Ma Crush Monday: Maye Lin: Treasure Huntress, Creatrix, Play-at-Home-Ma

We escape into the beautiful mystique of Joshua Tree with this week's MA CRUSH, lovely Maye Lin. The mother of two shares some personal snapshots and lets us in to the desert bohemia and faded patinas of what's seemingly California's new frontier. Click for more as Maye answers #thesamethreequestions.

The self-proclaimed "Play-at-Home-Ma" (we love this!) has given her daughters the treasure of exploration and discovery, with the imaginative desert landscape as their playground. We all must daydream about raising our kids closer to wilderness, living simply and creatively- right? (an oasis to flock to away from the city, perhaps more romantic than the #boburbs, but similar in theory none-the-less!) Maye entertains our daydream, as she shares a poetic glimpse of Motherhood in the desert.

1.PS: Tell us a bit what's behind your children's names:

Iris Aries | 3 years

ML: Iris was born just after the Spring Equinox, when irises begin to bloom in Southern California. In Greek mythology, the goddess Iris is the personification of the rainbow. She's the connection between the cosmic and the earth world. The iris, defines the color of our eyes, the windows into our soul. I can't imagine a name that suits her better.

Arrow Aries | 9 months

Arrow is a name I have always loved. Around when she was conceived we were going through a really tough time and I happened across a proverb that read "An arrow can be launched only by pulling it backwards. When difficulties pull us back, like an arrow, we launch to something greater." It just sort of resonated with me during that time. And she really did launch us into a better place.

We gave her the same middle name as her sister, Aries. They were both born under the Aries sun

2.PS: Can you share a few of your local Motherhood Favorites?

ML: I love traditional cooking and often our days revolve around the kitchen. Iris is homeschooled and other than outdoor play, this is a huge part of her curriculum. Lately, we have also been learning about edible native plants and charting moon phases.

As for outings, I often take the girls on walks downtown, which is just a few blocks away. I was never a coffee person until I discovered JT Coffee Co. They are true coffee aficionados and got me hooked. I like to grab a cup there and treats at The Natural Sisters

We also frequent the museums in the area like Children's Discovery Museum of The Desert and the High Desert Nature Museum, which has a really great children's area!

And of course, exploring the vast and endless desert. Just driving somewhere and stopping where it calls to us.

3.PS: What commonalities of Motherhood do you reject, and on the flip-side...do you have any guilty pleasures?

ML: Well I guess I still don’t own a real pair of pants. And I love white... being clutter free... being on the road… sleeping in. I completely reject the idea that you give up these things when you have kids.

As for my guilty pleasure, I can’t get enough of Call The Midwife on Netflix. Iris and I watch it together and she gets really excited during the birth scenes. We’ve both been completely infatuated with birth after Arrow’s homebirth.

PS: Would you mind sharing a SCRIBBLE? (a doodle, a recipe, a poem- anything!)

Make sure to follow the California dreams of Maye ("The Fadette") on Instagram.