When you’re in doubt or confused or stressed, find a beautiful view and take a minute to just focus solely on that and soak it in. Sometimes I get caught up in a whirlwind of projects and thoughts and I just start spinning like a tornado, until I’m spinning so fast my brain just kind of feels fried and I can’t do ANYTHING. Lately I’ve struggled with this more frequently than normal, so I’ve been trying some stress relief tactics (thanks, pinterest and google!) and one that I’ve found really helps me is to focus my mind on something very unrelated to what’s going on in my life, for example, a view. Sometimes I find a pretty lookout like this, and sometimes my view is just looking at my sleeping baby or watching my girls play. I try to really focus on what is happening in that beautiful view and shut out the rest of the world, and I try to enjoy those moments of singular clarity. I’ve found doing this more frequently has helped me focus better when I have to return to the multi-tasking mayhem that comes with being a human on this planet so I wanted to pass it on. 🙂 It’s been a while since I’ve done a 13 random things post, so I thought I’d share a few randoms that are in my mind lately! And don’t mind that basically all of these are rambling style paragraphs… it is random after all!

1 – My hair needs to be trimmed and highlighted. Badly. My friend at work and I were talking about how when you realize you need a haircut, suddenly it’s all consuming and drives you crazy until you do it. I’m totally feeling that, and I couldn’t get an appointment for a few weeks so I’ve been suffering, haha!

2 – I have no idea where this year has gone, it feels like I was making new year’s resolutions yesterday and now we’re staring down the last quarter of the year. Basically it’s 2019, happy new year.

3 – I’ve discovered the most amazing, incredible lip balm ever in existence. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to Burt’s Bees or EOS which is saying something since they’ve been my life for 15 years, but what can I say, LABELLO lip balm has my heart. You need it in your life.

4 – We finally caught up on Vikings and I’m dying to watch the new season. I know everyone thinks Ivar the Boneless is a monster but I literally love his character so, so much and I think Alex Hogh does an amazing job acting. Also- Lagertha. She is a queen and braid inspiration for days, I can’t wait to see all the fun things they do with her hair next season! Where my other Vikings fans at?

5 – Speaking of Vikings, for some reason I’ve been pitting Daenerys and Lagertha against each other in my mind, they are both such amazing, strong characters that I can’t help but wonder who would win. I mean Dany has dragons, but Lagertha is a badass and no question, she’d win if it was hand to hand combat. And then I wonder why I’m torturing myself thinking about who would win in a fight, because I love them both and I know they’d never fight, they’d team up and be a super-woman team. #girlpower Right? Or am I crazy?

6 – I’m already thinking about Christmas lists – who has amazing blog posts or knows about great posts on Christmas gift ideas? I’m looking for the spawnlings, husband, siblings, in-laws, my parents, and friends so…. basically any kind of list is going to help me out. I’m tired of seeing all the same “Christmas-y” themed gifts (aka hot chocolate and a mug, or a home made ornament) on pinterest and I want real, amazing ideas. Send them my way. When I find a bunch of ideas, would you want a post(s) with a gift guide?

7 – My toenail is finally grown back and looks mostly normal after my toe surgery. It only took a year. :/ And it still kind of looks weird but nail polish fixes everything.

8 – I’m finally planning a day trip to Harry Potter World in Universal Orlando and all of my dreams are coming true. I’m crying tears of joy as I write these words.

9 – Emilia has a new trick where she is screeching anytime she is slightly displeased. I’m certain my inner ear will never recover. #sendhelp

10 – Sydney is learning French and can read the entire Brown Bear, Brown Bear book. I don’t know what I’m more impressed with, the fact that she understand and speaks French at 5 years old or how impressive her accent is. Seriously, she is spot on. Girl knows her stuff.

11 – As I mentioned with all of my spinning lately I’ve been trying to find de-stressers, and fell into a Netflix rabbit hole. I’m trying to be good about not wasting time, but also…. bingewatching is a real addiction haha. I think it’s good to have time to relax and shut your brain off and watch fluffy tv or read so that’s what I’m telling myself to feel better about the days when I watch several episodes in a row… My new binge obsession is Jane the Virgin. I know, it’s ridiculous. I can’t even tell you how ridiculous it is, but that’s pretty much why I love it?? I love Petra and I wake up every day and sing to myself, “It’s another beautiful day to be Rogelio! Wake up, Rogelio!” Does anyone else watch this?

12 – I recently re-read Daughters, one of my favorite sci-fi books ever. Now I’m depressed that it’s over and I need something new. If you want something really good and wildly different, definitely check it out. It’s on amazon kindle prime or whatever that is, or you can purchase off of amazon. It’s a fairly quick read but totally gets your mind turning.

13 – I’ve never really been a donut lover but the last three days all I can think about is eating the most delicious, fluffy donut and if I don’t have one, I’ll probably die. I’m really trying to stay strong with my healthy eating but I really neeeeeeed it. When you see my obituary in the next week, you’ll know it’s because I didn’t get my donut.

That’s it for now! XXOO Sunny