The crisp air of January whips outside my family room window, tossing new leaves onto the life-sized pastel plastic princess castle I once upon a time declared hideous. Maybe it still is, and I just don’t care! But now I see something different. Not an eyesore, but rather another meaningful symbol that things are no longer what they once were for me—in my days, or my body, or my home décor, inside and out. And I ... View Post
My Favorite Books of 2018
Oh, 2018! What a year of incredible reads. I’m always so happy to share my annual books with you guys, and this selection of glimmering gems is no exception. I read 25 books in total, and below I’ll give short reviews of 10 exceptional favorites. Truthfully, I loved all but a few, and even those semi-duds taught me something or other. I actually, rarely, finish a book I’m not loving, because life is too short! But ... View Post
Keeping Up with a Kindle Lover
You guys… I don’t even know how it happened. There he was, under the Christmas tree, wrapped in shimmering gold, later landing in my lap with my name on it. Hmm. Intrigued by his book-like size but confused by his feathery weight, I tore the paper in slow mo, carefully. Before I knew it: There we were. Totally madly in love. My Kindle Paperwhite and I. The white one. The gorgeous one. THE one. My mom snagged ... View Post
The Pelican Brief
Two-and-a-half years ago, I made the choice of a lifetime. With shaky fingers and a half-broken heart, I called my former employer to say that I wasn’t coming back from maternity leave after the birth of my firstborn daughter. I kicked. I cried. I doubted. Amid gnarly post-partum blues, lingering pounds and a full-blown identity crisis, I let go of a self I once knew. I trusted that God was guiding me, but man, did ... View Post
Happy New Year: Casting, Reflecting & Reading
To be honest, I never used to care much for New Year’s. For me it ranked low on the list of holidays. The sparkles and cheers and midnight kisses were fun, I supposed, but the night often felt a little anticlimactic, forced. A sad follow-up to the BEST holiday only one week before; the cruel reminder that returning to school or work was just around the corner after a glorious break; a calendar date that made me feel ... View Post
10 Books That Saved Me in My First Year of Motherhood {Part 2}
Continued from last week, here are the second five books that saved my sanity in the year I became a mama. You’ve got quite the variety here! A parenting book, a book for mom’s soul, a kids’ book, and my two favorite baby sleep books. Enjoy! ... View Post