Oh, hey there. Been a while.

The last time I blogged was in 2011. That was almost a decade, four jobs, a dog, a wedding and a soon-to-be baby girl later. Reading through my old posts, it was comforting to see my style hadn't changed. Still sarcastic and quirky. 

Dipping my toes back in. Not to publish anything publicly  – I don't really plan on sharing this little corner with anyone else. But as a place to document moments, passions, family events and something to look back on in the next decade. 

Where we are today, January 11, 2021:

In the world:

  • Donald Trump, our sitting president, may be impeached for the second time today.
  • We are currently in month 10 of working from home due to a pandemic, COVID-19.
  • Our US Capital was stormed last week by far-right extremist claiming the election was stollen.
  • Joe Biden takes office next week, with our first black female VP, Kamala Harris.
In our personal life:
  • Craig and I have been married for a little over 2 years; it's been a really wild ride - having a fall-out with my mom, losing my dad days after our wedding, some marital hardships. Through it all, I couldn't imagine a better human to share my life with. Head over heels for this man. 
  • We have the sweetest 3 year old pup, Jameson - a German Shepherd that totally rules our world. We are completely obsessed with him. And he knows it.
  • Our first baby is due May 16th and we could not be more excited. I just recently started feeling her move and groove in my belly and the only word to describe it is Magic. With a capital M.
  • We bought a home in 2018 and have been having fun making it our own and learning about our style and lifestyle through our choices. 
  • Through all the absolute insanity in the world, our little family is our greatest gift. 
Things that are important to me right this moment:
  • My family. First and foremost. Craig and I have become a really strong team. I love our relationship, all the quirks that come with it, and building our life together.
  • My sanity. I have been in weekly therapy for a few months now and it has been a game-changer. After a whirlwind few years, I had some serious anxiety going on that was manifesting in sleepless nights and needless worry. My therapist, Megan, has truly changed my world. 
  • My passions. After a bit of a break (meaning, a good 5 years), I am back to loving cooking. I am still into local produce and have taken it a step further over the years by learning how to garden. This is the first year I am starting a big chunk of my produce from seed and I am really enjoying the process. I also love time spent with my nose in a book - anywhere and everywhere. 
  • Over the past few years and as we have slowly made our house a home, we have really focused on functionality. What fits our lifestyle and fuels it? After getting comfortable there, we are clicking deeper into intentional planning and spending. Especially as we prepare for baby girl, saving and reducing debt has been on the mind. Hand-in-hand with less consumption, has been more intentional purchasing when we do. Buying second hand quality goods where possible - and what impact they have on those we purchase from. 
Other passions on the mind to pursue:
  • Photography. With baby girl on the way, I am so interested in capturing every moment. Hoping this blog will inspire me to take extra time capturing a few moments.
  • Less social media. Rabbit holes be damned.
  • More cooking. Getting back into Nana's old apron more and mastering some favorite dishes.
  • More gardening. Trying out a cut flower garden this year. I dream about our yard and home filled with flowers this summer. Here's to hoping.
  • More intentional design. We have had our kitchen quoted for a redo and I am so glad we didn't go through with it. When I turn a little more inward and a little more away from social influences, I realize we are much more into natural earthy deign with lots of character over anything flashy. In the next year, I'd love to get better at a few DIY's and build some things, skills and memories.

Our careers currently: 
  • I've been at Nike for a little over 3 years now in a comms support role and really enjoy my job. Grateful for the people, lessons and paycheck it provides. 
  • I'm feeling less motivated to climb the ladder, and more motivated to be a great employee, friend and mentor than ever before.
  • The slower pace of working from home has been surprisingly welcome. I have been building boundaries and my work-life balance steadily. Really looking forward to maternity leave and even more quality time with our little fam. This is a stark contrast to my workaholic self from even just a year ago.
  • Craig is currently in his 5th year of teaching. Over-qualified and under-appreciated, in my humble little opinion. He has been talking about opening up a tap house for years and recently some great friends of ours brought up the same idea – a potential partnership in the works? All talk right now, but creating a buzz in our home. As long as they include wine, I am in full support.