I turned 41 on December 22 (after being up all night with a sick kiddo. Hellllooo 40s!). Continuing a nine year tradition, here are my favorite things from my year of being 40.  

1. Thanksgiving family photo. (Which also made my 38 favorites list!)

2. Apica CD11 notebooks. A long-time favorite notebook of mine to use as my journals. I tried something different when I needed a new journal this year, and almost immediately could not wait to return to my favorite. I stock up on these when I’m at BookPeople in Austin, or order them online.

3. Sleeping with an eye mask. This has been a game-changer for me, and especially helps when I travel. I use a cheap one from Target and love it. 

4. Visiting Joshua Tree National Park on our spring road trip, climbing boulders with the kids, and getting a great family photo.

5. The coziest annual Girl Next Door retreat with Erica. 

6. Taking the boys fishing in San Juan Capistrano.

7. My trusty Patagonia fleece. This stand-by favorite deserves a spot on a favorites list, and made it into a couple of favorite photos this year. I got this fleece…in college?? At 20+ (!!) years old it still looks great, has no holes, and is such a perfect warm but not too heavy layer. And even after all these years I still love the pattern and color. (By the way, if you have not heard the How I Built This interview with Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, it made me love them even more. As did this announcement a few years back.)

8. The boys’ expanding cooking skills. Both boys can make themselves a meal with eggs (egg sandwich or egg burrito) or a quesadilla. Dash can now bake cookies, start to finish, completely on his own. I love that Dash so sweetly lets Maeve help him.

9. Maeve’s swim lessons, and also the whole experience of taking her to swim lessons. I love the whole experience of taking Maeve to swim, watching her lessons (while I get a quiet half hour to listen to a podcast or book), and then getting her dry and cozy afterwards. I am so impressed, and relieved, by the progress she has made. 

10. Getting hired to teach at ASU. This is something I’ve wanted to try for quite a while and it was really validating to get hired.

11. Maeve’s Tuesday afternoon play friend. Last May I found a wonderful junior high girl, who is the daughter of a friend, to come and play with/babysit Maeve for two hours one afternoon a week. While Maeve plays I work in the studio or sit in my room with the white noise on and work or just read and relax. 

12. Trips to see long-distance friends in Portland, Nashville, and Tuscon (after our dear friends moved to Tucson!). I love the quality time I get with a friend when I visit them and glimpsing their everyday life. Plus I got to have lunch with Sarah while we were in southern California!

13. Books, of course. It didn’t feel like a stellar reading year for me. I haven’t been finding as much audiobook listening time lately and I miss that. But I still read some great books this year. In fiction I loved James, Shark Heart, the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy, and Yellowface. In nonfiction I loved Tranquility by Tuesday, The Plan, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, and Meditations for Mortals.

14. Book club, always. Our group text is gold, and often makes me laugh. I love how honestly we share the ups and downs of our lives, how supported and seen I feel, and how we laugh until we cry. 

15. The kids’ fall school photos. Three for three are amazing!

16. Celebrating the end of Monday Night High (Fitness) after consistently going for nearly seven years. It was sad for it to end, but I mostly feel thankful for the fun, empowering workout, and all the friendships I gained along the way.

17. Teaching my first and second workshops. I’m really proud of how much hard work I put in and of what I created. 

18. The Weekly Notes page I created with designer Emily for my Everyday Habits, Routines, and Rituals workshop. I now use this page every week to plan my weeks and I love it so much.

19. Spending two nights alone at my house in the early summer. As an introvert mom with three young (energetic, loud) kids this was…magical. I still think about it and hope to recreate this for myself this year.

20. Maeve’s milestones this year: moving from a crib to a bed, facing forward in her car seat, and learning to shower (although she still prefers a bath).

21. Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest podcast. All the kids love it and it’s enjoyable for adults too. I’m thankful for the hours of quiet (i.e. not squabbling) driving time it has brought us. 

22. My Hydrojug. I think it’s the unicorn of hydration vessels: huge, has a handle, fits in a car cup holder, and leak-proof. I got Chris one for Christmas and he loves his too. 

23. Our Frame TV, which was a surprise family gift last Christmas after not having a television for nearly nine years. I’ve loved having family movie nights and watching some shows with the boys. What I love, perhaps even more, is changing the artwork on the TV to fit my mood and the season. 

24. Rothy’s slippers. I always wear shoes in the house and these are what I wear in the cooler months. These are comfortable and cozy but not too warm which is perfect for our mild winters. 

25. Dash reading the first book of The Hunger Games, and then watching the first movie together with Dash and Chris. This book enticed him out of graphic novels and it was fun to talk about the book and movie together. 

26. Two really fun shows with friends this fall: Sharon McMahon with friends was fascinating and inspiring, and at a perfect time during election season. And comedian Leslie Jones with my book club. Hilariously inappropriate. 

27. Learning to French braid! And becoming pretty good at making Maeve’s hair every morning

28. Finally finishing and sharing Maeve’s birth story.

29. The boys wearing their hair shorter after a long shaggy season.

30. Going to Phoenix Art Museum lectures at our library. These were always interesting, engaging, and made me think.

31. No lettuce salad, which I had on repeat a lot this year. 

32. Seeing the eclipse in Austin! We had cloudy skies unfortunately but were still able to see totality and experience the dramatic change in the light.

33. Frozen strawberry lemonade and library dates with Maeve.

34. “Coffee and reading time” with Maeve, which Maeve requests by name. In the morning I make my cup of coffee, and then snuggle with Maeve on the couch to read. This time was especially cozy this holiday season as we read Thanksgiving books and then Christmas books in the glow of the Christmas tree.

35. My work computer bag from Quince. (Sadly it’s no longer available!) This was a significant upgrade from a Trader Joe’s canvas tote.

36. Both boys going to sleep away camp for a week during the summer, and deep cleaning and decluttering both of their rooms. Plus the now traditional welcome back chocolate pie, and the photo I snapped of the sibs so happy to be reunited.

37. When Kamala Harris became the presidential nominee. I remember exactly where I was when I found out from a text from Chris. I hadn’t felt so much excitement, optimism, and hope in politics in a long time. It was really fun to experience, even if the election didn’t turn out the way I hoped.

38. Chris getting promoted to full professor! It’s a huge professional accomplishment, earned him a significant raise, and I’m so proud of him. Plus I was able to pull together a little surprise party right after he found out (we had a tip off that things looked good). 

39. How much Dash (my baby!) is thriving as a 6th grader.

40. Greeting 41 feeling healthy (minus the stomach bug I got soon after haha) and content, and looking to the year ahead with hope and optimism.

I would love to know: what are some of your favorite things from the past year? I’m always surprised (and not surprised) how many things on my list are either free or low-cost, or are not things at all.

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