My 500th Post... A Giveaway and The End of an Era

This blog started in 2008 when life was crazy. I had just had twins, as well as a newly turned 2 year old at home. I went back to working full-time 2.5 months after the babies came.

This is the link to my first post, aptly titled, The First Post. 

And this right here...

This is the last post for Embracing Chaos.

I have been thinking about this for awhile now. I love writing and knew I needed an outlet to chronicle those first crazy few years of the kids' lives. I made the title of the blog, Embracing Chaos, because that it what life felt like at the time. It was so crazy and effed up, that I had to just embrace the crazies or lose my mind trying.

But things changes. Life has calmed down... sort of. There is a different kind of crazy that runs my life. The twins start kindergarten in the fall. Connor will be in second grade. Keith and I have taken a more natural, holistic approach to life. The chaos that once was is no longer. (Don't get me wrong, life still throws me curve balls, but I feel that life has also taught me the grace with which to swing back at those balls and still make a hit.)

I'm getting back to my roots, getting back to me. I'm happier now than I have been in a long time. I felt that the current blog lends to just posting about the kids, and not so much about me. Writing makes me happy, and I want to be able to post my poems and stories, jewelry I've created, and life lessons that I'm learning. I will still, of course, post about my children because they are what give me life. They are my heart and soul. But after they were born, and I became a mother, I let that consume me. I lost a part of me, my favorite part of me. And I've slowly been getting it back.

So that said, I'd like to invite you to visit my new blog, Under A Gypsy Moon.

But wait, before you go, let me explain the giveaway. As some of you may know, I love to create jewelry. So in lieu of actually advertising for my "work-in-progress" etsy shop, I wanted to give something away now, in honor of the (almost) 5 years that I've been blogging.

All you have to do is check out the new blog,  Under A Gypsy Moon, and answer the question posted. Follow Under A Gypsy Moon at bloglovin (link on blog) for an additional entry.  You will be entered to win a custom piece of jewelry created by... ME!

 Here's a sample of something you could win. (Actual item will be created by me after a winner is chosen.)

San Francisco - Day 4

On our last day, we got up super early 

to ride the trolley down to Haight-Ashbury:

Took a walk through Golden Gate park:

The day was filled with other conference-related things, 

but after my last session at 5, 

we hopped on the cable car and 

headed back to Fisherman's Wharf:

Sangria...yum...

Fresh crab... yum...

Sunset on the beach...ahhhh...

Ghiradelli chocolate AND peanut butter sundae...

OMG YUM...

One Year

One year ago today, Gigi passed away. 

In memory of her, 

I wanted to share of my favorite posts of last year:

Love, Grandma, and Rhubarb

San Francisco - Day 3

First off, let me add that my husband remarked last night that none of these vacation posts talked about him. I reminded him that it was my blog. ;) Besides, he didn't do his big ride until Monday (day 3). He rented a bike and rode across the Golden Gate bridge to the parks on the other side.  Pictures below.

My new phone has a panoramic picture taker. I love it.
I sat on a bench here during my lunch break.
I just love the blue skies and green grass
(things which had been missing from the Midwest
until rather recently.)

We decided to see a movie, since we doubted
we'd find a babysitter once we were back in IL.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Or better yet,
The Rock in 3D. ;)

Our walk back to the hotel

This leaf fell from a tree.
A side note,
I haven't smelled this much mary jame
smoke since college.

Keith rode to the top of the mountain.
Or, Sarah freaked out when she received this picture
and wondered where the hell her husband was.

Another shot from his ride

San Francisco - Day 2

We headed to Alcatraz Island on day 2. We took the trolley down to the pier, had some breakfast with the giant seagulls standing at attention nearby, and waited to board the boat. The island was beautiful. The prison was creepy. Of course, I loved it.

We had lunch at the Wipeout Grill - I had an amazing cheeseburger with guacamole on it. We did a little browsing of the shops and saw the sea lions (which we had forgotten to see the night before). We ended up walking back to the hotel so I could change clothes before the conference began. A trip to the hot tub was also in order.

The opening speaker was actress Marlee Matlin. She gave a very moving speech about diversity. Afterwards we followed the Chinese Lion Dancers down to the reception. Keith met me and we headed back to the hotel for a delicious (and HOT!) room service meal.

San Francisco, Day 1

Hello, my name is Sarah, and it's been two weeks since my last blog post. I've been busy being on vacation! Well technically it was a work trip, but Keith and I managed to sneak in some alone time for the first time in 6.5 years!

I love San Francisco! It was a beautiful city. And I loved loved loved the blue skies and green grass, which was a big change from this never-ending winter in the Midwest. I mean, seriously, what's with snow in April?

The gate to Chinatown

Lunch in Chinatown

Keith made me walk all the way here from our downtown
hotel. In two days alone, we walked about 10 miles.
Up hill like the entire time. ;)

Breathtaking views of the ocean

We visited a museum filled with antique games.

That purple star is made out of fairy dust!
I almost didn't post this picture because I hate
my nose, but oh well, I'm learning to accept myself,
flaws and all.

Crab cakes and chardonnay for dinner - yes please!

High Five for Friday!

1. Traditional Easter picture with all the kids - on my late grandparents' back porch steps.  
2. Yesterday was my self-imposed sexy shoe day at work.
3. Apparently after having kids, I fell behind on fashion. I had no idea they made these little sock-things (Kohls had a fancier name for them) that you can wear with flats. I got a set with zebra-striped and cheetah print. Love them!
4. I'm addicted to Starbuck's Tazo Iced Green Tea. But I'm cheap, so I make my own at home.
5. I had Reiki done last Thursday. Best feeling ever. I cannot stop telling people to go get it done. This is the chakra bracelet I made awhile back, and two of the stones the Reiki practioner gave me. Can we say bliss? That's was Reiki does for the body and soul. 

 And how was your week?