A Beautiful Day to Have Absolutely Nothing Planned

There is something almost magical about opening your work calendar on a Wednesday morning and discovering that you have absolutely zero meetings.

Not one.

No Teams calls. No back-to-back conversations. No awkward 30-minute blocks that somehow turn into an hour.

Just a glorious stretch of time to answer emails, get some work done, and solve all the world’s problems from the comfort of my home office.

Naturally, I decided to go for a walk.

In my defense, it is an absolutely beautiful fall day in St. Louis. The sun is shining, the air has that wonderful autumn crispness, and the trees are putting on their annual show. It seemed almost irresponsible not to get outside and enjoy it.

So I took myself to Creve Coeur Lake for a walk, popped in my airpods, and listened to a podcast from the Dominican Sisters.

A little fresh air, a little faith, a little movement, and a little time with my own thoughts.

Honestly, not a bad way to spend a Wednesday morning.

On my way home, I picked up a cobb salad and some chicken tortilla soup for lunch. Because apparently today’s theme is taking care of myself while still being a reasonably productive member of society.

And now here I am, spending part of my afternoon writing a blog post between answering emails and putting out whatever little fires happen to pop up.

It’s funny how much I appreciate days like this.

There was a time when I might have measured a successful day by how much I accomplished, how many things I crossed off a list, or how many people needed something from me.

And don’t misunderstand me. I still love a good crossed-off list. I am also quite capable of being the person who gets things done.

But somewhere along the way, I’ve learned that a beautiful day doesn’t have to be a particularly busy one to be worthwhile.

Sometimes the best thing you can do with an unexpected opening in your schedule is actually enjoy it.

The rest of the day has a little more structure.

This afternoon I’ll take Layla to physical therapy. She had knee surgery back in June, which is an entire story of its own and probably deserves a blog post someday.

While she’s in her session, I’ll settle in with an iced sweet tea and whatever book I’m currently disappearing into.

Not exactly a tropical vacation, but I’ve become pretty good at finding little pockets of pleasure in the ordinary responsibilities of life.

And then there’s dinner.

Your guess is as good as mine.

Alex is working. Eva is heading to the St. Louis City Soccer game. Layla may be home with me, or she may head off to watch her boyfriend’s soccer game.

Which means I could be cooking for two.

Or one.

Or perhaps deciding that a perfectly acceptable dinner consists of something I find in the refrigerator and absolutely no dishes to wash.

The possibilities are endless.

And for once, I don’t feel the slightest need to figure it out ahead of time.

Maybe that’s one of the things I appreciate most about this season of life. I’ve spent so many years coordinating schedules, making meals, getting kids where they need to be, and keeping all the moving pieces of a family in motion.

And while I’m still very much in the middle of some of that, there’s a little more room now for spontaneity.

For a walk because the sun is shining.

For a good book in a waiting room.

For lunch that someone else made.

For an evening that doesn’t need an itinerary.

None of these things is particularly remarkable on its own. But together, they make for a pretty lovely Wednesday.

And perhaps that’s why I’ve found myself wanting to write again.

Not because something extraordinary is happening every day, but because I’ve gotten better at recognizing how much beauty is tucked into the ordinary ones.

The sunshine. The changing leaves. A quiet calendar. A good bowl of soup. A daughter who still needs a ride somewhere. An evening waiting to unfold.

A whole collection of little moments that make up a life.

And today, I’m rather enjoying mine.

Happy Wednesday. Make a little room for something lovely.

I Never Stopped Finding the Magic. I Just Stopped Writing About It.

Well, hello there.

It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

And by a while, I mean something like a decade. Give or take a few sporadic posts, a whole lot of living, and approximately a million loads of laundry.

I used to write here regularly. Back when my children were little, life was loud, the days were long, and I could find an entire story in a disastrous trip to the grocery store or some ridiculous parenting predicament.

There was always something to write about. Creative projects, family adventures, funny frustrations, and the everyday chaos of raising children. Writing was my little corner of the world where I could turn the ordinary into something worth remembering.

And then life happened.

The kids got older. Our family changed. I got divorced. Life became more complicated in ways I wasn’t particularly interested in putting on the internet.

And somewhere along the way, I got quiet.

Not because I ran out of stories. Quite the opposite.

Some stories just weren’t mine alone to tell anymore. My children were growing into their own people, with their own lives and their own right to privacy. And frankly, I needed some privacy myself.

So I stepped away from writing publicly.

But I never stopped noticing the little things.

Somewhere along the way, I built a life I really love.

Not a perfect life. Let’s get that out of the way right now.

My dishwasher is broken. My oven is on its last legs. There is perpetually something in my house that needs fixing, replacing, cleaning, or figuring out.

I still have bills, responsibilities, long workdays, and moments when I wonder how on earth it’s only Tuesday.

But here’s the thing.

I’m happy.

Not in the everything-is-wonderful-all-the-time kind of way. More in the quiet, deeply satisfying way that comes from looking around at your life and realizing you genuinely enjoy being in it.

I’ve spent the last several years creating a home and a life that feel peaceful, comfortable, welcoming, and unmistakably mine.

I’ve learned that I don’t need a special occasion to make something special.

I can light the candles on a random Wednesday. Put my ginger ale in a wine glass. Make a delicious dinner for one. Take myself on an adventure. Curl up with a good book and a blanket. Turn my backyard into a haunted cemetery simply because Halloween is more fun with a little theatrical flair.

I can make homemade potato soup on a chilly Sunday, put on a favorite witchy movie, and decide that the evening is pretty darn close to perfect.

And sometimes, I can open the refrigerator, pull out a collection of vegetables that have seen better days, and somehow create a shrimp pasta dinner that tastes like something I’d order at a restaurant.

Was there a recipe? Absolutely not.

Will I ever be able to make it exactly the same way again? Highly unlikely.

Was it delicious? You bet.

And for some reason, standing in my kitchen tonight, enjoying that ridiculous little culinary experiment, I was reminded of how much I used to love writing about moments just like this.

The magic was never really in the big things.

Don’t get me wrong. I love a good adventure. A concert, a trip, a family celebration, an experience that becomes a story we’ll tell for years.

But I’ve come to appreciate that some of life’s best moments are remarkably ordinary.

A walk with my dog on a beautiful fall afternoon.

An unexpected conversation with one of my grown children.

A Saturday spent wandering somewhere new.

A kitchen full of family, good food, and laughter.

Fresh pajamas, a candle burning, and the delicious realization that I have absolutely nowhere else I need to be.

These aren’t necessarily the moments anyone would put in a highlight reel.

But they’re the moments that make up a life.

And I’ve become rather intentional about enjoying them.

So why am I writing again?

That’s a good question.

I’m not here to reinvent myself. I’m not launching a brand, becoming an influencer, or promising weekly wisdom about how to live your best life.

Good heavens. Some days I’m just trying to remember where I left my coffee.

I’m writing because I miss writing.

I miss finding the humor in life’s little absurdities. I miss putting words to experiences I don’t want to forget. I miss looking back at something I wrote years ago and being transported right back to that moment.

And maybe, just maybe, I miss the connections that come from sharing a little piece of everyday life with someone who understands.

I’m in a different season now.

My children are growing up and building lives of their own. I’m still their mother, of course, and that will always be one of the greatest joys of my life. But I’m also rediscovering all the other parts of who I am.

A woman who loves to cook, decorate, travel, read, laugh, celebrate, and occasionally get a little carried away with a project.

A woman who loves her family fiercely but also genuinely enjoys her own company.

A woman who has learned that peace is precious, independence can be beautiful, and happiness doesn’t have to wait for everything to fall perfectly into place.

I don’t know exactly what this little corner of the internet will become.

There will probably be recipes. Family adventures. Decorating projects. Books. Holidays. Stories about things that went spectacularly wrong. And plenty of moments that went unexpectedly right.

There may be some reflections on growing older, starting over, letting go, and learning to appreciate the season you’re in.

And there will almost certainly be dogs.

But there won’t be a schedule, a grand plan, or any promises about how often I’ll show up.

Just me, writing when I have something I want to remember.

Because somewhere in the last decade, while I was busy protecting my peace and building a life I love, I realized something.

I don’t need an extraordinary life to find extraordinary joy in living it.

And maybe that’s what I want to write about.

The little things.

The funny things.

The beautiful, messy, imperfect, unexpectedly wonderful things.

The magic hiding in plain sight.

So, hello again.

It’s good to be back.

And if you’ll excuse me, I have a kitchen to clean up.

Unfortunately, that magical shrimp pasta didn’t do its own dishes.

And remember, my dishwasher is broken.

Some things never change. ❤️

One Last Time

Tomorrow morning we leave for one final trip to Michigan. As the summer is coming to a close and graduation has commenced, Alex is coming home.

To be fair, it won't be my last trip to Michigan ever. It is just the last time Alex is my reason to visit. It seems unreal that five years of traveling to Grand Rapids is over. I am honestly a little sad. From senior recruitment and admission activities to volleyball games and college ceremonies, and then the big day, graduation, Michigan has felt like a second home. This week, I will soak in all that I can, then bring my boy home.

To be fair, a second time, it is unlikely Alex will stay "home" for long. He has always had big dreams and an uncanny way of making those dreams come true. I know his heart is set to move out West. I know his bank account is laughing. So, for the next three to six months, he is home.

Layla and I will be getting on the road around three in the morning. Since Layla had knee surgery in June, her summer activities have been pretty limited. As much as I would have liked to have gone on a full fledge family beach vacation this year, it wasn't going to happen. Neither time or money would allow. Plus, surgery incisions needed to heal and physical therapy was critical. Therefore, I'm also trying to turn this trip into a vacation for Layla and I. Thanks to ChatGPT, a co-worker, and Layla's surgeon (who happens to be from the Grand Rapids area), I have created our Michigan Adventure itinerary. 

Tonight, I have us all packed up. Although I really tried to pack light, especially since I will need room to bring back some of Alex's moving boxes, my car is already full! I'm reminding myself that I won't have as much of "my stuff" on the way home. That's because Layla, Alex and I will need to eat pretty much the entire vacation. Snacks, drinks and cooking essentials galore! To prep the cooler, I froze a case of water bottles and any food that could be frozen. My old Igloo cooler is like a literal ice chest. My goal is to keep the food cold, just like a refrigerator, until we get to the VRBO on Wednesday. Because I've done this a few time before, I have faith this method won't fail me. And once all of the food is used from the cooler, I'll use it to pack the beach towels and bathroom products on the way home. I really have this all worked out in my head. Now, let's hope it actually all works out.

Let the adventure begin.

Entering 2025

New Year, New Me! Man, I really don't like that saying. But, that is all I keep coming back to. And yes, I do realize we are already two weeks into the new year, 2025!

In my defense, though, ushering in the new year was filled with complexities. For one, I was plagued with the stomach flu the weekend leading up to New Year's Eve. That was then followed by a head cold and upper respiratory infection that is still hanging around some. Because I was not at full strength, I could not bring myself to do anything but stay home on New Year's Eve. It turns out that neither Alex or Layla had plans to go anywhere either. So, late in the afternoon, I hung up some decorations, prepped some snacks and pulled out the Monopoly game. When the kids were younger, Monopoly and Mary Poppins is how we spent many New Year's Eves. Not only was it nostalgic, but super fun! Keeping with tradition, Alex bankrupted all of us and remains the champion! We gave a little toast and set off some noise makers at midnight. Then, we all FaceTime with Grace and Eva, who were having a "double date" night at Grace's house just a few blocks away.

New Year's Day was full of relaxing and family time. I resumed work the next day, but the rest of the family was still in vacation mode. By the weekend, we were preparing for the Snowapocolypse!

Although we are no stranger to snow and ice in the Midwest, this particular storm was predicted to make history. From accumulations up to 15 inches over and above up to an inch of ice, it was best to be prepared to stay home. 

Saturday afternoon, I ran some final errands...tanning, bank, liquor store, you know, the essentials. Fortunately, I had already done a complete restock of the kitchen right before the holiday. So, we were all set to stay in, as long as the power stayed on. Alex was getting on the road back to Michigan on Saturday evening, in an attempt to avoid the storm coming across the southeast. Layla and I went to 4pm Mass so that we wouldn't have any reason to leave the house come Sunday.

Sadly, as soon as we walked into Church, Layla mentioned her stomach hurt and started coughing. Before she could get inside the bathroom, she threw up on the floor. That was definitely not on my Bingo card for the weekend!

Needless to say, we didn't stay for Mass. Instead, I got Layla home where she suffered from the stomach flu for the next 24 hours.

Since Alex's break had come to an end, we were having a "final" family dinner. Chicken Marsala is a fan favorite, so I had committed to making an exorbitant amount. Poor Layla was down bad on the couch, but I packed a storage container for her to enjoy once she was feeling better.

Dinner was a success, Alex was on the road, the car was in the garage, Layla was vomiting, Grace and Jordan had made it safely back home, and Eva and I settled in for the great snow event.

Well, it did snow. And snow. And snow. And snow some more. From late Sunday night through mid-day Monday, it SNOWED!

In total, we got about 6.5 inches of snow at our house. Layla didn't resume school until Wednesday and even then it was a late start. Eva was called off of work for three days and because the roads were a mess, couldn't even leave the house. I was worried that she might have a nervous breakdown because she hasn't sat still since she got home in early December. However, it seemed the fact that no one could do anything finally gave her the opportunity to rest that she had not had. 

Even though I worked, it was really nice to have this extra at home time with the girls. On Sunday as Layla was starting to feel better from the stomach flu, I made French toast, scrambled eggs and coffee. Layla was cozied up on the living room pull out bed and Eva made herself comfortable in my bed. So, I couldn't help but serve them breakfast in bed! Sometimes you just have to make a moment special.

Once Layla was back in school, they only made it two days before the next snow event canceled everything again on Friday. Fortunately, by Friday evening the snow system had made it's way through the area. On Saturday, I spent the entire day cleaning and organizing, especially tackling the storage area in the basement. My regular Winter Project was well under way.

Sunday, I ran a few errands, went to Church, had my Aldi order delivered and reorganized the kitchen, fridge, pantry and all! The Eagles played in the Wild Card game that afternoon, so I made a homecooked meal of pressure cooked ribs, potato salad and a Mediterranean chopped salad to have at half time. The food was delicious and reminded my that I am actually a good cook. I've just gotten tired of doing it. And the Eagles won the game, so it was a great night all around. 

That night, I went to bed completely prepared for the new week with meals prepped and planned, lunches made, snacks stock and laundry complete. It finally felt like a fresh start.

And that is how I made 13 day into the new year before it felt NEW!

My goals for this year are for Fitness. Financial fitness, Spiritual fitness, Health Fitness, Career Fitness and Relationship Fitness. I'm happy to report I am on track on this Day One of 2025...or at least day one for me.

Weekend Wrap Up

Every weekend, I think that I'm going to get so much done. Then most weekends are so all consuming busy that I feel like I don't get anything done. And in the few moments that I have to accomplish my never ending to do list, I'm too exhausted or unmotivated to do anything!

However, this weekend was a little different. Maybe because it is what feels like the first official weekend of summer for me. Although Memorial Day weekend is typically what we consider the kick off to summer, I spent that weekend along with the few week days following on Eva's Senior Trip to Hilton Head Island. 

The following weekend, I was still trying to figure out what day it actually was! That weekend was jammed packed with catching up on household chores like cleaning and laundry and grocery shopping. It also included our annual Parish Festival plus my nephew, Ethan's, graduation party. By Sunday evening, I was again exhausted and felt completely unready for the next week.

This weekend, though, was slow paced while still chipping away at many tasks on my to do lists and several social events as well.

I would like to say my weekend got off to a good start due to my decisions on Thursday evening. It has been a very long time since I've had time in my house all by myself. Thursdays used to be my "me" night, but as the kids have gotten older, they spend more time home or coming and going through the house than they did when they were younger and still spent time at their dads. However, this Thursday I had a blissful few hours that I took complete advantage of!

When the house was empty, I took a nice long, hot shower and soaked in silence. For dinner, I heated up a Roasted Tomato and Chicken Risotto (one of my Factor meals that I'm really enjoying) and poured a glass of wine.

In my bedroom, I set up my bed tray and a side table for my food. Selected "Emily in Paris" from my Netflix queue, sprawled out across my bed and organized my life. Well...part of my life at least. I cleaned up the dozens of work emails I had, created my to do list, blocked out time on my calendar  to complete my work tasks the next day and week and even was able to answer a few emails. In just a little over an hour, days worth of stress and overwhelm dissipated when I was able to make sense of all the things I needed to work on.

I went to sleep earlier that night than most and sleep soundly.

Friday morning, I was able to start with a clear head and a renewed sense of how to be most productive in the day. By early afternoon, my to do list was almost complete and I just had one more meeting prior to getting in a little pool time.

In the afternoon, I packed up my laptop and work supplies and grabbed my pool bag. I love summer Fridays in which we are "offline" by the afternoon. Although I still need to be available and responsive for urgent items, it's awesome to spend these afternoons lounging in the pool.

When arriving at my parent's pool, I realized my nieces and friends were also lounging at the pool. A little annoyed, I focused on answering a few more emails and then found a shady place to read for awhile. Eventually, they packed up on went on with their day leaving me with a few joyous hours of floating in the pool all by myself.

In the early evening, I placed an order for Dominos Pizza to be delivered and packed up my stuff to head home. It was just Eva, Layla and I at home that night. I had decided on a pizza and movie night on the big screen and projector in the basement. Eva didn't participate because a). she's 18 and does what she wants and b). she had the ACT early the next morning. Layla, however, begrudgingly obliged because she did not have an option. We watched the Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, a classic summer move that I had not seen in many years. Layla said it was too long and too boring. I really can't trust her assessment, though, since I'm pretty sure she was on her phone the entire time just with it hidden under a blanket so I wouldn't know.

Following the movie, we all retreated to our respective bedrooms for the night.

Saturday morning, I was up early to make Eva an avocado toast with poached egg prior to her leaving for the ACT. During that time, I indulged in several cups of steaming, strong black coffee.  I drink coffee every day, but for some reason the coffee that morning was exceptional. After Eva left and I did a little catch up on personal emails, I took one of the most glorious naps of my life. As much as I love to nap, I don't really get much more than 20 minutes and/or I can't sleep at all anyway. That Saturday mid morning was completely different. I felt like a new person when I woke up!

The rest of Saturday afternoon was spent running a few errands and going to two different graduation parties. Layla was again thrilled that I drug her along to all of these activities as well. Wrapping up the last grad party, I realized we were only a few minutes away from a Catholic Church with a Saturday evening Mass at 5pm. Thinking since we were already out and dressed up, we might as well fulfill our Sunday Mass obligation on Saturday night. Then, we'd have the full day on Sunday to do whatever we (I) wanted. And my big plan was to spend the entire day relaxing at the river.

The Sunday morning weather had much different plans, though. I awoke to the sound of rain which continued until the late afternoon. Quickly, I determined that a river trip just wasn't in the cards for the day. So, instead, I poked around the house all day completing odds and ends like putting away clothes, cleaning kitchen cabinets, dusting and sweeping floors, making a mental to do list of household repairs and updating our family calendar for the rest of the month. By the afternoon, I decided I needed to prep as many meals and snacks as I could. Mainly because I had some fruits and veggies that weren't going to make it through the week if I didn't do something with them. I made omelet bites, sliced veggies, prepped smoothie bags, made a banana pudding, pre cooked sheet pan fajitas for later in the week and made a Creamy Tomato and Italian Sausage linguine and garlic bread for dinner that night.

By Sunday evening, I am relaxed and happy. I am again sprawled out over my bed with a Netflix show and organizing my work for the next day.

It has been a long time since I've found this level of contentment. And I'm so glad I'm here right now in this moment.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

 "I had the best day with you today"! - Taylor Swift

That quote pretty much sums up the entire girls weekend and the experience of Taylor Swift.

I never considered myself a "Swiftie".  But, I am now.  She is an admirable woman and the positive energy she exudes, is contagious.  From the beautiful strong women that filled the football stadium, to the words she writes, the music she makes, the emotion and true humanly love she emits all the way down to the secret chants and friendship bracelets, Taylor Swift is the experience of a lifetime!

I'm so filled with emotions. My heart is overfilling with love and joy because I got to live this experience with my favorite girls in the world.  Grace, Eva and Layla, thank you for best day!

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour - THE EXPERIENCE

Kansas City, MO

July 8, 2023