Travel Bug

Hello from sunny California! I'm sitting on Kathy's back deck, sipping iced coffee and playing on her iPad. 

It's definitely my happy place.

The trip has been great so far. I miss Matthew, but sometimes these solo trips can feel so restoring. 

Tomorrow I head back home for a few days, and then it's off to Seattle! Busy times. :)

 Xoxo.

Oh the Perfection

Internet rant - commence.

Blogs are double edged swords - they're pretty, have cool ideas on how to DIY the heck out of stuff, and are inspirational on a number of levels. 

But then there are some days when I just...find myself super annoyed.  

This morning, while scanning through a popular blog that just won a bunch of awards I totally lost my cool:

Oh brother. Really? Your entire blog is about 

1.) eating doughnuts and burgers and ice cream every single day, 

2.) being a hip style icon, 

3.) having just the bestest husband and kid ever, and 

4.) apparently never working a real job or having any hardship whatsoever. 

Over the top eye roll. 

Is it just me, or is anyone else sick of ready blogs like that? I mean, good for this girl, but I doubt her real world is as fluffy and sparkly as her blog lets on. 

Damn, I want to be fluffy and sparkly!

After reading blogs like this, I look down at my unpolished toes and my dirty house and lack of fashionable outfits and feel like crap. 

And I shouldn't feel like crap. 

I should, however, get that pedicure situation under control stat, but that goes without saying.

Suddenly all my flaws come roaring out at me and I wonder how I'll ever survive being the uncool, untalented, childless goon that I am. 

But then I take a deep breath and remember that I love my life. Imperfect, messy, uncool, complicated, beautiful and blessed. Would I change things? FOR SURE. That no hardship thing sounds pretty nice... 

I would encourage all of you to live authentically by being the heroines of your own lives (or heroes, to my male readers) and by being brave enough to acknowledge that it's in the struggle, growth, and hard work where we find our true character and spirit. 

And I hear that ice cream helps that too. 

First Farmer's Market

Nothing so loudly proclaims the end of Dark Winter like the first Farmer's Market of the season.

Before I go on, I know some of you are like

what, first market of the season, oh wow I've been eating fresh bok choy all winter long, and did I mention the avocados and tomatoes?

To you, I say be quiet. And let me have my moment.

For those of you who are with me on this, can I get a collective HOORAY?!

Though still a bit on the lean side, there were a handful of awesome vendors who braved the cold morning to share their organic goodness with us. We left with my big yellow bag filled with kale, asparagus, chives, bok choy, bread, honey, and a sweet little bouquet of tulips.

 

Thank you tiny little market for making my weekend.

Some constructive criticism? Mid May is a bit of a delayed start...next year, try for April.

I'll be wishing you luck from afar - in my new home where there are farmer's markets year round. :)

Welcome

Tonight at 5:30 p.m. RJ and Anna welcomed 

John Parker Hosking 

into the world. 

Parker, we love you so much already and can't wait to be your new neighbors.

(You have some rad parents, believe me.)

xoxo,

Aunt Jess and Uncle Matthew 

Glamour, Revealed

Hello Wednesday.

My posts have been a bit more sporadic as of late - you know, my life is glamourous and fast paced and all that. I have many leather bound books and my office smells of rich mahogany.

I joke.

What have I been up to...

I am the queen of boxes. I am their queen, they are my subjects, and they gather at my feet. Or...I'm just surrounded by piles of folded cardboard. From Petco. I've been making a huge pile of boxes in our living room of stuff to take, stuff to sell, stuff to toss. Exciting stuff.

Last weekend was Cinco de Mayo, and I didn't make any of the cute things y'all were talking about. I made a huge bowl of spicy salsa and was really happy about it. Cute, not so much. Tasty, oh yes.

Sunday I spent the morning with my favorite Amanda and her God-daughter Elsie - we played princess, ran around in lady bug boots, chased butterflies, and had a great time in the park. See below for your daily dose of child cuteness.

And now I've made it full circle back to boxes. We're still on the house hunt (what? you know of a killer 2 bedroom house in midtown Ventura that allows a sweet black lab? why are we not talking? like, right now?!) and MR is all about the thesis.

This month is going to fly.

With Glittering Eyes

And above all, watch with glittering eyes
the whole world around you
because the greatest secrets
are always hidden
in the most unlikely places.
-Roald Dahl