A Baja-Style “Welcome Home”

We are back in Baja, where we lived for 9 months through June of last year. I am walking out to the beach for the first time since our arrival. My daughter, who I am pushing in a BOB stroller along the dirt road, drifts into her midday nap. As we arrive at the sand,…

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Between Worlds: On Waiting to Become a Mother to Two

The nearly-full November moon rises from behind the mountains on Tahoe’s east shore.  I’ve watched the skies over the past months, as each wax and wane marked an opening, a welcoming, a greater preparedness for the coming of our son. I lay on my left side, one pillow tucked under my head, another between my…

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I Choose Sobriety | 1 Year

“Mama! Ma—-maaaaa!!” Lily exclaims as she crawls over to me in the dark, steadying her small, soft hands on my cheeks and nose. Before I try to open my eyes, the thought, “It’s too early for this,” runs through my mind. I take a deep breath and look over at my daughter’s bright eyes that…

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WOW: Saying Goodbye to Early Motherhood

I stand at the kitchen counter pulling cilantro leaves one-by-one from their stems.  I rarely put this much attention into prepping guacamole. Pluck.  Gently place.  Pluck.  And, place. The gathering of delicate greens grows into a soft, fluffy hill. I look through the open arch between the kitchen counter and living room to watch my…

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WOW: “Mama, Mano”

As mandarin light climbs up and over shadowy peaks in the distance, rays of canary and maize outstretch like arms reaching skyward as the sun takes its first yawn of the morning. I breathe in a salted dewy mist as my daughter’s voice breaks the bird songs in the breeze. “Mama, mano,” she says. I…

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WOW: Psychedelic Waves

Hues of strawberry, orange creamsicle and lavender swirl against varying shades of silver and grey to create a psychedelic glass over the open ocean. I drop the longboard from under my right arm so that it floats beneath my fingertips as I wade out into the water. Large seabirds fly through the sky, and a…

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Fear & Surfing: Part 3 – Love Wins!

stephanie armstrong | life coach

“Have the courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.” – Maya Angelou I have come to know this surf spot well over the past few months. As the dirt road slopes down towards the beach, I can pretty quickly tell what the conditions are going to be like. Today, as…

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Bali & Sumba, Indonesia: 6 Week Itinerary #journeyoftheheart2015

I Choose Love Bali | Stephanie Armstrong

Going to Bali or thinking of traveling there?  I recently returned from a 6 week trip to Bali and Sumba in Indonesia.  Half of the trip I traveled solo, and the other half split between time with a dear friend and my husband. Here are my notes and suggestions for anyone who might find them…

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100 Sober Days

On April 22nd, my husband, a friend, and I took on the challenge of not drinking for 100 days that ended with July 31st’s blue moon. Here are 10 things that came to light: 1.  It was easy and enjoyable! 2.  There is a huge opening in the market for a non-alcoholic drink to complement…

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Alaska: Tatshenshini & Alsek River Adventure

Dave and I just returned from a truly memorable trip to Alaska rafting the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers over 8 days.  Dave has been into rafting since his late teens, and I am very grateful that he’s followed this passion so far to be skillful enough to take the two of us on adventures like this…

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