Voodoo Doughnut

Saturday I woke up with a major craving for doughnuts, so we got up and drove to down town Portland to the original Voodoo Doughnut shop. 

If you've never had Voodoo doughnuts let me tell you that honestly you are not missing out on that much. Yes they are very cool and definitely worth trying because there are so many unique and different types of toppings, but they're doughnuts like most any other doughnut you can find. 

We have a Voodoo Doughnut (food)cart about 5-10 minutes away from our apartment which is much more convenient but I found that they jacked up the prices by a few cents on everything and they have far fewer options at the cart. So, it was definitely worth making the drive out there at least once. 

So if you have the opportunity to check one of the several Voodoo stores you I would say that you should do so, but if you don't get around to it don't feel like you missed out terribly on some great hidden gem.

Some of the crazy doughnuts they offer are (as shown below): 

Voodoo Doll (chocolate covered, jelly filled and decorated with a face). 

Old Dirty Bastard (chocolate frosting, peanut butter, and crushed Oreo)

Bacon maple bar (what it sounds like) 

Miami Vice (blue raspberry flavoring with pink sprinkles)

And a lot more including traditional sorts!

After we had our doughnut brunch, we took a short walk through Chinatown. There wasn't much of anything to do around there. We stopped at a comic shop took a couple pictures then left for home.

Mother Heart

I've been working on and off on today's entry and I have deleted said entry at least 5 times not liking what was said because it didn't capture what I was really wanting to say. As it turns out a photo I was posting to Instagram and the first sentence of the caption for that photo there ended up being the jumping point I needed and what I was trying to say all morning just seemed to pour out. It's still not as eloquently worded as I would like but none of my writing ever is and that's ok, words don't have to be Shakespearian poetry to be powerful and reach somebody.  

…………………

Today I am blessed to spend the day full of smiles and laughter with this amazing little human! Getting to marvel at just how fantastic he is and the fact that I'm so, so lucky to be his mommy + the anticipation of his new little sister due very soon!  

But I am reminded that just 3 & 4 short years ago this day held a different feeling for me. 

Feelings not of joy and pride but of pain and failure. 

For nearly two years I struggled through loss and infertility, feeling an empty hole in my heart where my mothers love longed to be poured out onto my own child. 

Just as with my past experience today is described as a painful lonely day for many women around the world. For those who struggle to get and stay pregnant. Those who have lost a child during pregnancy, childbirth, or as an infant. Those who had a child stolen from them due to tragic accident. Those who have poured blood sweat and tears (and money) into paperwork only to have an adoption fall apart. Those who's arms and hearts ache to hold their child but are not able to. And those children young or grown who's own mothers are no longer around and feel the pain of wanting to wrap their arms around them and say "happy mothers day, I love you!" just one more time. 

Today is a day of joy but also a day of somber where we can be truly thankful for the love and family we have, and remember to pray for comfort of those who have that person missing from their lives. 

I truly believe that motherhood starts in the heart and because of that I know many amazing mothers who deserve proper recognition today. 

Happy mothers day to all!

As far as my Mothers Day is concerned it has been a truly lovely day. 

I was brought breakfast in bed which included fresh coffee, fresh made blueberry muffins with cinnamon-sugar curb topping, and fresh fruit! There was also some leftover maple-bacon bar doughnuts left from our trip to Voodoo Doughnuts yesterday (post about that later) that I enjoyed but the homemade muffin was definitely better.

My sweet guys surprised me with living tulips, a small balloon, and a handmade card that dada wrote on and the Little Jedi colored beautifully for me! We spent the morning cuddling and watching some Star Wars (very typical) then got ourselves dressed and dada took me out to lunch.

It's been a beautiful low key Mothers Day and I have enjoyed each moment of it! 

Small Business Spotlight: Dear Cub

Today's small business in the spotlight is Dear Cub! 

As with our last spotlight business Feather Feet Inc I discovered Dear Cub via Instagram and immediately loved the kids t-shirts they had designed!

I bought what I will call their "classic" design (as seen on the Little Jedi in photo below) and that's where the trouble started…

Dear Cub is a small mama run at home business. She recently released their new designs on tank tops for their spring/summer line and they're just too much I tell you!

Dear Cub is printed on American Apparel (re: American made) shirts, designed by Dear Cub owner, and printed at a screen printing shop local to her in Sac. CA. I love how just typing all that out you can see the positive impact that shopping small has on Americans, your neighbors, our economy just because of one person and one purchase!

Anyways... I have found that since trying to shop small many of these work from home small businesses charge a hefty price for their product. I don't feel that Dear Cub runs their business in this way, I find that the prices are reasonable and that is a huge appeal to me as well!

I have found that they offer excellent customer service, again another huge-huge selling point for me that will keep me coming back over and over again! 

Shipping and communication has always been fast, the product received has never been wrong or found to have any defects, and if you follow on Instagram you can find the occasional discount code to use on your order (as well as giveaway)!

As of right now the Little Jedi has 5, yes 5, Dear Cub shirts in his wardrobe, and I'm almost 100% sure that we will be adding more. An added bonus is that most of the shirts can be styled to be unisex, so as long as the Little Jedi doesn't wear them down too much little sister will also be getting use out of them!

So go and check out Dear Cub, give them a like and then buy something "for you kiddo" (cause lets be honest we moms buy our kids clothes cause WE like it haha) you definitely will not regret it! Oh I should note though that not all the designs you see here will be available some are retired or sold out.

*Please note that unless otherwise stated I do not receive compensation for promoting these businesses, this is something I do because I believe in supporting other small businesses and sharing what I believe are amazing products!*

Star Wars Day!

Well the day is at an end, I hope you had a wonderful Star Wars Day celebration! 

My Little Jedi is next to me snuggling as we wind down for the evening and get ready for bed so I have a moment to post about our low key but fun family day!

Saturday night I found a small amount of time to at least make the pennant banner I had wanted to make and get that hung up, as well as "hide" a few candy filled Darth Vader heads. Not the prep for Star Wars themed snacks and decorations I wanted but those only matter to me, the Little Jedi could not care more if I made them of silk and gold, haha!

We started our morning with breakfast while the Little Jedi and dada went through their buckets to see what I got for them. Then we got dressed and went to the Disney store for a special limited edition pin release they were having for the first 100 guests + "Jedi training" (not as cool as when dada teaches saber combat)! Then we had lunch out at Panera (because it was the closest thing), grabbed some snackage then came back home and began our movie marathon! 

We started with the new Lego Star Wars movie that the Little Jedi got in his bucket and after that finished started on the original trilogy. I am not sure if you have ever seen any of the Lego Star Wars spoofs but they are cute, if you've not seen any you should! We own three now and the Little Jedi just loves them, but show me a little boy who isn't entertained by Lego or Star Wars.
We munched on pizza, chips, and soda for dinner. You know good movie marathon stuff!

All throughout the day the Little Jedi and dada played with dada's large collection of action figures (the Little Jedi's elephants and dinosaurs made an appearance as well) the two also found themselves locked in an epic indoor lightsaber battle! I can't be sure who won though, as the Little Jedi decided to just throw his saber down and go watch more of the movie but dada didn't finish him off or call it forfeit…guess we'll call it a draw. 

Next year we are hoping that our nonprofit will be able to host a large event for the kids and their families to partake in! While May the 4th (aka Star Wars day) is getting bigger and people/businesses are starting to participate in and host events there are still not many family activities going on and we hope to be able to be part of that change and bring positivity with the nonprofit all at the same time!

The Little Jedi's bucket

New t-shirt and toothbrush!

Hidden candy filled Darth Vader heads.

Just showing off some of the cool Star Wars prints we have!

& a hidden Vader head...

Aren't you a little too cute to be a Stormtrooper?

Lounging with dada reading his new Star Wars counting book.

Bereaved Mothers Day

Today is Star Wars day for me and my family so it will be a busy day but I want to take a moment to address something of a more somber tone, one that greatly impacted my life just a few short years ago and to this day effects many friends, and will in the future effect many more.

For many today is a day known as Bereaved Mothers Day.  

A day when mothers who have lost a child sometimes their only child, for mothers who have fought for years to have a child and had to let go of that dream in part or maybe even in whole, to be acknowledged.

A day not recognized or known by many but those who celebrate it and come together in support of one another today. I was once part of that group, I mean technically you never leave the group but now it is different for me. 

It's a day I don't like to acknowledge. 

Put your pitchfork down for a moment and let me explain just why…

I believe that motherhood starts in the heart. 

The moment a woman decides she wants to conceive a child, birth it, raise it as the saying goes "forever have her heart walk outside her body" that's when the journey starts. 

Many will never reach the physical manifestation of this goal, others will see it ripped away from them just as life was starting, others will lose a child in older age. 

The pain is different, but the pain is the same.

I don't like to recognize today simple because it shows a divide. 

A divide not truly needed. It further separates the "haves" from the "have nots". 

Yes in some cases it allows for extra support for those (bereaved) mothers who need it but how much more special would it be to take a moment to actually acknowledge them on the same day the rest of the country acknowledges mothers with living children? 

To say "I'm thinking of you today because you are special just like me! We have the same love in our hearts whether it can be seen or not." Acknowledging those mothers on a day most people wouldn't would mean the world to them. It may sting a little but it's because grief and love cause us to hurt. And you know what, there are those mothers who would prefer to hide and be left alone. You would have to gage those individuals as yes thou could based off how well you know them. But I believe even they would feel good hearing the acknowledgment (but I could be wrong).

There is nothing wrong with bereaved mothers day or choosing to 'celebrate' it, but after having been in the group and now being to stand with the other side as well I can see the true segregation, and I don't like it. It's like putting others up on a pedestal because of having living children and it's not right.

Again, it is wonderful to bring light to the pain that all mothers feel from loss or infertility, great strides have been made over the last few years to bring more awareness on both fronts (re: pregnancy loss and infertility) but uniting as one front and giving love, support, and acknowledging ALL mothers on the 'official' Mothers Day each year could make a larger impact if you act me. Which is why for the last two-ish years on Mothers Day I have made a point to get onto my Facebook and leave a long message sending love and support to all Mothers. Mothers Days is about all of us.

[Photo Credit: D. Antonia Truesdale of The Midnight Orange sculptures]

Star Wars Day Prep

Daniel and I decided not to do the traditional commercialized American Easter this year. 

When the Little Jedi was born (actually even before then) we decided that we would not do the Easter bunny at all but would still give him a basket from us. 

This year we decided that we would no longer do that, but rather we would just relax and enjoy the day by going to church and having a simple picnic after. 

However we do celebrate Star Wars day and have for oh, at least a couple years. 

With Star Wars day being May 4th and after Easter that gives us opportunity to get some Star Wars themed items (that were out for Easter) on sale and repurpose them. 

Some of the stuff is clear it was for Easter but other things aren't as "holiday specific". So this year for Star Wars day I have a bucket put together for the Little Jedi as well as one for Daniel. 

I have Darth Vader heads filled with candy for the Little Jedi to hunt for and we will be sure to watch the movies (amongst other things I am sure)! I will share the actual baskets and gifts later, don't want to spoil the surprise by Daniel seeing things early.

Unfortunately I do not have as much done for Star Wars day as I was wanting to. 

This whole week has been terribly stressful and busy so I was not able to put focus or effort into making decorations or theme specific snacks, but such is life right…

Star Wars specific sales this weekend:

Saberforge: 15% off your order total using code MAY4TH, good till 5/5 only at Saberforge.com. Also stop by their Facebook page for other specials they will be having!

Thinkgeek: ALL Star Wars items are 20% off till 5/5 + when you spend $20 or more on Star Wars merch you can use the bonus code PINDROID for a limited edition R2D2 pin (limited supplies) only at Thinkgeek.com.

Disney Store: Your local Disney store is offering a FREE limited edition Darth Vader pin to the first 100 customers through the door on Sunday, May 4th. Additionally all Star Wars tees will be on sale (in store and online till 5/18).

Amazon: Exclusive to Amazon.com and available till 5/10 you can get a new Star Wars Rebels graphic t-shirt

Fathead: From 5/4 to 5/7 Fathead Star Wars wall clings are 35% off using the code 4THBWITHU only at Fathead.com.

Her Universe: Not a brand I particularly love but because Star Wars is for the girls too, 5/4 only HerUniverse.com is offering 40% off all Star Wars tees + when you make a purchase you have the option to add a mystery Star Wars shirt to your cart for just $10 (no codes needed).

Hot Topic: 5/4 only HotTopic.com is offering 20% off all in stock Star Wars products (no code needed).

Junk Food: JunkFoodClothing.com always has a bunch of Star Wars shirts! Now till 5/4 use code MAYTHEFOURTH for 30% off.

VANS: Vans shoes is offering a free limited edition vinyl figure when you preorder from their new Star Wars collection through Journeys.com (valid 5/4 only, no code needed-supplies limited).

Kmart: In Store on 5/4 20% off all Star Wars toys.