I’ve always loved those images that can be viewed two different ways, like the young girl or old woman. Once you’ve seen one, it’s nearly impossible to recognize the other. And then, just as quickly, the opposite is made clear and it’s hard to go back to your original perception. It seems inconceivable that the two could coexist. And yet somehow, they do.
Life feels like that sometimes.
6 years ago was my wedding rehearsal. I can remember everything about that day in better detail than I can remember what I was doing this Tuesday afternoon.
I love writing, baking, and yoga. So much so that in my early days of blogging, I had a site called Baking In Yoga Pants, combining my love for the three. I’ve dreamt of doing each full-time. Sitting down daily to write a novel, opening a bakery, running a studio.
During my yoga teacher
training, we did an exercise where we jotted down all the things we wanted for
our future lives inside a circle, and all the things we no longer wanted
outside its perimeter. Of course, writing, baking, and yoga found their way
inside my bubble. As did my husband, kids, dogs, and a house with a fenced in
yard. The whole vision combined to create my utopia.
The family and the
home are part of my reality now. And yet, all too often, I find myself taking
for granted those things I once dreamt of having. I get caught up in the
everyday shuffle that comprises this chapter of life and am so busy looking
down at the high chair that needs to be wiped, the floors that need to be
vacuumed, the dog food bowls that need to be filled, and the laundry that needs
to be folded, that I forget to look around. At the family we’ve created, the
walls we’ve filled with memories, the traditions we’ve established, and the
house that has become our home.
I love Melissa McCarthy and I really love Ellen DeGeneres, so I was a little bummed when I forgot to record their interview a few days ago. I asked my parents if they’d seen it and immediately knew they hadn’t when my dad responded something along the lines of, “Oh yeah. It was so funny.”
“Okay, so you didn’t see it either.” I said.
“Why do you say that?” He asked.
“Because, you’d say it was just okay,” my mom and I replied in unison. Continue reading →
I’d just begun our baby registry (about 8 weeks later than recommended) and didn’t know where to start. Diapers seemed like a logical choice. Until I saw all the options. And glanced at all the reviews. Continue reading →
I love the fall. The leaves start to change, the temperature starts to drop, and I can feel the change in the air. It’s the season for football, sweatshirts, potlucks, and pumpkin-flavored everything. Cool crisp air, beautiful colors, bonfires with s’smores and hot drinks. It is, by far, my favorite time of year.
Fall can get a bad reputation – either it is too warm or too cold, it doesn’t last long enough, it’s a precursor to winter or it’s the end of summer. But when I think of fall on its own – everything about it is wonderful. It is also called the “start of the holiday season” which, I think, is a bit absurd because quite frankly there’s a whole month from the time fall starts to the first fall holiday (hello Halloween). Continue reading →
I honestly don’t care what it’s called. Me-time, down-time, alone-time, self-care, leave me the hell alone and let me do my thing time…the end goal is always the same. To recharge. To have my cup refilled. To feel refreshed and capable. To remind myself that I am, and always will be, an individual.
My fiancé, Andrew, and I are getting married in just over 2 weeks, and it has been a mad dash to get wedding plans confirmed. I was looking at scripts for the officiant, and a few things completely rubbed me the wrong way. One big one was the verbiage I kept finding for the unity ceremony. It all implied that the individuals ceased to be after the wedding ceremony, and only one couple remained.
On my wedding day, I set the intention to savor all the moments throughout the celebration. I’d been warned by many wise married women before me just how quickly the whole shebang goes. I’d watched Father of the Bride approximately 48 times and witnessed with my own eyes what a blur it could be to race from getting ready to the ceremony and through the reception. I knew that I’d better take a full roll of mental snapshots so I didn’t look back feeling as though I’d missed it.
I wanted to remember the giddy champagne infused excitement of curling hair and putting on makeup with my bridesmaids, the look on my husband’s face as I walked down the aisle, the all-the-feels emotions I experienced as I danced with my dad, and the heartfelt humor expressed through dinner toasts. Continue reading →
I’m a habitual hider. It’s not uncommon for me to apply for a job and go through multiple rounds of interviews before even mentioning to my husband that I’ve thrown my name in the hat. I wait until articles are accepted for publication before telling my family that I’ve even submitted them for review. I withhold all kinds of personal and professional details about my life from the people I love, so that just in case things don’t work out, I don’t have to share my embarrassment, disappointment, and shame.
In other words, my go-to defense mechanism is avoiding vulnerability like the plague. Continue reading →
I always enjoy learning about people’s morning routines and bedtime rituals. In part, because they offer a glimpse into the little details that I wouldn’t otherwise ever know, but more so, because I’m a big believer in the significance of our daily habits. I’m in the Gretchen Rubin camp that “what you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while.” And I think that importance of every day commitment applies to so many areas of our lives. Of course, it has to do with the obvious things we consistently do and consume outwardly, but I feel like it also applies to the power of our thoughts and the mindful practices we keep. Continue reading →
I have a short, eclectic list of movies I’ve seen too many times to count. On it: Father of the Bride, The -original- Parent Trap, Dumb & Dumber (I told you it was eclectic), and It’s a Wonderful Life. I watch and cry my way through George Bailey’s journey every Christmas, but to be honest, I’d watch it in July too. And as a matter of fact, I just might make it a bi-annual tradition starting this year. Because every time I take in the story, I’m left with a feeling of immense gratitude for my family, my friends, my home, my health, and my life.
During the last 10 minutes of the film, I become a bit of a blubberer, tears welling up in my eyes as I shout “Merry Christmas” back at the TV and begin to hug my husband and dogs. It’s emotionally overwhelming in the best way because it’s like I see with fresh eyes all the everyday things that are so easy to overlook and take for granted. Continue reading →
