Returning...

So, as many of you may have known or guessed, I spent my computer hiatus on a small island off the coast of Portland, Maine with the hubs and the kids. I was leary of coming right out and saying I was "leaving my house for such and such amount of time" because of the crazy world in which we live...but I was absolutely busting at the seems to tell you how very very excited I was! We had an absolutely amazing time and I have a ton {and I mean a TON} of pictures and stories and memories to share with you...but reality has hit me hard and it's taking me a couple of extra days to recover and mourn the end of our days on the island. 

We spent six full days on Peaks Island and so much...I mean SO much...happened and changed and manifested in wonderful ways. I thought I would take today to bang out another one of my 30 List for an overview-type recap of my week. And then, once I get through the 1000 plus pictures I took on my trip, I will share more details and specifics with you!

So, without furthur ado...

30 Things I Did Last Week on My Computer Hiatus

1. Drove 914 miles to Maine and back.
2. Spent an entire week living in a cottage on an island
3. Watched NO television
4. Read The Lovely Bones
5. Met Kristin
6. Met Corinne
7. Met Kathleen
8. Walked in the Atlantic Ocean
9. Walked around Portland, ME
10. Spent a full nine days with my husband
11. Found sea glass
12. Collected a massive amount of sea shells
13. Took over 1000 photos
14. Ate Maine lobster
15. Ate authentic New England Clam Chowder in New England
16. Walked...a lot...everywhere...which felt sooooo good
17. Went out to dinner...a lot...which was soooooo nice
18. Watched my baby girl experience the ocean for the first time...and love it!
19. Watched my big girls search, explore, play on, and love the island beach
20. Took in breathtakingly gorgeous views daily
21. Slept with the windows open with a cool island breeze sweeping across the bed
22. Wrote daily in a journal
23. Spent honest to goodness QUALITY time with my husband and our children
24. Sent out postcards from an actual location other than my home
25. Put our van on a ferry and took it to an island where it stayed for a whole week
26. Drove very, very minimally...other than the 914 mile round trip, of course!
27. Fell in love with my husband all over again
28. Enjoyed my non-tv-obsessed/happy/enjoying life for the little things kids
29. Fell in love with Maine
30. Felt very sad about leaving our little slice of paradise :(

I will move past my temporary bluish state...in fact, I am starting to come around and getting excited for some changes that will be occurring around here soon and the obligatory accompanying celebrations that will be necessary!

I want to thank you all for being so kind and supportive of my sweet husband last Sunday! He was so nervous about his post and all of your very kind comments were very encouraging. I think he has even agreed to come back next month!

So, now, I feel like I've missed so much and I just know that it will be impossible to catch up on everything...so please share with me what's been happening in your life! You can even leave a link or two if you'd like if there's been very exciting things! I want to get caught up and here about all the latest! And I promise to be around to visit you again soon!

30 Things You May or May Not Know About Me...

So, recently I have been awarded my very first blogging award ever by three separate beautiful bloggers {I know! Right?} Anyway, upon acceptence of this award, you must list 10 things about your self. Well, since I was awarded three times and I'm all about the number 30, I thought I would use this as an opportunity to pop out another one of my 30 Lists.

So, here we go...

30 Things You May or May Not Know About Me

1. I live in the same town that I grew up in.
2. I married my high school sweetheart. We started dating my junior year of HS {his senior}
3. I drive a minivan...and I'm totally okay with it {seriously, they are just too functional!}
4. I have a Bachelor's degree in marketing.
5. I went to college because my mom told me I couldn't get married until I graduated. I'm not sure if I feel like it was worth it or not...I'll let you know after I finish paying for it...in like 10 years!
6. I used to work at a Harley Davidson shop for four years as the retail manager
7. I have my motorcycle license {although I don't ride}
8. Actually, my husband and I used to ride quite a bit before we had kids...but the roads are too scary for me now that I have so much to lose.
9. I suffered from some severe depression and anxiety about six months after Layla was born. Her birth was surrounded by some traumatic events including the death of one of my best friends {motorcycle accident...he was drunk}. I'm doing much better now but I'll always have those tendancies.
10. A day and a half after we brought newborn Layla home from the hospital, she stopped breathing. We had to call 911 and she was rushed to the ER. She was admitted to the NICU and they found she had cysts at the bottom of her tear ducts not allowing her tears to drain and thus closing off her nasal cavities. After a week long NICU stay and a surgery, she was fine and healthy. But the experience changed me forever.
11. I went to England, Ireland, Scotland, & Wales when I was 14. But I really wish I could go back because I went without my family, was super homesick, and got next to nothing out of the whole trip. I do remember that it was gorgeous, though!
12. I called off my wedding two months before. We ended up getting married about a year later...but I wouldn't take that decision back for anything. I needed time to be sure...marriage is not to be taken lightly!
13. We had our wedding reception in our back yard. It was beautiful!
14. We didn't really take a honeymoon. We went to Gettysburg for a couple of days. But we spent all our money on our house...a much wiser investment.
15. I've seen Poisen in concert four times.
16. "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" was my husband and my song when we were dating.
17. I am adopted. I was a week old when my parents got me. I don't really have a desire to meet my birth mother but I have nothing but the utmost respect and gratitude for the choice she made.
18. My middle name is Aileen...it's after my grandmother whose name is Eileen
19. My grandfather's name was Rudolph and he was born on the 4th of July.
20. He married Eileen who was born on Christmas.
21. My grandfather died of complications due to Alzheimer's during my freshman year of college...I miss him dearly
22. My favorite band is the Dave Mathews Band. I've seen them in concert three times. One time I was in the second row! It was awesome! My brother took me.
23. My favorite song by the Dave Mathews Band is Warehouse.
24. I have one sibling...a big brother. He's amazing!
25. My parents are divorced. My mother lives about five minutes away. My father...doesn't.
26. I really dislike cooking.
27. I don't mind doing laundry...but I hate putting it away.
28. I have an unhealthy addiction to marshmallows.
29. But I do not like the fruit flavored ones.
30. Writing this list was a very liberating experience.

 Alrighty then!  It's my turn to pass this award on. But how could I choose just a few blogging friends? You are all beautiful! So, if you are reading this please accept this award...

30 Things I Vow To Do This Summer...

I can hardly believe that 1) it is June already and 2) that Rayne's very last day as a  Kindergartner is tomorrow. It's just like life to serve up a big 'ole helping of change right when you start to get comfy. You know {or perhaps you don't} the way I feel about setting intentions so as not to let opportunities pass you by. So I thought since I'm way behind on my 30 Lists and since my mind is all but mush due to all the writing I've been doing for Boot Camp, that I would pop out a List of 30 summer intentions.

30 Things I Vow To Do This Summer

1. Get outside...even though it's hot...even though it's really stinking hot
2. Eat lots of popsicles
3. Swim in our big pool...a lot...to make it worth all the time and money we put into it each year
4. Go hiking
5. Sleep in our tent...all together...even if it's in our back yard
6. Go to Maine
7. Meet some online friends in person
8. Go out for ice cream
9. Wear sunscreen
10. Swim in a lake
11. Swim in the ocean
12. Find sea glass
13. Not watch too closely as the baby-ness just seems to be falling off of Maya 
14. Go out to eat with only my husband
15. Eat crabs
16. Go strawberry picking
17. Read books
18. Play with my children
19. Spend more time off the computer than on
20. Eat outside
21. Begin taking more portraits
22. Will make sure I'm in more pictures
23. Go to the farmer's market
24. Grill as often as possible
25. Invite friends over for dinner
26. Ride a ferris wheel
27. Dry laundry on the line
28. Relax
29. Enjoy having my babies home
30. Kiss, hug, relish, snuggle, read to, play with, teach, encourage, inspire, and love my children

In other news, I am getting so pumped for Creativity Boot Camp! I'd love to have an entire day to just sit and re-work some of the posts...but that's just not in the cards and it'll be great as it is...I hope!

I'm trying not to get overly emotional about Rayne's last day of Kindergarten...but well, let's face it, it's me and I will! But she is excited and ready and we have a whole big summer to look forward to!

Tomorrow, I will finally get to spill the beans about a very exciting venture! Please do stop back!

And, last but not least, all of the images in this post were processed using Jessica Paige's new set of One Willow presets for Lightroom. She has just released The Fairytale Collection and oh-my-goodness...they are amazing!

Motherhood...

I wanted to share something special this weekend in honor of Mother's Day. Being a mom is one of this most important things in my life and Mother's Day, to me, is way more special and important than even my birthday.

I made this video to signify all the things that motherhood means to me. I cannot watch it without crying. In fact, I think I'll consider it one of my 30 Lists because it certainly contains more than 30 adjectives to describe motherhood in my life.

Make sure to turn up your volume a bit so you can hear the songs. I hope you enjoy it!

Motherhood from Maegan Beishline on Vimeo.

Happy Mother's Day!

Post #300...

Wow, 300 posts ago I had no idea why I was even starting a blog. It felt crazy and exciting and intimidating. I honestly had no idea what I would talk about and why anyone would ever have wanted to read it. But, I always think of the whole Field of Dreams scenario when I think about my blogging journey: "if you build it, they will come"...which has proved true on many levels. Out of our sheer desire to connect with others, people have come. And what's more, the life and the content and the conversation has all come, too! All because I began this crazy journey!

To honor such an amazing anniversary, I thought I'd bang out another of my 30 Lists...

30 Ways Blogging Has Changed My Life

1. 
   
   Introduced me to some amazing women
2. 
   
   Helped me make real-life friendships with said amazing women
3. 
   
   Helped me to feel not alone
4. Helped me to feel normal
5. 
   
   Has given me an outlet for expression
6. 
   
   Has allowed me to speak up for things I believe in
7. 
   
   Has allowed me to share my interests with others
8. 
   
   Has introduced me to and encouraged me in the world of photography
9. Has given me somewhere to share any artistic work and/or crafts
10. 
    
    Allowed me a space in which to document the lives of my children and our family
11. 
    
    Has gotten me published!
12. 
    
    Encouraged me to be authentic
13. 
    
    Has given me a place to go and share on really great days
14. Has given me a place to go and share on really bad days
15. 
    
    Has given me the opportunity to share my knowledge with others
16. 
    
    Allows me a forum in which to ask for help or input from others
17. 
    
    Has given me opportunities to make connections amongst my friends
18. 
    
    Has given me the opportunity to promote the arts
19. 
    
    Has given me a "gallery" in which to display my photography
20. Sometimes, it encourages me to do things just for the potential post {c'mon...you know you do that, too!}
21. 
    
    Has helped me to reach out to other mothers
22. 
    
    Has helped me to find the Blessings amidst my Realities
23. 
    
    Has re-kindled my love of writing
24. 
    
    Has offered me a place to share special celebrations and exciting events
25. 
    
    Has encouraged me to put myself out there
26. 
    
    Has made me less afraid to truly be myself
27. 
    
    Has made me feel like I'm contributing something to this world
28. 
    
    Has made the world feel a little smaller and a little more connected
29. 
    
    Has given me a sounding board for ideas

Has helped to validate and support my role as a wife and a stay-at-home mom

If you are thinking of starting a blog, I could not possibly encourage you more! It has been a rich and rewarding experience that I would dare to say has improved the quality of my life! Don't know where to start? Email me...I will help you!
 
If you do blog, how has blogging changed you?
 
And now for the winner of the copy of Artful Blogging magazine and a Spring blossom prints....
 

#16...Kathleen of Mams Always Write... Congrats, Kathleen!!! Let me know which Spring blossom print you'd like and I'll get your goodies right out to you!

 

Thank you so much to everyone who entered! I promise I'll give you all another chance to win something again soon. How about tomorrow???!!! We'll be having our second Dozen Details interview along with another awesome giveaway!!!!

 

Happy Monday, y'all!

 

 

30 Things I Love About Layla {List 4 of 30}...

My sweet Layla is four years old today...a big girl indeed! We are enjoying a busy day full of sweet surprises and celebrations. There are so many things I love about Layla...this list was a breeze to write!

30 Things I Love About Layla

1. Her dimple {she has just one}
2. Her little gaped-tooth smile...and how she tells everyone she lost her tooth falling down the steps on "balentine's day"
3. Her big beautiful blue eyes that can tell an entire story
4. The face she makes when she colors
5. How she loves...like LOVES...the color pink
6. Her loyalty to her one favorite puppy that she sleeps with and keeps close by at all times
7. Her love for all things little and cute
8. Her fierce love and adoration of her big sister
9. How she doesn't give it all away...you have to get to know her before she shows you all her cards
10. That she does not care what people think {except her mama} and she does what pleases her
11. She's tough on the outside, but all warm, fuzzy, and sensitive deep down
12. Her sweet little voice when she sings
13. The crazy outfits she puts together...and how they look totally normal on her
14. How she does everything in her own time and when she feels ready
15. How much the little contradictions in her nature can still surprise me
16. How her stuffed animals don't have names...they are simply "puppy" or "bunny" or "duck-a-ling"
17. The slightest roll of her tongue when she says her 'r' sounds
18. How tough she can be
19. 
    That she's quiet a lot, but she can always speak up for herself
20. How she is constantly barefoot...even in winter
21. The way she stands on her tip-toes when she's excited
22. How much she loves to color and draw
23. That all girl drawings and characters must have eyelashes
24. How she gave up the roll as baby of the family gracefully
25. How much she loves her baby sister and how she says "Raynie look at Maya, isn't she adorable"
26. The way she says "she" instead of "her"...as in "look at shes cute shoes"
27. Her tiny little nose that turns up at the end
28. Her laugh...it's indescribable
29. How great she is at finding things
30. How you can pretty much tickle her out of any bad mood

Sweet Layla, you will never know how much you are loved for just being you! Happy Birthday, Bea!

We had so much fun at Layla's photo shoot! I hope to be back here tomorrow to share some more great images! {trust me, I have lots...we ended the night with 650 pictures!!!}

30 Things I Did Last Week While I Wasn't Blogging {List 3 of 30}

Wow...it feels like I haven't shared things going on in my life for quite some time. It's funny, you get on a blogging roll and your online life and your offline life seem to mesh and blend. Then you take a week off and they can feel so disconnected. Then, it's hard to know how to jump back in...do I pick up where I left off or do I just start from here. Well, I decided that I needed to somehow fill you in on what our life has looked liked around here and all the things we've been up to...you know, without devoting a week's worth of posts to detailing every moment. So....

30 Things I Did Last Week While I Wasn't Blogging

1. Realized I am way behind on my 30 lists
2. Spent a lot of time outside

    3.   Resumed our fair weather after dinner walking habit

    4.    Took Layla's four year portraits {they went awesome!}

    5.   Made my Easy-Peasy Quiche with bacon, cheese, tomatos, onions, and green peppers...twice!

        {delicious!

    6.   Colored eggs

    7.   Hid Eggs

    8.   Found Eggs

    9.   Did a little stint for the Easter Bunny

    10. Finally decided to start selling some of my prints {but also decided that I will take my time setting up shop and not let it be something else that stresses me out!}

    11.  Re-did my website to align with my passions and current goal of selling prints and perhaps looking towards future goals of something bigger

    12.  Ordered 'Raising Happiness' and can't wait to start reading!

    13.  Survived a nasty Spring cold that traveled through the house

    14.  Wiped Maya's nose nearly 2 million times {and counting}

    15.  Had a couple of nights where Brent and I got literally 2 hrs. of total sleep in 30 minute increments

    16.  Had a couple of great night's sleeps with the windows open, cieling fan overhead, snuggled between my babe and my baby

    17.  Counted jelly beans

    18.  Ate jelly beans

    19.  Saw bees mating {it's kind of freaky...but a good sign, none-the-less!}

    20.  Watched the buds on the trees turn to flowers, and now to leaves

    21.  Saw lots of family

    22.  Spent lots of good, quality moments with my girls

    23.  Had plenty of bad, shameful moments getting frustrated with the girls

    24.  Painted my toenails

    25.  Began my traditional 'nothing but flip-flops' portion of the year

    26.  Began my traditional 'nothing but flowy skirts' portion of the year

    27.  Took a ton of pictures

    28.  Started shooting in RAW {don't worry if you don't know what that is...}

    29.  Ate homemade, baked macaroni and cheese...twice {oh-so-yummy!}

    30.  Totally enjoyed a lot of much needed offline time!

So, there you have it! A quick summary of what you missed from my totally un-exciting life while I wasn't boring you with all the details last week. I really felt like there was a lot I wanted to mention and, hey, I did need to bang out one of those 30 Lists here! I will actually have another one for the birthday girl on Saturday!

So, I hope that you're all enjoying Spring and having a great week! I will be back tomorrow with Realities & Blessings!

30 Things Making Me Happy Right Now {List 2 :30}...

There has been so much going on here {beyond getting pulled over and what not} and I thought there would be no better way to touch on all of it than by banging out another list for my 30 Lists project.

30 Things Making Me Happy Right Now

1. Warm temperatures that have allowed us to be outside more than in this week.

2. Windows open just enough to let the sun kissed fresh air waft through the house

3. Watching Maya walk in the grass for the first time

4. Watching Maya explore the outdoors as if the world just got much, much bigger

5. Going for early morning walks after Rayne gets on the bus

6. Coming home from morning walks and enjoying a nice hot cup of coffee

7. Signs of Spring emerging here and there

8. Having Rayne console me about forgetting picture day at school "It's okay, Mom. I had this pretty purple shirt on and pictures were before snack time!"

9. Letting the sun shine in through the windows

10. Getting so much support for my decision to close up the soap shop

11. Selling off my inventory and earning a little money to invest in photography

12. Letting go of who I thought I was to embrace who I am

13. Eating the first affordable strawberries of the season

14. Making and eating strawberry shortcake

15. Writing...I'm seriously loving words right now and the process of stringing them together

16. Seeing everyone's pretty Spring blossoms on Flickr

17. Mornings with Layla {she doesn't pay me much attention when Rayne is home, so I enjoy my time with her while Rayne is at school}

18. Listening to the new Breaking Benjamin cd

19. Making new blog friends

20. This post...seriously, you must read it...I was laughing quite loudly!

21. Starting to think about ideas for Layla's four year photos

22. Thinking about possibilities for the future...and feeling quite content to dream for now

23. Hearing Rayne talk my ear off about this and that and sounding so grown up {and so much like me!}

24. Learning some fundamentals of photography

25. Watching Layla set up and take still life photos in her room

26. Watching the snow melt away little by little

27. Looking forward to Rayne having the day off tomorrow

28. A Dunkin Donuts gift card that has been satisfying my cravings for the past few weeks {thanks, Mom!}

29. Learning poignant life lessons

30. Looking forward to getting some free time to create this weekend

What's making you happy this week?

One Year...

Today, at around 1:45am to be exact, my sweet Maya turned one year old! We are having the best day full of smiles and celebrations and family and, of course, Elmo! I thought today would be the perfect time to write one of my 30 Lists. I loved writing this list! I really feel like it gives a great overview of Maya, right now, at one year! So, here we go...

30 Things I Love About Maya

1. 
   
   Her fuzzy hair
2. 
   
   Her laugh
3. 
   
   The way she rubs my belly with her hand while she nurses
4. 
   
   The sweet way she rubs my arm when I'm holding her on my hip
5. 
   
   How fiercely she loves her family
6. 
   
   How she'll only sleep if she's with me
7. 
   
   The heart shaped birthmark on her arm
8. 
   
   The way she points at things with her tiny little pointer finger
9. 
   
   How she yells at the dog when he barks, waging her little pointer finger at him
10. 
    
    How she shakes her head no right before she does something bad
11. 
    
    That she loves to get {and give} Eskimo kisses
12. 
    
    The way her cute little dimpled tucus looks when she stands up in the bath tub
13. 
    
    How she always wants to stand up and walk around in the bath tub
14. 
    
    How she gives kisses with her whole body: with the "mmmm" starting at her toes, working it's way up to the big explosive "MWAH"
15. 
    
    That she crosses her little feet when she's eating in the high chair
16. 
    
    How she always wants to be in the kitchen with me {usually rearranging the pantry}
17. 
    
    That one of her favorite things to do is carry around the empty dog dishes and/or the dog leashes
18. 
    
    How much she loves taking the dogs outside {and how she gets so mad if you don't take her}
19. 
    
    The way she closes her eyes and smiles when air blows in her face
20. 
    
    How she kicks her feet when she gets excited
21. 
    
    The way she bobs her head when she wants you to sing or she wants to hear music
22. 
    
    That she always dances as soon as she hears music
23. 
    
    How much she loves Elmo {and the cute way she says "Mel-mawl-mo"}
24. 
    
    How much she loves to play peek-a-boo
25. 
    
    That she gives really great, big hugs
26. 
    
    The way she smiles and flirts with strangers...but then plays shy when they smile back
27. 
    
    Her determination
28. 
    
    How she likes to cuddle and nuzzle first thing in the morning...and then again after I come down from getting my shower
29. 
    
    Her curiosity and wonder about life and everything in it
30. 
    
    That she loves and needs me almost as much as I love and need her

Happy 1st Birthday, my sweet baby Maya!

30 Lists...

It appears that my 30th birthday is rapidly approaching. I've recently realized that I have just under six months left in my twenties. In my eyes, thirty is quite a milestone and I want to honor it as such.

I've been doing the 365 day photo challenge and I'm really happy with the way it's encouraging me to document many aspects of my year. But the other day {perhaps during one of those rare moments when I feel like I don't have anything to do} I decided I'd make 30 lists of thirty things between now and the time I turn 30. I like the idea of these lists because 1) I will really be able to document who I am and what my interests are right now, at 29. And 2) it's a poignant illustration of how, yes, thirty is a lot, but also not very much. It's important for me to realize and conceptualize both sides of that thirty year coin before I go thinking that I've seen it all, and also before I go thinking that my life is on it's downward slope.

I already have a list with most of the lists I will be writing over the next 5 1/2 months. I'll be posting my first list on Saturday, 30 Things I Love About Maya, in honor of the birthday girl!

See you tomorrow for Realities & Blessings! {warning: I may be awful sappy about Maya turning the big O1!}