Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

Summer is right around the corner and these freshly burned shoulders are a reminder its time to break out the sunscreen. I love the ease of summer, less hair dryer more beach hair. I like to keep my make up simple. Most of the time I use just 5 things, tinted moisturizer, mascara, eyeliner, tinted lip balm and a bronzer.  That’s it.   Here’s a few more Summer Beauty Tips.

Face – I used a light tinted moisturizer pretty much year round but in the summer when I need a higher SPF I will usually spend a little more and go with a high end sunscreen for my face, I like Le Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 50 and if it looks a little chalky I’ll add tinted moisturizer over it.

Eyes – Everyday it’s the same plum liner, Almay has a eyeliner/highlighter combo stick from their Wake Up line. I like products that pull double duty. Going out its a basic eye with dramatic eye liner. I pick a neutral base shadow and add plum or brown in the crease. Add a swipe of Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Liner for that popular Adele “cat winged” look and I’m done.

TIP If you are over 40 chances are you probably avoid cake eye shadow and if you don’t YOU SHOULD! Dry shadows tend to make older eyes look like a dried up lake bed magnifying every wrinkle and crease.  I found that if I add a tiny dab of Aquaphor over the powder eye shadow it instantly hydrate’s giving my eyes a fresh dewy look.

Lips – I use Burt’s Bees tinted lip balms, they have a great selection of lip balms and glosses colors and all the products are 100% natural. You can even dab a little on your cheeks instead of dry powder blush. It’s a one-in-every-bag kind of product for me.

Hair - ALWAYS wear a hat and find a spray that has SPF for your hair to avoid color fade .  You can reduce the amount of times you need to wash your  hair by sprinkling  a little bit of powder on a brush and combing it through oily roots, its an inexpensive dry shampoo. They also make colored powder for dark hair (love that).

Nails - I love Sally Hansen Natural Shine, I call it the 1 minute manicure. Its that fast. Have you seen Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips? Basically it’s a peel and stick polish, they stay on for longer than the guaranteed 10 days and getting them off is doable with polish but its work. I really love them, for ten bucks it’s a manicure that lasts easily over two weeks. They came out with two new series, Rock of Ages and the Avril Lavigne collection, I love the yellow taxi cab checkerboard. Also new? the PEDICURE version, I bought the purple snakeskin design I’ll let you know how it goes.

Pretty simple isn’t it.

So tell me do you have any summer beauty tips that would help me simplify my routine?

Summer Beauty Tips on a Budget

May 13th you are a special day.  Today is not only Mother’s Day it is also my sister’s birthday and my wedding anniversary, everything has aligned for the perfect celebration trifecta.  Let me take this opportunity to wish three things toda to three very special people.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom

There isn’t a day that goes by when I find myself wondering how in the world did you manage to do it all? When I try to emulate the kind of sunny childhood I grew up I have to wonder if my kids are noticing. They think everyone has homemade spaghetti sauce and dressing that doesn’t come from a bottle. Little do they know the effort involved. I do and I am always grateful for the values you passed along. A meal doesn’t go by where your son-in-law doesn’t look at me and say “remind me to thank your mom next time I see her.”

February 13, 1969 my first birthday, my mom was in her last trimester and I wasn’t walking yet. I preferred to ride clearly, poor you mom.

Exactly three months later on May 13, my sister Leslie was born and my life became infinitely better and finally found my sea legs.

Happy Birthday to my sister Leslie

We were almost twin like, with the exception of what became her signature blue eyes and blonde hair.

We liked the same things.

We were afraid of the same thing. (thunder)

We shared everything.

Even tan lines. (sunscreen SPF 5)

We were inseparable.

Even as we grew up we stayed close.

Leslie and I also believe that 13 is a lucky number. She and I were born on that day so naturally when it came time to pick a wedding day what day do you think I choose?

Yep. May 13th.

Happy Anniversary to my husband

We eloped on the beautiful beaches of Maui 16 years ago today. I have known Dr G for almost half as long as I’ve been here on this planet. You won’t meet a nicer or more tolerant man than the one I am grabbing onto above. If you only knew how patient he is with me and my laundry piles AND my work AND my blogging AND my documenting the families every move AND my iPhone obsession AND my clutter AND my late dinners AND my desire to hash things out after 10pm, the list folks is long.

I knew back then what I know now, he’s a keeper.

Good Things Come in Threes

It’s funny I had this crazy idea of interviewing myself on the blog, this novel idea? well it was more of a solution than an idea. The problem is that bloggers, myself included are compelled to share. It’s in our DNA. I don’t know why but I feel compelled to tell you everything from my flossing habits to what movies I love. And since no one has asked me anything in a verrrrrry long time I though well heck I will just interview myself and called it..”I’m So Glad You Asked.”  Luckily someone finally asked. The beautiful and talented photographer Meghan Davidson of Life Refocused tagged me to answer 11 of her burning questions. I also get to pass the torch and tag some more awesome ladies with lenses so we can turn this into one HUGE over share! Yeah!

So for those of you who have been tagged here are your rules:

The Rules

~ You must post the rules (hence, here they are!).
~ Answer 11 questions the tagger posted for you.
~ Create 11 questions to ask the people you tag.
~ Tag 11 people.
~ Let them know you’ve tagged them.

Meghan Asks:

1. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

I wanted to travel out of the country ANYWHERE, that was my goal. I had never owned a passport until 3 years ago. I got my wish when I was asked to travel to Mainland China. With Asia off the list I would have to go with Europe (Paris, UK, Italy) but NYC is a close second. I feel somewhat unAmerican not having traveled to the city that never sleeps. That and I REALLY need to get myself to the 9/11 Memorial.

2. What is something about you that people would be surprised to know?

I often hear people say, you are much quieter than I thought you would be. I think people assume I am uber social and talkative and I am. I’m not introverted by any means but I definitely take on more of an OBSERVER role in social situations especially when they territory is new. It takes me awhile before I get settled and more importantly comfortable to really open up but when I do? watch out and here’s where you will be surprised again, I am very open and honest when I share. I have never been the one to shy away from a subject, the more personal the better I think we all have something to gain in sharing. I very much believe in the butterfly effect.

3. What’s your go-to book recommendation?

That is a touch one because honestly I don’t read books cover to cover I’m a little ADD in that department. I have a handful that have a permanent spot on my bedside table. The first two that come to mind Autobiography of a Yogi (I prefer the audio version on my iPod and the purring voice of Sir Ben Kingsley), I am fascinated with the relationship between yoga, meditation and spirituality. slowly through this book I am beginning to understand the importance of their presence in the simple quest of finding happiness. I recently read The War of Art I think anyone who struggles with the process of creating anything whether it be photos, writing or painting will GAIN something from reading this book. It has really opened my eyes to the value of paying homage to my “creative space” and tending to my work with care and thoughtfulness. I keep reading it over and over.

4. What do you like best about yourself?

My optimism. I am sooooooooooooo thankful. Seriously a thousand o’s don’t do this justice. I don’t know how I would get through the ups and downs without my mindset. Sure I get down from time to time *cough* *cough* two accidents in two days *cough* *cough* but these things linger with me for a couple days tops. How about when I dropped my beloved new iPad yesterday, upon further inspection I saw that I had flattened a corner where it made contact with the tiled floor, did I pout? Nah. Instead I went to the hubs and said I just need to share this so I can get over it quickly. Here I pointed, “look, bad isn’t it.” That was my way of ripping off the BandAid. Over and done, quick.

5. Share an image that captures a special moment for you. Why did you pick this moment and this photo?

Summer 2010. My daughter a little over 4 years old had just gone underwater albeit very  briefly, she hardly ever ventured past the steps and she didn’t like getting her head wet.  She has always had a strong fear of water, this photo will always remind me of how much she needed her dad to help her get past that fear.  They share a very strong bond.

6. If you could have a super-power, what would it be?

Oh this is easy I talk about this one all the time, pun intended.  I want to be able to stop time.  Like a remote for your television you just point and hit pause. I would catch up on all my projects, returned calls, emails, archiving and editing and then when I was ready to rejoin the word hit play. Tah-dah. Lovely dream isn’t it?

7. If a movie was going to be made about your life, who would play you?

Well they always said I looked like Molly Ringwald when I was in high school and since Sixteen Candles is the best movie made …like evah I’ll go with Molly. Plus she’s tall like me and after googling her name I have to say we looked alike on more than one occasion.

8. When other people talk about you, your life, who you are, what is that you hope they say?

I hope they say I was generous, kind and thoughtful. I hope they over look the piles on my desk and remember my creative spirit over my chronic distractions. I hope they remember that I care deeply for others even in their absence.

9. Share a photo of one of your favorite people. Who is it and what makes them one of your faves?

It would have to be a photo of my sister without her I am not whole. This was taken around 1975 I think, we had just been transplanted from the south shores of Boston to sunny Southern California. To buffer the transition our parents let us pick two kittens out of the box in front of the Alpha Beta store. Green ribbon was Andrea and pink was Fats, my choice of bizarre pet names started early.

10. If you could have your perfect meal made for you, what would it be?

The perfect meal would be ANY meal I didn’t have KP duty afterwards, seriously. As much as I love to cook I am not keen on the clean up as evidence of the pile in my sink. My meal of choice would be a good coconut curry with just the right amount of heat and shrimp..

11. Which of your blog posts is your favorite and why?

What’s In Your Wallet was one of my first posts after I started this blog. Its a story about humbling moments and finding out who the true friends are. Although the vanity plate has since gone the friend I wrote about two years ago remains in my back pocket stronger than ever.

Ok TAG YOU’RE MY ELEVEN:

Mae (Here in the House)
Maureen (Cottage 960)
Kathleen (Ksugarandspice)
Kim aka Mosey (Mosey Along)
Tonya Staab (Create Celebrate Explore)
Lana (She Lived In A Shoe)
Chelsea (Hearts & Scars)
Aimee (Greeblemonkey)
Julie (Angry Julie Monday)
Barbara (Among the Saguaros)
Tammy (Bliss & Folly)

Here are your 11 questions:

1. Describe yourself in no less than 11 adjectives.
2. When did you get your first camera and what was it. Bonus if you have photos.
3. What do you find is the biggest challenge to photograph and why.
4. What story does your family always tell about you?
5. If you could choose to stay a certain age forever what age would that be and why?
6. What do you miss most about being a kid?
7. What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life?
8. What would you name the autobiography of your life?
9. Where is the farthest place you have traveled?
10. Where is your happy place?
11. Name 3 of your favorite photographers (well-known or not).

Come back and make sure you leave a link to your answers in the comments so I can link up. BIG THANK YOU to Meghan you helped me get my blogging mojo on again a million besos for you.

And with that ladies and gentleman I think I am back to the business of blogging. I have been busy behind the scenes working with Darling Studio on a blog re-design, I am VERY excited about the new layout, its so clean and easy to navigate just think of it as a closet reorganize - for once you are finally going to be able to FIND what you re actually looking for on the modchik – **and the crowd goes wild** …. I hope you are as excited as I am. Stay tuned we should be starting the coding process in the next few weeks.

xoxo – Linz

I’m So Glad You Asked

You have probably already heard the announcement this morning that Mark Zuckerberg bought Instagram for a billion dollars .  I can’t even fathom what it must be like for owners Mike and Kevin. Instant millionaires. My husband also informed me that when Facebook joins NASDAQ Bono will officially be added to the billionaire list. Hows that for the ultimate rags to riches story. Bono will have more money than Sir Paul McCartney and possibly Oprah.  How many years, wait decades do you think it took Sir Paul and Oprah to build their empire? Bazillionaire Mark Zuckerberg has surpassed everyone before his 28th  birthday. Times they are a changin.

NYTimes.com  reports:

“In a post on his profile page, Facebook’s chief Mark Zuckerberg said Instagram would continue to work with rival social networks. That will allow users to post on other services, follow users outside of Facebook, and to opt out of sharing on Facebook.”

I really hope that is true. Over the past year I have become quite fond of the app and more importantly the community behind Instagram. I know with the addition of Android users to the IG community things were poised to change, but having Facebook swallow up ownership just feels so world dominating. Now they control an app that over 30 million people have downloaded (in just 2 years I might add).  My heart is heavy today, I really liked you Instagram. Dammit.

Maybe this is exactly what I needed, something to help me shy away from a space that I find highly addictive. Maybe this will catapult the app into some sort of super app that defies online life as we know it.

Instagram you’re starting to feel like a bad habit that I just can’t quit.

Recent instagrams ::

United States of Facebook

I’m trying to get a jump on Easter this year. Spring Break begins this weekend and with two kids out of school for a week there will be little or no time to assist the Easter Bunny. It would be too easy to throw together a bottomless basket of candy so I (try to) shop local and online to come up with little items that don’t induce a sugar coma. With a little help from my friend Amazon Prime (one annual fee and every order for the next year ships 2 day at no charge) I ordered a few items that should be here within 2 days.

Of course we have chocolate the Easter Bunny never forgets to hide the chocolate. I will also make the trek to the mall for a bag of See’s eggs, I haz to have my See’s foil wrapped Milk Chocolate Eggs. Haz to.

Amazon also has an entire Easter Basket Toys for Kids section online. Here’s what’s in my checkout basket:

1. Bendaroos $7 Glow In The Dark Kit  2. Melissa & Doug DIY Mirror $6 (kit) 3. Slingshot Flying Pig With Oink Sound $6 (we love these) 4. Bird on a Nest $30 (Fairyfolk ETSY) ok I admit this is more for me. 5. Dollar bin crafts from Michael’s $1 (cant go wrong) 6.Shoulder Buddies $5  7. Kids Kitchen/Baking Items $14 8. Ty Beanie Ruby (we love Max too) $6  9. Bunnies By The Bay Books $10 10. Artbox (local reader alert – ARTBOX just opened next to the big wheel at the Irvine Spectrum) I picked up Mini Post Its $2. 11. Melissa & Doug Bella Butterfly Gardening Gloves $5 (Seed packets are great too) 12. Paper Flower Kit $5 13. Mini Boden Bunny Dress $40 (ok another “for me” item)  14. TY Beanie Eraserz – Carrots the Bunny $4 (small parts warning) 15. Skipper $10 (to burn off that candy) 16. Chinese Jumprope $4 (I can’t wait to show her how to do the “scissors”).

Of course the teenager would balk at the idea of a basket but for him so bought a GIANT plastic egg (as big as your head) and filled it with an iTunes card, movie tickets, a rolled up Obey shirt, couple scratcher lotto tickets and a nice mechanical pencil (he has a thing for the perfect .5 lead), he’ll be stoked the Easter Bunny came.

Two more days before Spring Break and also don’t forget to enter the Spring Cleaning GIVEAWAY – Enter to win a $500 ORECK Air Purifier! Entries close 12 pm EST 3/31/12.

Calorie Free Easter Basket Fillers

There are essentially two ways (ok maybe three if food is involved) to get me to come to an event. Anything that involves photography or shopping is an automatic RSVP I’ll be there early. Last week I was invited to see the newly relocated Stein Mart in The Market Place Irvine before it opened to the public. I grabbed my plus one (my kindergartner) and we arrived in our ‘better’ clothes handed a cute swag bag which the six year old quickly confiscated. We found a Stein Mart gift card and were told to enjoy a self guided tour with an added bonus, “the shopping was on us!” How nice, this never happens to me.  We stepped inside the freshly stocked store, everyone was smiling not a hanger out of place.

I suddenly became a little overwhelmed. What first I thought. Clothes? Towels? Shoes? Handbags? Jewelry? I swiped a mn’m cookie off the table and keep walking. Those look cute. I do need new underwear. Oh but what about those espadrilles. Oh the choices.

I pull out the camera and shot a few pictures. Turned the corner and my eyes widened… they have my favorite canisters in the WHOLE WORLD … OXO Good Grips Pop Square Containers. I have been slowly building my empire of these mod storage pods. I usually go to the Container Store a few times a year to add a few more to my inventory. I whipped out my phone and scanned the barcode with my Amazon Mobile App (my favorite price checker app) and I verified that Stein Mart beat the price by a dollar. In the basket you go. In fact I’ll take two. These containers keep your food so fresh with a vacuum sealed top that unlocks when you press down and POP the button. I promise you no more half eaten bags of crackers mom!

My plus one for the event shops the wall of utensils. She is my budding chef.

I love the gel mats for the kitchen (above) these are a back saver if you have hard floors like I do I could not function without them. Lots of framed art work and ceramics to give you that I need to redo the entire house right now bug.

I took this little white number home for my vanity. It’s a cute bowl just by itself, perfect for holding loose items and jewelry.

I’m very happy to have a place so close where I can run down and pick up a tie and shirt for my son, quick gift for a teacher or more modular pieces fro my pantry. Come to think about it I don’t know if having such a place down the street from me is a good or bad thing. We’ll find out when the credit card bill comes next month. Until then I think I’ll sign up to get their coupons on their facebook page.

Stein Mart
13742 Jamboree Rd. Irvine, CA
The Irvine Marketplace (next to 24 hr fitness) at Jamboree/Bryan

Mon – Sat. 10-9pm | Sunday 11-8pm

other south county locations:
20535 Yorba Linda, Yorba Linda
25282 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo

the full monty:: I was given a swag bag and gift card at the Stein Mart event.

Shopping Finds at The New Stein Mart

Yesterday was the first day of Spring which is always good news if your on the East Coast its time to defrost. But for some of us, my daughter included it means the onset of the dreaded allergy season. I scramble to change out every heating/cooling filter in the house, wash the window screens and thoroughly deep clean the carpets before the trees start proliferating the air with pollen. This season something better has come along and I still don’t know how I became a recipient of such good fortune but the people of Oreck asked if I wanted a little help in the air purifying  department and sent me a brand new AirInstinct Air Purifier. They also said I could have TWO which means…. drum roll please.

I am giving ONE AWAY too! (happy dance)

I have purchased free standing purifiers before when my daughter suffered for three months of Whooping Cough when she was only 18 months old. During that time we had unseasonably high temperatures causing an explosion of brush and weeds that eventually became fire kindle for a devastating  brush fire that came dangerously close to our home. Her asthma was in high gear that year, it was all I could do not to tape every seal around the doors and windows. Since then my daughter has gotten better with each passing year. A big part of my proactive plan is to keep environmental pollutants away and run a purifier 24/7. My last purifier petered out quickly and I never replaced it until now.

The new purifier arrived and I let my kids decide which room would be the test room. Of course they picked our room, for some reason it seems to end up being the family gathering place for everything from playing to sleeping. Fine with me I think it’s the dustiest room in the house.

We ran the purifier for days. My husband actually liked the white noise effect when its set to low. I love the fact you can set it to AUTO and it will continually scan for pollutants and pollens and activate when needed. There is also a SILENT feature, we set it to that at night.

The teenager wanted a test run in his room,  BY ALL MEANS I told him. Imagine the combination of lizard tank, fifteen year old hormones and the lingering offensive aroma of AXE. Shudder. He liked the fact that it looks like a GIANT iPhone and has changing mood lights.

Turn it on and walk away as the site says. We did and we’ve never turned it off, that was a month ago. Problem is now everyone wants it in their room. I move it into our kitchen slash family room all the time especially when I’m frying food. I can not stand it when my house smells like a fish fry and in the winter months you don’t want to open any window you don’t have to.

Its sleek design helps it to blend right in with the surroundings, I actually have it out in plain view and I don’t mind it at all. I also like how it chimes when I play with the settings, I’m a geek like that.

Mom approved.

Want a little unbiased testimony? I’m roping in my mom on this one remember last month when I told you I would be mia while she visited well when she was here I had her come lay down with my daughter who was sick while I ran the other to school and I asked her if she noticed anything about the room, (I told her about the purifier) and she said, “you know how in the morning rooms have that stuffy feeling? yours doesn’t in fact it was almost like you had a window open!” Even my skeptic husband finally admitted that he actually thought a purifier was actually effective for once.

The purifier has a 3 step purification system.

Stage 1 the pre-filter captures large particle matter like hair and pet fur. This filter can be washed with water and never needs to be replaced.

Stage 2 the 3-year odor filter*** reduces VOCs (volatile organic compounds such as paint smells and off-gases from new rugs and furniture, and aerosol vapors and odors from cleaning supplies) and household odors that pass through the filter. This odor filter contains an active carbon material to help reduce odors.

Stage 3 is the 3-year HEPA filter*** that captures 99.97% of dust, allergens, smoke, pet dander and pollen as small as .3 microns from the air that passes through the filter.

***Filter life will vary by usage and environment.

Ready to enter for a chance to win one of your own? We are going to use rafflecopter this time because I suspect there are going to be a lot entries for this one and there are a few ways you can increase your odds of winning (multiple entry options).

If you have any questions please send me an email. All additional entry options are optional.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*The giveaway winner must be a resident of the U.S. 48 contiguous states.

**Oreck Corporation provided the prize for the sweepstakes as well as a product for review, but is not the sponsor of the sweepstakes.

Oreck $500 AirInstinct Air Purifier GIVEAWAY

Friday was a big day for me. I had been waiting for this day to arrive for almost two years. I admittedly have an unhealthy desire to own the latest and greatest technology has to offer. Technically this is not my first iPad, but it is the first iPad that I have actually opened, unsealed and cuddled. In April 2010 when the first iPad came out I march right over and said, ‘my husband would like an iPad here’s my credit card’. My plan was to “surprise” him with a device he didn’t know yet, but would ultimately change his life. Two days later buyers remorse set in and I unburied the unopened iPad and returned it. And then I promptly bought myself a new MacBook, essentially trading a headache for a stomach ache, I could afford neither in reality.

A year ago when they announced the iPad 2 I was in high gear rationalizing all the reasons why I just HAD to have one. I mean seriously I live for anything that makes me more productive and I was positive there was an app out there that would make me pay off my debt, help me get back into shape, squeeze out more time in a 24 hr. day, organize my piles, sort through all my photos and just make me happier in general. I imagined it to be called … MY HAPPY LIFE app. Then I pulled out a bank statement from within the piles amassed on on my desk and thought to myself, GIRL THIS IS GING TO TAKE MORE THAN AN APP to fix.
I vowed to open a separate savings account and wait until the next release. Rumors swirled in early Fall last year of a Spring release so I planted the seed with my family right away. ‘No need for going to the trouble to shop for a gift for me this year’ I told them, an Apple gift card or better yet cash is KING. They knew and they watched and birthdays went by and I happily didn’t open anything and instead went to the bank.

The final key to the success of “OPERATION iPad’ was the battle I waged over missing American Express Reward Points that had been promised but never awarded. We are talking points that equaled $500 in cash. After 6 long weeks that included a dozen phone calls, 20 pages of faxes (yes they required old fashioned telefaxes – gah!), certified letters I resorted to tweeting @ASKAMEX, and within 24 hrs I had my points. A huge thanks to the Amex twitter folks. they rectified the problem and finally reached my goal. That was a big, scratch that, HUGE moment for me. I’m not a saver. I’m a buy now worry later kinda girl. I think I am making progress. I think I’m finally begging to act like a grown up.

So you can understand why I sat at my desk one ear to the window listening for the grumble of a  FedEx truck on approach. I was tempted a few times earlier that day to start driving the neighborhood like I did when I got my iPhone last year. Do you remember me stalking the UPS guy? I couldn’t wait for that guy either.

Imagine the poor UPS driver last year who just wanted a signature and instead was met at the door with a Hey !! “SAY CHEESE!” He was happy to oblige as was the FedEx driver and I have to say my paparazzi skills are getting waaaaaaay better. I met him half way and he asked me how many times I actually stood on the driveway intercepting delivery, I was a little embarrassed to level with him so I signed and did a happy dance (truth) and ran back in my house like a rat with his cheese.

I don’t even remember what happened after that. The whole weekend was just a blur of apps, draw something and HBO2go.

So as I move-in this week to my new baby, I’m putting together a list of apps tell me WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE IPAD APPS? I promise if you share so will I fellow geek girls.

Operation iPad HD

Last Sunday was worldwide INSTAMEET day where instagrammers from around the world met locally to capture and share their corner of the globe. Not familiar with Instagram? Instagram is a photo sharing app for your phone. (update:: just announced Android users will soon get Instagram <— CLICK on article and check out slide #12 in the gallery do you recognize her? ) Instagram has a handful of powerful editing tools, including filters and frames to beautify your most beloved subjects. Its quite addicting.

I decided to organize our own instameet at the Orange County Great Park, one of my favorite places to shoot. The great park once home to the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, was slated to become the next international airport after its closure in 1999. Vehemently opposed residents made sure that didn’t happen and passed Measure M voting against an airport. Ten years later Phase One of the proposed Great Park is almost complete. When finished The park will span across 1,300 acres (nearly twice the size of New York’s Central Park).

The Great Park offers some great instagram opportunities. Here are some of our shots from that day:

from the group….

me and all my cameras (iphone, Mio, Instax and a OneStep)

photos by suzbroughton

photo by tonyastaab

photos by woodbridgeoc

photo by TraceyClark

photo by OCPlayparks

photo by Boutiquing

photo by ksugarandspice

photo by msemilyanneb

(instagram offspring of suz broughton)

photo by chelsealee

photo by photos_by_w

photo by glitterfulfelt

photo by abombshell

To see all of our photos search the hashtag #instameet_oc on intstagram or you can view it on your desktop, personally my favorite is  statigram<—click to see the gallery. We are almost up to a 100 photos!

WHEN IS THE NEXT MEET UP?

If you are in the Southern California area and would like to find out about our next photo walk make sure to sign up for my mailing list and check the box, instameet!

sign up here.

Orange County Instameet

I got an extra day this year and I still feel behind what is that about?

We are now two months into the new year and I don’t think I changed many of the habits I set out to do and I still have my Burn and Float wishes sitting in a Ziploc bag on top of my washer waiting to be released. What am I waiting for? There really never will be a day when I feel completely caught up. Right? Seems like when one projects wraps up another one has already begun to fall behind.

I’m falling behind again. I’ll admit it. Missed deadlines and emails that sound slightly annoyed fill my inbox. I just want to curl up and hide behind something. I’m contemplating a break from the things that seem to zap my time in an attempt to “catch up” whatever that means. I won’t ditch the blog. I like that I can come here and share with you as you patiently listen and give me a high five as you spin me around and march me right back into the flames. I love you for that I really do. PLUS! I have a really BIG giveaway to announce and I know you’ll want to hear about this product, its way cool.

So when you see me sneaking in a facebook update you can yell at me to get back to work or just out me completely by posing the question, can you see your desk? Hopefully that will initiate reentry and help me snap out of the mindless lizard brain act of scrolling through pages of updates about everything and nothing. I need to close that window and  plow through the piles that paperwork that currently amass my desk.

My mom flew in yesterday for a visit. The first morning she is here we have a ritual over coffee and toast we wash every dish and put it away and then we tackle the clutter that plagues my counter top. Today was just a repeat of that coffee, kvetching and cleaning.

I need this in my life right now, so much so you have no idea. So thanks mom for making my home brighter.

PS. We have a spare room ya know in case you want to make it an extended stay.

Extra Day? How About an Extra Week