Started my journey for better balance . .

One of the important things I thought about while on vacation was how to become more balanced in my life. For years I have struggled with trying to do it all . . and of course at lightening speed. Sometimes I am quite successful at it and bounce to the next level and other times I completely flop and take months to recover from my failure.

I think my greatest flaw and strength is that I hold myself to a pretty high standard. . . ."Perfection". It can be the most rewarding feeling when everything comes together in perfect harmony but when it doesn't, my self critical little side kick always chimes in to remind me how much I have failed.

But now that I am getting older I am starting to realize that we all are human! We all make mistakes and the important thing is to learn from them. Its important to take risk and to fail to keep you grounded and to also enjoy the rewards of those successes that do work out.

I find myself asking all the time . . "How to they do it?" . . ."they do so much" . . ."they never look exhausted". . . ."they seem to have it all!" Well, they don't really. There is only so much time and so much energy. Its an image they create . . .just like the perfect lives of all your friends on facebook. This is not Pleasantville and why would you want it to be?

What got me to thinking about all this was reading "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/eatpraylove.htm It's really a great read that I highly recommend. Very witty and inspiring. Her journey to find balance really inspired me to live life a little fuller and to try and find some balance in my life. I may fail a few times in my journey to relax and enjoy life more rather than accomplish EVERYTHING yesterday . . but hey failure is OK!

So in this new search for balance. . what did I do on vacation?

1. Baked - I really have missed baking. . it's relaxing, challenging, and YUMMY! This is also one of my favorite things to do with Brooke. My mom baked with me as a kid and even though she is young she loves to watch and is really interested. An amazing bonding moment for us.

2. Running - I got up early in the morning and ran with Barley quite a bit on vacation (23.5 miles) in total while on vacation for that matter. I really love it and its so rewarding and good for you. We have a great rail trail by our house and being outside and the fresh air early in the morning was just heaven :) Some people meditate. . I think my meditation is running . . really clears my mind and relieves all the built up stress I carry.

3. Reading - read two fabulous books over vacation (Eat, Pray, Love and The Help). Can't say enough good things. Just pick them up and read them!

4. Crafting -

finished this cute little number for Brooke. . .fits great and she really likes it. Took her to the Beer, Wine, and Cheese festival in Middlebury and had a great time. Great wine, great food, great company. . .just a really nice evening. Hope to have more family outings like this in the future for sure.

Brooke in her "backpack" and her Papa. If you have a little one, get a backpack and get them outside. . she loves it and is constantly asking to go in the backpack. . its one of her favorite words:)

Brooke and I reading. . .my cute little bookworm.

I did knit a little but not enough to finish a project (but that is ok!). I mostly sewed because it was hot and what I felt like doing. I actually finished pillow cases and the Amy Butler Cabo Halter http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/products/patterns_display.php?id=23 . . I just have not had time for photos yet. (but that is ok!) I will get there. . .at my own speed:)

What didn't I do on vacation? Work, Study, Stress, Worry . . .oh it was great! And yes, I did have to come back to reality but a better balanced reality with hopefully better focus, understanding, and boundaries.

A breath of fresh air

With my nose crammed in CPA exam review books. . . the weeks have seem to just fly by. Thankfully I now have a three week break and an entire weeks vacation in the middle of all that!

Even though its been a struggle juggling work, Brooke (who is now walking and into EVERYTHING!), along with managing a household and studying . . it really has been worth all the effort. I passed my first exam with a 91 (Auditing). And I just took the second (Financial Accounting and Reporting) on Monday. I will not know that score for weeks but I feel like I have at least enough to hopefully pass. Its the longest and hardest due to the amount of material. So I am 25% to CPA . . maybe 50% . . .lets hope!

Brooke has been growing and developing into the sweetest little person. I really do just adore her. I really look forward to showing and teaching her things when she gets a little older . . .our bond has grown so strong in the past six months. When she was born I was very unsure of myself . . .I am not a baby person . . .I never have been, but now that we are getting past all of that yucky baby stuff . . .oh it really is a treasure to have her around.
On the crafting front, working on finishing a sweater for Brooke (just needs buttons), started a wrap for me, and I have an outfit for Brooke cut and half sewn. Pictures to come . .maybe tomorrow on my lunch break since I am working on CPE from home tomorrow with Miss B. Thinking about making some cupcakes tomorrow as well. . .really have an addiction to making cupcakes for some reason . . they are just so cute. . little miniature cakes:)

A hat for Brooke

With one weekend left before starting my study plan for the next exam I decided to make something for Brooke. This hat, with left over scraps of Amy Butler fabric was quick, easy, and fun. Its reversible which is also nice. I really can't wait to make her the entire outfit with the Moda fabric I purchased on Saturday. And believe it or not. . .this is the only hat she doesn't take off immediately.

Birthday Cake a Success!

From scratch yellow cake (Best Ever Birthday Cake - from http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/07/best-birthday-cake/. Came out great and will definitely file that one away in my receipe box. It was also the first time I played with fondant . . which i really love! It opens up so many options for decorating that you just can't do with regular butter cream. And if you don't like the taste you can flavor it with extract.

Also made some cute lady bug cupcakes so she would have her own little cake to make a mess of.

Now some people would say I went over the top a little but hey. . .some of my favorite memories with my mom are the great cakes she use to make for us. Besides I love her to pieces and she is worth it right? :)

Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy 1st Birthday baby girl! One year ago today you changed my life. I hope I have made you as happy as you have made me. . xoxoxo!

Crazy week but I did squeeze in . . .

Lots of deadlines this week and next so I have been straight out. I did however in the middle of everything squeeze out two projects. . .not sure I slept this week. . .can't remember

Lime Cupcakes for the office. It was our Administrative Assistants birthday. These were fabulous! Could still use some tequila I think. . .maybe tequila frosting for April 16th??? Recipe via http://www.lanascooking.com/2010/01/22/lime-cupcakes/

And I was up Friday night making this quick gift for my mother-in-law's birthday. Simple bag from Last-Minute Patchwork & Quilted Gifts. Simple yet a really nice gift. Since my mother-in-law reads a lot I thought a nice travel bag for a book with a bookmark with the cutest little baby there ever was on it was a great gift idea. I just used card stock wrapped with fabric for the book mark with some very fashionable stampin up ribbon and a scrapbook accessory punched through on the top.

Happy Valentine's Day :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

New project! Lace Twist Mitts by Debbie O'Neill from the Fall 2009 Knitscene. Yarn is Dream in Color Classy. Only one skein. Now that it is getting lighter I can knit on the way to work . . .hooray! Carpooling isn't such a bad thing after all :)