{inspiration} 2.19.15

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:: For when you're told to enjoy the "little years."

:: How to not burn out.

:: Beautiful essay about pregnancy and the goddess within all of us.

:: This poem. And also, what a cool idea.

:: An interesting paradox.

:: How to be a parent and still have time to read (especially with babies)

:: I want to go to this bookstore.

:: "Everyone is fighting a hard battle."

:: 5 books to give as a valentine. (For next year)

:: Dealing with weight gain in pregnancy.

:: This story made me cry.

:: So did this one, about a teen mother who pumped breast milk to feed the child she gave up for adoption.

{Inspiration} 2.5.15

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I haven't had time to do this in a few weeks, so there will be a lot of links! I think I'm going to change my date from Saturday to Thursday so I can be more consistent.

:: Two moving blog posts about infertility from one of my favorite people, who has taught me a lot about dealing with circumstances beyond your control and being courageous in trials. (1) (2)

:: This woman writes poetry as she studies the scriptures. HOW COOL IS THAT!?

:: Good advice about not assuming that people are judging your motherhood choices (a difficult task for this working, formula-feeding, C-section-having lady). (are you judging me about those things? Haha JUST KIDDING)

:: And also this about parenting judgmentalness.

:: I like these thoughts on choices and accepting them, even when other good choices also exist (says the woman who changed her major seven times and then went back to school for a second bachelor's degree)

:: Best feminist picture books. Because we want girls and boys who believe in girl power!!

:: I loved this list of three things to do every day, especially the third one. Who hasn't felt left out of a clique before? The advice to rise above that left-out feeling is good medicine.

:: A poignant and somewhat humorous essay about a woman who is jealous of other women who make breastfeeding look soooo easy. Definitely could relate to this one.

:: Good words on being a busy mother and a writer. Sometimes the seasons of life don't allow these two roles to line up, as I know all too well, but trying and patience are the key.

:: I love the way this family teaches their children about how babies are made (and all that comes along with it).

:: Another powerful essay about infertility. (Just a side note: I myself have not struggled with infertility, but several people I dearly love struggle with it, so these essays tug my heartstrings)

:: Hi-larious -- being pregnant with the great American novel.

:: Dear Pope: Thank you for being a breastfeeding advocate!!

:: Did anyone read that article that was viral on Facebook called "They Should Have Told Me" about how motherhood is perfect roses and smiles? If it was for you, I am really happy for you. But this response to the post rang much truer for me -- I appreciated how it was realistic about the difficulties that come with motherhood while still acknowledging the beauty and joy in it.

:: 12 of Emma Watson/Belle/Hermione's favorite books (okay, just Emma Watson)

:: The struggle of the introverted mother. It's like I wrote it myself.

Enjoy! Any good spots you found on the internet lately?

{inspiration} 1.17.15

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This week's theme is inadvertently parties! Which may be a problem, considering one of my goals this year is to throw fewer parties (I love planning them, but it stresses me out). But you can't have too many parties, right? Right?

:: I kind of want to have a birthday party like this some day. Would you be game to come?

:: A good reminder for those of us who are overly sensitive (aka, me).

:: I like this wise lady's stance on the "supermom" epidemic.

:: And this wise lady has a perfect answer for when perfectionism rears its perfectly styled head.

:: A goal to host 52 dinner parties. My party planning little heart would love to do this some day when life is less busy. Hahahahaha right.

:: How to be original.

:: 21 excellent and practical pieces of parenting advice.

:: Have you ever done Barre3 workouts? I just signed up for a year.

:: Dax Shepherd's shock at the grisliness of Kristin Bell's C-section.

:: To finish it off -- yet another party I want to throw. Ladies, when should we do this?

{inspiration} 1.10.15

:: 100 things to do in LA before you're 10. Where was this when I was making my 101 goals a week ago?

:: Beautiful T. Swift mashup.

:: These ten rules of "mom club" cracked me up.

:: Encouragement for those of us trying to write during "the little years."

:: "Pause you who read this and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day."

:: Those awkward moments when you're supposed to be happy for someone but you're... not. 

:: Top 10 things this blogger learned in 2014. (Things we could all stand to learn, I think). 

:: Thoughts on stress. 

:: Reading plan for reading Shakespeare's complete works in a year. 

That's all lovelies!! No pictures on 3-shift-in-a-row weekends!

{Inspiration} 1.3.15

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Remember my monthly Inspiration posts? I last did one in September. They got to be a lot of work. I would save all the blog posts and articles I found throughout the month, and then put them together in a big list of links. I found the idea through one of my favorite blogs, A Cup of Jo -- she does these great "Have a great weekend" posts where she compiles her own lists of things she's noticed on the web through the week. I look forward to these posts every week, and when she doesn't do one (like this week *sniffle*) I miss it. I still find myself bookmarking random articles, so I've decided to attempt making inspiration posts again. However, I think I am going to go with weekly when I can. So look for them some time Saturdays. We'll see if I'm capable of being consistent. Also, I have a huge backlog of saved up articles that were posted a while ago but that are still good/worth visiting, so I'll probably be posting some of those through the weeks.

:: Why mother-writers write.

:: Get rid of "stupid guilt" -- the guilt that doesn't inspire you to be better and instead weighs you down.

:: Interesting thoughts on whether we should focus on our passions or on what would make a good career.

:: Gorgeous thoughts on motherhood as the ultimate calling.

:: A story about saying yes and living life fully.

:: Best yoga poses for reading. You're welcome.

:: 52 writerly things that writers should do in 2015.

:: How our different choices as women make us... wait for it... different from each other (not better than each other)

:: Why it doesn't matter how you feel about your friends.

:: A birth story. (One I almost could have written myself).