Boys Will Be Boys

This past weekend the boys were invited to a birthday party for two of Mason's classmates. All of the boys from their class were invited along with a few friends. It was held at one of the birthday boys homes where there was a great backyard to run around and a jumpee house for entertainment.

I don't think we were there for more than 15 minutes before I noticed that my two boys had disappeared along with a few others. Then, I caught a glimpse, they were aiming right for me. Five of them descended the stairs, guns and swords in hand and started to fire.

This was the main source of play, for every single boy. For hours! It was amazing. I think the only thing that amazed me more than how happy they were pretending to fire at one another was the fact that there were enough weapons in the house for every boy! Crazy!!

I just had to post and share this because over the summer when we attended Matt's brother Paul's wedding, the boys had an outing for the "bachelor party". Some of you may recall, it was a gunslinging tour. Boys and guns. I mean really??!!

It was hysterical because Matt doesn't like guns, he doesn't encourage shooting at each other but when he came home from that trip, he was lit up. He couldn't stop talking about it and about how much fun he had. I would have to side on the "nature" end of things rather than the nurture side for this one. It seems to just be in the blood.

I mean, at home, we don't encourage shooting guns, we don't even have any toy guns and yet Mason and Miles still find ways to pretend to shoot at each other and us. They'll arm themselves with the toy drill or the toy hammer and of course, sticks! If there's a bend to a stick, forget it, it's instantly a weapon. Oh wait, I take the not having toy guns at home back. How could I forget about the 30 or so guns that are smaller than my finger nail. Thanks LEGO.

I'll let you in on a secret though. When I was little, my dad had an air gun and one of my favorite things to do was shoot that thing. He would put up a target against the garage door, load up the darts and place it in my hands. I have to admit, it was FUN! I remember going out to the woods one time and firing a "real" gun. There's something about holding so much power in the palm of your hands. It's exhilarating. I hate to admit it but it's true.

I know that girls don't usually show much interest in guns and honestly, I would have never thought to shoot one if my dad hadn't been into it but my boys have been shooting things for years. It just seems to be something boys do. They shoot. I definitely don't think they need to be exposed to violent tv shows or movies before an appropriate age, which is 35 if I had my way. They seem to somehow get exposed to guns and battles no matter how much you try to shelter them. There's plenty of time to see violence in the media. Why rush it?!

So, for now, we'll shield them as best we can and we'll try to set appropriate boundaries for when they do shoot at each other.

What more is there to say.....boys will be boys!

Here is Matt at his brother's Gunslinging Tour...

Here are Mason and Miles and the crazy group of boys...

How Miles wound up with the biggest gun of the group I have NO idea.

And here's Miles best friend. I had to toss her in. She's the perfect result of having a big brother!

Fresh - Changing The Way We Eat

"Americans fear only one thing...inconvenience." This was the statement that started the movie Fresh. I was fortunate enough to see it last night because some mothers from one of the local elementary schools had a viewing on their campus. They are trying to change the food system in the school and are thinking out of the box on how to do this.

The movie wasn't the doom and gloom outlook that so many other movies portray when talking about the food industry these days. Instead, it showed how sustainable farming is possible and beneficial for our communities and our world. There were clips from industrialized farms and interviews with farmers stuck in the system that we've created, but the true basis of the film showed successful farmers who haven't bought in to the standardization of food and who believe in mimicking nature as much as possible when growing crops and raising animals.

I find it sad that we've grown into a culture that puts money in front of health. That we have turned our attention away from what is happening to farmers and to the food we put into our bodies. That we would rather not know what it is that we're eating for convenience sake.

The monoculture environments that have been created for the production of food are not only unnatural but unhealthy. Because the animals are being raised indoors, without sunlight and deprived of exposure to other animals, disease is prevalent. To counter the exposure to disease they are fed a list of antibiotics and hormones. A list so long that the pages just scrolled in front of the camera.

I felt were there were two alarming facts shared in the movie. One was that the industrialized cattle who are herbivores by nature are fed meat. Not just dead cattle but at times diseased dead cattle which makes me say "no wonder diseases like mad cow showed up". The other point that was alarming was about the chickens. I've always known that the way they raise chickens is horribly wrong but this movie just clinched it. Not only are the chickens placed in an environment where they're standing on a product that has a warning label on the bag that says it's an eye and skin irritant and that you need to wash your hands immediately after coming in contact with it but they're given major hormones and antibiotics to speed the growth rate so that they are ready to be slaughtered in half the time they should be, just 4 months after they are hatched.

It is true that local organic food costs more but they're worth more. Cheaper food is nutritionally diminished. Key nutrients, vitamins and minerals have declined approximately 40% with the introduction of industrialization. You do get what you pay for, with food as much as anything else.

Every time we buy meat, poultry and fish we are making a choice. Every time we buy produce we are making a choice. What choice are you making? Are you buying grass fed, free range meat and poultry? Organic, pesticide free produce? What are you putting into your body and the bodies of your children. I know that not everyone can afford to eat organic all the time and I know that not every one lives in an area where they even have a choice for organic but I do know that if there is a will there is a way. As one of the farmers who started a local co-op of organic food stated in the movie, if everyone just spent $10 a week on organic food it would make an enormous impact.

Besides finding ways to support your local farmers, and this is something that I'm going to attempt, not eating meat for every meal will make a huge difference on both your health and the environment. I don't know if it's how I was raised or a product of our culture but I wind up cooking meat for dinner almost every night. Our bodies don't need that much meat and if I can introduce a vegetarian meal even twice a week I know that will be a change for the better.

I am a firm believer in "you are what you eat". I've always been drawn to fresh, healthy food. I can't say that I'm healthy 100% of the time. Oh, I can remember those days in college when I would buy a big bag of Dorito's and have "movie night". I would polish off the entire bag myself, down to the crumbs stuck in the corner of the bag. I still crave those horrible chips every now and again, but for the most part, I try to eat well, healthy, organic.

I loved what one person said in the movie, "part of our job as stewards of the earth is to respect the design of nature".

I hope that with more movies like Fresh being made and attention being brought to the industrialization of our food, more sustainable farms will succeed and bring healthy, organic food to our tables. I'm excited to find more restaurants buying local organic farmers market produce and meats. I'm excited to try to cook more seasonal food. I'm excited to feel better about what I'm putting in my body.

For anyone interested, HERE is a link to a chart of seasonal produce in Northern California. This is provided by the Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association.

Eat healthy, eat FRESH!

Miles Turned 3!

You're laying here at my feet. You're sucking your thumb. You're smiling and giggling and saying "mama, mama". It's kind of muffled because you're talking through your thumb and your Me which is wrapped all around you. This is the full size baby blue blanket that I had bought with different intentions. You had a small blanket that you wanted to take with you everywhere. We went to Oakland one day and on the way back to Marin, I realized I had left it at the store. We drove all the way back and luckily it was still there, waiting behind the counter because a nice person had picked it up. I vowed never to have that happen again so I bought a full size version to keep in your crib. That way if we ever lost the little one, you would always be able to go to sleep.

That blanket made it out of the crib one day. I think it was just supposed to come down stairs so you could have it while sitting on the couch. From that moment on, the "Little Me" just wouldn't do. The "Big Me" now goes everywhere with us. On long car trips, in the stroller and on the airplane. I can't imagine what we look like to normal people as we carry this HUGE blanket with us wherever we go. But we love you and it makes you happy so we endure the strange stares and awkward glances and we do try to wash it whenever we can since it's inevitably dragged across lawns and on street corners as we get in and out of the car.

You turned three on Sunday. The 17th of January. 3! It's such a strange passing of time. Someone the other day said that time passes slowly when you have your attention focused on something in particular but that it passes quickly when you don't. With all that goes on every day around here time just races past me like the cars on your Hot Wheels track that just keep zooming by. I looked down and you were nursing tucked all up in the sling. With me every moment of the day. I looked up and you're running off to go potty all by yourself.

You love to hide. It's your new favorite thing to do. You hide every night that daddy comes home. You'll just plop right down in the middle of the floor and have me wrap your Me around you. It's the BEST hiding spot. ;-) If you're not under your Me you're behind the armoire in the great room or under the covers of our bed. Those are pretty much the favorites. What I love most about "where's Miles?" is that it washes the memories of my childhood all over me. I used to hide every night when my daddy came home. It was our ritual too. It's weird and wonderful that you, on your own, do the same thing.

You love to jump and roll and tumble. You're taking gymnastics and loving it. You're great at listening and following directions and you're amazing on the trampoline! Your grandfather was great on the rings and the pommel horse. I wonder if you'll take after him.

You have a quirky and funny sense of humor that even at 3, really even at 2 makes us laugh so hard. Some people just have it and YOU have it!

You've been to the hospital three times. The last trip was because you cracked your head open on the bookcase. You jumped on to the beanbag and just slammed your forehead on the edge of the shelf. You still tell people about it. That you cracked it open. You're a bit fascinated by the whole thing and as much as I'm trying to minimize that scar, you may just have it forever.

I look at you sometimes and I see me as a little person in the world. Your body is the same as mine was when I was little and your eyes when you smile look just like mine. You tell me you love me. You tell me you love me as high as the moon and all the way back down. Your eyes sparkle when you smile and when I look at you my insides sparkle too.

Your "booty dance" is by FAR the best entertainment I've seen yet. I can't even tell you how much I love it. It isn't just how you shake your bottom or how you stick it out SO far but it's the arms! How you lift those elbows and squat your little self down and wiggle all at the same time. It. Is. The. Best!

We went to a play space for your birthday because when we asked what you wanted to do you said you wanted to jump in a pool of balls. Balls have been and continue to be your favorite thing. I loved that when we asked you who you wanted to invite, Mason, daddy and mommy were on the list.

Happy Birthday my little one. My little Miles who is growing up so fast. I love that I can still hold you in my arms. That I can still kiss you all over your face and neck and that it makes you giggle. I love that you can tell me what you're thinking and that I get a glimpse into what your mind is processing and that I can explore and share and learn with you.

Happy Birthday to you!

I love you to the moon and all the way down and all the way back...again.

Bride & Bloom - Featured!!

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. I can't believe that I haven't had a chance to run out to a magazine stand to pick up my own copy, but I'm hopefully going to do that today. FMN Design has been featured in another magazine! Happy dances are happening all over the place around here.

This time it's in the beautiful magazine of Bride & Bloom. It's their "Eco Issue" and I'm thrilled to be a part of it. Not only do I get to make peoples lives a little brighter by creating an album from a special event in their life, but now, I have the chance to do it in a way that's gentle on the environment. The Earth book does just this and you can read more about it HERE if you're interested.

A New Love Of Showering

This will be the first post of a few on Miles. He's turning 3 in less than a week and I can hardly believe it. He's growing up and changing so quickly. It's like his growth spurt isn't limited to his height but to his understanding and expressions. He makes us laugh ALL the time. He's a really funny boy and we're all grateful to be surrounded by his love and good humor.

In his growing up and changing and liking things that he didn't like, or for that matter liking things that he hasn't yet experienced, he's found a new love.

Showering.

It started with wanting to get in the shower with Matt one morning. That one morning has turned into almost every morning. It doesn't even matter if he's taken a bath the night before. In fact, he used to love walking Mason to school in the morning, and still does, to an extent. But, there have been many mornings as of late that he has chosen to take a shower instead of walking to school.

What's been fun is that I've found a new love as well. Photographing these moments. There's something about the color and the water dripping on the glass. The foggy view of Miles. It's a way for me to capture how I feel about him. That he's kind of hard to read, to see. That he's changing before my eyes. That he's happy and at peace in that place.

I'm sure there will be more, but for now, here are a few....

Friday Inspiration - Sand Art

It's been a while since I've shared some Friday inspiration. I thought that since the temperatures are dropping around here, I would have a bit of warm weather inspiration. I came across this blog post from my friend Spoon who always finds the most amazing art and performances to share.

Now, hold your comments about summertime inspiration in the winter, although I'm the first to balk at the swimsuit displays in January. Especially since when summertime actually does arrive I can't find a bathing suit in a store to save my life! But, this post is just to brighten your day and send some warm weather thoughts of being at the beach with the surf and sand at your feet.

Enjoy!

netastica

A Stripe Of Color

Sometimes I feel like it takes FOREVER for me to finish something. Literally months or even years go by that I've had an idea, one that I really believe in before it becomes a reality. I try to remember that all good things take time and that sometimes, the world or even just little ol' me, aren't ready for them to be real.

One of these thoughts that become things has to do with my albums. I've had this idea to add to the cover of a book somehow, someway that would make it unique and beautiful for my clients. I've come up with what I want to do but, in true "Laura" fashion, it's proving to be a bit more difficult to make a reality than originally planned. There's a ton of planning and research and finding just the right partner to work with on this. But, in the meantime, I shared my idea with Ira from Leather Craftsmen to get some feedback and help with production. I'm so glad that I did because from our conversation and exploration of my original idea, he spun it a bit and came up with something that I just LOVE.

He showed me a sample he had made for another client and I loved it. It was a more simple take on my idea and everyone who knows me knows I love simple! When I needed to create an updated sample album for GB Photographers I had to use this new cover. And, just to push it a bit, I used a beautiful blue leather. I wouldn't have thought blue for a wedding album but it just worked and is this buttery and soft leather and the blue is deep in color and everyone who's seen it just loves it.

The added flare that I mentioned above is a stripe of color that is a thick ribbon pressed into the leather from front to back. I chose an ivory/sand color for the ribbon to accent the blue. A color that matched the gown almost perfectly. I am absolutely in love with this new option. And, what a great way to incorporate your accent color from your wedding! You could bind the book in black to be classic and then have the ribbon be your "wedding color". How chic would that be?!

When I designed the album, since it was a sample, I had free reign of the design. I was able to make it as bold and simple as I wanted. (Thanks Matt and Garrett for trusting me once again!) I love the simplicity of this book. How I was able to leave tons of white space around some of the images so that they just float on the page. This is a true simple and bold design. I have to thank Leather Craftsmen for their, well, craftsmanship. They are truly brilliant at what they do. Their books are just...amazing.

Take a look at a few shots of the album and let me know what you think!

If you're curious to see the slideshow of the album layout, CLICK HERE.

Remembering 2009

The last few weeks/months around here were beyond busy and for that I'm immensely grateful. There were a bunch of orders for albums, some trying to hit the Christmas deadline and others just trying perhaps to check "wedding album" off of their list before the new year. Either way, it was a fun filled and busy time.

I have a ton of posts to blog with images of some of my favorite albums that I worked on last year that hopefully will make it from my brain through my fingers and on to the internet in a somewhat timely fashion. I realized that sometimes my posts feel too overwhelming. I have so much to say and not enough time to sit and type it all out, sort through the photo's to accompany the post and upload them all, that they never make it live. I've always been a bit envious of those bloggers who are so good at the "short" post. The one that is an update with a photo that makes you smile for a moment. We'll see if perhaps I can pull that off and communicate what I want without pouring on and on and on. I guess it's kind of like when I tell Matt a story and he gives me the look of "how long is this going to take?" because I insist on telling with every detail that I think is important which pretty much encompasses everything from what color the paint was on the wall to what whomever it is that I'm talking about was wearing. Do I really need to include all of that??!! YES! It always makes for a better story! But, I'll try my best to keep some of the posts short and sweet. It's not a New Years resolution, really it isn't. I don't necessarily believe in those, but, I guess it sort of seems like it's a resolution. Hmmm....we'll just have to wait and see what happens. But, I digress.

Here's a shot of one of the shipments that went out a couple of days before we left for the first leg of our vacation.

I can tell you what packing all of these albums did, it made me want beautiful boxes and shipping supplies. I've decided that I want my clients to receive a beautiful package in the mail that they can't wait to open. I've said it before that I'm a fan of the brown paper wrapping and I do like the thought of using the boxes I have from a recycling standpoint so, maybe I'll come up with a way to incorporate both ideas. The recycled aspect of using what you have and the beauty aspect of creating art and shipping a gift that my clients can't help but smile at when it arrives.

Now, to wrap up the rest of 2009. I love the idea of looking back a bit to see where the year started and where it brought me. Definitely on a bumpy ride in the finance department. I do have to give thanks that we are a family that was able to pay for the roof over our heads, the food on our plates, the cars that we drive and the "extras" that made their way into our home. I feel terribly blessed about the growth of FMN Design as well.

On NYE we were with two other couples, good friends, and one person asked us each to say something we were proud of. This was a great way to end one year and start another with the thought and verbalization of an accomplishment.

What I shared was how proud I was of the growth of this little business. That while it felt like the fruit was dying on the trees around me, there was this small seedling that was sprouting from the earth. It was growing strong and standing tall in the midst of everything going on around it.

Here are some of the things that have happened over the last 12 months. This list is a great reminder of all that I have to be grateful for.

1. FMN was featured on multiple blogs including Green Wedding Shoes, Emerald Weddings, Images For A Cure, Save The Date Magnet.com

2. FMN was featured in two national magazines. Inside Weddings and Brides Local Editions

3. FMN was featured in an article on the uber cool e-zine Utterly Engaged.

4. My mother lived with us for 4 1/2 months and while here was given a golden ticket of health in that the cancer seems to be under control and manageable. That her life expectancy is not the limited amount that we had been told at the end of 2008.

5. Spent some wonderful time with Matt's family at the wedding of his youngest brother Paul's wedding. Such a great time!

6. We walked our oldest little boy Mason to his first day of Kindergarten. What a huge transition for us all.

7. We added a new addition to the family.

8. We added another new addition to the family.

9. Climbed to the top of a cider cone volcano with my family.

10. I snowboarded for the first time in over 15 years. I was able to get right back up, almost like riding a bike and the best part was I went with Matt. It was a blast to see him jump around on his board and share that time with him.

These are just a few of the highlights of the year. There are so many more but I'll keep them to myself. At least for now. But, before I go I want to express my gratitude for life and for God and the love that he pours on me each day. I am grateful to my husband and his continued support of me and Forget Me Not Design. It can be challenging and a little rough on the pocket book but he's always there with his love and support. I have to thank Leila from Be Inspired PR as well as her team for all of their hard work and faith in my business and I definitely am grateful to my children who have given up having mommy around all of the time because I have had to "work". I am grateful for my friends new and old, for Martyna who watches my children with such love and joy. I am grateful for this life and the ability to create whatever it is that I can imagine. It truly is a gift to be walking on this planet.

Happy New Year Everyone!
(so much for that short and sweet post I mentioned earlier!Maybe next time. ;-)