I need a hero!

***THIS POST WAS INSPIRED BY MELY @ MELYSPEAKS.COM - CHECK HER OUT***

In real life {IRL} I am my own hero, "my own damn god." And in real life I have people that I look up to like my parents, my besties and the Bambino; each for different reasons.

But in the realm of internet I have a few folks that I not only read but am excited for their posts.

Here they are (in no particular order):

• Meg from Whatever: She inspires me to create and opens my eyes to the tiny little details of random. For example, who thinks of photographing a watercolors paint tray? Or thinks of baking a rainbow cake? She brings out the happy. Note that I am not a religious person but I'm touched by her devotion to her god with everything she does; she never forgets to recognize him.
• Sarah from Becoming Sarah: This lady is funny, tender and oh so honest and I adore her for that. Her devotion to her family is palpable through each and every word, each punctuation mark, each photo. She inspires me to love the Bambino more - which is incredible because my love for him is boundless already. I hope to one day find that love that she and her husband have for each other.
• Matt from Matt, Liz and Madeline: I am inspired by his strength to go on each day and raise the daughter that he and his beloved wife created. I am inspired by his will power to write a blog, book, write in general about his two important gals. I am inspired because he is able to look and photograph his Madeline, see the similarity between her and Liz and not be crushed but pure happiness. I am inspired.
• Heather from The Spohrs are Multiplying: The word "Strength" needs to have Heather Spohr as its definition. I don't want to imagine what it would be like if anything terrible happened to the Bambino but I'm pretty sure I would be lost and have next to zero will to live. But Heather, my heart goes out to her because she is so honest about what it is like to lose a child, something a parent should never have to do. She is so honest about having another child after her first child passed away and still demonstrates nothing but love for both children. She is a foundation, a pillar, a roof - the whole package when it comes to strength.
• Rebecca from Girl's Gone Child: Holy cow do I adore this lady and her two little ones. From great names like Archer and Fable & great fashion sense to stories of trials and tribulations with her husband. My fellow wild child although it seems as though she was a bit more wild than I but I find that to be a good thing. I admire her style and love of music. I applaud her and her husband for making things work so that they can be a united and loving family. I just feel that if we met in real life that we would be great friends.
• Amber from Unlikely Mama: because she is my internet buddy and I cannot wait to meet her {IRL} this August at Blogher. We share similar styles of mothering and I just feel like I can relate with her even though we're different; she's a coupled SAHM with a beautiful Bambina and I'm a single WOHM with a handsome Bambino. But other than that I love that she we're in the same stage of parenting - co-sleeping v crib sleeping. Breastmilk v formula. Big first birthday parties v intimate ones. Plus we have similar tastes in music. She hasn't been blogging much lately since she's been super busy with her little one but I always look forward to her posts.
• Rachel Sarah from Single Mom Seeking: A read a few single parent blogs even beyond what I have on my blog roll. A lot of them I enjoy reading and am inspired & motivated by their posts. And while admittingly I didn't understand Rachel Sarah's posts in the beginning I've grown to love them. She is a real cheerleader for other single parents which is not only shown through her own blog but through Single Mommyhood as well. She really takes the time to get to know each person who comments or e-mails. She shares great stories about dating as a single parent and being a single parent in general. She also makes it possible for me to believe that I can do this, be a single mom and provide for the Bambino. She provides real confidence that I haven't been able to find on any other single parent blog.

That's the list. I know they're already well-known bloggies but those are the people that I get excited about reading, who inspire me everyday with every word. Thanks for that people!

Do you have a bloggie hero? What about an "in real life" hero?

Honolulu Chinatown - Chinese New Year; Year of the Tiger!

Toddlers in Backpack Carriers.

Poppers on the streets.

Fun Buildings & Colors.

Hanging Food.

and......

DRAGONS!

Welcome to the year of the Tiger.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from restlessmama's posterous

Valentine's Day Blogger Gift Exchange

I had the pleasure of joining on the fun festivity of Domestic Dork's Valentine's Day Gift Exchange this year. My partner was Kim from 733. She is a sweet and crafty lady who blogs about her creations, family and much more. I especially adore her "What are Little Boys Made of" posts.

I received her package in the mail this Saturday. So excited was I to open it! In our correspondence I had mentioned how much I miss good syrup, the kind that you can only get from New England or Canada. The kind that doesn't taste like liquid sugar but the kind that tastes like liquid gold from trees! Anyway, in the package was SYRUP! Real Vermont Syrup! It's from her Uncle's maple farm - so it's not only from Vermont but from a real farm, dripped from real hands. I'll be pouring some on waffles this weekend.

Also inlcuded in the package were a set of 4 tiles with: Love with all your heart, Live today like it were your last, Laugh until your belly aches and a photo of the Bambino and me. How sweet is that? I'm scouting for a place in the townhouse.

Kim also put in a meal planner and recipe book for me to fill out on my own. I'm going to have to pick at my dad's brain for some yummy recipes and get creative. And every single mom and moms in general definitely need a meal planner so that will come of great use.

So thank you Kim for your thoughtful gift! It was such a treat to receive a fun and yummy package in the mail.

I cannot wait to hear what you think about the one I sent you.

Also thanks Holly from Domestic Dork for putting this together!

Hope you all enjoy your Valentine's Day!

Posted via email from restlessmama's posterous

The Year of Not Buying Gifts

After crunching some hefty numbers I have come to the conclusion that I will not be purchasing gifts for anyone during the year of 2010 though I am debating on that for the Bambino's second birthday. Perhaps, I'll throw a small party for him at the zoo or some kind of fun place for a two-year-old and his friends. We'll see.

But for the majority - NO GIFTS. That means no birthday gifts, no hostess gifts, no April Fool's pranks (because c'mon those are the best gifts from me), no mom & pop day gifts, no anniversary gifts, and especially NO CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

Though I will not be buying gifts for my loved ones it doesn't mean that I won't send a card or call my mom & dad on their respective parent's days. It just means that they won't have anything materialistic sent from me.

Why? Though I cannot disclose to the general public the main reason, there is one reason that should suffice: TO SAVE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to be financially secure for myself and the Bambino. I'd like to be able to have my emergency fund back. Heck I'd like to be able to have a(n) emergency fund, retirment savings, and start a savings account for the Bambino. That way if my car ever breaks down again (knock on wood that it doesn't) then I'd like to take care of that on my own and not ask my parents for help. I'd like to one day buy a home that the Bambino and I may call our own. I'd like to be able to send us on a trip to Australia or Norway or Tanzania - anywhere in the world. More importantly I'd like to be out of debt.

So that's that. No gifts 2010. I may offend a few people (*wink) but that's ok I'll still love them. If they need a scapegoat then this lady will be a great candidate since she is the one who inspired me to do so.....sorry and thank you SO MUCH Sarah. What you and your family did this past Christmas was such an inspiration and motivation for this. I {internet} heart you. Oh and my Dad because he was the first person to tell me to do so. I {IRL} love you!

It is the year of gifting cards and phone calls with lots of love and hugs and gift of financial stability.

What are you doing to save money?

On motherhood, friendship and making fun of bloggers

There's this Canadian show (I really, really LOVE Canadians by the way) that I watch called, "Being Erica." It's totally off because Erica, the main character, gets to go back in time and fix all of her regrets and call it therapy.

Anyway, tonight's episode was about friendships and motherhood. Or more specifically about how one friend becomes a mother and the other one doesn't (yet) and how it affects the friendship. For example as soon as I became a mama I found it (and still sometimes do) difficult to follow a conversation that wasn't about poop or sore nipples. Or how it's hard to keep up with what's going on outside world outside of you and your little cub. Nothing else exists and if you don't have friends who understand that or if they give you a hard time then it can sometimes lead to the demise of a friendship.

THANKFULLY! I have fantastic friends who understand, support and totally get me even though I can go weird, spastic, out-of-the-loop mama. It's also helpful that we have similar lives and are so busy that finding time to sit back and have a phone conversation (because by the way all of my close friends live NOWHERE near me) but when we do get a chance to talk it's sometimes interrupted by the Bambino's whines for food, food, food, FOOD NOW! Or because they're walking out the door to have a fun single person's night out. Oh and it also helps that we're all workaholics. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that my friends are freaking awesome and I love them for remaining friends and continuing to build our friendship even though we have taken so many different paths. We're still able to find each other at some junction at some time or another. I love you friends! You know who you are!

If you Tivo or DVR your shows and one of those shows is "Ugly Betty" and haven't yet viewed this week's episode then don't read the following:

Now onto the making fun of the blogs bit. Nothing spectacular other than I thoroughly enjoyed this evening's "Ugly Betty" episode. Betty won a blog award and I'm not sure if the show was intentionally poking fun at blogging and bloggers but I laughed so hard that I had coughing fit which led to me spraying some inhaler in my lungs which has led me to my current hyper state which is why I'm typing 1.5 hours past my bedtime. 10:33 pm is 3:33 am parent time. Yeah, there is such a thing as parent time. Anysnooze, I just loved how when Betty was accepting her award and Daniel was giving her a special award speech that they were getting burritos thrown at them because ya know bloggers get crazy sometimes. Ya know with the whole don't offend me or I'll write evil words about you for 3 readers to see and one person leaving a comment and then throw a can of cat piss on your face in real life.

Anyway, tonight's episode was hilarious and I loved how it poked a little innocent fun at us bloggers.

So....that's all I've heard for today.