WAY TO GO CHELS, WAY TO GO.

i ask that you give me a nice slow clap once i finish sketching out, for you, the following story. why, you may be wondering? well, let me tell ya. if you were suffering from the typical monday blues, i assure you this will make you feel a little bit better. ok, it's 6:00 am and i finally decide i'll get out of bed. this is fifteen minutes past the usual time i rise, so take into account i'm feeling extra tired. i brush my teeth, i brush my hair, i put a light coat of foundation on. i've decided it's a mascara only type of day, so i totally surpass all eyeshadow. i reach for my eyelash curler and curl my right eyelashes. I go to curl my left side and as i'm holding my clamp, my hand totally slips and suddenly my curler isn't attached to my eyelashes any longer. and my eyelashes are no longer attached to my face. yep, you read it right, i tiredly ripped off half of my beautiful, long, lush eyelashes. that's right, slow clap it out. the funny thing is i didn't react like i thought i would. normally, i would have cried my poor bald eye out. i didn't shed a tear. i just kind of stared in the mirror for a good chunk of time thinking to myself "oh my lord." i then proceeded to see if i still had the pair of fake lashes i used on my wedding day two years ago (can you tell i was tired?). i then googled "do eyelashes grow back?" from what i read, i think i'll be ok. after that mini heart attack passed, i took my brown liner and quickly filled in the hairless gap. i for certain styled my bangs today, and also thanked my lucky stars i currently have bangs. i hope this little ridiculous story of mine adds some light and laughter to your monday! it's definitely safe to say i will be purchasing a pair of fake lashes. so, if you are wondering in my future photos why i've taken on a new habit of wearing falsies, please pardon me and my poor lashes. also spare me if you are some false lash expert, my experience is totally lacking. here's to a fast-paced work week and an even faster, fuller, longer, and thicker paced eyelash growing session.

think of me next time you're applying mascara, maybe even double-coat because you can,

until next time,

Easy like sunday morning.

 ah...more than midway through february. i'm not going to even ask where it went. is there some magical time curse that occurs to you once you give birth? when your pregnant, or at least when i was pregnant, it felt like time would just stop. i know must people count down weeks, but i used to literally count down the days of the weeks, one by one, until i were one week further along. i couldn't wait for my pregnancy to end. it felt like an entire lifetime bottled up into nine months. then in the blink of an eye, in the brief moments between one big breath & one last push, time actually stops. they set that little baby on your chest and all you can think about is how this indubitably is the happiest moment of your life. you wish you could jar up that moment forever and relive it over & over & over again. and as time resumes, it begins traveling faster than ever. that's what these photos remind me of, time-traveling. you were just a baby having a baby, and now you have a toddler on your hands. mines only about to turn two, tack on a five to that two & i can only imagine how my dad must feel. i wish i were a sponge sometimes, wish i could soak it all up and not miss a beat, you know? no sleep for the rad, right? well, i'm quickly losing cool points *yawn*

sundays seem to always come and go too fast. but as of right now, everything feels like it's falling into place just right even if we are in fast-forward mode. i'm on to something, i think. something i cannot share quite yet, but to quote the fabulous lourde, i'm "never not chasing a million things i want," and that's how it should be. 

heres to more many more adventures to come.
ooooh & also to the oscars. i cannot wait to see NPH host. also, i rented "boyhood" and found myself pleasantly surprised. (research it a bit before you watch it--it was a 12 year project, and an interesting story). i'll bet it wins something.
 signing off...

a post-valentines post.

hello again! how was your v-day? ours was perfect. we laid low and escaped the crowds by choosing to cook at home. i love to cook & i've been feeling really guilty lately about not doing so much of it. miles made me feel a little better when he said "even though we don't cook as much anymore, when we do it feels like something we do all the time & i love that." phew, i was thinking all the finger pointers were looking down on me in a way only judgmental eyes can. i'm always my worst critic. i listened to a podcast recently about the glorification of busy & how we need to stop paying homage to the idea that being busy is a good thing! busy isn't good. productive & present & hardworking are great, but to be busy to where you are in tears over the frustration that you cannot no matter how hard you try add more hours into your day, that type of busy isn't healthy. so lately i've been re-prioritizing my life and trying to escape this busy mindset. podcasts are my jam these days. you can learn so much from these free little segments & the good news is, there are podcasts out there on just about everything. everyone can find something of interest. you name it, it's been done & if it hasn't you should totally get on it because i'm sure there is someone out there who would love to listen.

 lately, we've been hitting the gym. i'm not going to lie, i totally hate working out...unless it is a structured hot yoga class, i absolutely dread the gym. i'm totally out of shape these days and i'm ready to get the last of this baby weight and additional holiday weight i packed on top of it off. i'll go to the gym and hop onto the elliptical and feel like i've climbed mount everest to see i've only burned maybe 10 calories and buried 5 minutes. it's awful. so lately i've been doing what i totally hate and listening to a podcast while i do it. now i'm taking the elliptical by storm and i'm totally addicted. i'm even more addicted to listening to all the new podcasts. so my tip to my fellow gym haters is to find yourself a rad podcast and i swear, before you know it you'll have an hour under your belt when you planned to do 30 & you'll have learned something. win, win. 

try it out and let me know what you think! also can you recommend any good podcasts for me? i'm currently listening to "the lively show" by jess lively and love it! 

well, that's all i got for you today! 

until we meet again...

from our bookshelf to yours.

happy day before friday friends! below is a list of our favorite books on love for the month of february. i usually will try and rotate out books on lulu's ledges each month, and these are his current faves on rotate. 

1:: romeo & juliet by jennifer adams. first off, we are huge fans of jen adams' baby lit series over here. she has an entire series of board books dedicated to priming children who are learning colors, numbers, sounds, etc. romeo & juliet is a counting primer and has the most adorable illustrations by alison oliver. i'm not quite sure if we're reading this for the romance (it being february) or because luca just likes to do his favorite things over & over & over. he likes r & j and so we keep reading r & j. the english literature nerd in me isn't complaining. i'm also happy L isn't allll miles after all. he's a little book lover & i'm over the moon about that. the book gives a brief overview of the classic romantic tragedy but leaves the unfortunate ending up to imagination. the book signs off with the classic line, "parting is such sweet sorrow"--and the author leaves it at that, because let's be real, two lovers killing themselves by drinking poison and taking a sword through the chest because they cannot live to be apart is a little much for a small child. overall, great series, and a perfect classic to read during this month of love.

2:: love you forever by robert munsch. if you have not read "love you forever," and you are a parent, drop what you're doing and get yourself a copy now...i should also mention you will need a box of kleenex to with you or your pages will become crinkled from dried up tears (i may or may not have had this issue in our previous copy). i cannot read this book without ugly crying my eyes out & luca just becomes puzzled as to why i am hyperventilating my way over each word towards the end. our copy is "loved" to say the very least. my mom used to read it to me as a child and now i'm reading to my baby & it's bittersweet. i used to crawl into lu's crib with him when he was a baby to help him fall asleep & despite miles telling me i was totally breaking the crib's weight restriction, i used to think of myself as the mother in the book. i'd whisper to my chunkiest little L, "i'll love you forever, i'll like you for always, as long as i'm living, my baby you'll be." i'm about to cry now!!! but i digress, this is a great book about unconditional love and a parent's love for their child, what more could you ask for in children's literature?!?!

3:: wherever you are: my love will find you by nancy tillman. you may know tillman for her most known children's work, "on the night you were born," but i personally like this one better. i like her beautiful rhyme schemes and even more so i like the themes she presents. it's a perfect bedtime book & luca loves the romantic illustrations. he growls like a bear every time he sees the cover!

4:: the day it rained hearts by felicia bond. luca loves the little girl in this story. her name is cornelia agustus and L is enamored by cornelia's dotted eyes. one day it rains hearts and cornelia catches them, crafts them, and sends them off to special friends. L seems to only be interested in the part where it rains hearts and after that the book must be closed and put away, so i had to read the ending one day during nap time because the suspense was killing me!

5:: somebody loves you mr. hatch by eileen spinelli. this is a big favorite of ours right now. i'm not sure how, but lu actually sits still through most of it. hands down, best v-day book of all time! i randomly ordered this one off amazon because i thought the title was cute, and low and behold, i hit a pot of gold. i've been recommending it to all of my friends with children & when i tell anyone the gist of the story, they all respond "awwww." mr. hatch is a man with a mediocre life and he's stuck in his humdrum routine until one day he receives a package from mr goober the postman with a note saying "somebody loves you." the note has no signature and so mr. hatch spends the rest of his valentine's day in search of his secret admirer. you'll be surprised at what he finds in his journey and even more pleased with how it ends. L always paints me with kisses at the end and to be honest, i'd read it a million more times just for that. but really, this is a must read!

love is such a wonderful theme & i love celebrating love all year, but especially during the month of february when it seems to be everywhere. what are your favorite children's books on love? do you have any "must read" books on your list? please comment & share! we are so close to friday i can almost taste the weekend! and better yet, no work on monday! thank you president's day, and thanks for reading! 

valentines day gift ideas

1:: chocolate dipped strawberries: if your crazy busy like me these days, maybe making chocolate dipped strawberries just doesn't fit on your agenda, but that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy them! thank your lucky stars for the internet because sur la table makes it easy to purchase a dozen straight from their site. this my go to store for pre made type mixes and such, so if their strawberries are anything like their other gourmet desserts, they will not disssapoint! OR if you want to go totally rogue on the whole chocolate dipped business (like i probably will), the skinny confidential has an effortless recipe  that still looks cute here.

2:: heart shaped measuring spoons: if you are going to blow the rest of us out of the water and go all out baking something decadent, you should do so with these adorable measuring spoons that also have a matching measuring cup set. i may just have to get these to use all year because heart shaped anything is always a good idea. 

3:: heart banner: can't leave out the decorations! this dig-looking banner will look adorable draped across a mantel or pinned to a wall. 

4:: heart shaped rug: to step out onto as you get out of the shower or as a reminder to think about someone you  love. the best part about v-day decor is that it's appropriate for the entire month of february (at least in my book it is--don't let the ba humbugs ruin your fun).

5:: heart decorative pillow: (SOLD OUT similar here.) this will be a great addition to your rug and banner. i think there should be at least one heart decoration in each room.

6:: heart teether: if your little one is teething, this wooden teething ring will be perfect & i love that it is gender neutral. boys tend to get left out during valentines day, or should i say wiped out with all the bushy tutus and pink galore, which is why i always try to make sure i include festive items that work for boys too. 

7:: wall art printable: (little pony shop is offering buy 1 get 1 free with this printable!) I was also loving this card from debbie draws funny on etsy, which was featured on the huffington post, because i've yet to have met someone who actually likes those chalky tasting conversation hearts! maybe you do??i don't know, but what i do know is they just aren't for me. what they do have going for them is that they do make for really inexpensive & adorable decorations, so don't write them off entirely!

8:: red high-tops: these are perfect to wear on valentines day or any other day of the year which is why i asked for them for my "cotton" gift for my anniversary.

9:: heart knit mittens: what is not to love about these? and i'm sure they were knitted with love! get it?! haha. ok maybe not, but i was laughing!

10:: i l.o.v.e love this baseball T. luca will definitely be sporting this and maybe i'll get this tee to match him. but then i'll also have to get him red high-tops to match me too. oh dear lord, making these lists can be dangerous.

11:: stance lip socks: if you haven't heard of stance yet, you're late to the party, but don't worry, i was too. i'm bummed about it too because i love them so & my feet love them so & i could have been enjoying them a whole lot sooner. these are the only socks i'll sleep in. & because you've already gone all out, why not finish things off? am i right? spoil yourself a little, you deserve it.

i hope you find this list inspiring and helpful for planning out your valentine's day. what are you planning to do to get in the spirit? i'd love to hear! can you believe were already talking valentines? before you know it, we'll be talking christmas. 

dear 2015, please slow down. i can't keep up. sincerely, me 

xo

I have a dream & I'm not drinking the kool-aid

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, "what are you doing for others?"

-Martin Luther King Jr.

^^this is the face of someone who doesn't care about the frigid cold weather, just ready to embark on a long awaited new journey (my face, not miles', he's actually freezing.) ^^

i know i've been away, but first let me start by saying this...

i recently took a trip to utah & this trip changed my entire life perspective. in a matter of three days i shed my skin and from my branch i grew a bud on the verge of blossoming. my spark became reignited & i for the first time in a long time i felt truly present. i felt a little light inside of me, that had been dim for so long, beaming. i learned so much...more than so much. so much that my brain would be pulsating & tired & screaming at me "i cannot retain anymore today! i'm on the verge of explosion! come back tomorrow." so then i would. i would sleep (oh my, sleep is so magical.) & i would wake, and the cycle would start over again. this went on for three days. how can i feel so different after three days? how can i revert back to the feeling where everything is new and captivating to me? how can i maintain that childlike sense of wonder? why can't i stay home with my son? what is stopping me? why do i feel so worried about what other people think of me? why don't i take my self seriously? why don't i give myself enough credit? why do i undermine my true passions & talents? why don't i feel happy about my current situation? why do i feel an overwhelming sense of guilt about going against my grain? why am i doing what society says i should be doing? why am i not doing what i want to be doing? these are the kind of questions i left with & they don't stop, they just keep coming.

i think the greatest lesson i took home with me from the conference was to stop wondering when i will feel like i have arrived. i will never feel that way. i heard some amazingly successful people speak, and although they spoke so differently and had different stories to tell in different ways, they were all were saying the same thing. you will never feel like you've arrived. and that's ok. that's not a bad thing, that is a great thing!

the goals i have now will turn into bigger goals and when i attain those, i'll have a new set of goals and so on & so forth. i have to stay hungry, i have to work hard at what i love, and if i believe in myself and i surround myself with people who believe in me, there is nothing or anyone who can stop me from accomplishing what i set out to achieve.

you are now at the stage in reading this where you're wondering if there were some type of drugs in my water source or if this was some peoples temple, jim jones "drink our kook-aid" ploy. nope. i wasn't brainwashed. well, let me reword that. i was brainwashed but only in the good brainwashing way you'd want to be brainwashed. I was brainwashed by things everyone should be brainwashed by such as doing right by yourself, doing good for others, and sharing & loving. then, we should, with all that loving & sharing, learn to take all that you've created & knead, bake, and cut it all into adorable bite sized cookies which are perfectly frosted & the goal is to pass them out & around everywhere you go to as many people around you to try & make their lives better & happier. and when they feel the love & they've been given the goodness, they'll hopefully pay it forward, and want to share it with someone else. and all in all, these concepts will live on & on & overall the world will become a better place. & isn't that what we all want?

 i wasn't brainwashed, i was lost & then i was found. i was surrounded by people who so simply wanted to share & inspire & listen to everyone around them. they wanted to love you for you & they legitimately wanted to hear your story. and whilst you were telling your story, they werent thinking about what it was they wanted to say next, nor did they interject. they would nod, and really hear you. everyone gave hugs, and sometimes they cried, and we all laughed a lot & i loved that because to be able to emote is a wonderful thing. it's a gift. this event was a gift. it was a congregation of creative minds and the power was in the numbers. my wheels began to turn after a long while of sitting at a halt. this was my wd-40, this was my long awaited confirmation to myself that i need to keep writing. i need to keep blogging & creating & doing what i love all the while getting lost and found again & again. i need to keep yearning for my arrival even if i know i'll never get there.

i hope this made your day a little brighter
& i hope you get lost in something so wonderful you pray to god you never get found.
bon voyage,

If I could write a letter to me...

and send it back in time to myself at seventeen...  I'd start like this:

dear chelsie,
first, i'll prove it's me by saying, look between your mattress and box spring. you'll find a stack of cosmopolitan magazines your mother would kill you for reading. did you find them? ok, now throw that trash away and read a real book.
now that that's out of the way...
 what could I possibly tell you, that you don't think you already know, because I know you think you have it all figured out, and you know everything, don't you?

well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you don't know everything, and even at 24 you still will find yourself trying to figure out where the heck in this wild world you belong...

you are very mature for your age, yes, but my oh my do you have so much to learn...

about life.

about relationships.

about forgiveness.

about loss.

about love.

about motherhood.

about happiness.

part of me doesn't want you to know about these things just yet because your naivety and innocence are beautiful and they shield you from so much angst and hurt. The other part of me knows that when you know better you do better, so I'll share with you some things, but not all things so that somehow that very shy, unsure girl can sort some of this out on her own, and in the midst of living all the questions, I promise you...you someday, so suddenly, will stumble upon all the answers.

right now your life revolves around friday night lights, you live for the weekends. you sleep in until noon and pull all nighters (& your future self wants to know how you make tired look so easy?). your main stressors at this point include mr. salvador's history exams, your forehand in tennis, boys (oh lordy, why boys??), college applications & making sure you hair, every strand, is perfectly straight because that's whats in right now & you have to be relevant. you feel like this is your prime, and you are constantly working to fit in, to feel "perfect," and if you can do that, maybe, just maybe, everyone will like you. your hair is curly, and it is beautiful. i wish you would let it down every once in a while. i wish you wouldn't pile on so much make up because your out of the "acne" phase and your skin is flawless. less is more. i wish you wouldn't fight so hard to be like everybody else. i know you want everyone to like you, but you can't please everyone, so please yourself. you'll learn later on that people will like you for being genuine, and if they don't who cares, you won't ever see most of these people again. & i hate to break it to you, but these aren't the best years of your life.

i know your high school friends feel like the most important people in your life, but you'll only maintain a relationship with a few, so don't put too much stress on what group your hanging out with. you are so in love with your wonderful high school sweetheart, quinn. try not to fall too hard because in college you will slowly, overtime realize he isn't "the one," and breaking his heart will be one of the hardest things you'll ever have to do. But, on second note, that innocent love you have is precious, it's honest & true, so continue to love freely and feel loved in return because you're going to need him soon, and you'll realize people come in and out of your life for a purpose.

this summer will be one of the most life changing summers of your entire being. your entire world will be shattered. i want you to know this in advance so you can brace yourself before you're hit (metaphorically), but in hindsight, knowing sooner rather than later won't make any sort of difference. what i will say is this: treasure your mother more. hug her and kiss her and tell her you love her every chance you get. you have so little time with her left. ask her about her childhood, her love life, her pregnancies, her marriage, her demons, her happiness, her favorite life lessons, and ask her if she needs anything. write everything down. when you find out your mom is battling for her life with stage 4 cancer, don't do anything different. don't be so afraid of life as it's happening. cherish all of it. when you move away to college, come home every chance you get and take only a few classes. you'll have forever to graduate, but only a few months left with your mom. when your mom passes away, don't be so hard on yourself. let grief happen naturally and be more expressive to those you can lean on. everyone wants to help you. you aren't a burden & they aren't going to be upset at you for breaking down. you need them right now.

forgive whichever god you believe in right now. don't put so much blame on the universe. no one is at fault, and i know, i know, this is so difficult to believe, but you will be happy again. i promise. this is a season of your life and you are growing. right now you are hurt & angry, a lethal combination. but you'll survive. and one day you'll have a beautiful family of your own. you'll have a wonderful husband and a beautiful baby boy. you won't know how you could love anything more. you'll wonder often how difficult it was for your mom to leave you because you can't imagine ever leaving your son. you don't hurt so much in the future. you are so happy.

help out your little sister. don't try to be her mother, she already has one, she needs a sister. i want you to realize now what a blessing your sister is in your life. you are two peas in a pod and it only gets to be better. your relationship is one in a million. you become best friends, just like sisters are in the movies, but so much better.

  all the relationships leading up to your marriage serve a purpose. you're learning what you do and do not want in a partner, so pay attention and don't waste so much time on the losers. keep a diary. your future self would love to read it. you have a habit of daydreaming. when people tell you this is bad, don't believe them. you do so well in college, don't stress so much. you hate that you are good at english, but that will be your major and soon enough you'll love it. when you receive your acceptance letters in the mail, don't worry, you pick the right one. you are so hardworking and a great juggler. don't worry, none of that changes. you're going to learn about yoga & meditation and this will change your life, so when that happens, run with it. travel as much as you can to everywhere and anywhere and take way too many pictures. even the "bad" ones look good to you in the future. learn to stay organized, learning at 24 turns out to be way more difficult. you say now, you will never be a teacher, you're a teacher. you have so many ideas and you can't figure out which ones are important. they all are. prioritize and pursue them all. your marriage will require a lot of selflessness and good communication. practice these things now. for the billionth time, quit worrying! you're gonna end up just fine.

now, go be 17 because 24 will be here before you know it.
say hello to mom for me
your future self,
you.

ringing in the new year

 hello my sweet friends! can you believe we're saying goodbye to another year already? didn't we just wrap up last year? its true what they say, time goes by so much faster once you have a baby! so much happened in 2014 for us, it definitely was one of our most monumental & best years yet. watching our baby boy grow into such a handsome young toddler has to be one of the most magical things i've ever experienced. miles and i are just shy of completing our second year of marriage & i grew as an individual in so many ways. i would call 2014 a year of growth all around. here are just a few of the remarkable moments we had this year:

• luca was diagnosed with plagiocephaly. he wore a corrective helmet for four months & he successfully graduated from his helmet in may when the doctor considered his problem "corrected." he looked like a little linebacker and everyone fussed over him in it. i can't say we liked it, but it definitely wasn't near as bad as we thought it would be. there is always a silver lining, sometimes you have to dig around before you see it, am i right?
• we relocated from the coast and renovated a beautiful home in the suburbs. although we dream of going back to san diego all the time, we couldn't be happier with our new home & we love being so close to family. 
• miles and i finally got around to taking our honeymoon in hawaii. it was our first time leaving lu, but we had so much fun and gained some much needed alone time. love was in the air!
• our baby boy had his very first birthday in july & he began walking a week later. i've been chasing him everywhere ever since.
• Luca had his tear duct surgery just before christmas which had to be the scariest moment for us in 2014, but he flew through with flying colors and couldn't be better!
• i began working as a high school english teacher in the fall. i was asked to come back in the spring and i accepted. i'll be teaching 9th and 10th grade english come monday.

miles and i decided to come up with a word to encompass the coming year and at first we chose endeavor because we know how much exploring we'll be doing in the coming year, both personally & professionally. but as we tossed endeavor around while lying in bed this morning, we felt it just didn't quite feel right. so, we in turn decided on embrace. 2015 will be our year to embrace; embrace change, embrace new beginnings, embrace one another, embrace letting go, embrace an overall healthy life in every way possible. 

i've decided i want to put my emphasis on morals and values this year & live with more intention in all that i do. i want to accept what i cannot change, and be more present. i can't wait to see what 2015 will bring, i just know it's going to be good, but it sure has a lot to live up to! thank you to each of you for following along with me this past year, you have made my life all the more beautiful. i'll be seeing you all in the new year!

 oh & lastly, it just wouldn't be a new year without my 3rd annual wood family montage! if you didn't get enough of my poor editing skills the past two years, well,  third times a charm!

happy new year!