Some weeks are such a blur! And this one definitely was. I have an astounding amount of work on my plate right now (which is great--I'm thankful for it!), so I basically spent every "free" moment of the week on my laptop, working on logo designs + websites and emailing clients. But it's all fun work that I love so I'm not complaining ;)

How was your week? I hope lovely and filled with simple joys! Here are some of the little things that made me happy over the past 7 days...

HEAR: "Yoga Feels" Playlist on Spotify
I can't remember how I found this playlist (I didn't make it, I just stumbled across it), but I found it about a year ago and have been following it ever since. The person who created it adds a few new songs to it every month and it's not your average yoga playlist--a lot of the songs aren't songs I would actually play in my classes, but I love flowing to them. I did a home practice to this playlist earlier this week and it was just the lift I needed. If you're on Spotify check it out!

SEE: The Marvelous Ms. Maisel
You know how when you're part of a couple you have the shows you watch together and the shows you watch separately--if your partner isn't home or has fallen asleep on the couch? Well, this is my new only-me show and I'm loving it. It's just the lighthearted, fun little piece of entertainment that I need right now and I'm already looking forward to watching it tonight while Ben is out coaching. 

TASTE: Lemon Ginger Energy Bites 
At the Yoga + Ayurveda Mini-Retreat that I co-led last weekend, my co-leader, Maria, made these amazing Lemon Ginger Energy Bites for us. The recipe above isn't the exact same one she made, but it's close enough. They were SO delicious! Now I just need to motivate myself to make them at home...

SMELL: Interior house paint drying
While I don't actually like the smell of paint drying, I do love when a house project is finished, so this week the scent of paint was welcome one. In preparation for Baby #2 we're going to be moving Charlie Mae's bedroom downstairs, and as a part of that we had to convert a weird former-closet-turned-shelving-unit in our guest bedroom back into an actual closet. We had our favorite local handyman do this for us and he finished the project this week. It may be the most expensive basic closet anyone has ever paid for (lol), but we're excited about it. Hooray for home improvement! 

TOUCH: Sunshine + bubbles 
We've had a few sunny days in the past week that were just warm enough for us to put on our coats and get outside for a few hours. During this time we spent LOTS of time blowing bubbles, swinging in the hammock (or on the swings at the playground), and coloring in chalk. And truly, one of my favorite things is just sitting in the warm sun with Charlie Mae, blowing bubbles. There's a meditative quality about it that slows me down and gets me grounded. She's my little mindfulness teacher! Also, thank goodness for spring weather. 

And there you go! I hope you can find some time to reflect on your SJOTW today, too...

Starr Struck turned 8 on March 5th! <Whoops.> I knew there was an important date I was forgetting in earlyish March, but I just couldn't remember what it was at the time...

And if there was ever a symbolic forgetting of a date, this one is it. Since starting this blog 8 years ago, my life has gotten progressively crazier + crazier (in the best of ways), and I'm now at a point where my blog no longer fits as neatly into my life + my work. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean that I don't love this little blog + community, but it's just that my daily priorities have shifted *big-time*. 

I feel horrible actually writing this and admitting it to all of you because this small space on the interwebs has done so much for me and meant SO much to me over the years, but life changes. That's what it does.

Am I going to keep the blog going into year #9? Absolutely. Am I going to keep going at the steady [albeit slow] rate at which I've been going for the past year? I'm not sure. I probably will up until Baby #2 arrives, but then...I don't know. I still don't see this blog going away entirely any time soon, but I also don't see myself writing Simple Joys of the Week every single Friday for the next 8 years, either (I'm sorry, SJOTW! Please don't hate me for saying that!).

I'm thinking that sooner rather than later, this blog will become a place where I post when I have something that I feel it's important to say or share (that doesn't fit easily into a post on social media), not necessarily a place where I'm posting regularly on pre-scheduled dates (as it has been for the past 8 years, although slowly declining in frequency every year since year #1). 

But you know what? It's really hard to say where everything is going to go. I have no idea what life as a full-time, working, yoga-teaching, part-time-stay-at-home-mom of 2 will be like. I really don't. I'm thinking pretty hard for the first year or two!?! Which might mean that some things, like this blog, take a way back seat...

So for now, I want to say how grateful I am for the past 8 years of blogging and for all of you (3 cheers for anyone who has been here since the beginning!). It's incredible what sharing and writing can do for your soul, your spirit, and your sense of community. 

And sorry, sweet little bloggie, for forgetting your birthday all together this year! Eek! <Insert embarrassed/apologetic emoji here.>

Locals: have you been to Sundance Clothing & Accessories? If not, you need to get yourself there STAT--they have the cutest clothing and the owner is an absolute gem! {If you're not local you can also shop them online!}

I loved interviewing April for Built on Cape Cod and I know you'll learn a lot from her episode, no matter what industry you're in. Details below: 
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April Cabral bought Sundance Clothing & Accessories in 2009 and has grown the Chatham-based boutique into two locations with a devoted community of in-person and online followers. In this week's episode we talk to April about how she got the courage to buy an existing retail shop without any prior experience owning a business and why she's been so successful since doing do.

Learn more at SundanceClothing.com. Brought to you by LoveLiveLocal and yours truly. 

How to Listen: Apple Podcasts |  Stitcher  | Podcast Landing Page  | Stream below...

​Thanks for listening!

I'm sorry, but how is it mid-March? I mean, this is getting ridiculous. Especially with a pregnancy/baby countdown going on each week...

So let's slow things down! Here are a few of the simple, sensory pleasures that brought me joy this week...

HEAR: To Live and Die in LA [Podcast]
Have you heard of this podcast? It's another investigative true crime series, but this one is about an ongoing, open Missing Person case and it's crazy (it's also very sad, of course). I started listening this week and have already binged all 5 available episodes. Highly recommend if you're into these kinds of shows, too!

SEE: Warmer temps/CM at the playground
It's been much warmer outside this week, so on Wednesday Charlie Mae and I ventured to the playground for the first time in months. There was still quite a bit of snow on the ground in the shady spots, but the swings and slides were dry and she was so thrilled it was like she was at an amusement park. And it made me very excited for actual spring. 

TASTE: Blueberry Rx Bars 
I've been a longtime Lara Bar devotee, but when I got pregnant, they started turning me off for some reason (argh!). So, I turned to Rx Bars in the hopes that they would be a better fit for my hormone-fueled taste buds and they were! Especially this flavor. They've been my go-to on-the-go snack for a while now and I'm so thankful for them. 

SMELL: Fire in the fireplace
Somehow, we just had our first fire of the winter (I know?!) last weekend and we all loved it. I guess we'd forgotten how relaxing and beautiful they are?! Although I'm definitely ready for spring, I wouldn't mind another fire or two before we say an official goodbye to winter...

TOUCH: This Maternity Sweatshirt
I got this super comfy French Terry maternity sweatshirt in two different colors and it has become my uniform. Leggings, a tank, + this sweatshirt pulled over = what I wear basically every day. If you're pregnant and have a middle-to-biggish size bump, you need one. 

And there you go! I hope you can find some time to reflect on your simple joys of the week today, too. 

Also, if you're local, there's still room in my Inner Spring Cleaning/Yoga + Ayurveda Mini-Retreat with Maria Ferguson this weekend! It's Sunday from 11-5 at Centerville Yoga. Check out the details + sign up here. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

As you may already know from this here lil' blog, my youngest brother got married to his longtime GF/now wife, Caitlin, back in January. Before we get too far out from that amazing event, I wanted to share all of the fun paper goods that I designed for them as a part of their big day. But first, can we all just talk about how modelish (that's a word) they look in the pic above? I'm dying!

Anyway, in preparation for their big day we came up with the following together...

Custom Wedding Logo + Save-the-Date

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"Couple Sketch" which they used as their Guest Book (see pic below)

Isn't all of this so much fun? Doesn't it make you want to plan a wedding right this instant? Or at least attend one? Or at least look at a bunch of wedding blogs + get inspired? No? Just me? 

Either way, it was an honor creating all of these items for Patrick and Caitlin and I loved seeing them come to life on their big day. {You can learn more about all of these services on the Starr Struck Design Studio website.}
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Oh, and just for fun, here's a pic of me, my dad, and my middler brother, Peter, with the happy couple ...

And LASTLY...the only pic of CM in her dress from the entire wedding (read about her "Flower Girl" experience here). 

CONGRATS, Patty + Caitlin! I'm still swooning over that magical day (minus my child's meltdown). 

Another episode of Built on Cape Cod drops today! This week I interview the owners of one of my favorite local ice cream shops:

Four Seas is the oldest ice cream shop on Cape Cod. It opened in 1934, was eventually purchased by Doug Warren's father, and then in 2001, Doug + Peggy Warren bought the shop and have been running it ever since. In today's episode, Doug + Peggy share the inside scoop on how they've stayed true to Four Seas' legacy while also making it their own, taking it from seasonal to year-round, and growing their classic offerings. Learn more at FourSeasIceCream.com. 

How to Listen: Apple Podcasts |  Stitcher  | Podcast Landing Page  | Stream below...

Thanks for listening!

Above: the best shot I could get of my dad + CM together during his quick visit this week. The girl HATES pictures! At least my dad looks happy ;) 
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It's been two weeks since my last SJOTW and a lot has happened in my little world in those 2 weeks. As I wrote in yesterday's newsletter, I've been IN IT with my mom's health and that has been consuming most of my time and energy lately. I was in GA taking care of her last weekend and then I got sick for a few days when I returned, so it's all been a bit of a blur...

And yet, here we are! March, International Women's Day, and *almost* Daylight Savings Time. Phew. 

So, let's go ahead and talk SJOTW. Here's what brought me joy over the past 7 days:

HEAR: "If You're Going Through Hell" by Rodney Atkins
Funny enough, this old country song by Rodney Atkins has been in my head all week. Don't worry--I don't think I'm really in hell right now (haha)--but I do love the sentiment behind the song and it's an oldie that always gets me up and going. I've listened to it multiple times over the past few days and it's made me very happy. 

SEE: My dad
My dad was coming through Boston on his way home from a trip to Maine earlier this week, so he stopped by for 36-ish hours and it was really special. He and Charlie Mae have gotten super close and it warms my heart to see them together. She kept telling me that "Baba is my best friend" and I could hardly stand it. 

TASTE: Kayak Cookies!!!!!!
These are hands-down my favorite cookies and it had been waayyyyy too long since I'd had one. Yesterday, I interviewed the owner/baker/founder of the company for Built on Cape Cod (get excited about that one!) and as a thoughtful treat, she brought me some cookies. Ben, CM, and I enjoyed them together after dinner last night and we were all in heaven. Btw, you can order them online and I HIGHLY recommend that you do!

SMELL: Honey
I recently read that honey is just as effective in treating a bad cough as cough medicine, so honey has been my treatment of choice this week. Obviously, being pregnant, there's not a lot you can take to treat bad colds, congestion, and cough, so I've just been trusting my body to get over it and using honey, tea, and cough drops like a champ. I think it's working! {I know honey doesn't really have a scent, but just go with it...}

TOUCH: Caring for my mom
When a loved one is sick or dealing with major illness and you live far away, it feels really bad. Before going to see my mom, I felt so distant and helpless--like I wasn't doing enough. Obviously just a few days with her still wasn't enough (and I'll probably go down again soon), but it did make me feel better to see her, touch her, and be able to help her with the things she can't do for herself right now. 

And that's it for this hard week! I hope you can find some time to reflect on your #SJOTW today, too.

Quick reminder: this Sunday (3/10) is the last day to enjoy early bird pricing for my upcoming 1-day Yoga + Ayurveda "Mini-Retreat" at Centerville Yoga on 3/17. Learn more and sign up here.

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Built on Cape Cod is back, baby! And in Season 2, we decided to do something a little different; over the course of the next 10 episodes, we'll have 3 episodes in which I'm joined by my BOCC co-creators, Jen and Amanda, to discuss various business subjects that feel super relevant and important to us at the moment. This first episode is obviously one of those episodes and I think it's a really good one (if I do say so myself).

The show description + info on how to listen is below:

A huge part of being an entrepreneur is learning how + when it's time to let go--whether that means letting go of a business endeavor, a specific project, or even making the decision to close a business for good. In our first episode of Season 2, Mary Catherine, Jen, + Amanda, discuss this subject and how it relates to Amanda's recent decision to close one of her businesses after 9 years. Built on Cape Cod is brought to you by LoveLiveLocal + yours truly.

How to Listen: Apple Podcasts |  Stitcher  | Podcast Landing Page  | Stream below...

​Thanks for listening and enjoy!

Yippee, here's February's Audio Yoga class! Just in the nick of time. Learn more about this month's class + listen below...

Class Description: In this 1 hour class we focus on twisting--specifically lots of utkatasana twist and high lunge twist variations. We will also work towards reverse koundinyasana for those who feel open enough to play with it, but of course it’s optional.. This class is not for beginners; experienced practitioners only (Level 2-3 class). Recorded live.

How to Listen: You can listen directly from this website (player below) or on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher (search "Starr Struck Yoga: Live Yoga Classes"). If you subscribe to this "podcast" wherever you listen to podcasts, you will automatically get each new class that I post in your podcast feed on your phone. 
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A Note About the Audio Quality: These classes are not professional recordings, so you will hear me mess up, you'll hear students sneeze, you'll hear me whisper a specific instruction to a specific student, and at times, the audio quality might not be the best. Apologies, but hey, they're free and as authentic as you can get without being in the actual class! ;) ​

Hope you enjoy the practice!

Phew, it's been a week​. But we made it to Friday and life is still moving forward and we just do the best we can, right? So here we are. 

And here are a few of the simple, sensory joys that have brought me happiness during this challenging week...

HEAR: "Don't Hold Your Breath" by Wookiefoot
This song is on my February class playlist and I love it. It always comes on at just the right time in my classes and provides a wonderful energy boost when we need it. Listen below.

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SEE: Charlie Mae playing in the snow
Watching children play in the snow is magical. It just brings them so much joy! We didn't get a ton of snow this week, but we got enough for Charlie Mae to spend a few hours scooping it up with a shovel and having the time of her life. I loved watching her have so much fun. 

TASTE: Homemade Rice Krispie Treats
I had a crazy pregnancy craving for Rice Krispie Treats last weekend, so I looked up a recipe (here's the one I used), bought the ingredients, and Charlie Mae and I made them one afternoon. How long has it been since you've had a homemade Rice Krispie Treat? Do you know how delicious they are? And how easy they are to make? We all loved having them around over the weekend (Ben enjoyed them a little too much...) and I have to say, I'm tempted to buy more ingredients this weekend...

SMELL: Aquaphor Healing Ointment
I know Aquaphor doesn't actually smell very good, but it has felt so good on my crazy dry winter skin (and expanding belly). We have tons of the stuff leftover from when CM was a baby, so I've been using it myself and been quite pleased with the results. 

TOUCH: Haircut
I got a much-needed haircut yesterday and it felt so good! And my hair feels so healthy! You know the feeling so I don't need to explain it to you, but I really needed that little pick-me-up. 

And there you have it! I look forward to seeing some of you at tonight's [sold out] workshop and I hope your weekend is full of simple joys. 

My mom has been dealing with some major health issues that recently took a big downturn.

​On Monday morning, I awoke at 6am to a few inches of snow covering the ground and yet another upsetting text about my mother's medical issues. Charlie Mae was home from daycare and Ben was home from work (it was a holiday), but I'd made plans to go to an 8am class so that I could move my body and release some of the stress that had been building up over the past few days of bad news.

I spent all morning trying to get out the door--dealing with a whiny toddler who didn't want me to put her down, cleaning the snow off of my car while she cried from the window, and eventually getting her into her snow gear to come out and "help" so she would stop breaking down while I worked. Ben was moving slower than I would have liked and in the last few minutes of trying to get out the door, I realized that I was probably going to be a few minutes late to class, which I hate.  

I drove carefully on the snowy, still unplowed streets to the studio and as predicted, arrived a few minutes late. I rushed up the steps and into the building (this wasn't my first time being late to a class since becoming a mother), and could already hear the instructor's voice calling out the first few movements. I threw my stuff down, ran to the restroom (I am pregnant, after all!) and headed toward the studio door to sneak in--only to find that the door was locked and the class was full.

The past 2 hours of trying to get out the door to do something for myself were all for naught. 

Teary-eyed, I walked back to my car. I got in, sat behind the wheel, and started sobbing. I drove home, sobbing the entire way. I called Ben (sobbing) and told him that I'd been too late and missed the class. Of course he felt really bad, but I think he was also surprised by my emotional reaction to the situation. 

As I continued to cry uncontrollably, I quickly realized that my immense sadness was not about arriving 3 minutes late to the class I wanted to take. It was about my mom. It was about feeling overwhelmed and hopeless in the face of our current medical system and at attempting to navigate my mother's illness from afar. It was about experiencing so much loss in the past year and feeling like there's still so much more loss headed our way in the near future (despite the new life headed our way, too). 

When I got home--eyes red and face splotchy--I pulled into the driveway, said quick 'hellos' to Ben and Charlie Mae (they were out shoveling the snow), and went down to the basement to do a home practice. I needed to move my body and process my emotions and this was the only way I knew how to do that. I didn't want to practice in the cold basement next to the dead cricket carcasses and dustballs of God-knows-what (we really need to Konmari our basement!), but I needed to be completely alone. 

I started practicing and found myself sobbing again. Each downward facing dog made me cry harder. I felt sorry for myself. I felt sorry for my mom. I felt sorry for my brothers, for my extended family, for my aunt and cousins who just lost their husband and father, for all of the people dealing with chronic illness and mental illness and loss. 

I've never been a crier in yoga but this was different. I thought the tears would never stop. 

But I kept moving and breathing and over the course of the gritty hour-long practice (in which I picked more than one dead roly-poly off of my mat), I eventually found that I felt better and didn't have any more tears to cry. At one point Ben brought Charlie Mae down to see me and although I was *slightly annoyed* that they couldn't leave me alone for one freaking hour while I was having a meltdown, I was also able to laugh at her trying to do warrior 2 with me and then ride me like a pony as I transitioned from child's into down dog. 

After my practice, I re-emerged from the basement to face the rest of the day. Miraculously, I'd let go of my disappointment at missing that morning's class and my frustration with Ben and Charlie Mae for making me late enough to miss it, and I was able to just be in the heaviness of what's happening with my family and accept that things are hard right now (without anymore breakdowns). 

And as messy as it was, all of this simply reminded me why I love yoga so much and why I started teaching almost 9 years ago; from the very first class that I attended, it gave me a sense of relief and peace that I'd never accessed before.

Now, 11 years later, it gives me that same sense of peace--even though my life has gotten much more complicated and my problems have gotten much bigger, heavier, and more life-altering. 

As I think back to yesterday, I realize now that it was actually a really good thing that I missed that class. I needed that gigantic cry, that release, that time in the basement dealing with my heavy emotions on my own with just my big, yogic tears for company. 

So...if it wasn't already abundantly clear, I want to say once more that I am so thankful for the tool that is yoga. I really don't know where I'd be today without it. [Still crying in my car, perhaps?]

PS. I know that my blog has been pretty intense lately. The reason is simple: the past year has been one loss/challenge after another. It just has. I thought it would end in 2019, but silly me (!!!)--this is simply how life works. Sometimes when it rains, it pours...and pours...and pours. But we'll get through it and there have still been lots of rainbows amidst all of the storms. Thanks for sticking with me. 

This week was hard. It started with my uncle's visitation + funeral--which was beyond heartbreaking and emotionally exhausting--included a nausea/throwing-up incident on my trip back to the airport after the funeral (first puke of the pregnancy, though!), and was topped-off by another intense family issue that's been taking up a lot of emotional energy.

Buuuut, as is normal in this life, there was a lot of good, too. And that's what #SJOTW is all about--celebrating the joys of this experience even when life is not so easy. I say this all the time, but it feels especially pertinent right now.

So here goes: my favorite simple, sensory pleasures from the past 7 days. What brought you joy over the past week?

HEAR: "Learning to Fly" by Tom Petty
I haven't heard this song in a really long time, but it was one of my uncle's favorites. Because of this, it was played a lot at his visitation and quoted in the eulogy that my dad gave at the funeral, so it was in my head this week. It's a beautiful song and I loved hearing it when memorializing my uncle, despite how sad it made me, too. Listen below.

​SEE: Our baby!!!
There's nothing like watching the baby in your belly move around, put his hand in his mouth, drink his amniotic fluid, and kick his little legs. During our 18-week ultrasound we not only found out that we're having a little boy (who, at this point, already looks exactly like Ben, haha!), but we also got some peace of mind that he's healthy, developing correctly, and loves to do plow pose ;) It was really special and uplifting. 

TASTE: Morning tea in my new Yeti Rambler Mug
My dear friend + Starr Struck Design Studio partner-in-crime, Sara, recently gifted me with this mug and I am obsessed. It truly does keep my tea hot for the entirety of the time I'm drinking it (game-changer!), the top ensures it doesn't get spilled when I'm enjoying it on the floor while playing with CM, and it's dishwasher safe! I love it so much. 

[Also, wishing Sara a very happy birthday! She's home with a sick kiddo today so we need to send her extra special wishes for a relaxing, enjoyable day...]

SMELL: Homemade chocolate chip cookies 
Melissa, the talented gal who runs Charlie Mae's daycare (and thus = MVP of our family!), is also an incredible chef and baker. She made homemade chocolate chip cookies with the kids yesterday and sent one home for each of us as a special Vday treat. It was the perfect little nightcap after a long evening of teaching and it was delicious. Was I annoyed that Ben confessed that he *almost* ate mine while I was gone despite me telling him not to? Of course I was. But he didn't, so all is well around here. Thanks, Melissa!

TOUCH: Snowmen
It snowed a bit here on Tuesday and it was just enough for me and Charlie Mae to make about 800 snowmen, which is her dream these days. We've done a lot of talking about snowmen since Christmas, but haven't had enough snow/the right kind of snow to make them until now. It was so sweet watching how much joy our miniature snowmen brought her, and I loved romping around outside together. She was very sad when the snow (and thus, all of our little snowmen) melted. 

And there you have it: joy amidst sadness, life and death, sickness and health--the duality of our experience, the ups-and-downs, the reality of our shared existence.  

​I hope you can find some time to reflect on your week today, too.

Have a simple-joy-filled weekend!

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Baby "Brudder"!!!! As you can see from the video above (that we posted to social media last night), we're having a boy and we're over the moon ;)

Ben has been saying all along that he'd love another girl, buuuuttt if we were having another girl, he'd want to try for *one more* (eek! Hard to imagine right now!), so it's nice to know that if we feel done after this child, we'll have one of each and won't ever have to wonder what it would be like to have a boy. 

We have a front-runner for a name but will definitely be keeping that info to ourselves until he's born ;) Thanks for all of your excitement for us! So many of you have messaged me saying you're done having kids but are living vicariously through other pregnant people (I get it!), so it's been really fun seeing all of your guesses at what we're having and your joy for us. 

And from what all of you are saying about boys, it sounds like we're in for quite the wild ride! I'm just holding out hope that this will be our "go with the flow," sleep-anywhere child, because as you know by now, Charlie Mae is NOT (haha!). 

We lost another family member on my dad's side of the family this week. I thought we might have a little break from loss after all of the loss of 2018, but I guess I was wrong.

My dear uncle--only 62--passed away unexpectedly on Monday night. He left behind two incredible children in their 20's and my beloved Aunt Joanie. Everyone is obviously devastated. I'm headed to the funeral in North Carolina this weekend and might write more about it in the future, but suffice it to say that a sudden, out-of-the-blue loss like this one is sobering, scary, and heartbreaking. It reminds you of the fragility of life and of the realities we always talk about in yoga--specifically, that this one moment is ALL we have for sure. 

This loss has led me to be more present, to give more love, and to soak up all of the gifts in my everyday life even more this week. Thus, I still wanted to reflect on my SJOTW today.

Here are some of the little things that brought me joy over the past week, despite all of the sadness in our family... 

​HEAR: "Akaal" by Ajeet Kaur
This is a total yoga song so if you're not into yoga music it's probably not for you, but if you're a yogi and love a good slow song for the end of your practice or class, check this one out. I put it on my new February playlist and every time it comes on it makes me feel more soothed and relaxed. Listen below.

SEE: Doulas
I interviewed a doula team at our house yesterday and it was wonderful. They were the perfect fit and made me much more excited (and freaked out/nervous) to attempt childbirth again, this time with an extra support person. Thanks for all of the advice + personal experiences you shared on my IG post about this! Your words of wisdom were really helpful. 

TASTE: Ice cream after a month of no deserts ;) 
Ben and I went on a rare date on Saturday night (yay for us!) and then, because none of the desserts on the menu spoke to us, stopped at a convenience store on the way home and picked up some ice cream (that's how we roll). I got Ben + Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough--as I always do--and can't even begin to tell you how delicious it was after a month of no desserts. And the great news? My sweet tooth was so refined after a month away from sweets that I only needed a little bit to feel satisfied! 

SMELL: Baked Japanese Sweet Potatoes
Have you ever had a Japanese Sweet Potato? If not, and if you like sweet potatoes, I can't recommend them enough. They're delicious and really good for you. I baked a bunch on Tuesday and have had one with dinner every night this week. Yum. 

TOUCH: Baby kicks in my belly
I don't remember feeling Charlie Mae move around in my belly until around 20 weeks or so. This pregnancy, I first felt the baby move at 14 weeks and the movement has only been increasing since then. This week I felt the most movement yet, and every little twist, turn, and punch makes me SO happy and gives me a whole lot of [much-needed] reassurance. 

So there you go; a tough week that still included lots of little simple joys (+ SO many Charlie Mae and "tidying up"-related pleasures that aren't included above).

I hope you're able to spend some time reflecting + feeling the gratitude today/this weekend. We are so lucky to be here and to be experiencing the simple joys of life. 

In early 2013, a couple of months after we got married, Ben and I each made a list of "100 Dreams." This list was meant to be a chance to sit down and think about 100 things that we hoped to experience, achieve, understand, do etc. in our lives. Obviously I put Ben up to this, but in typical Ben fashion, once we started working on it he was totally into it. 

We'd both forgotten about these lists until last weekend when we were "tidying" (using the Konmari Method) and came across them; of course I made Ben stop and read through them with me, and it was pretty wild to read what had happened (and changed) in just 5 years. 

Amazingly, we've already experienced/done a lot of the items on our lists. For instance, we both had things like, "buy a house," "have kids," "have a yard," "get a dog" (sigh) on our lists. Ben had "get a truck," "coach a basketball team" and "have a fireplace" on his list (lol) and I had "own my own business," "do reverse koundinyasana" (lol), "create a greeting card line," and "lead a yoga retreat" on mine.

I also had some "dreams" that made me kind of sad to look back on, but simultaneously reminded me of how far I've come in just 5 years--especially when it comes to my relationship with my body. I'd written, "stop worrying/thinking about my weight" and "eat ice cream without judging myself" on the list. Really, I still felt like that just 5 years ago? It was shocking for me to see, especially since I don't think much about my weight at all anymore and because ice cream has become such a normal (non-judgmental) part of my life since moving to the Cape (haha but truly). 

Some of the things that were dreams for us at the time have already changed, too. Ben had quite a few CrossFit-related dreams on his list (he was super into it and competing back then) and I had some dreams related to owning my own yoga studio someday (no longer something I would want to do!). 

There were also the dreams that are still so far away from becoming a reality: "have a live-in chef" (HAHAHA!), "always get lots of sleep" (for real: HAHAHA), and "do a pull-up" (why is this SO hard for me?). 

And then we can't forget about the ridiculous dreams, many of which made both of us laugh when looking back:

Ben: "Have better facial hair, have tons of fitness apparel, get lots of sun each day." 

Me: "Have no more cavities (I'd just gotten my first one and was devastated!), "sing a song on stage" (which made my list twice...??? Dying.), "see every movie nominated for Best Picture every year from now on" (I see like 1 movie per year these days). 

As tickled as we were reading these lists, I have to say that coming across them was a really great reminder of the power of setting goals (or writing down your "dreams") and then slowly working towards them. The fact that both of us have already experienced/are close to experiencing almost half of the dreams that we'd written down just 5 years ago is pretty incredible!

[It also speaks to how achievable some of our "dreams" were, but I think it's important to have attainable dreams as well as lofty ones--like singing on stage.]

So, my challenge to you? Make a list of 100 dreams for your life. Or 50! Or even just 20! Date it, tuck it away, and see what happens by the time you come across it again...

In the meantime, I'll be over here working with my vocal coach to get ready for my big debut (BAHAHA)...