Blogging from my couch/celly cell..

So, ummmmm. Hi. Testing, testing, 1, 2.. Technology is cuh-razy cakes. It's a wondah ('wonder' in an english accent), says Karl from 'an idiot abroad'. Me and the husband's new favert funny show. So hilarious. I accidentally saw a bird get impregnated today.. 'twas innerestin. Spring is IN the air, Lady birds getting pregnant left and right. I love seeing the trees getting pretty colors again, spring is my favorite. I always wish it lasted longer..

My oldest son bought a banjo. A gorgeous banjo made from the lovliest wood. He recently joined a band, they want to perform at an open mic soon :)

hmmmm.. what else? Oh! Omg, I never wrote about my ocean adventure.. It was a wondah! Very enjoyable. Lots o' relaxing. The drive was nice, only two hours. Except when I reached Aberdeen it started to rain big huge fat raindrops, like my windshield wipers were on fullblast and I still could barely see. And also, whenever I drive through Aberdeen, my mind never fails to start playing Nirvana. Always. Everytime I drive through.. Anyway. The place I stayed in was super cute. The town/beach village was totally 'the Truman show' style except beach houses. A store, restaurant, bike shop there in the wee little town. I had fish tacos for the first time ever at the restaurant, SO YUMMS!! So yum infact that I've been obsessed with fish tacos ever since and went overboard. I have tried every single place around and the other day had a super nasty one, it killed the fish taco moment. Gag.. The ocean, yes. Where was I? Ok, ate dinner, went back to my cute place with the ocean view. Watched the sunset, took pictures, did my writing, I thought alot about my life and my family. I missed them. We even facetimed while I was there which made me a little sad. I missed them but reminded myself that morning would arrive soon enough. I sat in silence and went out on the deck and listened to the ocean. I could hear it all night, so delightful. It was so cold, too cold to go to the beach. I took lots of outfits with me, I had a photo shoot planned in my mind.. Way too coldy cold. The bedroom was cute but creepy, no tv and I'm a fall asleep with the tv on kind of gal. So I made a cute bed on the couch and comfortably slept there. Morning arrived, I made coffee and sat out on the deck taking in the view. Then got ready and headed home. Stopping at a really small town called Elma in hopes to find some treasures. And I did! Found some sweet dresses for my little lady, a coat to sell in my etsy, a 1950's bowl (it's exactly like one that already own, so I had to. It needed to be with it's twin) and a set of 1970's juice glasses. I had a wonderful time alone, much needed. It was nice to get home to my family. Here are some iPhone pictures of my trip.

packing for my ocean adventure..

                                     on my way there, having dinner, the sunset and my cute cozy bed..

So the writing I did while there was for a magazine that I'll be featured in :))) I'll be one of many talented photographers in the premiere issue of Fourx5 magazine. And omg, I'm over zeeee moon thrilled! Here's a peek of the cover, it will be available on April 1st. weeeeeeeee!!

                     created by the awesomely rad and talented, Susan Vasconcelos.

                                          Eeeeeeeeee!! So excited for that!

                                                              xo, zara

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..."

how fitting, this quote. in the morning i'm off to begin an adventure and today's dr. suess's birthday. i was originally going to eastern washington to a photo exhibit for my photos. i've never gone on a solo roadtrip before or stayed in a hotel all by mah lonesome and was quite excited for the adventure, the unknown. but the weather in the mountains is hellacious and insane, super snowy. they even closed the pass a couple o'times in the last couple o'days and the thought of me driving on a snowy highway with semi trucks freaks me out. i'am not a snow driver. i would have had to possibly put chains on my tires... umm, yeah right. also the turn out for the exhibition was expected to be slim to none because of the weather and time of year, the salon is going to put my photos up again in the summer so i'll go then.. anyhoo, my adventure.

i was really looking forward to the whole experience so i decided to go to the ocean instead. a way shorter drive and no snow, yay. i'm going to stay at this super cute cottage with an ocean view, another yay. i'm so excited for a roadtrip, i think i'll stop for lunch, take massive pictures, maybe stop at a few thriftstores on the way. and then the ocean. THE OCEAN. my favorite. another thing that i'll be able to do is to sit down and write. i have an upcoming project that i'm a part of (so over the moon about it) and need to answer five questions about my photography. i was saving it for my original roadtrip but going to the ocean will provide the time and peace to really sit down with a clear mind and get that done... so, yeah.. weeeeee :)

i love the idea of stepping out of my comfort zone and doing something for myself to lead me back to me. sit with myself, my thoughts, my creativity.. it's so needed. as a stay at home mom of four kidlets, my days revolve around taking care of my family, the house, the neverending cleaning, errands, etc... yessss, so needed.

xo, zara

dear thom, you make me swoon.. large swoon-y swoons.

 

thank you for always brightening my day and taking me to an emotionally magical place when i need it. you're rad as well as dreamy, dear sir.

xo, zara

all you need is love...

..said the beatles. i believe that is the world's greatest truth. the first time i meditated that message came to me with such clarity and it brought me peace in that moment. i used to be the worlds biggest worrier, i'd worry about things that have already happened, what could happen, what should happen.. it was exhausting. but in that moment of clarity and knowing that all we REALLY needed was love, that worry started to let go.

i love moments like that, where you'll receive a message unexpectantly and it speaks to you. everything falls into place and you know you were meant to receive that message.

so, today.. valentines day. a day to celebrate love. i say we celebrate love everyday. the love for ourselves, our family, friends, the love for life and living. being present in the moment, truly taking a good look around you and absorbing it. love is all around and it lives within. we're not alone, we're all in this together.

that's what we remember in the end. the love, not the box of chocolates or the over priced flowers. the love is what we take with us...

ha! that last line.. who am i patrick swayze in ghost? hehe :)

so lastnight the boys (meaning my middle two) and i made homemade valentine cards for their classmates :) we, meaning me :) cut out a bunch of hearts from construction paper and they filled them out. so sweet :))) they were pretty excited about it too. it was the way to go. the store was wiped out, it was either hello kitty or kai lan and for two fifth grade boys that selection would have never cut it. my oldest boy came home from work with flowers for his lady friend. it was pretty cute.. he asked me to help him spiff up the flower presentation so i took some ribbon and wrapped the stems all fancy-like.

my boys :) ava was just all about eating her chocolates, hehe.


 me & the mister..

wishing the world a happy valentines day!! i hope you feel loved. truly loved, because you are.

xo, zara

i'm sorry, it's been like ten years since my last blog post.

i've been majorly sidetracked. i finished my 365 project on flickr on new years eve and it has kind of thrown me off of my daily schedule. yes, a creature of habit, i'am. i have taken exactly 650 pictures since december 29th, for me that's scarce. i only know the exact number because i just now uploaded them :) in other news.. i just put together thirteen photos of mine to be shown in an art exhibition/art walk. they're being showcased (as well as for sale) for all of february and march at a friend's salon, b&g house of style in kennewick, WA. if you live in that area, please check out my photos AND of course their beautiful salon. and then my etsy.. i finally did it.

                  http://www.etsy.com/shop/thecarnivalbythesea
xo, zara

snow & star crowns..

it arrived!! and it was like christmas morning seeing in zeeee mailbox. also, snow arrived in large quantities.. school was canceled. the mister got stuck on the freeway for six hours. an hour commute turned into six : / yikes. so he played it safe and stayed home the following day... anyway, me & the crown.. like peas & carrots. 

                      i want to wear it alllll day, everyday.. it's love.

tomorrow's thanksgiving and i cannot wait! my most favorite dinner of the year.. and of course i'll be wearing my starlette crown :) happy thanksgiving!!!

xo, zara

a crown of stars upon my head..

i ordered this magically delicious 'starlette crown' from one of the most charming etsy shops, Giant Dwarf recently. it'll arrive so very soon and i cannot wait to wear it, yo. cannot.wait.

 the photo above is from the shop right here... http://www.etsy.com/people/giantdwarf

i first saw it on l.a. ink, kat von d was wearing it and i fell in love! i never in a million years thought i could track it down so i planned on trying to make one. and then that next week i was looking at the blog 'a beautiful mess' and could not believe my eyes. she was having a give-away and THIS was it! i entered the give-away and then an hour later i decided to just buy one, it had to be mine!! i was going to order one in gold but after reading that the silver tarnishes into a beautiful shade of gold, i bought the silver, fo sho.

i think i may need one in red too :)

xo, zara