the little things

I really love sitting down each morning with a cup of coffee & writing down a few things that make me happy & fill me with joy. It's a great way to start the day.

• free books
• mushroom pizza
• Benjamin's laugh
• reading in bed
• singing in the shower
• inspiring full time single mom's RV-ing. I'ts so encouraging to know that it can be done
• $4 glasses of wine
• Blackfish the documentary (while the news itself is actually really sad it's nice to know the difference I can make)
• mushroom, tomato, and lettuce on toast. Ermerherhed!
• Tiny House Nation - that show gives me so many ideas
• Abraham Hicks explaining separation (the most perfect description about choosing a new journey)
• PETA - I love what they do & the information they share
• meditation - I always walk away with a deeper understanding of my experiences
• Figuring out how to hook the WiFi up through our Wii. Now we can watch Netflix on the TV. Woo hoo!!
• swimming with Benjamin
• 864 to go. Seriously delicious food delivered to your front door
• watching living on one dollar & feeling inspired by how joyful one can be when you focus on the things that truely matter

Here's a few articles that caught my attention this week.

• Wow. Just wow. Over the past few months I've been falling in love with my spirit & mind. I'm now looking forward to falling in love with my body, my temple. Maybe you'll feel the same after reading this article.
• This is the place where my dreams are made. I love that this place actually exists.
• I'm really looking to putting this idea together. "The Key Jar" 48 questions to unlock your child's heart. If you  make one let me know, I'd love to read your child's answers.
• The more I consider spending a year on the road the more I'm fascinated by articles like this. One thing you must do with kids in each US state. 

I hope you're choosing joy this week. That you're stopping to smell the flowers, to gaze at the clouds, or to feel the wind blowing through your hair. This journey can be beautiful but we have to decide for it to be so.

<3 Erica

the little things

• having a huge aha moment
• talking about tiny houses with friends & getting them excited
• really great, unexpected tip from a table
• really funny vines
• snuggling with Benjamin
• spicy cheese dip
• sleeping late
• art
• my 5 senses
• friends that come over late to pull me from my self pity party

• How Mr. Money Moustache retired at 30 & how you can too is a fantastic read! Hobby based income? Rethinking your expenses? Living more intentionally? Yes! You can sign me up for all of that.
• This article on 4 modern hippies communes is too cool! I mean seriously, who wouldn't want to live on The Farm with Ina May Gaskin? I mean lesbi-honest.

I hope you're loving all the little things (big things too) that are happening in your world this week :)

<3 Erica

the little things

• playing basketball with Benjamin & witnessing him in his vortex (he's actually quite great)
• new knowledge - it's like being introduced to something I already know
• deep stretches
• seeing a friend manifest her desires
• guided meditation
• regulars at work who are fuun to talk to & tip extremely well
• learning about nutrition
• hearing old somgs that I love
• essential oils!! - I mean really!
• a new super cheap craigslist find (play kitchen for Benjamin)
• spinach dip with carrots (because I'm getting sick of so many carbs) It was delightfully refreshing
• kitty snuggles
• getting off work early 
• learning about the different types of yoga

• the science of saving your sex life
• Amy Winehouse documentary....prepare yourself for July 10
• We are quick to judge women's bodies (myself included) but it's incredible what they're capable of. Bodies of mothers is absolutely incredible.
• Why you shouldn't be friends with your ex is an interesting read.
• The Dancing Rabbit ecovillage. Omfg yes! Sign me up for this shit

I am really excited about life right now. So many wonderful things are happening & the inspiration is just rolling in.

What is tickling your fancy right now?

<3 Erica

the little things

• sleeping 11 hours straight
• learning about creating a meditation alter
• tiny houses.....I'm literally obsessed
• morning silence
• running into a friend while grocery shopping
• making fun party invites
• deciding to give up meat
• sun porch hangs with friends
• holding hands with Benjamin while watching the rain
• playing "mad scientist"
• having a great laugh while watching WWE
• adopting a cat & watching Benjamin joyfully love & care for him
• trying a spicy black bean burger for the first time, then looking at veggie burgers on Pinterest & being pleasantly surprised - I don't feel like I'm losing anything

• an entire wall of windows in this tiny house, swoon
• this cat furniture is insane!
• this fantasy castle truck is the most incredible tiny house I have ever seen. I mean seriously! This home is so delightful!

the little things really do add up to a beautiful life :)

<3 Erica

the little things

• breakfast for dinner
• movie date with my little love
• benjamin jumping into the river on our hike - his laughter made my heart feel warm
• nature art
• sitting outside & feeling the sun on my face
• learning that Gena Showalter is releasing another White Rabbit Chronicles book around my birthday
• Benjamin telling me that he hopes I get fired - I love that he loves to be with
• our local essential oil meetup - I learn so much everytime

"When on is faced with something so different from what one is used to, and believes to their core is the "best", "right", "only" way for a child to be parented, all else will look like the path to destruction." - Pam Clark

"I am in exactly the right place & it's getting better & better everyday." -Abraham Hicks

• Create a meditation space at home. I'm in love with this idea so often when things are out of sight they're also out of mind for me. This is a great way to be intentional about meditiating.
• I have not yet tried out the focus wheel for myself but I feel inspired just by thinking about it
• 8 incredible archaeological finds that probably weren't in your history textbooks is so freaking cool
• The science of why you should spend your money on experiences not things is a really interesting read
• This fascinating article on Herbs for labor: marijuana has my mind doing fireworks

I absolutely love keeping track of interesting things I find & my daily gratitude journaling. Practicing gratitude really does help you focus on the good. Life can truely be magical!

The Little Things

• barefoot sandals
• mexican food
• essential oil diffuser
• watching Benjamin's excitement while playing basketball
• BLT sandwich
• leaving a large tip for my server
• a hot relaxing bath
• sitting in the sun
• captivating art
• amazing conversation with like minded people
• the quiteness that 6am brings
• a walk in the woods

• I love this picture that shows how your body responds to 14 different emotions. Emotions are so vital and I love how this brings it to the light.
• Soul mates vs. soul connection. Holy crap grab your hat because you're about to be blown away!:
  "A soul mate is a person you have a soul connection with whom you decide to interact with on a permanent or semi-permanent basis"
• Naturally High: My Quest to Experience Different Realms without Phychedelic Drugs. While I would certainly try them all, the shemanic journeying circle really caught my attention & inspired me to find a local tribe.
• It's so easy to let the opinions of others dictate our actions & hinder us while following our dreams. That's why when I read this article about the two most important people in your life to hold you to your dreams I jumped back on my own bandwagon after shedding a few tears & having a good giggle.
• Oh this makes my heart so full! I love how this is written. It's like the author wrote from my very own heart. It's Not About School

What has you in the vortex this week? 

<3 Erica

The Little Things

• trying a new recipe even though it didn't turn out how I wished the process itself was enjoyable
• afternoon naps
• book boyfriends
• signing up to be a Simply Aroma consultant AND getting my kit!!
• lunch with friends

{via}

• "When your arms are full of the right yeses, there is no room for the self-defeating nos." That quote from 5 Things I Learned When I Said Yes to My Daughter for 24 Hours made my heart smile.
• Top 10 spring cleaning feng shui tips
• Okay, Lewis Howes is kinda like the man and this podcast called you are limitless is the motha fuckin jam!
• Let's get real....if you're not following Baddie Winkle on Instagram you are missing out!
• This cat themed wedding has me in a fit of giggles
• Did you know that you can rent a glass igloo in Finland to watch the northern lights?! How dreamy! I'm adding it to my bucket list.

What is currently making your heart skip a beat?

<3 Erica

The Little Things

• Benjamin making the bed for me
• park day with our favorite homeschooling friends
• deep neck stretches
• exciting blog posts
• Benjamin making 3 goals at his basketball game
• owl socks
• going to an essential oil party & falling in love
• trying a new hairstyle & getting lots of compliments
• sitting in the warmth of the sun
• good vibes
• tacos
• vampire red nails
• rainbow everything
• 80 degree weather

• The perks of being a HSP
• This inspiring story of how four very different, always unschooled, children learned to read
• Can we be lovers & not have sex? This article blew me away & had me shouting YES the entire time!
• Tantra. My interest is officially peaked!
• Back yard pub sheds. I mean, need I say more?
• OMFG! The Madonna Inn is giving me all kinds of feels. I've officially added it to my bucket list.
• Here is some really great advice & inspiration to start living the life you want!
• This couple rode a unicorn into their wedding. A unicorn!!
• For the Free-Spirited Females with Fiercely Sensitive Hearts is the most accurate description of me thats ever been written my someone else

What are you feeling thankful for this week? Have you had any aha moments of came across some uplifting or inspiring material?

<3 Erica

The little things

{source}

• free samples at whole foods
• getting excited about my interests again
• walking around outside barefoot
• singing my favorite song at the top of my lungs
• riding around with my windows down
• a surprise job opportunity
• finding out I can sleep in at the last minute
• getting down to some Glee songs
• BFF date night
• fun tables at work
• good tunes & time with my sewing machine
• really, really good conversations
• love pretzels
• snapchat
• delicious pizza
• alone time
• dessert that melts in your mouth
• complete silence
• acoustic jams
• belly laughs
• free music class trial = success
• getting excited about finding some awesome new music lessons on Pinterest
• leaving my patio door open all day
• coachella playlist on spotify
• 
  

• A very non wedding. Seriously? This will make you want to get married for all the right reasons!
• The Pioneer Woman interviews her husband & it's just too sweet
• I've not so secretly dreamed of buying a 5th wheel & traveling across the states so when I came across this map on how to drive across the states while hitting up all the major landmarks my heart skipped a beat
• Louisa Wendorff is amazingly talented, I've had this mashup playing on repeat for days now
• These badass tattooed seniors are making me smile

"You will never be able to escape from your heart so it's better to listen to what it has to say."

find a favorite little something in everyday,

Erica

Thankful Thursday

"Don't live the same year 75 times and call it a life." -Robin Sharma

• playing cards of humanity with friends and laughing till I cry
• hot coffee
• getting out of the house after being cooped up for 24+ hours
• listening to Benjamin sing in the shower
• Benjamin learning to use the Nook and loving it
• a nice warm house with it's 12 degrees outside
• a sweet and unexpected gift of flowers from my landlord
• music that gives me the feels
• dessert so good it makes you close your eyes
• daydreaming of laying by the pool
• sleeping in on a Saturday
• good friends
• meeting new people
• walking around downtown
• working with amazing people
• late night Netflix
• thinking about moving to a new city - brings up old excitement I felt when planning to move out west to go to design school
• inspiring friends
• getting my thoughts out of my head & onto paper
• finding free Charlotte Mason curriculum
• coming up with a new beautiful mantra
• inspiring TED talks
• walking around downtown TR in beautiful weather
• lunch date with my little man
• killer strawberry cake
• late night talks with my BFF

"Respect yourself enought to walk away from anythign that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy." -Unknown

thankful thursday

{society 6}

• inspiration to actually map out my dreams
• feeling giddy and getting a case of the giggles
• beers with a friend
• fish tacos
• writing out my 4 month plan
• snuggling with Benjamin
• people who are realy listening when you talk
• peel & eat shrimp
• cheese tray & a glass of wine
• sleeping in
• sun salutation
• wearing sparkly shoes
• quiet mornings
• planning out craft projects
• getting a ton of stuff listed on ebay
• late night happy hour with my bff
• playing with friends from our homeschool group
• sending a horse snap chat
• trips to wally world
• new gloves
• vamps with my bff
• my bff vs. tinder

peace, love, and t. swift,

erica

thankful thursday

"If you want light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining."

• the most delicious trout with gnocchi, mushrooms, spinach, walnuts, and tomatoes
• dinner with some of my favorite people
• sleepover at mom's
• waking up early & having an entire day o do as I please
• creating my first vision board
• taking pictures with Benjamin (see above!!!!!)
• super hilarious vine videos
• going to a night club and sitting on a white couch surrounded by flowy curtains - I felt just like Carrie Bradshaw
• a sleepover with my ladies & all our conversations
• hot coffee on a rainy morning
• wearing bright orange wedge boots
• fried mac & cheese, penne rustica, and salted caramel gelato
• a hot detox bath while listening to Abraham Hicks
• christmas music
• Benjamin giving me 100+ hugs and telling me he loves me
• beautiful, crunchy leaves under my feet
• watching with awe as my passions are pulled together by the same force
• watching Benjamin play & act out stories with other children at our children's theatre
• skype - because it helps me foster my long distance friendship
• planning my x-mas party

"The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live only as you can."

peace, love, joy,

erica <3

thankful thursday

{northstory}

• hugs
• good books
• lovely dreams
• the vampire diaries
• free information at my fingertips
• new friends
• birthday shopping
• molina's for lunch
• happy hour with most of my family
• a theraputic glass of wine, or 3
• friends who text back at 1am
• advice on life and love from carrie bradshaw
• doterra essential oils
• gala darling and her radical self love
• tiny beautiful things: advice on love and life from dear sugar
• watching benjamin help a lady bug find her way outside safely
• watching a documentary that changes the entire game
• finding & (successfully) using a reusabe k-cup
• inspirational youtube videos
• yoga/meditation
• a warm cup of coffee in cold hands
• huge pinecones to decorate for fall/christmas
• all the beautiful orange and yellow leaves
• the option to choose joy
• looking at home decor on pinterest
• day dreaming
• a very happy birthday weekend
• catching up with old friends
• mexican food and a margarita
• catching up on one of my favorite vampire shows
• coming across a new book by my favorite blog at the library by accident - and loving it
• quiet mornings
• the warm spot on the floor where the sun shines through the window
• the feeling of happiness
• a night full of laughter

peace, love, and postive thoughts!

<3 Erica

happy halloween!

"Halloween, Halloween
Spooky, kooky Halloween
Kids in costumes, what a sight
On Halloween tonight

Big black cats
Vampire bats
Ghosts and goblins out tonight
Causing quite a fright"

i should confess. halloween is my favorite. it might have something to do with my complete vampire obsession but i just love it. the decor, the treats, the costumes.

wicked the musical is my newest obsession (hurry up january 30!) so it was a no brainer for me to dress up as elphaba. 

benjamin & i found this wolverine costume at goodwill & his love for Marvel was born. we're even having a super hero birthday party this month!

now when it comes to celebrating you have to do it right. so we made a table scape and a Jack Skellington cake. because, halloween.

the Jack cake was a simple DIY. I drew his body on card stock with a sharpie and his head is just a basic white cake decorated with cream cheese and chocolate frosting.

i hope your halloween was filled with many tricks and treats. 

and now let the christmas music begin!
<3 erica

thankful thursday

{comic con at the children's museum}

• being able to introduce Benjamin to the orchastra
• comic con at the children's museum. we got free comics & got to talk with batman, superman, and wonder woman
• playing soccer at nana & randy's
• Halloween - my favorite holiday appproaching at neck breaking speed
• dancing about he house to Broadway Pandora with Benjamin singing at the top of his lungs
• planning a super hero birthday party
• visiting the renaissance faire
• crashing dinner at my mom's
• friends who make me laugh
• grocery shopping with benjamin
• staying up late with benjamin eating popcorn & watching batman
• my morning cup of jo
• spilling my guts to my bff
• trips to the craft store
• edmame
• making paper bats
• nice people
• big fuzzy blankets
• bear hugs from benjamin
• glee sings the beatles

{source}

stay thankful my friends :)
<3 erica

Thankful Thursday

{from our trip to the goat farm}

• paying off some debt!!
• celebration dinner of surf & turf
• playing with the Christmas decoratins at Lowes
• going to bed early & sleeping almost 12 hours
• late night Waffle House date with Boo
• hot chocolate
• a trip to Denver Downs - pig race, hay ride, pumpkin picking
• a great big pumpkin sitting on my counter waiting to be carved
• being really excited to start our Halloween countdown!
• watching 5-6 large blue birds fly around my backyard
• day date with hubs
• a fresh mind set
• making pumpkin potions with Benjamin & hearing his "evil scientist" laugh
• dinner and a movie with my family - I work evening so we don't get to do that very often
• the goodreads app - I love it
• a new owl cup
• visiting a goat farm - cheese, milk, fudge, soap! My personal heaven.
• late night reading at the laundry mat
• buying the small pumpkin pie creamer - cause that junk is nasty
• taking Benjamin to chuck e cheese's for the first time (which by the way is giving away 50 free tickets to every child wearing a Halloween costume this month)
• Benjamin waiting up for me after work so we could watch Scooby Doo Halloween
• reading all about the Free to Be conference & making plans to go next year!!!

{modflowers}

Here's to another week of counting our blessings! <3 Erica

Thankful Thursday

{via Diamond in the Rough}

• white sauce
• conversating with hubs
• trips to the library
• an exerpt from Gena Showalter's new book
• deep, heart felt letters
• a cup of coffee in a quiet house
• Benjamin loving Glee & Wicked soundtracks
• spending time with my BFF
• seeing Dracula Untold & LOVING it!
• delicious pizza & beer sampleing
• late night sushi
• new inspiration & ideas
• food delivery
• scoring a Scooby Doo game with a happy meal
• and then discovering a Scooby Doo movie we haven't seen yet
• starting a new crochet project while watching Junk Gypsy
• making plans with Benjamin to watch the 13 days of Halloween
• having nice dreams
• being excited about an upcoming outing
• taking a painting class with Mom & Randy
• people at the laundry mat who let Benjamin turn on their wash
• the "in love" feeling

<3 Erica

Thankful Thursday

{via society6}

• deep talks with the hubs
• new Vampire Diaries premiere
• trying water colors for the very 1st time
• hearing the rain beat up against the window
• the smell of the heat turned on for the 1st time this season
• finding a groupon for Clemson tickets and sending the hubs & my FIL
• meetin up with them after the game & seeing/hearing their excitement as they told me how much fun they had
• football party with Mom & Randy
• walking around beautiful downtown
• walking into my favorite local bookstore and finding the exact book I was looking for
• the unschooling life podcast
• happy Halloween decorating in almost every room of my house
• eBay scores
• watching the wind blow the leaves around
• late night visits from friends
• free crochet patterns
• daydreams
• deciding on a super hero theme for Benjamin's upcoming birthday

<3 Erica

Thankful Thursday

{via HWTM}

• having lots of food left over from my party = snacks for the week
• a sweet, sweet husband who sat by the fire with me while I cried
• podcasts that remind you how beautiful life and our relationships are
• my mom bringing over mums, a pumpkin, and a bail of hay. Fall decor! Yay!
• scoring a skeleton costume for $6 and hearing the joy in Benjamin's voice when I called to tell him about it
• a great night at work
• Halloween decorations
• late night Glee Christmas episodes
• drinks and snacks with my mom
• coffee from an owl mug with saucer
• late night book releases
• Benjamin being really proud of himself after going #2 in the potty
• cheese, really good cheese
• gaining a deeper understanding of unschooling
• reading that said midnigh release within 24 hours because yes! it was that good
• popcorn & coffee for breakfast
• making a vampire pumpkin
• snuggling with Benjamin while looking at playground building plans

<3 Erica

Thankful Thursday

{a night owl blog}

• cooler fall weather
• having 2 hours to myself in the middle of the day
• a nice unplanned dinner date with the hubs
• documentaries that make you think
• hubs telling me happy birthday at 12:01
• Benjamin sleeping in his new bed AND loving it
• birthday party crafts galore
• to have my birthday fall so close to my favorite holiday
• late night haircuts in my living room
• making a vampire owl birthday cake
• sushi for dinner
• "vampire kiss" martini
• a bonfire with dinner and smores to celebrate the 1st day of fall
• showing my hubby some love with a fun fall printable
• my Mom showing up with tons of groceries for the party
• coffee and a movie with Benjamin

While this post is two days late, better late than never, right?

<3

Erica