I'm popping in for a quick summer hello. Hello! And this post is just in written form but I do plan to return to audioblogs on the next post. I've had this post in draft and need to get it out before July is over. I'm sitting with my hot coffee on a balcony with a tree-ful view across hills and fields in Bastrop, Texas. I'm here with six other women for a two-night "Light at the End of the Tunnel" retreat organized by Sara. The company, conversations, and food have been a gift. I've been looking forward to being... Continue reading

We're chatting about one of our favorites things: books! We share our current reading habits plus all the books we've been reading including books for our kids. The Liar's Dictionary The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Minor Feelings Beyond the Bright Sea Sitting Pretty Miracle Creek Dusk, Night, Dawn The... Continue reading

Tiny anchors are the small rituals or comforts that brings calm when the seas of life feel rough. We chat about the tiny anchors we clung to during 2020 and at other hard times of life. Plus we share the tiny anchors we keep currently and where we need to... Continue reading

I'm heading into June feeling summery which is to say light in spirit and ready for fun. A world away from last June. I re-read my June 2020 goals post and sat for a moment thinking about one year ago. We were facing a summer at home, Arizona was making national news as a COVID hot spot, Chris was about to be back at work (from his home office) after parental leave, and I spent my days holding and nursing Maeve. And yet I was publishing blog posts?? I honestly don't remember where I found the time and I'm laughing... Continue reading

We're chatting all about summer eating and drinking, from nostalgic summer foods to how to make summer dinners easier. Plus we share what drinks and eats we're looking forward to this summer including favorite recipes. Mentioned on the show: Gilbert Love episode with all of our Gilbert faves Rhubarb dream... Continue reading

Inspired by... Neighbors gathering together to stand with our Black neighbors and remember George Floyd and so many lost to brutal injustice. The remarks by my friend Becky and others in attendance were thoughtful and moving. I'm committed to working on dismantling racial injustice in my community and am thankful to be connected with others who share that vision. Purchased... I used the boys' Easter tote bags to create "welcome summer!" totes which I set out for them on the first day of their summer vacation. In the totes they had new swim trunks and rash guards (I love neon... Continue reading

summer fun in 2019 Summer break starts for the boys TODAY and my planning brain has been at work to design our summer. In thinking about our summer I realized that summers feel challenging to me for two reasons: one, my very energetic boys are out of school which means more active parenting and entertaining; and two, it's really, really hot so we're pretty much confined to being indoors (reminder: two very energetic boys) or in a pool. I thrive on structure and routine, and I think kids do too, so I wanted to create a rhythm to our days... Continue reading

Friends, we made it through a school year unlike any other and summer is on the horizon! We chat about how we're feeling overall as we wrap this school year plus what we will and won't be doing this summer, how we'll be keeping our kids busy, and what we're... Continue reading

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... Continue reading

Join us for a conversation about calm parenting – the kind of parenting we aspire to practice but it's not always easy. We chat about how calm parenting aligns (or not) with our personalities, what strategies we implement, and which situations test our patience the most. Mentioned on the show:... Continue reading

accidentally twinning with my girl / perfect spring evening in our backyard / spontaneous afternoon ice creams and the giant "singles" from Handel's Ice Cream Hello May! Our front and back yards are full of spring and it's bringing me joy. Our palo verde trees are bursting with yellow blooms and have blanketed our front yard in yellow. I spend time every day just watching our trees and the gently falling blossoms. I hung a new bird feeder in one of the trees and am hoping to attract goldfinches. Over the past two weekends we've brought home new plants to... Continue reading