California Milk: Fuel A Better Future

We just celebrated another year...

Another year of life for her, another year of being a momma for me.

My girl just turned four. She's been in preschool for over a year now and we're quickly approaching kindergarden. How can this be?

I remember hearing my parents say, "you've grown so fast, just yesterday you were a baby." Now suddenly here I am with a four year old, making decisions on where I'll be sending her to school next year. I often talk to Makena about what she wants to be when she's bigger. Her response is always, "Elsa or Anna...." I try and push a little harder for a "real" response. "Do you want to be a doctor?" She usually says yes to whatever it is that I ask or a new response is, "I want to be what you are momma, so we can be together."

That response melts my heart and reminds me of why I went back to school at thirty as her momma. I went back for her. I'm attending college not to be a doctor, but to get into the medical field. To provide for her, to continue my education. To show her that education is important, no matter how young or old you are. After I completed high school, I didn't really think I needed college and I don't think I really even took high school all that seriously. I just assumed things would fall into place, that life would be easy. It's not and it wasn't. I want different for her. I want her to know that school from a young age is important. That preschool is important, that next year kindergarden will be huge and will mark a journey that will continue on for a life time. 

Makena is eager to start "real school" next year. She wishes she could go tomorrow, I'm not sure if I've made school exciting for her or if it's just something she's learned on her own, but either way we're ready. We prepare our school days they same way every morning, breakfast and a glass of milk, we call it milky. Everyday I remind her that milky will make her stronger and help her grow so she can go to kindergarden, high school, college and become Elsa or even a Doctor. Each time this momma stops to get her coffee my girl requests a milk box...She relates milk to growing and her future. 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

a roadtrip, a birthday and some of our fave people...

Oh, hey end of August you just flew right past me, didn't ya?

So a few weeks back...like let's say the beginning of August, my little chicky and I headed out of town on a little road trip down to Southern California to visit our sweet friends over at The Blonde Lab....

Lindsay called me a few months ago and said that her little girl Landyn wanted to invite Makena to her birthday but being that we're in NorCal and they're in SoCal she was sure we wouldn't be able to make it...I immediately said we'd be there! I was in need of a mini vacation...

So we packed up and headed out for the weekend to celebrate this little girls 5th birthday...

Makena and Landyn had only spent one other weekend together; almost a year ago, but they picked up exactly where they had left off...just like little besties....

Us mommas did too...

That's the thing about good friends...they're hard to come by and you're so lucky when you find them. Lindsay and I met through blogging and we've actually only spent a handful of days in person getting to know each other...but through our blogs and relatable stories and situations...and countless texts and hours on the phone I'm lucky enough to call her one of my best friends. You don't need to see your friends daily to know how much they mean to you....and this girl is one amazing friend.

We obviously really enjoyed the Photo Booth:

Makena and I needed a little getaway, even if it was only for a quick weekend...it was perfect and we were so happy to take part in Landyn's puppy party. We had lots of girl chats in between party set up and by girl chats I meant Lindsay's engagement!! I'm so happy for her and her sweet future hubs Josh. I can't wait for their wedding---FYI---I'm coming to your wedding even if I'm not invited...

Here's too more road trips and more time with good friends!!!

mini golf...

Have you ever mini golfed with a three and a half year old?

Boy oh boy...what an interesting adventure to say the least...

It starts off with excitement and having absolutely no concept of what the heck golf is. Lot's of smiles. "Ohhhh look at this cool ball mom..." Then within minutes....pure frustration sets in...on both our parts.

There we're lots of smiles...and there was lots of golfing...Or attempting to golf...We spent A LOT of time at each hole...and we might have skipped a few... shhhhhh....and there may have been a lot of sitting as well...

For her and I....

But there was lots of bonding...We're good at that. She can test my patience and push my buttons...but man the love we have for each other...it's the good stuff. The best stuff.

I'm not too sure golf is either one of our games... 

But it sure was fun...

And we'll be heading back soon...

Or maybe later...

XO

Dani

mother's day....

Happy Mother's Day to you....two months ago. Sorry about that.  Leave it to me to be behind on all the good moments. I get caught up in the big, happy, memory making moments. I lock them up in my big ol' momma heart when I should be documenting the days, the moments, the details. 

So yes, Mother's Day happened...the day after my birthday actually. So we celebrated indeed.  We celebrated me being a momma, her momma...

We packed up a picnic and headed to San Francisco's Bakers Beach for sun, fun, ocean and views for days. My sister joined in on the day and made it that much more perfect.

Life as a momma isn't easy, kids challenge you, you challenge yourself. You second guess everything, you wonder if you're every move is the right move. Nothing ever seems perfect....but it's perfect enough. There are melt downs about brushing teeth and bedtime...but there are smiles and out of the blue "I love you's," there are challenging moments but there are even better happy moments.

There are days like this day where you want it to last, where you wish you could freeze time. Where even though you ended the day with her maybe having an accident and stripping her down in the parking lot, carrying her nakey back to the car and not having a change of clothes...as stressful as it was....it was still perfect. Beyond perfect.

My life as a momma isn't sunshine and beaches...it's working two jobs and going to school, its trying my best, it's stressful and tiring. It's a constant battle of being pulled in a million directions. It's getting her dressed and her baby dolls. It's singing "Let It Go" a million times over and over and over full blast in the car. It's finding balance and finding peace...it's knowing I'm doing my best and it all doesn't have to be perfect.

So Happy Mother's Day to you...because everyday should be celebrated.

(Shirts are from Indie Nook)

a 30th celebrated....

That's right...

A 30th birthday was celebrated...

My 30th..

I suppose I've delayed the sharing of the 30th because it was just so simple...so easy. I've been waiting for thirty for a while...I've been excited for thirties. My twenties were just plain complicated. I got married far too young....twenty...my advise, if you ever marry...wait until you're in your thirties. Till you know who you are. I was a wife. I worked useless jobs. I owned a home. I had a baby at twenty-six and before I was twenty seven I was separated on my way to divorce. Twenty eight, divorced with a baby, first time ever being alone...I started to find who I was, who I am, at twenty eight/twenty nine...

And now I'm thirty. And happy to be thirty. 

Thirty seems like the new twenty for me. It's my time to really figure out me, what I'm about, what my passions are, where I want to be and where I'm headed. Figure out my life for me, simple as that. For me, my twenties were rushed and chaotic. I thought I had everything figured out, when in reality I  had no direction and no goals. 

Thirty is to be celebrated. Embraced. I don't see it as a negative thing in any way. I have so many positive things in my life at the moment and a future with goals and direction...all because I've chosen to find myself.

The day it's self was celebrated indeed...with the little person that calls me momma. It was perfect. 

We painted.

We chatted.

We laughed.

 And we made memories.

The day was celebrated in a good way.

I've been thirty for a little over a month now...and I'm loving it.

Happy thirtieth to me. Embrace it.

makena, you're extraordinary....

Experiencing life through your eyes is the best gift...you're the best gift I could have ever dreamed up.  You're passionate and caring, Sweet and sassy. Your personality is huge...sometimes bigger than you. You're a tiny dreamer with the biggest dreams. I hope you always dream. I hope you always have dreams and chase them. Be a doctor, be a princess, be a momma, be you, because you are extraordinary. You've taught me to reach beyond my comfort zone, your tiny self has given me so much strength and motivation, I only hope that when you grow up you do this and so much more for yourself. Seeing you grow and become the little person you're meant to be is so special, seeing you form friendships and build relationships is exactly what a momma wants to see. You're a special little soul with a caring heart. You're sensitive like me...and that's what makes you, you. You're curious and cautious. Adventurous and shy. You laugh and you light up my day. Conversations with you are ongoing and some of the best conversations I could possibly have. I hope you're always appreciative of the little things and always have an understanding of how things are earned and given. Watching you learn, develop and grow is my proudest accomplishment. Teaching you little things and teaching you big things...it's exactly what a momma strives for....it's what I live for.

Makena...you're extraordinary. You're amazing. You're perfect and you're mine...

A video for you....

What makes your kid extraordinary isn’t just the epic stuff. It’s the little things. The small moments that maybe only you see — and quietly celebrate every day.

Share your love, hope and pride for your extraordinary kid by creating a personalized video that captures what makes them one-of-a-kind.

“Your kid is extraordinary. Show them how much you enjoy every moment together by creating a special video of your own!"

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

a recap...

Remember the days when I used to blog daily? 

Me either. Sadness. I actually miss it. So lets all come back to this place, shall we? Good...let start. 

The other day I was catching up on a few blogs that I follow and Jenny from Story Of My Life, did a post of life currently in bullet point format...I liked that. So this is how I'll east back into my blogging, after all, it's been over a month since my last post...lot's has happened in our little world.

First...

This is us:

-That was on Easter in Sacramento, we had brunch on the Delta King. Egg hunts at home. Good day.
-I finished my first quarter of college...did you know?
-Now I'm in my second quarter...crazy how that works.
-I switched from night school to days and I got two new jobs. Yes, two.
-So, I never have a day off. That's a lot of fun.
-I did Tough Mudder.
-I learned after doing Tough Mudder that I'm not in shape and I'm more terrified of water than I thought.
-So I've started working out again...Thanks Tough Mudder.
-Little lady got bangs. I die....so cute.
-She has little preschool friends...it's the sweetest thing ever. I see my future with a teenager, surrounded by a bunch of very dramatic, chatty girls...help me.
-She learned how to write her name. Beyond awesome. 3.5=genius.
-Mother's Day was celebrated. In San Francisco. At the beach. Perfect.
-I turned 30.
-Yes, 30....the BIG 30. How'd that happen? Whoa.
-I celebrated the day with my little girly, pottery painting, dinner and snugs. It was good. Really good.
-Life is good. Busy. Productive. Good.

Here's to more blogging.

Happy Friday...Have a fab weekend.