Hey, Busy Mom!
What is this all about? I know how crazy overloaded, overstuffed, overplanned your day and life feels. I am in that boat too… so here are just 5 little helpful tips/products/pieces of inspiration that I found this week, that will, hopefully, make your life a little less hectic and a little more enjoyable!

So, let’s see what I found special for you this week:

1. Favorite Product: Congigo Coffee Mug!
   
   DreamComeTruePhoto, A Dream Photo of favorite product for a busy mom - Contigo mugDreamComeTruePhoto, A Dream Photo of favorite product for a busy mom - Contigo mug I am not a coffee person. Neither a mug person. But homebound (and bedbound too, but I am really bad at that part, so I am “binding” myself next to my computer, with all the photo sessions to edit and… this mug full of mint and lemon to help me get out of this annoying pneumonea-thing that I somehow got myself into!)
   
   Why I love it?
   You can see my full review at my social media stories or here:
   Well, it is dishwasher safe, easy to use, doesn’t burn with extremely hot stuff I like to pour inside, it is pretty (yes, it is ;) ), and… stainless steel. Yes. I even called the company to confirm it. They list all those “BPA free” claims on the box, but nothing on the stainless steel… but the company rep assured me, it actually is. Awesome!!
    
2. Favorite Book: Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick
   
   DreamComeTruePhoto, A Dream Photo of favorite book for a busy mom of a teen - Drums, Girls + Dangerous Pie by Jordan SonnenblickDreamComeTruePhoto, A Dream Photo of favorite book for a busy mom of a teen - Drums, Girls + Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick My teen picked this book for his recent bookclub. Yes, he picked it. Yes, I LOVE it - this is exactly the type of book I really want my children to read - hilariously funny, deep, thought-provoking, kind and inspirational. Yes, it is deadly serious: we are talking about a little adorable boy with a bad case of leukemia. Can’t be neither more serious, nor more deadly... Yet, while the main character, his brother, is going through ever teenage, dysfunctional family, and “brother of a sick kid” drama he could - the sense of humor and kindness with which it is approached - incredibly touching and inspirational. I wanted to cry. And I would have had a lot more, if I wasn’t so busy laughing. During a book club, our kids unequivocally declared that there is just too much humor for such serious topic… but I love it. I really want them to see, that humans should remain humans in all situations. And a sense of humor is really the best tool to help through it.
   
   Mental note to myself on the subject: I should show my kid “Life is Beautiful”. Similar concept - serious topic, but humor and kindness can touch deeper and tell you more, then all tearsquizing tricks ever could…
   
   Our discussion had a bigger impact on me, then I expected. Check out some more insights into the teen life outlook and the WONDER quest it inspired me to: Life in One Word
    
3. Favorite Event: Slava Snow Show

   “Clowning is a certain point of view on the world, an ability to see things in a way that differs from what people usually see. It is a great pleasure to collect joyful people who live and create things in this dimension. Once you start, you cannot stop.”

   Clowns? Yes and no. Slava Polunin is the genius behind the very best part of every Cirque de Soleil show - the little thoughtful, touching, hilarious mime performances in between their stunning acrobatics. I don’t like clowns. Or circus. But those mimes touch something very special inside my soul every single time!

   “Basically I am a silent story teller. My closest relatives are Munchhausen and Gulliver.”

   Slava Polunin may be became known here thanks to Cirque de Soleil, but his performances were taking the world by storm for so many years before and after. Originally from a small town in central Russia, Slava came to St. Petersburg to become yet another engineer. Luckily, he didn’t. Or may be he did? - an engineer of imaginative stories and hilarious looking characters that manage to touch a string in everybody’s heart? His characters are so adorably silly, yet not stupid: their naiveness has more honestly, sincerety and truth then we are sometimes even comfortable to acknoledge in ourselves…
   
   Being part of the audience for this show is a very special experience: you don’t get to just watch; the mimes are going to climb through the raws, through the people’s heads, and into people’s hearts. Kids see these performances differently than parents do. But then, mind-wise, the kids may be somewhat closer to those mimes? Regardless, kids rave in the hilarity of the situations, roll the gigantic balls thrown into the audience, shower in confetti-style snow (and even bring some of this “goodness” home to enjoy just a few more moments of this wonderful silliness... and adults notice a thing or two to keep them pondering well after the show ;)
   
   (See more at Who is Slava?)
   
   Ok, now a little disclaimer: I’ve seen this show quite some years ago. I still remember and relish the experience. While I am stuck at home, my children ended up raving all about it once they were back home. Their accompanying adults noticed that the show was shortened from the one we’ve seen before, missed the cohesiveness it used to have, but they commented that it left a lasting impression.
   If you have a chance - enjoy :).
    
   
   Beautiful senior, teenage girl, sitting in a chair during a family photoshoot in Marlboro NJBeautiful senior, teenage girl, sitting in a chair during a family photoshoot in Marlboro NJ
4. Favorite Inspirational Quote:

   “Instead of agonizing about the things you can’t change, why don’t you try working on the things you CAN change?”

   - Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick
    
5. Favorite Project from this Week:
   
   This is my most accomplished digital painting so far! I am very excited about how it came out and the praise I got from my mentor - my mentor is usually wonderfully strict and anal about every detail... but with this painting she commented that she wasn't initially sure if it was done digitally or with real brushes. Hooray!! After more than two hours of labor - it actually felt like quite an accomplishment and I can't wait to jump and try even more challenging projects!

Dream Come True Photo, A Dream Photo, Digital painting, rose, project of the week, beautiful“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”<br/>― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince. Ok, I painted 33 (!) versions of tulip to get it right. Can you guess how many tries it was for this flower? I think my mentor just got sick of my tulips and sent me off to search for some simple flowers to practice more. Running trhough the kitchen - I saw a perfect subject, basking in the family love in the middle of a dining table. So... How many did you guess? Well, this is my first try. And last one too. It took a really long while, though - boy, there was nothing "simple" about all those details, petals and the sheer multitude of colors and shadows!!!! But the best part was the praise I got from my mentor: she said it looked like I actually used real brushes rather then Photoshop. Wow. Now I am basking in joy of this accomplishement :)) And contemplating what's going to be the next image!

Please share with those who you think can find this helpful and comment below what was your favorite!!
Looking forward to hear what you think, what you found useful, what you wish for me to share more!