Pocket full of sunshine

August 27, 2017August 28, 2017Leave a comment

If dinosaurs roamed the earth millions of years ago,

Who’s to say mermaids don’t live in oceans far below?

When the sun sinks below the hills we know it’ll rise again,

So why’s it crazy to think legs could be replaced with a fin?

Ask me not of the many things one knows but cannot see,

Ask instead what lights the way toward endless possibilities.

Is it the heart that beats to a drum only it knows how to hear?

Or the voice that whispers comfort when you’re full of fear.

Miracles happen every day, everywhere.

You only have to seek to find the magic in the air.

______________

Today we took the Shrimpresses to their first puppet show at Bob Baker Marionette with Oh Joy! It was basically as if a Mom Blogger’s Instagram came to life. Everyone had their kids dressed in the cutest little outfits, and every where you looked there was a colorful setting staged for selfies.

Then there was Zee Shrimpress, hair tangled, shirt from last night, mismatched shorts we just barely convinced her she needed to wear to “see puppets”, and the biggest, most joyful look on her face. She has a way of forcing us to remember that nothing in the world matters more than family.

As she chased kids around roaring like a dinosaur, with her baby sister looking on in admiration, we couldn’t help but be wrapped into her world.

Her world where you can be a dinosaur looking for your next meal (friends), only to turn into a bird and fly away (because Mama gave ya some introvert genes for good measure), then off on your unicorn as a warrior princess to save your baby sister from attacks (said friends who are excited to have found someone smaller than themselves). And that is all under five minutes.

Her world where mermaids, unicorns, dragons, princesses, “octopuses”, whales, cowboys, and of course dinosaurs, all coexist in harmony.

My magical little Shrimpress, please don’t ever lose that sparkle.

This thing called love

June 12, 2017Leave a comment

“Mama, hand. Hand, Mama”

Lili reaches for me blindly in the night and grasps onto my hand tightly. She’s supposed to be sleeping. We’re supposed to be sleeping. And from the strength of her grip I know she’s still awake.

I listen to the hushed breathing of Ella suckling me, while I savor the small, but mighty grip of my firstborn.

She’s so independent these days. She’s fierce and funny. She’s trying her boundaries…testing ours. She’s exercising her voice and mastering her will.

She pushes us.

She teaches us.

She teaches me to stop. That life isn’t so busy and nothing is more important than pretending to be horseys or dinosaurs with a toddler.

She teaches me money is nice, but imagination is priceless.

She teaches me there’s nothing more beautiful in the world than joy. Joy bursting through a roar of laughter. Joy twinkling through the crinkle of scrunched up eyes. Joy heard through the excitement of a tiny human calling you over to “Here! Sit Down!”

She clutches me as she falls to sleep. If I make a move to reposition she’s instantly grasping to keep my hand wrapped around hers. In her tiny fingers I feel the love of a million hearts.

As my brain runs through all the things I need to do at work. All they ways we need to balance finances. All the ways life would be better if just…

Her little hand wraps itself around my distracted thoughts. “Here Mama, sit down. Hand Mama.”

And my three year old does what I still can’t seem to master after thirty years. She quiets my wayward inner dialog. She teaches me there is nothing more perfect than this. A little hand. A little voice.

“Hand, Mama. Hand.”

Social Media Dis-Connections & Summer Camp

March 31, 2015March 31, 2015Leave a comment

I have a real love-hate relationship with Social Media.

Love when it leads me to amazing finds like this beautiful, personalized book for babies…

Hate. Every time I accidentally go “back” or refresh my Facebook or Instagram page, then the ad-rogithm kicks in and I totally lose the posts I was interested in finding, lost to an unending world of auto-refresh-advertising. And I’m in advertising so I get it, but I mean where is the line between necessary evil and little-too-much-evil?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Facebook. But…

Hate. Feeling like a dud when I connect with a friend in real life and realize that I didn’t know about something they’d shared on Social Media (see algorithm above), so naturally expected their friends to know about it. It’s not that I don’t try to keep up with my friends, but I am not sure how I feel about the loss of real connection. Honest conversation as the medium for sharing news replaced by the expectation that putting it on broadcast means you’re being heard.

Love. There is a secret group on Facebook. It’s filled with some of my all time favorite women ever. They are my soul sisters. And we have a group dedicated to our highs, lows, laughs, poop talks (’cause shit gets real when you have adulting or when you just have babies…we have both), hashtags, Wednesday Selfies and so. much. light.

Speaking of.

These girls (okay, not THESE ^ girls, who are lovely models I’m sure…or else poor victims to Snapchat gone wrong, which we know NEVER happens). My Tribettes? We met thanks to the wonderful, soul sister creating, mama of magic Molly Mahar of Stratejoy. And guess what!? This Leader of Tribes is inviting YOU to join in a week filled with merriment, connection, joy, authentic-gut-laughing-energy-filling-connection. She’s hosting her first ever Summer Camp (#SSC15) this August. AND if you sign up by today you save $150!

So scuttle, scoot and SAVE. Not only on money, but we’re all snagging camp names, and you don’t want to be the kid left with “broccoli” – unless you do, then that’s cool too.

Do one better and make sure to send THIS LINK to a sister you love and think could use a little whimsy in their life.

Oh and by the way, her inspiration for Summer Camp? The time she quit her big-kid-job and backpacked around the world with her then boyfriend (now hubby). And the time they spent their honeymoon couch surfing and connecting with new friends across the states. OH and that time she went to World Domination Summit and…well you get it. In here own words:

Though I wish I could take you around the world for 10 months or on a 4 month road trip — I realize these 5 days of Camp are my chance to create a magical, life-changing, breath-of-fresh-air, woman-circling experience for you.

Mad hearts guys.

xoxo

Dare

January 24, 2015Leave a comment

Transcend

January 12, 2015Leave a comment

You’re so vain

January 3, 2015January 4, 2015Leave a comment

There are enough haters that we can spare our own judgement.
To 2015. A year for falling in love with ourselves.

#LifeExtraordinary

September 27, 2014Leave a comment

Like most people I have been tirelessly chasing “my thing” since I was old enough to realize when my mom said I could be anything, she didn’t mean a mermaid…except THIS…

And recently I had a revelation, which I shared over at Stratejoy. The thing I’ve realized as part of this magical year-long journey with Elevate is that maybe we’re not destined to do just one thing. Also I firmly believe we’re not meant to be just one “who”. Because that would be boring.

No. Life is not meant to be lived in a plotted line. You’re not meant to reach upward, upward, then hit this point of revelation of “Ah ha! This is it!” then just stay the course. Life is meant to be messy. Have ups and downs, moments of speeding light years ahead and sometimes looping back and rediscovering a forgotten joy. Life is meant to live in circles. It’s why I started this blog. A Circular Life has always been about discovering and journeying. It’s been about embracing my present state, while not being afraid to simultaneously explore in all directions. The heart of A Circular Life has always been to serve as a reminder for me to never lose contact with the little girl I used to be. The one who is still very much a part of me. She’s the one twirling. Singing. Staring in awe big sparkling eyes at each new wonder as she plots how to make magic happen. She’s the one I answer to, because she keeps it real. She keeps me honest with myself and what I need vs. what I feel I should be doing. She whispers to my soul the secrets that remind me to reach for who I want to become.

Throughout life I have tended to take the sensible route. In pursuit of the most practical decisions. Want to be a Mermaid? Too bad. Maybe a Marine Biologist? But how would I be successful? How would I provide for a family? Business. That is the way of viable success.

But now as I look at the sweet, sleeping face of my baby girl, I can’t help but admit I’ve been living fear and not toward fear. The difference is letting fear push me. It means choosing the safe path. Making decisions based on comfort and financial obligation. More obligation, less passion. Less joy. Living toward fear is to step up and claim my dreams. To not feel selfish for spending my energy to make life magical. To make life extraordinary.

That is what I want for my baby girl. A Life Extraordinary. I want her to dream big dreams. Chase sparkles. Live her life comfortable being with the fear. The kind of fear that comes from being connected to your soul and listening, really listening to its calling. The kind of fear that allows her to follow her heart even when she doesn’t see the end goal. Because I don’t want her to live life in a line. I want her to live it in circles, with the promise of adventure beyond the horizon. Just as Columbus knew the world wasn’t flat and paradise might just be found if he could sail “off the edge”. I want her to dive into the unknown.

To raise our little Shimpress with the confidence to live in circles, I have to step up to my own fears though. I have to make my own magic. So here it is. Out in the universe just as it’s been secretly inside me these last number of years. The fear I am following is acting.

My life extraordinary is as an actress.

As with the other circles of life, I’ll be sharing tidbits of the journey among the wedding, baby, fashion, soap box moments of this blog. I’ll be sharing my sparkles hoping that it might just encourage you to follow your fear too.

Now I lay me down to sleep…

February 18, 2014Leave a comment

Before bedtime, one of my favorite things to do is scour the ~~Internet~~ Pinterest for new inspiration.

Beautiful.

Soulful.

Delicious.

Inspiring.

Images…

So tonight as you dream and tomorrow as you wake, I dare you to leave not only some, but a vast ocean of room for the…

UNIMAGINABLE

Night lovelies

Words to Live By: Mollyism Edition

July 10, 2013July 10, 2013Leave a comment

Hello Darlings.

Today is a very special day. It’s my gorgeous, light of the world, baby niece’s FIRST Birthday!

Happy Birthday sweet baby girl!

And in honor of this little bundle of joy, what better way than to showcase Miss Molly Mahar’s latest edition of setting the world ablaze with Joy!?

If you aren’t already following Stratejoy, go ahead click >>> this <<< then sit back and enjoy your being one giant step closer to living your own authentic, fabulous life. In her latest installment she’s brought her tribe to Pinterest, thus introducing a new wave of #QOTD worthy imagspirations straight from Molly’s wise words.

Here are just a few of my favorites, but make sure to check them out yourself or better yet add to the fun! The contest closes tonight and winners are announced tomorrow. Which means you still HAVE TIME to get in your own Mollyism!

Pinterest: #stratejoyquotecontest

{Be UN-Acceptable}

{Be Fascinating}

{Never Stop}

{Being playful and whimsy}

{Or honoring your delight}

What are your favorite Mollyisms?

What are you favorite ways to celebrate joy?

“No consideration of failure…”

July 6, 2013July 6, 2013Leave a comment

I have a confession.

I am a hard core nerd for everything Hollywood. The Actresses. The Actors. The Directors. The Stories. The Theater. The Fashion. The Popcorn. I kid you not, nerd on all fronts.

So when I found this little collection of gems (Also See: failing to focus on weekend work and getting distracted by the shiny things), let’s just say I ~~lost~~ spent an unhealthy amount of time nerding. all. out.

I just love the beauty in these unguarded moments (okay, I know they were interviews, so not totally unguarded but still…). What I didn’t expect was finding the real gems. The ironic and beautiful, almost embarrassed confessions of these – the brightest of stars – as they make their own confessions.

Confessions like this one from a young Jennifer Lawrence as she admits to a, “really gross, dangerous mentality of no consideration of failure. Just never even considering the thought of failure. If I want something I just go until I get it.”