•3 min read
Sunshine & macaroons
Nicholas' family came to Austin to visit this past week. Initially, it was just going to be a "girl's weekend," but then it turned into a week, and then his dad surprised us by leaving at three in the morning and driving the 17 hours with their two...
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A retreat
Last weekend, I spent some time away at a women's retreat with a bunch of wonderful women from our church. We went with expectant hearts, anticipatory for what God does when we take time to abide in His promises. Not surprisingly, Abide was the...
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Lately, little things
Happy Tuesday! I never really know what day of the week it is, so I had to think for a few moments there. I'm just popping in for a brief post about little bits of daily life. Lately, I've been...
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Weekend prep for weekdays
Before a workweek starts (this week, Sunday is my Monday), I need to do some work at home. Preparation. Otherwise, laundry completion is haphazard and I impulse buy frozen pizza and candy orange slices on my way home from work. Yes, really. Today...
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Most useful reusables
I prefer reusable products whenever possible for practicality, for thriftiness, and for good stewardship. I want to continually work toward a less disposable lifestyle. Buy less, and use what we own better. Ideally, reusable products should also be...
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A new idolatry, disguised
A picture of us on a hike shortly after we moved to Austin.
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Daily essentials: Activity routines
Since I wrote about my rest and comfort routines, it only seemed fitting to write about the converse: my activity routines. Although I've never been sedentary, I didn't partake in organized sports in my youth. I danced for many years and marched in...
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Daily essentials: Rest and comfort routines
Life is a balance of rest and activity, isn't it? Sometimes, those lines are blurred. Rest can be active, and inactivity can be work. I'm particularly curious about the little routines we all implement in our lives, either subconsciously or...
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Like you're alive, weekend edition
I had a three-day weekend that coincided with Easter! It was really wonderful—and it was the perfect sort of weekend to recharge a bit before another week starts. It was the sort of weekend that leaves me feeling productive, refreshed, and looking...
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Seasons of the soul
There are times, unbeknownst to me, when the seasons change without me taking notice: a chill settles into the air, buds form on trees, or mornings bring warmer temperatures and the change is so subtle that I barely notice it. But there are also...
Read more•6 min read
Daily essentials: My beauty routine
Almost a year ago, I began a mini-series of posts called Daily Essentials. My thought was that I would write a series of posts about items/products/practices I use every day.* As a continuation of the series, I'm writing about the personal products...
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A change in the air
The season seems to have turned a corner, as the days stretch longer. I find myself wanting to be more productive, particularly at home. Here are a few little happy things that I'm enjoying as of late:
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What is my song?
We've had cloudy, rainy days in Austin this week. I normally love this weather, but sometimes, it breeds it's own sense of unmooring for me. Well, only if I allow it to. As I sat down to write, I knew that I could choose to face whatever gloom...
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Someone to knit with
Recently, a dear friend of mine, Maeve, visited Austin. I often think about the origination of our friendship. We worked together at a coffee shop in college, but it was when we decided to meet up and knit together (because she wanted to learn) that...
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Subtlety, forgotten
Incredible. Perfect. The best ever. These terms are occasionally suitable to describe a life event, a day, a relationship, or a memory. But when did we begin to use such exaggerated language for every little moment? Especially when we know it wasn't...
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House & heart talk
Even if you're not a fan of Valentine's Day, more than likely, your thoughts turned to affection, relationships, and investment in the lives of other people. We kept it low-key with our usual breakfast—I just shaped our baked PB oatmeal into heart...
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Creativity check: Early 2016
You see, I don't want to just make stuff. I create as an outlet, to make things for other people, and ultimately, to produce items of utility and beauty. To achieve these objectives usually requires some forethought and planning. That said, it's so...
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Joy is:
Joy is brimming out of my heart right now.
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Daily essentials: Coffee
We're coffee people. Or rather, we're coffee-in-the-morning people and tea-in-the-evening people, but coffee is the focus of this post. I make it for us every morning, seven days a week. It's likely that we're a little caffeine-dependent, but...
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Parsley egg salad + Quick pickled fennel
I never realized that I would be a fan of the big salads—you know—egg salad, chicken salad, potato salad. I'm not sold on potato salad, but with the others, the right mixture feels just a bit fancier than a regular sandwich. Perfect lunch fare, if...
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This is the day
I wrote a post about the importance of getting outside of ourselves (and actually spending time outdoors). Naturally, there are days when this is impossible, for one reason or another. We have jobs, errands, obligations, and responsibilities. Today,...
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Him, 26 years
Tuesday was Nicholas' birthday, or more specifically, his golden birthday. Just like last year, I wrote a little love note to him on his birthday.
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Winter refresh
As renters, Nicholas and I aren't responsible for the same amount of maintenance that homeowners have (except for replacing light bulbs—we're all over that), but we like to keep our rented home tidy, cozy, organized, and as personalized as possible.
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A simple market bag
The more I knit, the more my knitting tendencies skew to the practical side of things. Garment-wise, this means mostly neutrals. Because practically, that's what I wear (with a few notable exceptions). But when I knit accessories, I'm love color....
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Getting outside
I've known for a long time about the effects of fresh air and outside space on my general well-being, so I've tried to be especially disciplined about outside time over the last few weeks.
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