Category Archives: connection

One Love

Posted in belovers, best friends, connection, family, Friends, Gratitude, happily ever after, Happiness, intention, Love, Mindfulness, one love, positive living, rooted, simple living, spark joy, work life balance, working mom by


Today I was validated. Over and over again. This is a great feeling, one that we all want, and I am thankful for the experience and this one beautiful life I’ve been given. Thanks mom and dad, for giving me this opportunity to live it up, to love this life and to laugh out loud!!

Today was chaotic and great.

I flowed. I loved. I was present. 

I enjoyed my family and friends and work and yoga. It doesn’t get much better than this.

My friend chose to come stay with me last night and left today, and before she left, she surprised me with this gift that I found on my desk after uber came to pick her up and take her to the airport, so that I could be at my kids’ sporting events.

During our short time together, I shared with her that I haven’t been blogging as much lately and that I’ve been sitting with the feeling of accepting this slower pace, and not quite giving it up and not quite sure the direction it would take. I have been blogging daily for 4 years and lately have slowed down and am figuring out what the future holds.

She gave me this gift of a journal and a sticker with my favorite thought, One Love. She gets me. She wants me to continue to write, even if I choose to write privately and she encouraged me to continue my passion and to consider writing children’s stories, based on the parenting practices we shared, and practice every day.

Thank you, Jen, for this gift and for the inspiration and spark and for choosing to come spend time with me! 

I love you!   One Love…let’s make America great, one moment at a time!! xoxo

Call Your Friends

Posted in best friends, connection, Cooking, food, Friends, Gratitude, happily ever after, Happiness, intention, joy, parenting, positive living, simple living, Uncategorized, work life balance, working mom by

I picked up the phone today and called a friend. She didn’t answer and usually I would hang up, but today I left a message and I Am happy that I did.

I told her that I would be near her house this afternoon and would love to drop by and see her, if her schedule was open at all. Lucky for me, she noticed that I called, checked her message and called me back, right as I was getting ready to go out again and we were able to connect.

She invited Jeff and I to her house and we enjoyed an hour or so together, chit chatting and catching up right at dinner time and before her PTA meeting and between our kids’ soccer practice and polo matches. While we were talking, she whipped up fish tacos for her family and insisted that we eat with her and that she had plenty.

I can’t tell you (well, actually I guess I am sharing right now) how cool this moment was. This was living happily ever after right now, and saying yes, and not being too busy, or too tired or too anything (even though we are). We showed up, sat around the table and enjoyed each other’s company in the middle of the day on a Tuesday. I loved this, can you tell?

Thank you Susanne! You made my day. 

If you’re thinking of a friend, try calling them. They just might make your day and dinner. xoxo

P.S. Thank you Charlie for inspiring me to write tonight and asking me what made me happy today.

I See Him Changing

Posted in cats, connection, family, Gratitude, happily ever after, Happiness, intention, Love, Mindfulness, motherhood, parenting, positive living, rooted, simple living by

I was sleeping and sitting up in my rocking chair because my head was congested and I couldn’t sleep lying down last night. 

My perspective was shifted, as he walked into the kitchen and I could see him through the darkness and dawn’s early light from my chair.  I liked this image.

I enjoyed this new view and waking up to him, watching him get his favorite morning meal, a bowl of cereal and milk by himself, which he normally does, but I’m usually busy moving and doing and miss the observing part.  He is taller now and I noticed him growing up right there, in this moment.

It’s not that I don’t recognize the changes normally, it’s just that I had a different perspective this morning and I wasn’t in a rush and I was just observing the morning and him being there, growing up just like, that and eating simple cereal.

I noticed the piles of laundry waiting to be sorted and the cat sprawled out in the bean bag chair. (It still seems strange to me that we live with animals.) The laundry can wait.

In this moment, I was content and thankful to be aware and to notice that my baby is growing up, even with my stuffy head!  Sometimes it’s cool to switch your perspective and to see things differently.

Life is good.

Day 65: Summer

Posted in Beach, connection, family, Gratitude, happily ever after, Happiness, Mindfulness, parenting, positive living, simple living, Staycation, work life balance by

Seriously? Has it been 65 days already?  By counting the days, I’m fully aware of time passing and how long summer vacation actually is. I will be ready for the school year to begin again this week. This was a transition summer for our family, with me working from home, and with the two teenagers starting their first summer jobs as lifeguards and practicing with their sports’ teams. This summer, we stayed closer to home and did more afternoon and day trips around our more complex schedules. The kids slept in while I worked, and we enjoyed our friends and hanging out together during the afternoons.

I realized that we had a “free” day with no commitments today and wanted to do something all together as a family. After much discussion and debate, we decided to visit the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz and packed a picnic lunch to take with us.  Have you ever been to the iconic Mystery Spot before?


We enjoyed the mystery of the optical illusions and the feelings of anti-gravity and like we just got off a rollercoaster. 



Our tour guide was funny and entertaining and we enjoyed the experience of doing something new together and laughing at the craziness of it all.


The Mystery Spot is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains. After we finished our tour, we left the redwood trees and took our picnic to the beach, where we enjoyed watching the surfers and locals walk by as we ate. It was a gorgeous day to be by the beach.  I loved today, and being with my crazy family. I am thankful that we made it happen.


Life is good.

Day 63: Summer

Posted in Beach, best friends, connection, Friends, happily ever after, Happiness, simple living, Staycation, work life balance by


Today I am thankful for these beautiful ladies. Our babies are seniors in high school this year and have been friends forever. 

We hosted a summer birthday celebration at the beach today before they all start their last year together. I am thankful that when we moved back from Holland, that these friends were planning their annual birthday celebration and invited us to join them and we’ve been celebrating ever since. 

It was a cold day at the beach, but it was fun to be there never the less. When we arrived, the parking attendant shared that there was a shark sighting 100 yards off the shore, so the kids stayed out of the water besides splashing around on the shore.  They had fun playing with full sized shovels and digging holes and building ramps.  They enjoyed eating chips, fruit, candy and Subway sandwiches, but not necessarily in that order. A day at the beach is always a good day.

Life is good.  

Day 60: Summer

Posted in connection, family, fear, Friends, happily ever after, simple living, work life balance, working mom by

My eyes are red. I was going to post a picture but it was too freaky. They are red because I am over tired, but not because I was crying or sad. I am writing earlier than usual tonight and plan to go to sleep earlier too, to clear the red out, I hope.

People are starting to go back to school, which means summer is almost over. I’m not sure how I feel about that, but probably feeling a bit of the yin and yang. Has it really been 60 days already? I think I’m ready for another change again?!?

My sister was supposed to come visit today but she was sick and had to postpone her trip. This does make me sad as I was looking forward to her company and hope she feels better. We were hoping for one last hurrah before the structured days set in again. Now we will have to wait. 

How was your day? Did things go as planned or did you have to adapt too?

Wishing you peace, wherever you are! xoxo Adriana

Day 59: Summer

Posted in Beach, best friends, connection, Friends, Gratitude, happily ever after, Happiness, work life balance, working mom by

Tonight I’m thankful for our camping friends who invited us to come join them for the day. This is glamping, staycation style and I loved it and brought the smell of the campfire home with me. How did I get so lucky? 


Thank you friends!! We had a great, windy, cold, fun time with you. 

xo

Day 54: Summer

Posted in best friends, connection, family, fear, Friends, Gratitude, happily ever after, joy, motherhood, one love, parenting by


Bad Moms!!!

This was us pretending to be the stars of the movie in the poster behind us.

We laughed so hard and saw ourselves in the women on the screen. 

The moral of the story is we all have our struggles, we’re all doing our best and we love our kids no matter what. We are perfectly imperfect and we have each others’ backs.

One Love.

Carry on, warrior mamas! We are all amazing! Just don’t expect me to ever be your PTA president. 🙂

xo

Day 52: Summer

Posted in best friends, connection, family, Friends, Gratitude, happily ever after, Happiness, motherhood, parenting, positive living, simple living, work life balance, working mom by


If a picture could be a receipt, this picture would be my receipt for another happy summer Staycation day. It captures a moment in time and I can see my babies growing up and still loving and admiring one another. Charlie adores his sister and loved that she was the lifeguard on duty at the pool today.  I loved that he was happy swimming alone in the deep end, having her undivided attention.

When we arrived at the pool, Juliana was on a break because there weren’t any kids in the pool. She didn’t mind at all to put her book down and to come watch her brother.  They make a great team and watching them made my heart content.

My BFF and her daughter came to join us and we enjoyed the afternoon hours together, catching up and relaxing and sharing stories

Life is good. I’m loving this staycation thing!  Happy 1st day of August. I hope you’re off to a good, new beginning, whatever that may be.

xo