It’s Friday.
Shall we begin?
HAPPY THINGS SMORGASBOARD
- Our teenager did her first load of laundry completely solo. She started the load. She moved things into the dryer. She collected the dry clothes. She put them away. Getting a new-to-her thrifted sweatshirt that she REALLY WANTED TO WEAR ON MONDAY was all the motivation necessary; it’s amazing what kids can do when they want something, eh? This time the Want happened to be a clean sweatshirt. And now that the Magic Laundry Fairy (me) has moved to greener pastures, she rose to the occasion.
- Playing Five Crowns.
- A Saturday morning walk-and-talk with Joy. Delightful.
- Tuna filling on Sundried Tomato and Basil rice cakes.
- Changing out of sweaty clothes.
- Freshly vacuumed floors.
- Freshly painted fingernails (even if I did botch the application).
- This post by Nicole – what a delight. Gnomes! Gardens! Rex! Flowers! 80-year-old yoga students! Roasted Brussels Sprouts!
- This post by Stephany – what a courageous nutritional journey she is on; her Notes From My Dietician series is packed with great advice and inspiration.
- Our at-home date night Saturday. Delicious ham and egg croissant sandwiches and Dune 2. I was confused the majority of the movie, but it was still fun.
- Smoothies. So good! Also, my peanut butter, Greek yogurt, chia/flax/raisins/pumpkin seeds/walnuts/granola snack.
- The kids laughing with their friends.
- Sunshine. Always sunshine.
- Episodes of Frasier before bed.
- Coffee.
- Bikes coming out of storage.
COOL BLOGGERS WALKING CLUB (WEEK THREE)
A few people have mentioned disappointment over not learning about this “challenge” in time. I have my sights set on doing it again in October so there will be another opportunity to participate in 2024!
(Keep the pictures coming. I love receiving them.)
Some of you are likely only showing up here today to see Rex. That makes sense. Here he is with his “walkies” face…
Julie blogged about this gorgeous wisteria growing at a local senior’s living community.
She also sent me this picture from a local park – another day, another walk!
Once again, Engie (and Hannah) are in their own category with outdoor time; here is her summary of Week Two complete with many lovely photos…and delightful appearances by Hannah the Dog, plus a cameo by Zelda.
Jacquie reached out from Burnaby, BC. The first picture is of Deer Lake. She meets up with a friend every Saturday morning and they’ve been doing this for NINE YEARS, regardless of the weather. I am very impressed; look at their reward – an absolutely stunning early-morning glow over the lake.
The second picture is from a walk closer to home where a local artist paints portraits of resident’s dogs on nearby fences. While she doesn’t own a dog, Jacquie said the fences makes her smile every single time she walks by – I can see why!
Melissa has been walking daily in Australia, combining these outings with her current A-Z photography project. As she walks, she’s looking for things that start with all the letters of the alphabet (which reminds me of Tobia’s recent walking game).
John and I did our first outdoor run of 2024 (it was snowing a week ago and I am a delicate orchid that withers and dies without my puffer coat); look what we spotted on our cooldown walk! A fox. This picture does not do it justice – it was huge!
Maria has been spotting all sorts of “new” things on her walks including the first buds of spring and a 4-year-old who is the proud new rider of a pedal bike!
COMFORT FOOD
Specifically, this week, homemade butternut squash soup, paired with this no-knead bread. It was the food my soul was craving. And another batch of these chocolate chip cookies (the recipe says it makes two, I can stretch it to six; go easy on the sugar – these are a bit too sweet as written).
SNAIL MAIL
Is there anything more exciting than opening up the mailbox to find a handwritten letter. On Monday I received TWO notes from bloggy friends – Hi Maria! Hi Nicole!
These mailbox surprises were absolutely delightful and I kept looking at them on the ledge over my kitchen sink all afternoon and breaking out in a big grin.
OFFICE OVERHAUL
A complete restructuring of how I have things organized in our office was past due. I have now shredded literally thousands of pages and filed and moved things around until I have a much more efficient (and intuitive) system in place. Things were well organized before…but they were not intuitive. I don’t have an after – it looks the same as it did here – since all the magic happened inside the drawers.
Happy weekending, friends. What’s one Happy Thing from your week? What has been your most recent organizing task? Next up for me is digital stuff – namely, e-mail folders. They are a mess. Does anyone else have a standing weekly meetup with a friend?
mbmom11
Having a kid doing their own laundry? Priceless!
I have managed to walk 10 min every day. Yestday was a close call- it was raining once I got hone from work, and the afternoon it poured. Later in the evening it cleared, and after some drama, I snuck out and got my walk in, with the sun setting through the clouds- it looked like a Renaissance painting. CBWC has helped me get moving- maybe not fast or far- but it’s a beautiful time of the year and I’m enjoying walks again. Gold star for you!
Elisabeth
The laundry situation is making me VERY happy.
Love that description of the sky. Nature is the best art. I’m so glad the CBWC has been an inspiration for you to walk 🙂
Grateful Kae
Love all the great walking photos!!! So fun. I have been getting out every day too still! Some days more than others, but I had this thought on our recent Smoky Mountain trip about just how GOOD I feel on vacation when I’m naturally so much more active. It’s so so hard having a desk job to really find enough time to get up and walk nearly as much as to simulate what I’d walk on vacation…but I’ve been trying to be more mindful about it. I’ve been considering trying to get some kind of desk for my treadmill maybe too, though I’m not sure I could actually concentrate as well while moving. Haha. It’s just really hard to fit in all the hours of work PLUS an actual workout most days PLUS walking PLUS….the rest of life. Not enough hours in the day, basically! But I can at least try to move a little more.
Elisabeth
We walk so much more on vacation, too! I kept thinking in Barcelona – no wonder people seem so slim. Living in a city requires SO MUCH WALKING! Even if you use public transport, to get between Metro stations is almost always at least 1/4 mile. Plus, even within the Metro stations, so connections were a surprisingly long walk.
I’m walking on my treadmill right now! Stay tuned as I will be writing more about this in the coming weeks…
Nicole MacPherson
Awww, thanks so much for linking to my post! I’m so glad you liked it.
I get so excited on Friday mornings because it’s HAPPY THINGS DAY. And wow, did you bring the happy things! So many good things – butternut squash soup and no knead bread, you are speaking my language! The dogs on the fence – I would make that my walking route too! Look at you inspiring us all in the CBWC!
There are some things I need to go through in our office, and I need to get on it! Well, maybe after the garden is planted.
Thanks again for brightening everything!
Elisabeth
I am on the edge of my seat about the garden. It is going to be EPIC!
Isn’t bread just the best?
Jenny
Yay, Happy Things! Ha, you know any post with pictures of Rex will make us happy for sure. I’m feeling left out of the CBWC- maybe I”ll join you guys in October.
I’m excited for all your sunshine and spring weather! I’ll just live it vicariously through you. I remember what a relief it was when spring came up north. Now, we feel that relief in November when hurricane season ends and we get that first hint of cool air… sigh.
I’m impressed and envious that A is doing her own laundry. Every time Angie complains about the way I do laundry (she doesn’t have her favorite jeans or whatever) I suggest that she do it herself, but so far she hasn’t taken me up on that. Maybe I need to be more assertive here.
Happy Friday!
Elisabeth
Don’t feel left out Jenny – you are TRAINING FOR AN ULTRA!!! It’s not like you’re not exercising…a lot!
I didn’t get A the option. Happy Birthday to you. And she hasn’t been complaining much. I’ve also mostly stopped going in her room. It was just overwhelming me to see her “storing” clothes on the floor. Now that I don’t have to go in to get laundry or help put it away, I can go in when it’s dark (see post on the cleaning hack – this also works for messy teen rooms; everything looks less daunting in the dark).
But I didn’t do my own laundry UNTIL I WAS 20…so it’s a bit rich of me to get my kids to start earlier. L will get his turn at 13, too.
Kyria @ Travel Spot
Yay for Friday! I love all of your happy things; you really had a lot this time! I am also loving the walking photos and posts as well as my own walks! Yesterday I walked all over Portland and the flowers are amazing and the sun was shining and it just made me grin from ear to ear. I am so glad that you are also getting sun! My other happy thing is hanging out with a friend who I haven’t seen since last September; we just picked up where we left off and it was so fun!
Elisabeth
Seeing friends – and that seamless connection – is such a happy thing.
Happy walking (and biking), my friend <3
NGS
Snail mail!! I love to see it. I love the roundups of photos from CBWC. I have to remember to send you one next week. Rex’s happy face at walking is in direct opposition to Hannah’s scowl every time I take a photo of her.
The weather has officially turned around. Sure, it’s rainy (spring), but I put my winter boots away in my closet instead of by the back door and I don’t think I will need them again!! Flowers are blooming! I didn’t wear a coat to work for two days! I think I might be able to decrease my SAD lamp time! YAAAASSSS!!
Elisabeth
Spring is mostly here! It’s still “cold” underneath it all and I am still rocking my winter coat most days but I know the worst is definitely behind us and the shovels and sleds are officially put away for another year.
Suzanne
The walking photos are so fun! Rex is The Cutest, omg.
I got a happy tingle from your office declutter project. Those projects are SO satisfying! Go you!
Elisabeth
I have never been quite so thorough with the office clean up as I was this time and I’m elated…but also exhausted. Phew. I ended up tackling the last bit chore yesterday and have one final (giant) stack of shredding and then I’m calling it DONE!
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
We get foxes in our neighborhood from time to time. They’re magnificent.
We need a dog fence in our neighborhood!
On the walking front, Doggo and I are out there every day. She’s still timid about new things, and the latest new thing that she’s not sure about are lawn mowers, so she’s cut a couple of our walks short. But it’s so wonderful when she sees something that would have made her scurry back to the house just a few weeks ago and now she doesn’t have a care in the world that it’s there.
Elisabeth
The Doggo lawnmower dynamic makes me think of when my kids were TERRIFIED of hand dryers in bathrooms. That was an era and I am so, so glad we’re through that. It was a nightmare in public restrooms.
Michelle G.
You do indeed have a smorgasbord of happy things here, Elisabeth! You’re giving your daughter a great gift by teaching her to do her own laundry! I love all the CBWC photos. The fence with all the dogs painted on it is amazing!
San
So many happy things, yay. And I love that coffee is always on the list 😉
That’s so cool that A did the laundry… I had to chuckle when you said “it’s amazing what kids can do if they want something”… so true!
I love all the photos from friends out on their walks… next time, I really want to join the CBWC!
I seem to have a standing meetly coffee + chat with my co-worker and I really enjoy talking to him (about work stuff and life). My latest organizational tasks was YNAB (You Need a Budget), I got a little behind on updating it.
Elisabeth
Gold stars for getting caught up on the budget stuff. I find it hard to get back into a routine on that sort of thing if I miss a few months!
coco
I’m a bit jealous of your walking club, surrounded by nature and sun. Unfortunately walking in Jakarta is not pleasant due to traffic, pollution and the heat. One day…. one day.
one happy thing this week = getting over jet lag. sooooooooo good.
Elisabeth
Jet lag is…the worst. So glad you’re feeling better and hope the kids and your husband get to that point soon.
Lisa’s Yarns
A standing meet up with a friend sounds amazing. We sort of have that in that we got to the library every Saturday and my friend is also there with her boys most Saturdays as her older son meets his reading tutor there. So it’s kind of a meet up although there are kids involved so it is not very relaxing for me? I feel like I am totally falling down on friendships right now. I texted my college friends on Monday and had to be like ‘so I know you haven’t heard from me for months and I am sorry about that but I am very overwhelmed by life these days…. I wanted them to know my grandma passed. But I felt bad that it took someone dying for me to reach out. But they were all understanding. They are much further along in their parenting journeys and have teens and tweens but remember the toddler stage and one of them travels for work so gets what I am facing. We were trying to get together regularly, like last Sunday of the month, last fall but that fell by the wayside. And now I have a hard time making social plans that take me away from my family when Phil is already doing so much solo parenting….
I fell of the walking wagon this week and missed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. I kind of doubt a walk will happen today with my long drive and the funeral and burial and all… but I will get back on the wagon next week. I knew this month was going to be a challenge since I am traveling every week except the first and travel weeks, especially work travel weeks, are so challenging since I have no control over my time. I could have gotten up and walked on the treadmill but I just didn’t have it in me…
Elisabeth
You have so much going on it would literally be impossible to maintain every “ritual” – you are making the best of a hard season of life and making the hard (and frustrating) choices to let some things go. There will be a time after this but you really have had a cluster of a few years, my friend.
I’m so glad you DIDN’T walk on the treadmill. I think part of my growth in the last few years is learning when I need to not be so rigid. For too long I’ve had a tendency to just push through when things are hard and then I’ve burned out. A whole sheet of gold stars for not walking this week!
Kate
That is a huge fox!! Wow! Love all the walking pictures. Rex could be an entire Happy Things post by himself!
I am continually amazed at how well and efficiently my kids can do things when they actually want to. It’s simultaneously heartening (like, oh! you *are* actually learning to be independent!) and frustrating when they act like it’s the most onerous task in the world next time. Good for A!
A big happy thing for this week: my older girls just left for Disney World this morning with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. My girls have never been there before. The smiles on their faces at 4 AM (!) when we said our goodbyes, and in the pictures my mother-in-law has sent me since, are just heart-melting. And the two littles are little enough not to know what they’re missing staying home with me 😉
Elisabeth
Disney! That’s so exciting. And, for me at least, it would be extra exciting my kids were going without me having to do it. I’m sure I’d love Disney if I went, but at this point I have zero desire, but I know my kids would love it!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
Wooohooo on having a kid do laundry. This is how it started for me too – I really wanted to wear something so I had to do it on my own. And then my mom delegated it over and there I was…
Freshly painted nails is wonderful. I just wish they stayed unchipped more than 2 hours. Sigh.
There are such great walking pictures coming in. I have definitely marked down October for the CBWC.
Elisabeth
I know – chipped nails bug me so much.
I’ve love for you to participate in October with CBWC. Knowing you, you’ll find a way to make the experience very creative!
Stephany
Oh, the shout-out to my post was so sweet. Thank you, friend! I really appreciate the shout-out.
The fence with the painted dogs is soooo cute. I also love the idea of doing an A-Z challenge. Maybe I will tackle that during the next iteration of the CWBC! I was hesitant to join this time around because I’m not always the best about getting out and walking. But next time, for sure!
Elisabeth
It’s not something I’d want to do monthly, but I’ll be ready for another round in October! Sadly, there are no painted-dog fences where I live…but I did spot some beautiful daffodils outside our local library on Monday and they were STUNNING.
Melissa
I’m loving seeing all these CBWC updates. Yay for teenagers doing their own washing. Our study needs a good number of sessions to get it in shape.
Elisabeth
It has been wonderful to take even some laundry off my plate. 30% of the workload, probably? Which feels like a MAJOR win.
Anne
What you did to your office, I’d like to do to my closet. Empty the whole thing out (well, not the mini-dresser), vacuum, and extract all of the clothes to see what the heck is in there. Not to mention all the OTHER stuff. And then I’d like to (figuratively) shred (donate), file (organize and fold and put away) and restore order. Goals. For real.
I missed the CWBC even though I could benefit, for sure. Many days, my “outside time” is “me walking around the building for 4 minutes in the evening because I realize I haven’t emerged all day, sigh”.
Elisabeth
It takes a lot of time (I was legit exhausted at the end – SO. MUCH. SHREDDING), but it’s done and feels amazing. All that to say: I know you can do it, Anne 🙂
I’m going to host this again in October – well, at least that is the plan – and I’d love to have you join in then <3