40. Such a big number! I’ve always thought I would do something “big” for this milestone like travel to an exotic destination, or buy a nice car, maybe get a graduate degree. But I’ve already been to many countries – some more exotic than others, love my trusty Honda Civic (15 years and counting!), and have a career that I like – at least most days. But God had other plans for me. He gave me more than I could ever ask for – miracle baby Imogen. I am grateful for everything I have and everyone in my life especially my family. My cup is overflowing 🙂
We kept things simple as far as celebrations go. I got a massage on Saturday, went to church on Sunday, then lunch at Baker and Spice. I didn’t make a cake but instead got a Pumpkin cake from Decadent Creations. I really wanted the Salty Dog Cake but they were out that day. Francis and Marie sent us these beautiful matching skirts made be Le Pepin. It was so much fun to dress up together 🙂
For a while I was getting less sleep because we were on a “Breaking Bad” marathon. On weekends and sometimes weekdays, we would watch up to 4 episodes in one sitting. We enjoyed watching it even though it was quite violent. The writing was brilliant and the actors were outstanding.
Immy turned 4 months old on Oct 21st. She has grown very interactive especially in the morning. She wakes up and talks to herself in her crib until I pick her up. On weekends, we chat for a little while then I feed her. I still nurse her once or twice a day when she wants to. It is our mother and child bonding time. She is a good sleeper and continues to sleep through the night, sometimes up to 9 hours. Marcel and I have established a pretty good routine.
As I turn 40, I look forward to new opportunities. Life is full of changes and maybe it is time for me to get out of my comfort zone. I have been in the same job for the last 7 years. While I like the work, my priorities have shifted since Immy was born. How appropriate that in 2015, the facility I work in will be closing and I was blessed to be one of the affected employees. I would love to work from home while watching Immy. As I told Katie – my intern last summer, “the world is your oyster” I see myself in the same boat. I am excited about the future and what it holds for our newly – expanded family.
Creative Designer Marie
This post was taken from the Pacific Northern website with permission from Marie who was featured on their blog. Marie is my lovely sister-in-law, wife of my youngest brother Francis.
PN Designer Feature: Creative Designer Marie Mangona
Creative Designer Marie Mangona knew from an early age that art was her destiny. When it was time for her to choose a major in school, she was torn between graphic design, interior design, and industrial design. In the end, she chose industrial design because she was fascinated by how “you start from nothing.”
After graduating from college in the Philippines, Marie moved to the United States, where she eventually joined Pacific Northern as a mechanical designer. When there was an opening for a creative design position, she got a chance to use her creativity as well as technical skills to bring large-scale projects to life. Her favorite part of a new project is understanding her clients’ brand identity, and she loves getting to know clients she’s never worked with before. Her favorite projects are those with a strong theme because she can use her creativity to make her client’s unique vision a reality. She also loves working on projects for children’s products, and she has a reputation for being the go-to designer for cute things.
While her work revolves around industrial design, Marie has found ways to express her passion for graphic design and interior design in her life outside PN. She regularly does graphic design work for her church, and she loves using her interior design skills to make her home special and inviting.
Marie describes her style as playful and whimsical, though she also loves nature and using natural elements within a refined aesthetic. She’s a DIY enthusiast and enjoys making new things with a variety of materials and techniques. Some of her favorite materials are wood, cork, canvas, burlap, shells, stones, and leaves- anything with interesting patterns and textures.
Marie loves to know the story behind a design or piece of artwork, and understanding how it was inspired and created gives her a deeper appreciation for it. Above all, though, Marie draws inspiration from her faith. “When I look around me and see everything that God created, I am humbled,” she says. “It makes me want to create too, even though I know what I’m making is so small compared to what He has made.”
She also has a passion for going to coffee houses, and she’s “obsessed” with hot air balloons, pottery, and terrariums. She and her husband enjoy going to estate sales, hiking, biking, and spending time outdoors.
Filed under: Art, Family, Fitness, Foodie, Travel, Web | Tagged art, crafts, creative, diy, marie |