Grilling Impossible burgers in the shade, and finding fall at Trader Joe's As I drove home from Orange Theory two Saturdays ago, Chris and Maeve were sitting in our front yard. When I rolled down the window, Maeve shouted to me, "We saw the first geese!" Later that weekend a V of geese flew over us at the park, all dark wings and determination. And so, the first geese of fall 2023 have been noted. Last year our first sighting didn't happen until September 13, when Dash ran in, breathless, to tell me he had seen the first geese. I... Read more →

A weekend on Mt. Hood, a Boss Lady latte, and staying in this very cozy historic cabin I'm happy to say hello to August, a month of transition into our school-year routine, the month we try to keep our spirits up through the late summer heat, and also when I start to dream about fall (swoon). As a new school year gets underway for my kids, and especially this year now that we've eliminated a morning daycare drive and I have five consistent work days, I'm already feeling creative and productive energy brewing. I hope that August into September will... Read more →

July 2 was the half-way point of the year which got me thinking about checking in on my 2023 goals. Here's what I said I'd accomplish and how I'm doing if you'd like to see... Personal care & growth + Read 80 books. Rocking this one and loving it. I always feel happier when I'm reading good books. I'm in a great reading groove and have already finished 63 books this year. So I'll definitely surpass my goal and I bet will finish 100 books or more this year. Looking ahead: I like to always have an audiobook and a... Read more →

We're more than half-way through the boys' 8-week summer break and it's going okay! I can't imagine the summer season here will ever be my favorite but I think we're making the best of it with kids at ages 3, 8, and 10. I'm really happy with the camps we signed the boys up for and our overall rhythm of how busy we are. I'm also so thankful that we have Maeve in full-time daycare for the summer. Even as I paint this rosy picture I want to also share that we've and some really challenging days courtesy of kids... Read more →

Here's what's helpful about keeping a blog and sharing monthly goals: towards the end of the month I can say, "Hmmm, what did I say I wanted to do??" and I have a reference. I did this exact thing last weekend. Even without a goal list I get a lot done every day and every month, and so do you!! There will always be tasks and to-dos to fill my time. (Always, always until retirement I guess?) The challenge is fiercely clearing out a bit of time to keep moving forward on the things that matter to me but that... Read more →

It's February, we're settled into a rhythm that feels pleasant most of the time (except from about 4–6 p.m. everyday when it's barely contained chaos), the weather is chilly (for Gilbert), and I'm feeling energetic and optimistic. In January I cleared many to-dos from the deck which opens up time and brain space for writing, podcasting, and looking ahead. We also had a great month of mostly sticking to our budgets and saving. Getting back involved with our everyday personal finances (one of my goals this year) has already really made a difference! In February I'm hoping to keep all... Read more →

I had hoped to get our annual family photo by now but alas! So this one from New Year's Eve will have to suffice. On the first Monday of the year, when all three kids were back in school and daycare, Chris and I embarked on a house-wide power delcuttering. It was just what I needed to banish the slightly tired and blah feeling I was carrying into the new year. When we were done we had donated, sold, or gifted bags and bags of things we no longer needed, the kids' closets were tidy and had empty space to... Read more →

It's time to say goodbye to 2022. I'm in an end-of-year contemplative mood and am enjoying listening to podcast episodes and reading blog posts reflecting on the year. There are so many highlights and changes to celebrate from this past year. Some of the good changes brought challenges too, like relocating to a new city for a month and being out of our routines, living through a whole-home renovation, and keeping up with an ever-changing toddler and our big boys. Reflecting on the past year helps me to see and celebrate growth and accomplishments, big and small. This practice also... Read more →

I started this while sipping a not-too-sweet nog latte and finishing blackberry jam toast at Mythical Coffee where they were playing just right jazzy Christmas music. I spent time updating my Christmas spreadsheet and my Christmas notes for next year (what worked well, what not to forget, what we enjoyed, etc.), very enjoyable admin tasks. Reflecting on A Calm Christmas Recently, I finished re-listening to the audiobook A Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year by Beth Kempton which I first read last year. I love the gentle guidance in this book for connecting to what matters to you during... Read more →

(My blog host, Typepad, is having some issues and photos aren't loading. Hopefully I can add photos soon!) It's cloudy, blustery, and chilly today – delightful! Hello, November indeed! We had a fun Halloween on Monday night with the cutest little kitty and two deathly ghoul boys. Chris and I dressed up as a PB&J! We trick or treated with neighbor friends for part of the evening. Then, winding our way home, the boys I did a long loop by ourselves. There had been some big emotions and costume frustration just before we left the house as there always is... Read more →