Gilded Living

Take my money! Give me all the red velvet cupcakes! Pretty please with sugar on top!

Wherever there is consistent sunshine, the snow has melted...but deep in the woods, where the light barely breaks through, some white remains. I feel like there is a deep life comparison/lesson in here somewhere, but it's been a long week and I'm too tired to think of it. Would anyone else like to offer up some words of wisdom? I'm all 👂s!

My family and I went to IKEA this afternoon to look at kitchen layouts for a remodel going on at home...and to drink lingonberry icees, buy some chip clips, try out all the couches, and make up stories about the imaginary families that live in the house displays. My daughters say their favorite moment was when I made a fake veggie stir-fry, pretending I was on a cooking show. "Oh, you caught me cooking!" 😉 Mine was watching everyone's faces as they sat down on the couches and chairs; it was instantly obvious what they thought of them...we're a family who wear our ❤️s on our sleeves! I'm excited for the weekend and more fun family shenanigans!

Perspective, belief, reality...they can change pretty fast. Mine were flipped upside down within 5 minutes today. Here's how: I was at my friend's gym this morning getting my butt kicked, doing 24" box jumps when he walked over and asked "Should I add the 12" on top?" I laughed, because COME ON, I just landed my first 30" jump a few weeks ago. He smirked over his shoulder as he walked away, saying "OK, we'll do it after class." I laughed and continued to jump in my comfort zone. But then, later, as I was working a heavy bag, I thought, "Hmm, Jordan has been pushing me for years in the right direction and because of it I've completed things I originally didn't think possible (pull-ups, a Spartan race, lifting heavier, punching harder...). What if this is one of them?" And so, after class, I stacked the boxes and stepped beside them. A 63" girl next to a 36" box. It was intimidating. I looked at my friend

Guess who's planning her next vacation? 🙋! ✔️ Schedule dog sitter ✔️ OK son's school calendar ✔️ Plan roadtrip activities ✔️ Map out Waffle Houses 🔲 Pack warm weather clothes (soon!) Less than 3 weeks until the family crams in the minivan* and hits the road! I can't wait! My very favorite family activity is traveling. We learn so much about each other, about the different people we meet and places we see, we create memories to last a lifetime and plan future adventures, and we all feed our curiosity and wanderlust side-by-side. For me, there is nothing better! * - I always said I'd never drive a red car or a minivan. Wanna guess what color my minivan is... 🤦 #neversaynever.

Those of us who live on the Great Lakes know how very great they really are. We have learned to respect their incredible power. We know how just a glimpse of the lake can relax muscles, clear a mind, make one breathe deeper. We have experienced hours of free fun and made countless memories on their shores and we: beach combing (my daughter Martha and I just spent a couple of hours searching for sea glass this weekend!), body surfing, sailing, playing bags, paddle boarding, kayaking, drinking beer while catching a tan with friends. We set our directions by the lake. (East has always been Lake Michigan for me.) And we know they are so large that you can't see across* them, no matter how hard you squint. Just like Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, or Mammoth Cave, unless you've visited the Great Lakes region, you can't fully grasp how great they truly are. I'm so blessed to call the gorgeous HOMES** region of the Midwest home! * - I travel across La