Elevate 2016

I guess it's official now!

I am a real blogger because I went to a blogging conference!

I don't know how true that statement really is, 

but I will tell you I had the most amazing time at Elevate 2016!

I got to be in a beautiful place full of amazing women!

There was a perfect line up of activities and speakers for this creative soul!

Liv and Hope

I got to hear speakers that made me laugh and cry and think!

The Crafted Sparrow

 These ladies shared their hearts and their stories fearlessly!

 Persnickety Prints

I got to meet lady bosses that shared their products with us.

Me and My Big Ideas

Having time to create during the conference was one of the best parts!

O'verlays decorative fretwork

I got to talk with blogging friends that I had only known from my screen face to face.

 Belong Magazine
 Diary of an Addict

It was a gift!

A gift to recharge.

A gift to be inspired.

A gift to learn more about blogging!

A gift to make connections with so many mamas!

I was blown away by Jen and Summer's attention to all the details,

the way they love their tribe,

the community that they have created!

I am beyond grateful to be included into such a great circle!

I am still processing everything I learned,

but I already have plans to attend next year too!

Elevate 2016, you ROCKED!

*All photos are by the AMAZINGLY talented Chrissy Delacy of 
Let Me See You Sparkle Photography

Open Hands

When I read a story about parenting with open hands my heart hurt, but I knew it was exactly right.

On Sunday I did the hardest thing I have done as a mama...

I left my eighteen year old 1,550.2 miles away from home to begin his journey.

Austin, Texas is his new home. 

Let me tell you I was a hot mess.

The tears would not stop and when he had tears too it pushed me over the top.

It was everything I had not to pack him back up and bring him home with me.

Some how through the tears I drove away.

We had an amazing five days of getting him set up to live on his own.

We figured out routes to get to his school.

We shopped and stocked up on essentials and groceries.

We explored his new city. 

I knew he was ready, but I wasn't so sure my heart was ready.

Then Monday evening came and the texts started flowing in.

His cohort was great.  He liked his instructors.

The facilities were awesome and the perks were going to be wonderful.

I felt the heaviness lift as we knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

We had chosen wisely and his future looks so bright.

Austin and Texas in general blew me away. 

What a great place for Zack to begin the next part of his life! 

Parenting with open hands is not for sissies,

but when you see your kid thrive it's totally worth the hurting mama heart!

Endeavor

If you know me you know I'm a homebody, 

but when your bestie invites you to her home 

near Los Angeles  you set up a mini family vacation!

Since her home is so close to LA my hubby wanted to go to the 

California Science Center to see the space shuttle Endeavor.  

A bit of research later and we discovered there would also be a 

Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the time of our visit.

Little did we know everything else the center had to offer!  

It was an amazing place and I know we didn't get to everything they had on display.  

Talk about delivering more than we had hoped!

As we made our way to the Endeavor we got to see so many amazing things, 

but nothing compared to walking into the Endeavor hanger and seeing it in person.  

Tears filled my eyes more than once as we wondered under and around the Endeavor.  

The sheer awe of something that amazing took my breath away!

I think we could have spent the entire day just soaking it all in!

The California Science Center was so much more than we thought.  

It had something for all age groups.  

I was really impressed!  I highly recommend it to any family!