Friday, May 18, 2012

Life

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and  smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.


We  have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too  often.

We've learned how to make a living, but  not a life. We've added years to life not life to years.  We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have  trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We  conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done  larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less.  We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more  computers to hold more information, to produce more  copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits  and shallow relationships. These are the days of two  incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken  homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable  diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, and pills that do everything from  cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is  much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your  side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can  give with your heart and it doesn't cost a  cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A  kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from  deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

And always remember:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

~George Carlin

Parks House Rules

I'd like to think that we're not huge on rules in our house, but rather that the rules we do have are sort of all encompassing and they are non-negotiable. 

1. No sassing
This isn't to say that Eva can't voice her opinion or ask questions about what we say (always question authority- viva la resistance!), but she is not allowed to say it in a snotty voice.  We're pretty good about this too; so often it'd be easier to just ignore her when she mouths off or mumbles under her breath but then what does that teach her? That it's okay. And then the next time it's harder to stop her from doing it.  So we just nip it in the bud from the get go and so far it's working well.  Stay tuned for when she's a pre-teen...



2. No screaming
This might seem like a no brainer but you'd be wrong. I hear preschoolers shriek/scream/wail all.the.time. No way Jose, we don't do voices above a 60 decibel inside our house. 



3. No hitting
Again, seems like a no-brainer but this one is actually for everyone, not just Eva. We don't spank in our house. That's not to say we wouldn't love to every now and then when Eva may be trying to engage in #1 or #2 listed above, but studies consistently show that physical punishment is ineffective in producing positive behavioral outcomes in children.  Hitting a child does nothing but teach them that 1) hitting is okay and 2) that they cannot count on their parents for physical safety.  To a toddler/preschooler, the one person in the world who is supposed to be your safety net is your parent; if the person you rely on for your sense of safety hits you, it causes horrible damage to your psyche.  To put it in a cheesy, yet true, way hands are for hugs, not hitting.

If you don't spank your child(ren)- you already know where I'm coming from.  If you do, I urge you to pause the next time you feel like it and ask yourself if you're doing it because you truly think hitting will benefit the child in some way, or because you're so angry that you feel like hitting... one is about the child, the other is about you.



Aaaaand that's about it.  We don't have a clean your plate rule or a no shoes in the bedroom rule... or even a steadfast bedtime rule.  We're pretty go with the flow- this has both its pros and cons- but overall I think life is pretty enjoyable in our house. 

Wait, I forgot, we do have a NO jumping on the bed rule. Don't ask me why, since it's probably the most fun thing for a 4 year old to do... I think it's a hold over my from childhood where my mom was so worried that we'd fall and break something that jumping on any bed was a huge no no.  So I lied, we're not as cool and laid back as I'd like to be but hey, "There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one."

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Stone Arch Photo Practice

I love friends who let me work on my photography skills!  Today I headed down to the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis with my friend Brittney and her obnoxiously beautiful family and snapped away for over an hour.  Not going to lie, my camera is still so much for me and a lot of shots would have turned out way better if I understood the whole aperture, ISO camera nitty gritties better... but I suppose outside of reading tutorials I'll have to learn through trial and error.

Here are some of the photos I shot today that I do like.  Any friends out there interested in letting me awkwardly take photos of you for 60+ minutes in the hopes of getting 20-25 good shots let me know. Get me while I'm still free ;-)














Okay not going to lie I'm ridiculously proud of this one!
1) I shot it on a last ditch effort as my camera was shutting down because I had drained all my batteries (even back ups)
2) It's a great photo in general
3) I brightened it up and made it a million times better using Photo Shop

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

We're Having a BABY!

So excited to announce that after many, many months of trying and more heartache than we want to remember, my oldest and best friend Maria is finally pregnant!  She'll be 15 weeks this Sunday- well on her way to a healthy and happy baby; who I'm betting will be covered in thick, curly black hair as both Maria and her husband Jimmy have total fros!
Love you Maria, so excited to be mommies together!!! 

P.S. haha to any of you who thought for a moment that I was announcing I was pregnant ;-)


Monday, May 7, 2012

Monday Inspiration

Little bit of inspiration for you all on this wonderful Monday morning- make it a wonderful week! 





Viva Las Vegas!

I spent last weekend in Las Vegas with 3 girlfriends and, while it was a blast, I don't think I did Vegas justice.  Vegas on a budget is like dieting at a buffet- enjoyable- but leaves you wanting so much more!  We stayed at the Monte Carlo, right on the strip, and while we had picked it because it was the cheapest package deal, it actually turned out to be a really awesome hotel.  Our room was great, it had an awesome view of the pool, the beds were super comfortable, I had great luck at the casino in our hotel and the pool area was the perfect mix of fun but not full of drunken 21 year olds.

I'll find more pictures later but here's what I have so far. 

Airport bar before heading out

Strawberry mojito- to die for!


my hat!

At Sugar Factory- a super fun restaurant and candy shop in the Paris hotel

Hubba Bubba bubblegum martini at Sugar Factory (it was $17... needless to say I only had one lol)

 
mmm Chippendales (we didn't go, but we should have!)

at VooDoo lounge- 50th floor rooftop night club, super fun!

5:00am jello shots? Sure!



Gambling at the penny slots to take advantage of free bloody marys



loved the fountains at Bellagio

Friday, May 4, 2012

Brad Paisley

I am by no means a country girl... I hate bugs or being dirty, camping in anything other than a cabin with running water is nowhere on my list of things I'd like to spend my time doing and the entire southern half of the United States makes me want to gag 99% of the time- but that doesn't mean I don't love me some country music!

My favorite for the past few years has been Brad Paisley.  I'm not sure how he votes, but I'd bet my left leg that he's a Democrat- he even performed at the White House for Obama's inauguration and cried (happy tears!)  I love that he infuses socially progressive lyrics into his songs, which isn't easy to do when the majority of your fan base are NRA members.  Many country songs, even in 2012, are still very redneck and hateful with major undertones of racism and bigotry.  

Here are some Brad Paisley lyric samples:

"Welcome To the Future"
I had a friend in school
Running back on the football team
They burned a cross in his front yard
For asking out the homecoming queen
I thought about him today
And everybody who'd seen what he'd seen
From a woman on a bus
To a man with a dream

Chorus:
Hey, wake up Martin Luther
Welcome to the future
Hey, glory, glory, hallelujah
Welcome to the future


"Camouflage"
Well the stars and bars offend some folks and I guess I see why
Nowadays there's still a way to show your southern pride
The only thing as patriotic is the old red white and blue
Is green and gray and black and brown and tan all over too

Camouflage, camouflage
Designed by Mother Nature and by God


"American Saturday Night"
You know everywhere there's something there known for
Although usually it washes up on our shores
My great great great granddaddy stepped off that ship
I bet he never ever dreamed we'd have all this

You know everywhere has somethin' there known for
Although usually it washes up on our shores
Little Italy, Chinatown, sittin' there side by side
Live from New York, It's Saturday Night!

French kiss, Italian ice,
Spanish moss in the moonlight
Just another American Saturday night!