Marching: 7 Simple Shares

Playground in February. Pretending it is spring.

A few random things:

1. We recently painted the kitchen, dining room, and hallway. The entire house was a variety of tan and I needed to break it up a little. I am so happy with how it turned out! The kitchen and hallway are this color and the dining room accent wall is this.

After. Don't mind the phone charger and the few items missing from the sideboard.

2. Have you seen Home? It is Emaline's new favorite movie. I feel like I did not hear much about it when it came out. When I look it up, the reviews are mixed but my toddler loves it and so do I! It is funny and sweet with a positive message and a great soundtrack. You can find it on Netflix.

Nick and I went to a concert last weekend.
3. My favorite song from the opening act is this.

4. And my favorite song from the headliner is this.

5. The show was at House of Blues Boston. We have had friends complain about the venue before and we never understood. It turns out that the floor is great and the balcony is awful. If you ever find yourself looking at tickets to a show there, make sure your tickets are for the floor. Do NOT buy tickets for the balcony. Trust me on this.

6. If you are not yet watching Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, you need to check it out. It is informative, sharp, and seriously funny. It airs Sunday nights on HBO. Nick and I watch on HBOGO through our AppleTV and if you don't have access to that, you can find some of his best segments on YouTube like this, this, and now this.

7. Today starts a new month. If you are looking for some inspiration to start decluttering your house, check out this.

Sunday in October: Little Bits of Magic

It is Sunday and football is on. We have nothing planned today and I am happy for it. We will take on a few house projects and hang out as a family. I will write and we will cook dinner together. Days like this are not as common as we would like but so nice when they occur.

This fall Emaline is getting into the season, seemingly collecting baby pumpkins, painting them, placing them on the steps, and repeating the process every time it rains and the paint runs off. I love sitting with her on the deck as she focuses on putting just the right amount of blob and swirl on each little pumpkin.

 

And my addiction to Netflix documentaries continues. My recent favorites are Maidentrip and Hungry for Change. The second, pushed me into a smoothie kick. I really enjoy stuffing handfuls of leafy greens, carrots, and fruit into our Big Boss blender. I know I am doing something good for myself and it really does taste great! 

All of this

Becomes this.

I am most of the way through Big Magic and love it! I knew I would. Elizabeth Gilbert is one of my all time favorites. I have written about her podcast, her TedTalk, and her books. She is wise and honest and her opinions on art and creativity are so refreshing.

This book could not have come at a better time. I have been met with a very special writing opportunity and have appreciated the encouragement as I begin a new adventure. I will be able to share details with the blog very soon!

**And speaking of creative living, my awesome SIL has opened up an etsy shop! You can check out Smudge Guest Books HERE. Babies, engagements, showers, weddings, little kid birthday, personalized art. Elise is offering a special offer for Write to Simplicity readers. If you order before the end of October and mention this post, you will receive 10% off your order!

Summer List: Recent Favorites

Emaline's favorite book of the summer.

As I mentioned, the summer has been full. When time begins to not feel like my own, it is important to find a little balance. The easiest outlet has always been to read or write. Recently, a friend of mine was on maternity leave and mentioned what a lifesaver podcasts had been for her. The next day another friend who was transitioning from grad school to work, made a similar comment. And so I started paying more attention. And I have discovered a few that I love. Long drives, mowing the lawn, Emaline's nap time. I am hooked.

And sometimes at the end of the day, all I want to do is turn on a movie. We have been watching Peep Show but sometimes I want something with a little more weight. I have found a number of incredible documentaries on Netflix.

I have been asked to send along a list, so here it is. My absolute favorites right now are:


Book:
A Tale For The Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

Podcasts: 
Ted Radio Hour
Slow Your Home
Magic Lessons
The Tim Ferriss Show
And as always, This American Life 

Netflix:
On the Way to School
180 Degrees South
Austin to Boston
20 Feet From Stardom
Bill Cunningham New York

Please share your favorites in the comments section of this post!

Django Might Still Be Chained: Date Interrupted

This week has been rough! Any weekend that you find yourself at Walgreens at 2:00am is either great or terrible and leans toward the negative.

 

Saturday night, Nick and I went on a date. We went out to eat at Prime Bar in Uptown and then went to see Django at the Lagoon. It was fun until about two-thirds into the movie.

I started having stomach pain. It got too uncomfortable to continue sitting so I got up to figure out what was wrong. I went to the bathroom and then called my Mom to ask what contractions feel like. I had never had pain like that and was hoping to rule out anything serious. 

For a little comedic relief:
Kerin: "Hey Dad, can I talk to Mom? Nick and I are at the movies watching Django but I have to talk to her."
Dad: "The movies? Bingo? What's that?"
Kerin: "Django. The new Quentin Tarantino movie."
Dad: "Dingo? I've never heard of that. What's it about?"

After telling him about the movie's recent accolades and that I was calling because of something medical, she got on the phone.

She was concerned about the pain (naturally) and was not able to rule anything out. After talking to her and trying (and failing) to get in touch with my doctor, I realized I would have to go to the emergency room. As I came to this conclusion, I turned to find Nick standing over me. I tried to keep him calm and told him that it was not an emergency but that we did need to go to the hospital.

Nick told me later that he ran as fast as he could to his car. (so much for me keeping him calm). We went to the hospital where we will deliver and I was wheeled to what they kept referring to as Mac ( found out later it stands for Maternal Assessment Center). They performed a number of tests including an ultrasound, monitored heartbeat, looked for contractions, checked to make sure my water hadn't broken, and a few other not fun tests. They did not find anything and sent me home with medication for a possible bladder infection. Cue the late night Walgreens.

On Monday, I still had the pain and received a message from my doctor that I do not have an infection and to stop taking the medicine. Normally not having an infection would be a good thing. But in this case, it left me with mysterious pain. What made it worse, I was having trouble getting in to see my doctor. The physical pain mixed with the frustration was almost too much.

When I woke up Tuesday, the pain was gone. It's now Wednesday night and has not come back. I am cautiously optimistic.

What saved my sanity on Monday were the voices of wisdom that I was able to reach out to. My Mom is a nurse, my best friend is a doctor, and her husband is a doctor. Between the three of them, I have access to priceless knowledge. I would give anything to have them down the street but I am so grateful to have them a phone call away. Mom, Kris, and Steve - Thank you!!!

As for the movie, I really want to see the end!!