“a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, for 2020”
Emet: Homework hand.
Jade: Watercolor hand.
Roux: Daydream hand.
Without even meaning to, I captured each of their hands this week. I wonder if any other themes will accidentally pop up over the course of this project? I am having fun trying to quickly pull out my phone to catch them in action. I’ll be honest, it is harder than it seems!
I’m at work writing something that is more than just another silly blog post. It is a true tale, and it gives me chills every single time I think about it. Trying to put it all into words is proving to be a challenge, and I really want to do justice to this particular story.
But this here is definitely just another silly blog post.
My brain hurts from all the research into plugins and hosting and other such technical internet things that don’t really make much sense to me, but are a huge part of having any kind of website.
With the launch of my Handmade of the Month Club, it became really clear really quickly that the shopping experience needed to be streamlined and much more functional. As charming as I thought it was to engaged with potential customers via email, more than one person said that I should fix it immediately because nobody has time for a conversation via email. I get it.
Patience is appreciated while a bit of tinkering goes on behind the scenes as this space grows to include a proper online storefront.
Like a swift kick in the pants is how the first week back to school after break feels.
I had the best intentions to check every single thing off my to-do list this week but was more than blindsided by the inevitable whirlwind that is created by this kind of transition. The older I get, the more I realize that it isn’t that I detest change completely, it’s that I’m just a little slow to adjust. But now that the week is behind me, I am happy to report that – most importantly – I survived, and also, I think I’ll find my rhythm in no time.
Not too long ago, it would have been so easy for me to get down on myself for all of the things I did not do this week that I had planned to. I’d be discouraged by the fact that I missed (and ate!) things I said that I wouldn’t, discouragement which would have most likely lead to endeavors being abandoned altogether.
Luckily, I’ve learned that executing a to-do list flawlessly is never the goal. I often get more accomplished during the weeks when my list is left incomplete because I find that I am fueled by productivity. I tend to get more done when I have more going on to begin with which might not make a lot of sense but that is just the kind of mystery I am.
Instead, I focus on the progress I make as opposed to the perfection of my efforts. As a lifelong perfectionist, it has taken me quite a while to understand the incredible value of this simple mind shift.
There’s a full moon in the sky tonight, the first of a new decade. I’ll be gathering all that lunar light and wisdom and pouring it into the candles which are my first Handmade of the Month product. I’m thrilled about this project of mine. If you haven’t yet, be sure to enter the giveaway on this post.
I never really realize how much I have on my plate until school starts back up again and, whoosh, just like that, my time is no longer my own and nearly all of my weekdays are spoken for.
Yesterday was kind of a significant day for me, in that I actually put something I made up for sale. So today, I’m here to remind you that if you haven’t yet visited the Handmade of the Month Club page, you should! And, in case you missed it, there’s a giveaway happening on yesterday’s post – check it.
As for me, I’ve got three of my favorite classes to teach today and then some much needed quality time with one of my oldest and dearests. Hi, Ashley!
And in entirely unrelated news: I am two nights into sleeping on a brand new mattress and it is a whole new world, friends.
“a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, for 2020”
Emet: Duolingo concentration.
Jade: Putting her new, short hair up before a long rehearsal.
Roux: Always posing for the camera, my heart.
Back when I was not yet a mother of three, I made my first attempt at participating in The 52 Project, a practice in documenting growing children over the course of a year through a weekly portrait series. I love this idea so, so much, yet I’ve never actually been able to complete the task.
A brand new decade seems to me quite like the perfect opportunity to make my way through this project, at long last. My parameters are loose, and I’m less interested in capturing the perfect image than I am of capturing any image at all.
Because, let me tell you. Children grow faster than you’d ever believe and I’ve never met a single person who wished they’d taken fewer photos of their kids, especially while they were young. Even though mine aren’t nearly as small as they once were, they’re all still living under my roof with plenty of growing left to document.
So, here’s to a year of taking the time to capture the little moments with my little people.
Well, wouldn’t you know. All that talk of feeling crummy from the inside out yesterday was really just me coming down with silly old cold. And right on cue, too. (Yes, I am still blaming the Christmas Cookies. Turns out, if you eat too many, you do make yourself sick!)
It’s a full court press over here – broths, juices, tonics, anything to get me well enough to greet my students with a smile (or at least a functioning nasal passage) come Monday morning. And not a spec of sugar in sight.
There’s only two sleeps until we’re back to school, and the first full week of the new decade is upon us. I’ve been putting the finishing touches on a little something exciting which will launch on Monday, so this body of mine better climb out from under the weather pronto. I’ve got plans!
How many holiday treats is too many holiday treats?
It’s a trick question, obviously, because the answer depends on many things including which holiday and what kind of treat.
Personally, I have yet to meet a Christmas Cookie I didn’t like and don’t even get me started on the gelt or the latkes because I will eat all of them and then I will eat stuffing for dessert.
That is the kind of Winter Break I’ve had and it’s been glorious and delicious. One weekend, I baked six dozen cookies and they were all consumed within 24 hours and not a single one of us left the house during that time. Perfect.
The only problem is that, as much as I enjoy all this celebratory indulgence, I inevitably start to feel crummy from the inside out. And trust me, that is not at all how I want to be feeling, ever. But the cycle is so hard to break because just one more cookie!
Today I did the right thing and stocked my fridge choc-a-bloc full of fresh produce and lean proteins. I made three quarts of homemade broth, and prepped three other dishes that I’ll cook tomorrow in anticipation of a busy week around the corner. And I dutifully ate the last of the seasonal sugar. Sigh.
An important thing for me to mention is that my motivation to shift my diet away from foods that are high in starch and sugar content has everything to do with the way I feel internally. Last Spring, after completing Whole30 for the first time, I felt better than I had in years. Plain and simple.
So, all of this to say, it’s on.
It’s been a long time since I had a laptop and, hoo boy, is this gonna change everything.
Don’t get me wrong. My beautiful Desktop Workstation will forever be one of the greatest, most surprising gifts I’ve ever received – form, and function, and oh so thoughtful. But there is nothing quite like writing from the comfort of my bed.
Ok ok, writing and browsing the internet.
Really, the whole story is that my beloved Mac Mini kind of petered out which was sad because she really didn’t work that hard and then she just….didn’t work at all? So I spent most of the last year computerless which is no good for wordy gal like myself. And as much as I wanted to afford the shiny new MacBook, the truth is that I just don’t have that many pennies to spend on a computer. Or anything, really, but definitely not a computer. But then someone who is very smart and talented (and also pretty cute) said that I should consider getting a PC Laptop because, well, there are some that aren’t that expensive. And something is better than nothing, right? Right???? So I took myself to the Costco (good heavens, do I love the Costco!) and picked up an entire laptop along with some chicken for dinner and chocolate just because. And while it certainly is not the fanciest laptop, it is shiny and it is new and it works, mostly! Which brings me here, to the typing (and browsing) in my bed. A very good thing.
I got to thinking about some other purchases I have made over the past year that were significant, not necessarily in terms of cost but in a value-added sort of sense. Below is a curated list, in no particular order, of the ten things I bought and loved most in 2019:
1. Nespresso Essenza Mini – This was my “Back to School” gift to myself this year and it is quite possibly the best thing I’ve ever purchased. It has completely transformed my morning, thank goodness. I love how quickly I can have delicious espresso ready to sip, and the different capsule options provide a wide variety of flavors.
2. Humble & Pine Simple Clutch – One of my goals last year was to be thoughtful about the things I acquired, and to make every effort to support independent makers and small businesses. Another part of that was to consider investing in nicer things that will last as opposed to cheaper things that need to be replaced with more frequency. I remember reading advice like this in fashion magazines growing up and it never really made sense to me until now. Goods that have longevity, even though they are often more expensive initially, actually end up costing less in the end. This wallet was the first in a series of purchases intended to embrace this ideal. First of all, I’ve never owned a fancy lady wallet (Fancy Lady is another one of my goals, more on that later) and this one came highly recommended. It’s a beautiful color and the size is large but not too large. I have loved carrying it since the day it arrived last March and the patina it has gotten is even more lovely than I had imagined it would be. I frequently receive compliments and it is so fun to say, “Thanks! It comes from a small maker in Portland called Humble & Pine!”
3. Fringe Supply Town Bag – While this bag is designed with knitters in mind, it is hands down the most functional purse I’ve owned, in general. It is not large, but it’s capacity is surprising, and it’s easy for me to carry on my forearm or over my shoulder which I appreciate. I could imagine it serving well as a diaper bag, even though it’s been a long time since I’ve needed anything of the sort.
4. Linen Bedding – At the very tail end of 2018 I purchased a linen duvet and, about a month ago, put a full set of linen sheets on my bed. I will never look back. It is one of the simplest luxuries and I absolutely can not recommend it with enough enthusiasm.
5. Evan Healy Wild Carrot Eye Balm – Forever on a quest for the perfect eye cream, I’m currently a huge fan of this one I picked up from the Whole Foods. It’s got super clean ingredients and it is thick which I have come to learn is how I prefer my eye cream to be. It’s also very reasonably priced because wow, it is crazy how expensive some of this stuff can be. This is a good bang-for-the-buck option and I might even purchase a second tube once the first runs out. That is saying something.
6. Thinx Organic Cotton Brief – It’s true love, is all I can say.
7. YMCA Membership – Hands down the best thing I buy (and do) for myself every single month.
8. Cordial Organics Refresh Seasonal Hydrosol – I might be slightly biased because I know the fabulous gals behind Cordial Organics, but the honest to goodness truth is that this is one of the loveliest facial spritzes I’ve used. And I know that to be true because first, I tried their Rose Hydrosol and while it is a very nice product, it does not compare to the genuine pleasure I experience every time I spray a little Refresh. So so good.
9. Wet Brush Detangler – Every single one of my three babies have come to me with a mop of golden curls and every single on of them has disliked the combing of these curls. This brush, picked up on a whim at the Target, completely changed the game. It works SO well. I cannot even explain it, it just does. Thank you, Wet Brush! I wish I would have discovered you two kids ago!
10. Wooden Hangers – Do it, your clothes and closet will thank you.
This laptop, while purchased at the very tail end of 2019, didn’t come into play until the first day of this year and we’ll just have to wait and see if she ends up making the list. Admittedly, things have gotten off to a bit of a rocky start. She and I are just getting acquainted and, seeing as how she features and entirely different operating system, I am doing my best to proceed with patience and an open mind.
Which, if you think about it, is a lot like this brand new decade. Something tells me it won’t be anything like the last decade, and I mean that in a good way. Best to stay focused and positive, and not get too frustrated when something doesn’t make sense.
Nothing quite like a fresh new decade to get me in the writing mood!
About a million little things happened since I last visited this space, but the most recent of which is that I’m now the proud owner of a brand new computer as of today and that, my friends, is one way to start a very happy new year.
There are so many things about which I am excited, projects I’ve gotten started, and others I’m about to launch. But first, with five sleeps left until school starts again, I am planning to make the very most of this holiday break. The kids are watching yet another movie together and I’m about to snuggle up in my bed for some reading before getting an early night’s sleep. These are luxuries and I’m relishing every single one.
The fact that it is 2020 is really inspiring. The last ten years held so much transformation, I can only imagine what the next ten will bring. One thing is for sure, I’m ready for whatever happens next.