The Little List | September 23, 2021
Trust each step. I literally had to take the time to draw this out so that I could embed the idea in my control-loving brain. This year has been throwing us curveball after curveball, but I’ve been pushing myself (or maybe I haven’t had any choice but) to lean into it all, trusting that each step will take me to the next. Hoping that each block being laid is building something better. And that soon enough I will be able to look back and see how far I have come just by repeatedly putting one foot in front of the other as I go.
It is really hard to be an adult sometimes. I remember being a kid and longing to feel older. Now I’m not so sure I would wish for it. Of course I am grateful for my life today - my experiences, my marriage, my kiddo, and even my struggles. I definitely would never wish to go backwards. But every now and then, a little pocket of adulthood will spring up that makes me long for the days when life felt a little simpler. In fact, this past weekend was a prime example. The stomach bug hit our house and as I literally laid across my bathroom floor in the wee hours of the night, I realized how much easier it is to be sick when you are not the parent. I wished I could be laying on my parents couch in a (relatively) quiet house with zero cares in the world other than getting back to health. I just wanted to be a sick kid again, not a sick parent who had to also figure out how to rearrange appointments, get her work done, and make sure her kid was cared for. Have you ever been really sick as a parent? Gosh, it’s not pleasant.
But no matter the difficulties that come with being an adult, I’m grateful for the opportunities to learn and the opportunities to grow and the opportunities to lean into trusting that one next step. It got me this far and I think it will continue to carry me on. Slowly, but surely. Just one step at a time. These are a few of the things that have brought me joy, made me think, or helped me grow over the past couple of weeks:
Although I was confident that what we had was the stomach bug, we still all went and got tested before seeing people again and heading back to work and daycare. In our few days of isolation as we waited for results, my sister was the absolute sweetest and dropped off a few activities to keep Mabel busy (because coming off of being sick yourself and taking care of a rambunctious toddler who is trapped indoors for a few days is a fresh kind of hell). Mabel was obsessed with this little washable pet set, but we also had fun playing with kinetic sand and mess-free Paw Patrol colouring pages. Of course, we also did puzzles, played with her kitties, and even squeezed in a morning Movie Night too. Huge shoutout to my big sister - she is truly the best and always inspires me with her thoughtfulness and care!
The new Cinderella movie on Amazon Prime is gold! I was hesitant to watch it because there are already so many versions of this story that are all the same, but I was so pleased with how fresh this version felt. The messaging was such a breath of fresh air without totally transforming the familiar story and it was just flat out fun to dive into. If you liked Pitch Perfect and Glee (guilty!), you’ll love it too.
I loved this post on what your favourite home store says about your preferred design style.
I finally swapped out some of my porch plants for some simple white mums and the change makes me so happy. I haven’t quite hit the point where I am ready to add pumpkins, but I think the white mums will make the pumpkins pop and help it all transition into fall once we add them in.
Curt and I have been enjoying watching the UNTOLD documentary collection on Netflix recently, but the one about Mardy Fish in particular really caught my attention. As someone who struggles with anxiety myself, I just found his explanation of his experience really relatable and I admire the work he is doing to bring light to mental illness in sports. I’m definitely not an athlete, but I know there is a lot of unconscious perpetuation of stereotypes in sports that make being vulnerable about your feelings and mental struggles really difficult. It’s cool to see this talented athlete make efforts to use his story to change that and open the door for others to do the same.
I have been bingeing Great Art Explained on Youtube. The guy who makes these videos is so easy to listen to and I can guarantee that you will glean something interesting from what he shares, regardless of whether you consider yourself an art buff or not. In each video, he breaks down a famous work of art in 15 minutes and shares so many insights that you will be left with your jaw open. The episode on the Mona Lisa is a great gateway episode (who doesn’t know the Mona Lisa?), but I also loved the episodes about Van Gogh’s The Starry Night and Michelangelo’s David.
Raising a daughter is something I am always hyper aware of. I loved this episode of We Are Supported By… with Sheryl Sandberg. I admittedly didn’t know who she was before I listened and I think it’s safe to say I am now a fan girl of this strong and impactful woman.
I posted this round up of some of my favourite home picks from the Indigo Home sale on our LiketoKnow.it account last weekend. Unfortunately the sale is now over, but all of these beautiful items are still in stock if you see anything that interests you. My giant floor planter just arrived the other day and it is so good.
Large Tray // Planter // Salad Spoons // Lowball Amber Glasses // Instax Frame // Throw Blanket
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