Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Mine was very busy and filled with fun family time.
When I was pregnant with Adley, for some reason I decided that I didn’t want to do maternity photos. But I didn’t want to miss out on the chance to take them this time around so my family and I decided to get professional photos done this weekend.
I am so glad that I decided to do these because I felt absolutely BEAUTIFUL and my photographer truly captured me and my personality. She hasn’t sent me all the final edits yet, but here is a little glimpse into our amazing photo shoot. (More can be found on Instagram as she sends me more) Shout out to Cris Stroud for hooking me up! For more info about my photographer click here
In other news, I am working on a MASSIVE photography project that is really going to change the game in terms of photography in Portland. I am launching the 1st Annual POP Awards (Professionals of Photography Awards).
This event will showcase the incredible creative talent that we have here in Portland and honor them with various awards in photography. In addition to giving away awards, this event will be working in partnership with Zel Haiti, a mom owned non-profit that supports women and children in need in Haiti. Click the link to learn more about them.
For more information about my event and how to nominate a photographer, please click this link. I can’t wait for this fun event. Of course, this will be unlike other award galas. It will be done in the Sarah way. Over the top and out of the box. This year’s theme is “Millenial Pink.” Not only will it make a difference in many lives, but it is pushing me to a level in my career that I did not anticipate. I’m up for the challenge!!!
Also, I’m super excited because we had some family come into town and they are thinking about moving to PORTLAND! As someone from Portland, I think it is absolutely CRAZY to move from sunny San Diego. However, even though Portland is expensive, California is ridiculously overpriced and overcrowded and by moving here they can have a MUCH better quality of life financially, more bang for their buck, and of course be surrounded by US. If anyone has some tips for moving to Portland and want to share please put them in the comments. I’m sure they will appreciate it.
Did anyone catch Westworld’s season 2 premiere? I’m dying to watch it. NO SPOILERS PLEASE!
And if you haven’t gotten on the Westworld bandwagon yet, you need to ASAP. It is basically like if Jurassic Park were people instead of dinosaurs. It all sounds good resurrecting dinosaurs and creating a theme park until everything goes wrong. Same concept here. Literally a twisted theme park of sorts with humanoid robots and the crazy humans who created them in an old western society. It is such an incredible and very thought provoking show. The show is violent and pretty wild so keep the kids away from the TV when watching this. Moisturize your mind and get on it!!!! My husband and I are completely OBSESSED.
WHEW!!! Did that all really happen in one weekend? Yes… yes it did. And I wouldn’t change a single second of it.
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Over the years, I have come to realize that in order to be happy in life your biggest cheerleader needs to be…drumroll… YOURSELF! You may have a million people cheering you on, but all is useless if you don’t believe in yourself first.
As the eternal optimist that I am, I figured that this post would be that boost of positivity that we ALL need in this hell hole of a world that we are living in.
I have gone through my own bouts of self-doubt, sadness, feelings of hopelessness, regret… I’ve felt all of those feelings and they SUCK. They literally suck the life out of you. But one thing that I have also learned is overcoming those feelings and realizing just how much I am actually killin it at this thing called life! Let me just enlighten you on how you actually ARE killin the game :
You Often Take the High Road
We have ALL been there. This can be incredibly hard. Someone did you wrong in some way, and instead of creating a bigger mess and calling the girl a “ratchet hoe” and snatching her barbie wig off, you simply smile and move on.
This is a level 1 high road achievement. Now, if you are REALLY killing it, you take it as far as befriending this ratchetness which will then upgrade you to a level 2 of high road achievement. That is a whole level of killin it that I have yet to reach. But I’m getting there.
2. You Realize that ALL CREDIT SCORES ACTUALLY DO MATTER— But Not in the Same Way
As adults, we now have to worry about things like credit scores. At 18 years old, I could care less about a credit score or what it would do to me. So you have taken the responsible route and decided to pay attention to that 3 digit number (is it possible to have less than 3 digits? YIKES) . Good for you. Plus, I heard that we will each be getting a 30 point boost soon. WINNING!!!! Does your credit score still suck? Check out these tips on how to boost your score quick, fast, and in a hurry click here. Don’t be ashamed of a bad score! Just don’t sit around and cry about it. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Pay off your debt (esp. credit card debt), make your payments on time, and don’t live outside of your means just to impress people who are NOT impressed.
It will get better!
3. Tiny Humans Worship You
If you are a young parent, you understand this. They may drive you absolutely nuts, but your kids actually worship you. They want to be you, they want to eat what you eat, do what you do, and live how you live. This is such an empowering feeling. For me, it makes me want to be an even better person and work hard to be the BEST representation of a parent that I can be. So far so good! #killinit
4. You Don’t Play the Blame Game
Who the hell came up with this game? It is a ridiculous game with NO winners and only losers. Rather than blaming your issues on someone else or someTHING else, maybe it is actually just YOU that is the problem. Taking accountability will set you FREE! You have no direction in life? Maybe it’s because of YOU that your are in this situation? You are in the same shitty job for the past 10 years… well…. no one is stopping you from quitting! Let’s be real about our situations and take a LONG HARD LOOK at ourselves and adjust accordingly. Get back to Killin it!!!
5. People Ask YOU for Advice
WTF? You actually want MY opinion for YOUR life? WOW! What an honor to have someone ask you about what step they should take next or how to respond to this certain relationship issue. You must be a valuable person in their life. Keep up the good work.
6. You are NOT a Racist, Bigoted, Piece of SHIT.
I mean, do I even need to explain this one? Just stop it… and stop hanging around those who are, UNLESS, you are simply hanging around them to be a positive representation of being a better person. Otherwise, move along… We see you, STUPID.
7. You Are a Unicorn and You Know It
Realizing that you are weird and you’re cool with it is a MASSIVE milestone. Celebrate being YOU. Hell… I’m my biggest cheerleader. Not because I’m full of myself (Kanye tendencies). But I am genuinely proud of what I have overcome and grown to be that I BASK in my weirdness and I’m very confident about it. Take it or leave it… but I’m certainly going to TAKE IT!! I have so many hashtags for you to use next time you post a selfie on IG. Feel free to steal them #memyselfandi #winning #killinit #toohottotrot #imthebagofchips #fierce #moveoverbeyonce #lovethineself
8. You Actually Followed Through With a Goal and SUCCEEDED!
I have gone into Target and came out with ONLY a single package of paper plates I needed exactly 3 times in my life and I am proud! I stuck to my guns and didn’t get caught up in the adorable rose gold votive candle holders or those 30% clearance boots. That is what I call SUCCESS. How many times have you started a diet and failed? Like a million times. But there are those people that have incredible will power and did not fail THIS time around. Is that you? If so, give yourself several pats on the back because guurrrrl… you is WINNING.
9. You know things about wine
I do know that it tastes good and that at tastings you are supposed to “taste not swallow” the wine. Other than that, I could care less about the oakiness and pepperiness of that Pinot Noir you are drinking. But kudos if you actually know REAL things about wine. Do us laypersons a favor and don’t be boujee but let us into some of the tips and tricks for a better wine tasting experience.
10. You Pay for Everyone at the Table
This may be a touchy subject. But I have noticed this come up in multiple blogs. So let’s ease into this. When we were younger, you were invited to the birthday party at Johnny’s house and you simply showed up with a gift and were not expected to pay for anything. You ate pizza, cake and ice cream, played a few games and went home. But NOW as adults, you are invited to someone else’s birthday party and are expected to pay for yourself to celebrate THEIR birthday and also give them a gift. Why is this normal? Be the person who pays for your friend next time you go out to happy hour and then let them take the bill next time. Host a party where we can just show up and celebrate! We are growing up y’all!
11. You have decided that experiences are more important than things
YES YES YESSSSS!!!!! Stuff is just STUFF, experiences create long lasting memories that you can cherish FOR-EV-A. Instead of buying those dope name brand shoes, trade them in and save for an incredible vacation with your boo thang. Experiences make you crave a stronger connection to the people you value most rather than valuing the objects above them. Let’s do more of that.
12. You have learned how to accept help from others
Another thing that people have trouble with is accepting any sort of help. People don’t like to ask for help. Whether this is for financial reasons, health reasons, whatever it may be it’s hard to ask for something. I have realized that there are SO many people looking to find a way to help other people. Why? Because it feels SO damn good to give back that people thrive in a helping environment. Why not be on the receiving end of a helping hand for once? LIFE IS TOUGH. Learn to let others help you when you need it and put your pride to the side. I have experienced both sides of the coin and both feel really good. It’s great to know that I have so many people willing and able to help me. It also feels so great to know that I can pay it forward when the opportunity arises. Great job folks… told ya you were killin the game.
So you see, you are not sucking at life the way you thought. You are actually leaps and bounds ahead of many of our fellow humans. Let’s show the aliens that not all life on Earth is unintelligent and we actually have a lot to offer! HA!
But really, take a moment and step outside of life’s ridiculous pressures and reassure yourself that you are doing just fine. You ARE a great parent, you ARE a great friend, you ARE a fantastic employee, you ARE a great person and people love and appreciate you for being YOU. YOU’RE KILLIN’ IT.
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Being a parent has been one hell of a ride. I’ve learned a lot. And some of the biggest lessons I have learned come from my 2 year old, Adley. Today’s post is inspired by her crazy toddler antics. I hope this will help inspire those who are pursing the world of business.
1. Persistency and Consistency is Key
One thing that Adley does REALLY well is she is extremely persistent! She will ask to watch the same movie 1000 times (Moana anyone?) until I can’t take it and I just give in. I don’t give in every time, but odds are definitely in her favor if she persists enough. In business, this is absolutely KEY. I have seen the best success when I am extremely persistent and consistent in my goals. I mean think about it, if you approach 1000 different businesses you may get 999 “NOs” but you only need 1 “YES!” KEEP GOING!!!
2. Tell the world that you “POOPED”
I mean not literally. But Adley really enjoys letting us know that she pooped and this is a great success to her! We should do the same thing. Tell people about your successes so that they can support you and cheer you on. Don’t be ashamed of your goals. Even if you have tried 100 different businesses and this is the 101st business idea, stay strong and be confident in YOUR ideas. Who cares if people give you the side eye. They will likely do it anyway, so just do you with a smile on your face!
3. Go to “Time Out”
Adley still doesn’t quite understand “time-out” but she certainly understands when she is in trouble. There will come a time in your business where you will “eff up” and you may have to go to time-out for a minute. There was one time when I was just learning about Instagram and I posted someone else’s photo without their permission and they FLIPPED OUT! It was so bad that they threatened to sue me for copyright infringement! It all worked out in the end and I was not sued. But I learned a very important lesson. Learn from these lessons so you don’t end up in time-out again.
4. Be Yourself
One thing that Adley doesn’t really know how to do yet is be fake! I mean she may have crocodile tears sometimes, but her personality is intrinsically HER. She doesn’t know how to be anyone else. When I finally stopped caring what other people thought of me, things started to work out in my favor. I started to see some real SUCCESS and you will too. Trust me!
5. Be Leary of Strangers
Adley is not afraid to give the side eye to strangers. She will definitely let me know when she is uncomfortable. So I have learned from her that I need to be the same with my social media marketing efforts. I have noticed that as you becoming more popular on social media you will get approached by some sketchy “businesses.” One time, I decided to take a chance with this online marketing company to help take my business to the next level. Come to find out that they were just a scammer business and I had to report them to my bank for fraud! So just be careful. Not every paid gig is a good gig.
6. If Mommy Says No, Ask Daddy.
Don’t be afraid to go to multiple sources to get your needs met! There are millions of resources out there to help you. One is bound to be a great fit.
7. Show Off Your Dimples
Let’s face it… being cute can get you pretty far. Adley’s dynamite smile and dimples can pretty much convince me to do just about anything! Remember, if you are starting your own business, no matter what it is, YOU are the face of that business. People may come to you not because your product is the best in the business, but because your personality is the best in the business. You represent what you are selling. Make sure you look, dress, and act the part! Be yourself! People love authenticity. Do more of that.
8. Have a “Tantrum”
If you want to draw attention to yourself, let your toddler have a massive tantrum in the middle of Target! All eyes will be on YOU. Do the same with your business. Do something that will disrupt the norm. People will notice you right away!
Did this list of toddlerisms inspire you to take your business to the next level? I hope so. Let me know what your business is in the comments. Chat soon sugar plums!
So far, parenthood has been pretty much us just winging it! I can admit it and say I didn’t really read any parenting books or take any parenting classes. We just kind of dove in blind into this whole thing and so far the reward has far surpassed the risk. We are so in love with our baby girl. But if you have any experience as a parent, you would understand that every now and then you just need a break! A long… solid… BREAK!
Well, this year my hubby and I decided to celebrate our anniversary out of the country! We went the beautiful island of Bermuda… KID-FREE!!!! It was scary to think about leaving Adley (Mum-Mum and Pop pop loved having her though) behind for a week but we really wanted to reconnect as husband and wife and enjoy things that you can’t do with a child that is so young…. swimming in a secluded blue lagoon in the warm rain! (more on that later)
The goal of this trip was not only to celebrate our 6 year anniversary but also to maximize the romance and reconnect as husband and wife! Reconnecting is something that you really don’t get a chance to do much once a baby comes along. At least not like THIS. So we amped things up BIG time and spared no expense.
My relationship with Jordan came long before Adley was even a thought, and our connection is so deeply rooted and amazing. I can truly say that no one touches my soul the way that he does. Yep, that dude is my soulmate, my soulbrotha, my soulman, whatever you want to call it, he’s THAT guy. Although we knew extended uninterrupted time together would be few and far between once our baby was born, it does bum me out when we don’t get as much time with each other as we did pre-baby. But now that alone time is limited, when we DO get time, why not kick it up a notch or 2 or 3?
There is always that argument on what comes first in a marriage… kids or husband/wife? This is a complicated question because the first thing a lot of people want to say is of course the child. Right? Well, I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer. It just depends on the dynamics within your household. In our family, we agreed early on that our marriage would always come first. And ’til this day, that remains true. What do I mean by that?
This does not mean that our child is NOT a priority, she absolutely is and we would do anything for her. She is literally the best thing that has happened to us. But in order to make sure that our child gets the best of US as her parents, we gotta work on us FIRST. Emotionally, physically, spiritually… we need to make sure we are in check as husband and wife and as Adley’s parents. And sometimes, working on US means setting aside time for just US. Also, I feel like working on our marriage is an ongoing process when things are good AND when things aren’t so good. We are just better this way. So… BERMUDA OR BUST… Check out these pix of us pretending to be fancy in the STUNNING island of Bermuda….
Did you know that Bermuda is an island was originally colonized by the Brits? Its pretty incredible. The architecture, the culture, the history…gah! It was fabulous beyond words. Definitely has an “old money” vibe. Very sophisticated and swanky. When I say swanky, I mean this is where the BILLIONAIRES vacation. Things are SO expensive. The craziest expense we saw as a Totino’s pizza, you know those cheap frozen pizzas at the supermarket for 99 cents? A Totino’s pizza in Bermuda was $5.95!!!!!!! Complete madness.
Now you’re probably wondering how we were able to survive in Bermuda for a week. Well, the key was getting a cottage apartment. We were able to cook some of our food while we were there. This saved us A LOT of money. The average meal (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) ran us upwards of $40/person per meal. When we tried to find something cheaper the food sucked.
Although we were on vacation, 99% of our conversation was about how beautiful Bermuda was, how adorable our child is, and when and where we were going to eat. Yep… we are new parents and travelling without her for the first time… and we love to eat.
The Reunion
I don’t care what you say, even if I’m out of town for just 48 hours, when I walk back into the door of my house it always feels SO good. But this time it felt extra good because when that tiny human ran to me and wrapped her little arms around my neck and held on so hard… everything felt back to normal. There is truly no place like home. And now-a-days, it is not home without my Adley Jae and my wet nosed, hyperactive pup Chubbs.
Looking back over these past 6 years of marriage, we have grown so much in our relationship. I feel like our love is stronger than EVER. Its so amazing to see my husband become a dad. Its almost like dating a new guy. Like who is this new man? I kinda have a huge crush on him. He’s kinda dope! I didn’t know he knew baby talk! I can’t wait to continue to get to know this new dad-husband, but I was also really happy to have a reunion with that guy that stole my heart…Jordan. Happy Anniversary my love!
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