Simple Joys of the Week, February 1st Edition

Happy February! And happy birthday to my brother, Peter! What a great day. 

How was your week? Mine was "normal" (much-needed) + full--I taught a workshop, Ben and I did a ton more Konmari Method cleaning--which was a HUGE simple joy, I got some good work done, some good time in with Charlie Mae, went to some appointments, and took (+ taught) a few yoga classes. 

But in between all of those activities, I also got to enjoy quite a few simple, sensory joys that helped me to slow down and appreciate the little things. Here are some of my faves...

HEAR: Baby's heartbeat
Since we lost our last pregnancy, I've been getting very nervous before every appointment this time around. I have flashbacks to the time when we didn't hear a heartbeat and I get incredibly worried that it's going to happen again (even though I've been feeling our sweet little baby move, which is very reassuring). I had an appointment on Tuesday and we heard a beautiful, strong heartbeat and it was a huge sigh of relief. It gets a little easier every time I get a confirmation like this. 

SEE: Elin Hilderbrand books
I've been trying to cut back on my book buying, so I've returned to our local library's Kindle Lending Library for books. Because all of the "hot new releases" (lol) are usually checked out and waitlisted, I've been looking into older books that I know will be available and have gone down an Elin Hilderbrand rabbit hole. Her books are easy to read, really interesting, and based on/around Nantucket, which I love (because I love Nantucket so much!). Right now I'm reading Here's to Us and it's great fun. 

TASTE: Dessert-free January ;) 
As of yesterday, Ben and I made it through our dessert-free January challenge! Despite The Great Graham Cracker Debate of 2019 (see my Instagram highlights if you don't know what I'm talking about), we did it, and it wasn't too bad. The first few days I definitely craved something sweet after eating, but by the past two weeks or so, I was totally fine and not experiencing any sort of sweet tooth attacks at all. And since I'm pregnant and really trying to keep my eating as clean as possible for the baby, I don't think I'm going to get back into sweets anytime soon. 

SMELL: Love Beauty & Planet Argan Oil + Lavender Shampoo/Conditioner
I'm always changing up my shampoo and conditioner and I'm not picky about what I use (should I be?). However, in the past year or so I've started trying to avoid sulfates, parabens, and chemicals that are bad for the planet, so this shampoo + conditioner was my most recent pick-up. Whether or not it works really well to clean my hair is yet to be determined, but I will tell you that the smell of these products is divine. I LOVE showering because of it (and because I love showering in general). 

TOUCH: Chiropractor
I've been wanting to get back to going to the chiropractor regularly since Charlie Mae was born (that's 2.5 years, y'all!!!). As of this week, I finally found a new one and went to him and it was AMAZING. If you're local and looking for a chiro, look no further--here's your guy: Dr. Ryan Casagranda. I can't recommend him enough. My neck, jaw, and lower back felt WAY better after my visit on Monday and I've been feeling hopeful about my pain ever since. 

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

Have a great weekend!