Pinterest. site of yummy visual goodness. A virtual bulletin board of my favorites. It has sucked me in the past couple of weeks and believe me, I tried to resist. With building a new house, it has been fantastic to pull up pictures on my iphone for the contractor. Go here to link to my pins. Go here to request an invite from Pinterest. Enjoy but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Blog sites. Visually appealing, authentic, and positive. Those are my requirements. I am inspired by sites on parenting, storytelling, fashion, design, cooking, travel, and well who am I kidding- anything. My favorites this week are Ali, Gabrielle, Joy, and Annie.

Photography and journaling. Boy do I learn a lot from my kids. I love to celebrate with their accomplishments, hold them and encourage them after missteps, and take pictures and journal about them along the way. My camera and journal just offer me additional perspective. They always bring me joy and a sense of feeling blessed. Five minutes looking through pictures on my computer turns my self pity into contentment. Three blog sites related to this that I have enjoyed the last month are Marta, Becky, and Tara.

Cookbooks. Yummy food, glorious pictures, and the best have stories. I recall many great stories and memories associated with great food and family and friends. Feeling inspired this week as I have fallen asleep reading the stories of Ree, David, and Angie.

Magazines. I think I am going to start subscribing to magazines more because I just love them. Despite the digital options for magazines and books there is something about curling up with a great source of visual inspiration. My latest favorites are Anthology, Fast Company, and The Nest.

Running shoes and my nightstand. As a mom of four I am often strapped for just me time. So when I take the time to run or grab a book off of my nightstand, I often finish or fall asleep feeling inspired. Currently on my nightstand are The Gift of an Ordinary Day(Katrina Kenison) and How to be an Explorer of the World (Keri Smith).

Swimming pool. My Emily swims year round at Phoenix Swim Club. I was a swimmer as a child and spent countless hours training before and after school for many years. There is just something about watching her swim and being back in the environment that is inspiring and providing much needed comfort.

Way too wordy today but feeling inspired. What inspires you?