If the early bird catches the proverbial worm, I want to be the first one up. It became my standard way before kids, and now it stuck. See the 10 ways it helps me to wake up early and my 5 tactics to getting up that early.
Time to Get Back to Basics
It’s been a lifetime… Well, actually, it’s been 3-years since I have really mustered the courage to change my pattern.
Kurt and I made a decision to go back to basics. It’s amazing how far off track we’ve gotten and it is time for a change. Kurt and I started Ra’Co in 2012 – can you believe it? It’s been nearly 7 years since we wrote our first post.
Iza Ruby is really hitting the ground running. She is such an indvidual at 5,…
We are non-conformists, so this is going to look a little different from normal recipes.…
Our story. Individual perspectives. I imagine it is about to be something different. This girl…
Connecting for the first time for us was quite a while ride. On the agenda:…
What a ride this year has been! We are so lucky to have two very…
Listen to the words from the song by Malvina Reynolds Magic Penny: It's just like…
You want to give your kids the best shot, right? This incredible, organic and natural formula is called E3 Live BrainON. Learn about how we used it and why.
A work life balance has been lost in today's society, but it can be found…
The placenta contains your own natural hormones and is perfectly made for you, by you. Reintroducing…
He's here! What a 40 week journey... and what an epic final push out into the…
We created a Do it Yourself Kid Project based on Montessori curriculum of matching shapes and colors. We used sparkly papers made for a 2 year old.
“No Need for a Grocery Store or the Market, You Only Need Caoba Farms!” 5…
What happens when you fall off the vegan wagon? Well, you land in a pile…
Pregnancy does some weird things to a body, but ice obsession? Crunching ice is a ‘thing’: a result of an obsessive behavior, pica or iron deficiency.
At the most vulnerable point in you life, splurging is essential. Don't let discomfort take…
Big on flavor, low in calories this is a one-of-a-kind quiche and it is very quick and simple to throw together and bake. Make it a meal by adding salad.
Pregnancy is never a comfortable feat for anyone, especially when it comes to stretching and…
Part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle is eating fresh from the farm, but people have…
It is most common to work first and reward second, but we recommend beginning with PLAY and ending with WORK leading to a more relaxed self.
Sweet and crunchy with an incredible texture these little coconut encrusted beet chips will create a whole meaning of tasty with the natural caramelization.
Making mistakes is part of the journey of life. Honor your experience knowing that often your intentional path will be changed forever as a result.
Blue Hill at Stone Barns was a once in a lifetime experience which truly reshaped our entire vision for what food is or could possibly become to us. Change.
The Brand Fam photoshoot taken in three locations in Guatemala to capture the 3 of us before Zai joins the family. Captured by Luis Pedro Gramajo.
In raising expat children outside of our home countries, will they still have an understanding of our familial soil and identify as their origin country?
Our mother's always told us to treat others as we want to be treated, but…
Combine Parrots, a playground, an enormous heated pool with a 6″ shallow end and wine and you get pure and simple magic. Family friendly all around, enjoy!
It is always best to focus on preventative care, but when situations arise that require reactive care, here are a few remedies to help you get through it.
Thank goodness yesterday was a Monday... I don't think I have ever been so happy…
I suppose when in Rome, right? This is certainly a once in a lifetime opportunity for…
There is a moment in life where you realize you just can't do it all…
Going through the stages of pregnancy I can see how quickly the ebb and flow of nature really works. Patience and a few tricks can make all the difference.
It's just how it goes. Round 2 is never easier than Round 1. You know…
Kurt left on Tuesday night for our bins the States for the second storage emptying trip. It…
My brother-in-law Karl is by far one of the coolest, most eccentric people I know.…
Yay! We are finally here and in a place we LOVE. Antigua is the perfect blend of activity and proximity to the big city, with the quiet natural environment we were looking for.
Finding a place to call home has never been an easy task for either of us since the world is our oyster, but we feel we are narrowing in with our search through the process of elimination.
Getting our kid to sleep is one of the most ridiculous rituals. Now that Kurt…
I'm pretty sure that the cliche of modeling while in college and broke is played…
1 week into living at Joyce’s in San Marcos, our nanny came to work crying…
Something happened after Iza was conceived, and I stopped reaching out. Instead, I started to…
In life, it seems everything is a practice, and no matter what decision or choice…
While living abroad we have a much different opinion on taxes. In most other countries, taxes…
For the last 10 months we have been planning and trying to get pregnant again.…
Playdoh is one of the best kids toys. It can be made quickly and it…
Agender – I am fascinated by the constructs of gender. What makes us think that…
As part 2 of a series of narratives on our family story and falling in…
It was such a great coincidence. An email came to me from my friend Ryann…
There is something to be said for the Importance of Reward, especially when you are…
What a pleasure life’s simple moments can give us. I forget that sometimes in the heat of a crazy work day and today is a nice reminder. It is just quiet.
Walking into the entrance feels like we are going back in time to Italy, but with a modern, almost Brooklynesque edge. There are fantastic cocktails and unusual cheeses from around the world.
Truly the most spectacular views of the lake, Lomas de Tzununa will take your breath away. It is not an easy feat to get to but when you reach the top you know why it was so much work… beauty doesn’t come easy.
Walking into the entrance feels like we are going back in time to Italy, but with a modern, almost Brooklynesque edge. There are fantastic cocktails and unusual cheeses from around the world. The menu is robust and full of delicious offerings. Some with meat, some with light fare and all with unusual cheeses. It far exceeded all our expectations for what a wine & cheese bar should be (in any country and in any place in the world).
La Fortuna is absolutely magical. We live here and we still wanted to spend the night! It was rated #1 most romantic hotel in Central America and #6 in the world.
I have realized that when you grow up somewhere you can’t let go of where you came from. It is the rhythm of the seasons and the smells that bring you nostalgia and a sense of home. I have the same issue from an opposite cause. I miss snow so much that I think it is giving me my own version of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)!
I am at the end of a very long, very visible 2-year project and there…
Yikes. My planning was so far off it's truly humorous. This past year and going…
This is by far the easiest and most delicious sugar cookie recipe. Modified from Martha Stewart’s holiday cookie recipe.
Let’s start with I absolutely suck at balancing WORK and LIFE. My business is up and down, all around. But I am sick of it, so I have made a new vow to myself and my family to take a different path forward. I am calling it my transitional state towards freedom.
About 45km as the bird flies, or 75km driving from our house you can land at the base of Volcan Fuego; a still very active volcano nearest to Antigua, Guatemala.
At any age, I can’t imagine enjoying car sickness. But for a little girl who can’t communicate yet how she feels, our hearts go out to her. Iza has never been a great traveler, so we have come up with a few tricks to help her out in the car.
Finally Drew has made his way to the Lake! This is very exciting for all…
There have been many wonderful people we have met and gotten to know along the…
We have had the best week. My mom arrived last Thursday and it has been…
As parents we rarely have the quiet moments available to expand. I have found in…
We bought the UppaBaby Cruz by reading reviews and it has not failed! There are several features we think are must-haves.
Years from now I will look back and be grateful for the opportunity to have…
After his morning Zen practice, Kurt runs through a stretching routine. It is down and dirty, basic and can be done in 20 minutes or less.
I have finally launched Patternsbyrache.com. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and now I finally have added a shopping cart and moved forward with building out my pattern business. Spread the word!
In the spirit of the New Year we put together a simple and quick eBook…
If you are from the East Coast of America more than likely harsh wind is…
While this might be true for Iza, speech delays during toddler speech development in multilingual…
Set your expectations low. Know it is going to suck. Put on workout clothes and…
There are few material things in life that I cherish. The BobaAir is by far the 'top…
Silence is creatively empowering, and while power and internet are two essential aspects of our livelihood, it stunts my creativity. I have seen over the past few weeks of in and out power and the past few months without internet, just how creative I can be. I would say I am learning to take lemons and make lemonade. Yay.
When you have 8 grandparents you are bound to have a mix of all cultures. Iza is truly a global child being represented by 3 cultural practices; Judaism, Buddhism and Christianity (i.e. Unitarianism).
Honestly hard to believe that this time last year we had a baby and were…
Today we celebrate 2-years married. Wow! I can't believe how quick it has gone and…
You can certainly tell by these photos that we like each other! Just as we…
Kurt ran a company called Kurt's Cuisine and part of his deal was a raw…
For some reason we never posted photos of this amazing house. From sunrise to staff, it…
Today is Thanksgiving. I am looking out the window at the lake and a volcano and…
What the heck is wrong with me? I woke up this morning a bit out of…
I have been missing NYC, a lot. As a foodie, there is just nothing like…
The man cannot be quiet. I mean, he is flat out noisy and it makes…
Let's just say that the lack of internet in my life has provided me with…
This little lady is actually a little lady. I can't believe how quickly she is…
I am a PROCRASTINATOR. I try to get around it by playing little tricks on…
As a new parent, I now know why half of America is overweight, on anti-depressants, etc. We are tired as a nation. Here is what we did to make our life better.
Wiped out. I'm kicked and hit, my face is smooshed and I nearly roll off…
So the moving is done (mostly) and we are finally we are settling into our…
Who know which is the better way with renting vs. buying these days? We certainly don’t and it is a risk either way. There is what everyone calls “The Right Way,” and then there is The Brand Way.
