#lifereflections — Public Fediverse posts

A butterfly morning 🦋

Our little caterpillar completed her metamorphosis and became a beautiful Swallowtail butterfly!

It felt like Christmas morning, as I came down the stairs and saw her perched upside down on the tulle in the habitat box the kids had made for her.

When we found the caterpillar in our garden, the kids decided to “raise” her in a diy caterpillar habitat. Then, they named the caterpillar Cali.

Of course, we weren’t really sure if the caterpillar was male or female, but the kids decided it was definitely a girl. Lol

We waited a little bit before releasing Cali because her wings were still damp and needed time dry off.

Once we felt it was the right time, we brought the butterfly box to the front porch and slowly opened the tulle we had placed on top of the container.

Cali didn’t fly out of the box right away, though. Her wings weren’t ready just yet. So, we spent some time ohhing and ahhing over her. 🥹🦋

Two of our neighbors walked by wanting to know why we were huddled together and the kids were squealing with delight.

We showed them Cali calmly resting on Travis’ hand, and one of the neighbors said she thought the butterfly was beautiful. 😊

And then all of a sudden, the butterfly fluttered her wings and flew off of Travis’ hand and onto Zephaniah’s chest.

The kids squealed again, and Zephaniah froze. But he had the biggest smile on his face.

A few minutes later, the butterfly flew up into the air and fluttered away.

💜 XO

A butterfly morning 🦋

Our little caterpillar completed her metamorphosis and became a beautiful Swallowtail butterfly!

It felt like Christmas morning, as I came down the stairs and saw her perched upside down on the tulle in the habitat box the kids had made for her.

When we found the caterpillar in our garden, the kids decided to “raise” her in a diy caterpillar habitat. Then, they named the caterpillar Cali.

Of course, we weren’t really sure if the caterpillar was male or female, but the kids decided it was definitely a girl. Lol

We waited a little bit before releasing Cali because her wings were still damp and needed time dry off.

Once we felt it was the right time, we brought the butterfly box to the front porch and slowly opened the tulle we had placed on top of the container.

Cali didn’t fly out of the box right away, though. Her wings weren’t ready just yet. So, we spent some time ohhing and ahhing over her. 🥹🦋

Two of our neighbors walked by wanting to know why we were huddled together and the kids were squealing with delight.

We showed them Cali calmly resting on Travis’ hand, and one of the neighbors said she thought the butterfly was beautiful. 😊

And then all of a sudden, the butterfly fluttered her wings and flew off of Travis’ hand and onto Zephaniah’s chest.

The kids squealed again, and Zephaniah froze. But he had the biggest smile on his face.

A few minutes later, the butterfly flew up into the air and fluttered away.

💜 XO

A butterfly morning 🦋

Our little caterpillar completed her metamorphosis and became a beautiful Swallowtail butterfly!

It felt like Christmas morning, as I came down the stairs and saw her perched upside down on the tulle in the habitat box the kids had made for her.

When we found the caterpillar in our garden, the kids decided to “raise” her in a diy caterpillar habitat. Then, they named the caterpillar Cali.

Of course, we weren’t really sure if the caterpillar was male or female, but the kids decided it was definitely a girl. Lol

We waited a little bit before releasing Cali because her wings were still damp and needed time dry off.

Once we felt it was the right time, we brought the butterfly box to the front porch and slowly opened the tulle we had placed on top of the container.

Cali didn’t fly out of the box right away, though. Her wings weren’t ready just yet. So, we spent some time ohhing and ahhing over her. 🥹🦋

Two of our neighbors walked by wanting to know why we were huddled together and the kids were squealing with delight.

We showed them Cali calmly resting on Travis’ hand, and one of the neighbors said she thought the butterfly was beautiful. 😊

And then all of a sudden, the butterfly fluttered her wings and flew off of Travis’ hand and onto Zephaniah’s chest.

The kids squealed again, and Zephaniah froze. But he had the biggest smile on his face.

A few minutes later, the butterfly flew up into the air and fluttered away.

💜 XO

A butterfly morning 🦋

Our little caterpillar completed her metamorphosis and became a beautiful Swallowtail butterfly!

It felt like Christmas morning, as I came down the stairs and saw her perched upside down on the tulle in the habitat box the kids had made for her.

When we found the caterpillar in our garden, the kids decided to “raise” her in a diy caterpillar habitat. Then, they named the caterpillar Cali.

Of course, we weren’t really sure if the caterpillar was male or female, but the kids decided it was definitely a girl. Lol

We waited a little bit before releasing Cali because her wings were still damp and needed time dry off.

Once we felt it was the right time, we brought the butterfly box to the front porch and slowly opened the tulle we had placed on top of the container.

Cali didn’t fly out of the box right away, though. Her wings weren’t ready just yet. So, we spent some time ohhing and ahhing over her. 🥹🦋

Two of our neighbors walked by wanting to know why we were huddled together and the kids were squealing with delight.

We showed them Cali calmly resting on Travis’ hand, and one of the neighbors said she thought the butterfly was beautiful. 😊

And then all of a sudden, the butterfly fluttered her wings and flew off of Travis’ hand and onto Zephaniah’s chest.

The kids squealed again, and Zephaniah froze. But he had the biggest smile on his face.

A few minutes later, the butterfly flew up into the air and fluttered away.

💜 XO

A butterfly morning 🦋

Our little caterpillar completed her metamorphosis and became a beautiful Swallowtail butterfly!

It felt like Christmas morning, as I came down the stairs and saw her perched upside down on the tulle in the habitat box the kids had made for her.

When we found the caterpillar in our garden, the kids decided to “raise” her in a diy caterpillar habitat. Then, they named the caterpillar Cali.

Of course, we weren’t really sure if the caterpillar was male or female, but the kids decided it was definitely a girl. Lol

We waited a little bit before releasing Cali because her wings were still damp and needed time dry off.

Once we felt it was the right time, we brought the butterfly box to the front porch and slowly opened the tulle we had placed on top of the container.

Cali didn’t fly out of the box right away, though. Her wings weren’t ready just yet. So, we spent some time ohhing and ahhing over her. 🥹🦋

Two of our neighbors walked by wanting to know why we were huddled together and the kids were squealing with delight.

We showed them Cali calmly resting on Travis’ hand, and one of the neighbors said she thought the butterfly was beautiful. 😊

And then all of a sudden, the butterfly fluttered her wings and flew off of Travis’ hand and onto Zephaniah’s chest.

The kids squealed again, and Zephaniah froze. But he had the biggest smile on his face.

A few minutes later, the butterfly flew up into the air and fluttered away.

💜 XO

H-Mart grocery haul

We made a trip to H-Mart, and I unintentionally ended up with a big grocery haul. Lol! Isn’t that how it always happens?

To me, H-Mart is like the Target of grocery stores. I go in with my short list, and I somehow always come out with a cart full of way more than I had planned.

Over the past few months, I’ve become increasingly interested in Japanese and Korean home cooking, especially the simple, everyday meals families prepare. So, I decided it was time to explore a few ingredients that were completely new to me.

Travis was able to help me pick out some of the products. He was stationed in South Korea for about a year, and he said he ate out at a lot of the restaurants (which he loved!). He even took a cooking class while he was living in Korea.

This trip, I picked up seaweed snacks, sesame oil, sushi rice, Japanese mayonnaise, and a few other items that caught my attention along the way.

Travis and I were using our phones to google which seaweed brands were good for making gimbap and sushi rolls. As we were trying very hard to determine which brand to get, a lovely Korean woman, who was also shopping in the store, overheard our conversation and walked up to us offering to help.

She was so sweet. She showed us which seaweed brands she uses to make gimbap. We smiled and thanked her profusely for her kindness. That helped us so much!

One of the things I enjoy most about cooking is learning something new. I love learning how to cook many different types of foods. I may not know exactly what I’m doing yet, but that’s part of the fun!

Every new ingredient, recipe, and kitchen experiment teaches me a little more than I knew the day before.

Here are some photos from our H-Mart grocery store haul.

Now the real adventure begins: figuring out what to make first! Do you enjoy learning how to cook different types of recipes?

💜 XO

H-Mart grocery haul

We made a trip to H-Mart, and I unintentionally ended up with a big grocery haul. Lol! Isn’t that how it always happens?

To me, H-Mart is like the Target of grocery stores. I go in with my short list, and I somehow always come out with a cart full of way more than I had planned.

Over the past few months, I’ve become increasingly interested in Japanese and Korean home cooking, especially the simple, everyday meals families prepare. So, I decided it was time to explore a few ingredients that were completely new to me.

Travis was able to help me pick out some of the products. He was stationed in South Korea for about a year, and he said he ate out at a lot of the restaurants (which he loved!). He even took a cooking class while he was living in Korea.

This trip, I picked up seaweed snacks, sesame oil, sushi rice, Japanese mayonnaise, and a few other items that caught my attention along the way.

Travis and I were using our phones to google which seaweed brands were good for making gimbap and sushi rolls. As we were trying very hard to determine which brand to get, a lovely Korean woman, who was also shopping in the store, overheard our conversation and walked up to us offering to help.

She was so sweet. She showed us which seaweed brands she uses to make gimbap. We smiled and thanked her profusely for her kindness. That helped us so much!

One of the things I enjoy most about cooking is learning something new. I love learning how to cook many different types of foods. I may not know exactly what I’m doing yet, but that’s part of the fun!

Every new ingredient, recipe, and kitchen experiment teaches me a little more than I knew the day before.

Here are some photos from our H-Mart grocery store haul.

Now the real adventure begins: figuring out what to make first! Do you enjoy learning how to cook different types of recipes?

💜 XO

H-Mart grocery haul

We made a trip to H-Mart, and I unintentionally ended up with a big grocery haul. Lol! Isn’t that how it always happens?

To me, H-Mart is like the Target of grocery stores. I go in with my short list, and I somehow always come out with a cart full of way more than I had planned.

Over the past few months, I’ve become increasingly interested in Japanese and Korean home cooking, especially the simple, everyday meals families prepare. So, I decided it was time to explore a few ingredients that were completely new to me.

Travis was able to help me pick out some of the products. He was stationed in South Korea for about a year, and he said he ate out at a lot of the restaurants (which he loved!). He even took a cooking class while he was living in Korea.

This trip, I picked up seaweed snacks, sesame oil, sushi rice, Japanese mayonnaise, and a few other items that caught my attention along the way.

Travis and I were using our phones to google which seaweed brands were good for making gimbap and sushi rolls. As we were trying very hard to determine which brand to get, a lovely Korean woman, who was also shopping in the store, overheard our conversation and walked up to us offering to help.

She was so sweet. She showed us which seaweed brands she uses to make gimbap. We smiled and thanked her profusely for her kindness. That helped us so much!

One of the things I enjoy most about cooking is learning something new. I love learning how to cook many different types of foods. I may not know exactly what I’m doing yet, but that’s part of the fun!

Every new ingredient, recipe, and kitchen experiment teaches me a little more than I knew the day before.

Here are some photos from our H-Mart grocery store haul.

Now the real adventure begins: figuring out what to make first! Do you enjoy learning how to cook different types of recipes?

💜 XO

H-Mart grocery haul

We made a trip to H-Mart, and I unintentionally ended up with a big grocery haul. Lol! Isn’t that how it always happens?

To me, H-Mart is like the Target of grocery stores. I go in with my short list, and I somehow always come out with a cart full of way more than I had planned.

Over the past few months, I’ve become increasingly interested in Japanese and Korean home cooking, especially the simple, everyday meals families prepare. So, I decided it was time to explore a few ingredients that were completely new to me.

Travis was able to help me pick out some of the products. He was stationed in South Korea for about a year, and he said he ate out at a lot of the restaurants (which he loved!). He even took a cooking class while he was living in Korea.

This trip, I picked up seaweed snacks, sesame oil, sushi rice, Japanese mayonnaise, and a few other items that caught my attention along the way.

Travis and I were using our phones to google which seaweed brands were good for making gimbap and sushi rolls. As we were trying very hard to determine which brand to get, a lovely Korean woman, who was also shopping in the store, overheard our conversation and walked up to us offering to help.

She was so sweet. She showed us which seaweed brands she uses to make gimbap. We smiled and thanked her profusely for her kindness. That helped us so much!

One of the things I enjoy most about cooking is learning something new. I love learning how to cook many different types of foods. I may not know exactly what I’m doing yet, but that’s part of the fun!

Every new ingredient, recipe, and kitchen experiment teaches me a little more than I knew the day before.

Here are some photos from our H-Mart grocery store haul.

Now the real adventure begins: figuring out what to make first! Do you enjoy learning how to cook different types of recipes?

💜 XO

H-Mart grocery haul

We made a trip to H-Mart, and I unintentionally ended up with a big grocery haul. Lol! Isn’t that how it always happens?

To me, H-Mart is like the Target of grocery stores. I go in with my short list, and I somehow always come out with a cart full of way more than I had planned.

Over the past few months, I’ve become increasingly interested in Japanese and Korean home cooking, especially the simple, everyday meals families prepare. So, I decided it was time to explore a few ingredients that were completely new to me.

Travis was able to help me pick out some of the products. He was stationed in South Korea for about a year, and he said he ate out at a lot of the restaurants (which he loved!). He even took a cooking class while he was living in Korea.

This trip, I picked up seaweed snacks, sesame oil, sushi rice, Japanese mayonnaise, and a few other items that caught my attention along the way.

Travis and I were using our phones to google which seaweed brands were good for making gimbap and sushi rolls. As we were trying very hard to determine which brand to get, a lovely Korean woman, who was also shopping in the store, overheard our conversation and walked up to us offering to help.

She was so sweet. She showed us which seaweed brands she uses to make gimbap. We smiled and thanked her profusely for her kindness. That helped us so much!

One of the things I enjoy most about cooking is learning something new. I love learning how to cook many different types of foods. I may not know exactly what I’m doing yet, but that’s part of the fun!

Every new ingredient, recipe, and kitchen experiment teaches me a little more than I knew the day before.

Here are some photos from our H-Mart grocery store haul.

Now the real adventure begins: figuring out what to make first! Do you enjoy learning how to cook different types of recipes?

💜 XO

Broken sunflowers still bloom 🌻

In the springtime, Travis and I discovered volunteer sunflower sprouts growing in between the sidewalk.

I’m pretty sure the sunflower seeds were left behind in the wintertime by the birds and squirrels when I put up bird feeders.

So, we gently moved the sunflower sprouts to our garden bed.

We managed to “rescue” six of the eight sunflower sprouts we found in the sidewalk. All six of the sprouts recovered from transplant shock and grew strong and tall.

But as many gardeners know, sunflower stems can still be fragile, especially during storms or when pesky squirrels are rummaging through your garden. 😏🐿

The beautiful thing about sunflowers, though, is that they are resilient plants.

Despite nature’s challenges, sunflowers will try very hard to keep growing, even when broken. Sometimes they just need a little help.

This is something I have learned this gardening season.

I was able to save one broken sunflower plant by trimming down the stem and placing it in a vase of water.

The sunflower still bloomed, and the bees loved it!

Another sunflower plant with a broken stem (thanks squirrel! 🐿😏) Travis was able to make a stick-based cast for it.

And the other day, that sunflower bud still bloomed!

It makes me happy that even though a couple of our sunflowers experienced hardships, we were still able to give the flowers a chance to complete their life cycle. 🌻😍

Despite being broken, the sunflowers served a great purpose by attracting the bees to our garden to pollinate our food plants (like our peppers 🫑 and tomatoes 🍅).

And perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned from broken sunflowers that keep blooming anyway. 😉🌻🙏🏽

💜 XO

Broken sunflowers still bloom 🌻

In the springtime, Travis and I discovered volunteer sunflower sprouts growing in between the sidewalk.

I’m pretty sure the sunflower seeds were left behind in the wintertime by the birds and squirrels when I put up bird feeders.

So, we gently moved the sunflower sprouts to our garden bed.

We managed to “rescue” six of the eight sunflower sprouts we found in the sidewalk. All six of the sprouts recovered from transplant shock and grew strong and tall.

But as many gardeners know, sunflower stems can still be fragile, especially during storms or when pesky squirrels are rummaging through your garden. 😏🐿

The beautiful thing about sunflowers, though, is that they are resilient plants.

Despite nature’s challenges, sunflowers will try very hard to keep growing, even when broken. Sometimes they just need a little help.

This is something I have learned this gardening season.

I was able to save one broken sunflower plant by trimming down the stem and placing it in a vase of water.

The sunflower still bloomed, and the bees loved it!

Another sunflower plant with a broken stem (thanks squirrel! 🐿😏) Travis was able to make a stick-based cast for it.

And the other day, that sunflower bud still bloomed!

It makes me happy that even though a couple of our sunflowers experienced hardships, we were still able to give the flowers a chance to complete their life cycle. 🌻😍

Despite being broken, the sunflowers served a great purpose by attracting the bees to our garden to pollinate our food plants (like our peppers 🫑 and tomatoes 🍅).

And perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned from broken sunflowers that keep blooming anyway. 😉🌻🙏🏽

💜 XO

Broken sunflowers still bloom 🌻

In the springtime, Travis and I discovered volunteer sunflower sprouts growing in between the sidewalk.

I’m pretty sure the sunflower seeds were left behind in the wintertime by the birds and squirrels when I put up bird feeders.

So, we gently moved the sunflower sprouts to our garden bed.

We managed to “rescue” six of the eight sunflower sprouts we found in the sidewalk. All six of the sprouts recovered from transplant shock and grew strong and tall.

But as many gardeners know, sunflower stems can still be fragile, especially during storms or when pesky squirrels are rummaging through your garden. 😏🐿

The beautiful thing about sunflowers, though, is that they are resilient plants.

Despite nature’s challenges, sunflowers will try very hard to keep growing, even when broken. Sometimes they just need a little help.

This is something I have learned this gardening season.

I was able to save one broken sunflower plant by trimming down the stem and placing it in a vase of water.

The sunflower still bloomed, and the bees loved it!

Another sunflower plant with a broken stem (thanks squirrel! 🐿😏) Travis was able to make a stick-based cast for it.

And the other day, that sunflower bud still bloomed!

It makes me happy that even though a couple of our sunflowers experienced hardships, we were still able to give the flowers a chance to complete their life cycle. 🌻😍

Despite being broken, the sunflowers served a great purpose by attracting the bees to our garden to pollinate our food plants (like our peppers 🫑 and tomatoes 🍅).

And perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned from broken sunflowers that keep blooming anyway. 😉🌻🙏🏽

💜 XO

Broken sunflowers still bloom 🌻

In the springtime, Travis and I discovered volunteer sunflower sprouts growing in between the sidewalk.

I’m pretty sure the sunflower seeds were left behind in the wintertime by the birds and squirrels when I put up bird feeders.

So, we gently moved the sunflower sprouts to our garden bed.

We managed to “rescue” six of the eight sunflower sprouts we found in the sidewalk. All six of the sprouts recovered from transplant shock and grew strong and tall.

But as many gardeners know, sunflower stems can still be fragile, especially during storms or when pesky squirrels are rummaging through your garden. 😏🐿

The beautiful thing about sunflowers, though, is that they are resilient plants.

Despite nature’s challenges, sunflowers will try very hard to keep growing, even when broken. Sometimes they just need a little help.

This is something I have learned this gardening season.

I was able to save one broken sunflower plant by trimming down the stem and placing it in a vase of water.

The sunflower still bloomed, and the bees loved it!

Another sunflower plant with a broken stem (thanks squirrel! 🐿😏) Travis was able to make a stick-based cast for it.

And the other day, that sunflower bud still bloomed!

It makes me happy that even though a couple of our sunflowers experienced hardships, we were still able to give the flowers a chance to complete their life cycle. 🌻😍

Despite being broken, the sunflowers served a great purpose by attracting the bees to our garden to pollinate our food plants (like our peppers 🫑 and tomatoes 🍅).

And perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned from broken sunflowers that keep blooming anyway. 😉🌻🙏🏽

💜 XO

Broken sunflowers still bloom 🌻

In the springtime, Travis and I discovered volunteer sunflower sprouts growing in between the sidewalk.

I’m pretty sure the sunflower seeds were left behind in the wintertime by the birds and squirrels when I put up bird feeders.

So, we gently moved the sunflower sprouts to our garden bed.

We managed to “rescue” six of the eight sunflower sprouts we found in the sidewalk. All six of the sprouts recovered from transplant shock and grew strong and tall.

But as many gardeners know, sunflower stems can still be fragile, especially during storms or when pesky squirrels are rummaging through your garden. 😏🐿

The beautiful thing about sunflowers, though, is that they are resilient plants.

Despite nature’s challenges, sunflowers will try very hard to keep growing, even when broken. Sometimes they just need a little help.

This is something I have learned this gardening season.

I was able to save one broken sunflower plant by trimming down the stem and placing it in a vase of water.

The sunflower still bloomed, and the bees loved it!

Another sunflower plant with a broken stem (thanks squirrel! 🐿😏) Travis was able to make a stick-based cast for it.

And the other day, that sunflower bud still bloomed!

It makes me happy that even though a couple of our sunflowers experienced hardships, we were still able to give the flowers a chance to complete their life cycle. 🌻😍

Despite being broken, the sunflowers served a great purpose by attracting the bees to our garden to pollinate our food plants (like our peppers 🫑 and tomatoes 🍅).

And perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned from broken sunflowers that keep blooming anyway. 😉🌻🙏🏽

💜 XO

6-7 chicken nuggets

I don’t even remember how this whole “6-7” trend started, but it has certainly become part of our everyday life, hasn’t it? 😆

The latest addition to the trend? Six- and seven-shaped chicken nuggets. I’m not even joking. Lol!

The kids spotted them while we were grocery shopping at Aldi, and of course they immediately wanted us to buy a bag so they could try them. 🤣

And the price of the nuggets?

Why, $6.70, of course.

This reminds me of when Domino’s featured their 6-7 pizza sale last —buy a large pizza for $6.70 using their promo code “67.”

The kids were so excited when they found out about it, that they asked us to please buy them the new Domino’s 6-7 pizza for our family Pizza Friday. 🍕🤣

And so we did, and nope, the pizza wasn’t shaped like the numbers six and seven. Didn’t taste any different, either.

But the kids thought it was funny, and it made us all laugh. Totally worth it, imo! 😂

💜 XO

6-7 chicken nuggets

I don’t even remember how this whole “6-7” trend started, but it has certainly become part of our everyday life, hasn’t it? 😆

The latest addition to the trend? Six- and seven-shaped chicken nuggets. I’m not even joking. Lol!

The kids spotted them while we were grocery shopping at Aldi, and of course they immediately wanted us to buy a bag so they could try them. 🤣

And the price of the nuggets?

Why, $6.70, of course.

This reminds me of when Domino’s featured their 6-7 pizza sale last —buy a large pizza for $6.70 using their promo code “67.”

The kids were so excited when they found out about it, that they asked us to please buy them the new Domino’s 6-7 pizza for our family Pizza Friday. 🍕🤣

And so we did, and nope, the pizza wasn’t shaped like the numbers six and seven. Didn’t taste any different, either.

But the kids thought it was funny, and it made us all laugh. Totally worth it, imo! 😂

💜 XO

6-7 chicken nuggets

I don’t even remember how this whole “6-7” trend started, but it has certainly become part of our everyday life, hasn’t it? 😆

The latest addition to the trend? Six- and seven-shaped chicken nuggets. I’m not even joking. Lol!

The kids spotted them while we were grocery shopping at Aldi, and of course they immediately wanted us to buy a bag so they could try them. 🤣

And the price of the nuggets?

Why, $6.70, of course.

This reminds me of when Domino’s featured their 6-7 pizza sale last —buy a large pizza for $6.70 using their promo code “67.”

The kids were so excited when they found out about it, that they asked us to please buy them the new Domino’s 6-7 pizza for our family Pizza Friday. 🍕🤣

And so we did, and nope, the pizza wasn’t shaped like the numbers six and seven. Didn’t taste any different, either.

But the kids thought it was funny, and it made us all laugh. Totally worth it, imo! 😂

💜 XO

6-7 chicken nuggets

I don’t even remember how this whole “6-7” trend started, but it has certainly become part of our everyday life, hasn’t it? 😆

The latest addition to the trend? Six- and seven-shaped chicken nuggets. I’m not even joking. Lol!

The kids spotted them while we were grocery shopping at Aldi, and of course they immediately wanted us to buy a bag so they could try them. 🤣

And the price of the nuggets?

Why, $6.70, of course.

This reminds me of when Domino’s featured their 6-7 pizza sale last —buy a large pizza for $6.70 using their promo code “67.”

The kids were so excited when they found out about it, that they asked us to please buy them the new Domino’s 6-7 pizza for our family Pizza Friday. 🍕🤣

And so we did, and nope, the pizza wasn’t shaped like the numbers six and seven. Didn’t taste any different, either.

But the kids thought it was funny, and it made us all laugh. Totally worth it, imo! 😂

💜 XO

6-7 chicken nuggets

I don’t even remember how this whole “6-7” trend started, but it has certainly become part of our everyday life, hasn’t it? 😆

The latest addition to the trend? Six- and seven-shaped chicken nuggets. I’m not even joking. Lol!

The kids spotted them while we were grocery shopping at Aldi, and of course they immediately wanted us to buy a bag so they could try them. 🤣

And the price of the nuggets?

Why, $6.70, of course.

This reminds me of when Domino’s featured their 6-7 pizza sale last —buy a large pizza for $6.70 using their promo code “67.”

The kids were so excited when they found out about it, that they asked us to please buy them the new Domino’s 6-7 pizza for our family Pizza Friday. 🍕🤣

And so we did, and nope, the pizza wasn’t shaped like the numbers six and seven. Didn’t taste any different, either.

But the kids thought it was funny, and it made us all laugh. Totally worth it, imo! 😂

💜 XO

I voted! 🇺🇸

Tuesday was the Michigan primary (the day after we celebrated our 15th anniversary!), and I made sure to cast my vote!

Travis and I always take the kids with us when we head to the polls, whether it’s Election Day or a primary election. We believe it’s important to include them so that voting simply becomes a normal part of life.

I honestly can’t remember ever going to the polls with my mom or dad when I was growing up.

That doesn’t mean it had a negative effect on how I viewed voting, and I certainly don’t blame my parents. It was simply a different experience.

Politics wasn’t really discussed with the children when I was growing up. (Of course, other 90s kids may have had a different experience than I did.)

I will say, though, that I didn’t fully understand the importance of voting when I was younger. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties (I’m 45 now) that I began to better understand the voting process and just how important it is for citizens to participate.

By including our children and having ongoing conversations about voting and how our government works, Travis and I hope they’ll have a much deeper understanding of the process by the time they turn 18. 😊

No matter where a person stands politically, I think understanding how our government functions is an important part of becoming an informed citizen.

💜 XO

Photo info: the photos featured in today’s post are from Tuesday’s voting day, 8/4/26.

I voted! 🇺🇸

Tuesday was the Michigan primary (the day after we celebrated our 15th anniversary!), and I made sure to cast my vote!

Travis and I always take the kids with us when we head to the polls, whether it’s Election Day or a primary election. We believe it’s important to include them so that voting simply becomes a normal part of life.

I honestly can’t remember ever going to the polls with my mom or dad when I was growing up.

That doesn’t mean it had a negative effect on how I viewed voting, and I certainly don’t blame my parents. It was simply a different experience.

Politics wasn’t really discussed with the children when I was growing up. (Of course, other 90s kids may have had a different experience than I did.)

I will say, though, that I didn’t fully understand the importance of voting when I was younger. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties (I’m 45 now) that I began to better understand the voting process and just how important it is for citizens to participate.

By including our children and having ongoing conversations about voting and how our government works, Travis and I hope they’ll have a much deeper understanding of the process by the time they turn 18. 😊

No matter where a person stands politically, I think understanding how our government functions is an important part of becoming an informed citizen.

💜 XO

Photo info: the photos featured in today’s post are from Tuesday’s voting day, 8/4/26.

I voted! 🇺🇸

Tuesday was the Michigan primary (the day after we celebrated our 15th anniversary!), and I made sure to cast my vote!

Travis and I always take the kids with us when we head to the polls, whether it’s Election Day or a primary election. We believe it’s important to include them so that voting simply becomes a normal part of life.

I honestly can’t remember ever going to the polls with my mom or dad when I was growing up.

That doesn’t mean it had a negative effect on how I viewed voting, and I certainly don’t blame my parents. It was simply a different experience.

Politics wasn’t really discussed with the children when I was growing up. (Of course, other 90s kids may have had a different experience than I did.)

I will say, though, that I didn’t fully understand the importance of voting when I was younger. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties (I’m 45 now) that I began to better understand the voting process and just how important it is for citizens to participate.

By including our children and having ongoing conversations about voting and how our government works, Travis and I hope they’ll have a much deeper understanding of the process by the time they turn 18. 😊

No matter where a person stands politically, I think understanding how our government functions is an important part of becoming an informed citizen.

💜 XO

Photo info: the photos featured in today’s post are from Tuesday’s voting day, 8/4/26.

I voted! 🇺🇸

Tuesday was the Michigan primary (the day after we celebrated our 15th anniversary!), and I made sure to cast my vote!

Travis and I always take the kids with us when we head to the polls, whether it’s Election Day or a primary election. We believe it’s important to include them so that voting simply becomes a normal part of life.

I honestly can’t remember ever going to the polls with my mom or dad when I was growing up.

That doesn’t mean it had a negative effect on how I viewed voting, and I certainly don’t blame my parents. It was simply a different experience.

Politics wasn’t really discussed with the children when I was growing up. (Of course, other 90s kids may have had a different experience than I did.)

I will say, though, that I didn’t fully understand the importance of voting when I was younger. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties (I’m 45 now) that I began to better understand the voting process and just how important it is for citizens to participate.

By including our children and having ongoing conversations about voting and how our government works, Travis and I hope they’ll have a much deeper understanding of the process by the time they turn 18. 😊

No matter where a person stands politically, I think understanding how our government functions is an important part of becoming an informed citizen.

💜 XO

Photo info: the photos featured in today’s post are from Tuesday’s voting day, 8/4/26.

I voted! 🇺🇸

Tuesday was the Michigan primary (the day after we celebrated our 15th anniversary!), and I made sure to cast my vote!

Travis and I always take the kids with us when we head to the polls, whether it’s Election Day or a primary election. We believe it’s important to include them so that voting simply becomes a normal part of life.

I honestly can’t remember ever going to the polls with my mom or dad when I was growing up.

That doesn’t mean it had a negative effect on how I viewed voting, and I certainly don’t blame my parents. It was simply a different experience.

Politics wasn’t really discussed with the children when I was growing up. (Of course, other 90s kids may have had a different experience than I did.)

I will say, though, that I didn’t fully understand the importance of voting when I was younger. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties (I’m 45 now) that I began to better understand the voting process and just how important it is for citizens to participate.

By including our children and having ongoing conversations about voting and how our government works, Travis and I hope they’ll have a much deeper understanding of the process by the time they turn 18. 😊

No matter where a person stands politically, I think understanding how our government functions is an important part of becoming an informed citizen.

💜 XO

Photo info: the photos featured in today’s post are from Tuesday’s voting day, 8/4/26.

Today is a gift 🎁

The other day, when we were on our way to the grocery store, the kids were watching Kung Fu Panda on DVD in the van.

I overheard Master Oogway 🐢, one of the characters in the movie, say to Po (the panda 🐼):

“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it’s called a present.”

This quote made me smile because Master Oogway is right—today is truly a gift. Each new day we are given is a great blessing.

When I wake up in the morning, I thank God for blessing me with a new day of life, drawing me back to Him, and keeping me connected to my loved ones.

So, Master Oogway’s wise words in the children’s animated film Kung Fu Panda is my outlook on life. 🐼🙏🏽

💜 XO

Raising a swallowtail caterpillar 🐛

When I bought a parsley plant at the farm store, I discovered what appeared to be a swallowtail egg on the plant.

So, we waited a few days for the egg to hatch, and sure enough—a swallowtail caterpillar emerged! 🐛

The kids really wanted to “raise” the caterpillar we found on the parsley. ast summer we took care of one and watched the swallowtail caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a beautiful butterfly. 🦋

Prior to finding our new little friend, I was thinking about buying a butterfly kit for this summer. Since we found a swallowtail caterpillar on our parsley, I didn’t need to buy a kit! 😁

It just so happens the kids have diy butterfly biome kits their big sis Mj (24) gifted to them last summer.

They placed one of their butterfly houses in a clear container box to create a caterpillar habitat for Cali (the name the kids gave the caterpillar lol).

We brought the caterpillar box inside our house and placed it on one of our art shelves near a window.

Based on our experience from last summer, caring for a swallowtail caterpillar is pretty easy. All you do is place it in a medium-sized box (preferably clear so you can see inside the box.

Place an herb plant such as fennel or parsley in the box so the caterpillar can eat. Caterpillars eat and poop A LOT 💩. They’re basically like a newborn human baby. Lol! 😂 Just no crying. Haha

So, be prepared to see little, round balls in the box. 😆 You can just clean it out with a paper towel.

Secure tulle to the top of the box for air flow and to keep the caterpillar inside the box. As long as there’s food in the box (such as fennel or parsley), the caterpillar will stay put.

But once the caterpillar is done eating and ready to form into a chrysalis, it will start to “wander” in the box. This is when it is looking for a safe place to change into a chrysalis.

This is also why we added the butterfly biome to the box for the caterpillar.

The chrysalis stage is very fascinating. Once the caterpillar turns into a chrysalis, you can actually see the outline of its body on the chrysalis.

I’ll share updates on our swallowtail caterpillar as it continues to grow!

💜 XO

Raising a swallowtail caterpillar 🐛

When I bought a parsley plant at the farm store, I discovered what appeared to be a swallowtail egg on the plant.

So, we waited a few days for the egg to hatch, and sure enough—a swallowtail caterpillar emerged! 🐛

The kids really wanted to “raise” the caterpillar we found on the parsley. ast summer we took care of one and watched the swallowtail caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a beautiful butterfly. 🦋

Prior to finding our new little friend, I was thinking about buying a butterfly kit for this summer. Since we found a swallowtail caterpillar on our parsley, I didn’t need to buy a kit! 😁

It just so happens the kids have diy butterfly biome kits their big sis Mj (24) gifted to them last summer.

They placed one of their butterfly houses in a clear container box to create a caterpillar habitat for Cali (the name the kids gave the caterpillar lol).

We brought the caterpillar box inside our house and placed it on one of our art shelves near a window.

Based on our experience from last summer, caring for a swallowtail caterpillar is pretty easy. All you do is place it in a medium-sized box (preferably clear so you can see inside the box.

Place an herb plant such as fennel or parsley in the box so the caterpillar can eat. Caterpillars eat and poop A LOT 💩. They’re basically like a newborn human baby. Lol! 😂 Just no crying. Haha

So, be prepared to see little, round balls in the box. 😆 You can just clean it out with a paper towel.

Secure tulle to the top of the box for air flow and to keep the caterpillar inside the box. As long as there’s food in the box (such as fennel or parsley), the caterpillar will stay put.

But once the caterpillar is done eating and ready to form into a chrysalis, it will start to “wander” in the box. This is when it is looking for a safe place to change into a chrysalis.

This is also why we added the butterfly biome to the box for the caterpillar.

The chrysalis stage is very fascinating. Once the caterpillar turns into a chrysalis, you can actually see the outline of its body on the chrysalis.

I’ll share updates on our swallowtail caterpillar as it continues to grow!

💜 XO

Enjoying the view

We had appointments and errands to run in the city, so we stopped by Michigan Central Station to take a break at Roosevelt Park in Detroit.

The kids were amazed by the view of the historic train station from the park, and it reminded me how much Roosevelt Park has changed over the years.

I really like the new walking paths and seating throughout the park, especially the swings.

I enjoyed seeing people walking, riding bikes, reading books, playing catch, and simply slowing down to enjoy the afternoon.

I wish I had taken more photos, but honestly, I was feeling a little anxious after my annual doctor’s appointment. Now I’m waiting for my lab results, along with the biopsy results from an unusual spot I found on my skin.

I just needed a quiet moment in the park to slow down and let my mind rest. 😌

💜 XO

It’s all coming together 🌻

I’m decorating my front porch with my new thrifted folding tables. ☺️

Groceries and thrift store shopping day

I found some great thrifty finds for under $24! ☺️

Sunflowers and tomatoes 🌻🍅

A new sunflower bloom 🌻 and blushing tomatoes 🍅

Enjoying the view

We had appointments and errands to run in the city, so we stopped by Michigan Central Station to take a break at Roosevelt Park in Detroit.

The kids were amazed by the view of the historic train station from the park, and it reminded me how much Roosevelt Park has changed over the years.

I really like the new walking paths and seating throughout the park, especially the swings.

I enjoyed seeing people walking, riding bikes, reading books, playing catch, and simply slowing down to enjoy the afternoon.

I wish I had taken more photos, but honestly, I was feeling a little anxious after my annual doctor’s appointment. Now I’m waiting for my lab results, along with the biopsy results from an unusual spot I found on my skin.

I just needed a quiet moment in the park to slow down and let my mind rest. 😌

💜 XO

It’s all coming together 🌻

I’m decorating my front porch with my new thrifted folding tables. ☺️

Groceries and thrift store shopping day

I found some great thrifty finds for under $24! ☺️

Sunflowers and tomatoes 🌻🍅

A new sunflower bloom 🌻 and blushing tomatoes 🍅

Enjoying the view

We had appointments and errands to run in the city, so we stopped by Michigan Central Station to take a break at Roosevelt Park in Detroit.

The kids were amazed by the view of the historic train station from the park, and it reminded me how much Roosevelt Park has changed over the years.

I really like the new walking paths and seating throughout the park, especially the swings.

I enjoyed seeing people walking, riding bikes, reading books, playing catch, and simply slowing down to enjoy the afternoon.

I wish I had taken more photos, but honestly, I was feeling a little anxious after my annual doctor’s appointment. Now I’m waiting for my lab results, along with the biopsy results from an unusual spot I found on my skin.

I just needed a quiet moment in the park to slow down and let my mind rest. 😌

💜 XO

It’s all coming together 🌻

I’m decorating my front porch with my new thrifted folding tables. ☺️

Groceries and thrift store shopping day

I found some great thrifty finds for under $24! ☺️

Sunflowers and tomatoes 🌻🍅

A new sunflower bloom 🌻 and blushing tomatoes 🍅

Enjoying the view

We had appointments and errands to run in the city, so we stopped by Michigan Central Station to take a break at Roosevelt Park in Detroit.

The kids were amazed by the view of the historic train station from the park, and it reminded me how much Roosevelt Park has changed over the years.

I really like the new walking paths and seating throughout the park, especially the swings.

I enjoyed seeing people walking, riding bikes, reading books, playing catch, and simply slowing down to enjoy the afternoon.

I wish I had taken more photos, but honestly, I was feeling a little anxious after my annual doctor’s appointment. Now I’m waiting for my lab results, along with the biopsy results from an unusual spot I found on my skin.

I just needed a quiet moment in the park to slow down and let my mind rest. 😌

💜 XO

It’s all coming together 🌻

I’m decorating my front porch with my new thrifted folding tables. ☺️

Groceries and thrift store shopping day

I found some great thrifty finds for under $24! ☺️

Sunflowers and tomatoes 🌻🍅

A new sunflower bloom 🌻 and blushing tomatoes 🍅

Enjoying the view

We had appointments and errands to run in the city, so we stopped by Michigan Central Station to take a break at Roosevelt Park in Detroit.

The kids were amazed by the view of the historic train station from the park, and it reminded me how much Roosevelt Park has changed over the years.

I really like the new walking paths and seating throughout the park, especially the swings.

I enjoyed seeing people walking, riding bikes, reading books, playing catch, and simply slowing down to enjoy the afternoon.

I wish I had taken more photos, but honestly, I was feeling a little anxious after my annual doctor’s appointment. Now I’m waiting for my lab results, along with the biopsy results from an unusual spot I found on my skin.

I just needed a quiet moment in the park to slow down and let my mind rest. 😌

💜 XO

It’s all coming together 🌻

I’m decorating my front porch with my new thrifted folding tables. ☺️

Groceries and thrift store shopping day

I found some great thrifty finds for under $24! ☺️

Sunflowers and tomatoes 🌻🍅

A new sunflower bloom 🌻 and blushing tomatoes 🍅

Sorry I haven't shown up here in a while.
Was busy reading self-help books and ridiculously long fanfics, and thinking about life.
#SelfHelpBooks
#Fanfiction
#ReadingSpree
#LifeReflections
#Bookworm
#WhereHaveIBeen
#ReadingLife

I searched everywhere for the outdoor weather station sensor and just couldn’t find it. A friend suggested I think of it as an adventure, but I was mostly frustrated.

In the end, it became another reminder of all the little things I can no longer ask Dad. Finding the sensor brought some relief, but it also made me realize how much I still miss being able to turn to him for answers.

#GriefJourney #Remembering #LifeReflections #Family #EverydayLife

I searched everywhere for the outdoor weather station sensor and just couldn’t find it. A friend suggested I think of it as an adventure, but I was mostly frustrated.

In the end, it became another reminder of all the little things I can no longer ask Dad. Finding the sensor brought some relief, but it also made me realize how much I still miss being able to turn to him for answers.

#GriefJourney #Remembering #LifeReflections #Family #EverydayLife

I searched everywhere for the outdoor weather station sensor and just couldn’t find it. A friend suggested I think of it as an adventure, but I was mostly frustrated.

In the end, it became another reminder of all the little things I can no longer ask Dad. Finding the sensor brought some relief, but it also made me realize how much I still miss being able to turn to him for answers.

#GriefJourney #Remembering #LifeReflections #Family #EverydayLife

I searched everywhere for the outdoor weather station sensor and just couldn’t find it. A friend suggested I think of it as an adventure, but I was mostly frustrated.

In the end, it became another reminder of all the little things I can no longer ask Dad. Finding the sensor brought some relief, but it also made me realize how much I still miss being able to turn to him for answers.

#GriefJourney #Remembering #LifeReflections #Family #EverydayLife

I searched everywhere for the outdoor weather station sensor and just couldn’t find it. A friend suggested I think of it as an adventure, but I was mostly frustrated.

In the end, it became another reminder of all the little things I can no longer ask Dad. Finding the sensor brought some relief, but it also made me realize how much I still miss being able to turn to him for answers.

#GriefJourney #Remembering #LifeReflections #Family #EverydayLife

Drawing with the kids 👩🏽‍🎨

Today, I enjoyed a calming activity with the kids—sketching and coloring flowers. 🌸 The flower activity was part of a science lesson for the kids to draw, color, and label a flower with pollen.

I turned on a jazz playlist to help us focus on our artwork, and as we were creating our sketches, it started to rain.

Perfect timing! 🌧☺️

We discussed shapes we could see in the image of the flower.

One shape that stood out to Zaya (5) and Zephaniah (8) was the middle of the flower reminded them of a hexagon.

So, together we sketched a hexagon shape onto our sketch pads.

Surprisingly, drawing a hexagon is not as easy as I thought it would be! It took me several tries to finally get the six sides connected to form the shape. 😆

Next, we discussed the vibrant yellow color of the pollen and its purpose. We also made connections to the flowers and vegetables growing in our garden.

There was something unexpectedly joyful sitting at the kitchen table with Zaya and Zephaniah, drawing and coloring together.

Keep in mind I am not an artist 😅.

However, the children told me they thought my purple flower looked amazing, and really, that’s all the recognition I needed. 🥰

💜 XO

Somewhat clear skies

It feels good to be back outside now that the air quality is improving.

An unexpected visitor 🐣

A summer storm left our patio garden with one unexpected little visitor. 🐥

A front porch garden harvest 🫑

Enjoying a small garden harvest right from our front porch! 🫑🥬

Drawing with the kids 👩🏽‍🎨

Today, I enjoyed a calming activity with the kids—sketching and coloring flowers. 🌸 The flower activity was part of a science lesson for the kids to draw, color, and label a flower with pollen.

I turned on a jazz playlist to help us focus on our artwork, and as we were creating our sketches, it started to rain.

Perfect timing! 🌧☺️

We discussed shapes we could see in the image of the flower.

One shape that stood out to Zaya (5) and Zephaniah (8) was the middle of the flower reminded them of a hexagon.

So, together we sketched a hexagon shape onto our sketch pads.

Surprisingly, drawing a hexagon is not as easy as I thought it would be! It took me several tries to finally get the six sides connected to form the shape. 😆

Next, we discussed the vibrant yellow color of the pollen and its purpose. We also made connections to the flowers and vegetables growing in our garden.

There was something unexpectedly joyful sitting at the kitchen table with Zaya and Zephaniah, drawing and coloring together.

Keep in mind I am not an artist 😅.

However, the children told me they thought my purple flower looked amazing, and really, that’s all the recognition I needed. 🥰

💜 XO

Somewhat clear skies

It feels good to be back outside now that the air quality is improving.

An unexpected visitor 🐣

A summer storm left our patio garden with one unexpected little visitor. 🐥

A front porch garden harvest 🫑

Enjoying a small garden harvest right from our front porch! 🫑🥬

Drawing with the kids 👩🏽‍🎨

Today, I enjoyed a calming activity with the kids—sketching and coloring flowers. 🌸 The flower activity was part of a science lesson for the kids to draw, color, and label a flower with pollen.

I turned on a jazz playlist to help us focus on our artwork, and as we were creating our sketches, it started to rain.

Perfect timing! 🌧☺️

We discussed shapes we could see in the image of the flower.

One shape that stood out to Zaya (5) and Zephaniah (8) was the middle of the flower reminded them of a hexagon.

So, together we sketched a hexagon shape onto our sketch pads.

Surprisingly, drawing a hexagon is not as easy as I thought it would be! It took me several tries to finally get the six sides connected to form the shape. 😆

Next, we discussed the vibrant yellow color of the pollen and its purpose. We also made connections to the flowers and vegetables growing in our garden.

There was something unexpectedly joyful sitting at the kitchen table with Zaya and Zephaniah, drawing and coloring together.

Keep in mind I am not an artist 😅.

However, the children told me they thought my purple flower looked amazing, and really, that’s all the recognition I needed. 🥰

💜 XO

Somewhat clear skies

It feels good to be back outside now that the air quality is improving.

An unexpected visitor 🐣

A summer storm left our patio garden with one unexpected little visitor. 🐥

A front porch garden harvest 🫑

Enjoying a small garden harvest right from our front porch! 🫑🥬

Drawing with the kids 👩🏽‍🎨

Today, I enjoyed a calming activity with the kids—sketching and coloring flowers. 🌸 The flower activity was part of a science lesson for the kids to draw, color, and label a flower with pollen.

I turned on a jazz playlist to help us focus on our artwork, and as we were creating our sketches, it started to rain.

Perfect timing! 🌧☺️

We discussed shapes we could see in the image of the flower.

One shape that stood out to Zaya (5) and Zephaniah (8) was the middle of the flower reminded them of a hexagon.

So, together we sketched a hexagon shape onto our sketch pads.

Surprisingly, drawing a hexagon is not as easy as I thought it would be! It took me several tries to finally get the six sides connected to form the shape. 😆

Next, we discussed the vibrant yellow color of the pollen and its purpose. We also made connections to the flowers and vegetables growing in our garden.

There was something unexpectedly joyful sitting at the kitchen table with Zaya and Zephaniah, drawing and coloring together.

Keep in mind I am not an artist 😅.

However, the children told me they thought my purple flower looked amazing, and really, that’s all the recognition I needed. 🥰

💜 XO

Somewhat clear skies

It feels good to be back outside now that the air quality is improving.

An unexpected visitor 🐣

A summer storm left our patio garden with one unexpected little visitor. 🐥

A front porch garden harvest 🫑

Enjoying a small garden harvest right from our front porch! 🫑🥬

Drawing with the kids 👩🏽‍🎨

Today, I enjoyed a calming activity with the kids—sketching and coloring flowers. 🌸 The flower activity was part of a science lesson for the kids to draw, color, and label a flower with pollen.

I turned on a jazz playlist to help us focus on our artwork, and as we were creating our sketches, it started to rain.

Perfect timing! 🌧☺️

We discussed shapes we could see in the image of the flower.

One shape that stood out to Zaya (5) and Zephaniah (8) was the middle of the flower reminded them of a hexagon.

So, together we sketched a hexagon shape onto our sketch pads.

Surprisingly, drawing a hexagon is not as easy as I thought it would be! It took me several tries to finally get the six sides connected to form the shape. 😆

Next, we discussed the vibrant yellow color of the pollen and its purpose. We also made connections to the flowers and vegetables growing in our garden.

There was something unexpectedly joyful sitting at the kitchen table with Zaya and Zephaniah, drawing and coloring together.

Keep in mind I am not an artist 😅.

However, the children told me they thought my purple flower looked amazing, and really, that’s all the recognition I needed. 🥰

💜 XO

Somewhat clear skies

It feels good to be back outside now that the air quality is improving.

An unexpected visitor 🐣

A summer storm left our patio garden with one unexpected little visitor. 🐥

A front porch garden harvest 🫑

Enjoying a small garden harvest right from our front porch! 🫑🥬

Somewhat clear skies

We’re still under an air quality alert (because of the wildfire smoke), but today the atmosphere was much better than last Wednesday afternoon.

And the temps were a little cooler with a nice breeze.

We’ve been able to get out and enjoy the park again.

I just love visiting parks tucked away in neighborhoods near our house. The neighborhood parks feature a playground with paved walking paths good for walking and riding bikes or even skating.

One of my favorite features is how the walking paths go around the playground making it easier for us to keep an eye on the kids while we walk.

It feels good to see people out jogging, walking, riding bikes, and playing at the playground again.

Last week’s thick smoke made everything look like a ghost town because no one was out walking in the neighborhood or at the parks. Traffic was even lighter than usual.

I know the kids are thrilled to be back at the playground.

They’ve had the best time going to the park three days in a row. They asked me if we can go everyday. Lol 😅

Travis and I enjoy walking together while the kids play at the playground, so I think we just might make evening walks part of our nightly routine! ☺️

💜 XO

An unexpected visitor 🐣

A summer storm left our patio garden with one unexpected little visitor. 🐥

A front porch garden harvest 🫑

Enjoying a small garden harvest right from our front porch! 🫑🥬

Attack of the ravenous cabbage caterpillars 🐛

My broccoli never stood a chance. 😏🥦🐛

Somewhat clear skies

We’re still under an air quality alert (because of the wildfire smoke), but today the atmosphere was much better than last Wednesday afternoon.

And the temps were a little cooler with a nice breeze.

We’ve been able to get out and enjoy the park again.

I just love visiting parks tucked away in neighborhoods near our house. The neighborhood parks feature a playground with paved walking paths good for walking and riding bikes or even skating.

One of my favorite features is how the walking paths go around the playground making it easier for us to keep an eye on the kids while we walk.

It feels good to see people out jogging, walking, riding bikes, and playing at the playground again.

Last week’s thick smoke made everything look like a ghost town because no one was out walking in the neighborhood or at the parks. Traffic was even lighter than usual.

I know the kids are thrilled to be back at the playground.

They’ve had the best time going to the park three days in a row. They asked me if we can go everyday. Lol 😅

Travis and I enjoy walking together while the kids play at the playground, so I think we just might make evening walks part of our nightly routine! ☺️

💜 XO

An unexpected visitor 🐣

A summer storm left our patio garden with one unexpected little visitor. 🐥

A front porch garden harvest 🫑

Enjoying a small garden harvest right from our front porch! 🫑🥬

Attack of the ravenous cabbage caterpillars 🐛

My broccoli never stood a chance. 😏🥦🐛

Somewhat clear skies

We’re still under an air quality alert (because of the wildfire smoke), but today the atmosphere was much better than last Wednesday afternoon.

And the temps were a little cooler with a nice breeze.

We’ve been able to get out and enjoy the park again.

I just love visiting parks tucked away in neighborhoods near our house. The neighborhood parks feature a playground with paved walking paths good for walking and riding bikes or even skating.

One of my favorite features is how the walking paths go around the playground making it easier for us to keep an eye on the kids while we walk.

It feels good to see people out jogging, walking, riding bikes, and playing at the playground again.

Last week’s thick smoke made everything look like a ghost town because no one was out walking in the neighborhood or at the parks. Traffic was even lighter than usual.

I know the kids are thrilled to be back at the playground.

They’ve had the best time going to the park three days in a row. They asked me if we can go everyday. Lol 😅

Travis and I enjoy walking together while the kids play at the playground, so I think we just might make evening walks part of our nightly routine! ☺️

💜 XO

An unexpected visitor 🐣

A summer storm left our patio garden with one unexpected little visitor. 🐥

A front porch garden harvest 🫑

Enjoying a small garden harvest right from our front porch! 🫑🥬

Attack of the ravenous cabbage caterpillars 🐛

My broccoli never stood a chance. 😏🥦🐛

Somewhat clear skies

We’re still under an air quality alert (because of the wildfire smoke), but today the atmosphere was much better than last Wednesday afternoon.

And the temps were a little cooler with a nice breeze.

We’ve been able to get out and enjoy the park again.

I just love visiting parks tucked away in neighborhoods near our house. The neighborhood parks feature a playground with paved walking paths good for walking and riding bikes or even skating.

One of my favorite features is how the walking paths go around the playground making it easier for us to keep an eye on the kids while we walk.

It feels good to see people out jogging, walking, riding bikes, and playing at the playground again.

Last week’s thick smoke made everything look like a ghost town because no one was out walking in the neighborhood or at the parks. Traffic was even lighter than usual.

I know the kids are thrilled to be back at the playground.

They’ve had the best time going to the park three days in a row. They asked me if we can go everyday. Lol 😅

Travis and I enjoy walking together while the kids play at the playground, so I think we just might make evening walks part of our nightly routine! ☺️

💜 XO

An unexpected visitor 🐣

A summer storm left our patio garden with one unexpected little visitor. 🐥

A front porch garden harvest 🫑

Enjoying a small garden harvest right from our front porch! 🫑🥬

Attack of the ravenous cabbage caterpillars 🐛

My broccoli never stood a chance. 😏🥦🐛

Somewhat clear skies

We’re still under an air quality alert (because of the wildfire smoke), but today the atmosphere was much better than last Wednesday afternoon.

And the temps were a little cooler with a nice breeze.

We’ve been able to get out and enjoy the park again.

I just love visiting parks tucked away in neighborhoods near our house. The neighborhood parks feature a playground with paved walking paths good for walking and riding bikes or even skating.

One of my favorite features is how the walking paths go around the playground making it easier for us to keep an eye on the kids while we walk.

It feels good to see people out jogging, walking, riding bikes, and playing at the playground again.

Last week’s thick smoke made everything look like a ghost town because no one was out walking in the neighborhood or at the parks. Traffic was even lighter than usual.

I know the kids are thrilled to be back at the playground.

They’ve had the best time going to the park three days in a row. They asked me if we can go everyday. Lol 😅

Travis and I enjoy walking together while the kids play at the playground, so I think we just might make evening walks part of our nightly routine! ☺️

💜 XO

An unexpected visitor 🐣

A summer storm left our patio garden with one unexpected little visitor. 🐥

A front porch garden harvest 🫑

Enjoying a small garden harvest right from our front porch! 🫑🥬

Attack of the ravenous cabbage caterpillars 🐛

My broccoli never stood a chance. 😏🥦🐛

Where I’ve Been and Why This Blog Is Back

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed something: it went quiet.

The last article was published on January 16, 2025. I didn’t plan on disappearing for over a year… but life had other ideas.

Ironically, I started this blog to entertain myself. It was supposed to be a place where I could write, share ideas, learn new things, and occasionally make people laugh.

Then work decided to become my main source of entertainment.

Between new projects, more responsibilities, frequent travel, and life generally refusing to slow down, the months passed much faster than I expected. Every week seemed to bring something new, and before I knew it, this blog had been sitting quietly on the sidelines.

But here’s the thing: I never forgot about it.

In fact, the longer I was away, the more ideas I kept collecting. I’d come across an interesting topic and think, “That would make a great article.” I’d read something fascinating and want to write about it. The list kept growing… the publishing didn’t.

Until now.

This blog is returning with a much clearer vision than when it first started.

The goal is simple: build a library of content that’s worth coming back to.

Whether you want to learn something new, improve your finances, laugh for a few minutes, read an original story, discover a poem, practice Spanish, or simply explore different perspectives on the world, I want there to be something here for you.

Over the coming months, you’ll see articles across every category, with new content published consistently. Some posts will make you think, some will teach you something practical, and hopefully, a few will make you laugh.

This isn’t just another post. It’s the start of a new chapter for the blog.

If you’re returning after all this time, thank you for sticking around.

And if you’re new here… Welcome. I hope you’ll enjoy what’s coming next.

Where I’ve Been and Why This Blog Is Back

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed something: it went quiet.

The last article was published on January 16, 2025. I didn’t plan on disappearing for over a year… but life had other ideas.

Ironically, I started this blog to entertain myself. It was supposed to be a place where I could write, share ideas, learn new things, and occasionally make people laugh.

Then work decided to become my main source of entertainment.

Between new projects, more responsibilities, frequent travel, and life generally refusing to slow down, the months passed much faster than I expected. Every week seemed to bring something new, and before I knew it, this blog had been sitting quietly on the sidelines.

But here’s the thing: I never forgot about it.

In fact, the longer I was away, the more ideas I kept collecting. I’d come across an interesting topic and think, “That would make a great article.” I’d read something fascinating and want to write about it. The list kept growing… the publishing didn’t.

Until now.

This blog is returning with a much clearer vision than when it first started.

The goal is simple: build a library of content that’s worth coming back to.

Whether you want to learn something new, improve your finances, laugh for a few minutes, read an original story, discover a poem, practice Spanish, or simply explore different perspectives on the world, I want there to be something here for you.

Over the coming months, you’ll see articles across every category, with new content published consistently. Some posts will make you think, some will teach you something practical, and hopefully, a few will make you laugh.

This isn’t just another post. It’s the start of a new chapter for the blog.

If you’re returning after all this time, thank you for sticking around.

And if you’re new here… Welcome. I hope you’ll enjoy what’s coming next.

Where I’ve Been and Why This Blog Is Back

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed something: it went quiet.

The last article was published on January 16, 2025. I didn’t plan on disappearing for over a year… but life had other ideas.

Ironically, I started this blog to entertain myself. It was supposed to be a place where I could write, share ideas, learn new things, and occasionally make people laugh.

Then work decided to become my main source of entertainment.

Between new projects, more responsibilities, frequent travel, and life generally refusing to slow down, the months passed much faster than I expected. Every week seemed to bring something new, and before I knew it, this blog had been sitting quietly on the sidelines.

But here’s the thing: I never forgot about it.

In fact, the longer I was away, the more ideas I kept collecting. I’d come across an interesting topic and think, “That would make a great article.” I’d read something fascinating and want to write about it. The list kept growing… the publishing didn’t.

Until now.

This blog is returning with a much clearer vision than when it first started.

The goal is simple: build a library of content that’s worth coming back to.

Whether you want to learn something new, improve your finances, laugh for a few minutes, read an original story, discover a poem, practice Spanish, or simply explore different perspectives on the world, I want there to be something here for you.

Over the coming months, you’ll see articles across every category, with new content published consistently. Some posts will make you think, some will teach you something practical, and hopefully, a few will make you laugh.

This isn’t just another post. It’s the start of a new chapter for the blog.

If you’re returning after all this time, thank you for sticking around.

And if you’re new here… Welcome. I hope you’ll enjoy what’s coming next.

Where I’ve Been and Why This Blog Is Back

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed something: it went quiet.

The last article was published on January 16, 2025. I didn’t plan on disappearing for over a year… but life had other ideas.

Ironically, I started this blog to entertain myself. It was supposed to be a place where I could write, share ideas, learn new things, and occasionally make people laugh.

Then work decided to become my main source of entertainment.

Between new projects, more responsibilities, frequent travel, and life generally refusing to slow down, the months passed much faster than I expected. Every week seemed to bring something new, and before I knew it, this blog had been sitting quietly on the sidelines.

But here’s the thing: I never forgot about it.

In fact, the longer I was away, the more ideas I kept collecting. I’d come across an interesting topic and think, “That would make a great article.” I’d read something fascinating and want to write about it. The list kept growing… the publishing didn’t.

Until now.

This blog is returning with a much clearer vision than when it first started.

The goal is simple: build a library of content that’s worth coming back to.

Whether you want to learn something new, improve your finances, laugh for a few minutes, read an original story, discover a poem, practice Spanish, or simply explore different perspectives on the world, I want there to be something here for you.

Over the coming months, you’ll see articles across every category, with new content published consistently. Some posts will make you think, some will teach you something practical, and hopefully, a few will make you laugh.

This isn’t just another post. It’s the start of a new chapter for the blog.

If you’re returning after all this time, thank you for sticking around.

And if you’re new here… Welcome. I hope you’ll enjoy what’s coming next.

Where I’ve Been and Why This Blog Is Back

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed something: it went quiet.

The last article was published on January 16, 2025. I didn’t plan on disappearing for over a year… but life had other ideas.

Ironically, I started this blog to entertain myself. It was supposed to be a place where I could write, share ideas, learn new things, and occasionally make people laugh.

Then work decided to become my main source of entertainment.

Between new projects, more responsibilities, frequent travel, and life generally refusing to slow down, the months passed much faster than I expected. Every week seemed to bring something new, and before I knew it, this blog had been sitting quietly on the sidelines.

But here’s the thing: I never forgot about it.

In fact, the longer I was away, the more ideas I kept collecting. I’d come across an interesting topic and think, “That would make a great article.” I’d read something fascinating and want to write about it. The list kept growing… the publishing didn’t.

Until now.

This blog is returning with a much clearer vision than when it first started.

The goal is simple: build a library of content that’s worth coming back to.

Whether you want to learn something new, improve your finances, laugh for a few minutes, read an original story, discover a poem, practice Spanish, or simply explore different perspectives on the world, I want there to be something here for you.

Over the coming months, you’ll see articles across every category, with new content published consistently. Some posts will make you think, some will teach you something practical, and hopefully, a few will make you laugh.

This isn’t just another post. It’s the start of a new chapter for the blog.

If you’re returning after all this time, thank you for sticking around.

And if you’re new here… Welcome. I hope you’ll enjoy what’s coming next.

Pool day ☀️

It was another hot day, so the kids and I spent some time at the pool today. The temps reached 94°F, but i think the weather app said it felt like 102°F! 🥵

I’ll be honest—for most of the summer, I kept putting off going to the pool because I don’t particularly like wearing a bathing suit. 🫤

But once we got in the pool and started swimming around, I really started to enjoy myself! 😄🏊‍♀️

It made me realize I need to just relax and take a break sometimes, stop being so hard on myself.

I mean, it is summer after all. Lol ☀️😊

Mj (24), my oldest daughter stopped by to hangout with us at the pool after she got off from work.

She has her own apartment in our neighborhood—just three minutes walking distance from our house.

It’s nice having my daughter live in the same neighborhood as me. I really enjoy having her live so close by to us.

I’m so glad we went to the pool around 1 p.m. and hung out for a couple of hours because the weather unexpectedly got bad later in the day.

All of a sudden, around 6 p.m. the air quality became hazy and unhealthy because of the wildfires in Canada. 😲 (We live about 40 minutes from the Canadian border.)

The atmosphere became very smoky outside as if the entire neighborhood had finished shooting off fireworks. You could even smell the burning wood!

I’m keeping Canada and all U.S. states affected by these wildfires in my prayers! 🙏🏽

💜 XO

Productive Monday 😎

I got so much accomplished on this busy Monday! 🙌🏾

One habit that has improved my life the most 🙏🏽

This daily habit has had the biggest impact on my life…🙏🏽💜

Flight of the bumblebee 🐝

Finally! Our first bumblebee sighting of the season! 🐝🌻

Pool day ☀️

It was another hot day, so the kids and I spent some time at the pool today. The temps reached 94°F, but i think the weather app said it felt like 102°F! 🥵

I’ll be honest—for most of the summer, I kept putting off going to the pool because I don’t particularly like wearing a bathing suit. 🫤

But once we got in the pool and started swimming around, I really started to enjoy myself! 😄🏊‍♀️

It made me realize I need to just relax and take a break sometimes, stop being so hard on myself.

I mean, it is summer after all. Lol ☀️😊

Mj (24), my oldest daughter stopped by to hangout with us at the pool after she got off from work.

She has her own apartment in our neighborhood—just three minutes walking distance from our house.

It’s nice having my daughter live in the same neighborhood as me. I really enjoy having her live so close by to us.

I’m so glad we went to the pool around 1 p.m. and hung out for a couple of hours because the weather unexpectedly got bad later in the day.

All of a sudden, around 6 p.m. the air quality became hazy and unhealthy because of the wildfires in Canada. 😲 (We live about 40 minutes from the Canadian border.)

The atmosphere became very smoky outside as if the entire neighborhood had finished shooting off fireworks. You could even smell the burning wood!

I’m keeping Canada and all U.S. states affected by these wildfires in my prayers! 🙏🏽

💜 XO

Productive Monday 😎

I got so much accomplished on this busy Monday! 🙌🏾

One habit that has improved my life the most 🙏🏽

This daily habit has had the biggest impact on my life…🙏🏽💜

Flight of the bumblebee 🐝

Finally! Our first bumblebee sighting of the season! 🐝🌻

Pool day ☀️

It was another hot day, so the kids and I spent some time at the pool today. The temps reached 94°F, but i think the weather app said it felt like 102°F! 🥵

I’ll be honest—for most of the summer, I kept putting off going to the pool because I don’t particularly like wearing a bathing suit. 🫤

But once we got in the pool and started swimming around, I really started to enjoy myself! 😄🏊‍♀️

It made me realize I need to just relax and take a break sometimes, stop being so hard on myself.

I mean, it is summer after all. Lol ☀️😊

Mj (24), my oldest daughter stopped by to hangout with us at the pool after she got off from work.

She has her own apartment in our neighborhood—just three minutes walking distance from our house.

It’s nice having my daughter live in the same neighborhood as me. I really enjoy having her live so close by to us.

I’m so glad we went to the pool around 1 p.m. and hung out for a couple of hours because the weather unexpectedly got bad later in the day.

All of a sudden, around 6 p.m. the air quality became hazy and unhealthy because of the wildfires in Canada. 😲 (We live about 40 minutes from the Canadian border.)

The atmosphere became very smoky outside as if the entire neighborhood had finished shooting off fireworks. You could even smell the burning wood!

I’m keeping Canada and all U.S. states affected by these wildfires in my prayers! 🙏🏽

💜 XO

Productive Monday 😎

I got so much accomplished on this busy Monday! 🙌🏾

One habit that has improved my life the most 🙏🏽

This daily habit has had the biggest impact on my life…🙏🏽💜

Flight of the bumblebee 🐝

Finally! Our first bumblebee sighting of the season! 🐝🌻

Pool day ☀️

It was another hot day, so the kids and I spent some time at the pool today. The temps reached 94°F, but i think the weather app said it felt like 102°F! 🥵

I’ll be honest—for most of the summer, I kept putting off going to the pool because I don’t particularly like wearing a bathing suit. 🫤

But once we got in the pool and started swimming around, I really started to enjoy myself! 😄🏊‍♀️

It made me realize I need to just relax and take a break sometimes, stop being so hard on myself.

I mean, it is summer after all. Lol ☀️😊

Mj (24), my oldest daughter stopped by to hangout with us at the pool after she got off from work.

She has her own apartment in our neighborhood—just three minutes walking distance from our house.

It’s nice having my daughter live in the same neighborhood as me. I really enjoy having her live so close by to us.

I’m so glad we went to the pool around 1 p.m. and hung out for a couple of hours because the weather unexpectedly got bad later in the day.

All of a sudden, around 6 p.m. the air quality became hazy and unhealthy because of the wildfires in Canada. 😲 (We live about 40 minutes from the Canadian border.)

The atmosphere became very smoky outside as if the entire neighborhood had finished shooting off fireworks. You could even smell the burning wood!

I’m keeping Canada and all U.S. states affected by these wildfires in my prayers! 🙏🏽

💜 XO

Productive Monday 😎

I got so much accomplished on this busy Monday! 🙌🏾

One habit that has improved my life the most 🙏🏽

This daily habit has had the biggest impact on my life…🙏🏽💜

Flight of the bumblebee 🐝

Finally! Our first bumblebee sighting of the season! 🐝🌻

Pool day ☀️

It was another hot day, so the kids and I spent some time at the pool today. The temps reached 94°F, but i think the weather app said it felt like 102°F! 🥵

I’ll be honest—for most of the summer, I kept putting off going to the pool because I don’t particularly like wearing a bathing suit. 🫤

But once we got in the pool and started swimming around, I really started to enjoy myself! 😄🏊‍♀️

It made me realize I need to just relax and take a break sometimes, stop being so hard on myself.

I mean, it is summer after all. Lol ☀️😊

Mj (24), my oldest daughter stopped by to hangout with us at the pool after she got off from work.

She has her own apartment in our neighborhood—just three minutes walking distance from our house.

It’s nice having my daughter live in the same neighborhood as me. I really enjoy having her live so close by to us.

I’m so glad we went to the pool around 1 p.m. and hung out for a couple of hours because the weather unexpectedly got bad later in the day.

All of a sudden, around 6 p.m. the air quality became hazy and unhealthy because of the wildfires in Canada. 😲 (We live about 40 minutes from the Canadian border.)

The atmosphere became very smoky outside as if the entire neighborhood had finished shooting off fireworks. You could even smell the burning wood!

I’m keeping Canada and all U.S. states affected by these wildfires in my prayers! 🙏🏽

💜 XO

Productive Monday 😎

I got so much accomplished on this busy Monday! 🙌🏾

One habit that has improved my life the most 🙏🏽

This daily habit has had the biggest impact on my life…🙏🏽💜

Flight of the bumblebee 🐝

Finally! Our first bumblebee sighting of the season! 🐝🌻

✮ A Semblance of Life ✮

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