My March

Wearing my heart on my sleeve sometimes looks like an oversensitive mess...take today when I'm the girl blinking back tears and throwing out curse words in her car in the parking lot.  But I wouldn't change a thing, because being sensitive to the world can also bring in so much light.

I posted that on Instagram a couple of weeks ago and it most perfectly sums up my month.  There has been plenty of tears and plenty of laughs.   As one friend said, while we devoured chocolate cake, "sometimes it is about the little things". 

Day on a cold lake, adventuring with friends.  Does it even matter if the fish are biting?  Life is good. 

A lot of this day was spent sitting in a hospital, listening to grandma tell stories. And before my eyelids close from exhaustion, I still want to share. Because my grandma places her hands on her heart the same way I do when we really pray. Because IVs have always made me scared.  Because she is forever trying to make sure I am getting enough protein.  And because it's important to take images simply because all of this matters.

The Story of Me Project submission for March

Creating save the dates for my sister!  Oh my!  Add creating beautiful personal wedding details the list of things I love.  My mind is spinning with ideas, I am picturing a little shop filled with watercolors, and chalk art and customizable invites!   I am loving the "off season" as a time to dive into these other creative outlets. 

A relaxing weekend with the sister, so many good conversations and fancy coffees. 

My February

It is nearing the end of the month, and it has certainly held some great celebrations with friends.  But this is about the everyday, and there really wasn't anything glamorous in February's days.  I really felt I had nothing interesting but I started writing anyways.  Things that happened in February.  

Rich got sick.  I am one of those people that always seems to catch the cold that is going around, but Rich is not.  So when he experienced the flu early this month he was pretty certain it meant he was dying, or according to the internet had some sort of crazy disease.   (I also got it a few days later as well as my sister, who unfortunately picked a bad time to visit)  Not the best start to the month. 

Surprise, my car is totaled.  What I thought was a little parking lot fender bender last month, turned into quite the unfortunate adventure.  Turns out if you ever want to get real bummed out about the world and how it functions, try being forced into car shopping.  Start by evaluating your entire life, and how you can try your best to live simply, and then realize you completely depend on having a vehicle, and you're killing the planet.  Fun day. 

Our Christmas wreath is still up and it is my favorite.  Yup.  Makes me smile daily.

I remembered winter is pretty!  Snow came!  And I fell back in love with this season.  Those big fat snowflakes and the winter light, amazing!

Maybe this all is ordinary.  But these are the little pieces of our everyday and here is where I choose to gather them up.  It's funny how the act of just writing these down revealed something.  Maybe it's not all grand and extraordinary, but lets be honest, we share enough of the glamorous on social media.   So instead, maybe there is something inspiring in coming to the conclusion of taking down the mask and deciding I think I'll just tell the truth.  

Slow snow days.  Kind of loving this curling up business.  

I wish I could say this was me grieving my car because I feel the expression is right on!   But actually this was my monthly reminder to get in front of my own camera thanks to The Story of Me Project.   Even if I am stressed, and my hair is a greasy mess, and there is hardly any light left, this project is about being seen, and this month it was about SHOWING UP, regardless.  

Because I never want to forget this. 

Nothing like a new season, to see something in a different way!  Hey lovely snow covered city, I kind of like you.  

My January

The New Year:  I'm not one for new year's resolutions, in fact I am looking forward to the yoga studio to clear out and be back to the "regulars" so we are not packed mat to mat.  But still, on the last day of December, Rich and I found ourselves committing to being thoughtful about our spending in the upcoming months.  

Then after midnight, we managed to accidentally catch the most expensive taxi ride of all time.   Later in the month we had a fancy dinner we had purchased a Groupon for, only to realize the Groupon doesn't work unless you booked a reservation.  That means we paid full price, and have to go back again.  Its all about good intentions right??

New Ideas:  I was recommended this book "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up"  and both Rich and I have gotten excited about it's main concept:  going through all of your possessions and only keeping the ones that bring value and joy.  Sounds like just the thing my minimalistic-idealistic mind loves.  But also sounds like a bit of a chore, so naturally I have been putting off actually starting...

Big Plans:  With my mind shifting away from "things we need" it has definitely refocused on "things to do".   Since we are in the middle of the dark winter months, there is a lot of apartment down time, so planning for warmer adventures has seemed to be a theme.  We are both having cravings to get out in nature, planning canoe trips & googling west coast cabins.  

Random Learnings: 

I have gotten crazy protective of my weekends.  Time off seems limited and these precious days must be used to there max potential.  Thankful for girlfriends who know just the right way to relax and refuel.  (Basically it includes a lot of conversation and not much of anything else...unless that something else is wine.) 

Jan 6th  - Chalk Art.  My "it is too cold and there is not even snow to take pretty winter portraits, so I need something else to do" creative outlet. 
 

Jan 14th - So often I find myself taking photos of the things I want to hold onto.  It is not so much that I am attached to stuff but the memories items carry with them.  I think this is my way of cataloging all those little memories.  

Jan 25th - I forget how to be comfortable completely alone.  How to exist in silence and stillness.  But sometimes I give in, and this quote basically sums it up.  

“But Silence was here before anything else, and it envelops everything else. It is the most primary phenomenon of existence, both palpably something and seemingly nothing. Silence is prior to sound, not the cessation of sound. It is already present.  If we drop into quietness just for a moment, we feel the presence of Silence as an invitation."

Jan 29th - I really just wanted to take a picture so I made Rich sit here.  We literally never hang out in this room.  Our night actually just involved getting home from work late, ordering Toppers Pizza for dinner, and watching way to many episodes of Friends.