A Little Bit of Life

We just had one of those weekends that is going to make the next few weekends feel extra boring, but in a good way. I feel like we squeezed half a summer into one weekend, and Mr. Flynn was so well behaved! Even without his usual morning 3 hour nap, bless us! 

On Thursday I was able to drive up to Santa Monica and have lunch with a very pregnant friend who I don't get to see as much as I would like, and she's always such an inspiration. A real take life by the horns type of gal. Well she is rocking her pregnancy, ofc. She also filled me in on her sister-in-law who was recently diagnosed with thyroid cancer, which I guess is one of the better cancers to get if you're going to get cancer, but apparently they are linking thyroid cancer to infections connected with having a root canal done. Her doctor told her that just getting the tooth pulled is better than having a full on root canal. So just something to think about there. She had surgery to remove her thyroid on one side, and will now have to take medicine for the rest of her life, but doesn't need to have chemo or radiation so that's a major plus.

That night we were invited to go help out w/ some sailing races that my good friend's pops is a part of, even Flynn got to come! I got to raise the flags and keep track of who crossed the finish line. It was seriously so much fun, Flynn loved being out on the boat and loved all the yelling and whistle blowing. We then got to have dinner right on the water at the yacht club, and it was such a treat. These people involved are just so cool. There were even a few current national champions present!

Friday C and I had our first real night away from Flynn with a real live babysitter! We got to take in an Angel's game with folks from my firm and it was tons of fun being away from babe for an evening, not gonna lie, although we both mentioned that we missed him a few times. We all had to pick a player and then based on their hits or strike outs had to cough up some dollar bills. I picked Pujols, who has a really good batting average, but he struck out all night! So I was the big payer outer :| Thanks Pujols, for nothin! Man I could never be a gambler, I HATE giving away even $10!

Saturday we rode our bikes with bestie to a beach party and even got to paddle board, I'm so buying one, I love it. Flynn had the best time exploring all the kayaks and surf boards and eating sand :| You'd think he would try it once and be over it, but no, he keeps eating it. Crazy boy. I feel like a horrible mom sometimes, I just give up and let him put his face in the sand, and I stop trying to wipe it off since he's just going to do it again 5 seconds later, so I have a dirty face little boy and im just like meh.

While we were out paddle boarding we noticed another paddle board ahead with the tiniest little person on it. She was practically falling off and as we got closer we  could hear her crying and screaming for help. I guess the current got ahold of her and was just pulling her right out. We helped her out and some other folks who had heard her also came out to help her back to shore poor thing. It was the strangest thing, her parent was the last one out there, I know kids can away from you sometimes, but c'mon, you're at the beach, you need to keep an eye on your kids at ALL times. This little girl was terrified, but phew, good thing we were all there to help her out. 

Sunday we decided to go to the beach AGAIN, because it's right there and it's the easiest thing in the world to burn all your toddlers energy. We set up an umbrella and a little tent and dug a big hole and all just chilled pretty much. I found some forgotten beach toys to add to Flynn's collection, and also a bunch of trash that I just had to clean up, ofc. I got a garbage bag from this sweet old lady who was doing the same thing! I swear, I don't understand how people cannot clean up the beach around them, we all clearly LOVE the ocean and know how bad plastic waste is for our marine friends. But so that's totally a thing I feel great about doing, my heart breaks when I read those awful stories about animals dying and being found with bellies full of plastic waste, poor things. I even had a nightmare about dying baby animals later during mine and Flynn's afternoon nap, I was rushing around trying to get them all milk and they were dying and there was so many and my heart was breaking and it was not a nice dream to have AT ALL.

We rounded out the weekend by biking to pick up some Stella's, making a Trader Joe's frozen pizza, and watching the first four episodes of True Detective. It's really cool, alot of the show is filmed here in LA so I'm recognizing TONS of places. I love that. Although it is super gritty and grimy.

So back to work for the week, I can't wait to do it all again next weekend! Or probably just one or two of the things ;)

Pope Francis’s Secrets to Happiness

Pope Francis is just the best. His simple messages of love and hope are so refreshing! taken from The Independent

1. Move forward and let others do the same.

2. “Be giving of yourself to others.” People need to be open and generous toward others, he said, because “if you withdraw into yourself, you run the risk of becoming egocentric. And stagnant water becomes putrid.” -Love that!

3. Proceed calmly” in life. 

4. A healthy sense of leisure. The Pope said “consumerism has brought us anxiety”, and told parents to set aside time to play with their children and turn of the TV when they sit down to eat.

5. Sundays should be holidays. Workers should have Sundays off because “Sunday is for family,” he said.

6. Find innovative ways to create dignified jobs for young people. “We need to be creative with young people. If they have no opportunities they will get into drugs” and be more vulnerable to suicide, he said. -So true!

7. Respect and take care of nature. Environmental degradation “is one of the biggest challenges we have,” he said. “I think a question that we're not asking ourselves is: 'Isn't humanity committing suicide with this indiscriminate and tyrannical use of nature?'” -I find it so interesting that he put it this way, and it's so true!

8. Stop being negative. “Needing to talk badly about others indicates low self-esteem. That means, 'I feel so low that instead of picking myself up I have to cut others down,'” the Pope said. “Letting go of negative things quickly is healthy.”

9. Don't proselytise; respect others' beliefs. “We can inspire others through witness so that one grows together in communicating. But the worst thing of all is religious proselytism, which paralyses: 'I am talking with you in order to persuade you,' No. Each person dialogues, starting with his and her own identity. The church grows by attraction, not proselytising,” the Pope said.

10. Work for peace. “We are living in a time of many wars,” he said, and “the call for peace must be shouted. Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive and dynamic.