Taking Stock: April

Oh, hello there. I've been away (for a very long while) but I think I'm back now. I thought I'd dip my toes into the water with a little taking stock.  I hope you've been well all these months! I've missed you.

Here are a few other things I've been up to lately:

Making:  I just made my first dress for Alyce! Now I'm back to knitting my first sweater for Shira.

Cooking: Passover dinner.

Drinking: Trying to drink more tea (but the pull of coffee is always so strong).

Wanting: Some sunshine.

Looking: At the flowers poking out from the earth.

Wishing: That I had enjoyed my year off from school more.

Enjoying: That I still have four months left.

Waiting: To leave for my first trip away with Matty in nine years. We are going to Athens and Rome!

Liking: My new routine of walking in the mornings.

Wondering: If I'll remember anything when I return to midwifery school this fall.

Loving: My morning snuggles with Shira. 

Pondering: What life will be like as a non-smoker.

Considering: Getting my nosed pierced again (much to Alyce's horror).

Buying: This dress.

Watching: House of Cards, my newest guilty pleasure.
Hoping: For courage and confidence.

Marvelling: At Alyce's growth this year.

Cringing: At the news of pretty much everything these days.

Needing: Some time with good friends.

Smelling: Spring!

Wearing: Skirts and dresses, never pants. Comfort over pants wins every day.

Following: My children around. 

Noticing: That I need to get out more.

Knowing: That I've needed all this time to myself.

Thinking: About fixing up my bike.

Admiring: The faces of those I love.
Sorting: Through everything.

Bookmarking: The pages of so many cookbooks (like this one, this one, and this one.)

Coveting: All of the shoes.

Disliking: My sore feet.

Giggling: At my ridiculous children.

Feeling: All of the feelings.

Snacking: On popcorn.

Hearing: The rain.

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Do you want to take stock? I got the idea from Pip.

Be well!
xo

Taking Stock: August

Hello lovelies. Are you keeping busy with all your summer projects? I'm always amazed at how busy I feel in the summer months, a time when I expect to move through the days at a much slower pace. Maybe I just need more practice at slowing down. Are you good at slowing down? Do you schedule downtime for yourself, or does it just happen in your day?

I read a great post yesterday about the difference between being busy and being productive and it has me thinking a lot about how I'm spending my time. Maybe if I'm spending less time being busy and more time actually getting things done, I might have more time for doing nothing at all (which for me means lounging/knitting/reading). The culture of being busy all the time is not what it's cracked up to be.

In the midst of all this busy, here is what I've been up to:

Making: Still working on knitting my first pair of socks. 

Cooking: Very little. Cooking feels like such work in the summer.

Drinking: More coffee than is probably necessary.

Wanting: Some energy.

Looking: For the bright side.

Wishing: For some routine.

Enjoying: Home summer school with the girlies.

Waiting: For the girlies to go back to school!

Liking: Not having strep throat anymore.

Wondering: How to create new habits.

Loving: Watching baseball games with Matty.

Pondering: What third grade will be like for Alyce.

Considering: Letting my grey hair grow out.

Buying: Back to school things for two excited little girls.

Watching: The Knick.
Hoping:  For more time with good friends.

Marvelling: At the fall leaves I've been spotting this week.

Cringing: At the thought of making dinner. Again.

Needing: Some gentle exercise.

Smelling: Peaches

Wearing: As little as possible in this heat.

Following: The blogs of my fellow classmates in my blogging course.

Noticing: All the new summer freckles on the girlies after a long summer playing outside.

Knowing:That I'll be feeling sad when all my friends return to school this fall while I sit this year out.

Thinking: About how to make the most of this year off.

Admiring: People on their bicycles. They look so lovely.

Sorting: Through piles of clothes for fall.

Bookmarking: The pages of the book Connected Parenting.

Coveting: Fabulous dresses.

Disliking: My sore feet.

Giggling: At the girlies and the hula hoops.

Feeling: Quiet lately.

Snacking: On dark chocolate ice cream.

Hearing: The rain.

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Do you want to take stock? I got the idea from Pip.

Taking Stock: July

Making: Socks, very, very slowly.
Cooking: Toast and fruit. It's too hot to cook anything else.
Drinking: Litres of ice water.
Reading: Stir, The Goldfinch, and Lean In.
Wanting: Central air conditioning.
Looking: For inspiration.
Playing: Lots of crazy eights.
Wishing: For summer adventures.
Enjoying: Cool showers at the end of hot days.
Waiting: For Fall, already.
Liking: Quiet mornings before the girls wake up.
Wondering: If I'll ever get to a yoga class.
Loving:The sounds of lake Huron.
Pondering: How to get started on my first full quilt.
Considering: Habits and how we change them.
Buying: Not very much because we are in Operation Pay Down Debt!
Watching: Too busy reading and writing to watch anything.
Hoping: For change.
Marvelling: At Matty's ability to make the girls laugh every single time.
Cringing: At the weather report.
Needing:A hair cut.
Questioning: My ability to live in this climate.
Smelling: Not enough beautiful scents. I think I need more good smells in my life.
Wearing: A long cotton maxi dress, navy blue, and a green headband.
Following: The girls on our way to another splash pad.
Noticing: More grey hair.
Knowing: That Alyce loves me even when she screams that she hates me.
Thinking: About some extra work for the fall.
Admiring: The gardens.
Sorting: My schedule, to fit in some exercise.
Bookmarking: Salad recipes that don't just involve arugula, cherry tomatoes and cucumber (my go-to boring old salad).
Coveting: A new bag (my favourite one broke last months).
Disliking: Sunburns, despite my best efforts.
Giggling: At the girls watching Spongebob Squarepants. It's contagious.
Feeling: Slug-like, still.
Snacking: On the brownies I made for book club last week.
Helping: Someone, I hope.
Hearing: Avett Brothers on repeat.

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Do you want to take stock? I got the idea from Pip.

Taking Stock: June

It that time again!

Making : My first quilting square! And socks! And a blanket! Sorry for all the exclamation points, but it's feeling really good to make things lately.
Cooking : Salads. Next up? This one, this one, and probably this one, too.
Drinking: Barely sweetened iced vanilla lattes.
Reading: Everything! Now that I'm on a break from midwifery school I can read things that have nothing to do with uteruses uteri. But don't get me wrong--I love a good uterus.
Wanting: To finally start practicing yoga again.
Looking: For shade. As the summer heat builds up, and that darn sun shines brightly all day long, I turn to the shade, where I can enjoy the sunshine without having any of it actually touch my body.
Playing: Not enough board games. Why did I marry someone who hates board games?
Wishing: For some clarity on how to handle siblings.
Enjoying: Siblings.
Waiting: For the last day of school! We are all excited for summer vacation.
Liking: Watching Grey's Anatomy all over again on Netflix.
Wondering: What to make for dinner.
Loving: Time away for myself.
Pondering: Family budgets.
Considering: Trying my had at sewing a dress for the girlies.
Buying: Wool and fabric.
Watching: Game of Thrones.
Hoping: For some great adventures this summer.
Marvelling: At Alyce's performances on the monkey bars.
Cringing: At the news.
Needing: A meal plan for dinners.
Questioning: My ability to make a meal plan.
Smelling: The roses on my dining room table.
Wearing: Long summer dresses. Always.
Following: The sewing adventures of my friend, Sarah.
Noticing: That girlies are growing way too fast.
Knowing: That I am a good Mama, no matter how I feel some days.
Thinking: About my year off from midwifery school, hoping I don't miss it too much (which I will).
Admiring: This lemon and blueberry coffee cake. Thank you, Joy.
Sorting: Closets
Bookmarking: Quilting ideas.
Coveting: A purse I found at the Wychwood Market last weekend.
Disliking: The drivers that speed down our quiet and child-filled street on a daily basis.
Giggling: At my mother's text messages.
Feeling: Tired.
Snacking: On watermelon.
Helping: Alyce get through just one more week of school.
Hearing: Thunderstorms, I hope.

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Do you want to take stock? I got the idea from Pip.