Thank you so very much for the birthday wishes, friends! I had a delightful day with myself, and then a delightful weekend with the ones I love :) There was a walk through my favorite historic neighborhood, an IGA 9-layer cake, some in-person shopping at a new-to-me consignment boutique (see below!), a Duke game in Cameron (!!), and a Father of the Bride family movie night.

I finished the weekend feeling grateful and happy, and that was welcome, because it hasn’t been the easiest start to the year. We have experienced three significant ruptures in three organizations that are important to our family, and that has led to heartache, frustration, time occupied in ways I wish it didn’t have to be, and much soul-searching about what’s next. I know that’s a bit vague, but these rents have colored our year and it seems right to note them. Sending you love if you’ve had a hard start to the year, too. xo

On my calendar:
— Easter basket shopping with all three kids. I’ll go on individual mini shopping trips to Target with each to choose items for baskets we donate through a local program. One of my favorite family traditions!
— Spring break. We are headed to Hilton Head – our first time!
— A zoo visit with my sister! It’s the best halfway meet-up point between our two towns.

What I’m loving right now:
— Back to that consignment boutique I mentioned above – it was amazing. I joked to John that it felt like the grown-up version of my favorite kids’ consignment sale – a curated selection of clothing from stylish people that I get to buy for far less than they did :) I brought so many things into the fitting room and came home with a handful of new-to-me favorites, including a Mille dress. I think I will never buy anything new from another store again?! Local friends, it is seriously so good!
— We’ve used Blueland hand soap and cleaning products for many years. After successfully switching to their dishwasher detergent last year, we made the switch to their laundry detergent last month. I’m happy with it all and thrilled to reduce the amount of plastic we consume.
— Speaking of consuming less plastic: I’ve also been on a mission to replace our plastic cutting boards, and started with this one. It took a beat for me to get used to cutting on the surface, but I do plan to buy an additional size.

As a reminder, you can find allll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!

What you’re loving right now:

This is where I highlight a few items here that have been popular in the last month with fellow readers, based on my analytics. Here’s hoping this will help you find something you’ll love!

— My beloved summer linen shift dress, now in so many colors (the red! the olive!)
— Our funny little scripture memory flip book
— The prettiest $5 scalloped spoon rest
— My favorite of Sally Clarkson’s books
— My Christmas card photo album, still going strong (I’ve heard from some of you that you’re planning to make albums for your kids, too!)

Last month on The Connected Family:
— Does home size affect family culture and connection? | A discussion, plus my thoughts on our next home.
— 5 things I love about my family right now | And why this might matter to you.
— A day in the life of The Connected Family | The winter weekday workday edition with a 9-, 6-, and 3-year-old
— 5 digital-to-embody swaps to consider | What do we outsource to digital ease, and what do we keep for ourself?

What I read in February:
— Pillars of the Earth | Continuing with my Kingsbridge series re-read! I’ve traditionally said this, the original volume, is my favorite of the bunch, but I actually found myself hurrying through the first part this time around. Still very enjoyable, though!
— Gilead | I loved this book. It’s a Pulitzer Prize winner with only thin veins of a plot (just enough to keep you turning pages!). Instead, it’s a portrait, shot through with observations that ring true and humble, dazzling lines. (I dog-eared several lines to tuck away in my commonplace file – quite rare for a fiction book.) Reading it in middle age, with young children and aging parents, was a tender experience.

My reading list for 2025! I’m 2 / 24 so far.

Revisiting my February goals:
Finalize the itinerary for our reunion and run it by a friend to get feedback
Write June’s birthday update
Choose a PCP and call about making an appointment (No…….)
Sit down with John and spend 1-2 hours going over what I have so far for the TCF audio course and getting his feedback (This did not happen and I’m sad about it! It’s hard to find a big block of time when we’re both able to focus on something challenging AND the kids are occupied.)
Choose and begin a new Bible reading plan (Have just continued with the Psalms.)
Make classroom valentines with the kids
Put our scripture ring into action at the table
Prep to speak at a school on behalf of TCF – my first time! (So thankful for this! It went really well!)
Send that phone ban friend email (Done! Grateful for this, too.)

I also planned to run every weekend (went off the rails after some knee twinges and pushing myself to experiment with pacing), practice the piano several times a week (I averaged once per week), and clean out my phone screenshots daily (check!).

March goals:
— Complete Easter basket shopping with the kids
— Organize Annie’s closet
— Track down final RSVPs and contact information for the reunion and confirm locations
— Finish planning and enjoy HHI trip
— Strength train 2x/week
— Practice piano 2x/week
— Figure out a designer for bathroom
— Disassemble Annie’s crib and rearrange her room a bit
— Choose a PCP and call about making an appointment
— Complete two more watercolor postcards (I’ve committed to contributing 10-12 postcards of scenes from around our Maine island for a community auction happening there this summer. My watercolor talents are minimal but I’m hoping the familiar scenes will make the finished product more dear than it really is, ha! My first three tries above :))

As a reminder, many of these are drawn from my 2025 PowerSheets goals!

Alright, plenty to discuss here! Does anyone have an online watercolor class to recommend? Hilton Head Island must-dos? Has it been far too long since you’ve been to a PCP, too? Feel free to discuss anything I’ve mentioned below!

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