On December 31 I completed the fourth year in my line-a-day journal. The next day I flipped to the front of the book to start the year again, and this year will complete my second five-year line-a-day journal. In keeping these little journals, a couple short sentences can take me back in time, and I can see past seasons with perspective. I remember starting last January feeling a bit worn out. Looking back over my line-a-day journal from last year it's no wonder. We were incredibly social over the holiday break, plus one kid had a sports practice (just no... Read more →

I'm so so happy to say hello to November. The weight of the long, hot summer (and fall) has lifted, and I'm glad the election is almost over. We are opening doors and windows, spending time outside, and I don't mind the early Christmas decor that has already popped up at the stores. A few life updates to share...one is hard, one is good, and one is exciting. In hard things lately, my dear friend was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she did a beautiful job sharing honestly on our podcast about what she is going through. If you are... Read more →

Hi, friends! This coffee date is brought to you by a pumpkin cream cold brew and a quiet early morning writing session, courtesy of our kids sleeping over with family (thank youuuu!). August was chock full, and also so so hot. Let's catch up a bit... Settling into routine We're over a month into our school year and I've started to notice that we're settling into routine. Our mornings are going smoothly and I'm really enjoying being back in a work routine. Our days are not without parenting challenges but I always really notice how good the routine of school... Read more →

Happy June, friends! Before I wrote this post I peeked back at last year's post and see so much repetition: camping, kicking off cold treats on Wednesdays, enjoying the summer so far, and even last year's June goal of catching up on kid art work which will make an appearance in this month's list. And yet we're all a year older and have lived a lot of life since last year's June post was written. I love the familiar grooves of each season, and find a deep joy in seeing what stays the same while also noticing how the kids... Read more →

Hello, friends! Our palo verde is in peak bloom and as I glance up from writing this I'm met with a view out the window of golden yellow blooms drifting down from branches of bright green. I love this time of year when our front yard becomes blanketed in gold as the blooms fall and keep their yellow color even as they dry out. The Phoenix Valley cities really should advertise our palo verde blossom season along the lines of D.C.'s cherry blossom season. It's truly so beautiful to see trees bursting in bright gold blooms this time of year.... Read more →

It's November, the time of the year when we seem to enter warp speed. Just when I am most wishing that time would slow down so that we could linger in the good weather and in holiday magic. A few things helping me to slow down time right now are: Christmas planning in my Holidays Master Plan Google Doc and Christmas Gifts Google Sheet; listening to The Lazy Genius podcast How to Make the Rest of 2023 Easier, and queuing up both the Calm Christmas audiobook (for a re-listen; and to note I listen via Hoopla where it's free and... Read more →

As of this past week we could declare that we've made it through another hot summer, hallelujah! Let's not think of those endless hot days again until we have to next year. In September we enjoyed being outside again, especially in the morning, and started leaning into fall. From where I sit right now at our dining room table I see little pumpkins at home on our bookshelves, a wax-dripped skull candle holder, and some half-hearted spiderwebs in our front yard tree. (Note: the used spiderwebs at the thrift store are not worth it.) I've pulled jeans on for the... Read more →

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 →

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 →