Quiet

I've been pretty quiet in this space.  Our lives have been packed full recently.  I have also been in the midst of a big writing push, and I'm happy to say that I sent a large chunk of my dissertation to my advisor on Friday.  The writing is extremely gratifying but also exhausting, and I'm finding it a struggle to motivate myself to write more on this blog.

That's okay.  I'm in a place of acceptance, and I know that this is just a season, one that will soon pass.  If I'm a bit quiet during this time, it's quite alright.  I can fully return when my final chapter is signed, sealed, and delivered~!

In the meantime, here's a glimpse into our lives lately:

• We had a lovely Mother's day weekend.  My boys spoiled me a bit with the most wonderful breakfast.  I had told Andrew that all I wanted was to go on a wildflower hike, and we found the most beautiful, tucked away spot.  The flowers were AAAAAMAZING!  My expectations were completely blown away.  I'm still cataloguing them, but we saw at least 15 different kinds.  Below is a collage of some of them.  I'm pretty sure this hike is destined to become a spring tradition!

• I also got this Shark vacuum for Mother's day, and I'm thrilled.  It's ridiculous how well this thing cleans.  I could not believe what it pulled from my sofa and rugs on the first round.  I had to empty the canister three times, which is scary considering that I'm a clean freak!  It was strangely gross and satisfying at the same time.  I did tons of research and this one had excellent reviews.  Many of the reviews said that it was better than a Dyson.  Dyson's have always intrigued me, but I just can't justify that price.  If I'm going to spend that much $$$ on a vacuum, it should vacuum for me!  

• In my last posts, I referred to our sewer project.  Well...that project turned into a bit of a nightmare.  Here's a picture of our front yard after stage 1.  Stage 2 then required that we bust open our concrete floor in our basement and dig a trench.  So...we are in the midst of repairing our finished basement.  The whole ordeal was one expensive fiasco, but unfortunately, a necessary one.  I'm actually looking forward to having our basement updated a bit. I'm also hoping that this all pays off when it comes time to sell our house!  Needless to say, we also have some landscaping to do....

I had to drink a margarita after this....

• Andrew and I celebrated our 4th anniversary last week.  We've made it a tradition to stick to the traditional wedding gifts, which keeps it interesting.  This year's gift was flowers and fruit.  Andrew gave me this most beautiful bouquet of fragrant flowers.  It smells divine!  He also surprised me with this glass pane with pressed flowers in it! I was having a hard time getting a good picture of it because of the glare, but it's just beautiful!   I made him a batch of chocolate covered fruit :-)

• Our Memorial Day turned into a bit of a bust because our little guy was sick with some kind of virus.  The poor thing.  I swear there isn't anything worse than seeing your child not feeling well.  On the upside, we got lots of rest and our basement is nearing completion.  
• I'm loving these warm days that I get to spend with this little guy.  We have been maximizing our time outside and loving every minute of it!

xoxo

Easter

My Easter post is coming a little late, but that's how I roll these days!  

We spent the weekend at my mom and dad's house.   It was the best weather we've had all spring so we spent much of it outside.

This was Liam's first year really hunting Easter eggs, and he was pretty excited about it. 

I just love how my boys have matching sleepy faces in this picture.    

My parents got Liam these Superman pajamas, which he thinks are so cool.  They have a little cape that attaches with velcro.  When he wears them, he pretends to fly, and let me tell you, I don't think it gets much better than watching your two year-old son pretend to fly!  Pure awesome.

Here he is ready to go on the hunt.

He was pretty proud of himself each time he found one.

See the cape?  You can also see that the Easter Bunny kept his hiding pretty simple this year. 

After he hunted for his eggs, he got to come inside and open his presents.  He had picked out this excavator at the store, and we wrote the Easter Bunny a letter telling him about it.  Liam was really excited when he opened it. 

I feel so very blessed to get to experience the world alongside this little guy.  He brings us so. much. joy.  And truly makes every holiday so much sweeter!

xoxo

Grateful Monday

It's been awhile since I've done a grateful Monday post, but this week, I really need it.

I'm hoping that this post will help me keep perspective as we deal with having to replace our sewer line.  This is a majorly expensive project, and it's gotten me frazzled.  I just keep telling myself that it will all be okay.  Once it's fixed, we won't have to worry about it anymore.  And when it comes time to sell this house, it will, hopefully, pay off!

I really just hope and pray that they don't find anymore problems once they dig a massive trench in my front yard.  Fingers crossed. 

So today, here are five things that I'm grateful for:

• Our health.  Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed or down about life's problems, I always remind myself that we are all healthy.  And that is priceless.  I would deal with this sewer problem any day over a health issue.  Hands down.  
• Our home.  While I'm not exactly loving our 110 year-old house at the moment, I need to remind myself that we are blessed to even have a home.  And a pretty darn cute one at that!
• My parents.  They are making an impromptu trip to come see us tomorrow so my dad can be here for this project.  He's got a lot of experience in this area, and we are so blessed to have his expertise and help.
• My husband.  I tend to be a nervous nelly, and he is always an optimist.  He's always so patient and compassionate and knows exactly how to calm me down.  I just love him.
• Spring.  Though today is cold, we had a beautiful weekend.  And one benefit of having to dig up our landscaping is that I had no choice but to cut my hyacinths.  I've got bunches of them scattered about, and now, my house smells divine.

Here's to counting blessings and staying positive!

Have a wonderful week!

xoxo

Girls' Backpacking Trip

Last April, I wrote about a weekend away at a cabin with some of my girlfriends.  We enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided to make it an annual event.

And since we all love the outdoors, we decided to make this year's weekend a light backpacking trip.  

We gathered at my friend Beth's beautiful home on Friday night and enjoyed some delicious food and cocktails. I invited my sister-in-law to join us, and I'm so happy she came along.  She fits in seamlessly with this group of women.  I just adore her. 

We woke up on Saturday and packed up. 

And then we hit the trail. We did a small section of the River to River trail in the Bald Knob Wilderness in the Shawnee National Forest. It was perfect.  The wildflowers were starting to bloom, and we couldn't have asked for better weather.

Between the 7 of us, there were some excellent map reading skills. 

We had a fun water crossing and then set up camp along the creek.

We built a raging fire and settled in for the night.

And we ate the most delicious camp meal I've ever had!  

We stayed up late into the night gathered around the fire.  And then spent much of the next day lounging at our campsite.  We didn't actually start hiking the next day until 2:30.  We definitely would have stayed another night if we could!

I just adore these women. Spending time with them is good for my soul, and I always come away a better person. I am so grateful to be blessed with these soul sisters.  And with my hectic schedule recently, it was really nice to get away and spend some quiet time in the woods. 

And have I mentioned my SIL?  She's the best.  I'm so grateful to have her in my life.  

I'm already looking forward to our next trip.  I'm thinking that maybe our girls' weekend needs to happen more than once a year!

xoxo

Lately

Life has been full lately. 

Last week was my spring break so Liam and I spent a few days visiting with my parents. We came home and then I packed my bags and headed to Pittsburgh to present at the NARST conference.  I do enjoy going to conferences, but at this point, I'm kind of tired of travelling. I have no plans to get on a plane anytime soon and that is fine by me!

Here is a little random peak into life around here lately.

• I finally have a pretty solid outline for my dissertation so I'm in full writing mode.  Now I just need to find some precious time to put my nose to the grind.  My goal is to be finished with a draft by Labor day (I can't believe I'm actually telling that to the world....it kind of makes me want to hyperventilate....) 

• We are busy planning our summer concert season. (Yes... I did just talk about needing to find time to write my dissertation and now I'm talking about going to concerts.  It's all about balance right?!)  We have tickets to see Ray LaMontagne and the John Butler Trio, two of my very favorite musicians!  We also have tickets to this festival, which will likely be the highlight of the summer.  

We are considering this festival, but I need to see how my writing goes before I commit.  Hopefully this can be a reward for finishing a couple chapters!

• Here's Liam with his little buddy Cecelia. After the longest winter ever, we are seriously enjoying being able to play outside again.  

• Speaking of my little guy, he is keeping me on my toes these days and starting to challenge me a bit.  But he's also talking up a storm and just being all around awesome.  Here he is playing his "big boy" guitar with his new guitar strap.  This kid just can't get enough music.  About two days ago, he started making up little tunes along with words.  It kind of melts my heart.....

• Speaking of the longest winter ever...this winter wrecked havoc on my skin.  I've never had dry skin like I had this year.  In a moment of desperation, I tried this oil and it was like a miracle.  It's now one of my skincare essentials.  I never in my life thought I would be putting oil on my face but this stuff is uh-mazing!  My skin has never looked better.  I use it morning and night.  It is pricey, but a little goes a long way.  I might actually go so far as to say that this is the best skin care product I've ever used.  For real. 

• I'm SO ready for it to warm up so I can start wearing warm weather clothes. Anyone else totally over your winter wardrobe?! I'm ready for sundresses, skirts, and sandals.  I recently discovered the store Altar'd State and it's totally up my alley.  It's very similar to Anthropologie but not as expensive.  I picked up this shirt on sale, and I love it.

•  At the end of last year, we were hit with a couple of costly car repairs.  So at the start of the year, we revisited our budget and started using a cash system (I plan to write a post about this).  I have been so impressed by the changes that have resulted in our spending and how much more intentional we are with our money.  I'm completely sold on this approach!  

•  I'm gearing up for a weekend away with some of my girlfriends.  We are heading out on a girls' backpacking trip.  I can't wait to spend some quality with my soul sisters and also be in the woods for a couple of days!  Fun stuff!

xoxo

About a bracelet.....

I love Amy Butler and her gorgeous fabrics.  So I frequently peruse her website looking at her photos.  I came across this one a few years ago, and I immediately loved the tunic.

I actually bought the pattern, and one day, I intend to make it.  Let's hope that happens before Liam goes to college, but I'm not making any promises. 

Aside from the shirt, however, I also fell in love with that bracelet.  Do you see it? I kind of have a thing for cuffs.  And this one is bohemian perfection with it's mother-of-pearl and silver design.  

Since that day, I have thought about this bracelet.  And many times, I have scoured the internet searching for one like it.

And I found one.  But it was $275 and that was not in my budget.  

So, this past December, on a random Saturday (when I probably should have been grading papers or doing something productive) I decided to search for this bracelet instead. 

Imagine my excitement when I found one on eBay for a steal. I immediately bid on it and then I had to wait.... 

I don't buy a lot of things off eBay, but I know from experience that waiting for the auction to end is one of the worst parts.  Before I ever bid on something, I always set an amount that will be my maximum.  

And trust me, it is tragic when you see a beloved item's price rise above your maximum bid and you have to just walk away.

I was terrified for two days that I would lose this beautiful bracelet.

But alas, I won it at a crazy cheap price.   And I when I received it in the mail, I was giddy with excitement.  It was even more beautiful in person. 

And here I am wearing it at one of our Christmas gatherings.  This has quickly become one of my favorite pieces of jewelry.  I don't wear it often because it is delicate, but when I do, it makes me incredibly happy.

To think that I found that exact bracelet on a random Saturday on Ebay....it kind of feels like serendipity.  I'm pretty sure it was meant to be. 

Bringing home a little bit of France

While I was in France, I was particularly impressed with the some of the ways the French seem to just enjoy life. 

I was also smitten with their approach to food as well as their style. 

Here are some of my favorites:

• Their coffee was amazing.  Every afternoon, we enjoyed a cup of espresso.  I've never had espresso like this in the United States.  It was so rich and smooth and really makes me want to get an espresso machine.

 

• Their food was delicious.  Honestly, we did not have a bad meal, and I  really love their focus on eating fresh.  Their streets are lined with bakeries, produce stands, butchers, and cheese shops.  They shop almost daily and prepare their meals with all fresh ingredients. The food is rich, but the portions are reasonable.  They definitely prefer quality over quantity. 

 

 

• Have I talked about the chocolate?  Yum.  I had chocolate mousse for dessert multiple times.  So so good.  I may have come home with a slight chocolate addiction and have since been enjoying some good, dark chocolate on a daily basis. 

 

• I loved just sitting in the cafes that line the streets and people watching.  Something that was very noticeable was the lack of technology in these cafes.  I never saw anyone on their cell phone during a meal, or even while having coffee.  From what I understand, they really value being present when they are with other people.  It was refreshing and makes me realize just how plugged in we Americans are. 

• Paris is known for it's fashion.  And now I know why.   I never knew you could tie a scarf in so many different ways.  And I saw some amazing handbags. Everyone looks fashionable, but in a very natural way.  It's like they aren't even trying.  I definitely came home inspired.  

 

 

• Perhaps most inspiring was the fact that the Parisians just seemed to enjoy their leisure time.  In the late afternoons and evenings, the cafes were packed.  They really seem to prioritize taking some time to relax during their day.  Since I've been home, I find myself taking the time to enjoy an afternoon cup of tea.  I also have been working more from cafes rather than just sitting in my office. I've noticed that even these simple, small things can make a big difference in how I feel.  Even just a few moments of leisurely, intentional time can go a long way.

 

I continue to hold onto a little bit of Paris. The trip was a good reminder to focus a little more on enjoying the present, soaking up the good things in life, each and every day.