Parker 'the' Man's 1st Kiss!

Parker & Eloise

sitting in a tree

K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

1st comes love

don't worry we've already arranged their marriage!

Happy Friday all!

Parker's 1st Kiss from Chandra Endel on Vimeo.

Perception

Chatting with a group of moms this week, one asked, 'So, the terrible two's... what are they like?'

The mother of the two year old, thinking her son was rather behaved said 'It's not bad.'

A third mother said, ''You know... I think it's all about your perception of your child in this moment of their lives. If we choose to experience these moments as 'They aren't listening.' 'She is just so strong willed.' 'He is biting, pulling, spitting, ahhh!' then it outright sucks! But rather if we embrace these moments as 'Wow, she is so interested in how things work.' 'He thinks he's such a big boy he can do it himself!' 'She wants to be a part of everything that I do in my big world!' then it's a pretty amazing time!''

How do you choose to live it?!

Wish List Wednesday: 1 for me, 1 for you

I have been lusting me a pair of Toms for a couple of months now.
I'm holding out for the perfect spring day... and clearly a little extra cash!

I think the concept is great and love supporting those who help others, you know?!

'TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about.'

(I hope that one day when my family is hoofing around Burkina Faso, that we see others sporting our same kicks!)

This week I received an email from them saying, 'Toms loves Mother's Day!' Probably should have forwarded this to my husband... (Please get the hint!) Seriously they are so cute, I don't even know how I would pick just one color, or one style... the coolest thing yet is they just made Tiny Toms for babes too! I've been waiting for months for the release date and was a little sad to see that the sizes are too big for park man... next summer!

Here are my picks... at the moment!
Seaport Vegan Classics
$54


Olive Gray Camo
$34

Refelection on a Miracle...

This weekend I reflected a lot on a miracle that my family received one year ago, yesterday. All week we counted down April 25. We all remembered exactly what we were doing that very day... Some probably in more detail remembered the weather, the color of the sky and even what they had for lunch.

April 25, 2009 ~ I received a call that will forever change my life. My brother Preston had been in a serious dirt bike accident and they had to care flight him to the hospital. It was bad... but we didn't really know how bad, just yet. I was shocked. I couldn't believe that I wasn't there. I couldn't remember the last time I had even talked to Preston or what was or wasn't said. How was my Dad... My poor Mom...

I was on a plane in less than 5 hours. The first miracle of the day was that my ticket was $250 and easily could have been $500ish. Long story short, Preston had life threatening, very serious injuries. Punctured lungs, filling with fluid. Blood on his brain. Mrsa.

The accident has changed all of us. My family had tremendous support from family and friends and experienced endless love and prayers from the community and those we didn't even know. Some days we forget to say 'Thank You.' To live our life as a reflection that there is a God who saves... Luckily, God shows mercy and grace and has patience of steel!

Two weekends ago, Preston went to prom with his sweetheart, Jacki!. She was there the day of his accident and was one of the many angels that helped save his life that day/month!

I love you both, see you soon!

When I grow up...

2x
this week, this is what I found
parker boy
standing at the couch with his pants down

it's doug's fault really
he gave him his butt

i think it's a sign
maybe he will be
a plumber or the next naked chef

stand back mr. oliver
there's a new revolution in town!

Off to the DMV!

So, Parker is 8 months old today!
I asked him how he wanted to celebrate and he said he wanted his license.
You laugh... but I think he's serious!

What's new you ask?
5 teeth!

A curiosity that won't stop!

And an I can do it, myself... attitude!
(Yes, that's Parkers new chew toy... you should try it!)


Happy 8 months Park!
YOU are our LIGHT.

The little things

Today I feel blessed by the little things. Here are some of my recent 'Wins!'

• God has really been showing me that I am good enough just as I am! This is something I've struggled with for a really long time. I get excited about an idea or way to serve, but then I quickly extinguish it, telling myself I'm not 'ready yet.' 'I don't know enough yet.' Blah blah blah. Clearly there is ALWAYS room for improvement and more knowledge and experience but some times it's the experiences that come from doing vs. reading... I've began reading 'The Wisdom of No Escape' by Pema Chodron and over and over again it talked about loving ourselves first and that we are great just as we are. It encourages us to be inquisitive and curious about ourselves, our experience and life in general while being gentle and open as well. Sometimes I feel surrounded by people who know what they want to do with their lives and are doing it... most have this fancy education and letters behind their names. It has really been a challenge for me because I too have big dreams of changing the world and I often feel I can only do it with more education or letters trailing Mrs. Endel... I've been feeling peace with where I am in my life and yesterday mapped out a little deeper my plan of attack on impacting the world. I'm good enough today to do it... so I will start, with baby steps!
• Parker... where is he, he's over there, no he's up there... no how about out there? It's no secret Park is ready to take on the world and I have a feeling he's going to be a 'Go Big or Go Home' kind of guy. He makes me tired, I'm always subluxated and I'm pretty sure our skin's are slowly fusing together! I find my self trying not to say things like, 'He's an animal.' 'He's an active boy.' My goal as his mother isn't about labeling him or describing him... but rather embracing him. Who he is today and who he is tomorrow and the next. I want to honor his curiosity of this world and how things work. His 'I can do it' attitude that he exercises over and over again!
  
• Friends. My life has been blessed with so many amazing friends! God has provided me with love, acceptance, family and accountability in the most AMAZING people these last 5 years. I grew a lot in Iowa. Looking back I was growing from child to teenager. Finding my way and developing my Independence. My years in Seattle have been growing from teenager to woman... I have fallen a lot and the scars are deep. But I had the best surgeons stitching me back up and giving me directions on how to heal! Two weeks, and I pick up my things and move yet again. Looking back from college to now, I've seen some patterns. I have loved, moved, loved again and moved. Through all of that, there are a handful of amazing people who still influence my life almost daily and in two weeks that number will grow again. Because we choose what 'good-bye' looks like and means... I'm choosing NO 'good-byes,' rather 'Call you later.' 'See you soon!' The world is too big and time is too short to go it alone... and I'm not going to!
  

My rambles are finished for now! Thanks for your shoulder and ear!
xoxo

Weekend Warriors: I Think I Can...

I Think I Can... from Chandra Endel on Vimeo.

Wish List Wednesday: April Showers...

Seriously... I think winter was nicer than spring has been here in Seattle!

It's funny how you forget what a season can be like until you're living in it again, but I guess that's true with many things. We forget the bad, only remembering the good!

Did you know that Anthropology had a baby? They did, Leifsdottir. When I heard, I was soooo excited! And then I went to their website and wept. Because while it was amazing, it is MORE expensive than Anthropology. OUCH!

Either way, it's April and if that means rain EVERY DAY... Let's look good dancing in it! So, if I win the lottery tomorrow, this is what we'll be sporting!

Ringmaster Twill Trench $478

Hatley Sailing Dogs Raincoat $47.99

Happy Easter!

What's this?

Indestructible Book...
I'll be the judge of that!

My Loves!

Weekend Warriors: Life...

Is Life overwhelming right now, or is it just me?!
Do you ever feel you have so much to DO... but not enough RESOURCES?

I'm not going to lie, that's were I'm at.
And not just because we're saying GOOD-BYE to a place with people we LOVE
or because my 7 MONTH old has decided he would rather SLEEP with MOMMY
or because I'm FLYING with my CAT in a duffel bag (Have you seen the size of my cat?!)
Packing up my HOUSE and moving AGAIN!
Soon to be WORKING 3 days a week
My HUSBAND is taking the biggest leap of FAITH of his LIFE
(please note I'm not complaining... just making a list! smile)
Trying to trust GOD in all of this... am I TRUSTING?

Anyways, pray for ME. PRAY for us!
xoxo

Chew on this...

From the mouth of Seth Godin:

Failure, success and neither

The math is magical: you can pile up lots of failures and still keep rolling, but you only need one juicy success to build a career.

The killer is the category called 'neither'. If you spend your days avoiding failure by doing not much worth criticizing, you'll never have a shot at success. Avoiding the thing that's easy to survive keeps you from encountering the very thing you're after.

And yet we market and work and connect and create as if just one failure might be the end of us.