Good things – Superhero Life With Andrea Scher

Category Archives: Good things

May 24th, 2013

On my bookshelf

It’s a good sign when you are only 17 pages into a book and you think, this might be my favorite book ever. That’s how I’ve been feeling about Glennon Doyle Melton’s beautiful memoir, Carry On, Warrior: Thoughts on Life Unarmed. It will make you laugh + give you courage all at the same time. How have I not been reading her blog all these years?

I’m also juggling 5 other books. That’s how I roll:

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber

A Field Guide to Now by Christina Rosalie

My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge, and Belonging by Rachel Naomi Remen is always on my nightstand.

What books are you loving these days?

Posted in Good things, Inspiration | Comments (3)

May 17th, 2013

An Open Letter to Moms from Kid President

Holy moly. Best thing EVER. I’m in love with Kid President.

Posted in Good things, Inspiration, Parenting | Comments (3)

May 13th, 2013

On getting more help thank you think you deserve*

I was honored to participate in the Mother’s Day Rally for Mental Health on Katherine Stone’s blog (Postpartum Progress) this year. Katherine posted letters to new moms from 24 writers who have gone through postpartum depression or anxiety. Each letter is so moving + powerful… and a must-read for your mama friends out there. So many of us don’t realize what we’re going through until we’re on the other side. We don’t get the support we need because we think we don’t deserve it, or that it’s not that bad, or we’re too ashamed…

These letters bust through all of that and share the real deal. So proud to be a part of it. Share it with the moms in your life. My piece is getting more help thank you think you deserve.

Posted in Courage, Good things, Inspiration, Parenting | Comments (6)

May 10th, 2013

A Love List: What your mama really wants for Mother’s Day

Laurie listening to Ellen

I went to a birthday party for a dear friend recently. Since Laurie had been going through some major transitions this year, we wanted to gift her something really special and from the heart. Sherry suggested we all make her a “Love list.”

A Love list is pretty simple.

1. Write down 10 things you love about this person.
2. Tell them what you admire about them, what you appreciate, why they inspire you.
3. Read it to them in person, over the phone, or put a stamp on it and send it off with love.

As I wrote my love list for Laurie, I was filled with gratitude. There was so much to love about her! and I felt so lucky to be counted as one of her dear ones.

She didn’t know we wrote these lists. We surprised her by reading them out loud, one by one after dinner, and watched the tears fall from her cheeks. She received each gift so beautifully… and we were all a puddle by the end. It was a gift to all of us.

Lara and Sherry and Laurie

Laurie and Lara

Me reading to Laurie

Me and Laurie

Have you ever given a love list? Have you ever received one? What was it like?

Posted in Courage, Good things, Inspiration | Comments (34)

May 9th, 2013

The marvelous world of Anado McLauchlin

Rainbow buddhas, in Anado’s gorgeous studio, San Miguel Allende, Mexico

Have you ever wondered who is responsible for the gorgeous rainbow colored buddhas on my home page? They were created by the phenomenally talented Anado McLauchlin in San Miguel de Allende.

You might remember I was there last January for a painting retreat with Flora Bowley. The colors in San Miguel are the most spectacular I’ve ever seen – mustard walls with peeling paint, green taxis and pink churches, orange houses against bright blue skys. My color obsession was finally satisfied. But we had the chance to take it to another level when the leader of our trip suggested we visit a talented expat artist whose home was made entirely of mosaics. Now we’re talking! I thought.

Anado and Rebecca, San Miguel de Allende

Anado’s shoes, San Miguel de Allende

Of course he had me at hello. A creative wizard of a man with a long beard and pink tennis shoes greeted us. His house was nothing short of miraculous. Here are some peeks into his colorful world. May they inspire you! And if you ever find yourself in San Miguel, I hope you get to see his work firsthand.

Thank you Anado! For sharing your colorful vision and your home!

Posted in Adventures, Good things, Inspiration | Comments (6)

May 6th, 2013

Celebrating Myriam

You might remember a ritual I did with a few friends last year. We gathered feathers and let them go. For Myriam, pictured above, it was a long infertility journey on her heart – a lot to let go of – but we all felt so much hope as we gathered again on the sand. We knew that baby was on its way.

I visited Myriam last week in southern california and it was my total delight and joy to photograph her, her husband and that gorgeous belly on the beach in Laguna. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Myriam more beautiful, and that’s saying a lot.

I just wanted to share these photos today, to celebrate Myriam and also to celebrate how life can surprise us again and again.

Posted in Courage, Good things, Photography | Comments (9)

May 1st, 2013

The catch is love.

We planted a kiss this weekend! In honor of Plant a Kiss day! and Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s book by the same name. (You might remember we planted kisses last year as well)

My friend Lara and I got our kiddos together for brunch + a major lemon squeezing session.

At some point Nico got his hands on the garden hose outside. As you can see below, I took this photo from the safety of the inside of the house.

The kiddos then made a big sign that advertised free lemonade for Plant a Kiss day.

We set up shop and began giving away cups of free lemonade. Our first customer was Ben + Roan’s preschool teacher. She was so proud!

Turns out giving something away for free is disarming for folks. Many people tried not to look our way and when we would ask, Would you like some free lemonade? They wondered what the catch was. “The catch is love!” Roan exclaimed. So yeah, couldn’t have said it better myself. The catch is love!

You can read the rest of the Plant a Kiss Day blog posts by clicking here.

Posted in Good things, Inspiration | Comments (7)

April 19th, 2013

We amplify our joy when we share it with others.

Me, running to the water, Stinson Beach, CA

Me/Andrea in the water at Stinson Beach, photo by John Nieto

Me jumping at Stinson Beach, photo by John Nieto

I’ve been craving the ocean for days, feeling melancholy and drained. For me, the best and only antidote is the ocean. I’m a California girl through and through, born in Los Angeles and grew up in Santa Cruz. The ocean is in my bones and has been my constant companion (and healer) for as long as I can remember. There is nothing on earth that rearranges me like walking for hours in the sand, feeling the water lap at my feet.

Yesterday, when I saw the forecast was 80 degrees, it occurred to me that I work for myself! And that I could make the hour drive to the beach just like that. No need to ask permission. (I sometimes forget this) I collected my dear, old friend John and off we went.

Rock we found at the beach with a face

We walked barefoot and took photos. We combed the beach for seaglass and beautiful rocks. We found one with a remarkable face! and John told me about a time when he was at Ocean Beach and found dozens of baby sand dollars, all perfect and unbroken, strewn all over the sand. The image enchanted me and I silently wished for tiny sand dollars to appear. Within minutes, I found the tiniest sand dollar imaginable. It was the size of my fingernail! Then I found another and another… they were everywhere.

As we walked back, I did a ritual. I wrote the names of all the people in my life who need healing right now. (There are a lot of them) I sent each of them blessings and asked the ocean to help…

Baby sand dollar

Amplifying our joy

We can amplify our positive emotions by sharing them – our gratitude, our joy and our well-being. My joy was amplified by sharing it with John yesterday. My gratitude + well-being were amplified by the simple ritual of sending love + healing prayers out to friends. We can amplify our appreciation by having a gratitude buddy and sharing lists each day.

This morning, when I told one of the other moms at the bus stop that I played hooky and went to Stinson beach, her eyes got big. “That is so inspiring!” she beamed. As I shared more about our day, she got more and more excited. “Thank you for sharing that,” she told me. “You are encouraging me to do this for myself this week!” I walked away smiling, my own joy amplified…

And so I share this with you as well. A reminder to do something healing for yourself, something that makes you come alive this weekend. Share it and watch it ripple out to everyone you touch.

The amazing John Nieto, Stinson Beach, CA

John Nieto jumping, Stinson Beach

Posted in Adventures, Good things, Inspiration | Comments (18)

April 17th, 2013

These days, when I’m feeling low, those gratitude lists are saving my ass.

It’s been a doozy of a week. Personal trials over here as well as really hard stuff going on in the world. (Sending you love, Boston) These are the moments when I feel the least amount of inspiration to share a gratitude list. Thank goodness for my gratitude buddy and for this blog where I can remember how very blessed I am.

This is my gratitude list in pictures.

Feel free to leave your own list in the comments. Or, if you haven’t been matched up with a buddy, shoot me an email and I can make that happen for you! (superherosf@gmail.com) I am thoroughly enjoying this public service.

Celebrating Auntie Brig’s birthday with the boys. So grateful for dear friends.

Good graffiti that lifts your spirits. Oh, and red boots that photograph well.

The love between these boys. The love I have for these boys.

Don’t you love the Trader Joe’s stickers in the hair?

The perfect fortune that gets you through a hard time.

Nico Boon. What else is there to say?

Posted in Courage, Good things, Inspiration | Comments (10)

April 8th, 2013

Total love affair with California.

Ben at Asilomar beach

Matt + Nico on the boardwalk, Asilomar

Nico laughing with Matt, Asilomar State Beach

Nico + Ben in the sand

Windy Nico, Asilomar State Beach

Selfie on the way to Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, CA

The Big Sur coastline is ridiculously beautiful, Big Sur, CA

White sand beach in Carmel, CA

Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, CA

Nico and his muffin, Pacific Grove, CA

Kickin it with Dora at the hotel room, Asilomar conference center

King of the mountain, Asilomar State Beach

My feet in the sand, Asilomar

Me and one of my favorite dudes, Asilomar State Beach

Jellies at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, I know, I know. That one looks phallic.

Ben looks good in blue.

Beautiful light in the ice cream shop, Carmel, CA

Pooped.

I’m a California girl.

I grew up near Santa Cruz and since my parents owned a retail store in Carmel, I spent many a weekend wandering in and out of the boutiques and rolling down the white sand hills of Carmel beach. My sister and I used to pretend we were elevator operators at the old I. Magnin department store and gather tips that we would later spend on candy and toys around town.

I haven’t been back in many years but this time I saw this part of California with brand new, grown-up eyes. It is amazing. The beauty of the Big Sur coastline is almost hard to wrap your head around… the wild coast, the big rocks, the turquoise water. Crazy beautiful.

For any of you looking for a gorgeous little family adventure, I highly recommend the little 3- day tour we did:

Thursday: Stayed at Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove and played at Asilomar State Beach.
Friday: Monterey Bay Aquarium, Big Sur, Pfeiffer Beach, back to Pacific Grove
Saturday: Drove to Santa Cruz and played with friends and went to the tide pools at Pleasure Point
Sunday: Home

Highlights of our trip: Seeing the jellies, the white sand beach of Carmel, every beach we went to, watching movies in the hotel room, seeing old friends in Santa Cruz

Low point: Nico climbing up onto the desk of our hotel room and pooping (+ peeing) on Matt’s laptop.

All in all it was an awesome vacation. I completely fell in love with California again. Such a beautiful place to live!

Posted in Adventures, Good things | Comments (18)