I said hello to 2023 without a new word. More specifically, I said hello to 2023 while sleeping in my bed. Or maybe rocking a nursing infant in the middle of the night but I stopped looking at the clock when I get up at night with kids - don't need to add any how much sleep am I missing stress to my life - so I can neither confirm or deny the latter. I can tell you, most certainly, that no words were said. In the hours leading up to the magical turn of the clock, we broke out the poppers ... continue reading...
Goodbye 2022: Looking Back
Are you still in the mood for reflection posts? I know January is nearly over, but I actually feel really good about hitting publish on this one before the end of the month! I used to put a lot of pressure on myself to have posts like this go live on New Years Eve, followed by the resolution post on New Years Day. But God has been teaching me a lot these days about slowing down, prioritizing well, and trusting that a job (or post) well done is better than a post "on time" (whatever that means ... continue reading...
A 3rd Birthday Pool Party
My peppy, sassy, sweet, middle child told me she wanted a pool party for her 3rd birthday and we couldn't say no. In fact, Bruce quickly picked the place perfect for a January pool party and I booked online at Woodland Park Aquatic Center. We're home partiers over here because the guest list can include EVERYONE but when your birthday is in January and therefore the backyard is not part of the square footage of the party space, it is nice to get out! Since I am a sucker for tradition, we ... continue reading...
2023 Christmas Season In Photo
In the upstairs loft of a barn, on a cold December night, my girls climbed onto his lap. His beard was real, his coat scarlet, and a pair of round glasses perched perfectly on his nose. He felt more like an artist rendering in an old storybook than the plastic Coca-Cola Santa we are used to at American malls. "What would you like for Christmas?" the kindly old man ask my oldest. "A headband!" she replied. I suppose it was the first thing that jumped into her head when confronted with the ... continue reading...
Our Christmas
I wake when the kids wake. The sun pours through the window and Thorin greets me through the monitor with his coos. Most mornings I try to steal a couple more minutes of sleep but not today. No today is a special day. I can already hear the girls digging into their stockings and discovering the thrift store Barbies and costume jewelry I shoved inside them the night before. I knew they would be just as excited with thrifted finds as new and it felt good not only financially, but sustainably as ... continue reading...