Sprucing Spaces and Revamping Rooms | Part I

I've accepted that organizing and re-organizing my home is a cyclical combination of cleaning chores and delightful hobby. While dishes are often a drag, there are parts of home maintenance that I enjoy -- decluttering, decorating, and rearranging spaces. I'm a better "tidier" than "deep cleaner" which I think makes my home feel cleaner than it actually is! Almost four years later, and I'm absolutely loving our home!

Here are some recent changes I've made that have our house feeling extra happy: 

- rearranged furniture in playroom

- rotated our breakfast nook...and started candlelit meals!

- decluttered and redecorated our entryway

- new mantel display

- rearranged our living room which has resulted in an oversized "drafting table"

With the help of my parents, we also spruced up our outdoor areas. Next steps are weeding and considering container gardening. 
- rotated our glider and moved mini bistro to front porch

- added a round patio table in back yard

- moved picnic table to other side of front yard 

- hung hammock for the kids
- transformed crab sandbox into toy storage

Fun Fact: Besides the hammock and beige patio chairs, every single piece of furniture you see in the pictures above was purchased secondhand (or better yet -- a free curb find!) 

Taking tips from my college roommate and bridesmaid with impeccable taste at bookwormcottagestyle.com, 

- SJW

Around the Corner & On My List | Summer 2024

With two more flights, party invites, and another round of visitors, our summer calendar is packed! Rather than approach the season with bucket-list mania, I'm choosing to high-five my family, friends, and past-self for curating such a fun summer ahead. My main intention for the rest of the summer is to be present, enjoy the people I'm with, and eat lots of watermelon :) 

Around the Corner
- 4th of July bike parade
- BBQ with a side of Bouncy House
- Day trip to friend's cabin
- Colman Pool party 
- Berry Picking field trip
- Celebrate twelve years of marriage
- Hawaii Vacation with family -- I get to meet my niece!
- Visit from our friends J, M, J, & M
- Mirma and Poppa visit
- 14-person dinner at Aerlume (friend won this in an auction)
- East Coast Summer vacation and all the fun it entails!
- Labor Day Camping Trip (esp. since our June trip got rained out) 

SummerAdventures Bucket List -- keeping it simple with one item :) 
- Madison Park Beach on Lake Washington

July Theme: Mood Reading -- prioritizing these gushed-about books
They're Going to Love You by Meg Howrey
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
People we Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Juicy and refereshing,

- SJW

Coronavirus Catastrophe Part 3 | The World at Small

I keep thinking how odd this time must be for recent graduates, sixteen year olds who just got their driver's licence but can't venture to the mall or the movies, the seniors without a prom, and even elementary schoolers who will all have a gap semester in their schooling. Fortunately for our family, a one-and-a-half year old doesn't really know the difference. NLW is still learning, growing, and developing at a rapid speed as if it didn't matter that restaurants, playgrounds, zoos, and museums are all closed. Regardless of pandemic circumstances, toddler life is both monotonous and exhilerating.

That said, I think I'll look back fondly on these just-the-two-of-us days consisting of meandering walks, park explorations, neighborhood drives, and snacks on benches. The daily sightings and confident proclamations of "airplane" "doggie" "bird" "baby" "squirrel" and "kitty" keep me on my toes. You just never know when you'll have the chance to explain the differences between crows, pigeons, sparrows, and hummingbirds :)

Hoping things re-open soon,

- SJW

Coronavirus Catastrophe Part 2 | The World at Medium

Even if you're not in the direct path of a tornado, you're bound to observe the darkening skies and sense the wind whipping around you as it passes by. While grateful we haven't had any symptoms or hospital visits, the coronavirus has certainly shaken things up for our family. Small spaces, two tired parents, and a curious toddler make for some interesting days. There's been hit and miss communication along the way but overall we've been able to adjust, extend grace, and pick up each other's slack in energy levels. 

We've entered a new normal this spring that has resulted in some new rhythms: 

Syncopation 1: NLW dropping down to one nap. While not tied directly to the virus, the timing with quarantine was not ideal. Oh how I've mourned the loss of that second nap break in the day!

Syncopation 2: No nanny care. With the stay at home orders, we deemed it best to press pause on additional childcare for now. I'm excited for playdates, social outings, and other kid interactions to resume. 

Syncopation 3: I was laid off from my job in early April, which actually made syncopation 2 a bit easier to manage. Working an administrative job and caring for a child simultaneously was challenging! I feel for all the parents that are still jumping back and forth between emails, conference calls, and their children's needs, be it fixing lunch, reviewing science lessons, or changing diapers. 

Syncopation 4: Mr. Fleece has been working remotely for nearly three months now with varying degrees of motivation and productivity. With a tiny rathole of a workspace and a toddler to greet him anytime he emerges for a break, it's not been super conducive to focusing and knocking out large projects. 

Syncopation 5: Mid-day naps for me! These are a welcome treat and often necessary when NLW starts our day before 6am. I've stopped worrying about being productive during his nap...letting dishes pile up has never felt so good :) 

Syncopation 6: House-hunting and neighborhood-scouting. Glued to Redfin, we've been on the lookout for a new house to call home. We would welcome more space, an actual office for Mr. Fleece, and the ability to host family when they're able to visit again. At this point we've narrowed down what's important to us, toured 20 houses or so, and placed and lost two offers. We may end up renting for a year or two to see what happens to the market, but in the meantime, NLW and I enjoy walking around new-to-us parks and streets each morning to see which neighborhoods might be a good fit for commuting, walkability, and proximity to playgrounds and activities. 

Jamming out to new tunes, 

- SJW

Coronavirus Catastrophe Part 1 | The World at Large

It's quite strange to be living through the coronavirus catastrophe, a monumental moment that will be captured and analyzed by historians for years to come. Are these monotonous mask-filled days similar to those experienced by families and workers during the Great Depression and war times? Will future generations grasp the pervasiveness of the virus, the evolving social changes, and the ever-present uncertainty that reigns each day?

The constant uptick in new cases, unemployment filings, and untimely deaths has been staggaring and alarming. Just this week the U.S. surpassed 100,000 dead, a heartbreaking finality for so many. This communal suffering already feels overwhelming, but when layered upon the looming backdrop of economic upheaval, it's even more unnerving. As the coronavirus persists as a constant health risk, the economic un-doing feels like it's lurking just around the corner, ready to devastate.

Nervous trips to the grocery store, closed playgrounds, empty streets, and zoom calls set the daily mood and a barage of unusual phrases rule the airwaves: social distancing, flattening the curve, self-quarantine, unprecedented times, contact tracing, stay home stay healthy...pandemic. It feels like we pressed pause and we're none too sure of when we'll all get back to our reguarly scheduled programming. It's an unpleasant waiting game and all the while, potential happy hours, date nights, and summer vacations slip by.

Unsurpisingly, even amidst these depressing factors, there's still beauty and joy to be found and appreciated everyday. From spring flowers, toddler laughs, and home-cooked dinners to simple walks, unscheduled evenings, and the opportunity to greet neighbors - I'm a firm believer that compassion, kindness, generosity, bravery, optimism, and humor will prevail.

Admiring and thanking all our essential workers, 

- SJW