WHEN THINGS FALL INTO PLACE

hip hip hooray, we had (another) great day

Sometimes, things fall into place. Sometimes, you're in a house, in a neighborhood, taking your kids to school, doing a job you love and your husband is home for dinner every single night. And you find yourself not having to remind yourself, "Be present" because you just are. You're not telling yourself "the days are long but the years are short" through gritted teeth because you're just enjoying the days.
Part of this falling into place is just the place we are at in general. My kids are big, but not too big. They can put on their own shoes, they can buckle their own seat belts, we never ever need a stroller (PRAISE THE LORD), we can take them places and not have it be a huge production. They still like to hang out with us and we don't embarrass them yet. It's spring time-where the days are warmer and longer and that alone can make things feel better. You could say we're in a good season-in both life and nature.

But there is a little more right now: we love our home (not always the case when you move every few years), we love our neighborhood (same), and the school the kids are attending is fantastic (also: same). Both Neal and I like our jobs and work decent hours. We love this duty station and the town we live in-which is always a blessing because we don't get to chose. And while there are issues, like any where or place (a move in the middle of the school year is not easy), we are so content here.

It feels like home, in a way the last three years did not. It feels like everything has fallen into place for the time being, and I am grateful for it every day.

LESS AND MORE

Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were filled with happiness. Last year was a good year for me, personally. While I know that many people are filled with concern and worry over the world, and I share those feelings, personally for me the year was lovely. I'm at peace with things I've been struggling with for the past couple years-truly at peace. I'm healthier than ever- I eat well, I exercise regularly, I drink less. I'm just...happy. And positive. And thankful. So very thankful.

I'm ready for this new year and new chapter of my life. Because lots of things are happening! 

Like...a move to a new state. Which in turn means: a new house, new schools for the kids, and finding a new job for me. So there's all that.

(Luckily, I'm a total pro at moving now. This will be our our fifth duty station and our seventh move.)

There are lots of other things too. Smaller things, to work on, to think about, to cook, to read, to try, to write. A new year is always a lovely time for both reflecting on the past and looking toward new goals for the future.

I'm focusing on both Less & More this year:

And maybe a little more writing-here and other places- but a little less sharing. I made my Instagram private and deleted people who aren't on my actual radar. Because...for me...it's not necessary to share with the world right now. So Less people, but More sharing with those that I truly know and care for. That's a less/more that's definitely worth considering. 

Dream big this New Year, guys. Check back and see what we're up too here!

MYERS BRIGGS & KNOWING YOUR PERSONALITY

I've been fascinated by the ideas of the Myer Briggs test for a few years now. It's a psychological theory that there are 16 personalities, which through a series of questions, you can gage yours and then better understand how you see and work in the world. Your personality is determined by four sets of preferences:

Favorite world: Do you prefer to focus on the outer world or on your own inner world? This is called Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I).

Information: Do you prefer to focus on the basic information you take in or do you prefer to interpret and add meaning? This is called Sensing (S) or Intuition (N).

Decisions: When making decisions, do you prefer to first look at logic and consistency or first look at the people and special circumstances? This is called Thinking (T) or Feeling (F).

Structure: In dealing with the outside world, do you prefer to get things decided or do you prefer to stay open to new information and options? This is called Judging (J) or Perceiving (P).

-from The Myers & Briggs Foundation

Answering honestly in the key to this test-you need to answer how you truly, honestly react in the situations provided verses how you wish/think you should act. I've taken the test and, when answering completely honestly, I'm a ISFJ (Introversion, Sensing, Feeling, Judging). Some highlights that are so very me:

-meticulous to the point of perfection.

-parenting is a task they were born for.

-their close inner circles are...truly cherished for their quality.

-from 16 Personalities

Reading the descriptions to your personality can be shockingly accurate. You can see yourself in the descriptions provided and it can be a bit unnerving. But ultimately, it's fascinating, and can be a true helper in better understanding yourself and those around you. It should be noted that all the personalities are equal; there isn't a goal to be a different personality or a "better" one. Myers Briggs is simply a tool to help you better understand yourself and how you see the world.

You can take your own (free, do-not-have-to-sign-up-for-anything) test HERE.

Let me know in the comments below what your Myers Briggs personality is, and what you think of the test!

ROUTINES

I am a person who likes a routine. Routines for the kids, for myself, for cleaning, for cooking. They make life feel easier; I get more done with less stress. I find calmness in my daily, weekly, monthly routines. And since meditation is something I cannot for the life of me manage, I take calmness where I can get it.

Last week: I went to bed Sunday night feverish and with a headache. I woke up feeling worse. And as one day turned into two, and all I felt was worse and worse, I drug myself to the doctor and was immediately diagnosed with pneumonia. I was directed to stay in bed, to sleep, to drink water. I was not to do any housework, I was not to drive, I was not to work, I was not to pick up my children. All my routines slipped through my fingers into a cloud of achy sleep.

When I managed to be awake, I watched my husband as he did e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. All the household things, all his work things, all the kids things, all of my things. All the routines. Not how I do routines. Not necessarily the way I do things. But everything, EVERYTHING, got done. Without compliant, with patience and love. And I love him for it. And I love that I am growing enough to have the grace to let my well loved routines go, to not panic when things aren't just so, to rest when I need to and let other, wonderfully capable and loving hands, take over.

This morning, feeling better, getting back to normal, I sat down to my normal morning routine. I sat down with a cup of black coffee and my bullet journal and planned my day out. I was thankful to be well, to have a loving family, and a partner who is truly that, and to be back to my own form of meditation. To my daily routines, which I cherish and love and am grateful to share with this little family of mine.

THE NESTS WE BUILD

This past weekend, we bought a new birdfeeder. We placed it in a tree in our backyard that we can see from our windows. We filled the birdbath underneath, and watched as two little bird ate, drank, and then began building a nest in our lilac bush. A home surrounded in sweetness.

 

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Both my kids have a things for birds. They have a game they play where they build "trees" from blocks and fill up "nests" made from baskets with old Easter eggs. They place tiny plastic birds in the eggs and help them "hatch." It's charming and sweet.

 

"Look mama, the mama bird built a house for her eggs!"

 

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I've been thinking a lot about the homes we make for our children. I've tried to make a home where my children are loved and respected, where they can learn, where jokes and laugher are. A place with trust and kindness and joy. I've tried to make a place where there are expectations to be met, and just punishments, and forgiveness. A place and people they can count on and know that they can always, always, always come home to us. (But they better have their own place by 22, because, come on. I also want them to be independent.)

 

I feel that this nest we are building, one bit at a time, is a solid one. That it will stand the rain and the wind, and predators. I hope this. The husband and I were talking the other night about just staring at our children as they sleep, thinking over the things that we may have done wrong that day. Did we raise our voice, lose patience, snap when we didn't need to? Almost always, there is something. But we talked about what was done right that day. Did we hold hands, read a favorite story, give a hug, wish them a good day? These are things that happened everyday, no matter how much patience is lost or what kind of edge is in my voice, these things happen everyday at our house. And they'll be done tomorrow, too.

 

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Birds build their nest, lay their eggs and do their best to hatch them well. The mothers will often go without food or even water to protect those eggs. The fathers will attack those that are larger than them without thinking twice to keep those eggs safe. They feed them and care for them. And then they teach them to fly and let them use those wings

 

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This is what I want for my children. A strong home, that we have build, one part at time, protecting them from those that wish them harm, and letting them have wings, surrounded by sweetness.

OLD FASHIONED

I feel that I've been in a whirlwind the past two (maybe three) months. There have been obligations and get-togethers and paper work and orders from the shop. My cell phone is ringing and beeping with text messages and my email inbox is always full.

Mothersdaybirthdaysanniversarylastdayofschoolfathersday. A lot.

A couple weeks ago, we went on a short family vacation to San Diego. And we went to the beach. I was looking forward to the crashing of waves and sand in my hair and warm sunshine and my kids in swimsuits. To relaxing and being away from it all. And then we got there, and I was surrounded by cellphones. EVERYONE was on their phone. Texting. Listening to music. Taking photos. "I have to tweet that!" I felt like all these people were at the beach, but they weren't even there. It was terribly overwhelming and exhausting to watch.

I write on this blog and am on facebook and twitter and instagram and pinterest and own a smartphone. I have an online shop on Etsy. I read several blogs that I find inspirational and waste a lot of time reading online celebrity gossip. It feels silly, ridiculous even, for me to complain that there is too much technology out there. But when I look at people texting and taking photos of their food and tweeting about the restaurant they're at in the middle of dinner, when they're talking on the phone and can't be bothered to speak to the person at the register at Target, I get a very old fashioned feeling that I just don't understand the world today. Twerking? Why would you feel the need to do that?

So I took a break.

I figured out some things. Like I need to read less online celebrity gossip and not feel I must read a text immediately. That sometimes, if I don't take my phone while I run to the grocery store, that doesn't mean I'm going to miss the call of a lifetime. And if I do, I can call them back. I don't need a typewriter, and it's okay to like and use the internet. But not every minute of everyday. That it's okay that I'm a little old fashioned in a modern world.

Cheers to an old fashioned life with a modern touch.

Fizzy Old Fashioned

from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
3/4 cup bourbon
3 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp. bitters
2 cups San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa blood orange soda

Mix first three ingredients together in a small pitcher. Add blood orange soda just before serving. Makes 2 (very) generous servings, or 4 normal servings.

Enjoy!

LAKE TAHOE W/ KIDS

Snow. And lots of it.

Last weekend, we went to Tahoe for an overnight stay.  Let me start by saying winter is my least favorite season and the end of January is a. Complete. Drag. (ED: yes, I know I said previously that I love January. It's more like the idea of January and new beginnings, not the actual time of year.) I do not like being cold. I don't particularly like snow. I like looking at the snow. Preferably in a cozy cabin, with a warm fireplace roaring, unhealthy snacks, and a good book. I do not however, particularly love being out in it. It's cold and wet and I am not a fan of winter sports.  I can't imagine living somewhere where it snows for 4 months out the year. But I do love getting up to Tahoe in the winter. I know. This isn't making any sense. It's the-end-of-January-madness, bear with me, please.

So without further ado, my dos and don'ts for visiting Tahoe in the winter with children. Also, lots of photos.

THE DOS:

 Adventure Mountain. $20 per car to park, free use of the hills. Various cost to rent sledding equipment (we brought our own disk).


Adventure Mountain was my son's favorite activity, hands down. It's a snow park at Echo Summit, with several acres of groomed hills for sledding and tubing. They have tons of sledding hills, and it's pretty much a free for all. There were a ton of people there, but the lines move pretty fast. There's also a "lodge" to take a break in. Which is where my daughter and I hung out for the majority of the time:

Not impressed with the snow.

This is an improvement. Sorta.

But mama kisses and a binky inside are where it's at. That's Mama's girl.

 

The "lodge" was a little shabby (and not in a chic way) but warm and clean as it could be after a long day of people coming in there in wet, winter clothes. There was plenty of seating and a fireplace (but no fire). There was also some sort of concession stand (we didn't buy anything) and some sort of gift shop (which we didn't go in). All in all a good experience and a ton of fun for my oldest. Twenty dollars well spent.

 

 Red Hut Cafe

We went to the Red Hut Cafe for dinner. Simple, good diner food. They also had a fun soda fountain next door. Where my children ordered cupcakes instead of sundaes. What the what.

 

Cabela's (because we can't be that close to a Cabelas' store without stopping. And when I say we, I mean, my husband, the outdoors man).

 

 

                                            

 

Places like Cabela's always amuse me because I get to laugh about people who not only shoot a skunk but then have it stuffed for a trophy. My husband hunts and fishes, but I just don't get something like a skunk "trophy."

We don't need this.

 

Truckee

 

One of my favorite little towns. They have a great downtown with fun shops and good places to eat. Two of our favorites for the kiddos are:

 

The Truckee Variety Company Full of fun toys and gifts. It's often super crowded though, and pushing a stroller through there is tight. But it's the place my son always asks to visit in Truckee.

 

The Treehouse A child's clothing and toy store. Super cute clothes and nice toys (lots of Melissa and Doug, that type of thing).

 

 

 

 THE DON'TS:

 

Heavenly Village. Look. There is nothing wrong with Heavenly Village, a bunch of shops that are an extension of Heavenly Ski Resort. It's just not our thing. It's crowded and loud and expensive. We'd rather be in the snow. Some of us, at least. We originally went here for lunch, because it was fairly close to our hotel. But the restaurant we ate at, while the food was good, was entirely too loud and expensive (like everything in Tahoe). Also, we had wanted to use the ice skating rink, but it was super small and cost $20 per person! Pass.

Altitude Sickness.
Avoid this if you can, as it makes you feel like dying. Trust me, I KNOW.

And finally....

TIPS AND TRICKS:

-Renting a cabin is much better then a hotel, especially if you are staying more than one night. Being able to make your lunch, and have the room to lounge about make a huge difference. We have done both ways, and a cabin is highly preferable. And by the time you add up the costs of all your meals, the cost is about the same.

-The North Shore of Tahoe is much more family friendly.

-Snow clothes on kids under two: good luck to you. If you plan to play in the snow, take your gear with you, in a big bin or bag. That way, you can peel it all off and store it right there, instead of trying to strap wet, bundle up kids into car seats.



I promise, something with actual content soon. January is almost over, real thoughts will return. I hope. Thank you for bearing with me.

ED: I changed "bare with me" to "bear with me." Because I don't actually want to get naked with all of you. Sorry. Curse you spell check. You too, January.

-M.

TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN

Well, hello! After a brief hiatus, I'm back. I have all sorts of things in store for this new year. The June November store is going to get a whole new look, with new goodies. I've been making plans and making things and I'm feeling pretty excited about it! Look for the launch soon.

I love January. Fresh starts are always appealing to me. Instead of actual resolutions, I usually have a broad goal or sort of theme for a year. Last year it was new beginnings: we had just bought our house, my little girl was turning one, my son started kindergarten. So my goal was making all of that work in our day to day life and leaning from it.  This year my goal is organization. Not just our house (although our closets are sad places indeed), but our overall life. Each month, we have goals for organizing our home, our finances, and our family. I've written out a rough draft of goals and we try to meet them monthly, also allowing for amendments as the year goes on, of course. For example, in January we want to organize those sad closets. Next month, I'm focusing on going through all the children's toys. By breaking it down by month, I don't feel as overwhelmed to get everything done in one weekend and I also know that soon those toys will be taken care of.

We're trying to live a "less is more" life and I feel that organization is a key to that. I'm excited to get started. I hope all your resolutions and goals are attainable this two thousand and thirteen year!

A MESS

A year ago, we moved into a new home. We have lived many places, but this was the first place that was truly ours. That came with keys that had never been anyone else's, that we had picked the cabinets and the carpet, and came with a 30 year commitment. And I love this house. I love walking through the front door and seeing it. It's home in a way other houses and apartments and even the house I grew up in have not been.

Here's the truth: I love this house and I hate "the office" with a passion like no other.

There is nothing wrong with the actual room it's self, I suppose. I know we're lucky to have that extra bedroom; truly, I do. But it's become a catchall. Old year books shoved in the office closet. Wrapping paper and ribbons and tissue paper. Art supplies, art supplies everywhere. All my fabric and supplies for June November, my sewing machine, two computers and a printer and a shredded. A giant desk that we bought at a yard sale and a folding table, but only one chair, which is ridiculous come bill paying time. Kids toys make it in here. A giant shark balloon.



Oh, you thought I made that last one up? I did not.



Nothing is organized. It's at a point where I don't even know where to start. I just stand there, dumbfounded by the complete unorganization of it all.  I use the room daily and it is driving me bonkers.

I need a plan. My goal is a functioning office/play area/occasional guest room. I want this:
http://www.bhg.com/decorating/storage/organization-basics/space-saving-home-storage-ideas/

Stressed just thinking about it.

One last thing. This is the dry erase calendar in here:

This picture was taken today, two days away from DECEMBER.

 Help. Me.

FOR THE LOVE OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

"I've never quite figured out what I get from children's literature that I don't get from adult literature, but there's something." -Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project

 

 

I love books. Everything about them. I will read anything. If I get caught somewhere, say at the doctor's office, with no book or magazine in my bag, I will read pamphlets about heart disease or old issues of Highlights magazine. It might be a bit obsessive. But there are worse habits.

 

And while I love books written for adults, I have a great love of reading children's and young adult literature. There is something there that is lacking in many adult books. Perhaps it's the fact that many children's books have the theme of good vs. evil, and the good will prevail, even in the darkest of stories. So many adult books seem to be focused on the flaws of the characters, showing us how evil does win and doesn't change and there is no hope, ever.  Children's literature shows the characters' flaws, but shows us how they come to terms with those flaws and what they must do to prevail despite of them.

 

I mean, is there a better character then Anne Shirley Blythe from the Anne of Green Gables series? (The answer is no.) This is a girl who inspires those around her to be better, who makes mistakes but readily admits to them and tries to fix them, who loves gossip but never speaks ill of anyone, who does her best to lead a good life and raises children willing to go out and try to make the world better. Can you think of any character in an adult book that that can be said about?

 

The Hunger Games trilogy might be the best thing out there written about PTSD and the effects of war. The heroine, Katniss, is flawed, and the books are insanely violent, but in the end, good prevails. It has similar themes to The Giver, another children's book that simply tells a story of what trying to achieve a "perfect" society can do to the real people living in it. The Harry Potter books also showcase a war against evil, and taking a stand for your beliefs. The characters are complex; those that seem completely perfect have faults, and those that seem to be horrible bad have some good in them. Even the most evil of them is given a human side in his background story. And Number the Stars (written by the same author as The Giver), is a fictional account of a true good vs evil story, where a young Danish girl and her family risk their lives to help their Jewish neighbors escape the Nazi round up of Copenhagen.

 

The Little House books are true American stories. Not just the stories of pioneers, but the simple life lessons in them: honesty, hard work, listening to your parents, not complaining or giving up when things go wrong. Farmer Boy especially provides such a good male role model, which many children's books seem to be lacking.

 

"Where is Papa going with that ax?" might hands down be the best opening line of a book, ever. And the story of Charlotte's Web is such a beautiful portrait of friendship, it is near perfection.

 

And yes, even the Twilight books. Which, I know. They are not the most profound books out there. But it's such fun. This was a series I got caught up in, and couldn't wait to see how it all ended. People complain about how ridiculous they are how, how backwards for woman. But a girl choosing what she wants, at any age, and knowing that it's what's right for her? Well, there's nothing backwards about that, no matter what those choices are. And that's what the character Bella does. She knows what she wants and goes after it in every one of the books.

 

There are so many more, with such wonderful stories. So read adult books, of course. But remember the children's books. They have so much to offer.



THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

Hi there. Thanks for stopping by! A first blog post is so awkward. I mean, really, what am I suppose to say? This blog is going to be about food and crafts and home and probably kids and whatever.

Wow, I'm off to a great start.

Anyway. Let's do a list! I love lists! So in no particular order, These Are a Few Of My Favorite Things:

1. I like my husband. I lucked out in that department.

2. My children are also lovely. Except when they are throwing tantrums in Target or refusing to eat a home cooked meal that I lovingly made for them.

3. Food. I love it. I love cooking it and eating it and reading about it. I'm one of those odd people that read cookbooks for fun. I love food blogs. Here are two of my favorites, I want to be friends with these ladies, for reals: http://www.shutterbean.com/ and http://joythebaker.com/ .

4. Last December, we bought our first house. I love it. I love making it a home. Too bad Pinterest makes me feel like a failure in this department.

5. Speaking of, I'm sort of obsessed with Pinterest. I love it. Even though it makes me feel like an inadequate homeowner, cook, and mother. I can't stop. I won't stop.

6. I have the best group of girlfriends ever. EVER.

7. I love books. I wish someone would pay me to read all day. Dream job, yo.

8. I like my Etsy shop, it makes me happy. You can look at, if you like: www.etsy.com/shop/myjunenov

9. I like projects and lists. They make me feel as if I'm accomplishing things. I'm sort of an A type. And by sort of, I mean completely.

10. Sarcasm. I love it. I use it. A lot.