25 July 2024
A highlight of June: hosting a kindergarten breakfast in our neighborhood! This was a very, very low-key event – so low-key that it almost feels not worth detailing – but it’s been a sweet tradition in our neighborhood for many years and was a great comfort to me when June was a rising kindergartner. Today, I thought I could offer a few ideas (and lots of encouragement) if you, too, might like to host one! The background on our neighborhood’s kindergarten breakfast: Our neighborhood has been holding a breakfast for rising kindergarteners for at least as long as we’ve been here. (I remember thinking it sounded like the coziest tradition when we moved in ten years ago, sans children!) The first time I actually attended was in 2021, when June was getting ready to make her elementary school debut. Though I had nothing to compare it to, it felt like a bit of a muted event – which makes sense, since things were still opening back up after the pandemic. There were just a handful of families in attendance, but what we lacked in quantity was made up for by quality – including a pair of powerhouse moms with four kids each, all of whom attended June’s future school. Getting to chat with them and ask them questions went a long way toward putting me at ease. It was my desire to pass that sense of ease onto another new kindergarten parent that made me say “yes” when a request went out for a breakfast coordinator earlier this year. After confirming a date with the head of the social committee, I was given a budget of $200 and carte blanche to do pretty much whatever I wanted… my ideal scenario, ha! Planning a kindergarten breakfast: In our neighborhood, the kindergarten
19 July 2024
These mid-year goal reviews might be some of the most boring posts for y’all to read (hopefully not!), but — selfishly — they’re good accountability for me and a welcome opportunity to honestly reflect on what has and hasn’t been accomplished since the beginning of the year — and to regroup for the second half! I set nine goals in my PowerSheets in January. Here’s how they’ve gone so far… GOAL No. 1: Recover the armchairs Progress I’ve made: Our cream armchairs were looking a bit worse for wear after five years. While I loved the idea of a lighter aesthetic, I decided reupholstering them in a darker tone and a performance velvet fabric would help us all feel more comfortable living in our main space while in our young kids era. After carefully sifting through fabric samples and finding an upholsterer, the work was completed earlier this year. The change has done what I hoped it would — I’m far less uptight about how they get used — but I do wish the fabric had less of a sheen. While it’s hard to swallow a less-than-ideal result because of the cost involved, I’m reminding myself that the purpose of our home isn’t to look perfect: it’s to functionally shelter our family in a cozy and welcoming way, and this change definitely helps do that. The next six months: All set here! GOAL NO. 2: Read through The Bible Recap’s yearly reading plan Progress I’ve made: John and I are following this chronological plan together, and we’re chugging along! We’re currently about three weeks behind, but I feel very nonchalant about it :) I am really enjoying listening to each day’s reading and the recap as I get ready for bed each night. So far, we’ve read through 18 books
9 July 2024
We’re back from a week in Michigan with our extended family (35 people in total!), and what a delight it was. Further thoughts coming in a recap post soon! Until then, here’s what we have on tap for July. I’m also prepping a midpoint-of-the-year goals post, so stay tuned for that next! On my calendar:— Celebrating Annie, John, and Shep’s birthdays! July is a celebratory month for our family!— Sending June to sleepaway camp for two weeks! (Eep!) — Hosting the second annual Cousin Camp for my niece and nephew! What I’m loving right now:— This interview with married summer camp directors from the Raising Boys & Girls podcast was the encouragement I needed as we gear up to send our oldest to sleepaway camp for the first time. Both the practical tips and the big-picture reminders about why we’re doing this in the first place were welcome.— The “Fresh Additions Fully Cooked Chicken Bites” from Costco have been a staple in John’s lunches since we discovered them a few months ago. The 2 oz packs come in a set of 8. I throw them in the freezer and he pulls them out one-by-one to add to his salads!— This essay! In addition to being a tender look into the heart of a mom of a grown-up daughter, allowing me to imagine the day I’ll be in those shoes, it also changed my approach to communication with my own mom right now. Grateful! 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
27 June 2024
Visiting the North Carolina coast on Father’s Day weekend has become one of our favorite family traditions. It helps that three years in, the weather has been pretty darn perfect each time (there must be something about that weekend in June!). Perfect weather or not, it’s a delight to discover new corners of this state we love in honor of our favorite dad. This year’s trip was to Bald Head Island – come take a peek, if you’d like! Longtime readers may remember that John and I have been to Bald Head Island just once before – almost 10 years ago, when I was pregnant with June! BHI is accessible only by ferry, and the only civilian vehicles on the island are golf carts, which makes it relatively inaccessible but delightfully relaxing. We left on Sunday afternoon after church and headed home around noon on Wednesday. It was the perfect amount of time to explore the island! The first order of business when planning our trip was deciding where to stay. While there are lovely homes on the island, most rentals are for a week. Since we were staying just a few days, we opted for the Marsh Harbor Inn, which is an easy walk from the ferry. We stayed in one of the Shipwatch Suites. While the free-flowing popcorn in the dining room, the Fruit Loops every morning (a continental breakfast was included with our room), and the golf cart (also included with our room) were all highlights, the kids were UTTERLY ENTRANCED by their accommodations: three built-in bunk beds in the tiniest nook of a room. This was Annie’s first time sleeping outside of a crib or pack and play, and she was in heaven. As for our itinerary, it was quite laidback. We arrived on the 4pm