I’m back!

Hey hello hi!!

It’s been a good few years, but I’m so excited to be back to personal blogging! I’ve felt like I haven’t had the time or energy for much personal writing over the past couple of years, but I’m finally feeling like I’m emerging from a postpartum/pandemic/life fog with some renewed creativity and stuff to say…so here we go!

First of all, I want to acknowledge that there are so many terrible, complex, and massive things happening in the world—so it feels a little silly to be coming on here to discuss things that feel frivolous or ephemeral at the end of the day. While some of the topics I want to discuss are more weighty (working motherhood, shared work/partnership, etc.), at the end of the day, whatever I have to say isn’t that important in the grand scheme of things. However, I do know two things: 1) I love hearing what other women have to say, and getting glimpses into their lives, and 2) If my posts can bring joy, or amusement, or a feeling of camaraderie or connectedness, then I feel like I’ve brought some value to the table. So, all that being said—thanks so much for being here. 

A few things that have been on my mind lately (in no real order of importance) that I’d like to share about are:

1. Meal planning. Feeding a family is a WHOLE THING, y’all—and while I have by NO MEANS figured out a perfectly smooth and stress-free (ha!) system, I do feel like I’ve learned a few tips, tricks and hacks that have helped me get food on the table for my family of four while holding down a full-time job, and I’d love to share them with you—and hear about your go-to meals, too! We’re going to be discussing three categories of recipes that I lean on over the course of the week: brainless meals, staple meals, and Sunday dinners. This is going to be a whole series…still figuring out how I’m going to structure it, but OMG have so many thoughts here and can’t wait to share. 
2. My organizing/decluttering journey/trying to keep a somewhat clean and peaceful home when you and your partner both love stuff and you have two small boys intent on destroying every square inch of your house, haha. Minimalism has been a concept that I’ve been interested in for years and years and years…I’ve just been lurking around, reading and listening to podcasts about the topic (and not really making any moves in the area because…life). I’m so drawn to minimalism as an idea and lifestyle, but omg, it is SO FAR from my natural tendency as a person. I genuinely like abundance and variety, I’m messy, I’m nostalgic, and I also get overwhelmed about the “right” way to dispose of/recycle/donate things. All of this adds up to…me being surrounded by clutter, all the time. Lately, I’ve been super inspired by Shira Gill, who is both a minimalist and a magpie that loves pretty things (hence the genius title of her book, Minimalista) AND has limited time as a busy working mom to chip away at zones of my home one by one, and…wow. It’s making a huge difference, and I truly feel like I’m making progress. Big deal, you guys. 
3. Mom style! After I had my older son, Jack, I donated most of my (too small and very cheaply made) clothes and started investing in clothing that really reflects my personal style. I’m finally in a place where I feel like I LOVE my wardrobe, and feel like it fits my personality and my lifestyle, so I want to share about this journey and about outfits/pieces that are tried and true for me. Style is just so fun! Yes, there will be lots of Everlane, lol.
4. Working motherhood, giving yourself a break, and marriage/shared work with a partner. You guys, I know there have been so many books/articles/podcasts about this topic, especially with the pandemic, but I still truly feel like we don’t talk about this enough. Bottom line: Our society is not set up for two working parents (or for single working parents!), and whole I’m a proud working mom, sometimes I feel like what I’m doing is insane/impossible. Even in a partnership where one person is working and the other is caregiving, trying to figure out who handles what and avoiding bitterness/resentment in the process is SO difficult for so many couples. I got thoughts, man. More to come.
5. Beauty. I mean, you know I’ll always have thoughts on this, obviously. Let me know if you have any beauty quandries I can weigh in on!
6. Baby! So I’m probably (maybe?) done with having kids, but I have lots of friends and family that are just starting on this journey, so I’ll be putting together posts on those oft-discussed topics: maternity wardrobes (OMG GETTING DRESSED WHILE PREGNANT IS SO HARD LOL), packing a hospital bag, birth, navigating postpartum (will also be opening up about my journey with postpartum anxiety and insomnia), feeding, my favorite baby items, navigating baby sleep, etc. Hoping to provide some tips/cheat sheets for all of my new-mama and one-day mama friends.

And like, let’s be real, there will be so much more, but here’s where I’m starting. Please, please hit me up with any topic requests; I’m aiming for one post a week and would love ideas from y’all. ❤