I am absolutely honored. Thank you, Lisa. xo And of course you know - right back atcha!

Welcome to my world. SO freaking delighted to have you blogging your authentic self. No, it won't be easy. Yes, you will cry while doing it. In the end, you will be the rock star that's inside of you shining a light of love. xo

Dear Rachel ~ Another blogger friend shared this on FB today. As the mother of a soon to be 16 year old and a 17 year old, I truly appreciate this piece. BLINK. Your babies are now teenagers looking at colleges. When my kids were young I was too busy being mom that I didn't always take the time to appreciate them just being them. They were in daycare from 7:15am until 5:15pm every day until I got laid off just before my eldest started kindergarten, in September of 2001. There are no coincidences. My kids were permitted 30 minutes of a video when they were little after dinner and a bath and just before bed. They learned what 3 and 0 looked like together and if it was the weekend, they were over the top excited when they could actually watch a 45 minute video. If they were particularly wound up, nothing could calm them down like "Little Bear." (Is that even still around?) It was mind numbing for the adults, but excellent for the kids. When they started school, TV wasn't even an option. (That lasted until 3rd grade as I recall.) A picnic of dinner anywhere was always a treat. Without central air, often in the summer we would have dinner on a sheet in the bedroom. Meals of all the same colors were always a hit too. Having tracked back on your blog I am guessing there wouldn't be an orange night quite like ours, (Doritos were a HUGE treat) but it can still be fantastic fun no matter what your food is. The family dinner is THE link. Turning off anything with a screen. VERY hard, especially when you are a blogger - this is our lifeline. Do. It. Anyway. Car rides = forced time to talk when you have teenagers. It's often hard to take away the iPhone that is surgically attached to the hand, but it's so worth it when you do. Homemade play-dough is far superior to the store bought kind and lasts infinitely longer. It's still a nightmare, but... Goop is another great treasure. ANY kind of baking that requires decorating. Glitter. I love it and am still cleaning it up ten years later. There is nothing more soothing and fun than playing in the tub or small kiddie pool. For us, it was a lot of different size containers and whisks. OH, the froth one can make with a whisk and some soap. Congratulations on a beautiful post. Congratulations on the many gorgeous pictures. You will be so grateful you have this visual diary to remind yourself JUST how fast time passes. xo

LOVE this idea. Totally using it. Happy New Year, my friend! xo