Things Change

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here.  

The fact is: we change.

A million things take their affects on us and we twist, bend, and mold into new versions of our old selfs.

That's why I love the beach. It's always the same. The same water, the same sand, the same wind and tide. It's always there to remind me that no matter what, regardless of what forces push against me, I can stay true to who I am. 

I can stay the same.

Trust in YOU

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here.   


I was thinking about one of my friends today. She's incredible. I mean truly amazing. I worry about her and I think about her a lot. She is currently doing the Soul Detox and she came across this quote:

"What you fear reveals what you value the most. What you fear reveals where you trust God the least."

She instantly felt ashamed of herself. She felt she'd let God down because she lacked trust. I think we all feel this at some point in our lives. I know I have. Anyway, I just wanted to put this out there for anybody else that is struggling with this concept. It hurt me that she felt bad about this. Like I said, she's amazing and I can't imagine God being disappointed in her for anything. She has been a solid foundation for me, and I know that her faith in God is unquestionable. 

Source: gatherlove.tumblr.com via ty on Pinterest

You see, trust is a big issue with us all. It's not something that we are born with. We're sent to this Earth in our most simple, most innocent form. EVERYTHING must be learned, and we're always growing and learning - being forced to stretch our skills and talents. Some of them are easy and some are hard, but we're all sent here as equals.

Trust in God is no exception to this rule. Especially when bad things happen or when our lives are flipped upside down. However, those are the moments that we're asked to bend and stretch. If you can look those times in the face and still bend down to your knees and talk with God, that, all by itself, shows that you have trust. You trust that no matter what, in the end, He'll come through for you. Otherwise you would denounce your beliefs and instantly claim atheism. 

Source: gatherlove.tumblr.com via ty on Pinterest

I realize that this doesn't seem like a lot. That there are no bells or whistles or parting waters, but I honestly believe that God doesn't work like that (on the regular of course). He wants us to seek him and believe in him. That's how we show our trust. 

This Soul Detox is a good thing. I may not participate but I do agree that we all need to spend a few minutes every day thinking about these things. However, don't let one quote shake your faith. Knowing who you are is just as important as knowing what you believe. Hold on to that. And if you start to lack Faith in it, just ask. Trust that God loves each and every one of us, no matter what we do, he will be there, standing tall and standing strong, just waiting for us to reach out.

Just Celebrate

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here.  

I'm a housewife. As much as I detest that title, that's what I am. I'm a stay at home mom. A homemaker. Most of the time I love it. I love that I get to stay home with my kids and be a part of this precious time in their lives. I like creating a home.

Source: google.com via Samantha on Pinterest

But here's the honest truth. Sometimes it is mad boring. Maybe boring isn't the right word. Exhausting and mind numbing? Sometimes the days run together into a mad dash of clean up one room- walk into the next and find it a disaster-cook breakfast-clean dishes-"Monster, please don't cry, I just want to take a 3 minute shower"-cook lunch-clean dishes-play Candyland-change diapers- find food all over my jeans - run to the grocery store- make a snack - help with homework -cook dinner- clean dishes- "please don't splash water all over mommy"-storytime- one more kiss and hug.....collapse into bed....

All that mommy stuff I do is important. It's what makes our family work. But 20 years down the road, I'm not going to remember how clean the house was or what I made for lunch. That doesn't make it any less important. All the things we do as mothers helps with the development and well being of our children.

We aren't going to remember most of these things in 20 years. What are we going to remember? Christmas. Birthdays. Leprechaun traps. Summer BBQs in the backyard. Family vacations. Easter Egg hunts. Fourth of July writing in the air with sparklers. When my children look back at their lives, I bet they will think about what made the special days special. I may not remember many Wednesday night dinners as a child, but I remember every Christmas. Every Birthday. Every Halloween.

Day after day, 99% of us do the same thing over and over. We care for children or sit in our offices and we do the things that are required of us. A few times a year there are days that stand out. Days of celebration. An anniversary, Father's day, Halloween. These are days that break up the monotony. If it isn't your particular inclination to make them a big deal, that is totally fine. But for those of us who do want to celebrate, it isn't an affront. It isn't to make anyone feel bad about not participating in the celebrations. It is just something some of us do to bring more joy into our life.

Celebrating life. Maybe that is my thing. I love birthdays. I love that there is a day totally dedicated to celebrating someone's birth. My children's birthdays are going to be special. However they want them to be. I love Christmas. I love the smells that remind me of childhood stories around the tree. I love Halloween and the glee of a home filled with spooky decor and giggling at silly costumes. I love all of it. It isn't extra stress to me. It is a de-stresser. A relief from the everyday.

When I mentioned to a friend that I wanted to throw a birthday for Bruiser, she said "You know, he probably isn't going to remember every detail.". That's true. But he will remember always feeling loved. The traditions will become a part of him. And as parents we don't always do things for our children so they will remember them, sometime we do it so that we as parents can remember the utter joy and happiness displayed on our sweet children's faces. For me, those memories alone are worth the trouble.

Breaking Life Down

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here. 

Let's review: 

In my house I have 2 young boys. Bruiser, who just turned 7 last weekend, and Monster, who turned 3 in 

February. They are very active and energetic little boys. However, I also have 4 TV's in my house, which 

are hooked up to a satellite dish and receive over 500 channels each, 3 computers, laptops no less that can 

travel the house to any desired comfy location. And to top it all off, there is also a Wii and XBox available 

for mind numbing game playing.

Source: naturae.tumblr.com via Meagan on Pinterest

I really have nothing against sitting down and watching a family movie together. I think it can be relaxing 

and enjoyable family bonding time. But, now, after listing it all down, it seems excessive at the least.

When Bruiser was little, I couldn't convince him to sit still for longer than 2 minutes. He hated to be 

cooped up in the condo. He'd stand on the back of the couch and practically break my blinds trying to 

view the world through our little window. He was constantly pulling on my hand and begging me to take 

him outside. Now, fast forward a few years, and I can't break him away from his tv. He wants it on as 

soon as he wakes up and will throw a huge fit if we tell him he can't watch it as he falls asleep. 

It's become a problem. I miss the little boy dragging me around to look at every little bug. The little boy 

who could spend hours playing in mud.

Monster, still prefers to be outside, however, he is his older brother's shadow, so he is quickly falling into 

the TV trap as well. His cartoon coma days are quickly approaching.

So today, I have issued "Mom Law" and put a ban on all the TV's. There is no need to spend an entire 

summer glued to a screen. Today we will be playing outside, cleaning leaves off the trampoline, weeding 

the abandoned garden, and throwing the ball for Zoey, our Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Maybe today we'll 

take a walk and pick a few flowers from the meadow down the street. Maybe we'll play a board game after 

dinner. I don't know, but today, I'll start showing my boys how to savor life. Today, I'm going to start 

breaking their lives down as well.

Wish me luck.

5 Tips To Focus

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here.  


Every month we are going to have one week dedicated to a certain topic. This week the writers of embrace your life are sharing how we keep focus in life.

Focus is nothing more than intense determination to see something through to the end. It's the act of achieving goals through positive thoughts, love, and unwavering faith that you "can". Here's the 5 things that I use to keep me focused and help me achieve my goals:

Source: Uploaded by user via Danny on Pinterest

1. JUST DO IT: No matter what, if I try and fail at least I tried and I'm in a better place than I was when I started. If I never try, I never succeed. 
2. NOTHING CAN STOP YOU BUT YOU: There are three choices with any decision. Are you going to do it, not do it, or smash through it and show it who's boss. Number three really is the ultimate goal for me. :)
3. INSPIRE=ACTION: If you feel it, you MUST do it. Inspiration is like a fire. It will burn for a while all by itself, but if you neglect it or stop feeding it, eventually it will burn out and it's really hard to get it going again with just the coals. Inspiration is God's way of saying "do this now". If you ignore it, somebody else will get the message.
4. ENJOY THE JOURNEY: Life is a journey. If we're always just waiting for the "big" ones, we're going to miss some "good" ones. Every step counts. Make it.
5. BE THANKFUL: You woke up today. Congrats, you get to try something new something different. You get to strive for those goals, don't waste it. 

Sometimes life can get really hard. And sometimes it can feel completely impossible. But remember, it's your life and you are in charge. Only you get to choose how you feel and what you do. 

I'm really glad that you've found Embrace Your Life. Sometimes we all need that little extra "umph" to get us going in the day and to help us remember to cherish the little things. That's what we're here for, to help, to support, and to show you that little extra light whenever you're needing it. 

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Thoughts on Faith

Every Sunday the writers of embrace your life are going to share their thoughts on a certain topic. This week's topic is Faith.


First we would like to wish a Happy Mother's Day to all you mommas out there!

Cassie


Faith is something that gets me through each day. I am strong in my faith, it is apart of who I am. I have faith that hard times won't last forever and that good times should be celebrated. Having faith makes it to where I can look at a bad situation and find the beauty in it. I know that God is always by my side and with him I can do anything and I can get through anything. Having faith keeps me going. Having faith means I can look at the bumpy roads and know I can make it through them.

He knows the plans he has for me, which makes my faith even stronger. Because I know something good comes out of everything. There is a rainbow after the storm.

Digger

Faith is essential in my life. "Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen" (Ether 12:6) Faith is the hope that good will come from what happens. That there is always a light somewhere to be seen. That hope, that's what grounds me. That's what sees me through the hard times, and what pushes me to help others through the good times. Faith is how I conquer the day and how i make decisions not only for myself, but for my children and my family. 

"Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day. Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray. Faith is like a little seed; if planted it will grow. Faith is a swelling within my heart. When I do right, I know"

Skye

the cornerstone of my faith is Jesus and i never really knew how strong that faith was until my mom passed away. the days, weeks, and months following her death were a whirlwind of crazy emotions. the only thing that kept me sane and stable was knowing that she is in Heaven with my Jesus and that i know, without a shred of doubt, that i will see her again. i always tell myself that she got there, saw her mom and dad, and will turn around to see us standing there as well. i believe there is no time in Heaven and that she will never truly feel like she has missed any amount of time with us.

i don't know how people without faith in Jesus can cope with the world as it is today. sometimes it just disgusts me how torrential the downpour of sin has become but knowing that if i can fight the daily battle with my Jesus umbrella i have this amazing place awaiting me that makes our world here seem meaningless. that faith is hard to keep up and i definitely struggle with it. i question God and some of the things that happen. i worry sometimes that all my faith and fighting will be worth nothing. but then something happens - God answers a prayer or i see people selflessly helping each other and my faith is restored.

what are things in every day life that restore your faith? where do you turn when your faith is shaken?

Sarah 

Having faith has become an incredibly important part of my life.  I could not do life with a special needs child without it.  I tried for a while - blaming God and saying "why me???" for too long.  Life became this downward spiral for me.  It got to a point in time where my daughter's health deteriorated so much that the only thing I could possibly cling to at that point was what little faith I had.  I turned things over to God and allowed Him to be in control for once.   After all, I'm not really in control at all in this life, now am I?!  I found this passage to be helpful in my faith:
1 Peter 5:6-9 (NLT)
6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.  
When you read this passage, it sure sounds difficult, doesn't it? Humble yourselves. Watch out for the enemy. Tough stuff. But look beyond that. Friends, this scripture is a promise from God. He is asking us to humble ourselves before Him. To submit to Him. Why? Because He desires that we would follow Him because He loves us and cares for us. He cares about us enough to ask us to give up all of our worries. He is offering to take up the burdens for us.  There is also reassurance in this passage because we are being told that we are not alone in our troubles.  No matter how much it feels like we are - we are not.
Take heart and know that God is with you in all your triumphs but also in all your struggles as well.  Have faith that He is there for you.  He has never and will never leave your side.  I know my life improved tremendously when I finally realized this!  This is a hope and a promise in all of this - that God will ease your load.  Have faith!

Just Enjoy The Peas

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here.  

This is the actual view that I could see from my spot in the garden. That's the mountain I remember.

My very first memory, and I'm already willing time to move faster.

You see, for as long as I can remember I've been the type of person who wants to get to the next step. I'm always rushing to see what's on the other side and never fully in the moment at hand. Don't get me wrong, I'm present. I take pictures and make connections, but in the back of my mind I'm always preparing and planning for "the next step".

In high school I took AP and concurrent enrollment classes and graduated with several college credits so that I could "get through faster". Two months after graduation (ok, a month and a half) I got married so that "life could really begin". Our first year of marriage was great, but secretly I couldn't wait to start having kids and raising our family. And as soon as Bruiser was born I began hoping that naps and bedtimes would come faster today than they did yesterday.

Why do I do this? Why am I always in such a rush?

As I'm sitting here thinking all of this through, I realize that I'm missing soo much. Although a handful and at times I headache, Monster will only be 2 once, and he'll only say these things once. He'll only want to be held and cuddle for now. Bruiser is only going to be in first grade this year. He's only going to be learning these things once. He'll only be 6 right now. And Hubs will only be the Hubs that I know right now, right now. Time changes all of us. Time teaches us things and takes things away. Why am I living just to learn the lessons and then move on? It's like I keep waiting for them all to change into something better, something different, something that better fits my life and my schedule.

I need to learn how to slow down, to relax. I need to learn how to be fully present in the moment. Stop worrying about tomorrow and focus less on "the next big thing". Right now, I just need to focus on right now.

I need to just sit back, enjoy my peas, and marvel at the beautiful mountain in front of me.

Remember The Little Things

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here. 

Life has been crazy and chaotic this past few weeks. But in all the hustle and bustle I've somehow found my center - my balance (for the moment). 

 I'm hoping that my boys will remember these days -- when they got dressed, just so they could play in the mud, when they learned how to play with nothing but a stick and a garden hose, when the weather turned sunny and warm enough to run around with only swim trunks and the air smelled of sunscreen and fresh cut grass.  

 I hope they remember splashing in buckets, feeding geese, and watching the clouds together and that we were happy, regardless of what the outside world demanded that we feel, we were happy just being together on sunny afternoons. 

 I hope they remember me sitting beside them with a huge smile. It would be so great to know that when they look back at all these photos, they'll still feel the chilly water, the cool grass, and the warm southern breeze on their skin. 

It's the best that I can offer right now, and as much as I want to give them their every desire, I also want them to know how to be happy without it.

It's The Simple Things: Cooling Off.

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here. 


As a little girl, every summer my mom would take me up to the County Court House, and we would stand in a long line while we waited for our assigned irrigation time slot. I LOVED that day. To me, that's when summer began. And it was always so disheartening when we got the crummy midnight time slots. But, when we were lucky enough to get the mid-day and early afternoon ones. THAT was a good summer.

I loved everything about it. I loved walking around the streets turning the water down the appropriate ditches. I loved unclogging blocked water ways with my shovel. I loved trespassing in our neighbors yards so we could turn their water gates in our direction. But the best part was racing back home and trying to beat the water so you could watch it come down the ditch at the back of the yard.We never had a swimming pool and we lived too "in town" to have watering holes, but once a week, irrigation water would pool in the back yard and we could run through it and splash our hearts out. Of course we were responsible for making sure the water made it to the front yard so it would water the grass, but I loved feeling the cool water pool around my ankles while I worked. I loved getting so hot that you'd just turn around and flop into the stream you were creating. 

It was something so simple, so utterly day-to-day, that I completely forgot about how great it was and how incredible it felt. So this weekend, Bruiser asked me what I use to do when it was hot out. And you know, that was the first thing that popped into my head. 

So in honor of my childhood irrigating days, we loaded the boys up in the car and headed for the coolest, non-cemented in puddle of water I knew: the lake.

Not too bad for not being able to plug it in huh? They loved it and are already asking when we can go back. Not soon enough, boys. Not soon enough.

Late Night Ponderings

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here. 

I couldn't sleep last night. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's almost impossible for me to turn my mind off. I just lay there, eyes open staring at the ceiling and thinking...

I am overflowing with dreams and hopes for my children. Things I want them to learn. Things I want them to feel. Things I want them to experience and remember.

But how do I do it? How do I slice all of life's little lessons down small enough that I can put them on a plate, serve them to my two small children, and make them believe that what I'm giving them has real value and they should hold onto it. That it's a foundation they should use for the rest of their lives.

I have to get these hopes, these dreams, out. I need to live them, make them real. If the only thing I'm offering them in their childhood is cartoons and fantasy, they're going to shrivel up.

Suddenly you blink and they're 5 years old, full of opinions, craving McDonald's for every meal and transfixed on Mario like it's some kind of new kid religion. THEN, when you've determined that it's enough and you suggest they go outside for some fresh air, you're the jerk.

I watch this happen to my kid's friends, and I'm terrified that it's happening to my children. I refuse to let it go on. It has become imperative to me to teach them that there is more in life, that they can have more, but at the same time making sure that I'm never feeding them false hopes and unfulfilled promises.

If I want them to believe that anything is possible, then I must lead by example. My children are young still. They have a chance to live a truly unique life, just like all children do. It is my belief, and my reason for getting out of bed every morning, that they do just that.

It won't be enough to simply say, "The sky's the limit". I must teach them how to build the rocket.

What Inspires You

Every month we are going to have one week dedicated to a certain topic. This week the writers of embrace your life are sharing things that inspire us.

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here. 

"What inspires you?" 

Man! That's HARD!! Your comments have been so beautiful and more times than I can count , they have either started or ended with "You inspire me…" Is there a better compliment? I don't believe there is.

Source: brownbutton.blogspot.com via Emily on Pinterest

It's incredible really. Knowing that there is even one person out there that has been inspired by you is enough to make you want to get your life together. Accountability is by far the biggest motivator! Hands down! And, even though I would love to claim this "getting it together" as just me, I know it's not. It's just something about being a woman I think. Regardless of whether we are pregnant or not, I believe we all have a built-in "nesting gene". We want to create a safe home, a stable life, and a comfortable environment. It's the "mother" in us, even if, for now, it's just "hypothetical".

All that being said, I get a lot of my inspiration from here, from you guys. I won't lie. When I log on and see 8 new comments waiting to be moderated, I get excited. And it's not because I want to be the "popular blog" girl, see my name in print, have a mass following, or win some crazy big giveaway. I have no desires to be anything bigger than what I am. I just want to know that somebody is listening. And I want to know that my views and messages are coming across clear.

Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com via Emily on Pinterest

This is my story. My life. It's a work in progress, definitely not perfect, but always moving toward happiness. So, you asked where I get my inspiration from? Besides my boys, sunshine, music, springtime, and all of you reading my words daily? Hmm… that's actually a really hard one to answer. It's not from a single source. I take little pieces from all over and put them together to create "the big picture" in my head. 

I find myself wondering why we can hear a song, or see a movie, or read a passage and feel touched, while others can hear, see, or read the same things and feel nothing. Why do we connect emotionally with some people and not with others? I mean… I log on, read your comments and ALWAYS visit your blogs. I get a glimpse into your lives and sometimes it's like looking into a mirror. Things are so similar and I can find a lot in common. Other times, it's all vastly different. Nothing looks familiar.

Source: polyvore.com via Emily on Pinterest

Maybe I'm missing something. Can anybody else put it into words for me? I would LOVE to hear your opinions. My own explanation: inspiration. There is something there that clicks. It's why you decided to leave a comment. It's why you stayed around here long enough to read my wordy posts. 

It doesn't matter if we're carbon copies of each other or complete opposites, it doesn't take a lot to find inspiration. It's in the pieces we pick up; in the small corners and rural roads of life. It is next to impossible to find it on the freeway or when we're too busy trying to climb the ladder and our eyes are only focused on the next rung. 

So, I guess I can't really answer your question. I can show you through my words, and if you look close you can see it in my pictures, but I don't have the answer really. I am my own person. I've lived through things you haven't. I've had experiences you never will. I've conquered things that have never been a problem for you. And you've seen and done things I haven't. Maybe that's why certain things touch us differently. Something that changes my world, may not cause a ripple in yours. We are all unique. That's the best part of this life, isn't it?

Source: google.com via Emily on Pinterest

I could list a thousand things that have moved me over my lifetime. But they're not the same things that have or would have moved you. I could bore you to tears with story after story of why this song means more than that song, why this scent ALWAYS makes me cry, and why I search so deeply into every ounce of my life for reason and meaning. Those questions I could answer; this one I cannot. 

My inspirations are just that, mine. I don't say that to come across rude or even cruel-hearted. It's just that my list won't have the same effect on you that it does on me. I can't tell you what inspires me, but don't misunderstand, I love to share what moves me, that's what this whole blog is for. That's why I write. And I hope that I can inspire you with my lists and my thoughts.

Source: boozebagbettygoestorehab.blogspot.com via Emily on Pinterest

You have my permission to use anything I write here and revamp it and add or take away from it to make it your own. We are all products of imitation. That's how we learn and how we grow. I'm not threatened by it. The only thing I ask is that you ponder it first. Make sure what you are taking and revamping is something that moves you, not just something that sounds pretty. Take only the things that speak directly to your soul. 

"It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to."

 Jean-Luc Goddard

That's it. That's me.

Drawn towards a creative life at a very young age and being an only child, I was always found drawing, imagining, or creating in one form or another. Now I am the desigNERD behind Dig Deep Design Studio. I'm all about designing, writing, photographing and living a fruitful, fulfilled life. No other ambition than to find balance in myself and live an artful existence. You can find Diggers blog here & her shop here. Want to read more from Digger? You can do that here. 

I decided to start blogging as a documentation of my adventure into
the world of design and a reminder that inspiration is everywhere, always follow my own instincts and never let my passions die.



I hope you find a bit of yourself in my writing, I hope you find inspiration and motivation to follow your own dreams and find your own happiness.



So, please, come in. Take your shoes off at the door and make yourself
at home. If I can get you some water or a cup of tea, let me know. Relax...
You are always welcome.



Who Am I?

I grew up in the mountains of Utah with my close-knit family, my trumpet, a mountain bike and a whole rural community to explore. It was pure bliss. I had
what I needed, never less and never more. In kindergarten I was the
only kid in the class who didn't want to be a teacher. I wanted to be an artist. Those dreams changed over time to a marine biologist, a writer, and a broadcast journalist. Then I found my dad's camera and I never put it down.



These days you can find me, camera still in hand, searching for the simple.

I am rarely content so you’ll find me constantly pushing myself to evolve and change.

I am a dreamer, in every sense of the word. A giver, a lover, and a
creator - equip with knowledge, support, determination,
respect, and motivation.



I am so passionate about life it's ridiculous. I have this overwhelming
desire to take it and just squeeze it, to drink it up and spit out
sunshine...

I have an insane desire to do everything, see everything and experience everything.

I want to earn the respect of others and my place here.

I want a lifetime of wonder, amazement, and miracles.

I want to be blown away by moments, concepts and truths.

I don't want to ever know why things are in this story

I just want to know that they simply are.

And to take it

breath it

seize it

accept it

respect it

hold it

love it

give thanks for it

again

and again

and again

to be it

to live it.



That's it.

Stepping Stones

By Digger - Her blog is Digging Deeper. You can read about her here. You can see all posts by Digger here. 

I watched, carefully, as Monster slipped from the rock he was standing on and began to fall. Instinctively I reached out for him, but stopped myself when I saw his hand shoot out in front to catch himself. It made a splash as it hit the water and he sunk up to his elbow, but he laughed and pulled himself back up to a standing position and then looked forward at the next rock.

"He can do this." I told myself. "He's learning."



Life is like a river. It's always flowing. Always changing. (I know, I know, "Thanks, Pocahontas.") But it's true. You never know what's going to happen next and it's just part of the experience of living when we fall in and have to pull ourselves back up to the safety of our own rock path that we're using to cross it.



The water turns and swirls with the paths of other people around us. It mingles with them and sometimes we can get close enough to share a few stones, but ultimately, we are the only ones that can walk on our path.



Some stones are slippery. Some wobbly. Some may disappear altogether when we put our full weight on them. Some are big and some are small. It's our choice where we put our foot. And it's our choice which direction to head.



God created the river and the stones themselves, but he gave us the will and agency to decide for ourselves which ones we will use. But don't forget, like me with Monster, he's standing on the other bank reaching out when you fall and eagerly waiting to congratulate you when you make it across, regardless of how many times you fell in and how wet you still are.

Make A Memory.

By Digger - Her blog is Digging Deeper. You can read about her here. You can see all posts by Digger here. 

I was driving Bruiser to school this morning and started going over all the things I need to do today. I could feel myself getting tense and frustrated. The list kept growing:

• Laundry - Bruiser has no clean clothes for tomorrow.
• Dishes - Should have done them last night, darn sore throat.
• Bleach Bathrooms - Thank goodness nobody has been in my house this week. How embarrassing.
• Write Post - Why can't I get ahead on this? I'm always one step behind it seems.
• Wash Dog - Shoot, this has been needing to be done for almost a week now. Again, why am I always behind?
• Finish Design Proofs - I have so much that needs to be done here. Come on. Get with the program!
• Pay Bills - Not really an option if I like running water and the ease of electricity.
• Mow Grass - It's looking like the Serengeti out there. How is this not done yet?
• Organize Office - When did I become such a slob?

etc… etc… etc…

The drive to Bruiser's school is about 40 minutes. And the whole way there, I just kept adding to my list. By the time I dropped him off and waved goodbye, I was already exhausted and not feeling like doing anything. I just wanted to go home, sit, and do absolutely nothing because it all felt so overwhelming. I rolled my window down to get some fresh air in hopes that would help clear my mind and invigorate my body.

As I was thinking all this, I pulled around the schoolhouse corner and saw a man in a very nice business suit, carrying a briefcase, kneel down to tie a little girls shoe. He didn't plan it out quite right and ended up with mud all down his slacks. I heard this conversation while waiting for my turn at the stop sign:

"Daddy, your pants are all dirty now."

"Looks like you're right. I'll have to run home and change them really quick."

"But you'll be late for work."

"Not if I hurry. Besides tying you're shoe is more important. Now quick, run inside so you can see your friends."

I was almost at the stop sign by this point, so I watched in my rearview has he gave her a hug and then turned around and walked back the way they'd come.

It was in this instant that I did a quick inventory of my list I'd just made and realized that no where in there had I mentioned doing anything with my boys. No where had I planned something with them. Sure, I could probably get everything on my list checked off today, but does that make it a successful day? Is that what I want to remember? Is that what I want my children to deem success? No. Not at all. So I added one last thing to my list right as I turned the corner to the main road home:

• Make a memory - One really good memory with each boy, each day.

That's how I am going to mark my success from now on. Good memories with the people that matter most.