Looks Still Aren’t Everything
I wasted a perfectly good title on yesterday’s post.
I had no idea how true it would be.
I sat home last night trying to think of as many nicknames as I could to make fun of the fact that on an impulse, an impulse known as a phone conversation with my mom and Googling pictures of Sienna Miller on the way to the salon, I lopped off almost all my hair last night.
I coined myself:
““Suze Orman and Rod Stewart’s love child”
“Justin Bieber circa 2010”
“Gigi Has Two Daddies”
“Post-mullet Billy Ray Cyrus”
But somehow, as I watched a giant wave uprooting trees, overturning homes, destroying homes and destroying lives, I felt shallow. I felt vain. I felt ridiculous, and not just because a mob of teenage girls were standing outside my door with “We Love You, Justin!” posters.
I just didn’t know what shape the world would be in when I woke up. And even though Gigi hid her head and started crying when she saw me, I really didn’t care about my hair, or lack thereof, anymore. I didn’t want to cook, or write or play with my flat iron and four different kinds of pomade.
I wanted to get out in my beautiful town with my beautiful family.
We almost never go out to eat, because it just sometimes isn’t worth the trouble.
The trouble of chopsticks.
The trouble of trying to prevent condiment shots.
Gigi has 50 million milligrams of sodium in her system now.
She’s thirsty.
Today it all seemed worth it. And “trouble” seemed like a very relative term.
Things that may have looked like a problem before, suddenly became a breeze.
And it all seemed like a beautiful dream.
A beautiful gift.
Beautiful in a whole new meaning of the word that had nothing to do with hair.
And it made me want to give thanks and give back.
I encourage you to do the same.
* Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to the Japan earthquake victims via The Red Cross
*Text QUAKE or JAPAN to 80888 to donate $10 via The Salvation Army
*Donate directly to the Mercy Corps, who are providing ongoing relief, here
Put down the chopsticks, the condiments, the mousse and pray.
I know I am. With all my achy breaky heart.
What a beautiful post! So so true…what a joy and a privilege to be safe and sound at home with my husband and my kids tonight.
oh mama pea.. its too sad.. my dad died 3 weeks ago..ive been heartbroken..but today, thinking he died in his bed, in his sleep, next to his wife… i cant even imagine the pain of loosing a loved one in that situation, sons and daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters died today…my heart goes out to everyone who lost a loved one today…
Oh, hon. I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine your loss. I pray for your comfort.
For however much this counts, I love your hair. I had my hair almost that short at one point and loved the feeling of it. Note how I said the feeling, and not the look, because it looked horrible.
Also, you have the most adorable kids ever. Seriously.
Canadians can donate to the Red Cross too by texting REDCROSS to 30333. I’m pretty sure it gives $5, and you can do it up to six times every month.
Thank you, Stephanie, for all your kind words and also for adding the Canadian number!
A much needed reminder to be grateful for life….(and your hair looks fantastic – whoever did the cut AND color is obviously very talented!).
It’s my dear, dear friend Angela. Love her to pieces.
You’re more than your hair. This post is beautiful!
You are a beautiful person – inside and out.
Thank you.
Perfect post. I thought to do the same thing today- enjoy and be grateful for what I have. It also involved eating out broccoli+falafel. And your haircut really is cute and fresh although the alternate titles are hilarious.
I thought of another one…I look likeBruno: http://cutprintreview.com/wp-content/uploads/bruno011-240×350.jpg
This is such a beautiful post. A great reminder to love those you have.
And thank you for including The Salvation Army and Mercy Corps in addition to the Red Cross. So many great groups are doing work to help those in need.
yes… I did this today… I gave money as I gave thanks to my home, my family, my health…
your haircut story reminds me of a September many years ago… I quit my job on September 10, and went for drinks with my former “boss” as she cried, said she would leave and let ME stay if she could, yada yada… then I left and picked up my best friend from the PDX airport… she lived in NYC, you could see the Twin Towers out her condo window…
the next morning we woke up to the most horrific thing a New Yorker and an American could ever imagine… and I felt okay about quitting my job the night before.
perspective is everything, and hugs to loved ones are even more important.
…and? I LOVE your hair !!
So true. My job searching woes seem so petty right now. Grateful for my life! BTW your haircut is gorgeous! I wish I could pull off short hair.
Your hair looks wonderful! Thank you for sharing beauty in ALL your posts but this one especially. Praying right along side ya.
Thank you, hon. And thanks for reading.
Girl I LOVE that hair!! Sometimes it is hard to remember the most important things in life, thank you for the lovely reminder:)
You are welcome…thank YOU!
Love this post. So true. I felt the same way today. I woke up this morning to blowing snow and frigid temps (I live in Canada), after a teaser of warm weather for a week. So, I was grumpy and complaining to my husband about the weather. Then I turned on the news and saw the devastation happening in Japan and around the world and realized how silly I had been to waste time and energy complaining over a little SNOW!!!
I found myself cherishing every moment I got to hold my baby boy today and so thankful when my husband walked through the door this evening. Perspective is a crazy thing. It makes me sad that sometimes it takes watching tragedy happen to realize what is truly important.
PS I love the hair though! I think it looks very cute and modern.
You brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing YOUR perspective.
Your hair looks beautiful Sarah! I did the same thing today. I felt like the best way to show respect for those suffering was to truly appreciate what I have. I may not have much, but I have a beautiful family that I love and that loves me too. Enjoy your family time!
You too, Sarena. Your family is blessed to have you!
Glad you guys are doing well… your family was in my prayers seeing as you were so close to everything. This is a such a beautiful post thank you for reminding all of us about what really matters and for encouraging people to help.
Not that it matters because you are goregous on the inside… but your hair is stunning!
Oh yes, we are just fine…so many people called, texted or Tweeted! Thanks for your concern!
You are so right! We worry way too much about the trivial things that we end of forgetting all about a week later anyway. Your hair looks really good, i like it! Not everyone can rock short dos, I looked like an Asian boy for my first four years of life.
Time to appreciate more and help more. Have a great weekend!
By the way, cracked up at the names you came up with, LOL!!!
I bet you looked cute. Have a great weekend too!
I am so glad you spent time with your family, cherishing them, being with them. Because when it’s all said and done in life, it’s just our family and our loved ones that truly matter. And when disaster strikes, I always have such a profound urge to be with my husband and child, and just be together.
So glad that’s what you did.
And your hair…looks fantastic!
Thanks, Averie. Enjoy your weekend!
I LOVE your hair cut!! It looks absolutely wonderful!
Great post….I definately stopped complaining about the everlasting Alberta winter today. Although it is -30 in March, I felt lucky that all my loved ones are safe and sound and we have no worries in the world compared to those suffering in Japan, etc…
-30?! I won’t tell you that it’s in the high 80s in Phoenix right now…
You always have your priorities straight and you are such a caring, sensitive person. The devastation in Japan is unimaginable. I know it doesn’t seem important now, but your hair looks adorable. I will “grow” on Gigi.
Ha ha. That was the first thing she told me when she stopped crying, “It’ll grow, Mom!” Thanks a lot.
We took time this morning in my Bible study to pray for all the earthquake and tsunami victims and survivors. It really puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?
And, by the way, I LOVE your hair. Maybe that means I have a thing for Billy Ray Cyrus? Hmmm…
Oh yeah baby. I hear he’s single now.
What a beautiful post!
And I think your hair looks fabulous by the way.
I think your hair cut is cute and really brings out your eyes. I love Lulu’s dimples too. and Pea Daddy’s and Gigis, but Lulus hide sometimes.
Scary about the earthquake and tsunami. I worry for the older people and those who are less able to move around, and of course the animals they get abandoned or trapped. And everyone else too.
That’s the extra makeup I put on
But thank you, Aimee. I, too, was thinking about the animals. And those poor people trying to flag down the helicopter from the window of the house. Go pick them up already!!!
Love the hair!
My heart goes out to everyone involved in the earthquakes and tsunami. It is crazy. I still cannot believe it.
I really love it! You can pull off all those Beiber and Billy Ray descriptions because damn girl you can cook! It really does look great though, I love it! I am not so brave
Yeah, if Justin could cook? Total package!
Great post! I really love the hair, I have done that same sienna miller haircut! Really it looks fantastic!
Thanks!!!
Tragedy is a great reminder to be thankful for what we have. I know I spent all day saying thank you instead of noticing the negative.
On the note of your hair – I think it looks fabulous!! A great impulse decision.
What a beautiful post! You are such an amazing woman!
I like your hair like that!
Maybe you just need some adjustment time, I think it looks great
You look amazing…but of course what matters is if you like it…I can’t wait to see your futue posts where it grows on ou cause surely it will…it’s just too fabulous.
Also, I cannot believe her chopstick skills. Wow.
But finally, this was beautiful post and a beautiful day for you…of remembering what is important.
So well said, MP, and couldn’t be more timely as to what’s going on currently! Such a great reminder to all of us have it so darn well and are incredibly blessed
Love your new hair- due, super cute!
Such a beautiful post! It’s funny how the “big” things in our life are really so small in comparison!
Your haircut looks amazing! I’m thinking Victoria Beckham status (when she had her pixie cut!)
Love her style, so thank you!!!
I know you know this..but your beautiful. If you had shaved your head or added in clip on hair extensions or dyed it bleach blonde. The beauty of you…and your blog..and every woman…is that they are more than what is on the outside. Your hair, your curves, your humour are all part of who you are..what you show to your girls. I am glad that you went out and celebrated..rockin’ your new do. You look goregous and it had nothing to do with your hair.
You always know just what to say and just how to say it, Mich. You have no idea how inspiring you are.
LOVE YOUR HAIR! Such a sweet post. <3
Girlfran you know I get down with the short hair so you got nothing but big ups from me on the ‘do front. Speaking of which, these days I’m looking less Sienna Miller and more Rob Zombie. Probably time for an update.
More importantly, I think I had a similar moment today, when I was simultaneously juggling my own frustrating-as-it-is day job along with that of my on-vacation coworker all while playing phone tag with 2 doctors and an uncooperative insurance policy, when it hit me like a tsunami (too soon?). I would rather have a lifetime more of these kind of days than endure the suffering that results from disasters like an earthquake. I literally can’t imagine the devastation. I also can’t imagine how I’d be feeling if this were last year, when my parents still lived in Tokyo.
So. Message duly noted and taken to heart.
Rob Zombie? HOTT.
Wow, your parents lived there? I really pray that all of their friends and neighbors are okay.
And yes, too soon.
Ohhh mamapea…you are such a special lady! I love your hair, but you are beautiful no matter what! I used to have a posh spice haircut and loved it!! Oh, and I donated. So thank you for reminding me that looks…still aren’t everthing!
Good girl! Thank you!
Wonderful post!
PS: Your hair seriously looks awesome – wish I had the guts to cut mine short (I hide behind my long hair – not necessarily a good thing…).
It’s pretty liberating to not have anything to “fuss” with!
You are beautiful (inside and out) ((the haircut is different, but not bad!!))
Your hair is MAGNIFICENT. I kinda want to chop mine all off again to a similar length (except mine goes crazy crazy curly), but it takes so long to grow back that I’m too nervous to do it.
Thanks so much!!! My hair grows REALLY fast.
Hey I love the post! But I just wanted to say, I just did the exact same hair do! I wasn’t so sure about it either. I saw a little of my Bieber side coming out and it kind of scared me. But I guess its the in thing. I think it looks great! You’ll get used to it. And as it goes, in the big picture hair really doesn’t matter.
Yes! I’d love to see a pic of your cut, though
I recently did a similar thing with my hair. Its on your head, own it! It looks great and really suits you. Enjoy the money that comes with not having to buy shampoo as often and the time that comes with not having to spend an hour straightening!
Yes…definitely much quicker! I’m never afraid to switch things up. It’s just hair!
your hair looks great! it’s BETTER than before. you look much more chic. you have a really great jawline and the haircut actually shows it. short hair always takes a while to grow on you and to get used to styling. i think you should stick with it for a while. plus-having the courage to cut your hair short and liking it gives you the freedom to go short then go long and try a million styles along the way.
Thanks, Ashley, for the vote of confidence!
Oh! I love this post! And not just because your hair looks adorable and I would NEVER not a MILLION years have that kind of courage, but because you are so sweet and kind and because you asked where I was this morning just to make sure I was okay.
Thank you so much for that.
I am so glad I am safe, and so sorry for those that are not. I think we all know where are thoughts and prayers are needed most tonight.
Love you!
Erin
I actually like this hair better, Mama Pea!
Yay! Thanks!!!
Thank you for sharing the donation links, it is an important message to send. You make me laugh all the time and I really like your cut!
I love both the new hair and the beautiful post! Thank you for what you are doing for Japan and your prayers. I’m in the Marshall Islands (about 1/2 way between Japan & Hawaii) and it was a long sleepless night waiting to see if the tsunami was going to wipe us out or not (it didn’t, thank God!). What a poignant reminder of how precious life is and how relative our “troubles” are. Love your perspective and how you celebrate what’s most precious to you! And I really do like your hair! Blessings!
I didn’t sleep at all last night, I was so worried. I’m so glad you are safe. Thank you for your kind words!
I’m in Sydney Australia and after sadly watching Christ church NZ go thru their earthquake, my heart is broken watching another country suffer such losses. I’ve had to force myself to turn off the news and like you, I went to sleep worrying about the mornings outcome. Everybody donate, donate, donate.
Yes!!! We HAVE TO help. How can we not? It could so easily be any of us.
God give me the patience to let my future babies use chopsticks in public. I barely let Ben use ‘em. You are a better person than I am.
I have family in Hawaii so I was definitely an anxious bee this morning as everything unfolded! I am so happy Hawaii was spared but so sad about everything that happened and is still happening in Japan. They have a long road of recovery ahead of them and prayers are wonderful vessels of hope and optimism for that recovery.
I am happy your family is safe!
Mama pea, I hope you don’t feel uncomfortable reading this, but I think you look sex-ay! with that haircut! it’s very chic and I love it!
Nope, not uncomfortable at all…thanks!
I can hardly bare to watch the images coming out of Japan. I work in media and I know that I am going to be just overwhelmed with this in the next few days. Your post was a great reminder to focus on the things in life that matter and that I have some sort of control over. I don’t have children so tonight…I took my mom out for dinner. She was so tickled to just be invited out of the blue like that. It sure made her day and mine. Thanks for the reminder
And your hair looks great. =)
Thanks, Sarah. So thoughtful to think of your mom today.
I think your hair looks great! You are beautiful inside and out for sure.
I love your hair! You look great! On another note…a great post on a sad day.
Thank you for an uplifting and encouraging post MP~~
First off you are beautiful. The new hair lets your pretty face be the focus.
Second…Thank you for this post.
I follow many blogs and actually posted on my own how disappointed I was that most bloggers never took the time to mention Japan in today’s posts. I understand as food/healthy living blogs current events aren’t a main focus but when such a life changing world event occurs I think we all need to stop and reflect for a second, a minute, something. So again thank you for taking the time to care about others, the world and Japan in their time of need. You are an amazing woman and your daughters are lucky to have a mother like you!
I’d love to read your post and your blog…can you provide a link?
Thanks for the sweet words. I feel blessed to have all the gifts I do, including wonderful readers like you.
nice cut! you look nice!
I read daily (since lovin my tummy!) but rarely comment…
Just wanted to say that I love this post. It’s so true that watching these terrible events unfold makes us realise what is really important.
I woke up to heavy snow again this morning (I live in Edinburgh, Scotland) and normally I would be complaining and annoyed that the snow will make getting to work a pain and will mean that I may not get to see my boyfriend tonight (he lives 30 miles away) but after watching the devastation in Japan all I can think is ‘thank god we are safe. I won’t see him tonight, but I will see him again, and that’s a lot more than a lot of people in Japan can say right now’
I love your blog and your little girls mama pea! I’d love to send them a postcard from Scotland or something! I’m a final year law student and so is my boyfriend so you are a particular inspiration to me!
Ok I’ll stop rambling now… One last thing- I LOVE the hair
X x x x x
Thank you, Nicola, for your kind words and sharing your perspective! Two lawyers? You are in trouble!
Have a wonderful day…and I may take you up on that postcard offer. The girls would love it.
As tragedies like this keep happening and stopping people in their tracks, it makes you realize every single time how lucky we are to have what we do have and to stop looking at things we don’t have or we ‘aren’t.”.
You are so lucky to have the talent you have to put together words and to have such a wonderful, beautiful family who you love and who appreciate you so much. Not to mention your ‘extended’ family ,like me!
Your hair looks great-you could ‘wear a paper bag over your head’ and still look pretty though
<3 you!
mb
Ahh, Mary Beth. So sweet. And thanks again for your special concern yesterday. What a friend!
Think of how much hairspray you’ll save! Ha!
Great post – love your perspective.
I wondered if / when you guys go out to eat and how you handle that.
What I gain in hairspray, I lose in pomade and root lifter.
It is so sad what happened yesterday and it makes me realize how precious life is, I cant even look at the images on the internet from the disaster in Japan, and I think its wonderful you posted those links on how to donate : )
I told you this on twitter, the hair looks awesome, you look beautiful! I love it! I bet Pea Daddy does too ; )
Have a great day ! xoxo <3
Thanks, Katie. Hope you guys have a nice weekend!!!
I actually like the new hair!! Not everyone can pull that off, but you definitely have the features for it. “Delicate features,” as my grandmother would say
Thank you for acknowledging the tsunami. I feel like so many bloggers didn’t mention it, and although I know it’s hard to figure out what to say in a situation like this, just taking a moment to realize that there are bigger problems in the world than our own is so important!
Yes, Gabriela. I remember reading your mention as well. There is a much bigger world than the blogosphere.
So true Sarah, so true. Lovely post and by the way your hair looks great! Pretty lady. I am in the process of growing out a very short do, so when you need hair perspective, just let me know and I will send you real pics of a mom looking like Justin B!
Amen…exceptional post. And personally I think you look beautiful – I love your new ‘do.
My heart is breaking for all the people who are affected by this natural disaster. Thank you for making more aware of being able to donate to the red cross!
I hope many people donate! What’s $10?
I like your new haircut. I want to see it from the back too! I think you can rock the new style. It’s hot!
I totally remember the day my mom came home from the salon and her shoulder length hair was chopped off into the “mature” ladies haircut. I was very bummed.
There’s NOTHING in the back. Razors were used
It is very hard to blog normally during these times
Hotness in the first pic!
Totally agree, Kath. I mean about blogging normally…not the “hotness”
thanks for being the only blog in my reader to address this, and there’s a lot in there. i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again…you are a classy lady
(and you’re hair looks super cute)
Thank you, Julie. That means a lot to me.
This is such a good reminder. Sometimes it is sad how it takes something as tragic as this to remind all of us what is important! Very well written. And, your hair is adorable
I am praying along with you all. Thank you for the beautiful post.
on a hairy note… I LOVE THE HAIRCUT. I actually like it better than your previous style. You ROCK IT!!!
Thanks for the hairy note, Kerry!
I’m on team “Love the ‘Do.” Seriously. I had short, highlighted hair a couple of years ago and it did nooooootttttttt flatter me and my chipmunk cheeks. So this is an informed opinion. Yours rocks.
Oh no, are there teams organized now?
Great post, generous and true. Yes, thank’s for the class.
I love your hair!!! I had the same length as you (your longer hair) and then cut it to this length in the summer. Now I’m at full pixe and it rocks. You should go full pixie next.
It’s ok to blog normally. I come to your blog to read about food I’ll never cook and children I’ll never have. And you are funny. And now you have awesome hair.
I will blog “normally” soon…sometimes my blog just has to be for me too, and I have to be true to my heart. Have a wonderful weekend!
I like your hair! Its cute and spunky
I love your outlook. You’re absolutely right. Thank you for the reminder to not only be thankful for how blessed I am but pray for those not as fortunate.
Amen.
Nice post, it is really hard to watch all that is going on in Japan without sadness in the heart. My prayers are with those who most need right now.
Everything you said is so true, we are most blessed to have the opportunity to be in a happy and healthy state next to the ones we love. There is nothing better than this and certainly nothing that matters most, especially looks. Definitely enjoy your family, that’s what I am doing here in the east coast!
And I really like your hair, it is very well done, the cut, the color, it looks great on you! (plus shorter hair is so much easier to take care of, I wish I looked good with short hair, I have tried it, but it was a common agreement that it didn’t work for me – parents, husband, no one liked it… so long it is for me)
Hugs to you and your precious girls!
Ana
Thanks, Ana. Have a wonderful weekend with your family.
This was such a nice reminder that I need to appreciate the little things, well, all things, in life. And I LOVE your hair!! I think it’s always hard to adjust to a haircut for the first few days, but I think it looks adorable!
I loved this post
I am actually sitting on a sleeping bag in a hallway in Tokyo-Narita right now, munching on the ritz crackers and water an aid worker just handed me. We were flown into Tokyo by accident, since our connecting flight had already been canceled. There are so many people holed up in here & so many more without power or their homes or family. I am just sitting here watching the news & feeling sad for these losses and this devastation, but so blessed that we had not been flying here 12 hours earlier.
Oh my goodness, Errign. Saying so many prayers for you. May you be a comfort to those around you.
for what it’s worth, I love the haircut!
And it’s incredible how God reminds us of how small our problems or issues or what we THINK are issues are sometimes. I like when He gently pushes us to keep things in perspective – not our perspective, but His.
I somehow always tend to think He’s speaking directly to me with these messages too, when in actuality, it’s much bigger than me
I think you look lovely. Your new cut is so flattering, even though Gigi’s reaction made me laugh. She is such a drama queen!
More importantly, thank you for sharing your loveliness of heart. I feel ashamed at how easily I live my comfortable life oblivious to the pain and tragedy that fellow human beings are going through. Those people in Japan are created in God’s image just like I am and His heart grieves for them. I too want to be more deeply concerned about things that matter. Even though this devastation is on the other side of the world, I can pray. I can give. I can hold my family tighter and ask God to heal the hearts of empty arms.
Thank you for reminding me to readjust my perspective on what is really important. Beauty for ashes…
What beautiful words: God healing the hearts of empty arms. Thanks for your kindness.
Thank you for the donation phone numbers!!!
ps
You are one hot Justin Bieber!
Wow, this is such a sweet, heartfelt post. My prayers and thoughts haven’t stopped since yesterday. Your hair looks beautiful, by the way!
Beautiful post MP! I’m a little late to this thread, but woke up yesterday morning to a snow storm and being snowed in (I’m in NE Ohio). I started my day complaining that I couldn’t get to the gym (at 5am – I’m one of those people). Then I turned on the TV and immediately felt thankful for being snowed in w/ my family.
And, your hair? Totally amazing!!!!
Mina
Thanks, Mina. I think we all complained a little less today.
Mamma Pea, I love the hair!
I really like your hair!!
This tragedy should remind everyone just how precious life, it can be swept away in a flash. Thank you for this post.
You are welcome. Thank you for reading.
Mama Pea, you LOOK amazing on the outside, and you ARE amazing on the inside. You are an inspiration to so many people.
I’m convinced you can rock any hairstyle
Your looks are one thing, but your sense of humor, the way you treat your children, and the love you have for your loved ones and what you do makes it impossible for you to be anything but gorgeous.
It’s funny how life works. We wake up day in and day out thinking about the same problems in our life – we can’t find a job, we can’t get that promotion, we failed that test, we don’t like how we look, we don’t like this about us or that about us, what will others think about us?, what will other say about us? – and then something like the crisis in Japan happens and our problems which seemed to unsurmountable before suddenly seem so insignificant. We are alive; we are safe; and we are loved, and that becomes enough for us to count our blessings.
I just hope that when life goes back to “normal” (not for those directly impacted, of course), we can think back to days like yesterday and today, and realize that whatever we’re going through is not THAT bad…whatever problem we’re facing, we will get through it so long as we have tomorrow.
I wanted to say thank you for using your platform to spread awareness and encouraging people to donate.
Much love to you Mama Pea!
What a thoughtful and kind comment. Thank you so much, Amy. Definitely counting you among my blessings.
You are beautiful through and through – thanks for this post. I LOVE your hair – it looks great!!
Thanks…it looks like yours!
thank you for re-directing perspective. i love it
and we are so lucky! god bless everyone affected by the tragedy.
and i’m sorry, but i LOVE YOUR CUT! i think its looks so chic and HOT. get it girl!
You are beautiful. Love the hair. Love YOU. XO
I think your hair looks really great. It may just take some getting used to. I cut mine yesterday too (pics to follow), and, even though I also bought a new purse, my heart was heavy. We have a lot going on, but nothing compares to that devastation. We’ve been watching the news with our jaws dropped. There are no words. (Thanks for the alternatives to The Red Cross. I’m not sure they have my total confidence anymore though I know they try.)
Can’t wait to see it, Tiff!
Sarah! I Love your hair! I think it makes you look younger. It’s just adorable and I love your posts. Thanks for all of the giggles!
I’ll take younger any day! Thank you!
The disaster in Japan sure puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? It’s so easy to get wrapped up in what we think is a problem when in reality it is just a blip on the screen. Thanks for reminding us to look at the big picture.
Oh, I LOVE your hair!
Thanks, Kelly!
touching post!
I agree! But to be completely honest…I LOVE your hair.. I like it better short than I did long! Beautiful either way – but it’s GORGEOUS!! 
Thank you!
what a beautiful post – I love it!
You hair looks freaking fabulous! I love it! But this post made me think too because I think we all get caught up in the small petty things (my legs are too big, I hate this outfit, gas prices are too high, my hair cut isn’t right, etc…) and then when something happens like the tragedy in Japan it makes you remember how stupid and petty all that crap is. Those poor innocent people have much bigger problems than ” do these jeans make my butt look fat” and you know what…they would give anything to have that be there only concern. Great post!!!
Well said. A good reminder for us all…thank you.
I think you look absolutely stunning. I love the short hair on you! I am secretly super jealous. My hair just mushrooms when it’s shorter and looks poufy. You look great.
Ok I’ll stop flirting with you, now.
Awww, thanks. What are you doing tonight?
I love your new haircut! My thoughts are with everyone in Japan.
Love the new haircut!
Your hair looks adorable! Not having to spend so much time on it is a bonus! I cut my hair super short several years ago and my then 3 yr old son cried, which I found odd at the time. But he’s fine now, and my hair is long again…but I WILL cut it off again someday! It’s so freeing!! Thanks for the post!
I’m praying with you. Thanks for providing the links for donating. And for what it’s worth, I think your hair looks great. You can totally pull it off.
Your hair looks beautiful – perfect for the Spring.
I love your new haircut.. you are SO beautiful!!!!
It is such a tragedy what happened in Japan, it breaks my heart. It’s unfortunate it takes disasters such as these for people to realize how short and precious life really is (I am in NO way directing that directly at you by any means!!!!). It’s just so sad…..
But on a high note, thanks for a great post and making us smile
Great post and I love the haircut! Thanks for sharing the numbers to help those in the terrible tragedy in Japan. Every little bit counts.
Mama Pea your hair looks awesome!!! As a fellow shortie hair gal I think you’ll be pretty pumped when it takes no time to get ready in the morning
Such a great post, and honestly your hair looks beautiful!
I LOVE YOUR HAIR!! it’s sassy and fun and chic!!!
Such a touching post… (Peas and) thank you for that post
*** by the way, your hair looks great!
I totally get what you’re saying and thanks for the great post. However, your hair still looks amazing and I love it.
Thank you, thank you!!!
You look amazing! WOW I love it!
Thank you for the post. My brother is in Japan (he is doing fine, THANKFULLY!!), and your post sums up how I felt yesterday. I let go of the “to do” list and and just took my little boy outside to play. And I hugged him quite a bit as well. It’s too bad that it sometimes take a tragedy for us to realize what we have.
So glad to hear your brother is okay and that you were able to let go.
I think your hair looks super cute and I completely understand how you feel. When I first lopped all of mine off I think I cried, thought my husband would never find me attractive again and felt embarrassed to go out in public. Then I got over it. It’s just hair and it can grow. Then I cut it more … (I thought that would make me like it more. That it didn’t turn out as planned the first time so–let’s cut it more. Such a badddd idea! I won’t do that again, nothing shorter than a bob, please!) Anyway, now I’m growing it out again. It’s hair. It’s an experiment. But seriously, it may be different, but you look bea-u-ti-ful!
At first I thought you said my husband looks super cute. Very true. Anyway, thank you so much. Yes, always an experiment!
Great haircut, and I loved the shot of Venti’s! I totally ended up getting the gift card for my cousin’s wedding to Venti’s. Thank you for the advice–I know they’ll love it!
Hope they do, Jess!
Hi Mama Pea –
Started reading your blog a few weeks ago – first of all – LOVE IT! What a beautiful family you have. Had to comment on this post because it was just awesome. Found myself getting ready to go out tonight, complaining I didn’t look good and my clothes looked awful, made me look fat, yada, yada, yada, what any 22 year old girl says – Then I stopped and wanted to slap myself. You said it perfectly. Continuing to pray…Your awesome mama pea.
Best
Kate
Thanks for saying hello, Kate. You sound pretty smart for 22.
Take good care and thanks for reading!
I think the hair looks great, and such a great post to help out the people in such dire need right now. i was a wreck a day ago because we still hadn’t heard from my uncle almost a day and a half after the quake, but he’s safe! we found out he was on a train that got stuck in a tunnel so they had to hike out to the nearest time. whew!
Oh my gosh, thank the Lord he’s okay!
you look beautiful. There are only a handful of woman I think looks good with short hair, you make the cut (no pun intended).
Survival guilt is a weird thing. I did nothing but feel crapy all day. I’m glad to see you did better, and made something productive out of it.
My heart really goes out to everyone in Japan, especially with the continuation of bad things that keep happening to them. It’s really a reminder to stop and think about your place in the world. I will definitely keep praying for them.
P.S. I think your hair looks super cute (but maybe you could have taken some of the hair you got cut off and sold it online like Justing Beiber…just a little side income, haha).
I should have thought of that! I could have put it in my Amazon store!
1. I like the hair!
2. Livi has a Dough too! But the bigger one – he talks! I needed to get myself talking Perry, so…
3. I needed those donation links a few days ago! Already made a Red Cross donation.
4. Japan <3
What’s a Dough?
This post was beautiful (as is your new hair cut)! It was a wonderful reminder of how blessed we are, and how grateful we should be. Thanks!
Your hair looks so good! I am jealous of how well you pull of short hair, and the color looks great too.
Thank you!!!
GORGEOUS as always!!! And beautiful message.
Thanks, Liz!
Love your new haircut!! I cut my hair off half a year ago – and it really is a very tough thing to do!! You can’t just go back … but you’ve got a face that goes beautifully with short hair!! Can’t wait to see more pictures!
I have been sending prayers by the bucket load to all touched by the disaster. And seriously woman… your hair looks effing AMAZING. Justin Bieber my ass.
Thanks, sister.
Your hair looks absolutely gorgeous! You really look great with short hair!
thanks for the reminder that the big picture is far more important mama pea
ps your hair is cute! truly!! i bet its a million times easier too…goodbye helmet head, hello ozone layer!
Thank you for those links; it’s appalling what’s happened and I’ll donate straight away.
Lovely post and I think your hair looks gorgeous; that’s a beautiful picture of Gigi too; she looks so like you in the haircut picture
I love your new haircut, thanks for posting the donations
Justin Bieber, my right foot. Sultry! It goes along with Pea Daddy’s previous “McSteamy.” And I lurve Lulu working those chopsticks. Wowie.
Ha ha, thanks Kristen!
Lovely post (and it may be inappropriate, but lovely hair – I have a similar cut).
Thanks
I love the new haircut! And so know what you mean about how quickly things/worries can turn trivial. My husband and I received some very big news this weekend, and in that one little moment everything that I ever worried about before seemed so little and unnecessary.
Thanks so much. I hope everything is okay
I had the same reaction with my family. Especially since I know people who are living in Japan right now. Thankfully, they’re all ok!
And PS, I really like your hair!
Your hair looks great by the way. (I remember crying once when I was younger and my mom changed her hair. In retrospect it wasn’t ugly, just unexpected to a little kid) Awesome post. I’m with you a hundred percent. Texting Red Cross now.
Im a little late catching up on your blog posts. But I just had to say your hair looks AMAZING! You look so much younger!
Really? Thanks! I kind of think I look like my grandma