Meet the Dream Team- Awassa or Bust

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This upcoming trip to Ethiopia is bringing some amazing people together. I'd like to introduce our little group: The Ring Leader: Meet Paul Chadha President of the Awassa Children's Project, Attorney, Professor at Northwestern- not to mention husband and father! Thanks to him, we will be checking out the Awassa Children's Center and working together to uplift the children and families of the area. The Writer: Shannon Colleary Writes for the Huffington Post and The Woman Formerly Known … [Read more...]

Taking a Stand For What You Believe In

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I keep getting asked this question: "Do you think using the media is good way to spread an important message?" I absolutely do! There are some things worth mentioning before jumping into something as crazy as a potential media firestorm, though.   MAKE SURE THE DECISION IS UNANIMOUS. Your entire family needs to be on-board. You are a unit, make important decisions as one. A media firestorm will effect every member of your family, so you'll all need to be prepared.   DO NOT TAKE … [Read more...]

why sometimes it is good to get lost

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It’s no secret- I have no sense of direction. GPS was invented for people like me, and ironically I still have yet to own a vehicle with built-in GPS, or the device itself. Anyway, a few days ago I managed to get lost with the with the kids again. We were driving around aimlessly down an alley-like side street when the clouds parted and this lovely sight appeared:                   That is right, we literally … [Read more...]

Getting Fed To The Wolves

New York City on that strange day. I wish I would have sat back to enjoy the view a bit more.

Well, I finally watched all the interviews I did the day the TIME cover was released. Brian said it was important for me to see. I can’t stand hearing a recording of my voice, so you can imagine how horrifying it was for me to hear audio accompanied by video! Being shell-shocked is not the best way to be interviewed, I've decided. Where was my Xanax when I needed it? Here are my thoughts on what I just witnessed. Nothing deep- all superficial reactions.  Just doing some therapeutic … [Read more...]

The Getty

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I have been reluctant to bring the boys to The Getty because I did not feel they were quite old enough for the experience. However, my views have changed. My friend Alexandra and decided to brave The Getty with our preschool-aged children. Admittedly, we did not make it into the building. However, we bought snacks and spent hours in the gardens. What a beautiful and inspiring place for children. It is like Alice in Wonderland. The Getty charges $15 for parking, but it is well worth it. … [Read more...]

Homeboy Industries

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Today I will be spending my morning at Homeboy Industries. Last week, I brought my friend Shannon on a bit of an adventure (the girl is up for anything fun) to check out what Homeboy is cooking up-  and apparently that would be baked goods and salsa (among other things). Homeboy Industries serves at-risk and gang involved youth with a continuum of services and programs designed to meet their multiple needs, and runs four businesses that serve as job-training sites. - source I mentioned to … [Read more...]

Natural History Museum- Butterfly Pavilion

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On Sunday we went to the Los Angeles Natural History Museum to see their Butterfly Exhibit! The Butterfly Pavilion was created for observation, education, and research. As each butterfly dies, the researchers will mark and record the data to determine the natural lifespan of each species. I have to say, I am not sure how reliable the data from this project will be. There were at least a few casualties during the thirty minutes we spent in the exhibit. Nothing intentional- there are … [Read more...]

Kid World Citizen- Helping Young Minds Go Global

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My husband and I always knew we wanted to raise our children with a global perspective. We knew we could do this by traveling with our children. However, the education doesn’t need to stop when we are home in the US. One of the best resources that I’ve discovered which teaches children about other cultures is Kid World Citizen. They have in-depth country information (organized by continent). Get snack ideas and recipes from other cultures, learn how Christmas is celebrated all over the … [Read more...]

30 Before 30 Update

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When we started out on this Pre-30 Bucket List we never thought so much would get crossed off in one year.  I guess that is what makes life wonderful and scary at the same time- As much as you plan for your future, you really don’t know what it holds. We can check off a few more to the list: Number 24- Visit New York:  Not only did we visit once, but twice in one week. Number 19- Get featured on TV/radio/print/newspapers for something we believe in. This one makes us laugh now. … [Read more...]

Palm Springs Air Museum

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Disneyland now has competition. We took the boys to the Palm Springs Air Museum. It has one of the world's largest collections of flyable WWII aircrafts. Never in a million years would I have believed Aram and Samuel could spend a whole day here and be entertained. Well, to my surprised that is exactly what happened. The boys were enthralled by all of the fighter planes and the stories that went with each aircraft. Any history buff or child with a love of airplanes will be in awe of this … [Read more...]