Life with Dylan

Category: writing

  • Why do you do what you do?

    Do you ever ask yourself this question? Do you ever wonder what makes you make the choices you make?

    Last week someone asked me why I still have this blog and I was speechless. Um, what do you mean by “still”? Was there a reason I should have stopped that I am not aware of? I sat for a minute and pondered the question. Why do I have this blog?

    Well, as the name of my blog says, Life with Dylan Inspires me to see the world a little differently than I did before. So I guess this is where someone could use the word, still.

    Yes, the subject matter of my blog changed a few years ago, but that is because my muse changed. What inspires me to write and to share changed. So why do I continue?

    I am a writer – and writers need to write. I am a photographer – and photographers need to share their pictures.

    As a conservationist, I have a passion for saving the world. Can one person save the world? Probably not, but one person can make a difference … and I intend to do just that by creating awareness. Whether one person or a hundred people read what I write does not matter to me. What does matter to me is that the people who do read my blog are inspired in some small way to make a difference of their own.

    Maybe I will inspire someone to start recycling, or to make that photography hobby a way to share the world with others. Maybe I will teach someone about an endangered animal and maybe, just maybe they will share what they learned. You see, sharing is the foundation of creating awareness.

    I write because I want to share. I share what I am passionate about.

    Writing and taking pictures makes me happy.

    So, back to the question. Why do I do what I do?

    Because it makes me happy.

  • Hopes and Wishes are so much better than Resolutions

    It’s that time again. Time to say goodbye to the old year and hello to the new one. Some people have a hard time with the transition and dwell on all the things that did not get accomplished. I used to be one of those people until I made a simple change. So simple in fact, that I was just changing the words. Two years ago I started making New Year Wishes instead of New Year Resolutions. Wishes remind me of a birthday cake and blowing out candles … Resolutions just sound like work.  So far, the majority of my wishes have come true.

    Jungle Bells - San Diego Zoo

    The first year (2012) I was able to make 4 out of 5 wishes come true. I call that a job well done. So imagine my surprise today when I went back to read my New Year Wishes for 2013 and realized that I had made all 5 wishes come true …

    Hello. Amazing! I can’t think of a better way to start 2014.

    I definitely took a step back last year and spent lots of time looking within myself. There were lots of changes and learning experiences for both me and Dylan. However, one thing that remained the same was our passion for creating awareness about endangered species and doing all we could to make a difference.

    Here are my New Year Wishes for 2014 …

    1. Start drawing again. In high school I loved to sketch and paint. This will be the year I rekindle that creative side I once loved so much.
    2. Teach more kids about endangered animals and conservation by expanding Dylan’s Animal Adventure Camp into more than just a summer camp. 
    3. Make time to write about what inspires me. I have a folder filled with notes and ideas for posts, but never found the time to actually write them. 
    4. Stay current on my photography and share more of my images. No more falling a year behind on editing and posting pictures. 
    5. Continue to read more, explore more, and keep learning more. 
    Yes, I know that #5 is a repeat from last year, but it is just such a good wish to have. 
    Dylan and I were very blessed with some unforgettable experiences and wonderful supporters of his fundraising projects last year. We are both excited to see what the new year has in store for us and what new doors may open leading us to new adventures. 

  • Do you take time to journal?

    I took a few days off from blogging and tried to disconnect with the electronic world, while connecting with the real world. Took some nice walks along the trails with Dylan, spent an afternoon at Irvine Regional Park, and lots of time just sitting on the couch at night reading magazines. It was nice to have a little breather and clear my head.
    Some time to reflect on the past year. No, not as in New Years reflecting, but as in birthday reflecting. Yep, another year has come and gone and I’m not getting any younger.

    A clear head means it is time to start documenting what I am going through. When I was a teenager I had a diary that I wrote in every night. I documented all my deep, dark secrets.

    Not too long ago I came across one of my old diaries. I laughed, I cried, and I even felt a little heartache for the girl who suffered from her first broken heart.

    Now that I have a blank slate, I thought it was the perfect time to start writing again. Not the things a teenage girl writes, but what I feel is important in my life now. The things I want to do. Places I want to go. The legacy I want to leave.

    Seeing that I’m passionate about wildlife and conservation, I think my new San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy journal is the perfect place to start. Who knows, my thoughts and ideas could spark awareness and make a difference in the world.

    Do you keep a journal? What do you write about?

  • Write What You Know

    I started writing for OC Moms in late August and found that I really enjoyed writing for something other than my blog. I was able to reach a broader audience and start fine tuning my writing skills. 

    If you have read any of my articles, then you know that I was mostly writing about things to do in Orange County with your family. 
    (and if you haven’t read my articles, look up and click the tab that says OC Moms Articles – now start reading) 🙂
    Well, as much as I enjoy writing about fun activities and places to take the kiddos it was hard work sometimes. I would get writers block and spend hours just looking at the blank screen. Why was I having such a hard time writing about places I loved taking my child? Places that I knew readers would find fun for their families?
    Then one day I was talking to a friend and she told me to find my niche. She asked, what are you passionate about?
    I thought for a minute (insert light bulb over my head) and I said – Beauty, Makeup, Skincare. She said then that’s what you need to write about. I pitched the idea and a few weeks later I wrote For busy moms: Easy homemade sugar scrub and that was where it all began. 
    My editor liked it. Readers liked it. And the words just flowed across the computer screen – No more writers block. I was writing what I knew and it showed. 
    I will now be writing weekly beauty-related articles for moms and I love it. Today’s article talks about how at-home facials can refresh and rejuvenate busy moms. 
    Future articles will include makeup tips, product reviews, skincare questions answered, and much more. 
    Is there a beauty topic you would like to know more about? 
    Let me know. It might just be the next article featured on OC Moms.

  • Do you buy a gift for your child’s teacher?

    Yes, it’s that time of year again. The holidays are upon us and that means buying gifts for the people that are special in our lives.

    Teachers are probably the most important people in our children’s lives – besides parents that is.

    But what do you buy a teacher? How much do you spend?

    Do you make the gifts?

    Do you buy for the aides and the office staff too?

    I recently compiled a list of gift ideas for teachers as part of the OC Moms Gift Guide. Some you can make at home and others are under $15. Take a look and leave a comment on the article.

    Do you have a favorite gift that you give teachers at Christmas?

  • It’s OK to Say Stop

    What does it take for a person to say enough is enough? How many sleepless nights and anxiety attacks does it take before one realizes that we are, in fact, only human?
    Personally, I don’t have that answer because it is different for everyone. However, the warning signs are there and we must recognize them. For those people like me, with type A personalities – you know who you are – the ones who must have everything in order, be in control, and don’t have the word NO in their vocabulary – it takes drastic measures. I thrive on stress and sleepless nights. To just sit and relax … why this thought is absurd!
    I have 10 balls in the air and I am quite good at juggling them. Take one of those balls away and I go into a panic. Well, that is until recently. When I got down to only 7 balls in the air, I realized that I was even better at keeping them up. I could throw them higher – and maybe even do a little trick.
    I found the anxiety attacks were less frequent. The sleepless nights – not so much. My son actually enjoyed talking to me and I enjoyed spending time with him. I had time to just sit and watch a movie or read a magazine. This gave me a wonderful idea.
    What if I tried to only juggle 5 balls at once?
    Half the amount I was accustomed to, but if I could juggle 7 balls and have time for a trick, imagine what I could with only 5? 
    Slowly, I began to let some things go
    … and you know what?
    I was even better than before!
    My life is better. I am happier. I sleep at night. Anxiety attacks are pretty much a thing of the past. I have time to “Stop and smell the roses” (yes, it’s a cliché, but you know it’s true)
    Bottom line is I learned to say Stop and you can too.
    Stop trying to do everything. Stop trying to outdo your friends and co-workers. Nobody likes a name-dropper or a person who says I do it all. Find what you love and hone in on those talents.
    For example, if you like to bake and want to start a baking business, then bake. Just don’t bake pies, cakes, cookies, cupcakes, tarts, and anything you think others will like. Find the one you like most and perfect it. Bake the perfect cookies and the world will flock to buy them.
    Why do everything just to be average when you can do one or two things and be AMAZING!

    If you are reading this and think I am talking about you, you may be right. However, I had nobody in mind when I wrote this except myself. It took me almost 2 years to realize it was OK to say Stop … and if reading this makes you think about yourself then maybe it’s time you said Stop too. 

  • Change is Good

    You may have noticed that things look a little different around here. The blog Life with Dylan is going through some changes, but change can be a good thing.

    When I started this blog 4 years ago, the main purpose was to inform friends and family of what Dylan and I were doing. Many family members who live out-of-town appreciated this and still do.  However, things have changed over the years – I changed – my life with Dylan changed … and so must my blog.

    I will still write about the places we go and our visits to LEGOLAND, but I will also be adding more articles from OC Moms, more thought-provoking blog posts, and a few surprises along the way.

    Mondays will have a new feature on beauty and makeup.

    Wednesdays of course are Wordless Wednesday.

    Fridays will be a mixture of Fill In The Blank Friday and Five on Friday

    and my newest favorite … Say It! Saturday

    The focus of Life with Dylan will be changing from Dylan to me, Michelle. My thoughts, put into words, to tell a story. Sometimes the story will be heartfelt, other times it will be funny, and sometimes it may simply be about my life with Dylan!

    So stick around … I think you will like what comes next.

  • I Am Who I Am ..

    Day turns to night and the months pass by. Seasons change and the years seem to go by faster as I get older. I change. I evolve. I am not the person I was 5 years ago, nor am I the writer I was 5 years ago. I have changed.

    However, one thing remains constant in my life. My son. My life has evolved, but for the past 8 years one person has remained by my side giving me the support and love I could not find anyplace else. My son – Dylan.

    Although I am a me, Michelle, and I have a life of my own as a grown woman, my life would not be the same without him. That is why this blog is called Life with Dylan … not because my life has no meaning without him, or because I want to continually talk about my child, but because this is what I choose.

    I am many things …

    I have been a Beach Baby since I was old enough to walk. Therefore, my twitter handle is @bchbby
    I am a makeup artist. Maybe not in the business sense anymore, but I will always be a makeup artist.
    I am a Mom. Some may say I am a Mommy Blogger.
    I am a college graduate who made sacrifices for 2 1/2 years to get my BS in Psychology.
    I am a writer who loves to tell stories.

     … and right beside me through these sacrifices, triumphs, challenges, and life is Dylan.

    We have a bond that cannot be explained. There is no Dad in the picture here. We are together 24/7 with the exception of school and work of course … and I always find time for me because I know that is important for both of us. I am going through a lot of changes in my life right now. My career is changing and who knows, maybe one day I will change the name of this blog … but for now this is one thing that will not change.

  • I’m in Print Today!

    Today may be just another Tuesday for most of you, but not for me and Dylan. Today an article I wrote for OC Moms made it in print. Page 3 of the Life section in today’s Orange County Register you can find my article about tips for visiting the Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch.

    When I showed Dylan the newspaper this morning he said, “My Mom is famous!” Well, not famous honey … more like accomplished  and recognized. Either way, it’s a big day in our house.

    If you don’t get the paper, you can still read the article online.