“Having few clothing choices made me feel happier. Although people believe they like to have lots of choice, in fact, having too many choices can be discouraging.  Instead of making people feel more satisfied, a wide range of options can paralyze them.” – Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project.

This quote is so true!  Even though I can’t say I’ve cleared my closet, I tend to choose about 5 clothing items, and wear them faithfully through the month.  I keep these regularly laundered (of course) and hung in the front of my closet so I always know what to wear, and never feel the need to resort to sweats!

“Hot legs! Michelle Obama takes centre stage for her prized pins as Barack launches the new museum of African American History.”

I just had to repeat that headline from The Daily Mail because I thought it was very cute. FLOTUS is one of my favorite mamas!

President Barack Obama and our lovely First Lady Michelle Obama attended the groundbreaking for construction of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This will be the 19th museum in the Smithsonian Institution.

This is an important addition to the Smithsonian that will enable all Americans to experience the struggles and success of African Americans, because the African American story, is also simply an American story.

President Obama said that he wants his daughters ‘to see the shackles that bound slaves on their voyage across the ocean and the shards of glass that flew from the 16th Street Baptist church, and understand that injustice and evil exist in the world…But I also want them to hear Louis Armstrong’s horn and learn about the Negro League and read the poems of Phyllis Wheatley. ‘

Reese Witherspoon says she has a normal mom life (despite the movies, talk shows, and traveling) – Momformation

Sarah Michelle Gellar calls motherhood a balancing act – Imperfect Parent

Victoria Beckham says “I love being a mum and my children are my priority.” – Contact Music

Despite the fact that we live in 2012 access to birth control has become a major topic of discussion for this election cycle. The Huffington Post has an interesting article addressing the importance of birth control to moms (and not just wanton teenage girls, as some would lead you to believe). Below are a few highlights I thought of worth to note:

“In the U.S. today, studies show that 99% of women and 98% of Catholic women have used birth control at some point in their lives. And the average U.S. family has fewer than two children.”

“And, here’s the elephant in the living room: Becoming a mother is a big deal. A really big deal. Mothers, more than other women, face significant economic barriers and still struggle for social, economic, and political equality.”

“Big wage hits come with modern motherhood: Women without children make 90 cents to a man’s dollar, mothers make 73 cents to a man’s dollar, single mothers make about 60 cents, and women of color make even less.”

“Giving parents control over planning their families allows them, in turn, to give their children the best futures possible.”

Read the full article. It provides a very interesting look at the current panels addressing the contraception debate, the history of contraception in America, and the economic considerations for women and families with children.

It’s Monday again, and I’m making another new resolution for this week. This week I’ve vowed to start meditating. Ideally I would like to start my day off with a meditation session, but since my day usually begins with a crying baby, I’ve decided to schedule my meditation for the afternoon after I put my son down for his nap. I bought a meditation aromatherapy candle from Big Dipper Wax Works which smells lovely. The rosewood and cedar wood fragrance infuses the room with a simultaneously invigorating and calming scent. I also turn Pandora to “spa radio” for a collection of calming tunes. That combination of scent and sounds help me clear my mind and embrace the meditation process.

Research shows that even a few minutes of meditation per day can reduce stress and inspire a sense of calm. So, my new plan is to meditate for 10 minutes.

There are actually many different ways to meditate. Here are explanations of few types (via the Mayo Clinic):

Guided meditation. Sometimes called guided imagery or visualization, with this method of meditation you form mental images of places or situations you find relaxing. You try to use as many senses as possible, such as smells, sights, sounds and textures. You may be led through this process by a guide or teacher.

Mantra meditation. In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming word, thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts.
Mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation is based on being mindful, or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment. You broaden your conscious awareness. You focus on what you experience during meditation, such as the flow of your breath. You can observe your thoughts and emotions but let them pass without judgment.

Qi gong. This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. Qi gong (CHEE-gung) is part of traditional Chinese medicine.
Tai chi. This is a form of gentle Chinese martial arts. In tai chi (TIE-chee), you perform a self-paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep breathing.

Transcendental meditation. You use a mantra, such as a word, sound or phrase repeatedly silently, to narrow your conscious awareness and eliminate all thoughts from your mind. You focus exclusively on your mantra to achieve a state of perfect stillness and consciousness.

Yoga. You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and a calm mind. As you move through poses that require balance and concentration, you’re encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.

“We were pregnant with a second baby, and at eight weeks I miscarried. And that was a very emotional experience,” Bethenny Frankel said this morning on The Today Show.

Watch her interview here.

After rising to fame on The Real Housewives of New York, she got her own reality show where she shared her life, including her first pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood experience of her daughter Bryn. On The Today Show Frankel revealed that the miscarriage was recent and therefor would not be featured on the new season of her show, which is probably for the best. I understand that reality tv is supposed to show real life – the good, bad, ugly, and sad – but I think there are certain things that should be private, and the loss of a child certainly falls into that category.

So sad.

On a happier note, the new season premiers on February 20th, and we can watch her balance being a wife, mom to 21 month old daughter, and mega successful entrepreneur all while keeping us entertained with her witty NY humor.

In our family, we like to think we’re healthy, but honestly, we dont always stick to our health initiatives. Some weeks our diets consist of more Starbucks and Trader Joes frozen pizza than I care to admit. But what’s a girl to do? Life is hectic. I dont always have the time or mental energy to think about making 3 full healthy meals a day, 7 days a week. Yet, I don’t want my family’s health to suffer just because I can’t muster the energy to steam some broccoli.

This is why I love smoothies and juices. If I feel like we haven’t had enough fruits or veggies in our diet, a quick smoothie or juice can easily make up for it. Veggie drinks are especially great for toddlers, who can sometimes be picky eaters. Even if Miles doesn’t want to eat a plate of vegetables, he’ll always drink a juice.

There is a great little healthy foods Cafe in Seattle called Healeo. They specialize in organic food, juices, smoothies, coffee, and tea. Our favorite drink there is the Green Drink which contains kale, spinach, celery, parsley, and apple. Miles loves this juice, which of course makes his mommy happy .

However, going to a juice bar can sometimes get a bit spendy, especially for a family. Luckily it’s just as easy to make these drinks on your own.

Here’s my current favorite to make at home:

2 cups of kale
2 carrots
1/2 cup parsley
2 sticks of celery
1 apple
1 scoop of antioxidant protein powder
2 cups of hemp milk
2 cups of ice

I don’t have a juicer, but I just blend these up in my blender, and Miles and I drink it through out the day.

“The French view is really one of balance, I think. … What French women would tell me over and over is, it’s very important that no part of your life — not being a mom, not being a worker, not being a wife — overwhelms the other part,”

Perhaps it is because I was raised this way (even though I’m American), or maybe it’s because my husband is European, but this is the philosophy we tend to use in raising our son. We try not to be too anal about things, such as Miles’ schedule. If we’re out at a park or out to lunch having a great time, we don’t feel the need to cut the day short to rush home for a nap. As long as he naps sometime between 11 and 3, thats all that matters. Babies are amazingly adaptive and resilient, and I think as parents, sometimes we forget that. Maybe having a flexible nap schedule isn’t right for you and your kid(s), but we all have areas where we can perhaps loosen the reigns to allow for a more balanced life. I think it”s important to have fun with your kids while making them a part of your life and not jumping through hurdles to make their life “easier,” if that just means more needless stress for you.

I remember during a trip to Cannes, France before we had Miles, my husband and I sat watching as families with young children walked along the promenade at 9 PM. The children were self content while the parents looked relaxed, happy, and of course stylish. We realized that this was exactly how we wanted our family life to look. We don’t always succeed, but we definitely try. I think because of this, Miles is basically our little buddy. He tags along happily wherever we go (and I’m not just talking about to zoos and parks) and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Somehow, these just never get old! In honor of Fashion Week, check out “Sh*t Fashion Girls Say.” My favorite line: “hash tag chic to the next lev.” (#chictothenextlev). Hahah!