Listen to the Music

We are music lovers.  In fact, my husband and I met through our love of music.  

We have music playing almost constantly at our house and various instruments hanging on our walls.

He's pretty much a walking encyclopedia when it comes to music...and he's introduced me to several new artists.

For my birthday, he gave me these two albums, which I just love. They've become my most recent obsession.

Ray Lamontagne...this guy is just amazing.  I love his voice and he's such a talented songwriter.  At the end of the day, I get into my car and his music takes me to my happy place.

Sarah Jarosz

I pretty much want to be her.  This girl is twenty years old, just adorable, plays the guitar and banjo, writes her own songs, and sings.  She's been called a "contemporary bluegrass prodigy".  Seriously, she's my new idol.    

What about you?  What are you listening to these days?

Grateful Monday

Five things I am grateful for today:

• A fabulous week long vacation spent on the beach.
• My very generous parents who welcomed us into their home for a week.
• The fact that Liam is not quite crawling...yet. He's close...but for now, he only scoots around. Once he's on the move, life is going to change!
• Daylight on my drive to work in the morning. I spend half the year driving to work in the dark. It's so nice to finally have sunshine to start my day.
• I only have 3 weeks of work until spring break, which gives me something to look forward and makes our vacation coming to an end a little bit easier.

Time Away

We just returned from a much needed vacation where we spent the week with my parents in Fort Meyers Beach.  We had a wonderful week.  Our time was spent mostly relaxing and enjoying one another.


We spent a significant amount of time lying on the beach and swimming in the pool.  Liam dipped his toes in the ocean for the first time and wore himself out relaxing on the beach.

He also went for his very first swim.

Andrew and I enjoyed sleeping in and spent long mornings on the balcony drinking coffee.  This was our view.

We spent one day on Sanibel island where we collected shells.  I went for several long runs along the beach.  We ate.  We laughed...and I may or may not have drank a Bloody Mary every. single. day.


Liam also got to enjoy some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa.

I am so grateful for this time away.  It is exactly what I needed.  I feel rested and rejuvenated, and I plan to maximize this vacation juju for as long as possible...

Life List Part One

A week ago today, I turned 35 years young.  I do not fear aging.  The way I see it...every birthday is a blessing.  Right now, I'm happy...I'm healthy...I'm surrounded by love.  I have all that I need.

With each birthday, as I embrace another year, I tend to get a little reflective.  Turning a year older has this symbolic meaning for me...it makes me assess where I am and what I hope to do with my life.

As I look back on these 35 years, I'm pretty pleased with all that I have accomplished, but looking forward, there's a lot more I hope to do. 

To celebrate this birthday, I was inspired by this lovely lady and decided to write a life list of one hundred things I would like to do with the time I have left. 

So here it is...in no particular order, the first half of my life list:

1.       Write my life list (which I have to write because I LOVE checking things off my to-do list!)

2.      Finish my PhD (I did it!!!)

3.      Write a book

4.      Own a chunk of land and a home surrounded by trees

5.      Visit every National Park

6.      Quit my job so I can spend more time with my son

7.      Travel to India

8.     Unplug completely for one week

9.      Learn to play the violin

10.  Plant a big, huge garden

11.   Run a marathon or 50K trail run

12.  Own horses

13.  Help my son find and follow his dreams

14.  Learn to sew my own clothing

15.   Own a home with a fireplace, a big great room that opens into the kitchen, a walk-in closet, my own sink, a hot tub out under the stars , a crafting studio, and a huge fire pit on a patio

16.  Backpack part of the Appalachian Trail

17.   Own a high efficiency washer and dryer

18.  Take a painting class

19.  Grow lovely flowers year around

20. Have a huge farmhouse table where we gather and eat amazing meals

21.  Travel to Alaska

22. Practice yoga on a regular basis for an extended period of time

23. Learn Aerial Arts

24. Own a camper for camping and music festivals

25.  Stop driving so fast…learn to slow down and enjoy the moment

26. Go on an African safari

27.  Take a cooking class

28. Visit the Scottish Highlands

29. See the Northern Lights

30. Have everything we own paid off

31.  Travel to France and visit the Louvre

32. Take a photography class

33. Learn to quilt

34. Become a bee keeper

35.  Go on a long, romantic trip with my husband

36. Keep chickens so we can have farm fresh eggs

37.  Go diving in the Sea of Cortez

38. Write a letter to my son every year on his birthday

39. Take an outdoor survival class

40. Learn to knit

41.  Have a library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with books

42. Go to Squam or some other creative gathering

43. Buy a really nice piece of art

44. Own an espresso machine and learn to make my own delicious lattes

45.  Go on a vacation with my parents, all of my siblings, and their children so we can spend more than a day together at a time

46. Have my house completely organized from top to bottom

47.  Learn to climb trees like my husband

48. Make wine

49. Dye my hair red

50. Create a meditation alter and sacred space in home

Happy Valentine's Day

All you need is love, love...love is all you need.

Let's celebrate love.

Grateful Monday

Mondays have been particularly hard for me since I returned to work from maternity leave.  I created Grateful Monday to help me begin the week on a positive note. 

Five things I’m grateful for today:

1) Occasional, self-indulgent treats...I used a gift certificate and got to spend Saturday afternoon at a spa.  It was wonderful.
  
2) Good music.  Andrew and I went to a concert this weekend. This was only our second night out since Liam was born.  So fun!


3) A warm cozy, home.


4) My upcoming birthday...I will never fear getting older.  Each and every day is a blessing


5) The anticipation of a potential snow day tomorrow...keeping my fingers crossed!

Weekend

Here is a single, perfect moment from our weekend.  

I just love these lazy kind of mornings.