From Zahra

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas


First off Congrats to the Ann Taylor bracelet giveaway winner! Thanks  everyone who entered! 

AND THE WINNER IS…

Entry #315Deanna

I’m mailing out the bracelet this week, so be on the look out!

So today at work I was tasked with manning the front desk while our Admin team went out to lunch for Administrative Professionals Day. I couldn’t get a ton of work done since I wasn’t at my computer and I was constantly getting distracted by incoming phone calls. I took the time to perfect my cheery welcoming greeting voice, and I was planning on playing the gate keeper hard-core. Since my job is in sales, I’m usually the one on the other side of the phone so I thought it would be kind of fun to see how the other side feels and be a total jerk. Ultimately I related to the salesperson way too much and didn’t do any of that, plus I’m just too nice to actually be mean to people anyway. 

On that note, I haven’t always been such a nice girl, I mean I wasn’t a ‘mean girl’ but I had my moments. I think the turning point for me was having my baby Adam. Every time I look at his innocent little face, I think of everyone a little like that. We all start out happy, sweet, and loving – and then life happens, and kids can be so mean, and those kids who are treated badly sometimes treat others badly to compensate. Its such a vicious cycle.  Girls in particular can be so cruel and sometimes that doesn’t actually go away even when they grow up. So I try to think of all people as happy babies, who just want to laugh and smile and be loved-  basically I try to treat everyone how I want people to treat my baby. 

But back to my point, today I had a lot of time – two and a half hours to be exact- to really sit and think a bit. At first I wasted some time and surfed the web and liked a bunch of instagram pictures, but when I got bored of that I just kind of sat there and thought. I thought what I really wanted for Mother’s day was more time to do that – just THINK. I can’t remember the last book I read for pleasure, and I adore reading novels. I also haven’t written in a journal in years – and I miss the therapeutic benefits I used to get from writing just for me.  I haven’t had time in years to just lay in my bed and let an entire song play from beginning to end – with headphones in my ears so I can really hear the nuances in the music and vocals. So that’s what I suggest you get your mom/wife/baby momma for Mother’s Day. Some peace and quiet time for herself.

But if you need to get SOMETHING tangible, here are some more suggestions: 

(Oh and Tom, if you are reading, I personally want every single one of these things…)


Follow Me! @zahra_sandberg

Instagram

Last week we took a quick trip to escape the snow for some sunshine in Key Largo, Florida☀️ We spent every moment possible outside, Tom and Adam got their Scuba Diver PADI certification (yay!) while Sophia and I spent our days either swimming or drawing marine life and landscapes. This was my first trip after my sister passed last November, and even though I look so happy here, there were so many moments I felt the grief and sadness, as if it happened just yesterday. I am still figuring out how I want to show up in this space, as I have changed so much as a person since the loss. I just don’t feel called to post some of the things I shared before. Maybe that will change someday, or maybe it will just naturally evolve into something new. I think I will take this year to just process it all. (Even the idea of taking an entire year to think through something is a huge shift for my usually hyperactive type A personality) My focus at the moment is just living in the moment with my family and friends, spending time doing things that make me happy and healthy. I hope to share some of that journey here with you ~ thanks for following along ❤️
I had planned to shoot this outfit in collaboration with @lenacoutureofficial right before my dear sister passed away. Saba, the designer, was more than understanding if I didn’t want to anymore - but after thinking on it for a while I decided I wanted to - in my sister’s honor 💗 She was always my biggest hype woman. When i would feel like I’m not good enough or that I should quit (which was often) she would tell me I was unique and great and to keep it up. When I think of my sister, beauty and love is all that she embodied in her being. She expressed that on the outside also - as she loved to wear everything glam, bright & colorful, and full of bling. Hair done, nails done, everything did - that was Nusrat. For this shoot I took the time to get glam after a long hiatus - and makeup and hair took so long because I think I forgot how to do it, but afterwards I was surprised how I felt transformed. When I wore this gorgeous outfit that I know was designed with such love and incredible attention to detail by @lenacoutureofficial, I felt all of that beauty - like a walking piece of art, and very much at peace. Thank you so much to @divmophoto for capturing the feeling so well 💕
Ski weekend with my favorites ❄️❄️ So proud of Sophia for skiing on her own for the first time!
There are some trees with seeds that only grow after a fire. Their seeds are completely sealed with a resin that have to be physically melted off by a great fire in order to propagate. So to do we as humans, gain wisdom only after great pain and suffering.*
A month ago (and one day) I lost my sister and best friend to cancer. I am still completely gutted and broken. But, I’m also so so grateful to have had felt the love that now brings me so much heartbreak. ❤️ I am so inspired by her - and I will forever live my life to honor her memory. Miss you sis ❤️
Classic outfit combo: oversized blazer + denim 🖤fendi mules @shoeslutz
Just a mom who loves mums 🌸 🪴
Cozy for a coffee date ☕️
French. Toast. Egg. Bake. Save this recipe for a weekend or holiday brunch - it’s SO good and fool-proof! I’m not even a sweet person and I love it. The pecans are a non-negotiable IMO - I get honey bourbon vanilla pecans for this and it is just heavenly. Enjoy!