A Gift for Super Dad

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This year I really can’t wait until Father’s Day to give Craig some credit where credit is due. Our world changed pretty quickly this March. One day I was running around doing my normal routine of morning school drop offs and working, the next I was in the hospital fighting cancer. Yep, didn’t see that coming. In a moment of two seconds, Craig leveled up, rose to the occasion and became super dad. So I was so excited when Intel sent me this HP Pavillion touchscreen laptop with a super fast Intel Core i7-6500U processor to surprise him with as an early Father’s Day gift.

Craig has taken over all of my duties at home with Kayla and Blake in addition to working full time. He does drop off, pick up, makes lunches, cooks dinner, takes Blake to swim class and coaches Kayla’s soccer team. I don’t even know how to thank him. There aren’t enough words. But I guess it starts with simply acknowledging the fact that he is literally doing it all. So Craig, THANK YOU! You are amazing and I am so lucky to have you.  [Read more…]

In Spite Of This, I Feel lucky.

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For the last two and a half weeks I’ve sat in this hospital and had plenty of time to think. Plenty of time to be angry. Plenty of time to be scared out of my mind. But oddly, I don’t feel angry or upset that this is happening to me. Not even a little bit. Yes, I feel somewhat scared about the unknowns and the statistics, I mean who wouldn’t? But fear isn’t a feeling I’ve devoted much time to.

Mostly, I feel lucky. I said this on Instagram the other night. I feel lucky. [Read more…]

I Have Leukemia – How We Got Here

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It has taken me longer to write this than I expected. Why, I’m not entirely sure, but here we are. On March 18th I was very suddenly and unexpectedly (well, who expects it?) diagnosed with leukemia. Yep. Here’s the part where everyone asks if I had any idea? How did I get diagnosed?

No, I didn’t know. But I did know something wasn’t right. Over the last few months I felt tired. I mean, we all feel tired because, children. But I felt like I was failing. Like no matter what, most of the time I couldn’t muster up enough energy to get through the day and make it until bedtime. I felt like a bad mom and I took that to heart. I felt like a bad businesswoman as the energy I have relied on for years to always be creative, excited and moving forward was snuffed out. [Read more…]

A trip to the pond with Bugaboo Cameleon3 Elements

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After weeks of record setting rain in San Diego, we finally got a beautiful weekend day! Our little crew headed to an idyllic local pond for some much needed outdoor play. I had discovered it through a friend, nestled away behind an industrial park. Who would have thought?

Bugaboo Cameleon3 Elements | Bugaboo Elements Review | Bugaboo Elements from Hello Splendid www.hellosplendid.com

Pebbled paths, sunbathing turtles and some dog-like ducks awaited. We practically had the place to ourselves! Craig can confirm that I couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot and saying how beautiful it was. The constantly buzzing iPhone in my bag quickly became the last thing on my mind and instead, nature took over. Literally. [Read more…]

Tips for School Choice in San Diego

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Need some tips for School Choice in San Diego? Here are 8 tips for School Choice enrollment in San Diego from a parent who has been through it before! Thanks to Nation School Choice Week for sponsoring this post. #schoolchoice

Three years ago I felt like a deer in headlights researching school choice options in San Diego. I was surprised to find very little information out there from other parents who had been through the process before. Craig had bought our home back when he was bachelor and naturally it was ONE house away from one of the most coveted school clusters in San Diego. Naturally.

Tips for School Choice In San Diego | School Choice enrollment tips | How to apply for school choice in San Diego | National School Choice Week #schoolchoice

After being taken aside by Kayla’s preschool director and told I should find her a school where she would be challenged or consider private school I started to feel a bit panicked. Okay, very panicked. 13 years of private school before college didn’t exactly fit into our grand financial plan. Not even a little bit. At the same time how could I as a mother ignore my daughter’s educational needs?  [Read more…]

To My Daughter On Her Eighth Birthday

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Kayla today you are eight. Your dad and I keep saying that over and over again in disbelief. HOW is she EIGHT? We look at your little brother and think it wasn’t that long ago that you were his size. Walking around in oversized sunglasses like you owned the joint.

when-you-love-your-hair-2

Neither of us can understand why eight feels like such a big deal compared to seven but it does. This morning you told me you want me to pick you up from school at “2:10 sharp” so you can climb the monkey bars. So grown up and yet, still a little kid deep down in there. [Read more…]