Oops.

Recently my husband and I got away for a 10-year anniversary getaway (oh yeah!), and I came home with a fabulous painting, terrific photos, and one very crooked, broken pair of glasses. I made some valiant efforts to bend, push, and stuff the lens back into place...to no avail.

So what's a girl to do?

Okay, I admit it, I'm not so sad. These glasses have served me well for the last 8 years and let's face it, I need a fresh perspective, literally.

I'm off to the eye doctor today, and I'm fancying all sorts of bold, dark, artsy frames for my new look. I swoon over nerdy specs, and I've been pinning looks that totally inspire me to bring out the inner geek in a gorgeous way.

Celebs like Anne Hathaway, Tina Fey, and Jennifer Aniston have made some step-back choices that are totally swaying me. The beautiful Keiko Lynn, style blogger (with stunning, glowing skin) has made me envious for quite a while now.

My prescription is not pretty, but I hope my final spectacles will be.

How about you? Who's wearing glasses that have caught your eye?

I'm the mom of 3. For the sake of their privacy I'll refer to my children by their initials (I'm a big fan of those, too). M, my oldest daughter, is 7. She now shares a room (more on that later) with her younger sister, C, who is 4. And last, but far from least, is little L, and he's 2.

You'll be hearing a lot more about them in the upcoming weeks, but for now, I want to share a little inspire that I created with my ladies in mind. 

M and C are 2.5 years apart, but C is the same size as M and expects herself to dance, read, draw, and exist just as a 7-year old would. 

Comparison is tough on us. I find that I'm as guilty of it as anyone, and to see comparison struggles frustrate the wonder of a 4-year old, well, it breaks your heart open.

I'm inspired by powerful words from great people. Thanks to gifts like Pinterest I can collect words and images combined beautifully through graphic design.

Fifth & Hazel has some gorgeous work -- free and downloadable -- that I totally appreciate and admire, like this one. If you have not visited her blog, read this entire post (pretty, please) and then go over and check out all her stunning designs at Fifth & Hazel.

Inspired by her gifting, I created this print from the words of St. Therese of Lisieux for my little girls. M and C aren't quite old enough to fully understand the strength of the message, but they understand the preciousness of a violet and the presence of a rose. And I'm hoping they grow to understand the amazing, unique personalities they both are.

Pass this along to anyone you know who might want a little inspire today!

If you take a peek into my color-coded closet (yes, I am a freak), you'll see a nice range of hues and saturations, with a strong preference for blues and pinks (you'll note the affection for those colors all over the place around here!). But one element that is sadly under-represented... pattern.

I love patterns, and they scare me - just like some of my favorite teachers.

And, step back, pattern-on-pattern as seen in so many cute trends like Liz featured over here, knock me OVER.

But here at Pars Caeli, we're brave and open to some of our greatest teachers, the possibilities ahead. And so I'm taking on a challenge. Want to try it with me?

Stop back here every Monday, at least until I get the hang of this (and you do, too), to see what patterns are finding their way into the wardrobe. I know that I could use a little something extra every Monday morning. Check out today's pattern on the left, a great little Spring skirt from the Gap that I love to pair with a fresh green.

I'd love to see what patterns you're sporting. Please share! Stripes, florals, polka dots - oh my!

Uhm, how many times has this run through my mind? Yours, too?

I love to give meaningful presents (who doesn't) for birthdays, anniversaries, and all of life's other significant moments. And I'm the person in many of my friend's lives that they email or call and ask, "What do you think I should get for...?"

I adore gifting. In my early days of a routine paycheck, I found myself easily spending away large chunks of cash to send happy packages to faraway and nearby friends. In the years before 3 kiddos under 7 (I think I can remember back that far), I would browse through my favorite shops, always looking for that some thing that might bring a smile to the face or a great inside joke back to the minds of those I love.

And now I'm here, in a place of busy schedules, tight timelines, and conservative budgets. My intentions are still the same, but far too many special days get acknowledged only by a Facebook comment or an email exchange.

I have a great little surprise for you coming up on Saturday. As I mentioned in the last post, Paige over at Approaching Joy is spreading the blog love and letting me take hold of the reigns over at her great web home. I'm cooking up some great giftie ideas...check back here and check out Approaching Joy on Saturday for some inspires.

Do you have someone special you're trying to recognize right now? What's the special occasion that you're hoping to find just THE right present for?

People are always a little strange(r) during a full moon, right? I know I am. Well, whether it's the lunar influence or the great shift of the planets or just random generosity, Paige over at Approaching Joy has invited me to shed some design goodness over at her blog. If you haven't dropped in on her yet, please do! Her view of the world will bring a smile to your face and encourage you to find more ways to live joyfully. I'll be a part of next Saturday's awesome feature...you don't want to miss it.

A blog is born. Do blogs hatch or are they birthed? I'm not really sure, but I can tell you that this one has definitely been a lengthy labor. And, just like childbirth, I'm going to go ahead and forget all the painful, ungodly details and plow on through to the happy moments.

Welcome to Pars Caeli (pars kilee), a piece of Heaven. This web home will soon be filled with designs and ideas that inspire me and my family. I imagine that you're pretty inspirational, too, so I look forward to learning about all the amazing ideas and projects you have to share.

As I learn more about all things blog, you'll find me fiddling my way through Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram (@parscaeli). Stop over a say hello!

It was really lovely to have you over. Hope to see you here soon.

XOXO, MJ