I’m a summer girl. I like fall but like Erin said, I hate that it is a precursor to winter. Besides the holidays, winter just feels so gloomy and cold and gray and blah.
Even with good things in my life, I still am sad and grieving over the loss of my cousins which also brings back all I felt with losing my mom. I mean, of course, because that’s grief. I’m still struggling a bit with prayer and does it really matter and what is God really doing? I’m trying to appreciate all we do have and lean back on hope, knowing my comfort and strength comes from Jesus even when things don’t turn out like I want them to.
⭐️Like Erin, we are in our new house! We have a beautiful view over a small lake and we are living getting settled. I have been frantically unpacking and organizing which I love, though it is also exhausting. I was a little envious of Erin’s House Peace gift, but I am pretty decent at the organizing. Yesterday I tackled the pantry and master closet and I am thrilled with how they look. I’m sure I could still use some tips and fun organizational items though. I am also anxious to buy all the things when mostly what we have works for right now.
⭐️My son had really good friends on our old street. Two nights ago, we could hear people out, so he and I took a walk and met some neighbors. He and a boy a year older played frisbie and made plans to ride their bikes to school together the next day and they did. Then he went to his new friend’s house to play after school!
⭐️Fall TV has begun and though Knox and Jamie would make fun, I watch a lot of network TV shows still…Chicago shows, 911, Grey’s, etc. (I also watch much better TV too)!
⭐️Speaking of, Ted Lasso had another great episode this week.
Even with all the busyness, I have been reading but find myself having a hard time finishing One, Two, Three by Laurie Frankel. I loved This Is How It Always Is but this one is not as captivating I guess. So it came due at the library and I was able to renew but turns out none of the others on my shelf are really calling to me either. I have a couple I need to pick and some coming available soon so maybe they’ll be good. Otherwise, any suggestions on some good fiction. I read a lot and track on Goodreads which I always thought was a good enough tracker but now I wonder about Trello after hearing it talked about.
Network TV may not always be good, but it is reliable. Did the world need a CSI reboot? No. Will I be watching it because I was a diehard fan the first time around? Absolutely yes.
I just read The Story of Arthur Truluv and adored it. It’s a short, quiet story about an old man grieving the loss of his wife and a troubled young girl. The characters are delightful, and the way it captures the intermingling of grief and joy was so profound. I loved it.
I’m reading Class Mom by Laurie Gelman and it is really fun. I recently read Olympus, Texas and loved it. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore was good too, but it has some heavy themes. Do a little research if you are sensitive.
I think this is my first time commenting, so hi, I’m Becky from Texas.
Two treasures: Friday was homecoming for the school I teach at, and I got to wear cowboy boots and talk to my students about their massive mums, and my sweet student won homecoming king, and he cried because he was so excited, which was sweet. Also, I live in Texas if you can’t tell.
Second treasure: I woke up before my children so I’m drinking my coffee while it’s still hot.
Texas has actually paid attention to a calendar for the first time in its life and the weather turned on a dime on the first day of fall. I have decided 30 is the time to really lean into basic white girl fall. My body is made for fall clothes. I love October - cooling off but not too cold, doesn't get dark too early, etc. I'm ready for PG Halloween media - spooky, maybe a little witchy, but not actually scary.
I've informed the place I've been interviewing with that I'm interested in joining them, which was met with enthusiasm but they haven't gotten back with me about an actual offer. I was going to call them today and then remembered they're closed on Fridays, but as we live in a capitalist society I'm gonna need some numbers.
I just finished reading Southernmost by Silas House and it's a stunner. Highly recommend. He was in a documentary I saw a few months ago (Hillbilly on Hulu - also very good) and I've been meaning to pick up one of his books since and I'm so glad I did.
I'm going to my first big kid CE conference tomorrow, which means an early start and a day full of lectures, so I think I'd better call it a night.
It has been the hardest of hard weeks. Both of my parents are sick with Covid, and unvaccinated, so it’s just been watching everything I’ve feared for the last year+ come true.
At the same time, I have felt so very loved and supported by my friends and church framily. It is odd to feel so blessed when it feels like everything is falling apart, but such was this week for me.
Also wanted to share my signature Fall Sangria, because it feels like a “drink a pitcher of cider sangria” kind of weekend. Hope others enjoy it as much as we do!
My mom and step-dad were sick with Covid for 20 days this month. Thankfully they didn’t end up in the hospital since they aren’t vaccinated either. It’s very frustrating. I hope your parents heal soon.
Thank you. It’s hard to hold all the feelings—anger, frustration, fear, empathy, love. We are on day 11 and it’s still rough, but they’ve also been able to remain home so far.
Friends, I am glad it is Grand Theft Autumn time. I feel like I've been clinging to an anchor in rough swells this month, with some high highs (that NYC trip and SARA *LANGUAGE* BAREILLES was amazing) and some painful lows. it has been so good to keep up with you, even when I've had a tough time jumping in and sharing, so thank you for being you! Today, you get both from me :)
Treasures
🥰 am dogsitting for my friend who watches Brinkley, and this is including new golden puppy snugs. Will be posting the puppy content on IG if you want 2nd hand snugs #goldengirlgang
🎃 had a very restrained pumpkinpalooza trip at TJ's this week. Forgot to mention my faves of the frozen pumpkin waffles, the pumpkin cranberry flatbread crisps, and pumpkin hold the cones.
🧜🏻♀️ we did a tie dye activity with our high school youth girls on Sunday. not only did we not make a mess with bleach and tie dye at the church office, the shirts turned out so cool! I am excited for us all to get a group pic in them this week, so stay tuned.
🥰 received my fall galentine's gift this week, and like I told Shelby, it was an absolute joy and provision. I had JUST run out of coffee in a widow and jar of oil way, and in comes this great bag! She also included our favorite pup treats. A million thanks, Amanda F!
🔹 today's Ted Lasso ep was SUCH a gift to me in this season; I love this show so much. Adjacent, Brett Goldstein performing Muppet Christmas Carol in 6 minutes (i died) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhEpas0TXsA
Turds
🔷 counseling is great and terrible all at once. feeling deep hurts and acknowledging them honestly is so freaking painful. grateful for the work, but i am also sooooo tired of sitting in it #classic3
🤬 was in a work meeting yesterday in which a colleague friend made a joke that hit me at my absolute tenderest spot. Did I drop an "F💣 that" in reaction? sure did 🤦🏼♀️ have I ever done that? noooope. so, banner week.
🎃 Tiktok brought me some joy again this week, so here's a lil round up :)
Ugh, I hate when people say horribly uncouth things in any environment, but it just hurts the most at work. I’m SO PROUD of you for keeping up with the good and terrible work of therapy. Can’t wait to watch the TikToks when I get home!
I'm so glad you mentioned The Book of Belonging! I've been following Marri on Instagram for a while now and she is such a thoughtful and intentional parent, I hope I can be like her someday as a mom. Anyway! Woohoo, I'm so excited for the kickstarter to preorder some books for my future family!
Each week I read through Erin’s words and spend a little time soaking up your lives vicariously, but I always feel so uninteresting when there’s just nothing I have to contribute to the joys and the treasures. 😕 I know my life “is what it is”, and this season is transient — one day my mom’s struggles will no longer be my own challenge — but it *is* sobering to not have anything of interest for the rest of the world. Even in a circle of trust that this community has become. That’s not to be a downer or to beg assurances, because truly I’m in a great emotional space with a very cushy life (thanks, Mom and Dad). It’s just an interesting observation I’ve had in the past month. What a strange thing to be completely “comfortable” as a result of one parent’s death and another parent’s decline. 🤷🏻♀️ God works in the most unusual ways. Believe me, I’m fully aware of the beauty he’s making out of ashes in my life. But it’s still the most bizarre place to live.
In a few comments already I’ve mentioned my love of these dormant seasons (which was already true before my current phase of life), and I do hope y’all can find some brightness in them, too. I get my funks in the hot seasons; when most others are celebrating the sun and talking about energy, I’m sweating from a single walk into another air-conditioned room and lying beside a fan in various stages of undress. Texas summer sun sucks my soul. So when the weather changed this week and I could open the windows at dawn and close them at bedtime, you better believe my spirit has been revived!
In the second week of September I came down with an illness that suspiciously acted like COVID, causing me to isolate in a single bedroom for 5 days and wear masks in the house (Mom, too) whenever I emerged. We experienced our first nasopharyngeal swabs to get tested, worried through 2 more days until the results, and were SO RELIEVED when it was negative. The week was the most bored I’ve felt in ages (there’s only so much “Scandal” one can binge at a time! 🥴), and made me appreciate the human contact of even just my housemate/mother. It was a very enlightening experience for this resolute introvert! I think I’m getting to an age of understanding the need for human touch, even when I don’t really care for it.
The recovery afterward — it was just a horrific sinus infection, we think — has been slow and exhausting (my energy is barely returned), and then this week I spent 2 days with the most excruciating throbbing in my *knees*. 🤯 My mom said, “Welcome to getting old. Get used to it. Any time the weather changes.” 😲 It’s given me a new purpose: it’s time to lose all my extra weight. For real. And without excuse. I’m not looking forward to it, and I know myself well so that typical “programs” don’t work for me, but I think I have proper motivation finally. Seriously, getting old sucks when you’re barely 50. 😫
✂️ Joys this month have been creating with paper and celebrating Fall Vibes with the Li’l Swipes gift exchange — Jacki (who has the most incredible birth name of Jacquetta! Did y’all know that?) brightened my whole month with her very personalized package to me!
👩🏻💻 I took inspiration from Anne Bogel to organize my far-flung TBR lists into a single spreadsheet with notes and library locations to help me make better decisions when I’m ready to choose my next book.
📚 I’ve gotten back into my reading groove, which happens twice a year when the weather gets cool in the fall and first-warm in the spring. In the past weeks I’ve read The Plot, Crying in H Mart, The Midnight Library, The Other Black Girl, Malibu Rising, Gold Diggers, and A Winter’s Promise; all very good, though Malibu Rising irked me in the middle section. My fave was A Winter’s Promise, and it totally shocked me because I’d never heard of it two months ago and didn’t realize it would be so atmospherically striking! It gave me the same vibes as The Night Circus, my top 3 fave book of all time. Who knew?!?
Currently I’m reading Dark Matter on audio, and slowly working through Essentialism and We Should All Be Millionaires (the last 2 because The Lazy Genius told me to read them. 😂) It’s been a great reading season! The 24-Hour Readathon comes again next month and I’m thinking I might tackle Lord of the Rings again in honor of the films’ 20th anniversary. Perfect for this season.
Alright. I’ve been lounging in bed for 3 hours, enjoying the cool breeze through an open window and letting my heart soar with reconnection to you guys. My spirit loves these Friday boosts! Wishing you the best weekend available, of course. 💞 Tomorrow we celebrate my grandniece’s 3rd birthday with a Care Bears party. It’s the first time she’s understanding what her birthday means, and she has so much joy and so much curiosity and so much ATTITUDE. I love everything about her. LOL
My gift to her is the Birthday Care Bear (lights! sounds! sparkle!) and this most incredible little book: https://youtu.be/McKHNjjwfts
I actually liked Recursion more than I’m liking Dark Matter, but I love how accessible the stories are. I don’t feel bogged down by the sci-fi-ness of it all. (I struggle with Andy Weir in that way.)
So glad that you’re here, Jules. Thank you for sharing your update ❤️
Also- I wish you could have heard how loud I squealed when I saw I got your name for the gift exchange! I was so very excited to have the privilege of putting a gift together for someone I “know” in the comments 😊
Looking up A Winter's Promise! It looks like we have very similar taste in books! Thinking about lounging and enjoying the breeze makes me so happy that you got to experience that today, and I hope that I get to enjoy it one day soon!
This week has been so lovely, especially with the breezes. I've been exhausted by midnight and waking around 7am, so there's been a lot of downtime while my mom slept to the afternoon. I'm not hating it. :-)
A Winter's Promise was truly a surprise, and it's a series! As soon as I finished it I wanted to dive right into the next book. Not there yet, but still looking forward to it.
I am not a fan of fall. I'm a summer person. In WV, our fall weather is extremely annoying (to me). We have 30 degree temp shifts from morning to afternoon to night, which makes it hard to get dressed and keep your house at a consistent temp. One day it's 60, the next it's 90. We have a lot of rain and lingering clouds, which makes me think of and dread the gray season - January through March - when the sun is nowhere to be found. To me, fall is the precursor to dreaded winter. I also feel extremely constricted in jeans, long sleeved shirts and close toed shoes. Please give me all the shorts and flip flops and sundresses. I do attempt to find some treasures in it, such as Halloween, fall beverages and treats, football and bonfires. I often feel like people legitimately get mad at me when I say I don't like or am not excited about fall! I'm not trying to yuck someone else's yum when it comes to fall. It's just not my time!
so this is why I am willing to put up with wild weather in Florida, I do love wearing sandals for the majority of the year. I do look forward to fall for long sleeves :D
- We joined a marriage small group through church and I didn't think Jordan would be interested in it at all, but we had our 2nd meeting this week and he actually participated and really enjoyed it.
- We finally have fall-ish weather here. I wore a sweater to work yesterday and I was so cozy. I wore a sweater again today and the heat is on and they can't get it to turn off. It's 80 degrees in our office. I'm melting
That's it! I can't wait to catch up with y'all in the comments!!! <3
Thank you for planning my meals for next week! We needed something new and somehow I missed Half-Baked Harvest. I think some Chai Latte cupcakes might be needed this weekend!
Erin I am so happy that you all are finally in your home - the bath mats look so cute and what a gift that House Peace came to unpack for you! I am jealous.
You asked what makes us hopeful, and I feel like I might have an answer that is truly opposite of how you feel about winter lol.
The changing of the season makes me hopeful. Even though I know we are soon to enter snow and cold and dark days, it is easy to feel like time has stopped and we are forever stuck in this pandemic/racial unrest/political unrest. The changing of the seasons reminds me that time truly has passed, and it has passed before and it will keep marching on in the future. And sometimes I wonder if people will ever change their hard hearts - the news certainly makes it seem like they can’t - but if seasons change, I can only hope that people will, too.
Anyway. On to treasures!
Been a pretty uneventful week here and I am just working on re-decorating our living room. It makes me really exciting to have a new space that we were so intentional about and that we’ll love.
I got to put up fall decor this week! We keep seasonal decor pretty minimal but I think it’s just enough to make me feel excited for the pumpkin picking and leaf-looking and cider drinking to come.
The biggest turd is that I somehow got stuck basically planning/hosting a party for my friend - she gets married next Friday and so her Maid of Honor needed help planning a bachelorette party. I offered to help, because I love to plan and I am a bridesmaid, but I was trying SO HARD to not let the Enneagram 2 take over and do everything myself. My time and my budget won’t allow it. Well, I found out the other day that the MOH didn’t request work off and has to work during the party, so she can’t come. Wish me luck as I try to do everything! There’s only 4 bridesmaids and one of them is her 14 year old sister and the other is so busy (but she has offered to help so I don’t want to discount that!)
Anyway - thanks for all your advice last week with my new boss. I was able to talk to some people who know him and get advice and I feel prepared for what to do next time!
Shelby, I love your perspective on the changing of the seasons. It makes me feel hopeful.
How do you even schedule a party and not request time off work to actually be at the party? Truly, people astound me. I hope the planning is smooth and that everyone else pitches in to help you!
Please tell me more about your minimal seasonal decor! I have precisely 1 fall decoration, and I want the house to feel more fall-ish, but I'm not sure how?
Omg I will send you pics! I got it all from Salt & Honey (surprise surprise lol?) but it’s just some pumpkins and a cute cauldron on my entertainment center and a cute banner hanging over our archway!
That party situation is why you Twos struggle so much to find balance and say no. 🤦🏻♀️ Learning about the personality is making me keenly aware of how I am the *worst* in dealing with my 2 sister. I’m so sorry, Shelby! If only we non-twos could understand how much pressure you feel and how hard it is for you to pull away. 😞 Wishing you some balance and some joy in the circumstances. ❤️
Thank you! Literally as she texted me saying she couldn’t make it, I had an inner monologue about how I originally was so proud of myself for not doing everything and asking her for help and sticking to only doing food and hosting the party at my house. And then this! It felt very much like, “this is why I can never ask for help”. I’m trying not to let the negativity win, though!
Life often feels overwhelming but these things gave me hope this week:
-hearing my three year old warbling “oh danny boy” it is truly as cute as you are imaging.
-taking epsom salt baths (on my pt therapist recommendation following treatment). I am not a huge bath person but they have been a nice end to the day.
-a phone call with an old friend. It is fun to rail against how much we hate the phone but hearing her sweet voice in real time was such a treat.
-pumpkin pie season at costco is here again. This GF gal scoops out the filling and it is a totally acceptable breakfast item.
I love you all (and do not feel weird about saying it every week to strangers I've never met because y'all are just that amazing and weird and lovely.)
It was a tough homeschooling week at our house. We had quite a few moments of tears and butting heads, mostly due to my oldest having more work this year than in the past. What gave me hope, though, was that I was quicker to flex than I have been in the past; I realized quickly that I can’t make my children bend, but I can bend and that might help them be more flexible, too. And, it did help a little, so I am hopeful that, over time, we’ll all become more flexible - but I had to go first.
Treasures:
🍁: Lectio 365 on my back deck with coffee in the crisp fall morning air. By the afternoons it gets into the 80s, but the cool mornings are brining me life before I start my day.
🎂: planning my oldest’s birthday present - we are gifting him a family trip to KC where he gets to make a bunch of the decisions, and it has brought out my creative side. I wrote a whole poem for him, and I had so much fun writing it and researching options for him.
🔪: Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. It really feels like a true crime podcast in that at the end of every episode, I want to know what is going to happen next. And the dialogue make me LOL regularly.
May your weekend be filled with hope and crisp fall breezes!
Yes to Lectio 365! It’s a saving my life these days. And I’m so excited to start Only Murders in the Building! Adding that to my weekend list for sure 🖤
Okay, the constant jokes about how old Martin and Steve are get me EVERY. TIME. Did you see the shot of Selena’s phone where the contact said, “charles (old)” 😂😂😂😂
I'm sitting in a PD session for faculty and staff but checking in with y'all is far more interesting. I hope everyone is well. We are finally at the end of the back to school gauntlet and things are smoothing out 'round here which is v. welcome because I am freakin' TIRED. I even took the step this week of asking my boss for a work from home arrangement and/or going to part time. This is a bit of a risk as our school culture is NO BREAKS and more more more but they do respect advocating for our own wellness so I am hopeful. 🤞🏼
Erin I was thinking about what you said about fall and winter and it's fascinating to me how differently people see things. For me, being neurodiverse and having some significant sensory issues, winter is a sacred time when the world is quieter, the views are more restful, and there are less people about in general. The cold and dark are a welcome respite from the glaring, relentless sun and an invitation to be wrapped in soft cozy layers, all of which are so soothing for folks like me. Even the food is nicer in winter: all warming and nourishing compared to the sharp acidic nature of summer foods. I'm convinced I was a mole in a previous life because the cold and dark are such a balm to me. Candles, twinkle lights, warm drinks... what's not to love? Anyway, if you dread winter, maybe this pov will help you appreciate its quieter gifts.
2. I started watching The X Files (on Hulu) from the beginning and now have a full blown crush on it. The sweet chemistry between Mulder & Scully, the nineties jewel tones, the government conspiracy story line that just seems quaint now.... perhaps I am just feeling nostalgic but something about watching 90s shows just soothes me. The world was so much simpler then.
3. My ex-Goth girl is thriving at her new job, making friends and being invited to fun things. She's getting more confident driving and has been so helpful running errands for me. She has also been getting more responsible at home with chores. All hail the maturation process! 🙌🏻
Ok, that's all for now friends. I wish for you an excellent weekend with crisp air that's a little chilly so you need a sweater (I can't really think of anything better than that.) Stay safe y'all! So glad to be part of your day today and you part of mine.😊
Re: X-Files, my husband’s celebrity crush is, specifically, “Scully from X-Files.” Early in our marriage we were discussing our “Hall Passes” in a group of friends and he looked at me with all the love in his heart and said “I’d kick 1,000 Scully’s in the shins before I ever let her come between us.” I just stared at him thinking, “I don’t know how to tell you that 1,000 Lenny Kravitz’s would be Heaven on Earth!” 🤣🤫
Love this perspective! I really appreciated hearing from some of my co-workers this week about all of our varying experiences with seasons (i.e. feeling more energized in winter vs. summer) and a reminder that we need different things in different seasons. Enjoyed hearing your thoughts on all this today 🧡
I'm here for the fall to winter transition too - that slowing down, less social, long evenings stuff is the best. Although I don't think I'd appreciate it was much if I didn't have to also put up with summer.
One of my favorite things about the winter is it will be dark and I'll think "Oh my gosh, it's so late!" But when I check the clock it's only like 6pm. Whereas in the summer I am always looking at the clock and saying, "Holy you know what! It's 8:00pm!" I like the former so much more than the latter. :)
"I'm convinced I was a mole in a previous life" just sent me into outer space. I LOVE this perspective, Dana. As always, you help me see through another lens and I'm really grateful. Gonna channel Dana Fall Vibes this year.
Hi girlie! I thought you’d probably come in with “embrace the winter” encouragement; we two are a rare breed. 😊
The X-Files has always been a warm blanket for me, too. I haven’t watched since its original run but it holds a special place with me. Mulder and Scully obv, but also the Lone Gunmen and Skinner and Krycek (everyone’s favorite whipping boy 😂). From the moment we heard it, my dad started saying, “Trust no one” while watching every other tv mystery and trying to solve it. It’s definitely a cultural touchstone in my life.
Thanks for continuing to chronicle your daughter’s journey. I wasn’t outwardly goth (because I never wanted to draw attention to myself), but my psyche always was so I can fully relate to the transitions she’s experiencing as she makes her way out of adolescence. It’s still so palpable, even today. It’s beautiful how well you LOVE.
I’m a summer girl. I like fall but like Erin said, I hate that it is a precursor to winter. Besides the holidays, winter just feels so gloomy and cold and gray and blah.
Even with good things in my life, I still am sad and grieving over the loss of my cousins which also brings back all I felt with losing my mom. I mean, of course, because that’s grief. I’m still struggling a bit with prayer and does it really matter and what is God really doing? I’m trying to appreciate all we do have and lean back on hope, knowing my comfort and strength comes from Jesus even when things don’t turn out like I want them to.
⭐️Like Erin, we are in our new house! We have a beautiful view over a small lake and we are living getting settled. I have been frantically unpacking and organizing which I love, though it is also exhausting. I was a little envious of Erin’s House Peace gift, but I am pretty decent at the organizing. Yesterday I tackled the pantry and master closet and I am thrilled with how they look. I’m sure I could still use some tips and fun organizational items though. I am also anxious to buy all the things when mostly what we have works for right now.
⭐️My son had really good friends on our old street. Two nights ago, we could hear people out, so he and I took a walk and met some neighbors. He and a boy a year older played frisbie and made plans to ride their bikes to school together the next day and they did. Then he went to his new friend’s house to play after school!
⭐️Fall TV has begun and though Knox and Jamie would make fun, I watch a lot of network TV shows still…Chicago shows, 911, Grey’s, etc. (I also watch much better TV too)!
⭐️Speaking of, Ted Lasso had another great episode this week.
Even with all the busyness, I have been reading but find myself having a hard time finishing One, Two, Three by Laurie Frankel. I loved This Is How It Always Is but this one is not as captivating I guess. So it came due at the library and I was able to renew but turns out none of the others on my shelf are really calling to me either. I have a couple I need to pick and some coming available soon so maybe they’ll be good. Otherwise, any suggestions on some good fiction. I read a lot and track on Goodreads which I always thought was a good enough tracker but now I wonder about Trello after hearing it talked about.
Network TV may not always be good, but it is reliable. Did the world need a CSI reboot? No. Will I be watching it because I was a diehard fan the first time around? Absolutely yes.
I just read The Story of Arthur Truluv and adored it. It’s a short, quiet story about an old man grieving the loss of his wife and a troubled young girl. The characters are delightful, and the way it captures the intermingling of grief and joy was so profound. I loved it.
I’m reading Class Mom by Laurie Gelman and it is really fun. I recently read Olympus, Texas and loved it. Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore was good too, but it has some heavy themes. Do a little research if you are sensitive.
I think this is my first time commenting, so hi, I’m Becky from Texas.
Two treasures: Friday was homecoming for the school I teach at, and I got to wear cowboy boots and talk to my students about their massive mums, and my sweet student won homecoming king, and he cried because he was so excited, which was sweet. Also, I live in Texas if you can’t tell.
Second treasure: I woke up before my children so I’m drinking my coffee while it’s still hot.
Also, the first thing I bake to make it feel like fall is sweet potato bread. It’s an upgrade from pumpkin, imo
Do you have a favorite recipe? I’d like to try it.
I have it in my email—can I email it to you?
Sure! silveiraannette@gmail.com Thanks
Texas has actually paid attention to a calendar for the first time in its life and the weather turned on a dime on the first day of fall. I have decided 30 is the time to really lean into basic white girl fall. My body is made for fall clothes. I love October - cooling off but not too cold, doesn't get dark too early, etc. I'm ready for PG Halloween media - spooky, maybe a little witchy, but not actually scary.
I've informed the place I've been interviewing with that I'm interested in joining them, which was met with enthusiasm but they haven't gotten back with me about an actual offer. I was going to call them today and then remembered they're closed on Fridays, but as we live in a capitalist society I'm gonna need some numbers.
I just finished reading Southernmost by Silas House and it's a stunner. Highly recommend. He was in a documentary I saw a few months ago (Hillbilly on Hulu - also very good) and I've been meaning to pick up one of his books since and I'm so glad I did.
I'm going to my first big kid CE conference tomorrow, which means an early start and a day full of lectures, so I think I'd better call it a night.
I just looked up Southernmost and it sounds so good. Thanks for the rec!
It has been the hardest of hard weeks. Both of my parents are sick with Covid, and unvaccinated, so it’s just been watching everything I’ve feared for the last year+ come true.
At the same time, I have felt so very loved and supported by my friends and church framily. It is odd to feel so blessed when it feels like everything is falling apart, but such was this week for me.
Also wanted to share my signature Fall Sangria, because it feels like a “drink a pitcher of cider sangria” kind of weekend. Hope others enjoy it as much as we do!
https://neighborfoodblog.com/autumn-sangria/
My mom and step-dad were sick with Covid for 20 days this month. Thankfully they didn’t end up in the hospital since they aren’t vaccinated either. It’s very frustrating. I hope your parents heal soon.
Thank you. It’s hard to hold all the feelings—anger, frustration, fear, empathy, love. We are on day 11 and it’s still rough, but they’ve also been able to remain home so far.
What a tough time - praying 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Took a quick sec and added all your recipes to this pinterest board- https://pin.it/4x7IwEW
Thank you for saving me from having twenty tabs open!
Just followed! 😘
Friends, I am glad it is Grand Theft Autumn time. I feel like I've been clinging to an anchor in rough swells this month, with some high highs (that NYC trip and SARA *LANGUAGE* BAREILLES was amazing) and some painful lows. it has been so good to keep up with you, even when I've had a tough time jumping in and sharing, so thank you for being you! Today, you get both from me :)
Treasures
🥰 am dogsitting for my friend who watches Brinkley, and this is including new golden puppy snugs. Will be posting the puppy content on IG if you want 2nd hand snugs #goldengirlgang
🎃 had a very restrained pumpkinpalooza trip at TJ's this week. Forgot to mention my faves of the frozen pumpkin waffles, the pumpkin cranberry flatbread crisps, and pumpkin hold the cones.
🧜🏻♀️ we did a tie dye activity with our high school youth girls on Sunday. not only did we not make a mess with bleach and tie dye at the church office, the shirts turned out so cool! I am excited for us all to get a group pic in them this week, so stay tuned.
🥰 received my fall galentine's gift this week, and like I told Shelby, it was an absolute joy and provision. I had JUST run out of coffee in a widow and jar of oil way, and in comes this great bag! She also included our favorite pup treats. A million thanks, Amanda F!
🔹 today's Ted Lasso ep was SUCH a gift to me in this season; I love this show so much. Adjacent, Brett Goldstein performing Muppet Christmas Carol in 6 minutes (i died) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhEpas0TXsA
Turds
🔷 counseling is great and terrible all at once. feeling deep hurts and acknowledging them honestly is so freaking painful. grateful for the work, but i am also sooooo tired of sitting in it #classic3
🤬 was in a work meeting yesterday in which a colleague friend made a joke that hit me at my absolute tenderest spot. Did I drop an "F💣 that" in reaction? sure did 🤦🏼♀️ have I ever done that? noooope. so, banner week.
🎃 Tiktok brought me some joy again this week, so here's a lil round up :)
🔺 An anthem for those who work - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsymcRg/
🔺 Slighty spicy caption, but *chef’s kiss* - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsyuhWe/
🔺 Beautiful Soul remix, for Jesse at 34 - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsyWEra/
🔺 “Obsessed with the rapture” autotune story - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsyCFWX/
🔺 Best take on this - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsysrnt/
🔺 Explaining a TikTok trend to someone from 2014 - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsyxpvT/
🔺 “Josh Groban doesn’t exist” - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsygArr/
🔺 This Spotify playlist sent me - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsyGcgW/
🔺 My favorite wildest dream - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsyQUU6/
🔺 Bob’s Burgers - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsyQcUC/
🔺 This sound lives in my head rent-free - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsyxQ1C/ / the reverse is equally good - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsyXWrB/
🔺 Hoedown Throwdown, in nature, as God intended- https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsy7uku/
🔺 And a lil cover for your weekend - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRsy3V9E/
As a fellow 3 I get the wanting to stop sitting in it-I admire your deep work 💜💜
Yes to that Ted Lasso episode! ❤️😭
Ugh, I hate when people say horribly uncouth things in any environment, but it just hurts the most at work. I’m SO PROUD of you for keeping up with the good and terrible work of therapy. Can’t wait to watch the TikToks when I get home!
Thanks friend 🥰🥰
That cover! Sheesh!!! Also- love you and miss seeing you in person ❤️
Sheesh indeed - and miss you too 😭😭
I'm so glad you mentioned The Book of Belonging! I've been following Marri on Instagram for a while now and she is such a thoughtful and intentional parent, I hope I can be like her someday as a mom. Anyway! Woohoo, I'm so excited for the kickstarter to preorder some books for my future family!
Oh, and treasures its perfect weather here for a camping trip my roommates and I have been planning for months. yay!
Here's hoping we get some sleep in the tent for two nights.
can't wait to hear about this!
Hello, friends!
Each week I read through Erin’s words and spend a little time soaking up your lives vicariously, but I always feel so uninteresting when there’s just nothing I have to contribute to the joys and the treasures. 😕 I know my life “is what it is”, and this season is transient — one day my mom’s struggles will no longer be my own challenge — but it *is* sobering to not have anything of interest for the rest of the world. Even in a circle of trust that this community has become. That’s not to be a downer or to beg assurances, because truly I’m in a great emotional space with a very cushy life (thanks, Mom and Dad). It’s just an interesting observation I’ve had in the past month. What a strange thing to be completely “comfortable” as a result of one parent’s death and another parent’s decline. 🤷🏻♀️ God works in the most unusual ways. Believe me, I’m fully aware of the beauty he’s making out of ashes in my life. But it’s still the most bizarre place to live.
In a few comments already I’ve mentioned my love of these dormant seasons (which was already true before my current phase of life), and I do hope y’all can find some brightness in them, too. I get my funks in the hot seasons; when most others are celebrating the sun and talking about energy, I’m sweating from a single walk into another air-conditioned room and lying beside a fan in various stages of undress. Texas summer sun sucks my soul. So when the weather changed this week and I could open the windows at dawn and close them at bedtime, you better believe my spirit has been revived!
In the second week of September I came down with an illness that suspiciously acted like COVID, causing me to isolate in a single bedroom for 5 days and wear masks in the house (Mom, too) whenever I emerged. We experienced our first nasopharyngeal swabs to get tested, worried through 2 more days until the results, and were SO RELIEVED when it was negative. The week was the most bored I’ve felt in ages (there’s only so much “Scandal” one can binge at a time! 🥴), and made me appreciate the human contact of even just my housemate/mother. It was a very enlightening experience for this resolute introvert! I think I’m getting to an age of understanding the need for human touch, even when I don’t really care for it.
The recovery afterward — it was just a horrific sinus infection, we think — has been slow and exhausting (my energy is barely returned), and then this week I spent 2 days with the most excruciating throbbing in my *knees*. 🤯 My mom said, “Welcome to getting old. Get used to it. Any time the weather changes.” 😲 It’s given me a new purpose: it’s time to lose all my extra weight. For real. And without excuse. I’m not looking forward to it, and I know myself well so that typical “programs” don’t work for me, but I think I have proper motivation finally. Seriously, getting old sucks when you’re barely 50. 😫
✂️ Joys this month have been creating with paper and celebrating Fall Vibes with the Li’l Swipes gift exchange — Jacki (who has the most incredible birth name of Jacquetta! Did y’all know that?) brightened my whole month with her very personalized package to me!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CULCy9irBvJ
👩🏻💻 I took inspiration from Anne Bogel to organize my far-flung TBR lists into a single spreadsheet with notes and library locations to help me make better decisions when I’m ready to choose my next book.
--> The podcast of inspiration: https://modernmrsdarcy.com/293-episode/
--> My spreadsheet in progress. It’s massive but makes my nerd-heart so happy. 😊
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iN81K43mYSMKzXgwt-UIk1dzT6cCGzYtIriNKOWD11c
📚 I’ve gotten back into my reading groove, which happens twice a year when the weather gets cool in the fall and first-warm in the spring. In the past weeks I’ve read The Plot, Crying in H Mart, The Midnight Library, The Other Black Girl, Malibu Rising, Gold Diggers, and A Winter’s Promise; all very good, though Malibu Rising irked me in the middle section. My fave was A Winter’s Promise, and it totally shocked me because I’d never heard of it two months ago and didn’t realize it would be so atmospherically striking! It gave me the same vibes as The Night Circus, my top 3 fave book of all time. Who knew?!?
Currently I’m reading Dark Matter on audio, and slowly working through Essentialism and We Should All Be Millionaires (the last 2 because The Lazy Genius told me to read them. 😂) It’s been a great reading season! The 24-Hour Readathon comes again next month and I’m thinking I might tackle Lord of the Rings again in honor of the films’ 20th anniversary. Perfect for this season.
Alright. I’ve been lounging in bed for 3 hours, enjoying the cool breeze through an open window and letting my heart soar with reconnection to you guys. My spirit loves these Friday boosts! Wishing you the best weekend available, of course. 💞 Tomorrow we celebrate my grandniece’s 3rd birthday with a Care Bears party. It’s the first time she’s understanding what her birthday means, and she has so much joy and so much curiosity and so much ATTITUDE. I love everything about her. LOL
My gift to her is the Birthday Care Bear (lights! sounds! sparkle!) and this most incredible little book: https://youtu.be/McKHNjjwfts
I can’t wait to read it to her. 😊
Love this update Jules! My life feels very ordinary and quiet right now too and yet there is still beauty and meaning to share in “boring times.”
Loved Dark Matter-Though I put down his second book just didn’t connect with me in the same way
I actually liked Recursion more than I’m liking Dark Matter, but I love how accessible the stories are. I don’t feel bogged down by the sci-fi-ness of it all. (I struggle with Andy Weir in that way.)
Yes that’s a good perspective on Andy. It’s just a touch too much science and math for me to really enjoy.
Yup. I wait for the movies. 😂
I've read and enjoyed about half your recent reads, guess that means I need to look up the other half!
So glad that you’re here, Jules. Thank you for sharing your update ❤️
Also- I wish you could have heard how loud I squealed when I saw I got your name for the gift exchange! I was so very excited to have the privilege of putting a gift together for someone I “know” in the comments 😊
That's so fun! I love it all! The magnet and the lighthouse have pride of place in my collections now. I think of you every time I notice them. ❤️
Looking up A Winter's Promise! It looks like we have very similar taste in books! Thinking about lounging and enjoying the breeze makes me so happy that you got to experience that today, and I hope that I get to enjoy it one day soon!
This week has been so lovely, especially with the breezes. I've been exhausted by midnight and waking around 7am, so there's been a lot of downtime while my mom slept to the afternoon. I'm not hating it. :-)
A Winter's Promise was truly a surprise, and it's a series! As soon as I finished it I wanted to dive right into the next book. Not there yet, but still looking forward to it.
Love when I find reading twins!
so delighted by you and ALL your treasures, J <3 thanks for sharing yourself here
Thanks, Jillian. It means so much to have this space. ❤️
I’m glad you’re here. We don’t need anything from you but your presence.
💖
Oops. Forgot to add this glorious treasure!
Adam Rose on a cruise to Alaska, put up in the FANCIEST suite and treated like a king. So much fun!
https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE4MTMwNDY1NzU2MjM0NDAy
I am not a fan of fall. I'm a summer person. In WV, our fall weather is extremely annoying (to me). We have 30 degree temp shifts from morning to afternoon to night, which makes it hard to get dressed and keep your house at a consistent temp. One day it's 60, the next it's 90. We have a lot of rain and lingering clouds, which makes me think of and dread the gray season - January through March - when the sun is nowhere to be found. To me, fall is the precursor to dreaded winter. I also feel extremely constricted in jeans, long sleeved shirts and close toed shoes. Please give me all the shorts and flip flops and sundresses. I do attempt to find some treasures in it, such as Halloween, fall beverages and treats, football and bonfires. I often feel like people legitimately get mad at me when I say I don't like or am not excited about fall! I'm not trying to yuck someone else's yum when it comes to fall. It's just not my time!
so this is why I am willing to put up with wild weather in Florida, I do love wearing sandals for the majority of the year. I do look forward to fall for long sleeves :D
Good morning, all!!!
I just love this time of year!!!
Treasures:
- Cooler weather
- We joined a marriage small group through church and I didn't think Jordan would be interested in it at all, but we had our 2nd meeting this week and he actually participated and really enjoyed it.
- This weekend I made this Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara from Half-baked Harvest and it was amazing! So yummy and seasonal: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/butternut-squash-pasta-carbonara/
- I think I'm going to make this 4 Cheese Roasted Garlic Alfredo Stuffed Spaghetti Squash this weekend: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/alfredo-stuffed-spaghetti-squash/
- I love this video of influencers in the wild in memory of 9/11: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CTr6VCTjMgn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Turds:
- We finally have fall-ish weather here. I wore a sweater to work yesterday and I was so cozy. I wore a sweater again today and the heat is on and they can't get it to turn off. It's 80 degrees in our office. I'm melting
That's it! I can't wait to catch up with y'all in the comments!!! <3
what excellent treasures! I am bookmarking those recipes :)
That carbonara 😍😍 thanks for sharing!
I MADE THAT CARBONARA TOO! So good!
Thank you for planning my meals for next week! We needed something new and somehow I missed Half-Baked Harvest. I think some Chai Latte cupcakes might be needed this weekend!
Why is Half-Baked Harvest so delicious!?
I made the butternut squash carbonara this week too! It was so good!
Erin I am so happy that you all are finally in your home - the bath mats look so cute and what a gift that House Peace came to unpack for you! I am jealous.
You asked what makes us hopeful, and I feel like I might have an answer that is truly opposite of how you feel about winter lol.
The changing of the season makes me hopeful. Even though I know we are soon to enter snow and cold and dark days, it is easy to feel like time has stopped and we are forever stuck in this pandemic/racial unrest/political unrest. The changing of the seasons reminds me that time truly has passed, and it has passed before and it will keep marching on in the future. And sometimes I wonder if people will ever change their hard hearts - the news certainly makes it seem like they can’t - but if seasons change, I can only hope that people will, too.
Anyway. On to treasures!
Been a pretty uneventful week here and I am just working on re-decorating our living room. It makes me really exciting to have a new space that we were so intentional about and that we’ll love.
I got to put up fall decor this week! We keep seasonal decor pretty minimal but I think it’s just enough to make me feel excited for the pumpkin picking and leaf-looking and cider drinking to come.
The biggest turd is that I somehow got stuck basically planning/hosting a party for my friend - she gets married next Friday and so her Maid of Honor needed help planning a bachelorette party. I offered to help, because I love to plan and I am a bridesmaid, but I was trying SO HARD to not let the Enneagram 2 take over and do everything myself. My time and my budget won’t allow it. Well, I found out the other day that the MOH didn’t request work off and has to work during the party, so she can’t come. Wish me luck as I try to do everything! There’s only 4 bridesmaids and one of them is her 14 year old sister and the other is so busy (but she has offered to help so I don’t want to discount that!)
Anyway - thanks for all your advice last week with my new boss. I was able to talk to some people who know him and get advice and I feel prepared for what to do next time!
Cant wait to read about your weeks!
Shelby, I love this reminder of changing seasons and time passing. These seasons of life will eventually ebb bc the Lord has not stopped working.
“…but if seasons change, I can only hope that people will, too.”
I will hope that with you, too.
♥️
Ooof, what a turd! I hope and pray that everything will go smoothly ❤
thank you! ♥️
"If seasons change, I can only hope people will." - Shelby please make good choices before you decide to make me cry in the comments.
BUT THIS IS SO GOOD.
♥️😂 happy to be here, Erin.
Shelby, I love your perspective on the changing of the seasons. It makes me feel hopeful.
How do you even schedule a party and not request time off work to actually be at the party? Truly, people astound me. I hope the planning is smooth and that everyone else pitches in to help you!
Please tell me more about your minimal seasonal decor! I have precisely 1 fall decoration, and I want the house to feel more fall-ish, but I'm not sure how?
Omg I will send you pics! I got it all from Salt & Honey (surprise surprise lol?) but it’s just some pumpkins and a cute cauldron on my entertainment center and a cute banner hanging over our archway!
Shelby, could you send me pics too, on Insta? I need to find inspiration for decoration with my limited resources <3
That party situation is why you Twos struggle so much to find balance and say no. 🤦🏻♀️ Learning about the personality is making me keenly aware of how I am the *worst* in dealing with my 2 sister. I’m so sorry, Shelby! If only we non-twos could understand how much pressure you feel and how hard it is for you to pull away. 😞 Wishing you some balance and some joy in the circumstances. ❤️
Thank you! Literally as she texted me saying she couldn’t make it, I had an inner monologue about how I originally was so proud of myself for not doing everything and asking her for help and sticking to only doing food and hosting the party at my house. And then this! It felt very much like, “this is why I can never ask for help”. I’m trying not to let the negativity win, though!
💗
Life often feels overwhelming but these things gave me hope this week:
-hearing my three year old warbling “oh danny boy” it is truly as cute as you are imaging.
-taking epsom salt baths (on my pt therapist recommendation following treatment). I am not a huge bath person but they have been a nice end to the day.
-a phone call with an old friend. It is fun to rail against how much we hate the phone but hearing her sweet voice in real time was such a treat.
-pumpkin pie season at costco is here again. This GF gal scoops out the filling and it is a totally acceptable breakfast item.
Happy fall!
I...I need a video of the Danny Boy performance!
I will work on that-she gets a little performance anxiety with a camera 🤣
Thirded.
Seconded.
Truly, I say I hate talking on the phone and then talk to my best friend from college for hours at a time
Exactly ☺️
pumpkin pie for breakfast is THE BEST, as are phone calls with people you treasure :)
Yes please!
Treasures are quick today cause...work bleh. But I'm so grateful for Erin and this group every week making me laugh and reminding me I'm not alone.
- This girl with the kind of pep talk I can actually handle right now https://www.instagram.com/p/CTw-EMxjhtT/
- These words that I will be returning to often https://www.instagram.com/p/CUKrLZBLhKd/
I love you all (and do not feel weird about saying it every week to strangers I've never met because y'all are just that amazing and weird and lovely.)
(((BIG PRE-2020 HUG)))
Much love to you too Hope!
I also love you so much even though we are all just online friends and I feel zero weirdness in saying it.
*crying eyes and red heart emoji*
That is my kind of pep talk.
"Try softer." Yes ma'am! I can do that!
THIS. This is the vibe.
It was a tough homeschooling week at our house. We had quite a few moments of tears and butting heads, mostly due to my oldest having more work this year than in the past. What gave me hope, though, was that I was quicker to flex than I have been in the past; I realized quickly that I can’t make my children bend, but I can bend and that might help them be more flexible, too. And, it did help a little, so I am hopeful that, over time, we’ll all become more flexible - but I had to go first.
Treasures:
🍁: Lectio 365 on my back deck with coffee in the crisp fall morning air. By the afternoons it gets into the 80s, but the cool mornings are brining me life before I start my day.
🎂: planning my oldest’s birthday present - we are gifting him a family trip to KC where he gets to make a bunch of the decisions, and it has brought out my creative side. I wrote a whole poem for him, and I had so much fun writing it and researching options for him.
🔪: Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. It really feels like a true crime podcast in that at the end of every episode, I want to know what is going to happen next. And the dialogue make me LOL regularly.
May your weekend be filled with hope and crisp fall breezes!
I am LOVING Only Murders in the Building <3
I need to get back to Lectio 365, I have been slacking. The knife emoji sent me!
Yes to Lectio 365! It’s a saving my life these days. And I’m so excited to start Only Murders in the Building! Adding that to my weekend list for sure 🖤
Only Murders is an absolute American treasure
Only Murders in the Building is such a treaasure - i laugh at Tina Fey as Sarah Koenig so so much.
And can't wait to hear where you end up going on KC day with your oldest!
He chose Worlds of Fun! He's very, very into amusement parks right now!
Okay, the constant jokes about how old Martin and Steve are get me EVERY. TIME. Did you see the shot of Selena’s phone where the contact said, “charles (old)” 😂😂😂😂
Yes! The most recent exchange that made us guffaw out loud:
Mabel: I'm a stranger that lied to you a bunch and you're two randos that dragged me into a podcast.
Oliver: Rando is a slang for a person of no significance.
Charles: I used context clues but thank you.
yes!!
I love the knife emoji 😆 Got that show on my list to try and will bump it up to the top now!
Good Morning Lil' Swipes!!!
I'm sitting in a PD session for faculty and staff but checking in with y'all is far more interesting. I hope everyone is well. We are finally at the end of the back to school gauntlet and things are smoothing out 'round here which is v. welcome because I am freakin' TIRED. I even took the step this week of asking my boss for a work from home arrangement and/or going to part time. This is a bit of a risk as our school culture is NO BREAKS and more more more but they do respect advocating for our own wellness so I am hopeful. 🤞🏼
Erin I was thinking about what you said about fall and winter and it's fascinating to me how differently people see things. For me, being neurodiverse and having some significant sensory issues, winter is a sacred time when the world is quieter, the views are more restful, and there are less people about in general. The cold and dark are a welcome respite from the glaring, relentless sun and an invitation to be wrapped in soft cozy layers, all of which are so soothing for folks like me. Even the food is nicer in winter: all warming and nourishing compared to the sharp acidic nature of summer foods. I'm convinced I was a mole in a previous life because the cold and dark are such a balm to me. Candles, twinkle lights, warm drinks... what's not to love? Anyway, if you dread winter, maybe this pov will help you appreciate its quieter gifts.
A few treasures to share:
1. I am reading this book and it is wonderful if you are like me and freakin' adore post apocalyptic fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40698027-a-boy-and-his-dog-at-the-end-of-the-world
2. I started watching The X Files (on Hulu) from the beginning and now have a full blown crush on it. The sweet chemistry between Mulder & Scully, the nineties jewel tones, the government conspiracy story line that just seems quaint now.... perhaps I am just feeling nostalgic but something about watching 90s shows just soothes me. The world was so much simpler then.
3. My ex-Goth girl is thriving at her new job, making friends and being invited to fun things. She's getting more confident driving and has been so helpful running errands for me. She has also been getting more responsible at home with chores. All hail the maturation process! 🙌🏻
Ok, that's all for now friends. I wish for you an excellent weekend with crisp air that's a little chilly so you need a sweater (I can't really think of anything better than that.) Stay safe y'all! So glad to be part of your day today and you part of mine.😊
Re: X-Files, my husband’s celebrity crush is, specifically, “Scully from X-Files.” Early in our marriage we were discussing our “Hall Passes” in a group of friends and he looked at me with all the love in his heart and said “I’d kick 1,000 Scully’s in the shins before I ever let her come between us.” I just stared at him thinking, “I don’t know how to tell you that 1,000 Lenny Kravitz’s would be Heaven on Earth!” 🤣🤫
Lol! Best keep that to yourself.😏
Love this perspective! I really appreciated hearing from some of my co-workers this week about all of our varying experiences with seasons (i.e. feeling more energized in winter vs. summer) and a reminder that we need different things in different seasons. Enjoyed hearing your thoughts on all this today 🧡
Thank you my friend!
For some reason, you reminded me of this Dana Scully make up guide I had in the '90s. I kind of wish I hadn't thrown it out 😂
I hope your boss will be accommodating and that you can work out something that works well your you!
Definitely going to google that now.....👀
I'm here for the fall to winter transition too - that slowing down, less social, long evenings stuff is the best. Although I don't think I'd appreciate it was much if I didn't have to also put up with summer.
One of my favorite things about the winter is it will be dark and I'll think "Oh my gosh, it's so late!" But when I check the clock it's only like 6pm. Whereas in the summer I am always looking at the clock and saying, "Holy you know what! It's 8:00pm!" I like the former so much more than the latter. :)
"I'm convinced I was a mole in a previous life" just sent me into outer space. I LOVE this perspective, Dana. As always, you help me see through another lens and I'm really grateful. Gonna channel Dana Fall Vibes this year.
Thank you for your perspective on winter, Dana! I'm gonna come back to this when I need it.
Hi girlie! I thought you’d probably come in with “embrace the winter” encouragement; we two are a rare breed. 😊
The X-Files has always been a warm blanket for me, too. I haven’t watched since its original run but it holds a special place with me. Mulder and Scully obv, but also the Lone Gunmen and Skinner and Krycek (everyone’s favorite whipping boy 😂). From the moment we heard it, my dad started saying, “Trust no one” while watching every other tv mystery and trying to solve it. It’s definitely a cultural touchstone in my life.
Thanks for continuing to chronicle your daughter’s journey. I wasn’t outwardly goth (because I never wanted to draw attention to myself), but my psyche always was so I can fully relate to the transitions she’s experiencing as she makes her way out of adolescence. It’s still so palpable, even today. It’s beautiful how well you LOVE.
Jules you are lovely. Thank you for such kind words. And i'm happy that Texas is getting a little fall weather for you to enjoy.
That's what I'm hoping will come out of it: a chance to try some new things and see what works best for everyone. :)
I made this last night and it's ALREADY GONE! https://www.butterbeready.com/easy-apple-crisp/