At long last — the 2019 installment of June in June! I delayed and delayed on editing this one because life is busy, yes, but also because I had this little voice in the back of my mind saying “you didn’t get that many good clips” and “there’s no way you’ll top last year’s.” (To be fair, last year’s was really fun. One whale!) Filming was particularly challenging this year, as we struggled to hold a phone and a wiggly baby at the same time (and navigated a subject that is increasingly aware of the camera).

But once I finally pushed through and just did the thing, this fourth installment came together easily and quickly, as they always do – because while our life together is messy and ordinary, it is also beyond precious and perfect to us. This little girl fills every day with sunshine in a way that’s hard to even think about without tearing up… so instead, I invite you to simply enjoy this peek into one month with our favorite three-and-a-half-year-old.

The password is JUNE.

Ready for a walk down memory lane? See Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3. (And just try not to cry a little bit.)

In light of my November goal to decide on all the gifts for all the people, I’ve been making many lists. One is of our helpers, and how we might make them feel seen and loved this Christmas. Here’s what I’ve got planned, and I’d love to hear your thoughts, too!

First, I’d encourage you to think outside the box here. There are of course the classic “helpers” – people like mail men, garbage men, and teachers – and they are great to remember at Christmas. But if your nail gal, local post office clerk, oil change person, or favorite checkout gal at Publix really makes your life better or brightens your day whenever you cross paths? I’m sure she’d get a kick out of being noticed and thanked in some way! Use the next few weeks to pay attention to who those people are and then brainstorm how you might delight them.

Our list this year – so far:

— June and Shep’s teachers will each get one of these SnapBaskets. I’m not entirely sure how I’ll present them, since they’re a little unwieldy, but I’m SO proud of this coup – I bought them months ago when they were on sale for $10 each!! I’ll pair the baskets with individualized, handwritten notes sharing the things we appreciate about them and why what they do matters so much to us!

For teachers, I also love giving a pretty notepad or notebook tied with a big ribbon and paired with a pen. If I was doing that this year, I would buy this set of 3 and this set of pens and then break them up into individual gifts, for a total of $10 per gift.

I also like the idea of a pretty tumbler! You could pair it with a coffee shop gift card to add a little oomph.

— Our babysitter will get a Write the Word journal. I have the good fortune of getting these fo’ free, but if you buy the bundle, they come out to $20 each, which I think is reasonable for a smaller gift.

— Our garbage and recycling men will get a $15ish Jersey Mike’s gift card and something edible (ideally toffee or peanut butter balls but if time gets crunched boxed brownies will do!). I tape a big note on a bright piece of paper to the top of our garbage and recycling cans that says, “enjoy lunch on us!” so it attracts their attention from the truck.

— This is actually the first time we’ve given a Christmas gift to our pastor (I don’t know, for some reason it never occurred to me to do so?!). He just got married and this is only his second Christmas season as a pastor, and I’m sure the schedule and commitments are overwhelming at times. So, I think I’m going to make and freeze a batch of our favorite beef stew – for them to pull out on a busy evening – and also give them a gift certificate to a local restaurant, to go toward a date night. And a note! Always a note :)

I’d love to hear: which helpers do you prioritize in the holiday season? What do you like to do for them? Let’s compare notes.

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On Friday evening, I posted a little three-part Instagram story. In it, I gave a brief tour of my looks-like-a-bomb-went-off downstairs, then cut to me stirring a pot of one of our go-to weeknight meals. I declared it an example of one of my favorite life drumbeats: the idea of trade offs, those times when we knowingly let go of one thing in pursuit of a better thing. I wanted to share the reality that in this season, at these ages, the only way we can sit down to a weeknight homemade meal together is to be okay with June and Shep totally dismantling our downstairs while I cook.

Do I like my house looking like a bomb went off? No.

But I like eating a yummy dinner together more than I like having a tidy house, and so that is a trade off I can live with.

The response to the Stories was swift – dozens of gals saying how encouraging this slice of “real life” was to see and thanking me for sharing it. This perplexed me a bit, even as I was glad it resonated. While it’s true that I don’t often share these types of messy “real life” glimpses, it’s certainly not because they don’t happen – it’s because I’m too busy living that chaotic real life to stop, capture it, and package it for sharing. But of course all of our lives look like this sometimes!!! (Most of the time?) Sometimes real life looks like this, and sometimes real life looks like every toy in the house scattered on the floor. That’s my life right now, and if it’s yours, too, know that we’re in the same boat – even if we can’t always see it.

Anyway – in addition to the thank yous, many gals requested the recipe I was cooking, and I’m happy to share! It’s a special one in our house. Our friends the Henrys made it for us the week before June was born, and so no matter how many times we make it (which is many many many), it will always be wrapped up in the emotions of impending parenthood. It’s good in every season and comes together really quickly – it’s one of the only recipes I have memorized! Read on for the simple tips that make it sing…

Kale, Sausage, and Chickpea Pasta

1 box bowtie pasta
2-3 Tbs. olive oil
1 lb mild Italian sausage, ground
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 bunch lacinato kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
Shredded parmesan
Lemon

In a large pot (we use our big Le Creuset), heat 2 Tbs. olive oil on medium-high and add sausage. Cook, stirring and chopping into pieces until it’s begun to crisp and brown (this usually takes about 15 minutes for me, FYI!).

In a separate pot, cook the pasta per instructions. Drain and set aside, reserving some liquid at the end.

Add the minced garlic to the sausage and cook on low for 30 seconds. Add the drained chickpeas and cook for a few more minutes. Add the kale and cook down until the kale is wilted, a few minutes more. Add the pasta and stir to combine.

Working in layers, stir in salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, a little bit of pasta water, and a generous amount of parmesan cheese. Keep adding in each element a little at a time until it looks and tastes good!

Squeeze lemon wedges over individual servings and add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to taste!

In our house, the holidays start now – and that’s great with me, because it means we can take them slow! Mind you, that does NOT mean we are listening to Christmas music now (that’s strictly for post-Thanksgiving dinner).

What does start now? The gift planning, Christmas card ordering, activity organizing, reservation setting, babysitter reserving, meal planning – and more. Starting early doesn’t mean we do more or spend more or go crazy: it means I get the space to choose what matters most, and then prepare for it without going crazy. Honestly, I can’t wait :)

Here’s what else is on tap for the month ahead!

On my calendar this month:
— Voting!
— Thanksgiving dinner with dear friends, and the post-Thanksgiving weekend with family
— Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping – I’m working on my list!

What I’m loving right now:
— On the topic of holidays: I’ve found true warm white Christmas light strands extremely hard to find in my local stores. We ordered several of these last year with great success!
— Also on the topic of holidays: I fell in love with this tree Victoria posted last year, but they sold out before I could get to them. They’re back in stock and I already snapped one up for June’s room – I think she is going to lose it with excitement :)
— File this under weirdest thing to be loving ever, but exfoliating with a washcloth?! I typically just use my hands, but have been gently rubbing a washcloth over my face right after I rinse off my cleanser every night, and my skin is feeling so much smoother!

What I read in October:
— Finish: An easy and enjoyable read as I round the bend on many of my goals for the year!

Revisiting my October goals:
Find a new pot for our mantel and a throw blanket for our sofa (picked the pot and have my fingers crossed for a Black Friday sale!)
Create our family Halloween costumes (went with just the kiddos, but they turned out pretty cute :))
Finish culling and sorting our 2018 and 2019 (thus far) iPhone photos (nope)
Edit Sheptember, Volume 1, and finish editing June in June, Volume 4 (progress here but not done)
Design our family Christmas newsletter and order Christmas cards (just got our photos in – looking forward to doing this tonight!)

November goals:
— Write one thank you note per day (a campaign we’re doing along with our church family!)
— Make decisions about all gifts for all the people
— Do lots of Christmas shopping, taking advantage of Black Friday sales
— Share gift guides! Any requests? (In the meantime, start here!)
— Order Christmas cards and family Christmas newsletter
— Finish culling and sorting our 2018 and 2019 (thus far) iPhone photos
— …and if I do, reward myself with ordering my first five-year album on Black Friday!! The chance to save is good accountability :)
— Organize our coat closet
— FINALLY FINISH June in June and Sheptember – it’s happening, people!!

Let’s get contentious: does the Christmas music start now for you? Were you listening in July? Are you a purist who waits until after Thanksgiving, like me? I’d love to hear. Would love to hear your thoughts on what gift guides, if any, would be most helpful, too!

P.S. I love using PowerSheets to stay on track with my goals throughout the month. The new collection went on sale in October and it is soooo good! The one-year goal planners will likely sell out before the new year, so scoot over and get yours soon if you’d like one for 2020!

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