I'm sitting alone in a quiet, empty house. It is a revelation. The revelation is not only the fact of these hours today but that this will happen again later this week. And again next week. For the first time since early March 2020 my weeks will have some predictability, routine, and, most importantly, consistent time to myself. I think it's the beginning of a new season. I don't think I've ever experienced such a long stretch of time with so little dependable time to myself. Simultaneously I've been navigating demanding emotional and physical challenges. There's been the anxiety over... Read more →

Usually I'm a glass half-full kind of gal but lately it's been easier for me to see what's not working rather than what's going really well. A recent post by Sarah reflecting on what's great versus what's hard inspired me to write my own reflection. When one or a few things are hard in life I can use that paintbrush to color everything. Taking a step back to be more precise about what's hard and, importantly, what's not hard helps me to stop globalizing. Challenging + Very limited time to work or "time off." Essentially I feel like I'm trying... Read more →

Inspired by... creating content for my RISING*SHINING audioblog and the lovely comments I've received from listeners. Thank you! My goal this year was to produce audioblog content for the months of April and October but now I'm wondering if I can keep it up regularly. I'm not ready to fully commit to that but I'm percolating the idea. Purchased... summer capsule wardrobe items like another pair of my favorite Patagonia quick-dry shorts, two tank tops, and swim shorts. I also bought the percale sheets from Brooklinen I've been eyeing for awhile. I am obsessed with them! They're soft yet cool... Read more →

Inspired by... Coronavirus numbers going down and vaccination numbers going up, especially in Arizona. I'm also feeling inspired by a new project that I've been working on and will share with you this week! Watching... Flowers and new growth popping up all over. I let out a small excited squeal to see our ocotillo plant with tiny green leaves. In previous years leaves have appeared but then turned brown and fell off. This year I'm going to try watering it more consistently (previously I was told not to give it much water). I've also been rewatching Ted Lasso. I think... Read more →

Chris was one of the first people I know to start wearing a mask – kudos, Chris! / Remember the chalk art season of the pandemic? / Getting vaccinated! Then I had a mounting sense of unease as rising cases of COVID-19 caused the NBA to suspend its season, as professional conferences were cancelled, and schools began shuttering. Then we started to feel the world shift beneath our feet as more and more aspects of "normal" life were paused. Each day brought more anxiety as the foreign word "coronavirus" began to dominate conversations. We wondered how long it would take... Read more →

Last Thursday we dropped the boys off at school for the first time this school year. To describe it to you I want to overuse the word familiar and keep deleting the sentences. So much has felt unfamiliar this past year, and hard in its unfamiliarity, that being familiar is wonderfully novel. And yet familiar does not fully capture the ache of normalcy that returning to our school community brought to me. It felt so good (so! good!) to see so many people I recognized and to exchange pleasantries even if hampered a bit by our masks and tinged by... Read more →

For my fifth stay at home check in I come to you with weariness and optimism – weary optimism? That feels accurate. Simultaneously I feel so done with the current situation while also feeling nascent optimism about the effects of vaccines plus having a functional federal government. To write this update I went back to read my last check in post, all the way back in August, which feels so so long ago. We're still at home but since then a lot has changed. Our school situation has changed and we are considering changing it again and re-enrolling the boys... Read more →

Yesterday the knot of despair, anger, and heartache that has been clenched in my chest for four years began to release. And it feels so damn good. I took so many deep breaths with long exhales, enjoying a profound lightness. I will not take that feeling for granted for a long time. Heading into Saturday I was feeling cautiously hopeful that we would soon see Joe Biden and Kamala Harris declared the election winners. Then it seemed like it could still be a couple of days. Plus there was the looming threat of legal battles that could delay the whole... Read more →

Even though our days often feel the same when I sit down to write these posts I realize how much happens each month. Here's what September looked like for me. Inspired by... The Curated Closet. I heard about this book from the A Beautiful Mess podcast and I requested it from the library. The book walks you through exercises to discover your personal style and gives ways to put together a wardrobe that you love. I'm really enjoying the book. It feels like The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up for your closet. I love the author's perspective that you... Read more →

I just put the baby back down to sleep, her belly full and head so heavy on my shoulder. At 5:30 a.m. the house is dark and full of the whoosh of white noise (we call it the hurricane as we are convinced that the more white noise machines we have going to more likely our children are to sleep). Chris just tiptoed in from the garage, returning from his daily morning coffee run and violin practice. And about the time that I opened up this blank post and tried to let myself relax enough to type the big boys... Read more →