(And for those "Playing Big" readers of mine: Shanna has completely and totally found her calling -- lucky girl -- AND she's Playing Big, big time!)

Here's my take on her book and exactly why I love it:

It is the hardest thing about being a mom, a wife, and just a woman in general: accepting life is not perfect. I’m not the perfect mom, I don’t have perfect kids, and on top of that I can’t even force myself to eat perfectly, let alone have the perfect body. But our society still promotes this happily-ever-after goal of the family in the Colgate toothpaste commercial: really white teeth, super shiny hair and absolutely no yelling. And that’s what we aspire to. 

But, author Shanna Haun has given women the gift of permission in her book, Healthy Heart and Mind: It’s ALL a Practice. And I say permission because guess what? Shanna isn’t letting you off the hook. It isn’t a throw-caution-to-the-wind carpe diem let’s hold hands and sing Kumbaya tale of women surrendering to their bodies and their lives. Instead, it is permission to dive into the sometimes scary, always challenging pursuit of better health and fitness. And to do it one small change at a time, and to not be perfect, and to fall and to get back up and to have hope that you can feel better and live better, no matter where you are starting from. And permission to start today.

Shanna’s transparent take on the tale of her childhood, family and imperfect road to becoming a personal trainer and registered yoga teacher makes you feel like your own personal story has character. My childhood, my struggles, my story is no longer the reason I can’t do this, but instead the reason I can. And the honest and thoughtful stories of Shanna’s students confirm that – if they can do it then I can do it, too.

In sharing her plan of eating, her go-to snacks and favorite healthy products, Shanna makes this healthy life doable in an every-single-day-kind of way. She tells readers that she doesn’t prescribe her plan of eating to anyone, but shares it simply because people are curious. I like that – because I am one of those nosey people! On the first day I started the book I read about Shanna’s lunch salads and I adopted the same for my own lunches. Now, more than a week later, I am getting loads more veggies than I did two weeks ago and it was just one small change. “No big life overhauls here,” Shanna likes to remind the reader regularly.

“Perfect does not exist. Practice is highly achievable!” is Shanna’s mantra. It turns my life into a Colgate toothpaste commercial overnight, simply by changing the goal. Instead of the white teeth, shiny hair, perfect mom goal, now I simply engage in living a healthier life, with self-loving efforts everyday – and that my friend is success!

Let's see, I am not sure I've ever been happier to see spring arrive than I have been this year. (Aside from maybe the year I took spring break in Padre Island, Texas before even turning 18, but that was a long long, very long time ago!) So, it wasn't hard to get motivated to do a garden this year.

And even more exciting was when my good friend Lois showed up one day with pansies in hand! Ready to put them right into the ground -- I was so impressed AND inspired! So, this weekend the girls and I added peas and carrots. There is nothing like the feeling of sunshine on your back and the ground breaking in your hands. I look forward to seeing our garden grow and blossom. I hope we'll have food to share sometime this summer!

If you need a graduation gift for a Jayhawk, or a kiddo on their way to Lawrence, this would be a darling idea. If you want to personalize it and add a name, too, just email me here, and I'll whip something up for you. RCJHGKU!

And since I've been drooling over all of Paperly's products for ages now, I've decided to go ahead and become a rep for their line. As I've said a million times, there is nothing I love more than pen on paper, so this will be a great fit. So come check out all of their darling products. Or, just go directly to the clipboards!

I also like teaming up with Paperly because I can still do custom designs and will simply order through their site as well. So let me know if I can whip up something special for you. And don't forget about those teachers -- they work super hard all year and totally deserve some super cute stuff!

I decided to finally try my white ink! What do you think? I am having fun with expirementing with a few different styles. Just tweaking my "look" and how to make it flow. It isn't perfect, but it sure is one of the most sure-fire ways I know to switch yourself into left-brain mode quick! I am ready to do some more! Anyone doing modern calligraphy these days? I'd love it if you'd link up to your work.

I've been loving photography the most these days. I haven't been sharing a lot, as I wasn't sure about how much I would want to pursue it, but it seems it is a new-old love that is here to stay. I actaully took these photos of my best friend's kids a couple of months ago. I loved how easy it was because a: they are super stinkin' cute, b: Dayna and her husband were super laid back about the entire shoot and c: it was really pretty cold out so we were all in agreement to make it quick.

I am a fan of being brief, not only with photography but with lots of things. But, especially when shooting kids. They best photos usually come out in the middle-beginning of the shoot as that's when they're warmed up to the idea AND still not over the idea (which happens about 5 minutes later). So, jump in, click liberally, and get outta there! Oh, and enjoy!

{By noon we had 11 inches! The snow seems to have mostly stopped. We hear it'll start up again in a couple of hours. Gulp!}

I've been kind of itching for a photography project lately. Now, this isn't exactly what I was picturing, but I am going to attempt it anyway! We have snow coming down fast and heavy in Kansas City today! I am going to try to post this same photo once per hour all day! Here's the first entry!

Charm in Martin City is open this weekend! (If you're local and you haven't been yet, what are you waiting for!? I'm taking a little delivery over in the morning, and am excited to see what the place looks like all cutesied up for Valentine's Day!

The first item is my black LOVE letters decoupaged with dictionary pages. I've actually been using a gel medium for this (rather than mod podge) and I like the look of it. I added some of my fabric flowers!

The last two photos are of the finished calligraphy cards. I had so much fun with these! I do love calligraphy and finally had an excuse to get out my pen & ink. I was excited to do stationery for Valentine's Day, but some of these cards can also be used for any time of the year.

If you are out of town or unable to get by Charm, it's OK! Send me an email for custom orders or visit the Etsy shop for other goodies!

So thinking ahead to Valentine's Day got me all in a calligraphy mood! I haven't had my calligraphy pen and ink out in a couple of months, and I had some cards that were begging for decoration. Not to mention, I am taking goodies to Charm (the boutique I consign my art at) tomorrow morning. So, that always motivates me to make a few new things!

I also took some photos of a few other things going to Charm this morning, alas...it is time to pick up the girls from school and run to ballet. I will have to post them later. But, I'll give you a hint: remember the "LOVE" letters I used as a chalkboard at this time last year for the KC Parent blog? (It is here, if you want to look back.) Well, those very same letters have gotten a whole new life for this year!

So, come back to see what's next!

So, it has always been a huge love of mine to shop vintage markets, estate sales and antique stores. I often spend way too much time looking at Craig's List, browsing Etsy and hoping garage sales on summer weekends. And this weekend was a huge treat because my friend Erin and I (the creative genius behind Erin Page Designs) went to breakfast downtown at such a fun organic restaurant called You Say Tomato.

After we ate we went searching for a fun and funky spot to shop, and did we find the perfect spot! At the longtime Bitterman's building at 31st & Gillam they've added a vintage shop called Eye Candy. It was such a fun shopping experience and reminded me how much I love to shop vintage!

I found two fun treasures on Saturday, which got me excited pull out some of my other fave vintage treasures. And now, I am trying to decide: jump into Etsy vintage? Hmmmm....