Hi friends! I planned to send this email newsletter every month or so, but May came and went and here we are in June!
It feels like things have been a little chaotic and busy over the last few weeks, especially compared to the slowness and ‘not much happening’ of 2020. Mid-May, we had friends visit us in Nashville, then the girls got sick, then we drove to Ohio to drop girls off and flew to NYC for a kid-free trip to see friends. I ended up staying in Ohio after that to buy our car (more below) and then we had a staycation in Nashville, quickly followed by a trip BACK to Ohio for my sister’s birthday. 😅🤪 It was a whirlwind couple of weeks for sure and so fun and “normal” feeling. But I’m glad to back home settled and into our day-to-day routine with a mostly uneventful June and July ahead of us.
One silver lining from last year and the pandemic has been the appreciation of home and slowness. The beauty in doing nothing, and being content and settled. I’ve ALWAYS been an on-the-go, onto-the-next-thing kind of gal, so the slowness and isolation of last year was a huge challenge for me (and most people, I think!). And while I’m still an extrovert who likes staying busy and having things to look forward to, I’m feeling a stronger pull to be settled and not be constantly planning the next thing. To be okay with just BEING, rather than doing. To find joy and peace being at home, rather than doing all the things and going all the places. To enjoy the slow and everyday, rather than get distracted by all the exciting events, activities, etc.
LIFE UPDATES
We bought a car! Wow…this car buying process has been a JOURNEY. We initially started test driving in March, decided on the Kia Telluride, pre-ordered a car in April (because this was the only way to not pay $8-10K over MSRP), and waited for months with…no updates. I spontaneously called a Kia dealership in Ohio when we were there a few weeks ago, and after a million changed plans, an extra couple days in Ohio, booking and cancelling flights and many more logistics, the car is ours! More info about our car buying journey is saved on Instagram and I’ll maybe share a blog post soon.
KID-FREE TRAVEL! Last month, E and I went to NYC without the girls and had the best time exploring and catching up with dear friends we hadn’t seen in years. In June, we’re driving to Asheville for a weekend while the girls stay with their grandparents. I’m so grateful to be able to safely travel again and to have some space and time away from the girls to recharge.
ISR Lessons - Winnie started ISR self-rescue swim lessons last week! Lucy will start her third summer of ISR lessons in a few weeks. I share more about our ISR experience in this blog post, but also here’s a video showing the progress Lucy made during her first summer of ISR at 17 months old.
REFLECTIONS (a few things I’ve shared on my blog and/or Instagram lately)
It’s a “shorts problem” not a *me problem* (on bodies changing and learning to respect and appreciate my body just the way it is)
“I know it goes fast. I know it’s temporary. I know it’s a phase. I know I’ll miss this one day. I KNOW. Knowing that often makes me feel worse — like I know I should savor and soak up these days, and I do, but at the same time, when you’re in the thick of it, it can sometimes feel so so hard.” - read the full reflection here
My grandpa passed away at the end of April, and while it wasn’t unexpected, it was/is really hard and a big loss. I compiled 10 ways to support someone experiencing loss — basically ways to make someone feel cared for and loved during a tough time. 💔
RECENT BLOG POSTS
PRODUCTS WE OWN & LOVE
I finalllllly found a pair of denim shorts that fit comfortably and are flattering! My sister convinced me to try these 90s High-Rise Cutoffs and I really like them (especially compared to my not-so-comfortable, no-longer-fits, overpriced pair from last summer)
This splash pad is a huge hit with the girls! I have a feeling we’ll be using this all summer, and more often than we use our kiddie pool.
This ruffle t-shirt is simple yet chic - feels a little bit fancy but also casual enough for a regular day.
Here’s the kids headphones we use for travel! Just bought a second pair for Winnie. They are ~$15 and we’ve used Lucy’s for two years now!
I upgraded to these simple, comfy, no-show Everlane undies and I really love them!
We’ve had this mini scooter for almost a year and a half but this spring/summer Lucy is REALLY using it all the time! It’s THE best.
RECENTLY READ
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai - this is one of the best books I’ve read in awhile. It BROKE me. So beautiful and sad and just ugh…all the feels. It was one of those books I was so sad when I finished it, and that had me thinking about the characters days later.
There’s a Name for that Blah You’re Feeling; It’s Called Languishing - really liked this article — sharing about the ‘blah-ness’ of not great but not bad and just…feeling unsettled and a sense of dullness. Worth the read if you’ve been feeling a little off lately!
The Library Book by Susan Orlean - fascinating narrative non-fiction book analyzing the 1980s L.A. library fire, but also diving into the history of libraries and the meaning libraries have in our society.
RANDOM PLANT TIP(S) FROM E 🌵
Now that we are almost in summer, your plants are getting a lot more light (both in hours and intensity!) June is a great month to:
Adjust your watering habits - the more light yours plants are getting, the more water they need
Fertilize! I add Dyna-Gro Foliage Pro to my watering can each time I see new growth on a plant
Propagate! If you haven't tried to prune your plants (and create new plants!) now is a great month to start so your plants have the full summer to recover
CODES + DISCOUNTS
LUCKYANDI for 10% off everything in my Moroccan textile shop!
ANDI25 - Get 25% off Eizzy Baby - we love their collapsible silicone snack cups!
LUCKYANDI- Get 10% Chelsea & West Pop-Up Play Tents!
Get 20% off everything from Kitsch at this link; they sell my favorite (cute, comfy, affordable) face masks and also great hair accessories!
LUCKY10 for 10% off Little Colorado - we recently bought a kids picnic table and it’s the best!
LUCKY5OFF for $5 off your first Vellabox candle subscription order!
FROM MY CAMERA ROLL
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Thanks for reading! I love hearing from you so always feel free to shoot me a note!