I haven't Halloweened so hard since my days at UCSB, and you know what...this Halloween was definitely my favorite of all time. ​Let me tell you why...plus the five useful takeaways I learned from this Halloween.

This week, I went up to San Francisco to visit the set of my first movie. And by my first movie I mean, the first that I've written. I've made a number of movies and been on a number of sets, but this time being on set was different. It was different, because I was getting a glimpse of my words coming to life for a special story. Even my friend and co-writer who rarely cares to go to set, wanted to fly up for this movie. There are no teasers or spoilers in this post, but I wanted to share this special experience with you.

For any parent out there who wants to cling tighter to their baby whenever they think about their babies going to school, and a physical pain sits in your heart like a boulder on your soul...I have hope for you.

I constantly feel guilty for how much screen time my son gets. But often, when it's just the two of us and I need to get work done or do something around the house that he can't "help" me with, I need a little help from "Baby Bus" or "Leo the Truck." Sometimes I'm just freaking exhausted and need a few extra z's in the morning, so I let him watch while we cuddle or while he eats breakfast.

That being said, I have noticed that with the shows I let him watch, he is actually learning and engaging with the programs, and I think it's because they're designed in a way to teach kids. They're designed in a way to teach him in ways I can't or don't know how to. So, I wanted to share a few of the ones we enjoy at home, in case anyone else needs a little help from adventurous pandas or busy vehicles.

I've  been struggling with my faith over the last several months, especially as I come to know who I am more than ever. Some of you may wonder what took me so long, not that I've never questioned my faith before. However, while I used to believe (and still do) that many Christians are just wrong about what they think Christianity teaches along with the fact that it's the men in power who are corrupt, what I'm really struggling with reconciling is the colonization of faith.  

A few months ago, I wrote about successfully potty training our 20 month old within a month. Well of course we haven't gone without hiccups. So, I'd like to share our experience in case it's helpful to anyone else, because as usual, our son doesn't oft seem to follow whatever other people or books say is "normal."

The start to my son's and my nursing journey together was a difficult one, but I think even more difficult was weaning him. There wasn't any physical pain or blood like there was in the beginning, but there were definitely tears. Except this time, instead tears from pain, it was tears from mere exhaustion.  After trying SO many different tricks and methods for trying to wean him, I finally found one that his two-year-old brain was able to comprehend.

With Earth Day coming up, and now people celebrating the entire month of April as Earth Month, I thought I'd share a list of my favorite sustainable brands covering everything from fashion to cleaning products, furniture, food, chocolate, tea,  beauty and skin care, and more. Check 'em out. Several brands have Earth Month sales going on already. Any of your faves on the list?

Today is National Panda Day! What a pandastic day! Here are some random facts about these lovable cuddly creatures.

That's a lot of bamboo! Otherwise, the other 1% of their diet is carnivorous. They'll eat eggs, small animals, forage for beans and pumpkins.

Sounds like the life! Pandas spend 10-16 hours of their day eating...sounds like me when I'm PMSing.

Now that's a unique talent!

Maybe more impressive is how much they poop! On average the have 40 #2s, which can weigh up to 60 lbs (28kg)!

When picturing pandas amongst all the green bamboo, it may surprise you to find that their black and white fur actually helps them camouflage. The black fur helps them camouflage amongst the green, but their white fur helps them camouflage in snow. Very nifty, eh?

Cubs start climbing everywhere by 5 months! And they often practice on their mom. Sounds like my son!

They live about 18-20 years in the wild, and 25-30 years in captivity

The more fingers, the more bamboo they can grab! Their 6th finger actually serves more like a thumb, and has strong muscles but no movable joints.

They don't need other pandas to hunt for bamboo, so they just claim their territory and don't let any other pandas near their bamboo. This also ensure there's enough bamboo for each panda. Since they eat so much, if they all lived together there wouldn't be enough bamboo for everyone.

All that bamboo is not enough fat to allow them to sleep for months. But they're very comfy even in the freezing cold.

Yay! Since the summer of 2021, conservation efforts of giant pandas proved successful. This doesn't mean there's no longer a threat, and they're now categorized as "vulnerable" instead of "endangered." Still, it shows that conservation efforts matter.

I don’t know why it took me so long to figure out that you can consume the whole carrot, but here we are. Last year or maybe two years ago now (time is a blur during the pandemic), my mom and I came back from a farmers market trip with beets and carrots. I used to always get annoyed with the giant leafy greens on beets because, well, they’re giant and I didn’t know you could eat them. I’m not sure why, it just never occurred to me. And when you buy carrots at the grocery store, you rarely see them with their greens still attached.

So, as I stared at our beautiful bundles of root veggies, I wondered if we could reduce waste and just cook these up. Turns out you can and they’re delicious! Apparently, beets were originally used for their leaves, too. Keep reading to see some simple ways I use the whole carrot and beet.