I’m typing this cozied up in a coffee shop in Colorado. If you know me well you can probably picture it — one of my cream oversized sweaters tucked into stained ripped jeans (thank you sticky toddler fingers), light brown faux leather high heeled booties and my need-to-be-washed hair pulled back in a giant rose colored clip and yesterday’s makeup still intact with an oat milk latte in one hand while simultaneously editing my writing with the other. Holiday seasons bustling with family and littles always brings the mix of joy and slight overwhelm, with lotsa smiles and time spent relaxing companied with good conversations. And although I truly enjoy being surrounded by grandparents and cousins I know myself well enough to step away before it gets too overwhelming. This little coffee shop adventure is just that, a short time to refill and let my mind wander.
We’re heading to the mountains tomorrow to spend the rest of our trip celebrating Christmas with Alexander’s family, so I snuck away for a few hours by myself to process, reflect, dream, write and simply be before the chaos of 30+ in-laws for a few nonstop days. While reflecting on this past year I thought it’d be fun to share a few highlights from this past season as we watched the leaves outside fall to the hard ground and the sky slowly fade from autumn to almost winter.
Earlier this fall we celebrated 5 years of marriage, I began to create a community of new and seasoned mamas through hosting a weekly playdate, most of whom are moms of Liliana’s classmates. We continued our FNPNMN tradition, I hosted lotsa parties with my oils community where I taught about hormones and sleep and how to best care for your home in light of natural living; and we made oil recipes while sipping on pumpkin spiced lattes. It was honestly a full and life-giving season of hosting and creating new rhythms of work and motherhood and tending to my home. A few more highlights include celebrating Finley’s first birthday with local family and close friends, Alexander’s parents came to visit during that time too. I went on Liliana’s first field trip, we made homemade green salsa with tomatillos from our garden, Finley went from booty scooting to walking, and we created lots of adventures taking the kids out on one-on-one dates, spending time outside and with family, hosting brunches and celebrating my best friend’s getting married. I devoted a lot of time to writing and reading, slowing down and enjoying time by the fire sipping on holiday mules with Alexander after the kids were fast asleep.
This fall was beautiful. The slowness felt necessary, for my heart and family and home. Thanks for following along, always seeing what my sweet fam is up to, our latest home projects and newest adventures. Sharing photos is fun for me, but sharing words has a different heartbeat. I pray my words hit you deeply, down in your belly creating hunched-over laughter, while at the same time leaving a lingering “me too” in your heart. Words create connection and express emotions. This space is for all of it. Thank you again for being here.
My latte is almost empty, so here are a few (actually, a ton) photos from this past season. Enjoy, and I hope you have a lovely Christmas!
