hello utah.

we made the move in one piece! hooray.
there was a warm welcome waiting for us here.
a ginormous thank you to everyone who helped out.
i realize treats and cold drinks don't do justice to such kindnesses!!

happy memorial day. hope you get to do something fabulous.
my main goal is to get my hands on a big slice of watermelon.

in related news

+ this family pic (look, we're all smiling in the right direction! score!) was taken at my dad's business' 25th anniversary party (more pics to come). as we were cleaning up, we announced that we were moving to utah in two weeks' time. it was a happy occasion.

+ another happy occasion was seeing our giant moving truck all packed up after the whirlwind of packing. i made the buff men stand in it for one final photo. a photo i will someday upload. i hope you won't mind belated photos. my blogging is going to be all over the place. the move went smoothly, no meltdowns. i even held it together when i said goodbye to ronda, jill, brooke, kimberly, hilary and julie. i've become so close to them. i was simply too exhausted to cry. the tears will come at some random date and time, i'm sure. (likely, when i'm choosing an avocado at the grocery store or waiting to take a new drivers license photo at the DMV.) i don't know what i'll do without them and their children either. saying goodbye is way too sad. i pray we can be the type of friends that really do keep in touch. thanks to my awesome long-winded texting habits, they won't be able to get rid of me.

+ i'm really loving the tina fey book so far. it's hilarious and i'm very happy i'm listening to her tell it to me rather than reading it. it makes all the difference to hear her voice, every anecdote could be a skit on SNL.

+ i must admit, i'm a teensy bit antsy / anxious / weirded-out about becoming one more utah blogger. whatevs. it's just funny how i feel like that matters or something. when it really doesn't. do you care where bloggers reside?! i suppose i'm just feeling out of place a bit and will have to scootch myself in again, like you do when you're laying on a beach towel and have to wiggle yourself in so the sand molds around you.

+ i already thought of like five blog posts while i was in the shower this morning. moving slash moving in with your in-laws is already full of awesome stories. they welcomed us with scented pillow cases and empty drawers and closet space. shanna even brought out all the trucks and stuffed animals. benji is on cloud nine and hasn't even asked about the surprise he was going to get when we move to utah. he is content and would be happy if we lived here forever. it still hasn't hit me that we live here, but i'm sure it'll sink in. even after seeing our truck unloaded, it's still a bit unreal that we get to look for houses to move into. am trying to keep up with all the action.

p.s. like a page from the hunger games, we're currently on the hunt. please leave your home owner expertise and house hunting tips in the comment box! i need all the help i can get. thank you and happy memorial day.

moving day.

pretty prints by volume 25 etsy shop

today's the day. we're on our way. i can't believe this move is really happening! we have a giant truck and brawny boys to load it up and benj will have a last idaho morning playdate with his pals. we have such nice friends here. you don't realize what you truly have until you're leaving it. (and you don't realize how much crap is in your closets until you have to pack it all up!) suddenly i realize why everyone facebooks; to keep the far-away-ones closer. what is your favorite way to keep in touch? yesterday was all weepy; all the last times i'll drive this certain road or hit the post office and last time we'll go to the library with the indoor pond, last time to see the snake river flowing by daddy's office. am already planning in my head to bring a bigger benji back here to tell him the tales. thank goodness families get to travel in packs. here we go.

happy trails. xo.

p.s. i downloaded tina fey's new book bossypants to take on the road for laughs. (i love when authors read their own words aloud for audio books. a task like that is on my bucket list.)

p.p.s. death cab for cutie was on VH1 Storytellers last night as we wrapped up all the loose ends and blubbered in disbelief about the mountain of stuff we have and pulled out sleeping bags to sleep in. it was a perfect in-house concert for our final night. i highly recommend their tracks: i will follow you into the dark, soul meets body, why you'd want to live here and crooked teeth. i haven't talked about music like this since ninth grade. okay, am officially outtie. ciao.

sweeping up and saying goodbye.

illustration print by remixed vintage etsy shop

today is friday
+ it's cleaning day.
+ there's a farewell party at the office.
+ one last load of laundry and removing nails from walls.
+ the final push (and manic box-up) until the real party begins.
+ tonight the giant truck will be in our parking lot.
+ tomorrow is the big day!

here are a few favorite shots of idaho. they will always help me remember benji's first few years. that special little nutshell of time wherein a family grows from two to three. so simple, so supreme. it was good for us to figure out family life all on our own. i took down my bulletin board piece by piece and unpinned dan's first official business card as an attorney. he started his career here and i became a mother here. so many firsts. oh idaho, i learned to love you and i'm going to miss you.

hope you have a happy memorial day weekend. we'll be moving in (temporarily) with the in-laws while we hunt for houses. luckily, his folks are totally awesome, so i'm not too worried. i want to make them really fun meals because they have a rad kitchen. i'd love your delicious dinner suggestions and links, especially since dan packed away my cookbooks! thank you! xo.

moving along.

a mix cd of old and new faves

i made up a little moving mix cd; heavy on old favorites. (here is the playlist if you'd like to check them out.) it starts peppy and mellows out in the end. which is exactly what i need in a mix cd. thank you for all of your moving day encouragement. i feel it. we took a break today and had a glorious blue-skied outing to the zoo with friends. it was like something out of a magazine; the kids frolicking on the lawn, a spontaneous picnic, all the animals awake and doing tricks, etc. i must admit, everything is rose-colored now. i'm happy these are the days that will stay in my mind. of course, i'll block out the packing part. (moving is kind of like childbirth, you totally forget the drama of it all and somehow sign up to do it again!)

glee cast in nyc / adorable

image via fan pop. 

am new to the whole glee phenomenon but i had to tune in last night once i heard about the nyc finale. do tell... are their outfits always so darling on this show? the whole episode could've been a kate spade ad. (it didn't hurt that they were on the set of wicked either!!) hooray for showtunes.

p.s. i love the plum, lemon and lime hues of that bunch of balloons. don't you?!

recent snapshots

feeding the horsies. all byself.


bottle feeding a three day old calf. (i love this shot. thank you, dan!)




moving sale pics. the best thing i did was drape cloths over moving boxes for tables.


taking this sticker to heart. benj and i take one last bite out of cocoa bean cupcakes. mmm.


playing merrily among the madness. he doesn't seem a bit jarred by all this, thank goodness.


we ordered chinese take-out the day we decided to take dan's new job offer in utah.

wrapping up our home is tugging at my heart.

illustration by mike lowery

the sadness has hit. church was tough today. i don't like goodbyes. three years here has made us some good friends and i don't want to imagine my day-to-day life without them. my friends and i chat about our kids, admire each other's mothering skills, inquire about illnesses, hold babies, discuss playdates via text message, support each other's endeavors, sit on sofas and listen, swap recipes, complain about the weather, and constantly exchange baked goods back and forth. one week, it seemed like a session of cupcake wars, as we were continuously bombarded with frosted items on paper plates. i love that friends can speak volumes with sugar.

am trying to remember that home is where the heart is. am trying to be brave and look at all the blessings and opportunities ahead. this will be our sixth move in less than ten years as a married couple. you'd think i'd be a pro at this by now. but, no, change is still a challenge for me. i hope i can somehow convey my thanks, these friends have meant so much to me. they know me and have been there at the darkest part of my life thus far–my miscarriage last year–they listened and hugged and fed my family. they held me up and let me be sad. they love benji and give him loads of attention. tonight we were spoiled with a fresh strawberry pie and real whipped cream. however i also know there are good people in every neighborhood, i know i can make friends elsewhere, i know there are more lessons to learn and more play pals for benji.

in other news, the moving sale went great. thanks to my friends who helped out and supported me in coming! i had no idea the effect some signs and balloons could have! (photos coming soon or someday. blogging is still going to be my refuge; however i have no idea how often or when i can come and say hi. it will be a day by day experiment.) hooray for strangers enjoying our loot. i was pleased to see my flipflops, some baby clothes, dishes, scrapbook paper, dan's corduroy jacket(s), my red kitchen rug, some jewelry, a box kite, and more go to excited owners. i think i could really get into this whole yard sale thing. next time i am totally packaging up cookies to sell, the freebie treats were a hit. hilary made chocolate chip orange drop cookies which we all swooned over. it was like a party, a party involving haggling. even my broken clock (labeled, broken) sold for $1.00! yay. a cheap thrill! however no one wanted picture frames or dan's old suspenders. a few cute bloggers showed up too. (thank you so much, it is awesome to put faces to names!) it was fun to have one last hurrah. we even celebrated with a date night afterwards. now i know not to host a moving sale right before you move. because moving sales are way more fun than packing and thus the best excuse to procrastinate.

this week is go time. i am all geared up.

right now i am uploading photos–including new york city shots–to walmart.com so that i can finalize filling my empty 2010 and 2011 albums the second i unpack them. the fact that they are not filled with happy memories in photo form is already stressing me out. i guess when you are planning to leave something, you want to capture everything up before you leave it. in related news, benji and dan had a day at a real working farm yesterday. benji got to bottle feed a three day old calf. this is why idaho is awesome.

back to bubble wrapping. xo.

preschool project / i-spy telescopes

benji loves to go on i-spy hunts around the house and tell me what he spies. (he also loves this library book!) so we mod podged the leftover cardboard tubes of our saran wrap and paper towel roll to make i-spy telescopes. his favorite part was ripping the tissue paper and spreading the glue around. i thought about adding glitter, but knew it would be a mistake. when it comes to glitter, you have to know when to put on the breaks. this will likely be our last official preschool project for awhile. unless you count popping bubble wrap and coloring moving boxes (great tip, thank you thelma!).

+ i appreciate all the cheerleading and awesome excitement about our move to utah. i needed that. my to-do list is overwhelming, i feel like i'm moving in slow motion. i have faith it will all come together. somehow. am hoping my blogging hiatus will help me reinvent myself a bit and remember why i blog. my artist friend is helping me with a little blog makeover this summer too. there is much to look forward to. no matter how difficult change can be, i'm always up for a fresh start.

ciao for now. 

p.s. when i need breaks from boxing, i run over to pin stuff. like these party perfect oprah printables. wish i could host a huge oprah farewell shindig. benji and i will be toasting our glasses of juice. even the promos make me all sentimental.

moving sale for locals

if you're interested in coming to our moving sale this saturday, i would love to see you there! we are located in idaho falls. please email me for the address and directions.

review / letter girl custom rubber stamps

gina (also known as letter girl) offered me a review opportunity of her handmade, custom made rubber stamps. i was excited right away as i've loved her calligraphy for some time now. i asked if she wouldn't mind doing my website and business name instead of an address. this is why etsy is so awesome, vendors seem so happy to create something exactly for you (and don't you love this name stamp for a teacher gift?!). i've already discovered dozens of ways to utilize my custom rubber stamp. it's so handy to doll up notes, envelopes, labels and the pages of my day timer (okay, i got a little stamp happy). self-promotion is important when building up a small business, so i am all about putting your name on what you make. psst... she offers self-inking stamps too!

bonus / enter discount code HAPPY and receive free shipping from letter girl through may 25th.

p.s. she is celebrating her 19 year business anniversary and offering giveaways all week long on her blog, rich inner life!

summer is on its way. and so are we.

so here's my big news. we are moving! we have the opportunity to return to utah! as life-changing events sometimes happen, this one is coming together rapid fast. we're moving in only two weeks! (it's hard to believe it's true. it's even harder to keep up with my to-do list!) we are looking forward to many good things, especially being near our families. we have made genuine, wonderful friends in idaho and i have mixed emotions; i know it will be tough to start all over again, say goodbye to benji's birthplace and all the things (and people) we love here in idaho. however we know that God is aware of us and this is an open door of opportunity for our little family. we are excited. and nervous. and excited. 

blogging will be on the back burner for awhile. i'm planning a mini moving sale next saturday. if you have any yard sale / moving tips, i'd love to hear them. i hope to have a few last hurrahs, a trip to my favorite bulk foods aisle and fly kites in our favorite park before we leave.

mini mart shop notice / i'll be temporarily closing up my shop while we are in the process of moving. if you'd like to order a mini diary, i still have a good selection. please place your order by wednesday, may 18th. (let me know if you plan on giving it to your dad for father's day, i'll send a manly chocolate striped cover design!) thank you.

p.s. another product review is scheduled to post this week and in other (foodie) news, i designed a weekly menu planner for my favorite cooking sisters, the sisters cafe. click here to download it for free. thank you for your kindnesses; the best thing about blogging is that everything great about it (like you) is available even when my world has turned upside down. i can't wait to plug in my computer and introduce you to our new residence. wherever and whenever that turns out to be.

preschool project / making the band

benji is a big fan of music time. (we, collectively, are also big fans of staying in our jammies for our preschoolery as you might note in the photos.) he loves to get out the homemade instruments. our one man band consists of a christmas tin drum with chopsticks, a shoebox rubberband guitar, a shaker can with beans, and a glass bottle flute.

i had no idea making music would be so entertaining. i take full advantage of music time, as i know my son will not always let me be the lead vocalist of his band.

a suitable winner.

image source

and the lime ricki giveaway goes to... amy at amy k. creates. congratulations!
please contact me with your suit choice, size and shipping address. enjoy!

and i thought these strawberries were big.

all i have to say is big things are in the works.
i can't wait to spill all the juicy details. 
stay tuned.

a dozen things

01. is anything more dreamy than being in central park with your best friend husband?! i think not. thank you for coming along with me on my nyc vacay recap. you are too kind.

02. bear took a monster nap yesterday. the hardest thing is knowing if one should awaken a little one from a nap or not. usually i opt to let the boy sleep. he loves his sleep. somedays i go in and pick him up and feel like i can see his growth right before my eyes!

03. i had a close encounter with a celebrity the other day. it was equally exhilarating and embarrassing. i'm not quite ready to discuss it in detail. lets just say i was starstruck at the sight of him but tried to keep my act together as i completely admire him. i am not so sure if i seemed sweet or stalkerish or downright dorky. still it was a thrill, though i'm trying to forget it so i don't keep going over our meeting in my mind.

04. i've gotta quit thinking that if i meet certain celebrities we'd instantly be besties.

05. bloggers on the other hand really do feel like real friends. so approachable and awesome. i am a firm believer that the comment box (and straight up email) is the best way to befriend bloggers in real life. don't be shy. speak up.

06. all of you who watch bethenny on bravo say aye. 'aye.'

07. my friends, julie, hilary and i saw mindy gledhill in concert. there were globes on the stage, hanging upside down umbrellas and twinkle lights. it was perfect for her music. i loved mindy. she wore a black dress, converse shoes and butterfly wings and she came to idaho. she is adorable. did you know she's pregnant? and simply darling and friendly and wonderful. we'd totally be besties if we lived on the same street. the song hourglass made me cry.

08. sooner or later i'm going to draw up a post wherein you (hopefully) ask questions and i'll answer them. i'm running on empty when it comes to personal post ideas.

09. all of you soaking up the last episodes of oprah, say aye. 'aye.'

10. splurged on jumbo strawberries and dipped them in chocolate and sprinkles for girls night out.

11. am excited to hang out with family and celebrate at my dad's big event this weekend.

12. blogger somehow misplaced this post and lost all the comments. boo.

review & giveaway / lime ricki swimsuit

it's time once again to suit up for summer. i must admit, i was worried about doing a swimwear review as i am wary of acquiring swimsuits online, without seeing them in person. (and i only post about products that i really do indeed love.) i'm picky about swimsuits and their features because–lets face facts–i'm not thirteen anymore. i need, um, support (hello?! what's with suits with nothing more than a lining?), sturdy construction, comfortable and flattering fit, darling and fun and something that not everyone is wearing. i'd hate to be in the line of fire when it comes to who wore it best? side by side comparisons, poolside edition.

i am delighted (and relieved) to report that i am smitten with lime ricki's swimsuits. due to my fickle nature in picking a specific style, the company kindly sent me three different options to choose from. i suited up as soon as i got home from nyc (disregarding the fact that all those nyc indulgences added up). shockingly, i liked all of the swimsuit options! each were flattering, comfortable and offered a great fit (i followed their size chart and the suits fit perfectly). it was difficult to narrow down my top pick.

my favorite choice (possibly because i've been on a hunt for a cute one-piece for awhile now) is the flirty polka dot delancey suit. this suit exceeded my expectations. (if i had a little girl, i would be tempted to get her the coordinating mini suit! a.dor.able.) the delancey suit is slightly retro and the shirred design is completely flattering, in all the right areas. it would be perfectly suitable for any age. i appreciate that there are two pieces of material to help create the shirring effect. which means the material does not pull taut across the belly (revealing unfortunate lumps and bumps) like most one-pieces do. i also love that it's sporty and modest enough for scrambling after a little one on the beach. once i became a swim mama, i realized that my swimsuit has to have its act together. or else. gone are the days of lounging with a magazine. my attention has to be on much more important things than if my suit is in place. my second favorite suit is the auburn tankini. i liked the fit, the shape and the darling flower fabric. all the suits were comfortable, with high quality stitching and fantastic fabrics. i am overjoyed that my seasonal swimsuit hunt is over. thank you, lime ricki.

bonus / enter discount code MARTA10 to receive 10% off your lime ricki swimwear purchase.

grand prize giveaway / comment on this post by may 15th to enter to win a swimsuit of your choice! a winner will be chosen at random. tell me what you love about summer and how you prepare for it. any seasonal must-haves? (mine is an oversized straw bag to toss everything into.)

p.s. for the record, i'm also in love with swim skirts. so happy they are here to stay.

preschool project / five rainy day activities

yesterday it snowed. insert groan here. i will not bore you with my personal beliefs that it should never snow in the month of may, but i will tell you that we pulled out all the rainy day activities i could think of. including a bubble bath with plastic cups of all sizes. practicing pouring has never been so fun or time consuming. benji is also big on giving himself a bubble beard like santa. two year olds make me laugh.

here are a few activities that kept us entertained all afternoon.

alphabet fishing / grab a magnetic fishing rod (or make one with a stick, string and magnet) and pour your alphabet magnets (or make your own letters and attach paperclips) into a container. fish for magnetic letters and numbers too, naming them one by one and pointing out their colors too. then line up your catches into the proper alphabet order. 

bean bag quilt toss / spread out a colorful patchwork quilt or an i-spy quilt (we use a blanket with numbers on it) and toss a small beanbag (or hacky sack) onto it. name the item, number or color it landed on and discuss its shape and size.

suitcase relays / our empty suitcase is still out from unpacking from our trip. benji loves rolling it around and parking it in different rooms. yesterday he filled it up with stuffed animals and gave them rides. the zippers, clips and wheels provide instant entertainment.

silly facial feature sticker play / this activity came up as a happy accident. we were playing with a sticker book and benji put a little sticker on his nose. then he wanted to put stickers on his ears, cheeks, forehead and chin. he continued to doll me up as well. we discussed our facial features while embellishing with stickers. we brought out a mirror which added to the fun.

readathon / we piled up the pillows and read stories together. a bowl of pretzels made it feel like a cozy party for two.

nyc / highlights

highlights
tulips + trees among the traffic.
yankees game.
the royal wedding hype.
anthropologie at rockefeller center
cathedrals + shopping on 5th ave.
kate's paperie in soho.

other favorite must-dos, not pictured
fishs eddy dishes shop, dean & deluca, H&M, the NY public library, uniqlo in soho, new york city running tours (the ideal way for an athlete to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city!), tiffany's, F.A.O. Schwartz (where we spotted victoria beckham in heels, her little boys and bodyguards picking out a new gaming system), lincoln center, the LDS temple, abc carpet and home, broadway shows and battery park. the russian matryoshka vendor was my favorite on-the-street find. next time, i definitely want to see the view from top of the rock. i've heard it's better than the empire state building.

p.s. i'd never been shopping in soho before this trip. i absolutely loved it. i fell hard for the j. crewish pieces at uniqlo. i never thought i'd say this, but it bumped H&M from first place in my shopping heart of all hearts. of course there is currently only one uniqlo in the country. but there will be more locations cropping up in nyc soon!

nyc / cycling in central park

biking broadway, new york city 2011 from marta on Vimeo.

one of the best activities in nyc was renting bikes to see the sights in central park on saturday afternoon. an unexpected thrill was the fact that we had to bike up a few blocks–on broadway–to actually get to the park. thank goodness for a sizeable bike lane! there were twelve of us. my in-laws are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year (congratulations!!) and biking with their children is one of their all-time favorite pastimes. thanks to cameraman dan for capturing the moment (and for not dropping my camera)!

watch for...
the dave letterman theater
fresh fruit stand on the sidewalk.
riding the opposite way in said bike lane.
blooming pink trees in central park! 
remembering how to road bike. am glad i survived.
dan and i trying to take a snapshot while camera was still in movie mode.
jogger in central park running faster than me on a bike. 
twelve smiling cyclists.

bike rentals / cycle cafe / 250 W 49th St (between Broadway & 8th Ave)

a few of my favorite bloggers post vacation videos, which i love. they inspired my own vacay video post. this was my first attempt to create / edit a home movie–aside from baby benji clips. i am excited to explore imovie a bit more. i have a lot to learn! perhaps there will be more martamovies in the future.

tune in tomorrow for my final nyc trip highlights post.

nyc / eating in the big apple.

magnolia bakery | nyc locations. deloverly. i've heard of it for years and it did not disappoint. the cupcake was delicious, nothing out of this world crazy, but still i've never met a cupcake i didn't like. i was happy. this was our first night there and we met up with friends, andrea and slade, who gave us the scoop of the town. slade swears by the banana cream pudding. he shared a taste and it was indeed very good. and i think i liked dan's chocolate cupcake even more than their classic vanilla cake w/ vanilla buttercream that i got. andrea says red velvet is their best. i marveled in the moment; the pom poms, the bunting pennants, the chalkboard menus and chains swooshing across the storefront. (so many times you dream of a place and it doesn't quite meet up with what you had in mind.) i thought magnolia's was everything a cupcake shop should be.



shake shack | check it. | madison square park, near madison ave. and east 23rd street.
a.maze.ing. any place that has a long lunch line that you have to wait in (especially in new york city) makes a meal all the more tasty. i ordered the shack attack concrete which was almost a death by chocolate experience. no skimping on chocolate additives either. the burgers were divine and i was happy it came with two whopping slices of tomato. madison square park is gorgeous (i was oohing and awwing over the violet and peach colored tulips) and a perfect spot to rest awhile and people watch.



la baguette market | the best part about not making a plan for dinner is landing upon random little cafe shops. this place happened to be open until midnight (hooray for the city that never sleeps) and sold an array of goodies, my favorite being the chocolate sandwich cookie men.



patsy's pizza | nyc locations. a great place for a crowd to eat. we dined on huge pizzas, family sized salads and pastas too. we went late in the afternoon and had this popular place mostly to ourselves. of course, firstly, i led the group seven blocks in the opposite direction. we did indeed land at a restaurant called patsy's. just not patsy's pizza. random stuff like that is always happening to me. anyway, everyone was a good sport about walking all that way. plus it made the long-awaited thin crust new york pizza taste even better.



norma's | at le parker meridien hotel. dave and ariane suggested it and they are always dining well, so i knew i was in for a treat. while dan was on a running tour of the city (more on that later), i was happy to tag along with dave, ariane and sarah for the best brunch in town. (i remembered this hotel instantly because the secret burger joint i dragged my sisters to last year is also located in this hotel. they are two completely different atmospheres, right in the same lobby. incredible. next time i'm dragging my sisters to norma's instead.) the best thing about splurging on a fancy breakfast is that you don't have to dress up in heels. the feeling is light, bright and airy rather than dim, formal and stuffy. and the fresh orange juice just keeps on coming. plus, the dining experience lasts long enough to count as two meals. (i am good at justifying steeply-priced breakfast foods.) i ordered the whaz-za which consisted of waffles topped with bananas, blueberries, papaya and a creme brulee topping which was heaven. sarah ordered chocolate brioche french toast and it came out looking like a huge slice of cake. the orange juice was unlike any i've ever had and i've read that their hot chocolate is amazing too. norma's was to-die-for delicious and a perfect place for a special occasion. they are only open for breakfast, brunch or lunch.


seriously, half my roll of film was pictures of us eating in new york city. when you go to new york city, promise me you won't be on a diet. new york city food is meant to be enjoyed (and photographed).

already looking forward to trying next time...
here are some of your suggestions! thank you.

levain's bakery | upper west side | i've heard from dozens of sources that this place has the best cookies in the world. i was excited to give them a go and sad not to taste them on this trip. as you can see, i just didn't get enough to eat while we were there.

upstairs by bouley | i have heard this is a chic restaurant; cozy and delicious–with a great sushi bar.

grimaldi's pizzeria (walk across the brooklyn bridge) and wait in line for this supposedly spectacular pizza or run to lombardi's (in soho) for an equally true new york pizza pie. have heard they live up to their names.

bryant park grill | relaxing in beautiful bryant park (complete with quaint green folding chairs, a carousel and green lawns), just behind the ny main library, was dreamy. i imagine the food at this nearby grill would be scrumptious.

murrays' cheese shop | bleeker street | we wandered by this place and i snapped a picture of this darling diner / market and was so sad it was closed up for the night. the chalkboard menus boasted of all kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches and more. definitely stopping in for lunch next time i'm on bleeker.

the little owl | greenwich village | you'll need to make a reservation well ahead of time for this charming popular restaurant located in such a fun neighborhood. can't wait to go someday.

max brenner's (bald man) chocolate shop | my mom has been telling me about this place dripping in chocolate. will have to indulge next time.

the dessert truck | review and photos | word is there is this truck that drives around nyc, filled with decadent desserts for passersby. if you can find it (follow them on twitter!), you'll be in for a real treat. 

the doughnut plant | ny times review | the name alone makes my mouth water.

two little red hens | supposedly a baked goods bonanza of goodness. the cinnamon rolls are supposed to be heavenly.

sarabeth's | friend of a farmer | le pain quotidien | alice's tea cup | clinton street bakery | kitchenette | bubby's | a collection of favorited brunch spots in the city that i can't wait to try.

city bakery | another bakery shop filled with yumminess that people can't quit raving about.

butter lane cupcakes | this is supposedly the locals favorite-of-all cupcake shops.

forty carrots frozen yogurt | Bloomingdale's, 1000 3rd Ave, 7th Fl | i've read about this hidden frozen yogurt shop for years, but haven't yet had a taste.

next time, i think it will be a sugar-coma-only trip.

am a fan (and happy mother's day)

am a fan of the new usps go green forever postage stamps!
am a fan of kind mentions by she paperie, dandee design, and design editor. merci.
am a fan of the royal kiss(es) on the balcony.
am a fan of munipals wooden railway subway trains. i couldn't resist bringing one home from nyc!
am a fan of design mom's discussion about mormon design bloggers. so interesting.
am a fan of this workspace, this trio of world globes, and everything about this.
am a fan of this mother's day card. my mom was queen of the carpool.
am a fan of watermelon slushies. i get mine at sonic.
am a fan of finding a perfectly flattering one-piece swimsuit. seriously. tune in next week!
am a fan of jordan's envelope surprise display. completely cute.
am a fan of putting all my preschool activity inspiration into a pinboard. hooray.
am a fan of advice to young artists by chuck close.
am a fan of weekends too. a costco run and a chick flick are on the schedule.

am a fan of mothers and the honor of being a mother. i've been poring over old posts and am glad i've written it all down. i often wonder what will become of this blog when i'm old and gray. if my blog were ever to catch flame, i'd save the thoughts i've written about motherhood first. i so appreciate you following along (and cheering me along) while i put my words into the internet. motherhood means more than i ever imagined it would. and blogging helps me appreciate what i have, as i try to recapture it and share it with words. am so glad i wrote about pregnancy, it lets me remember what it felt like.
read my favorite mother-ish poem here. (it makes me laugh, it makes me cry.)
read what i wrote in my journal the day benji was born.
read what i wrote last year about motherhood.

help my friends grab the rolling stone magazine cover shot.

Fictionist, the band.

first let me introduce you to a cute couple and blog, Hue and Hum. i had the great fortune of hanging out with this her and him for fireworks one fourth of july in salt lake city. they are the kind of artsy couple you dream about becoming.

Hue is an artist. she paints, sews, and loves all things creative. she is downright adorable. Hum is a musician, he plays the lead guitar in the band Fictionist. does that name ring any bells? it might, because they are currently in a huge competition to get on the cover Rolling Stone Magazine! believe it or not, they just might win. it started with 16 bands, and they've already made it all the way to the final 4 bands. they have fantastic tunes, they are pretty nice guys, and they need your help to get on the cover! go vote for fictionist. help make their dreams come true.

it's easy. go here. click 5 stars, like them, and download 4 free songs!

Fictionist and i thank you.

p.s. good news! Fictionist is playing tonight in provo, utah. wish i were there. follow Hue and Hum along their artistic adventures and see if Fictionist makes it on the cover!