Liturgy of the Ordinary
For the delay brew setting on my coffee maker and the can of pumpkin whipped cream in my fridge;
I give thanks.
For a few minutes of early morning quiet with a pen in my hand and steaming cup of coffee by my side;
I give thanks.
Gift Guide: Writers
If you are shopping for a writer this year—or you are a writer looking for some ideas to give your friends and family—this list is for you!
Gift Guide: SWIMMERS
With two year-round swimmers in our house, I’ve been coming up with lots of swim-related gift ideas. If you, too, have a swimmer in your life, you are in the right place!
Art In Bloom
I’ve collected quotes for years and years: somewhere in the attic, I still have a tattered blue spiral notebook I started my freshman year of high school. It’s filled with quotes and song lyrics (had to save all those potential AIM away messages somewhere, right?).
2023: Streamline
Intentional. Simplify. Invest. Persevere. Small.
For the last five years, these have been the words I’ve chosen as my word of the year.
When I started thinking about my 2023 word, I was tempted to return to a few of these.
Favorite Books of 2022
According to Goodreads, I read 103 books in 2022. And, because I can’t resist jumping in on the best-of-2022 list fun, these are my ten favorites.
The Carpool Line
The first hint of a fall breeze trickles into my gold Honda Odyssey as I reach across the passenger seat to find my carpool tag. In the rearview mirror, I see my toddler kicking his bare feet, his shoes and socks joining the army of others scattered across the floor of my minivan.
Why I Spent A Whole Day…
Why I spent a whole day redesigning my website when my to-do list was a million miles long:
Tweetsie Railroad: A Day in Photos
An adventure back in time to the Wild Wild West at Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, NC.
The Very Best Grocery Shopper
"Mom, you know what?" piped up my first grader from the back of the minivan. He was eating cereal from a cup on the way to school because he'd overslept and hadn't had time for breakfast at home.
The Introvert In Me
“I need just a few minutes,” I tell my kids through clenched teeth, my voice unnaturally strained. I pick up my iPad, clicking play on an audiobook before I lock the screen and hand it off to my eight-year-old, who scampers off to his room. The voice of the Percy Jackson narrator trails behind him down the stairs as I consider his younger brothers.
Slow Start to Summer
Summer is officially here. We celebrated the last day of school on Friday, along with a birthday for my now-six-year-old. Last week was a whirlwind; field day, yearbook distribution, swim practice, birthday prep. I thought I could do a quick turnaround over the weekend—take care of the neglected laundry and dishes, plan out our summer schedule, and be ready to start summer off with a bang.
Searching for Stories
I’m always searching for stories. I love to wander through the antique store or vintage shop and imagine all the lives these objects have lived before. In early April, I was weaving my way through rows of vintage clothes, stacks of blue and white Pyrex dishes, and mid-century modern furniture when I came across a basket of old postcards.
Force of Love
My children love me with a violent force.
Their energizer bunny energy
knocks me over,
their exuberance bruises.
Unsolved Mysteries: The Case of the Missing Puzzle Piece
Raleigh, NC: The puzzle was in the three-year-old’s possession for less than 48 hours when the piece went missing. After the initial excitement of finding a jumbo-sized Treasure Map puzzle in his basket on Easter morning, the box was left unopened for most of the day.
The Antique Store
I walked into an antique store on Friday, spent an hour
sorting through the remnants of other people's lives,
the pieces someone else thought were worth saving.
The World Keeps Turning
The weather was perfect; an early-spring stretch of seventy degree days with blue skies overhead, the puffy cotton ball clouds in the sky a sharp contrast to the ominous headlines of a new virus making its way around the world.
What I’m Really Saying
Dear children—
When I put down my book to tuck you in for the seventh time, I’m really saying:
I love you.