I am leaning in to the busyness that is my business right now. Andy asked me a few nights ago, as I crawled into bed at 11 and set my alarm for 4:30, how’s it all going? And you know what word popped into my brain? Grace. I feel like I am really realistic and enthusiastic about what is achievable, both with work and in life. And, by that, I don’t mean I feel like I am pulling it all off. Simply, I understand my strength; for the first time in my life I am not planning to lift 700 pounds and then feeling blue that I only lifted 350. I still aim high and I’m cool with what I don’t lift. I could shower more often and I could really use some exercise and I miss seeing my friends all the time and holy shit we need to mop. And, with way more orders than we’ve ever had before, I am learning a lot about how my business is run and where I’d like it to go (hello! I need to loosen my grip on every. single. detail. and let my awesome employees take hold). But! I am so proud that I feel a little bit graceful!!! Because that was my GOAL for this 35th year of my life – to approach my day to day with more grace and less bulldoze.
1 & 2. hot cocoa after a chilly walk home from school
I really adore decorating and getting all holiday crafty this time of year. It hasn’t happened much yet but I’ve squeezed some holiday bling into small windows of time. It was -28 degrees yesterday and is -12 today and Andy convinced me it was too cold to go on our annual pilgrimage to our friend’s cabin to cut our tree. It really did take some convincing; I was ready to be the optimistic one promising hot cocoa to my oompa loompa-bundled children while daddy sawed. Unwilling to wait another week, we bought our little tree just down the street and spent last night prancing, stringing and hanging.
1. Cozy 2. Ruby made snowflakes 3. Alice tired of the light hanging 4. fireside, every morning 5 & 6. tree trimming 7. we brought out out holiday book collection 8. vintage garland from Andy’s grandma + santa lap photos 9. Andy and Alice snoozing by the light of the tree 10. Ruby made ‘bracelets’ for our pets. She calls them ‘holiday collars’.
I love Christmas music. My husband loves Pearl Jam. I love Pearl Jam too (we just saw them again in Portland! FER REAL, Eddie is the sexiest man on the planet. After Andy.) but, this time of year, totally get my groove on with Bing, Ella, Frank and Co. Margot loves it but really cannot stand Baby It’s Cold Outside – to the point that we must turn it off immediately or her mood plummets. Ruby likes all of it and I hear her singing as she dresses her dolls and brushes her teeth let heaven and nature sing, with two eyes made out of coal. Last night, Andy was pouring over the Pearl Jam set list from the recent Vancouver, BC show while we decorated the tree and I had to give him a firm nudge to turn that Spotify dial. We can’t always get our way. I didn’t get to cut my tree, he didn’t get to rock out to while tree trimming. Relationships involve compromises you know.
A few things:
- The MADE fair is this Sunday! We will be there with hundreds of other makers, selling our wares and wears.
- I am so honored to be a part of the Babble 100 Best Bloggers 2013 as one of the top 10 parenting bloggers! And I am proud to share this honor with YOU. You make this all fun, interesting, inspiring and challenging. I appreciate this community so very much.
I saw a quote on instagram that Susan Petersen of Freshly Picked shared: The Harder You Work The Luckier You Get. And then she shared this advice: Here is the secret to success – there is no golden ticket. You have to work hard day in and day out. But if you work hard you will find that light attracts light and hustle attracts hustle. I wanted to fist pump the screen. Isn’t that the truth? The things I am: wife, mama, friend, daughter, neighbor, entrepreneur, artist, animal-lover, runner, gardener, cook, home-nester — I take them seriously. I work hard at them. I shine light on them, I hustle. And I try to do it with grace. I like thinking about this during this season of giving and receiving, of family and togetherness and, for me, of working really hard so that I can best enjoy the luckiness of this life.
