Hello blogging world. Its been a minute or maybe a little bit longer. I don't want to get into my pause, it's not very interesting, but I want to reassure all that my family is well and I am well. I just lost my voice, my words, my desire, and I needed time to just engage in deep conversation, learning, reflection in my own home and with my children. Sometimes I feel that the best way for us to impact change is by focusing on our own growth and being role models for our children.
Putting that aside, I turned 38 yesterday!!!!! I feel fantastic and when my husband asked what I wanted to do my answer was to keep it simple. I wanted to see my family and I didn't want to go all out with decorations, or a special photo shoot, or try to round everyone up. Sometimes there is so much hype and pressure to make this day glamorous and "insta" worthy, but I didn't want it to feel like work. I wanted it to be a slower pace, or at least one that I choose, with a balance of getting chores accomplished and feeling like I acknowledged the day and myself in some small way. So here is a real and honest look of my PERFECTLY SIMPLE birthday.
7:00 am Wake up time.
7:15 a.m. 5 km run with Oreo!
8:00 a.m. Shower & get ready for the day. Listened to Brene Brown and Glennon Doyle at the same time. Check this podcast out!!! If you haven't read the book Untamed by Glennon Doyle, I highly recommend it. Also, Planned my outfit for dinner, check it out on Fashion Friday on the blog!
8:45 a.m. Coffee and lake laundry begins. We arrived home Sunday night after 10 days at the lake, sooooooo much laundry.
9:30 a.m. Coffee on the deck, answering birthday texts and meal/grocery planning.
10:15a.m. Costco. Yikes it was busy.
12:30 p.m. More laundry.
1:00 pm cleaning. Halie has asked to learn how to do a deep clean in the bathroom in order to make some money. I pay a cleaner usually 2x/month and she would like to try to take one of those time slots for herself, so we are starting off with how to deep clean a bathroom. She did awesome!!!! While she was doing that I was off/on bouncing between helping her and vacuuming and washing the floors.
2:15 p.m. Lunch time.
2:40 p.m. Reading on the deck.
3:00 p.m. Nap. Quick naps are my favorite.
3:30 p.m. Sweet birthday surprise by my little Anya. She made me a special birthday treat, marshmallows, melted chocolate and Reese's peanut butter cups, topped with strawberries. Delicious!
4:00 p.m. Caught up on a few more texts and FB messages. More laundry.
4:50 p.m. Started prepping dinner.
5:00 p.m. Freshened up and got dressed for dinner. Followed by some blog pictures in the backyard, details to come on Friday.
6:00 pm Dinner with my parents, grandma and my little family. It was absolutely delicious and we ate on the deck.
7:00 p.m. My aunt and uncle were able to join us for birthday cake and drinks. It was exactly what I wished for. To be surrounded by family. This was the first time I saw all of these people together since probably February for Logan's birthday. I've seen them at a social distance here and there but not all together. I was grateful that we could be together outdoors with some distance.
My grandma gave me the best card ever. She kept saying, it's not a birthday card but I didn't want to go to the store to get one (COVID). I can't imagine wanting to have a better friend than my grandma.
Also, my husband and the girls surprised me with this awesome mug from https://gossby.com/ and I love it!
Most of my family gave me money to help me buy a new lens for my camera and I love it!
9:00 p.m. Ended the evening off with a glass of wine and chatting with my sister and brother -in-law. Really missing my sister and wishing that we had actual plans in the near future, but I am also thankful for technology.
10:00 p.m. Watched an episode of the Office with my husband.
A perfectly simple day. Thank you to everyone that sent messages on social media, texts, voice mails, snaps. I felt so loved and so acknowledged. Love everyone in my life, near and far.
Come back on Friday for my regular Fashion Friday post.
