By the end of the week, my brain has been feeling short circuited. The overload of how jam packed my days are starts to catch up with me. I spend the first half of the week being incredibly efficient and productive but by the time Thrusday afternoon rolls around, all I want to do is turn off the part of my brain that is prioritizing, managing, and assessing. No matter how much I plan to cram into the last days of the week, I find that the motivation just isn't there. Until recently, I would … [Read more...] about Word Games: Finding Time to Play
family life
Our Home Tour on Homepolish
When we first moved into our new home/old house last July, there were a few quick and easy updates that we wanted to take care of right away. But quick and easy is relative, because for something to be quick and easy, you have to make quick decisions. And quick decisions are not my forte. I would find myself sucked into an online shopping vortex skimming endless pages of butt-ugly light fixtures certain that "THE ONE" I was searching for must be on the next … [Read more...] about Our Home Tour on Homepolish
How to Make an Instagram Photo Wall
I'm not in the habit of using my blog to share projects, but when I posted a picture on Instagram of my new photo wall, it generated some interest. So, I'm sharing how I did it. But first why. I am not really a photo person. I can't explain this except that I have an inherent need to buck trends. It's like my own weird way of expressing my individuality. When everyone else in the world switched to digital and was ramping up their photo taking, I did the complete opposite letting mine … [Read more...] about How to Make an Instagram Photo Wall
Three Sources of Clutter & What to Do About Them
I haven't read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, but I find its rise in popularity very interesting. I'm happy for the attention clutter is getting, because I truly believe that when we fill our lives with the irrelevant, there isn't room for much of anything else. I am one of the best pile eradicators around. And I am committed, often to my family's dismay, to minimizing the role that stuff plays in our lives. But I worry about clutter's new-found popularity, because it feels to me … [Read more...] about Three Sources of Clutter & What to Do About Them
Back to Work: Getting An Office Job After Time Off With Your Kids
For the mothers that I know who aren't currently earning a steady paycheck, going back to work is usually discussed as a matter of when, not if. If you've been home with your kids and you're ready to go back to work, I thought I'd share with you my recent experience getting an office job. I took an office job back in December. I had been working on my writing, my blog, and my book Good Move, at home, on my own, for the past three years. There are great benefits to working by yourself, for … [Read more...] about Back to Work: Getting An Office Job After Time Off With Your Kids
10 Things I’ve Learned in the 10 Years I’ve Been a Parent
As my oldest son recently turned ten, I was feeling pretty damn good about being a parent. It's like after years of struggling, doubting, and worrying, I finally hit a bit of a stride. It's still not easy, but it's feeling less and less like being continuously pummeled by blunt objects. That's a good thing, right? I figured that I should relish this moment of confidence as it's soon to disappear into thin air as we barrel toward the tween and teen years. I've learned enough after ten years to … [Read more...] about 10 Things I’ve Learned in the 10 Years I’ve Been a Parent
Why My Stocking Will Be Empty This Year
Last night, I pulled out our family's Christmas gifts and started wrapping. As I put everything in piles, I realized that I forgot to shop for my own stocking. I like shopping for my own stocking. I like filling it with little treats that I would normally pass over like a new pair of socks or nail polish color. And because I pick everything out, I know that it will be exactly what I want. But as I organized the Target bags of various odds and ends I've been stashing away over the last few … [Read more...] about Why My Stocking Will Be Empty This Year
A Holiday Pep Talk
When did the holidays turn into a time to survive? My inbox and feeds are being bombarded with strategies for surviving this time of year. That leads me to believe that we are doing something incredibly wrong. Our guts are screaming, It's too much! but our brains are on overdrive trying to cram as much in as possible. Cram. It. In. There. Must. Be. More. Room. In our stomachs, in our spending, under our tree, in our schedules. I caught myself doing it this week. Making lists, planning … [Read more...] about A Holiday Pep Talk