The best New Year’s Resolution for 2021

January 11, 2021January 11, 2021 admin

Do you need help making New Year’s resolutions or at least good habits? Looking for purpose? What to improve the New Year? Needing some direction for the upcoming year? How about we chase joy in 2021?

I admit, I’ve been in a funk all day. You know, one of those winter days you just don’t want to get out from under the down comforter and face the new day, the MONday that lies ahead. Despite the 31 degree temperature, I decided to do my morning walk, all bundled. “After all good habits are important,” I reminded myself. I ran into an obstacle – my iPod wasn’t charged. Nope, not gonna let it keep me back, not the Monday-ness, not the cold, not the dead iPod. I gathered my pluck and hit the pavement. And you know, the sky turned all purply-pink and the air was crisp and made me feel alive. Being outdoors turns out to be just what I needed. (P.S. check out the science here, to help improve the New Year!)

There I was, showing up despite the blues, and I got to see that glorious sunrise in quiet and peace. And I received another gift. For the first time in ten months, since this pandemic shut everything down, I saw the public school bus and I felt a surge of hope! I waved enthusiastically and the bus driver grinned, ear to ear and then tooted his horn in a happy rhythm – for me and for the mutually understood symbol that his bus on a Monday morning meant for him, for me, for the children, for the year ahead.

As I did lessons with my youngsters, I was grateful for the cheery fire with its dancing flames, keeping us warm(ish) and bringing hygge. As the day wore on, I got a nagging headache and found patience to be a bit too thin for my liking, and the struggle continued with fighting for joy. Then I read some words by Ann Voskamp, words which reminded me that true joy is for wherever – meaning here – and whenever – meaning now. You can find joy, not by seeking it for it’s own sake, but by seeing grace and returning thanks for it. Right here. Right now. And once again that joy that feels elusive some days burst through the clouds of doubt and struggle. Like a constellation, grace and thanksgiving and joy can be found whether at the kitchen sink on a frosty Monday, or on a sunkissed mountain top, or simply at the dinner table surrounded by noisy chatter. If we only have eyes to see the here-now wonder.

Mommy’s Biking Camp

June 20, 2020June 20, 2020 admin

Does the summer stretch ahead in one overwhelming season of no sports, cancelled vacations and kids who were looking forward to these things? Mine too! In a world where camps are cancelled and the ‘new normal’ is very elusive, in an effort to minimize screen time and make special memories, I had a light bulb moment. At least I thought so. It started with a long weekend bike ride and realizing that my back injury has healed significantly in the last year. I figured that if my husband showed me how to load the bikes on the quirky bike rack, I could take the kids biking in the cool of the summer mornings. And so was born Mommy’s Bike Camp week!

We did it! Every day (except one where it thunderstormed) we set out right after a hearty breakfast and biked different sections of a large network of paths, stopping midway for a big snack. My five year old was on a tag along and my 8 year old on her new(ish) mountain bike. By the end of the week, we logged 41 miles together! One of my favorite moments was when my very talkative little guy, holding the handlebars behind me, was belting out, “Hakuna matata, means no worries.”

reduce, reuse, recycle

3 Things You’ll Learn When You Sew Your Own Clothes

February 2, 2020October 11, 2024 admin

Why sew my own clothes? How do I sew my own clothes? I’ll answer these questions!

Sewing your own clothes is fun, creative, empowering!

Why would you sew your own clothes? I’m no seamstress and if you’d told me a year ago that I’d start sewing my own clothes, I would have laughed. But, I started simple and made myself a summer skirt. So, why did I find myself doing it? Simply, I wanted a comfortable summer skirt and after thrifting first, felt that the cute skirts I found were too short for my lifestyle of chasing kids at the playground and teaching them how to slide down fireman poles safely. I’m so drawn to bright colors and had been searching for months on Facebook marketplace for Lilly Pulitzer attire, only to run into situations where I wasn’t first in line or they were too far away.

You can sew your own clothes, thanks to great tutorials!

Why did I decide to sew myself a skirt? I really loved the bright, colorful fabric I found and reached a decision that I’d embark on this new journey. In other words, a skirt is a good place to start and here’s the tutorial I used! So, I was inspired by beauty and saw it as an adventure that was a win-win! As a result, I learned three things (probably more, but three seems like a good place to camp out).

Clothes don’t make themselves. Obviously, I know. But thanks (no, thanks!) to fast fashion, most of our clothes come from countries on the other side of the world, places we’ve never been. Therefore, we have no idea what those workers go through so that we can add to our wardrobe. As simple as the tutorial was, I fiddled with a few parts of it and got frustrated with my lack of skill and the complexity of my sewing machine. I almost gave up. But I didn’t! I pressed through and wore that skirt with a better appreciation for what goes into clothing production.
The person who makes my clothes deserves good compensation. It took me more than an afternoon to finish my project. If I were to be paid a reasonable wage for my skirt, it would have been a very expensive skirt! I’m glad I don’t have to make all my own clothes, because I’d be a strange sight! And, I do want to think more about supporting companies that pay their workers fairly and offer conditions that I would expect for myself.
Progress is more important than perfection! Easily said. However, harder to practice. Believe me, I know. My skirt was imperfect and I didn’t feel confident wearing it at first. But because I’d put so much effort into it, I decided to wear it to a cookout with friends. Actually, I got a compliment on my cute skirt! I don’t know when I’ll get to my next project, but I felt empowered to learn new skills, try something new, and yes, I already have a ‘next’ project in the works! Stay tuned!