And just like that, we’re saying goodbye to the first month of the year. It feels…bizarre?
It also feels exciting because tomorrow is Day #1 for The F.I.G. Collective. Get your pens ready!!!!
In all my excitement to encourage gratitude, I didn’t think to develop a framework for how to share our global collection of FIGs (glimmers/triumphs/happy things).
If you want to share your FIGs via my blog, feel free to send me a picture of your list, a picture of a FIG (or a fig, if you happen to list fruit figs as a FIG – how meta that would be), or some of your FIG highlights from the week. [E-mail: optimisticmusings {at} gmail {dot} com]
I’ll do bonus posts on Saturday the 8th, 15th, and 22nd dedicated to FIGs. If you have something you want mentioned, send it my way. But you’re also welcome to play along at home and enjoy the process without sharing any FIGs on the interwebs.
I seem to be obsessed with writing the acronym FIG.
FIG. FIG. FIG.
There.
It’s out of my system.
*furtively whispers FIG*
TWINKLE LIGHTS
Allison asked how I use twinkle lights post Christmas. Here’s the answer!
On Sunday afternoon the mantle officially switched seasons. I bought a $4 bunting at the Dollarstore, left the red birds, berries, and wooden house silhouettes, removed all the pinecones, added a felt heart garland ($3 a few years ago at the Dollarstore) and we’re ready for February.
I’ll switch things out one last time for Easter. It’s “late” this year, so that gives me an excuse to leave the lights up for an extra few weeks.
While the mantle is the main twinkly focus, I also left a string of lights around a plant in our living room and we have Edison bulbs on our garden shed. It is so lovely to look through the kitchen window and see the shed twinkling cheerily in a snowy backyard.
HOLIDAY CHEER + KOALA STAMPS
What a joy it has been to receive Christmas cards IN JANUARY! I think I actually prefer this timing as it injects some extra love into a dark, cold month. Thank you to everyone who sent festive greetings my way <3
One of those holiday greetings came all the way from Australia; thanks Sophie – I was especially delighted you used a koala stamp!
SUNDAY SNOW PLAY
John left mid-morning Sunday for a business trip, Belle had an afternoon birthday party, and after an hour of Minecraft, I told Indy it was time to get outside. He found some friends and there was hot chocolate and banana muffins and sledding and literal scary ghost stories (that last bit feels a bit random for a snowy day in January, but I guess they get a mention in It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year).
PHOTOBOOK 2024
The photobook is ordered. I cannot tell you how incredible it feels to have this done. It was an EPIC year of pictures and it required 336 pages crammed full to tell all our stories, but it’s finished and I can’t wait for it to arrive.
On Tuesday the kids had a snow day, and when I left them to go to the gym they had already spent almost an hour lounging in their PJs looking through old photobooks. And that’s exactly why I make these books year after year.
(Frugal habits die hard; a 20% off + free shipping deal was what it took to light a fire under my butt.)
The kids alternate “getting the cover”. It was Belle’s turn to be on the front, Indy got the back. Next year, he’ll get the front and she’ll have the back. It’s an easy way to balance the limelight.
For anyone who might be curious, all my photobooks have been ordered through Blurb.
THE BLUE CASTLE + BOOKMARKS
I am enjoying The Blue Castle so much. Somehow, this is my first time ever hearing about or reading the book and Valancy is such a fascinating character. Her personality transformation has been both hilarious and satisfying. There’s still plenty of time to join Engie’s online book club – we start discussing the book next week!
I’m marking my place in the book with some new bookmarks! I met my friend Jan at the gym mid-week and she brought me some of her hand-painted bookmarks. I love them!!
A DAY FULL OF HAPPY THINGS
Every once in a while I have a day where I reach the end and think: That was soooo satisfying.
This Wednesday was such a day.
Happy Things:
- Waking up to discover the kids had yet another snow day, and being grateful I didn’t have to get kids up and out the door early since I’d had an uncharacteristically disturbed night of sleep.
- Realizing snow days are no longer something I anticipate with fear and loathing!
- Both kids coming outside to help me shovel.
- A delicious cup of coffee (with Silk Peppermint Mocha creamer…of course) + my beloved cottage cheese concoction for breakfast.
- An early-morning text invite for Indy to go play with a friend. Bonus happy thing – the mom came to pick him up; no driving for me!
- That I texted a mom at the literal moment she texted me about trying to get our girls together. In the end, Belle’s friend came over from 9-4 and they entertained themselves the WHOLE time. They talked for hours (#teens), played on the computer, made lunch (boxed Mac n’ Cheese = zero work for me), and baked and iced delicious chocolate cupcakes (this is the recipe Belle keeps returning to and it is delicious; I’ve never actually made them myself, but I very much enjoy eating them).
- Going to the gym with Joy! We did a heart-pumping inclined walk, followed by a Caroline Girvan upper body workout video together.
- I had some work calls scattered throughout the day and simply told the kids I couldn’t be bothered. And they didn’t interrupt. I feel like all I talk about these days is the growing independence of my kids, but it really does make SUCH A DIFFERENCE.
- I went out to shovel twice – it was good exercise, but the snow was light. I generally dislike shovelling but today it felt like I was inside a life-sized snow globe and it was actually a pretty happy chore.
- Two years ago I bought a brand-new Ripzone snow suit for Indy for $5 at a thrift store. It was wayyyy too big but I couldn’t pass up such a good deal. After sending him out Wednesday morning with a coat and snow pants several inches too short, I finally couldn’t take it anymore. Thankfully, in just the last month, he has grown into the suit! Look at his snazzy new winter garb (complete with a $1 thrifted balaclava I gave him for Christmas that he loves, and thrifted $3 Head gloves)!
- Less than an hour after Indy got home, he went with different friends to a local sledding hill, followed by hot chocolate.
- Then that group came back to our house for some good old-fashioned snow-day fun. Indy and two friends “planted trees” which involved getting branches from the woods, sticking them upright on the lawn and piling snow at their base to get them to stay standing. They spent a solid hour doing this and my heart was happy to see them so content doing something that was, for all intents and purposes, completely pointless. But it was fun! So why not?!
- There was a rousing game of Capture the Flag which also involved Belle and one of her friends.
- The kids banded together and went to shovel a neighbour’s driveway. This neighbour was widowed a little over a year ago and it made my heart very happy to see five kids shovelling away.
- When they came inside with wet gear…I had THEM hang it all up to dry.
- One of the kids’ friends stayed for supper and then they watched TV while I puttered around the house.
- Supper was so good. Beef stew in a slow cooker. Roasted potatoes (also in a slow cooker). Fresh buttermilk biscuits. Peas and corn (from the freezer and a can, respectively). Quick pickled cucumbers (cucumber slices, white vinegar, a healthy sprinkle of salt in a tight-lidded container; shake 2-3 times over 5 minutes). After all the shovelling and fresh air and time at the gym, every bite tasted delicious. And we topped it all off with one of those delicious fresh cupcakes.
It was a really great day!
BONUS HAPPY THINGS
- Outsourcing sewing projects…to my mom.
- Whiteout pens.
- Finishing corporate taxes. After all my hullabaloo about the process, it’s done – submitted to the government and everything – and it was relatively painless.
- Two can’t-put-them-down fiction books (Thief River Falls and Madwoman).
- That today is not two years ago. Late fall 2022/early winter 2023 were SO hard. In addition to neighbourhood challenges, there was a very weird bug going around with effects that lingered for an extended period. Indy ended up being awake for significant chunks every. single. night for months, missed weeks of school, and my days and nights blurred into oblivion. It was awful. Reading back over my One Line A Day Journal entries from this time two years ago, it makes me so, so grateful to be through that incredibly difficult season.
Your turn.
- What were some happy things in your life this week?
- Do you handle your own sewing projects or outsource them like me?
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mbmom11
*I started the Blue Castle yesterday, and it’s done. I really enjoyed rereading it. I’ll have to look over the chapters if I want to make comments.
*Reading it this time reminded me of a different novel from ages ago, and it turns out there’s a whole discussion about whether this second author was inspired by, wrote a parody of, or borrowed the plot of TBC ruthlessly. Very interesting. ( The Ladies of Missalonghi).
*We have 2 rainy days in a row. We haven’t had much precipitation at all in January, so this is a nice change.
I ignore mending until it’s too late. I’m terrible at sewing.
Glad you were able to enjoy the snow days!
Elisabeth
I’ve never read TBC, but I am loving Valancy.
I am also pretty horrible at sewing. I know my mom would teach me, but I have no desire to learn. I feel like sewing will always be something I mostly outsource? I can mend tiny rips (if they follow a seam) and I can sew on a button – but neither of those are done well and neatly.
Nicole MacPherson
Oooh I love that photo of you. You’re right, our wintry landscapes lend themselves to perfect backdrops!
Oh good grief, I outsource. I outsource hard. I almost failed the sewing portion of Home Ec, which I had to take back in the day. It was very gendered back then and I guess I could have taken Shop, but I don’t think it would have gone any better. I have a vivid memory of hanging out at the sewing machine with my friend Tara – still a BFF to this day – while she sewed her absolutely perfect tee and shorts and I ripped out seams, again. My projects always had enormously ripped seams and I usually had to borrow some ribbing from a friend because I had to rip mine out so many times that they would shred. I think the teacher only passed me out of mercy, or out of never wanting to see me again. We used to prank her; someone would walk by the serger and swipe their hands so that it would be unthreaded, and she would LOSE HER SHIT. “WHO UNTHREADED THE SERGER?” and we’d all sit there silently. Ah, good times. So no, I don’t sew. I once sewed a button on my pants – this is back in 2000 or so – and I somehow managed to cut a hole in my actual pants. My husband will not let me near anything resembling sewing accoutrement.
Elisabeth
Nicole I LAUGHED UNTIL I CRIED. The serger! The hole in your pants! Your teacher passing you out of mercy.
I know you’re writing a novel, but once that’s on the NYT Bestseller List can you please get around to a memoir? Maybe tell people to buy some adult underwear before reading though…
Jenny
This is a great post for anyone currently in the phase with small children. Proof that it really, really does get easier. What a change that a snow day can be so fun, instead of filling you with despair! It really does sound like an amazing day.
I finished The Blue Castle- I just decided to read the whole thing since I was enjoying it so much. I can’t wait for the book club discussion.
Okay, I’m all ready for FIG!!!
Elisabeth
It really does get easier. I mean…people told me that when I had little ones, but it takes YEARS to get easier. I suppose easy is also relative. My kids are both able-bodied; I know some of the challenges get much harder as children age for parents caring for children with limitations.
I wanted to read the whole book in one go, but I did stop myself. I might not be able to keep up my willpower in the long-term, though! It’s so good.
Katy @ Practical Walk
In West Africa, I outsourced them. Tailors are extremely affordable. I had a great tailor in walking distance. She’d make me clothes and mend for me.
I’m grateful for:
– Our cat
– My mother-in-law moving here today!!! Yay to having family close!
– Our little house
Happy Friday!!
Elisabeth
Wow! What a big day!! Your mother-in-law moved close. I wonder if she sews 😉
NGS
Okay, this answers my questions. We’re referring to them as FIGs. Got it. Terminology is so important.
I finished the first eight chapters of TBC last night and they are PURE DELIGHT. I cannot wait to write up my post and hear what other people think about it.
Elisabeth
PURE DELIGHT – yes, yes, yes. It is basically exactly what I needed as the world is literally crashing and burning. Ugh. So much awful stuff happening and yet another example of books giving a form of escape. Which is doubly interesting since the whole point of Valancy’s Blue Castle is to escape an awful reality.
sarah
LOOK AT YOU LOVING SNOW DAYS AND WINTER AND WORKING FROM HOME WITH KIDS IN YOUR GRILL! Love this so much.
Elisabeth
I used to dread/hate snow days with a passion. It was so hard to get work done and the days felt like they would never end. It is just so much easier now that they’re older (for my personality type at least).
Lisa's Yarns
I am kind of envious of your snow! We have gotten so little this winter. I prefer snow to cold! Or if it’s cold, we might as well have snow! But I am sure we’ll get plenty in like March. That is the month when we tend to get the most snow since the air have more moisture. For much of Jan it was just plain too cold to snow!
I also outsource all sewing projects to my mom. If I have something time sensitive, I take it to an alterations shop close to work but that is pretty rare! My mom is so good at sewing and enjoys it so it’s a win-win!
The high of my week was the warmer weather and sunshine. It was so nice to walk to school to pick up Paul on Wed and Thur and since that is not something I’m often able to do, Paul loved it. We had a nice chat on both walks home. Another high was that Taco did not wake up yelling for us during the night last night! He has been waking most nights and it’s so annoying and yet we don’t know how to solve it. Last night I told him we would not watch a movie tonight if he woke us up. So maybe that threat worked? We also ordered him an ok to wake clock which arrives today. Hopefully that will help.
All the gold stars for already having your 2024 photo album in your possession! I haven’t even started on ours!! Eeks! Usually I try to work on it during the year but that did not happen in 2024… :/
Elisabeth
The snow does give the kids more fodder for being outside.
It was COLD here today. The windchill was insane. And then in a few days it’s supposed to be +4C and rainy. Winter weather is always crazy.
I don’t think my mom enjoys sewing, but she always accepts it willingly which I really appreciate!!!
Yay for Taco sleeping through the night (or at least not yelling).
Joy
I’m excited for FIG. I’ve printed out your beautiful printable and am ready to start tomorrow.
I LOVED The Blue Castle when I first met it 30+ years ago. I had wandered into a little branch library on the outskirts of Philadelphia, where I was living at the time. There it was–an old hardcover by L.M. Montgomery that I didn’t even know existed. I took it home and fell in love with Valancy. I have my own copy now and will need to pull it out and reread it.
I can sew and will do simpler things like fix buttons and hems. I’ve even made some of my own clothes in the past. But if it’s complicated, I outsource to someone more experienced than I am. It used to be my mother many years ago but now the local cleaners has a great seamstress.
You red and white mantle made me smile.
Elisabeth
I still can’t believe I’d never heard (or at least registered) anything about The Blue Castle. She’s such a unique character! Has there ever been a film adaptation, I wonder?
Michelle G.
There’s so much loveliness in this post, Elisabeth! Your cute Valentine’s mantle, the cheerful lights on your shed, the beautiful photobook, the fun stick garden, and the photo of you with your stunning blue eyes!
Well, I enjoy sewing – but not mending! I’m OK mending for myself or my husband, but I have to grit my teeth when other people ask me to mend their stuff! Ugh, and hemming pants.
I read the first chapter of TBC today, and I love it!
Elisabeth
My mother loathes hemming. We do outsource that to a seamstress now!
It must have been the snow! My eyes don’t usually look quite so blue!
Diane
I actually love mending – I find it so satisfying…. when I can get to it. I have a pile of clothes in my mending pile and every so often I have to go and weed things out because it’s been in teh pile so long that it no longer fits anyone. I don’t have any larger sewing projects, right now, though. I’ll do the occasional Hallowe’en costume, but that’s it. During the pandemic I sewed a lot of masks for my church, and it was such a soothing project to do and I’m a little sad I don’t have a project like that to work on. I find, though that my other hobbies (and, let’s be honest, scrolling) are more likely to be what I want to do instead of sewing. It’s partly because the sewing machine is in the sunroom and it’s cold in there and the light isn’t very good.
That DOES sound like a great Wednesday! It’s got a little of everything – friends, play, relaxation, food… even work. I find I need at lease a little bit of work to have a day feel really good. (Sort of goes back to the sheep farmer in Wales I posted about earlier this week…)
Elisabeth
I loved that story! I think I would get tired of the same good year after year, but he seems much happier than most of the millionaire celebrity and billionaire tech leaders. The top of the ladder is pretty lonely and most of the time unsatisfying. Thanks for sharing both those articles!
Ernie
As of an hour ago, science fair is OVER. Both Kay and Rae had to do science fair this year. Coach managed a lot of it, since he was a business major – but still, it is not fun for the parents, and it’s over. That’s a very happy thing.
I scored an eye doctor appointment, because I called and they had a cancellation for today. I’ve not been able to wear my contact lenses for several weeks. Maddening. This is a new doc, and she thinks that I might be reacting to the silicone in the lenses. I’m trying new old school lenses with no silicone. Fingers crossed.
I sew my own stuff usually, but if it’s something that I can’t handle or something that matters . . . then I outsource.
Elisabeth
Sometimes it is SUCH a relief when a kid’s school project is over. It does seem to be more about testing the parents’ patience sometimes…
Good luck with the lenses. Hope that does the trick!
J
Look at how pretty you are! I know, we are more than our looks, it’s not cool to mention, blah blah blah. But I couldn’t help it.
That’s a lot of really lovely things to be thankful for…you are going to have trouble keeping your FIG chart manageable.
Congrats on finishing your photo book and your taxes!
Elisabeth
Thanks for such a kind compliment.
I know! I started using my chart and then abandoned it after one day because it’s just not enough space. I started a new notebook and at the end of Day #2 I’m already into the 20s.
Not only did I finish the photobook…it arrived on Friday! I didn’t expect it for at least another week so that was very happy indeed. I haven’t actually made time to look through it yet, but the kids have been loving it which really warms my heart.
Stephany
You are once again STUNNING in your selfie outside. <3
I love your Valentine's mantle. That's such a fun way to keep the twinkle magic going year-round (or at least in the still-dreary part of the year). I have a few Valentine's things up but not a lot.
I've had MULTIPLE people try to teach me to sew but I just do not have the gene where any of it makes sense. My grandma even gave up on me because I was such a slow learner, HA. (You know you're bad when even my most-patient and loving grandma thinks I'm a lost cause.)
Elisabeth
You’re too kind <3
My mom tried to teach me knitting and crocheting a few times and I DO wish I could knit because it seems like such a great meditative thing to do, but I am just not patient enough 😐 Ditto sewing.
ccr in MA
I just blogged about my first FIG! I’m excited to keep my eyes open for more.
Elisabeth
Yay! I can’t wait to read your post.
Allison McCaskill
If I type everything that went through my mind while reading this, my comment will be enormous.
Hmmmm
I JUST HAD Hannah Waddingham’s version of The Most Wonderful Time of the Year running through my head yesterday and I thought ‘why WOULD there be scary ghost stories at Christmas?’
The kids getting more independent was one of the most momentous developments of my life.
I loved snow days for the same reasons. And when the kids started helping shovel, also a revelation. At Christmas when Angus was home he shoveled our driveway AND the neighbours’ when we had a big snowfall.
I love pretty bookmarks, and those are beautiful. I ordered a whack of moon and stars ones and map ones a while ago because I wanted to be able to find one whenever I wanted one, and I have no regrets.
I love the twinkle light idea. Our family room definitely needs more light for the winter.
I have to keep looking up what FIG stands for because I keep forgetting. I only tried figs as an adult and they were both delicious and kind of freaky.
Agree about The Blue Castle – I was perhaps weirdly surprised by how FUNNY it is, as well as being utterly charming.
I’ll stop now.
Elisabeth
I know, right? But that’s what the boys ended up settling on for a topic!
I feel like having too many bookmarks is the only way to live.
It is such a charming book! I can’t wait to dive into the discussion about it.
Ally Bean
I’m not familiar with The Blue Castle, but now want to read it. Maybe it’s the gloom of February talking here but a new novel that reminds of childhood novels seems spot on. A lovely distraction.
Elisabeth
I’ve really been enjoying the book. Hope you do too!
Suzanne
Oh my goodness, I feel like I remember that time when Indy was waking up all the time. Were you blogging then? I can’t remember, so perhaps it was telepathic. 😉 Isn’t it so wonderful to look at the past and realize there really WAS a time after that???
LOVE your twinkle lights. Congrats on getting your photo book done!!! Every time you post about your photo books I desperately want to do them myself. I just don’t have the organizational (or photographic) skills to get it together, though, so I will continue to live vicariously through yours.
Elisabeth
I was blogging then! It was so, so terrible and I was like a zombie. Yes! If ever there was a time I needed to remember Allison’s “There will be a time after this” it would be then.
Photobooks are a lot of work, but there is no need to go backwards. You could make it a goal for 2025 (or 2026) and just make one. Or…don’t! They’re great and we love them, but there aren’t any bonus points in life for doing them 😉
Melissa
I love so much about this. The Valentine’s mantle, your photobook, the snowy photos—I could get on board with that, but not the cold all winter. I have started The Blue Castle and will not be sticking to the reading schedule. I need to know what happens! I have one photobook finished and another almost finished, but they are the kids primary school albums so I want to get all three done before printing. I will wait for a coupon and get them printed and shipped together hopefully.
Elisabeth
I know, it has been SO hard to not read ahead in The Blue Castle. The first week I read quite a few extra chapters (no regrets), but I did force myself to stop at Chapter 15 today. We’ll see if my willpower holds.
Kate
The planting trees just slays me! I *love* kids and their creative projects. On the flip side of a snow day, yesterday it got up to 50 degrees. When I came home from work, all four kids were playing in the yard, plus three neighbor kids and their parents. I discovered they had all been playing out there for two hours and it was lovely.
Love the Valentine’s decor! I couldn’t pass up buying a cute little elephant planter with a heart on his belly at the grocery store the other day. It came with a little white-flowered plant that I haven’t killed yet. Hopefully it makes it til Valentine’s Day.
And I can *so* relate to your thoughts on having older kids now. I have to keep reminding myself that what makes me feel like I’m going crazy now will not last forever (banal but super annoying things like a toddler pulling all the kleenexes out of a box, peeing in the carseat, or dumping a box of blocks on the floor that was just cleaned). To be able to work uninterrupted! Thank you for the glimpse into the future 🙂
Elisabeth
Outdoor play is just so wonderful. Yes, it can make for a lot of messy clothes, but kids tend to be in much better moods (and sleep better at night) after extended time in the fresh air.
Oh my goodness, so much changes as the kids get older. And I feel like, to a certain extent, it literally feels like it changes overnight. Of course this isn’t true, but I feel like I’ve blinked and then suddenly the kids are so much more independent. I think some of that has to do with my oldest being a girl as well? That switch into teen years/adult hormones is more distinct for females and it just feel like…wow! I have another almost-adult in my house! Crazy!!!
San
Despite it being such a crazy January for so many, I am delighted to see how many happy things you were able to come up with… I love all the snow pictures. I am also a little bit jealous for coffee with Silk Peppermint Mocha Creamer. I still haven’t found it here in the US.