1. getting some sleep last night for the first time this week. (lea has a croup cough)
2. our weekend in monterey visiting the aquarium (even though it's where she probably caught the croup)
   
3. the bottomless love jeff and i have for each other and our family
4. strong and sound support from other moms in the community
5. lea's excitement for anything under the sea
6. all the nesting projects i have in the works and the sewing class i will be taking soon to allow time to actually complete some
   

1. when jeff can work from home
2. being able to talk honestly about my feeling, fears, worries
3. two napping cats next to me now
4. knitting again inspired by the impending arrival of our new cousin and replacing one of lea's scarfs that was ruined in the laundry last week :(
5. planning a simple vacation
   
6. feeling a bit better today
   

1. falling in love with my husband over and over again
2. having one of the best birthdays ever and feeling so happy in my life
3. my new knitting project for lea; striped scarf
4. our bed and cozy it feels getting in
   
5. a peaceful visit with jeff's aunt and uncle
6. wonderful conversation with my mom and reflecting on how far we've come
   
7. the warm, beautiful day today allowing lea and i to take a hike in t-shirts
8. my first haircut in 15 months!!
   

1. an amazing sunday in the city with jeff and lea having an impromtu picnic in the park
2. getting a hamburger craving and going with lea to have a late lunch to satisfy my craving and also steal a walk on the bay
3. whenever lea gets long naps
4. fit's body flow class and how much i crave it despite how my body is changing
5. finding a few creative projects to work on throughout the day

Yknow, a list doesn't work today. Today as I sit and read while Lea takes a monster nap I realize (again for the umpteenth time) that I truly have everything I have ever dreamed of. I have an amazing, loving, intuitive, and interesting husband who loves me unconditionally. I am mother to a breathtaking young lady who I marvel at with both her love for life and ability to make things right all around her. I have a baby boy on the way. I live by the ocean and an expanse of hills and eucalyptus trees. I have an amazing group of friends who have saved me in more ways than i understand yet. I've repaired things with my mother so that we can talk as honest as is possible. And finally I am at peace with the fact that I come with flaws and have faith that if they don't kill me they will just help me relate and continue to give me perspective no matter what's coming our way. I have my dreams. Right here, right now.

1. revisiting one of my favorite artists' sites (brian andreas) and finding new inspiration, connection with myself, and the knowledge that even though i have changed so much and strayed a bit here and there, i have stayed true to my core
2. sunny mornings
3. seeing friends at FIT
4. lea's dressing style developing
5. good, good, good days where i have patience and energy
6. making plans to see friends and family
7. finding new and creative ways to communicate with jeff
8. my ever-growing bond with lea
9. the excitement i have for this growing baby in my growing belly
10. finding a number of sites online that inspire me and sing to my sense of style, design, philosophy, and playfulness as a parent
11. knowing the rain will bring more green
12. my new cookbook: the french laundry, and how much i've already learned just by browsing through the initial pages
13. the fact that i'm back to cooking, baking, and creating in the kitchen. i've missed it so! (so has my family)

nugget: this is from said artist in #1. his stories always hit my heartstrings louder each living year

No Regret
"I sometimes wake in the early morning & listen to the soft breathing of my children & I think to myself, this is one thing I will never regret & I carry that quiet with me all day long."

with regards to tara's post about making intentions in sync with the cycle of the moon.....
i have decided that starting this week and for this cycle i will be focusing on cleansing, filtering, and spring cleaning my home. there are so many projects i want to work on, but before doing so i want to clear out the old, unwanted, in-the-way clutter and crap and start fresh. so, this is my intention, promise, focus, whatever for this cycle. the first place i will tackle is my closet! arg!!!

thanks for the inspiration and idea tara!

1. the thoughtful presents my sis got lea for her b-day
2. the fact that bad moments no longer turn into bad days or bad weekends. jeff and i know how to go easier on ourselves and each other and give each other space and consideration a lot better now.
   
3. going to FIT 2 times a week and never wanting that to stop, no matter how pregnant i get!
   
4. feeling myself being so much stronger this pregnancy, in so so many ways
5. the excitement and anticipation of seeing our friends tomorrow
6. watching top chef and allie macbeal
7. dancing and eating sushi while shopping at whole foods
   

1. reading all your idigs
2. feeling sore from a workout for the first time since i've been pregnant -yeah! and the excitement of having the chance to go 2 x week
   
3. seeing all our friends (both lea and i) at FIT yesterday and then running into esther and josie at new leaf after - i love being so connected in this community to such amazing women and families
4. pushing through my headaches and still going for a long walk this morning to get a workout and get lea outside and discovering snails, acorns, worms, and flowers
5. the possibility of having help once a week with everything i want to do during the day
6. brainstorming the idea of a community based art studio co-op style where a group of moms could all join in to pay for a space to both work on, promote, and show our art (whatever the form). talking about it with a new friend and feeling great motivation to get something moving. just thinking about it excites me.....
7. idigging
   

1. the fact that it only took 4 days for my cat to start loving and taking care of our new kitten "cake" and how sweet it is to see them play, chase, and sleep with each other
2. right now cake is sleeping on the back of my chair and bissen is sleeping at my feet. there is nothing more calming for the soul than two cuddles kittens sleeping with you and feeling their purr
3. the quilt that i'm making for lea. it's taken me a long time to figure out the fabric and design, but i worked on it a lot these past few days and finally figure it out and got a lot done. it's my first quilt so i'm having to make it up as i go along. i hope to have it finished for your 2nd b-day in 2 weeks.
   
4. falling asleep last night at 8:30
5. running into sarah and her kids this morning at new leaf and how happy it makes me to see them smile when she spotted me...and visa versa :)
   

1. our new kitten "cake" that we got in front of new leaf
2. the fact that i can bring home a surprise kitten without asking jeff and the fact that jeff is already expressing his love for her just by the photos alone - the man loves females around!
3. seeing a few friends at the park today along with their amazing kids and feeling so happy that i have the life i do and get to spend it with the people i do
4. rearranging the creative studio space in our home today after months of not being able to anything and already feeling the creative juices flowing
5. cake is sleeping on the lid of bissens' (our existing cat) litter box. sweet in a cat kind of way.

1. making through to the other side of the stomach flu i suffered this week
2. waking up today with energy and the ability to clean the kitchen, get the new coffee and waffle maker unpacked and ready, and make a delicious b-fast for my family for the first time in weeks.
   
3. getting outside yesterday for the first time since monday and seeing the beautiful sunset...realizing also that feeling better and more connected is as easy as stepping outside and checking out the view when you live in the hills of el granada. so, so lucky.
4. jeff for taking off work this week to care for lea and i, doing such an amazing job at the task, and for getting me what i wished for (silently) for valentines day - a massage at the ritz. i couldn't be more ready for some "ritz-pampering".
5. reconnecting with an old friend and after exchanging our updates having him remind me that i have actually achieved every single dream i had when we met years ago. wow. it's such a good reminder when we can all get so focused on where we want to go, as opposed to recognizing all we have and have achieved thus far. i really have everything i have ever dreamed of. down to the very last detail. it's just amazing.
   

1. figuring out how to curtail the nausea till the afternoon
2. possibly finding a good doc who supports vbacs today
3. the fact that every time i talk through something i'm stressed about my hubby makes me feel better, relieved, and supportive
4. the sound of lea peacefully sleeping
5. lea's great results from her eye exam yesterday
   

i've been off the circuit for a while since i've been feeling crappy and un-digging most days, but i realize this is when i need it the most. since i can't eat or smell much without wanting to @&*% i decided to dedicate this list to the foods (if you can call them that) that seem to help.

1. chilled haribo gummy bears
   
2. red vines
3. everything bagels and cream cheese
4. peppermint ice cream
5. breyers real fruit popsicles
   

1. jeff's 3 day weekend and how amazing he was doing everything so i could stay in bed and rest and try to feel better
2. Popsicles
3. sleep
4. english breakfast tea
5. moments of feeling better to remind myself that things will get better
   

sarah

1. the inspiration i get from sarah to write more about my life with lea (http://blaskower.blogspot.com/) thank you sarah!
2. sarah for watching lea today as i took a needed break in the morning - i got to run a few errands, go to the library and actually look through the books and decided which ones i wanted instead of checking everything out
3. the playdough that she made and gave lea to play with at home
4. the hour i got to prepare dinner in peace because of the playdough. the 30 minutes i got after dinner to wash dishes. lea LOVES it!
   
5. raising such amazing kids and being such an amazing mom....so many of us are inspired by you sarah! it's rubbing off in the best way possible :)

1. a clean home
2. amazing friends
3. pat coming over to watch lea so i could go run errands and rest a bit
4. lea understanding that when she gets too tired and grump it's time to sleep...and letting herself fall asleep
5. jeff's understanding and care
6. time to rest and watch dumb movies
   

1. jeff for buying me an ice cream bar to enjoy at the end of the day
2. seeing how sweet, attentive, and happy jeff is while he hangs out with lea at the park - so in tune with her
3. feeling so much better this pregnancy already - compared to the first round - and hoping it's a sign for things to come
4. lea and i feeling so excited for all the fun next week visiting friends and getting back into our routine
5. taking some time today to rest
6. burt's bees products
   

1. starting the new year feeling more happy and fulfilled than ever before
2. my new camera and how amazing the photos are already - and i don't really know how to use it yet
3. sarah's biscotti recipe
4. our morning hikes
5. breakfast as a family
6. the conversation i had with my sis that helped us both reconnect after many years of separation