blog.

P.S. Do you love being creative like I do but don’t seem to ever find the time? I’m going to challenge you (and myself!) to find the time to do something creative. Make a scrapbook page, a card for a friend, start a knitting project – whatever it is that you love to do to get your creative juices flowing, I challenge you to do it. If you are a creative person, you need to feed the creativity inside of you! I invite you to take the challenge and then post here what you have made – nothing is too big or too small!

Every age is my favorite age

I seem to be saying lately that this age is my favorite age.

Owen is 3 and Luke is 6 weeks. Owen is at such a cute age. He talks all the time, uses his imagination, can somewhat get dressed/undressed by himself, and is more and more independent every day. He is such a happy boy – laughing and playing all day long. He is also cautious – not quick to jump into a group of kids without waiting a few minutes to check them out. He loves his little brother so much. He comes over to him when he’s feeding to help hold the bottle or pat him on the head. This age is definitely one of my favorite ages.

Luke is 6 weeks old. What’s not to love about a newborn? I forgot how wonderful and cuddly they are at this age; 100% dependent on you to take care of their every need. Little fuzzy head, little warm body, the cutest cooing sounds, the first smiles, their big beautiful eyes taking everything around them… I love it all!

What’s funny, is as I say all this, I realize that at every stage I have said these words: “This is my favorite age!” Every stage and every age has it’s own joys and milestones and of course challenges and tears. 🙂

I know for sure that I am not a perfect mom, but one thing I have always tried to do from day one with both my boys is thoroughly enjoy what stage they were at that moment. I think so many times we say “oh, I can’t wait until they are _____ years old, them it will be easier” – which may be true, but if possible, just enjoy every moment. They grow and change so fast. In a few weeks my newborn won’t be a newborn – and it will remind me how much I love when they are 2 and 3 months old. 🙂 As the saying goes,

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, today is a gift, thats why it’s called the present!”

I love my kids – and I especially love this age!

Manic Monday: My Favorite Mommyhood and Marketing Articles

Happy Monday! Monday’s also seem to be chock-full of interesting stories and articles on my Facebook page and Twitter feed. Since this blog is about my 2 passions: Mommyhood and Marketing – I thought it would be fun to post some links to articles I read today that I thought were worthy of sharing. Enjoy!

Manic Monday: My Favorite Links on Mommyhood

1. Happy People Make People Happy — But You Can’t MAKE Someone Happy.
2. 5 Ways Pregnancy is Good Practice for Motherhood
3. 5 myths about baby talk
4. I Love Kids. Mostly My Own.
5. Managing morning mania: 3 tips for smoothing school mornings

Manic Monday: My Favorite Links on Marketing

1. 5 New Ways to Market Your Brand on Facebook
2. Why Social Media is Perfect for Brand Ambassador Campaigns
3. 100 Brains: HootSuite’s Ryan Holmes and his solution for addressing social media ROI
4. Facebook for BlackBerry Gets a Facelift
5. Facebook reaches 62% of online Americans

Bonus: One more, thing – I don’t know about you but I love looking at Etsy and seeing so many beautiful items. Here is my pick of the day!

[New Product] Woogie: The Huggable Case for the iPhone

Someone had a very good idea – wish it was me!

I know Owen loves to play with my iPhone, but I always have my eagle eye on him so he doesn’t drop the $200 “toy!” Check out this new product for kids to safely play with your iPhone or iPod – meet the Woogie. I need to get one of these!

Do you have a great family friendly product or a cool new tech toy? Tell me all about it – leave me a comment below!

Why I have a love/hate relationship with the pacifier

I’m sure I’m a lot like other moms and dads. I have a love/hate relationship with Luke’s pacifier. I know there is some debate about whether to use a pacifier or not, and how long a child should use one. For a newborn, I do think it helps soothe a baby and I’ve also read it can help to reduce the risk of SIDS.

However… sometimes that “binkie” drives mommy BONKERS!

Here’s the scenario:

3 AM – I fed Luke about 2 AM, I’ve burped and rocked him, and he’s pretty much asleep. I go into our room, and lay him down in the Pack ‘N Play near our bed. I wrap him up snuggly and give him his pacifier.

“Suck, Suck Suck.” (think Maggie Simpson here).

I go to our bed and sit down. And wait.

“Suck, Suck Suck.” CLICK.

Uh oh. That’s the sound.

The sound that it fell out.

“Baby grunts, baby cooing, baby grunts.”

That’s my cue. I get up and put the pacifier back in. Poor kid – he is bobbing his head around trying to put it in himself. He gets an “A” for effort. 🙂 This routine continues for about a half hour. Now it’s really quiet. I peek in the Pack N Play – he’s asleep! But the pacifier is stuck next to his head. Do I dare remove it and chance waking him up? I wait another 5 minutes and with stealth precision remove the pacifier.

4:15 to possibly 5 AM – I creep back into bed carefully and quietly to sleep for a couple more hours.

Why else do I have a love/hate relationship with the pacifier? I love that it calms him down. I hate when it falls out on the floor. I hate that panic of “WHERE IS HIS PACIFIER!!” I hate that he will only take a certain pacifier. I hate that it kind of looks like a plug. That all being said, I know we will probably only use the pacifier until he is 2 or 3 months old – I don’t think my nerves could handle it much longer!

And don’t worry, he won’t be one of those 4 year olds running around with it! My mom will make sure of it. 🙂

So what are you thoughts about the pacifier? Love it or hate it or both? Leave me a comment!