Simple Joys of the Week, October 19th Edition

One last pic from our minimoon...

SJOTW is back! After two missed Fridays--one falling on the day before my wedding and the other spent en route to DC--things have finally settled down again and the old blog is back to it's normal schedule. Phew. I'm glad things have returned to their natural order, as you know how I struggle with breaking out of my routine...

So, lets get right to it, shall we? Here are the simple, sensory items that have brought me joy over the past 7 days. What has made you smile? 

Hear: "Anything Could Happen" by Ellie Goulding

I've been a big fan of Ellie Goulding ever since her first album came out, so was super excited about the hearing her new album, Halcyon, which came out on October 8th and I finally downloaded last weekend. I've already added the song "Anything Could Happen" to my October class playlist, and listened to her album all day yesterday while I was painting (obviously, I like it!). I find Ellie's voice really interesting and even though her music is totally pop-errific, I find it to be a lot deeper than most pop music (and find her to be a lot more talened than most pop singers!). Plus, have you heard what all of the critics are saying? They're giving this album great reviews, which makes me really happy :) You can listen to this fun song below...

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See: This wedding card---> OMG. 

I'm sorry, but can you believe it!? I don't think I've ever received a more perfect card--for any occasion--in my entire life. I mean, have you seen the cake topper that I made for our wedding? Have you seen all of the animal (and mainly meerkat) cards that I give Ben every holiday? I gave him another one for the wedding (of course, featuring meerkats), but it was not nearly as fabulous as this card. I'm being serious, this is the most amazing card I've ever seen. One of my mom's dear friends gave it to us with our wedding gift, and it's been with us ever since we opened it. We took it from Atlanta, to Ellijay, back to Atlanta, and then to VA, and it has now claimed it's rightful place on our fridge, where it makes me smile literally every single day. I'm not sure I'll ever get over it. Thank you, Sandy, for finding such a perfect keepsake.

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Taste: Homemade Dried Apples from Ellijay, GA

As I mentioned on Monday, one of the few activities that Ben and I did on our minimoon (besides sleep) was go apple-picking at a local orchard. Obviously, given my deep love and affection for apples, this was a joyous occasion, and we've been enjoying the apples ever since. However, one of the unexpected benefits of this trip was that we also picked up some homemade dried apples, which are totally delicious and have given me a fun new way to enjoy my favorite food group (that's what apples are to me!). I munched on them the entire 11-hour drive home (sigh) and they have continued to last me throughout the week. Now if only I could figure out how to make them. Does anyone know of an easy recipe? If so, send it my way!

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Touch: Getting back to painting...

I finally got to paint again yesterday! It was so wonderful! I missed it so much! I started a bunch of fun new little yoga pose paintings, including the one pictured to the left, which isn't done yet, but as you can tell, is a very playful piece :) It was so wonderful to just get lost in the creative process again, and it was the perfect reminder of why I'm trying to open up  more space in my life for creating, for more downtime, and for more play. Do you feel the same urges? If so, the fall really is a great time to reevaluate your schedule and make more time where you can--take it from me! I'm in the process of doing it and I promise, it's worth it! I hope to get more work done on these paintings soon, and will try to post some in-progress pics next week... 


So there you have it--the simple things in life that can often make a big difference :) Don't forget to take some time to reflect on your week today, and maybe take a moment to connect with a bigger sense of gratitude for those things that brought you joy.

Here's to a weekend full of happy + relaxing little moments.

Namaste!
Mary Catherine

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