Sneak Preview Saturday!

Hey friends! I've been shopping all day and I'm exhausted!  As you might have guessed - real life has been busy for me, so I've been spending a lot of quality time with friends and family and not a lot of time writing…but it is only because I know that this coming couple of weeks will be the final push to implement all of my design changes!  :)

You've probably noticed things look a little bit different around here right now! Here is another sneak peek and a call for January Sponsors.  If you are interested shoot me an email! Or click one of the buttons below! :)

 
 

Meet My Friends!

These ladies are absolutely fantastic!  I'm honored to introduce you to each of them, and know you'll love getting to know them as much as I have! :)

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Right after my daughter was born, I found myself calling her "pretty little baby" or "pretty little girl". Eventually all of the cute nicknames got shortened. I simply called her "Pretty Little". And you know what? That nickname fit! Not only is she pretty, but she's also pretty little! That's how I chose a name for this blog, and "Pretty Little" almost found it's way to my wrist in the form of a tattoo......This blog is where you'll find writing about our daily life, complete with milestones big and small. I also post a lot of photos, and I love making bloggy friends and enjoy a good link-up every now and then. I love big, and take note of all the little things in life.....those are usually the most important! I hope you'll stick around and get to know us a little. Welcome to our Pretty Little Life!

My favorite Holiday tradition is my family's Christmas Eve get-together. My dad's side of the family comes together and it's always a good time! I love seeing my cousins, who range in age from 5-35. And now we have lots of little ones to add to the mix.....seeing my cousin's child play with my own is mind-blowing. These are the memories I want for myself and my daughter. It's the simple things that make Christmas Eve special to me: family, our menu of German meats and cheeses (even if we have to commute hours to find the perfect little shop that still sells these delicacies), singing Christmas carols, and listening to the Christmas story. Just thinking about it makes me all sorts of warm and fuzzy.

The best thing about being a mother is that I've finally found my reason in life. It's purpose and a reason for living, all rolled into one!

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Hi, I'm Joanna from over at Brock Paper Scissors! Wife to handsome sailor, Dan; mother to Nico and Lola. I'm working girl turned stay-at-home mom and military wife. Join my adventures in raising a witty, rambunctious toddler, his equally adorable baby sister and everything in between.

My favorite holiday tradition is how we spend the day after Thanksgiving! We put up the tree, listen to Christmas music and watch Christmas movies all day long. This really gets everyone into the Christmas spirit and pumped for the holiday! It's pretty much the shiz!

There are so many great things about being a mother, but probably my favorite thing? Is living life again, through the eyes of my children. They get so excited about everything, which in turn, excites me. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's really magical.

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I'm wife to a wonderful and supportive husband and mami to 3 wonderful little kiddos, 5 1/2, 3 and 9 months. I left the NYC corporate world when my baby was born to become a stay-at-home mom and my life has never been more full of adventure! My life-long desire to is to draw closer to the heart of my Heavenly Father and be the wife and mother he has destined me to be. We have recently begun a Traditional Food/Real Food journey with more of a focus on whole body healing and organic living. The things I post here on my blog are my opinion only and what work for our family based on research and learning that I've done. 

My favorite holiday tradition: the day after Thanksgiving we always go out as a family (with extended family) and pick out our yearly ornaments. The kids all get a new one and we write names and the year on them and then each year as we decorate the tree, we get to sit back and remember how each one was obtained and why we picked that one. This year we're making our ornaments to make it a bit more fun. So excited about it! 

My favorite part about being a mother: The unexpected moments when cherished memories are made or sweet lessons are learned. It usually happens when you least expect or the least amount of planning has happened and I treasure those moments in my heart as a mother, knowing that all too soon, my babies will be all grown up

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I have been making my Beenana Bread for over 20 years, and it has seen more states then I have! I make by hand using only a potato masher, and a wooden spoon! Consistency is key, so I never vary from the main ingredients, and will make to order, I have made it so that those allergic to dairy and nuts can enjoy!

My favorite Holiday is Christmas….I love the music, and buying and or making of gifts. I love sending Christmas Cards, and buying the kids each an ornament that represents them or their interests at the time.

The best thing about being a mother? Is watching your children grow, I have 4 ages 18 to 30, and they are so independent, yet even if I don’t see them or talk to them for a few weeks, when we catch up its so much fun! I might not agree with what they say or do, but I give them room to make their own mistakes, and learn from them.


So glad to have each of these fantastic ladies in my life…and hope you will stop by and introduce yourself today! ;)

{Top 5} Reasons Everything {REALLY} Is Better in the PNW!

For those of you who missed my guest post on Amanda's blog, I'm reposting this here!  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share my love of the PNW (again)s and didn't want you to miss out.

If you're familiar with my story, you know that I grew up in the Seattle area.  It is where my "crunchy granola" roots originate from.  One thing you will learn about me after knowing me only a short while is that I firmly and unwaveringly believe that everything in life is better in the Pacific Northwest.

Get cozy and top off your coffee for this {top 5} post…speaking of coffee:

Reason number {1} the best Organic, free trade coffee in America.  Local coffee houses filled with locally roasted beans, aromatic brews and rich dark flavors that not even the snobbiest of coffee aficionados can deny.  We are not talking Starbucks here friends…and don't get me started on Tully's or Seattle's best.  We're talking the wood-floored, rustic, artsy-fartsy coffee brewhouses that are worth the extra 5 minute drive in rush hour traffic to fuel that much needed good-morning buzz.  I mean, even the infamous "Twin Peaks" features a quaint little PNW diner serving up a "Damn fine cup of coffee."

My favorite coffee place in Washington?  Victor's Celtic Coffee in Redmond.  Add it to your list to visit, when you go (and trust me, after you get finished reading this post…it will be hard not to plan a trip!)

The best time of year to visit is late July or August, in my humble opinion.  You can be sure to enjoy this next benefit of life in the PNW:  PERFECT SUMMERS.

Reason number {2} 100 days of sunshine.  When I think back to my many years spent hibernating the Winters, shielding myself from rainy Springs and Falls, it does not  at all taint my glorious memories of Summertime.  The familiar, often played out favorite, "I Can See Clearly Now" brings me fondly back to Summers filled with rock & bridge jumping, sunbathing at Alki Beach and camping/hiking adventures in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.  Most Summers are mild, temperatures rarely reaching above 90, the humidity is trivial and there is less than an inch of rain per month in July and August.   Basically, consider yourself given the greatest secret about Seattle…the Summers.

It only gets better.  While you may have heard about the notorious never-ending rain showers, I challenge you to think of the positive side of this: lush, green vegetation.

Reason number {3} climate = perfect grounds for locally grown organic bounties year round.  It isn't just the Farmer's market, or the green grass growing everywhere, there are so many different climate zones in Washington state, that you can have a taste for everything.  All year long.  We have deserts to the East, mountains all over the state, hundreds of lakes, we even have a rainforest in the West which is like walking into an enchanted scene from Lord of the Rings.

Did I mention that Seattle is ranked the 8th best city to live in with a family by Parenting magazine? With all the trees, just think of the freshness of the air that you breathe!  I can tell you that I never once suffered from allergies until I moved across the country to dirty NYC.

Reason number {4} Bodies of water - lakes, rivers, ocean, Puget Sound - provide one of the best treats of the region - SALMON.  Wild, fresh, bright pink salmon.  If you have never eaten wild salmon from the Pacific Ocean, and not just Alaskan (although, it is easier and less expensive to get there)…you are totally missing out.  I balk at the Atlantic salmon they try to sell to me in stores here in Manhattan.  And then there is Dungeness crab…are you kidding me…you have never had it?  Basically, I rarely eat seafood here in NYC because I have been disappointed so many times {in other words I'm spoiled and a seafood snob}.  My mouth is watering just writing about it.  And I could go on and on and on about the health benefits of salmon, but I digress.

If I haven't sold you on at least a visit, let me finish with some of my favorite pictures I've taken over the last several visits home.

Reason number {5} This.  THIS.

So, are you packing your bags yet?  There are so many more things I could mention, but this post has to end for now.

Why everything {REALLY} is better in the PNW!

If you're familiar with my story, you know that I grew up in the Seattle area.  It is where my "crunchy granola" roots originate from.  One thing you will learn about me after knowing me only a short while is that I firmly and unwaveringly believe that everything in life is better in the Pacific Northwest.  I'd like to present you with my case for this, in honor of my fellow PNW'er, Amanda, while she is enjoying her vacation.  :)

Get cozy and top off your coffee for this {top 5} post…speaking of coffee: continue reading my guest post at Pretty Little Life.