My Friend Sara

A few of you asked about the wrap that Mariah is wearing in the photo. I'll tell you about it but first I want to introduce you to my friend Sara. Sara and I met in the eighth grade and we were friends until her family moved away our sophomore year. Ok, that makes it sound like we weren't friends anymore after that. We were. We still are. We have kept in touch all of these years. Well, one of us has done a better job of that than the other. I suck. Sara has this wonderful attribute. She remembers special occasions. She has sent me cards and gifts for birthdays and anniversaries and just for fun over the years. Me? Yeah, not so much. Sorry Sara. Sara has taught me many things but I want to highlight three of my favorites.

Babywearing. This is where the wrap comes in. When Sara and Matt had little Bella, Sara dove headfirst into baby carriers. I love that about her. She has a collection of some of the most beautiful wraps and slings and is an official consultant. She has wraps for summer and winter. Slings for teensy little newborns and for hefty, squirmy toddlers. Fabrics that go with your flip flops and fabrics to wear with your strapless black dress. She gave me a Moby Wrap when Gemma was born and I LOVE it. I had dabbled in ring slings with Jack, (see him sucking his thumb there, awww) but they put such uneven pressure on my one shoulder and although I love having my hands free, my back couldn't hack it. This wrap spreads the weight evenly across my back and I could carry Gemma in it for hours. Infact, I do. When she was tiny, she faced towards me and would sleep with her head tucked in the fabric. Now that she is older, she likes to face the world and see what is going on around her. She has been so many places in this thing. Even a Blindside show. It even protected her ears. Love, love, love it. See? We all use it.




Ok, thing number two that Sara has introduced me to. Tea. In the past, I would buy a box of Constant Comment from the grocery store, thow a teabag in my mug, let it steep, and then LEAVE THE TEA BAG IN THE MUG THE WHOLE TIME I AM DRINKING IT! I scream that because now I have been made aware of how much of a tea novice I was. Leaving my teabag in my cup. BAH! For my birthday this year, Sara sent me this little contraption from Adagio teas.

Isn't that nifty? You can't really tell how awesome it is without using it, but let me just assure you. It is awesome. Pop that baby in the microwaveto heat up the water. Throw your favorite tea in to let it steep. Then here's the coolest part. Set the whole thing on top of your mug and it magically lets your tea drain into your mug, straining out all of the leaves. Trust me, it's rad. And if you don't understand my little description, go watch this little video clip. My favorite kind of tea so far? Foxtrot.

The last thing I have learned from Sara, and I don't think she even knows this, is to wear less makeup and just love my natural face. Last time I saw her, Sara looked fabulous. Her skin? Flawless? Her makeup? Minimal. I think she only had mascara on. I admit, I feel so unbelievably naked without makeup, but since seeing my dear friend, I have re-thought the issue. I'm not going to go all deep on you all about inner beauty and whatnot. But I have ditched my eyeliner pencil, 99.9% of the time. And I usually just do mascara and some lipgloss if I'm just running around town. A night out? Tinted moisturizer, some eyeshadow, and some blush are added to my ritual. Sara's skin was just glowing that day. She looked amazing, so healthy and vibrant. Now, that could be because she eats so healthy that I can't even begin to communicate the extent of her healthiness to you. If I did it would include words like: Vegan. Raw. Organic. Etc. Me? Well, you know me and my refined sugar addiction. Maybe someday her eating habits will rub off on me too, but for now, I'll stick to the wrap, the tea and the mascara. Love ya Sare!